Blues & Gospel - Ike Turner -> Big Joe Turner

IKE TURNER & HIS KINGS OF RHYTHM	Ace CDCHD 553	Rhythm Rockin' Blues	● CD $18.98
20 tracks, 60 mins, highly recommended Just what it says - lotsa rhythm, lotsa rockin' and lots of blues featuring the hot Kings Of Rhythm fronted by singer, guitarist, piano player, arranger and talent scout Izear Luster (aka Ike) Turner. Opening with the millionth reissue of Jackie Brenston's Rocket 88 from 1951 no doubt to lure in the less knowledgeable the rest is devoted to recordings made in 1954 including a number that were not originally issued as singles. The band included Raymond Hill, Eugene Fox and Bobby Fields/ saxes, the first Mrs Turner Bonnie on piano, Jesse Knight Jr. on electric bass and Robert Prindell/ drums. There are three vocals by Ike (under the pseudonym "Lover Boy") and a couple of instrumentals including the fascinating 8 1/2 minute All The Blues, All The Time where Ike plays a medley of blues favorites of the time emulating the styles of Matt Murphy, B.B. King, Elmore James and others. The rest of the album features vocals by Billy Gale (Gayles), J.W. Walker (later known as Big Moose Walker with very hot guitar by Ike), Dennis Binder, Johnny Wright (his intense The World Is Yours is a variation on Guitar Slim's The Things I Used To Do and features more great string bending guitar from Ike), Little Johnny Burton and Lonnie "The Cat". Great sound and excellent notes by Ray Topping. (FS)

IKE TURNER & THE KINGS OF RHYTHM	P-Vine PCD 3031/2	Rocks The Blues	● CD $37.98
2 CDs, 44 tracks, 123 min., recommended Fine collection of rockin' blues sides from Ike Turner and his Orchestra recorded between the early and mid-1950s for the Modern, RPM, Flair, and Blues & Rhythm labels. You get Cuban Get Away/ You're Driving Me Insane/ Troubles And Heartaches, and a few others with just Turner & co., but most cuts feature them backing the likes of Dennis Binder, Lover Boy, Little Johnny Burton, Clayton Love, Billy Gayles, Mary Sue, Mat Cockrell, and others. Other interesting moments include Lonnie "the Cat" doing I Ain't Drunk, Eugene Fox's playlet Fox's Dream, Brother Bell's Whole Heap Of Mama, and an alternate take of Johnny Wright's The World Is Yours. What's not to like? (JC) DENNIS BINDER: Early Times/ I Miss You So/ Nobody Wants Me/ You Got Me Way Down Here/ BROTHER BELL: If You Feel Froggish/ Whole Heap Of Mama/ LITTLE JOHNNY BURTON: One Day/ Talking About Me/ Walk My Way Home/ Why Did You Go Away/ MATT COCKERELL: Baby Please/ Gypsy Blues/ EUGENE FOX: Fox's Dream/ BILLY GAYLES: I Miss You So/ I'm Tired Of being Dogged Around/ My Heart In Your Hands/ Night Howler/ IKE & BONNIE: Lookin' For My Baby/ My Heart Belongs To You/ LONNIE "THE CAT": I Ain't Drunk/ The Road I Have To Travel/ CLAYTON LOVE: Why Don't You Believe In Me?/ Wicked Little Baby/ LOVER BOY: Love Is Scarce/ Nobody Seems To Want Me/ The Way You Used To Treat Me/ Why Did You Leave Me/ MARY SUE: Everybody's Talking/ Love Is A Gamble/ IKE TURNER: All The Blues All The Time/ Cuban Getaway/ Cubano Jump (Hey Miss Tina)/ Go To It (Stringing Along)/ Loosely (The Wild One)/ Troubles & Heartaches/ You're Driving Me Insane/ J.W. WALKER: Can't You See My Baby/ J.W.'s Blues/ Sitting Here Wondering/ Why Won't You Be True?/ JOHNNY WRIGHT: Suffocate/ The World Is Yours/ The World Is Yours (take 5)