|
RHYTHM
& BLUES, SOUL & DOO-WOP
The
Mad Lads -> Big Jay McNeely
| THE MAD LADS |
Stax 8525 |
The Best Of The Mad Lads |
● CD $12.98 |
The best of the later Volt recordings done between 1968-72
(Atlantic still owns the older sides) - includes So
Nice/ Seeing Is
Believing/ Did My Baby Call/ I Forgot TO Be Your Lover, etc.
|
| JOHNNY MAESTRO
& THE CRESTS |
Ace CDCHD 322 |
The Best Of The Rest Of |
● CD $18.98 |
29 tracks, 72 min., recommended
When Rhino issued its
Best of the Crests CD a couple of years ago, Ace issued those same cuts
under its own banner for English consumption. But then Ace did Rhino one
better and issued most of the rest of Crests' and Johnny Maestro's solo
Coed recordings on this fine follow up disc. It includes Learning 'Bout
Love/ Molly Mae/ I Do/ Beside You/ Paper Crown/ My Special Angel/ Say It
Isn't So/ A Rose and a Baby Ruth, and We've Got To Tell Them.
The music ranges from tight group numbers to some rather pop-sounding solo
tracks. Eight titles are previously unreleased, and four are alternate
takes. Fine sound quality with several cuts in stereo, nice cover
graphics, and no real notes at all. I guess they said it all on the first
disc. Either way, this second disc is well worth a listen. (DH)
THE CRESTS: A Rose And A Baby Ruth/ Always You/ Besame Baby/ Beside You/
Dream Maker/ Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)/ I Do/ I O U/ If My Heart
Could Write A Letter/ Isn't It Amazing/ Keep Away From Carol/ Learning
'bout Love/ Let Me Be The One/ Let True Love Begin/ Molly Mae/ My Special
Angel/ Out In The Cold Again/ Paper Crown/ Say It Isn't So/ Silhouettes/
Six Nights A Week/ Step By Step/ Strange Love/ Test Of Love/ The Angels
Listened In/ The Warning Voice/ The Way You Look Tonight/ We've Got To
Tell Them/ You Took The Joy Out Of Spring
|
| JOHNNY MAESTRO
& THE CRESTS |
Collectables 8812 |
For Collectors Only |
● CD $24.98 |
2 discs, 40 tracks, 100 min., recommended If you missed the
earlier Rhino and Ace Crests' compilations, this double disc set from
Collectables is a worthwhile alternative. Disc one lead off with the
group's major hit, a hallmark 50's ballads, 16 Candles, then moves
on into an alternate version of The Angels Listened In, Trouble
in Paradise, Step by Step, Gee But I'd Give the World, Journey
of Love and I Thank the Moon. Disc two features the released
version of The Angels Listened In, Silhouettes, Isn't It
Amazing, What a Surprise, A Year Ago Tonight, and their
journeyman cover of A Rose and a Baby Ruth. Many tracks are in
stereo, and, a relative rarity for Collectables, the liner notes, by Mark
Marymont, are solid and informative. Sound quality is also decent. The
Crests' Coed label cuts are too good to miss. In one form or another they
belong in any decent collection of 50's vocal group gems. (DH)
THE CRESTS: 16 Candles/ A Rose and A Baby Ruth/ A Year Ago Tonight/ Always
You/ Beside You/ Earth Angel/ Flower of Love (unreleased version)/ Gee But
I'd Give The World/ I Do (unreleased version)/ I Thank the Moon/ I.O.U./
If My Heart Could Write a Letter/ In The Still of The Night (unreleased
version)/ Isn't It Amazing/ It Must Be Love (unreleased version)/ Journey
of Love/ Keep Away From Carol (unreleased)/ Learning About Love
(unreleased)/ Let Me Be the One (unreleased version)/ Let True Love Begin
(unreleased)/ Mister Happiness/ Model Girl/ Molly Mae (unreleased
version)/ My Special Angel/ Out In The Cold Again (unreleased)/ Paper
Crown/ Pretty Little Angel/ Silhouettes/ Six Nights A Week/ Step By Step/
Step By Step (unreleased version)/ Strange Love (unreleased)/ The Angels
Listened In/ The Angels Listened In (unreleased version)/ The Test of
Love/ The Way You Look Tonight/ Trouble In Paradise/ What A Surprise/ You
Took The Joy Out of Spring (unreleased)/ Young Love (unreleased version)
|
| JOHNNY
MAESTRO & THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE |
JABB CD 4 |
Acapella |
● CD $17.98 |
10 tracks, 28 mins, recommended
Johnny Maestro was one of
the most impressive voices on the vocal group scene first with the Crests
and later with the more pop oriented Brooklyn Bridge. On this short but
sweet collection he returns to his roots and accompanied by several
members of Brooklyn Bridge does fine acapella renderings of classic
doo-wop songs like At My Front Door/ Life Is But A Dream/ Sincerely/
Crying In The Chapel/ I Only have Eyes For You and, best of all, a
truly stunning version of The Dubs Could This Be Magic which, if
anything, is better than the original. (FS)
|
|
JOHNNY MAESTRO
& THE CRESTS |
Varese Vintage 66248 |
20 All Time Greatest Hits |
● $13.98 |
20 tracks. 50 minutes, recommended
20 wonderful & great
sounding tunes by this seminal multi-racial NY doo wop group, led by the
stellar vocals of John "Johnny Maestro" Mastrangelo, done for
Co-ed Records 1958-61. Not only do you get the hits (16 Candles/
Trouble In Paradise/ The Angels Listened In) but also key B-sides (I
Thank The Moon/ Beside You) and even some key LP tracks which include
their interpretations of such hits as Earth Angel & My
Special Angel. Also includes Maestro's 1st "solo" sides as
"Johnny Maestro, The Voice Of The Crests" & "Johnny
Maestro & The Coeds." Interesting story in the liner notes on how
16 Candles only became a hit after giving Dick Clark a piece of the
publishing! (GM)
|
| MAGNUM |
Jamie/Guyden 4015 |
Fully Loaded |
● CD $15.98 |
7 tracks, 43 min, recommended
CD issue of rare Phoenix LP
from '74. Phillie Funk from this 8 piece band incl keys, horns &
percussion, kind of a cross between Sly & Funkadelic. Includes their
underground hit Funky Junky, the nice & lewd Natural Juices,
& some fine jams including It's The Music That Makes Us Do It.
(GM)
|
| THE MANHATTANS |
Collectables 5135 |
Dedicated To You - Golden
"Carnival" Classics Pt. 1 |
● CD $11.98 |
The Manhattans, not to be confused with the group who
recorded for Dootone in 1959, got their start on Capitol Records in 1962.
In 1964 they switched to Carnival where they cut 14 singles. This set
pulls 12 sides from the Carnival catalog considered by fans as their best
work. The group's Carnival style is best described as a mix of The
Spinners with the latter-day Impressions. One of the earliest exponents of
Soul-Funk, the group excels on such songs as the beautiful Can I
and Our Love Will Never Die. And on a livlier note, get down with The
Philly Dog and The Boston Monkey both included here. Excellent
fidelity. (OLN)
|
| THE MANHATTANS |
Collectables 5136 |
Dedicated To You - Golden
"Carnival" Classics Pt. 2 |
● CD $11.98 |
Twelve more sides from the 1964 thru 1969 Carnival Records
period, with the group consisting of Ken Kelly, Winfield Lovett, George
Smith, Edward Bivins and Rich Taylor. This set includes 4 chart-toppers--I
Wanna Be (Your Everything), I Betcha (Couldn't Love Me), When We're Made
As One, and I Call It Love. Personal faves include Alone on
New Year's Eve and It's That Time Of The Year. Well-polished
funky-soul singing and orchestral arrangements. Great fidelity. (OLN)
|
| THE MANHATTANS |
Kent CDKEND 103 |
Dedicated To You/ For You And Yours |
● CD $18.98 |
24 tracks, 68 min., recommended A treasure for soul music
fans, this Jersey City group's first two LPs, the hard-to-find ones on the
Carnival label, are now on one sweet CD. Led by George "Smitty"
Smith and Winfred "Blue" Lovett, the ballad-loving Manhattans
scored their first hits in the mid-60s and have deservedly been on the
charts pretty much ever since. Featured numbers include Follow Your
Heart/ Manhattan Stomp/ Searchin' For My Baby/ Sweet Little Girl/ All I
Need Is Your Love and It's That Time of Year. Original cover
art and liner notes are featured. Excellent stereo sound. Not one to miss.
(DH)
|
| THE MANHATTANS |
Official 56702 |
People Get Ready |
● CD $18.98 |
24 tracks from early 70s by this fine and popular soul
group. Includes The Picture Became Quite Clear/ Give Him Up/ If My
Heart Could Speak/ From Atlanta To Goodbye/ People, Get Ready/ Cry If You
Wanna Cry/ One Life To Live/ By The Time I Get To Phoenix, etc.
|
| THE
MAR-KEYS/ BOOKER T. & THE MG'S |
Atlantic 90307 |
Back To Back |
● CD $9.98 |
This would almost be a genuine old-fashioned battle of the
bands, except for one detail - The Mar-Keys were just three horn players
(later featured on countless sessions as the Memphis Horns) backed by
Booker T. and co.! Very energetic all-instrumental live recording from
1967, with wired versions of your favorites Green Onions/ Hip Hug-Her/
Philly Dog/ Last Night/ Gimme Some Lovin and more - 10 in all with
Steve Cropper, Duck Dunn, Al Jackson and the Bookman ticklin' the keys.
|
| THE MARCELS |
Relic 7030 |
Summertime |
● CD $13.98 |
20 of these 24 mostly acapella tracks are taken from pre-Colpix
rehearsal tapes or demos cut while at Colpix. In any case, this is the
same Marcels as the group that made Blue Moon. Most of the material
here is covers like Got A Job/ Stormy Weather/ Spanish Harlem/ That
Lucky Old Sun/ Over The Rainbow, and remained unreleased until the
1980's. For Your Precious Love/ Soul Dinner/ Close Your Eyes/ Why Do
You Have To Go are all previously unissued. The famous Fred Johnson
bass intro on Blue Moon is here in an earlier version on the
similar sounding Zoom. A unique opportunity to examine The Marcels
before their rise to stardom. (JC)
THE MARCELS: A Sunday Kind Of Love/ Close Your Eyes/ For Your Precious
Love/ Got A Job/ I Could Have Danced All Night/ I'll Be Forever Loving
You/ In The World/ Me Peace Of Mind/ Over The Rainbow/ Put The Bomp/ Save
The Last Dance For Me/ Soul Dinner/ Spanish Harlem/ Stormy Weather/
Summertime/ Teeter Totter Love/ That Lucky Old Sun/ Two People/ When I'm
With You/ Where There's A Will/ Why Do You Have To Go/ You Gave/ Zing Went
The Strings Of My Heart/ Zoom
|
| BOBBY MARCHAN |
Collectables 5113 |
Golden Classics |
● CD $11.98 |
12 tracks, 32 mins, recommended
A dozen Fire sides from 1959
and 1960 by this fine and distinctive New Orleans vocalist with the high
voice who first came to prominence as lead singer with Huey
"Piano" Smith and The Clowns. In spite of the short playing time
on this disc there are some great soulful and bluesy cuts including his
big hit the two part There Is Something On Your Mind with its
unique narration. A number of other cuts repeat the narration concept
including the two part You're Still My Baby and a great cover
version of Maxine Brown's All In My Mind. Other songs include I
Miss You So/ It Hurts Me To My Heart/ What You Don't Know Don't Hurt You/
Yes It's Written All Over Your Face. (FS)
|
| BOBBY MARCHAN |
Collectables 6444 |
The Very Best Of Bobby Marchan |
● CD $13.98 |
18 tracks, 47 mins, highly recommended
Collectables issued a
collection of Bobby Marchan's Fire recordings about eight years ago but
this is a substantial upgrade with 6 more cuts, better sound and excellent
notes by Robert Pruter.
|
| MARVIN & JOHNNY |
Ace CDCHD 509 |
Cherry Pie - The Original Modern Recordings |
● CD $18.98 |
28 tracks, 70 min., recommended
A great mix of relaxed,
spontaneous-sounding ballads and jumps from Marvin Phillips and the
several Johnnys that worked with him over his years with Modern Records.
His most steady partner was Emory Perry, but Jesse Belvin, with whom
Phillips had teamed earlier on Specialty, wasn't too far behind. From a
logical point of view, it didn't matter anyway. Phillips chose the name
"Marvin and Johnny" simply because it sounded good. The generous
program here includes the great title track, plus Dear One/ I Love You
Yes I Do/ Butter Ball, the lovely Sugar Mama/ Sweet Dreams, and
Ain't That Right. A nice companion to the earlier issue of this
duo's work for Specialty on "Flipped Out" (SPCD 2176). And it's a typical
Ace production, with excellent sound quality, intelligent notes, and top
flight graphics. Very highly recommended. (DH)
|
| MARVIN & JOHNNY |
Specialty 2176 |
Flipped Out |
● CD $12.98 |
Jesse Belvin, Johnny Dean and Carl Green were all Johnnys,
but the best Johnny was Emory Perry, who originally played sax for Marvin
Phillips. This 26 song set recorded between 1952-56 contains Wine
Woogie/ Old Man's Blues by Marvin & His Men From Mars, and the #2
R&B hit Dream Girl by Jesse (Belvin) and Marvin, plus 3 by the
Red Callender Orch. with Marvin. Of M&J's two biggest hits, Baby
Doll is here but Tick Tock is missing. Included, however, are
many unreleased items like If I Should Lose You/ What's The Matter
Baby/ I Want Lovin', two alternate takes of Honey and four
unissued demos. The unreleased stuff is every bit as good as the rest,
making this collection especially worthwhile. A Hunter Hancock radio ad is
also provided. (JC)
|
| ARTHUR LEE
MAYE & THE CROWNS |
Dig 1002 |
The Best Of Arthur Lee Maye & The Crown |
● CD $17.98 |
30 track collection of 50s sides.
ARTHUR LEE MAYE & THE CROWNS: A Fool's Prayer/ All I Want Is Someone
To Love/ Cause You're Mine Alone/ Cool Lovin'/ Do the Bop/ Don't You Know/
Gloria/ Gloria (w/piano)/ Hey Pretty Girl/ Honey Honey/ Honey Honey/ I
Wanna Love/ Loop De Loop De Loop/ Love Me Always/ Only One/ Oochie Pachie/
Ooh Ruba Lee/ Ooh Ruba Lee/ Ooh Ruba Lee Mambo/ Please Don't Leave Me/
Please Say You Love Me/ Pounding/ Rock Bottom/ Set My Heart Free/ Sweet
Thing/ That's What I'm Gonna Do/ This Is the Night For Love/ Truly/
Whispering Wind/ Will You Be Mine
|
| NATHANIEL MAYER |
Gold Dust 930 |
Village Of Love |
● CD $18.98 |
21 tracks, 49 min., recommended
Prototypical soul from one
of Detroit's early practitioners. Backed by the Fabulous Twilights, Mayer
scored a major hit with the title track here in 1962. Subsequent efforts
were often equally worthy, but with the hit record market being the fickle
thing that it is, those efforts failed to chart nationwide. Fortunately
this disc allows you to correct that oversight and hear Mayer's complete
output, including Leave Me Alone, My Little Darling, I
Had a Dream, the doo-wop styled Hurting Love, A Place I Know,
I'm Not Gonna Cry, the pragmatic I Want Love and Affection (Not
the House of Correction), Lover Please, Mr. Santa Claus,
and the elemental I Want a Woman. Raw, powerful music, offered here
with decent sound quality, minimal notes, and one cover photo. (DH)
|
| CURTIS MAYFIELD |
Silverline 284542 |
Live At Ronnie Scott's |
● CD $19.98 |
CD 11 tracks - 63 min - DVD - CD tracks + more - highly
recommended
This is an interesting set-up. On one side you get the live
show, recorded UK at Ronnie Scott's famed jazz club. There are 10 tracks
from all phases of Curtis's career, The Impressions - It's Alright/ I'm
So Proud/ People Get Ready, & the solo recordings, including the
soundtrack stuff, with three from "Super Fly." After that there's an
interview done by super-fan Paul Weller (exJam). However, flip the disc over
& it's a DVD, 1st audio with 5.1 sound of the show, a bonus video of
Freddie's Dead and a video of the Weller interview, along with written
info on Mayfield & Ronnie Scott's. (GM)
|
| CURTIS
MAYFIELD & THE IMPRESSIONS |
MCA MCAD2 10664 |
The Anthology 1961-1977 |
● CD $29.98 |
After Jerry Butler left The Impressions in 1958, Curtis
Mayfield and his silky high tenor slid into the lead role. A talented
guitarist and brilliant songwriter, Mayfield put together a long string of
hits with the other two Impressions, developing a "new" Chicago
soul sound based on the gospel tradition of switching leads. The first
disc covers the ABC years (26 songs!), including Gypsy Woman/ It's
Alright/ Keep On Pushing/ Meeting Over Yonder/ Talking About My Baby,
nearly every other hit, and a few excellent non-hits like Little Young
Lover. Disc #2 features four from The Impressions Curtom catalog, the
hit Fool For You among them. The rest of the package follows the
best of Mayfield's early solo career: Freddie's Dead/ Superfly/ Move On
Up/ Pusherman/ Only You Babe and others. Informative booklet notes
from Chicago soul expert Bob Pruter. (JC)
|
| MIGHTY SAM MCCLAIN |
Crosscut 11058 |
Joy And Pain |
● CD $16.98 |
Fine R&B soul singer recorded live in Germany in 1997.
|
| MIGHTY SAM MCCLAIN |
Mighty Music 101 |
One More Bridge To Cross |
● CD $14.98 |
13 tracks, 63 min, excellent. One of the true legends of 60s
Deep Soul continues on his comeback trail, even starting his own label to
get the new stuff out! With a crack band led by guitarist Chris Tofield +
The Mighty Horns. Sam talks about being on tour with his hero Bobby Blue
Bland & one thing from there was getting 2 tunes originally pitched to Bland
by Joe Hardin that Sam does here. All the other tunes are McClain originals
include both deep soul & funk - title tune + Are You Ready For Love/ Open
Up Heaven's Door/ Thought I Heard Your Voice (GM)
|
| MIGHTY SAM MCCLAIN |
Sundazed 11083 |
Papa True Love |
● CD $15.98 |
Collection of this fine soul singer's late 60s recordings
for Amy cut in Muscle Shoals and Nashville.
|
| GENE MCDANIELS |
Collectables 5646 |
A Hundred Pounds Of Clay |
● CD $13.98 |
25 tracks, 61 min., good
Originally issued on EMI. There's no quibbling with success, I suppose. And this early
60's purveyor of pop rock and roll enjoyed plenty of that. His
well-produced Liberty sides hit the charts no fewer than eight times
between 1961 and 1963, with his biggest three hits entering the top ten.
All of those hits and more are here, including the title cut, Chip
Chip/ A Tower Of Strength/ A Tear/ Spanish Lace, and It's a Lonely
Town (Without You). EMI has done its usual high class production job
here, with excellent sound quality, several photos, strong notes,
discographical information, and chart positions all included. (DH)
|
| ROLLEE MCGILL |
Bear Family BCD 15926 |
Rhythm Rockin' Blues |
● CD $21.98 |
30 tracks recorded between 1954 and 1963 by Philadelphia
singer, tenor sax blower and pianist who had a modest hit in 1955 with the
Louisiana flavored There Goes That Train. Lots of obscure sides and
rarities and a few unissued titles.
|
| JIMMY MCGRIFF |
Collectables 5125 |
A Toast To Jimmy McGriff's Golden Classics |
● CD $11.98 |
|
| JIMMY MCGRIFF |
Collectables 5147 |
Blues For Mr. Jimmy |
● CD $11.98 |
Reissue of Sue 1039 from 1963, Jimmy's second. Jimmy was the
rockingest of the Philadelphia Hammond school (Jimmy Smith, Jack McDuff,
Groove Holmes, etc). Except for The Party's Over , all tunes are
originals - The Dog (You dog)/ Discotheque USA/ Bump De Bump/ Sh'o Nuff
, etc.
|
| JIMMY MCGRIFF |
Collectables 5747 |
Christmas With Jimmy McGriff |
● CD $11.98 |
|
| BIG JAY MCNEELY |
Classics 5009 |
The Chronological Big Jay McNeely, 1948-1950 |
● CD $14.98 |
The 22 earliest sides of the famed sax man recorded under
his own name.
|
| BIG JAY MCNEELY |
Collectables 5131 |
Live At Birdland 1957 |
● CD $11.98 |
16 tracks, 30 min., essential
This should be a popular release,
a CD version of a vintage 1957 Big Jay show recorded on a 2 track Ampex
(don't worry, it sounds fine) at Seattle's Birdland Club. The discovery of
this tape in 1988 was, for R&B fans, tantamount to the unearthing of
King Tut's tomb. This CD version adds 6 cuts from another Big Jay Records
LP,
Swingin' (JLP 103). The band opens with the dynamic, raspy voiced Little
Sonny Warner singing I Hope You're All Right , then jumps into
prime Big Jay on the wild Insect Ball . After a soulful rendition
of Lynn Hope's Tenderly and a swingin' number called Havana Hop
, McNeely really cuts loose on an amazing and exciting version of the old
Goodman/ Hampton classic Flying Home , that must have really worn
out the dancers there - it's 8 1/2 min. long! He does his crowd pleasers, Deacon's
Hop and There Is Something On Your Mind and throws in some
surprises too, like a fine version of Les Paul & Mary Ford's How
High The Moon . If you like honkin' R&B you'll love this....
AE
|
| BIG JAY MCNEELY |
Collectables 5133 |
Swingin' - Golden Classics |
● CD $11.98 |
Previously issued on Jay's own Big J label. 16 fine tracks
recorded for the Los Angeles Swingin' label 1957-61 - lots of hard-driving
music including the unedited version of the hit There Is Something On
Your Mind with Little Sonny Warner on vocals, lots of honkin'
instrumental & even a rockabilly track with a white singer - 6 tracks
previously unreleased.
|
| BIG JAY MCNEELY |
Collectables 6377 |
There Is Something On Your Mind |
● CD $11.98 |
17 tracks recorded in the 50s by this legendary honker - I
believe this is compiled from Collectables' two previous McNeely releases. A
mix of studio and live cuts.
BIG JAY MCNEELY: After Midnight/ Annie Lou/ Back Shack Track/ Blue Couch
Boogie/ Deacon's Hop (live)/ Flying Home (live)/ Flying Home (vocal)/ Havana
Hop (live)/ Honky Tonk (live)/ I Got The Message/ I Hope You're Alright
(live)/ Minnie (live)/ Oh No Daddy O/ Oh What A Fool/ Roadhouse Boogie/
There Is Something On Your Mind/ There Is Something On Your Mind (live)
|
| BIG JAY MCNEELY |
Tone Cool 1145 |
Central Avenue Confidential |
● CD $15.98 |
New recordings from this legendary saxophonist who has a 50
year career behind him. Accompanied by a small group (Hammond organ,
guitar & drums with occasional added instruments) he performs a mix of
R&B, jazz and pop tunes.
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