LATEST ADDITIONS  01/23/2015

COMPACT DISCS
MOSE ALLISON

NEAL BURRIS
THE CONSOLERS
ARETHA FRANKLIN

SAUNDERS KING
JOE LIGGINS
COUNTRY JOHNNY MATHIS
THE MILLER BROTHERS

BILL MONROE
FRANK PROFFITT
JIMMIE RODGERS
THE SONS OF THE PIONEERS
THE SOUL STIRRERS
MUGGSY SPANIER
THE VALENTINOS

GEORGE VAN EPS
VARIOUS ARTISTS


IMPORTANT NOTE: We currently do not have a shopping cart. The company who handled our cart has gone out of business. However we are still handling orders and are keeping our web site up to date with new releases. You may place your orders by email (roots@toast.net), phone (toll free in USA 1-888-ROOTS-66, Elsewhere: 510-965-9503) or by mail P.O. Box 837, El Cerrito, CA 94530, USA

 
Since our Second Time Around listings are so popular this list includes some great releases which have been out for a while but you may have missed them the first time we listed them.To avoid you getting possible duplicates we have added  asterisks (**) after these particular titles. We have also included some choice sale items.

COMPACT DISCS



MOSE ALLISON Acrobat 7078 The Mose Allison Collection, 1956-1962 ● CD $24.98
4 CDs, 82 tracks, 288 mins, very highly recommended
Here's a fantastic collection of works by the enigma that is Mose Allison (is he jazz, is he Blues, is he Pop?) Like many of you out there, I was first aware of Mose Allison through The Who's cover of Young Man Blues on "Live At Leeds," and I worked my way backwards from there. Every time I dug deeper into his catalog, I was always impressed by his unique style and songwriting skills. This massive collection covers the first six years of Allison's recording career on labels like Prestige Columbia, and Atlantic, not just as a solo performer, but also as a pianist accompanying the likes of the Al Cohn, and Stan Getz. As this collection goes in chronological order, you can see Mose Allison's evolution from a mostly instrumental artist to a fine vocalist as well. There are so many great tracks here, the big ones like Young Man Blues/ Parchman Farm/ Seventh Son/ Eyesight To The Blind, etc., but all the tracks here are a treat. You get an artist that can cover everyone from Charlie Parker to Hank Williams, and put his own stamp on them all. (JM)
MOSE ALLISON: Ah Moore/ Ask Me Nice/ Autumn Leaves/ Autumn Song/ Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand/ Baby Please Don't Go/ Back On The Corner/ Barefoot - Dirt Road/ Blueberry Hill/ Brandy And Beer/ Bunny Hunch/ Bye Bye Blues/ Carnival/ Chloe/ City Home/ Creek Bank/ Deed I Do/ Devil In The Cane Field/ Disc 2:/ Disc 3:/ Disc 4:/ Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me/ Don't Get Around Much Anymore/ Down Beat/ Eyesight To The Blind/ Fool's Paradise/ Gotham Day/ Gotham Night/ Groovin' High/ Halley's Comet/ Hey Good Lookin'/ I Ain't Got Nobody/ I Don't Worry About A Thing/ I Got A Right To Cry/ I Hadn't Anyone Till You/ I Love The Life I Live/ If You Live/ In Salah/ Ingenue/ It's A Wonderful World/ It's Crazy/ It Didn't Turn Out That Way/ Jordu/ Just You Just Me/ Let Me See/ Life Is Suicide/ Lost Mind/ Love For Sale/ Lover Come Back To Me/ Mad With You/ Meet Me At No Special Place/ Moon And Cypress/ Morning Fun/ New Ground/ Night Ride/ Old Man John/ On The Alamo/ One Room Country Shack/ Parchman Farm/ Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone/ Polka Dots And Moonbeams/ Ramble/ S-H-I-N-E/ Seventh Son/ So Far So Good/ Stand By/ Stroll/ That's All Right/ The Lady Is A Tramp/ The Minstrels/ The Opener/ The Song Is Ended/ Town/ Train/ Trouble In Mind/ V-8 Ford Blues/ Wee Dot/ Yardbird Suite/ You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To/ You're A Sweetheart/ You 'N' Me/ Young Man's BluesA / Your Mind Is On Vacation

 
NEAL BURRIS B.A.C.M. 471 The Ozark Trail Rider ● CD $14.98
23 tracks, recommended
Neal Burris was an excellent and very pleasing singer and guitarist from Kansas who got his start working in Pee Wee King's band in the late 1940s and then went out on his own and recorded some fine sides for King and Columbia between 1951 and 1954. The earlier six King sides are less impressive and I could have done without another version of Billy Briggs' obnoxious Sissy Song which the liner note writer finds utterly delightful and whose humor stands up today - no comment! His Columbia sides are much better and consist mostly of songs written or co-written by Burris and are straight ahead honky tonk with fine accompaniments on fiddle, guitar and steel guitar. (FS)
NEAL BURRIS: Bonita Chiquita/ Don't Give Me Kisses/ For You Alone/ Georgia Rose/ Honey Baby Blues/ I Bet My Heart/ I Broke A Heart And I'm Sorry/ Life's Been So Beautiful/ Lonely Little Robin/ My Heart Needs Your Heart/ Please Excuse My Manners/ Poison Kisses/ Popcorn/ Put A Little Somethin' In/ River Of Love/ Sissy Song/ Start The Music/ That's The Time For Love/ There's No Reason/ What Does It Take/ Why Live If Life Is Not Worth Living/ You're Steppin' Out

 
THE CONSOLERS Acrobat 3119 The Consolers Collection, 1952-1962 ● CD $16.98
Two CDs, 37 tracks, very highly recommended
Finally, an in depth look at the recordings of the superb husband and wife gospel duo of Iola & Sullivan. Both were superb and ferocious vocalists and Sullivan accompanies them with his bluesy guitar playing - a little reminiscent of the accompaniments of Pop Staples of the Staples Singers. Although they were one of the most popular gospel performers of the 50s and 60 they have been poorly represented on reissues so this collection is particularly welcome. Both were from Florida and their first recordings between 1952 and '54 for DeLuxe and Glory were issued as by The Miami Soul Stirrers and then The Spiritual Consolers until they joined Nashboro in 1955 where the settled on The Consolers. Their first recording for Nashboro Give Me My Flowers became their most sucesful recording and they continued to have gospel hits with subsequent recordings. Their repertoire was a mix of traditional material as well as songs written by Sullivan imbued with simple, yet powerful, religious messages. Many of their earlier recordings featured just the two of them with later recordings featuring added instrumentation but the focus was always on their raw and unpretentious vocals. Some of the tracks are from worn singles and have a muffled sound because of too much filtering, otherwise this would be an essential release. Set comes with an excellent 24 page booklet with extensive notes by Frederic Adrian. (FS)

 
ARETHA FRANKLIN Rhino 79926 Aretha Arrives** ● CD $11.98
11 tracks, 36 min., highly recommended
Aretha's 2nd Atlantic album wasn't full of hits--the #1 R&B hit Baby, I Love You was the only chart shaker--but it was amazing. Musicians were flown in from Muscle Shoals and Memphis to back the Queen of Soul on as disparate a bunch of songs as you're likely to find. She covers the Stones' Satisfaction, ? & The Mysterians' 96 Tears, the Willie Nelson composition Night Life, and That's Life, made famous by Frank Sinatra. Of course by the time Aretha finishes singing them, they all sound like they were written for her. And though Going Down Slow/ Prove It eventually ended up as B-sides, they offer 2 of the finer moments on this excellent set. (JC)

 
 
SAUNDERS KING Ace CDCHD 865 Cool Blues, Jumps & Shuffles** ● CD $18.98
25 tracks, 73 tracks, highly recommended
25 tracks recorded between 1942 and 1954 by this fine and influential West Coast singer and guitarist for Rhythm, Modern, RPM and Flair. It includes his biggest hit, the soulful two part S.K. Blues, recorded in 1942 and covered by a number of artists. Other popular titles featured here include What's The Story, Morning Glory/ Empty Bedroom Blues and Stay Gone Blues. There are other fine tracks here including some unissued songs, alternate takes and sides that made their first appearance on a long unavailable Ace LP. In addition to slow blues and jumping jazzy up-tempo numbers Saunders tried his hand at several pop ballads like Summertime and Danny Boy which are pretty forgettable. 16 page booklet has extensive notes by Opal Louis Nations plus rare photos, label shots, ads and a complete discography. (FS)

 
JOE LIGGINS Specialty 7006 Legends Of Specialty - Joe Liggins & The Honeydrippers ● CD $15.98 $10.98
25 tracks, highly recommended Singer, pianist, songwriter, bandleader Joe Liggins was one of a handful of early Post-War exponents of California-type blues and rhythm. Born in Oklahoma, Joe started out by writing charts for big bands in the early 1930s. This album features many of his best known jumping sides like Pink Champagne, the 1950 remake of The Honeydripper, Frankie Lee and the unstoppable Rag Mop. Contains three unissued sides including the frantic Flying Dutchman and which tenor saxman Maxwell Davis blows the roof off. With fascinating notes by Billy Vera. (OLN)
JOE LIGGINS: Blues For Tanya/ Brand New Deal In Mobile/ Do You Love Me, Pretty Baby?/ Don't Miss That Train/ Frankie Lee/ Freight Train Blues/ Going Back To New Orleans/ I Just Can't Help Myself/ I've Got A Right To Cry/ Little Joe's Boogie/ Louisiana Woman/ One Sweet Letter/ Pink Champagne/ Rag Mop/ Rain, Rain, Rain/ Ramblin' Blues/ Rhythm In The Barnyard/ Shuffle Boogie Blues/ Tanya/ The Big Dipper/ The Flying Dutchman/ The Honeydripper/ Trying To Lose The Blues/ Whiskey, Gin And Wine/ Whiskey, Women And Loaded Dice

 
COUNTRY JOHNNY MATHIS B.A.C.M. 472 Come On In ● CD $14.98
28 tracks, strongly recommended
Texan Country Johnny Mathis was an excellent and prolific honky tonk singer and an even more prolific songwriter having written songs for George Jones, Ray Price, Freddy Fender Tammy Wynette and many others. Mathis's recording career stretched from 1949 through 1964 - cutting a couple hundred tracks but this is the first CD exclusively devoted to his recordings. Most of the tracks here are from the early 60s though there are a few earlier sides including his two rockabilly sides issued in 1958 as by Les Cole. Mathis had a high voice, somewhat akin to that of Webb Pierce, and most of his sides feature straight ahead honky tonk backings with only occasional intrusions by vocal choruses. This set includes his controversial Caryl Chessman - a defense of convicted robber, kidnapper and rapist who had been sentenced to death and whose case attracted worldwide attention. The rest of the material is mostly love songs like I've Been Known To Cry/ I Don't Know How I Can Live/ Come On In/ Only Time Will Tell/ I Thought I Heard You Call My Name, etc. (FS)

 
THE MILLER BROTHERS B.A.C.M. 468 Vol. 1 - Ramblin' Round ● CD $14.98 $10.98
30 tracks, highly recommended
The first of two CDs from this superb Western/ Western Swing band from Wichita Falls, Texas. Despite their name there was no-one in the group named Miller hough it did feature the brothers Leon (fiddle), Sam (gtr) and Nat Gibbs (bass) along with various other musicians. They first recorded in 1947 and '48 for the Delta label with a varied and lively selection of material ranging from a string band to a big band sound with horns and an equally varied range of material including Shadows On My Memories/ Shanty Town (a great version of "A Shanty In Old Shanty Town" with different words including the wonderful line "if I were as classy as Haile Selasse")/ Miller's Boogie/ Beer Barrel Polka and others. They didn't record again until 1953 when they backed Tommy Duncan on seven tracks (available on Bear Family BCD 15957 - $21.98). In 1954 they signed with the 4 Star label and recorded fairly extensively for them until the early 60s. The last 18 tracks features 4 Star recordings cut between 1954 and 1956 and apart from Leon Gibbs (who now called himself Leon Miller) I'm not sure if any of the other Gibbs brothers were involved and the rest of the musicians were certainly different. The sound was updated from the earlier group but was lively and energetic though I'm not too fond of the half a dozen novelty songs sung by the unremarkable Billy Thompson but the rest is excellent including six exciting instrumentals with fine steel guitar from Bill Jordan and fiddle work from Dale Wilson and Frakie McWhorter. The remaining vocals are either by the excellent Bill Taylor or ensemble. A splendid release with informative notes by Philip Tricker. (FS)
THE MILLER BROTHERS: Alligator Rag (Instr.)/ As You Were Standing By My Side/ Beer Barrel Polka (Instr.)/ Bluest Blues/ Broken Hearted Girl/ Denver Hop (Instr.)/ Express Polka (Instr.)/ Fiddlin' Stomp (Instr.)/ Geronimo/ Happy Birthday, Dear Jesus/ Ida Red/ Ill At Ease/ Marcheta/ Miller's Boogie (Instr.)/ My Baby Girl/ New Potato Stomp (Instr.)/ Nursery Rhyme Blues/ Ramblin' Round (Instr.)/ Rose Of Tijuana/ Rudolph Junior/ Schottische (Instr.)/ Shadows On My Memories/ Shanty Town/ That's How Long I'll Love You/ Today, Tomorrow And From Now On/ Trailways Blues/ Tulsa Baby/ Waggoner (Instr.)/ Wednesday Night Waltz (Instr.)/ You'll Regret Someday

 
BILL MONROE Rockbeat 3276 Live 1964 with Doc Watson ● CD $12.98
28 tracks, 69 mins, highly recommended
When Doc Watson performed with Bill Monroe, especially in the 1960s, it was something special; when Doc took Charlie Monroe's old parts in versions of old Monroe Brothers songs, it was downright magical. If Doc Watson was on all of the many songs on this CD, it would be essential, but unfortunately, he seems to only be on about the first fourth of the tracks. I say "seems to be" because there is not much info on the performances here, so I have to guess. That's not saying that the tracks without Doc are bad, there's not a bad track on here, just that on a few of these live performances it sounds like Bill Monroe is thinking about what he is going to have for dinner after the show, more than he is thinking about how he can enhance the performance, so you get some pretty subdued performances on a few of the tunes. All in all, fans of Bluegrass and Folk will still surely want this. (JM)

 
FRANK PROFFITT Folk Legacy 1 Ballads & Songs Of Appalachia** ● CD $16.98
17 tracks, essential
CD reissue of first Folk Legacy album from 1962. Frank Proffitt was a superb traditional singer and fretless banjo player from North Carolina who was an influential figure on the folk music revival of the 1960. He met folksong collector Frank Warner in 1938 who wrote down some of Proffitt's extensive repertoire some of which were subsequently published in Alan Lomax's important 1947 book "Folksong U.S.A." One of those songs was Tom Dooley which was recorded in 1958 by The Kingston Trio and became a massive hit. In the early 60s Proffitt started performing at folk festivals and made several recordings including this superb collection. The songs here were mostly learned by Frank from family members and include traditional American songs (Cluck Old Hen/ Handsome Molly/ Moonshine/ Wild Bill Jones, American versions of traditional songs from the British Isles (Bonnie James Campbell/ Gys of David/ Song Of The Lost Hunter, etc. as well as a couple of fine originals (Trifling Woman/ Going Across The Mountain and, of course, Tom Dooley. Proffitt's warm vocals and subtle banjo accompaniments are a joy to listen to. A superb and important collection. (FS)

 
JIMMIE RODGERS JSP 7704 Classic Recordings, 1927-1933** ● CD $28.98
5 CDs, 109 tracks, essential
Jimmie Rodgers was one of the most influential of all country musicians - he was the first big country recording star, and without him the music today would be much different. Gene Autry, Jimmie Davis, Hank Snow, and Ernest Tubb began their careers as Rodgers imitators, and he influenced Bill Monroe, Bob Wills, Doc Watson, Merle Haggard, Lefty Frizzell and many others in style and repertoire. Jimmie's genius lay in his ability to combine disparate familiar musical elements into something uniquely his. His droll, languid vocals owed much to the country blues of his native Mississippi, but also contained elements of "classic" blues vocal style, along with hints of vaudeville and Tin Pan Alley. He also recorded with Hawaiian guitarists, Louis Armstrong, The Carter Family, fiddler Clayton McMichen, Louisville Jug Band, and sweet jazz bands. And most of it worked. Jimmie was fond of parlor ballads about home and mother, and ersatz cowboy songs such as Prairie Lullaby/ Yodeling Cowboy/ Cowhand's Last Ride/ When The Cactus Is In Bloom. His trademark blue yodels were unique; many, such as Blue Yodel #8 (Muleskinner Blues)/ #3 ("She's long, she's tall, she's 6 feet from the ground...") or Last Blue Yodel ("These women make a fool out of me...") have entered the fabric of American music. Jimmie's railroading career was reflected in Waiting For A Train/ Hobo Bill's Last Ride/ Train Whistle Blues/ Southern Cannonball. His versions of Frankie And Johnny/ He's In The Jailhouse Now can be traced back to blues songs. Mother, The Queen Of My Heart is the quintessential mother song; its sentimentality is so cloying that it is perfect in a way. All these classics and more are here. If you can afford it the way to go is Bear Family's glorious six CD set (BCD 15540 - $119.98) which not only includes everything here but also some alternate takes, an unissued song, his movie soundtrack and overdubbed versions of some of the songs as well as a gorgeous 60 page LP sized book with notes by Rodgers biographer Nolan Porterfield and load of photos and other memorabilia. If that is too much this set is a more than satisfactory alternative. (RP/FS)
JIMMIE RODGERS: A Drunkard's Child/ Anniversary Blue Yodel/ Any Old Time/ Away Out On The Mountain/ Ben Dewberry's Final Run/ Blue Yodel/ Blue Yodel #10/ Blue Yodel #11/ Blue Yodel #12/ Blue Yodel #2/ Blue Yodel #3/ Blue Yodel #4/ Blue Yodel #5/ Blue Yodel #6/ Blue Yodel #8/ Blue Yodel #9/ Daddy And Home/ Dear Old Sunny South By The Sea/ Desert Blues/ Down The Old Road To Home/ Dreaming With Tears In My Eyes/ Everyboy Does It In Hawaii/ For the Sake Of Days Gone By/ Frankie And Johnnie/ Gambling Bar Room Blues/ Gambling Polka Dot Blues/ High Powered Mama/ Hobo Bill's Last Ride/ Hobo's Meditation/ Home Call/ I'm Free (From The Chain Gang Now)/ I'm Lonely And Blue/ I'm Lonesome Too/ I'm Sorry We Met/ I've Only Loved Three Women/ I've Ranged, I've Roamed, I've Traveled/ In The Hills Of Tennessee/ In The Jailhouse Now/ In The Jailhouse Now #2/ Jimmie Rodgers Visits The Carter Family/ Jimmie Rodges's Last Blue Yodel/ Jimmie The Kid/ Jimmie's Mean Mama Blues/ Let Me Be Your Sidetrack/ Long Tall Mama Blues/ Looking For A New Mama/ Lullaby Yodel/ Memphis Yodel/ Miss The Mississippi & You/ Mississipi Delta Blues/ Mississippi Moon/ Mississippi River Blues/ Moonlight And Skies/ Mother Was A Lady/ Mother, The Queen Of My Heart/ My Blue Eyed Jane/ My Carolina Sunshine Girl/ My Good Gal's Gone Blues/ My Little Lady/ My Little Old Home Down In New Orleans/ My Old Pal/ My Rough And Rowdy Ways/ Never No Mo' Blues/ Ninety Nine Years Blues/ No Hard Times/ Nobody Knows But Me/ Old Love Leters/ Old Pal Of My Heart/ Peach Pickin' Time In Georgia/ Pistol Packin' Papa/ Prairie Lullaby/ Rock All Our Babies To Sleep/ Roll Along Kentucky Moon/ She Was Happy Till She Met You/ Sleep, Baby Sleep/ Somewhere Down Below The Mason Dixon Line/ Southern Cannon Ball/ Sweet Mama Hurry Home/ TB Blues/ Take Me Back Again/ Texas Blues/ That's Why I'm Blue/ The Brakeman's Blues/ The Carter Family And Jimmie Rodgers In Texas/ The Cowhand's Last Ride/ The Land Of My Boyhood Dreams/ The Mystery Of Number Five/ The One Rose/ The Sailor's Plea/ The Soldier's Sweetheart/ The Wonderful City/ The Yodeling Ranger/ Those Gambler's Blues/ Train Whistle Blues/ Travelin' Blues/ Treasures Untold/ Tuck Away My Lonesome Blues/ Waiting For A Train/ What Is It?/ When The Cactus Is In Bloom/ Whippin' That Old TB/ Whisper Your Mother's Name/ Why Did You Give Me Your Love/ Why Should I Be Lonely/ Why There's A Tear In My Eye/ Years Ago/ Yodeling Cowboy/ Yodeling My Way Back Home/ You And My Old Guitar

 
THE SONS OF THE PIONEERS Bear Family BCD 15640 Wagons West** ● CD $114.98
4 CDs, 114 tracks 5 hr. 15 min. essential
Many years ago Bear Family issued seven LPs worth of Pioneers material from RCA from 1945-1952 including all their RCA duets with various artists. Those LPs are still available, but Bear has redone the collection on Compact Disc with some reconfiguration. All but one of the duets were omitted, but the Pioneers' complete 1954 Coral recordings and some rediscovered unissued RCA tracks are here including Down Where the Rio Flows). The version of Cool Water is a remake, (their best-known version was on Decca) but the RCA version's arguably the better one from a musical standpoint. Otherwise, it encompasses all the Pioneers' RCA material, save a few lost masters. The biggest hits, Stars and Stripes on Iwo Jima, No One to Cry To, Baby Doll Tear Drops in My Heart, Tumbling Tumbleweeds, My Best to You and Room Full of Roses are all included along with a booklet featuring a discography, rare photos and a fine history of the group's activities during these years penned by Western music historian Laurence Zwisohn. (RK)

 
THE SOUL STIRRERS Abkco 82572 Joy In My Soul: The Complete SAR Recordings ● CD $14.98
Due end of month. At last - all the recordings made by one of the greatest of all gospel groups made between 1959 and 1964 for their former member Sam Cooke's SAR record label. It includes their two SAR LPs, four tracks from a compilation LP, four from non LP singles and four unissued tracks. Includes superb lead vocals from Johnnie Taylor or Jimmy Outler with support from long time members Paul Foster, S.R. Crain and James Phelps. The recordings were produced by Cooke who also wrote several of the songs including the gorgeous Jesus Be A Fence Around Me.

 
MUGGSY SPANIER Fabulous 2047 The Muggsy Spanier Collection, 1924-49 ● CD $9.98
Two CDs, 47 tracks, highly recommended
Chicago cornet player Joseph Julian "Muggsy" Spanier was a fine and important figure in jazz history. His early career in the the 1920s and 30s was largely as a prominent sideman in various fine groups such as the Bucktown Five, The Chicago Rhythm Kings (with Frank Teschemacher, Mezz Mezzrow and others), Charles Pierce & His Orch., Ted Lewis (with George Brunies, Benny Goodman, Fats Waller and others), The New Orleans Rhythm Kings and others. The first 13 tracks are devoted to these recordings. In 1939 he formed his own band Muggsy Spanier & His Ragtime Band with George Brunies on trombone, Rod Cless on clarinet, Ray McKinley on ts and others. The recordings he made for Bluebird that year was essentially an update to the New Orleans style and are credited in helping to launch the Dixieland jazz revival of the 1940s and for the rest of his life (he died in 1967) continued to be major force in the Dixieland jazz scene. These sessions include his lively version of Louis Armstrong's Big Butter And Egg Man which was to become a regular part of his repertoire. This set continues his story through 1949 and many of the later feature his own band though he can also be heard in a band with the great clarinetist Sidney Bechet as well as accompanying Lee Wiley and joining Bob Crosby & His Orch for an exciting rendition of Cow Cow Blues with fine piano work from Jess Stacey. Sound quality is generally fine and there are informative notes and full discographical info. (FS)

 
ROOSEVELT SYKES Delmark 642 Raining In My Heart** ● CD $14.98
20 tracks, highly recommended
A great collection of urban blues recorded by the brilliant singer & piano player Roosevelt Sykes for Chicago's United label between 1951 and 1953. Accompanying the vocals are sidemen like Robert "Sax" Crowder/ ts, "Sax" Mallard/as, John "Schoolboy" Porter/ guitar, J.T. Brown/ts, "Big" Crawford/ bass and others. 7 of the tracks feature some very effective blues violin by Remo Biondi. It includes seven previously unissued songs and three unissued alternate takes. (FA)

 
THE VALENTINOS Abkco 82592 Looking For A Love: The Complete SAR Recordings ● CD $13.98
Due end of month. A long past due release featuring the complete recorded output of the superb R&B/soul group, The Valentinos recorded for Sam Cooke's SAR label between 1961 and 1964. The Valentinos' members included the five Womack brothers: Bobby, Cecil, Curtis, Friendly Jr. and Harry. Included are 14 tracks originally released as singles, three originally unreleased recordings that made their first appearance on an Abkco SAR Records box set. It includes their hits Lookin' For A Love and It's All Over Now, - the latter achieving world wide fame when it was recorded by the Rolling Stones in 1964.

 
GEORGE VAN EPS Jump 12-06 Once In Awhile ● CD $13.98
George Van Eps was remarkable and unique guitarist. He made his first recording in 1930 and subsequently worked wiith Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Red Norvo and others. In 1939 Van Eps switched to a seven-string guitar that he designed. After World War II Van Eps settled in the Los Angeles area busy in the film, radio and recording studios. "Once In Awhile" contains 21 tracks from Van Eps' 1946-49 recordings for the Jump label. Most are trio sides with Eddie Miller on tenor saxophone and Stanley Wrightsman on piano including the 1946 title track, a song he re-recorded in 1949 with bass and drums being issued for the first time on CD here. Also includes Ain'y Misbehavin'/ Love Is Just Around The Corner/ Ol' Pigeon Toed Joad/ It's Easy To Remember/ Stars Fell On Alabama, etc. Most of the tunes are featured in more than one take.

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Ace CDCHD 744 Bayou Rockabilly Cats** ● CD $18.98
26 tracks, highly recommended
Fine 26 track collection of rockabilly and upbeat country from Eddie Schuler's pioneering Goldband label out of Lake Charles, Louisiana. This collection is the first time that the first pressings of many of original singles have been reissued since later pressings of singles often used alternate takes or overdubbed versions and these were the versions often reissued. There are six tracks by the most well known of the Goldband boppers - Al Ferrier & His Boppin' Billies along with tracks by Hopeless Homer (doh!), Bill & Carroll & The Neches Valley Boys, Bill Arnold with Amos Como's Tune Toppers, Jerry Noble & The Plantation Playboys, , Little Billy earl and others including a 1950 cut by Goldband founder Eddie Schuler with his All Star Revelers. The hillbilly element is very strong on these sides and even the most rockin' sides usually have a fiddle, steel guitar or both. Great sound and interesting notes, in tiny type by dave Sax. (FS)
BEE ARNOLD & THE TUNE TOPPERS: Way Down Under Blues/ BEE ARNOLD WITH AMOS COMO'S TUNE TOPPERS: Plant You Now, Dig You Later/ BILL & CARROLL WITH THE NECHES VALLEY BO: Feel So Good/ Honest To Goodness Baby/ BILL & CARROLL & THE NECHES VALLEY BOYS: Love Me Just A Little Bit/ My Blue Letter/ LITTLE BILLY EARL: Couple In The Car/ Honey Baby-O/ AL FERRIER & HIS BOPPIN' BILLIES: Honey Baby/ AL FERRIER & THE BOPPIN' BILLIES: I'll Never Do Any Wrong/ It's Too Late Now/ My Baby Done Gone Away/ No No Baby/ AL FERRIER & HIS BOPPIN' BILLIES: What Is This Thing Called Love/ HOPELESS HOMER: New Way Rockin'/ The Girl In The Red Blue Jeans/ BILL HUTTO & HIS PLAYBOYS: Wanna Go Steady/ RED LE BLANCE & HIS CRESCENT BOYS: Blue Moon On The Bayou/ Freed My Silly Mind/ I Love That Woman (Right Or Wrong)/ Memory In My Heart/ DON MOORING WITH THE YELLOW JACKETS: Love Me Mary Ann/ JERRY NOBLE & THE PLANTATION PLAYBOYS: Mabel's Done Gone/ EDDIE SHULER'S ALL STAR REVELIERS: Jambalaya Boogie/ BUCK WHEAT: Twitterpated/ Texas Woman

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Ace CDCHD 873 The Best Of King Gospel** ● CD $18.98
24 tracks, 69 mins, essential
Fantastic collection of gospel recorded in the late 40s and early 50s from King and its Federal and DeLuxe subsidiaries. The King catalog of truly fine gospel has been sorely underepresneted on CD so this sampling is particularly welcome and is, hopefully, the beginning of a series. During this time King was home to some of the greatest gospel groups like The Spirit Of Memphis, Swan Silvertone Singers and The Trumpeteers along with fine lesser know artists like The Nightingales, Four Internes and The Cumberland Rivers Singers - all of them featured here. The performances are either acapella or with discreet guitar, piano or drum accompaniment. Every track here is a gem but I am particularly fond of the sides by the Spirit Of Memphis whose King recordings are, in my opinion, some of the very finest post war gospel recordings. The sublime tenor leads of Willmer "Little Ax" Broadnax and the searing baritones of Jethroe Bledsoe and the amazing Silas Steele are truly spine chilling. This set ends with the incredible two part Lord Jesus recorded by them live at a church in 1952. Compiled and annotated by Bay Area gospel expert Opal Louios Nation this is a must. (FS)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Ace CDCHD 1387 Bowie Heard Them Here First ● CD $18.98 $13.98
24 tracks, 76 mins, highly recommended
There's a long list of compilations that cover the songs that influenced one artist or another, from Elvis to Dylan, to James Brown, etc. Great artists usually had/have some pretty great taste. David Bowie is a great artist with great and eclectic taste, so a comp like this is a no brainer. Back in the '70s Bowie put out his all covers album "Pin Ups" which was a huge success, so many of the original tracks that he covered are here: Rosalynn by The Pretty Things, Sorrow by The Merseys, etc. Bowie also did a full E.P. of Jacques Brel covers, so here's Brel's Amsterdam. Then there are less famous songs that Bowie made all his own like Ron Davies' It Ain't Easy, and especially Fill Your Heart by Biff Rose, a song that was just awful when done by Biff, but Bowie found the magic in it. You get a wide range of great stuff here from Lotte Lenya to The Velvet Underground, Johnny Mathis to The Legendary Stardust Cowboy, Bobby Bland to Iggy Pop. Great stuff indeed! (JM)
CHUCK BERRY: Around And Around/ BOBBY BLAND: I Pity The Fool/ JACQUES BREL: Amsterdam/ RON DAVIES: It Ain't Easy/ THE EASYBEATS: Friday On My Mind/ EDDIE FLOYD: Knock On Wood/ IGGY POP: Don't Look Down/ THE KINKS: Where Have All The Good Times Gone/ THE LEGENDARY STARDUST COWBOY: I Took A Trip (On A Gemini Spaceship)/ LOTTE LENYA & THE THREE ADMIRALS: Alabama Song/ MARTHA & THE VANDELLAS: Dancing In The Street/ JOHNNY MATHIS: Wild Is The Wind/ THE MERSEYS: Sorrow/ METRO: Criminal World/ THE MODERN LOVERS: Pablo Picasso/ THE MOJOS: Everything's Alright/ THE PIXIES: Cactus/ THE PRETTY THINGS: Rosalyn/ PAUL REVERE & THE RAIDERS: Louie Go Home/ BIFF ROSE: Fill Your Heart/ ROXY MUSIC: If There Is Something/ THE VELVET UNDERGROUND: White Light-White Heat/ TOM VERLAINE: Kingdom Come/ THE WALKER BROTHERS: Nite Flights

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Acrobat ACMCD 4318 Ember Doo Wop ● CD $13.98 $10.98
24 tracks, highly recommended
This great disc features 24 tracks recorded for the Ember label which was originally founded by Jack Angel and Duke Ellington's son Mercer in 1953 and subsequently acquired by Herald. The label notched up three massive vocal group hits - the sublime ballad In The Still Of The Night and To The AisleGet A Job by The Silhouettes in 1958 (all included here). Although the label had no other big hits it issued a series of fine vocal group discs and this disc features 24 of them including more from the Five Satins plus sides by The Smoothtones, The Concords, Kenny Esquire & The Starlites, The Marktones, Boptones, Wonders and others. Excellent sound and booklet with informative notes by Bob Fisher. (FS)
THE BARRIES: Mary Ann/ Why Don't You Write Me/ THE BOPTONES: Be My Pussycat/ THE CAMELOTS: Pocahontas/ DAVE CLOWNEY BAND: Soft Lights/ THE COLONAIRES: Sandy/ THE CONCORDS: L'll Always Say Please/ THE EDSELS: Three Precious Words/ KENNY ESQUIRE & THE STARLITES: Pretty Brown Eyes/ THE FABULONS: Smoke From Your Cigarette/ THE FIVE SATINS: A Night To Remember/ I'll Be Seeing You/ In The Still Of The Night/ To The Aisle/ THE ILLUSIONS: Why Can't We Fall In Love/ THE MARKTONES: Hold Me Close/ THE MIFFLIN TRIPLETS: I Do I Do I Do/ THE PARAMOUNTS: In A Dream/ ROGER & THE TRAVELERS: You're Daddy's Little Girl/ THE SILHOUETTES: Get A Job/ Headin' For The Poor House/ THE SMOOTHTONES: Dear Diary/ THE STARLARKS: Fountain Of Love/ THE WONDERS: Hey Senorita

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Arhoolie 385 Mississippi Delta Blues Jam In Memphis, Vol. 1** ● CD $13.98
16 tracks, 65 mins, highly recommended
The first of two volumes featuring recordings made by Chris Strachwitz in Memphis, 1969 during the weekend of the short-lived Memphis Blues Festival. Many of these recordings were issued on a two LP set on the Blue Thumb label and some years ago were reissued on two Arhoolie LPs. For the CD issue, Chris has dug into the vaults and turned up recordings that were not originally issued from the same sessions. This volume includes three wonderful Fred McDowell tracks on which he is accompanied by the superb Mississippi harmonica player, Johnny Woods. There are also two previously unissued Fred McDowell solo performances. Furry Lewis is represented by three excellent songs (one previously unissued), two tracks by Memphis Piano Red, a wonderful barrelhouse piano player and three tracks of fife and drum music featuring Napoleon Strickland, Otha Turner and The Como Drum Band. The set is rounded out by three entertaining guitar duets featuring R.L. Watson & Josiah Jones (actually John Fahey & Mike Stewart). CD remastering is excellent, there some fine photos including a great cover photo of McDowell and Woods by Jim Marshall and a reprint of the original 1969 notes by Pete Welding. You won't go wrong with this one! (FS)
FURRY LEWIS: Furry Lewis' Blues/ Judge Bushay Blues/ Walking Blues/ FRED MCDOWELL: A Dark Cloud Rising/ Write Me A Few Of Your Lines/ Fred's Blues/ Keep Your Lamp Trimmed And Burning/ Shake 'Em On Down/ MEMPHIS PIANO RED: Abel Street Stomp./ Mobile Blues/ NAPOLEON STRICKLAND & COMO DRUM BAND: Back Water Rising/ Shimmy She Wobble/ OTHA TURNER & DRUM BAND: Otha's Piece/ R.L. WATSON & JOSIAH JONES: Memphis Rag/ Praying On The Old Campground & Lonesome Blues/ St. Louis Blues

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Arhoolie 386 Mississippi Delta Blues Jam In Memphis, Vol.  2** ● CD $13.98
11 tracks, 72 minutes, highly recommended
Another splendid collection of Memphis recordings. It opens with 4 emotional performances by Sleepy John Estes (one previously unissued) with harmonica player Tommy Garry and second guitarist Mike Stewart including his moving tribute to JFK - President Kennedy Stayed Away Too Long. There are two tracks by the amazing Nathan Beauregard - he claimed he was over 100 years old and was certainly at least in his 90s at the time of these recordings. Although his vocals are clearly those of a very old man they carry with them an emotional intensity that is very affecting. I remember seeing him at the Memphis Blues Festival being helped on the stage by his 70+ year old son! Finally, there are are five tracks by Bukka White - the first four from 1969 are among his finest 60s performances including the amazing Sad Day Blues which not only some of Bukka's finest slide playing and gruff vocals but has some amazing and almost surrealistic lyrics. The spoken aside at the end is a real spine chiller! Finally, from 1963, is a wonderful 26 minute folk tale by Bukka that was originally on Arhoolie 1020 and gives you an idea of Bukka's incredible creative ability. (FS)
NATHAN BEAUREGARD: 'Bout A Spoonful/ Nathan's Bumble Bee Blues/ SLEEPY JOHN ESTES: Little Laura/ Need More Blues/ President Kennedy Stayed Away Too Long/ Rats/ BUKKA WHITE: Christmas Eve Blues/ Columbus, Miss. Blues/ Mixed Water/ Sad Day Blues/ Stuttgart, Ark.

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS B.A.C.M. 428 Sleepy Hollow Ranch - Cowboys & Cowgirls ● CD $14.98 $9.98
26 tracks, recommended
Fine collection of sides recorded in the mid 40s by members of the Sleepy Hollow Ranch Gang - a group from Minnesota featuring Elmer and Pete Newman and their wives The Murray Sisters. The name comes from an amusement park that the group opened in 1940 that was to feature many top country stars in the ensuing years. The group also had a regular radio show for which they recorded transcriptions - many of which are featured here. The group had a midwest sound with nice accordion playing from Monty Rosci. Most of the vocals are by one of the brothers or the sisters as a duo. Material is mostly versions of country favorites along with a few originals. Nothing really earthshaking here but some very pleasing, well performed, music. (FS)
THE SLEEPY HOLLOW GANG: All Around For Sleepy Hollow/ Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain/ Cowboy Dad/ Dilly Dally Polka (instro)/ Do You Think It's Fair/ Don't You Cry Over Me/ Down Tumbleweed Trail/ Hobo Bill's Last Ride/ I Hang My Head And Cry/ I Was Never Nearer Heaven In My Life/ I Wonder Where You Are Tonight/ I'm Lonesome Now/ It's Hard To Say Goodbye/ Just Say So Long And Not Goodbye/ Keep On The Sunny Side/ Little Green Valley/ My Blue Ridge Mountain Home/ No Vacancy/ Peach Picking Time In Georgia/ Prairie Lullaby/ Saddle You Blues To A Wild Mustang/ Sioux City Sue/ Sleepy Hollow Polka (insto)/ Wabash Cannonball/ Westward Bound/ You Never Love Me

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS B.A.C.M. 473 Country Music On The Excellent Label, Vol. 2 ● CD $14.98
30 tracks, highly recommended
I liked the first compilation of sides drawn from this small Cincinnati, Ohio label (B.A.C.M. 465 - $14.98) but I think the second is even better. Almost half the tracks are traditional styled bluegrass and includes superb sides from The Logan Valley Boys (their Rock and Roll Country Style is a real delight), The Logan & Laurel County Boys, Dave Woolum & Noah Crase and the particularly fine Harlan & Stanley & The Wright Brothers featuring some lovely mandolin work. Returning from volume one is electric mandolinist Ray Lunsford with a small group doing some excellent instrumentals. The rest is honky tonk country with fine performances from Eddie Adams & The Mountain Rhythm Boys, The Cumberland Valley Boys (lovely country gospel), Rondell Baker & The Rainbow Drifters, Inez Hell (a superb vocalist with a style reminiscent of Kitty Wells) and others. Ralph Bowman is here with an old style tragedy song Targedy Of School Bus 27 telling the true story of a collision between a Floyd County school bus and truck resulting in the bus falling into the river and the death of 26 children and the bus driver. An excellent collection with informative notes by Phil Tricker. (FS)
EDDIE ADAMS & MOUNTAIN RHYTHM BOYS: Have You Been To See Your Mother/ Help Yourself/ RONDELL BARKER & RAINBOW DRIFTERS: Courtin' Under The Moon/ Dreamland/ RALPH BOWMAN: Tragedy Of School Bus 27 (Of Floyd Co. Ky)/ THE CUMBERLAND VALLEY BOYS: Handwriting On The Wall/ She's An Angel Way Up There/ FRANK DESKINS & HIS NATIONAL RAMBLERS: A Blind Date/ Some Bright Tomorrow/ DUNBAR FARIS & GENE MUSE WITH J.D. FARIS THE FO: I Love You Till The End Of The World/ You Have Forgotten Me/ HARLAN & STANLEY & THE WRIGHT BROTHERS: Carolina Mountain Home/ What Can I Do/ INEZ HELLMAN AKA CONNIE HALL: I Gotta Live With Me/ You Ain't Never Gonna Change/ TOMMIE LEE & KENTUCKY DRIFTERS: I'm Sorry/ TOMMIE LEE & MILDRED EDWARDS & KENTUCKY DRIFTER: That's All That Matters/ THE LOGAN & LAUREL COUNTY BOYS: Family Reunion/ Let The Saviour In/ THE LOGAN VALLEY BOYS: Rock And Roll Country Style/ Wild Rose/ RAY LUNSFORD: Blue Grass Blues (Instr.)/ Carroll County Blues (Instr.)/ Mount Vernon Rag (Instr.)/ Sheila/ Under The Double Eagle/ THE ROGER SISTERS: Jealous Heart/ My Misery/ DAVE WOOLUM & NOAH CRASE: Don't Blame Me/ Jimmie Brown The Newsboy

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Bear Family BCD 16881 Sweet Soul Music - 26 Scorching Classics From 1971 ● CD $24.98 $17.98
Bear Family has now issued the final five albums in their acclaimed series documenting the history of Soul Music. These cover the years from 1970 when funk started to become ascendant to 1975 when disco was getting its start. Each volume includes a selection of the best and biggest songs of the year along with important titles that never made the charts. All tracks are remastered from original master tapes newly remastered for best possible songs and each CD comes with a 76 page booklet with track by track notes by Bill Dahla and loads of photos and memorabilia. This volume has 26 soul gems from 1971 including Proud Mary by Ike & Tina Turner, Soul Power, Parts 1 & 2 by James Brown with The JBs, Want Ads by Honey Cone, Mr. Big Stuff by Jean Knight as well as tracks by Jackie Moore, Bill Coday, The Temptations, Beginning Of The End, Cornelius Brothers & Sister Ruth and more.
8TH DAY: She's Not Just Another Woman/ BEGINNING OF THE END: Funky Nassau, Part 1/ JAMES BROWN WITH JB’S: Soul Power Parts 1 & 2/ THE CHI-LITES: Have You Seen Her/ BILL CODAY: Get Your Lie Straight/ CORNELIUS BROTHERS & SISTER ROSE: Treat Her Like A Lady/ THE DETROIT EMERALDS: Do Me Right/ THE DRAMATICS: Watcha See/ ARETHA FRANKLIN: Rock Steady/ AL GREEN: Let’s Stay Together/ HONEY CONE: Want Ads/ JEAN KNIGHT: Mr. Big Stuff/ DENISE LASALLE: Trapped By A Thing Called Love/ JACKIE MOORE: Precious, Precious/ THE PERSUADERS: Thin Line Between Love & Hate/ WILSON PICKETT: Don’t Let the Green Grass Foul You/ SLY & FAMILY STONE: Family Affair/ THE STAPLE SINGERS: Respect Yourself/ JOHNNIE TAYLOR: Jody’s Got Your Girl And Gone/ THE TEMPTATIONS: Just my Imagination/ IKE & TINA TURNER: Proud Mary/ UNDISPUTED TRUTH: Smiling Faces Sometimes/ DEE DEE WARWICK: Suspicious Minds/ BILL WITHERS: Ain’t No Sunshine/ BETTY WRIGHT: Clean Up Woman/ O.V. WRIGHT: A Nickel And A Nail

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Bear Family BCD 16882 Sweet Soul Music - 25 Scorching Classics From 1972 ● CD $24.98 $17.98
25 tracks including I Gotcha by Joe Tex, Back Stabbers by The O'Jays, Get On The Good Foot, Part 1 by James Brown, Me and Mrs Jones by Billy Paul plus tracks by Soul Children, Denise LaSalle, The Staple Singers, Luther Ingram, The Chi Lites and more.
JAMES BROWN: Get On The Good Foot, Part 1/ THE CHI LITES: Oh Girl/ OTIS CLAY: Trying To Live My Life Without You/ LYN COLLINGS: Think (About It)/ CORNELIUS BROTHERS & SISTER ROSE: Too Late To Turn Back Now/ THE DRAMATICS: In The Rain/ AL GREEN: I’m Still In Love With You/ LUTHER INGRAM: (If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don’t Want To Be Right/ THE JB’S: Gimme Some More/ DENISE LASALLE: Now Run And Tell That/ LAURA LEE: Rip Off/ MAIN INGREDIENT: Everybody Plays The Fool/ MEL AND TIM: Starting All Over Again/ HAROLD MELVIN & BLUENOTES: If You Don’t Know Me By Now/ THE O’JAYS: Back Stabbers/ BILLY PAUL: Me & Mrs. Jones/ BILLY PRESTON: Outa Space/ JOE SIMON: Power Of Love/ SOUL CHILDREN: Hearsay/ THE STAPLE SINGERS: I’ll Take You There/ THE STYLISTICS: Betcha By Golly, Wow/ JOE TEX: I Gotcha/ BILL WITHERS: Use Me/ BOBBY WOMACK: Woman’s Gotta Have It/ BETTY WRIGHT: Baby Sitter

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS City Sounds 119 Yesterday's Rarities, Vol. 4 ● CD $17.98 $12.98
27 doo-wop rarities, many making their first appearance on CD and a number unissued - The Wonders, Rain Drops, Orbits, Darts, Johnny Lynd & The Madisons, Rosalie Alter, The Blenders, etc.
ROSALIE ALTER: Remember Our Love/ THE BLENDERS: I'm Not Sorry/ THE DARTS: Shimmy Shimmy Cha Cha Cha/ THE DELL REYS: Birth of an Angel/ THE DELROYS: Strange Land/ THE DENOTONES: Way Beyond Today*/ THE ELITES: Someday/ THE FOUR DEALS: Goodnight Sweetheart Goodnight/ BEVERLY ANN GIBSON: Light a Candle/ FRANK GRIECO: To Love Again/ LINDA HAYES: Our Love's Forever Blessed/ THE HOLIDAYS: The Robin/ JOHNNY & DELL: There Is Love/ THE LA CHORDS: Hey Pretty Baby/ JOHNNY LYND & MADISONS: I'd Do Anything/ NATHAN MCKINNEY & THE CHAMBERS BROS: Soldier Boy/ THE ORBITS: Lorraine*/ THE PERSONICS: Hully Gully*/ THE PHARAOHS: Little Sally Ann*/ THE POETS: I'm Falling In Love/ THE RAIN DROPS: Little One/ THE RESONICS: With Your Love To Guide Me/ DUKE SAVAGE & THE ARRIBINS: Your Love/ SHIRLEY & THE SWEETHEARTS: Tony/ THE UNIVERSALS: Never Was A Girl/ VERNA WILLIAMS & THE SHARP CATS: Mine All Mine/ THE WONDERS: Be My Love Be My Love

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Delmark DD 438 Honkers & Bar Walkers, Vol. 1** ● CD $10.98
21 tracks, highly recommended
The first of two volumes featuring hot instrumental R&B recorded for United and Regal in the early 50s prominently featuring the sound of the honking tenor sax. Includes performers like Paul Bascom, Jimmy Coe, Jimmy Forrest (the original hit recording of Night Train that has been covered many times), Fats Noel, Doc Sausage, Tab Smith and others. Superb sound and informative notes. (FS)
PAUL BASCOMB: Blues and the Beat/ More Blues-More Beat/ Pink Cadillac/ TEDDY BRANNON: Everybody Get Together/ Mixin' With Dixon/ JIMMY COE: After Hours Joint/ COZY EGGLESTON: Big Heavy (Blue Lights Boogie)/ Cozy's Beat/ JIMMY FORREST: Flight 3-D/ My Buddy/ Night Train/ FRED JACKSON: Duck Fever/ Sentimental Blues/ FATS NOEL: Duck Soup/ High Tide/ Wish You Were Here/ You Belong to Me/ DOC SAUSAGE: Sausage Rock/ TAB SMITH: Ace High/ Because of You/ CHRIS WOOD: Cool One-Groove Two

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Delmark DD 452 Honkers & Bar Walkers, Vol. 2** ● CD $10.98
22 tracks, highly recommended
This is a pick to click for all you lovers of swingin' dancefloor tenor, culled from the Apollo label. We start off with tenor titan Willis Jackson from 1950 on Pee Wee, a moody stroll that kicks into high gear. Morris Lane is up next, scoring with two rugcutters. Famed drummer Panama Francis propels 12:00 Jump/ Benson Bounce, while Darkness Of The Delta provides smooching time. Bill Harvey's orch. does a dynamite Walk Right In. Charlie "Little Jazz" Ferguson is the most exciting contestant here, taking time off from Apollo's Five Royales to cut 8 tasty slices. Ferguson had a rich tone that shines on blues and late night numbers, but he also flaunted his agility on crazy shoe-burners like Bean Head/ Hi Beam. King Curtis ends it, displaying his usual pep on a 1956 pairing. With 22 cuts in roughly chronological order, this is a sure fire winner that's long on swing, without the customary screeching hysterics. (MB)
KING CURTIS: Dynamite at Midnite/ Rush Hour/ CHARLIE FERGUSON: Bean Head/ Big G/ Doll Baby/ Hard Times/ Hi Beam/ I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)/ Low Lights/ That's It/ PANAMA FRANCIS: (When It's) Darkness on the Delta/ 12:00 Jump/ Benson Bounce/ Bess's Blues/ BILL HARVEY: I Love Her/ Walk Right In/ WILLIS JACKSON: Pee Wee (Call of the Gators)/ MORRIS LANE: Blue Jeans/ Gitchie Gitchie-Goomba/ Joe's Beat/ Return of B.O. Plenty/ BOBBY SMITH: That's for Sure

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Jasmine 794 Doo Wop - The Greatest Hits, 1961-1962 ● CD $18.98 $14.98
Two CDs, 60 tracks, very highly recommended
The third and final volume featuring the most popular doo wop recordings from the mid 50s to early 60s. The first volume (Jasmine 507 - $18.98) covered the years 1954-1957 and the second (Jasmine 157 - $18.98) covered 1957-1960 while this one covers 1961 and '62. By this time doo-wop was losing it's popularity but would reinvent itself with a more flavor as soul music and a number of the groups here would become soul groups. Almost all the tracks here managed to reach Billboard's top 100 charts, quite a few them in the top 20 but only one reached the #1 spot - The Marcels with their wild rendition of Tin Pan Alley favorite Blue Moon though their follow up - a gorgeous rendition of George Gershwin's Summertime only made it to #78 but their even more over the top Heartaches made it to #7. Other major hits from the period include The Jive Five with one of the greatest of all doowop recordings My True Story, The Dreamlovers with the lovely When WE Get Married, the irresistibly catchy Let Me In by The Sensations and the sublime What's Your Name by Don & Juan. Other artists here include Otis Williams & The Charms, The Edsels, The Cleftones (only a modest hit at the time but their Heart & Soul has become an all time doowop favorite), The Chanters, The Halos(their wonderful Nag), The Blue Jays, The G-Clefs, The Impressions (their cuts are proto soul), The Majors, The Quotations (their Marcels inspired rendition of the standard Imagination), The Belmonts and many more. If you want the very best doowop recordings you won;t go wrong with the three volumes in this series. (FS)
THE CORSAIRS: Smokey Places/ THE BELMONTS: Come On Little Angel/ Diddle Dee Dum (What Happens When Your Love Is Gone)/ Tell Me Why/ THE BLUE JAYS: Lovers Island/ THE CAPRIS: Where I Fell In Love/ THE CASTELLS: Sacred/ THE CHANTERS: No No No/ THE CLEFTONES: Heart And Soul/ Lover Come Back To Me/ DON & JUAN: What's Your Name/ DONNIE AND THE DREAMERS: My Memories Of You/ THE DREAMLOVERS: If I Should Lose You/ When We Get Married/ THE DRIFTERS: Stranger On The Shore/ Up On The Roof/ When My Little Girl Is Smiling/ THE DUPREES: My Own True Love/ You Belong To Me/ THE EARLS: Life Is But A Dream/ Remember Then/ THE EDSELS: Rama Lama Ding Dong/ THE EXCELLENTS: Coney Island Baby/ THE FALCONS: I Found A Love/ THE FIESTAS: Broken Heart/ I Feel Good All Over/ THE FLARES: Footstompin' Pt 1/ THE G-CLEFS: I Understand/ GABRIEL AND THE ANGELS: That's Life (That's Tough)/ THE HALOS: Nag/ THE IMPRESSIONS: Grow Closer Together/ Gypsy Woman/ Little Young Lover/ Minstrel And Queen/ THE JARMELS: A Little Bit Of Soap/ THE JIVE FIVE: Hully Gully Callin' Time/ My True Story/ What Time Is It/ LITTLE CAESAR AND THE ROMANS: Those Oldies But Goodies/ THE MAJORS: A Wonderful Dream/ THE MARCELS: Blue Moon/ Heartaches/ My Melancholy Baby/ Summertime/ NINO AND THE EBB TIDES: Juke Box Saturday Night/ THE ORLONS: Didn't Hang Up/ THE PENTAGONS: I Wonder (If Your Love Will Ever Belong To Me)/ To Be Loved (Forever)/ THE QUOTATIONS: Imagination/ THE RAYS: Magic Moon (Clair De Lune)/ THE RIVINGTONS: Papa Oo Mow Mow/ ROCHELLE AND THE CANDLES: Once Upon A Time/ THE SENSATIONS: Let Me In/ TEDDY AND THE TWILIGHTS: Woman Is A Man's Best Friend/ THE TOKENS: Tonight I Fell In Love/ THE VELVETS: Laugh/ Let The Good Times Roll/ Tonight (Could Be The Night)/ THE VOLUMES: I Love You/ OTIS WILLIAMS AND THE CHARMS: Little Turtle Dove

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Official 402 Hidden Gems, Vol. 4 - Aristocrat Records, Part 2 ● CD $16.98
24 tracks, 68 mins, highly recommended
A second volume devoted to recordings made for the Chess Brothers Aristocrat label - precursor to the mighty Chess label and largely ignored on previous reissues. While not quite as musically strong as the first volume there are some fine performances here. Quite a few of the artists return from the first volume but new to this one are two fine piano players - Forrest C. Sykes's two cuts are instrumental including the excellent opening track Tonky Boogie while Jimmy Bell is also a fine vocalist and one of his cuts is a boogie while the other is a fine slow blues. Christine Chatman is also a piano player though the piano is not prominent on her two sides - Hey Mr Freddy is a lively jazzy number while When Your Hair Has Turned To Silver is a dreary ballad. Her group includes future Chess star Gene Ammons. The fine vocal group The Dozier Boys are back with a rocking version of the old favorite The Music Goes Round and Round accompanied by a terrific 10 piece group featuring piano player Herman "Sonny" Blount who would later go on to achieve fame as Sun Ra. The band Eugene Wright's Dukes Of Rhythm do a nice bluesy instrumental Dawn Mist. Also featured are Sax Mallard & His Orch., The Prince Cooper Trio, Clarence Samuels, The Seven Melody Men and more. Sound is generally fine but Aristocrats are pretty rare and so some tracks exhibit some surface noise but the music is all listenable and enjoyable. (FS)
THE 5 BLAZES (VCL. ERNIE HARPER): Dedicated To You/ THW 5 BLAZES (VCL. ERNIE HARPER): Every Little Dream/ JIMMY BELL'S TRIO: Jimmy's Swing Boogie/ Just About Easter Time/ FORREST C. SYKES: Forrest's Got The Blues/ CHRISTINE CHATMAN & HER ALL STAR COMBO: Hey Mr. Freddy/ When Your Hair Has Turned To Silver/ PRINCE COOPER TRIO: It's A Hit Baby/ Throw It Out Your Mind/ Let's Give Love A Start/ THE DOZIER BOYS WITH EUGENE WRIGHT & HIS DUK: Big Time Baby/ Music Goes Round And Round/ JUMP JACKSON & HIS ORCH. (VCL. BENNY KELLY): Not Now Baby/ BENNY KELLY WITH JUMP JACKSON'S ORCH.: Choo Choo Blues/ SAX MALLARD & HIS ORCH. (VCL. PRO MCCLAM): Rolling Tears/ SAX MALLARD & ORCH.: The Mojo/ Let's Love Again/ REV. "GATEMOUTH" MOORE & HIS CONGREGATION: Glory, Glory, Hallelujah/ CLARENCE SAMUELS WITH PORTER KILMER'S ORCH.: Baseball Blues/ Coming Home Baby/ THE SEVEN MELODY MEN: Rockin' Lord/ FORREST C. SYKES: Tonky Boogie/ SKEETZ VAN & ORCH.: Bronzeville Swing/ EUGENE WRIGHT & HIS DUKES OF SWING: Dawn Mist

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS One Day 218 Gems From Philips Records USA ● CD $11.98
2 CD, 50 tracks, highly recommended
Started by a Dutch electronics group in 1950 as an outlet for high quality classical recordings made by German, French, and Dutch artists, Philips ended up distributing Columbia Records recordings in the U.K. in 1954, and then moving into the pop market during the late 50's. Based on the talent here, Philips doesn't seem to have had a specific brief for the kinds of music they put out; be it rock 'n' roll (Johnny Hallyday, huge in Continental Europe), pop (Paul & Paula), proto-folk rock (The Springfields, with Dusty Springfield), R&B (Ruth Brown), instrumental rock (The Cliffters), country (The Barrier Brothers), or easy listening pop (Tony Williams) everything seemed to be fair game. Consequently, there is a nice diversity on this compilation which does quite literally translate into something for everyone. Some of the treats: early tracks from Clydie King (who became a prominent backup singer in the 70's), tracks from the Springfields besides their lone U.S. hit Silver Threads and Golden Needles, Lonzine Cannon's You Stayed Away Too Long, and Bob Corso's Bad Bad Woman. Focusing on the year 1962, the gang at One Day has yet again brought us a fine collection of what constituted popular music back in the day. (GMC)
THE BARRIER BROTHERS: Destroyed/ Smoke Along The Track/ TRUDY BELL: This Friend Of Mine/ BEN & BEA: Gee Baby/ Let The Good Times Roll/ LINDA BRANNON: Deep Inside Me/ TERESA BREWER: The Ballad Of Lover's Hill/ RUTH BROWN: Say It Again/ Shake A Hand/ LONZINE CANNON: You Stayed Away Too Long/ MEL CARTER & CLYDIE KING: Who Do You Love/ THE CHESTERFIELDS: A Dream Is But A Dream/ You Walked Away/ THE CLIFFTERS: Amapola/ Django/ THE CORONA KIDS: The Big Ship Sails On The Alley Aley O/ BOB CORSO: Bad Bad Woman/ My Pockets Are Full/ THE CREATORS: Yeah He's Got It/ JIMMY DELL: Shippin'/ Sweet Potatoes/ THE DELTAS: My Own True Love/ THE DIALS: At The Start Of A New Romance/ These Foolish Things/ JAN FILEDS: Master Puppeteer/ MARLIN GREENE: The Angels Got Togheter/ JOHNNY HALLIDAY: Hey Little Girl/ JOHNNY HALLYDAY: Be Bop A Lula/ I Got A Women/ CLYDIE KING & THE SWEET THINGS: The Boys In My Life/ SONNY MARTIN: Boy Child/ DARRELL MCCALL: Dear One/ DARRERLL MCCALL: I Can Take His Baby Away/ BOBBY MIZZELL: High Noon/ PAUL & PAULA: Bobby Is The One/ Hey Paula/ RONNIE SAVOY: Big Hand, Little Hand/ DON SCHROEDER: Peggy Sue/ Quicksand/ THE SPRINGFIELDS: Aunt Rhody/ Dear Hearts And Gentle People/ Gotta Travel On/ Silver Threads And Golden Needles/ THE TEAM MATES: Never Believed In Love/ FRANKIE VAUGHAN: Hercules/ SHANI WALLIS: Don't Take Your Love From Me/ MARTY WILDE: Come Running/ Everyone/ TONY WILLIAMS: Chloe

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS One Day 239 Vigilante Man - Gems From The Topic Vaults ● CD $11.98
2 CDs, 40 tracks, essential
The oldest independent record label in the world, Topic Records was established in 1939 as an offshoot of the Workers' Music Association. In the beginning, the label's brief was to release "gramophone records of historical and social interest". Then, during the Fifties, folk singers Ewan McColl and Al Lloyd got involved and began producing records of traditional music that had a left-wing slant. The tracks on this two CD set cover the years 1954 to 1962 and demonstrate the breath of McColl and Lloyd's vision. Split between early British recordings and important American music, this collection shows diversity of sound and cohesion of message. Representing the British side are tracks from McColl, Lloyd, Ray & Archie Fisher, Jeannie Robertson, The Liverpool Spinners, and Johnny Handle. The legendary Paul Robeson was the first American artist McColl and Lloyd took on board in 1957, and from there fellow Americans Peggy Seeger (both solo and with her sisters, Penny and Barbara), Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry, Woody Guthrie, and Pete Seeger followed. As a leading British folk music label, Topic Record's importance and influence and not be underestimated and this collection serves as a primer on what the label is and was about. (GMC)
ISLA CAMERON & EWAN MACCOLL: Once I Had A True Love/ The Waters Of Tyne/ RAMBLIN' JACK ELLIOTT: Salty Dog/ The Boll Weevil/ RAY & ARCHIE FISHER: The Night Visiting Song/ ARCHIE FISHER & RAY FISHER: The TWA Corbies/ JESSE FULLER: Railroad Worksong/ San Francisco Bay Blues/ WOODY GUTHRIE: Grand Coulee Dam/ Talking Fishing Blues/ This Land Is Your Land/ Vigilante Man/ JOHNNY HANDLE: Stottin' Doon The Waall/ The Collier Lad/ THE LIVERPOOL SPINNERS: John Peel/ Judy Drownded/ A.L. LLOYD: All For Me Grog/ The Butcher & The Chambermaid/ EWAN MACCOLL: The Black Velvet Band/ Van Diemen's Land/ Charlie He's My Darling/ The Wark Of The Weavers/ BROWNIE MCGHEE & SONNY TERRY: Better Day/ Heart In Sorrow/ John Henry/ Let Me Make A Little Money/ JEANNIE ROBERTSON: The Bonnie Wee Lassie Who Never Said No/ When I Was Noo But Sweet Sixteen/ PAUL ROBESON: Kevin Barry/ Lullaby/ PEGGY SEEGER: The Rambling Gambler/ The Trooper And The Maid/ PEGGY, PENNY AND BARBARA SEEGER: The Angel Band/ Watch The Stars/ PETE SEEGER: Git Along Little Dogies/ Jam On Jerry's Rocks/ Penny's Farm/ Talking Union Blues/ PEGGY SEEGER, ISLA CAMERON & GUY CARAWAN: Cumberland Gap/ Freight Train

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS One Day 254 I Dig 'Em All - The Swan Records Story ● CD $11.98 $9.98
2 CD, 50 tracks, highly recommended
Swan was one of the myriad of independent labels started in the '50s during the first rock 'n' roll boom. Started in 1957 by Bernie Binnick and Tony Mamarella, the label managed to hang on for a decade before folding. This compilation, however, only covers the label's first five years, from 1957 to 1962. Although the collection kicks off with Johnnie Jackson's energetic I Dig 'Em All, the real star of this set-and indeed the label itself-is the next artist in sequence: Freddy "Boom Boom" Cannon. Way Down Yonder in New Orleans, Palisades Park (written by Chuck "Gong Show" Barris!), and Tallahassee Lassie may be pop fluff, but they are some of the most highly charged and exciting pop records of the late 50's/early 60's. Just to emphasize his importance to the label, the compilers have included no less than six of Cannon's greatest hits and every one of them is worth the price of admission. Other notables served up by the label include the memorably named Dickie Doo & the Don'ts (the country-esque Click Clack), Danny & the Juniors (past their peak, but they still got it on Pony Express and Twistin' All Night Long, which features Freddy Cannon), and Roy Buchanan (yes, that Roy Buchanan) on the great Mule Train Stomp. The other tracks vary in quality from good to great, but there's no reason why you shouldn't add this to your no doubt bulging collection of One Day label collections. (GMC)
LEE ANDREWS: I Cried/ I've Got A Right To Cry/ BILLY & LILLIE: Creepin', Crawlin, Cryin'/ La Dee Dah/ CODY BRENNAN & THE TEMPTATIONS: Ruby Baby/ Shake The Hand Of A Fool/ ROY BUCHANAN: Mule Train Stomp/ FREDDY CANNON: Buzz Buzz A-Diddle-It/ Muskrat Ramble/ Palisades Park/ Tallahassee Lassie/ Transistor Sister/ Way Down Yonder In New Orleans/ LOY CLINGMAN: Show Down/ DANNY & THE JUNIORS: A Thousand Miles Away/ Back To The Hop/ Pony Express/ Twistin' All Night Long/ GINGER DAVIS & THE SNAPS: I'm No Run Around/ RONNIE DAWSON: Ain't That A Kick In The Head/ Hazel/ DICKY DOO & THE DON'TS: Click Clack/ Nee Nee Na Na Na Na Nu Nu/ Teardrops Will Fall/ THE FIRESIDERS: No One Cares For Me/ BONNIE FUSSELL & THE JIVES: Too High Class/ GABRIEL & THE ANGELS: Don't Wanna Twist No-More/ FRANKIE GRIER QUARTET: Lonesome For You/ Oh Gloria/ RON HOFFMAN: Sleep Baby Sleep/ JOHNNIE JACKSON: I Dig 'Em All/ ACE KENNEDY & THE CANDIES: I Made A Mistake/ JACKIE LEE: Happy Vacation/ BARRY PETRI: Pretty Little Angel/ THE QUAKER CITY BOYS: Teasin'/ EDDIE RAMBEAU: Summertime Guy/ LITTLE JIMMY RIVERS & THE TOPS: Puppy Love/ THE ROCKIN' REBELS: Wild Weekend/ THE SATURDAY KNIGHTS: Tiger Lily/ FRANK SLAY: Flying Circle/ DOC STARKES & HIS NITE RIDERS: Apple Cider/ ARTIE SULLIVAN: It's Time/ MARY SWAN: My Heart Belongs To Only You/ Prisoner Of Love/ THE TAMS: Valley Of Love/ TEDDY & THE TWILIGHTS: I'm Just Your Clown/ Woman Is A Man's Best Friend/ THE UPBEATS: Just Like In The Movies/ MARK VALENTINO: The Push And Kick/ TONY VALENTINO: Big Big Woman

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS One Day 270 Ding Dong - The Gee Records Story ● CD $11.98
2 CDs, 50 tracks, 122 mins, highly recommended
Gee records out of New York city were host to a whole mess of great vocal groups in the 1950s and early 1960s. None greater than Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers, their sublime hits Why Do Fools Fall In Love and I'm Not A Juvenile Delinquent are easily found elsewhere, but sound great mixed in with their peers like The Echoes, The Cleftones - with their big hit version of Heart And Soul, The Squires, The Regents - with their original version of Barbara Ann, The Jets, The Debonaires, The Upsetters, and many, many more. One Day Music always gives you a simple package at an affordable price, and so far this and all of their sets have fine sound throughout. (JM)
THE ANGELS: Glory Of Love/ BIG DADDY: Walking Her Home/ JOHNNY BLAKE & THE CLIPPERS: Bella Marie/ "LITTLE" FRANKIE BRUNSON: How Can I Please You/ You'll Never Get Away/ THE CLEFTONES: Heart And Soul/ Little Girl Of Mine/ SHAYE COGAN: Ain't Nobody Home/ THE COINS: Look At Me Girl/ THE DEBONAIRES: I'm Gone/ We'll Wait/ THE DRAPERS: I Know Your Love Has Gone Away/ You Got To Look Up/ THE DUVALS: Guide Me/ THE ECHOES: Ding Dong/ THE EMANONS: Change Of Time/ JOHNNY GREEN COMBO: Lonesome Road/ THE HARPTONES: Cry Like I Cried/ So Good So Fine, You're Mine/ THE HEARTBEATS: 500 Miles To Go/ People Are Talking/ THE JETS: Heaven Above Me/ ANNE KAYE: Dilly Dally Darling/ Every Fortune Teller Tells Me/ THE LANES: Open Up Your Heart/ DON LANIER: Need Your Loving/ JOHN LOREN: Tell It Like It Is/ FRANKIE LYMON & THE TEENAGERS: I'm Not A Juvenile Delinquent/ Why Do Fools Fall In Love/ JIMMY MACK & THE WATTS: I Belive I Love You/ True Lover Girl/ TRADE MARTIN: La Mer/ LILLY BILLY MASON: School Kid/ THE MELLOTONES: Rattle Snake Roll/ Rosie Lee/ THE MELLOW KEYS: Listen Baby/ THE QUINTONES: I'm Willing/ THE REGENTS: Barbara-Ann/ Runaround/ THE ROSEBUDS: Dearest Darling/ OLLIE SHEPARD: My Babe Is Gone/ Say Yeah/ THE SQUIRES: Don't Accuse Me/ THE SUBURBANS: Love Me/ THE SWEET TEENS: My Valentine/ THE TEENAGERS: Flip Flop/ THE UPSETTERS: Blues/ THE VALENTINES: I'll Never Let You Go/ THE VALTONES: Have You Ever Met An Angel/ JIMMY WRIGHT ORCHESTRA: Move Over

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS One Day 275 The Melotone Blues Story ● CD $11.98
Two CDs, 40 tracks, highly recommended
Superb collection of blues recorded in the 1930s - mostly country blues but also including some more urban titles. Melotone was a budget label that was part of the ARC (American Record Company) group of labels which included Vocalion, Perfect, Oriole, Romeo and Banner and most titles were issued on more than one of these labels and, in some cases, all six! So this is a companion to One Day's previously issued "Gems From The Vocalion Vault" (One Day 244 - $11.98) and includes many of the same artists. Although these tracks have all been reissued before, this is a particularly well chosen selection, and it includes a number of tracks that are hard to find outside of the comprehensive Document reissues like the fine slide guitarist and vocalist Sam Montgomery, the excellent Kid Prince Moore who sings one gospel song and one about the dangers of drinking the cheap alocolic drink "Bug Joice," the superb piano player and vocalist George Noble and others. More familiar names here, with superb performances, include Blind Boy Fuller, Rev. Blind Gary Davis, Lucille Bogan (one of the greatest of all female blues singers), Washboard Sam (a couple of his earliest and best recordings), Peetie Wheatstraw, Josh White, Big Bill Broonzy and others. (FS)
LUCILLE BOGAN (BESSIE JACKSON): Changed Ways Blues/ Lonesome Midnight Blues/ BIG BILL BROONZY: Bricks In My Pillow/ It's Too Late Now/ Match Box Blues/ Tell Me What You Been Doing/ LEROY CARR: I Believe I'll Make A Change/ FLOYD "DIPPER BOY" COUNCIL: Working Man Blues/ REV. BLIND GARY DAVIS: I Belong To The Band, Hallelujah!/ The Great Change In Me/ BLIND BOY FULLER: Evil Hearted Woman/ I'm A Rattlesnakin' Daddy/ Rag, Mama, Rag/ Truckin' My Blues Away/ LIL JOHNSON: That Bonus Done Gone Thru/ Take It Easy Greasy/ CHARLEY JORDAN: Don't Put Your Dirty Hands On Me/ Got Your Water On/ LEADBELLY: Becky Deem, She Was A Gamblin' Girl/ Big Meat Papa/ MISSISSIPPI JOOK BAND: Skippy Whippy/ SAM MONTGOMERY: Baby Please Don't Go/ Honey Dripper/ KID PRINCE MOORE: Bug Juice Blues/ Sign Of Judgement/ BUDDY MOSS: Mistreated Boy/ Undertaker Blues/ GEORGE NOBLE: If You Lose Your Good Gal/ Seminole Blues/ WALTER ROLAND: 45. Pistol Blues/ Bad Dream Blues/ Club Meeting Blues/ WASHBOARD SAM: Don't Tear My Clothes/ I'm A Prowlin' Groundhog/ PEETIE WHEATSTRAW: Mistreated Love Blues/ Remember And Forget Blues/ JOSH WHITE: Did You Read That Letter/ Good Gal/ Greenville Sheik/ No More Ball And Chain

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS RCA 60085 East Virginia Blues** ● CD $15.98
25 tracks, 74 mins, highly recommended
Back in print but probably not for long. A great collection of 25 old time country songs recorded between 1924 and 1940,drawn from the vaults of RCA & Bluebird - many of which have since become country standards. Includes performances by The Carter Family, Wade Mainer & Zeke Morris, Vernon Dalhart, The Hall Brothers (an intriguing early recording of the highly popular Man Of Constant Sorrow, recorded in 1938 and previously unissued!), The Blue Sky Boys, The Rouse Brothers (one of the first versions of Orange Blossom Specials taken at a far more leisurely pace than the usually frenetic modern versions), G.B. Grayson & Henry Whitter, J.E. Mainer's Mountaineers, Jimmie Rodgers, Jimmie Davis, Cliff Carlisle, Gene Autry, The Delmore Brothers, Ernest Tubb and others. Sound is superb but, unfortunately, this reissue doesn't include the notes and discography included on the original issue. (FS)
GENE AUTRY: Do Right Daddy Blues/ BUD BILLINGS & CARSON ROBISON: Birmingham Jail/ THE BLUE SKY BOYS: In the Hills of Roane County/ Mary of the Wild Moor/ CLIFF CARLISLE: That Nasty Swing/ THE CARTER FAMILY: The East Virginia Blues/ Wildwood Flower/ VERNON DALHART: The Prisoner's Song/ Wrecl of the Old 97/ JIMMIE DAVIS: She's a Hum Dum Dinger (From Dingersville), Pt. 2/ THE DELMORE BROTHERS: Brown's Ferry Blues/ THE HALL BROTHERS: Constant Sorrow/ THE LONE STAR COWBOYS: Just Because/ J.E. MAINER'S MOUNTAINEERS: The Longest Train/ BILL MONROE AND HIS BLUE GRASS BOYS: Mule Skinner Blues/ THE MONROE BROTHERS: Will the Circle Be Unbroken/ ZEKE MORRIS: Down in the Willow/ Short Life and It's Trouble/ RILEY PUCKETT: Nobody's Business/ JIMMIE RODGERS: Frankie and Johnny/ In the Jailhouse/ THE ROUSE BROTHERS: Orange Blossom Special/ ROY SHAFFER: The Matchbox Blues/ ERNEST TUBB: The TB Is Whipping Me/ HENRY WHITTER: Tom Dooley

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Sharp Wood SWP 015 Origins Of Guitar Music In Southern Congo & Northern Zambia** ● CD $17.98
24 tracks, highly recommended
Wonderful collection of singing with acoustic guitar accompaniments recorded by famed musicologist Hugh Tracey made on field trips in 1950, '51, '52, '57 and '58. The recordings made in The Congo. Zambia, Malawi and Zimbabwe are diverse and includes performances strongly rooted in the traditional xylophone music as well as performances strongly influenced by American music as well as all variations in between. Mostly recorded in the mining communities it includes a couple of performers who later went on to make a name for themselves - Mwenda Jean Bosco and Goerge Sibanda. The performances are haunting and melodic and set comes with 24 page booklet with extensive notes and great photos from the trips. (FS)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Sharp Wood SWP 032 Bulawayo Jazz - Southern Rhodesia, 1950,'51, '52** ● CD $17.98
23 tracks, 65 mins, highly recommended
Another great album from this label that has been re-issuing the field recordings made in Africa by the indefatigable Hugh Tracy from the 30s up to his death in 1977. Although Tracy, based in South Africa, recorded vast amounts of rural material he was also in tune with some of the more modern sounds emerging in urban areas and this collection features a selection of recordings made in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) between 1950 and '52 featuring a style of African jazz that was popular in the area around Bulawayo. Though drawing on elements of American jazz the music was distinctively Southern African with a lovely melodic quality to it. The bands were usually led by alto and tenor sax and trumpet with the alto usually taking the lead and with rhythm which often included guitars and banjo. The dominant figure on the scene was alto saxophonist/ composer and singer August Musaruwa who is featured on 15 tracks here with The Cold Storage Band and the Chaminuka Band. One of Musarurwa's compositions was a tune called Skokiaan which attracted the attention of South Africa's Gallo record company who recorded the tune by the band changing the group's name to the Bulawayo Sweet Rhythms and released to great success in 1952. It was subsequently issued throughout the world and became a worldwide hit and was covered by many artists in many different styles. If you are familiar with and love that tune then here is a whole lot more music in a similar vein including an unissued practice version of Skokiian which swings even harder than the hit. Most of the tracks are instrumental but a few feature warm and engaging vocals. In addition to above lineup there is also a beautiful track by The Dick Ncube Trio which features a violin lead and the delightful Hlabelani Je Bafana by De Brown darkies - a group of vocalist accompanied by acoustic guitar doing a very Africanized version of Glenn Miller's In The Mood! A real delight with in depth notes by Michael Baird and an introduction by Hugh Tracy's son Andrew. (FS)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Spring Fed 104 John Work III - Recordings Black Culture** ● CD $15.98
14 tracks, 47 mins, highly recommended
Terrific collection of field recordings made by African-American musicologist John Work III in various Southern states in 1938 and 1941. Five of these were among recordings Work donated to the Library Of Congress and some have been reissued on CD. The rest are from Work's personal collection that were housed at the Center for Popular Music at MTSU and have never been issued before and are not even listed in "Blues & Gospel Records, 1890-1943." There are five beautiful tracks from gospel quartets - mostly obscure performers but one is by The Fairfield Four who later were to become one of the great quartets of the 50s. There are a couple of fiddle and banjo duets from Nathan Frazier & Frank Patterson which have a very haunting and primitive sound. There are also work songs, congregational singing and the rarely recorded Colored Sacred Harp. There is only one blues but it's a beauty - Joe Holmes was a singer and guitarist from Georgia who performs Ain't Gonna Drink No Mo' - a superb performances with more than a few echoes of Robert Johnson in his singing and playing. What a shame there isn't more by him. There is also an excerpt of interview of Muddy Waters by Work. Sound quality is not the greatest - the original acetates were in very poor shape and there was only so much that the sound restoration engineers could accomplish but all tracks are listenable. Includes a 28 page illustrated booklet with detailed notes by Bruce Nemerov. (FS)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Tompkins Square 5081 When I Reach That Heavenly Shore - Unearthly Black Gosp ● CD $35.98
Three CDs, 42 tracks, very highly recommended
Fabulous collection of black gospel recorded between 1926 and 1936. There are only 14 tracks per CD as this set is also being issued on LP (#5098 - $53.98). The music is very varied. There are choirs like The Seventh Day Adventist Choir with a truly stunning and spine chilling version of On Jordan's Stormy Bank We Stand, The Primitive Baptist Choir of North Carolina and others. There are smaller groups like The Jubilee Gospel Team with some great organ and tambourine accompaniment and The Laurel (Mississippi) Fireman's Quartette. There are some superb recordings by the frequently ignored preachers, often with congregation musical supprt, including Elder Oscar Bryant, Rev. A.W. Nix, Rev J.M. Gates (his amazing Dead Cat On The Line and others. And of course singers and groups with guitar or other rural style accompaniments like Blind Gussie Nesbitt, Roosevelt Graves, Blind Joe and Emma Taggart and others. Apart from the chronological series on Document many of these cuts are appearing on CD for the first time and sound quality here is superior to that on Document. The music is consistently fine and the only disappointment is the lack of notes or detailed discographical details - the booklet mostly consists of biblical quotes which link up with many of the performances but some info on the artists and songs would be welcome. (FS)
REV. J.C. BURNETT: Great Day Of His Wrath Has Come/ Jesus Of Nazareth, King Of The Jews/ EDWARD W. CLAYBORN ("THE GUITAR EVANGELIST": I Heard The Angels Singing/ I Shall Not Be Moved/ Jesus Will Make It All Right/ EDWARD W. CLAYBORN- "THE GUITAR EVANGELIST: Let That Lie Alone/ REV. EMMET DICKINSON: What The Men Wanted The Women Was Sitting On/ THE FA SOL LA SINGERS: Rejoicing On The Way/ REV. J.M. GATES: Dead Cat On The Line/ EDDIE HEAD & HIS FAMILY: Lord I'm The True Vine/ THE JUBILEE GOSPEL TEAM: Don't Know When Old Death Will Call For Me/ I Know The Lord Has Laid His Hands On Me/ Let Jesus Lead You/ Stations Will Be Changed/ LAUREL (MISSISSIPPI) FIREMAN'S QUARTETTE: I Won't Have To Cross Jordan Alone/ You Gotta Live Your Religion Every Day/ MOTHER MCCOLLUM: I Want To See Him/ When I Take My Vacation In Heaven/ MCCOLLUM'S SANCTIFIED SINGERS: Glory! Glory! Hallelelujeh/ Oh Lord I'm Your Child/ BLIND GUSSIE NESBIT: Canaan's Land/ Pure Religion/ REV. A. W. NIX: Going To Hell & Who Cares/ Hiding Behind The Stuff/ WASHINGTON PHILLIPS: Train Your Child/ THE PRIMITIVE BAPTIST CHOIR OF NORTH CAROLIN: Blessed Be The Tie That Binds/ Father I Stretch My Hands Up To Thee/ Fight On Your Time Ain't Long/ Heaven Belongs To You/ I Love Thy Church O Lord/ The Day Is Past And Gone/ REV. WILLIAM RANSOM: Abraham Have Mercy On Me/ He Shall Speak For Himself/ REV. D.C. RICE: Angels Rolled The Stone Away/ ELDER OSCAR SAUNDERS & CONGREGATION: Everybody Will Be Happy Over There/ Preaching With Singing/ SEVENTH DAY ADVENTISTS CHOIR: On Jordan's Stormy Bank We Stand/ BLIND JOE & EMMA TAGGART: I Wish My Mother Was On That Train/ I'll Be Satisfied/ HENRY THOMAS: Jonah In The Wilderness

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Westport 1000 The Complete Westport, Vol. 1 ● CD $22.98
23 tracks, almost recommended
The Westport label was founded by Kansas City entrepreneur Dave Ruf with the initial purpose of recording his half a dozen kids but, fortunately, went on to record other artists. The nine cuts by his children The Westport Kids are mostly mediocre performances by kids who sound like they are preteens or in their early. The other artists here include some fine honky tonk singers like Milt Dickey, Tony Wayne and Jimmy Dallas as well as cuts by unexceptional Texas rockabilly singer Alvis Wayne. (FS)
COWBOY BOBBY: Cap Gun Cowboy/ JIMMY DALLAS: Good Intentions/ I'm No Good For You Anymore/ I've Got A Right To Know/ Who Do? Honey You Do/ MILT DICKEY: Bleeding Heart/ Easy Payment Heart/ Six Of One/ Television Love/ ALVIS WAYNE: I Gottum/ TONY WAYNE: Many Ways/ Together Forever/ THE WESTPORT KIDS: Crazy Dreams/ Hold Me My Darling/ In Sunshine Or Rain/ Mama I Won't Rock It/ Right Or Wrong/ Three's A Crowd/ Yearning Praying/ You Kain't Take It With You/ Your Kisses Turned Sour

 

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