( Advanced Search )  


 

 

NEWSLETTER #147
Bargain Basement
 Bumble Bee Slim -> The Wrens + DVDS
 

  

 

DVDS
 
FATS DOMINO, RAY CHARLES & JERRY LEE LEWIS Time Life 19360 Fats & Friends ● DVD $19.98 $15.98
1986 TV show filmed at the Storyville nightclub in New Orleans featuring three giants of R&B and rock 'n' roll performing individually and collectively with guest appearances from Ron Wood and others. Includes 50 minutes oif bonus material including an interview with musical dierctor Paul Shaffer and rehearsal footage of the three legends.
 

COMPACT DISCS
   
BUMBLE BEE SLIM Document DOCD 5264 Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order, Vol. 4 ● CD $15.98 $11.98
25 tracks, highly recommended
Fine collection of tracks by this very popular and prolific performer recorded between April and July 1935. Although not an intense performer his approach is a most engaging one, obviously inspired by Leroy Carr, and he is accompanied by some of the best musicians Chicago had to offer including Jimmie Gordon, Black Bob or Myrtle Jenkins on piano and Charlie McCoy, Big Bill Broonzy or Scrapper Blackwell on guitar. He was also sang a fine selection of songs which includes an excellent and touching tribute to Leroy Carr The Death Of Leroy Carr with Leroy's old partner Scrapper Blackwell providing some beautifully plangent guitar licks plus the topical Policy Dream Blues, the fine two part I Keep On Drinking, the risqué Lemon Squuezing Blues and a cover of Carr's When The Sun Goes Down (here twice - once for Decca and once for Vocalion!). Some of the tracks are from rough 78s but sound is generally excellent. (FS)
BUMBLE BEE SLIM: Can't You Trust Me No More?/ Cold Blooded Murder - No. 2/ Fattenin' Frogs For Snakes/ Feather Bed Blues/ Hey Lawdy Mama/ I Done Lost My Baby/ I Keep On Drinking - Part 1/ I Keep On Drinking - Part 2/ I'm Needing Someone/ If The Blues Was Whiskey/ Lemon Squeezing Blues/ Mean Bloody Murder Blues/ Policy Dream Blues/ Right From Wrong/ Sail On Little Girl - No. 3/ Sail On Sail On Blues/ Smoky Mountain Blues/ Sometimes Blues/ Steady Roll Mama Blues/ The Death Of Leroy Carr/ Walking And Drifting Blues/ What's Wrong?/ When The Sun Goes Down/ When The Sun Goes Down/ Where Was You Last Night?

 
SAM CHATMON Dynamic 32 Blues When It Rains ● CD $17.98 $11.98
Delightful collection of 11 sides recorded in 1976 at his home in Hollandale, Mississippi by this infrequently recorded Mississippi country bluesman and songster. Sam is in fine form on a selection of his most popular songs - St. Louis Blues/ Stoop Down Girl/ I'm A Fool About Your Loving/ Used To Be (Sam's unique take on Lowell Fulson's Black Nights)/ Good Eat Meat Boy, etc.
 
CHICAGO BOB & THE SHADOWS High Water/HMG 6506 Just Your Fool ● CD $14.98 $4.98
Reissue of 1987 High Water LP plus one previously unissued cut. Chicago Bob is actually from Louisiana though he did spend a few years in Chicago. He is quite a good singer and harmonica though rather one dimensional in his approach. His accompanying band is competent though unexceptional. They perform a mixture of originals (Call My Landlady/ Your Time To Choose/ Bogaloosa Boogie) and covers Just Your Fool/ Mama, Talk To Your Daughter/ Sloppy Drunk, etc.

 
THE DIXIE CUPS Collectables 6024 The Very Best Of The Dixie Cups - Chapel Of Love ● CD $14.98 $9.98
16 track collection featuring all their Red Bird hits and more - Chapel Of Love/ Iko Iko/ Girls Can Tell/ Gee The Moon Is Shining Bright/ Gee Baby Gee/ All Grown Up/ You Should Have Seen The Way He Looked At Me, etc. Also includes an unreleased alternate of People Say and an acapella version of Iko Iko.

 
BARBARA GEORGE Collectables 5141 I Know (You Don't Love Me No More) ● CD $11.98 $8.98
Barbara George was a fine New Orleans singer who scored big hits in the 60s. I Know is a fantastic tune that climbed the charts in 1961. On it, Barbara's vulnerable, pleading delivery is backed by the crem of New Orleans session men. These dozen tunes recorded for AFO show off her range from the very soulful Love and Talk About Love to the cool balladry of Since I Fell For You and Honest I Do. (AE)
BARBARA GEORGE: Don't Ask Me No Questions/ Honest I Do/ Hurted/ I Know/ I Never Knew/ I'm In A Strain/ Let's Steal Away/ Love/ Since I Fell For You/ Talk About Love/ Whip O' Will/ Without Love
 
ROSCO GORDON Charly SNAP 222 Rosco's Rhythm ● CD $13.98 $9.98
30 tracks, highly recommended
Great collection by one of the most distinctive of urban bluesmen featuring 28 tracks recorded for Sam Phillips between 1952 and '57 and 2 recorded for Vee-Jay in 1959. Only a handful of these recordings were originally issued by Sun in the 50s - most of them are unissued songs or alternate takes that have turned up in the various excavations of the Sun vaults over the past 50 years and reveal just what a talented performer Gordon was. He had a flair for novel lyrics and rhythm - some consider him the father of ska/ bluebeat! Roscoe is accompanied by fine bands with a couple of horns and some of the tracks rock like crazy. Includes sides like T Model Boogie/ I Wade Through Muddy water/ Just Love Me Baby/ Do The Chicken/ That's What You Do For Me/ I Don't Like It/ Hard Headed Woman, etc. Though not quite as raucus, his Vee-Jay sides include some fine cuts including his most famous song - Just A Little Bit. Includes informative notes by Adam Komorowski. However the lack of discographical information is regretted. (FS)
ROSCO GORDON: Booted/ Cheese and Crackers/ Decorate the Counter/ Do the Bop/ Do the Chicken (Dance with You)/ Hard Headed Woman/ Hey Little Girl/ I Don't Like It/ I Found a New Love/ I Love You Better Than I Love Myself/ I Wade Through Muddy Water (Dream on Baby)/ I'm Gonna Shake It/ If You Don't Love Me Baby/ Just Love Me Baby/ Just a Little Bit/ Let's Get High/ Love With Me Baby/ Love for You Baby/ My Chick/ New Orleans, Louisiana/ Nineteen Years/ No More Doggin'/ Real Pretty Mama/ Sally Jo/ Shoobie Oobie/ T-Model Boogie/ That's What You Do to Me/ Tired of Living/ Torro/ Weeping Blues

 
THE HIGHWAY Q.C'S Charly SNAPCD 189 Where He Leads Me ● CD $13.98 $9.98
27 tracks, 72 mins, essential
Indispensable collection of songs recorded by this superb Chicago quartet for Vee Jay between 1955 and 1964. It includes six tracks from the group's first two session which featured Johnny Taylor. His great Sam Cooke inspired lead vocals are featured to great effect on the sublime Somewhere To Lay My Head and I Dreamed Heaven Was Like This. Most of the subsequent leads are by the very fine Spencer Taylor (no relation) who is at his peak on songs like Something On My Mind/ Working On The Building/ The Way Up The Hill and the fabulous I Heard. With the Collectables series of Vee-Jay gospel reissues now deleted this is the best available collection of this wonderful group. (FS)
THE HIGHWAY QCS: Amazing Grace/ Child Of God/ Do You Love Him/ Every Man,womn And Child/ Golden Bells/ Great Trumpet/ He Lifted My Burdens/ He Said/ Heavenly Father's Children/ I Dreamed Heaven Was Like This/ I Heard/ I Used To Wonder/ I Used To Wonder/ I'll Be Satisfied/ I'll See Jesus Too/ I'll Trust His Word/ Jesus, I'm Waiting/ Lord I'll Go/ Nobody Knows/ Oh What A Beautiful Day/ Pray/ Sad How They Done My Lord/ Something On My Mind/ Somewhere To Lay My Head/ The Milky White Way/ The Way Up The Hill/ Where He Leads Me/ Working On The Building

 
MISSISSIPPI JOHN HURT Fuel 2000 61495 D.C. Blues - The Library Of Congress Recordings, Vol. 2 ● CD $19.98 $12.98
Two CDs, 37 tracks, highly recommended
The second volume of Library Of Congress recordings is not quite as strong as the first - there is a higher proportion of songs John had not recorded elsewhere and it seems that he was not as familiar with some of the songs here and he occasionally stumbles over lyrics or guitar parts. Nevertheless there are some fine performances here and John's singing and playing are almost always a delight. Includes Monday Morning Blues/ Salty Dog/ Waiting For You/ Blessed Be The Name Of The Lord/ I'll Fly Away/ I'm Satisfied/ Four O'Clock Blues/ Alabama Bound/ Frankie No. 2/ You Got To Get Ready, etc. (FS)

 
ELMORE JAMES Proper Intro 2085 Slide Guitar Master - An Introduction To Elmore James ● CD $9.98 $7.98
27 track retrospective covering the early years of this great bluesman's career from 1951 through 1955. Includes Dust My Broom/ baby What's Wrong/ I held My baby Last Night/ I See My baby/ Whose Muddy Shoes/ Hawaiian Boogie, Part 2/ Make My Dreams Come True/ Sunnyland/ Mean And Evil/ Blues Before Sunrise, etc.
 
LUTHER "GUITAR JUNIOR" JOHNSON Bullseye Blues 9546 Country Sugar Papa ● CD $15.98 $9.98
13 tracks, 55 min., recommended
A member of the Muddy Waters Band in the '70s, Johnson plays Chicago blues guitar West Side style a la Magic Sam. His 3rd Bullseye release is solid as usual, and several cuts, namely his own Walkin' With You Baby/ I'm Going Back, Back, Back/ Can't Come Home, are downright hot. The songs that work the best do not attempt to force the guitar down the listener's throat just for the sake of guitar, opting instead for the inclusion of tasty harp solos or horns and back-up singers. And so on. When producer Ron Levy lets the guitar become more important than the song, the results are competent blues without the flair necessary to make them stand out. Fortunately, Johnson and Levy hit much more often than they miss. (JC)

 
LITTLE MILTON Charly SNAP 262 Running Wild Blues ● CD $13.98 $9.98
27 tracks, essential
Fabulous collection of sides, mostly recorded for Sun in 1953 and 1954. Amazingly, most of Milton's great Sun sides were not originally issued and this set includes originally unissued songs and alternate takes. This is Milton at his rawest and most energetic, accompanied by a solid riffing small band with Ike Turner/ piano, and a couple of horns Milton sings in a powerful heartfelt style and plays some wonderful searing, slashing electric guitar in that over-amplified distorted style we have come to associate with Memphis guitarists like Willie Johnson and Pat Hare but, if anything, even grittier and more impassioned. In addition to 21 tracks under his own name this set also features three sides recorded for Trumpet in 1951 with Milton accompanying the superb Mississippi singer/ piano player Willie Love and three Sun cuts from 1953 accompanying Houston Boines. Milton's Sun sides have ben reissued before on several different labels but this is the most comprehensive selection of these dynamite sides. Informative notes by Adam Komorowski but no discographical information. (FS)
 
LITTLE SONNY Black Top 1113 New Orleans R & B Gems ● CD $15.98 $7.98
11 tracks, 35 mins, recommended
Now out of print. Previously available on Black Magic as an import. Johnny "Little Sonny" Jones is a fine New Orleans singer who had a handful of singles on Specialty and Imperial in the 50s but never made much of an impact. These sides were cut in 1975 with a group that included top New Orleans musicians like Dave "Fat Man" Williams/ piano, Dave Lastie & Clarence Ford/ saxes, Justin Adams/ guitar and others and the result is very pleasing. Jones is a solid singer and his material includes originals, songs written by Williams and some Southern blues favorites like I'm Loaded and Further Up The Road. Williams also takes a couple of appealing vocals. (FS)

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

 
CHRISTY MOORE EastWest 40150-2 The Time Has Come ● CD $11.98 $8.98
14 tracks, recommended
Budget reissue of 1983 album by this fine Irish singer features a selection of traditional and contemporary songs. Produced by Christy and Donal Lunny - the latter playing most of the instruments here as well as backup vocals. There are also additional backup vocals from Mandy Murphy. A number of songs are remakes of songs he had recorded previously including the beautiful Nancy Spain which was hit for Christy in the 70s. Other songs include The Knock Song/ lanigans Ball/ Lakes Of Pontchartrain/ The Wicklow Boy/ Go Move Shift/ Sacco & Vanzetti/ Only Our Rivers Run Free, etc. (FS)

 
ROY ORBISON Recall 181 The Sun Collection ● CD $14.98 $10.98
Two CD set with 36 tracks featuring pretty much all of Roy's Sun recordings including rockabilly classics like Ooby Dooby/ Go! Go! Go!/ Rockhouse/ Domino featuring hot guitar from Roy along with more ballad oriented items plus unissued songs, alternate takes, vocal/ guitar demos including the original version of Claudette which subsequently became a hit for The Everly Brothers. There are also duets with Ken Cook, Sonny Burgess and Hayden Thompson. Good sound and 8 page booklet with notes by Hugh G. Rection (a pseudonym I suspect).

 
THE OYSTER BAND Recall 148 Pearls From The Oyster ● CD $15.98 $10.98
2 CDS, 30 tracks, 120 mins, highly recommended
We've turned up a few more copies of this out of print set. With so few of the Oysters' albums currently available in the USA this budget priced two CD set featuring 30 of their recordings drawn from four of their albums released between 1986 and 1990 is particularly welcome. Featuring the superb lead vocals and melodeon of John Jones and the exciting musicianship of Alan Prosser, Ian Telfer, Ian Keary and Russel Lax they were the probably the best folk rock band of the 80s and 90s. The material is an exciting mix of traditional and contemporary songs - the latter often an angry commentary on Margaret Thatcher's Britain - usually by group members but also from other important writers like Billy Bragg, Kay Sutcliffe and Nick Lowe. Lots of great performances like Between The Wars/ Another Quiet Night In England/ The Lakes Of Cool Flynn/ Bold Riley (a truly beautiful performance - one of my all time favorites)/ Molly Bond/ Coal Not Dole/ New York Girls/ The Generals Are Born Again/ Bully In The Alley/ Too Late Now/ Gamblers/ The Curragh Of Kildare and others. Includes a booklet with informative notes by noted British folk scribe Colin Irwin. If you don't have the original albums this is a healthy selection of the group's best material at an unbeatable price. Too bad they didn't include the groups stellar version of Hal-An_Tow but I guess I shouldn't be greedy. (FS)

 
BARBARA PITTMAN Charly SNAP 223 Getting Better All The Time ● CD $13.98 $9.98
27 tracks 69 mins, recommended
Repackaging of Charly 8319 in digipack with picture label on disc. It's stretching it a bit to fill up a whole CD so there's some fairly pedestrian outings included, as well as several alternate takes. Nothing else here is as rocking as her famed I Need A Man but I'm Getting Better All The Time (four takes - one totally different, with just Jack Clement on acoustic guitar), Everlasting Love and Sentimental Fool (3 takes) rock like crazy with that good ol' Sun rhythm. It's funny how she sounds so amateurish at times and at other times, like on Two Young Fools In Love and Handsome Man, she sounds mature and forceful. (AE)
BARBARA PITTMAN: Cold, Cold, Heart/ Cold, Cold, Heart (alt.1)/ Eleventh Commandment/ Everlasting Love/ Everlasting Love (alt.1)/ Handsome Man/ I Forgot To Remember To Forget/ I Need A Man/ I'm Getting Better All The Time/ I'm Getting Better All The Time (alt.1)/ I'm Getting Better All The Time (alt.2)/ I'm Getting Better All The Time (alt.3)/ I'm Getting Better All The Time (demo)/ Just One Day/ Love Is A Stranger (sunrays)/ No Matter Who's To Blame/ No Matter Who's To Blame (alt.1)/ No Matter Who's To Blame (alt.2)/ Sentimental Fool (alt.1)/ Sentimental Fool (alt.2)/ Sentimental Fool (alt.3)/ Take My Sympathy (alt.1)/ Take My Sympathy (demo)/ The Lonely Hours (sunrays)/ Two Young Fools In Love/ Two Young Fools In Love (demo)/ Voice Of A Fool

 
HOMSICK JAMES & SNOOKY PRYOR Castle 712 The Big Bear Sessions ● CD $17.98 $11.98
Now deleted - limited stock. Two CD set featuring 39 tracks recorded for Big Bear Records in England between 1972 and 1975 by these two fine Chicago bluesmen who frequently worked together at the time. This set combines three LPs plus bonus tracks - a solo album by Homesick, a solo album by Snooky, the album they recorded together plus various tracks originally issued on compilation albums. The first CD features all vocals by Homesick and the second features Snooky. Arrangements are varied ranging from Homesick solo with acoustic guitar to full a full electric Chicago blues band sound. Sidmen are mostly British musicians like pianist Bob Hall, guitarist Sam Mitchell, drummer John Hunt and others joined by Chicago bluesman Jimmy Lee Robinson on bass on a number of tracks.

 
MA RAINEY Document DOCD 5156 Complete 1928 Sessions In Chronological Order ● CD $15.98 $9.98
23 tracks, 69 min., recommended
Rightfully known as The Mother Of The Blues, Rainey's recording career began in '23 for Paramount. These sides from '28 (still for Paramount) are the last she recorded; after that she apparently went into theater promotion. Nine tracks are with Her Tub Jug Washboard Band, which featured Georgia Tom Dorsey on piano. The latter also appears with Ma on several other cuts with Tampa Red's guitar assistance. The last 2 songs find Rainey in a duet with Papa Charlie Jackson. This collection includes original and unissued versions of Sleep Talking Blues/ Black Eye Blues. And while Ma was still in top form, the going is sometimes slow here and the sound quality is sometimes less than ideal. Includes the biographically interesting Prove It On Me Blues, ostensibly about Ma's bisexuality. (JC)
MA RAINEY: Big Feeling Blues (duet With Papa Charlie Jackson)/ Black Cat Hoot Owl Blues/ Black Dust Blues/ Black Eye Blues (take 1)/ Black Eye Blues (take 2)/ Blame It On The Blues/ Daddy Goodbye Blues/ Deep Moaning Blues (take 1)/ Deep Moaning Blues (take 2)/ Hear Me Talking To You/ Hustlin' Blues/ Leaving This Morning/ Log Camp Blues/ Ma And Pa Poorhouse Blues (duet With Papa Charlie Jackson)/ Prove It On Me Blues/ Runaway Blues/ Screech Owl Blues/ Sleep Talking Blues (take 1)/ Sleep Talking Blues (take 2)/ Sweet Rough Man/ Tough Luck Blues/ Traveling Blues (take 1)/ Victim Of The Blues

 
RAY SMITH Charly SNAP 181 Shake Around ● CD $13.98 $9.98
23 tracks, 53 min., recommended
Repackaging of Charly 8117. A fine collection of this rocker mostly featuring his Sun sides but including his two Vee-Jay sides, covers of Rockin' Robin and Robbin' the Cradle. Featured tracks include Breakup, Willing and Ready, Right Behind You Baby, Rockin' Bandit, Sail Away, Forever Yours, Travelin' Salesman, Life Is a Flower, I Wanna Be Free, and This Girl Is Meant for Me. Sound quality is solid, there are informative notes by Adam Komorowski. (DH)
RAY SMITH: Break Up/ Candy Doll/ Forever Yours/ Hey Boss Man/ I Wanna Be Free/ I Won't Miss You ('til You Go)/ Life Is A Flower/ Little Girl/ Right Behind You Baby/ Robbin' The Cradle/ Rockin' Bandit (dubbed)/ Rockin' Bandit (undubbed)/ Rockin' Robin/ Sail Away/ Shake Around/ So Young/ The Girl Was Meant For Me/ Travelin' Salesman/ Two Pennies And A String/ Why, Why, Why/ Why, Why, Why (alt)/ Willing And Ready/ You Made A Hit

 
THE SWAN SILVERTONES Charly SNAPCD 188 Move Up ● CD $13.98 $9.98
28 tracks, 78 mins, essential
A beautiful collection of tracks recorded for Vee-Jay by this superb group, covering the period from their first Vee-Jay session in 1956 through their last in 1964. Their Vee-Jay recordings features leads by the magnificent high ethereal tenor (and sometimes falsetto) Claude Jeter or the powerful baritone of Paul Owens, Dewey Young or Louis Johnson. Jeter and his sweet falsetto have had more than a little influence on countless soul acts, Al Green and The Temptations among them. It is difficult to overstate his importance to both soul and gospel. The material ranged from the classic harmony quartet style of Sinner Man to the more intense style that influenced soul music. This set features one magnificent performance after another ending with their utterly sublime rendition of The Lord's Prayer - if this doesn't send a chill down your spine you might want to see a chriropracter! (FS)
THE SWAN SILVERTONES: A Lady Called Mother/ At The Cross/ Bible Days/ Breathe On Me/ Come To Jesus/ Going On With Jesus/ Great Day In December/ He Saved My Soul/ I Thank You Lord/ I'll Be Satisfied/ Jesus Is Alright With Me/ Jesus Remembers/ Leave Your Burden There/ Love Lifted Me/ Move Somewhere/ Move Up/ Nobody But You/ Oh Mary, Don't You Weep/ Savior Pass Me Not, Parts 1 & 2/ Singin' In My Soul/ Sinking Sand/ Sinner Man/ The Lord Is Coming/ The Lord’s Prayer/ Trouble In My Way/ When Jesus Comes/ Why I Love Him So/ Without A Mother

 
EDDIE TAYLOR Castle CMRCD 629 Ready For Eddie .. Plus ● CD $15.98 $10.98
Now deleted - limited stock. Superb Chicago singer and guitarist recorded in England in 1974. 14 songs accompanied by an English group originally issued on the Big Bear label. Includes I'm A Country Boy/ Gamblin' Man/ Sloppy Drunk/ You Don't Love Me/ You'll Always Have A Home/ My Little Machine/ I Used To Have Some Friends, etc. This is not Eddie at his best but with comparatively little by him on the market it's worth a listen.
 
OTHA TURNER & THE AFROSSIPPI ALLSTARS Birdman 025 From Senegal To Senatobia ● CD $13.98 $9.98
An interesting blending of musical cultures featuring Othar Turner and the archaic sound of his Rising Star Fife And Drum Band joined by an electric slide guitarist and a group of African musicians playing on African instruments like the kora and djembe. The fusion is moderately succesful and works best when the guitarist is absent.
 
T. TEXAS TYLER B.A.C.M. 182 Country Boy ● CD $13.98 $10.98
24 tracks recorded between 1949 and 1953 by this popular and distinctive country singer with his trademark growl. There's no duplication with he reissues on Bronco Buster or Cattle.
T.TEXAS TYLER: A Million Teardrops/ Beautiful Life (life‘s Evening Sun)/ Black Jack David/ Country Boy/ Cry Baby Heart/ Dad Gave My Dog Away/ Fireman And Engineer's Ball/ Gals Don't Mean A Thing/ Honky Tonk Gal/ I Was The Last One To Know/ I'll Hate Myself Tomorrow For Loving You Tonight/ It's My Heart It's My Conscience/ Just Out Of Reach/ Kiss Me Like Crazy/ Lets Fly Away/ Little Miss Muffet/ Old Blue/ She Wouldn't Do For You/ Solitaire/ Tired Of It All/ Wasted Tears/ When The White Azaleas Start Blooming/ You'll Never Break My Trusting Heart Again/ You'll Still Be In My Heart

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Birdman 047 Jim Dickinson Field Recordings ● CD $13.98 $8.98
12 tracks, good
12 tracks recorded by rural blues artists from Mississippi and Tennessee. No dates are given and the pretentious liner notes don't help but I would imagine most of them are from the 70s. Sleepy John Estes is well past his prime on his three tracks where he is accompanied by groups of mostly white artists including Ry Cooder on a couple of them. Furry Lewis is also not at his best on his two performances though they are quite spirited. Singer/ harmonica player Johnny Woods sounds fine on his solo number but the accompanied track is chaos. Singer/ piano player Mose Vinson sounds fine as does Otha Turner & The Rising Star Fife & Drum band. The Tate County Singers sound pretty good though are overwhlemed by the instrumental accompaniment. The opening track - an acapella performance of Roll Me Over Slow by Alec Teal And Butter Biscuit is one of the most interesting ones here. In keeping with the pretentious nature of this production the disc is subtitled "Delta Experimental Project Vol. 3" - I don't believe vol 1 or 2 exist. There are some enjoyable moments here but the overall feel of this set is dishonest which is not the fault of the main performers. If Hammie Nixon were still alive I doubt that he would appreciate his name being misspelled as Hammy. (FS)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Charly SINT 007 Instant Sun Rock 'n' Roll ● CD $14.98 $0.00
Two CD set with 40 great rockabilly tracks from the Sun catalog. It includes all time classics like Mystery Train by Elvis, Blue Suede Shoes by Carl and Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On by Jerry Lee alongside great but lesser known cuts like (Take Me From This) Garden Of Evil by Jimmy Wages, Tennessee Zip by Kenneth Parchman and Bop Pills by Macy Skipper. Also features Johnny Cash, Gene Simmons, Wade & Dick, Warren Smith, Glenn Honeycutt, Roy Orbison, Sonny Burgess, Billy Lee Riley, Carl Mann, Dean Beard and others. If you don't already have all this stuff it mnakes for a fine introduction.
DEAN BEARD: What Can I Do/ SONNY BURGESS: My Bucket's Got A Hole In It/ Red-headed Woman/ JOHNNY CARROLL: Rock Baby Rock It/ JOHNNY CASH: Mean-eyed Cat/ RAY HARRIS: Where'd You Stay Last Night/ ROY HARRIS: Greenback Dollar Watch And Chain/ GLENN HONEYCUTT: All Night Rock/ JERRY LEE LEWIS: Breathless/ Don't Be Cruel/ Great Balls Of Fire/ Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On/ CARL MANN: Mona Usa/ Rockin' Love/ ROY ORBISON: Go Go Go/ Ooby Dooby/ Problem Child/ KENNETH PARCHMAN: Love Crazy Baby/ Tennesee Zip/ TRACY PENDARVIS: Uh Huh Oh Yeah/ CARL PERKINS: Blue Suede Shoes/ Honey Don't/ Matchbox/ ELVIS PRESLEY: Baby Lets Play House/ Mystery Train/ That's All Right/ You're A Heartbreaker/ CHARLIE RICH: Break Up/ BILLY LEE RILEY: Red Hot/ Flyin' Saucers Rock 'n' Roll/ GENE SIMMONS: Peroxide Blonde And A Hopped-up Model Ford/ MACY SKIPPER: Bop Pills/ RAY SMITH: Right Behind You Baby/ Shake Around/ WARREN SMITH: Miss Froggie/ Red Cadillac And A Black Moustache/ Rock 'n' Roll Ruby/ HAYDEN THOMPSON: Love My Baby/ WADE & DICK: Bop Bop Baby/ JIMMY WAGES: Take Me From This Garden Of Evil

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Columbia 52831 Messed Up In Love & Other Tales ● CD $11.98 $6.98
16 tracks, 46 min., recommended
A most entertaining sequel to the 1991 set Raunchy Business : Hot Nuts & Lollypops (Legacy 46783) but with no x-rated material - just perfect for the entire family. Ok, a few double entendre lyrics can be heard from country blues guitarists like Barbecue Bob (Beggin' For Love), Bo Carter (I Love That Thing), Blind Willie McTell (Love Makin' Mama) and Blind Boy Fuller (Lost Lover Blues). As for the blueswomen's point of view, we have titles from Merline Johnson (Love Shows Weakness with guitarist George Barnes), Memphis Minnie (When You Love Me), Mamie Smith (U Need Some Lovin') and the Bessie Smith masterpiece (It Makes My Love Come Down with James P. Johnson). Other highlights include Buddy Moss (Love Me, Baby, Love Me), and Lonnie Johnson's awesome Careless Love, in all likelihood the first country blues version of this W. C. Handy composition, and a rare example of Johnson's 12-string guitar playing. (EL)
BARBECUE BOB: Beggin' For Love/ BIG JOE & HIS WASHBOARD BAND: I Love You Baby/ BIG BILL BROONZY: Messed Up In Love/ BO CARTER: I Love That Thing/ PETER CLEIGHTON: Love Is Gone/ BLIND BOY FULLER: Lost Lover Blues/ BILL GAITHER: Love Trifling Blues/ LONNIE JOHNSON: Careless Love/ MERLINE JOHNSON: Love Shows Weakness/ CURTIS JONES: Moonlight Lover Blues/ BLIND WILLIE MCTELL: Love Makin' Mama/ MEMPHIS MINNIE: When You Love Me/ EMMETT MILLER: Lovesick Blues/ BUDDY MOSS: Love Me, Baby, Love Me/ BESSIE SMITH: It Makes My Love Come Down/ MAMIE SMITH: U Need Some Lovin'

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Lost Soul 1006 Lost Soul Oldies, Vol. 6 ● CD $17.98 $12.98
21 soul rarities.
THE BLEU LIGHTS: Yes I Do/ BILLY BUTLER & INFINITY: When Your Baby's Gone/ COMBINATION INC.: Love Has Gone Away/ THE DONTELLS: I Can't Wait/ EMORY & THE DYNAMICS: Pretty Little School Girl/ THE FLAIRS: Where You Live/ THE GAS LIGHT: I Can't Tell A Lie/ THE GEMINILES: Thinking About My Baby/ DON HART & JAMES SHORTER: I Shed A Tear/ THE HEARTBREAKERS: How Do You Say Goodbye/ DONALD JENKINS: A New World Beautiful/ THE JIVE 5: Sugar (Don't Take Away My Candy)/ THE JOY TONES: This Love/ THE LOVERS: Someone/ THE SENSATIONS: Please Baby Please/ SOFT TOUCH: Look Up, Look Down/ THE SPECIALS: You Stood Me Up/ THE SYMPHONICS: All Roads Lead To Heartbreak/ E.G. TAYLOR & THE SOUNDS OF SOUL: Pick Your Self Up/ THE TOPPIKS: Give It A Chance To Grow/ Surrender

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Sequel 921 Lotta Boppin' (And Plenty Screamin' Too) ● CD $14.98 $10.98
29 tracks, 67 mins, recommended
On this collection you get rare tracks from the Roulette vaults of Screamin Jay Hawkins, Johnny Rivers, Mack Vickery, Bill Haley & His Comets, Roc Larue, Billy & Don Hart, Johnnie Strickland, and the Rock-A-Teens, of which all of the Johnny Rivers, Roc Larue, Billy & Don Hart, Johnnie Strickland, and most of the Rock-A-Teens tracks are featured on a Sundazed records collection called "Original Rockabilly & Chicken Bop Vol.2: Rockin' In The Farmhouse;" so, if you have that, you have most of this besides the Screamin Jay and Bill Haley tracks. Dont get too excited about the Screamin Jay tracks--they are the kind that would make the most sense on a completist box set. You get a scary track list that includes a great alternate take of The Whammy, and 3 cool alternate takes of Feast Of The Mau Mau but then also 2 takes on Buddy Knoxs classic Party Doll and a dreadful take and a half of Hard Days Night yes, that Hard Days Night! Then you get a few of the most Rockabilly cuts Ive ever heard from Johnny Rivers: Long, Long Walk/ Baby Come Back/ Thats Rock And Roll and One Man Woman, fine tracks all. Mack Vickery isnt much to write home about. The Bill Haley tracks are from 61, late in the game for Haley, but the two tracks, My Kind Of Woman and The Spanish Twist, are pretty hip. Billy and Don Hart come across as a fairly weak Everley Bros. Imitation. Doc Larue has two cuts: one is pretty flat, but the second, his Rockabilly Yodel, is pretty wild. Johnnie Strickland saunters through three solid tunes from around 1960. Last and close to least, The Rock-A-Teens close out the collection with seven rather excited, if a tad generic, songs about rockin and boppin. (JM)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Testament TCD 5008 Modern Chicago Blues ● CD $11.98 $7.98
Now deleted. Exciting selection recorded in early/mid 60s ( originally on LP Testament 2203) featuring Johnny Young, Wilbert Jenkins, Maxwell Street Jimmy, Big Walter Horton, Robert NIghthawk, John Lee Granderson, Big John Wrencher and William Mack. Accompaniments are provided by the likes of Otis Spann, Slim Willis, Robert Whitehead, Jimmy Walker and others. CD includes five bonus unissued tracks not on original LP.
JOHN LEE GRANDERSON: Bumble Bee/ I Don't Feel Good/ That's All Right/ BIG WALTER HORTON: Everybody's Fishing/ Hard Hearted Woman/ WILBERT JENKINS: Crawling King Snake/ Married Woman Blues/ WILLIAM MACK: Hideaway/ MAXWELL STREET JIMMY: Cryin' Won't Make Me Stay/ Hanging Around My Door/ I've Got My Eyes On You/ Long Haired Doney/ ROBERT NIGHTHAWK: Blues Before Sunrise/ JOHN WRENCHER: I'm Going To Detroit/ JOHNNY YOUNG: Back To Chicago/ Bad Blood/ Let Me Ride Your Mule/ Money Takin' Woman/ My Baby Walked Out In 1954/ Tired Of You Smiling/ You Make Me Feel So Good

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Titanic 44204 Deep Soul Discoveries, Vol. 4 ● CD $17.98 $12.98
Another fine collection of rare deep soul from the 60s and 70s. Some tracks have pretty rough sound but there's some fine music from Sammy Roberson, Danny White, Johnny Acey, James Bounty, Dee & Don, Frankie Coe, Willie Mason, Willie Hytower, Joe Melvin, etc.
JOHNNY ACEY: Forever More/ LYNN AUGUST: If You Love Me/ JAMES BOUNTY: Life Will Begin Again/ FRANKIE COE: Once There Was a Man/ BENNIE CONN: I'm So Glad To Be Back Home/ DEE & DON: How Much It Hurts Me/ ROBERT EARL: Love Will Find a Way/ JOHN EDWARDS: There'll Never Be Another Woman/ WILLIE HYTOWER: Don't Blame Me/ J.C. & THE SOUL ANGELS: God Bless Our Love/ JEAN & DONELLA: Get Ready (For That Day)/ JIMMY LOMAX: Remember Me/ QUEENIE LYONS: A Minute of Good Time/ WILLIE MASON: Don't Make the Same Mistake Twice/ JOE MELVIN: Friends In Show Business/ JOE PERKINS & RAY FRANKLIN: Things of the Past/ THE PLAYERS: Guilty/ SAMMY ROBERSON: Some Man's Woman, Part 1/ Some Man's Woman, Part 2/ JOHNNY ROBINSON: When a Man Cries/ SOUL UNLIMITED: One Man's Happiness/ DICK WASHINGTON: I Still Find You (In My Heart)/ ART WHEELER: Walk On/ DANNY WHITE: I'm Dedicating My Life/ BOBBY WILLIAMS: Play a Sad Song

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Trojan 80579 Trojan Country Reggae Box Set ● CD $25.98 $18.98
Three CD set with 50 tracks ranging from the 60s through the 80s from this seminal reggae label showing how effectively reggae artists could perform American country hits including The Skatalites instrumental version of Ring Of Fire (which they retitled Occupation), Hazel Wright with Please Help Me I'm Falling, Hortense Ellis with My last date, Rapahel Stewart & The Hot Tops doing Jim Reves's He'll Have To Go and much more.

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Varese 66382 The Sun Songbook ● CD $16.98 $6.98
18 tracks, 38 min, recommended
When you have a label that was indeed a powerhouse in the 50s into the early 60s, as great as it is, there comes a time where everything's been put out. What you need is a marketing gimmick. What we have here is a disc full of tunes written by Sun artists but recorded by other Sun artists. There are a few that were actually released at the time by Sun - there's a great version of Charlie Rich's Break Up done by Ray Smith, & of course there's Billy Lee Riley's classic take on Billy "The Kid" Emmerson's Red Hot, along with Jerry Lee Lewis' version of Roy Orbison's Rock House. But most of these tunes were unreleased at the time & include a few lesser tracks as Jeb Stuart's Just Walkin' In The Rain. But what may be most interesting is some demos done by the songwriters, my fave being Johnny Cash with Little Wooly Booger (You're My Baby), along with Harold Jenkins (later known as Conway Twitty) doing Rock House, a song he wrote with Roy Orbison, & a couple by Charlie Rich. (GM)
SONNY BURGESS: Feelin' Good/ JOHNNY CASH: I Forgot to Remember to Forget/ Little Woolly Booger (You're My Baby)/ KEN COOK: Problem Child/ HAROLD JENKINS: Rock House/ JERRY LEE LEWIS: Down the Line/ Ooby Dooby/ Rock & Roll Ruby/ CARL MANN: Baby I Don't Care/ Ubangi Stomp/ ROY ORBISON: You Tell Me/ CHARLIE RICH: Right Behind You Baby/ Thanks a Lot/ BILLY LEE RILEY: Red Hot/ RAY SMITH: Break Up/ JEB STUART: Just Walkin' in the Rain/ VERNON TAYLOR: Mystery Train/ HAYDEN THOMPSON: Love My Baby

 
JIMMY WALKER & ERWIN HELFER Testament 5011 Rough & Ready ● CD $11.98 $7.98
20 tracks, 62 min., recommended
Last few copies. Recorded when Chicago Pianist Jimmy Walker was in his 60s, this album (a reissue of Testament 2202 with 6 previously unreleased cuts) explores the boogie woogie duet form which gained prominence in the '40s and then effectively died. Walker and 28-year-old white pianist Erwin Helfer (trained by Cripple Clarence Lofton!) have a musical rapport that only time and mutual respect could produce, the two having played together for 2 years before these recording were made. Some tracks feature Walker by himself, sometimes singing, sometimes not. Willie Dixon adds his bass to Helfer's piano on 4 Helfer compositions, including Fringe Benefit/ Give Me 10 Cents Worth Of Love. (JC)

 
SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON Spectrum 544 277-2 The Best Of Sonny Boy Williamson ● CD $9.98 $7.98
20 tracks, 57 mins, highly recommended
Inexpensive introduction to the music of one of the greatest Chicago bluesmen Aleck "Rice" Miller aka Sonny Boy Williamson. Williamson was truly brilliant harmonica player with a style very different from his contemporaries and a dazzling technique where he would switch between vocals and harmonica riffs without a pause! He was a powerful vocalist and a brilliant songwriter whose themes range somewhat father afield than most blues artists, often drawing on some totally unique and witty imagery. On the majority of his sessions he was accompanied by a quintet of brilliant musicians - Robert Jr Lockwood and Luther Tucker/ guitars, Otis Spann/ piano, Willie Dixon/ bass and Fred Below/ drums - musicians who perfectly complement and follow his vocals and harmonica. This set includes help Me/ Don't Start Me Talking/ Ninety Nine/ Nine Below Zero/ Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide/ Decoration Day/ keep It To Yourself/ Too Young To Die/ The Goat/ fattening Frogs For Snakes and more classics. If you are not familiar with the music of Sonny Boy you should be and this is a good place to start. (FS)

 
THE WOODS BAND Market Square 123 Music From The Four Corners Of Hell ● CD $21.98 $10.98
12 tracks, 54 mins, recommended
Fine folk-rock album by latest band led by the talented Terry Woods. Apart from Terry himself none of the members of this six member group were in the original Woods Band of the early 70s. Lead vocals are by Shane Martin who is a decent singer though more rock than folk oriented in his approach. The songs are a mix of traditional and contemporary blending folk and electric instruments (accordion, pipes, cittern, acoustic & electric guitars, drums, etc). Includes As I Roved Out/ Love On Tillery/ Terece's Farewell/ The Travellin' People (Ewan MacColl's classic song)DeValera's Green Isles/ Sea Of Heartbreak (yes, the Don Gibson country hit!)/ Leave her Johnny, Leave Her, etc. (FS)

 
BIG JOHN WRENCHER Castle CMRCD 649 Big John's Boogie Plus ● CD $15.98 $10.98
12 tracks, recommended
Now deleted. Fine set recorded in England in 1974. Born in Mississippi in 1923, Wrencher made a name for himself singing and blowing his harp in Chicago blues clubs and on Chicago sidewalks, but he never found anything like commercial success before his death in '77. This set was recorded while he was on a European tour and features him accompanied by fine Chicago guitarist Eddie Taylor along with British blues stalwarts Bob Hall, Bob Brunning and Peter York. The material is a mix of originals or reworked standards and John and the band sound good throughout on a set of basic stripped down Chicago blues with solid, but not flashy, playing from all. The influences of Howling Wolf and Little Walter are frequently present but John was very much his own man. (FS)

<