|
BARGAIN
BASEMENT
COMPACT
DISCS - Rhythm & Blues, Soul & Doo-Wop
The Kelly Brothers ->
Otis Williams & The Charms
| THE KELLY BROTHERS |
Excello 3006 |
Sanctified Southern Soul |
● CD $14.98
$9.98 |
28 tracks, 75 min., recommended
This powerful brother act first entered a studio in the mid-50's as
a gospel act, recording as such for Chance (unreleased), Brewer,
Vee-Jay, and Federal. Their first secular sides came for the King
label, where they were known as the King Pins. And between 1964 and
1967 they cut the heavily gospel-influenced soul sides offered here
for the Sims/Excello labels. Featured numbers include Falling in
Love Again, My Love Grows Stronger, Time Has Made Me
Change, Love Time, You Put Your Touch on Me, I
Just Walk On, That's How I Am, Stop Those Tears,
It Takes You, and My Baby Loves Me. Notes, sound
quality and photos are all first rate here. (DH)
|
| THE MANHATTANS |
Collectables 5136 |
Dedicated To You - Golden "Carnival"
Classics Pt. 2 |
● CD $12.98
$7.98 |
Twelve more sides from the 1964 thru 1969 Carnival
Records period, with the group consisting of Ken Kelly, Winfield
Lovett, George Smith, Edward Bivins and Rich Taylor. This set
includes 4 chart-toppers--I Wanna Be (Your Everything), I Betcha
(Couldn't Love Me), When We're Made As One, and I Call It
Love. Personal faves include Alone on New Year's Eve and
It's That Time Of The Year. Well-polished funky-soul singing
and orchestral arrangements. Great fidelity. (OLN)
|
| THE
MARATHONS & FRIENDS |
Acrobat 4024 |
Talkin' Trash |
● CD $13.98
$10.98 |
26 tracks 61 minutes, highly recommended
In the infamous world of 1950's Doo Wop, bands change members,
change band names, and record under fake names to avoid problems
with exclusive contracts (usually with shady characters that are
ripping them off anyway). So the story of this CD is understandably
convoluted. The Marathons on the first 2 tracks are actually the
Vibrations (who were originally The Jayhawks who did the definitive
version of Stranded In The Jungle) incognito, so that they
wouldn't get in trouble with Chess records; the rest of the
Marathons tracks are local teenagers rounded up by the Arvee records
folks. So when The Marathons of Chicken Spaceman reference
Peanut Butter, they aren't referencing themselves, but another
group. Peanut Butter is a classic that most will know, but
the tracks done by the teenage Marathons are excellent as well. To
confuse things more, The Olympics, who also have some excellent
tracks here, were actually originally slated to do Peanut Butter,
but were too busy touring. The common thread to all of these groups
as well as The Boulevards, The Lions and The Lexingtons are that
they are all fantastic west coast outfits, with the one exception
being The Danleers, who were an east coast band whose label,
Everest, later moved to the west coast, so they can sneak in under
the cultural radar. O.K., so does that all make sense to you? Yeah,
me neither, but it's a lot of fun to obsess over the infinite wacky
details when you're talkin' crazy obscure Doo Wop records. Also,
since there are a plethora of shoddy Doo Wop compilations out there,
it is nice to see one like this with great tracks, fantastic sound
and (obviously) copious liner notes. A lot of these tracks are on
the novelty tip, so if that's your obsession (it's one of mine,
along with putting things in parenthesis), Enjoy! (JM)
THE BOULEVARDS: Chop Chop Hole In The Wall/ THE
DANLEERS: Foolish/ I'm Looking Around/ No One (No One But You)/ THE
LEXINGTONS: I Found My Baby/ When My Baby Went Away/ THE MARATHONS:
C Percy Mercy Of Scotland Yard/ Chicken Spaceman/ Gee/ High Blood
Pressure/ Nothing In The World/ Oink Jones/ Peanut Butter/ Talkin'
Trash/ Tight Sweater/ Tutti Frutti/ You Bug Me Baby/ THE OLYMPICS:
Ain't No Big Thing/ Big Cheese Little Puff/ Bye Bye Baby/ How Long
Will It Take/ Shame Shame Shame/ THE ROBINS: Just Like That/ Live
Wire Suzie/ Oh No/ Whole Lot Of Imagination
|
| BOBBY MARCHAN |
Collectables 5113 |
Golden Classics |
● CD $11.98
$8.98 |
12 tracks, 32 mins, recommended
A dozen Fire sides from 1959 and 1960 by this fine and distinctive
New Orleans vocalist with the high voice who first came to
prominence as lead singer with Huey "Piano" Smith and The Clowns. In
spite of the short playing time on this disc there are some great
soulful and bluesy cuts including his big hit the two part There
Is Something On Your Mind with its unique narration. A number of
other cuts repeat the narration concept including the two part
You're Still My Baby and a great cover version of Maxine Brown's
All In My Mind. Other songs include I Miss You So/ It
Hurts Me To My Heart/ What You Don't Know Don't Hurt You/ Yes It's
Written All Over Your Face. (FS)
|
| NATHANIEL MAYER |
Fat Possum 1016 |
I Just Want To Be Held |
● CD $15.98
$10.98 |
10 tracks, 36 min., very highly recommended
In 1962 Detroiter Nathaniel Mayer was a star at Fortune Records,
thanks to the song Village Of Love, which went to #16 on the
R&B charts. Then they both went under. A whole lot of drugs and
booze later, Mayer surfaced and signed with the Fat Possum label out
of Oxford, Mississippi, and this CD is the result. And for those who
figure this to be another forgettable, generic, guitar-based blues
album, Mr. Mayer has a big surprise. This disc leans as much towards
rock and roll as it does towards blues and soul. And Mayer sounds
more like Tom Waits (sandpapered throat) than he does B. B. King.
Writes his own songs, mostly, too. Sings a John Lennon cover (I
Found Out). His own songs (You Gotta Work, Leave Me
Alone) owe something to the sixties, something to right now. An
original talent, not to be missed. (JC)
|
| BIG JAY MCNEELY |
Collectables 5131 |
Live At Birdland 1957 |
● CD $12.98
$9.98 |
16 tracks, 30 min., essential
This should a popular release, a CD version of a vintage 1957 Big
Jay show recorded on a 2 track Ampex (don't worry, it sounds fine)
at Seattle's Birdland Club. The discovery of this tape in 1988 was,
for R&B fans, tantamount to the unearthing of King Tut's tomb. This
CD version adds 6 cuts from another Big Jay Records LP,
Swingin' (JLP 103). The band opens with the dynamic, raspy voiced
Little Sonny Warner singing I Hope You're All Right , then
jumps into prime Big Jay on the wild Insect Ball . After a
soulful rendition of Lynn Hope's Tenderly and a swingin'
number called Havana Hop , McNeely really cuts loose on an
amazing and exciting version of the old Goodman/ Hampton classic
Flying Home , that must have really worn out the dancers there -
it's 8 1/2 min. long! He does his crowd pleasers, Deacon's Hop
and There Is Something On Your Mind and throws in some
surprises too, like a fine version of Les Paul & Mary Ford's How
High The Moon . If you like honkin' R&B you'll love this.... AE
|
| BIG JAY MCNEELY |
Collectables 5133 |
Swingin' - Golden Classics |
● CD $13.98
$9.98 |
Previously issued on Jay's own Big J label. 16 fine
tracks recorded for the Los Angeles Swingin' label 1957-61 - lots of
hard-driving music including the uneditied version of the hit
There Is Something On Your Mind with Little Sonny Warner on
vocals, lots of honkin' instrumental & even a rockabilly track with
a white singer - 6 tracks previously unreleased.
|
| JOE MEDWICK |
Edsel 632 |
I'm An After Hours Man - The Crazy
Cajun Recordings |
● CD $17.98
$8.98 |
19 tracks, recommended
Excellent soul singer and songwriter from Texas who is best known
for having written a number of Bobby Bland's hits like Further On
Up the Road/ I Pity the Fool and others. As usual for the Crazy
Cajun reissues on Edsel the information is pretty vague but I would
guess that most of these are unissued demos and arrangements are
occasionally a bit ragged but there are some very fine performances
from Joe who turns in some great deep soul ballads as well as some
rocking up tempo numbers. I would assume that most of the songs are
Medwick originals but there are also some nice covers including
Robert Parker's Barefootin' and a surprising but effective
version of Hank Williams' Wedding Bells. Arrangements range
from rhythm section with keyboards to a full band with horns. Well
worth a listen. (FS)
|
| THE MELLOKINGS |
Acrobat ACMCD 4301 |
The Herald Sessions |
● CD $13.98
$10.98 |
26 tracks from this white teenage quintet from Mt.
Vernon, N.Y. who recorded for Al Silver's Herald label between 1957
and 1959 and had some success with their initial release Tonite,
Tonite. This CD contains all their Herald output, including
originally unissued songs and alternate takes. The group sings well
in a smooth sweet-sounding way, but occasionally drifts into
commercially trite material. Besides their hit tracks this set
includes Sassafras/ Kid Stuff/ Valerie/ Do Baby Do/ I Played The
Part Of A Fool/ Till There Was None/ Love At First Sight, etc.
Excellent sound and informative notes by Bob Fisher.
|
| FREDDIE MITCHELL |
Classics 5034 |
The Chronological Freddie Mitchell,
1949-1950 |
● CD $14.98
$10.98 |
24 tracks, recommended
Rockin' instrumental R&B featuring the hot tenor sax work of Florida
born Freddie Mitchell. He is accompanied by top New York sidemen on
a varied selection of material including some interesting rocking
R&B versions of standards like Jingle Bells/ Auld Lang Syne/
Indiana and Easter Parade which became one of his few
hits. His only other hit Doby's Boogie, a tribute to the
first black baseball player in the American League, is here along
with other tunes like Slider/ Hog Head/ Airmail Boogie/ Rockin'
With Coop/ Fish Market Boogie and others. Excellent sound and
informative notes by Dave Penny. (FS)
FREDDIE MITCHELL: Airmail Boogie/ Alamo Boogie/
Auld Long Syne Boogie/ Boogie Blues/ Doby's Boogie/ Easter Parade/
Fish Market Boogie/ Freedie's Calypso/ Frenesi/ Hog Head/ I Told You
Were Through/ Idaho Boogie/ Indiana Express/ Jingle Bells Boogie/
Music Maker's Boogie/ One O'Clock Boogie/ Pony Express/ Rockin' With
Coop/ Slider/ Sugar Foot Rag/ Summertime Boogie/ The Derby/ Till Tom
Boogie/ Two O'Clock Boogie
|
| JOE MORRIS |
Classics 5057 |
The Chronological Joe Morris,
1946-1949 |
● CD $14.98
$10.98 |
The complete 40s recordings of the fine band led by
trumpeter Joe Morris who got his start with Lionel Hampton's band.
26 tracks of mostly instrumental R&B with occasional jazz touches
featuring the honking tenor of Johnny Griffin and baritone sax of
Bill McLemore.
|
| JOE MORRIS
ORCHESTRA |
Acrobat 4008 |
Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere |
● CD $13.98
$10.98 |
26 tracks, highly recommended
One of the first stars of Atlantic Records with hot sax
instrumentals & having huge hits with his vocalists, including
Laurie Tate with the title tune, which was Atlantic's 1st ever #1
R&B hit! Starting as a full fledged Bebop band with the big Texas
tenor sax of Johnny Griffin (their 1st session, for Manor in '46, is
here), the trumpeter/leader recorded without a contract for Atlantic
in '47, with jazz-based tunes as Jump With Me/ Wow/ Weasel Walk/
Boogie Woogie March. With Griffin gone & Little Laurie Tate &
Billy Mitchell on vocals the band moved into straight R&B & also to
Decca, then back to Atlantic. Includes Can't Stop My Cryin'/
Midnight Grinder, etc. Classics recently issued the first volume
of their comprehensive chronological reissue of Morris's recordings
(Classics 5057) so there 18 tracks duplicated among the two discs.
This one is probably the one to go with if you don't need
everything. (GM)
JOE MORRIS & HIS ORCHESTRA:
Anytime,anyplace,anywhere/ Bald Headed Woman/ Beans And Cornbread/
Boogie Woogie March/ Bottle Top/ Broken Hearted Blues/ Can't Stop My
Crying/ Chuck-a-boogie/ Fly Mister Fly/ Ghost Train/ I Hope Your
Satisfied/ Joe's Boogie/ Jump With Me/ Jump,everybody,jump/ Lowdown
Baby/ Lowe Groovin/ Mad Moon/ Midnight Grinder/ Out Of The Night/
Pack Up All Your Bags/ Portia's Boogie/ The Applejack/ The Spider/
Weasle Walk/ Wilma's Idea/ Wow
|
| BUDDY MORROW |
Collectables 2804 |
Night Train/ Big Band Guitar |
● CD $15.98
$9.98 |
24 tracks, recommended
Not a new release, but not listed before. Trombonist Buddy Morrow
was a veteran of the big band era who started his career working
with Artie Shaw, Tommy Dorsey and others before forming his own band
in 1945 and signing with RCA. This release reissues two LPs from
1957 and '59. The first, drawn from recordings made between 1951 and
1954 finds Morrow doing fine big band interpretations of mostly R&B
and blues tunes like Night Train (which became a big hit)/
Corrine Corrine/ One Mint Julep/ All Night Long and others - even a
very effective rendition of Little Walter's Quarter To Twelve.
"Big Band Guitar" consists of mostly standards given a swinging R&B
flavor and prominently featuring the band's fine unidentified
guitarist. Along with standards like I Cried For You/ I'll get
By/ Deep Purple and The Very Thought Of You they also do
a couple of more recent compositions - Bill Justis's Raunchy
and The Champs' Tequila. Very nice. (FS)
|
| THE OLYMPICS |
Acrobat 4055 |
Arvee Singles Plus |
● CD $13.98
$10.98 |
27 tracks, 66 min, highly recommended
The Olympics have a long recording history, from '58's Western
Movies through '66's original version of Good Lovin'.
This set concentrates on their '60-61 recordings for the small L.A.
label ArVee, & includes all their 45 rpm sides along with a host of
LP tracks. Of course their best known tracks from this period are
all here including their hit remake of Big Boy Pete plus
(Baby) Hully Gully (which was ripped off by The Marathons to
become Peanut Butter which resulted in lawsuits), Little
Pedro/ Dance By the Light Of the Moon/ Private Eye/ Boo Dee Green,
etc. Booklet with full liner notes. (GM)
THE OLYMPICS: (baby) Hully Gully/ Baby It's Hot/
Big Boy Pete/ Big Chief Little Puss/ Boo Dee Green/ Brand New
Tennessee Waltz/ Dance By The Light Of The Moon/ Dodge City/ Dooley/
Everybody Likes To Cha Cha Cha/ Hoochie Coochie Coo/ I'll Never Fall
In Love/ Little Pedro/ Madison Time/ Mash Them 'taters/ Party
Pooper/ Pony Time/ Private Eye/ Save The Last Dance For Me/ Shimmy
Like Kate/ Stay Away From Joe/ Stay Where You Are/ The Scotch/ The
Slop/ The Stomp/ The Twist/ What'd I Say/ Workin' Hard
|
| THE ORIOLES |
Acrobat 5000 |
1947-1955 |
● CD $18.98
$13.98 |
2 CDs, 52 tracks, essential
As the 4 LP Murray Hill box is long out of print and you may not
want to spring for the six CD Bear Family box, this is the way to go
to get some great Orioles in your collection. Featuring the great
lead of Sonny Til, this set has all the hit singles as well as some
rare vault tracks that only came out on the above box sets. The
Orioles were one of the founding fathers of doo-wop & did something
rare in that genre - covered blues! Includes their versions of
Baby Please Don't Go/ CC Rider & Irene Goodnight, as well
as such gems as It's Too Soon To Know/ What Are You Doing New
Years Eve/ Barfly & of course Crying In The Chapel. Liner
notes limited to a brief bio of the band & letting you know the
personnel & year each song came out. (GM)
THE ORIOLES: (it's Gonna Be A) Lonely Christmas/ A
Kiss And A Rose/ A Scandal/ Baby Please Don't Go/ Bad Little Girl/
Barbra Lee/ Barfly/ Blame It On Yourself/ Crying In The Chapel/
Deacon Jones/ Don't Cry Baby/ Don't Go To Strangers/ Don't Stop/
Every Dog-gone Time/ Fair Exchange/ For All We Know/ Forgive And
Forget/ Getting' Tired ,tired ,tired/ Goodnight Irene/ Happy Go
Lucky Local Blues/ Hold Me ! Squeeze Me!/ Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me/
How Blind Can You Be/ I Challenge Your Kiss/ I Cover The Waterfront/
I Cross My Fingers/ I May Be Wrong/ I Miss You So/ I Need You Baby/
I Need You So/ I Only Have Eyes For You/ I'd Rather Have You Under
The Moon/ If It's To Be/ In The Chapel In The Moonlight/ In The
Mission Of St. Augustine/ It Ain't Gonna Be Like That/ It's Too Soon
To Know/ My Baby's Gonna Get It/ My Loved One/ No Other Love/ Once
In Awhile/ Pretty Pretty Rain/ Secret Love/ See See Rider/ Tell Me
So/ The Night Has Come/ The Robe Of Calvary/ Waiting/ Walking By The
River/ What Are You Doing New Years Eve/ Why Did You Go/ Would I
Love You(love You,love You)
|
| FRED
PARRIS & THE FIVE SATINS |
Relic 7056 |
Lost Treasures |
● CD $13.98
$10.98 |
25 tracks, 62 min., recommended
This companion disc to Relic 7001 ("The 5 Satins' Greatest Hits") is
a reconfiguration of Relic's earlier 5 Satins lp series, volumes one
through three. It features released and originally unreleased
numbers plus alternate takes, mostly from the Ember label.
Highlights include Please Be Mine Tonight/ Our Anniversary/ Our
Love is Forever/ She's Gone and two versions of The Voice
one a cappella. There are also a cappella versions of All Mine
and Paradise on Earth. Another fine addition to your vocal
group library from the quality conscious folks at Relic, featuring
fine sound quality, informative notes, and another remarkably un-hip
looking photo of Fred Parris and his ensemble. (DH)
THE FIVE SATINS: All Mine/ All Mine/ Church Bells
Played The Blues/ I Got Time/ In The Still Of The Night/ I‘ve Lost/
Oh Happy Day/ Our Anniversary/ Our Love Is Forever/ Paradise On
Earth/ Playmates/ Please Be Mine Tonight/ Rose Mary/ Senorita
Lolita/ She‘s Gone/ Silver Waters/ Thats Love/ The Jones Girl/ The
Voice/ The Voice/ To The Aisle/ Weeping Willow/ When Your Love Comes
Along/ Wish I Had My Baby/ Wish I Had Mybaby
|
| IKE PERRY &
THE LYRICS |
Ohio 1001 |
Ike Perry & The Lyrics |
● CD $17.98
$11.98 |
21 tracks from the late 50s/ early 60s by this
excellent, but obscure, black vocal group from Cleveland, Ohio. A
fine selection of ballads and up tempo items, some acapella - You
Can Be My Honey/ Star Steps To Heaven/ I'm Travelin' Light/ In My
Letter To You/ It's Too Soon To Know/ Please Don't Send Me Away,
etc. Fine music though remastering uses too much digital noise
reduction.
|
| THE PERSUADERS |
Rhino (UK) 79993-4 |
The Platinum Collection |
● CD $10.98
$7.98 |
20 tracks, 76 mins, recommended
The Persuaders were a minor R&B vocal group from New York, who are
remembered-if at all-for recording the original versions of Thin
Line Between Love and Hate and Some Guys Have All the Luck
(hit covered by the Pretenders and Rod Stewart, respectively).
This collection contains the cream of their early 70's output as
recorded for Atlantic Records, and although they were lost in a
crowd of great R&B vocal groups during that time (the Stylistics,
the Spinners, Chi-Lites et al), the Persuaders did manage some
memorable moments on wax. Lead singer Douglas Scott had an
expressive voice from the Wilson Pickett school, which is used to
good effect on Thin Line and Some Guys, as well as
Bad Bold and Beautiful Girl/ If This is What You Call Love, and
Peace in the Valley of Love (which sounds like a
follow-up/sequel to Thin Line). There's also the usual 70's
jive talkin' (Thigh Spy/ You Musta Put Something in Your Love),
and a Stylistics/Temptations-style epic (We're Just Trying to
Make it), but if you want to complete your collection of 70's
vocal group soul, you could do worse than this compilation. (GMC)
|
| THE PERSUASIONS |
Bullseye Blues 9556 |
Right Around The Corner |
● CD $15.98
$7.98 |
13 tracks, 45 min., highly recommended
Mellowing like fine vintage wine, these superstars of the a capella
vocal group sound offer here yet another outstanding program of
ballads, blues, and hymns. Selections include Willie Dixon's
Little Red Rooster, Sam Cooke's That's Heaven to Me,
Lowman Paulings' (of the Five Royales) I'm With You and
Come On and Save Me, plus The Good Ol' Days, Don't
Leave Me Here to Cry, and Oh Heavenly Salvation. A
wonderful addition to your Persuasions collection, or, if you don't
have one yet, a perfectly sound reason to begin. Just one more
reminder that the most expressive instrument of all is the human
voice. (DH)
|
| LITTLE ESTHER
PHILLIPS |
Acrobat ACRCD 213 |
Mistrustin' And Deceivin' |
● CD $10.98
$8.98 |
25 tracks, 70 mins, highly recommended
Esther Phillips with an influence on the "Little" part; all tracks
on this while she was still a teenager. Originally a prot‚g‚ of
Johnny Otis, the first half of these tracks are recorded with Esther
fronting Otis's spectacular orchestra, performing Otis's material.
The first 14 tracks are Otis compositions recorded for Savoy
including the #1 R&B smash Double Crossing Blues, recorded as
a duet with the Robins, especially bass man Bobby Nunn. Other high
points of the Savoy sessions include Misery/ Cupid's Blues,
the hilarious Wedding Boogie and just in time for this
catalog, Far Away Christmas Blues. After the usual royalty/
business disputes, Phillips left Savoy for Federal records, but for
the most part kept Johnny Otis and crew with her working incognito.
Of the 11 Federal tracks here, most didn't do nearly as well as her
Savoy cuts, but there's great tunes aplenty nonetheless. Other
Lips, Other Arms/ The Deacon Moves In/ Aged and Mellow Blues and
Turn The Lamps Down Low to name just a few of the great
tracks that round this collection out. (JM)
|
| WILSON PICKETT |
Rhino 70287 |
A Man And A Half |
● CD $18.98
$10.98 |
Two CDs, 44 tracks, essential
Right from the start, as shown by his sweat-inducing lead on The
Falcon's I Found A Love (the first cut here), Wilson Pickett
pushed soul music to its most intense extremes. His gospel schooling
with The Violinaires stamped that explosive voice for all time;
listen to the pure revival spirit of It's Too Late/ I'm Not
Tired/ That's A Man's Way/ I Found A True Love and even the
non-LP Mini-Skirt Minnie. He even rivaled James Brown on
Three Time Loser/ Ninety-Nine And A Half/ She's Looking Good.
But Wilson was more than just a gospel-bred screamer. When a song
demanded subtlety, he was right on the money, especially on Let
Me Be Your Boy/ Jealous Love/ I've Come A Long Way/ You Keep Me
Hangin' On; even the vapid I'm In Love is rescued by his
marvelous delivery. Teaming with Stax/ Atlantic talent in 1965, a
string of hits (In The Midnight Hour/ Don't Fight It/ 634-5789/
Land Of 1000 Dances/ Mustang Sally/ Funky Broadway and more) put
him in the soul pantheon. The second CD of this double set contains
post-1967 successes like She Said Yes/ Don't Let The Green Grass
Fool You/ Funk Factory/ Don't Knock My Love/ Call My Name, I'll Be
There, and the psychedelic funk of Get Me Back On Time,
Engine #9. These years also spawned some regrettable cover
versions, along with formularized but gritty southern soul, often
driven by a ragged, road-weary voice. Occasional cuts do sound
unusually harsh, but most of these 44 tracks are clear and punchy.
Shortcomings aside, this is still an incredible collection that,
like Pickett's best songs, rarely loses touch with the gospel roots.
One of the best soul sets ever. (MB)
|
| JIMMY PRESTON |
Collectables 5327 |
Rock The Joint Vol 2 |
● CD $11.98
$6.98 |
14 tracks, highly recommended
Reissue of Krazy Kat LP 827. Wild small combo R&B cut by alto saxist
Preston & his Prestones for Gotham. Most of the tunes are from '48 &
'49 including the frantic title tune
making a good case for the 1st Rock'n'Roll recording (done 2 years
before Rocket 88) & covered by fellow Keystone stater Bill
Haley. Also includes the hit Hucklebuck
Daddy, later the basis for the 5 Keys' Hucklebuck With Jimmy,
& 3 never released alts from '50 with future jazz star Benny Golson
on tenor, Let's Hang Out Tonight (with Tiny Grimes) & 2 takes
of They Call Me The Champ (AE)
|
| LLOYD PRICE |
Specialty SPCD 7047 |
Vol. 2 - Heavy Dreams |
● CD $14.98
$9.98 |
23 tracks, 57 min., recommended
Price joined the Specialty label when he was a mere 17 years old,
but he'd already been fronting a small combo act for several years.
So it should come as no surprise that, backed by some of New
Orleans' finest session men - including Dave Bartholomew, Herb
Hardesty, Lee Allen, Earl Palmer, and even Fats Domino - he produced
numerous charted hits in the early to mid-50s. Top ten r&b numbers
featured here include Oooh-Oooh-Oooh/ Restless Heart/ Tell Me
Pretty Baby, and Ain't It a Shame. Prime Crescent City
music from start to finish and a fitting companion to Volume One by
the same artist. Sound quality, graphics, and notes are all solid.
Hats off again to Billy Vera, who is producing this reissue series
for Fantasy Records. (DH)
|
| PROFESSOR LONGHAIR |
Night Train 7106 |
Ball The Wall! Live At Tipitinas's
1978 |
● CD $15.98
$10.98 |
More poorly recorded live sides of Fess doing the
same material he does on all those other poorly recorded sets. It's
not without musical value but is it necesarry?
|
| OTIS REDDING |
Rhino 70380 |
In Person At The Whiskey A Go Go |
● CD $12.98
$8.98 |
If you could own only one live Otis album, the nod
would clearly go to Live In Europe, one of the greatest live
rock/ soul releases ever. But since life is more than either/ or,
this '66 Los Angeles show is well worth picking up. Originally
released (posthumously) in 1968 as Atco 33-265, In Person
finds Redding in front of a 10-piece band including 4 saxes, a pair
of trumpets, and trombone. He shouts his way through heart pounders
like I Can't Turn You Loose/ Papa's Got A Brand New Bag.
Respect/ Satisfaction/ Pain In My Heart/ Just One More Day/ Mr.
Pitiful/ I'm Depending On You/ Any Ole Way/ These Arms Of Mine
are also on the play list. (JC)
|
| TOMMY RIDGLEY |
Rounder 2079 |
The New Orleans King Of The Stroll |
● CD $15.98
$8.98 |
15 fine cuts from veteran singer, pianist and
bandleader Ridgley, whose soulful voice has graced vinyl since 1949
when he first appeared in Dave Bartholomew's band. 13 of the cuts
here were recorded between 1960 and '62 for the Ric label with
sidemen like Mac Rebennack, Edgar Blanchard, Lee Allen, Harold
Battiste and other Nawlins legends. While best at heartfelt ballads
like Should I Ever Love Again , I've Heard That Story
Before or Bullmoose's I Love You Yes I Do , he also can
pull off such novelties as Double Eyed Whammy or The Girl
From Kooka Monga . We get 2 rare 1964 cuts from Watch subsidiary
Johen produced by Wendell Quezergue, including the wicked soul
number I Want Some Money Baby (JMC)
|
| THE ROBINS |
GNP 9034 |
The Best Of The Robins |
● CD $15.98
$10.98 |
In 1955, The Robins split into 2 groups when Leiber
& Stoller turned them into a comedy group - Carl Gardner & Bobby
Nunn stayed & became The Coasters, while the rest went to Whippet as
The Robins, add ing future soul-producer H.B.Barnum - this LP has 12
of their best Whippet sides including hit Cherry Lips + A
Fool In Love/ Snowball/ Since I First Met You, etc.
|
| SAM & DAVE |
Collectables 7758 |
Soul Men |
● CD $12.98
$10.98 |
11 tracks, highly recommended
A straight reissue of Stax 275 originally released in 1967, this
album contains the duo's biggest hit Soul Man--#1 R&B, #2
Pop--as well as 10 other slices of sonorous soul. Among the best
offerings here are the moving ballads Just Keep Holding On/ I've
Seen What Loneliness Can Do, which rivals the pair's better
known When Something Is Wrong With My Baby for pure emotion.
Other knockouts include the horn-laden The Good Runs The Bad Way/
Don't Knock It, written by producers Issac Hayes and David
Porter, and the Steve Cropper composition Broke Down Piece Of Man.
The lyric of the oxymoronic Rich Kind Of Poverty - yes, it's
a love song - sounds a wee forced, and I'm With You is
filler, both of which would mean less if the album didn't clock in
at under 30 minutes. Is it worth it? No question. (JC)
|
| ROSCOE SHELTON |
Excello 3007 |
Roscoe Shelton Sings |
● CD $14.98
$8.98 |
25 tracks, 62 minutes, very
good
Roscoe's best known for his mid-60s deep soul sides done for Sims &
Sound Stage 7. These 25 sides are his entire output for Excello, '59
- '61, great swamp blues & soul. A dozen tunes were put out by
Excello in '61 as "Roscoe Shelton Sings" (Excello 8002). These are
all here, along with another 3 single sides & another 10 only
released in Europe & Japan. lots of slow & mid-tempo smoochers,
including Are You Sure/ Crazy Over You/ Blue & Miserably Unhappy
(great!)/ I'm So Ashamed But I Didn't Know. (GM)
ROSCOE SHELTON: A Fool Wrapped Up In Love/ Are You
Sure/ Baby Look What You're Doin'/ Baby, It's True Love/ Blue And
Miserably Unhappy/ Crazy Over You/ I Was Wrong! Played With Love/
I'm So Ashamed, But I Didn't Know/ I'm Tellin' You Baby, That's All/
I've Been Faithful/ Is It Too Late/ It's All My Fault/ Let Me
Believe In You/ Lonely Heartaches/ Miss You So/ Pleadin' For Love/
Say You Really Care/ Something's Wrong/ Think It Over/ We've Been
Wrong/ Why Didn't You Tell Me/ Why Do You Worry Me.
|
| THE SHOWMEN |
Collectables 5162 |
It Will Stand - Golden Classics |
● CD $12.98
$9.98 |
16 tracks, highly recommended
A great collection of issued, previously unissued and alternate
takes by this extremely talented Norfolk, VA group who recorded in
New Orleans during '61 & '62 for Joe Banashak's Minit label is sheer
delight to the ears of those who like their harmonies smooth, pretty
& soulfully cool. Featuring the aching pipes of Norman Johnson (who
later scored with Give Me Just A Little More Time with The
Chairman Of The Board on Invictus in 1970), the quintet takes us
through a set of 16 songs, most of which define soul harmony in the
clearest terms. Sounds the Drifters might have made had they not
later been overproduced. Includes their massive hit It Will Stand
plus This Misery/ fate Planned It This Way/ Valley Of Love/ Swish
Fish/ Strange Girl/ let Her Feel It In your Kiss/ 39-21-40 Shape,
etc. (OLN/ FS)
|
| HUEY SMITH
& HIS CLOWNS |
Edsel NESTCD 924 |
For Dancing |
● CD $9.98 $7.98 |
12 tracks. Originally released on Ace in 1961, this
re-issue on the Edsel label captures New Orleans piano legend Huey
Smith rockin' out on tracks like Free Single and Disengaged
and Tuber-Cu-Lucas & the Sinus Blues (or Flu, as
listed on the CD). As one of the few actual albums that Smith
recorded in the day, this is an invaluable document for fans. Out of
print - limited stock.
|
| BENNY SPELLMAN |
Collectables 5165 |
Fortune Teller |
● CD $13.98
$9.98 |
16 tracks, recommended
16 tunes by Benny Spellman, one of the many New Orleans singers that
cashed in on the popularity of the Crescent City sound in the 60's.
These Minit, Alon and Bandy tunes were recorded 1959-66 and presents
a nice cross-section of Spellman's gently rolling numbers, spiced by
his always pleasing voice. There's more than one song here that
echoes Benny's supreme moment, singing the bass response on Ernie K
Doe's Mother-In-Law . Fortune Teller/ Lipstick Traces (On
A Cigarette) (Minit 644) has to be one of the best two sided R&B
45's ever. Both are included plus The Word Game/ T'Ain't It The
Truth/ Talk About Love/ Life Is Too Short , etc. (AE)
|
| JOHNNIE TAYLOR |
Stax 8628 |
Live At The Summit Club |
● CD $11.98
$7.98 |
10 Tracks, 64 min., recommended
One of the greatest soul singers at Stax (or anywhere), Johnnie
Taylor seemed incapable of making a bad record. This show, recorded
live at the Summit Club in Los Angeles in 1972 for possible use in
the Wattstax film, is no exception. Booklet noter Lee Hildebrand
chronicles some of the show's troubles and missteps, any yet for all
of it, Taylor still burns down the house. The band may be off now
and then, the backup singers may seem a bit tenuous here and there,
but Taylor's performance absorbs it all and effortlessly transforms
it into energy. Songs include two versions of the Jimmy Hughes hit
Steal Away, Little Bluebird, Take Care Of Your
Homework, I Don't Wanna Lose You, Stop Doggin' Me,
Hello Sundown, Who's Making Love, and Jody's Got
Your Girl And Gone. Only the latter made it into the Wattstax
film, the other tracks are previously unreleased in their complete
form, although three show up elsewhere in edited versions. Put it on
the short list of great live soul albums. (JC)
|
| CARLA THOMAS |
Rhino 71015 |
The Queen Alone |
● CD $13.98
$6.98 |
A straight reissue of Carla's third LP for Stax,
originally issued in 1967. And it's not bad stuff, but it's not
great either; call it accomplished if you like, but certainly not
inspired. On the other hand, somebody at Atlantic must think that
this is pretty hot material, because the company chose to reissue
this with some much worthier music that's still in the can. Oh well.
Cuts here include Carla's version of Chuck Jackson's Any Day Now,
I Take It To My Baby/ When Tomorrow Comes/ Unchanging Love
and Lie To Keep Me From Crying. Original cover art and notes.
Decent stereo sound. Twelve cuts providing 31 minutes of music. (DH)
|
| CHRIS THOMAS |
Hightone HCD 8043 |
Simple |
● CD $14.98
$3.98 |
If you're not a fan of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi
Hendrix and ZZ Top then you probably wouldn't like this extremely
heavy new recording by former Arhoolie artist Chris Thomas. If you
like your guitars full of fuzz, wha wha and distortion then Thomas
is your man. This would sound at home in the Fillmore Ballrooms of
the 60's. I would prefer a lot more flesh and blood in the drumming
department but the fat modern synthetic drums are here to stay I
guess. Thomas has a nice epic flair in his compositions and enough
thunder and lightnin' to his guitar playing to blow out a wall of
Marshall amps. War/ Itch/ Simple/ Blood On The Dagger/ Fool For
Love/ Sad, Sad World , etc. (AE)
|
| SONNY TIL |
Sequel NEMCD 737 |
Solo - Featuring Edna McGriff |
● CD $15.98
$9.98 |
25 tracks, 71 min., recommended
Even while he was leading the preeminent vocal group of the late
40's and early 50's, Sonny Til was encouraged by his label to record
both solo numbers and, for one session in 1952, duets with Edna
McGriff, whose popular recording of Heavenly Father had
brought her to public attention. And you can rest assured that Til
is still the epitome of silky smoothness even when he lacks the
backing of the rest of the Orioles. Highlights of the program here
include My Prayer, Fool's World, Blame It One
Yourself, The First of Summer, and Panama Joe as
solos, and Once in a While and Pic-A-Dilly as duets.
It's delightful music, presented with Sequel's normal high
production values, but be forewarned: If you already own the Orioles
Bear Family boxed set, you already have every track here. (DH)
|
| IKE & TINA TURNER |
Collectables 5107 |
Golden Classics |
● CD $13.98
$7.98 |
18 of their classic Sue recordings from 1960-62 -
It's Gonna Work Out Fine/ You Can't Blame Me/ A Fool In Love/ Mind
In A Whirl/ Can't Chance A Break-up/ I'm Jealous/ Stagger Lee &
Billy, etc/
IKE & TINA TURNER: Argument/ Can't Chance A
Break-up/ Fool In Love, A/ I Idolize You/ I Idolize You (Alternate
Take)/ I'm Jealous/ It's Gonna Work Out Fine/ Letter From Tina/ Mind
In A Whirl/ Poor Fool/ Poor Fool(Alternate Take)/ Puppy Love/
Stagger Lee & Billy/ This Man's Crazy/ Tina's Dilema/ Tra La La La
La/ You Can't Blame Me/ You Should've Treated Me Right
|
| IKE & TINA
TURNER REVUE |
Fuel 61030 |
Live And Dangerous |
● CD $13.98
$9.98 |
14 tracks, 51 mins, good
This is one of the times when Fuel drops the ball: this collection
of Ike and Tina live recordings gives absolutely no information
regarding the source of these tracks which is particularly
frustrating since there is so much like Ike & Tina and the market
it's hard to tell if this material is available elsewhere or not.
Regardless of the lack of info, it would seem that these cuts date
from the late 60's/early 70's given the material at hand (Sly's I
Want to Take You Higher; Creedence's Proud Mary; a
version of I Heard it Through the Grapevine that owes more to
Marvin Gaye than Gladys Knight). The sound quality is also rather
variable, ranging from the good to the adequate. It iss cool to hear
Tina in her exuberant and hard working, crowd pleasing youth-all of
which shine through despite the occasionally muffled sound quality.
Other songs include What You See/ I Wish It Would Rain/ I Can't
Stop Loving You/ Twist & Shout and more. (GMC/ FS)
|
| THE VOLUMES |
Collectables 5032 |
I Love You - Golden Classics |
● CD $11.98
$8.98 |
Includes Angel/ You Put A Spell On Me/ Miss
Sillhouette/ Bells/ I Love You, etc.
|
| THE WALLACE
BROTHERS |
Excello 3014 |
Lover's Prayer |
● CD $14.98
$8.98 |
22 tracks, 47 min., recommended
Out of print - limited stock. Their LP on the Sims label is one of
the rarest and most valuable albums of the soul era. But if you like
your soul music a bit on the raw and spontaneous side, this
cousin-rather-than-brother aggregation may be right for you. They
were among the very first to take advantage of the magic touch of
the Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. And they even scored a
reasonably good-sized hit in 1964 with the title track here. This
disc reissues their entire output - their Sims singles plus 3
singles recorded for the British Sue label. It includes Love Me
Like I Love You, Faith, I'll Let Nothing Separate Me,
Precious Words, One Way Affair, She Loves Me Not,
Stepping Stone, These Arms of Mine, and Line
Between Love and Hate. It's rough-edged, gospel-influence music,
offered with high production standards. (DH)
|
| ROBERT WARD |
Black Top 1088 |
Rhythm Of The People |
● CD $15.98
$6.98 |
13 tracks, 50 minutes, recommended
Now out of print. This is the second Black Top release by Ward since
his "re-discovery" in 1990. The former leader of the Ohio
Untouchables again brings along his classic unique sound - a Fender
Stratocaster played through an old Magnatone amp with a stereo
vibrato. At times he seems a bit overwhelmed by the organs, horn
sections, background vocalists, etc. but listeners accustomed to the
modern soul blues sound will enjoy it and there's plenty more here
to please the lovers of his early 60's style as well. Ward is at his
best on the slower, stark numbers like Say What You Mean/ Some
Things/ Soap Opera Blues (the beautiful gospel duet with his
wife Roberta), Children Of The World (Don't Forget To Pray)
and a faithful remake of the Wilson Pickett/ Falcons tune I Found
A Love (he played guitar on the original) (AE)
|
|
MAURICE WILLIAMS & THE ZODIACS |
Acrobat ACMCD 4250 |
Stay |
● CD $13.98
$10.98 |
24 tracks, 52 mins, very highly recommended
Quintessential early 60s doo- wop, on the cusp of soul, by this
Lancaster, South Carolina quartet. This set features all the group's
recordings made for Al Silver's Herald label between 1960 and 1962
(Maurice Williams - lead, Henry Gaston - tenor, Wiley Bennet -
tenor, Chas Thomas - baritone, Albert Hill - bass, and Little Willie
Morrow - drums) and recorded some of their best sides, many of which
became regular "Beach" dance classics in the Carolinas. Prime cuts
include I Remember/ Do I/ Come Along/ Someday/ Little Mamma/ Come
And Get It/ It's Alright, a great cover of Ray Charles' I Got
A Woman and and the hypnotic anthemic bestseller Stay. It
also includes the originally unissued Dearest Baby. There are
two bonus cuts from 1957 by an earlier Maurice Williams group the
Gladiolas including their original recording of Little Darling
that became a big hit in an emasculated version by The Diamond and
the almost as good flip side Sweetheart Please Dont Go.
Excellent sound and 12 page booklet with informative notes by Austin
Powell. (FS)
|
| OTIS
WILLIAMS & THE CHARMS |
Ace CDCHD 531 |
The Original Rockin' & Chart Masters
(28 tracks) |
● CD $18.98
$11.98 |
28 tracks, 70 min., highly recommended
Now deleted. Even though most of the material here is from this
aggregation's glory days with the Deluxe label, the program also
includes the group's first release, Heaven Only Knows/Loving Baby
(Rockin' 516) from 1953, and their three Chart label releases, where
only two of the six sides feature Otis Williams. Among the
highlights are Love Love Stick Stov (Really!) and Love's
Our Inspiration from Chart, and Boom Diddy Boom Boom/ Crazy
Crazy Love, and Hearts of Stone from Deluxe. Don't be
fooled by that last track though. This isn't anything like a
greatest hits compilation. And, true to British preferences, most of
these numbers are upbeat. Otherwise, everything about this release
is up to Ace's usual high standards, with solid notes, graphics, and
sound. (DH)
|
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