LATEST ADDITIONS  11/14/2013


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


COMPACT DISCS



SAVANNAH CHURCHILL Acrobat ADDCD 3008 I Want To Be Loved ● CD $18.98 $13.98
An in depth look at the recordings of this fine R&B/ pop/ jazz vocalist featuring 40 tracks on two CDs recorded between 1945 and 1953. Though largely forgotten today she had a number of hits in the 40s including a #1 hit with I Want To Be Loved (But Only By You) for Manor, with backing by The Four Tunes. Over the next decade she would go back to this style with backing by The Tunes as well as other groups like The Five Kings and The Striders.
SAVANNAH CHURCHILL: All Alone/ All Of Me/ And So I Cry/ Can Any One Explain ( (No No No)/ Daddy Daddy/ Don't Grieve, Don't Sorrow, Don't Cry/ Don't Try To Explain/ Don't Worry About Me/ Foolishly Yours/ Get Yourself Another Guy/ How Could I Know/ I Can't Get Up The Nerve To Kiss You/ I Cried/ I Don't Believe In Tommorrow/ I Want To Be Loved (But Only By You)/ I Want To Cry/ I'll Never Be Free/ I'll Never Belong To Anyone Else/ I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry/ I'm Too Shy/ If I Didn't Love You So/ In Spite Of Everything You Do/ Is It Too Late/ It's No Sin/ Just Whisper/ My Affair/ My Memories Of You/ Once There Lived A Fool/ Raining Down In Sunshine Lane/ Savannah Sings The Blues/ Sincerely Yours/ Tell Me So/ The Devil Sat Down And Cried/ The Gypsy Was Wrong/ Try To Forget/ Waiting For A Guy Named Joe/ Walking By The River/ Wedding Bells Are Breaking Up That Old Gang Of Mine/ When You Come Back To Me/ Would You Hurt Me Now

 
LES COOPER & BOBBY DUNN Jasmine 751 Wiggle Wobble - The Les Cooper Collection ● CD $18.98
Two CDs, 53 tracks, highly recommended
If you are familiar with the name Les Cooper it's most likely for his great R&B instrumental Wiggle Wobble with Cooper on piano and hot sax from Joe Grier which was an R&B hit in 1962. But Cooper was more than a one hit wonder as this fine collection shows. Born in Virginia in 1931 he started performing gospel in his teens in a group with Johnny "Buddy" Barnes as lead. In the late 40s the two moved to New York and teamed up with baritone singer Bobby Dunn to play the clubs. In 1953 with the addition of William Goodman as bass they formed the doowop group The Empires who recorded a number of fine sides for various labels over the next three years and these comprise the first 22 tracks on disc 1. After the group split up Cooper strated working for Bobby Robinson as talent scout, writer and arranger and was involved with recording vocal groups and the rest of the first disc features recordings by three of these groups - The Charts, Ladders and The Kodoks. Disc two is a change of pace opens with his big hit Wiggle Wobble and continues with a rare Palace LP from 1961/62 by "Bobby Dunn with Les Cooper & His Twisters" with Cooper on piano. Essentially a twist album - two thirds of the tracks are hard driving instrumentals and feature an excellent band and the rest feature solid vocals by Bobby Dunn. This is followed by two more tracks from the group featured on Wiggle Wobble which is probably the same band as on the Palace LP. For a complete change of pace the last twelve tracks are all gospel featuring Bobby Dunn as leader of a gospel quartet The Sensationals - also from a rare Palace LP and are excellent. An excellent compilation with informative notes by Opal Louis Nations. (FS)
THE CHARTS: Deserie/ Zoop/ LES COOPER & THE SOUL ROCKERS: Dig Yourself/ Twistin' (One More Time)/ Wiggle Wobble/ BOBBY DUNN & THE SENSATIONALS: Climbing Up The Hill/ Father/ I Can't Begin To Tell You/ I Must Tell Jesus/ I Want To Rest/ It's Me/ Jesus Is With Me/ My God Called Me This Morning/ One Day When The Lord Will Call Me/ Praise God/ Somebody Is Always By My Side/ Try Him And See/ BOBBY DUNN WITH LES COOPER & HIS TWISTERS: Do The Twist/ I've Got Love In My Heart For You/ Les Cooper's Twist/ Shimmy Baby/ The Chinese Twist/ The Congo Twist/ The Latin Twist/ Twist With The Twisters/ Twisting On The Hill/ Twisting With Joyce/ What A Thrill!/ You Are The One/ THE EMPIRES: By The Riverside/ Corn Whiskey/ Don't Touch My Girl/ I Want To Know/ Linda/ Magic Mirror/ Make Me Or Break Me/ My Baby, My Baby/ My First Discovery/ Ragged And Hungry/ Shirley/ Somebody Changed The Lock/ Tell Me Pretty Baby/ Whispering Heart/ If I'm A Fool/ Zipperty Zip/ Looking For Love/ Till We Meet Again/ Magic Mirror/ Tonight And Forever/ THE KODOKS (KODAKS): Guardian Angel/ Teenager's Dream/ THE LADDERS: Counting The Stars/ I Want To Know

 
BETTYE CRUTCHER Stax (UK) 141 Long As You Love Me ● CD $18.98
16 tracks, recommended
The name Bettye Crutcher is probably familiar to those anoraks among us who scrutinize the songwriting credits on albums; first and foremost, she co-wrote Johnnie Taylor's 1968 smash, Who's Making Love, but along with Raymond Jackson and Homer Banks (collectively known as We Three), Crutcher racked up some impressive credits in the late 60's/early 70's by delivering songs to Carla Thomas, Darrell Banks, Chuck Brooks, the Staple Singers, and Booker T. & the MGs. After she split from We Three in 1971, Crutcher wrote with other writers and solo (among those who recorded songs from this period were the Emotions, Shirley Brown, and William Bell) before recording her first and only LP in late '73 and early '74. Released in April 1974 on Stax's Enterprise subsidiary, the album, which makes its' CD debut here, didn't receive much support from the Stax promotion machine but it has retained a reputation among collectors and Hip Hop artists, who have frequently mined the LP's grooves for samples. Bettye has a lightweight voice compared to other Stax women like Mavis Staples and Carla Thomas, but she makes the most of it on funky, proto-disco songs like Sugar Daddy/ As Long As You Love Me/ Sunday Morning's Gonna Find Us in Love, and A Little Bit More Won't Hurt. As the album contains a mix of uptempo numbers and ballads, it reveals itself as a typical mid-70's R&B album. The last six songs are previously unreleased bonus tracks that might have been recorded in 1972 or '73, and seem more commercial than anything on the LP proper, especially So Glad to Have You and We've Got Love On Our Side. In sum, this album will be of interest more to Soul collectors than the casual fan-ie well crafted and worth a listen, but nothing essential to a non-fan. (GMC)

 
JIMMIE DAVIS Acrobat 3093 The Jimmie Davis Collection, 1929-47 ● CD $16.98
Two CDs, 53 tracks, highly recommended
Excellent cross section of recordings by this poplar and influential performer who used his musical talents to help in his successful bid to become governor of Louisiana in 1944. His early sides from 1929 to 1934 featured on disc one and the first part of disc 2 find him as a singer steeped in the blues and influenced by Rogers but unlike Rodgers was fond of bawdy and double entendre songs like She's A Hum Dum Dinger/ Bearcat Mama From Horner's Corner/ Pea Pickin' Papa/ Sewing Machine BLues and, of course, Tomcat And Pussy Blues as long as plenty of less salacious material. He is usually accompanied by guitar and steel guitar - a couple of these feature the great African-American slide guitarist Oscar Woods. By 1936 he had abandoned his wicked ways and started recording more standard country fare accompanied by larger groups and are excellent with fine steel guitar from Charles Mitchell, Bill Harper on fiddle and others. In 1940 he recorded the song You Are My Sunshine - one of the most popular of all country and popular songs and it was a massive hit and was used by Davis as promotion during his gubernatorial run and eventually became the state song of Louisiana. Though credited to Davis and Charles Mitchell it was originally recorded by The Rice Brothers a year earlier and Davis bought the rights from them. Overall an excellent and varied collection that avoids most of Davis's more sentimental songs. Excellent sound with informative notes and full discographical information. (FS)
JIMMIE DAVIS: 1982 Blues/ A Woman's Blues/ Alimony Blues/ Arabella Blues/ Bang Bang/ Bearcat Mama From Horner's Corner/ Davis Limited/ Davis' Salty Dog/ Do You Ever Think Of Me/ Down At End Of Memory Lane/ Easy Rider Blues/ Get On Board Aunt Susan/ Good Time Papa Blues/ Goodbye Old Booze/ High Behind Blues/ Home Town Blues/ I Hung My Head And Cried/ I Just Dropped In/ I'm Gonna Write Myself A Letter/ In My Cabin Tonight/ Just A Girl That Men Forget/ Keyhole In The Door/ Lonely Hobo/ Market House Blues/ Midnight Blues/ My Mary/ Nobody's Darlin' But Mine/ Old Timer (with Charles Mitchell's Orchestra)/ Organ Grinder Blues/ Out Of Town Blues/ Pea Pickin' Papa/ Penitentiary Blues/ Pi-Rootin' Around/ Prisoner's Song/ Red Nightgown Blues/ Ridin' Down The Arizona Trail/ Rockin' Blues/ Saturday Night Stroll/ Sewing Machine Blues/ She Left A Runnin' Like A Sewing Machine/ She's A Hum Hum Dinger/ She's A Hum Hum Dinger (From Dingersville)/ Shirt Tail Blues/ Sweet Lorene/ That's Why I'm Nobody's Darling/ The Last Letter/ The Shotgun Wedding/ There's A New Moon Over My Shoulder/ There's Evil In Ye Children/ Tomcat And Pussy Blues/ Wampus Kitty Mama/ When A Boy From The Mountain/ You Are My Sunshine

 
JOHN & SYLVIA EMBRY Delmark 832 Troubles ● CD $14.98
17 tracks, almost highly recommended
Solid set of electric Chicago blues from this duo originally issued on the tiny Razor label in 1979 and reissued here on CD for the first time with four bonus previously unissued tracks. Guitarist John Embry and singer & bassist "Queen" Sylvia Embry were married for a while but were divorced by the time they recorded this album but work together seamlessly. Sylvia was a powerful vocalist, a little reminiscent of Big Mama Thornton but ot as flexible and wrote most of the songs here. John was a very fine guitarist whose techniques drew on the older 50s Chicago stylings as well as the more energetic 70s techniques. They are backed by a small energetic combo. Though no great originals they turn in a solid and entertaining set with fine singing and playing and some decent original songs. (FS)

 
DON GIBSON Jasmine 3642 Oh Lonesome Me ● CD $18.98
Two CDs, 46 tracks, very highly recommended
A superb collection featuring all the singles cut by the incredibly talented Don Gibson for MGM and RCA between 1956 and 1962. Gibson was a wonderfully soulful singer and one of the finest songwriters in Nashville and many of his songs have become country standards. He first recorded in 1949 and his early recordings made little impact. This set picks up the story in 1956 when he had his first country hits with the fabulous Sweet Dreams - a songs that has been recorded by hundreds of artists in almost every musical style. In 1957 he he moved to RCA where under the guidance of Chet Atkins he was to an enviable string of hits in both the country and pop charts. Gibson always epitomized the positive aspects of the late 50s/ early 60s "Nashville Sound." He and producer Atkins (whose stinging lead guitar graces much of the RCA material here) achieved a sound that flattered Gibson's voice without fiddles and steel. All the great RCA hits are here starting with the incredible double sided Oh Lonesome Me/ I Can't Stop Loving You - both sides reaching the country and pop charts. Other classics include Blue Blue Day/ Look Who's Blue/ Lonesome Old House/ Just One Time/ Sea Of Heartbreak, a remake of Sweet Dreams and more - all written by Gibson. And manyof the flipsides are almost as good - Too Soon To Know (a Gibson original, not the Orioles standard)/ I Couldn't Care Less/ Legend In My Time (not a hit for Gibson but since recorded my many artists)/The Same Street and others. Gibson's music neatly straddled the line between country and pop without ever becoming schlocky. Includes informative notes by Bob Fisher. (FS)
DON GIBSON: A Legend In My Time/ A Stranger To Me/ Ah-Ha/ Baby We're Really In Love/ Big Hearted Me/ Blue Blue Day/ Don't Tell Me Your Troubles/ Everything Turns Out For The Best/ Far, Far Away/ Give Myself A Party/ Heartbreak Avenue/ I Ain't A Studyin' You Baby/ I Ain't Gonna Waste My Time/ I Believed In You/ I Can Mend Your Broken Heart/ I Can't Leave/ I Can't Stop Loving You/ I Couldn't Care Less/ I Let Her Get Lonely/ I Love You Still/ I May Never Get To Heaven/ I Must Forget You/ I Think Its Best (To Forget Me)/ I'm Gonna Fool Everybody/ I'm Movin' On/ It Happens Everytime/ Just One Time/ Lonesome Number One/ Lonesome Old House/ Look Who's Blue/ Oh Lonesome Me/ Run Boy/ Sea Of Heartbreak/ Sittin' Here Cryin'/ So How Come No One Loves Me/ Sweet Dreams/ Sweet Dreams/ The Road Of Life Alone/ The Same Old Trouble/ The Same Street/ The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise/ Too Soon To Know/ What A Fool I Was For You/ What About Me/ Who Cares/ You're The Only One For Me

 
LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS Fuel 61979 A Man Like Me Me Is Hard To Find - Rarities and Gems ● CD $17.98
Two CDs, 30 tracks, 117 mins, highly recommended
Superb collection of sides by the greatest of all Texas country bluesman - much of it not readily available on CD and some on CD for the first time. It opens with his four incredible and very rare sides recorded for TNT in 1953 and featuring some of his most ferocious electric guitar playing. There are four superb solo acoustic cuts from 1959 recorded for Mac McCormick and originally issued on Tradition. In 1960 Lightnin' travelled to New York to record for Bobby Robinson acoustically accompanied by bass and drums and there are five sides from that session including that two that were not originally issued. There are There are four superb electric tracks from the 1964 LP "Live At The Bird Lounge" - an album that has never been reissued on CD in its entirety but certainly deserves to be - the performances are tremendous. In 1968 Lightnin' returned to recording for an African American audience and recorded a series of popular singles and LPs for Stan Lewis's Jewel label and there eight tracks from these sessions - two with a small group and six solo sides that were originally unissued and previously only available on a long out of print Westside double CD. The last five sides are not identified but some are from sessions cut for Roy Ames in 1968 with LIghtnin' accompanied by a drummer and on the great World Is In A Tangle by Elmore Nixon on piano. Fine notes by Bill Dahl. An excellent collection that actually lives up to its title (a rarity for the Fuel label!) (FS)

 
SON HOUSE Fuel 2000 61249 Revisited ● CD $19.98 $10.98
Two CDs, 27 tracks, recommended
Two live performances from 1965 by the Delta blues legend. The first disc features a performance at Oberlin College right after he had recorded his Columbia album and finds Son in good spirits giving lengthy introductions to each song which are fascinating the first time but you probably won't want to hear every time. Most of the songs are one he recorded for the album including Levee Camp Moan/ Empire State Express/ Preachin' The Blues/ John The Revelator, most accompanied by his steel bodied National and a couple unaccompanied. His vocals are powerful and the guitar work is exciting though he seems to run out of steam later in the show resulting in a few clams. Sound quality is excellent. The second disc was recorded live at the Gaslight Cafe in New York on January 3, 1965 not too long after his rediscovery. Son is in good, if not great, form on a collection including Pony Blues/ Preachin' The Blues/ Son's Blues/ Death Letter Blues/ I Shall Not Be Moved/ Empire State Express/ Louise McGhee and others. Son's performances on the first set seem a little tentative but are stronger and more assured on the second. A couple of the songs are cut short (presumably recorder ran out of tape) and there is noticeable tape hiss on the quieter moments. While not essential performances these are a worthwhile addition to the legacy of this blues giant. These performances have been reissued before but this is the first time they are issued with the cooperation of the House estate and sound quality is better than on previous issues. (FS)

 
ILLINOIS JACQUET Proper BOX 49 The Illinois Jacquet Story ● CD $28.98 $17.98
4 discs, 79 tracks, 252 min, essential
One of the first as well as one of the last of the great honking tenor players, the Cajun Jacquet got his fame in the Lionel Hampton Orch in '41-42, especially with the groundbreaking Flying Home. Moving to L.A., this set begins with 4 tracks from the 1st "Jazz At The Philharmonic" concert in '44, each one clocking in at around 10 min. & featuring an all-star aggregation including Jack McVea, Nat King Cole, JJ Johnson & Les Paul. Most of the rest of the recordings are great small group recordings for Philo/Aladdin & Apollo. However, in the mid-40s Jacquet became a star of the Count Basie Orch & while in NY did some small group stuff with Basie-ites for Savoy. Plenty of fine small-group jazz, R&B & ballads with such stalwarts as (in L.A.) Johnny Otis, Charlie Mingus, Sir Charles Thompson, Henry Coker, Bill Doggett, & his brother Russell Jacquet, &, while with Basie, such Basie-ites as Freddy Green, Joe Newman & Shadow Wilson. A notable exception is a Jacquet Orch date for Aladdin with a 17-piece orch including Miles Davis, Fats Navarro (as "Slim Romero"!), Dicky Wells, Big Nick Nicholas, even Leonard Feather! By '47 Jacquet made the majors, with a series of dates for Victor from '48-51. Ends with the beginning of his long association with Mercury/Clef (later part of Verve). This set comes with slipcase & full 40-page booklet that gives a history & song-by-song/ solo-by-solo coverage. (GM)

 
EARL JOHNSON Document DOCD 8005 Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1 - 1927 ● CD $15.98 $10.98
23 tracks, highly recommended
Wonderfully exuberant string band music from Georgia featuring two groups led by raucous fiddler and vocalist Earl; Johnson - The Dixie Entertainers and The Clodhoppers - both feature Johnson with banjo player and vocalist Emmett with Byrd Moore providing guitar with the former group and Lee Henderson with the latter. The material is a mix of covers of currently popular string band tunes, traditional pieces, comic songs and few originals and includes both songs and instrumental breakdowns - Ain't Nobody's Business/ Bully Of The Town/ Johnson' Old Grey Mule/ I Don't Love Nobody/ Red Hot Breakdown/ They Don't Roost Too High For Me/ Poor Little Joe, etc. Infectious music with fine sound and informative notes by Tony Russell. (FS)

 
WILLIE KING Rooster Blues 2642 Freedom Creek ● CD $15.98 $9.98
Exciting and original album from Alabama singer/ guitarist King who accompanied by a solid down home band lays down a basic rhythm and sings original songs. The songs have a political message usually dealing with racial inequalities and oppression and sometimes bringing it down to a local level by dealing with the residents of Pickens County, Alabama where he lives. The vocal approach is different with King doing a call and response duet with second vocalist Willie Lee Halbert.

 
ROY SMECK Jasmine 270 The Wizard Of The Strings ● CD $14.98
31 tracks, very good
Roy Smeck was, indeed, a wizard of strings and could play just about any stringed instruments and in the 1920s record a dazzling selection of music played on ukulele, steel guitar, banjo and guitar (a selection of these recordings are available on Yazoo 1052 - $16.98). Although the liner notes are evasive, these recordings are from much later in his career, drawn from three albums recorded for ABC in the late 50s/ early 60s. The first 11 tracks features Roy on ukulele backed by some brilliant jazz guitarists like Joe Puma, Tony Mottola, Al Casementi and George Barnes with bass and drums. There are 12 tracks with him playing banjo with a Dixieland flavored band and seven with him playing Spanish guitar accompanied by two guitars and drums. The material is mostly standards along with a few originals - Twelfth Street Rag (a remake of his first hit)/I Ain't Got Nobody/ Humoresque/ Sweet Georgia Brown/ Chinatown, My Chinatown/ Happy Polka/ Blue 'n' Blues, etc. The playing throughout is impeccable but there is not fire in the performances and I would class this as high quality easy listening music. (FS)

 
POPS STAPLES Acadia 8123 Peace To The Neighborhood/ Father, Father ● CD $17.98 $11.98
2 CDs, 21 tracks, 89 mins, highly recommended
There are certain artists that just sound great almost all of the time, artists whose style and sound are instantly recognizable, Willie Nelson is one, Pops Staples was another. Pops' beautiful, soulful, raspy, vocals, and the wonderful tremolo on that guitar of his always sound great to me. While certainly most of Pops' greatest work was in the 1960's and '70s with The Staples Singers, these solo records of his from the early 1990's are mighty good as well. This features a great mix of Blues, Soul, and Gospel and really showcases all that was great about Pops. Features fine backing musicians, with occasional big name guests like Ry Cooder, Jim Keltner, and of course Mavis Staples. Highlights include the haunting The Downward Road, a great take on People Get Ready (a song he was born to sing,) Miss Cocaine/ I Shall Not Be Moved, and much more. (JM)

 
ROOSEVELT SYKES Document DOCD 5117 Complete Chronological Recordings, Vol. 2 - 1930-31 ● CD $15.98 $10.98
24 tracks, 72 mins, highly recommended
The second volume of this brilliant singer and piano player features 24 tracks recorded between June 1930 and June 1931. Sykes was busy hopping from label to label recording under the name of Willie Kelly for Victor, Dobby Bragg for Paramount and Easy Papa Johnson for Melotone. As prolific as he was his music was consistently outstanding with great singing, varied and imaginative piano work and interesting and meaningful lyrics. Two tracks feature his accompaniments to the relatively undistinguished singer St. Louis Bessie. The sound here is mostly excellent and their are brief, informative notes, by Chris Smith. Piano blues at its finest. (FS)
ROOSEVELT SYKES: 3-6 And 9 Listen/ 32-20 Blues Listen/ As True As I've Been To You/ Big Time Woman/ Conjur Man Blues/ Cotton Seed Blues/ Don't Put The Lights Out/ Don't Squeeze Me Too Tight/ Drinkin' Woman Blues/ Give Me Your Change Listen/ Hard Luck Man Blues/ He Treats Me Like A Dog/ I Love You More And More Listen/ Kelly's 44 Blues Listen/ Kelly's Special/ Meat Cutter Blues/ Nasty But It's Clean/ No Good Woman Blues/ No Settled Mind Blues/ Papa Sweetback Blues/ Side Door Blues/ Thanksgivin' Blues/ We Can Sell That Thing/ You So Dumb

 
SONNY TIL & THE ORIOLES Jasmine 246 Still Crying In The Chapel, 1948-1962 ● CD $18.98
Two CDs, highly recommended
Blessed with two distinctive lead voices in Sonny Til and George Nelson, this pioneer Baltimore vocal group, along with The Ravens, blazed the R&B trail for the many 50's vocal groups to follow. The Orioles began to record in 1948 and enjoyed chart success with their first release, It's Too Soon to Know. Other successes followed in the early 50's, culminating with their biggest hit, Crying in the Chapel in 1953. And even though the vocal group sound had begun to change by then, Til and his associates continued to record in pretty much their original style but with more up to date backup through early 1956. Previous reissues of The Orioles have concentrated on their most successful period for Jubilee culminating in the incredible 7 CD box set on Bear Family with 152 tracks (Bear Family 15682 - $145.98) but this excellent set includes some of their later recordings. The first 37 tracks are devoted to their Jubilee sides and includes all their biggest hits plus a couple of Sonny Til's duets with Edna McGriff and their version of the R&B hit Yes Indeed with a lead vocal by Jackie "Moms" Mabley. This is followed by four fine sides recorded for Vee-Jay in 1956/57 which pretty much is in the same vein as their later Jubilee Records. Sonny Til returned to Jubilee as a solo act in 1960 though the four tracks here by him are pretty forgettable. The final 12 tracks reissues the rare LP of recordings made for the Charlie Parker label in 1962. Backed by a new incarnation of the Orioles, Til shows that his voice still had that ethereal beauty that made him such a big influence. Backed by a solid band of New York sidemen they turn in a very fine set of performances - mostly remakes of their Jubilee numbers but also including some newer songs.An excellent collection with informative notes by Bob Fisher. (FS)
SONNY TIL & EDNA MCGRIFF: Good/ I Only Have Eyes For You/ Once In A While/ SONNY TIL & THE ORIOLES: A Kiss And A Rose/ Baby I Love You So/ Baby Please Don't Go/ Back To The Chapel Again/ Bad Little Girl/ Barbara Lee/ Barfly/ Come On Home/ Crying In The Chapel/ Deacon Jones/ Don't Cry Baby/ Don't Mess Around With My Love/ Don't Tell Her What Happened To Me/ Fair Exchange/ Feeling Low/ For All We Know/ Forgive And Forget/ Getting Tired Tired Tired/ Happy Go Lucky Local Blues/ Hey! Little Woman/ Hold Me Squeeze Me/ Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me/ How Blind Can You Be/ I Challenge Your Kiss/ I Just Got Lucky/ I Maybe Wrong/ I Miss You So/ I Need You So/ I'd Rather Have You Under The Moon/ In The Chapel In The Moonlight/ In The Mission Of St. Augustine/ It Ain't Gonna Be Like That/ It's Gonna Be A Lonely Christmas/ It's Too Soon To Know/ It's Too Soon To Know/ Live It Up/ Lonely Christmas/ Longing/ Night And Day/ Secret Love/ See See Rider/ Shimmy Time/ Shrimp Boats/ Sugar Girl/ Teardrops On My Pillow/ Tell Me So/ The First Of Summer/ The Wobble/ There's No One But You/ Waiting/ What Are You Doing New Years Eve/ What Are You Doing New Years Eve/ Write And Tell Me Why/ Yes Indeed

 
DAVE VAN RONK Smithsonian Folkways 40213 Down In Washington Square ● CD $29.98
3 CDs, 54 tracks, 184 mins, very highly recommended
The next Coen brothers movie "Inside Llewyn Davis" will be loosely based on Dave Van Ronk's autobiography, "The Mayor Of MacDougal Street." So there has been a lot of interest brewing about the life and music of Van Ronk. Smithsonian Folkways has put together a fine collection here to take advantage of that interest and help spread the gospel of Dave Van Ronk. Of the 54 tracks here, 16 are previously unreleased. Material ranges from a 1958 live performance - a year before his first solo album for Folkways to a 2001 studio session, just a few months before his death. Highlights are many, but some of my favorites are: His renditions of Folk standards like In The Pines/ Please See That My Grave Is Kept Clean/ Hesitation Blues (based on Rev. Gary Davis' arrangement), St. James Infirmary, etc. Then there are excellent covers like his take on Billie Holiday's God Bless The Child, Mississippi John Hurt's Spike Driver Blues, and Bob Dylan's "Buckets Of Rain." On top of all that, Dave Van Ronk could write a rip roarin' tune of his own, and you get great takes of Losers/ Garden State Stomp/ Had More Money, and many more. Collection comes with a thick booklet full of excellent liner notes, recording information, etc. Fans of American Folk music will certainly love this, but I also think that fans of any American roots music will find a lot to love here as well. (JM)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Acrobat ACMCD 4037 Bob Geddins' Cava-Tone Records Story ● CD $13.98 $10.98
24 tracks, 70 mins, essential
Complementing Acrobat 9012 ("Bob Geddins' Big Town Record Story" - no longer available) this is another superb collection of West Coast blues and gospel produced by the brilliant African-American entrepreneur Bob Geddins. This volume features most of the recordings made for his Cava-Tone label which he operated from 1946 through 1948 producing some sensational music - quite a bit of it ending up reissued on other Geddins labels as well as other West Coast labels like Gilt Edge, Aladdin and RPM. It features two of Lowell Fulson's earliest recordings with Lowell and his country blues guitar accompanied only by his brother Martin. There are several sides featuring the brilliant West Coast blues singer Jimmy Wilson including a great rendition of Nobody's Business with an amazing narration from bass singer Elbrige Vann who also takes the lead on an unexpected rendition of Ghost Riders In The Sky. Wilson is also featured as lead vocalist on two of the four cuts by the superb gospel group The Rising Star Gospel Singers. Geddins was very fond of slow, doom laden blues and there are some great examples here from Jimmy McCracklin, Ulysses James, Emery Franklin, Roy Hawkins and The West Side Trio - the latter's So Tired I Could Cry will sound very familiar to Otis Rush fans. For blues guitar lovers you'll hear some great backup work on these tracks from Ulysses James (a little known but outstanding musician), Robert Kelton and Lafayette Thomas! About the only weak part of this set are the rather lame cuts by Saunders King - three are dull pop ballads and the fourth is a silly jive number that doesn't really go anywhere. Otherwise this is a great set with excellent sound and detailed notes from Opal Louis Nations. Next up on the menu is a CD of Geddins's Irma label due in about a month. (FS)
LOWELL FULSON: Lonesome Blues/ My Baby Left Me/ Prison Bound/ Stormin' And Rainin'/ BOB GEDDINS CAVALIERS: Ghost Riders/ Nobody's Business/ ROY HAWKINS: Ain't No Fault Of Mine/ They Raided The Joint/ ULYSSES JAMES: Poor Boy/ SAUNDERS KING: Big Fat Butterfly/ Nobody Wants Me/ September Song/ When Your Lover Has Gone/ JIMMY MCCRACKLIN: Bad Luck And Trouble/ Jimmy's Blues/ Railroad Blues/ THE RISING STAR GOSPEL SINGERS: Brother Moses/ I Trust In God/ Telephone Line/ While The Blood Is Running Warm In Your Veins/ THE WEST SIDE TRIO: So Tired I Could Cry/ West Side Jump/ JIMMY WILSON: Mistake In Life/ It's A Sin To Tell A Lie

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Dust-To-Digital 030 Qat, Coffee & Qambus: Raw 45s From Yemen ● CD $14.98
9 tracks, 38 mins, highly recommended
Powerful and moving music issued in the 1960s and early 70s on 45 rpm records. Unlike some its neighbors, the music of Yemen is largely unaffected by Western musical styles and so we have something raw and honest. Most of the recordings feature solo vocals accompanied by oud playing with some tracks also featuring percussion - the opening track Ya Mun Dakhal Bahr Al-Hawa by Fatimah Al-Zaelaeyah features only percussion accompaniment and is mezmerizing in its raw power. Most of the 45s were found in or around the capital city of Sana'a and are stylistically dominated by Sana'ani Lyric Poetry. The music here is not always easy to listen to with its starkness but careful listening is very rewarding. CD comes with 16 page booklet with extensive notes by compiler Chris Menist. (FS)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS History Of Soul 6 Let's Soul Dance - Black Dance Crazes From Late 50/ ear ● CD $18.98
2 CD, 63 tracks, highly recommended
The History of Soul label has done an exemplary job of compiling rare R&B and soul music from myriad sources, and here they've done it again with this collection of dance songs. According to the liner notes, the Dance Craze era was at its height during the years 1960-1961-1962 and came at a time when old style R&B was losing its appeal to Black record buyers, who were being dazzled by the proto-soul coming out of Detroit, New York, Chicago, and the Deep South. However, dance music still sold records, and the artists of the time were not slow to capitalize on the trend. Most of the dances of the time are covered via assorted tracks-the Mashed Potato, the Watusi, the Twist, The Horse, the Slop, the Hully Gully, the Pony, The Madison, the Popeye-by everyone from James Brown (Mashed Potatoes USA), the Isley Brothers (Teach Me How to Shimmy), and Dee Dee Sharp (The Wah-Watusi) to the Olympics (The Slop), King Coleman (Do the Hully Gully), Marvin Gaye (Hitch Hike), and Don Covay (Pony Time). Naturally, there's roll call of people well known to R&B fans: Chubby Checker, the Coasters, the Contours, Bobby Marchan, Hank Ballard, King Curtis, Willie Mitchell, and Bill Doggett to name a few. Heck, even a couple of blues guys-Magic Sam and Freddie King-join the fun and deliver two down and dirty cuts (Do the Camel Walk and The Bossa Nova Watusi Twist, respectively). But what would compilations like these do without the unsung names - The Van Dykes, The Vibrations, Nat Kendrick, Maximilian, The Rollers, and Al Brown's Tunetoppers-who gave their all only to be forgotten in the mists of time. Interestingly, while dance craze king Chubby Checker is well represented, his biggest hit The Twist is here in its original form by Hank Ballard; similarly, the Isley Brothers' more famous version of Twist and Shout is passed over for one by The Top Notes. But that's ok, because this is still one heck of a CD set for anyone interested in the black dance music from the years 1957 to 1962. (GMC)
ARTHUR ALEXANDER: A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues/ FRANK BALLARD: Do Wa Diddi/ HANK BALLARD AND THE MIDNIGHTERS: The Twist/ EDDIE BO: Now Let's Popeye Pt 2/ THE BRACELETS: Waddle Waddle/ LONNIE BROOKS: The Popeye/ JAMES BROWN: Mashed Potatoes U.S.A./ Shout And Shimmy/ AL BROWN'S TUNETOPPERS: The Madison Pts 1 And 2/ THE CANJOES: Dance The Boomerang/ THOMAS "LITTLE JR." CANNADAY: Sloppy Twist/ CARL AND LITTLE REV LATTIMORE: Carl's Dance Party/ CHUBBY CHECKER: Slow Twistin'/ The Fly/ THE COASTERS: The Climb/ BRICE COEFIELD: Cha-Cha Twist/ KING COLEMAN: Do The Hully Gully/ Let's Shimmy/ THE CONTOURS: Shake Sherrie/ LITTLE JOE COOK AND THE THRILLERS: Let's Do The Slop/ DON COVAY: Pony Time/ KING CURTIS AND HIS NOBLE KNIGHTS: Twistin' With The King/ J.C. DAVIS: The Chicken Scratch/ The Splib Pt 1/ THE DELLS: The (Bossa Nova) Bird/ BILL DOGGETT: (Let's Do) The Hully Gully Twist/ THE DUTONES: The Bird/ THE FIVE DU-TONES: Shake A Tail Feather/ The Flea/ THE FLARES: Foot Stomping Pt 1/ THE GAY JAYS: The Chicken Back Pt 2/ MARVIN GAYE: Hitch Hike/ GENE THE HAT: Hush Puppy/ Pass The Bug/ BENNY GORDON AND THE SOUL BROTHERS: Camel Walk/ WILBERT HARRISON: The Horse/ GEORGE HUDSON: Do The Bug/ The Roach/ HERBERT HUNTER: Twist It Up/ THE ISLEY BROTHERS: Teach Me How To Shimmy/ The Drag/ NAT KENDRICK AND HIS SWANS: (Do The) Mashed Potatoes (Part 1)/ Dish Rag Pt 1/ FREDDIE KING: The Bossa Nova Watusi Twist/ LIL RAY (JIMENEZ) AND THE PREMIERS: Shake Shout And Soul/ MAGIC SAM: Do The Camel Walk/ BOBBY MARCHAN: Booty Green/ MAXIMILIAN: The Snake Maximilian/ BIG JAY MCNEELY WITH LEON HAYWOOD: The Squat/ WILLIE MITCHELL: The Crawl/ THE OLYMPICS: (Baby) Hully Gully/ The Slop/ The Stomp/ THE BOBBY PETERSON QUINTET: The Hunch/ THE ROLLERS: The Continental Walk/ DEE DEE SHARP: Mashed Potato Time/ The Wah-Watusi/ THE TOP NOTES: Twist And Shout/ THE VAN DYKES: Stupidity/ THE VIBRATIONS: Let's Pony Again/ The Watusi/ ANDRE WILLIAMS: Bacon Fat/ The Greasy Chicken

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS JSP JSPCD 77139 Masters Of Memphis Blues ● CD $28.98
4 CDs, 101 tracks, essential
Previously JSP 7725 and out of print for a couple of years is reissued by popular demand with a new number. A compilation which features the musical talents of a plumber's assistant, a blacksmith, a one legged road sweeper and a midget is always likely to be distinctive, but this is special. JSP have issued the complete recordings of Gus Cannon's Jug Stompers along with recordings of The Memphis Jug Band in superb sound (JSP 7745 - $28.98), and now offer a companion set which includes Gus' first recordings as Banjo Joe. When you add the complete pre war recordings of Furry Lewis, Frank Stokes and Robert Wilkins, some rough, tough urban blues from Little Buddy Doyle and a classic of slide guitar from Allen Shaw, you have a combination that is hard to beat. Of the Memphis masters Furry Lewis' blues, like most performers, were built around a few core musical ideas which he varied by changing tunings, using slide on tracks like Cannon Ball Blues or, as on I Will Turn Your Money Green, complex picking patterns. His lyrics were interesting too, the blues often featuring a tongue in cheek tough guy humour, but some of his best efforts were inspired reworkings of old ballads like Billy Lyons And Stack O'Lee and Kassie Jones. By contrast Robert Wilkins produced finely honed, immaculately performed blues which experimented more with the melodies and format of songs rather than their musical accompaniment. His tales of separation, loss and trouble with the law were sometimes set to incongruously jaunty tunes so that, as with Frank Stokes, exposure can leave the brain permanently rewired. It can be difficult for example to hear the pop standard Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do without thinking of the Stokes' version: a different, older song but one which in Frank's hands wipes the floor with the Tin Pan Alley upstart. Essentially though Frank Stokes' music with its ragtime elements was music to dance to, built around his outstanding guitar duets with Dan Sane. His last session with violinist Will Batts was different, yet still produced classic performances like Right Now Blues, a simple but very effective song, beautifully sung by Stokes, which reflects on a difficult relationship with ambivalent emotions, part assertive, part pleading. There are no such subtleties on Gus Cannon's first recordings, which draw on his medicine show background and virtuoso banjo playing. His memorable version of Poor Boy, with Gus playing slide on his five string banjo, is another highlight. Sound quality is very good, and despite the fact that there is still noticeable background noise on many tracks these complete works have never sounded better. All reveal JSP's talent for "de-clicking" which makes any residual noise much more tolerable. Neal Slaven's nicely organized, informative notes concentrate on biographical details and memories of Beale Street in its heyday, and there are some good photos too. With historically important songs, great performances, exemplary sound and presentation this set really has everything, including Mr Lewis' own brand of humour. So mama get your hatchet, kill the fly on your baby's head, and enjoy one of the best reissues of this excellent series. (DPR)
BANJO JOE (GUS CANNON): Can You Blame The Colored Man/ Jazz Gypsy Blues/ Jonestown Blues/ Madison Street Rag/ My Money Never Runs Out/ Poor Boy, Long Ways From Home/ THE BEALE STREET SHEIKS (STOKES & SANE): Ain't Goin' To Do Like I Used To Do/ Beale Town Bound/ Blues In 'd'/ Chicken You Can Roost Behind The Moon/ Fillin' In Blues-part 1/ Fillin' In Blues-part 2/ Half Cup Of Tea/ Hunting Blues/ It's A Good Thing/ It's A Good Thing/ Jazzin' The Blues/ Jumpin' On The Hill/ Last Go Round/ Mr Crump Don't Like It/ Rockin' On The Hills Blues/ Sweet To Mama/ Wasn't That Doggin' Me/ You Shall/ You Shall/ LITTLE BUDDY DOYLE: Bad In Mind Blues/ Grief Will Kill You/ Hard Scuffin' Blues/ Lost Baby Blues/ Renewed Love Blues/ She's Got Good Dry Goods/ Slick Capers Blues/ Sweet Man Blues/ Three-sixty-nine Blues/ FURRY LEWIS: Big Chief Blues/ Billy Lyons And Stack O'lee/ Black Gypsy Blues/ Cannon Ball Blues/ Creeper's Blues/ Dry Land Blues/ Everybody's Blues/ Falling Down Blues/ Furry's Blues/ Good Looking Girl Blues/ I Will Turn My Money Green (take 1)/ I Will Turn My Money Green (take 2)/ Jelly Roll/ John Henry (the Steel Driving Man) (take 1)/ John Henry (the Steel Driving Man) (take 2)/ Judge Harsh Blues (take 1)/ Judge Harsh Blues (take 2)/ Kassie Jones, Part 2/ Mean Old Bedbug Blues/ Mistreatin' Mama/ Mr Furry's Blues/ Rock Island Blues/ Sweet Papa Moan/ Why Don't You Come Home Blues/ FURRY LEWSI: Kassie Jones, Part 1/ ALLEN SHAW: I Couldn't Help It/ Moanin' The Blues/ FRANK STOKES: 'tain't Nobody's Business If I Do-part 1/ 'tain't Nobody's Business If I Do-part 2 (take 1)/ 'tain't Nobody's Business If I Do-part 2 (take 2)/ Bedtime Blues/ Bunker Hill Blues/ Downtown Blues (take 1)/ Downtown Blues (take 2)/ Frank Stokes' Dream/ How Long/ I Got Mine/ I'm Going Away Blues/ It Won't Be Long (take 1)/ It Won't Be Long (take 2)/ Memphis Rounders Blues/ Mistreatin' Blues/ Nehi Mamma Blues/ Old Sometime Blues/ Right Now Blues/ Shiney Town Blues/ South Memphis Blues/ Stomp That Thing/ Take Me Back/ What's The Matter Blues/ ROBERT WILKINS: Alabama Blues/ Black Rat Blues/ Dirty Deal Blues/ Falling Down Blues/ Get Away Blues/ I Do Blues/ I'll Go With Her Blues/ Jail House Blues/ Long Train Blues/ Losin' Out Blues/ Nashville Stonewall Blues/ New Stock Yard Blues/ Old Jim Canaan's/ Police Sergeant Blues/ Rolling Stone, Part 1/ Rolling Stone, Part 2/ That's No Way To Get Along

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Norton 375 El Paso Rock, Vol. 8 - El Vampiro ● CD $14.98
18 tracks, 41 mins, highly recommended
Norton just keeps unearthing great stuff to put out in this excellent series. This volume features one scorchin' hot instrumental after another. If you close your eyes and listen real hard, you can hear the ocean, even though you are in El Paso... Highlights include: the title track by Los Vampiranos, The Monarcs (sp?) with Talisman and Forever Lost, Chi-Wa-Wa by The Fortunes, and Chuck Sledge with Caterpillar Crawl and a sparkling rendition of La Bamba. The bastard sons of Dick Dale meet Ritchie Valens' second cousins and a good time is had by all. (JM)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Norton 376 El Paso Rock, Vol. 9 - Sand Surfin' ● CD $14.98
17 tracks, 41 mins, highly recommended
Here's another fine collection of (mostly) Surf tunes done by land-locked West Texans. Highlights include The Beach Nuts with their primitive attack on The Last Ride and a cover of Dick Dale's Surf Beat '65, The Scavengers with an appropriately haunting version of Ghost Riders In The Sky '65, and Wipe In by Imposters, a joke take on Wipe Out, but done with enough scorchin' hot guitar and drums to give the original a run for its money. You also get some killer Garage rock with My Love by The Things. All in all this is another spot on collection from the folks at Norton. (JM)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Norton 112263 Tragic Songs From The Grassy Knoll ● CD $14.98
16 tracks, 45 mins, highly recommended
While we may never know exactly what happened on that fateful day in Dallas 50 years ago, we do know that Kennedy's death devastated millions of Americans. Many of those so deeply affected channeled their emotions into their art. Here's a collection of tribute songs, all heartfelt, some hilarious, all representing a fascinating and unique slice of Americana. The fact that Hasil Adkins is the best known artist on here, and probably was the biggest name among them in the 1960s as well, shows you the nature of these recordings. Artists ranging from pretty good Country music: Johnny Dee A Tribute To President Kennedy, to entreatingly stiff (I guess that you would call it Folk music) of: Bill Kushner J.F.K. & That Terrible Day. Don't expect the wild & crazy Hasil Adkins on his tracks here, both versions of Memories Of Kennedy are somber recitations, even if the second version is a awash in swampy, twangy guitar. The vast majority of tracks here are in the Country vein, which is unique in that these recordings probably represent the last time that a myriad of Southern voices sang the praises of a Democratic president.Well all except for Lee Harvey Was A friend Of Mine by Homer Henderson and The Dalworthington Garden Boys, which is a song in defense of Oswald, possibly the first JFK conspiracy record, and amazingly, one of the best songs on here, kind of sounds like Doug Sahm, go figure. Good job by Norton rounding up a whole mess of totally obscure 45s, most of which I have never seen on any compilation. Looking forward to their RFK, MLK, and Malcolm X tributes that I hope will be coming in later years. (JM)
HASIL ADKINS: Memories Of Kennedy/ Memories Of Kennedy/ JOHNNY DEE: A Tribute To President Kennedy/ JAMES DOTSON: A Tragedy In Dallas/ HOMER HENDERSON: Lee Harvey Was A Friend Of Mine/ BOBBY JENZEN: Two Brothers/ THE JUSTICE BROTHERS: The Tragedy Of John F. Kennedy/ JIM KLINK: The Death Of John F. Kennedy/ BILL KUSHNER: J.F.K. & That Terrible Day/ BUDDY PASTUCK: John F. Kennedy/ HONORABLE BOB PETERS: A Sunny Day In Dallas/ HAYDEN PRIVETT: The Death Of John F. Kennedy/ RALPH RYAN: The Death Of John F. Kennedy/ THE SOUTHERN GOSPEL BAND: The Death Of John F. Kennedy/ JOHNNY TUCKER: Mr. Kennedy/ LOWELL YODER: Don't Blame The State Of Texas

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Omnivore 68 South Side Of Soul Street ● CD $20.98
2 CD, 40 tracks, highly recommended
Until now, we've presented exceptional country collections from the Omnivore label; now we bring you a fine set of obscure southern soul from the Minaret Records label. While Minaret had been established in 1962 as a mostly country and rock 'n' roll label, it was Finley Duncan-along with his Playground Recording Studio, located in the unlikely place of a Florida Panhandle town-that steered the label into firm soul territory. Minaret's most notable R&B signing was Big John Hamilton, and his tracks make up the bulk of this compilation; although, Big John hits it out of the park on ballads like The Train/ I Have No One/ Before the Next Teardrop Falls (he wipes the floor with Freddy Fender), and Take This Hurt Off Me, on the more uptempo stuff like Big Fanny or Pretty Girls he's just ok. Elsewhere, Hamilton and Doris Allen make fine duet partners on Let a Little Love in, doing their best William Bell/ Judy Clay imitation; Allen doesn't do too badly on own her own, belting out A Shell of a Woman. As for the other artists, Johnny Dynamite (The Night the Angels Cried), Gable Reed (I'm Your Man), Willie Gable (Eternally), Genie Brooks (Helping Hand), and Leroy Lloyd and the Dukes (Sewanee Strut) are the ones who deliver the goods. Two CDs of this stuff might be considered a bit excessive, but I'd rather have two CDs worth of Minaret soul than none at all and it comes with a 20 page booklet with informative notes by the industrious Bill Dahl along with some great photos and label shots. (GMC)
DORIS ALLEN: A Shell Of A Woman/ Kiss Yourself For Me/ GENIE BROOKS: Fine Time/ Helping Hand/ Juanita/ South Side Of Soul Street/ WILLIE COBBS: Don T Worry About Me/ I Ll Love Only You/ COUNT WILLIE WITH LRL AND THE DUKES: I Ve Got To Tell You/ THE DOUBLE SOUL: Blue Diamonds/ I Can T Use You/ JOHNNY DYNAMITE: Everybody S Clown/ The Night The Angels Cried/ WILLIE GABLE: Eternally/ Row, Row, Row/ BIG JOHN HAMILTON: Before The Next Teardrop Falls/ Big Bad John/ Big Fanny/ Breaking Up Is Hard To Do/ Free Me/ How Much Can A Man Take/ I Got To Get Myself Somebody/ I Have No One/ I Just Want To Thank You/ If You Re Looking For A Fool/ Just Seeing You Again/ Lift Me Up/ Love Comes And It Goes/ Pretty Girls/ Take This Hurt Off Me Fool/ The Train/ A Place In My Heart/ Let A Little Love In/ JOHN HAMILTON & DORIS ALLEN: Bright Star/ Them Changes/ LEROY LLOYD AND THE DUKES: A Taste Of The Blues/ Sewanee Strut/ LRL AND THE DUKES: Double Funk/ GABLE REED: I M Your Man/ Who S Been Warming My Oven

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS One Day DAY3CD 040 Love Me Or Leave Me - The Bethlehem Records Story ● CD $13.98
3 CDs, 60 tracks, highly recommended
Bethlehem Records' time was brief-1954 to 1962-but during its' heyday the label was the springboard for many big names in Jazz and pop. The New York label had two identifying characteristics: willingness to allow artists complete creative freedom, and a distinctive style for its' album artwork, courtesy of designer Burt Goldblatt. Founded in New York, the recording was mostly done in Los Angeles and the artists were a mix of new faces and established acts-with Nina Simone (who's first LP for Bethlehem was much acclaimed) and Julie London epitomizing the former, while Mel Torme fell into the latter category. All three are represented here with the stellar tracks Love Me Or Leave Me (Simone), Lulu's Back in Town (Torme), and A Foggy Day (London), while other names equally shine: Bobby Troup (That Old Black Magic), Herbie Mann (Chicken Little), Zoot Sims (Doggin' Around), Guitar Crusher (I Once Loved You Baby) - in fact, all of Disc 3 is primo stuff-Dexter Gordon (Darn That Dream), Carmen McRae (Tip Toe Gently), and Charlie Mingus (51st Street Blues). For an old school jazz lover, this CD is a gold mine and the price is right, so what are you waiting for! (GMC)
SALLIE BLAIR: Come By Sunday/ Then I'll Be Tired Of You/ BETTY BLAKE: Let There Be Love/ Out Of This World/ ART BLAKEY & THE JAZZ MESSENGERS: Right Down Front/ RUBY BRAFF: This Can't Be Love/ PETE BROWN: The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise/ CONTE CANDOLI: I Can't Get Started With You/ They Can't Take That Away From Me/ PAULA CASTLE: Why Can't I/ CHRIS CONNOR: All This And Heaven Too/ How Long Has This Been Going On/ JOE DERISE: A Fine Romance/ DUKE ELLINGTON: Ko-Ko/ BUD FREEMAN: Newport News/ DEXTER GORDON: Autumn In New York/ Darn That Dream/ GUITAR CRUSHER: I Feel The Pain/ I Once Loved You Baby/ JOHNNY HARTMAN: September Song/ Stella By Starlight/ JAZZ CITY WORKSHOP: Autumn Leaves/ J.J. JOHNSON: Mad About The Boy/ LENNY JOHNSON: Walk Ginny Walk/ JULIE LONDON: A Foggy Day/ You're Blasé/ HERBIE MANN: Chicken Little/ Love Is A Simple Thing/ CARMEN MCRAE: If I'm Lucky/ Tip Toe Gently/ CHARLIE MINGUS: 51st Street Blues/ PAT MORAN QUARTET: Lullaby Of The Leaves/ What A Difference A Day Makes/ AUDREY MORRIS: If You Could See Me Now/ OSCAR PETTIFORD: Jack The Bear/ Scorpio/ JOHNNY RICHARDS: For All We Know/ BETTY ROCHé: September In The Rain/ Summertime/ SAL SALVADOR: I Cover The Waterfront/ I Love You/ You Stepped Out Of A Dream/ CHARLIE SHAVERS: But Not For Me/ Windy/ NINA SIMONE: Central Park Blues/ Love Me Or Leave Me/ My Baby Just Cares For Me/ ZOOT SIMS: Doggin Around/ Jive At Five/ THE SIX: Itchy Fingers/ Shifty/ SOCOLOW: My Heart Stood Still/ JACK TEAGARDEN: Original Dixieland One Step/ SONNY THOMPSON: Loco Limbo/ MEL TORMé: Cheek To Cheek/ Let's Call The Whole Thing Off/ Lulu's Back In Town/ BOBBY TROUP: Jamboree Jones/ That Old Black Magic/ EDDIE "CLEANHEAD" VINSON: Hold It Right There

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS One Day 3CD 041 War Paint: The Gone Records Story ● CD $13.98
3 CDs, 75 tracks, 178 mins, recommended
For better or worse, George Goldner (the inventor of the $100 handshake) was a giant in the independent music business of the 1950s and '60s. Gone records was one of his many labels and the put out records by Ral Donner (probably their biggest selling artist,) Johnny Rivers, Richard Barrett & The Chantels, Johnny Jack, etc. I'm not a fan of any of those artists, but if you are, then there is plenty from them here for you to enjoy. This big 3 CD set also features great early tracks by The Isley Brothers, good later tracks from Bill Haley and The Comets, and some of the best tracks The Dubs ever did, plus the lovely Doo-Wop ballad King Of Fools by Sam Hawkins. Gone was the first label to release a single for the Four Seasons under that name, and both of those tracks are here. Also includes good tracks by The Channels - That's My Desire and more, The Kokomos, The Uniques, and much more. (JM)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS One Day 222 The RPM Blues Story ● CD $11.98
Two CDs, 40 tracks, highly recommended
RPM was a label formed by The Bihari Brothers in 1950 as a subsidiary of their Modern label and over a period of seven years issued a slew of great blues recordings of which this is a small sampling. The label struck gold when it signed a young B.B. King when after several releases that generated local sales he topped the R&B charts with the classic Three O'Clock Blues which is featured here along with three great lesser known titles. There are lots of other great blues artists here including Lightnin' Hopkins, "Little Eddie" Kirkland (with John Lee Hooker who frequently played with Eddie adding interjections), Johnny Wright (the great The World Is Yours with incredible guitar from Ike Turner) Howlin' Wolf (some of his very first recordings) "Little George" Smith, Johnny "Guitar" Watson. All this material has been out on Ace but it's a nice, low priced sampler, chock full of really great blues. (FS)
SUNNY BLAIR: Five Foot Three Blues/ JUNIOR BROOKS: Lone Town Blues/ DRIFTING SLIM: Good Morning Baby/ My Sweet Woman/ LOWELL FULSON: Doin' Time Blues/ Some Old Lonesome Day/ ROSCOE GORDON: City Women/ Cold, Cold Winter/ Dime A Dozen/ Dream Baby/ LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS: Beggin' You To Stay/ Don't Keep My Baby Long/ Jake Head Boogie/ Lonesome Dog Blues/ HOWLIN' WOLF: Crying At Daybreak/ Morning At Midnight/ My Baby Stole Off/ Passing By Blues/ B.B. KING: B.B. Blues/ I Wonder/ Mistreated Woman/ Three O'Clock Blues/ LITTLE EDDIE KIRKLAND: It's Time For Lovin' To Be Done/ That's All Right/ JIMMY MCCRACKLIN: Love When It Rains/ Your Heart Ain't Right/ MUMBLES: Jumpin' Blues/ JIMMY NELSON: Baby Child/ Bad Habit Blues/ Fine Little Honey Dripper/ T-99 Blues/ WILLIE NIX: Try Me One More Time/ LITTLE GEORGE SMITH: Blues In The Dark/ Blues Stay Away/ Telephone Blues/ JOHNNY "GUITAR" WATSON: Don't Touch Me/ She Moves Me/ Three Hours Past Midnight/ Too Tired/ JOHNNY WRIGHT & IKE TURNER'S ORCHESTRA: The World Is Yours

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS One Day 225 This Is The Night - The End Records Story, 1957-1962 ● CD $11.98
2 CD, 50 mins, very highly recommended
Started by legendary promoter George Goldner in 1957, End Records was ground zero for the girl group sound-thanks to The Bobbettes and The Chantels - and loomed very large in the doo wop world by playing host to the likes of The Flamingos, Little Anthony & the Imperials, The Starlighters, The Dubs, Lewis Lymon & the Teenchords and more. And then there's some early Miracles tracks that End distributed, after Goldner made a deal with Berry Gordy, as well as recordings from Little Richard after he rediscovered the Lord and denounced rock 'n' roll. Sure, the seminal cuts are here - I Only Have Eyes For You, Tears on My PillowGot a Job, Teach Me Tonight, Maybe - but they don't tell the whole story; just listen to The Harmony Grits' Gee, The Toledos' This is the Night, The Dreamlovers' If I Should Lose You, Little Anthony's Shimmy Shimmy Ko-Ko-Bop, and The Shell Brothers' Whispering Winds to realize that the label had quite a lot going for it than the three or five songs we're told are classics. End Records time was brief (Goldner sold the label, and its subsidiary Gone, to music biz hustler Morris Levy in 1962), but while it lasted it more than held its' own as a home for great and influential music. (GMC)
THE BOBBETTES: Teach Me Tonight/ THE CHANTELS: I Love You So/ Maybe/ THE CLUSTERS: Pardon My Heart/ THE DEL SATINS: I'll Pray For You/ THE DELVETS: Repeat After Me/ MALCOLM DODDS & THE TUNEDROPS: Fools Rush In/ It Took A Long Time/ THE DREAMLOVERS: If I Should Lose You/ THE DUBS: Now That We Broke Up/ THE FIVE STARS: Baby Baby/ THE FLAMINGOS: Goodnight Sweetheart/ I Only Have Eyes For You/ Ko Ko Mo/ Yours/ THE FOUR CHEERS: Fatal Charms Of Love/ BIRDIE GREEN: How Come/ THE HARMONY GRITS: Gee/ RONNIE JONES & THE CLASSMATES: Lonely Boy/ Teenage Rock/ LITTLE ANTHONY & THE IMPERIALS: Shimmy, Shimmy, Ko-Ko-Bop/ Tears On My Pillow/ LITTLE RICHARD: Milky White Way/ Troubles Of The World/ LEWIS LYMON & THE TEENCHORDS: I Found Out Why/ Too Young/ VINCE MALOY: Crazy About You/ Hubba Hubba Ding Ding/ THE MIRACLES: Got A Job/ I Cry/ Money/ My Mama Done Told Me/ PETE MORRIS: Walkin' Together/ NICKY & THE NOBLES: School Day Crush/ Schoolhouse Rock/ ROCKIN' RONALD & THE REBELS: Kansas City/ THE SHELL BROTHERS: Shoma Dom Dom/ Whispering Winds/ JOE SHEPARD: What's The Matter Baby/ THE STARLIGHTERS: A Story Of Love/ Birdland/ I Cried/ You're The One To Blame/ THE SWEETIES: After You/ THE TEENAGERS: Crying/ THE TOLEDOS: This Is The Night/ THE UNIQUES: Hey Little Cupid/ Tell The Angels/ THE VELOURS: My Love Come Back/ WILLIE WILSON & THE TUNEMASTERS: I've Lied

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Play Back 101 Chicken Shack Boogie ● CD $17.98 $10.98
28 tracks, 73 min., recommended
A generous various artist collection which places at least some emphasis on the upbeat and on the New Orleans sound. Sound quality is solid; there are no liner notes, and the cover photo is a candid club shot featuring Amos Milburn. Featured tracks include Independent Woman by Jackie Brenston, High Blood Pressure by Huey Smith & the Clowns, Darling Dear by the Counts, Feel So Good by Shirley & Lee, Bloodshot Eyes by Wynonie Harris, Honkin' at Midnight by Frank Motley, Witchcraft by the Spiders, Crazy Feeling by Etta James, Deacon Moves In by Little Ester & the Dominoes, Kansas City by Little Willie Littlefield, and, of course, the title track by Amos Milburn. Splendid music with a let's-have-a-party feel. (DH)
ANGEL FACE: I Got A Man/ ARCHIBALD: Stack-o-lee/ THE BARONS: Searchin' For You/ BOBBY & RONALD: You're Mine Oh Mine/ CALVIN BOSE: Saffronia B/ TINY BRADSHAW: Train Kept-a-rolling/ JACKIE BRENSTON: Independent Woman/ THE CHARMS: Bye Bye Baby/ THE COUNTS: Darling Near/ VARETTA DILLARD: So Many Ways/ CHAMPION JACK DUPREE: Two Below Zero/ DONNIE ELBERT: What Can I Do/ ROSCO GORDON: Baby, Let's Get High/ WYNONIE HARRIS: Bloodshot Eyes/ THE HAWKS: I-yi/ CLARENCE "FROGMAN" HENRY: Ain't Got No Home/ ETTA JAMES: Crazy Feeling/ SAMMY LEWIS: So Long, Baby Goodbye/ SMILEY LEWIS: Down Yonder We Go Balling/ LITTLE ESTHER & THE DOMINOES: The Deacon Moves In/ LITTLE WILLIE LITTLEFIELD: Kansas City/ AMOS MILBURN: Chicken Shack Boogie/ FRANK MOTLEY: Honkin' At Midnight/ BIG WALTER PRICE: Pack, Fair & Sqaure/ SHIRLEY & LEE: Feel So Good/ FRANKIE LEE SIMS: What Will Lucy Do?/ HUEY "PIANO" SMITH & THE CLOWNS: High Blood Pressure1/ THE SPIDERS: Witchcraft

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Revelation 5001 Black Gospel Rarities, Vol. 1 ● CD $16.98
24 tracks, 65 mins, recommended
Collection of rare black gospel recordings ranging from the early 50s to early 60 - most making their first appearance on CD. Among the artists featured here are The Cross JOrdan Singers, The Gospel Keys, The Ever-Ready Singers (a particularly fine quartet), The Gospel Ambassadors, The Joy Harmonizers, The Trenton (Silvertone) Singers, Edna Gallmon Cooke, The Golden Voice Team, The Progressivaires and others. Fine sound and full discographical information in booklet. (FS)
THE ALAMOGORDO SPIRITUAL AIRES: What A Morning/ EDNA GALLMON COOKE: I've Got Religion/ CROSS JORDAN SINGERS: Precious Lord/ Sinner Man's Prayer/ THE DREXALL SINGERS: Jesus Said/ THE EVER-READY SINGERS: One Day When I Was Walking/ Two Wings/ THE GOLDEN VOICE TEAM: Go Ahead/ GOSPEL AMBASSADORS: I Am A Witness/ Jesus I Love You/ THE GOSPEL CHALLENGERS: I Know He's Coming Again The/ Must Jesus Bear The Cross Alone/ THE GOSPEL KEYS: How About You/ I Never Heard A Man/ THE GOSPEL STARS: Lord, Shelter Me/ When God Made Man/ THE GOSPEL WONDERS: I Want To Live, Live, Live/ JOY HARMONIZERS: Early In The Morning/ THE JOY RITE SINGERS: What About You/ THE PROGRESSIVEAIRES WITH FRANK MOTLEY & HIS: My Journey's End/ THE ROSETTES: Somewhere/ ROYAL TRAVELERS: Drinkin' My Tears For Water/ (LITTLE) LUCY SMITH SINGERS: Everytime I Feel The Spirit/ THE TRENTON (SILVERTONE) SINGERS: Take Me Jesus

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Revelation 5002 Black Gospel Rarities, Vol. 2 ● CD $16.98
Another 24 obscure sides from the 50s and early 60s new to CD - The Gospel Wonders, Joy Rite Singers, Ever-Ready Singers, Royal Travelers, Alamagordo Spiritual Aires, Truetone Gospel Singers, Booker Gospel Singers, Bells Of Harmony and more.
ALAMOGORDO SPIRITUAL AIRES: Nobody Knows/ BALTIMORE ECHOES: I'm Going To Look For You/ Save Me/ THE BELLS OF HARMONY FROM LITTLE WASHINGTON,: Another Day Journey And I'm So Glad/ BOOKER GOSPEL SINGERS: Get Away Sinner/ EDNA GALLMON COOKE: Come By Here/ DREXALL SINGERS: The Answer/ DYNAMIC GAYLARKS: Child Do Love Jesus/ EVER-READY SINGERS: I Don't Care What The World May Do/ O Mary, Don't You Weep/ GATEWAY QUARTET: I'll Shake Mother's Hand/ GOSPEL STARLETS: Lead Me To The Rock/ GOSPEL WONDERS: He's My All & All/ THE GOSPEL WONDERS: I'm On My Way/ THE JOY HARMONIZERS: My Heavenly Home/ JOY RITE SINGERS: You Better Mind/ JULIA PETERSON SINGERS OF BKLYN., N.Y.: Give An Account/ ROSETTES: When It's Time For Me To Go/ I'll Be Satisfied/ ROYAL TRAVELERS: Yes It's Me, Lord, That Came To Thee/ SILVER HARPS: By And By/ (LITTLE) LUCY SMITH SINGERS: Somebody Bigger Than You And I/ THE TRENTON (SILVERTONE) SINGERS: In Secret Prayer/ TRUETONE GOSPEL SINGERS: Closer To The Lord

 
BILLY WILLIAMS B.A.C.M. 429 Livin' In Western Style ● CD $14.98
24 tracks, good
A collection of pop flavored western songs by pleasant voiced singer Williams who prior to his recording debut had been a big band singer - and it shows. He is mostly accompanied by a small band with accordion and trumpet. Several of the songs are originals by Williams. The music is competently performed but colorless. (FS)
BILLY WILLIAMS: Big Rock Candy Mountain Trail Home On The Range/ Got A Dolly Down In Dallas/ Heartbreak Trial/ I'll Ride Across The Purple Sage/ I've Got A Gal In Laramie/ I've Just Got To Be A Cowboy/ If You Ever Had A Broken Heart/ Just A Few Little Miles From Home/ Livin' In Western Style/ Lonely Corrral Old Pard'ner/ Mary Marry Me/ My Abode Hacienda/ Old Susanna/ Out Where The Sin Says Goodnight/ Roundup Time For Love/ That Tumbled Down Shack (In The Valley)/ There's An Echo In The Canyon Tonight/ Till The End Of The World/ Two Silhouettes Of The Prairie/ Who Shot The Hole In My Sombrero/ Yesterday's Kisses/ Yipee Ki Aye/ You Are My Sunshine/ You Can Bet Your Boots And Saddles

 

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