LATEST ADDITIONS  08/19/2014

COMPACT DISCS
ANNE BRIGGS

SLIM DUSTY
JESSE FULLER
ILLINOIS JACQUET
JIMMIE LUNCEFORD
WADE MAINER
BOBBY MARCHAN
MEMPHIS MINNIE

CURTIS MOSBY/ HENRY STARR
TITO PUENTE
EDNA RITCHIE
OTIS RUSH
CARL SMITH
SONNY TERRY & BROWNIE MCGHEE
VARIOUS ARTISTS
BUKKA WHITE/ SKIP JAMES


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

 
Since our Second Time Around selections seem to be very popular this list includes some great releases which have been out for a while but you may have missed them the first time we listed them in addition to new releases. To avoid you getting possible duplicates we have added an asterisk (*) after these particular titles. We have also included some choice sale items this time.
 

COMPACT DISCS


ANNE BRIGGS Fledg'ling 3008 Sing A Song For You * ● CD $18.98
10 tracks, 40 mins, essential
Multiple kudos to the good folks at Fledg'ling who have unearthed some great unissued British folk treasure - first the Etchingham Steam Band, then the Young Tradition/ Shirley & Dolly Collins collaboration and now this beautiful unissued album recorded in 1973. Apparently Anne was not satisfied with the vocals and her subsequent commitment to her family prevented her from redoing them. Most singers would give their right arm to sound this good on an off day. Following her CBS album The Time Has Come of all contemporary songs this disc is half traditional and half original songs. A number of cuts feature her in the company of Steve Ashley's electric group Ragged Robin (with Barry Dransfield on fiddle) from time to time! Several of the traditional songs are performed acapella revealing once again her ability to get to the very heart of ths story and fill it with the kind of restrained decoration usually associated with great Irish singers. The lovely Hills Of Greenmor features Anne accompanying herself on bouzouki and the whole electric band does an energetic job on Sullivan's John (also known as Spancil Hill). The original songs are generally more interesting than those on The Time Has Come and I particularly like the title song Anne wrote for her daughter and the traditional sounding Summer Is In. (FS)

 
SLIM DUSTY B.A.C.M. 060 The Dusty Trail Rider * ● CD $14.98
22 tracks strongly recommended
For more than 50 years David Gordon Kirkpatrick aka Slim Dusty, who passed away in September 2003, was Australia's most popular and beloved country artist. He was also the first Australian country artist to have a worldwide hit with his 1958 recording of A Pub With No Beer. Australian country music was obviously inspired by the American model but dealt with themes and locations distinctly Australian. Dusty was an excellent and distinctive singer and superb yodeler and this fine collection features 22 of his earliest recordings ranging from 1943 when he was only 16 years old to 1951. Accompanied only by his own guitar he performs songs like Been A Fool Too Long/ A Song Of Granny/ You Made Me Live Love And Die/ How Can I Smile When I'm Lonely/ Lover's Lament/ Modern Yodeling Song/ My Aussie Home and others including his first hit When The Rains Tumble Down In July - a song Slim was inspired to write in 1946 after some devastating floods and was to become his theme song. Sound quality is excellent and there are informative notes by Nick Strutt. (FS)
SLIM DUSTY: A Song Of Granny/ Been A Fool Too Long/ Give Me One More Chance/ Happy Drover/ Heading For That Brumby Trail/ How Can I Smile When I‘m Lonely/ I Bet You Feel The Same/ Lover‘s Lament/ Modern Yodeling Song/ My Aussie Home/ My Faded Dream/ My Happy Valley Home/ My Moonlight Trail To You/ My Pony Whipstick/ Sat‘day In The Saddle/ Soldier‘s Wife/ Springtime On The Range/ Stay Away From Me/ Sun Valley Rose/ When The Rains Tumble Down In July/ You Don‘t Know How Sad I Feel/ You Made Me Live Love And Die

 
JESSE FULLER Fledg'ling 3074 Move On Down The Line * ● CD $18.98
12 tracks, essential
Georgia born musician Jesse Fuller was a much loved musician in the Bay Area. He was one of the breed of musicians that have become known as "songsters" - in addition to blues he performed ragtime, children's songs, spirituals and jazz. Although he started to play guitar around 1910, he didn't take it too seriously until the 50s when he started recording for a number of record companies in Northern California. Unable to get a band together he became a one man band accompanying himself on 12 string guitar, harmonica, kazoo and his unique home made bass instrument the fotdella. This CD reissues Topic LP 134 issued in 1965 plus one additional track that wouldn't fit on the LP. This is a particularly welcome reissue as it features the first CD reissue of Jesse's earliest recordings cut for Marvin & Irwin Goldsmith in El Cerrito (!) in 1954 and originally issued on an obscure LP on the World Song label. Six songs were cut including a superb version of John Henry with slide guitar and the first, and possibly best, recording of the song that will forever be associated with him San Francisco Bay Blues. The other six songs are from a 1965 session recorded for Topic in England with Jesse in fine form on songs like Move On Down The Line/ Stealing/ Animal Fair and a particular fine version of Stackolee. Sound quality is fine and booklet includes original LP notes by Joe Boyd plus new notes by Val Wilmer. Jesse is always a joy to listen to and a chance to listen to his earliest recordings is a particular joy! (FS)

 
ILLINOIS JACQUET Delmark 538 Jumpin' At The Apollo * ● CD $14.98
23 tracks, 66 minutes, highly recommended
Starting out as a young tenor blower for Lionel Hampton, especially known for the raucous Flying Home, then known for his roaring JATP tenor battles with Flip Phillips,, with stints with Cab Calloway & Count Basie in between. We finally get a compilation of Jacquet's small band sides cut for Apollo done over 4 sessions 1945-47, during which time he was also recording for Savoy & Aladdin! The 8/45 sessions have an 8 piece band with such future stars as Charlie Mingus & Bill Doggett, as well as a couple vocals by Wynonie Harris, not yet Mr. Blues (Wynonie's Blues/ Here Comes The Blues). The Octet from a year later includes such greats as Trummy Young, Joe Newman, Freddie Green & Denzil Best, while a final quintet sextet date from '/47 includes Leo Parker, Sir Charles Thompson & Shadow Wilson. Includes Jumpin' At Apollo/ Jumpin' At The Woodside/ Robbins' Nest/ Merle's Mood./ Diggin' The Count (GM)

 
JIMMIE LUNCEFORD Fabulous 2042 The Jimmie Lunceford Collection, 1930-1947 ● CD $9.98
Two CDs, 50 tracks, strongly recommended
Fine budget priced retrospective of recordings of one of the greatest of the swing bands featuring recordings from his first session in 1930 (In Dat Morning and Sweet Rhythm) to his last in 1947 (Water Faucet). His band including some of the greatest musicians of the period including Willie Smith (as), Trummy Young (trombone), Joe Thomas (cl & ts), pioneering electric guitarist Eddie Durham who also played trombone and did arrangements, Paul Webster (tp), Sy Oliver (tp and arrangements) and others. Various band members are featured on vocals. Except for a couple of the earliest sides, the sound quality is excellent and the 12 page booklet has informative notes and full discographical info. (FS)

 
WADE MAINER B.A.C.M. 454 And Associates ● CD $14.98
24 tracks, essential
An absolute delight - one of the truly great old time musicians - singer, banjo player and harmonica player Wade Mainer with a superb selection recorded between 1936 and 1939. Wade is featured in a variety of settings - the earlier sides usually feature him with guitarist Zeke Morris who joins him on vocals on some cuts with the fiddle of Steve Ledford or Homer Sherrill. On the beautiful Memory Lane they are joined by an unknown but excellent steel guitarist. Later sides features a variety of musicians in various combinations including Steve Ledford/ fiddle, Clyde Moody/ guitar, Jay Hugh Hull/ guitar and others. There are also several sides with Wade singing with his brother J.E.'s band The Mountaineers. This is old time string band music at its very finest. Wade died in 2011 at the age of 104 and led a full and rewarding life and was still playing banjo a few years before his death. Sound quality is generally excellent. (FS)
WADE MAINER: Always Been A Rambler/ Been Foolin' Me Baby/ Come Back To Your Dobie Shack/ Cowboy's Pony In Heaven/ Down In The Willow Garden/ Free Again/ Gathering Flowers From The Hillside/ Goin' To Georgia/ Hop Along Peter/ I Met her At A Ball One Night/ John Henry Was A Little Boy/ Johnson's Old Grey Mule/ Little Pal/ Maple On The Hill/ Memory Lane/ Mother Came To Get Her Boy From Jail/ Pale Moonlight/ Ramshackle Shack/ Riding On That Train 45/ Short Life Of Trouble/ Take Me In The Lifeboat/ Train Carry My Girl Back Home/ Watermelon On The Vine/ Wild Bill Jones

 
BOBBY MARCHAN Fuel 62008 There's Something On Your Mind: The Greatest Hits ● CD $13.98
18 tracks, highly recommended
New Orleans R&B singer Bobby Marchan was a true rarity: an R&B singer who also performed as a female impersonator. And although he occasionally broke out the female voice in performance (notably on Yes, It's Written All Over Your Face), don't let that stop you from appreciating his ability to sell a song. One listen to his 1960 hit There's Something on Your Mind (both parts) will prove that this man had the goods. This compilation is nearly identical to a 1999 Collectables set, "The Very Best of Bobby Marchan", except for some track order shuffling and the inclusion of an unreleased version of Yes, It's Written All Over Your Face, Part 2. That tidbit aside, this is a solid collection of Marchan's best work, mostly backed by Huey "Piano" Smith & the Clowns, and features top cuts like The Things I Used to Do/ Snoopin' and Accusin'/ This Is the Life/ Booty Green, and I Need Someone. Marchan is often only thought of in conjunction with Smith and the Clowns, but this set proves that he was a formidable artist in his own right. (GMC)

 
MEMPHIS MINNIE JSP JSPCD 7716 Queen Of The Country Blues * ● CD $28.98
5 CDs, 124 tracks, essential
This JSP box set features the bulk of the pre war work of one of the blues world's most colourful and influential characters. When she was not using her guitar to beat up anyone who crossed her, Minnie was an accomplished musician, a talented songwriter and superb all round entertainer whose forthright contralto perfectly matched her material. The "All The Published Sides" tag here though is pretty meaningless, since JSP have followed the convention used by discographers of excluding those titles where her playing partner and second husband Joe McCoy took the lead vocal. This means that compared to the corresponding reissues of her early work on Document (DOCD 5028 - 31) some 20 titles are missing, 15 of which are titles where Minnie provides guitar accompaniment. Joe McCoy was certainly a less interesting vocalist than Minnie, but the loss of tracks like When The Levee Breaks and Pile Drivin' Blues is disappointing, if understandable in terms of space limitations. (On the other hand alternate takes missing from the original Document series are included.) It also seems odd to end this compilation in 1937 - Minnie's pre war recordings continued until 1941 - but JSP are planning a second set which will cover the rest of her career. In all other respects this is a very satisfying reissue, supported by excellent notes from Neil Slaven. The first two discs include versions of Bumble Bee, the hit which launched Minnie's career, the famous duets with Joe McCoy which feature some of Minnie's best guitar picking, and the charm and humour of songs like Plymouth Rock Blues which draw on her early experiences of rural life. The third disc sees the last duet with Joe, great solo efforts such as Chickasaw Train Blues, and a different aspect to Minnie's lyric writing skills as she conjures a vivid picture of desperate isolation in Outdoor Blues. By the period covered by the fourth disc (1935) Minnie, like Big Bill Broonzy, had simplified her guitar style to accommodate a greater emphasis on rhythm and "swing", and was recording regularly with a bass and piano accompaniment. Two engaging tributes to the boxing champion Joe Louis include some lovely piano from Black Bob on Joe Louis Strut, while New Orleans Stop Time, a duet with Bumble Bee Slim, is also very enjoyable. The small band format also does result in some less memorable sides however, and the addition of a trumpet player on the fifth disc doesn't really help. As if to demonstrate that Minnie was at her best with more limited accompaniment, two outstanding sessions at the beginning of the final disc find her in top form and producing classics such as Hoodoo Lady. The sound quality of Memphis Minnie reissues has generally been good, but this set probably represents the best all round remastering effort to date. Corresponding tracks match the excellent "Hoodoo Lady" compilation on Columbia (CK 46775), while elsewhere sound is equally good or better than other reissues, so that for example the occasional crackles on the Document/ Blues Document transfers have been removed. Another essential collection. (DPR)
BUMBLE BEE SLIM: New Orleans Stop Time/ MINNIE MCCOY: I'm Going Back Home/ MEMPHIS JUG BAND: Bumble Bee Blues/ Meningitis Blues/ MEMPHIS MINNIE: 'Frisco Town/ After While Blues/ Ain't No Use Trying To Tell On Me/ Ain't Nobody Home But Me (take 1)/ Ain't Nobody Home But Me (take 2)/ Ball And Chain Blues/ Banana Man Blues (i Don't Want That Thing)/ Biting Bug Blues/ Black Cat Blues (take 1)/ Black Cat Blues (take 2)/ Bumble Bee/ Bumble Bee/ Bumble Bee, No. 2/ Can I Do It For You, Pt. 1/ Can I Do It For You, Pt. 2/ Caught Me Wrong Again/ Chickasaw Train Blues (low Down Dirty Thing)/ Crazy Cryin' Blues/ Dirt Dauber Blues/ Dirty Mother For You/ Doctor, Doctor Blues/ Don't Bother It/ Don't Want No Woman/ Down In New Orleans/ Dragging My Heart Around/ Drunken Barrel House Blues/ Fishin' Blues/ Frankie Jean (that Trottin' Fool)/ Garage Fire Blues/ Georgia Skin/ Georgia Skin Blues/ Give It To Me In My Hand (can I Go Home With You)/ Goin' Back To Texas/ Good Girl Blues/ Good Morning/ Grandpa And Grandma Blues/ Hard Down Lie/ Haunted Blues (take 1)/ Haunted Blues (take 2)/ He's In The Ring (doing That Same Old Thing) (take A)/ He's In The Ring (doing That Same Old Thing) (take B)/ Hole In The Wall/ Hoodoo Lady/ Hot Stuff (take 1)/ Hot Stuff (take 2)/ Hustlin' Woman Blues/ I Called You This Morning/ I Don't Want No Woman I Have To Give My Money To/ I Don't Want That Junk Outa You/ I Don't Want You No More/ I Never Told A Lie/ I'm A Bad Luck Woman/ I'm A Gamblin' Woman/ I'm Gonna Bake My Biscuits/ I'm Talking 'bout You, No. 2/ I'm Talking About You/ I'm Waiting On You/ Ice Man (come On Up)/ If You See My Rooster (please Run Him Home)/ It's Hard To Be Mistreated/ Jailhouse Trouble Blues/ Jockey Man Blues/ Joe Louis Strut/ Keep It To Yourself/ Keep It To Yourself (alt. Track)/ Keep On Goin'/ Kind Treatment Blues/ Lay My Money Down (if You Run Around)/ Let Me Ride/ Let's Go To Town/ Living The Best I Can/ Look What You Got (take 1)/ Look What You Got (take 2)/ Man, You Won't Give Me No Money/ Memphis Minnie-jitis Blues (take A)/ Memphis Minnie-jitis Blues (take B)/ Minnie's Lonesome Song/ Mister Tango Blues/ Moanin' The Blues/ Moonshine/ My Butcher Man/ My Strange Man/ New Bumble Bee/ New Dirty Dozen/ No Need You Doggin' Me/ North Memphis Blues/ Out In The Cold/ Outdoor Blues/ Pickin' The Blues/ Plymouth Rock Blues/ Reachin' Pete (take A)/ Reachin' Pete (take B)/ Selling My Pork Chops/ She Put Me Outdoors/ She Wouldn't Give Me None/ Socket Blues/ Somebody's Got To Help You/ Soo Cow Soo/ Squat It/ Stinging Snake Blues/ Sylvester And His Mule Blues/ Today Today Blues/ Too Late/ Tricks Ain't Walking No More/ Weary Woman's Blues/ What Fault You Find Of Me, Pt. 1/ What Fault You Find Of Me, Pt. 2/ What's The Matter With The Mill?/ When The Saints Go Marching Home/ When The Sun Goes Down, Pt. 2/ When You're Asleep/ Where Is My Good Man/ You Ain't Done Nothing To Me/ You Can't Give It Away/ You Can't Rule Me/ You Dirty Mistreater/ You Got To Move, Pt. 1/ You Got To Move, Pt. 2/ You Stole My Cake/ You Wrecked My Happy Home

 
CURTIS MOSBY/ HENRY STARR Jazz Oracle 8003 Recorded On The West Coast & London, 1924-29 * ● CD $16.98
25 tracks, highly recommended
Mosby was a Kansas City born drummer who led bands in Oakland in the 20s, which is also where DC born Starr was based. What connects pianist/vocalist Starr with Mosby is the discovery of a never-before-known test pressing of 2 tunes by Mosby's Dixieland Blue Blowers which feature Starr. Both sides, taken from a cracked disc start off this fine set. Next up are the 8 tunes the Blue Blowers, 4 with Starr, recorded for Columbia in '27 -28. But these 6 tunes are well represented - the 1st, Weary Stomp, is followed by a newly discovered alternate test pressing with the original title, Weary Blues. There's also an alternate take of In My Dreams, & 2 alts of Tiger Stomp (AKA Tiger Rag), with lots of very hot playing throughout. The rest of the CD belongs to Starr, who is heard on 3 rare solo sides done for Flexo in '28, including a solo piano version of his friend Jelly Roll Morton's Froggie Moore, here called Mr. Froggie. After a '29 solo side for Columbia, we end in England where Starr & his partner vocalist Ivan Browning, who were big in England as a duo closer in style to hot vaudeville, recorded 6 sides with a small band for Regal Zonophone in '35 (Truckin'/Lulu's Back In Town) as well as an unreleased Jungle Nights In Montmartre done for HMV in '38. (GM)

 
TITO PUENTE Bear Family BCD 15687 Top Percussion/ Dance Mania * ● CD $21.98
23 tracks, 79 min., essential.
"Dance Mania" is one of Puente's big band masterpieces, and an unchallenged classic of 50's mambo. A choice selection of 12 songs, played by a seamless outfit including Ray Baretto on conga and expertly blended brass, is topped off by the silky vocals of Santos Colon. There's not a forgettable song in the bunch, nor is there any of the hokeyness or sap that flowed so freely in the 50's. "Top Percussion" assembles six percussionists (including Mongo Santamaria) for 11 throbbing workouts in authentic Afro-Cuban mode. Most are accompanied by traditional vocals based on West African or Cuban cult song, and stay on steady drumming patterns; others spotlight the leader's ultra-flashy timbale drumming, or explore satisfying improvisational realms. If your Latin collection numbers 100, 1, or none, buy this CD! (MB)

 
EDNA RITCHIE Folk Legacy 3 Songs Of Appalachia * ● CD $16.98
19 tracks, highly recommended
Edna is an older sister of the well-known and beloved Jean Ritchie. They are members of an important family of tradition bearers from southeastern Kentucky. It was the Ritchie family that introduced many of us to versions of the beautiful traditional songs found by Cecil Sharp during his historic collecting trips to Appalachia in 1916-1918. Edna sings the songs, ballads, and carols of her rich family tradition in a gentle, unpretentious style, frequently accompanying her singing with her mountain dulcimer. Songs include May Day Carol/ Old Tyler/ Foreign Lander/ Someody's Tall And Handsome/ Old Chimney Sweeper/ I Wonder When I Shall Be Married/ As Joseph Was A-Walking. (FS)

 
OTIS RUSH Delmark 638 Cold Day In Hell * ● CD $14.98
10 tracks, 60 mins, highly recommended
If you've got his Cobra recordings and his masterpiece "Right Place, Wrong Time", this is the place to go next. Recorded in 1975, this album is filled with Rush's stinging guitar and impassioned vocals focusing on the topics of love and misery (as if they were different). The opener is Cut You A Loose, followed by 8:31 of the mournful You're Breaking My Heart. Anchored with the rhythm section of James and Jesse Green on bass and drums, the band more than keeps up with Otis, while Abe Locke and Chuck Smith spend their time blowing sorrow out of their saxophones. Those who already own the LP are directed to the previously unreleased Part Time Love and an alternate take of You're Breaking My Heart, which bring the running time up to a respectable 59:46. Unrelenting Chicago blues. (JC)
OTIS RUSH: All Your Love/ Cold Day In Hell/ Cut You A Loose/ Mean Old World/ Midnight Special/ Motoring Along/ Part Time Love/ Society Woman/ You're Breaking My Heart/ You're Breaking My Heart (alternate Take)

 
CARL SMITH B.A.C.M. 055 Satisfaction Guaranteed * ● CD $14.98
24 tracks, 67 mins, essential
Sterling reissue of early sides by this superb honky tonk singer from Tennessee who has been poorly served on reissues - with the exception of the big Bear Family box set and a couple of collections that feature only his hits. This selection is drawn from recordings made between 1950 and '53 by the man who was a star the equal of Lefty Frizzell, Ray Price or Webb Pierce during the second flowering of honky tonk that took place in the 1950's. Includes hits like Let Old Mother Nature Have Her Way/ Let's Live A Little/ Hey Joe/ Mr. Moon/ If Teardrops Were Pennies/ Our Honeymoon/ Are You Teasing Me/ Satisfaction Guaranteed, plus lesser known but outstanding items like Guilty Conscience/ Me And My Broken Heart (a little known Hank Williams composition)/ Sing Her A Love Song/ I Won't Be Home/ I bet You My Heart I Love You/ Washing My Dreams In Tears and others. One of a generation of country singers inspired and influenced by Hank Williams, Smith's stylistic debt to his friend is evident, but he managed to forge a unique sound of his own, featuring his open, sincere vocals, bottom-heavy lead guitar up front, with twittering steel guitar fills and occasional fiddle. This stuff seems to have been invented for beer joint juke boxes. Excellent sound and brief notes by Brian Golbey. (FS)
CARL SMITH: Are You Teasing Me/ Guilty Conscience/ Hey Joe/ I Bet You My Heart I Love You/ I Overlooked An Orchid/ I Won‘t Be Home/ If Teardrops Were Pennies/ It‘s A Lovely Lovely World/ Just Wait ’til I Get You Alone/ Let Mother Nature Have Her Way/ Let‘s Live A Little/ Little Girl In My Home Town/ Me And My Broken Heart/ Mr. Moon/ My Lonely Heart‘s Running Wild/ Our Honeymoon/ Satisfaction Guaranteed/ Sing Her A Love Song/ That‘s The Kind Of Love I‘m Looking For/ This Orchid Means Goodbye/ This Side Of Heaven/ Washing My Dreams In Tears/ When You Feel Like You‘re In Love/ Who‘ll Buy My Heartaches

 
SONNY TERRY & BROWNIE MCGHEE Not Now 304 Cripple Creek ● CD $11.98
Two CDs, 40 tracks, recommended
This set features four 10" Folkways LPs plus 9 bonus cuts originally issued as singles. "Get On Board" from 1951 features the duo accompanied by Coyal McMahan on maracas who does decent job on maracas but the tracks he sings on are pretty mediocre. "Country Dance Music" from 1956 is a mostly instrumental set with the duo joined by Pete Seeger on banjo, Frank Robertson/ bass and William Edward Clark/ washboard - they do versions of traditional mountain tunes like Cindy/ Cripple Creek/ Old Joe Clark and others - pleasant but lightweight. "Brownie McGhee Blues" from 1953 is a solo set from Brownie and the best of the reissued LPs with fine vocals and superb guitar and shows what a compelling solo performer he was. "Sonny Terry's Washboard Band" from 1952 is without Brownie and includes Sonny joined by J.C. Burris/ harmonica & bones, Washboard Doc/ washboard & other percussion and Bob Harris/ washtub bass and is an enjoyable selection of Sonny favorites. The source of the nine bonus cuts is not identified but I think they are from singles originally issued on Columbia and Roulette. Sound quality is excellent and there are brief notes which are basically a career overview. (FS)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Ace CDCHD 739 Wop Ding A Ling * ● CD $18.98
30 tracks, highly recommended
Excellent collection of New York doo-wop recorded by legendary producer Bob Shad for his Time, Shad, Brent, Brent and Junior labels. A wide variety of groups and styles are presented and the set includes two previously unissued sides by the excellent Norman Fox & The Rob Roys which were scheduled to be issued as by The Tradewinds but never appeared until now. Also includes The Big Five, the superb Bertha Tillman with the Killers, the Fabulous Five Flames, Chevrons, Creators, Dolphins, Argylesm Buddy Clinton & The Belmonts, The Holidays and others. Quite a few tracks are presented in stereo. 12 page booklet has detailed booklet by doo-wop expert George Povall and rare photos. (FS)
THE ARGYLES: Vacation Days Are Over/ THE BIG FIVE: Baby I Need You So/ Blue Eyes/ Stardust In Her Eyes/ Wop Ding A Ling/ HANK BLACKMAN & THE KILLERS: Everyone Has Someone/ THE CHARIOTS: A Sunday Morning Love/ Gloria/ THE CHEVRONS: Don't Be Heartless/ Lullabye/ BUDDY CLINTON & THE BELMONTS: How My Prayers Have Changed/ THE CREATORS: Do You Remember/ There's Going To Be An Angel/ THE DOLPHINS: I Found True Love/ Tel Tale Kisses/ THE FABULOUS FIVE FLAMES: Lonely Lover/ No More Tears/ THE GARDENIAS: I'll Be Seeing You In My Dreams/ THE GENIES: S'Cuse Me Lady/ Where Did You Go/ THE HOLIDAYS: Come Back To Me/ EDDIE QUINTEROS & GROUP: Vivian/ THE SPIDELLS: Come Walk With Me/ THE TABBYS: My Darling/ Yes I Do/ BERTHA TILLMAN & THE KILLERS: I Wish/ THE TRADEWINDS (THE ROB ROYS): Aggravation/ Lonely Boy/ THE WHEELS: So Young And So In Love/ Where Were You

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Ace CDCHD 1403 Bluesin' By The Bayou - Rough 'n' Tough ● CD $18.98
28 tracks, very highly recommended
Second great collection of down home Louisiana blues and zydeco from the vaults of Jay D. Miller and Goldband. 17 of the tracks are unissued songs or alternate takes and many others were previously only available on a long out of print series of LPs on Flyright. It opens in great style with the wonderful and humorous Trip To Chicago by Lightnin' Slim with great harmonica and comments from Lazy Lester. There are two more superb sides from Lightnin' along with others from Miller's major artists Lonesome Sundown, Lazy Lester and Slim Harpo. The Harpos include the previously unissued song Bought Me A Ticket which was first recorded by Lonesome Sundown - Harpo's voice on this sounds very unlike his usual recordings. Other superb Miller artists here include Vince Monroe, Jimmy Dotson, Clifton Chenier and Wonder Boy Travis (the latter with some manic guitar). Jimmy Reed was very popular with Louisiana down home blues artists but Joe Mayfield and Jimmy Anderson take the influence a bit too far. From the Goldband vaults we have Clarence Garlow (two tracks including the great Zydeco song Za Belle), Morris "Big" Chenier (Clifton's uncle), steel guitar playing bluesman Hop Wilson, Boozoo Chavis, Guitar Jr. and Mad Dog Sheffield. Superb sound and copiously illustrated 12 page booklet with informative notes. (FS)
JIMMY ANDERSON: I Wanna Boogie/ Keep On Naggin/ BOOZOO CHAVIS: Got Me A Brand New Mojo Hand/ Paper In My Shoe/ CLIFTON CHENIER: Don't You Want A Man Like Me (Everybody Calls Me Crazy)/ MORRIS "BIG" CHENIER: The Dog & His Puppies/ JIMMY DOTSON: Lookin For My Baby/ CLARENCE GARLOW: It Isn't Right/ Za Belle/ GUITAR JR.: Fine Fine Fine Pretty Little Thing/ Love Me Baby/ SLIM HARPO: Bought Me A Ticket/ My Little Queen Bee/ LAZY LESTER: Sugar Coated Love/ Whoa Now/ LIGHTNIN SLIM: I'm Tired Of Waiting Baby/ Tired Little Fellow/ Trip To Chicago/ LONESOME SUNDOWN: I'm Gonna Stick To You Baby/ If Anybody Ask You/ JOE MAYFIELD: Look Out Baby/ You're The One I Love/ VINCE MONROE: Change Your Ways/ They Call Me Mr Calhoun/ MAD DOG SHEFFIELD: I Love You So/ Nothing Can Keep My Love From You/ WONDERBOY TRAVIS: Imitation Of Love/ HOP WILSON: Love's Got Me All Fenced In

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Ace CDTOP2 1406 No More Doggin - The RPM Records Story, Vol. 1:1950-1953 ● CD $26.98
Two CDs, 52 tracks, very highly recommended
Last year Ace put out a double CD devoted to the output of the Bihari Brothers Modern subsidiary Flair (Ace CDTOP2 1382 - $26.98) and now turns its attention to the labels most long lived subsidiary RPM which became the home of the company's most successful blues artist B.B. King. B.B. was brought to the attention of the Biharis by the always prescient Sam Phillips who also brought them Howling Wolf and Roscoe Gordon's first recordings and would have sent them more until a falling out over the fact that Sam was sending masters by some of the same artists to Chess resulted in a severing of their relationship. This collection features a selection of RPM recordings issued between 1950 and 1953 presented in chronological order - since Ace have already reissued quite a few RPM titles they have used alternate versions of previously reissued titles wherever possible. The selection is mostly blues and R&B though the label's very first release by Clyde Hurley & His Orch. is almost Dixieland jazz and fine it is too. Many of the artists featured here were based on the West Coast including such fine urban blues performers as Austin McCoy, Luke Jones, Mickey Champion, Jimmy Nelson, King Perry and others. Sam Phillips provided artists from around Memphis and in addition to the aforementioned provided superb sides by singer & drummer Willie Nix, the great harmonica player Walter Horton and Ike Turner. Turner was particularly important as the Biharis used him to seek out Southern talent to record and this set includes superb down home blues by Sunny Blair and Houston Boines who were discovered by Turner. From Gold Star Studios in Houston they got some of Lightnin' Hopkins' finest sides and Bernie Besman in Detroit provided them with tracks by John Lee Hooker's associate Eddie Kirkland - the tracks he supplied of Hooker were issued on the parent Modern label. Superb sound from original masters wherever possible and set comes with 16 page booklet with informative notes by Tony Rounce and loads of full color label shots. (FS)
SUNNY BLAIR: Glad To Be Back Home (alt.)/ HOUSTON BOINES: Superintendent Blues/ JUNIOR BROOKS: Whiskey Head Woman/ MICKEY CHAMPION: Good For Nothin Man (alt.)/ MELVIN DANIELS WITH THE KING CURTIS ORCHESTRA: I'll Be There/ GENE FORREST & HIS ORCH: Aching And Crying/ JAY FRANKS & HIS ORCHESTRA: Stripped Gears/ ROSCO GORDON: Booted/ Just In From Texas (alt.)/ New Orleans Wimmen (alt.)/ No More Doggin/ Rosco's Boogie (alt.)/ Saddled The Cow (And Milked The Horse)/ We're All Loaded/ LIGHTNIN HOPKINS: Another Fool In Town/ LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS: Bad Luck And Trouble (alt.)/ Jake Head Boogie/ Last Affair/ HOWLIN WOLF: I Want Your Picture/ Riding In The Moonlight/ JIMMY HUFF: Don't You Know/ She's My Baby/ CLYDE HURLEY & HIS ORCHESTRA, VOCAL BY ADELE F: Alabamy Bound/ FRANKIE IRVIN & HIS ORCHESTRA: False Love (alt.)/ LUKE JONES & HIS ORCHESTRA: Mama Oh Mama (alt.)/ B.B. KING: 3 O'Clock Blues/ B B Boogie (alt.)/ Fine Looking Woman (alt.)/ Please Love Me (alt.)/ Shake It Up And Go (alt.)/ She's Dynamite/ The Other Night Blues (alt.)/ Woke Up This Morning (alt.)/ LITTLE EDDIE KIRKLAND WITH JOHN LEE HOOKER: It's Time/ LITTLE CAESAR: Chains Of Love Have Disappeared/ AUSTIN MCCOY: Happy Pay Day (alt.)/ MEMPHIS EDDIE: Good Time Woman (alt.)/ ALEXANDER MOORE: If I Lose You, Woman (alt.)/ MUMBLES: Black Girl/ JIMMY NELSON: Cry Hard Luck (alt.)/ Fine Little Honey Dripper/ Meet Me With Your Black Dress On/ Sweetest Little Girl (alt.)/ T99 Blues (alt.)/ THE NIC NACS: Found Me A Sugar Daddy (alt.)/ Gonna Have A Merry Christmas (alt.)/ WILLIE NIX: Try Me One More Time (alt.)/ KING PERRY & HIS ORCHESTRA: Vaccinate Me Baby/ Welcome Home Baby/ GENE PHILLIPS & HIS RHYTHM ACES: Big Fat Mama (alt.)/ BONNIE & IKE TURNER: My Heart Belongs To You/ IKE TURNER WITH THE BEN BURTON ORCHESTRA: Trouble And Heartaches

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Acrobat 228 Queen Of Hits - The Macy's Recordings Story * ● CD $10.98
27 tracks, 74 mins, highly recommended
Excellent collection of blues and hillbilly recorded for Charles and Macy Lela Henry's Macy's label between 1949 and 1951. Although only active for two years the label launched the careers of several important Texas blues and country and hillbilly artists including country superstar Jim Reeves, who is not featured on this collection. On the blues side we have down home country blues from the prolific Smokey Hogg as well as more urban sides from Lester Williams (his first recordings), Clarence Garlow (his first recordings including his hit Bon Ton Roulet), Cab McMillan and Hubert Robinson. On the country side we have Cajun country legend Harry Choates with the hot western swing number Harry's Blues, the first commercial recordings of Tommy Scott including the great Tennessee with hot guitar from "Junior" Blevins plus, Curly Rash & His South Texas Playboys, Art Gunn & His Arizona Playboys (from Florida!), Barney Vardeman and His Drifting Texans and Bill Grady's Dixie Cowboys. Consistently fine music throughout with informative notes from Dave Penny. (FS)
HARRY CHOATES: Harry's Blues/ CLARENCE GARLOW: Blues As You Like It/ Bon Ton Roula/ Boogie Mood/ Jumpin' For Joy/ BILL GRADY: Ramblin Man/ ART GUNN: Boogie Woogie Blues/ SMOKEY HOGG: Leaving You Baby/ You Gotta Go/ CAB MCMILLAN: I'm Young And Able/ Three Women Blues/ CURLEY RASH: Humble Road Boogie/ HUBERT ROBINSON: Bad Luck And Trouble/ Boogie The Joint/ High Class Woman/ I Love You Baby/ Old Woman Boogie/ Room And Board Boogie/ TOMMY SCOTT: Tennessee/ When A Man Gets The Blues/ BARNEY VORDEMAN: Lets Call It Quits/ LESTER WILLIAMS: Dowling Street Hop/ Hey Jack/ I Know That Chick/ I'm So Glad I Could Jump And Shout/ Texas Town/ Wintertime Blues

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Arhoolie 343 Tejano Roots: The Women * ● CD $13.98
22 tracks, very highly recommended
Marvelous collection of 22 heavenly female duets & trios recorded in south Texas by Armando Marroquin for the Ideal label. Starting with Marroquin's wife & her sister, Carmen y Laura in 1945, Ideal recorded many duetas, realizing how popular the sound of 2 women wailing of the joys & sorrows of love were, especially in the jukeboxes of the cantinas. While going against the traditional role assigned Hispanic women, glorious and gritty singers like the Hermanas Guerrero, Rosita y Laura, Hnas. Segovia, Las Abajenas, Chelo Silva, and, of course, Lydia Mendoza & her sisters, overcame this with heartfelt emotions & angelic harmonies. Backed not only by conjunto accordion greats like Narciso Martinez, Paulino Bernal, & Tony De La Rosa, but by mariachis, the excellent Beto Villa orchestra, and innovative combinations of all these styles, Ideal maximized its appeal to all classes of Tejano society. With a 28 page booklet chock full of photos, artist profiles & lyrics in Spanish & English, this a welcome survey of this lovely music. (JM)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS B.A.C.M. 057 The Columbia Label - Classic Old Time Music * ● CD $14.98
25 tracks, 75 mins, highly recommended
Wonderful collection of old time country music recorded for the Columbia label between 1924 and 1931 - many cuts making their first appearance on CD. It opens with the remarkable novelty song My Little A-1 Brownie, the only recording of the mysterious Charles B. Smith whose accompanying musicians include King Benny Nawahii on steel guitar and Benny Goodman on clarinet! Other artists include Riley Puckett, Dock Walsh, Charlie Parker & Mack Woolbright (two delightful performances including the great The Man Who Wrote Home Sweet Home). The Pelican Wildcats, Dan Hornsby (two fascinating topical songs with accompaniments by Clayton McMichen & Riley Puckett), The Skillet Lickers, Obed Pickard (vocals and Jews harp!), Gid Tanner & Fate Norris, Smith's Sacred Singers(beautiful old time gospel), Gid Tanner & His Georgia Boys, Miner Hawkins, Vernon Dalhart, Arthur Tanner's Corn Shuckers, McMichen's Melody Men, Chubby Parker, The Deal Family and The Grady Family. Sound quality is fine and their are brief notes by Brian Golbey. (FS)
AL CRAVER (VERNON DALHART): Kinnie Wagner/ VERNON DALHART: Frank Dupree/ THE DEAL FAMILY: Be A Daniel/ THE GRADY FAMILY: Carolina‘s Best/ MINER HAWKINS: Song Of The Sea/ DAN HORNSBY: The Shelby Disaster/ The Story Of C. S. Corres/ MCMICHEN’S MELODY MEN: House Of David Blues/ CHUBBY PARKER: Down On The Farm/ CHARLIE PARKER & MACK WOOLBRIGHT: The Man That Wrote Home Sweet Home/ Ticklish Reubin/ THE PELICAN WILDCATS: Walking Georgia Rose/ OBED PICKARD: The Old Grey Mare/ RILEY PUCKETT: Old Joe Clark/ THE SKILLET LICKERS: Cotton Baggin‘/ New Arkansas Traveller/ CHARLES B. SMITH: My Little A-1 Brownie/ SMITH’S SACRED SINGERS: Where We‘ll Never Grow Old/ GID TANNER & FATE NORRIS: Goodbye Old Booze/ Where Did You Get That Hat/ GID TANNER & HIS GEORGIA BOYS: Just Gimme The Leavings/ GID TANNER & RILEY PUCKETT: Little Old Log Cabin In The Lane/ ARTHUR TANNER’S CORN SHUCKERS: Dr. Ginger Blue/ DOCK WALSH: Bulldog Down In Sunny Tennessee/ Educated Man

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Bear Family BCD 15864 Nashville Jumps: Blues & Rhythm On Nashville's Independent Labels ● CD $259.98
7 music CDs (plus one CD of interviews), 196 tracks, almost 9 hours, very highly recommended (if you can afford it!
Back in print by popular demand. Amazing eight CD set that has been in preparation for many years featuring an overview of the blues and R&B recordings made by some of the independent labels active around Nashville in the 40s and early 50s including Bullet, Republic, Excello, Nashboro, Dot and a some tiny labels that only issued a couple of releases. It includes B.B. King's first four sides for Bullet plus sides from Cecil Gant, Wynonie Harris, Christine Kittrell, Smokey Hogg, Big Joe Williams, Rufus Thomas (one of his first recordings issued under the name "Mr. Swing"!), Walter Davis, Eddie "Guitar Slim" Jones, Louis Brooks, Julius King, Bernard Hardison (the original version of Too Much later recorded by Elvis), The Fat Man With Sunnyland Slim, Shy Guy Douglas, Arthur Gunter, Earl Gaines and many, many more. The emphasis is on jump and urban blues but there are also a few superb country blues from Julius King and Big Joe Williams and the magnificent pre-war bluesman Walter Davis is featured on several brilliant performances. The 8th CD has interviews with Jim Bulleit, Christine Kittrell & Hutch Carlock. The sound quality is unbelievable, particularly considering how bad many Bullet 78s sounded. Comes with a 272 page book, clocking in at four pounds (!) with an overview of the Nashville music scene of the period, a 32 page listing of all releases on all the independent labels active in Nashville during the period covered by the set and a discussion of every single track. There are hundreds of great and rare photos including pictures of the label of almost every track represented, artist photos, newspaper cuttings, posters, advertisements and other memorabilia. (FS)
DON Q AND HIS Q TONES: Baby I Don't Need You Now/ Private Property Blues/ RICHARD ARMSTRONG: Gene Nobles' Boogie/ LITTLE MAXIE BAILEY: Brownskin Woman Blues/ My Baby's Blues/ MAX BLUES BAILEY: Delinquency Blues/ Rocking The Blues/ Sting-a-ree/ GOOD ROCKING BEASLEY: Happy Go Lucky/ THE BIG THREE TRIO: Appetite Blues/ Don't Let That Music Die/ Get Up Those Stairs Mademoiselle/ Goodbye Mr. Blues/ Signifying Monkey/ Till The Day I Die/ Why Do You Do Me Like You Do/ You Sure Look Good To Me/ LARRY BIRDSONG: Pleadin' For Love/ THE BLUE FLAMERS: Driving Down The Highway/ Watch On/ THE BLUE JACKS: Late Night Blues/ THE BLUES ROCKERS: Johnny Mae/ DUSTY BROOKS: Chili-dogs/ LOUIS BROOKS: Almost Boogie/ Bus Station Blues/ Keep Pushing/ Wine Hangover/ TOMMY BROOKS: If You Love Me Baby/ Steam Pressing Woman/ LOUIS BROOKS WITH EARL GAINES: It's Love Baby/ BEULAH BRYANT: What Am I Gonna Do/ RED CALHOUN: Here Comes The Man With The Gin/ LOUIS CAMPBELL: Gotta Have You Baby/ The Natural Facts/ TUCKER COLES: Don't Get Excited/ House Rockers Jamboree/ T C Blues/ JACK COOLEY: Dyna-flow/ Hear My Story/ It's So Fine/ Tom Tom Boogie/ GAY CROSSE: Easy Rockin'/ G.c. Rock/ No Better For You/ Tired Of Being Shoved Around/ WALTER DAVIS: I Just Can't Help It/ Lonely Nights/ Move Back To The Woods/ You've Gotta Reap What You Sow/ THE DIXIE DOODLERS: Best Of Friends/ She Was All I Had/ SHY GUY DOUGLAS: Detroit Arrow/ I'm Your Country Man/ New Memphis Blues/ No Place Like Home/ She's My Kinda Girl/ Wasted Time/ TOM DOUGLAS: Raid On Cedar Street/ CHARLIE DOWELL ORCHESTRA WITH WILLIE LEE PATTON: Allotment Blues (dear John)/ THE FAT MAN WITH SUNNYLAND SLIM: Glad I Don't Worry No More/ You've Gotta Stop This Mess/ HELEN FOSTER: I Got A Big Fat Daddy/ Oop-de-doo/ Somebody Somewhere/ You Belong To Me/ EARL GAINES: Baby Baby What's Wrong/ CECIL GANT: Anna Mae/ Another Day Another Dollar/ Boogie Woogie Baby/ Boozie Boogie/ Bullet Boogie/ Cecil's Jam Session/ I Ain't Gonna Cry No More/ I Believe I'll Go Back Home/ I Wonder/ I'm A Good Man But A Poor Man/ I'm All Alone Now/ Loose As A Goose/ Nashville Jumps/ Ninth Street Jive/ Sloppy Joe's/ So Tired/ Take It And Get/ Three Little Girls/ Train Time/ What's The Matter/ You Can't Do Me Right/ ROBERT GILL: I Only Had A Little/ GOOD ROCKIN' SAM: Don't Let Daddy Slow Walk You Down/ RUDY GREEN: My Mumblin' Baby/ TUFF GREEN: Let's Go To The Liquor Store/ Love My Baby/ RUDY GREEN ORCHESTRA: Buzzard Pie/ Florida Blues/ RUDY GREEN TRIO: Evil Man Blues/ No Good Woman Blues/ ARTHUR GUNTER: Baby Let's Play House/ Blues After Hours/ Honey Babe/ No Happy Home/ You Are Doing Me Wrong/ BERNARD HARDISON: Come To Me Baby/ Too Much/ BERNIE HARDISON: Hey Little Girl/ Love Me Baby/ Love You Baby/ Yeah It's True/ WYNONIE HARRIS: Dig This Boogie/ Drinkin' By Myself/ Lightning Struck The Poor House/ My Baby's Barrel House/ SMOKEY HOGG: Hard Times/ J. D. HORTON: Cadillac Blues/ Why Don't You Let Me Be/ SLIM HUNT: Lonesome For My Baby/ TED JARRETT: Love Love Love/ SHERMAN JOHNSON: Back Alley Boogie/ Nashville After Midnight/ EDDIE JONES: Certainly All/ Feelin' Sad/ B.B. KING: I Got The Blues/ Miss Martha King/ Take A Swing With Me/ When Your Baby Packs Up And Goes/ JULIUS KING: I Want A Slice Of Your Pudding/ If You See My Lover/ Mississippi Boogie/ One O'clock Boogie/ KID KING'S COMBO: Banana Split/ Gimmick/ Now Listen Baby/ Skip's Boogie/ CHRISTINE KITTRELL: Black Cat Crossed My Trail/ Call His Name/ Don't Do It/ Every Night Of The Week/ Evil Eyed Woman/ Gotta Stop Loving You/ Heartache Blues/ I Ain't Nothing But A Fool/ If You Ain't Sure/ I'll Help You Baby/ L & N Special/ Leave My Man Alone/ Lord Have Mercy/ Old Man You're Slipping/ Sittin' Here Drinkin'/ Sittin' Here Drinkin' Again/ Slave To Love/ Snake In The Grass/ The Price You Pay For Love/ You Ain't Nothin' But Trouble/ THE LEAP FROGS: Things Gonna Change/ ROOSEVELT LEE: I'm So Sad/ LITTLE EDDIE: Darling You Know I Love You/ My Baby Left Me/ THE MARIGOLDS: Love You-love You-love You/ Rollin' Stone/ BILLIE MCALLISTER: 31 E. Blues/ I Go For That/ Walking In A Daze/ Well Alright Baby/ JERRY MCCAIN: That's What They Want/ TOMMY MCGHEE: Late Every Evening/ Poppin'/ RED MILLER TRIO: Bewildered/ MR. SWING WITH BOBBY PLATER'S ORCHESTRA: Beer Bottle Boogie/ Gonna Bring My Baby Back/ DADDY DEAN ORCHESTRA: Love Me A Long Long Time/ The Road/ BOBBY PRINCE: Please Give Me Your Love/ CHARLES RUCKLES: I Got A Feelin'/ Pitch A Boogie Woogie/ WALTER 'TANG' SMITH: Every Monday Morning Blues/ High Tone Mama/ ST. LOUIS JIMMY: Goin' Down Slow/ I Ain't Done Nothing Wrong/ JIMMY SWEENEY: Boogie Woogie Jockey/ Deep Blues/ ROOSEVELT SYKES: Candy Man Blues/ DEL THORNE: Fly Chick Blues/ I Let Him Move Me/ ROBERT TUCKER: Changeable Woman/ It Sure Costs Money To Live/ VIVIAN VERSON: I Want To Know/ Payday Lover/ CROWN PRINCE WATERFORD: Driftwood Blues/ DOC WILEY: Play Your Hand/ BIG JOE WILLIAMS: Jivin' Woman/ She's A Married Woman/ SHERMAN WILLIAMS: Baby Don't You Want To Go/ Baby Please Don't Go (skippy's Blues)/ I'm Lucky With My Brown Gal/ Keep Your Man At Home/ My Flamin' Gal (red Head Blues)/ Ooh Wee Baby Gee/ Sherman's Boogie

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Bear Family BCD 16405 That'll Flat Git It! Vol. 17 - Sun Records * ● CD $21.98
34 tracks, 71 mins, highly recommended
Well, Bear Family does it again - they have burrowed into the depths of the Sun tape vault for a third time and come up with another great selection - none of which was ever issued at the time and most making their first ever appearance on CD. In addition to artists recorded at Sun this also gives us a glimpse at some of the artists who sent in audition tapes to Sun including Fred Prentiss with the powerful Jungle Queen, John Tolleson (more familiar as Tommie Tolleson) with four great solo vocal & piano demos, Jerry Arnold (whose tapes he actually placed with Challenge and Security) and several unknown performers including the fine guitar instrumental Driving Home. There some great alternate takes like Ray Harris's Greenback Dollar, Slim Rhodes Band with Do What I Do, Warren Smith's Red Cadillac And A Black Mustache and more including a couple of Charlie Rich cuts with some interesting and revealing studio chatter with Sam Phillips encouraging Charlie Rich to sound more like Elvis and a couple of fine acoustic guitar demos by Ray Scott and ends with a 29 second fragment of an unknown performance by Jimmy Wages that might have become a rockabilly classic if the whole performances existed. And maybe it does - I don't think the contents of the Sun vaults have been fully exhausted. I never cease to be amazed as to the high quality of the unissued material that keeps turning up. 36 page booklet has detailed notes and great rare photos. (FS)
ALTON & JIMMY: No More Crying The Blues (alt)/ JERRY ARNOLD: High Class Baby/ Little Boy Blue/ JOHNNY BERNERO: It Makes No Difference Now (alt)/ S. BROOKS & SLIM RHODES BAND: Do What I Do/ Take And Give (alt)/ SONNY BURGESS: Find My Baby For Me/ JOHNNY CASH: Big River (alt)/ RAY HARRIS: Greenback Dollar (alt)/ J. LEWIS & SONNY BURGESS BAND: Life's Too Short To Live/ CARL MCVOY: I'll Satisfied/ FRED PRENTISS: Jungle Queen/ Lazy River/ CHARLIE RICH: Goodbye Mary Ann (alt)/ Little Woman Friend Of Mine/ BILLY RILEY: Red Hot (alt)/ RAY SCOTT: I'm Gonna Make You Love Me/ Tonight Will Be The Last Night/ GENE SIMMONS: Chains Of Love/ RAY SMITH: Little Girl (alt)/ WARREN SMITH: Red Cadillac And A Black Mustache/ JOHN TOLLESON: Don't Sweetheart Me/ Hickory Nut Mountain/ Rocky Road Blues/ Searchin' For My Baby/ UNKNOWN ARTIST: Driving Home/ If You Need Me/ Snake Dance/ JIMMY WAGES: Unknown Tape Fragment/ ONIE WHEELER: That's All/ JIMMY WILLIAMS: All I Want/ ALAN WINGATE: Rainin' The Blues/ Should Be You/ What Else Could I Do?

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Bear Family BCD 17342 Atomic Platters: Cold War Music From The Golden Age Of Homeland Security ● CD $24.98
Some years ago Bear Family put out a massive set with five CDs with 142 tracks, a DVD and a large 292 page hardcover book devoted to the musical response to the atomic age (Bear Family 16065 - $199.98). This 32 track collection features 27 tracks mostly from from that collection and to top things off like a mushroom cloud, this set has five bonus tracks not heard on the original 'Atomic Platters' box set! With exhaustive liner notes in a full color 80 page booklet by Cold War historian Bill Geerhart. It includes gems like Radioactive Mama by Sheldon Allman, Uranium Fever by Elton Britt, Atom Bomb Baby by The Five Stars, Fujiyama Mama by Wanda Jackson, Old Man Atom by Sam Hinton and others. It also includes Civil Defense spots from Johnny Cash, Groucho Marx and others.
SHELDON ALLMAN: Radioactive Mama/ RAY ANDERSON AND THE HOMEFOLKS: Sputniks And Mutniks/ GLENN BARBER: Atom Bomb/ LOWELL BLANCHARD AND THE VALLEY TRIO: Jesus Hits Like An Atom Bomb/ ELTON BRITT: Uranium Fever/ THE BUCHANAN BROTHERS: Atomic Power/ JOHNNY CASH (CIVIL DEFENSE SPOT): Help Ourselves/ BILLY CHAMBERS: Fallout Shelter/ JACKIE DOLL AND HIS PICKLED PEPPERS: When They Drop The Atomic Bomb/ DR. STRANGELOVE AND THE FALLOUTS: Love That Bomb/ THELMA FARMER AND HAL MCKINNEY ORCHESTRA: Atomic Love/ THE FIVE STARS: Atom Bomb Baby/ CONNIE FRANCIS (CIVIL DEFENSE SPOT): Be Prepared/ SLIM GAILLARD QUARTETTE: Atomic Cocktail/ MELVIN GAYLE: Khrushchev Twist/ BILL HALEY AND HIS COMETS: Thirteen Women/ SAM HINTON: Old Man Atom/ WANDA JACKSON: Fujiyama Mama/ KARL & HARTY: When The Atom Bomb Fell/ HANK KING: Your Atom Bomb Heart/ FRED KIRBY: When That Hell Bomb Falls/ THE LOUVIN BROTHERS: Great Atomic Power/ DUDE MARTIN'S ROUND-UP GANG: Atom Bomb Baby/ GROUCHO MARX (CIVIL DEFENSE SPOT): Excellent Chan/ PETER SCOTT PETERS: Fallout Shelter/ AL ROGERS AND HIS ROCKY MOUNTAIN BOYS: The Hydrog/ SONNY RUSSELL: Fifty Megatons/ FAY SIMMONS: You Hit Me Baby Like An Atomic Bomb/ MARK SPOELSTRA: The Civil Defense Sign/ SKIP STANLEY: Satellite Baby/ LEW TOBIN'S ORCHESTRA: Uranium Lou

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Bear Family BCD 17401 Troubadours: Folk & The Roots Of American Music, Vol. 1 ● CD $54.98
First of another ambitious new series from Bear Family Records - this one documenting the story of folk music in the United States from its Appalachian and blues roots in the 1920s and 30s through the 1970s in a series of four three CD set. The first volume with 75 tracks features a brief selection devoted to early influences like the Carter Family, Lead Belly, The Dixon Brothers and others then moves on to the early pioneers of folk music (Carl Sandberg, Earl Robinson) and then on to the 1940s and 1950s and a mix of artists performing traditional songs, original songs and politically oriented material - Woody Guthrie, The Almanac Singers, Sam Hinton, Pete Seeger, The Weavers, Cisco Houston, Oscar Brand, Will Holt, Paul Clayton, The Easy Riders, Tarriers and others. Sound quality is superb and the 152 page booklet has extensive notes by series compiler Dave Samuelson.
THE ALMANAC SINGERS: Hard, Ain't It Hard/ Sinking Of The Reuben James/ Union Maid/ Union Train/ Which Side Are You On/ DICK BLAKESLEE: Passing Through/ OSCAR BRAND: Around Her Neck/ Bootlegger's Song/ Paper Of Pins/ THE CARTER FAMILY: I Never Will Marry/ Little Darling, Pal Of Mine/ Wildwood Flower/ PAUL CLAYTON: Gotta Travel On/ Pay Day At Coal Creek/ Who's Gonna Buy You Ribbons When I'm Gone/ THE DIXON BROTHERS: Weave Room Blues/ DUNCAN / LIEBERMAN / SANDERS / SMITH: Die Gedanken Sind Frei/ THE EASY RIDERS: Green Fields/ Kari Waits For Me/ Marianne/ Strolling Blues/ THE GATEWAY SINGERS: Come To The Dance/ The Ballad Of Sigmund Freud/ BOB GIBSON: Abilene/ Delia/ TERRY GILKYSON: The Cry Of The Wild Goose/ CYNTHIA GOODING: Go Way From My Window/ WOODY GUTHRIE: Babe O'Mine/ Do Re Mi/ Dusty Old Dust (So Long, It's Been Good To Know You)/ Grand Coulee Dam/ Hard Travelin'/ I Ain't Got No Home/ I've Got To Know/ Philadelphia Lawyer (& Cisco Houston)/ Pretty Boy Floyd/ Ramblin' Round/ This Land Is Your Land/ SAM HINTON: Old Man Atom (Talking Atomic Blues)/ WILL HOLT: Raspberries, Strawberries (Ah Les Fraises Et Les Frambous)/ The M.T.A./ CISCO HOUSTON: 900 Miles/ Diamond Joe/ Great American Bum/ BURL IVES: The Wayfaring Stranger/ LEAD BELLY: Rock Island Line/ The Midnight Special/ Western Plain (When I Was A Cowboy)/ VINCE MARTIN & THE TARRIERS: Cindy, Oh Cindy/ ED MCCURDY: John Brown's Body/ VERN PARTLOW: Newspapermen Meet Such Interesting People/ GOEBEL REEVES: The Hobo's Lullaby/ JEAN RITCHIE: Dear Companion/ Jubilee/ EARL ROBINSON: Joe Hill/ The Frozen Logger/ The House I Live In/ CARL SANDBURG: The Horse Named Bill/ PETE SEEGER: Darling Corey/ No Irish Need Apply/ The Death Of Harry Simms/ Winnsboro Cotton Mill Blues/ THE TARRIERS: The Banana Boat Song/ Those Brown Eyes/ MERLE TRAVIS: Dark As A Dungeon/ Sixteen Tons/ THE UNION BOYS: A Dollar Ain't A Dollar Anymore/ Solidarity Forever/ U.A.W.-C.I.O./ THE WEAVERS: Banks Of Marble/ Goodnight Irene/ So Long, It's Been Good To Know You/ The Hammer Song/ Wasn't That A Time/ JOSH WHITE: One Meat Ball

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Bear Family BCD 17402 Troubadours: Folk & The Roots Of American Music, Vol. 2 ● CD $59.98
The second volume features three CDs with 70 tracks and 120 page booklet covering the period from 1958 to 1966. From when The Kingston Trio regularly appeared in the pop charts and a new revival of interest in folk music began with recordings by The Limeliters, Bud & Travis, The Rooftop Singers and others. The music underwent a seismic shift around 1962 with the appearance of important singer/ songwriters like Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, Eric Anderson, Peter LaFarge, Fred Neil and others.
ERIC ANDERSEN: Close The Door Lightly When You Go/ Dusty Box Car Wall/ Violets Of Dawn/ ERIC ANDERSON: Thirsty Boots/ DAVID BLUE: Grand Hotel/ BUD & TRAVIS: Cloudy Summer Afternoon/ South Wind/ JUDY COLLINS: Anathea/ Carry It On/ Hey Nelly Nelly/ BOB DYLAN: A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall/ Blowing In The Wind/ Don't Think Twice, It's All Right/ Masters Of War/ Tambourine Man/ The Times They Are A-Changin'/ THE GREENBRIAR BOYS: Different Drum/ Strewball/ TIM HARDIN: If I Were A Carpenter/ Reason To Believe/ The Lady Came From Baltimore/ THE HIGHWAYMEN: Cotton Fields/ Michael/ THE JOURNEYMEN: Hush Now Sally/ Ride, Ride, Ride/ Soft Blow The Summer Winds/ Someone To Talk My Troubles To/ THE KINGSTON TRIO: A Worried Man/ If You Don't Look Around/ Run The Ridges/ Scotch And Soda/ The M.T.A./ The New Frontier/ Tom Dooley/ PETER LAFARGE: As Long As The Grass Shall Grow/ The Ballad Of Ira Hayes/ THE LIMELITERS: A Dollar Down/ Adios Mi Corazon (Spanish Is The Livnig Tongue)/ Those Were The Days/ THE CHAD MITCHELL TRIO: Dubarry Done Gone Again/ Leaving On A Jet Plane/ One Man's Hands/ That's The Way It's Gonna Be/ The Marvelous Toy/ FRED NEIL: Blues On The Ceiling/ Everybody's Talkin'/ Little Bit Of Rain/ The Dolphins/ The Other Side Of Life/ THE NEW CHRISTY MINSTRELS: Green Green/ Today/ PHIL OCHS: Changes/ Draft Dodger Rag/ I Ain't Marching Anymore/ Power And The Glory/ There But For Fortune/ When I'm Gone/ TOM PAXTON: Ain't That News/ Bottle Of Wine/ I Can't Help But Wonder Where I'm Bound/ Ramblin' Boys/ The Last Thing On My Mind/ What Did You Learn In School Today/ THE ROOFTOP SINGERS: Tom Cat/ Walk Right In/ PATRICK SKY: Many A Mile/ THE TARRIERS: Seven Daffodils/ DAVE VAN ROCK: Come Back Baby/ DAVE VAN RONK: Bad Dream Blues/ Cocaine Blues

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Bear Family BCD 17403 Troubadours: Folk & The Roots Of American Music, Vol. 3 ● CD $59.98
The third three CD set has 63 tracks along with a 112 page booklet. This volume features those who married new, political folk songs with ancient ballads: Pete Seeger (Where Have All the Flowers Gone/ Turn Turn Turn, and more), Joan Baez (We Shall Overcome, etc.), Buffy St. Marie (The Universal Soldier/ Til It's Time For You To Go), and others from the turbulent 1960s. Dylan's contemporaries and his followers are here, all of them staking out a unique slant on the issues of the day. The set also includes pioneering folk rock artists, like Arlo Guthrie, the Lovin' Spoonful, Tim Rose, Jim Croce, Melanie, and Harry Chapin.
JOAN BAEZ: Daddy, You've Been On My Mind/ Diamonds And Rust/ Farewell, Angelina/ The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down/ We Shall Overcome/ What Have They Done To The Rain?/ Legend Of A Girl Child Linda/ DAVID BROMBERG: Danger Man/ The Holdup/ HARRY CHAPIN: Cat's In The Cradle/ Taxi/ JIM CROCE: Bad, Bad Leroy Brown/ I Got A Name/ Operator (That's Not The Way It Feels)/ Time In A Bottle/ You Don't Mess Around With Jim/ JONATHAN EDWARDS: Shanty/ Sunshine/ JACK ELLIOTT: San Francisco Bay Blues/ South Coast/ MITCH GREENHILL: Highway 301 Blues/ Won't You Tell Me/ ALRO GUTHRIE: Alice's Restaurant/ Percy's Song/ ARLO GUTHRIE: Coming In To Los Angeles/ BILL KEITH & JIM ROONEY: Kentucky Moonshiner/ One Morning In May/ JIM KWESKIN AND THE JUG BAND: Three Songs-A Look At The Ragtime Era (Sister Kate's Night Out)/ THE JIM KWESKIN JUG BAND: Garden Of Joy/ Minglewood/ THE LOVIN' SPOONFUL: Darlin' Companion/ Daydream/ Younger Girl/ MELANIE: Brand New Key/ Lay Down (Candles In The Rain)/ What They've Done To My Son, Ma/ GEOFF MULDAUR: Ginger Man/ MARIA MULDAUR: Midnight At The Oasis/ TIM ROSE: Hey Joe (You Shot Your Woman Down)/ TOM RUSH: Merrimack County/ No Regrets/ On The Road Again/ BUFFY SAINTE-MARIE: Cod'ine/ My Country 'Tis Of Thy People You're Dying/ Now That The Buffalo's Gone/ The Piney Wood Hills/ The Universal Soldier/ Until It's Time For You To Go/ PETE SEEGER: From Way Up Here/ Hobo's Lullaby/ Last Night I Had The Strangest Dream/ Last Train To Nuremberg/ Oh, Had I Goldren Thread/ Song Of The Punch Press Operator/ The Bells Of Rhymney/ The Clearwater/ Turn! Turn! Turn!/ Waist Deep In The Big Muddy/ Where Have All The Flowers Gone?/ PAUL SIEBEL: Any Day Woman/ Louise/ ERIC VON SCHMIDT: Joshua Gone Barbados/ Light Rain

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Bear Family BCD 17404 Troubadours: Folk & The Roots Of American Music, Vol. 4 ● CD $59.98
The fourth and final volume has 80 tracks from the late 60s through the late 70s and comes with a 120 page booklet. This volume is an eclectic mix, featuring America's best-selling poet, Rod McKuen, as well as old school folkies like Malvina Reynolds (Little Boxes), country rock pioneers like the Byrds (Hickory Wind), John Stewart, Nilsson, John Denver (Take Me Home Country Roads/ Back Home Again), as well as John Hartford's original version of Gentle On My Mind, Townes Van Zandt's original Pancho And Lefty, and Kris Kristofferson's game-changing compositions, Me And Bobby McGee and Help Me Make It Through The Night. This set also includes John Prine, Mark Spoelstra, Hedy West, Steve Goodman, Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell and other artists who have helped to bring the folk tradition into the twenty-first century.
HOYT AXTON: Greenback Dollar/ Thunder 'N' Lightnin'/ TIM BUCKLEY: Once I Was/ THE BYRDS: Hickory Wind/ GENE CLARK: Tried So Hard/ JOHN DENVER: Back Home Again/ Rocky Mountain High/ Take Me Home, Country Roads/ DILLARD AND CLARK EXPEDITION: Train Leaves Here This Morning/ BONNIE DOBSON: Morning Dew/ JIMMIE DRIFTWOOD: Tennessee Stud/ The Battle Of New Orleans/ What Color Is The Soul Of A Man/ RICHARD & MIMI FARINA: A Swallow Song/ Birmingham Sunday Richard/ Bold Marauder/ Pack Up Your Sorrows (Acoustic Version)/ The Falcon/ BOB GIBSON: Blues Around My Head/ Where I'm Bound/ Daddy Roll 'Em/ STEVE GOODMAN: City Of New Orleans/ JOHN HARTFORD: California Earthquake/ Gentle On My Mind/ Natural To Be Gone/ Steamboat Whistle Blues/ IAN & SYLVIA: Four Strong Winds/ Some Day Soon/ Summer Wages/ You Were On My Mind/ INTRO: Conelrad Radio Alert/ DIAN JAMES: He Was A Friend Of Mine/ If I Were Free/ JOHN KOERNER: Good Time Charlie Spider/ KRIS KRISTOFFERSON: Casey's Last Ride/ Help Me Make It Through The Night/ Me And Bobby Mcgee/ GORDON LIGHTFOOT: Did She Mention My Name?/ Early Morning Rain/ For Loving Me/ GENE MACLELLAN: Put Your Hand In The Hand/ Snowbird/ ROD MCKUEN: Love's Been Good To Me/ Seasons In The Sun/ JONI MITCHELL: Both Sides Now/ MICHAEL NESMITH: Calico Girl Friend/ Joanne/ MICKEY NEWBURY: How I Love Them Old Songs/ Sweet Memories/ HARRY NILSSON: One (Is A Lonely Number)/ Rainmaker/ JOHN PRINE: Angel From Montgomery/ Paradise/ Sam Stone/ Souvenirs/ OBRAY RAMSEY: Rain And Snow/ MALVINA REYNOLDS: Little Boxes/ JEAN RITCHIE: Black Waters/ Blue Diamond Mines/ The L&N Don't Stop Here Anymore/ MIKE SETTLE: Settle Down/ Sing Hallelujah/ SHEL SILVERSTEIN: Bury Me In My Shades/ The Unicorn/ MARK SPOELSTRA: Five And Twenty Questions/ She's Gone/ The Times I've Had/ JOHN STEWART: California Bloodlines/ July, You're A Woman/ TOWNES VAN ZANDT: Pancho And Lefty/ JERRY JEFF WALKER: Mr Bojangles/ HEDY WEST: 500 Miles/ Cotton Mill Girls/ BILLY EDD WHEELER: Blistered/ Coal Tattoo/ High Flying Bird/ Jackson/ MASON WILLIAMS: Long Time Gone/ JESSE WINCHESTER: Brand New Tennessee Waltz/ Yankee Lady/ STEVE YOUNG: Seven Bridges Road

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Fantastic Voyage 200 In The Shadow Of Sun - Memphis Area R&B and Rock 'n' Roll ● CD $22.98
Three CDs, 101 tracks, almost 4 hours, very highly recommended
A fabulous collection of rockabilly, hillbilly, blues and R&B recorded in Memphis between 1953 and 1960. Although Sun Records ruled the musical roost during this period there were plenty of small labels that emerged to challenge Sam Phillips' hegemony. This set concentrates on those other labels - many of them small companies who only issued a handful of releases gives an idea of just how much outstanding talent was active in the Memphis area. The most well known of these labels was the Modern Records subsidiary Meteor run out of Memphis by Saul Bihari and this collection includes superb Meteor sides from Fenton Robinson, Joe Hill Louis, Wayne McGinnis, Brad Suggs and others. Among the many other labels featured are Starmaker, Von, House Of Sound, Atomic, Hornet, OJ and many others. Artists include Moohah (Memphis DJ with his only record), Hayden Thompson (a superb hillbilly version of Chicago bluesman Jimmy Rogers' Act Like You Love Me), Johnny Burnette (his first rare recording for Von), Eddie Bond, Lloyd McCullough & The Driftin' Hillbillies, Aubrey Cagle (the hot rockabilly Real Cool), Roosevelt Sykes (the legendary bluesman with the topical Sputnik Baby on the House Of Sound label), Chester Guyden (fine jump blue singer with a fine version of Roy Brown's Miss Fannie Brown on the OJ label), Curtis Hobock, Charles Senns and many more. Almost four hours of great music with superb sound and a 20 page booklet with detailed notes by compiler Dave Penny and dozens of mouth watering label shots. (FS)
LLOYD ARNOLD: Hang Out/ THE BIG FOUR: All Keyed Up/ Outa Tune/ EDDIE BOND: Love Makes A Fool (Every Day)/ Talking Off The Wall/ BARNEY BURCHAM WITH THE MOON BEAMS: I Fell/ JOHNNY BURNETTE: Go Mule Go/ You're Undecided/ FREDDIE CADDELL AND THE TWIRLS: At The Rockhouse/ Gotta Big Fat Mama/ AUBREY CAGLE: Real Cool/ Want To Be Wanted Blues/ EDDIE CASH AND THE CASHIERS: Come On Home/ Land Of Promises/ FRANK CATHEY: Witchapoo/ JODY CHASTAIN: Jody's Beat/ My My/ CHARLES DEAN AND THE RONDELLS: Train Whistle Boogie/ THE DEL RIOS WITH THE BEARCATS: Lizzie/ WAILIN' BILL DELL AND THE BACHELORS: Do You Care/ WAILIN'BILL DELL AND THE BACHELORS: You Gotta Be Loose/ FERRELL DUNCAN AND HIS ROCKERS: Flying Saucer Rocket/ Little Susie/ CHARLIE FEATHERS: Jungle Fever/ THE FIVE STARS WITH MILLIARD LEE AND ORCHEST: Hey Juanita/ MERDELL FLOYD: Juke Box Mama/ THE FOUR KINGS WITH THE WILLIE MITCHELL ORCH: Rag Mop/ DAVE GARDNER: Love Is My Business/ Mad Witch/ CURLEY GRIFFIN: Got Rockin'On My Mind/ Gotta Whip This Bear/ I've Seen It All/ Rock Bottom Blues/ You Gotta Play Fair/ JERRY GRIMES: My Rock And Roll Daddy/ CHESTER GUYDON AND BAND: Miss Fannie Brown/ You Gotta Help Me Some/ TOMMY HAWK: I Thought About Living/ Rockin'At The Zoo/ CURTIS HOBOCK: China Rock/ Tom Dooley Rock And Roll/ The Whole Town's Talking/ JESSE HOOPER: All Messed Up/ JESS HOOPER AND THE DAYDREAMERS: Sleepy Time Blues/ HOYT JOHNSON AND THE FOUR RECORDERS: Standing In Your Window/ LARRY KENNON: Monkey Love/ JIMMY LAMBERTH WITH THE SAXONS: Latch On To Your Baby/ TIPPO LITE'S ALL STARS: Jumping This Morning/ PAUL LITTLE: I Want To Walk With You/ LITTLE MILTON WITH PLAYMATES OF RHYTHM: Let's Boogie Baby/ BOBBY LOLLAR WITH PETE BEAVER'S BAND: Bad Bad Boy/ JOE HILL LOUIS (AS CHICAGO SUNNY BOY): Jack Pot/ JOE HILL LOUIS (AS LITTLE JOE): Glamour Girl/ CARL MANN AND THE KOOL KATS: Gonna Rock And Roll Tonight/ Rockin'Love/ JIMMIE MARTIN COMBO FEAT. RAMSEY KEARNEY: Red Bobby Socks/ Rock The Bop/ WINK MARTINDALE: Love Broke Loose/ Love's Got Me Thinkin'/ LLOYD MCCULLOUGH AND THE DRIFTIN'HILLBILLIES: Oh Darling/ Watch That Girl/ WAYNE MCGINNIS WITH THE SWING TEENS: Lonesome Rhythm Blues/ Rock, Roll And Rhythm/ CARL MILLER: Rhythm Guitar/ WILLIE MITCHELL ORCHESTRA FEAT. BILLY TAYLOR: Lizzie Lou/ Wasting My Time/ MOOHAH: All Shook Out/ Candy/ ALLEN PAGE: She's The One That's Got It/ Sugar Tree/ Honeysuckle/ Dateless Night/ Oh! Baby/ CARNE PITRELLO: The Saints/ LYNN PRATT: Tom Cat Boogie/ Come Here Mama/ They're Learning/ Red Headed Woman/ JIMMY PRITCHETT: Nothing On My Mind/ BOBBY ROBERTS AND THE BAD HABITS: Cravin'/ Hop, Skip And Jump/ BOBBY ROBERTS WITH HIGHPOCKETS' DELTA ROCKETS: Big Sandy/ BOBBY ROBERTS WITH HIGHPOCKETS' DELTA ROCKETS: She's My Woman/ FENTION ROBINSON WITH THE DUKES: Tennessee Woman/ MAC SALES AND THE ESQUIRE TRIO: A Gal Named Joe/ LEVI SEABURY AND HIS BAND: Boogie Beat/ CHARLES SENNS: Dig Me A Crazy Record/ Gee Whiz Liz/ WILBUR STEINBERG ORCHESTRA: Mop Bop Boogie/ FRANKLIN STEWART AND THE STEWART BROTHERS: That Long Black Train/ BRAD SUGGS WITH THE SWINGSTERS: Bop, Baby, Bop/ Charcoal Suit/ ROOSEVELT SYKES: Sputnik Baby/ HAYDEN THOMPSON AND HIS SOUTHERN MELODY BOYS: Act Like You Love Me/ I Feel The Blues Coming On/ DALE VAUGHN AND THE STARNOTES: High Steppin'/ How Can You Be Mean To Me/ JOE WALLACE AND AL WOODY'S OWLS: Leopard Man/ BILLY WAYNE: I Love My Baby/ Walking And Strolling/ WAYNE WILLIAMS AND THE SURE SHOTS: Red Hot Mama

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Flyright 64 Hillbilly Gospel, 1948-58 * ● CD $16.98
24 tracks, highly recommended
Terrific collection of white rural gospel from rare 78s - The Calvary Quartet, Four Leaf Clover Quartet, Deep South Quartet, Bill Porter & Howard Seratt, Ernest Martin & His Gospel Melody Makers, The Turner Brothers, Alton Delmore & The Brown's Ferry Four (from the obscure Acme label), The Tennesse Harmony Boys, Johnny & Jimmy and more. 24 tracks in all displaying a wide variety of style from the more formal quartets to old time sounds with guitar and mandolin to bluegrass to straight country and more. (FS
CURT & FAYE BARTMESS: Set Your Watch/ The Downward Road/ THE BATTLE MOUNTAIN BOYS: Jesus, The Light Of The World/ THE BLUE RIDGE QUARTET: Hard Times Will Soon Be Over/ ALSA BROOK QUARTET: Plant Some Flowers On My Grave/ THE CALVERY QUARTET: What You Gonna Do/ THE CAMPBELL TRIO: God Can Do Without Your Service/ THE CAUDILL FAMILY: Ain't No Grave Gonna Hold My Body Down/ THE DEEP SOUTH QUARTET: Do Lord/ ALTON DELMORE & THE BROWNS FERRY FOUR: Gonna Row My Boat/ PEANUT FAIRCOTH: Shake His Hand/ THE FOUR LEAF CLOVER QUARTET: There Is Only One/ JOE FRANKLIN: If I Could Just Make It In/ BILLIE & GORDON HAMRICK: He's Gonna Take His Children Out/ JOHNNY & JIMMY: I Want My Life To Count For Jesus/ ROY LANHAM: We Will Know/ MUSICAL LEWIS FAMILY: Carry On/ ERNEST MARTIN: The Golden Rule/ When The Wrath Of God Comes Down/ BILL PORTER & HOWARD SERATT: Jesus Hold My Hand/ THE REBELS QUARTET: Peace Like A River/ THE TENNESSEE HARMONY BOYS: I'm A Millionaire/ THE TURNER BROTHERS (RED & LIGE): Matthew 24/ LES & HELEN TUSSEY: We've Got The Answer

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS History Of Soul 19 Down In The Basement - Soul From New York, Vol. 2 ● CD $18.98
2 CD, 56 tracks, very highly recommended
The follow-up to "Lonely Avenue: Soul From New York" (History of Soul 5 - $18.98) continues the quest to bring to the attention of the masses the wealth of great R&B that came from the Big Apple between the years 1956 and 1962. As with the earlier set, you can't go wrong with folks like Ray Charles, the Isley Brothers, Ike & Tina Turner, Jackie Wilson, Pearl Woods, and Bobby Long. Among the standouts: Erma Franklin (Don't Wait Too Long), Doris Payne (aka Doris Troy, You Better Mind), Jimmy Ricks and the Ravens (Daddy Rollin' Stone), Little Willie John (Leave My Kitten Alone, and I see why the Beatles covered this - it's awesome!), Dee Dee Warwick (a version of You're No Good that sounds like the prototype of Linda Ronstadt's version), the great Chuck Jackson (I Wake Up Crying), and Mary Ann Fisher (the show-stopping Give). There's plenty to enjoy here and nothing sums up the spirit of this collection like King Coleman's wicked "Down in the Basement". If you have Lonely Avenue, then you owe it to yourself to get this CD. (GMC)
KIP ANDERSON: I Feel Good/ Till Your Love is Mine/ MARY B: Something for You Baby/ LAVERN BAKER & JIMMY RICKS: You're the Boss/ JIMMY BARNES: No Regrets/ BIG MAYBELLE: I Still Care/ ELOISE CARTER: I Need You/ RAY CHARLES: I Wonder/ Who You Gonna Love/ ANN COLE: Don't Stop the Wedding/ KING COLEMAN: Down in the Basement/ DON COVAY: See about Me/ JOHNNY DARROW: Love is a Nightmare/ SUGAR PIE DESANTO: Can't Let You Go/ LITTLE FRANKIE EDWARDS: Trouble/ MARY ANN FISHER: Give/ ARETHA FRANKLIN: Operation Heartbreak/ ERMA FRANKLIN: Don't Wait Too Long/ BARBARA GEORGE: Send for Me/ GERRI GRANGER: Ain't That Funny/ BIRDIE GREEN: Tremblin'/ BILLY GUY: Here I Am/ VERNON HARREL: Slick Chick/ WYNONIE HARRIS: Tell a Whale of a Tale/ THE ISLEY BROTHERS: Just One More Time/ Your Old Lady/ CHUCK JACKSON: I Wake Up Crying/ LITTLE WILLIE JOHN: Leave My Kitten Alone/ My Nerves/ DOLORES JOHNSON: What Kind of Man are You/ CURTIS KNIGHT: Voodoo Woman/ MARIE KNIGHT: To Be Loved by You/ GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS: Operator/ BOBBY LONG: Did You Ever Dream Lucky/ GLORIA LYNNE: You Don't Have to Be a Tower of Strength/ THE MATADORS: You'd Be Crying Too/ BARBARA MCNAIR: He's a King/ CLYDE MCPHATTER: Thirty Days/ BETTY O'BRIEN: Why Me/ DORIS PAYNE: You Better Mind/ JIMMY RICKS: Daddy Rollin' Stone/ RUBY ROBERSON: Love is a Question/ Rheumatism/ LLOYD SIMS: I Want to Know/ TED TAYLOR: She's a Winner/ JOE TEX: My Biggest Mistake/ IKE & TINA TURNER: Gonna Find Me a Substitute/ Poor Fool/ TITUS TEE TURNER: Sticks and Stones/ SARAH VAUGHAN: Smooth Operator/ DEE DEE WARWICK: You're No Good/ BABY WASHINGTON: Let Love Go By/ JACKIE WILSON: A Woman, A Lover, A Friend/ You Don't Know What It Means/ PEARL WOODS: Right Now/ TIMI YURO: What's the Matter Baby

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS JSP JSPCD 77175 Sacred Harp & Shape Note Singing ● CD $28.98
Four CDs, 81 tracks, essential
Fabulous collection of the moving music mostly sung at White Southern churches. Shape note singing originated in early 18th century using shapes to indicate notes on the musical scale so that it more accessible to people with limited musical knowledge. Sacred harp singing is based on the shape note singing style and generally confines itself to a pre-Civil War repertoire, mainly from a single text called, predictably, "The Sacred Harp" (1844). Normally sacred harp music is sung unaccompanied by large choral groups in a polyphonic style with rich harmonies that are truly spine chilling. Most of the recordings here were made between 1927 and 1934 with a couple from the 1950s. Because of the limitations of studio size most of the sacred harp recordings feature smaller - usually quartets or quintets and many feature discreet piano or organ. The most popular and prolific group were Allison's Sacred Harp Singers who are featured on 19 tracks here. They were a quintet accompanied by an organ which in this context acts as a sixth voice. They perform classic songs from the sacred harp book like Antioch/ Sweet Canaan/ Weeping PIlgrim/ The Golden Harp/ Jewett and others. Another outstanding group was acapella Alabama Sacred Harp Singers who were probably the first Sacred Harp group heard by many outside of Alabama when their wonderful Rocky Road and Present Joys were included on the Harry Smith Anthology. They were later recorded as full choir by Alan Lomax in 1959. Other groups include Daniels-Deason Sacred Harp Singers, Middle Georgia Singing Convention No. 1, Pioneer Sacred Harp Singers, Dye's Sacred Harp Singers and others. These recordings are all but devoid of pretension and commerciality, steeped instead in an unmistakably heart-felt spirituality rarely captured on wax. Compiled by collector/ reasearcher Chris King who also provides informative this set also has superb sound. (FS)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Kent CDKEND 108 Carnival Of Soul Vol 1 * ● CD $18.98
24 tracks, 66 min., essential
Jazz saxophonist Joe Evans' capitalized on the burgeoning soul market of the early to mid-1960s by starting Carnival Records. Along the way to discovering his label's financial wheel horse, The Manhattans, he recorded some truly wonderful acts, though most were unfortunately destined for the footnotes of soul history. Most notably, the super fine Barbara Brown, who, as the story goes, left the music biz because of a jealous and possessive boyfriend, had talent to spare, as her Forget Him will attest. Norma Jenkins' Me Myself And I and Lee Williams & The Cymbals' 1966 gem I Love You More may be counted as 2 of the 3 miracles Evans needs to attain sainthood. (Fans should also be advised that of the 3 Manhattans Carnival singles that do not appear on their LPs, one is here, one on vol. 2, and one on vol. 3.) (JC)
RENE BAILEY: I'm Gonna Be Missing You/ BARBARA BROWN: Forget Him/ HARRY CALDWELL: Nobody Loves Me (Like My Baby)/ CURBY COGGINS: Come Home To Daddy/ NORMA JENKINS: Me Myself And I/ JIMMY JULES: Nothing Will Ever Change (This Love Of Mine)/ LEON AND THE METRONOMES WITH THE KOOL KI: I'll Catch You On The Rebound/ THE LOVETTES: I Need A Guy/ THE MANHATTANS: All I Need Is Your Love/ Til' You Come Back To Me/ THE METRICS: Wishes/ THE PETS: I Say Yeah/ THE PRETENDERS: I Call It Love/ I Wanna Be (Your Everything)/ KENNETH RUFFIN: I'll Keep On Holding On/ PHIL TERRELL: Can I Come In/ Love Has Passed Me By/ THE THREE REASONS: Go Right On/ THE TOPICS: She's So Fne/ THE TRUE-TEENS: My Baby's Gone/ THE TURNER BROTHERS: My Love Is Yours Tonight/ LEE WILLIAMS AND THE CYMBALS: I Love You More/ It's Everything About You (That I Love)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Kent CDKEND 158 Dave Godin's Deep Soul Treasures, Vol. 2 * ● CD $18.98
25 tracks, 79 min. highly recommended
Ace Records and music journalist Dave Godin - the man who coined the term 'Deep Soul' - have done it again. As I'm a longtime soul fan, what I always look for in this music is that 'C' word -conviction when it comes to the vocal performance : it has to be direct, honest and communicative. As with Vol. 1 (CDKENT 143 - $18.98), the selections meet these criteria. A few of the tracks should be familiar to serious soul fans. Highlights include the full unbroken performance of The Sweeter He Is (by The Soul Children) featuring the intro lead of Anita Louis, and Shelbra Bennet's impeccable harmonies. The complete 45 rpm take of Nothing Takes The Place Of You (by Toussaint McCall) is reissued here for the very first time. Al McLoud's guitar & harmony vocals on the Stax recording of Stop! Look What You're Doing (by Carla Thomas) I find particularly refreshing. The original version of Go Now (by Bessie Banks) should interest all fans of The Moody Blues, as it was their version that was a major pop hit. It's All Over (by Ben E. King) I find very rewarding, especially the arrangement by the late Philip Medley, who's soul credentials date back to the days when the prototype soul group The Five Royales recorded one of his songs for Apollo Records! Other highlights include Eddie Lee Holman's 1968 falsetto vocal on I'm Gonna Give Up (one side of his only Bell Recording); Eddy Giles' original version of Losin' Boy which can now be compared to the 1971 STAX re-recording, and lastly - as I could just keep going - If I Could See You One More Time, the flip side of Johnny Adams' 1969 R&B hit Reconsider Me - the side I always played! It's one of Wardell Quezerque finest arrangements & songs. (EL)
JOHNNY ADAMS: If I Could See You One More Time/ DORIS ALLEN: A Shell Of A Woman/ BESSIE BANKS: Go Now/ ARTHUR CONLEY: Let Nothing Separate Us/ DORIS DUKE: How Was I To Know You Cared/ EDDIE & ERNIE: Hiding In Shadows/ EDDY GILES: Losin' Boy/ BIG JOHN HAMILTON: How Much Can A Man Take?/ EDDIE HOLMAN: I'm Not Gonna Give Up/ JIMMY & LOUISE TIG AND COMPANY: A Love That Never Grows Cold/ RUBY JOHNSON: I'll Run Your Hurt Away/ BEN E. KING: It's All Over/ TOUSSAINT MCCALL: Nothing Takes The Place Of You/ BOBBY MOORE & THE FORMOSTS: It Was A Lie/ TONY OWENS: I Don't Want Nobody But My Baby/ GEORGE PERKINS & THE SILVER STARS: Cryin' In The Streets Part 1/ NAT PHILLIPS: I'm Sorry I Hurt You/ THE PREMIERS: Make It Me/ OTIS REDDING: Just One More Day/ WENDY RENE: What Will Tomorrow Bring?/ LISA RICHARDS: Let's Take A Chance/ THE SOUL CHILDREN: The Sweeter He Is (Parts 1 & 2)/ CARLA THOMAS: Stop! Look What You're Doing/ IRMA THOMAS: These Four Walls/ BARBARA WEST: Anyone But You

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Not Now 167 Brill & Broadway - 75 Hits From The Original Home Of So ● CD $13.98
3 CD, 75 tracks, very highly recommended
We recently reviewed a similar compilation on Jasmine ("This Magic Moment - The Sound of the Brill Building," Jasmine 747 - $18.98) and there's only a sixteen track overlap with that set. Which is good news, since this collection, with 75 songs, is not only more bang for the buck for those who haven't got the Jasmine set, but also useful for those who already have the Jasmine collection to see what else the genius writers of the Brill Building era had to offer. On this set we find the likes of Ray Charles (Carryin' That Load), Elvis Presley, (Surrender), Gene McDaniels (Spanish Lace), LaVern Baker (Hey Memphis, a re-write of Little Sister), Marty Wilde (It's Been Nice), Wilbert Harrison (Kansas City), Jeff Barry (It's Called Rock and Roll), and Arthur Alexander (Where Have You Been [All My Life]). Not to mention different cuts from Gene Pitney, Neil Sedaka, Del Shannon, Dion, Carole King, Ben E. King, Ruth Brown, and Connie Francis. Basically, this selection of songs represent -for the most part-pop songwriting at its best and it makes a either an excellent compliment for the Jasmine CD or great first Brill Building collection in its own right. (GMC)
ARTHUR ALEXANDER: Where Have You Been (All My Life)/ LAVERN BAKER: Hey Memphis/ RICHIE BARRETT: Some Other Guy/ JEFF BARRY: Hip Couple/ It's Called Rock And Roll/ THE BROOK BROTHERS: Warpaint/ RUTH BROWN: Jack O'Diamonds/ JOHNNY BURNETTE: I Wanna Thank Your Folks/ RAY CHARLES: Carryin' The Load/ JIMMY CLANTON: Venus In Blue Jeans/ THE CLOVERS: Love Potion No. 9/ THE COASTERS: Charlie Brown/ JESS CONRAD: Rag Doll/ THE COOKIES: Chains/ THE CRICKETS: Don't Ever Change/ THE CRYSTALS: He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss)/ Uptown/ BOBBY DARIN: Sorrow Tomorrow/ JAMES DARREN: Her Royal Majesty/ JIMMY DARREN: I Ain't Sharin' Sharon/ DION: Ruby Baby/ A Teenager In Love/ CARL DOBKINS JR.: Promise Me/ LONNIE DONEGAN: Sorry, But I'm Gonna Have To Pass/ RAL DONNER: School Of Heartbreakers/ THE DRIFTERS: Save The Last Dance For Me/ There Goes My Baby/ THE EVERLY BROTHERS: Crying In The Rain/ FABIAN: Turn Me Loose/ THE FLAIRS: Shake Shake Sherry/ THE FOUR SEASONS: Oh Carol/ CONNIE FRANCIS: Baby Roo/ Frankie/ BILLY FURY: I'd Never Find Another You/ ELLIE GAYE: Silly, Isn't It?/ ELLIE GEE & THE JETS: Red Corvette/ EYDIE GORME: The Dance Is Over/ WILBERT HARRISON: Kansas City/ JAN & DEAN: Who Put The Bomp/ JAY & THE AMERICANS: Drums/ JIMMY JUSTICE: When My Little Girl Is Smiling/ BEN E. KING: Spanish Harlem/ CAROLE KING: Baby Sittin'/ It Might As Well Rain Until September/ The Right Girl/ CURTIS LEE: Just Another Fool/ LITTLE EVA: The Loco-Motion/ BARRY MANN: Bless You/ Counting Teardrops/ GENE MCDANIELS: Spanish Lace/ THE MYSTICS: Hushabye/ TONY ORLANDO: Halfway To Paradise/ THE PARIS SISTERS: I Love How You Love Me/ PAUL PETERSON: My Dad/ GENE PITNEY: Every Breath I Take/ Take It Like A Man/ ELVIS PRESLEY: Doin' The Best I Can/ Just Tell Her Jim Said Hellow/ Surrender/ THE REDWOODS: Never Take It Away/ CLIFF RICHARD: The Snake And The Bookworm/ TOMMY ROE: Don't Cry Donna/ BOBBY RYDELL: I Dig Girls/ NEIL SEDAKA: Breaking Up Is Hard To Do/ I Go Ape/ THE SHADES: Sun Glasses/ DEL SHANNON: (Marie's The Name) His Latest Flame/ You Never Talked About Me/ THE SHIRELLES: Will You Love Me Tomorrow/ JIMMY SIMMONS: Too Hot To Handle/ TIPPIE & THE CLOVERS: My Heart Said (The Bossa Nova)/ DANNY VALENTINO: Stampede/ LEROY VAN DYKE: If A Woman Answers/ MARTY WILDE: It's Been Nice/ MARK WYNTER: Go Away Little Girl

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS One Day 3CD 070 Lights Out - The Dore Records Story ● CD $13.98
Three CDs, 60 tracks, strongly recommended
Dore Records was a West Coast label formed in 1958 as a subsidiary of Era though it later split and was run by entrepreneur Lew Bedell. The label was formed to exploit the burgeoning teen market and a lot of its material was teen oriented and it struck gold with one of its earliest releases - the haunting To Know Him Is To Love Him by The Teddy Bears - the first record to be written and produced by Phil Spector. It also had hits with some of Jan & Dean's early pop-rock outings - Baby Talk/ There's A Girl/ Clementine, etc. Another popular artist on the label was teen pop vocalist Deane Hawley who was one of four artists to have a hit with the song Look For A Star at the same time. The song by English composer Tony Hatch was used as the theme music for the horror movie "Circus Of Horrors."Percolator Twist by Billy Joe & The Checkmates was an instrumental hit based on the Maxwell House coffee jingle - the group were actually top L.A. studio musicians. Althought there is a fair amount of teen pop (and pap) here there are a couple of tough rockers here from Tony Casanova with hot guitar and some decent doowop from various groups. Little Ray does a fine rendition of There Is Something On Your Mind and on the oddities front we have Eddie Can I Park In Your Lot by Sharon Mason which I don't think has anything to do with automobiles and the mostly instrumental Yes Master by The Whips complete with whip sounds and husky fema evoice saying "Yes Master" every so often. (FS)
THE BARITONES: After School Rock/ BILLY JOE & THE CHECKMATES: Percolator Twist/ THE BRENTWOODS: As I Live From Day To Day/ Midnight Star/ THE CAPERS: Rockin' Round The Mountain/ TONY CASANOVA: Boogie Woogie Feeling/ Showdown/ CLAUDIA & THE CRYSTALS: Little Love Of Mine/ This Is Your Life/ BILLY CLIFF: Summer's End/ RONNIE COOK WITH JULIAN AND THE DIAMONDS: Doin' Time/ THE CREATORS: Too Far To Turn Around/ THE CRUISERS: Maxie's Melody/ CHRIS DARLIN: A Casual Look/ JOHNNY DAY: Lights Out/ THE DEBONAIRES: Every Once And A While/ Hold Back The Dawn/ DIMPLES: An Invitation To A Party/ THE DORIES: I Loved Him So/ Stompin' Sh-Boom/ VON GAYLES: Crazy Dance/ The Twirl/ GLEN GLENN: Goofin' Around/ DEANE HAWLEY: Bossman/ Hey There/ I'll Never Be A Fool Again/ Look For A Star/ Pretty Little Mary/ Where Is My Angel/ RONNIE HEIGHT: Come Softly To Me/ JAN & DEAN: Baby Talk/ Cindy/ Clementine/ There's A Girl/ We Go Together/ White Tennis Sneakers/ JOHN & JUDY: Hideout/ Why This Feeling/ BEE GEE KAY: I Could Just Die/ DONNA LE ANNE: Fifteen Only Fifteen/ FRANKIE LEE: I've Thought About Living/ LITTLE RAY: There Is Something On Your Mind/ SHARON MASON: Eddie Can I Park In Your Lot/ BOBBY MELL: Dedication Time/ Young Lovers/ CHUCK MILES & THE STYLES: Be Mine Or Be A Fool/ CAM MORRIS: Someday/ THE PREMIERS: She Goes Oonka Chicka/ THE RAINDROPS: Love Is Like A Mountain/ Maybe/ JULIAN ROSE: The Rumour/ BILLY SAINT: Tear Down The Wall/ THE T SHIRTS: How Much/ THE TEDDY BEARS: Don't You Worry My Little Pet/ To Know Him Is To Love Him/ Wonderful Lovable You/ THE TIDES: Chicken Spaceman/ Ring A Ding Ding/ THE WHIPS: Yes Master/ THE ZANIES: The Blob

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS One Day 258 Gee Whiz - The Claass Records Story ● CD $11.98
2 CD, 50 tracks, highly recommended
Class Records, formed in 1951, was a rarity among labels of the time in as much as one of the founders was also the label's main recording artist. The label was launched by Leon Rene, who had founded the Exclusive and Excelsior labels in the 40's, and singer/songwriter Robert Byrd, who was better known under his performing alter ego Bobby Day. It was Day who made the biggest splash with the original version of Little Bitty Pretty One (simultaneously hit covered by Thurston Harris on Aladdin) and the memorably catchy Rockin' Robin in 1957. While there are many cool one-shots here (like Jeani Mack's Dirty Dishes; the Classics' Gosh, This is Love), the real calling cards come from R&B duo Bob & Earl (pre - Harlem Shuffle), which was another of Robert Byrd's recording aliases. Their balladeering on Gee Whiz and That's My Desire - and their swinging When She Walks - are tasty treats indeed. Elsewhere, bandleader Oscar McLollie partnered with singer Jeanette Baker and cut the original version of Hey Girl-Hey Boy, later made immortal by Louis Prima and Keely Smith, while Leon Rene's son, Googie Rene - who had come into his own as a producer for the label-created some sophisticated instrumentals (Cool it at the Coliseum and Ez-Zee, for example) with a band featuring such leading lights of the Los Angeles session scene as sax player Plas Johnson, drummer Earl Palmer, bassist Red Callender, and guitarists Johnny "Guitar" Watson (who makes his own solo contribution, The Bear, to the proceedings), Jimmy Nolen and Rene Hall. As with all the One Day label collections, there is much to savor and discover here and there's no reason why this hodgepodge of R&B and early rock 'n' roll shouldn't become part of your record library. (GMC)
JESSE BELVIN: I'm Confessin'/ THE BLENDERS: Little Rose/ My Heart's Desire/ BOB & EARL: Gee Whiz/ That's My Desire/ When She Walks/ You Made A Boo Boo/ EUGENE CHURCH: I Ain't Goin' For That/ Miami/ Pretty Girls Everywhere/ The Struttin' Kind/ THE CLASSICS: Gosh, But This Is Love/ If Only The Sky Was A Mirror/ PAUL CLIFTON: I Need You/ BOBBY DAY: Little Bitty Pretty One/ My Blue Heaven/ Rockin' Robin/ The Bluebird, The Buzzard & The Oriole/ THE HOLLYWOOD CHICKS: Hey, Little Gigolo/ Tossin' An Ice Cube/ THE INTERVALS: Here's That Rainy Day/ Wish I Could Change My Mind/ JEANI MACK: Dirty Dishes/ Super Duper/ OSCAR MCLOLLIE: Convicted/ The Honey Jump/ Hey Girl-hey Boy/ Let Me Know, Let Me Know/ THE PELICANS: I Bow To You/ THE PHARAOHS: Teenagers Love Song/ GOOGIE RENE: Cool It At The Coliseum/ Ez-zee/ Flapjacks/ Side Track/ THE ROLLETTES: Kiss Me Benny/ Sad Fool/ THE SATELLITE: Heavenly Angel/ You Ain't Sayin Nothin'/ THE SEARCHERS: Oo Wee/ Wow Wow Baby/ SONNY SINBAD: Emily/ THE SPUTNIKS: Johnny's Little Lamb/ My Love Is Gone/ Wait A Little While/ THE TANGIERS: Don't Try/ School Days Will Be Over/ TERRY & JERRY: Mama Julie/ People Are Doing It Every Day/ THE TITANS: No Time/ JOHNNY "GUITAR" WATSON: The Bear

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Wounded Bird 2502 Ann Arbor Blues & Jazz Festival, 1972 ● CD $19.98
Two CDs, 17 tracks, strongly recommended
Between 1969 and 1974 the Ann Arbor Festival (later the Ann Arbor Blues & Jazz Festival) founded by John Sinclair (poet, activist and manager of the proto-punk band MC5) quickly became the most prestigious festival in the country attracting many of the biggest name in blues. This is a reissue of a 1973 double Atlantic album featuring a selection of highlights from the 1972 festival. In spite of the title most of the tracks here are blues and most of the artists are in good form including sides by Hound Dog Taylor & The Houserockers, Bobby "Blue" Bland (with a fine big band), Howlin' Wolf (with fine work from Hubert & Eddie Shaw), Muddy Waters (with Mojo Buford, Pinetop Perkins, Louis Myers & others), Freddie King, Johnny Shines (a good performance of Dust My Broom), Otis Rush (with a superb version of Gambler's Blues which is probably the best track here with some stellar guitar from Otis) and others. We also get some rocking R&B from Junior Walker & The All Stars and jazz from CJQ and the one and only Sun Ra & His Solar-Myth Arkestra. Sound quality is excellent but could be better. The back cover and liner notes have been shrunk down to fit into a CD booklet and is unreadable without a powerful magnifying glass. (FS)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Yazoo 2063 Times Ain't Like They Used To Be, Vol. 5 * ● CD $16.98
23 tracks, 69 mins, essential
Another fantastic collection of rural blues and country music from the 20s and 30s. There are some fabulous blues rarities here including one side of the great Blind Joe Reynolds 78 that only turned up recently (Cold Woman Blues - the same side that was issued on the Revenant Charlie Patton box), a previously unknown track by Ben Covington that's a real beauty and a great track by an unknown performer recorded on the same day as a Blind Lemon Jefferson session - whoever he is he's very fine indeed. As if that isn't enough the booklet has previously unpublished pictures from the 30s of Skip James and Buddy Boy Hawkins! I'm not as familiar with the country artists here but there are some beautiful performances from Sam McGee, Weems String Band, The Garland Brothers & Grinstead (lovely old time gospel), J.P. Nestor & Norman Edmonds, The Grayson County Railsplitters, The Murphy Brothers Harp Band, Wyzee, Tucker & Lecroy and others. And there's more blues from Skip James, Buddy Boy Hawkins, Charley Patton and more. Sound quality is superb and the 16 page booklet has excellent, if occasionally patronizing, notes by Rich Nevins.
FRANK BLEVINS & HIS TAR HEEL RATTLERS: I've Got No Honey Babe Now/ THE BULL MOUNTAIN MOONSHINERS: Johnny Goodwin/ BEN COVINGTON: Mule Skinner Moan/ JIMMIE DAVIS: Doggone That Train/ THE FLOYD COUNTY RAMBLERS: Step Stone/ ELI FRAMER: Framer's Blues/ THE GARLAND BROTHERS & GRINSTEAD: Just Over The River/ THE GRAYSON COUNTY RAILSPLITTERS: Way Down In North Carolina/ ROY HARVEY & JESS JOHNSTON: No Room For A Tramp/ Railroad Blues/ BUDDY BOY HAWKINS: A Rag Blues/ SKIP JAMES: Hard Time Killin' Floor Blues/ SAM MCGEE: Railroad Blues/ THE MURPHY BROTHERS BAND: Boat Song March/ J.P. NESTOR & NORMAN EDMONDS: Black-eyed Susie/ CHARLEY PATTON: Some Happy Day/ REAVES WHITE COUNTY RAMBLERS: Shortening Bread/ BLIND JOE REYNOLDS: Cold Woman Blues/ THE SWAMP ROOTERS: Citaco/ UNKNOWN: Pistol Blues/ WILMER WATTS & THE LONELY EAGLES: Bonnie Bess/ WEEMS STRING BAND: Greenback Dollar/ WYZEE, TUCKER & LECROY: Hamilton's Special Breakdown

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Yazoo 2064 Times Ain't Like They Used To Be, Vol. 6 * ● CD $16.98
23 tracks, 69 mins, highly recommended
More wonderful stuff including the other side of the Blind Joe Reynolds 78 - Ninety Nine Blues plus more great blues from Tenderfoot Edwards (aka Edward Thompson), Mississippi Moaner, Skip James, Charley Patton, Louie Lasky and Eli Framer. On the country side we have Eck Robertson's pioneer recording of Sally Gooden reissued for the first time the correct speed plus sides by Birkhead & Lane, Parker & Dodd, Virginia Mountain Boomers, Jess Johnston & Byrd Moore, Red Headed Fiddlers, The Swamp Rooters, Turney Brothers and others. (FS)
DEWEY & GASSIE BASSETT: Jesus Paved The Way/ BIRKHEAD & LANE: Robinson County/ UNCLE DAVE MACON & FRUIT JAR DRINKERS: I'm Goin' Away In The Morn/ TENDERFOOT EDWARDS (EDWARD THOMPSON): Seven Sister Blues/ THE FLOYD COUNTY RAMBLERS: Aunt Dinah's Quilting Party/ ELI FRAMER: God Didn't Make Me No Monkey Man/ GIRLS OF THE GOLDEN WEST: Whoopee-ti-yi-yo Git Along Little Dogies/ ROY HARVEY & JESS JOHNSTON: Milwaukee Blues/ JESS HILLARD & HIS WEST VIRGINIA HILLBILLIES: Rolling River/ SKIP JAMES: Cherry Ball Blues/ JESS JOHNSTON & BYRD MOORE: My Trouble Blues/ LOUIS LASKY: Caroline/ THE MISSISSIPPI MOANER: It's Cold In China/ PARKER & DODD: Sail Away Lady/ CHARLEY PATTON: Prayer Of Death - Part 2/ REAVES WHITE COUNTY RAMBLERS: Ten Cent Piece/ THE RED HEADED FIDDLERS: Cheat 'em/ BLIND JOE REYNOLDS: Ninety Nine Blues/ ECK ROBERTSON: Sally Gooden/ THE SWAMP ROOTERS: Swamp Cat Rag/ THE TURNEY BROTHERS: At The Cross/ THE VIRGINIA MOUNTAIN BOOMERS: Cousin Sally Brown/ WEEMS STRING BAND: Davy

 
BUKKA WHITE/ SKIP JAMES Rockbeat 3251 Live At The Cafe Au Go Go, 1965 ● CD $12.98
18 tracks, 74 mins, essential
What a treat - two giants of Mississippi country blues recorded live at the Cafe Au Go Go in Greenwich Village, NY in 1965. Bukka has the bulk of the album with 12 songs taken from two different sets and is in great form with his tough gravel voice and energetic guitar work on his steel bodies National - often using slide. His material is a mix of songs including songs he first recorded for Victor and Vocalion in 1930 and 1940 like I Am In The Heavenly Way/ Special Streamline/ Bukka's Jitterbug Swing though being Bukka the versions here differ significantly from the recorded versions - the versions of Aberdeen Mississippi Blues from two sets here are almost different songs. He also does a moving version of St. Louis Jimmy's Going Down Slow and several that sound like improvised stream of consciousness lyrics that Bukka refers to as "sky songs." Skip starts off a little tentatively but once he gets going his music is truly sublime with his high vocals and eerie guitar sound - he mostly sticks to his best known songs like Crow Jane/ Cherry Ball and No Special Rider. Truly wonderful performances with excellent sound and brief informative notes by Mary Katherine Aldin. (FS) Note - the track listing on the back is full of mistitlings. The correct track list is as follows
BUKKA WHITE: I Am In The Heavenly Way/ Aberdeen Mississippi Blues/ Old Folks Twist/ Going Down Slow/ Special Streamline/ Bukka's Jitterbug Swing/ Saturday Night Blues/ Old Man John/ Aberdeen Missippi Blues/ Special Streamline/ Midnight Blues/ Roadhouse Blues/ SKIP JAMES: I'm Worried/ Black Gal/ Crow Jane/ Cherry Ball/ I'm So Glad/ No Special Rider

 

Back To New Release Index



Roots & Rhythm
P.O. Box 837
El Cerrito, CA 94530 USA
Toll Free Order Line : 888-ROOTS-66

© 2024 Roots & Rhythm. No part of this site may be reproduced without written permission