Bulletin - September 2008
Rhythm & Blues,
Soul & Doo-Wop
Solomon Burke ->
Jackie Wilson
| SOLOMON BURKE |
Shout 46 |
This Is It - Origins Of Soul |
● CD $18.98 |
16 tracks, highly recommended
We've had a lot of requests for a reissue of Solomon's earliest recordings
and our good friends at Shout have now obliged. This is, I believe, a
reissue of a Savoy LP issued many years ago - it features 16 of the 22 sides
recorded for Apollo 1955-56 Starting as a 15 year-old spiritual singer,
Burke recorded such tunes as No Man Walks Alone/ Christmas Presents From
Heaven/ To Thee, before going more secular. Burke's style was close to
black pop on these sides, but the presence is definitely there and you can
hear the shape of soul to come. The song You Can Run, But You Can't Hide,
"written" by Joe Louis, led to Burke's appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show!
Also includes You Are My One Love/ Walking In A Dream/ I Need You
Tonight/ This Is It/ My Heart Is A Chapel and others. Includes booklet
with extensive notes by Clive Richardson. (GM)
|
| CHARLIE & RAY |
Acrobat ACMCD 4310 |
I Love You Madly - The Herald Recordings |
● CD $15.98 |
16 tracks, 39 min., recommended
The title tune here is the closest that this duo ever came to a bonafide
hit, nonetheless, their mastery of the up tempo, chalypso, and ballad tempos
popular in the last half of the 1950's is more than evident is this
collection of their material for Al Silver's Herald Records. The program
includes the title tune, plus Tag Along/ Certainly Baby/ Dearest One/
You're To Blame/ The Closest Thing to an Angel/ Guess I'm Through with Love,
and others. There are several originally unissued titles including a second,
slightly slower version of I Love You Madly. Though the possibilities
for harmony are limited with just two voices, these two won the weekly
amateur night contest at Harlem's Apollo Theater five times in a row. (DH)
|
| DR. JOHN |
Music Club Deluxe 080 |
The Best Of The Night Tripper |
● CD $18.98 |
2 CDs, 36 tracks, 150 mins, highly recommended
This collection covers the prime years of Dr. John, the psychedelic, Hoo-Doo
Man years from 1968 - 74, the period of time that a widely known name was
made for Dr. John, although as Mac Rebenac he had been paying his dues and
recording on some great records for many years prior as a bandleader and
session player. This also comprises the good Doctor's time at Atco records,
widely regarded as his best, most creative period. From the sublime Voodoo
freak-outs like Gris, Gris Gumbo Yay Ya/ Mama Roux/ Jump Sturdy/ Walk On
Gilded Splinters, etc, to the more traditional New Orleans R&B - IKO,
IKO/ Junko Partner/ Tipitina, to his big hit Such A Night--it's
all there. Two CDs fully loaded with highly entertaining, one-of-a-kind
music. This is an excellent jumping-in point for the uninitiated and a
comprehensive set for the fans. Turn off the lights, light up the candles
(and anything else you might be inclined to), and turn this up real loud.
Fantastic sound, O.K. notes, but some more recording info would have been
appreciated. (JM)
|
| THE FIVE SATINS |
Acrobat 9001 |
Chronicles |
● CD $28.98 |
3 CDs, 65 tracks, 166 mins, highly recommended
O. K ., here is where I try and talk you into
shelling out your hard earned dollars buying a three-CD set for a band that
only had 1 big hit. No small task, thankfully, though, the one big hit they
had was the all-time classic, (I Remember) In The Still Of The Night.
It also helps that they recorded a lot of other great material in addition
to this one classic. As is the case with many a Doo-Wop outfit, these tracks
actually represent about 3 different groups with, let's say, around 15
members or so. Fred Parris is the link that ties everything together; it
would be his late night Army guard duty that inspired him to write Still
Of The Night and he would be the driving force behind not only the first
incarnation of the group as The Scarlets, but is also still fronting the
group today some 54 years after their first recordings. Despite those facts,
he actually isn't on all of these tracks. Uncle Sam took him away for more
in the '50s, but the tracks that he isn't on are still fantastic. This
covers recordings done in the '50s & '60s with all the classic versions,
plus many rare songs and alternate takes. Includes debut single All Mine
b/w Rose Mary from the obscure Standord (not a typo) label, nine
Scarlets recordings done for the Red Robin Label, into their heyday with
Ember records, then rounding out with a full CD plus of material that came
out on a variety of different labels between '61 - 2002. With so many great
tracks like The Jones Girl/ True Love/ Weeping Willow/ A Night To
Remember, and so many more, this is an absolute treasure trove for Vocal
Group fans. (JM)
THE FIVE SATINS: A Love With No Love In Return/ A Love
With No Love In Return (Alt)/ A Million To One/ A Night Like This/ A Night
To Remember/ A Night To Remember/ Again/ All Mine/ Baby Face/ Candlelight/
Candlelight (Alt)/ Church Bells Played The Blues/ Cry Baby/ Darling I'm
Yours/ Dear One/ I Got Time/ I Wish I Had My Baby (Alt)/ I'll Be Seeing You/
I'll Get Along/ I'll Remember (In The Still Of The Night)/ I'll Remember (In
The Still Of The Night) (Alt)/ I've Lost/ I've Lost/ Indian Fever/ Kiss Me/
Love Doll/ Love With No Love In Return (Tk 5)/ Moonlight And I/ Oh Happy
day/ Our Anniversary/ Our Anniversary (Alt)/ Our Love Is Forever/ Our Love
Is Forever/ Playmates/ Please Be Mine Tonight/ Pretty Baby/ Pretty Baby (Tks
1&3)/ Rose Mary/ Senorita Lolita/ Shadows/ She's Gone With The Wind/ Silver
Waters/ Skippity Doo/ Sugar/ Tell Me Dear/ That's Love/ The Jones Girl/ The
Jones Girl (Alt)/ The Time/ The Voice/ The Voice (Acappella)/ To The Aisle/
To The Aisle (Alt)/ To The Aisle (Tk 5)/ Toni My Love/ True Love/ True Love
(alternate)/ Weeping Willow/ When The Swallows Come Back To Capistrano/ When
The Swallows Come Back To Capistrano (Tk 12)/ When Your Love Comes Along/
Wish I Had My Baby/ Wishing Ring/ Wonderful Girl/ You Must Be An Angel
|
| AL GREEN |
Music Club Deluxe 008 |
Love And Happiness - The Very Best Of Al
Green |
● CD $18.98 |
Two C D set featuring some of the
best recordings this great soul singer made for the Hi label between 1972
and 1977. Green, together with his producer abd co-writer Willie Mitchell,
hold a unique position within the rich history of soul music. Their best
work together drew on that music's greatest tradition and then, through
their unique sensibility and brilliant music acumen, moved it signficantly
forward. This set include many of his biggest hits like Tired Of Being
Alone/ Look What You've Done For Me/ Call Me (Come Back Home)/ Let's Get
Married/ Belle and others along with B-sides and classic album tracks.
AL GREEN: Belle/ Call Me (Come Back Home)/ Feels Like
Summer/ For The Good Times/ For The Good Times/ Free At Last/ Georgia Boy/
Hangin' On/ Have You Been Making Out OK?/ Here I Am (Come And Take Me)/ How
Can You Mend A Broken Heart/ I Can't Get Next To You/ I Gotta To Be More
(Take Me Higher)/ I Tried To Tell Myself/ I'm Hooked On You/ I'm Still In
Love With You/ Keep Me Cryin'/ L.O.V.E (Love)/ Let It Shine/ Let's Get
Married/ Let's Stay Together/ Living For You/ Look What You Done For Me/
Love And Happiness/ Love Ritual/ Loving You/ Never Found A Girl (Who Loves
Me Like You Do)/ Oh Me Oh My (Dreams In My Arms)/ One Woman/ Schooldays/ Sha
La La (Make Me Happy)/ Simply Beautiful/ So Good To Be Here/ Something/ Take
Me To The River/ The Letter/ Tired Of Being Alone/ Unchained Melody
|
| SCREAMIN' JAY HAWKINS |
Sony Special 724490 |
Cowfingers & Mosquito Pie |
● CD $6.98 |
19 tracks, essential
Budget priced, limited edition reissue of Epic 47933. This is basically a
reissue of Jay's classic "At Home With Screamin' Jay Hawkins" LP with some
welcome additions. We not only get the drunken blaster I Put A Spell On
You but enough Hawkins mayhem to raise the dead on Little Demon ,
the surrealistic tale of Screamin' Jay's Yellow Coat (amazing
lyrics), a campy pseudo-Oriental Hong Kong , and nutty versions of
I Love Paris and Take Me Back To My Boots & Saddle . Alligator
Wine and the flip There's Something Wrong With You are added as
well as another Okeh single Frenzy and the flip. And if that ain't
enough to have you reaching for a glass of "Bulldog spine wine" how about
four prime alternate takes including I Put A Spell On You and
Alligator Wine ? Like snowflakes, no two Screamin' Jay screams are the
same. (AE/ FS)
|
| THE HEARTS |
Collectables 7887 |
The Very Best Of The Hearts |
● CD $13.98 |
21 tracks, 53 mins, highly recommended
This CD is basically a companion disc to Collectable's Jaynetts' collection
since the Hearts and the Jaynetts were more or less the same group, although
it didn't start out that way. The girl group was originally assembled in the
Bronx by songwriter Zelma (Zell) Sanders-who managed and recorded them; they
managed one hit in 1955 for the Baton label, Lonely Nights (not
included here). The group vanished, only to return in 1963 with none of the
original members present; Sanders had formed J&S Records by this time and
she merely had the same five singers record under a bunch of different
names.including the Hearts and the Jaynetts. Lonely Hearts might not
have been included, but it appears that some of those early recordings by
the original group did make it onto the disc, judging by the sound of tracks
like All My Love Belongs to You/ Until the Real Thing Comes Along,
and So Long Baby - all have a pronounced 50's R&B slant about them.
Since there were few "girl groups" in the 50's-and these girls were among
the first-it would seem that this CD is necessary as much for history as for
musical purposes. But whatever reason drives you to listen to this, you
won't be disappointed because Sanders had a way with a pen and these
girls-regardless who was doing the singing-could really belt the out the
tunes. Alternately bouncy and bluesy, these songs ooze warmth and soul.
(GMC)
|
| MILLIE JACKSON |
Kent CDKEND 297 |
Millie Jackson's Soul For The Dancefloor |
● CD $18.98 |
22 tracks, 74 mins, highly recommended
Kent has done a excellent job of re-issuing the Spring recordings of the
irrepressible Millie Jackson; now comes this compilation of her greatest
dance tracks. These recordings ranging from 1969 to 1982 (including several
unreleased versions making their first appearance on CD) showcase the Diva's
raspy vocals (similar to Gladys Knight's), interpretive skill with a lyric,
and rowdy "raps". Although a few tracks skirt perilously close to
"disco"-and, indeed, labeling most of these songs "dance" might be
stretching the point just a bit--by and large, this is prime 70's soul and
Millie fans can savor the singles edits of A Little Taste of Outside Love
and You Can't Stand the Thought of Another Man Loving Me, while
newbies can use these 22 tracks as an introduction. (GMC)
GARY US BONDS: I'm Glad You're Back/ RUTH BROWN: Stop
Knocking/ C & THE SHELLS: On Your Way Home/ KENNY CARTER: What's So Wrong
With You Loving Me/ ARTHUR CONLEY: Complication # 4/ HELEN CURRY:
(Shoo-Doo-Pa-Poop) Love Being Your Fool/ THE DRIFTERS: Your Best Friend/
INEZ & CHARLIE FOXX: (1-2-3-4-5-6-7) Count The Days (Single version)/ G P:
She's A Heartbreaker/ ELEANOR GRANT: Plea # 3 (Is It True Boy?)/ Rockin'
Your Baby Now/ The Other Woman/ ZZ HILL: Touch 'Em With Love/ TOMMY HUNT: I
Need A Woman Of My Own/ OBE JESSIE & THE SEEDS OF FREEDOM: Who's To Blame/
PATTI LABELLE & THE BLUE BELLES: He's Gone/ LITTLE CHARLES & THE
SIDEWINDERS: Please Open Up The Door/ SLICK 'N' THE FAMILY BRICK: Don't
Trust A Woman/ SWAMP DOGG: Don't Throw Your Love To The Wind/ Straight From
My Heart/ JERRY WILLIAMS: Run Run Roadrunner/ Shipwrecked/ Your Man/
WOLFMOON: God Bless
|
| THE JAYNETTS |
Collectables 0999 |
Sally Go 'Round The Roses - The Very Best |
● CD $11.98 |
13 tracks, 37 mins, recommended
Hot on the heels of last year's 29 track Jaynetts' anthology (Cat King Cole
1005 - $17.98) comes this condensed "Best Of" courtesy of Collectables.
Contained in a slightly spiffier package are the girl group's one big hit -
Sally Go Round the Roses, in case you forgot-several misses (the
imaginatively titled Who Stole the Cookie From the Cookie Jar,
Peepin' in and Out the Windows, and Is it My Imagination), and a
couple of unreleased demos. Bonus: also included is one track missing from
the earlier collection, "Cry Behind the Daisies" which is featured in both
single and demo form. Basically, if you already have the Cat King Cole CD,
you don't need this (unless you're a completist). However, for the merely
curious, the lower priced "Very Best Of" will do just nicely. Or, to put it
another way, if you only want a bite instead of the whole sandwich, then
this is the CD for you. (GMC)
|
| ERNIE K-DOE |
Great American Music 842 |
Here Come The Girls! |
● CD $13.98 |
13 tracks, 41 mins, highly recommended
Much sought after 1970 release. At the time, this was an attempted comeback
of sorts by New Orleans legend Ernie K-Doe. Produced by Allen Toussaint, who
also wrote 8 of the tracks, this was a serious attempt to rev up K-Doe's
career and update his style. No cheesy re-makes on the original album,
although the CD producers couldn't help themselves and put an alternate take
of Mother In Law on the bonus tracks (Heaven forbid there was a K-Doe
CD out there without a version). Other bonus tracks are Hotcha Mama
and (I Can't Believe) She Gave It All To Me. Back to main album, the
impetus for this re-issue probably came from the recent hugely successful
use of the title track in a U.K. ad campaign in 2007, which made the song a
bit of a sensation with the Redcoats. Whatever the excuse, this is a much
welcome re-issue and high time to appreciate this lost gem of an album. Many
will recognize the great bluesy track Whoever Is Thrilling You (Is
Killing Me,) which would be a hit for Rufus (featuring Chaka Khan, of
course) a few years later. This is for far more than fans of K-doe's, I
think any old Soul aficionados will truly dig this. (JM)
|
| GLADYS KNIGHT &
THE PIPS |
Acrobat 3050 |
Letter Full Of Tears |
● CD $18.98 |
2 CDs, 47 tracks, 124 mins, highly recommended
In the world of re-issue labels there is a certain strata of quality that is
primarily held by Ace, Norton and Bear Family records and an occasional few
others, labels whose output is so aesthetically pleasing, notes are astutely
written, and sound is superb. For the most part Acrobat has been really
good, but consistently a tier or two down from the greats. They have put out
a series of Gospel collections that rose to that higher level, Brother Cecil
Shaw, Five Blind Boys CDs etc; this, however, is the first non-Gospel outing
for Acrobat that I think attains that height, let's hope it's a sign of more
to come. This CD rounds up all of the possible tracks that Gladys Knight &
The Pips released in their Pre-Motown career and super stardom, represents
work done for labels Fury, Vee-Jay, Everlast, Springboard, Maxx, and more,
and documents the evolution of their classic sound. Gladys Knight & The Pips
were certainly fantastic long before they hit Motown and although they
weren't smashes, this collection has all of their first songs to start
making the charts and making the group a name. Giving Up/ Who Knows/
Lovers Always Forgive/ Either Way I Love You/ Stop And Get A hold Of Myself/
Baby It's You/ Queen Of Tears/ Every Beat Of My Heart, and a lot more
greats that Soul fans will eat up. This also has the interesting side note
of representing some of the early successes Van McCoy would have as a
writer, with six of his compositions represented here, alongside the works
of Johnny Otis, Jesse Belvin, Bob Elgin, Richard Gottehrer, and of course
Knight & co themselves. (JM)
|
| BARBARA LYNN |
Jamie 3906 |
The Jamie Singles Collection, 1962-1965 |
● CD $25.98 |
2 CDs, 32 tracks, 75 mins, highly recommended
Beaumont Texas native Barbara Lynn is best known for her lone Pop hit from
1962 You'll Lose a Good Thing, which is unique for having been
written the artist at a time when performers rarely wrote their own
material. Lynn, also noteworthy for accompanying herself on guitar, was
recorded by Texas legend Huey Meaux at Cosimo Matassa's studio in New
Orleans. Although she hit pop only once, Lynn had a number of R&B chart hits
including You're Gonna Need Me and Second Fiddle Girl. A solid
compilation of one of R&B's lost talents. (GMC)
|
| ROGER AND THE TRAVELERS |
Roger Rabbit 1001 |
Traveling Thru Time |
● CD $17.98 |
30 tracks of white doo-wop and pop from various groups led
by singer/ songwriter Roger Koob. His earliest group was the Premiers who
started recording in 1958 and had some regional success with the novelty
song Jolene. In 1962 they switched labels and changed their name to
Roger & The Travelers to avoid confusion with another group called The
Premiers. In 1963 they switched labels again and became The Frontiers and
began performing in a more more pop oriented style. This compilation
includes 16 previously unissued sides including several acapella
performances and a couple of solo sides by Koob from the 70s.
|
| THE SHIRELLES |
Ace CDCHD 1196 |
Tonight's The Night/ Sing To Trumpet And
Strings |
● CD $18.98 |
27 tracks, 64 mins, essential
There are a lot--I repeat, a lot--of shoddy Shirelles collections out there,
the majority of which you should avoid; it's really been a shame that their
catalog hadn't had a proper treatment. Thankfully, here come Ace records to
the rescue. This is the first installment of an extensive re-issue project,
one that will see the acts 8 Scepter records LPs released from 1961 - 1965,
plus bonus tracks. With fantastic sound and providing booklets that are
fully annotated, with scads of label and original reproductions, photos, and
general paraphernalia. Each CD will feature two LPs in sequential order plus
bonus tracks. For fans of the Girl Group sound, certainly the first two CDs,
if not the full series, will be essential. Were the Shirelles the greatest
of all of the Girl Groups? A case could easily be made; they sure had a lot
of great songs. The first two albums featured here, "Tonight's The Night,"
and "The Shirelles Sing To Trumpets and Strings" (both from 1961) contain
the hits like the splendid Tonight's The Night, the revolutionary
Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, the poignant Dedicated To The One I
Love, the Ringo-inspiring Boys, and the pragmatic Mama Said,
next to great album tracks Lower The Flame/ Johnny On My Mind/
Unlucky/ I Don't Want To Cry/ My Willow Tree, and many more. Bonus
tracks on this volume are Look A Here Baby/ Please Be My Boyfriend,
and A Teardrop and A Lollipop. The only down side to this is the
surprising lack of inclusion of the group's fantastic and successful first
song I Met Him On A Sunday (Ronde, Ronde) which hopefully will find
it's way onto the bonus of a later installment. (JM)
|
| JOE TEX |
Shout 47 |
First On The Dial - Early Singles And Rare
Gems |
● CD $18.98 |
Soul man Joe Tex became a major star when Hold What
You've Got took him into the U.S. Top 10 in 1965, and became the first
of some 30 hit singles from his recording career on the Dial label, up to
the time of his death in 1982. This compilation contains the 10 singles he
recorded for Dial before his breakthrough-including Blood's Thicker Than
Water a Northern Soul classic-as well as some hard to find bonus tracks.
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Acrobat ACMCD 4318 |
Ember Doo Wop |
● CD $15.98 |
24 tracks, highly recommended
Complementing Acrobat 4249 (The Herald Doowop Story, Vol. 1 - $15.98) this
great disc features 24 tracks recorded for Herald's sister label Ember which
was originally founded by Jack Angel and Duke Ellington's son Mercer in 1953
and subsequently acquired by Herald. The label notched up three massive
vocal group hits - the sublime ballad In The Still Of The Night and
To The AisleGet A Job by The Silhouettes in
1958 (all included here). Although the label had no other big hits it issued
a series of fine vocal group discs and this disc features 24 of them
including more from the Five Satins plus sides by The Smoothtones, The
Concords, Kenny Esquire & The Starlites, The Marktones, Boptones, Wonders
and others. Excellent sound and booklet with informative notes by Bob
Fisher. (FS)
THE BARRIES: Mary Ann/ Why Don't You Write Me/ THE
BOPTONES: Be My Pussycat/ THE CAMELOTS: Pocahontas/ DAVE CLOWNEY BAND: Soft
Lights/ THE COLONAIRES: Sandy/ THE CONCORDS: L'll Always Say Please/ THE
EDSELS: Three Precious Words/ KENNY ESQUIRE & THE STARLITES: Pretty Brown
Eyes/ THE FABULONS: Smoke From Your Cigarette/ THE FIVE SATINS: A Night To
Remember/ I'll Be Seeing You/ In The Still Of The Night/ To The Aisle/ THE
ILLUSIONS: Why Can't We Fall In Love/ THE MARKTONES: Hold Me Close/ THE
MIFFLIN TRIPLETS: I Do I Do I Do/ THE PARAMOUNTS: In A Dream/ ROGER & THE
TRAVELERS: You're Daddy's Little Girl/ THE SILHOUETTES: Get A Job/ Headin'
For The Poor House/ THE SMOOTHTONES: Dear Diary/ THE STARLARKS: Fountain Of
Love/ THE WONDERS: Hey Senorita
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Acrobat 7009 |
Pig Iron, Washboards, Freight Trains &
Kazoos |
● CD $27.98 |
Four CD set with 120 tracks (!) features the most in-depth
look at that peculiarly British popular music phenomenon - Skiffle. With
it's home made, do it yourself ethos skiffle briefly rivaled rock 'n' roll
and the hot, new teenage craze during 1956 and '57. This compilation
features every major skiffle and all the genres big names along with lots of
lesser known artists. Includes Lonnie Donegan, The Vipers Skiffle Group,
Chas McDevitt Skiffle Group, City Ramblers, Alan Lomax & The Ramblers,
Johnny Duncan & His Bluegrass Boys, Alexis Korner's Breakdown Group (with
Cyril Davies), Johnny Parker's Washboard Band, Ken Colyer Skiffle Group, Bob
Wallis' Washboard Beaters, Peggy Seeger with Guy Carawan, Beryl Bryden's
Backroom Skiffle, The Clyde Valley Stompers and others. Includes 48 page
booklet with extensive notes by Roger Dopson.
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Bear Family BCD 16867 |
Sweet Soul Music - 31 Scorching Classics
From 1961 |
● CD $26.98 |
31 tracks, essential
Continuing where they left off with their Blowin' The Fuse
compilations, Bear Family takes us into the golden age of Soul music,
starting off at 1961, the year considered to be when R&B switched to being
Soul, for this first installment and taking the tracks in basically
chronological order by release date. A couple major artists like Sam Cooke
and Ray Charles will not be featured in this series due to legal
unavailability, but there is so much fine music collected here, you hardly
notice. A major point of interest with this series over the previous would
be that the tracks on here are from an era that hasn't been as widely comped
yet, outside of collections by specific label. There are a lot of obvious
big hits that are pretty easy to come by: Shop Around by the
Miracles, Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow The Shirelles, Gee Whiz
Carla Thomas, Mother-in-Law Ernie K-Doe, etc. Then there are a bunch
of songs that don't pop up nearly as often: Driving Wheel Little
Junior Parker, Rainin' in My Heart Slim Harpo, Hide Away
Freddy King, Last Night Mar-Keys, and so on. Ike & Tina, Solomon
Burke, Jimmy Reed, The Drifters, Dee Clark, The Jarmels, plus many, many
more greats are all here. Absolutely one fantastic tune after another, all
wrapped up in the usual beautiful manner expected from Bear Family. I plan
on getting all of the volumes in this series and I very enthusiastically
recommend any or all of them. (JM)
BOBBY BLAND: Turn On Your Love Light/ MAXINE BROWN: All In
My Mind/ SOLOMON BURKE: Just Out Of Reach (of My Two Open Arms)/ DEE CLARK:
Raindrops/ FATS DOMINO: Let The Four Winds Blow/ LEE DORSEY: Ya Ya/ THE
DRIFTERS: Some Kind Of Wonderful/ ROY HAMILTON: You Can Have Her/ SLIM
HARPO: Rain'n In My Heart/ CLARENCE "FROGMAN" HENRY: (i Don't Know Why) But
I Do/ THE IMPRESSIONS: Gypsy Woman/ CHUCK JACKSON: I Don't Want To Cry/ THE
JARMELS: A Little Bit Of Soap/ THE JIVE FIVE: My True Story/ ERNIE K-DOE:
Mother In Law/ CHRIS KENNER: I Like It Like That Part 1/ BEN E. KING: Stand
By Me/ FREDDY KING: Hide Away/ GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS: Ever Beat Of My
Heart/ BOBBY LEWIS: Tossin & Turnin/ THE MAR-KAYS: Last Night/ THE MARCELS:
Blue Moon/ THE MARVELETTES: Please Mr. Postman/ THE MIRACLES: Shop Around/
LITTLE JUNIOR PARKER: Driving Wheel/ JIMMY REED: Big Boss Man/ SHEP & THE
LIMELITES: Daddy's Home/ THE SHIRELLES: Will You Love Me Tomorrow/ CARLA
THOMAS: Gee Whiz (look At His Eyes)/ IKE & TINA TURNER: It's Gonna Work Out
Fine/ THE VIBRATIONS: The Watusi
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
BGP CDBGPD 183 |
SuperFunk Is Back, Rare & Classic Funk
1968-1977 |
● CD $18.98 |
21 tracks, 67 min., highly recommended
The fifth volume in the excellent "SuperFunk" series definitely measures up
to its predecessors in offering quality and rarity in pleasing amounts. One
of the finest songs here, a horn-stabbed workout called Hi Off Life
by The Eternal Flames, is also one of the rarest, in that only two
copies of the 45 rpm are known to exist. That, along with the previously
unreleased Can't Get Enough by 87th Off Broadway, the Miles Grayson
instrumental Home Brew, and the Phillips Brothers' Little Boy Blue
(also previously unreleased), would be enough reason to pick this collection
up, but it's full of other solidly built temptations, including the maga-rare
Give Me Another Chance by The Uniques--out of the 200 originally
pressed 45s, only one is known to exist, and it recently sold on Ebay for
about $3000--the totally obscure La May & Company performing Free The
Soul Man on the S.P.Q.R. label, an alternate take of Dyke & The Blazers'
Let A Woman Be A Woman - Let A Man Be A Man, and a funk surprise (Shake
A Leg) from none other than Jackie Wilson, to name but a few. Good stuff
worth working up a sweat over. (JC)
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Collectables 7888 |
The Hits Of Harlem, Vol. 1 |
● CD $13.98 |
14 tracks, recommended Complements the other recent CDs on
Collectables by The Hearts, Jaynetts, etc, that focus on the career of
Rhythm & Blues record mogul Zelma "Zell" Sanders. This is comprised of acts
from her labels that probably couldn't handle a whole CD retrospective of
their own, but certainly had at least a couple good songs each. This
collection features strong tracks by The Plants, Climbers, Pre-teens, Bell
Tones, and more. More importantly, though, are a couple great cuts with Baby
Washington singing lead with The Plants. Quality sound, but minimal notes
(pick up other volumes for full story). (JM)
CLARANCE ASHE & THE HEARTS: Dancing In a Dream World/ THE
BELL TONES: I Love You Darling/ Merengue/ THE CLIMBERS: Angels In Heaven
Know I Love You/ I Love You/ Train, Car, Boat or Plane/ THE KODAKS: Don't
Want No Teasing/ THE PLANTS: Dear I Swear/ From Me/ I Search the Seven Seas/
My Girl/ THE PRE-TEENS: What Makes Me Love You Like I Do/ BABY WASHINGTON &
THE PLANTS: Congratulations Honey/ There Must Be a Reason
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Collectables 7889 |
The Hits Of Harlem, Vol. 2 |
● CD $13.98 |
14 tracks, recommended
More tracks chronicling many of the productions of Zelma "Zell" Sanders and
her many labels, J&S, Zells, etc. The Hearts have one on here I Want Your
Love Tonight, and then one billed as Rita Zel & The Hearts. Along with
other interesting tracks by The Plants, The Kodaks, Baby Washington, The
Ascots etc. (JM)
THE ASCOTS: What Love Can Do/ THE CLIMBERS: My Darling
Dear/ THE ENDEAVORS: Suffering With My Heart/ THE HEARTS: I Want Your Love
Tonight/ THE KODAKS: I Look Up To The Sky/ THE PLANTS: I Took A Trip Way
Over The Sea/ It's You/ THE PRE-TEENS: Pass It On/ BABY WASHINGTON: I Hate
To See You Go/ Knock Yourself Out/ Been A Long Time Baby/ Every Day/ RITA
ZEL & THE HEARTS: I Don't Understand You No More/ Need You To Hold Me
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Documents 223007 |
Rhythm & Blues |
● CD $19.98 |
After being out of print for a while this title is now
available again. This very low priced 10 CD set with 200 tracks seems to be
an abbreviated version of the now out of print two 15 CD sets "Rhythm &
Blues Goes Rock 'n' Roll." A great collection of mostly up tempo blues, R&B
and occasional doo-wop from the 40s and early 50s mixing familiar names like
Jimmie Liggins, Little Walter , Tarheel Slim, Big
Bill Broonzy, Big Maybelle, Lula Reed, Buddy Johnson, Lighnin' Hopkins and
more with obscure artists like Pearl Reaves, Sheri Washington, Pork Chops,
Nat Cool Cat, hank Moore, Jimmy Crawford, Sandra Grimes and others. Most
tracks are available on other collections though a few are not available
anywhere else. Sound quality is adequate though some tracks exhibit
excessive digital noise reduction artifacts. Still, at this price, a few
drawbacks are worth putting up with for a consistently entertaining
collection and it's a good chance to get acquainted with artists you may not
be familiar with.
THE 4 GATHORS: Wine O Wine/ JESSE ALLEN: Love Me Baby/
EDDIE ALSTON: I Just Can't Help It/ ELTON ANDERSON: I Love You/ JIMMY
ANTHONY: Before Day In The Morning/ THE ARABIANS: Dog Wild/ LIL ARMSTRONG:
Joogie Boogie/ BABY CURTIS: I Wanna/ LEE BARNES: Blues For What I Never Had/
PAUL BASCOMB: Mumbles Blues/ THE BEES: Tough Enough/ BIG MAYBELLE:
Rockhouse/ BOBBY & RON: You're Mine/ JUKE BOY BONNER: Running Shoes/ EDDIE
BOYD: Kilroy Won't Be Back/ BIG BILL BROONZY: Little City Woman/ B.B. BROWN:
I Weep/ BUSTER BROWN: Sugar Babe/ HONEY BROWN: Rockin' & Jumpin'/ BROWN &
BROOKS: Sleeping In An Ocean Of Tears/ MILT BUCKNER: Red Red Wine/ EDDIE
BURNS: Hard Hearted Woman/ THE CARDINALS: Choo Choo/ WYNONA CARR: Touch &
Go/ RICKY CHARLES: Hi Yo Silver/ CHARLIE & RAY: Oh Gee Oh Wee/ LEE CHRISTY:
My Heart Goes Diddley Bum/ CHARLES CLARK: Hidden Charms/ EDDIE CLEARWATER: A
Real Good Time/ JIMMY CRAWFORD: Till My Baby Comes Back/ ARTHUR CRUDUP:
That's Alright Mama/ MARY DELOATCH: Straighten Him Out/ VARETTA DILLARD:
Them Their Eyes/ FLOYD DIXON: Ooh Little Girl/ Wine Wine Wine/ JOHNNY DUKE:
Oh Oh Mojo/ J.D. EDWARDS: Hobo/ ESTHER & WILLIE: Turn The Lights Down Low/
THE FAMOUS RENEGADES: Invasion/ H-BOMB FERGUSON: Rock H-bomb Rock/ FINNEY
MO: Shake That Thing/ T.J. FOWLER: Tell Me What's The Matter/ JOHNNY FULLER:
No More/ LOWELL FULSON: Baby Won't You Jump With Me/ Cold Hearted Woman/
Juke Box Shuffle/ G A S: Seven To Eleven/ DOC GADDY: Evil Man Blues/
GARLAND: Hello Miss Sims/ BILLY GARNER: Little Schoolgirl/ BILLY GAYLES: Do
Right Baby/ GENE & EUNICE: I Gotta Go Home/ BABS GONZALES: House Rent Party/
She's Just Right For Me/ THE GOOD GUYS: Whoa Whoa/ CARRIE GRANT: Mish Mash/
RUDY GREENE: Wild Life/ JOHN GREER: Honey Why/ TONY GRIMES: Hey Now/ SANDRA
GRIMMS: Hallelujah Rock & Roll/ BIG BOY GROVES: I Got A New Car/ GUITAR
CRUSHER: I Got To Know/ FREDDIE HALL: She's An Upsetter/ LARRY HANNA: Good
Lovin/ HARMONICA FATS: My Baby Didn't Come Home/ ERLINE HARRIS: Long Tall
Papa/ PEPPERMINT HARRIS: The Blues Pick On Me/ WYNONIE HARRIS: I Want My
Fanny Brown/ Teardrops From My Eyes/ BILL HEYMAN: I Want My Baby/ HOMESICK
JAMES: Set A Date/ EDDIE HOPE: A Fool No More/ LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS: I'm Wild
About You/ Movin' Out/ HOWLIN' WOLF: Down In The Bottom/ IVORY JOE HUNTER: I
Like It/ BETTY JAMES: I'm A Little Mixed Up/ BOBO JENKINS: Tell Me Who/ DUKE
JENKINS: The Duke Walks/ GEORGE JENKINS: Shufflin' Boogie/ GUS JENKINS: Slow
Down/ LITTLE WILLIE JOHN: Leave My Kitten Alone/ BUDDY JOHNSON: Walk The
Chalk Line/ LEMMY JOHNSON: Eatin' & Sleepin' Blues/ HARMON JONES: Pack Your
Clothes/ OLIVER JONES: What I Say/ LOUIS JORDAN: Choo Choo Ch' Boogie/
JUMPIN' JAY: Come On Home/ THE KID: Booted/ PAUL KIMBLE: That Big Fat Mama/
JEWEL KING: 3 X 7 = 21/ WILLIE KING: Big Leg Woman/ KING PERRY: Come Back
Baby/ Everything's Gonna Be Alright Tonight/ SONNY KNIGHT: But Officer/
ANNIE LAURIE: My Rough & Ready Man/ JOHN LEE: Rhythm Rockin' Boogie/ MARTY
LEWIS: Satisfied With My Lovin'/ JIMMY LIGGINS: I Ain't Drunk/ Talking That
Talk/ FRANK LINKENBERG: Ball Of Fire/ LITTLE ESTHER: It Ain't What You Say/
LITTLE WALTER: Roller Coaster/ LONESOME SUNDOWN: Mojo Man/ BOBBY LONG:
Jersey City/ LORD TENNISON: The Dance/ LOUISIANA RED: Ride On Red/ BUDDY
LUCAS: Night Train/ CHERRI LYNN: You're Money Ain't No Long Enough/ HERMAN
MANZY: I'm Your Rockin' Man/ TEAM MATES: Crazy Baby/ CARL MATTHEWS: Big Man/
JOE MCCOY: Hey Loretta/ Too Much Going On/ JIMMY MCCRACKLIN: I Wanna Make
Love To You/ She Felt Too Good/ BROWNIE MCGHEE: Anna Mae/ STICK MCGHEE: One
Monkey Don't Stop The Show/ WALLY MERCER: Rock Around/ MERCY BABY: Pleadin'/
AMOS MILBURN: Let Me Go Home Whiskey/ THE MILLIONAIRES: Arkansas Jane/ ROY
MILTON: Milton's Boogie/ BILLY MIRANDA: Go Ahead/ MISS BAKER: You'd Better
Find/ MISTER RUFFIN: Bring It On Back/ WILLIE MITCHELL: Lizzie Lou/ MODEL T.
SLIM: Shake Your Boogie/ HANK MOORE: Knock Kneed Rooster/ TOMMY MOORE: Your
Car Machine/ WOO WOO MOORE: Something's Wrong/ JOE MORRIS: Beans & Corn
Bread/ MR. BO: I'm Leaving This Town/ MR. GOOGLE: Oh What A Fool/ MR. RAIN:
Who Dat/ MR. SAD HEAD: Sad Head Blues/ SAM MYERS: You Don't Have To Go/ NAT
COOL CAT: Come By Here/ JIMMIE NELSON: Great Big Hunk Of Man/ THE NITERIDERS:
Looking For My Baby/ ELMO NIXON: Forgive Me Baby/ JOHNNY OTIS: Court Room
Blues/ Goomp Blues/ PAPA LIGHTFOOT: Jumpin' With Jarvis/ LOUIS PAYNE: That's
Allright With Me/ PORK CHOPS: Everything Is Cool/ KING PORTER: Chitlin'
Ball/ JIMMY PRESTON: Oh Babe/ PRINCE CH.: Come On Home/ PEARL REAVES: You
Can't Stay Here/ LULA REED: Sick & Tired/ KING RHYTHM: Killer Diller/ EDDIE
RIFF: My Baby's Gone Away/ THE ROCKETS: Big Leg Mama/ BUDDY ROGERS: Mad At
You/ THE ROYALS: All Night Long/ JOAN SHAW: You Drive Me Crazy/ CHARLES
SHEFFIELD: It's Your Voodoo Working/ Shoo Shoo Chicken/ THE SILHOUETTES:
Miss Thing/ FRANKIE LEE SIMS: She Likes To Boogie Real Slow/ PIANO SLIM: Lot
Of Shakin' Lot Of Jivin'/ L.J. SMITH: If It's Too Late/ SONNY & JAYCEE: You
Keep On Doggin' Me/ STOMP GORDON: The Grind/ JESSE STONE: Runaway/ THE
SULTANS: You Got Me Goin'/ TARHEEL SLIM: Number Nine Train/ LEON TARVER:
Somebody Help Me/ DANNY TAYLOR: You Look Bad/ JOE TEX: You Upset My Home/
BLANCHIE THOMAS: You Ain't So Such A Much/ JESSE THOMAS: It's You I'm
Thinking Of/ KID THOMAS: Wolf Pack/ RUFUS THOMAS: Decorate The Counter/ Easy
Livin' Plan/ BIG MAMA THORNTON: You Did Me Wrong/ THE THRILLS: I Ain't Got
The Money/ JOE TURNER: Long Down Dog/ Mad Blues/ My Gal's A Jockey/ Rocket
Boogie 88/ Sally Zu Zazz/ Wine-o-baby/ EDDIE VINSON: Gonna Send You Back/
CHARLES WALKER: You Know It Ain't Right/ WALKIN' WILLIE: Bow Little Willie/
WASHBOARD SAM: Never Never/ SHERI WASHINGTON: Ain't Talkin' To You Baby/
MOJO WATSON: Look A There/ WEBSTER & CONROY: Baby Baby/ JUNIOR WELLS: Little
By Little/ BOB WILLIAMS: Talk To Me/ CHARLES WILLIAMS: So Worried/ EARL
WILLIAMS: Let's Make Love Tonight/ L.C. WILLIAMS: Shout Baby Shout/ ARTIE
WILSON: Tarzan/ HOP WILSON: Chicken Stuff/ BILLY WRIGHT: Man's Brand Boogie/
JOHNNY WRIGHT: Look At That Chick
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Kent CDKEND 293 |
Blame It On The Dogg: The Swamp Dogg
Anthology, 1968-78 |
● CD $18.98 |
24 tracks, 76 mins, essential
Although it's gonna take more than one CD to fully document the career of
mad genius Jerry Williams, aka Swamp Dogg (and that's just his own
recordings, never mind the people he's produced over the years), this comp
from Kent makes a good try at it. While other Kent CDs featuring the Dogg's
productions have tended to focus on the ladies he's worked with (e.g. Doris
Duke and Irma Thomas), this disc shows the full breadth of his production
abilities: ranging from one of Gene Pitney's last hits, 1968's
uncharacteristically hard rockin' She's a Heartbreaker, to Inez &
Charlie Foxx's 1967 chart hit (1-2-3-4-5-6-7) Count the Days to I
Need a Woman of My Own, a funky jam from balladeer Tommy Hunt. If
nothing else, these aforementioned tracks demonstrate the Dogg's knack for
breathing life into artists that others might have given up for dead and
done; in addition, the Drifters, Gary US Bonds (long before Bruce
Springsteen brought him back to the charts in the 80's), and Patti LaBelle &
the Blue Belles (soon to be known simply as LaBelle) all got the Dogg
makeover treatment that produced ravishing music, if no hits (which was not
the Dogg's fault, by the way). Bonus: under his real name Swamp Dogg shows
off his rarely heard tender side on towering ballad You Man. The CD
is worth the price for this track alone, but everything here is fantastic
music, and the liner notes (which clear up a lot of mystery surrounding the
Dogg's late 60's/early 70's activities) make this package near perfect. Just
one thing: next time, guys, how about giving us two CDs worth? (GMC)
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Kent CDKEND 295 |
Northern Soul's Classiest Rarities 3 |
● CD $18.98 |
24 tracks, 61 mins, recommended
Here's volume 3 in Kent's Northern Soul's Classiest Rarities series, which
contains more odds and sods of R&B released between 1960 and 1969 (and the
usual couple of unreleased tidbits). If you already own any Northern soul
collection, then you know what to expect from this one: some good (Cry it
Out Baby by Deana Lucas; His True Love For You by Al McCarther),
some great (I Won't Cry by Tommy Smiley; Can't Break the Habit (Of
Your Love) by Frankie Vance) and some beyond great (ZZ Hill's boogaloo
through Tim Hardin's Don't Make Promises [You Can't Keep]). You know
the score, so buy accordingly. (GMC)
'ORIGINALS' OF SIGHT & SOUNDS: Long Boots/ LARRY ATKINS:
Ain't That Love Enough/ FRANK DELL: Baby You've Got It/ DON & RON: I'm So So
Sorry/ CHARLES DRAIN: Stop And Think About It Baby/ EDDIE & ERNIE:
Indication/ DARROW FLETCHER: What Have I Got Now/ THE FLOWERS: Got To Get To
Know You/ THE GILLETTES: The Same Identical Thing/ HARVEY & THE SEVEN
SOUNDS: Glamour Girl/ ZZ HILL: Don't Make Promises (You Can't Keep)/ ANN
HODGE: You're Welcome Back/ TY KARIM: You Really Made It Good To Me/ DEANA
LUCAS: Cry It Out Baby/ AL MCCARTHER: His True Love For You/ BROOKS O'DELL:
The Heartless One/ PAT POWDRILL & THE POWERDRILLS: Together Forever/ THE
QUOTATIONS: I Don't Have To Worry/ LOU ROBERTS & THE MARKS: You Fooled Me/
THE SERVICEMEN: Connie/ TOMMY SMILEY: I Won't Cry/ PAUL SMITH: I'll Run/ THE
SOUL BROTHERS: Later For You/ FRANKIE VANCE: Can't Break The Habit (Of Your
Love)
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Numero 020 |
Eccentric Soul - The Tragar & Note Labels |
● CD $28.98 |
2CD, 50 tracks, 128 mins, recommended
The gang at Numero Records is at it again with this collection of extremely
rare soul from Atlanta labels Tragar and Note, both formed, in 1968 and 1971
respectively, by saxophone player Jesse Jones. Neither of the labels
produced anything approaching a hit, but these tracks represent the first
attempts of releasing locally produced and distributed music from the ATL.
These tracks, recorded between 1968 and 1977, represent the rarest of the
rare Southern R&B that documents a time and place that shouldn't be
forgotten or ignored. Eula Cooper was the "star" of Jones' stables; this
teenager had the goods to go national but never got the breaks needed. Just
listen to Heavenly Father for the proof. (GMC)
CHERRY BLEND: Love is Gone/ RICHARD COOK: Love is So Mean/
Somebody Got' a Help Me/ EULA COOPER: Beggars Can't Be Choosey/ Have Faith
In Me/ Heavenly Father/ I Can't Help If I Love You/ I Need You More/ Let Our
Love Grow Higher/ Love Makes Me Do Foolish Things/ Shake Daddy Shake/
Standing By Love/ That's How Much I Love You/ Try/ L. DANIELS: Nite Cap/ TEE
FLETCHER: All Because of You/ Down In the Country/ Would You Do It For Me/
THE FOUR TRACKS: Charade/ You Mean Everything To Me/ FRANKIE & ROBERT: Love
(It's Been So Long)/ Sweet Thing/ SANDY GAYE: Talk is Cheap/ Watch the Dog
That Bring the Bone/ J.J. JONES: Black Midnight/ I Can't Stand It/ THE
KNIGHTS: The Hump/ Tippings Strings/ LANGSTON: Tumbling Down/ Let's Get
Funky/ TOKAY LEWIS: What Can the Matter Be/ Who Wants Me Now/ BOBBY OWENS &
THE DIPLOMATS: Messing Around/ SONIA ROSA: Breaking My Heart/ Every Now and
Then/ Let Me Be Free/ ALICE SWOBODA: I Think It's Time (You Were Mine)/
Potters Field/ FRANCIENE THOMAS: I'll Be There/ Too Beautiful To Be Good/
CHUCK WILDER: The Clown/ Why/ NATHAN WILKES: Now That I'm Wise/ Strange
Feeling/ ANDREA WILLIAMS: Love Makes Me Do Foolish Things/ BILLY WRIGHT: You
Got a Spell On Me/ You're the Only Thing I've Got Going For Me/ YOUNG
DIVINES: Ain't Tha Sharp/ Deep In Your Heart/ I'll Show You With Love
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Spectrum 530 370-5 |
Stax Chartbusters, Volume 1 |
● CD $10.98 |
18 tracks, highly recommended
Stax Records needs no introduction to fans of soul music: the Memphis rival
to Motown and Atlantic during the sixties is responsible for some of the
most memorable, gutsy, and moving music ever created. This budget priced
compilation, the first in a series, merely touches the iceberg of the Stax
vaults, but many of tracks made the R&B charts including definitive tracks
from Jean Knight (Mr. Big Stuff), the late Isaac Hayes (Theme From
Shaft), Mel & Tim (Starting All Over Again), The Staple Singers (Respect
Yourself, from their protest phase), and Johnnie Taylor (Part-Time
Love) the CD has a lot going for it. Rounded out with tracks by Stax
mainstays Booker T. & the M.G.s, Rufus Thomas, The Bar-Kays, and Carla
Thomas-as well as bluesmen Albert King and Little Milton-this collection of
tunes from the 60's and 70's demonstrates the consistency and class that was
Stax in its heyday. Remastering is superb and the booklet has notes on the
artists and performances. (GMC/ FS)
THE BAR-KAYS: Do You See What I See/ BOOKER T & THE MG'S:
Born Under A Bad Sign/ THE DRAMATICS: Get Up And Get Down/ ISAAC HAYES: Joy
(part 1)/ Theme [shaft]/ ALBERT KING: That's What The Blues Is All About/
JEAN KNIGHT: Mr Big Stuff/ LITTLE MILTON: Hard Luck Blues/ THE MAD LADS: Cry
Baby/ MEL & TIM: Starting All Over Again/ THE SOUL CHILDREN: Sweeter He Is
(part 1)/ THE STAPLE SINGERS: Respect Yourself/ We'll Get Over/ JOHNNIE
TAYLOR: Part Time Love/ Standing In For Jody/ THE TEMPREES: Your Love (is
All I Need)/ CARLA THOMAS: I Play For Keeps/ RUFUS THOMAS: Breakdown (part
1)
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| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Spectrum 530 334-4 |
Stax Chartbusters, Volume 2 |
● CD $10.98 |
The second volume is another fine collection of hits along
great titles that didn't quite make it. Includes sides by Shirley Brown,
Albert King, Jean Knight, The Mad Lads, The Staple Singers, The Bar-Kays,
Carla Thomas, Johnnie Taylor and others.
THE BAR-KAYS: Grab This Thing/ WILLIAM BELL: I Forgot To
Be Your Lover/ BOOKER T & THE MG'S: Soul Limbo/ SHIRLEY BROWN: Woman To
Woman/ THE DRAMATICS: Fell For You/ ISAAC HAYES: By The Time I Get To
Phoenix/ Man Will Be A Man/ ALBERT KING: Killing Floor/ JEAN KNIGHT: Take
Him (you Can Have My Man)/ LITTLE MILTON: How Could You Do It To Me/ THE MAD
LADS: I Just Can't Forget/ MEL & TIM: Don't Mess With My Money My Honey Or
My Woman/ THE SOUL CHILDREN: Hearsay/ THE STAPLE SINGERS: Heavy Makes You
Happy (sha Na Boom Boom)/ Weight/ JOHNNIE TAYLOR: Can't Trust Your Neighbour/
Steal Away/ CARLA THOMAS: I Take It To My Baby
|
| VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Yellow Label 42762 |
The Giant Records Story - Rockin' From
Nashville |
● CD $16.98 |
Yellow Label is a companion to Blue Label and while the
latter features blues, R&B and gospel, this label concentrates on rock 'n'
roll, pop R&B and country. This collection os devoted to the Nashville based
Giant label and its Caravelle & Kenilworth subsidiaries. These labels
concentrated on "soundalike" recordings featuring obscure artists performing
mostly note-for-note covers of current and recent hits that were sold at a
much lower price than the real thing - often in packages of three 45s for
$1.00. This collection includes Marty & The Merits doing Twist Twist
Senora, The Belles with If You Wanna Be Happy, Leroy Jones with
the Peppermint Twist, Bill Allison with Shout and others.
There are a couple of tracks that are not covers and occasionally the
performer will veer away from the note-for-note approach to provide a more
individualistic take on the song
|
| JACKIE WILSON |
Music Club Deluxe 22 |
Best Of The Original Soul Brother |
● CD $18.98 |
2-CDs, 40 tracks 114 mins highly recommended
Very little needs to be said about Jackie Wilson: second lead singer of
Billy Ward's Dominos, who went solo with great success in 1957 and remained
a top R&B star until his devastating stroke in 1975. This modestly priced
two Cd set on Music Club contains his best known Pop hit (Your Love Keeps
Lifting Me) Higher & Higher and a generous sampling of his career from
first hit Reet Petite to tracks from the end of his career, including
one recorded with the Chi-Lites (released in 1976) Don't Burn No Bridges.
The nice packaging, reasonable price and great sound quality make up for the
random, non-chronological sequencing of the tracks. A great way to check a
legendary talent. (GMC)
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