LATEST ADDITIONS  05/11/2012


IMPORTANT NOTE: We currently do not have a shopping cart. The company who handled our cart has gone out of business. However we are still handling orders and are keeping our web site up to date with new releases. You may place your orders by email (roots@toast.net), phone (toll free in USA 1-888-ROOTS-66, Elsewhere: 510-965-9503) or by mail P.O. Box 837, El Cerrito, CA 94530, USA


BOOKS

 
UGLY THINGS #33 ● BOOK $9.98
176 pages, perfect bound, essential
Counts as five CDs for shipping. Here's the brand spankin' new issue of the best music magazine currently in print. This may also be their best issue yet. You get a cover story on the great Love featuring a massive, in-depth interview with guitarist Johnny Echols--someone who has never done such an extensive interview before--and the results are magic. On top of that you get Cyril Jordan from the Flamin' Groovies' new ongoing column on the San Francisco scene, which includes rare photos and Jordan's own fab illustrations. Other artists featured are Ed Saunders from The Fugs and so much more, the awesome Wimple Winch, Group 1850, and others. Lots of great ongoing columns and as usual, the best bunch of CD, DVD and Book reviews outside of, well, Roots and Rhythm, make for what I consider essential indeed. (JM)


THE ONE The Life And Music Of James Brown by RJ Smith ● BOOK $24.98
Hardback, 455 pages, counts as eight CDs for shipping
This is the definitive biography of James Brown, the Godfather of Soul, as it charts his extraordinary life as entrepreneur, civil rights activist, and a musical innovator. This highly influential genius, who all but created funk and dominated R&B and pop in the second half of the 20th century, was born into abject poverty in South Carolina and raised in rural Georgia amid violent racial tensions. He grew up in a brothel owned by his aunt, landed in a juvenile prison at age 16, and upon his release met his first bandmates, who would later become the Famous Flames. Brown's music, defined by a concept he referred to as "the One", ruled R&B from the Chitlin' Circuit to the Apollo Theater: he amassed 44 Billboard Top 40 hit singles, played up to 350 shows a year at his peak, and was a superior showman. This book is a meticulously researched story that delves into the complexities of Brown as an artist, and explores his role in the Black Power movement, his high profile friendships, his complicated personal life, and his loss and gain of several fortunes. The music world has been waiting a long time for a thorough look into this giant of R&B, and here it is.

 

DVDS

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Kultur International 4167 Come West Along The Road ● DVD $14.98
46 performances, 145 minutes, essential
Now available as a U.S. release at a much lower price. Incredible DVD featuring almost 2 1/2 hours of live performances of traditional Irish music from the archives of RTE - the Irish national broadcasting service. Drawn from broadcasts made between the 60s and the 80s it features traditional performers as well as younger artists who took the music in new directions. The performances are in settings that include inside and oustside peoples homes, on stage, in pubs and other informal settings. Among the artists featured are (are you ready?) - The Bothy Band, Darach O Cathain, Liam O'Flynn, Ann Byrne & Jesse Owens, Clannad, Ceoltoiri Laighean, Paul Brady (his unaccompanied Shamrock Shore sung in a pub is worth the price alone), Sean Keane, Knocknagree Set Dances, De Danann, Tommy Peoples, Julia Clifford & Denis Murphy with Paddy Moloney, Joe Cooley, Pat Kearney, Planxty, Paddy Moloney & Sean Potts, Stockton's Wing, The Dubliners, Tommy Makem, Frank Harte, Al O'Donnell (a wonderful and little known singer and guitarist) and many more. There are also ceili dancers, a brief mummers play and more. Audio and video quality is excellent and since this is drawn from hundreds of hours of performances we can only hope that there are more volumes to come. (FS)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Time LIfe 26624 Legends Of Folk - The Village Scene ● DVD $19.98
120 mins, recommended
Its possibly that you, like me, caught PBS's special on Folk music that aired a little while back, and it's possible that you, like me, liked it, but wished there was a little more to it. Well, here is the version that much deeper. The crux of the documentary is on the 1960s Folk scene in and around Greenwich Village and the music's journey up the Pop charts and around the country. This features some common and some pretty rare performances, with most of the songs preformed in their entirety (though unfortunately, they talk through half of Mississippi John Hurt's You've Got To Walk That Lonesome Valley, probably the rarest of the footage here). You get Newport Festival performances from Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, and various T.V. show performances from most of the rest, with the main exception being The Mamas and Papas, who were filmed at the Monterey Pop Festival. From Phil Ochs to Neil Diamond, The New Lost City Ramblers to Simon & Garfunkel, you get a pretty good overview of the 1960's biggest and most influential Folkies. The best thing about this release may well be the bonus footage. The bonus is about an extra hour of the principle interviewees that participated in the documentary, going deeper into the stories of their careers, the Folk scene in the village in general, politics, hangouts, etc. So, you get some pretty fantastic footage of people like Don McLean, Peter Yarrow, John Cohen (from the Ramblers,) Maria Muldaur, etc. telling great stories and playing impromptu old Folk songs. Also features a menu where you can go through and pull up individual performances, which is nice. (JM)

 
 

COMPACT DISCS

 
JOHN LEE HOOKER Chess (Europe) 10404 The Complete 50s Chess Recordings ● CD $10.98
16 tracks, essential
The first disc from the double CD Chess 9391 originally issued in 1958 featuring all the recordings made for Chess or acquired by Chess from other sources in the 1950s. Most of the tracks feature John at his best accompanied only by his dynamic electric guitar with occasional second guitar by his friend Eddie Kirkland. The first two cuts - the ferocious Mad Man Blues and Hey Boogie were recorded for Joe Von Battle and originally issued on the Gone label and with Joe's rather primitive recording facilities are the roughest sounding titles here. The rest of this disc features tracks recorded for Chess in April 1951 and April 1952 and includes several tracks not originally issued on 78s and features such great sides as Louise/ Union Station Blues/ Ground Hog Blues/ Dreamin' Blues/ Walkin' The Boogie (the original undubbed version)/ Please Don't Go/ Bluebird and others. If you don't already have these recordings on other reissues they utterly indispensible. (FS)

 
JOHN LEE HOOKER Chess (Europe) 10425 The Complete 50s Chess Recordings, Volume 2 ● CD $10.98
15 tracks, highly recommended
More fine and varied Hooker material. The first track was a fascinating experiment by Chess to try and make Hooker's sound slightly more commercial - they took his original recording of Walkin' The Boogie double tracked it, added loud stamping feet and a speeded up guitar part - the end result is fascinating and effective and the technical tricks seems quite sophisticated for 1951 but was not repeated. The next six tracks are superb sides from the April 1952 session by just John and his guitar. This is followed by the bizarre You Have Two Hearts that first appeared on the Chess double - a Lonnie Johnson style ballad with John Lee just strummin' accompanied by a celeste. There are four more tracks from a 1952 session originally recorded for Fortune with John Lee accompanied by the rather anemic piano of Bob Thurman and the rest of the disc is also Fortune recordings from 1953 and 1954 - four with Thurman and Eddie Kirkland on second guitar and four with a small band with trumpet and tenor sax that are raggedy but fun. (FS)

 
BETTYE LAVETTE Charly SNAXCD 640 Nearer To You ● CD $16.98
16 tracks, 46 mins, very highly recommended
Up until now Charly's SNAXCD series of R&B artist collections have been two CDs sets chock full of hard-to-find and/or previously unavailable treasures from legends like Allen Toussaint, Aaron Neville, Ernie K. Doe, Irma Thomas, and the Meters. This one for Bettye LaVette, however, is only one disc which is disappointing only from the standpoint of expecting more. Nevertheless, this set is advertised as a "complete" collection of the lady's Memphis recordings from the late 60's and early 70's made for Silver Fox (Lelan Rogers label) and SSS International (Shelby Singleton's label) (as well as two bonus tracks from 1978). The first four tracks-He Made a Woman Out of Me/ Nearer to You/ Do Your Duty, and Love's Made a Fool Out Of Me - were the A and B sides to the only hits Bettye had with Silver Fox, while further singles featuring Joe South's Games People Play, Erma Franklin's Piece of My Heart, and a duet with Hank Ballard, Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go all stiffed. The rest of the songs here remained in the vaults until Charly released them for the first time in 1985. Although this CD is short, there's not a duff track in the bunch as Bettye sings the hell out of My Train's Coming In, At the Mercy of a Man, and I'm in Love. If you're a fan of Bettye LaVette, this CD is mandatory; and if you're a fan of great R&B and soul, then you can't miss with this one. (GMC)

 
LITTLE RICHARD Specialty 33300 Here's Little Richard ● CD $14.98
16 audio tracks, 2 video tracks, 45 mins, essential
The sticker on the front of this CD proudly trumpets that this album was "#50 on Rolling Stone's top 500 albums of all time." Now, while I certainly have no problem singing the praises of this record -- I am about to do plenty of that -- my problem is, that I can't think of 4 albums that are better than this Little Richard album, let alone 49; that's just an outrage! This album, Little Richard's debut full length from 1957 that features some of his great 1956 singles, is one of the absolute cornerstones of Rock & Roll. You could easily argue that at least half of those top 500 records might not have even existed if it wasn't for Little Richard. This album features Tutti Frutti/ Ready Teddy/ Slippin' an Slidin'/ Long Tall Sally/ Rip It Up/ Jenny Jenny/ She's Got It, plus another handful of great tracks that weren't hits but were just about as good. This CD re-issue has all of those, sounding perfect, plus bonus demo tracks of Baby and All Night Long, plus an audio interview with Art Rupe of Specialty records and on top of all that video's of screen test performances of Tutti Frutti and Long Tall Sally. If that's not enough, you even get a fold out small poster reproduction of the album's iconic cover. I have owned this record in some form since I was a teenager and I plan for this CD reissue to go straight into my collection as soon as I get my next paycheck. I might even get two, so I can have one at home and one in my car; I don't ever want this album not easily within reach from me. (JM)

 
JERRY MCCAIN Varese Vintage 6022 Good Stuff ● CD $15.98 $5.98
16 tracks, 49 mins, recommended
Collection of recordings made between 1960 and 1984 by this Alabama singer and brilliant harmonica player drawing on recordings made for Jerry's long time producer Gary Sizemore and issued on various singles and LPs. It opens with his classic Rex sides from 1960 of the much covered She's Tough and one of the all time great blues harmonica instrumentals Steady. From the same session but not released until 1977 were the almost as good What About You and Rough Stuff. After that it's a bit of a mixed bag with fine blues and harmonica playing interspersed with silly novelty songs (including the controversial Welfare Cadillac Blues) and not always successful attempts at soul. The disc ends with the rock 'n roll novelty Pussycat A-Go-Go by The Shindigs, who were actually Sam The Sham & The Pharoahs - a dumb song rescued by a fine harp solo from Jerry. (FS)

 
CHRISTY MOORE Tara 2008 Prosperous ● CD $14.98
12 tracks, 40 mins, highly recommended
Christy Moore's second solo album from 1972 is, in many respects, the prototype Planxty album since Christy is accompanied by Donal Lunny, Liam Og O'Flynn and Andy Irvine along with Clive Collins, Dave Bland and Kevin Conneff. By the time of the first Planxty album a year later their sound had matured as can be heard by comparing the two versions of Raggle Taggle Gypsies/ Tabhair Dom Do Lamh on this album and on the Planxty album. Nevertheless this is a splendid collection of mostly traditional songs including Dark Eyed Sailor/ Lock Hospital/ The Hackler From Grouse Hall/ Spancillhill/ Rambling Robin and others. Christy and Andy are big fans of Woody Guthrie and this disc includes Christy's version of Bob Dylan's tribute Tribute To Woody as well as Woody's powerful Ludlow Massacre. An excellent collection of early recordings from this important performer. (FS)

 
CARL PERKINS Bear Family BCD 17240 The Sun Era Outtakes ● CD $129.98
Five CDs, 162 tracks, approx six hours, essential for Carl Perkins fans - worth consideration by other rock 'n' roll fans
Elvis, notwithstanding, Carl Perkins was probably the most creative artist to record for Sun - a magnificent singer, dazzling guitarist and fine songwriter. Back in 1999 Bear Family issued a five CD set (Bear Family BCD 15494 - $99.98) featuring all of Carl's Sun recordings including some alternate takes plus his early Columbia recordings. Now Bear Family has gone one step further and gathered together every originally unissued song and alternate take that exists in the Sun vaults along with some home recordings for this impressive collection. About 1/3 of these tracks were also on Bear Family 15494 and some of the other tracks have appeared on albums over the years but here they are all together in one place - many making their first appearance on CD. In addition to the music there are also some fun fragments of studio chatter - while working on Dixie Fried, Carl gets frustrated at how it's going and blurts out "If I mess up again I'm gonna bust this guitar - and it costs too much money!". And how well does this intense dose of Carl doing the same song again and again work? Mostly very well. Carl was not a slick studio musician but an extremely talented country boy who was bristling with creative energy and could rarely do the same song twice. In many cases even a casual listener will notice how different takes of the same song can be - lyrics are changed, verses are added, removed or shuffled around and guitar solos are different sometimes dramatically so and reveal what an incredibly inventive player Carl was. It's not likely that even the most devoted Perkins fan (like myself) will listen to all 18 takes of Put Your Cat Clothes On (from two different sessions) at one time but it's the kind of situation where you will return again and again to investigate the differences and wonder at the creativity of the man. Needless to say, being Bear Family, the sound quality is sensational and the 134 page booklet has a detailed discussion of every song by Hank Davis and Scott Parker, rare photos (some previously unpublished) and a complete discography of Carl's Sun recordings. One minor complaint is I wished they had also included the issued versions - it would have meant an extra CD but would provide a complete picture. We must be eternally grateful that Sam Phillips had the foresight to save everything. (FS)
CARL PERKINS: All Mama's Children (alt 1)/ All Mama's Children (alt 2)/ All Mama's Children (alt 3)/ All Mama's Children (alt 4)/ All Mama's Children (alt 5)/ All Mama's Children (alt 6)/ All Mama's Children (fs 1)/ Be Honest With Me (alt 1)/ Be Honest With Me (alt 2)/ Be Honest With Me (alt 3)/ Blue Suede Shoes (alt 1)/ Blue Suede Shoes (alt 2)/ Boppin' The Blues (alt 1)/ Boppin' The Blues (fragment 1)/ Boppin' The Blues (fs 1)/ Caldonia (alt 1)/ Caldonia (alt 2)/ Dixie Bop/Perkins Wiggle (alt 1)/ Dixie Bop/Perkins Wiggle (alt 2)/ Dixie Bop/Perkins Wiggle (alt 3)/ Dixie Fried (alt 1)/ Dixie Fried (alt 2)/ Dixie Fried (alt 3)/ Dixie Fried (alt 4)/ Dixie Fried (alt 5)/ Dixie Fried (fragment 1)/ Drink Up And Go Home (alt 1)/ Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby (alt 1)/ Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby (alt 2)/ Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby (alt 3)/ Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby (alt 4)/ Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby (alt 5)/ Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby (fragment 1)/ Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby (fs 1)/ Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby (fs 2)/ Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby (fs 3)/ Forever Yours (alt 1)/ Forever Yours (alt 2)/ Gone Gone Gone (alt 1)/ Gone Gone Gone (alt 2)/ Gone Gone Gone (alt 3)/ Her Love Rubbed Off (alt 1)/ Her Love Rubbed Off (alt 2)/ Her Love Rubbed Off (alt 3)/ Her Love Rubbed Off (alt 4)/ Her Love Rubbed Off (alt 5)/ Honey Don't (alt 1)/ Honey Don't (alt 2)/ Honky Tonk Gal-Babe (alt 1)/ Honky Tonk Gal-Babe (alt 2)/ Honky Tonk Gal-Babe (alt 3)/ Honky Tonk Gal-Babe (alt 4)/ Honky Tonk Gal-Babe (alt 5)/ I Care (alt 1)/ I Care (alt 2)/ I'm Sorry I'm Not Sorry (alt 1)/ I'm Sorry I'm Not Sorry (alt 2)/ I'm Sorry I'm Not Sorry (alt 4)/ I'm Sorry I'm Not Sorry (fs 1)/ I'm Sorry I'm Not Sorry (fs 2)/ I'm Sorry I'm Not Sorry (fs 3 + fs 4 + fs 5 + alt 3)/ Keeper Of The Key (alt 1)/ Lend Me Your Comb (alt 1)/ Lend Me Your Comb (alt 2)/ Lend Me Your Comb (alt 3)/ Lend Me Your Comb (fs 1)/ Let The Jukebox Keep On Playing (alt 1)/ Listen To The Mokkingbird (alt 1)/ Lonely Street (alt 1)/ Lonely Street (alt 2)/ Lonely Street (alt 3)/ Lonely Street (alt 4)/ Look At That Moon (alt 1)/ Look At That Moon (alt 2)/ Matchbox (alt 1)/ Movie Magg (alt 1)/ Pink Pedal Pushers (alt 1)/ Pink Pedal Pushers (alt 2)/ Pink Pedal Pushers (alt 3)/ Pink Pedal Pushers (alt 4)/ Pink Pedal Pushers (alt 5)/ Pink Pedal Pushers (alt 6)/ Pink Pedal Pushers (fragment 1)/ Put Your Cat Clothes On (alt 1)/ Put Your Cat Clothes On (alt 10)/ Put Your Cat Clothes On (alt 11)/ Put Your Cat Clothes On (alt 13)/ Put Your Cat Clothes On (alt 14)/ Put Your Cat Clothes On (alt 15)/ Put Your Cat Clothes On (alt 16)/ Put Your Cat Clothes On (alt 18)/ Put Your Cat Clothes On (alt 2)/ Put Your Cat Clothes On (alt 3)/ Put Your Cat Clothes On (alt 4)/ Put Your Cat Clothes On (alt 5)/ Put Your Cat Clothes On (alt 6)/ Put Your Cat Clothes On (alt 7)/ Put Your Cat Clothes On (alt 8)/ Put Your Cat Clothes On (alt 9)/ Put Your Cat Clothes On (fs 1 + alt 12)/ Put Your Cat Clothes On (fs 2 + alt 17)/ Roll Over Beethoven (alt 1)/ Silver Bell (alt 1)/ Somebody Tell Me (alt 1)/ Sure To Fall (alt 1)/ Sure To Fall (alt 2)/ Sure To Fall (alt 3)/ Sweethearts Or Strangers (alt 1)/ Sweethearts Or Strangers (alt 2)/ Sweethearts Or Strangers (alt 3)/ Take Back My Love (alt 1)/ Tennessee (fragment 1)/ That Don't Move Me (alt 1)/ That Don't Move Me (alt 2)/ That Don't Move Me (alt 3)/ That Don't Move Me (alt 4)/ That Don't Move Me (alt 5)/ That Don't Move Me (fs 1)/ That's Right (alt 1)/ That's Right (alt 2)/ That's Right (alt 3)/ That's Right (alt 4)/ The Old Spinning Wheel (alt 1)/ The Poor People Of Paris (alt 1)/ The Way That You're Living (alt 1)/ Try My Heart Out (alt 1)/ Try My Heart Out (alt 2)/ Turn Around (alt 1)/ Turn Around (fragment 1)/ Turn Around (fragment 2)/ What You Doing When You're Crying (alt 1)/ What You Doing When You're Crying (alt 2)/ Y-O-U (alt 1)/ Y-O-U (alt 2)/ Y-O-U (alt 3)/ You Can Do No Wrong (alt 1)/ You Can Do No Wrong (alt 2)/ You Can Do No Wrong (alt 3)/ You Can Do No Wrong (alt 4)/ You Can Do No Wrong (alt 5)/ You Can't Make Love To Somebody (alt 1)/ You Can't Make Love To Somebody (alt 3)/ You Can't Make Love To Somebody (alt 4)/ You Can't Make Love To Somebody (alt 5)/ You Can't Make Love To Somebody (fs 1 + alt 2)/ Your True Love (alt 1)/ Your True Love (alt 2)/ Your True Love (alt 3)/ Your True Love (alt 4)/ Your True Love (alt 5)/ Your True Love (fragment 1)/ Your True Love (fs 1)

 
PLANXTY Tara 3001 After the Break ● CD $14.98
10 tracks, essential
Joyful, sweeping, brilliantly conceived and performed, this is Planxty at their best--the first and greatest Irish neo-traditional super group. The camaraderie and musical passion expressed by these five masters when they played together on this 1979 recording has never been eclipsed. Christie Moore and Andy Irvine share vocal honors, while Liam O'Flynn, Donal Lunny, and Matt Molloy construct their intricate instrumental latticeworks of flute, pipes, bouzoukis, guitars, and more. The emotions are rich throughout, from Irvine's cocky, politically incorrect Rambling Si£ler to the dark, eerie, and inexorable Farmer Michael Hayes sung by Moore. The finish is a riotous Bulgarian dance that leaves the listener breathless. This is a classic--not to be missed! (DC)

 
PLANXTY Tara 3005 The Woman I Loved So Well ● CD $14.98
8 tracks, 45 mins, essential
At last! A chance to wax elegaic about one of the most remarkable Irish albums ever made. This monumental, emotional work by Christy Moore, Andy Irvine, Donal Lunny, Liam O'Flynn, and Matt Molloy is easily the most romantic recording Planxty ever produced. It reflects the confidence and maturity the band had achieved as it wound down its glory days in 1980. Consider this a companion to "After the Break," recorded the previous year, and which was painted with bolder and darker emotional brushstrokes. The Woman I Loved So Well is delicious and unique in its dream quality. It's hard to recommend any one cut in particular, but the final ballad, Moore's 11-minute Little Musgrave, is nothing short of a masterpiece. Enjoy this album with someone you love. (DC)

 
MARGIE SINGLETON B.A.C.M. 375 She Will Break Your Heart ● CD $14.98
26 tracks, 62 mins, recommended
Fine collection of songs from singer/ songwriter Margie Singleton who had a modest amount of success in the late 50s and 60s including duets with George Jones and Faron Young. Margie was from Louisiana and was married to the legendary Shelby Singleton and although her voice doesn't particularly have a country twang she was a powerful and emotional vocalist and her earliest sides for Starday & D (1957-1959) feature fine honky tonk backings and includes her first chart hits Nothing But True Love and Eyes Of Love as well as other fine songs including the gospel song On The Cross and the Buddy Holly flavored My Special Dream. In 1960 she moved to Mercury and half a dozen of the tracks here were recorded for that label and are quite a mix including an answer to Leroy Van Dyke's Walk On By, the rocker Teddy with some hot rockabilly guitar and a fine cover of Jerry Butler's He Will Break Your Heart which gives this CD its name. Most of the songs were written by Margie and Shelby and the disc ends with two tracks from the obscure Empire label - one with Margie harmonizing behind Harry Hanson. Very nice. (FS)
MARGIE SINGLETON: Angel Hands/ Beautiful Dawn/ Destination Love/ Eyes Of Love/ For The Love Of Jim/ Golden Anniversary/ Her Image Keeps Getting In The Way/ I Want To Be Where You're Gonna Be/ I'll Just Walk On By/ It's Better To Know/ Just Remember/ Love Is A Treasure/ My Picture Of You/ My Special Dream/ Not What He's Got/ Nothing But True Love/ Oe Ee You're The One For Me/ On The Cross/ One Step Nearer To You/ Shattered Kingdom/ She Will Break Your Heart/ Take Time Out For Love/ Teddy/ Toss A Pebble/ Voices Of Love/ Your Old Love Letters

 
GEORGE SMITH & THE CHICAGO BLUES BAND BGO BGOCD 1035 Blues With A Feeling - A Tribute To Little Walter ● CD $18.98
14 tracks, recommended
Reissue of the first full length album recorded by this great West Coast harmonica player for the World Pacific label in 1968 with three bonus cuts. Most of the disc consists of George singing or playing some of the best sides recorded by the great Little Walter who had died shortly before these recordings. On this session he is accompanied by members of the Muddy Waters band who were touring the West Coast at the time with Muddy & Luther Johnson o guitars, Little Sonny Wimberly on bass and S.P. Leary on drums. Although George's performance are splendid they are close enough to the originals that one can't but help making comparisons with the originals and these performances come off second. In spite of the lineup the backup seems a bit stodgy - probably the result of too little rehearsal. The best track here is the only non Walter song West Helena Blues - a song that George had been performing for a number of years. The bonus cuts include two more Walter songs and a version of Love With A Feeling sung by Lucille at the same sessions but without George on harp. Not a bad album but not as good as it looks at first glance. (FS)

 
DAVY SPILLANE Tara 3026 Pipedreams ● CD $14.98
10 tracks, 45 mins, highly recommended
Uilleann piper/whistler Spillane has performed and recorded with the greats of Irish modern-trad musical explorations. "Pipedreams" shows clearly that he's learned a thing or two. Here's some hot Irish jazz-rock that sounds like what Moving Hearts might have done if they'd toured with Pat Metheny. A very rich studio sound, with enough electric guitar to scare away the hard-core folky, though it's a perfect complement to Spillane's playing. The low whistle on Shorelines is utterly haunting. Lest you conclude that this is an MOR album, Call Across the Canyon will never get airplay on easy-listening radio. Pipes wail over didgeridoo, bass, guitar, heavily layered percussion and wordless female vocals off in the distance. Pretty far out. Spillane is an amazingly controlled player, with great phrasing and pure tone. Check it out. (DC)

 
THE SWAN SILVERTONES Acrobat ADDCD 3004 1946-1951 ● CD $18.98 $12.98
Two CDs, 45 tracks, essential
This features all the pre-Specialty recordings of one of the greatest of all post war gospel groups. Originally formed as the Four Harmony Kings by the superb high tenor Claude Jeter in 1938 the group had changed it's name The Swan Silvertone Singers by the time they recorded their first session in July 1946 where Jeter was joined by baritones Solomon Womack (uncle of Bobby Womack) and John Myles with bass singer William Johnson. This first session of eight songs is in the traditional jubilee style pioneered by The Golden Gate Quartet but by the second session they adopted a looser and harder gospel style with Jeter and Womack trading off leads and by their June, 1950 session they ascend into the stratosphere with the addition of the ferocious baritone Rev. Percell Perkins (formerly with the Five Blind Boys Of Mississippi) whose declamatory preaching style puts him in the same league as the great Silas Steele. This is post war gospel at its very finest with excellent sound and informed notes by Opal Louis Nations in the 12 page booklet as well as full discographical info. A must! (FS)
THE SWAN SILVERTONES: All Aboard/ All Alone/ All Night All Day/ Backslider's Plea/ Careless Soul/ Depending On Jesus/ Down On My Knees/ Every Day Seems Like Sunday/ Father Alone/ Go Ahead/ Grant It Lord/ He's My All/ I Believe/ I Cried Holy/ I Done Made It Up In My Mind/ I Got A Mother Done Gone/ I Got A Witness/ I Must Tell Jesus/ I Want My Crown/ I Want To Dig A Little Deeper/ I Want To Rest/ I'll Search Heaven/ I'm Gonna Wait/ I'm Tired/ I've Tried/ In That Upper Room/ Jesus Is God's Atomic Bomb/ Jesus Met The Woman At The Well/ Jesus Never Fails/ Live So God Can Use You/ Long Ago/ Mother's Cry/ My God's Getting Us Ready/ My Lord Done What He Said/ My Time Done Come/ No Not A One/ Over Yonder/ Standing In The Safety Zone/ These Bones Gwine Rise Again/ Toll The Bell/ Use Me Lord/ What Could I Do/ Will The Circle Be Unbroken/ Working On A Building

 
TAIL DRAGGER & BOB CORRITORE Delta Groove 150 Longtime Friends In The Blues ● CD $15.98
10 tracks, 54 min., recommended
Mr. Dragger and Mr. Corritore first met in 1976 at a tribute concert for Holwin' Wolf the day after that blues legend died, and from the sound of this album, they share not just a similar blues sensibility but also a conviction to hold nothing back on every performance. So if you are afraid of whiskey-soaked, fire-singed Chicago blues, you may want to take a pass. Otherwise, this is granite solid and filled with blues harp in just the right amounts at just the right times. Corritore seems to have an instinct for making the blues burn hotter without shining the light directly on himself. (JC)

 
GID TANNER & THE SKILLET LICKERS JSP JSPCD 77155 Old Timey's Favorite Band ● CD $28.98
Four CDs, 100 tracks, over 5 hours, essential
Another fabulous and important old time country group documented in depth by JSP - this time the wonderful Georgia string band Gid Tanner and The Skillet Lickers. The group had unique sound using three and sometimes four fiddle players (Tanner, Clayton McMIchen, Lowe Stokes and Bert Layne) with Fate Norris on banjo and Riley Puckett on guitar plus various other musicians with most of the members contributing vocals solo or together in various combinations. They were the most succesful string band of their era and many of the songs they recorded have become staples of old time country music and bluegrass like Down Yonder/ Alabama Jubilee/ Four Cent Cotton/ Old Joe Clark/ Leather Breeches/ Bonaparte's Retreat/ Ya Gotta Quit Kickin' My Dog Around/ Johnson's Old Gray Mule/ Watermelon On The VIne and others. They may not have orginated all these songs but it was their version that most later musicians were familiar with. While not complete this set covers a good portion of the group's entire output including several of their amusing two part sketches like A Corn Likker Still In Georgia and A Night In A Blind Tiger. Sound quality is superb and there are informative notes by Pat Harrison who compiled the set. (FS)
MCMICHEN, PUCKETT, STOKES, NORRIS, LAYNE: A Night In A Blind Tiger - 1/ A Night In A Blind Tiger - 2/ MCMICHEN, PUCKETT, TANNER, STOKES, NORRI: A Corn Licker Still In Georgia - 1/ A Corn Licker Still In Georgia - 2/ MCMICHEN, TANNER, PUCKETT, NICHOLS, NORR: A Fiddler's Convention In Georgia - 1/ A Fiddler's Convention In Georgia - 2/ GID TANNER & FATE NORRIS: Goodbye Booze/ Where Did You Get That Hat/ GID TANNER & HIS SKILLET LICKERS: A Hot Time In The Old Town Tonight/ Alabama Jubilee/ Back Up And Push/ Big Ball In Town/ Bile Them Cabbage Down/ Black Eyed Susie/ Bonaparte's Retreat/ Buckin' Mule/ Bully Of The Town/ Cacklin' Hen And Rooster Too/ Cotton Baggin'/ Cotton Patch/ Cotton-Eyed Joe/ Cripple Creek/ Cumberland Gap/ Cumberland Gap On A Buckin' Mule/ Dance All Night With A Bottle In Your Hand/ Devilish Mary/ Dixie/ Don't You Hear Jerusalem Moan/ Down Yonder/ Drink 'Er Down/ Flatwoods/ Flop-Eared Mule/ Four Cent Cotton/ Georgia Waggoner/ Georgia Wagner/ Git Along/ Going On Down Town/ Hand Me Down My Walking Cane/ Hawkins Rag/ Hell's Broke Loose In Georgia/ Hen Cackle/ Hinkey-DInkey-Dee/ I Don't Love Nobody/ I Got Mine/ It Ain't Gonna Rain No More/ It's A Long Way To Tipperary/ John Henry (The Steel Drivin' Man)/ Johnson's Old Gray Mule/ Keep Your Gal At Home/ Leather Breeches/ Liberty/ McMichen's Breakdown/ Miss Mccleod's Reel/ Mississippi Sawyer/ Mississippi Sawyer/ Molly Put The Kettle On/ Nancy Rollin'/ Never Seen The Likes/ New Arkansas Traveller/ Old Dan Tucker/ Old Joe Clark/ Old McDonald Had A Farm/ Pass Around The Bottle And We'll All Take A Drink/ Polly Wolly Doo/ Prettiest Little Girl In The County/ Rickett's Hornpipe/ Ride Old Buck To Water/ Rock That Cradle Lucy/ Rocky Pallet/ Rufus/ Sal Let me Chaw Your Rosin/ Sal's Gone To The Cider Mill/ Settin' In The Chimney Jamb/ She'll Be Coming ‘Round The Mountain/ Shortening Bread/ Show Me The Way To Go Home/ Skillet Licker Breakdown/ Sleeping Lulu/ Slow Buck/ Soldier Will You Marry Me/ Soldier's Joy/ Soldiers Joy/ Sugar In The Gourd/ The Darktown Strutter's Ball/ The Girl I Left Behind Me/ The Old Gray Mare/ The Rovin' Gambler/ Tra-Le-La-La/ Turkey In The Straw/ Uncle Bud/ Watermelon On The Vine/ Whistlin' Rufus/ Whoa, Mule, Whoa/ Ya Gotta Quit Kickin' My Dog Around/ GID TANNER & RILEY PUCKETT: I'm Satisfied/ On Tanner's Farm/ Tanner's Boarding House/ Three Nights Drunk/ TANNER, MCMICHEN, PUCKETT, STOKES & NORR: Possum Hunt On Stump House Mountain - 1/ Possum Hunt On Stump House Mountain - 2

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Archeophone 3005 The Complete Hit Of The Week Recordings, Vol. 4 ● CD $28.98
Two CDs 59 tracks, 148 mins, highly recommended
The fourth and final invaluable volume reissuing titles from "HIT OF THE WEEK" series - a series of very cheap (15 cents) 78rpm records issued on a flexible material (durium-coated cardboard) that could be sold at news-stands. This two CD set features all the records issued between January 7, 1932 and June 23, 1932 when the company devoted all its attention to the other part of their business - making recorded advertisements and this collection features several fascinating examples of adverting messages for Frigidaire, The Brown Shoe Company, Good Year tires and others. The set includes some big names like Rudy Vallee with His Connecticutt Yankees, Nick Lucas and His Troubadours and The Mills Brothers as well as recordings by the prolific Phil Spitalny's Music, Morton Downey and The Camel Orchestra, The Hit Of The Week Orchestra and others including several unknown performers. A fine selection of high quality dance band music - some of it pretty hot. In addition to the advertising recordings this set also includes the 4-inch square disc issued that year featuring Amelia Earhart talking about her experience as the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic from an international broadcast that was originally included free with a copy of her book "The Fun Of It." In spite of the fragility of the original records the sound quality is outstanding and there are extensive notes, illustrations and full discographical data in the 24 page booklet. (FS)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Bear Family BCD 17279 Street Corner Symphony - Complete Story Of Doo-Wop, Vol. 1: 1939-1949 ● CD $24.98
30 tracks, 87 mins, essential
Bear Family does it again! After documenting the key R&B recordings in their "Blowing The Fuse" series and the key country records in their "Dim Lights, Thick Smoke & Country Music" they now turn their attention to doo wop with the first 5 of 15 volumes to document the development of the music from 1939 through 1963. This first volume is devoted to the roots of doo-wop with recordings made by black vocal groups between 1939 and 1949. It opens with the classic If I Didn't Care by The Ink Spots featuring the quavering lead of Bill Kenney and the group's approach would be followed by many groups in the ensuing years. Other important early sides like Till Then by The Mills Brothers (1944), I Sold My Heart To The JunkmanP.S. I Love You by The Four Vagabonds (1947) are included and the late 40s saw the emergence of groups who would have profound impact on the sounds emerging in the 50s like Sonny Til & The Orioles, The Ravens, The Four Tunes and The Robins. Lots of other fine groups are included like The Cats And The Fiddle, Dusty Brooks & His Four Tones, Melody Masters, Five Bars, Scamps, Syncopators, etc. Sound quality is superb though a few tracks are from very rare and noisy 78s and the package is rounded out with an 82 page booklet with detailed notes on every performance by Bill Dahl and photos of every group. Another class production all the way from Bear Family. (FS)
THE 5 RED CAPS: I Learned A Lesson I'll Never Forget/ THE BASIN STREET BOYS: I Sold My Heart To The Junkman/ THE BIG THREE TRIO: After Awhile/ DUSTY BROOKS AND HIS FOUR TONES: Play Jackpot/ THE CATS 'N' JAMMER THREE: I Cover The Water-Front/ THE CATS AND THE FIDDLE: I Miss You So/ THE CHARIOTEERS: A Kiss And A Rose/ THE DEEP RIVER BOYS: Recess In Heaven/ THE DELTA RHYTHM BOYS: Just A-Sittin' And A-Rockin'/ THE DIXIEAIRES: Go Long/ THE FIVE BARS: I'm All Dressed Up With A Broken Heart/ THE FOUR ACES: I Wonder, I Wonder, I Wonder, Part 2/ THE FOUR BLUES: It Takes A Long Tall Brown Skinned Gal/ THE FOUR KNIGHTS: Wrapped Up In A Dream/ THE FOUR ROCKETS: Loch Lomond/ THE FOUR TUNES: You're Heartless/ THE FOUR VAGABONDS: P.S. I Love You/ THE GOLDEN GATE QUARTET: Atom And Evil/ THE INK SPOTS: If I Didn't Care/ BILL JOHNSON AND HIS MUSICAL NOTES: Don't You Think I Oughta Know/ THE JUBALAIRES WITH ANDY KIRK AND HIS ORCH.: I Know/ THE MELODY MASTERS: My Baby/ THE MILLS BROTHERS: Till Then/ THE ORIOLES: It's Too Soon To Know/ THE RAVENS: Ol' Man River/ THE ROBINS: If It's So Baby/ THE SCAMPS: Solitude/ THE SHADOWS: I've Been A Fool/ THE SYNCOPATORS: River Stay Away From My Door/ DEEK WATSON AND HIS BROWN DOTS: Sentimental Reasons

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Bear Family BCD 17280 Street Corner Symphony - Complete Story Of Doo-Wop, Vol. 2: 1950 ● CD $24.98
30 tracks, 80 mins, essential
This disc is devoted to the year 1950 - a transitional year - the pioneering groups like The Delta Rhythm Boys, The Cats And The Fiddle and The Mills Brothers were still active but waning in popularity, the groups with newer stylings like The Ravens, Orioles, Robins and Steve Gibson & The Redcaps were consolidating their popularity and important new groups who would modernise the style like The Dominos with the incredibly influential lead of Clyde McPhatter, The Clovers and The Five Larks (born out of the gospel group The Selah Jubilee Singers). All these are here with seminal recordings along with great sides by lesser known groups like The Beavers, Three Riffs, Four Buddies, Blenders, The Flames (later to become The Hollywood Flames) and others. Another spectacular collection including soulful ballads and rocking numbers with magnificent sound and 80 pages of notes and photos. (FS)
THE 5 LARKS: My Heart Cries For You/ THE BEAVERS: I'd Rather Be Wrong Than Blue/ THE BLENDERS: Gone (My Baby's Gone)/ THE CAP-TANS: Chief, Turn The Hose On Me/ THE CAROLS: Please Believe In Me/ THE CATS AND THE FIDDLE: Do You Love Me/ THE CLOVERS: When You Come Back To Me/ THE COLEMANS: I Don't Mind Being All Alone/ THE DELTA RHYTHM BOYS: If You See The Tears In My Eyes/ THE DOMINOES: Do Something For Me/ THE DOZIER BOYS: She's Gone/ THE FLAMES: Young Girl/ THE FOUR ACES: Who Was There To Blame/ THE FOUR BLUES: As Long As I Live/ THE FOUR BUDDIES: I Will Wait/ THE FOUR TUNES: Old Fashioned Love/ STEVE GIBSON AND THE RED CAPS: I'll Never Love Anyone Else/ THE JUBALAIRES: A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes/ THE MASTERKEYS: Mr. Blues/ THE MILLS BROTHERS: Nevertheless/ THE KING ODOM FOUR: Lover Come Back To Me/ THE ORIOLES: At Night/ THE JOHNNY OTIS ORCHESTRA WITH THE ROBINS: Turkey Hop, Part 1/ THE RAVENS: Count Every Star/ I Don't Have To Ride No More/ THE RIVALS: Rival Blues/ THE SHADOWS: I'll Never, Never Let You Go/ THE STRIDERS: Cool Saturday Night/ THE THREE RIFFS: Jumping Jack/ THE WHISPERS: I've Got No Time

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Bear Family BCD 17281 Street Corner Symphony - Complete Story Of Doo-Wop, Vol. 3: 1951 ● CD $24.98
32 tracks, 89 mins, essential
1951 was the year that the hard edged rhythm & blues sound began to dominate the vocal group sound and the familiar sound that we call doo-wop emerged and would be a significant contributor to rhythm & blues for the next 10 years. The new doo-wop sound was immensely and four of the top ten R&B records for 1951 were doo-wop. This disc opens with one of the great iconic uptempo doo-wop songs with the Dominoes paean to sexual prowess in Sixty Minute Man featuring the bass vocals of Bill Brown which topped the charts and was the first million selling doo-wop title. This is followed by an iconic doo-wop ballad with the Five Keys and their debut - a gorgeous rendition of the Tin Pan Alley standard. The Clovers who debuted the previous year (see Bear Family 17280) on the small Rainbow label signed with Atlantic and topped the charts twice that year with Don't You Know I LOve You and Fool Fool Fool. Some artists who debuted in 1951 with great success were The Swallows and The Cardinals. Older groups like The Orioles and The Ravens were still going strong though without chart success - the former's version of the blues standard Baby, Please Don't Go is a real treat. Other great artists on this set include The Four Buddies, Larks, Mello-Moods, Billy Bunn And The BUddies, The Heartbreakers, Blenders, 4 Deep Tones, Drifters (not the Atlantic group who didn't make their debut for another two years), The Four Tunes and others. Another sensational collection and important contribution to music history. (FS)
THE 4 DEEP TONES: Just In Case You Change Your Mind/ THE BLENDERS: Little Small Town Girl (With The Big Town Dreams)/ BILLY BUNN AND HIS BUDDIES: I'm Afraid/ THE CAP-TANS: Asking/ THE CARDINALS: Shouldn't I Know?/ THE CLOVERS: Don't You Know I Love You/ Fool, Fool, Fool/ THE DOMINOES: 32. I Am With You/ Sixty-Minute Man/ THE DRIFTERS: Honey Chile/ THE FALCONS FEATURING GOLDIE BOOTS: How Blind Can You Be/ THE FIVE KEYS: The Glory Of Love/ THE FOUR BUDDIES: Sweet Slumber/ THE FOUR DOTS: My Dear/ THE FOUR KNIGHTS: Walkin' And Whistlin' Blues/ THE FOUR TUNES: May That Day Never Come/ STEVE GIBSON AND THE ORIGINAL RED CAPS: Would I Mind/ THE HEARTBREAKERS: Heartbreaker/ HOLLYWOOD'S FOUR FLAMES: Wine/ THE KING ODOM FOUR: Rain Is The Teardrops Of Angels/ THE LARKS: My Reverie/ THE MARSHALL BROTHERS: Who'll Be The Fool From Now On/ THE MELLO-MOODS: Where Are You (Now That I Neeed You)/ BOBBY NUNN WITH THE ROBBINS: That's What The Good Book Says/ THE ORIOLES: Baby Please Don't Go/ THE RAVENS: Gotta Find My Baby/ THE RHYTHM KINGS: I Gotta Go Now/ THE ROYALS: Give Me One More Chance/ THE SULTANS: Lemon Squeezing Daddy/ THE SWALLOWS: Will You Be Mine/ THE VARIETEERS: I'll Try To Forget I Loved You/ THE VICTORIANS: I Guess You're Satisfied

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Bear Family BCD 17282 Street Corner Symphony - Complete Story Of Doo-Wop, Vol: 4: 1952 ● CD $24.98
31 great doo-wop tracks from 1952 including such hits like Have Mercy Baby by The Dominoes, Wheel Of Fortune by The Cardinals, Baby Don't Do It by The 5 Royales and others along with lesser known gems from Billy Bunn & The Buddies, The Serenaders, The Larks, The Four Jacks and more. Full details next time.
THE '5' ROYALES WITH CHARLIE FERGUSON: Baby Don't Do It/ BILLY BUNN AND HIS BUDDIES: That's When Your Heartaches Begin/ THE CARDINALS: The Wheel Of Fortune/ THE CHECKERS: Flame In My Heart/ THE CLOVERS: One Mint Julep/ Ting-A-Ling/ THE DIAMONDS: A Beggar For Your Kisses/ THE DOMINOES: Have Mercy Baby/ That's What You're Doing To Me/ THE DU-DROPPERS: Can't Do Sixty No More/ THE ENCHANTERS: I've Lost/ THE FIVE CROWNS: You're My Inspiration/ THE FIVE KEYS: Serve Another Round/ THE FIVE SHARPS: Stormy Weather/ THE FOUR BLAZES: Rug Cutter/ THE FOUR BUDDIES: You're Part Of Me/ THE FOUR FLAMES: Later/ THE FOUR JACKS: The Last Of The Good Rocking Men/ THE FOUR KNIGHTS: That's The Way It's Gonna Be/ THE FOUR TUNES: Let's Give Love Another Chance/ THE HEARTBREAKERS: Rockin' Daddy-O/ THE LARKS FEATURING EUGENE MUMFORD: Hold Me/ THE MARYLANDERS WITH BUDDY LUCAS: Make Me Thrill Again/ THE MEL-O-DOTS FEATURING RICKY WELLS: One More Time/ THE ORIOLES WITH BUDDY LUCAS ORCHESTRA: Don't Cry Baby/ THE RAVENS: Rock Me All Night Long/ THE ROYALS: Every Beat Of My Heart/ THE SERENADERS: But I Forgive You/ THE SULTANS: Don't Be Angry/ THE SWALLOWS: Beside You/ THE VOCALEERS: Be True

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Bear Family BCD 17283 Street Corner Symphony - Complete Story Of Doo-Wop, Vol. 5: 1953 ● CD $24.98
32 great sides from 1953 - Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters, The Checkers, Crows, 5 Royales, Clovers, Four Tunes, Du Droppers, Royals, Five Keys and others. More next time.
THE '5' ROYALES: Too Much Lovin' (Much Too Much)/ THE BUCCANEERS WITH THE JOE WHALEN TRIO: Dear Ruth/ THE CARDINALS: Lovie Darling/ THE CASTELLES: My Girl Awaits Me/ THE CHECKERS: White Cliffs Of Dover/ THE CLOVERS: Good Lovin'/ THE CORONETS: Nadine/ THE CRICKETS: You're Mine/ THE CROWS: Gee/ THE DU DROPPERS: I Wanna Know/ THE FIVE ECHOES WITH FATS COLE'S BAND: Baby, Come Back To Me/ THE FIVE KEYS: My Saddest Hour/ THE FLAIRS: I Had A Love/ THE FLAMINGOS WITH RED HOLLOWAY'S ORCH.: Golden Teardrops/ THE FOUR TUNES WITH SID BASS ORCH.: Marie/ THE HARP-TONES: A Sunday Kind Of Love/ THE HORNETS: I Can't Believe/ CLYDE MCPHATTER AND THE DRIFTERS: Money Honey/ THE MOONGLOWS WITH RED HOLLOWAY ORCH.: Baby Please/ THE ORIOLES: Crying In The Chapel/ THE PLATTERS: Hey Now/ THE PRISONAIRES: Just Walkin' In The Rain/ THE ROBINS: (Now And Then There's) A Fool Such As I/ THE ROYALS: Get It/ THE SPANIELS: Baby, It's You/ THE SPIDERS: You're The One/ THE SWALLOWS: Nobody's Lovin' Me/ THE VELVETS: I/ THE VOCALEERS: Is It A Dream/ VANN WALLS AND THE ROCKETS: Big Leg Mama/ THE WANDERERS: We Could Find Happiness/ BILLY WARD AND HIS DOMINOES: These Foolish Things Remind Of You THE '5' ROYALES: Too Much Lovin' (Much Too Much)/ THE BUCCANEERS WITH THE JOE WHALEN TRIO: Dear Ruth/ THE CARDINALS: Lovie Darling/ THE CASTELLES: My Girl Awaits Me/ THE CHECKERS: White Cliffs Of Dover/ THE CLOVERS: Good Lovin'/ THE CORONETS: Nadine/ THE CRICKETS: You're Mine/ THE CROWS: Gee/ THE DU DROPPERS: I Wanna Know/ THE FIVE ECHOES WITH FATS COLE'S BAND: Baby, Come Back To Me/ THE FIVE KEYS: My Saddest Hour/ THE FLAIRS: I Had A Love/ THE FLAMINGOS WITH RED HOLLOWAY'S ORCH.: Golden Teardrops/ THE FOUR TUNES WITH SID BASS ORCH.: Marie/ THE HARP-TONES: A Sunday Kind Of Love/ THE HORNETS: I Can't Believe/ CLYDE MCPHATTER AND THE DRIFTERS: Money Honey/ THE MOONGLOWS WITH RED HOLLOWAY ORCH.: Baby Please/ THE ORIOLES: Crying In The Chapel/ THE PLATTERS: Hey Now/ THE PRISONAIRES: Just Walkin' In The Rain/ THE ROBINS: (Now And Then There's) A Fool Such As I/ THE ROYALS: Get It/ THE SPANIELS: Baby, It's You/ THE SPIDERS: You're The One/ THE SWALLOWS: Nobody's Lovin' Me/ THE VELVETS: I/ THE VOCALEERS: Is It A Dream/ VANN WALLS AND THE ROCKETS: Big Leg Mama/ THE WANDERERS: We Could Find Happiness/ BILLY WARD AND HIS DOMINOES: These Foolish Things Remind Of You

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS JSP JSPCD 77152 Women Of Rembetika, 1908-1947 ● CD $28.98
Four CDS, 87 tracks, essential
Another fantastic collection (the seventh) from JSP of Greek rembetika music compiled by Charles Howard - this time devoted exclusively to the recordings of female singers. Rembetika is often thought of as the Greek equivalent of the blues - a creation of the underclass and dealing with the realities of their life - smoking hash, thieving, jail, addiction, desire and betrayal sung with incredible soul and feeling. The music is thought to have originated with Greeks who had to leave Asia Minor at the beginning of the 20th Century. The earliest form is the Smyrnaic style (after Smyrna in Turkey) where the musicians first played the style and had a strong Turkish flavor to it with strong use of vocal ornamentation. The usual accompaniment included violin, santouri/ cimbalom (hammered dulcimer), lyra, guitar and oud. The first two discs feature recordings in this style. The recordings are presented chronologically starting in 1908 with a lovely side recorded by Gulistan Hanim and Arab Mehmet feature a female duet with zourna (a Turkish reed pipe) and drum accompaniment. The first two discs features such wonderful singers as Ka Koula, Marika Papagika, Roza Eskenazi, Rita Abadzi and others including the amazing Marika Politiossa who might just be the most soulful of them all. In the early 30s a new style of rembetica began to appear in the port city of Piraeus with a less ornamented style of singing and the extensive use of the bouzouki and its smaller cousin the baglama. Discs 3 and 4 presents recordings in this style made between 1934 and 1947. The fabulous Rita Abadzi and Ruth Eskenazi conituned to perform adopting this newer style as well as performing in the older style and were joined by younger singers like Anna Pagana, Sophia Karivell (sister of Rita Abadzi), Nota Kellei, Daizy Stavropoulou and others. Sound quality from remastering engineer Ted Kendall is superb - some tracks are from very rare and worn 78s and exhibit some noise but these are in the minority. The scanty booklets have brief notes on the artists and the songs. If you've enjoyed JSP's previous rembetika reissues or have been exposed to this fabulous music this is indispensible. (FS)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Official 006 Rare Grooves, Volume 6 ● CD $16.98
24 tracks, 61 mins, good
This volume in the series of recordings from the Groove label is the weakest yet with quite a few pedestrian performances and several downright awful tracks (The Students ridiculous Hot Rotten Soda Pop), Darling Is It True by the Two Sweethearts which is really bad pop and the dire Christmas song Rock Around The Christmas Tree by The Gypsies which makes Pat Boone sound like a wild man). There are some splendid tracks here here, mostly from familiar artists like Roy Gaines, Champion Jack Dupree, Peppermint Harris and Big John Greer plus the less well known Vikki Nelson (the hard driving You Can't Get Away From Me) but most of the rest is unlikely to get the pulses racing including sides by Frank Brunson, The Deep River Boys, The Sycamores, Oscar Black, Annie Alford, Lil McKenzie, etc. It seems like they are reaching the boittom of the Groove barrel. (FS)
THE 4 STUDENTS: Hot Rotten Soda Pop (Oh, My Toe)/ So Near And Yet So Far/ ANNIE ALFORD: Give Up And Tell/ Temporarily Blue/ OSCAR BLACK: If I Cry Tomorrow/ Be My Baby/ BOBBY & MELVIN: Forever And A Day (Woo-Woo, Baby)/ FRANK BRUNSON: Charmaine/ THE DEEP RIVER BOYS FEAT. HARRY DOUGLAS: Whole Wide World/ THE DEEP RIVER BOYS WITH HOWARD BIGGS ORCH.: (Home) How Dear Can It Be/ CHAMPION JACK DUPREE: Lollipop Baby/ Dirty Woman/ Just Like A Woman/ Old Time Rock And Roll/ ROY 'MR. GUITAR' GAINES: All My Life/ Worried 'Bout You Baby/ BIG JOHN GREER: I'll Never Stop Loving You/ THE GYPSIES: Rock Around The Christmas Tree/ PEPPERMINT HARRIS: Just Me And You/ LIL MCKENZIE & THE FOUR STUDENTS: The Others I Like/ VIKKI NELSON: You Can't Get Away From Me/ JAN STRICKLAND WITH HOWARD BIGGS ORCH.: All The Time/ THE SYCAMORES: Darling Is It True?/ THE TWO SWEETHEARTS: If You Asked Me

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS One Day DAY2CD 153 Essential Rockabilly - The Columbia Story ● CD $11.98
Another fine two CD set with 40 tracks of rockabilly, rock 'n' roll and rocking country froma a major label - this time it's Columbia's turn with sides from Billy Brown, Ronnie Self (5 great songs including the original version of Big Blon' Baby later covered by Jerry Lee Lewis), Billy "Crash" Craddock, Sid KIng & The Five Strings, Carl Perkins (not as good as his Sun sides but still fine), Johnny Horton, Jaycee Hill, Little Jimmy Dickens, Marty Robbins, EDdie Zack, Bobby Lord and others.
BILLY BROWN: Did We Have A Party/ Flip Out/ BILLY 'CRASH' CRADDOCK: Boom Boom Baby/ LITTLE JIMMY DICKENS: (I Got) A Hole In My Pocket/ LEFTY FRIZZELL: You're Humbuggin' Me/ FREDDIE HART: Dig Boy Dig/ ERSEL HICKEY: Goin' Down That Road/ JAYCEE HILL: Bump!/ Romp Stompin' Boogie/ JOHNNY HORTON: Honky Tonk Hardwood Floor/ I'm Coming Home/ The Woman I Need/ CLIFF JOHNSON: Go 'Way Hound Dog/ SID KING & THE FIVE STRINGS: Gonna Shake This Shack Tonight/ Good Rockin Baby/ Ooby Dooby/ Purr Kitty Purr/ Sag Drag & Fall/ When My Baby Left Me/ BOBBY LORD: Everybody's Rockin' But Me/ No More, No More, No More/ THE MADDOX BROTHERS: Ugly & Slouchy/ CHUCK MURPHY: Rhythm Hall/ JIMMY MURPHY: Baboon Boogie/ Grandpaw's A Cat/ My Gal Dottie/ Sixteen Tons Of Rock 'N' Roll/ CARL PERKINS: Pink Peddle Pushers/ That's All Right/ MARTY ROBBINS: Long Tall Sally/ Mean Mama Blues/ Tennessee Toddy/ RONNIE SELF: Big Blon' Baby/ Big Fool/ Bop-A-Lena/ Date Bait/ Petrified/ WAYNE WALKER: Bo-Bo Ska Diddle Daddle/ ONIE WHEELER: A Booger Gonna Getcha/ EDDIE ZACK: I'm Gonna Roll And Rock

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS One Day 502 The Cruisin' Story, 1956-1960 ● CD $39.98
10 CDs, 250 tracks, highly recommended How can you go wrong - 250 classic rock 'n' roll, rockabilly, R&B and doo-wop songs recorded between 1956 and 1960 - most of them chart hits. They're all here in this little box combining five double CDs - one for each year. You get Chuck Berry, The Teen Queens, Bill Doggett, Gene Vincent, Dale Hawkins, Buddy Holly, Elvis, The Diamonds, Everly Brothers, Danny & The Juniors, Little Richard, The Big Bopper, The Drifters, The Olympics, Santo & Johnny, Little Anthony & The Imperials, Joe Jones, Duane Eddy, Eddie Cochran, Clarence "Frogman" Henry and many many many more. Excellent sound, attractively packaged using artwork from the original "Cruisin'" LP series and brief notes in each set. A non stop rock 'n' roll party in one box. (FS)
PAUL ANKA: Puppy Love/ Put Your Head On My Shoulder/ LAVERN BAKER: Jim Dandy/ HANK BALLARD & THE MIDNIGHTERS: Finger Poppin' Time/ FREDDIE BELL & THE BELLBOYS: Giddy Up a Ding Dong/ JESSE BELVIN: Goodnight My Love/ BROOK BENTON: It's Just a Matter Of Time/ A Rockin' Good Way/ Baby, You Got What It Takes/ CHUCK BERRY: Almost Grown/ Bye Bye Johnny/ Johnny B. Goode/ Let It Rock/ Little Queenie/ Memphis Tennessee/ No Money Down/ Reelin' And Rockin'/ Rock And Roll Music/ Roll Over Beethoven/ Sweet little Sixteen/ JOHNNY BOND: Hot Rod Lincoln/ GARY US BONDS: New Orleans/ BIG BOPPER: Chantilly Lace/ BUSTER BROWN: Fannie Mae/ JOHNNY BURNETTE: Dreamin'/ You're Sixteen/ THE CADETS: Stranded In the Jungle/ THE CADILLACS: Speedo/ THE CAPRIS: There's a Moon Out Tonight/ JOHNNY CASH: Get Rhythm/ I Walk The Line/ THE CHAMPS: Tequila/ RAY CHARLES: Georgia On My Mind/ Hallelujah I Love Her So/ CHUBBY CHECKER: The Twist/ THE CHORDETTES: Lollipop/ DEE CLARK: Hey Little Girl/ THE CLEFTONES: Little Girl Of Mine/ THE CLOVERS: Devil Or Angel/ Love Potion No 9/ THE COASTERS: Poison Ivy/ EDDIE COCHRAN: C'mon Everybody/ Somethin' Else/ Summertime Blues/ Three Steps To Heaven/ THE COLLINS KIDS: Rock Boppin' Baby/ SAM COOKE: Chain Gang/ Only Sixteen/ Wonderful World/ You Send Me/ DAVE "BABY" CORTEZ: The Happy Organ/ THE CRESTS: Sixteen Candles/ THE CRICKETS: I Fought The Law/ It's So Easy/ MAC CURTIS: That Ain't Nothin' But Right/ DANNY & THE JUNIORS: At The Hop/ BOBBY DARIN: Dream Lover/ Mack The Knife/ BOBBY DAY: Rockin' Robin/ THE DEL VIKINGS: Come Go With Me/ THE DELLS: Oh What A Night/ THE DIAMONDS: Little Darlin'/ BO DIDDLEY: Say Man/ Who Do You Love?/ DION & THE BELMONTS: A Teenager In Love/ BILL DOGGETT: Honky Tonk (Part 1)/ FATS DOMINO: I Want To Walk You Home/ Walkin' To New Orleans/ When My Dreamboat Comes Home/ LONNIE DONEGAN: Putting On The Style/ THE DRIFTERS: Drip Drop/ I Count The Tears/ Save The Last Dance For Me/ There Goes My Baby/ DUANE EDDY: Because They're Young/ Forty Miles Of Bad Road/ Rebel Rouser/ THE EDSELS: Rama Lama Ding Dong/ TOMMY EDWARDS: It's All In The Game/ THE EVERLY BROTHERS: All I Have To Do Is Dream/ Cathy's Clown/ ADAM FAITH: What Do You Want?/ CHARLIE FEATHERS: Bottle To The Baby/ One Hand Loose/ THE FENDERMEN: Mule Skinner Blues/ TONI FISHER: The Big Hurt/ THE FIVE DISCS: I Remember/ THE FIVE KEYS: Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind/ THE FIVE SATINS: In The Still Of The Night/ THE FLAMINGOS: I Only have Eyes For You/ THE FLEETWOODS: Come Softly To Me/ CONNIE FRANCIS: Carolina Moon/ Lipstick On Your Collar/ Robot Man/ Stupid Cupid/ BOBBY FREEMAN: Do You Wanna Dance/ BILLY FURY: Colette/ That's Love/ GEORGIA GIBBS: Tra La La/ BILL HALEY & HIS COMETS: Corrine, Corrina/ Rip It Up/ Rock A Beatin' Boogie/ WILBERT HARRISON: Kansas City/ HARVEY & THE MOONGLOWS: Ten Commandments Of Love/ THE HEARTBEATS: A Thousand Miles Away/ CLARENCE "FROGMAN" HENRY: (I Don't Know Why) But I Do/  BUDDY HOLLY: Blue Days, Black Nights/ It Doesn't Matter Anymore/ Moondreams/ Peggy Sue Got Married/ Rave On/ True Love Ways/ THE HOLLYWOOD ARGYLES: Alley Oop/ JOHNNY HORTON: The Battle Of New Orleans/ WANDA JACKSON: Let's Have A Party/ JAN & ARNIE: Jennie Lee/ LITTLE WILLIE JOHN: Fever/ JOHNNY & THE HURRICANES: Red River Rock/ MARV JOHNSON: You Got What It Takes/ JIMMY JONES: Good Timin'/ Handy Man/ JOE JONES: You Talk Too Much/ JOHNNY KIDD & THE PIRATES: Shakin' All Over/ BEN E. KING: Spanish Harlem/ THE KODAKS: Oh Gee, Oh Gosh/ BRENDA LEE: I Want To Be Wanted/ I'm Sorry/ Ring-A-My-Phone/ Sweet Nothin's/ JERRY LEE LEWIS: Crazy Arms/ Great Balls Of Fire/ LITTLE ANTHONY & IMPERIALS: Shimmy, Shimmy, Ko-Ko-Bop/ LITTLE ANTHONY & THE IMPERIALS: Tears On My Pillow/ LITTLE RICHARD: Baby Face/ Good Golly Miss Molly/ The Girl Can't Help It/ Tutti Frutti/ BOB LUMAN: Let's Think About Living/ FRANKIE LYMON & THE TEENAGERS: The ABC's of Love/ Why Do Fools Fall In Love/ I'm Not A Juvenile Delinquent/ THE MAGNIFICENTS: Up On The Mountain/ DEAN MARTIN: Memories Are Made Of This/ JANIS MARTIN: Cracker Jack/ BIG JAY MCNEELY: There is Something On Your Mind/ THE MELLO KINGS: Tonite Tonite/ THE MIRACLES: Shop Around/ GUY MITCHELL: Heartaches By The Number/ HANK MIZELL: Jungle Rock/ THE MONOTONES: Book Of Love/ THE MOONGLOWS: See Saw/ RICKY NELSON: It's Late/ Just A Little Too Much/ Never Be Anyone Else But You/ Poor Little Fool/ SANDY NELSON: Teen Beat/ THE OLYMPICS: Hully Gully/ Western Movies/ ROY ORBISON: Blue Angel/ Only The Lonely/ Ooby Dooby/ CARL PERKINS: Blue Suede Shoes/ Boppin' The Blues/ PHIL PHILLIPS: Sea Of Love/ THE PLATTERS: My Prayer/ Smoke Gets In Your Eyes/ The Great Pretender/ Twilight Time/ Twilight Time/ ELVIS PRESLEY: A Big Hunk O' Love/ A Fool Such As I/ Don't Be Cruel/ Hound Dog/ I Need Your Love Tonight/ It's Now Or Never (O Sole Mio)/ One Night/ Stuck On You/ Such A Night/ The Girl Of My Best Friend/ Wear My Ring Around Your Neck/ JOHNNY PRESTON: Running Bear/ LLOYD PRICE: Personality/ MARVIN RAINWATER: Whole Lotta Woman/ JODY REYNOLDS: Endless Sleep/ CHARLIE RICH: Lonely Weekends/ CLIFF RICHARD: Livin' Doll/ Nine Times Out Of Ten/ Please Don't Tease/ Move It/ MARTY ROBBINS: El Paso/ THE ROCK-A-TEENS: Woo Hoo/ JIMMIE RODGERS: Kisses Sweeter Than Wine/ THE ROYAL TEENS: Short Shorts/ CHARLIE RYAN: Hot Rod Lincoln/ BOBBY RYDELL: Volare/ SANTO & JOHNNY: Sleep Walk/ JACK SCOTT: What In The World's Come Over You/ NEIL SEDAKA: Calendar Girl/ THE SHIRELLES: Dedicated To The One I Love/ Will You Love Me Tomorrow/THE SILHOUETTES: Get A Job/ THE SKYLINERS: Since I Don't Have You/ WARREN SMITH: Ubangi Stomp/ HUEY "PIANO" SMITH & THE CLOWNS: High Blood Pressure/ THE SPANIELS: Stormy Weather/ THE TEDDY BEARS: To Know Him Is To Love Him/ THE TEEN QUEENS: Eddie My Love/ THE TEMPOS: See You In September/ JOHNNY TILLOTSON: Poetry In Motion/ JOE TURNER: Corrine Corrina/ CONWAY TWITTY: It's Only Make Believe/ RITCHIE VALENS: Come On, Let's Go/ BOBBY VEE: Rubber Ball/ THE VENTURES: Walk Don't Run/ GENE VINCENT: Pistol Packin' Mama/ Woman Love/ Be-Bop-A-Lula/ THE VIRTUES: Guitar Boogie Shuffle/ DINAH WASHINGTON: What A Difference A Day Makes/ LEW WILLIAMS: Bop Bop Ba Doo Bop/ MAURICE WILLIAMS & THE ZODIACS: Stay/ CHUCK WILLIS: It's Too Late/ JACKIE WILSON: Doggin' Around/ KATHY YOUNG & THE INNOCENTS: A Thousand stars

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Sunrise 004 The Story Of Blue Beat - The Best In Ska, 1961 - Part 1 ● CD $19.98
2 CDs, 50 tracks, 144 mins, highly recommended
This ambitious collection (the second in the series so far,) features the first half of the groundbreaking year in Jamaican music that was 1961 in two CDS drawn from the legendary English Blue Beat label :CD one - the A sides, and CD two - the B sides, both of which are crammed full of all kinds of fantastic music. You can't quite call a lot of this Ska just yet, this is more the evolution of Ska. You get the melting pot of Jump Blues, New Orleans Rhythm & Blues, Jazz, and Memphis Rock & Roll, mixed with Calypso and other Island music, boiling over into something new and definitely exciting. Great tracks by artists that would become big names and by artists that would barely be heard from again like: Errol Dixon & The Blue Notes, Byron Lee & The Dragonaires, The Wiggans, Girl Satchmo & The Swingin' Mashers, Titus Turner, Derrick Morgan, The Charmers with Hersan & His City Slickers, Bobby Kingdom & His Blue Beats, and much, much more. That, plus some pretty deep notes, makes for a hell of a compilation. I certainly hope this series covers all of the 1960's; they are certainly off to a fantastic start. (JM)
LAURAL AITKEN & THE BLUE BEATS: Bar Tender/ Mash Potato Boogie/ THEOPHILUS BECKFORD WITH CLUE J. & HIS CITY SLICKER: Jack And Jill Shuffle/ Little Lady/ THE BLUES BUSTERS WITH LUTHER "WEE WILLIE" W: I Need Some Loving/ THE BLUES BUSTERS WITH LUTHER 'WEE WILLIE' W: Pleading For Mercy/ THE CHARMERS WITH HERSAN & HIS CITY SLICKERS: I'm Going Back Home/ Lonely Boy/ CHUCK & DOBBY WITH AUBREY ADAMS & HIS DU: Do Du Wap/ I Love My Teacher/ ERROL DIXON & THE BACK BEATS: Mama Shut Your Door/ Too Much Whisky/ ERROL DIXON & THE BLUE BEATS: Anytime Anywhere/ Midnight Track/ CLANCY ECCLES WITH HERSAN & HIS CITY SLICKERS: I Live & I Love/ River Jordan/ NEVILLE ESSON WITH CLUE J & HIS BLUES BLASTERS: Lover's Jive/ Wicked & Dreadful/ THE FOLKS BROTHERS & COUNT OSSIE AFRO COMBO: Carolina/ THE FOLKS BROTHERS & COUNT OSSIE AFRO-COMBO: I Met A Man/ GIRL SATCHMO & THE SWINGING MASHERS: Darling/ Satchmo's Mash Potato/ OWEN GRAY & HERSAN & HIS CITY SLICKERS: Get Down/ OWEN GRAY WITH HERSAN & HIS CIEY SLICKERS: Sinner's Weep/ THE JIVING JUNIORS WITH HERSAN & HIS CITY SL: Over The Limit/ THE JIVING JUNIORS WI\TH HERSAN & HIS CITY S: Hip Rub/ BOBBY KINGDOM & THE BLUE BEATS: Honey Please/ That's My Girl/ AZIE LAWRENCE & THE CARIB SERENADERS: Want To Be In Love/ You Didn't Want To Know/ BYRON LEE & THE DRAGONAIRES: Mash! Mr. Lee/ KEITH LYN WITH BYRON LEE & THE DRAGONAIRES: Help Me Forget/ HANK MARR: Hob-Nobbin/ Tonk Game/ MARTIN & DERRICK & SIR CAVALIERS COMBO: I Love You Baby/ Times Are Going/ THE MELLOW LARKS WITH CLUE J & BLUES BLASTER: Lite Of My Life/ No More Wedding/ DERRICK MORGAN & ERIC MORRIS: Now We Know (With Trenton Spence & His Orchestra)/ DERRICK MORGAN WITH CLUE J. & HIS BLUES BUSTERS: Leave Earth/ Wigger Wee Shuffle/ DERRICK MORGAN WITH TRENTON SPENCE & HIS ORCHEST: Ni\ghts Are Lonely/ LASCELLES PERKING WITH CLUE J & HIS BLUES BLASTERS: Lonely Robin/ LASCELLES PERKINS WITH CLUE J & HIS BLUES BLASTERS: Creation/ JIMMY SINCLAIR & THE TRENTON SPENCE ORCHESTRA: To Prove My Love/ Verona/ TITUS TURNER: Miss Rubberneck Jones/ Way Down Yonder/ THE WIGGANS: Let's Sign The Blues/ Rock Baby

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS World Music Network 1237 Rough Guide To The Music Of Afghanistan ● CD $15.98
Two CDs, 23 tracks, 113 mins, highly recommended
Afghanistan has been in a state of conflict for so long it's nice to know that through all the turmoil it has hosted a vibrant musical culture even though limits were put on it during the reign of the mujahedeen and completely banned when the Taliban was in power from 1996 through 2001. After the invasion that unseated the Taliban the music making began again and several performers that had emigrated to escape persecution returned to their homeland. The music here, recorded both before and after the Taliban's dominance, is beautiful and varied ranging from solo rubab (a three string lute with sympathetic strings) and sarinda (three string traditional fiddle) to heavy rock influenced material and all points in between including small groups playing a variety of traditional instruments. Female vocalist Setara Hussainzada who opens the first disc with a western influenced title that is reminiscent of Algerian rai music apparently won the Afghan equivalent of American Idol! The first disc ends with a performance by the Ahmad Sham Sufi Qawwali Group featuring Sham on vocal and harmonium with second vocals, flute, second harmonium and percussion and the second disc is devoted entirely to this group featuring 8 songs - the combination of moaning vocals and droning harmonium is truly spine chilling. The booklet has notes giving a brief survey of Afghanistan and its music history along with profiles of all the artists on the discs by Simon Broughton who apparently has made a video about music in Afghanistan.

 

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