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LATEST ADDITIONS  01/09/2019

CALENDAR
CLASSIC BLUES ARTWORK FROM THE 1920S, 2019 CALENDAR

DVD
VARIOUS ARTISTS

COMPACT DISCS
RIC CARTEY
LES COOPER & BOBBY DUNN
BO DIDDLEY
MARLENE DIETRICH
GOLDIE HILL

STONEWALL JACKSON
DADDY JOHN LOVE
THE MADDOX BROTHERS & ROSE
MAGIC SAM
BUDDY MILLER

MUDDY WATERS/ MUDDY WATERS TRIBUTE BAND
THE NEW ORLEANS RHYTHM KINGS
BUCK OWENS
AUSTIN PITRE
PUCHO & THE LATIN SOUL BROTHER
CURLY PUTMAN
LOU RAWLS
BOB SKYLES & HIS SKYROCKETS
TOMMY SOSEBEE
SPIRIT OF MEMPHIS
RALPH STANLEY
JOE TEX
JOHNNY TILLOTSON
HENRY TOWNSEND
BIG JOE TURNER
VARIOUS ARTISTS


 

 
Since our Second Time Around listings are so popular this list includes some great releases which have been out for a while but you may have missed them the first time we listed them.To avoid you getting possible duplicates we have added  asterisks (**) after these particular titles.
 
 

CALENDAR

   
CLASSIC BLUES ARTWORK FROM THE 1920S - 2019 Calendar    Blues Images 219 ● CD $21.98
Calendar plus 23 track CD, essential
Once again, John Tefteller, one of the world’s leading collectors delves into his archives to bring us a calendar featuring rare and previously unpublished advertising artworks coupled with a CD that complements and extends that artwork. As is often the case, John has turned up a couple of surprises for the CD with the only known copy of a postwar blues Papa Lightfoot on Sultan and a prewar blues from Mississippi Delta bluesman William Harris the latter is absolutely superb and easily worth the price of admission. The recordings have all been using the techniques developed for the “American Epic” TV series resulting in music that has an astonishing depth and clarity.
There are also tracks here (illustrated in the calendar) by Blind Lemon Jefferson, Memphis Minnie, The Beale Street Sheiks, Dad Nelson, Charley Patton, Sam Butler and more. The CD includes flip sides of some of the illustrated recordings as well as sides for which no artwork exists like Raymond Barrow, Lottie Kimbrough, Otto Virgial (fantastic country blues), Freezone (the only recording from this bizarrely named artist and it’s a knockout) and the aforementioned William Harris.
The 32 page calendar also includes small reproductions of other ads, sample song lyrics, brief biographies and birth and death dates for many blues artists. Absolutely indispensible for blues lovers. (FS)
!
RAYMOND BARROW: Walking Blues/ THE BEALE STREET SHEIKS: Jumping On The Hill – Test [Unreleased]/ BLIND BLAKE: Too Tight Blues No. 2/ SAM BUTLER: Christians Fight On, Your Time Ain't Long/ Heaven Is My View/ FREEZONE: Indian Squaw Blues/ WILLIAM HARRIS: I Was Born In The Country - Raised In Town/ I'm A Roamin' Gambler/ JIM JACKSON: Love Sick Blues/ PAPA CHARLIE JACKSON: Ash Tray Blues/ BLIND LEMON JEFFERSON: Low Down Mojo Blues/ Piney Woods Money Mama/ LOTTIE KIMBROUGH: Don't Speak To Me/ PAPA GEORGE LIGHTFOOT: Snake Hipping Daddy/ Winding Ball Mama/ MEMPHIS MINNIE: Ma Rainey/ DAD NELSON: Coon Can Blues/ CHARLEY PATTON: Oh Death/ Troubled 'Bout My Mother/ OTTO VIRGIAL: Got The Blues About Rome/ Seven Year Itch/ JOE WILLIAMS: My Grey Pony/ LEOLA B. WILSON WITH BLIND BLAKE: Black Biting Bee Blues

Note: Counts as five CDs for shipping purposes.

   

DVD


VARIOUS ARTISTS MVD Visual 74290 Rhythm 'n' Bayous: A Road Map To Louisiana Music ● DVD $16.98
A musical travelogue of Louisiana, filmed in 1999 by documentary filmmaker Robert Mugge (best known for his film "Deep Blues"). Filmed in clubs, churches, private homes and the famous Shreveport Municipal Auditorium (former home of the Louisiana Hayride) it features a broad spectrum of music - blues, zydeco, Cajun music, swamp pop, country, rock & roll and more. It features many old timers (some, sadly, past their prime) as well as younger musicians and features performances by Kermit Ruffins, Rosie Ledet, Henry Gray, Claude King, Dale Hawkins, Lil' Alfred, Ever Ready Gospel Singers, La Famille Viator and more. There is also commentary by various experts and an interview with Floyd Souileau - owner and producer of Louisiana's most famous Cajun label Swallow.

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Vestapol 13135 The Banjo Bands of Malawi ● DVD $24.98
78 mins, highly recommended
A truly exhilarating and exciting collection. By the 1970s banjo and banjo strings had disappeared off the market in Southern Africa and so young and motivated boys started making their own home made banjos out of oil cans, wooden boxes and other objects they found. They joined up with other musicians who played home made percussion instruments and others who put together a giant one string bass banjo played with a slide and formed bands that would play at market places, bus stations and other gathering places. This wonderful DVD documents almost a dozen of these groups filmed by renowned Malawian cultural anthropologist Moya S. Malamusi in Malawi and parts of Zambia in the 1990s and early 2000s. The music is terrifically exciting featuring wonderful vocal harmonies and dynamic playing. The performances includes original songs and songs inspired by popular music forms like chimurenga and reggae. The video and audio quality is generally excellent but since the groups were filmed outdoors there is occasional intrusion of wind noise in the audio but not enough to mar the overall quality of what we are watching. It's so gratifying to see the spirit of home made music alive and well in thee 21st century. The disc includes a 16 page pdf file with biographical material about the musicians as well as historical information and a discussion of the banjo in Malawian culture. (FS)

   

COMPACT DISCS


RIC CARTEY Bear Family BCD 17556 The Complete Ric Cartey Featuring The Jiv-A-Tones ● CD $21.98 $15.98
32 tracks, 74 mins, strongly recommended for Rockabilly Cats
Ric Cartey is most famous for co-writing and originally recording Young Love, and you get his sparse original version, plus the big hit version by Sonny James, and a Tab Hunter version thrown in as well. You also get rockin' originals from Ric Cartey with and without The Jiv-A-Tones, like Oooh- Eee/ Heart Throb and Scratchin' On My Screen which you get in two versions. I definitely prefer the earlier lo-fi version, and the bluesy Leave Me Loose. There are a few somewhat lackluster ballads, but some spirited covers of Willie Dixon's Mellow Down Easy and My Babe, among other blues covers add to the appeal of this collection. Unfortunately, like Johnny Burnette and so many of Cartey's other contemporaries, the later the recordings are, the more polished the studio sound gets and the less Rockin' the music gets, and those later tracks take up about a fourth of this CD. As a bonus to a lot of us, this not only has a couple songs composed by a young Jerry Reed, but Reed's sterling guitar work featured on a number of tracks. There are also a few good post Cartey Jiv-A-Tones tracks, and also some Jiv-A-Tones related recordings. Bear Family does a top notch job of putting it all together, highlighted by deeeeep liner notes by the always top notch Bill Dahl. (JM)

 
LES COOPER & BOBBY DUNN Jasmine 751 Wiggle Wobble - The Les Cooper Collection ● CD $18.98 $11.98
Two CDs, 53 tracks, highly recommended
If you are familiar with the name Les Cooper it's most likely for his great R&B instrumental Wiggle Wobble with Cooper on piano and hot sax from Joe Grier which was an R&B hit in 1962. But Cooper was more than a one hit wonder as this fine collection shows. Born in Virginia in 1931 he started performing gospel in his teens in a group with Johnny "Buddy" Barnes as lead. In the late 40s the two moved to New York and teamed up with baritone singer Bobby Dunn to play the clubs. In 1953 with the addition of William Goodman as bass they formed the doowop group The Empires who recorded a number of fine sides for various labels over the next three years and these comprise the first 22 tracks on disc 1. After the group split up Cooper strated working for Bobby Robinson as talent scout, writer and arranger and was involved with recording vocal groups and the rest of the first disc features recordings by three of these groups - The Charts, Ladders and The Kodoks. Disc two is a change of pace opens with his big hit Wiggle Wobble and continues with a rare Palace LP from 1961/62 by "Bobby Dunn with Les Cooper & His Twisters" with Cooper on piano. Essentially a twist album - two thirds of the tracks are hard driving instrumentals and feature an excellent band and the rest feature solid vocals by Bobby Dunn. This is followed by two more tracks from the group featured on Wiggle Wobble which is probably the same band as on the Palace LP. For a complete change of pace the last twelve tracks are all gospel featuring Bobby Dunn as leader of a gospel quartet The Sensationals - also from a rare Palace LP and are excellent. An excellent compilation with informative notes by Opal Louis Nations. (FS)
THE CHARTS: Deserie/ Zoop/ LES COOPER & THE SOUL ROCKERS: Dig Yourself/ Twistin' (One More Time)/ Wiggle Wobble/ BOBBY DUNN & THE SENSATIONALS: Climbing Up The Hill/ Father/ I Can't Begin To Tell You/ I Must Tell Jesus/ I Want To Rest/ It's Me/ Jesus Is With Me/ My God Called Me This Morning/ One Day When The Lord Will Call Me/ Praise God/ Somebody Is Always By My Side/ Try Him And See/ BOBBY DUNN WITH LES COOPER & HIS TWISTERS: Do The Twist/ I've Got Love In My Heart For You/ Les Cooper's Twist/ Shimmy Baby/ The Chinese Twist/ The Congo Twist/ The Latin Twist/ Twist With The Twisters/ Twisting On The Hill/ Twisting With Joyce/ What A Thrill!/ You Are The One/ THE EMPIRES: By The Riverside/ Corn Whiskey/ Don't Touch My Girl/ I Want To Know/ Linda/ Magic Mirror/ Make Me Or Break Me/ My Baby, My Baby/ My First Discovery/ Ragged And Hungry/ Shirley/ Somebody Changed The Lock/ Tell Me Pretty Baby/ Whispering Heart/ If I'm A Fool/ Zipperty Zip/ Looking For Love/ Till We Meet Again/ Magic Mirror/ Tonight And Forever/ THE KODOKS (KODAKS): Guardian Angel/ Teenager's Dream/ THE LADDERS: Counting The Stars/ I Want To Know

 
BO DIDDLEY Reel To Reel 40 Six Classic Albums Plus Bonus Singles, Sessions & Live ● CD $12.98
Four CDs, 85 tracks, highly recommended
If you don't mind the total absence of documentation, this is the most comprehensive collection currently available of the early and most influential recordings of this great rock 'n' roll pioneer. The first three discs features Bo's first six albums ("Bo Diddley," "Go Bo Diddley","Have Guitar Will Travel," "In The Spotlight","Bo Diddley Is A Gunslinger" and "Bo Diddley Is A Lover") chock full of classic sides like Bo Diddley/ I'm A Man/ Hey Bo Diddley/ Diddley Daddy/ I'm Sorry/ You Don't LOve Me (You Don't Care)/ The Clock Strikes Twelve/ Say Man/ I Need You Baby (Mona)/ Say Man Back Again/ Ride On Josephine/ Bo's Blues and many more. The fourth CD has six tracks that were only originally on singles, five tracks by Little Walter, Billy Stewart and The Marquees with Bo on guitar and four live cuts from 1965 from Shindig and Hollywood A Go Go. (FS)

 
MARLENE DIETRICH Fabulous 2065 The Marlene Dietrich Collection, 1930-1962 ● CD $5.98
Two CDs, 50 tracks, strongly recommended
A fine collection of songs by one of the most iconic performers of the 20th century. Born in Germany, she started as a stage actress but it was her appearance in the 1929 film "The Blue Angel" that was her breakout performance leading her to Hollywood in 1931 and a lengthy career in movies and as a vocalist. With the rise of Nazism she decided to stay in America and became an ardent supporter of the Allies - frequently performing for Allied troops. This collection includes commercial recordings, songs from film soundtracks and rare live performances. There are two versions of her most famous song Falling In Love Again from 1930 and 1939 but, unfortunately, not the original German version featured in "The Blues Angel." It also includes her extremely popular version of Lili Marlene - originally a song popularized by the Axis forces but adopted by Allied forces as a way of undermining enemy morale and Marlene always sang it when she entertained the troops in Europe. Other songs include Naughty Lola (also from "The Blue Angel")/ Jony/ You Little So And So/ You Go To My Head/ Illusions/ Too Old To Cut The Mustard (a duet with Rosemary Clooney that was her biggest commercial hit)/ Look Me Over Closely/ La Vie En Rose/ The Laziest Gitl In Town (another of her most popular songs)/ Near You/ Marie Marie and many more. Sound quality is generally excellent and the 20 page booklet has detailed notes by Paul Watts. (FS)
MARLENE DIETRICH: Another Spring, Another Love/ Assez/ Awake In A Dream/ Back Home Again In Indiana/ Besides - He's A Man/ Black Market/ Cherche La Rose/ Come Rain Or Come Shine/ Das Lied Ist Aus (Don't Ask Me Why)/ Dot's Nice/ Déjeuner Du Matin/ Falling In Love Again (1930)/ Falling In Love Again (1939)/ Get Away, Young Man/ Give Me The Man/ Good For Nothin'/ He Lied And I Listened/ I May Never Go Home Anymore/ I've Been In Love Before/ Ich Hab' Die Ganze Nacht Geweint (I Couldn't Sleep A Wink Last Night)/ Ich Hab' Noch Einen Koffer In Berlin/ If It Isn't Pain (Then It Isn't Love)/ Illusions/ It's The Same/ Jonny/ Kisses Sweeter Than Wine/ La Vie En Rose/ Land Sea And Air/ Lili Marlene/ Look Me Over Closely/ Love Me/ Marie Marie/ Moi, Je M'Ennuie/ Naughty Lola/ Near You/ Où Vont Les Fleurs/ Peter/ Quand l'Amour Meurt/ Sag Mir Adieu (Time On My Hands)/ See What The Boys In The Back Room Will Have/ Symphonie/ The Laziest Gal In Town/ The Man's In The Navy/ Three Sweethearts Have I/ Time For Love/ Too Old To Cut The Mustard/ Wenn Ich Mir Was Wünschen Dürfte/ You Do Something To Me/ You Go To My Head/ You Little So And So/ You've Got That Look

 
GOLDIE HILL B.A.C.M. 611 Vol. 3 - Baby Blue ● CD $14.98
27 tracks, very good
Complementing B.A.C.M. 107 and 301 this is the third collection of sides by this fine Texas honky tonk singer featuring sides recorded between 1960 and '62 drawn from singles and LPs. Although she had no major hits during this period she continued to be a popular performer. Many of the songs she recorded during this period are covers of country hits like Four Walls/ When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again/ I'll Be There If You Ever Want Me/ Remember Me I'm The One Who Loves You/ If Teardrops Were Pennis and others as well as some other decent songs written for her. Arrangements are mostly straight ahead honky tonk with occasional ventures into more pop oriented efforts.
GOLDIE HILL: According To My Heart/ As Far As I'm Concerned/ Baby Blue/ Born To Lose/ Fallen Angel/ Four Walls/ Half A Mind/ How's The World Treating You/ I Don't Care/ I Don't Hurt Anymore/ I'll Be There If You Ever Want Me/ I'll Keep On Loving You/ I'll Never Be Free/ I've Got A New Heartache/ If Teardrops Were Pennies/ It's Lonely On My Side Of The Sea/ Little Boy Blue/ Live For Tomorrow/ Lonely Heartaches/ Love And Lost/ Love Love Love/ Many Lies Ago/ One More Time/ Remember Me I'm The One Who Loves You/ When My Blue Turns To Gold Again/ World I Can't Live In/ Your Love Came Into My Heart

 
STONEWALL JACKSON Acrobat 3276 The Complete Releases, 1957-1962 ● CD $16.98
Two CDs, 44 tracks, highly recommended
North Carolina country singer Stonewall Jackson was one of the finest honky tonk singers of the 50s and 60s and this terrific collection features all his recordings made between 1957 and 1962. During this period he had 14 hits in the country charts including such honky tonk classics as Life To Go/ Smoke Along The Track/ Why I'm Walking/ A Wound Time Can't Erase/ Second Choice/ Leona and others. In 1959 hed his only number one with the catchy novelty song Waterloo which crossed over into the pop and R&B charts. This was followed by several other novelty songs, some of them pretty dumb, but he was pretty soon back to the honky tonk sound. There are many other great songs from this period that didn't chart like Don't Be Angry/ Gettin' Older/ Wedding Bells For You And Him/ The Carpet On The Floor/ Ward of Broken Hearts and other. Sound quality is excellent and the 16 page booklet has detailed notes and full discographical details. If you love honky tonk country you really should have some Stonewall in your collection and this collection handsomely fits the bill. (FS)

 
DADDY JOHN LOVE B.A.C.M. 613 Recorded 1935-36 ● CD $14.98
25 tracks, 66 mins, strongly recommended
Daddy John Love was a fine singer and guitarist from North Carolina who was strongly influenced by Jimmie Rodgers. He started his career working in J.E. Mainer's Crazy Mountaineers before striking out on his own. His repertoire, like Rodgers, encompassed blues, sentimental songs and the like with the occasional use of a yodel. The last eight tracks from 1936 feature John with second guitarist and fiddle and the group, known as the Dixie Reelers, mostly sang sentimental songs in harmony. Though there is not a lot of variety in the music here it is all very appealing and much of the repertoire appears to be original songs. Sound quality is excellent and Tony Russel's informative notes gives us the Daddy John Love story. (FS)

 
THE MADDOX BROTHERS & ROSE B.A.C.M. 614 Vol. 2 - Garden In The Sky ● CD $14.98
26 tracks, very highly recommended
Complementing B.A.C.M. 189 and various Arhoolie releases this is another great collection from "the most colorful hillbilly band in America." The first 17 tracks are recordings made for 4 Star in the late 40s and early 50s and range from the crazed and raucous Why Don't You Haul Off And Love and Navajo Maiden to a gorgeous sensitive rendition of Hank Williams' At The First Fall Of Snow with lovely mandolin from brother Cliff that is probably the highlight here. There are some great renditions of gospel songs like He Will Set Your Fields On Fire/ When God Dips His Pen Of Love In My Heart/ I'll Fly Away and others. The last nine tracks are drawn from their recordings made for Columbia in 1953 and 1954 and were previously reissued on a Bear Family box (currently unavailable) and features more great and cacophonous performances including I'll Make Sweet Love To You/ No Help Wanted/ I've Got Five Big Brothers/ Fountain of Youth and others. Rose and her brothers made some of country music's most joyous and infectious performances and you can never have too much by them. (FS)
THE MADDOX BROTHERS & ROSE: A Rose From The Bride's Bouquet/ At The First Fall Of Snow/ Chill In My Heart/ Choc'late Ice Cream Cone/ Empty Mansions/ Fountain Of Youth/ Garden In The Sky/ Gosh I Miss You All The Time/ He Will Set Your Fields On Fire/ I Could Never Stop Loving You/ I Just Steal Away And Pray/ I'll Fly Away/ I'll Make Sweet Love To You/ I'll Never Do It Again/ I've Got Five Big Brothers/ Kiss Me Quick And Go/ Navajo Maiden/ No Help Wanted/ Old Black Choo Choo/ On The Banks Of The Pontchartrain/ Sunset Trail Waltz/ We Are Climbing Jacob's Ladder/ When God Dips His Pen Of Love In My Heart/ Who At My Door Is Standing/ Why Don't You Haul Off And Love Me/ You Won't Believe This

 
MAGIC SAM Rockbeat 3110 Raw Blues Live - Magic Sam, Live 1969** ● CD $14.98
17 tracks, 70 mins, essential
Probably the most exciting and most important blues release of 2012. The first new album of previously unissued material in over 10 years by Magic Sam whose premature death in 1969 robbed the world of one of the truly great blues talents - Sam was a magnificently soulful singer and a staggeringly creative guitar player. This CD features 17 tracks recorded live at Mandrakes in Berkeley in July, 1969 with Sam accompanied by bassist Bruce Brown and drummer Sam Lay. He performs a selection of songs recorded previously along with some not recorded elsewhere including a spine chilling version of B.B. King's You Done Lost Your Good Thing Now. He does original songs along with songs from the repertoire of Freddie King, B.B. King, Junior Parker and others and every performances bears his unique stamp. His playing is truly mind boggling with a richness to his styling that makes you think there are two guitar players but it's all Sam - in spite of the richness and intensity of his sound Sam never indulges in guitar histrionics - there's not a wasted or superfluous note. Songs/ tunes include San-Ho-Zay/ You Don't Love Me/ Mama, Talk To Your Daughter/ I Feel So Good/ Tremble/ I Don't Want No Woman/ Looking Good/ Just Pickin'/ Sweet Home Chicago, etc. This recordings was made live without professional equipment so the sound is not perfect but is superior to some of the live Sam I've heard and the music is utterly magnificent from start to finish. If you love electric blues you must have this! (FS)

 
BUDDY MILLER New West 6316 Cayamo Sessions At Sea ● CD $15.98 $11.98
2016 album from alt-country giant is a collection of country favorites (After The Fire Is Gone/ Sunday Morning Coming Down/ Hickory Wind/ If Teardrops Were Pennies, etc) with Buddy duetting with artists like Lee Ann Womack, Kris Kristofferson, Lucinda Williams, Elizabeth Cook and others.

 
MUDDY WATERS/ MUDDY WATERS TRIBUTE BAND Made In Germany 90782 Live At Rockpalast ● CD $22.98
Two CDs/ Two DVDs, 27 tracks, strong recommended
Two live shows from the Rockpalast in Germany presented in visual and aural form. The first CD and DVD features a show from 1978 by the King of Chicago Blues, Muddy Waters and his band of the time (Bob Margolin/ guitar, Pinetop Perkins/ piano, Luther "Guitar" Johnson/ guitar, Calvin Jones/ bass and Willie Smith/ drums) doing 12 songs - mostly familiar songs from the Muddy songbook including I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man/ Baby, Please Don't Go/ Walkin' Through The Park/ Mannish Boy/ Got My Mojo Working, etc. along with a few less familiar titles, Little Walter's Everything Gonna Be Alright and St. Louis Jimmy's Soon Forgotten. The performances are fine but, personally, I find Muddy's performances from this latter part of his career underwhelming and the DVD is much more rewarding than the CD as Muddy always had so much class and charisma that watching him is always a treat. The second show from 1996 features a group put together to pay tribute to the memory of this blues giant featuring most of the band from the first show but with Carey Bell on harp and no piano. They perform a selection of songs - mostly drawn from MUddy's repertoire - Clouds In My Heart/ You Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had/ Honey Bee/ I'm Ready/ Hoochie Coochie Man, etc along with a few from other sources. The performances are enjoyable but without the commanding presence of MUddy are pretty forgettable and the less said about the guest appearance of Levon Helm on Gone To Main Street, the better. (FS)

 
THE NEW ORLEANS RHYTHM KINGS Rivermont 1170 Complete Recordings, 1922-25 ● CD $32.98
Two CDs, 42 tracks, highly recommended
The New Orleans Rhythm Kings were an important and influential early 20s white jazz group featuring New Orleans jazz musicians who had relocated to Chicago. Originally known as The Friars Society Orchestra, named after the hotel in Chicago they played at, the group's personnel varied substantially over the years with trumpeter Paul Mares, trombonist George Brunies and clarinetist Leon Roppolo appearing on most of their recordings. Other musicians included Jack Pettis (C-mel sax), Mel Snitzel (piano), Bob Gillette (banjo), Jelly Roll Morton (piano), Chink Martin (bass), Ben Pollack (drums) and others. The group played hot jazz influenced by King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band and this collection features all 29 tunes recorded by the group for Gennett, OKeh and Victor plus 13 alternate takes. Tracks include Eccentric/ BUgle Call Blues/ Sweet Lovin' Man/ Wolverine Blues/ Tin Roof Blues/ Sobbin' Blues/ Mr. Jelly Lord/ Golden Leaf Strut and more. The recordings here have all been newly remastered by engineer Doug Benson who spent eight years tracking down the best available copies of these recordings and meticulously speed correcting and denoising them resulting in a rich, clear sound that really brings the performances to life. The set is accompanied by a 40 page booklet with extensive information on the history of the group, detailed discussion of the performances, background on the restoration and complete discographical info. (FS)

 
BUCK OWENS Rockbeat 3028 Bound For Bakersfield, 1953-1956 Complete Pre-Capitol Recordings** ● CD $14.98
24 tracks, 49 mins, highly recommended
Before Buck Owens found fame and fortune with Capitol Records, he paid his dues on these early recordings-some cut for the obscure Pep label and others that were demos that were released later after Buck hit it big. These tracks, cut in Los Angeles and Bakersfield recording studios, are raw and vibrant and show Buck's chops being honed into the powerhouse he would later become. His commercial sheen and "It" factor are present on Down on the Corner of Love/ The House Down the Block/ Right After the Dance/ Hot Dog, and Rhythm and Booze. This is the first complete reissue of these important recordings with alternate takes and studio chatter. Anyone who's a fan of Buck Owens needs to pick up a copy of this important (and sanctioned by the Owens family) release. (GMC)

 
AUSTIN PITRE Arhoolie CD 452 Opelousas Waltz** ● CD $13.98
18 tracks, 54 mins, highly recommended
Authentic Cajun music at its rawest and funkiest featuring legendary singer/ accordion player Pitre. These 1971 recordings have never been issued before. 14 of the cuts were recorded in Austins garage with Alan Ardoin/ fiddle, Preston Manuel/ guitar and James Pitre/drums, the rest were cut at a dance with Manuel & Pitre, fiddler Will Balfa and J.W. Pelsia on steel. Sound quality is not always exceptional but Pitre's heartfelt singing and playing comes through loud and clear on songs and tunes like Bosco Stomp/ Widow Of The Gully/ Evageline Playboys Special/ Perrodin Two-Step/ Grand Basile and others. (FS)

 
CURLY PUTMAN Omni 172 Curly Putman's World Of Country Music ● CD $18.98 $13.98
Curly Putman is best known as a country songwriter (Green, Green Grass Of Home/ Elusive Dreams/ D-I-V-O-R-C-E, etc.) but he was also a fine performer in his own right. Collected here for the very first time are his two late '60s LPs for the ABC label plus a rare side from a 45. An emotive and honest vocalist, Putman compellingly shares his tales of jailbirds, incarceration, heartbreak and isolation. More surprising perhaps, are quasi-psychedelic moments of self-reflection like Talking To The Grass and suburban dysfunction like Who Loves Who. This 22 track collection is remastered from the original tapes with a 20 page booklet with detailed liner notes and rare photos.

 
SONNY ROLLINS Acrobat 3273 Plays The Blues ● CD $16.98
2 CD, 17 tracks, highly recommended
There's no question about Sonny Rollins' status as a Jazz Legend. This collection of tracks from the fifties is solid proof; disc one providing examples of his work as a bandleader, with some help from many other jazz luminaries, such as John Coltrane, Horace Silver, Elvin Jones and Max Roach. Monk's Misterioso and the twin-tenor sax tour-de-force Tenor Madness (with Coltrane) are two highlights. Disc two illustrates Rollins' work as a sideman for Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, and more. Bluing, with Miles Davis, and Bags' Groove, with the Modern Jazz Quartet stand out here. Clear sound quality, while retaining its classic appeal. (BC)

 
BOB SKYLES & HIS SKYROCKETS B.A.C.M. 612 Recorded 1937-38 ● CD $14.98
27 tracks, strongly recommended
Delightful collection of sides by this excellent band. They could loosely be described as a Western Swing - they were from Texas and their music has a country swing to it but there is also a dance band flavor to their music and a high proportion of their material could be considered novelty music. At times they have a similarity to The Hoosier Hot Shots . Skyles was a name given to them by A&R man Eli Oberstein - they were primarily a family band originating in the medicine shows prevalent in the 20s and 30s. They were led by Bob Kendrick (who did most of the lead vocals) and featured brothers Sanford and Clifford and, on the earlier sides, their father "Doc" on guitar. All of them were multi instrumentalists and instrumentation on these sides includes fiddle, clarinet, drums, washboard, guitar, trumpet, trombone, slide whistle, electric guitar, accordion, bazooka (a novelty brass instrument) and more. Songs are mostly originals and includes Arkansas Bazooka Stomp/ You Gotta Quit Draggin' Around/ I Hear Your Music/ MY Arkansas Bazooka Gal/ Whatcha Gonna Do When Your Wife Comes Home/ Ghost of The Blues/ Country Cowbells, etc. Sound quality is excellent and there are informative notes from Kevin Coffey. For more by this group you might want to check out Krazy Kat 29 ($16.98) (FS)

 
TOMMY SOSEBEE B.A.C.M. 615 At The Ozark Jubilee & On Record ● CD $14.98
Tommy Sosebee was a popular country singer from the mid 40s through to the late `50s, achieving regular slots on the Grand Ole Opry and, following his relocation to Missouri in 1954, on the Ozark Jubilee. With a warm country-crooner voice somewhat similar to Eddie Arnold be began his recording career as (uncredited) lead vocalist on a few Pee Wee King's band recordings in the late 1940s before making his own-name recording debut on the Apollo label in 1947 (see BACM's Apollo Label collection 352 - $14.98). This 23 track selection, is a mix of studio recordings (Coral label, early 1950s) and Ozark Jubilee radio recordings. The latter includes contributions from famed country comedian The Duke of Paducah.
TOMMY SOSEBEE: Alimony & Wrangler Boogie/ All Night Boogie/ Angry/ Appalachian Blues/ Don't Trade Your Love For Gold/ Don't Waste Your Tears/ Eat A Little More & Old Joe Clark/ Fast Talkin' Agent/ Honky Tonk Waltz/ How Can You Smile/ If You Don't Believe I'm Leavin'/ Love Is Deeper Than Pride/ Mail Order Kisses/ My Confession/ Nervous Feeling/ New Year Bells/ No Good Without You/ The Singing Hills/ Till I Waltz Again With You/ Winter Wonderland/ Year After Year/ You're Always Brand New/ You're Fixing To Break My Heart

 
SPIRIT OF MEMPHIS Acrobat ADDCD 3007 Happy In The Service Of The Lord** ● CD $16.98
Two CDs, 47 tracks, 143 mins, essential
In my humble opinion the 33 tracks recorded by the Spirit Of Memphis for King between 1949 and 1952, and included on this collection, features some of the greatest gospel quartet singing ever put on record. With the soaring tenor lead of Wilmer "Little Ax" Broadnax (a woman, living as man!), the powerful baritone/ tenor lead of Jethro "Jet" Bledsoe and the ferocious, thundering, baritone lead singing and preaching of the great Silas Steele they produced music of such visceral intensity that you will feel positively drained after hearing half a dozen songs. One can only imagine the effect it had a live audience at the time. Whether it's the interweaving of the lead voices or the exquisite harmonies of the rest of the group it's all just perfect. Listen to The Day Is Passed And Gone where Little Axe subtly intones the lyrics against the harmonies of the group oohing in the background with Silas Steele preaching at the same time - the effect is utterly spine chilling. And there's one classic after another On The Battlefield/ Blessed Are The Dead/ If Jesus Had To Pray/ Calvary/ I'll Go/ Everytime I Feel The Spirit/ That Awful Day/ Toll The Bell Easy and others. The group ended their King stay with the wonderful live two part Lord Jesus. After they left King they joined the major gospel label Peacock and this set includes their first dozen sides for that label which curiously lack the passion and fire of the King sides - fine performances on their own but they pale in comparison. Opening the set are the group's first recordings in 1949 for Deluxe and Hallelujah Spirituals which presaged what was to come on King. Sound is generally excellent, dubbed from mostly clean 78s, and booklet has informative notes by Opal Louis Nations. If you buy only one gospel CD this decade this is the one to get! (FS)

 
RALPH STANLEY Rebel 1735 Short Life Of Trouble - Songs Of Grayson & Whitter** ● CD $15.98
12 tracks, 29 minutes, highly recommended
At age 70 Ralph Stanley shows no signs of slowing down and he continues to set the standard for traditional bluegrass. This fine album, a tribute to the music of Gilliam Grayson and Henry Whitter is an excellent example. Although their career was tragically cut short by Grayson's death in 1930 they produced an amazing body of work which remains highly influential. Both Stanley Brothers were aware of their songs as young men and listened to their records. Included in this collection are well known tunes associated with the duo like Handsome Molly and Nine Pound Hammer, as well as lesser known but equally worthy numbers including the hard driving Train 45, Rose Conley, Nobody's Darling, and the title tune. Stanley's voice has aged and mellowed beautifully over the years and he is more effective than even in interpreting this material. While not present on every track, his banjo playing is undiminished in strength whether he is playing in the older claw hammer style or more contemporary picking. James Sheldon on lead guitar and James Price on fiddle turn in particularly strong instrumental backing. This is an excellent album, full of the yearning, tragedy, and mournful harmonies that comprise true mountain music. Really my only complaint is that it is a little on the short side. (DP)

 
JOE TEX Jasmine 805 Yum Yum Yum ● CD $18.98 $12.98
2 CD, 40 tracks, highly recommended
This newest collection of Joe Tex's early recordings does more or less duplicate the track listing for an early Ace compilation (Get Way Back, Ace 1197); for the first CD at least. The second disc is where this set earns its' reason to exist, as it contains Tex's work for the Anna and Jaylynne labels along with a couple of unissued Ace tracks and early Dial singles. All I Could Do Was Cry, Joe's first Anna recording, was also his brush with the charts in 1960. The song is also notable for introducing Joe's "rapping" style with a long spoken word add on to the original song, a device that would become commonplace on his later 60s sides. Joe's answer to Jerry Butler's He Will Break Your Heart, I'll Never Break Your Heart, uses the same formula amusing effect. His final Anna single is the dynamite pairing of hot R&B shouter Ain't I a Mess and the less rowdy Baby You're Right. Following his Anna stint, Joe cut the country-ish Wicked Woman and Goodbye My Love as a one-off for Jaylynne before signing with the label that would be his home for the next decade or so Dial. His initial Dial singles are here, none of which made any impression. It wasn't until Dial switched to Atlantic Records for distribution that Joe finally hit pay dirt Hold What You Got in 1964. Although his King and Ace recordings are readily available on another collection, this set has the advantage of compiling virtually all of Joe Tex's first recordings in one place, and for anyone that doesn't have the Ace compilation, this is a first class purchase for anyone who wants to know where it all began for the man who loved his woman skinny legs and all. (GMC)

 
JOHNNY TILLOTSON Jasmine 266 Poetry In Motion ● CD $15.98 $9.98
29 tracks, recommended
Johnny Tillotson was one of the better of the teen pop singers with a fine voice and the ability to write some good songs - both ballads and some nice rockers. He started recording fr Cadence in 1958 and over the next few years had a string of minor hits culminating in the catchy Poetry In Motion in 1960. The following year he wrote the country song It Keeps Right On A Hurting which became a pop hit and crossed over into country. This was featured by an album of all country songs of which several songs became pop and country hits. The country songs were performed in the then fashionable "countrypolitan" style with Johnny's vocal awash with strings and vocal choruses. This set features his early singles and the whole country LP. (FS)
JOHNNY TILLOTSON: Cutie Pie/ Dreamy Eyes/ Earth Angel/ Fool No. 1/ Four Walls/ Funny How Time Slips Away/ Hello Walls/ His True Love Said Goodbye/ I Can't Help It (If I'm Still In Love With You)/ I Fall To Pieces/ I'm Never Gonna Kiss Yo/ I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry/ It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin'/ Jimmy's Girl/ Lonely Street/ Love Is Blind/ Much Beyond Compare/ Never Let Me Go/ Pledging My Love/ Poetry In Motion/ Princess, Princess/ Send Me The Pillow You Dream On/ She Gave Sweet Love To Me/ Take Good Care Of Her/ True True Happiness/ Well I'm Your Man/ What'll I Do/ Why Do I Love You So/ Without You

 
HENRY TOWNSEND Omnivore 309 "Mule" ● CD $16.98
21 tracks, 77 mins, essential
What an absolute delight - Henry Townsend's best album newly remastered with eight bonus, previously unissued, tracks. Townsend was a truly superb performer. Born in Mississippi in 1909 he eventually settled in St. Louis. He started playing guitar when stile young and recorded some magnificent sides in the late 20s and 30s and also accompanied many performers such as Walter Davis, Roosevelt Sykes, Sonny Boy Williamson and others. He pretty much quit music in the 50s but was rediscovered in the 60s and started performing at clubs and from then up to his death in 2006 at the age of 96 recorded about a dozen albums but this one recorded in 1979 and issued on Nighthawk in 1980 is, far and away, his best. By this time Henry was concentrating on the piano and so most of the tracks here feature him on that instrument - and what a wonderful performer he is on piano. Elements of his friends Walter Davis and Roosevelt Sykes can be heard in his relaxed rolling stylings. The songs are almost all original - many of them improvised in the studio - but all of them substantial and meaningful. Lest you think he had completely forgotten the guitar there are some wonderful guitar oriented pieces including the terrific Talking Guitar Blues where he is joined on guitar by Yank Rachell. Rachell accompanies Henry on mandolin on several tracks and a couple of tracks feature moving vocals by Henry's wife Vernell. The eight bonus tracks are certainly on a par with the previously issued tracks and are a most welcome addition. Sound is superb thanks to the remastering by Grammy-award winning engineer Michael Graves and the 12 page booklet includes extensive notes by albums co-producer Leroy Pierson. This album was a revelation when I first heard it in 1980 and is no less impressive on this CD - almost 40s years later. This is not an artist trying to recreate past glories but one very much producing performances of the moment. (FS)

 
BIG JOE TURNER Acrobat 3275 The Singles Collection, 1950-1960 ● CD $16.98
Two CDs, 55 tracks, very highly recommended
A sequel to Acrobat 3069 which featured an extensive cross section of Joe's recordings from the beginning of his recording career in 1938 through 1949. This was the most succesful period in Joe's lengthy career and most of the recordings were made for the Atlantic label where starting in 1951 with Chains of Love he had hit after hit in the R&B charts - some of which crossed over into the pop charts and he was featured on many of the rock 'n' roll tours of the mid/late 50s and had teen girls screaming over a 40plus year old blues singer. All his classics from this period are featured - Sweet Sixteen/ Honey Hush/ Shake, Rattle & Roll (which topped the R&B charts and was a modest hit in the pop charts)/ Hide and Seek/ Corrine, Corrina/ Boogie Woogie Country Girl/ Lipstick Powder and Paint/ Love Roller Coaster and more including a 1959 remake of Honey Hush that cracked the pop charts. His non hits were all equally fine including sides like Bump Miss Sisie/ Still In Love With You/ T.V. Mama (with Elmore James on slide guitar and Johnny Jones on piano)/ Married Woman Blues/ World Of Trouble/ Teenage Letter/ Got You On My Mind/ Sweet Sue and more. Joe is accompanied by the cream of New York musicians like Van "Piano Man" Walls, Taft Jordan, Freddie Mitchell, Sam "The Man" Taylor, Mickey Baker, George Barnes, Choker Campbell, Panama Francis and others. Includes 20 page booklet with informative notes by Paul Watts. (FS)
BIG JOE TURNER: Adam Bit The Apple/ After A While/ After My Laughter Came Tears/ Baby I Still Want You/ Back-Breaking Blues/ Blues In The Night/ Boogie Woogie Country Girl/ Bump Miss Susie/ Chains Of Love/ Chains Of Love/ Corrine, Corrina/ Crawdad Hole/ Don't You Cry/ Feelin' Happy/ Flip Flop And Fly/ Got You On My Mind/ Hide And Seek/ Honey Hush/ Honey Hush/ I Need A Girl/ I'll Never Stop Loving You/ Jump For Joy/ Jumpin' At The Jubilee/ Just A Travelin' Man/ Lipstick Powder And Paint/ Love My Baby/ Love Oh Careless Love/ Love Roller Coaster/ Lucille/ Married Woman/ Midnight Cannonball/ Midnight Special Train/ Morning Noon And Night/ My Little Honey Dripper/ My Reason For Living/ Oke-She-Moke-She-Pop/ Poor Lover's Blues/ Red Sails In The Sunset/ Rock A While/ Shake, Rattle And Roll/ Still In Love/ Still In The Dark/ Sweet Sixteen/ Sweet Sue/ TV Mama/ Teenage Letter/ The Chicken And The Hawk (Up, Up And Away)/ The Chill Is On/ Ti-Ri-Lee/ Tomorrow Night/ Trouble In Mind/ Wee Baby Blues/ Well Alright/ World Of Trouble/ You Know I Love You

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Ace CDCHD 1017 Diggin' Gold - A Galaxy Of West Coast Blues** ● CD $17.98
Fine collection of 25 soul flavored blues from the vaults of Galaxy Records recorded in the mid 60s. It includes 8 tracks by the great Little Johnny Taylor (4 of them previously unissued) plus Rob Robinson (3 tracks, 2 previously unissued), Del Cunningham (2 tracks), Clay Hammond (4 tracks, 2 unissued), Billy Keene (2 tracks, 1 unissued), Joe Johnson (2 tracks), Bill McAfee (2 tracks), Good Time Charlie and Saunders King. Includes 12 page booklet with extensive notes by Alec Palao.
DEL CUNNINGHAM: Just Wondering/ Lay Up In Bed & Read/ GOOD TIME CHARLIE: Watch That Stuff/ CLAY HAMMOND: Baby It's Alright/ It's All Over Now (no Use Crying)/ My Baby Left Me Crying/ There's Gonna Be Some Changes/ JOE JOHNSON: Gold Diggin' Man/ Rattlesnake, Baby, Rattlesnake/ BILLY KEENE: Too Far Beyond Repair/ You're A Deserter/ SAUNDERS KING: Sk Blues/ BILL MCAFEE: I Don't Know Why/ My Love/ ROB ROBINSON: Compact Baby/ Nobody But You/ Talk To You Baby/ LITTLE JOHNNY TAYLOR: As Quick As I Can/ Darling I Wonder/ Kiss Me Baby/ Looking At The Future/ My Love Is Real/ On My Way Back Home/ She's Yours, She's Mine/ You Gotta Go On

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Ace CDCHD 1044 Elemental Instrumentals** ● CD $17.98
A collection of 28 hot instrumentals recorded for Jim Kirchstein's legendary Wisconsin based Cuca label and its subsidiaries in the early 60s. Most of these incredibly rare tracks are making their first appearance on CD and the set includes several previously unissued tracks. Includes sides by The Tornados, Citations, Stage-Men, Grand Prix's, Six Shooters, Tikis, Thundermen, Continentals, Vibratones and others. Includes 16 page illustrated booklet with extensive notes by Rob Finnis.

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Ace CDCHD 1535 Cover Me: The Eddie Hinton Songbook ● CD $17.98
24 tracks, highly recommended
If Eddie Hinton is remembered at all by music fans, its as a member of the Swampers, the Muscle Shoals studio band at FAME studios. But apart from being a heralded guitar player, Hinton was also singer/songwriter in his right. His songs were covered by wide variety of artists over the years, and this collection is a sampling. Most of these recordings date from the late '60 and early '70s, and include the likes of Candi Staton, Tony Joe White (no slouch himself in the songwriting department), Percy Sledge, Bobby Womack, Aretha Franklin, and The Box Tops. The highlights are Dusty Springfield's peerless take on Breakfast in Bed (although this is better appreciated as a part of the entire "Dusty in Memphis" CD {Atlantic 8214 - $5.98}), Staton's Guilty as Sin, The Sweet Inspirations' Always David, Hinton himself on It's All Wrong But it's Alright, The Box Tops' If I Had Let You In (featuring a fantastic vocal from Alex Chilton), The Hour Glass' Home For the Summer (with a young Greg Allman on vocals), Bonnie Bramlett strutting her stuff on Where You Come From, and a towering performance from Percy Sledge on Standing on the Mountain. The secret of Hnton's songs was the ability to force a singer to up his or her game to live up to the often emotionally charged lyrics, and nearly all the singers here more than rise to the occasion. As the entries in Ace's Songwriter series of compilations go, this is one of the more potent displays of an underrated songwriter. (GMC)
THE AMAZING RHYTHM ACES: I Got The Feeling/ THE BOX TOPS: If I Had Let You In/ BONNIE BRAMLETT: Where You Come From/ BRICK WALL: Poor Mary Has Drowned/ MICKEY BUCKINS & THE NEW BREED: Seventeen Year Old Girl/ CHER: Save The Children/ ARETHA FRANKLIN: Every Natural Thing/ EDDIE HINTON: It's All Wrong But It's Alright/ THE HOUR GLASS FEATURING GREG AND DUANE ALLM: Home For The Summer/ AL JOHNSON: Love Waits For No Man/ LOU JOHNSON: People In Love/ LULU: Where's Eddie/ GWEN MCCRAE: Lay It On Me/ MINK DEVILLE: Help Me Make It (Power Of A Woman's Love)/ JACKIE MOORE: Cover Me/ PERCY SLEDGE: Standing On The Mountain/ DUSTY SPRINGFIELD: Breakfast In Bed/ CANDI STATON: Sure As Sin/ THE SWEET INSPIRATIONS: Always David/ OSCAR TONEY JR.: Down In Texas/ DON VARNER: Masquerade/ JUDY WHITE: Satisfaction Guaranteed/ TONY JOE WHITE: 300 Pounds Of Hongry/ BOBBY WOMACK: A Little Bit Salty

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Acrobat ACFCD 7501 America's Number One Of The 50s** ● CD $24.98
Five CDs, 124 tracks, highly recommended
A simple concept but a very useful release. This five CD with 124 tracks features every song that topped the Billboard Best Seller's from Gene Autry with Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer on January 7, 1950 to Why by Frankie Avalon. There's lots of intriguing facts to be learned from the selection. The first rock 'n' roll record to top the charts was Bill Haley's Rock Around The Clock in July 1955 and although it spent eight weeks at the top it wasn't until Elvis reached Number One with Heartbreak Hotel in April of 1956 that rock' 'n roll records started making regular appearances in that coveted position. Along the way from Autry to Avalon we hear The Ames Brothers, Anton Karas, Patti Page, Leroy Anderson, Johnny Standley (his unlikely hit It's In The Book, Parts 1 & 2), Perry Como, Stan Freberg, The Chordettes, The McGuire Sisters, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Les Baxter, Guy Mitchell, Buddy Knox, Jimmie Rodgers, Pat Boone, Sheb Wooley, Domenico Modugno, The Kingston Trio, Wilbert Harrison, Guy Mitchell and many, many more. Set comes with a handsome 52 page booklet with details on every song on the set including date it topped charts and number of weeks at the top and many illustrations. (FS)
THE AMES BROTHERS: Rag Mop/ LEROY ANDERSON: Blue Tango/ THE ANDREWS SISTERS: I Can Dream, Can't I?/ PAUL ANKA: Diana/ Lonely Boy/ GENE AUTRY: Rudolph The Red-nosed Reindeer/ FRANKIE AVALON: Venus/ Why/ EILEEN BARTON: If I Knew You Were Comin' (i'd've Baked A Cake)/ LES BAXTER: The Poor People Of Paris/ TONY BENNETT: Because Of You/ Cold, Cold Heart/ Rags To Riches/ PAT BOONE: April Love/ Don't Forbid Me/ I Almost Lost My Mind/ Love Letters In The Sand/ JIMMY BOYD: I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus/ TERESA BREWER: Music! Music! Music!/ Till I Waltz Again With You/ THE BROWNS: The Three Bells/ THE CHAMPS: Tequila/ THE CHIPMUNKS WITH DAVID SEVILLE: The Chipmunk Song (christmas Don't Be Late)/ THE CHORDETTES: Mr. Sandman/ ROSEMARY CLOONEY: Come On-a My House/ Hey There/ This Ole House/ THE COASTERS: Yakety Yak/ NAT KING COLE: Mona Lisa/ Too Young/ PERRY COMO: Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes/ If/ Round And Round/ Wanted/ SAM COOKE: You Send Me/ DAVE "BABY" CORTEZ: The Happy Organ/ THE CREW-CUTS: Sh-boom/ THE CRICKETS: That'll Be The Day/ DANNY & THE JUNIORS: At The Hop/ BOBBY DARIN: Mack The Knife/ DORIS DAY: Secret Love/ TOMMY EDWARDS: It's All In The Game/ THE ELEGANTS: Little Star/ THE EVERLY BROTHERS: All I Have To Do Is Dream/ Wake Up Little Susie/ PERCY FAITH: Delicado/ The Song From Moulin Rouge (where Is Your Heart)/ EDDIE FISHER: I Need You Now/ I'm Walking Behind You/ Oh! My Pa-pa (o Mein Papa)/ THE FLEETWOODS: Come Softly To Me/ Mr. Blue/ RED FOLEY: Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy/ THE FONTANE SISTERS: Hearts Of Stone/ TENNESSEE ERNIE FORD: Sixteen Tons/ THE FOUR ACES: Love Is A Many Splendoured Thing/ STAN FREBERG: St. George And The Dragonet/ GOGI GRANT: The Wayward Wind/ BILL HALEY & HIS COMETS: Rock Around The Clock/ PHIL HARRIS: The Thing/ WILBERT HARRISON: Kansas City/ BILL HAYES: The Ballad Of Davy Crockett/ JOHNNY HORTON: The Battle Of New Orleans/ EDDY HOWARD: (it's No) Sin/ TAB HUNTER: Young Love/ JONI JAMES: Why Don't You Believe Me?/ GORDON JENKINS AND THE WEAVERS: Goodnight, Irene/ KITTY KALLEN: Little Things Mean A Lot/ ANTON KARAS: Theme From 'the Third Man'/ SAMMY KAYE: Harbour Lights/ THE KINGSTON TRIO: Tom Dooley/ BUDDY KNOX WITH THE RHYTHM ORCHIDS: Party Doll/ MARIO LANZA: Be My Love/ JIM LOWE: Green Door/ VERA LYNN: Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart/ DEAN MARTIN: Memories Are Made Of This/ AL MARTINO: Here In My Heart/ THE MCGUIRE SISTERS: Sincerely/ MITCH MILLER: The Yellow Rose Of Texas/ GUY MITCHELL: Heartaches By The Number/ Singing The Blues/ DOMENICO MODUGNO: Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (volare)/ RICKY NELSON: Poor Little Fool/ PATTI PAGE: I Went To Your Wedding/ The Doggie In The Window/ The Tennessee Waltz/ LES PAUL AND MARY FORD: How High The Moon/ Vaya Con Dios (may God Be With You)/ THE PLATTERS: My Prayer/ Smoke Gets In Your Eyes/ The Great Pretender/ Twilight Time/ PTREZ PRADO: Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White)/ Patricia/ ELVIS PRESLEY: A Big Hunk O' Love/ All Shook Up/ Don't/ Don't Be Cruel/ Hard Headed Woman/ Heartbreak Hotel/ I Want You, I Need You, I Love You/ Jailhouse Rock/ Love Me Tender/ Teddy Bear/ Too Much/ LLOYD PRICE: Stagger Lee/ JOHNNIE RAY AND THE FOUR LADS: Cry/ DEBBIE REYNOLDS: Tammy/ NELSON RIDDLE: Lisbon Antigua/ JIMMIE RODGERS: Honeycomb/ SANTO & JOHNNY: Sleep Walk/ DAVID SEVILLE: Witch Doctor/ THE SILHOUETTES: Get A Job/ JO STAFFORD: Make Love To Me/ You Belong To Me/ JOHNNY STANDLEY: It's In The Book (parts 1 & 2)/ KAY STARR: Rock And Roll Waltz/ Wheel Of Fortune/ THE TEDDY BEARS: To Know Him Is To Love Him/ CONWAY TWITTY: It's Only Make Believe/ JOAN WEBER: Let Me Go, Lover/ ANDY WILLIAMS: Butterfly/ ROGER WILLIAMS: Autumn Leaves/ SHEB WOOLEY: The Purple People Eater

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Arhoolie 432 I Have To Paint My Face** ● CD $13.98
23 tracks, 77 minutes, highly recommended
Instead of just repackaging 2 old albums on one CD, Arhoolie has (wisely) decided to take the best from 2 early Arhoolie albums (F1005, F1006) and include a few unissued tracks. All the titles by Sam Chatmon (4), Jasper Love (3), R. C. Smith (4) and Wade Walton (2) were recorded by Chris Strachwitz in July 1960, while on a Mississippi field trip with Paul & Valerie Oliver - all amateur bluesman except Sam Chatmon, one-time member of The Mississippi Sheiks. Chatmon's I Have To Paint My Face and God Don't Like Ugly are rare examples of protest blues that commercial companies declined to record. The CD is rounded out by Big Joe Williams (2), the Louisiana duo Butch Cage and Willie Thomas (3), Sidney Maiden (1) and K. C. Douglas (4), including a wonderful unissued version of his most famous song, Mercury Blues. The sound quality is outstanding. (EL)
BUTCH CAGE & WILLIE THOMAS: Butch's Blues/ Fourty Four Blues/ One Thin Dime/ SAM CHATMON: God Don't Like Ugly/ Hollandale Blues/ I Have To Paint My Face/ I Stand And Wonder/ K.C. DOUGLAS: Big Road Blues/ Mercury Blues/ Night Shirt Blues/ Blues And Trouble/ Chicago Blues/ JASPER LOVE: Desert Blues/ Love's Honeydripper/ The Slop/ R.C. SMITH: Going Back To Texas/ Lonely Widower/ Lost Love Blues/ Stella Ruth/ WADE WALTON: Rooster Blues (With Unknown Rooster Crowing!) Wade/ BIG JOE WILLIAMS: Married Woman Blues/ Texas Blues

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS B.A.C.M. 610 Gather Round - Western Swing & Country Music ● CD $14.98
A collection of sides recorded by a group of obscure country artists from West Texas and New Mexico for small labels along with some radio transcriptions. The material dates from 1947 through 1956 and in spite of the subtitle only a handful of tracks are Western Swing - most of it is honky tonk country - much of it is fairly pedestrian. Artists include Bill Bailey, Bob & Wanda Wolfe, Bill's Sandia Mt. Boys,, Lee Searcy's' Drug Store Cowboys, The Phantom Rider Trio, Snuffy Smith and others.
BILL BAILEY: As Long As I Have You/ I've Learned My Lesson/ DICK BILL’S SANDIA MT. BOYS: Lost Without You/ Old Dusty Sun/ SAMMY DAULONG: Folk Dance Schottische/ Heartaches Too Late/ HOPE GRIFFITH: I'm Though With You/ Once In A While/ BILL MYRICK & HIS RAINBOW RIDERS: I'll Always Keep Your Big Bouquet of Roses/ You're Gonna Be Fooled/ THE PHANTOM RIDER TRIO: I’m Telling Everybody/ Peekin' Thru Your Window/ LEE SEARCY’S’ DRUG STORE COWBOYS: Gather Round/ One Little Letter/ SNUFFY SMITH: Answer To Your Cheatin' Heart/ Some Joker Stole My Queen/ LINDSAY SMITH’S BLUE BONNET PLAYBOYS: Down And Out Blues/ SNUFFY SMITH’S SNUFF DIPPERS: Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide/ My Love Will Always Be True/ So Long Baby So Long/ Wichita Baby/ PAUL STEVENSON’S BLUE BONNET PLAYBOYS: Cotton Eyed Joe/ Spanish Two Step/ BOB TUCKER’S SKY RIDERS: My Tears Are Dry/ Quit Draggin' Your Feet/ BOB & WANDA WOLFE: I Would Never Grow Tired Of Loving You/ Let's Be Sweethearts

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Bear Family BCD 17566 That'll Flat Git It! Vol. 30 - RCA Victor ● CD $19.98
35 tracks, strongly recommended
In 1993 Bear Family initiated its series of label oriented collections of hot rockabilly and rock 'n' roll with a collection drawn from the RCA label (BCD 15622 - $22.98) and now, 25 years later, they return with another fine collection. While the earlier volume featured some of the label's best rocking sides, there are plenty of fine sides here. There are three sides from the frantic Joe Clay accompanied by a hot R&B band with great guitar from Mickey Baker who I suspect also provides the hot guitar solo on Georgia Gibbs' cover of Jerry Lee's Great Balls Of Fire. Ric Cartey is here with three fine sides including two covers of Willie Dixon songs. New Yorker David Hill has two fine rockers - some years later he changed his named to David Hess and was the arch villains in Wes Craven's grim cult horror movie "Last House On The Left" Janis Martin was hardly the "Female Elvis" she was promoted as but has three fine sides here include a fine cover of Roy Orbison's Ooobie Doobie. Orbison himself is here with Almost Eighteen from his brief tenure at RCA. Other artists include Jimmy Dell, Dave Rich, Benny Martin, Tam Dufill, Pee Wee KIng (a tepid cover of Lavern Baker's Tweedle Dee), Terry Fell and more. Sound quality is superb and the 52 page booklet has in depth notes from Bill Dahl along wth rare photos but, surprisingly, no discographical info. (FS)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Buda 82951-2 Ethiopiques, Vol. 1 - Golden Years Of Modern Ethiopian Music ● CD $15.98 $10.98
17 tracks, 70 mins, highly recommended
The first volume in this exciting and long running series (they are now up to Volume 30) documenting popular Ethiopian music - mostly from the 1960s and 70s. This first volume features wonderfully exotic and exciting music recorded between 1969 and 1975 that has rarely been heard in the West. The music is a mezmerizing blend of the old and the new and features some of Ethiopia's finest singers with intensely emotional vocal style and distinctively Ethiopian warble. They are accompanied by hard-charging bands with wailing horns, swirling keyboards, and stuttering rhythms. The fascinating 28 page booklet has notes in French and English about the music, the musicians and the political climate out of which they emerged. (FS)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Craft 103 Stax '68: A Memphis Story ● CD $74.98
5 CDs, 134 tracks, very highly recommended
The year 1968 was a pivotal year both culturally and politically in U.S. history; from the release of the Beatles' "White Album" to the Democratic convention in Chicago, from the Tet Offensive to the assassinations of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King, no year hit harder in American history. '68 was also important in the life of Stax Records, as it was the year it lost its' distribution deal with Atlantic Records. Severing ties with Atlantic was a major blow since it meant not only losing Sam & Dave, who were effectively "on loan" from Atlantic, but also all the Atlantic-released master recordings-basically most of the label's back catalog. With a need to rebuild its' catalog, Stax went on a massive album and single release program. This set contains all of the A and B-sides released during the year, a potpourri of artists old and new. Still reeling from the death of Otis Redding in December 1967, Stax issued some of his last recordings including his biggest hit (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay, which kicks off the first disc. Scattered throughout the five discs are tracks from stalwarts like Carla Thomas, Rufus Thomas, a re-constituted Bar-Kays (most of the members went down with Otis in the plane crash), and Booker T. & the MG's (including "Hang 'Em High", one of the toughest instrumentals ever recorded), and recently signed artists upon whom great things were expected like William Bell, Eddie Floyd, and Johnnie Taylor. It was during this time that Isaac Hayes stepped out from behind the scenes and made his first steps as a recording artist, and The Staple Singers began what would be a fruitful association with Stax. Although anyone who already owns the massive The Complete Stax/Volt Singles box sets that were originally released in the early '90s wouldn't need this collection, this elegant package-complete with a 56 page book that contains rare photos and liner notes from Memphis and Stax scholars that put the music and Memphis location in proper context-is a more-than-worthy starting point for the new Soul fan. (GMC)
THE AARDVARKS: Subconscious Train of Thought/ Unicorn Man/ THE BAR-KAYS: A Hard Day's Night/ Copy Kat/ I Want Someone/ In the Hole/ WILLIAM BELL: Bring the Curtain Down/ Every Man Oughta Have a Woman/ I Forgot to Be Your Lover/ Tribute to a King/ BOOKER T & THE MG'S: Hang 'Em High/ Heads or Tails/ Over Easy/ Soul Limbo/ THE CHARMELLS: Lovin' Feeling/ Sea Shell/ JUDY CLAY: Bed of Roses/ Remove These Clouds/ Left Over Love/ Love-Eye-Tis/ My Baby Specializes/ Private Number/ JOHNNY DAYE: I Love Love/ Stay Baby Stay/ DELANEY & BONNIE: It's Been a Long Time Coming/ We Just Been Feeling Bad/ THE DELRAYS: (There's) Always Something There to Remind Me/ Lollipop Lady/ DINO & DOC: A Woman Can't Do (What a Man Do)/ Mighty Cold Winter/ THE EPSILONS: Really Rockin/ The Echo/ EDDIE FLOYD: Big Bird/ Bring It on Home to Me/ Holding on with Both Hands/ I Never Found a Girl (To Love Me Like You Do)/ I'm Just the Kind of Fool/ Sweet Things You Do/ FRESH AIR: Somebody Stole My Gal/ Somebody Stole My Gal [Instrumental]/ THE GENERATION: Give Her What She Wants/ The Children Have Your Tongue/ THE GOODEES: Condition Red/ Didn't Know Love Was So Good/ ISAAC HAYES: Going to Chicago Blues/ Precious Precious/ EDDIE HENDERSON QUINTET: A Million or More Times/ Georgy Girl/ LINDELL HILL: Remone/ Used to Be Love/ JIMMY HUGHES: I Like Everything About You/ What Side of the Door/ JEANNE & THE DARLINGS: Hang Me Now/ I Like What You're Doing to Me/ It's Unbelievable (How You Control My Soul)/ What Will Later on Be Like/ MABLE JOHN: Able Mable/ Don't Get Caught/ Running Out/ Shouldn't I Love Him/ KANGAROO'S: Every Man Needs a Woman/ Groovy Day/ ALBERT KING: (I Love) Lucy/ Blues Power/ Night Stomp/ You're Gonna Need Me/ DAARON LEE: Long Black Train/ Who's Making Love/ LINDA LYNDELL: Bring Your Love Back to Me/ Here I Am/ I Don't Know/ What a Man/ THE MAD LADS: Make Room/ No Time Is Better Than Now/ So Nice/ Whatever Hurts You/ DEREK MARTIN: Sly Girl/ Soul Power/ THE MEMPHIS NOMADS: Don't Pass Your Judgement/ I Wanna Be (Your Lover & Your Honey)/ OLLIE & THE NIGHTINGALES: Girl, You Have My Heart Singing/ I Got a Sure Thing/ Showered with Love/ You're Leaving Me/ THE POP CORN GENERATION: Kitchy Kitchy Koo/ Shake It/ OTIS REDDING: (Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay/ Open the Door/ Sweet Lorene/ The Happy Song (Dum-Dum)/ Lovey Dovey/ New Year's Resolution/ BILLY LEE RILEY: Family Portrait/ Going Back to Memphis/ SAM & DAVE: I Thank You/ Wrap It Up/ HARVEY SCALES & THE SEVEN SOUNDS: Broadway Freeze/ I Can't Cry No More/ THE SOUL CHILDREN: Doing Our Thang/ Give 'Em Love/ I'll Understand/ Move Over/ SOUTHWEST F O B: Green Skies/ Smell of Incense/ THE STAPLE SINGERS: Got to Be Some Changes Made/ Long Walk to DC/ Stay with Us/ The Ghetto/ JOHNNIE TAYLOR: Hold on This Time/ I Ain't Particular/ I'm Trying/ Next Time/ Sundown/ Take Care of Your Homework/ Where There's Smoke There's Fire/ Who's Making Love/ CARLA THOMAS: A Dime a Dozen/ I Want You Back/ I've Fallen in Love/ Where Do I Go/ RUFUS THOMAS: Funky Mississippi/ Funky Way/ I Think I Made a Boo Boo/ I Want to Hold You/ So Hard to Get Along With/ The Memphis Train/ THE VILLAGE SOUND: Sally's Got a Good Thing/ The la la Song/ SHIRLEY WALTON: I Was Born to Love You/ I'm So Glad You're Back/ Send Peace and Harmony Home/ The One You Can't Have All By Yourself/ BOBBY WHITLOCK: And I Love You/ Raspberry Rug

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Dynamic 3801 Decade of Hits - The 20s ● CD $14.98
Three CDs, 75 tracks, highly recommended
This delightful set highlights some of the most popular songs of the 1920s - an era when the great American songbook was taking shape. When I was growing up in the 1940s and 50s I heard many of these songs frequently on the radio and many of them have been recorded by generations of vocalists to the present day - here are early recordings of such favorites as Ain't We Got Fun/ Singing In The Rain/ April Showers/ It Had To Be You/ Dinah/ Bye Bye Blackbird/ There'll Be Some Changes Made/ Ain't Misbehavin'/ Blue Skies/ Baby Face/ Who's Sorry Now and others as well as some songs that are forgotten today like Sweeping The Cobwebs Off The Moon/ Henry's Made A Lady Out Of Lizzie and Ain't That A Grand and Glorious Feeling. All the top stars of the day are here - Al Jolson, The Paul Whiteman Orchestra, Billy Murray, Ethel Waters, Sophie Tucker, Ben Selvin Orchestra, Louis Armstrong and many more. There are no notes but sound is fine and, all in all, this is an excellent collection. (FS)
ABE LYMAN'S CALIFORNIA ORCHESTRA WITH CHORU: Where'd You Get Those Eyes'/ HARRY ACKER ORCH. WITH MALE TRIO: Who'/ THE AMERICAN QUARTET: Carolina In The Morniong/ LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND HIS ORCH.: Ain't Misbehavin'/ GENE AUSTIN: My Blue Heaven/ THE BAR HARBOR SOCIETY ORCH. (IRVING KAUFMAN: It Ain't Gonna Rain No Mo'/ FRANYLN BAUR: With A Song In My Heart/ PAUL BIESE ORCH. (MARION HARRIS/ VCL): I'm Nobody's Baby/ THE BROADWAY BROADCASTERS: It Had to Be You/ EDNA BROWN AND CHARLES HARRISON: Look For The Silver Lining/ EDDIE CANTOR: Hungry Women/ THE CAPITOLIANS: You Were Meant For Me/ BETH CHALLIS: Henry's Made A Lady Out Of Lizzie/ REGENT CLUB ORCH. (FRANK MUNN/ VCL): Together/ COLONIAL CLUB ORCH. (SCRAPPY LEONARD/ VC: You're The Cream In My Coffee/ JESSE CRAWFORD ORGAN WITH ORCHESTRA: I'Ve Got A Feeling I'm Falling/ RUTH ETTING: Deed I Do/ CARL FENTON ORCH. (JONES AND HARE/ VCLS): Last Night On The Back Porch/ ARTHUR GIBBS AND HIS GANG: Charleston/ GENE GOLDKETTE ORCH. (BILLY MURRAY/ VCL): I'm Looking Over A Four Leaf Clover/ JEAN GOLDKETTE ORCH. (FRANK BESINGER/ VCL): After I Say I'm Sorry/ JANE GREEN: Hard To Get Gertie/ BAR HARBOR SOCIETY ORCHESTRA (IRVING KAUFMAN: Mexicali Rose/ THE HARMONIZERS QUARTET: Ain't We Got Fun/ LIBBY HOLMAN: Am I Blue'/ LEWIS JAMES: All Alone/ AL JOLSON: April Showers/ BILLY JONES: Ma! He's Making Eyes At Me/ Barney Google/ ISHAM JONES ORCH.: Who's Sorry Now/ HELEN KANE: That's My Weakness Now/ IRVING KAUFMAN: Five Foot Two, Eyes Of Blue/ BENNY KREUGER ORCH. WITH VOCAL GROUP: That Old Gang Of Mine/ BENNY KRUEGER ORCH. (BILLY JONES/ VCL): Yes! We Have No Bananas/ BENNY KRUEGER'S ORCH.: All By Myself/ ART LANDRY ORCH. (HENRY BURR/ VCL): Sleepy Time Gal/ TED LEWIS AND HIS BAND AND VOCAL: She's Funny That Way/ TED LEWIS BAND (RUTH ETTING/ VCL): Keep Sweeping The Cobwebs Off The Moon/ NICK LUCAS: Tip-Toe Thru' The Tulips With Me/ ABE LYMAN'S CALIFORNIA ORCH. (Phil Neily/ vc: The Varsity Drag/ JOHN MCCORMACK: Remember/ MIAMI MARIMBA BAND WITH VOCAL TRIO: In A Little Spanish Town/ RAY MILLER ORCH. (FRANK BESINGER/ VCL): I'll See You In My Dreams/ HELEN MORGAN WITH LESLIE HUTCHINSON: Me And My Shadow/ BILLY MURRAY: I'll See You In C-U-B-A/ Oh! By Jingo/ GEORGE OLSON AND HIS MUSIC WITH VOCAL TRIO: Bye Bye Blackbird/ ORIGINAL DIXIELAND JAZZ BAND: Palesteena/ MISS PATRICOLA WITH THE VIRGINIANS: Runnin' Wild/ ISABELLE PATRICOLA WITH TOM PATRICOLA: Somebody Loves Me/ FRED RICH AND HIS HOTEL ASTOR ORCH. (IRVING K: It All Depends on You/ FRED RICH ORCHESTRA (Rolickers Quartet/ vcl): Singing In The Rain/ HARRY RICHMAN: Blue Skies/ GENE RODEMICH ORCH. (AL JOLSON/ VCL): Lazy/ BLOSSOM SEELEY: Yes Sir, That's My Baby/ BEN SELVIN ORCH. (BEN SELVIN/ VCL): I Wonder Where My Baby Is Tonight '/ BEN SELVIN ORCH. (JAMES MELTON/ VCL): Ramona/ BEN SELVIN ORCH. (KELLER SISTERS AND LYNCH/: When The Red, Red Robin Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along/ BEN SELVIN ORCH. AND VOCAL: Baby Face/ BEN SELVIN ORCH. WITH VOCAL CHORUS: Margie/ JACK SHILKRET ORCH. (BILLY MURRAY/ VCL): If You Knew Susie/ JACK SMITH: Gimmie A Little Kiss, Will Ya, Huh'/ AILEEN STANLEY: Chicago/ Nobody's Sweetheart/ Red Lips Kiss My Blues Away/ THE TROUBADORS: Ain't That A Grand And Glorious Feeling/ SOPHIE TUCKER: There'll Be Some Changes Made/ THE VIRGINIANS: Blue( And Broken Hearted)/ DON VOORHEES ORCH. (SCRAPPY LAMBERT/ VCL): Make Believe/ EDDIE WALTERS: Makin' Whoopee!/ WARING'S PENNSYLVANIANS WITH VOCAL TRIO: Button Up Your Overcoat/ WARING'S PENNSYLVANIANS (CLARE HANLON/ V: How About Me'/ ETHEL WATERS: Dinah/ PAUL WHITEMAN AND HIS AMBASSADOR ORCHESTRA: Whispering/ PAUL WHITMAN ORCH. WITH THE RHYTHM BOYS: Mississippi Mud

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS JSP JSPCD 7796 Jook Joint Blues - Good Time Rhythm & Blues, 1943-1956** ● CD $28.98
Four CD set with 112 tracks of great and rare down home blues - most from the early 50s. It's all been out before but it's great to have all these superb sides in one place. Includes sides by Papa Lightfoot, Frankie Lee Sims, Little Milton Anderson, John Lee, Sonny Boy Holmes, Lost John Hunter, Frank edwards, Mercy Dee, Alvin Smith, Harvey Hill, Clifford Gibson, Arthur Gunter, Johnny Lewis (Joe Hill Louis), Lonesome Sundown, Pinebluff Pete, Sonny Boy Holmes, Lightnin' Slim, Alex Moore, The Blues Rockers, Country Jim, Earl Hooker, Little Sam davis, Coy "Hot Shot" Love, Dennis McMillon, Jerry Perkins, Lazy Lester, Good Rockin' Sam, K.C. Douglas, Ole Sonny Boy, Lazy Slim Jim, Tommy Lee Thompson, Wright Holmes and many more.
LITTLE MILTON ANDERSON: Blow It Down/ Jackson Juke/ Little Milton's Boogie/ Mistreated Baby Blues/ GOOD ROCKIN' BEASLEY: Happy Go Lucky/ THE BLUES ROCKERS: Calling All Cows/ Johnny Mae/ SCHOOLBOY CLEVE: I'm Him/ She's Gone/ Strange Letter Blues/ LITTLE WILLIE COTTON: A Dream/ COUNTRY JIM: One Thing My Baby Likes/ Philippine Blues/ LITTLE SAM DAVIS: 1958 Blues/ Goin' Home To Mother/ Goin' To New Orleans/ She's So Good To Me/ K.C. DOUGLAS: K.C. Boogie/ Lonely Blues/ FRANK EDWARDS: Gotta Get Together/ Love My Baby/ GUITAR GABLE: Congo Mombo/ CLIFFORD GIBSON: Let Me Be Your Handy Man/ Sneaky Groundhog/ GOOD ROCKIN' SAM: Don't Let Your Daddy Slow Walk You Down/ Now Listen Baby/ R. GREEN & TURNER: Alla Blues/ Central Avenue Blues/ ARTHUR GUNTER: She's Mine All Mine/ You Are Doing Me Wrong/ HARVEY HILL JR.: She Fool Me/ SONNY BOY HOLMES: I Got Them Blues/ T.N.T. Woman/ The $64 Question/ Walkin' And Cryin' Blues/ WRIGHT HOLMES: Good Road Blues/ HONEYBOY: Bloodstains On the Wall/ EARL HOOKER: Alley Corn/ On the Hook/ Ride Hooker Ride/ Sweet Angel/ EDDIE HOPE & THE MANNISH BOYS: A Fool No More/ Lost Child/ PEE WEE HUGHES: Country Boy/ Santa Fe Blues/ Sugar Mama/ LOST JOHN HUNTER: Cool Down Mama/ Schoolboy/ LOUIS JACKSON: L.J. Boogie/ RED JOHNSON: Mama Does the Boogie/ KING DAVIS: Someday You'll Understand/ L.B. LAWSON: Got My Call Card/ Scott's Boogie/ LAZY LESTER: I'm Gonna Leave You Baby/ Lester's Stomp/ LAZY SLIM JIM: Wine Head Baby/ JOHN LEE: Alabama Boogie/ Baby Blues/ Blinds Blues/ Down At the Depot/ JOHNNY LEWIS: Jealous Man/ She's Taking All My Money/ LIGHTNIN' SLIM: Bad Luck/ Bugger Bugger Boy/ Ethel May/ I Can't Be Successful/ I Can't Live Happy/ Lightnin' Blues/ New Orleans Bound/ Rock Me Mama/ LITTLE AL: Little Lean Woman/ Tiger Man/ LONESOME SUNDOWN: Leave My Money Alone/ Lost Without Love/ JOE HILL LOUIS: Hydramatic Woman/ COY 'HOT SHOT' LOVE: Harpin' On It/ Wolf Call Boogie/ JERRY MCCAIN: Courtin' In a Cadillac/ That's What They Want/ Things Ain't Right/ You Don't Love Me No More/ ERNEST MCCLAY: Big Time Woman/ DENNIS MCMILLON: Paper Wooden Daddy/ MERCY DEE: Dark Muddy Bottom/ Evil And Hanky/ My Woman Knows the Score/ One Room Country Shack/ ALEX MOORE: If I Lose You Woman/ Lillie Mae Boogie/ Neglected Woman/ OLE SONNY BOY: You Better Change/ PAPA LIGHTFOOT: Jump the Boogie/ Mean Old Train/ Wine, Women, Whiskey/ JERRY PERKINS: Katherine Blues/ Knocking the Boogie/ WILD BILL PHILLIPS: Pebble In My Shoe/ PINEBLUFF PETE: No.4 Boogie/ CLARENCE SAMUELS: Chicken Hearted Woman/ ALEC SEWARD: Rub a Little Boogie/ FRANKIE LEE SIMS: Don't Take It Out On Me/ Lucy Mae Blues/ SKOOLE-DUM-DOO & SHEFFIELD: West Kinney Street Blues/ ALVIN SMITH: On My Way/ TARHEEL SLIM: Too Much Competition/ JESSE THOMAS: Another Fool Like Me/ LAFAYETTE THOMAS: Deep South Guitar Blues/ Weekend Blues/ TOMMY LEE THOMPSON: Highway 80 Blues/ Packin' Up My Blues/ BIG SON TILLIS: When I Come In This House Woman/ JAMES TISDOM: Winehead Swing

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Kent CDKEND 306 J&S Harlem Soul** ● CD $17.98
24 tracks, 62 mins, highly recommended
Zelma "Zell" Sanders was one of the few female label owners during the 50's/'60s/early '70s and this compilation brings together sides from her J&S, Zell's, and Sprout imprints (and these were only three of the many labels she ran!). The big names here are Johnnie & Joe, The Hearts, and The Jaynetts, but there's plenty for lovers of New York R&B to savor. Compiling tracks ranging from 1962 to 1973, many styles are touched on--bluesy R&B to funky soul--and the liner notes tell the story of a remarkable woman. (GMC)
FREDA ALLYNE: Money And All Your Love/ JIMMY ARMSTRONG & THE PINS: I Want To Be Close To You/ CLARENCE ASHE: I'm A Working Man Who Needs A Good Woman/ She Said I'd Be A Failure/ NEICE DEZEL: It Doesn't Matter/ DICKY & BILLY: I Got A Feeling/ The Dream I Had Came True/ THE FREEMAN BROTHERS: Life Of Love/ THE GILLETTES: 24 Hours Of The Day/ You Haven't Been Like You Should/ THE HEARTS: Don't Let Me Down/ HENRY HODGE: I Won't Ever Try To Change You/ THE JAYNETTS: Be My Boyfriend/ JIMMY & ARTHUR: Dancing In A Dream World/ JOHNNIE & JOE: I Pray To Keep Our Love Strong/ Let Your Mind Do The Walking/ TAFFIE LEE: Stay Away From My Baby/ MISS JOHNNIE: Let Sleeping Dogs Lie/ CATHA MORRISON: The Leaf Is Just Like Me/ LEE PRATT: Ha Baby, I'm Coming On Back/ THE RELATIONS: Say You Love Me/ JOHNNIE RICHARDSON: Every Night The Same Time/ SITY & JAMES: You Needn't Tell Me/ BABY WASHINGTON WITH THE HEARTS: Disappointed Bride

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Koko-Mojo 1 Cheap Old Wine and Whiskey ● CD $8.98
We are pleased to now offer titles on the European budget priced label Koko-Mojo. Formed about a year ago the label specializes in compilations reissuing upbeat blues and R&B from the 1950s and early 60s. If you are familiar with the, now defunct, Stompin' and Still labels you'll know the sort of thing to expect and, in fact, if you have an extensive collection of those labels you'll have most of the tracks on these collections. We don't have time to do extensive reviews of all the titles but suffice to the selection of music is consistently excellent - each CD will have a few familiar names along with a lot of more obscure ones. Some of the volumes are thematic but many are more or less random collections. Sound quality is generally excellent but, unfortunately, there are no notes but they attractively packaged in a fold out digipack. If you don't have much in the way of the Stompin' or Still releases you'll be getting a lot of fine and rare blues and R&B for a very low price.
This first volume features 28 songs on the ever popular topic of booze and has more familiar artists than most in this series. It includes I'm A Wine Drinker by Johnny Davis, Sloppy Drunk by Jimmy Rogers, Bad Hangover by Square Walton and sides by Wilbert Harrison, Al Jackson, J.B. Lenoir, Jimmy Liggins and others.
WILBERT HARRISON: Gin And Coconut Milk/ DAVE BARTHOLOMEW: Who Drank My Beer While I Was In The Rear/ CALVIN BOZE: Looped/ Waiting & Drinking/ THE CAPITALS: Hangover/ LARRY DALL: Drinkin Wine/ JOHNNY DAVIS: I'm A Wine Drinker/ FLOYD DIXON: Wine Wine Wine/ ROBERT GARRET: Quit My Drinkin/ RUFUS GORE: Fire Water/ PEPPERMINT HARRIS: I Got Loaded/ LIGHTNIN HOPKINS: Drinkin' Woman/ AL JACKSON: Let's Drink Some Whiskey/ BIRMINGHAM JONES: Drinkin Again/ LAZY SLIM JIM: Wine Head Baby/ J.B. LENOIR: Give Me One More Shot/ LICK, SLICK & SLIDE: I Got Drunk/ JIMMY LIGGINS: I Ain't Drunk/ JIMMY MCCRACKLIN: Beer Tavern/ AMOS MILBURN: Bad, Bad Whiskey/ JACK "THE BEAR" PARKER: Cheap Old Wine And Whiskey/ JIMMY RANEY & SLIM SLAUGHTER: You Drink Too Much Booze/ THE RICHARD BROS.: Drunk Drivers Comin/ JIMMY ROGERS: Sloppy Drunk/ SQUARE WALTON: Bad Hangover/ BILL WALKER: Wineo/ SONNY BOY WILLIAMS: Another Half A Pint/ JOHNNY WRIGHT: Wine Head

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Koko-Mojo 2 Fool Mule - The Funny Side of Rhythm & Blues ● CD $8.98
The second volume has 28 novelty oriented titles including Say What? by Eddy Jones & The Cyclones, Has Anybody Seen My Kitty by Sonny Hines, I Gotta New Car by Big Boy Groves plus tracks from Bobby Lewis, Johnny Fuller, Mr. Rain, Satch Arnold and others.
SATCH ARNOLD: On The Run/ LARRY BIRDSONG: Fannie's Place/ BOB AND JERRY: Ghost Satellite``Bob And Jerry/ DANNY BROWN: Standing On The Corner/ TOMMY BRUCE: Shakin' All Over/ HONEYBOY BRYANT: Funny Looking Thing/ VERNON DILWORTH & HIS TOP CATS: Shorty/ JOHNNY FULLER: No More, No More/ CHUCK GREY & SANDY STANTON: Push The Panic Button/ BIG BOY GROVES: I Gotta New Car/ AL HARRISON: Brand New Money/ SONNY HINES: Has Anybody Seen My Kitty/ J.J. JACKSON: Oh My Liddy/ K.C. MOJO JACKSON: Love Blood Hound/ CEE PEE JOHANSEN: Got My Gun/ EDDY JONES & THE CYCLONES: Say What?/ CHRIS KENNER: Don't Make No Noise/ FREDDY KOENIG: Road Runner/ BOBBY LEWIS: Mumble Blues/ LITTLE FREDDIE & RIPCORDS: Goodbye New York, Hello New Orleans/ BIG JAY MCNEELY: Psycho Serenade/ JOHN J. MOSES: Night Out/ MR. RAIN: Who Dat/ ELROY PEADE & ROW RIBBONS: Quick Like/ HASKALL SADLER: Bald Headed Woman/ SONNY STARNS: Tangi Paho/ DOSSIE TERRY: Fool Mule/ DELMER WILBURN & THE MANDALS: My Kissin' Cousin

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Koko-Mojo 3 Don't Mess With Me Baby ● CD $8.98
28 tracks on the eternal battle of the sexes including Watch My Signals by Bull Moose Jackson, Who's Lovin' You by Little Irvin, Young Girls by Larry Ellison & The Mark IV plus King Perry, Rudy Green, Big Red McHouston, Troy Walker, etc.
JESSE ALLEN: Take It Easy/ ROLAND BENNETT: Tore Up/ LONNIE BROOKS: Mr. Hot Shot/ RUFUS BROWN: Keep A Knockin'/ CLIFF CHAMBERS: Don't Talk Back/ PAUL CLIFTON: Sweet Pea/ JACK DUPREE: Stumbling Block/ LARRY ELLISON & THE MARK IV: Young Girls/ SONNY FISHBACK: You Ain't Goin' Nowhere/ GABRIEL AND HIS TRUMPET: Don't Stay Out All Night/ RUDY GREEN: Hurry Hurry/ CHESTER GUYDON: You Gotta Help Me Some/ FOX HALL: My Baby Left Me/ WILLARD HARRIS: Straighten Up Baby/ CHUCK HIGGINS: Betwix And Between/ JOE HOUSTON: I woke Up This Morning/ LITTLE IRVIN: Who's Lovin' You/ BULL MOOSE JACKSON: Watch My Signals/ LITTLE WILLIE JOHN: Leave My Kitten Alone/ Look What You've Done To Me/ BAKER KNIGHT: Bring My Cadillac Back/ BIG RED MCHOUSTON: I'm Tired/ MORRIS PEJOE: She Walked Right In/ KING PERRY: Come Back Baby/ TONY SPADE: What's Gwyne On/ DOC STARKES: Women & Cadillacs/ ALONZO TUCKER: What's Wrong/ TROY WALKER: I'm Getting Hip

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Koko-Mojo 4 Love Shock - About The Beats From The Heart ● CD $8.98
28 more on the vicissitudes of love including Big Man by Carl Matthews, Hi Fi Baby by Teddy "Mr. Bear" McRae, One More Kiss by Jesse Perkins plus sides by Frankie Lucas, Jimmy Norman, Ray Johnson, Joe McCoy and others.
EDDIE ALSTON: I Just Cant Help It/ GENE BURKS: Shirley Jean/ HAROLD BURRAGE: You K.O.'D Me/ DORIAN BURTON: Flyin' Home To My Baby/ CURTIS BYRD: Pretty Woman/ THE DEVILLES: Tell Me So/ THE DIABOLIGUES: I Need Your Lovin'/ FLOYD DIXON: Ooh Little Girl/ STICK EVANS: You're The One/ PEPPERMINT HARRIS: Angel Child/ WILBERT HARRISON: Say It Again/ RAY JOHNSON: Shake A Little Bit/ SAX KARI: Chocolate Fizz/ LITTLE SONNY: Love Shock/ JOHN LITTLEJOHN: 29 Ways/ FRANKIE LUCAS & RENE HALL ORCH.: I Want To Rock You Baby/ CARL MATTHEWS: Big Man/ JOE MCCOY: Dizzy Little Girl/ TEDDY "MR. BEAR" MCRAE: Hi Fi Baby/ JIMMY NORMAN: Just To Get To You/ ELMAR PARKER & THE LIGHT LIGHTERS: I Like The Way You Walk/ JESSE PERKINS: One More Kiss/ AL REED: Top Notch Grade A/ BUDDY ROGERS: Mad With You/ TONY SAMS & LALA WILSON BAND: Thass Right/ CROWN PRINCE WATERFORD: Get Your Clothes & Let's Go/ JUNIOR WELLS: Levey Dovey Lovey One/ ANDRE WILLIAMS: Hey Country Girl

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Koko-Mojo 5 Move On! Vernacular Dances Off The Dance Track ● CD $8.98
This one has 28 songs extolling various dances including St. Louis Sunset Twist by Benny Sharp & His Orch., Let'd Do The Wiggle by Mabel Franklin, Charles Walker Slop by Charles Walker and more from The Binghampton Blues Boys, Billy "The Kid" Emerson, David Dean's Combo, Fenton & The Castle Rockers (Fenton Robinson), etc.
JUNE BUG BAILEY: Louisana Twist/ HANK BALLARD: The Coffee Grind/ THE BINGHAMPTON BLUES BOYS: Slim's Twist/ CELESTINE: Shake Baby Shake/ BRICE COEFIELD: Cha­Cha Twist/ DAVID DEAN'S COMBO: Double Freeze/ BILL DOGGET & HIS COMBO: Pony Walk/ BILLY "THE KID" EMERSON: The Whip Part 1/ FENTON & THE CASTLE ROCKERS: The Freeze/ FINNEY MO: Shake That Thing/ MABEL FRANKLIN: Lets Do The Wiggle/ THE IDEALS: Go Go Gorilla/ J.J. JACKSON: Oo­Ma­Liddi/ LITTLE LUTHER: The Twirl/ LITTLE SONNY AND HIS BAND: The Mix Up/ LITTLE LUTHER: Du De Squat/ PIANO SLIM: Lot Of Shakin' Lot Of Livin'/ JIMMY ROGERS: Sloppy Drunk/ ROLLS ROYCE & THE WHEELS: Topless/ BENNY SHARP & HIS ORCHESTRA: St. Louis Sunset Twist/ CHARLES SHEFFIELD: The Kangaroo/ CHARLES SIMS: Take A Bath/ V. AND B.B.: They Just Rocking & Rolling/ CAL VALENTINE & TEXAS ROCKERS: The Boogie Twist, Part 1/ CHARLES WALKER: Charles Walker Slop/ VAN WALKER: The Crawl/ JEANETTE WASHINGTON: Move On/ GEORGE YOUNG: Can't Stop Me

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Koko-Mojo 6 It's A Man Down There - Waiting For Better Times ● CD $8.98
No real theme here - just a fine and varied collection including Down and Out by THe Daps, Hold Out Baby by Teddy McRae, I'm Not To Blame by The Carter Brothers plus tracks from Johnny Fuller, Jimmy Anthony, Harmon Hump Jones, Doc Bill Joseph & Lafayette Leak and others.
JIMMY ANTHONY: 'Fore Day In The Morning/ BIG DADDY: I Think You're Lying/ THE CARTER BROS: I'm Not To Blame/ G.L. CROCKETT: It's A Man Down There/ THE DAPS: Down And Out/ JOHNNY FULLER: No More/ HARVEY HILL JR.: She Fool Me/ AL JACKSON: It Ain't Gonna Be Like That/ PINNOCHIO JAMES: Mama Don't Love Me No More/ GUS JENKINS: Jealous Of You Baby/ HARMON "HUMP" JONES: Lookin' For My Baby/ LOUIS "BLUES BOY" JONES: Come On Home/ DOC BILL JOSEPH & L. LEAK: I Don't Like It/ LEON & THE HI TONES: Rock'N'Roll In The Groove/ MARTY LEWIS: Satisfied With My Lovin'/ LITTLE WILLIE LITTLEFIELD: Baby Shame/ SCOTTY MANN: Just A Little Bit Of Lovin'/ TEDDY MCRAE: Hold Out Baby/ KINE MORGAN: Nobody's Fool/ DOC PALMER: Bye Bye Bye/ PIGMEAT PETERSON: Loud Mouth Lucy/ BOB RAYFORD: I'm Gonna Pay You Back Baby/ MIKE ROBINSON: Red Light/ ROCKIN BRADLEY: Look Out/ THE ROYAL JOKERS: I Don't Like You That Much/ MISTER RUFFIN: Bring It On Back/ THE SLY FOX: My Four Women/ HAROLD "THUNDERBIRD" WARD: How Wild Can A Woman Be

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Koko-Mojo 7 Burning Frets - The Rhythm, The Blues, The Hot Guitar ● CD $8.98
This 28 tracks collection is mostly, but not exclusively, tracks featuring hot guitar including Tapping That Thing by wonderfully names Boliver Shagnasty, Crawdad Hole by Chuck Harrod & The Anteaters, Justine by The Citations and more from Blue Charlie, Little Luther, Lazy Lester, Leo Price and Band an others.
JESSE ALLEN: Let's Party/ BABE BLOUNTT: Bobby Sox Rock/ BLUE CHARLIE: I'm Going To Kill That Hen/ JACKIE BRENSTON: Trouble Up The Road/ CITATIONS: JustineTHE/ THE FABULOUS SILVER TONES: Dimples/ JOHN FRED & THE PLAYBOYS: Boogie Children/ GABRIEL AND HIS BAND OF ANGELS: I'm Gabriel/ GUITAR SHORTY: Ways Of A Man/ CHUCK HARROD & THE ANTEATERS: Crawdad Hole/ RANDY HOBBS: You Better Run/ ALTON JOSEPH & THE JOKERS: Where's The Place/ CLIFFORD KING: Want To Jump With You Baby/ LAZY LESTER: I Hear You Knockin'/ LITTLE LUTHER: Automatic Baby/ MCKINLEY MITCHELL: Rock Everybody Rock/ PEE WEE & HIS ALL STARS: Say When/ LEO PRICE AND BAND: Quick Draw/ THE RAYMARKS: Back Fire/ GOOGIE RENE: Sidetracked/ BOLIVER SHAGNASTY: Tapping That Thing/ THE SHARPS: Have Love Will Travel/ HENRI STROGIN: Old Folk Boogie While The Young Ones Twist/ T.V. SLIM: I Can't Be Satisfied/ BO TOLIVER & HIS TIMERS: Farm Dell Rock/ T. VALENTINE: Teen Age Jump/ THE VALIANTS: Walkin' Girl/ MOJO WATSON: I'm The Only One

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Koko-Mojo 8 Cockroach Run - And Other Funny Games ● CD $8.98
26 more uptempo numbers including the great instrumental title tune by Lafayette Thomas plus Too Much Goin' On by Joe McCoy & His Real cCoys, Shotgun Rider by Bo Duddley (with great steel guitar from Freddie Roulette) plus tracks from Bob Williams, Cousin Joe, Big John, Choker Campbell and more.
JUNE BATEMAN: Possum Belly Overalls/ HAVERT BENNETT: Jack, You're Dead/ BIG JOHN: Astronote Blues/ CLIFF BUTLER: Rent's Too High/ CHOKER CAMPBELL: Walking On Thin Sole Shoes/ THE CHANCELLORS: Yo!Yo!/ COUSIN JOE: Sleepwalkin' Woman/ BO DUDLEY: Shotgun Rider/ THE JOLLY JAX TRIO: Everything Is A-Okay/ EUGENE LEE & RENE HALL ORCH.: Money Blues/ JERRY MCCAIN: My Next Door Neighbor/ JOE MCCOY& HIS REAL MCCOYS: Too Much Goin On/ BIG JAY MERCER: Bermudas/ BILLY PEEK: Prancing/ ROLLS ROYCE & THE WHEELS 2X: Topless/ JOHN SOWELL & JACK OLSEN ORCH.: Nightmares/ THE TABLE TOPPERS: Talk To Me Baby/ DANNY TAYLOR: You Look Bad/ LAFAYETTE THOMAS: Cockroach Run/ TABBY THOMAS: Hoodoo Party/ TOM TOLBERT: I Can't Cut It/ LITTLE ERNEST TUCKER: Gonna Get Me A Satellite/ WAILIN BETHEA & THE CAPTANS: Rockin' In The Jungle/ CHARLES WALKER: I've Got My Eyes On Her World/ BOB WILLIAMS: Talk To Me/ RICHARD "POPCORN" WYLIE: Money

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Koko-Mojo 10 Cat Scratchin' - Ladies In The Groove ● CD $8.98
This 28 track collection is devoted to female vocalists including Please Give Me A Match by Rebecca Williams, How Can I Lose by Shirley Ann Lee, Ain't Nothin' Shakin' by Peppy Prince plus Sandra Meade, Charlotte Cole, Lillian Offitt, Baby Joy Hamilton and others.
BOBBY & ROSEMARY: Cheapskate/ LOUISE BROWN: Son­In­Law/ CHAROLETTE COLE: Aint That Worth Something Baby/ MARY COLEMAN: I'll Make Him Mine/ GLADYS DE VORE: Yes Ma'am/ RUTH DURAND: I'm Wise/ CAROL FRAN: I'm Gonna Try/ PEARL GALLOWAY: Think It Over Baby/ GLORIA GUNTER: Move On Out/ BABY JOY HAMILTON: You Got My Nose Open Baby/ DIMPLES JACKSON: Ring A Ling/ BETTY JAMES: I'm A Little Mixed Up/ KITTY KAYE AND THE CATS: Fishtruck Boogie/ GEORGIA LANE: Get It!/ SHIRLEY ANN LEE: How Can I Loose/ TERRI LEE: I'm No Good To You/ SANDRA MEADE: Fever/ PRENTICE MORELAND: Holy Mack'reel/ LILLIAN OFFITT: Miss You So/ PEPPY PRINCE: Ain't Nothing Shaking/ CLAUDE ROBINSON: Cotton Pickin' Mama/ JOHNNY TAYLOR: She Wouldn't Lay Down/ GENEVA VALLIER: You Said You Had A Woman/ MARIE WILLIAMS: Cat Scratching/ REBECCA WILLIAMS: Please Give Me A Match/ PEARL WOOD: Sippin' Sorrow/ BILLY WRIGHT: If I Didn't Love You/ AUSTIN WRIGHT & CHUCK TILLMAN: Keep Me On Your Mind In 59

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Koko-Mojo 11 Work With It - Fine Frantic Fretwork ● CD $8.98
27 tracks - most with an emphasis on hot guitar playing including Huffin' & Puffin' by Cal Green, I'm Tired Of Beggin by The Sly Fox (with Ike Turner guitar), Little Miss Muffet by Chuck Mann plus Freddy KIng, Homesick James, Calvin & Clarence, Mojo Watson and others.
FREDD KING: That's What You Think/ JUKE BOY BARNER: Rock With Me Baby/ BIG BILL & HIS GUITAR: Little City Woman/ CALVIN & CLARENCE: I Don't Know/ EDDIE CLAY: Lorain, Lorain/ BIG CHARLES GREEN: Rocking To The Moon To-Night/ CAL GREEN: Huffin' & Puffin'/ LARRY GREEN: Blues Before News/ SLIM GREEN: Shake 'Em Up/ GUITAR CRUSHER: I've Got To Know/ HOMESICK JAMES: Can't Afford To Do It/ LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS: Had A Gal Called Sal/ THE IMPERIALITES: Have Love Will Travel/ WILLIE KING: Peg Leg Woman/ LITTLE LAWRENCE & THE SUSPENDERS: Don't Mess Around/ LITTLE LUTHER: Eeny Meeny Miney Moe/ BOB MACKEY & KING ALEX BAND: Shonuff Miss Brown/ CHUCK MANN: Little Miss Muffet/ RED MILLER & QUARTETT: Mary Jo/ JOHN J. MOSES: Fickle Women/ JESSE PIPKIN & BAND: Work With It/ EDDIE RIFF: My Baby's Gone Away/ FENTON ROBINSON: Crazy Crazy Lovin/ THE SLY FOX: I'm Tired Of Beggin'/ TENDER SLIM: I'm Checkin' Up/ MOJO WATSON: Look A There/ You Know You Don't Want Me

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Koko-Mojo 12 Holy Smoke - Don't Let Love Fool You ● CD $8.98
25 varied tracks including Want To Jump With You by Baby Clifford King, Holy Smoke Baby by Tony Allan, Come By Here Nat by The Cool Cat along with contributions from Elmar Parker & The Light Lighters, Freddie Williams & The Kaynotes, Billy Fair & Orch., Jimmy Trotter and more.
EDDIE ALEXANDER & THE GREATS: I'm In Love/ TONY ALLAN: Holy Smoke Baby/ JUKE BOY BARNER: Rock With Me Baby/ PINEY BROWN: Sugar In My Tea/ MODEST ''SHOW STOPPER'' CLIFTON: Pretty Little Baby/ LITTLE JOHNNY COOK: Try Your Love/ THE COOL CAT: Come By Here Nat/ BILLY FAIR & ORCH.: I'll Be True To You/ RUFUS GORDON: Long Tall Sally/ LENNY JOHNSON: Walk Ginny Walk/ BABY CLIFFORD KING: Want To Jump With You/ FRANK LINKENBERG: Ball Of Fire/ JIMMY MCPHAIL: Ding Dong Babe/ EDDIE MOORE: Touch Of Your Love/ JAY NELSON: Don't You Want A Man Like Me/ ELMAR PARKER & THE LIGHT LIGHTERS: You Know I Love You/ LEO PRICE & BAND: Hey Now Baby/ THE PRINCE ROYALS: Anna Mae/ JIMMY SHAW: Take A Chance On Me/ JOHNNY SPAIN: I'm In Love/ JOHNNY STEWART: A Whole Lot Of Lovin/ JIMMY TROTTER: Hungry And Thirsty/ ERNIE WILLIAMS: My Pretty Baby/ SONNY BOY WILLIAMS: Alice Mae Blues/ FREDDIE WILLIAMS & THE KEYNOTES: Linda-Lu

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Koko-Mojo 13 Please Be My Voo Doo Lou ● CD $8.98
26 tracks including Chicken Little by Rayvon Darnell, Who's That Under My Bed by Rich McWueen, Blacksmith Blues by Chuck Higgins plus Willie Egans, H-Bomb Ferguson, Johnson Boudreaux & The Jokers, Clarenc W. Samuels, etc.
JOE BENSON: Rock'N'Roll Jungle/ BIG MOOSE: Puppy Howl Blues/ JOHNSON BOUDREAUX & THE JOKERS ORCH.: Love Money/ JIMMY BUTLER: Trim Your Tree/ RAYVON DARNELL: Chicken Little/ WILLIE EGANS: Rock And Roll Fever/ THE EMERSONS: Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde/ H-BOMB FERGUSON: No Sackie Sack/ JOHNY GAREFOLD: Love Birds/ GENE AND BILLY: It's Hot/ CHUCK HIGGINS: Blacksmith Blues/ BEN HUGHES: Sack/ LONESOME SUNDOWN: Gonna Stick To You Baby/ LITTLE JOHNNY MCCALL: Half Ton Tillie/ RICH MCQUEEN: Who's That Under My Bed/ LEON PEELS: Cottonhead Joe/ CLARENCE W. SAMUELS: Slippity/ BIG BILL SCHAEFFER: I Hate, But I Like Popcorn/ JIMMY SHAW: Big Chief Hug-Um An' Kiss Um/ CARL SIMPSON: Baby Blues Rock/ ROOSEVELT SYKES: Sputnik Baby/ ROY TANN: Your Drivers License, Please/ DOSSIE TERRY: Skinny Ginny/ PERCH WELCH: Nursery Rhyme Rock/ PERCY WELCH & HIS HOUSE ROCKERS: Back Door Man/ BOB WILLIAMS: My Goose Is Cooked

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Koko-Mojo 14 Wild Life - And All About Love ● CD $8.98
28 more tracks including My Bonny by Chuck Cole, Contract of Love by Cliff Chambers, I'm Afraid I Love You by Jimmie Newsome plus more from Donnie Boyd, Davey Jones, Harold Burrage, Screamin' Jay Hawkins (obscure and totally crazed 1966 release on the Providence label), Louis Armstrong (no, not THE Louis Armstrong) and others.
THE ADMIRALTONES: Hey Hey Pretty Baby/ JESSE ALLEN: Love My Baby/ VERNON ANDERS: All Messed Up/ LOUIS ARMSTRONG: Talking About You Young/ DONNIE BOYD: Li'l Girl, Li'l Girl/ HAROLD BURRAGE: She Knocks Me Out/ CLIFF CHAMBERS: Contract Of Love/ CHUCK COLE: My Bonny/ EDDIE DANIELS: Playin' Hide Go Seek/ WILLIE EGANS: Wow Wow/ REDD FOXX: Real Pretty Mama/ BIG CHARLES GREEN: You Excite Me Baby/ RUDY GREENE: Wild Life/ JIMMY TENDER HART: I Dare You Baby/ SCREAMIN' JAY HAWKINS: My Kind Of Love/ BEN HUGHES: Crazy Man/ DAVEY JONES: The Chase/ JOHNNY KNIGHT: Little Ann/ BILLY LAMONT: Hear Me Now/ LIL' PREACHER BOY: Won'tcha Be My Girl/ RONNIE LOVE: Chills And Fever/ JIMMIE NEWSOME: I'm Afraid I Love You/ PAUL PRESTON: Twisted/ LLOYD PRICE: Right Kind Of Girl/ DOC STARKES: Love Me Like Crazy/ TIPPIE & THE CLOVERMEN: Gimme, Gimme, Gimme/ ANDRE WILLIAMS: Don't Touch/ PETE WILLIS: Baby Baby Baby

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Koko-Mojo 15 Dapper Dan - The Man For All Occasions ● CD $8.98
Due mid-January. Another collection featuring all female vocalists. 26 tracks including Humdinger by Little Marie Allen, Don't Talk That Talk To Me by Vickie Evans, Poppa Stoppa by Thelma Baxter, Whiskey Head Man by Viola Russell plus tracks from Bonnie Evans, Buddy & Claudia Griffin, Oscar & Anita, etc.
ANNISTEEN ALLEN: Yes I Know/ LITTLE MARIE ALLEN: Humdinger/ BARREL HOUSE BLOTT & LEE: Brand New Man/ THELMA BAXTER: Poppa Stoppa/ BEA BOOKER: Comfort In My Heart/ HONEY BROWN: Ain't No Need/ VELMA CROSS: I'll Be Oh So Good/ MARTHA DAVIS: No Deposit, No Return/ CARMEN DAVIS & ERNIE FREEMAN'S COMBO: NoNo Baby/ SARAH "FATWOMAN" DEAN: I Got Your Boogie/ BONNIE EVANS: Leave Your Love To Me/ VICKIE EVANS: Don't Talk That Talk To Me/ PEARL GALLOWAY: Get With It/ BUDDY & CLAUDIA GRIFFIN: I Got A Secret/ ERLINE HARRIS: Jump And Shout/ JIM HYDE & THE VELAIRS: Hands Off He's Mine/ EDDIE JOHNSON & EDNA MC RANEY: Back Up/ PIG MEAT MARKHAM: Let's Have Some Heat/ MISS JESSIE & BENNY SHARP ORCH: My Baby Has Gone Little/ CAROLYN MONTGOMERY: Stop That Stuff/ OSCAR & ANITA: What You Don't Know/ VIOLA RUSSELL: Whisky Headman/ FAY SIMMONS: Ella Weaver/ JOHNNY TAYLOR & THE TABS: Dapper Dan/ TINY TOPSY: Miss You So/ JEANETTE WASHINGTON: Too Late

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Koko-Mojo 16 Sugar Jump - Dance Til The Break Down ● CD $8.98
Due mid-January. Another dance themed collection. 28 tracks including Mess Around by Ray Charles, Mop Bop Boogie by Wilber Steinberg, The Whip by Doug Powell & The Valiants plus cuts from Royal Earl & The Swingin' Cools, Chuck Grey & Sandy Stanton, Lauren Aitken (Jamaican R&B), Lord Tennyson, etc.
LAUREN AITKEN: Boogie In The Bones/ GEORGE "WILD CHILD" BUTLER: Jelly Jam/ MONROE CHAPMAN: Come Dance With Rudy/ RAY CHARLES: Mess Around/ KING COLEMAN: Alley Rat/ THE DEL-MARS: Snacky-Poo Part Two/ THE DUSTERS: Teenage Jamboree/ CHUCK GREY & SANDY STANTON: Rock And Roll Is In My Soul/ FOX HALL: Do The Rock And Roll/ HENRY HAYES ORCH.: Two Big Feet/ NIGHT WILLIE HEADON: Fun On A Saturday/ J. MERCY BABY: The Rock & Stomp/ JOE LOUIS JOHNSON: Dance The Boomerang/ THE JOLLY SAX: Pony Shuffle/ LITTLE IKE: She Can Rock/ LORD TENNYSON: The Dance/ STICKS MCGHEE: The Wiggle Waggle Woo/ KINE MORGAN: We're Goin' Out To Rock Tonight/ DOUG POWELL & THE VALIENTS: The Whip/ ROYAL EARL & THE SWINGIN COOLS: Royal Earl Shuffle/ CLARENCE SAMUELS: We're Goin' To The Hop/ ALONZO SCALES: My Baby Likes To Shuffle/ WILBER STEINBERG: Mop Bop Boogie/ TABBY THOMAS: Louisana Hop/ RANDY THOMAS & THE TWISTERS: Twistin All Night Long/ THE THREE OF US: Sugar Jump/ LITTLE ERNEST TUCKER: Too Small To Dance/ BILLY WRIGHT: Wind It Up

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS One Day DAY2CD 179 I Put A Spell On You - The OKeh Story ● CD $11.98 $8.98
Two CDs, 50 tracks, highly recommended
Another of One Day's quick surveys of a significant label - this time devoted to the OKeh label in the 50s. OKeh was one of the pioneering blues and country labels in the 1920s though by 1951 when it was a subsidiary of Columbia it featured a wide range of music. In 1951 it was decided to devote the label primarily to rhythm and blues and artists in other fields were transferred to Epic or parent label Columbia. This is a fine selection of R&B, blues and doo-wop along with some white rock 'n' roll and rockabilly recorded in the 1950s and includes successful artists like Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Chuck Willis and Big Maybelle along with fine lesser known performers like Billy Lamont, Laverne Ray & The Raytones, Lloyd "Fatman" Smith, Lois Lee and Hurricane Harry (the original version of My Last Meal later recorded by Jimmy Rogers). Brook Benton made his first recordings for OKeh though it wasn't until he moved to Mercury in 1959 that the hits started flooding in and rock & roller Frankie Tyler is an early recording by Frankie Valley. There are also two superb sides from 1957 by Billy Stewart accompanied by the vocal group The Marquees which featured a young Marvin Gaye among its members. Superb music with excellent sound and brief notes. (FS)
GAR BACON: Marshall, Marshall/ DOC BAGBY: Sylvia's Callin'/ BROOK BENTON: Bring Me Love/ The Kentuckian Song/ BIG MAYBELLE: I've Got a Feelin'/ One Monkey Don't Stop No Show/ The Other Night/ Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On/ THE BUDDIES: Castle Of Love/ DAVE "BABY" CORTEZ: Honey Baby/ You Give Me Heebie Jeebies/ THE DOLLS: Please Come Home/ THE EVENTUALS: Charlie Chan/ DERRELL FELTS: It's A Great Big Day/ Lookie Lookie Lookie/ THE FIVE SCAMPS: Red Hot/ PAUL GAYTEN: Cow Cow Blues/ JAY HAWKINS: I Put A Spell On You Screamin'/ SCREAMIN' JAY HAWKINS: Frenzy/ Person to Person/ You Made Me Love You/ HURRICANE HARRY: Last Meal/ BIG JOHN & THE BUZZARDS: Oop Shoop/ THE KID & THE PONIES: The Pony/ MARIE KNIGHT: Come Tomorrow/ BILLY LAMONT: Country Boy/ LOIS LEE: I've Got It Bad For You Baby/ LITTLE JOE & THE THRILLERS: Lonesome/ Peanuts/ Please Don't Go/ Run Little Girl/ THE MARQUEES (FEAT. MARVIN GAYE): Wyatt Earp/ LAVERNE RAY & THE RAYTONES: I've Got That Feeling/ THE SCHOOLBOYS: Pearl/ Please Say You Want Me/ JOLLY BOY SHEPARD: You Care/ THE SKEE BROTHERS: 4 Aces Of Love/ That's All She Wrote/ LLOYD "FATMAN" SMITH: Miss Mushmouth/ THE SMOOTHTONES: Don't Keep Our Love Hidden In The Dark/ BILLY STEWART & THE MARQUEES: Baby You're My Only Love/ Billy's Heartache/ SUNNY & THE SUNGLOWS: Golly Gee/ SANDRA THOMPSON: (My Baby Don't Love Me) No More/ THE TROYS: Ding A Ling A Ling/ FRANKIE TYLER: If You Care/ I Go Ape/ CHUCK WILLIS: Charged With Cheatin/ Ring Ding Doo/ Two Spoons of Tears

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Rounder 1723 Caribbean Voyage - 1962, East Indian Music In West Indies ● CD $15.98 $8.98
This volume of field recordings by Alan Lomax features a panorama of traditional Asian and newly created creolized East Indian music. It includes Trinidadian "local classica" tan singing, Hindu devotional and wedding songs, Muslim tassa drumming, Madrasi funeral drumming, and a unique exceprt from a Kali ceremony in Guadaloupe.

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Rural Rhythm 423 30 Bluegrass Gospel Favorites ● CD $8.98 $6.98
30 tracks, recommended Excellent collection of bluegrass gospel drawn from the extensive archives of Rural Rhythm. Although dates aren't given I think most of these are from the 1960s and 70s. Artists include Red Smiley, Lillie Mae Whittaker, Don Reno & Bill Harrell, Ritchey Brothers, J.D. Jarvis (very soulful with fine Dobro), The Frosty Mountain Boys, Mac Wiseman, Red White, Rusty York, Hylo Brown and others. (FS)
HYLO BROWN: Lamp Lighting Time In The Valley/ Paul & Silas/ Where The Soul Of Man Never Dies/ FROSTY MOUNTAIN BOYS: Prayer Bells Of Heaven/ JIM GREER: Come And Dine/ J.D. JARVIS: Are You Washed In The Blood/ God's Not Dead/ I Found The Way/ THE MARKSMEN QUARTET: A Beautiful Life/ An Old Account Settled/ When We All Get To Heaven/ MAC MARTIN: I Live On/ If You See My Savior/ DON RENO & BILL HARRELL: I'm A Man Of Constant Sorrow/ THE RITCHEY BROTHERS: God Put A Rainbow In The Clouds/ Heavenly Light Is Shining On Me/ RED SMILEY: Something Got A Hold Of Me/ Thirty Pieces Of Silver/ Working On A Building/ BOBBY SMITH: Victory/ RED WHITE: Heavenly Light Is Shining On Me/ Oh, Lonley Tombs/ LIILIE MAE WHITTAKER: Jordan/ LILLIE MAE WHITTAKER: His Light Is Shining Down On Me/ I Like To Hear Them Preach It/ I'm Going To Make Heaven My Home/ MAC WISEMAN: The Black Sheep/ When They Ring Those Golden Bells/ RUSTY YORK: I'm Using My Bible For A Roadmap/ Take Me In Your Lifeboat

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Tampa 101 Tampa Toppers - Florida Blues & Boogie, 1951-1956 ● CD $16.98
24 tracks, recommended
Collection of Florida urban blues and R&B. Includes Clarence Jolly with Charles Brantley & His Orch., C.B. Baker, Manzie Harris and Rufus Beacham. The eight tracks by Beacham are excellent with powerful vocals and excellent band work but most of the other artists I found rather tepid. Excellent sound and booklet has discographical data. (FS)
C.B. BAKER: Goin' Back Home/ Skin To Skin/ RUFUS BEACHAM: All Right/ Hey, Hey! Pretty Baby/ I Can't Believe/ My Baby And Me/ Sad Feelings/ Don't Say You Love Me/ Do You Know How To Boogie/ Since I Fell For You/ CHARLES BRANTLEY & HIS BAND: Beggin' Blues/ Boogie Me Baby/ Each Night About This Time/ I Feel So Lonesome/ CHARLIE BRANTLEY & HIS ORCH.: Checker Shirt/ Let Your Good Times Go/ CHARLES BRANTLEY & HIS ORIGINAL HONEYDRIPPERS: Mean Mean Momma/ You Said You Loved Me/ MANZIE HARRIS & HIS BAND: Blues In The Morning/ Cryin' And Sighin'/ CLARENCE JOLLY: I Need You Baby/ You'd Better Change Your Ways/ Baby Take A Look At Me/ Every Man's Blues

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Varese 66382 The Sun Songbook ● CD $16.98 $4.98
18 tracks, 38 min, recommended
When you have a label that was indeed a powerhouse in the 50s into the early 60s, as great as it is, there comes a time where everything's been put out. What you need is a marketing gimmick. What we have here is a disc full of tunes written by Sun artists but recorded by other Sun artists. There are a few that were actually released at the time by Sun - there's a great version of Charlie Rich's Break Up done by Ray Smith, & of course there's Billy Lee Riley's classic take on Billy "The Kid" Emerson's Red Hot, along with Jerry Lee Lewis' version of Roy Orbison's Rock House. But most of these tunes were unreleased at the time & include a few lesser tracks as Jeb Stuart's Just Walkin' In The Rain. But what may be most interesting is some demos done by the songwriters, my fave being Johnny Cash with Little Wooly Booger (You're My Baby), along with Harold Jenkins (later known as Conway Twitty) doing Rock House, a song he wrote with Roy Orbison, & a couple by Charlie Rich. (GM)
SONNY BURGESS: Feelin' Good/ JOHNNY CASH: I Forgot to Remember to Forget/ Little Woolly Booger (You're My Baby)/ KEN COOK: Problem Child/ HAROLD JENKINS: Rock House/ JERRY LEE LEWIS: Down the Line/ Ooby Dooby/ Rock & Roll Ruby/ CARL MANN: Baby I Don't Care/ Ubangi Stomp/ ROY ORBISON: You Tell Me/ CHARLIE RICH: Right Behind You Baby/ Thanks a Lot/ BILLY LEE RILEY: Red Hot/ RAY SMITH: Break Up/ JEB STUART: Just Walkin' in the Rain/ VERNON TAYLOR: Mystery Train/ HAYDEN THOMPSON: Love My Baby

 

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