LATEST ADDITIONS  08/04/2013


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


COMPACT DISCS

 

JOHNNIE ALLAN Jin 9044 Swamp Pop Legend - The Essential Collection ● CD $15.98
25 tracks, 61 mins, highly recommended
Back in stock. Wonderful collection of swamp pop from one the masters of the genre. Well just what is "swamp pop"? It's a South Louisiana mixture of rock 'n' roll, R&B, country and cajun music blended together with heartfelt vocals to make an immensely appealing brew. There are few better exponents than Johnnie Allan who has been performing since the 40s. This collection of recordings, mostly spanning the 50s through the 70s, is about 50% duplicated on Ace 380. Johnnie wrote half the songs here including such fine items as Angel Love/ Lonely Days And Lonely Nights/ Do You Love Me So and the terrific Let's Go Get Drunk. There are some great covers here including his reworking of the Johnny Horton hit North To Alaska as South To Louisiana, a driving version of Chuck Berry's Promised Land with cajun accordion and Merle Haggard's Today I Staretd Loving You Again. Lots of other great music here including a new song Just Remember celebrating his daughter's marriage that show what a fine stright country singer he is. Johnnie is not only a fine musician he is also an amabassador for Louisiana music and has written several excellent books on the subject. (FS)

 
BILL CLIFTON B.A.C.M. 418 And The Hamilton County Bluegrass Band ● CD $14.98
28 tracks, good
Bill Clifton was one of the first East Coast, college educated folk artists to embrace bluegrass music and formed his first bluegrass group in the mid 50s. With his background he didn't have the intense high lonesome sound of rural musicians but he was an engaging singer and recorded some pleasant sides. The first 13 tracks on this CD are from an LP recorded in New Zealand in 1970 with Bill accompanied by the New Zealand group The Hamilton County Bluegrass Band. The material is mostly old favorites like Blue Eyed Elaine/ A Dollar Down/ Night Train To Memphis, etc. With Bill's rather emotionless vocals and the band's uninispred backup the result is pleasant but inconsequential. The remainder of the album is a live solo set from Bill from around the same time doing traditional and old country favorites - the sort of think that Rambling Jack Eliot did only Jack did it so much better. All in all, a pretty tepid set of performances. (FS)
BILL CLIFTON: A Dollar Down/ Baby You Done Flubbed Your Dub With Me/ Blue Eyed Elaine/ Boll Weevil/ Feast Here Tonight/ Green To Grey/ Happy Days (instro)/ He's Up With The Angels Now/ Jordan Is A Hard Road To Travel/ Life Gets Tedious Don't It/ Little Whistling Chimney/ Mary Dear/ Motherless Children Gets A Hard Time/ My Native Home/ Night Train To Memphiss )All The Time)/ Peach Pickin' Time In Georgia/ Po' Folks (All The Time)/ Red Wing (instro)/ Ridin' On That Train/ Sarah's Willuog (instro)/ Sister Lucy Lee/ Stoney's Waltz (instro)/ Talking Guitar Blues/ The Burgular Man/ There Ain't No Bugs On Me/ There Ain't Nobody Gonna Miss/ Whistlin' Rufus (instro)/ Wildwood Flower

 
 
JAMES GOVAN Kent CDKEND 398 Wanted - The Fame Recordings ● CD $18.98
16 tracks, very highly recommended
Discovered by George Jackson while scouting the Memphis clubs for FAME boss Rick Hall, James Govan is one of those R&B artists that fell through the cracks during the mid-late 60s Soul boom, and he's ripe for rediscovery. This 16 song set represents everything he cut for FAME, including his two 45s: a powerful version of Wanted (previously cut by Laura Lee) backed with a funky take on Jambalaya, and a dramatic reading of the Beatles' Something with the lively You Get a Lot to Like on the flip. The reclusive Govan is revered in Italy and listening to these recordings it's easy to hear why: the way he masterfully essays I Shall Be Released/ Your Love Lifted Me/ Just Like a Woman, and Bye Bye Blackbird is the mark of a first class Soul singer. Yes, his voice is reminiscent of Otis Redding's, but Govan is his own man and proves it time and time again on this staggering document to what could have been a great career if the stars had been aligned differently. (GMC)

 
LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS JSP JSPCD 77172 The Acoustic Years, 1959-1960 ● CD $28.98
Four CDs, 75 tracks, essential
Hopkins was arguably the greatest country blues artist to record in the post war era. He was a truly creative genius with a knack for original observations of the world around him, he was a wonderful singer with a dark brooding voice and a unique guitarist with an immediately recognizable style where every note he plays seems to be a blue note! He had a number of guitar riffs that he was fond of but it doesn't matter how many times I hear them they never fail to send a shiver down my spine. Between 1946 and 1956 he recorded for the African American audience and was immensely popular and scored a number of R&B chart hits. Most of these recordings featured Lightnin' playing electric guitar. After three lean years he was found by folklorist Sam Charters who decided to record him for Folkways and being aimed at a folk market encouraged him to play acoustic guitar and from this time until his death in 1982 he performed regularly for a white audience switching between acoustic and electric guitar as the mood took him. I had the privilege to see him perform half a dozen times in the 1960s and 1970s and his performances were always a delight - he had a few staples that he performed almost every time but each show I saw was different to the last. The recordings here from 1959 and 1960 features those first recordings for Sam Charters, a slew of sides recorded for folklorist Mack McCormack, sides recorded in California in mid 1960 and East Coast sessions cut for Bluesville and Candid in late 1960. Throughout Lightnin' is magnificent, reprising some of his old favorites (Short Haired Woman/ See That My Grave Is Kept Clean/ Rocky Mountain, etc), traditional blues that become uniquely Lightnin's own (Penitentiary Blues/ Bottle Up And Go/ Mean Old Frisco, etc) but it's mostly songs improvised on the spot utiising the plethora of "floating" lyrics and melding them into something intense and personal, often picking up up on topical events. Some of the McCormick recordings are technically rough but there are some great and intense performances including the very moving Prison Blues Come Down On Me which includes some dialog with his cousin Luke "Long Gone" Miles. By contrast his 1960 recordings for Candid have simply stellar sound quality and features a couple of tracks featuring Lightnin' on piano and one where he switches between guitar and piano. It also features his magnificent two part Mister Charlie. The Bluesville tracks feature tasteful bass and drum accompaniment from Leonard Gaskin and Belton Evans and several have fine harmonica from Sonny Terry. Simply magnificent music from one of the greatest of them all! (FS)
LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS: 75 Highway/ Automobile Blues/ Baby!/ Back To New Orleans/ Bad Luck And Trouble/ Ball Of Twine/ Big Black Cadillac Blues/ Black Cat/ Bluebird Bluebird/ Bottle Up And Go/ Bunion Stew/ Coffee House Blues/ Come Back Baby/ Come Go Home With Me/ Come Go Home With Me/ Conversation Blues/ Down There Baby/ Fan I/ First Meeting/ Get Off My Toe/ Go Down Ol' Hannah/ Goin' Back To Florida/ Gonna Pull A Party/ Got To Move Your Baby/ Hard To Love A Woman/ Hear My Black Dog Bark/ How Long Have It Been Since You Been Home/ I've Had My Fun If I Don't Get Well No More/ In The Evening When The Sun Goes Down/ Katie Mae/ Last Night Blues/ Lightnin's Guitar Boogie/ Lightnin's Piano Boogie/ Lightnin's Stroke/ Long Gone Like A Turkey Through The Corn/ Long Time/ Mama And Papa Hopkins/ Mean Old Frisco/ Mighty Crazy/ Mister Charlie/ Penitentiary Blues/ Prison Blues Come Down On Me/ Rainy Day Blues/ Rainy Highway/ Reminiscences Of Blind Lemon/ Rocky Mountain/ Santa Fe Blues/ See See Rider/ See That My Grave Is Kept Clean/ She's Mine/ Shinin' Moon/ Short Haired Woman/ So Long Baby/ So Sorry To Leave You/ Stool Pigeon Blues/ Take A Trip With Me/ Take It Easy/ Tell Me, Baby/ That Gambling Life/ That Mean Old Twister (Backwater Blues)/ The Foot Race Is On/ The Trouble Blues/ The Walkin' Blues/ Thinkin' 'Bout An Old Friend/ Til The Gin Gets Here/ Trouble In Mind/ Trouble Stay 'Way From My Door/ Walk On/ When My First Wife Quit Me/ When The Saints Go Marching In/ Wonder Why/ Worryin' My Mind/ You Better Watch Yourself/ You Got To Work To Get Your Pay/ Your Own Fault, Baby, To Treat Me The Way You Do

 
BUELL KAZEE B.A.C.M. 027 Legendary Kentucky Ballad Singer ● CD $14.98
22 tracks, 65 mins, highly recommended
A number of Buel Kazee tracks have appeared on various compilations but this is the first CD reissue exclusively devoted to this his fine and important ballad singer. Kazee, who was a trained singer, accompanied himself on banjo and recorded seminal versions of songs like Butchers Boy/ East Virginia/ Lady Gay/ Wagoner's Lad/ The Moonshiner and others. This set also features tracks with guitar and violin accompaniment, some duets with Carson Robison and some gospel songs with Frank & James McCravy as The Blue Ridge Gospel Singers. Wonderful stuff. (FS)
BUELL KAZEE: Don't Forget Me Little Darling/ East Virginia/ Faded Coat Of Blue/ I'm Alone In This World/ If You Love Your Mother/ Lady Gay/ Little Mohee/ Old Whisker Bill, The Moonshiner/ Poor Orphan Boy/ Redwing/ Roving Cowboy/ Snow Deer/ The Blind Man/ The Butcher Boy/ The Cowboy Trail/ The Cowboy's Farewell/ The Dying Soldier/ The Orphan Girl/ The Ship That's Sailing High/ The Wagoner's Lad/ Toll The Bells/ Why Not Tonight

 
CHARLIE "SPECKS" MCFADDEN Blues Documents BDCD 6041 Complete Chronological Recordings 1929-37 ● CD $15.98 $10.98
20 tracks, 62 mins, recommended
I bet you never expected to see a whole CD of Charlie "Specks" McFadden? No neither did I? But here we have a collection of 20 songs performed by this fine but utterly obscure performer. Apart from the fact that he was from St. Louis and got his nickname from the glasses he wore not much else is known. He was a fine singer with a high, expressive voice and recorded for a number of labels between 1929 and 1937 and on most of his recordings was accompanied by the brilliant piano of Roosevelt Sykes. Aprt from two 78s that have never been found this disc presents his entire output. He was best known for his songs Groceries On The Shelf (about an early supermarket chain) and People People and he recorded four versions of the former and three of the latter. There are other good songs here including Gambler's Blues/ Weak-Eyed Blues, the always topical Times Are Tight and Lonesome Ghost Blues but it's all worth a listen. Don't let the obscurity put you off. Sound is generally good and there are notes by Mike Rowe. (FS)
CHARLIE "SPECKS" MCFADDEN: Broken Down Blues/ Don't Bite That Thing/ Friendless Man/ Gambler's Blues/ Groceries On My Shelf (91208)/ Groceries On The Shelf (l-155)/ Groceries On The Shelf No. 2/ Harvest Moon Blues/ Hold It Where You Got It/ Last Journey Blues/ Lonesome Ghost Blues/ Low Down Rounders Blues/ Misunderstood Blues/ People People (91209)/ People People Blues (l-154)/ People, People (76832)/ Piggly Wiggly Blues/ Times Are So Tight/ Weak-eyed Blues/ Yellow Woman Blues

 
THE MEMPHIS JUG BAND Frog 15 Volume 1 ● CD $18.98
24 tracks, essential
Back in stock. Ever wondered what the 78s on your reissue CDs really sounded like? With remastering by John R T Davies, who worked on this three volume set (two of which were originally issued by JSP), you get as close as possible to finding out. Davies isn't concerned with removing all traces of surface noise but with preserving the information on the original discs; and in doing so he really brings this great music to life. Volume one covers the band's first twenty sides (from February 1927 to February 1928) and includes a further four tracks of solo performances by Will Weldon and Vol Stevens. Excellent notes by Neil Slaven sketch the social context in which the band operated as well as providing a critical commentary on each recording session. Not that this is music to be listened to in a high state of critical awareness - so what if the band occasionally sounds like it's falling apart, that's part of the fun. Sit back and enjoy Charlie Polk's 'richly flatulent emissions' and the rest of the gang as you've never heard them before. A full discography completes the picture. (DPR)
THE MEMPHIS JUG BAND: Beale Street Mess Around/ Bob Lee Junior Blues/ Coal Oil Blues/ Evergreen Money Blues/ I'll See You In The Spring When The Birds Begin To Sing/ I'm Looking For The Bully Of Thetown/ Kansas City Blues/ Memphis Boy Blues/ Memphis Jug Blues/ Newport News Blues/ Packed My Suitcase Started To The Train/ Papa Long Blues/ Peaches In The Springtime/ She Stays Out All Night Long/ Snitchin' Gambler Blues/ Sometimes I Think I Love You/ State Of Tennessee Blues/ Stingy Woman Blues/ Sun Brimmers Blues/ Sunshine Blues/ VOL STEVENS: Baby Got The Rickets Mama's Got The Mobile Blues/ Vol Stevens Blues/ WILL WELDON (CASEY BILL): Hitch Me To Your Buggy And Drive Me Like A Mule/ Turpentine Blues

 
THE MEMPHIS JUG BAND Frog 16 Volume 2 ● CD $18.98
23 tracks, essential
Back in stock. Volume two of the chronological reissue covers MJB's recordings between September 1928 and October 1929. The band are now hitting their stride, and this disc contains some of their most memorable performances, including Lindberg Hop, Stealin' Stealin' and the beautiful K. C. Moan. As in volume one there is great variety in both material and mood - from the wildly exuberant to the somber and downbeat. We even get two waltzes! This volume also includes two solo titles apiece by Will Shade and Hattie Hart otherwise found on Wolf WBCD 004. Detailed notes on the performances by Neil Slaven. The full discography is particularly valuable with an ever changing group like this, and sound quality is again exemplary. (DPR)
HATTIE HART: Won't You Be Kind To Me?/ You Wouldn't, Would You, Papa?/ THE MEMPHIS JUG BAND: A Black Woman Is Like A Black Snake/ Feed Your Friend With A Long Handled Spoon/ I Can Beat You Plenty (that Hand You Tried To Deal Me Will)/ Jug Band Waltz/ K.c. Moan/ Lindberg Hop/ Memphis Yo Yo Blues/ Mississippi River Waltz/ On The Road Again/ Stealin' , Stealin'/ Sugar Pudding/ Taking Your Place/ Tired Of You Driving Me/ Whipped My Woman With A Single-tree/ Whitewash Station Blues/ WILL SHADE: Better Leave That Stuff Alone/ I Can't Stand It/ She Stabbed Me With An Ice-pick/ What's The Matter?/ MINNIE WALLACE: Dirty Butter/ The Old Folks Started It

 
THE MEMPHIS JUG BAND Frog 18 Volume 3 ● CD $18.98
25 tracks, essential
Back in stock. The third volume starts with the band's session of May 1930, in the wake of the Wall Street Crash and with record sales already in sharp decline. Even so the band managed to cut a further twenty titles in the year, over nine short recording sessions. Highlights include Cocaine Habit, Meningitis Blues with vocal by Memphis Minnie, Going Back To Memphis and the sparkling final sessions in November which produced such classics as You Got Me Rollin'. Despite personnel changes Will Shade had managed to preserve a fairly consistent sound to his group during nearly four years of recording, a fact underlined by the alternate takes of titles from the earlier volumes which fill out this CD.  It was to be four years before the band recorded again, but they certainly went out on a high. Excellent notes again by Neil Slaven, a full discography and very decent sound. If only all reissues were like this set! These three volumes cover Memphis Jug Band's complete recordings in the period 1927-30. The band's later recordings are on Blues Documents BDCD 6002. (DPR)
THE MEMPHIS JUG BAND: Aunt Caroline Dyer Blues/ Bumble Bee Blues/ Cave Man Blues/ Cocaine Habit/ Everybody's Talking About Sadie Green/ Fourth Street Mess Around/ Going Back To Memphis/ Got A Letter From My Darlin'/ He's In The Jail House Now/ It Won't Act Right/ Jim Strainer Blues/ Lindberg Hop/ Meningitis/ Move That Thing/ Newport News Blues/ Oh Ambulance Man/ Papa's Got Your Bath Water On/ Round And Round/ Snitchin' Gambler Blues/ Spider's Nest Blues/ Stingy Woman Blues/ Stonewall Blues/ Sun Brimmers Blues/ You Got Me Rollin'/ You May Leave But This Will Bring You Back

 
THE MILLS BROTHERS Acrobat 266 Hits And Rarities, 1934-1952 ● CD $10.98 $6.98
20 tracks, 55 mins, highly recommended
The first seven tracks on this superb collection feature original brother and bass singer John Jr., who tragically died way too young in 1936 due to a bout of pneumonia. Instead of throwing in the towel on their blooming career, they made the unusual (in pop music) move of adding their father, John Sr., to take over the crucial fourth part in their harmony, and the rest is history. Tracks go all the way up to 1952, representing their last chart hit Glow Worm. The Mills family business still goes on to this day, led by Donald's son John Jr. III who joined the group back in 1969. Every song on this is a highlight; Louis Armstrong makes a great guest appearance on Cherry. (JM)

 
EDITH PIAF Jasmine 257 En Anglais ● CD $18.98
Two CDs, 30 tracks, highly recommended
There's no shortage of reissues of this great French chanteuse but this one is a little different as it features Piaf singing in English. The first disc features studio recordings made between 1950 and 1961 and the second disc features live performances from her appearances at Carnegie Hall in 1956 and '57. She mostly performs English versions of some of her most popular song (Hymne A'Lamour/ Les Trois Cloches/ La Vie En Rose/ Le Petit Homme/ Non Je Ne Regrette Rien, etc) along with a couple of American pop songs (Autumn Leaves/ Simply A Waltz, etc). She may not be singing in her native language but her voice is so emotional and compelling that her performances transcend all language barriers. (FS)

 
OTIS RUSH Fuel 2000 61548 An Introduction To Otis Rush ● CD $12.98 $8.98
14 tracks, 56 mins, highly recommended
Fine collection of one of the greatest contemporary blues singers and guitarists. The first ten tracks are drawn from his classic recordings made for Cobra between 1956 and 1958 including I Can't Quit You Baby/ If You Were Mine/ Three Times A Fool/ Checking On My Baby/ Double Trouble/ All Your Love (I Miss Loving), etc. The remianing four tracks are fine live performances which are, apparently, previous unissued. There is no information on where these are from but I would presume from the 90s and find Otis in great form on it's So Hard For Me To Believ You Baby/ It's My Own faul/ Crosscut saw and, of course, his theme song All Your Love (I Miss Loving).

 
T. TEXAS TYLER B.A.C.M. 419 Vol. 2: Live, 1948-1950 ● CD $14.98
25 tracks, 73 mins, highly recommended
B.A.C.M.'s second T. Texas Tyler is all, previously unissued live performances from radio shows. It includes three complete radio shows from 1948 and 1950 and an excerpt from a 1949 Melody Roundup. Each program starts with Tyler's theme song Remember Me and backed by a hot western swing flavored band does songs like Beautiful Morning Glory/ I Love You Because/ Goodnight Waltz/ Cry Baby Heart/ Please Don't Leave Me/ My Bucket's Got A Hole In It and others. There are also vocal contributions from band members Kenny Williams, Dick Hamilton and Danny Alguire as well as a bunch of hot instrumentals including a great rendition of Glenn Miller's theme tune In The Mood. Sound quality is decent and there are excellent notes by Kevin Coffey. (FS)
MELODY ROUNDUP: Remember Me, Guitar Boogie (instrumental), I'll Hold You In My Heart, Beautiful Morning Glory, Tennessee Waltz NBC RADIO BROADCAST: Remember Me, Jess (instrumental), I Love You Because, The Johnson Rag (instrumental), Tear Drops In My Heart, Panhandle Rag (instrumental), Goodnight Waltz, Ida Red AFRS W-45: Remember Me, In The Mood (instrumental), Cry Baby Heart, Gotta Have My Baby Back, Down Home Rag (instrumental), Goodnight Waltz, Please Don't Leave Me, Panhandle Rag (instrumental), Curly Headed Baby, Runnin' Wild (instrumental) EXCERPT FROM MELODY ROUNDUP: Remember Me, My Bucket's Got A Hole In It

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Ace CDCHD 1372 Going Wild! Music City Rock 'n' Roll ● CD $18.98
24 tracks, highly recommended
Frank's review of the 3CD box set "The Music City Story" (Ace ABOXCD 11 - $41.98) promised more releases from this label that are devoted to specific genres: well, here's the second one (following the Lord Luther set, Ace 1258 - $18.98); this one covering rock 'n' roll acts that sprang from the Berkeley backstreets. While there's some overlap with The Music City Story set - The 3 Honeydrops' Rockin' Satellite for example - there's enough fresh meat. including 17 previously unissued tracks, to satisfy the appetite. Groove to The Emarks' Lovin' Charlene, Jimmy Cicero's pumpin Devil's ChildButterball, The Holidays' Hoochie Coochi Man, and The Five Crystels' Oh That Train just for openers. Recorded between 1957 and 1961, these tracks are raw rock 'n' roll at its' best, and as a second helping for those whom have already dined at the Music City table, this CD can't be beat. (GMC)
THE 3 HONEYDROPS: Chickaboom/ Honey Drop/ Rockin' Satellite/ ROY BURK & THE BELLBOTTOMS: Rock To The Boogie/ JIMMY CICERO: Devil's Child/ THE DIALTONES: Goofin' Off/ THE E-MARKS: Lovin' Charlene/ THE FIVE CRYSTELS: Yay Yay/  Clickety Clack/ THE GAYLARKS: Mr Rock N Roll/ Doodle Doo/ THE HOLIDAYS: Hoochi Coochi Man/ THE KLIXS: Oobie Doobie Baby/ THE MANDARINS: Roll On Little Mama/ ROBBIE MELDANO: Let's Go Steady Baby/ WILLIE MOORE: Going Wild/ PEE WEE & SUGAR PIE: Nickel & A Dime/ THE PENDLETONS: Santa Rita Jail/ SONNY RAY: Silly Billy/ RON & DON: Baby What You Do To Me/ MIKE SMITH: Coast To Coast/ FRANKIE TARO: Butterball/ UNKNOWN ARTIST-2: Street Rock/ UNKNOWN ARTIST_1: Vera Lee

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Acrobat 4187 R&B Jukebox Hits - 1943, Vol. 1 ● CD $13.98 $9.98
24 tracks, 75 mins, recommended
The first chart to reflect the buying patterns of the African-American market was instituted in October 1942 with Billboard's Harlem Hit Parade (see Acrobat 4186 - $13.98). Based on sales and jukebox plays in New York's Harlem district it reflected the somewhat more sophisticated tastes of New Yorkers rather than the nation as a whole. This is the first volume devoted to 1943 and reflects a strong interest in jazz flavored stylings from black artists like Lucky Millender, Buddy Johnson and Lionel Hampton as well as white artists like Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman (his vocalist Peggy's Lee's cover of Lil Green's Why Don't You Do Right outsold the original) and Harry James. There's not a whole lot blues here though there is one track from the consistent hit maker Louis Jordan, Jimmy Rushing turns in a fine Rusty Dusty Blues with the Count Basie Orch and Andy Kirk's Hey Lawdy Mama, Rifette by white pianist/ bandleader Freddie Slack which features a fine guitar solo from T-Bone Walker. Sound quality is generally fine though Tommy Dorsey's Boogie Woogie has really been put through the noise reduction wringer and sounds like it was beamed in from outer space. A musically enjoyable and historically significant release. (FS)
COUNT BASIE: Rusty Dusty Blues/ CEELLE BURKE AND HIS ORCHESTRA: From Twilight Til Dawn/ TOMMY DORSEY ORCHESTRA: Boogie Woogie/ In The Blue Of The Evening/ It Started All Over Again/ DUKE ELLINGTON: A Slip Of The Lip (Can Sink A Ship)/ Don't Get Round Much Anymore/ Sentimental Lady/ ELLA FITZGERALD: My Heart And I Decided/ BENNY GOODMAN WITH PEGGY LEE: Why Don't You Do Right/ LIONEL HAMPTON: Flying Home/ ERSKINE HAWKINS: Don't Cry Baby/ HARRY JAMES AND HIS ORCHESTRA WITH HELEN FORRE: I Had The Craziest Dream/ I've Heard That Song Before/ BUDDY JOHNSON: Baby Don't You Cry/ Let's Beat Out Some Love/ LOUIS JORDAN: Chicks I Pick Are Slender And Tender And Tall/ Five Guys Named Moe/ THE KING COLE TRIO: All For You/ ANDY KIRK: Hey Lawdy Mama/ LUCKY MILLINDER: Apollo Jump/ Sweet Slumber/ ELLA MAE MORSE: Shoo Shoo Baby/ FREDDIE SLACK WITH T-BONE WALKER: Rifette

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Archeophone 9018 Like The Sunshine After Rain ● CD $14.98
24 tracks, 75 mins, highly recommended
Another of those delightful collections of recordings from the early years of the 20th century. This one is devoted to 1918 - the final year of the first World War and many of the songs deal with the subject in one way or another including Send Me Away With A Smile by John McCormack, Hello Central, Give Me No Man's Land by Al Jolson, They Were All Out Of Step But Jim by Bily Murray and others. Even the greatest opera singer of the day, Enrico Caruso, got into the act with a rousing rendition of Over There. Though many of the war songs were of the time, one that has became an all time standard was the beautiful Roses Of Picardy sung here by Lambert Murphy. A number of other songs that debued on record in 1918 have become standards like K-K-K-Katy by the ever popular comic singer Billy Murray, Darktown Strutters's Ball by Arthur Collins and Byron G. Harlan, Tiger Rag by The Original Dixieland Jazz Band and Rock-a-bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody by Al Jolson. As always with Archeophone, the sound on these almost 100 year old recordings is superb and there are notes on every tracks in the illustarted booklet. (FS)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Dust-To-Digital 27 Greek Rhapsody-Instrumental Music From Greece, 1905-56 ● CD $39.98
Two CDs, 42 tracks, essential and then some
My collection of superlatives runs out on the collection - magnificent, beautiful, moving, haunting or just plain wonderful. There have a slew of great releases of the Greek vocal music known as rembetika but this is the first release devoted to exclusively instrumental music from that Island. Here we have recordings of violin & cymbalom; whistling with bouzouki, lauto and castanets; two guitars; bouzouki and guitar, outi (Arabic lute similar to the oud) and the only known recordings of the laterna - a barrel piano played by street musicians that disappeared after the second world war but has had a resurgence of interest in recent years. There is even one track featuring Hawaiian steel guitar. There are similarities to rembetika music and a number of the artits here features as musicians on rembetika recordings but there are a lot of differences too. There are so many treasures here but I'll pick out just two Dertlidikos Horose by A. Kostis on guitar with second guitar has a feel that brings to mind Mississippi Delta Blues and Keflidiko Minore - a guitar and piano duet with S. Georgiadis on guitar is of truly astonishing beauty. Complementing the fantastic music is a fantastic 132 page hard cover book with notes by Tony Klein who has been researching and playing Greek music for 40 years. He discusses the artists and music in great and interesting detail and includes an appendix describing all the instruments played and the book is full of rare artist photos and label shots. Quite easily the best release of 2013 so far. (FS)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Kent CDKEND 397 Romark Records - Kent Harris' Soul Sides ● CD $18.98
25 tracks, recommended
The latest in a series of CDs that showcase the talents of R&B artist, producer, and songwriter Kent Harris, this collection puts the spotlight on his label Romark, founded in 1963. As the de facto follow up to "Kent Harris' R&B Family" (Ace 1334 - $18.98), this CD continues the story with the 60s and 70s tracks issued through labels Romark and Sheridan House. The Romark sides feature some tasty treats from Marcene Harris (Kent's sister), Obie Jessie Seeds of Freedom (his Beautiful Day My Brother is very reminiscent of O.C. Smith), The Mighty Hannibal, Billy Williams, Phillips Sisters, and Jimmy "Preacher" Ellis. Meanwhile, the Sheridan House material, cut mostly in the early 80s, is a mixed bag: O'Malley Jones' Pay and Be On My Way is a nice and gritty blues and Marshall McQueen's If I Can't Stop You has a mesmerizing vibe, while Deborah Foster's tracks smack of the disco flavor that pervaded R&B at the time. As an overview of maverick R&B jack-of-all-trades Kent Harris, this set-combined with the early Ace compilation-is invaluable. However, just don't expect everything to be a great lost jewel waiting to be re-discovered. (GMC)
RAY AGEE: It's Hard To Explain/ LARRY ATKINS: Ain't That Love Enough/ Have Mercy On Me/ Help Me Get This Feeling Back Again/ EDDIE BRIDGES: Peekaboo/ CRY BABY CURTIS: There Will Be Some Changes Made/ DONOMAN: I'm The Only One/ JIMMY "PREACHER" ELLIS: Tough Competition/ DEBORAH FOSTER: I'm Leavin' You/ I Can't Hold Back This Feeling/ THE FRANCETTES: I'm Leaving You/ DIMPLES HARRIS: Do I Need You/ MARCENE HARRIS: Work It Out/ MARCENE "DIMPLES" HARRIS: I Know How It Feels (To Grow Old)/ OBE JESSE SEEDS OF FREEDOM: Beautiful Day/ O' MALLEY JONES: Pay And Be On My Way/ TY KARIM: All At Once/ THE LON-GENES: Dream Girl/ MARSHALL MCQUEEN JR: Any Fool Can Feel It/ If I Can't Stop You Baby/ THE MIGHTY HANNIBAL: I'll Come Back To You/ THE PHILLIPS SISTERS: Where Did You Stay Last Night/ ROMARK'S WRECKING CREW: South Central Slide/ FAYE ROSS: Faith, Hope & Trust/ BILLY WILLIAMS: Too Much

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Norton 384 Kim Fowley- King Of The Creeps- Lost Treasures 1959-69 ● CD $14.98
18 tracks, 39 mins, very highly recommended
The long-awaited third volume of Kim Fowley-produced wonders. As can be expected, you get a few great novelty numbers like Big Bad Wolf by Kim Garri And The Rhythm Kings, and Fowley's own The Trip. The real delight of this collection has to be tracks like the fantastic Rhythm & Blues of Big Tears by Knights Of The Round Table, an absolute Doo-Wop gem, No More by the Uptones, and fabulous primitive Rock & Roll like Young And Wild by Renegade Five, and The Baddest Wolf by The Wolf Pack. Also features highly entertaining and informative liner notes done by Kim Fowley himself. As much as I loved the first two volumes in this series, this one might just be my favorite. (JM)
THE FALLEN ANGELS: Up On The Mountain/ KIM FOWLEY: Astrology/ Outrageous Radio Spot/ The Trip/ KIM GARRI AND THE RHYTHM KINGS: Big Bad Wolf/ THE GRAINS OF SAND: Goin’ Away Baby/ Golden Apples Of The Sun/ LARRY GREEN AND THE RHYTHMAIRES: Watch Your Step/ JOHN PAUL JONES: Kalani Honey/ KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE: Big Tears/ The Knight In Shining Armor/ THE NAVARROS: Moses/ THE RENEGADE FIVE: Young And Wild/ THE ROGUES: Wanted: Dead Or Alive/ SKIP AND JOHNNY: More Marathon/ THE UPTONES: No More/ THE WOLF PACK: The Baddest Wolf/ E. ZANE WOOD AND THE DOMINION: Got Me Stupid

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS One Day DAY3CD 022 Drummin' Up A Storm - The Imperial Records Story ● CD $13.98
Another of One Day's inexpensive label surveys - this one has three CDs with 60 tracks devoted to Lew Chudd's Imperial label. 60 tracks barely scratches the surface of Imperial's substantial output but there's a lot of good music to enjoy. The emphasis is on rock 'n' roll, R&B and blues with only a couple of country tracks. A mix of familiar and more obscure titles including sides by Sandy Nelson, Ricky Nelson, The Midnight Riders, Bobby John, Chick Carlton, Floyd Dixon, Ford "Snooks" Eaglin, Mike Anthony, Berna Dean, Timmy Brown, Dennis Bell, Smiley Lewis, The Turbans and many more.

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Sunrise 009 The Story Of Blue Beat - The Best In Ska, 1962 - Vol. 3 ● CD $16.98
Two CDs, 56 tracks, very highly recommended
Another fabulous collection of ska from the last third of 1962 from Britain's pioneering Blue Beat label. By the end of 1962 Chris Blackwell's Island label was beginning to make inroads into Blue Beat's hegemony over Jamaican music in Britain but for now Blue Beat ruled the roost working with producers like "Duke" Reid, Vincent Chin, Clement "Coxson" Dodd and others and best selling artists like Derrick Morgan (including duets with Patsy Todd), Owen Gray, Laurel Aitken and, perhaps, most significantly "Cecil "Prince Buster" Campbell. Buster was one of the most important figures in Jamaican music in the 1960s, running one of the most succesful "sound systems," writing songs and producing and, now, singing and quickly rose to the top. When I was working in a store in London selling Jamaican music I can think of no other artist whose records were as eagerly anticipated as Buster's. Buster has four songs here including such great socially conscious performances as Time Longer Than Rope and One Hand Washes The Other. The influence of American music is still evident in tracks like the gorgeous doo wop style ballad When It's Spring by Keith & Enid, the New Orleans styled rocker You Cheated On Me by Al T. Joe and the great Laurel Aitken's take on Wilbert Harrison with a xylophone in the accompanied. Owen Gray's They Got To Move is a secular ska reworking of the American gospel song You Got To Move. Excellent sound and informative notes round out another superb set. Sadly, this is the last in the series - I was looking forward to hearing 1963s offerings. (FS)
LAUREL AITKEN: Weary Wanderer/ Going To Kansas City/ Sixty Days And Sixty Nights/ THE BANDITS: Jenny Jenny/ THEO BECKFORD: Bringing In The Sheaves/ Runaway/ BUSTY BROWN AND COOL STICKY: Mr. Policeman/ BUSTER'S GROUP: For Your Love/ Megaton/ BUSTY AND COOL: What A World/ LLOYD CLARKE: Love Me Or Leave Me/ STRANGER COLE AND PATSY TODD: Let's Go To The Party/ DERRICK AND DENZIL WITH DUKE REID’S GROU: Going Down To Canaan/ DON DRUMMOND AND AUBREY ADAMS GROUP: Dewdrops/ BASIL GABBIDON: For You My Love/ Independence Blues/ Going Back To J.A.?/ Our Melody/ RUDY GRANT AND SKETTO AND RICH LAUREL AITKEN: Mr. Postman/ RUDY GRANT AND SKETTO RICH WITH THE LAUREL AI: Christmas Blues?/ OWEN GRAY: I Love Her/ Pretty Girl/ They Got To Move/ Twist So Fine/ By The Tree In The Meadow/ Lizabella/ DERRICK HARRIOTT AND THE VAGABONDS: Have Faith In Me/ I Care/ AL T. JOE: I'm On My Own/ Independence Time Is Here (aka Rise Jamaica)/ This Heart Of Mine/ You Cheated On Me/ KEITH AND ENID: It's True Love/ When It's Spring/ THE MARVELS: Angelo/ Come To The Wedding/ DERRICK MORGAN AND BUSTER'S GROUP: Marjorie/ Should Be Ashamed/ DERRICK MORGAN AND DUKE REID'S GROUP: Joybells/ DERRICK MORGAN AND PATSY TODD: Come Back My Love/ Crying In The Chapel/ Oh My Love/ ERIC MORRIS: Miss Peggy's Granddaughter/ Seven Long Years/ Lazy Woman/ Over The Hills/ CHARLES ORGANAIRE: Matthew Lane Shuffle (aka Merry Twist)/ PRINCE BUSTER AND THE ALL STARS: Cowboy Comes To Town/ PRINCE BUSTER AND THE BAND OF THE PEOPLE: Fake King/ PRINCE BUSTER AND THE ALL STARS: One Hand Washes The Other/ PRINCE BUSTER AND THE BAND OF THE PEOPLE: Time Longer Than Rope/ LLOYD ROBINSON WITH RICO RODRIGUEZ AND HIS BAN: Give Me A Chance/ When You Walk/ SIMMS AND ROBINSON: Searching/ White Christmas/ WINSTON STEWART AND BIBBY SEATON AND THE RHYTHM: I'll Be There

 
BUKKA WHITE Fuel 61360 Revisited ● CD $12.98 $8.98
11 tracks, essential if you don't have a previous reissue
This has been out on CD several times and features the first recordings the great Mississippi Delta bluesman Bukka White made after he was rediscovered by John Fahey and ED Vinson by the expedient of sending a letter addressed to "Bukka White, Old Blues Singer, c/o General Delivery, Aberdeen, Miss." The original 1963 LP was one of the albums that helped fuel the folk/ blues revival of the early 1960's. He hadn't recorded in almost 20 years but his skills were intact both vocally and instrumentally. There are 11 pieces here, 9 on National Steel guitar, Drunk Man Blues on piano, and the spoken Remembrance Of Charlie Patton. Includes a beautiful version of Poor Boy Long Way From Home, that he'd redo later that year as the gorgeous Jesus Died On The Cross To Save The World for Arhoolie (Arhoolie 323 - $13.98). Also includes Shake 'Em On Down/ Baby Please Don't Go/ Parchman Farm Blues, etc. Includes new notes by Bill Dahl. (FS)

 
LAWTON "SLIM" WILLIAMS B.A.C.M. 420 Slim Pickings ● CD $14.98
27 tracks, recommended
A fine collection of sides recorded for a range of different labels between 1949 and 1960. Williams is best known as a songwriter having composed the hits Fraulein and Farewell Party and all the songs on this collection are originals. As a performer, Williams was not a particularly expressive vocalist but had a pleasing voice and is accompanied by some fine groups including Hank Locklin's Band, The Light Crust Doughboys and others. Songs includes Tennessee Avenue/ Reckon As How I Love You/ Just A Minute Ago/ What Am I Supposed To Say/ That's All You Gotta Do/ Dusting Off Your LOve Ltters/ Once Before and others including his original 1960 recordings of Farewell Party which was hit for Gene Watson in 1979. (FS)

 
BOBBY WOMACK Charly 655 Everything's Gonna Be Alright - The American Singles ● CD $16.98
2CD, 50 tracks, essential
What better way to follow up last year's timely re-issue of R&B legend Womack's 70's LP masterpieces ("Across 110th Street - 40th Anniversary Edition", Charly 648 - $16.98) than with this generous collection of his late 60's/early-to-mid 70's singles; all of his U.S. A & B sides from his years recording for Minit, Liberty, and United Artists are presented in chronological order on CD for the first time. With track by track annotation, this set carefully showcases Womack's genius on the likes of Baby I Can't Stand It/ Somebody Special/ Love, The Time is Now/ Thank You, and I'm Gonna Forget About You. Hell, the man is/ was so great he can completely transform well worn covers California Dreamin' and I Left My Heart in San Francisco and make them his own. If you already own the other Charly Womack set, then this one is a must-purchase. Even if you don't (why don't you?), it's still a must (GMC)
BOBBY WOMACK: (If You Don't Want My Love) Give It Back/ Across 110th Street/ Arkansas State Prison/ Baby I Can't Stand It/ Baby You Ought to Think It Over/ Broadway Walk/ California Dreamin'/ Check It Out/ Come L'Amore/ Communication/ Daylight/ Don't Look Back/ Everybody's Talking/ Everything's Gonna Be Alright/ Fire and Rain/ Fly Me to the Moon (in Other Words)/ Git It/ Hang on in There/ Harry Hippie/ How I Miss You Baby/ I Don't Know/ I Don't Want to Be Hurt by Ya Love Again/ I Left My Heart in San Francisco/ I'M Gonna Forget About You/ I'M Through Trying to Prove My Love to You/ Interlude No. 2/ It's All Over Now/ It's Gonna Rain/ Let It Hang Out/ Lookin' for Love/ Love, the Time Is Now/ More Than I Can Stand/ More Than I Can Stand/ Nobody Wants You when You'Re Down and Out/ Somebody Special/ Something/ Sweet Caroline (Good Times Never Seemed So Good)/ Take Me/ Thank You/ That's the Way I Feel About 'Cha/ The Preacher, Pt. 1/ The Preacher, Pt. 2/ Tried and Convicted/ Trust Me/ Trust in Me/ What Is This/ What You Gonna Do (when Your Love Is Gone)/ Where There's a Will, There's a Way/ Woman's Gotta Have It/ Yes, Jesus Loves Me/ You'Re Welcome, Stop on by

 
THE YOUNG TRADITION BGO BGOCD 1103 The Young Tradition/ So Cheerfully Round/ Galleries/ Chicken On A Raft ● CD $21.98
Two CDs, 43 tracks, essential
At last, the complete Transatlantic recordings of this absolutely brilliant though short lived English folk group recorded between 1966 and 1968 including their three LPs and EP. Young Tradition was a radical folk response to 60s Britpop and folk revival music of the Kingston Trio ilk. Nancy saw YT in 1968 at the Main Point in Bryn Mawr PA and she's never quite gotten over their The Innocent Hare -- even though Peter Bellamy had a bit of a cough that must have been aggravated mightily by the group's take-no-prisoners performance style. These three singers had guts, and they brought out beauty in songs without resorting to pretty, which set them apart from any other folk group happening back them. All acapella, too -- nothing to hide behind. Peter Bellamy, Royston Wood, and Heather Wood (no relation) in three part, sometimes two part harmonies, sometimes solo, always gorgeous, always chilling. The first two albums includes such classic performances as Byker Hill/ Betsy The Serving Maid/ The Lyke Wake Dirge/ The Banks Of Claudy/ Daddy Fox/ The Bold Dragoon/ Knight William and others. For their third album "Galleries" they took a somewhat different approach - in addition to the incredible acapella performances there are several tracks where they accompanied themselves on whistle, tambour, guitar & concertina and some tracks have a mediaevel feel thanks to the presence of Britain's premier early music group The Early Music Consort which included Shirley Collins' sister Dolly on portative organ. In spite of the change of pace the music is magnificent with stellar performances of The Barley Straw/ What If A Day/ Idumea (an American Sacred Harp hymn)/ The Bitter Withy/ Ratcliffe Highway and others including Peter's goofy rendition of Robert Johnson's Stones In MY Passway with Peter playing some nice slide guitar and with dubbed on scratches for efect! Their final Transatlantic recording was the E.P. "Chicken On A Raft" - a selection of acapella sea shanties including the title song, written by Cyril Tawney, which ranks among their finest performances. After more than 40 years these recordings sound as fresh and exciting as on the day they were recorded. Though several later groups have emulated the approach of YT, but none have the excitement, conviction and imagination of this short lived group. These recordings have been newly remastered and have never sounded better and the booklet include all the original album notes as well as a new essay by John O'Regan. If you have never heard The Young Tradition before prepare to have your mind blown! (FS/ NN)

 

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