NEWSLETTER #143
Rhythm & Blues,
Soul & Doo-Wop
Rufus Thomas ->
Watts 103st Rhythm Band
| RUFUS THOMAS |
Blue City 1320 |
The Early Years |
● CD $17.98 |
17 tracks, 57 minutes, recommended
This is a collection of
fantastic early tracks, recorded long before Rufus or his monkey ever went
Walking the Dog. Nope, back then it was all beer, broads, boogie and
big game cats. Much more Jump Blues, than the R&B of later years. This is
all pre-Stax records, with fantastic gems like his first recording from 1951
on the Star Talent label, and material that was originally put out under the
moniker Mr. Swing. The material on here is essential, although the
presentation leaves a lot to be desired. The sound is solid, but it's
another one without any liner notes or anything worthy of note. There are a
parcel of tracks on this that I am pretty sure aren't available anywhere
else right now, including all of the tracks from his Meteor and Sun singles,
so I'll be getting a copy of this until something better comes around. (JM)
RUFUS THOMAS: Bear Cat/ Beer Bottle Boogie/ Crazy 'bout
You Baby/ Decorate The Counter/ Easy Living Plan/ Gonna Bring My Baby Back/
I'll Be A Good Boy/ I'm So Worried/ I'm Steady Holing On/ Juanita/ Married
Woman/ Night Workin' Blues/ No More Doggin' Around/ Save That Money/ Tiger
Man/ Walking In The Rain/ Why Did You Dee Gee?
|
| TINY TOPSY |
Rock 'n' Rhythm 03 |
... And Friends |
● CD $17.98 |
32 tracks, 79 mins, highly recommended
Superb, though
confusing, compilation of big & brassy R&B mamas. First 13 lucky tracks are
by the mighty Tiny Topsy (her complete recordings), a huge-voiced mystery
woman (Bernice Williams?), from Chicago who performed from the mid '40s to
mid '60s. This includes great songs of hers After Marriage Blues/ Working
On Me Baby/ Ring Around My Finger/ Western Rock 'n' Roll/ Cha Cha Sue, and more.
Tracks are compiled from her work for the Federal, Argo and King labels from
1957-1963. The remaining tracks are rounded out with friends?
Contemporaries? How 'bout a bunch of other legendary R&B women who sound
great on the same CD? Classic cuts by Big Maybelle, Shirley Gunter, Jeanette
Baker, Etta James, Lil Bryant, Rosetta Perry and many more, with most of
these tracks from the same basic era as Tiny's. No notes, recording info,
etc. in the packaging, but some nice label reproductions and photos. (JM)
|
| ALLEN TOUSSAINT |
Water 176 |
Life, Love And Faith |
● CD $15.98 |
Reissue of 1972 Reprise album features Toussaint backed by a
sizable New Orleans studio cast including The Meters, and Red Tyler. 12 cuts
- Victims Of The Darkness/ Goin' Down/ Out Of The City/ Soul Sister/
Fingers And Toes/ Gone Too Far/ Electricity and more.
|
| ALLEN TOUSSAINT |
Water 177 |
Southern Nights |
● CD $15.98 |
CD reissue of his 1975 Reprise LP - ten beautiful cuts which
flow like an extended suite, featuring Toussaint's grand piano chordings
backed by The Meters and a 7-piece horn section. The title track became a
big hit for Glen Campbell, and What Do You Want The Girl To Do has
often been covered. Plus Last Train/ Worldwide/ Back In Baby's Arms/
Country John/ Basic Lady/ You Will Not Lose/ When The Party's Over/ Cruel
Way To Go Down. (MB)
|
| DORIS TROY |
Collectables 6719 |
Sings Just One Look & Other Memorable
Selections |
● CD $12.98 |
12 tracks, recommended
The reissue of Atlantic LP 8088 from
1964 by Doris Higgensen, who began her climb to musical fame as an usherette
at New York's famed Apollo Theater. She next worked as a songwriter, demo
singer, and background singer. Her demo of her own song, Just One Look,
was rejected by Sue Records but wisely picked up by Atlantic, and though she
never scored another real hit, the quality is her output while with that
venerable label is solid. In addition to the classic title track we also
have What'cha Gonna Do About It/ Lazy Days (When Are You Coming Home)/
Draw Me Closer/ Be Sure/ Stormy Weather and more. (DH)
|
| BIG JOE TURNER |
Rev-Ola 158 |
Flip, Flop And Fly, 1951-1955 |
● CD $15.98 |
27 tracks, 78 mins, highly recommended
Although Big Joe
Turner had been recording since the 30s it wasn't until the the 1950s that
he achieved his greatest success with hit after hit in the R&B charts and
eventually crossing over into the pop charts and achieving some success as a
rock 'n' roll star when he was in his 40s. This set includes some of his
best and most popular sides from the period 1951 and 1955. Most of the
sessions were cut in New York with top New York session musicians like Harry
Van Walls, Budd Johnson, Joe Morris and others plus a couple of sessions in
New Orleans with N.O. musicians and a couple in Chicago where he was joined
by Elmore James, Johnny Jones and J.T. Brown. Every track here is a classic
- Shake, Rattle & Roll/ T.V. Mama/ Morning, Noon And Night/ Flip, Flop &
Fly/ Boogie Woogie Country Girl/ You Know I Love You/ Bump Miss Susie/
Chains Of Love/ Midnight Cannonball/ Sweet Sixteen/ Poor Lover's Blues/ baby
I Still Want You/ Oke-She-Moke-She-Pop (two very different versions)/
Honey Hush/ Well, All Right, etc. Includes eight page booklet with
informative notes by dave Penny plus photos, ads and label shots. If you
don't already have this classic material this set is indispensible. (FS)
BIG JOE TURNER: After My Laughter Came Tears/ Baby I Still
Want You/ Boogie Woogie Country Girl/ Bump Miss Susie/ Chains Of Love/
Chicken And The Hawk/ Chill Is On/ Crawdad Hole/ Don't You Cry/ Flip, Flop
And Fly/ Hide And Seek/ Honey Hush/ I'll Never Stop Loving You/ In The
Evening (when The Sun Goes Down)/ Married Woman/ Midnight Cannonball/
Morning, Noon And Night/ Oke-she-moke-she-pop [chicago Version]/
Oke-she-moke-she-pop [new Orleans Version][version]/ Poor Lover's Blues/
Shake, Rattle And Roll/ Still In Love/ Sweet Sixteen/ T V Mama/ Ti-ri-lee/
Well, All Right/ You Know I Love You So
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Ace CDCHD 1119 |
A Rock 'n' Roll Dance Party |
● CD $16.98 |
26 track collection of mostly uptempo R&B and blues from the
Modern group of labels. This is based on the original Crown LP (it's first
12" LP) plus tracks from the second version of the LP which had a different
line up plus seven more tracks in a similar vein. Most of the tracks have
been out on previous Ace CDs but there are several making their first
appearance here and it also includes previously unissued alternate takes
from Long Tall Marvin and Richard Berry.
JOHNNY ALLEN: Sunday Meetin Rock/ JIMMY BEASLEY: Don't
Feel Sorry For Me/ I Want My Baby (yea Yea Yea Yea Yea)/ JESSE BELVIN: By My
Side/ RICHARD BERRY: Mad About You (take 2)/ THE CADETS: Church Bells May
Ring/ Don't Be Angry/ Heartbreak Hotel/ DOLLY COOPER: Ay La Bah/ MAXWELL
DAVIS & HIS ORCHESTRA: Cool Diggin/ PEPPERMINT HARRIS: Bye Bye Fare Thee
Well/ JOE HOUSTON: All Night Long/ THE JACKS: How Soon/ B.B. KING: Bad Case
Of Love/ EDDY LANG: Come On Home/ LITTLE CLYDIE & THE TEENS: A Casual Look/
LONG TALL MARVIN: Have Mercy Miss Percy (take 3)/ MARVIN & JOHNNY: Cherry
Pie/ Ko Ko Mo (i Love You So)/ OSCAR MCLOLLIE: Convicted/ VIDO MUSSO SEXTET:
Vido's Boogie Aka Rock'n'roll Boogie/ ROBBIE ROBINSON: Go Robbie Go/ THE
TEEN QUEENS: Eddie My Love/ JOE TURNER: Roll 'em Pete (i Got A Girl Who
Lives On A Hill)/ ARTIE WILSON: That's My Baby
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Acrobat 3011 |
New Orleans R&B Crescent City Classics |
● CD $13.98 |
2 disks, 50 tracks, 129 mins, highly recommended
An
expansive collection featuring all of the stalwarts of the New Orleans Blues
and R&B music scene from the last 60 years or so. Classic tracks by Fats
Domino, Shirley & Lee, Roy Brown, Professor Longhair, Guitar Slim, Alma
Monday and many, many other greats. Dave Bartholomew and his band contribute
She's Got Great Big Eyes (and Great Big Thighs) and Country Boy
under their own name, but also back up other artists on a large percentage
of the other tracks. This pulls heavily from the Imperial, Aladdin, Atlantic
& Mercury labels and also cherry picks some choice cuts like Fats Mathews
I'm Thankful on Bayou records, Overboard and Jock a Mo
from Sugarboy Crawford on Checker, etc. Not a lot in the way of songs that
aren't represented on other releases, but a great compilation presented as
it is from Acrobat. (JM)
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Acrobat 4187 |
R&B Jukebox Hits - 1943, Vol. 1 |
● CD $13.98 |
24 tracks, 75 mins, recommended
The first chart to reflect
the buying patterns of the African-American market was instituted in October
1942 with Billboard's Harlem Hit Parade (see Acrobat 4186 - $13.98). Based
on sales and jukebox plays in New York's Harlem district it reflected the
somewhat more sophisticated tastes of New Yorkers rather than the nation as
a whole. This is the first volume devoted to 1943 and reflects a strong
interest in jazz flavored stylings from black artists like Lucky Millender,
Buddy Johnson and Lionel Hampton as well as white artists like Tommy Dorsey,
Benny Goodman (his vocalist Peggy's Lee's cover of Lil Green's Why Don't
You Do Right outsold the original) and Harry James. There's not a whole
lot blues here though there is one track from the consistent hit maker Louis
Jordan, Jimmy Rushing turns in a fine Rusty Dusty Blues with the
Count Basie Orch and Andy Kirk's Hey Lawdy Mama,
Rifette
by white pianist/ bandleader Freddie Slack which features a fine guitar solo
from T-Bone Walker. Sound quality is generally fine though Tommy Dorsey's
Boogie Woogie has really been put through the noise reduction wringer
and sounds like it was beamed in from outer space. A musically enjoyable and
historically significant release. (FS)
COUNT BASIE: Rusty Dusty Blues/ CEELLE BURKE AND HIS
ORCHESTRA: From Twilight Til Dawn/ TOMMY DORSEY ORCHESTRA: Boogie Woogie/ In
The Blue Of The Evening/ It Started All Over Again/ DUKE ELLINGTON: A Slip
Of The Lip (Can Sink A Ship)/ Don't Get Round Much Anymore/ Sentimental
Lady/ ELLA FITZGERALD: My Heart And I Decided/ BENNY GOODMAN WITH PEGGY LEE:
Why Don't You Do Right/ LIONEL HAMPTON: Flying Home/ ERSKINE HAWKINS: Don't
Cry Baby/ HARRY JAMES AND HIS ORCHESTRA WITH HELEN FORRE: I Had The Craziest
Dream/ I've Heard That Song Before/ BUDDY JOHNSON: Baby Don't You Cry/ Let's
Beat Out Some Love/ LOUIS JORDAN: Chicks I Pick Are Slender And Tender And
Tall/ Five Guys Named Moe/ THE KING COLE TRIO: All For You/ ANDY KIRK: Hey
Lawdy Mama/ LUCKY MILLINDER: Apollo Jump/ Sweet Slumber/ ELLA MAE MORSE:
Shoo Shoo Baby/ FREDDIE SLACK WITH T-BONE WALKER: Rifette
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Acrobat 4188 |
R&B Jukebox Hits - 1944, Vol. 1 |
● CD $13.98 |
26 tracks, highly recommended
The 1944 charts evidence a
stronger blues flavor than the previous year as well as a number of topical
songs including Ration Blues by Louis Jordan and Johnny Mercer's
original recording of G.I. Jive which is better known from Louis
Jordan's cover which, ironically, topped the pop charts while Mercer's
topped the Harlem Hit Parade charts. Dinah Washington had her first hit this
year with he recording of Leonard Feather's Salty papa Blues. This
year also featured some of the first vocal group hits with two songs by The
5 Red Caps and the biggest seller in a long time with Cecil Gant's wistful
blues ballad I Wonder which was one of the first 78s to be
counterfeited by unscrupulous operators. All in all a fascinating and varied
collection with informative notes by Bob Fisher. (FS)
THE 5 RED CAPS: Boogie Woogie/ I Learned A Lesson I'll
Neve Forget/ BENNY CARTER: Hurry Hurry/ NAT "KING" COLE: It's Only A Paper
Moon/ BILLY ECKSTINE: I Stay In The Mood For You/ DUKE ELLINGTON: Do Nothing
Til You Hear From Me/ I Don't Mind/ Main Stem/ ELLA FITZGERALD: Cow Cow
Boogie/ I'm Making Believe/ Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall/ CECIL GANT:
I Wonder/ LIONEL HAMPTON: Hamp's Boogie Woogie/ COLEMAN HAWKINS: Body And
Soul/ ERSKINE HAWKINS: Cherry/ JOHNNY HODGES: Going Out The Back Way/ HARRY
JAMES: Cherry/ BUDDY JOHNSON: When My Man Comes Home/ LOUIS JORDAN: Ration
Blues/ THE KING COLE TRIO: Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You/ Straighten Up And
Fly Right/ JOHNNY MERCER: G.I. Jive/ DINAH WASHINGTON: Salty Papa Blues/
COOTIE WILLIAMS: Cherry Red Blues/ Is You is Or is You Ain't/ LESTER YOUNG:
Sometimes I'm Happy
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Acrobat 4191 |
R&B Jukebox Hits - 1947, Vol. 1 |
● CD $13.98 |
24 tracks, 72 mins, highly recommended
What was shakin' and
bakin' in 1947? Open The Door Richard was certainly a craze. This
song was originally a Vaudeville skit successfully performed, individually,
by both John "Spider Bruce" Mason and Dusty Fletcher; by '47 it was a
novelty song waiting to be a hit. On this CD, Count Basie and his Orchestra
and Dusty Fletcher treat us to two grand versions, respectively. There were
a lot of great versions of the song: my favorite is Louis Jordon's, which
isn't here, though he is represented on the disc. Ole '47 was a banner year
for Louis Jordon and His Tympani Five and they deservedly have three monster
tracks, Texas and Pacific/ Jack, You're Dead, and Boogie Woogie
Blue plate. LJ & The T5 weren't the only ones boogieing, either; Sonny
Boy Williamson is workin' real hard to Shake The Boogie, Eddie Vinson
and His Orchestra got the Old Maid Boogie going on, and Albert Ammons
and His Rhythm Kings are even doing the Swanee River Boogie. Not
everybody got the boogie though; Lionel Hampton and His Septet with Dinah
Washington got the Blow Top Blues real bad and the New Orleans
Blues that Johnny Moore's Three Blazers have might just be incurable.
All that and a whole lot more was happening; the thing that ties them all
together is that they all had a big time in '47. So, when you get the chance
to pick up this winner, remember the words of Julia Lee and Her Boyfriends
when they sang "(Opportunity Knocks But Once) Snatch and Grab It." (JM)
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Bear Family BCD 16816 |
Eat To The Beat |
● CD $24.98 |
28 Tracks, 78 minutes, highly recommended
There have
certainly been a lot of "Dirty Blues" compilations over the years, but
certainly Bear Family do a much better job than most, with a gorgeous
package and a massive 92-page booklet. A lot of the usual suspects are here
- Screamin' Jay Hawkins Bite It, The Dominoes Sixty Minute Man,
Bullmoose Jackson Big Ten-inch Record, etc. Then there are gems like
Jackie Wilson and LaVern Baker' X-rated alternate take of Think Twice,
Johnny Otis (with a fourteen year old Shuggy Otis on guitar) recording
incognito as Snatch & The Poontangs doing the masterfully odd and raunchy
Two-Time Slim and the soaring vocal harmonies of The Clovers Rotten
Cocksucker's Ball, that have been previously featured on Zu-Zazz records
compilation "IF IT AIN'T A HIT, I'LL EAT MY...BABY." These are all great
tracks if you don't have them, but if you do there is still plenty of good
reasons to pick this up, for instance - Dirty Red's Mother Fuyer,
Julia Lee & Her Boyfriends wonderful Don't Come Too Soon, Crown
Prince Waterford's Move Your Hand, Baby and at least 7 other great
hard to find tracks. All in all in my opinion this is the most definitive
"Dirty Blues" collection available so far. (JM)
THE '5' ROYALES: Laundromat Blues/ ANNISTEEN ALLEN: I
Wanta Man (Who's Gonna Do Right)/ TOM ARCHIA: Fishin' Pole/ DAVE BARTHOLOMEW
& HIS ORCH.: My Ding-A-Ling/ THE BLENDERS: Don't Fuck Around With Love/
BOOZOO CHAVIS: L.A. Women Love Uncle Bud/ THE CLOVERS: Rotten Cocksucker's
Ball/ COUSIN JOE: Weddin' Day Blues/ DIRTY RED: Mother Fuyer/ THE DOMINOES:
Sixty Minute Man/ DOROTHY ELLIS: Drill Daddy Drill/ WYNONIE HARRIS: I Like
My Baby's Pudding/ Keep On Churnin'/ SCREAMIN' JAY HAWKINS: Bite It/
BULLMOOSE JACKSON: Big Ten-inch Record/ JULIA LEE & HER BOYFRIENDS: Don't
Come Too Soon/ AMOS MILBURN: Hard Driving Blues/ JESSE POWELL & HIS ORCH.:
The Walkin' Blues (Walk Right In, Walk Right Out)/ THE ROYALS: Work With Me,
Annie/ SNATCH & THE POONTANGS: Hard Driving Blues/ THE TOPPERS: (I Love To
Play Your Piano) Let Me Bang Your Box/ THE TRENIERS: Poon-Tang!/ DINAH
WASHINGTON: Big Long Slidin' Thing/ Long John Blues/ CROWN PRINCE WATERFORD:
Move Your Hand, Baby/ CHICK WILLIS: Stoop Down Baby/ JACKIE WILSON & LAVERN
BAKER: Think Twice (Version X)/ FRED WOLFF COMBO: Somebody Else Was Suckin'
My Dick Last Night
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Chess (UK) 9388 |
Chess Soul - A Decade Of Chicago's Finest |
● CD $34.98 |
Two CDs, 45 tracks, highly recommended Deleted in the U.S.A,
but still available in the U.K. Wonderful set with 45 great
Chess/Checker/Argo sides from '61-71. Plenty of hits along with the
obscurities, & as this was done by a British compiler, lots of tunes that
are big in the UK's Northern Soul scene. Some of the big hits include
Fontella Bass - Rescue Me, Billy Stewart - I Do Love You, The
Dells - Give Your Baby A Standing Ovation, Bobby Moore & The Rhythm
Aces - Searchin For My Love, Jan Bradley - Mama Didn't Lie, &
such classics that weren't big hits as Laura Lee - Dirty Man, Tony
Clarke - The Entertainer, Maurice & Mac - You Left The Water
Running, The Radiants - Voice Your Choice, The Knight Bros. -
Temptation 'Bout To Get Me, as well as some non-hit sides by such stars
as Gene Chandler, Big Maybelle, Irma Thomas, Etta James, Johnny Nash,
Deniece LaSalle, even a pre-Rotary Connection Minnie Ripperton recording as
Andrea Davis. Fine liner notes by Robert Pruter & David Nathan, lots of rare
pics. (GM)
FONTELLA BASS: Rescue Me/ The Soul Of A Man/ Don't Mess Up
A Good Thing/ BIG MAYBELLE: Don't Pass Me By/ JAN BRADLEY: Mama Didn't Lie/
BARBARA CARR: Don't Knock Love/ GENE CHANDLER: I Fooled You This Time/ To Be
A Lover/ TONY CLARKE: Ain't Love Good, Ain't Love Proud/ Entertainer, The/
MITTY COLLIER: I Had A Talk With My Man/ I'm Satisfied/ COOKIE & THE
CUPCAKES: I've Been So Lonely/ ANDREA DAVIS: Lonely Girl/ THE DELLS: Give
Your Baby A Standing Ovation/ Oh What A Day/ SUGAR PIE DESANTO: Soulful
Dress/ EDDIE & ERNIE: I Believe She Will/ JO ANN GARRETT: Stay By My Side/
THE GEMS: I Can't Help Myself/ FRED HUGHES: I Can't Make It Without You/
ETTA JAMES: Losers Weepers/ Only Time Will Tell/ Do I Make Myself Clear?/
THE KNIGHT BROTHERS: Temptation 'Bout To Get To Me/ THE KOLETTES: Who's That
Guy?/ DENISE LASALLE: Love Reputation, A/ LAURA LEE: Dirty Man/ RAMSEY
LEWIS: Wade In The Water/ LITTLE MILTON: Baby, I Love You/ MAURICE & MAC:
You Left The Water Running/ BOBBY MCCLURE: I'm Not Ashamed/ BOBBY MOORE &
THE RHYTHM ACES: Searching For My Love/ JOHNNY NASH: Love Ain't Nothin' (But
A Monkey On Your Back)/ JAMES PHELPS: Love Is A Five Letter Word/ THE
RADIANTS: Hold On/ Voice Your Choice/ JACKIE ROSS: Selfish One/ Take Me For
A Little While/ MARLENA SHAW: Mercy, Mercy, Mercy/ BILLY STEWART: I Do Love
You/ Strange Feeling/ IRMA THOMAS: Good To Me/ THE VALENTINOS: What About
Me?/ BILLY YOUNG: Have Pity On Me
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
City Sounds 120 |
Yesterday's Rarities, Vol. 5 |
● CD $17.98 |
Fine collection of 27 doo-wop rarities - many making their
first appearance on CD and including four previously unissued sides.
Includes The Wonders, The King Bees, The Darts, Shirley & The Sweethearts (the gorgeous Until You've
Tried Love), The Denotones (the fine
previouslu unissued acapella All I Ask For Is You),
Matadors, Precisions, Personics and more.
RICHARD BERRY: In A Real Big Way/ THE BLENDERS: There'll
Be A Tear In Your Eye/ BOBBY BROOKS: Confessions Of Love/ JAMES CARTER &
SENTIMENTALS: I Know/ WOODY COLEMAN: High On A Mountain/ THE DARTS: Gone Too
Long/ THE DENOTONES: All I Ask Is You (acapella Prev. Unrel.)/ VARETTA
DILLARD & THE COOKIES: The Rules Of Love/ THE ELITES: Six Long Months/ THE
JACK-O-LANTERNS: Lori Anne/ THE KING BEES: Karen/ THE LA CHORDS: Sit Down
And Write/ ROSALIE LTER: I Had A Dream/ JOHNNY LYND & MADISONS: Little Angel
Blue/ LITTLE MASON: I Know That I Love You/ THE MATADORS: Pennies From
Heaven/ THE MERCURYS: Someone Touched Me/ THE ORBITS: On The Beach(prev
Unrel.)/ THE PERSONICS: Hitch Your Truck To The Trailer (prev. Unrel.)/ THE
PHARAOHS: Oh Betty (prev. Unrel.)/ THE PRECISIONS: The Trip/ SHIRLEY & THE
SWEETHEARTS: Until You've Tried Love/ THE SWEETHEARTS: You'll Always Know/
THE TAILSMEN: Good By My Love/ TONY & THE RAINDROPS: Our Love Is Over/ VERNA
WILLIAMS & THE SHARP CATS: Holey Moley/ THE WONDERS: Tell Me
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Grapevine 3029 |
Lou Beatty's Detroit Soul - 30 Rare Gems
From La Beat |
● CD $19.98 |
30 tracks from the vaults of this obscure 60s label from
Detroit including five previously unissued. Includes a number of
tracks that fetch high prices on the Northern Soul market.
LOU BEATTY: A Family/ A Wet Pillow/ CLIFFORD BINNS: Take
It From Me/ You Got To Help Me/ EDWARD HAMILTON: Call Me/ I'm Gonna Love
You/ Baby Don't You Weep/ My Darling Baby/ Thank You Mother/ DON HART: I Can
Make It/ I'll Keep Holding On/ All The Love I Got/ It's In My Mind/ THE
LPT'S: I Am Nothing (Instrumental)/ Long Cool Summer/ THE MASQUERADERS: Be
Happy For Me/ How/ I Got The Power/ I'm Gonna Make It/ NELSON SANDERS: I'm
Lonely/ Mojo Man/ The Love Is Here To Stay/ Tired Of Being Your Fool/ JAMES
SHORTER: Modern Day Woman/ Ready For The Heartbreak/ LESTER TIPTON: This
Won't Change/ AL WILLIAMS: Brand New Love/ I Am Nothing/ She Does It/ Try
Them
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Kent CDKEND 264 |
The Mirwood Soul Story, Vol. 2 |
● CD $16.98 |
24 Northern soul tracks from the mid 60s from one of the
most famous uptempo, uptown soul labels. A mix of well known, obscure and
previously unheard including major U.S. R&B hits from The Olympics and
Jackie Lee, girl group sounds from Patrice Holloway's Belles, The Darlettes
and The Mirettes and ballads from Bobby Garrett, J.W. Alexander and Jimmy
Conwell. The latter's Second Hand Happiness is a big "low rider"
favorite in East L.A. right now. Also includes The Performers, The Sheppards,
Richard Temple, Bobby Lee Timberlake, Joe Swift's Internationals and others.
Includes several unissued songs and previously unissued mixes.
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Krypton 8061 |
Doo-Wop Collectors Classics, Volume #1 |
● CD $17.98 |
27 fine doo-wop sides from the 50s and 60s - quite a few
making their appearance on CD.
THE ADVENTURERS: Another Bachelor/ My Moma Done Told Me/
Rock and Roll Uprising/ BOB AND JERRY: Dreamy Eyes/ We're the Guys/ DON
COVAY & THE GOODTIMERS: Every Which Way/ Hand Jive Workout/ Now That I Have
You/ See About Me/ DON COVAY & THE TEENAGERS: Shake Wid the Shake/ DON COVAY
& THE GOODTIMERS: Teen Life Swag/ THE FORE-EVERS: Such A Good Night For
Dreaming/ The Girl I Want To Bring Home/ You Belong To Me/ MARTY HILL: Give/
JOEY & TEENAGERS: What's On Your Mind/ GENE MUMFORD: Come What May/ How Will
I Know/ If You Were the Only Girl In the World/ More Than You Know/ Please
Give Me One More Chance/ Street Of Dreams/ SHERMAN & THE TEENAGERS: The
Draw/ THE STEREOS: Echo In My Heart/ Tick Tack Toe/ APRIL YOUNG: Steady
Boyfriend/ This Time Tomorrow
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Krypton 8062 |
Doo-Wop Collectors Classics, Volume #2 |
● CD $17.98 |
27 more hard to find items.
BUZZ CLIFFORD: Forever/ I'll Never Forget/ Magic Circle/
Simply Because/ Three Little Fishes/ THE COMPANIONS: A Little Bit of Blue/
I'll Always Love You/ DEBBIE & THE DARNELS: Daddy/ THE DEL RAYS: Young and
Innocent/ THE DEL SATINS: Feelin No Pain/ Who Cares/ THE DU TONES: Oh What A
Nght With You/ So Long Happiness Good Bye Love/ THE FIVE STARS: Baby Baby/
Blabermouth/ THE FOUR TOPS: Ain't That Love/ Lonely Summer/ DOROTHY JONES:
Taking That Long Walk Home/ THE ORCHIDS: From Bad To Worse/ That Boy Is
Messing Up My Mind/ The Harlem Tango/ THE THREE G'S: Barbara/ Don't Cry
Katy/ Eenie Menie Miny Moe/ She's Mine/ Take My Love/ MICHAEL WESLEY: Will
You Love Me
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Krypton 8063 |
Doo-Wop Collectors Classics, Volume #3 |
● CD $17.98 |
25 this time - some of them fairly bland.
THE BLUE SONNETS: It's Never Too Late (To Fall In Love)/
Thank You Mr Moon/ JOHNNY CABOTT: Night and Day/ On My Own Again/ DEBBIE &
THE DARNELS: Mr Johnny Jones/ THE DREAMLOVERS: Black Bottom/ I'm Thru With
You/ Pretty Little Girl/ Sad Sad Boy/ THE DUPREES: Be My Love/ I Understand/
Let Them Talk/ THE FIVE KINGS: Don't Send Me Away/ Light Bulb/ LEMME B
GOODE: Dancing Angel/ I'm Gonna Kiss My Girl Tonight/ THE LEVONS: Love Is
Better Than Ever/ We're Just Friends Now/ LOU MARTINO: Please (Give Me A
Little Love)/ Someone To Watch Over Me/ GENE MONTGOMERY: I Gotta Do the
Latest Dance/ THE PETITES: A Little Love/ THE PUSSYCATS: Dressed In Black/
KENNY RANKIN: U S Mail/ Where Did My Little Girl Go
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
LRCD 5900 |
The Best Doo-Wops Of Lute Records |
● CD $17.98 |
26 tracks, 60 mins, very good
I wouldn't consider The
Hollywood Argyles a Doo Wop group--more of a pop/ novelty rock `n' roll
outfit--but they were probably Lute Records biggest seller and, hey, I love
"Alley Oop," and the rest of their songs are pretty good. The balance of the
CD beyond the 4 Argyles tracks would more or less fall into the doo wop
category including sides by The Uptones, Monorails, Emmy Lou, Arrogants and
others. This is a no frills comp with no nothin' but a track listing. The
sound is good and the tunes are mostly winners, with a few of them being
rather hard to find elsewhere. (JM)
THE ARROGANTS: Canadian Sunset/ Mirror, Mirror/ BILLY &
THE KIDS: Take A Chance On Love/ Way It Used To Be/ THE BISHOPS: Masquerade
Ball/ Open Up Your Heart/ EMMY LOU: I Wanna Know/ Love Ya, Love Ya/ THE
HOLLYWOOD ARGYLES: Alley Oop/ Bug Eye/ Gun Totin' Critter Called Jack/ Sho'
Knows A Lot About Love/ THE MONORAILS: Come To Me Darling/ Will Ya, William/
THE STARLETS: I'm So Young/ THE STARLITES: He's Got It/ THE STARR SISTERS:
Love's A Funny Little Game/ The Boy In The Study Hall/ TY TYRELL: The
Scratch Part 1/ The Scratch Part 2/ THE UPTONES: Be Mine/ Dreamin'/ I'll Be
There/ No More/ STEVE WALE: Boy Meets Girl/ You Can't Take It With You
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Luv n' Haight 043 |
Bay Area Funk |
● CD $16.98 |
16 tracks, 52 min., highly recommended
If you think any
degree of funkiness or quality has been sacrificed in preserving the
geographical straightjacket of San Francisco Bay Area funk, think again.
Even the weakest songs sound muscular enough that one suspects steroid use.
Some names here will ring more than bells, as may happen with the superfine
opening cut, Git Back by Sugar Pie Desanto (on the obscure Jasman
label), Rodger Collins' Foxy Girls In Oakland from Galaxy Records,
and a pair from the mighty Marvin Holmes, the cooler of which is the
earliest track here (cuts range from 1967-1976), Oomph on Spotlight
Records, which recalls Dyke & The Blazers more than a little bit. Among the
little known but joyous discoveries waiting to be made are What It Is Pt.
1 & 2 by Apollis, Trippin On The Sounds by Jeannie Tracy (whose
career is still chugging along) on the interestingly-named Brown Door label,
the horn-stabbing instrumental The Trip by Eugene Blackwell & The New
Breed on the rarely seen Boola Boola label, and more. Booklet noter DJ Riddm
adds individual notes for each song (as obscure as they are) and even
includes label shots for the 45s! Nice. (JC)
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Night Train 7152 |
New Orleans Will Rise Again |
● CD $15.98 |
22 Tracks All proceeds from this CD benefit the New Orleans
Musicians' Clinic. This is chock full of rare and unreleased material from a
lot of the usual suspects that you think of when you think New Orleans,
Aaron Neville, Ernie K-Doe, Jessie Hill, Luther Kent etc.. The nature and
recording dates of these tracks are wide and varied, one track being Jerry
Raines' excellent Dirty Rotten Mother Fuyer dating back to 1959!
Stand out track has to be Ernie K-Doe's My Mother In Law's In My Hair
Again, - I'm amazed that this hasn't come out before, it is actually a
really great track.
|
| VARIOUS |
Pavillion 71237 |
The Lovely Ladies Of Doo-Wop |
● CD $17.98 |
25 tracks, 59 mins, recommended
Excellent collection of female doo-wop and early "girl group" sounds from
around 1956 to 1960. It opens with the first six titles recorded by The
Shirelles before they really hit the big time with their string of great
hits on Scepter. It includes their first hit I Met Him On A Sunday We
then segue nicely into the rare first recordings by The Chiffons including
their fine cover of the Shirelles hit Tonights The Night. The rest of
the groups are obscure but consistently fine and includes The Vestelles,
Antwinettes, Charmers, Dolls (particularly fine), Teenettes, Overtones (a
fine version of the standard Walkin' My Baby Back Home), Sharmeers,
Deltaires, Starlets and others. No notes but sound is generally very good.
(FS)
THE ANGELETTES: Mine & Mine Alone/ THE ANTWINETTES: Johnny O/ Kill It/ THE
CHAMPETTES: Johnny Johnny/ THE CHARMERS: Oh Yes!/ THE CHIFFONS: Do You Know/
Tonight's The Night/ THE DELTAIRES: You Won't Be Satisfied/ You Would've
Known It/ THE DOLLS: Suspicious Of You Baby/ Tell Me Now/ THE OVETONES:
Walking My Baby Back Home/ PENNY & THE OVETONES: What Made You Forget/ THE
SAILTONES: Lover Boy/ THE SHARMEERS: A Schoolgirl In Love/ THE SHIRELLES: I
Got The Message/ I Met Him On A Sunday/ I Want You To Be My Boyfriend/ My
Love Is A Charm/ Slop Time/ Stop Me/ THE STARLETS: I'm So Young/ THE
TEENETTES: Too Young To Marry You/ THE VESTELLES: Come Home/ Ditta Wa Doo
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Popcorn 6006 |
Rock 'n' Roll Mamas, Vol. 3 |
● CD $16.98 |
24 tracks, 60 mins, recommended
Another fine collection of
rocking R&B from the 50s by a varied array of women singers - more than half
making their first appearance on CD. Includes sides by La Melle Prince (fine
jump tune with Maxwell Davis Band), Kitty Noble (the excellent Till The
Cows Come HomeCall
His name
with tough guitar and sax), Bobbie James, Lillian Childs, June Bateman (he
great Possum Belly Overalls with saxist husband Noble Watts which has
been out a couple times before), The Gay Charmers (fine rocker from group
that was secular spin-off of The Clara Ward Singers), Gladys Patrick (with
vocal group backup by The Charioteers), Bee Bee Queen, Margie Day (one of
her more forgettable numbers Dumplin' Dumplin'), Lewell Gilbert,
Zilla Mays, Sherry Washington and others. Sound quality is excellent and
four page booklet has brief notes on the artists and songs. (FS)
ANGEL FACE: I Know/ JUNE BATEMAN & NOBLE WATTS: Georgia
Mule/ JUNE BATEMAN WITH NOBLE WATTS & HIS BAND: Possum Belly Overalls/ BEA
BOOKER: Comfort In My Heart/ LILLIAN CHILDS: 22 Minutes/ DIANA COLE: So Much
Rockin' To Do/ SHERYL CROWLEY: It Ain't To Play With/ MARGIE DAY: Dumplin'
Dumplin'/ THE GAY CHARMERS: Git In and Shut the Door/ BEVERLY ANN GIBSON:
Wait and See/ JEWELL GILBERT: Mad Nervous Woman/ BOBBIE JAMES: Baby I'm
Tired/ CHRISTINE KITTRELL: Call His Name/ MISS LA-VELL: Teen-Age Love/
JOANNIE MAE MATTHEWS: Give Me True Love/ ZILLA MAYS: Take Your Time/ CHUBBY
NEWSOM: Toodle Luddle Baby/ KITTY NOBLE: Till the Cows Come Home/ GLADYS
PATRICK: Unchain My Heart/ LA MELLE PRINCE WITH MAXWELL DAVIS BAND: Get
High/ BEE BEE QUEEN: Queen Bee/ CARMEN TAYLOR: Teen-Age Ball/ ANITA TUCKER:
Ring-Aling-Aling (Let the Wedding Bells Ring)/ SHERRY WASHINGTON & THE
CHROMATICS: La De Do De Do (Honey Bug Song)
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Popcorn 6007 |
Rock 'n' Roll Mamas, Vol. 4 |
● CD $16.98 |
24 tracks, recommended
Another fine collection of 50s and
early 60s female R&B rockers - much of it making its first appearance on CD
though I don't know if it was necessary to include Betty James' I'm A
Little Mixed Up - a great song but it's been out several times before -
it would have been nice to have included some of her other less common
sides. Still - a minor quibble - there's lots of fine music here that's not
readily available including sides from Shirley Gunter, Tiny Topsy, Anita
Tucker, Mamie (Miss Good Blues) Thomas (a particularly nice track), Vikki
Nelson, Margie Day, Luvenia Eaton & The Five Jades, MIldred Jones (the very
risqué Mr. Thrill about her man who owns a very long car), Ruth
McFadden with Sammy Lowe's Orchestra, Dakota Staton (a rare and fine R&B
outing from this pop/jazz singer), Linda Hopkins (the dull pop number I
Diddie Dum Dum), Peggy Saunders (terrific and intense blues singer with
fine sax solo), Lady Nell and more. (FS)
JUNE BATEMAN: Come On Little Boy/ MARGIE DAY: That's the
Way Love Goes/ LUVENIA EATON & THE FIVE JADES: Without Your Love/ VICKI
EVANS: If You Don't Know What You're Doing/ EVA FOSTER: You'll Never Know/
PEARL GALLOWAY: Get With It/ Think It Over Baby/ SHIRLEY GUNTER: Crazy
Little Baby/ DIMPLES HARRIS: If You'll Be True/ LINDA HOPKINS: I Diddie Dum
Dum (Diddie Yum Dee)/ BETTY JAMES: I'm a Little Mixed Up/ MILDRED JONES: Mr.
Thrill/ MISS LA-VELLE: If (I Could Be With You/ RUTH MCFADDEN: You Must Come
In at the Door/ LADY NELL: Don't Forget/ VIKKI NELSON: Baby I'm Yours/ DESSA
RAY: Ain't Gonna Tell/ PEGGY SAUNDERS: Things Done In the Dark (Are Bound To
Come To Light)/ DAKOTA STATON: A Little You/ SUGAR PIE: Please Be True/
MAMIE (MISS GOOD BLUES) THOMAS: Miss Good Blues/ TINY TOPSY: Come On, Come
On, Come On/ ANITA TUCKER: Slow, Smooth and Easy/ DOLORES WARE: Can't Eat,
Can't Sleep
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Rhino 77625 |
Atlantic Unearthed - Soul Brothers |
● CD $11.98 |
First of two volumes compiled by soul expert David Nathan
drawing on Atlantic's extensive archives of soul music and concentrating on
some of the more obscure recordings including several previously unissued.
This first volume of 16 tracks is devoted to male singers and includes sides
by Wilson Pickett, Sam & dave, Percy Wiggins, Otis Redding, James Carr,
Mighty Sam, Walter Jackson, Carl Hall, Donny Hathaway and others.
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Rhino 77626 |
Atlantic Unearthed - Soul Sisters |
● CD $11.98 |
The second volume features 16 rarities and unissued sides by
female singers including Aretha Franklin, Patti LaBelle & The Bluebells, Mary
Wells, Dee Dee Warwick, Irma Thomas, Esther Phillips, The Sweet
Inspirations, Bettye Swann, Barbara Lewis and more.
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Stateside 363 434-2 |
Mama's Got A Bag Of her Own |
● CD $11.98 |
25 tracks, 73 min., highly recommended
In which Stateside
mines EMI's labels (Roulette, Liberty, Calla, Minit, Veep, TK, Blue Note,
End) for the best of distaff soul. Self promotion disguised as a various
artists album? You bet. But worthwhile not only as an introduction to lesser
known soul divas but also as a great soul album. Ann Cole offers Don't
Stop The Wedding as proof that she deserves her own album, and Clydie
King's Mama's Got A Bag Of Her Own (doubtless an answer to James
Brown) will send listeners searching for more of the same. Other leads worth
running down include jazz-soul amalgam Beatmaker by Doris, Patti
Drew's cover of Otis Redding's Hard To Handle, the Betty LaVette
standout Let Me Down Easy, Gloria Jones' What You Want, Esther
Phillips' Nobody But You, Jean Wells' With My Love And What You
Got, Margo Thunders' walloping cover of the Gamble-Huff gem
Expressway To Your Heart, Ann Sexton's sultry Loving You, Loving Me,
Gwen McCrae's It Keeps On Raining, and Marlena Shaw's extra-mellow
version of Feel Like making Love (lifted off her stridently titled LP
"Who Is This Bitch, Anyway?"). The marginally informative notes refer to The
Three Degrees' There's So Much Love All Around Me as a "pretty cheesy
disco track," but I know what disco sounds like and that ain't it. (JC)
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Still 1169 |
Black Huchia Cuthia |
● CD $16.98 |
25 tracks, 57 mins, recommended
Another fine collection of
rockin' blues, R&B and black rock 'n' roll. The goofy title comes from the
fine blues Huchia Cuthia Lovin' Man by King Alex & The Untouchables.
About half a dozen of these tracks are on other compilations - mostly in the
Stompin' series and three tracks have been out before on Still! I hope our
good friend Cees isn't losing it. Williams Walker and The Ray-O-Vacs and
Bill Walker both do a song called Party Time - not too suprising
since they are basically the same performance but the latter has been edited
and had some hand claps and vocal chorus overdubbed! Still it's a fine
performance(s) with hot sax and guitar. Leo Price And His Band have a couple
of fine sides - the rockin' guitar and sax instrumental Quick Draw
and the loping vocal Hey Now Baby. Bob Lee is obviously chanelling
Screaming Jay Hawkins on his bizarre Wanted For Questioning and other
artists include Texas Red & Jimmy (also on Still 1164), Manhattan Rhythm
Boys (actually Champion Jack Dupree and reissued on Still 1164 as Brother
Bones), Crook Jr., Clifford King (fine down home blues - his Chicken
Shack Boogie is not the Amos Milburn song), Tony Allen & The Night Owls,
Travis Ricks, Jimmy Lewis (his Teeange Sister is much better than you
might expect), Piney Brown, Honeyboy Bryant and others. Fine sound. (FS)
TONY ALLEN & THE NIGHT OWLS: Home Wrecker/ PINEY BROWN:
I‘m Traveling/ HONEYBOY BRYANT: Funny Looking Thing/ MODEST ™SHOW STOPPER™
CIFTON: Pretty Little Baby/ CROOK, JR: Wiggle It Baby/ J. HARRIS & THE
ARABIANS: Tired,tired,tired/ PHILIP JONES & JOHNNY "SPIDER" MARTIN ORCH:
Hey, Let's Everybody Twist/ CLIFFORD KING: Chicken Shack Boogie/ I Want To
Jump With You Baby/ KING ALEX & THE UNTOUCHABLES: Huchia Cuthia Lovin‘man/
BONNY LEE: Standing On The Corner/ BOB LEE & MIKE MOORE ORCH.: Wanted For
Questioning/ JIMMY LEWIS: Teenage Sister/ LITTLE FREDDIE & THE RIPCORDS WITH
HURRI: Straight Ahead/ FRANKIE LUCAS & RENé HALL ORCH.: I Want To Rock You
Baby/ THE MANHATTAN RHYTHM BOYS: Featherweight Mama/ GUITAR TOMMY MOORE &
THE 5 J’S: I Ain‘t Botherin‘nobody/ LEO PRICE & BAND: Hey Now Baby/ LEO
PRICE AND BAND: Quick Draw/ TRAVIS RICKS: No Need To Cry/ SAMMY & THE FIVE
NOTES: Doodle Bug Twist/ SONNY STARNS: Tangi Paho/ TEXAS RED & JIMMY WITH
SAX KARI ORCH.: Comin‘home/ RANDY THOMAS & THE TWISTERS: Twistin All Night
Long/ BILL WALKER: Party Time/ WILLIAMS WALKER & THE RAY-O-VACS: Party Time
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Titanic 44204 |
Deep Soul Discoveries, Vol. 4 |
● CD $17.98 |
Another fine collection of rare deep soul from the 60s and
70s. Some tracks have pretty rough sound but there's some fine music from
Sammy Roberson, Johnny Acey, Dee & Don, Willie Mason, Joe Melvin, etc.
JOHNNY ACEY: Forever More/ LYNN AUGUST: If You Love Me/
JAMES BOUNTY: Life Will Begin Again/ FRANKIE COE: Once There Was a Man/
BENNIE CONN: I'm So Glad To Be Back Home/ DEE & DON: How Much It Hurts Me/
ROBERT EARL: Love Will Find a Way/ JOHN EDWARDS: There'll Never Be Another
Woman/ WILLIE HYTOWER: Don't Blame Me/ J.C. & THE SOUL ANGELS: God Bless Our
Love/ JEAN & DONELLA: Get Ready (For That Day)/ JIMMY LOMAX: Remember Me/
QUEENIE LYONS: A Minute of Good Time/ WILLIE MASON: Don't Make the Same
Mistake Twice/ JOE MELVIN: Friends In Show Business/ JOE PERKINS & RAY
FRANKLIN: Things of the Past/ THE PLAYERS: Guilty/ SAMMY ROBERSON: Some
Man's Woman, Part 1/ Some Man's Woman, Part 2/ JOHNNY ROBINSON: When a Man
Cries/ SOUL UNLIMITED: One Man's Happiness/ DICK WASHINGTON: I Still Find
You (In My Heart)/ ART WHEELER: Walk On/ DANNY WHITE: I'm Dedicating My
Life/ BOBBY WILLIAMS: Play a Sad Song
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Verve 01240-02 |
Yule Be Miserable |
● CD $11.98 |
12 songs focusing on the not so jolly side of Christmas
including Christmas Blues by Ramsey Lewis, Santa Claus Got Stuck
In My Chimney, My Birthday Comes On Christmas and Nuttin' For
Christmas by Spike Jones and others.
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Yeaah! 15 |
Doo Wop Desirables |
● CD $17.98 |
30 tracks, 72 min, recommended
Good collection of rare Doo Wop, with the main theme seeming to be records that go for a lot of
money on Ebay! Not surprising the folks who put this out are a couple out of
whom one is a New York record store veteran and the other sells Doo Wop 45s
on Ebay for a living. So they can sell records, but can they put them out
with quality? As far as Doo Wop comps are concerned, this one is in about
the 70% range, not crappy like so many, not chock full of real gems with
booklet overstuffed with info, but solidily in between on the better side.
Includes sides by Del & The Escorts, The Imaginations, Del-Roys, Tricks, Ron
Sawyer, The Temptations (a white group that pre-dates the Motown act), The
Van Kykes, Teardrops and others. The Sesame Street song is from a record
that sells for a lot of money, but that doesn't mean that it should be
included with the rest of the much better tracks. So although this comp is
fairly convoluted, there are enough good, rare tracks to make it worth
picking up.(JM)
TONY ALLEN & TWILIGHTERS: Come-a, Come-a, Baby/ THE
AMBERS: Never Let You Go/ THE BARONS: Pledge Of A Fool/ CARL &
SPINDLETOPPERS: Hey Moon/ THE CASLONS: Settle Me Down/ THE CONTENDERS: The
Clock/ THE CORDIALS: Listen My Heart/ DEL & THE ESCORTS: Baby Doll/ THE DEL
ROYS: Love Me Tenderly/ THE FABULOUS BLENDS: Starlight, Starbright/ THE FOUR
PHAROAHS: China Girl/ THE IMAGINATIONS: Wait A Little Longer Son/ THE IMPACS:
Tears In My Heart/ THE ITELS: Star Of Paradise/ THE LUVS: We Kiss In The
Shadow/ THE MASCOTS: Lonely Rain/ BOBBY PEDRICK: Maybe/ THE PRELUDES FIVE:
Starlight/ RAY SAWYER: Bells In My Heart/ THE SCHOOLBOYS: Please Say You
Want Me/ THE SESAME STREET DOO WA'S: Counting The Days/ THE STUDENTS: That's
How I Feel/ THE TEARDROPS: Let's Dance/ THE TEMPTATIONS: Fickle Little Girl/
THE TRICKS: My One Desire/ UNKNOWN ARTIST: Now Is The Time/ THE V-EIGHTS:
Everything That You Said/ THE VAL-AIRES: Launie, My Love/ THE VAN KYKES:
Come On Baby/ NORMAN ZACK: Hey Doll
|
| WILLIE WALKER &
THE BUTANES |
One On One 761955 |
Right Where I Belong |
● CD $16.98 |
14 tracks, 59 mins, highly recommended
We've had a number of
requests for this CD and we're delighted to have finally turned up a
supplier. When you first put this on you'll think you've come across a
previously unissued Stax or Hi session from the early 70s but in fact this
was recorded at the end of 2003. Willie Walker, like quite a few great soul
singers, started his career as a gospel singer in the 50s with The
Redemption Harmonizers before switching to secular music and recorded a
number of fine sides for the revered Goldwax label in the late 60s (some of
these are reissued on Kent 203 and 225). Although these were unsuccessful
Willie continued to perform in his home town of Minneapolis, Mn. eventually
linking up with blues/ R&B band The Butanes led by guitarist Curtis Obeda
resulting in this superb album. All the songs were written by Obeda who also
produced, arranged and mixed and the result is a sheer delight for Southern
soul fans. The Butanes are a good sized band with organ and horns - all real
instruments - not a synthesizer or drum machine in sight. Walker is a
beautiful and expressive singer with a high husky quality with a touch of
O.V. Wright in it but Walker is very much an original. While Obeda is no Dan
Penn there are some fine songs here, particularly the title song, the
intense Down For The Count and the loping Give As Good As You Get.
It's so nice to have real Southern soul back. (FS)
|
| THE WATTS 103ST
RHYTHM BAND |
Water 147 |
Hot Heat And Sweet Groove |
● CD $15.98 |
12 tracks, 33 minutes, recommended
In some circles known as
Charles Wright and the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band. Under the leadership
of Mr. Wright, these fantastic L.A. area studio cats formed to back up Bill
Cosby on his singing forays. Quickly the musicians gelled into a band of
their own, a fantastic mostly instrumental soul / pre-funk, funk band. This
is a re-issue of their first full length album, original released in 1968 on
Warner. The originals are much sought after by record collectors and Hip Hop
DJs. Great to see it finally getting proper re-issue treatment. Features
good new liner notes as well as classic notes by the Cos himself. (JM)
|
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