"RURAL BLUES" - Volume 1 & 2

Great blues from the deep EMI music vaults! These two rare albums were originally released on vinyl in the 70's. Tracks 1 to 14 are taken from Rural Blues Volume One: Goin' Up The Country previously released by Liberty on LP as LBL 83213E.
Tracks 15 to 28 are taken from Rural Blues Volume Two: Saturday Night Function previously released by Liberty on LP as LBL 83214E.

trax:
1. Take It Easy - Nathaniel Terry 2. Forgive Me - Manny Nichols 3. Avenue Breakdown - Country Jim 4. Disgusted - Lil' Jackson Son 5. West Coast Blues - Thunder N' Lightnin' 6. Howling Wolf Blues - Lightnin' Hopkins 7. Nobody Knows - Snooks Eaglin 8. I Don'T Know Why - Nathaniel Terry 9. Worried Life - Manny Nichols 10. Phillipine Blues - Country Jim 11. Thrill Me Baby - Lil' Jackson Son 12. Can'T Do Like You Used To - Thunder N' Lightnin' 13. Can'T Get That Woman Off My Mind - Lightnin' Hopkins 14. By The Water - Snooks Eaglin 15. When The Saints Go Marching In - Papa Lightfoot 16. Travelin' Mood - Snooks Eaglin 17. I Ain'T For It - Boogie Bill Webb 18. Country Bred (Nobody Loves Me) - Clifton Chenier 19. A Man Is Crying - Slim Harpo 20. Cold In The Evening - J.D. Edwards 21. Paper In My Shoe - Boozoo Chavis 22. Wine Woman Wiskey - Papa Lightfoot 23. See See Rider - Snooks Eaglin 24. Love Me Mama - Boogie Bill Webb 25. Just A Lonely Boy - Clifton Chenier 26. Something Inside Me - Slim Harpo 27. Crying - J.D. Edwards 28. Boozoo Stomp - Boozoo Chavis
...served by Gyro1966...

"URBAN BLUES" - Vol. 1 & 2

Great compilation from the vast EMI vaults pairing two rare albums from the 70's that collected 50's rocking' R&B!The descriptive phrase Urban Blues was first used in the early part of the 20th century to differentiate between the more uptown sentiments pervasive to the style and the cruder, more rural stylings of country-blues artists. This term was later used in the 1940s to describe a type of sophisticated blues written about the vagaries of city life, its lyrics alternately dealing with romantic strife and the innumerable good times to be easily obtained in an urban area. Always city-derived, the music is earmarked by a pronounced uptown emphasis, embracing everything from jump blues to jazz-influenced stylings to smooth, supper-club-style vocals. ~ Cub Koda

trax:
1. Don'T Lie To Me - Fats Domino 2. Mother Fuyer - Dirty Red 3. Vida Lee - T-Bone Walker 4. Too Many Drivers - Smiley Lewis 5. Sweet Old Chicago - Roosevelt Sykes 6. Story To Tell - Big Joe Turner 7. Empty Life - Mercy Dee 8. Rose Mary - Fats Domino 9. You Done Me Wrong - Dirty Red 10. I Get So Weary - T-Bone Walker 11. Tee-Nah-Nah - Smiley Lewis 12. You Can'T Be Lucky All The Time - Roosevelt Skyes 13. Battle Of The Blues (Part 1) - Big Joe Turner & Wynonie Harris 14. Danger Zone - Mercy Dee
15. Help Me - Fats Domino 16. I'Ve Got Eyes For You - Fats Domino 17. Stay Away - Fats Domino 18. Slide Me Down - Smiley Lewis 19. It'S So Peaceful - Smiley Lewis 20. Abc'S Parts 1 & 2 - Smilin' Joe 21. Shake Shake Baby - Archibald 22. Soon As I Go Home - Archibald 23. Goin' Back To The Country - Little Sony 24. I'm Thankful - Fats Mathews 25. Lucille - Joe Turner & Fats Domino 26. Travelin' Mood - Wee Willie Wayne 27. Chicken Shack Boogie - Amos Milburn
...served by Gyro1966...

PERCY MAYFIELD "Blues Laureate" The RCA Years

When Percy Mayfield's contract as composer and performer with Ray Charles -- a business association that lasted seven long years -- because of disagreements with Brother Ray's manager Joe Adams, Mayfield cut an album for Brunswick in 1968, and then signed with Andy Stroud -- husband and manager of Nina Simone -- at RCA. The albums Mayfield cut for the label in 1970 and 1971 (Percy Mayfield Sings, Percy Mayfield, Weakness Is a Thing Called Man, and Blues and Then Some) were excellent. Mayfield's writing and voice were in great shape, and he was surrounded by both crack and sympathetic studio talent on these sides -- Eric Gale, Chuck Rainey, Pretty Purdie, Snooky Young, and Richard Tee to name a few -- as well as full horn sections and female backing vocalists. While it would have been great to get these albums in their entirety on a double-disc, Australia's excellent Raven imprint has compiled 25 tracks from them for Blues Laureate: The RCA Years. The bottom line is that this material is fantastic. It may be of a particular period, but it's timeless. Whether it's one of the funky sides like "You Wear Your Hair Too Long," or the shuffling, funky soul-blues of "Live Today Like the Day Before," the Chicago blues ballad "The Highway Is Like a Woman," the deep, mournful soul of "Weakness Is a Thing Called Man," or the audacious street corner, trash-talking poetry of "The Devil Made Me Do It" (not a novelty song), the result is the same. These tunes reflect the changes the blues were going through, but were anchored by the solid, deeply focused vision of a singer and songwriter who understood the trends; unfortunately, not all the people at his record companies always did.(by Thom Jurek, All Music Guide)

trax:
01 Yes, You'll Play 02 Live Today Like The Day Before 03 Highway Is Like A Woman 04 Painful Party 05 You Wear Your Hair Too Long 06 To Live The Past 07 My Friend 08 A Lying Woman (Not Trustworthy) 09 To Claim It's Love 10 My Error 11 The Country 12 Weakness Is A Thing Called Man 13 California Blues 14 Hand In Hand With Another Man 15 Brotherhood Week 16 I Hope You Get The Message 17 The Flirt 18 Getting You Off My Mind 19 I've Got A Secret 20 Sign On The Dotted Line 21 You Lied To Me For Your Last Time 22 Right On Young Americans 23 Contact Me (When You Find Her) 24 The Lover And The Married Woman 25 The Devil Made Me Do It
...served by Gyro1966...

TONY OWENS "I Got Soul" Classic 60's and 70's Soul From New Orleans

Incredible work from a singer we know almost nothing about – but who steps out beautifully in this overstuffed set! Tony Owens is a name that we've only seen once or twice on some rare singles that have passed through our hands – and honestly, we'd never dreamed that he'd made so many recordings, or that they'd all be this great! As part of their project to open up the farthest corners of the American scene of years back, the folks at the Grapevine label have brought most of Tony's classic work back to life for this set – stretching back to the mid 60s, and running up through the late 70s – and featuring an assortment of New Orleans soul tracks cut for labels that include Soul Sound, Soulin, Listening Post, Buddah, Island, and Sansu! As with other Grapevine CDs – such as their Johnny Moore or Phillip Mitchell collections – the work is augmented by a history of the artist, and the tracks themselves have been beautifully remastered for a really cohesive sound. The set features 22 tracks in all – including 4 previously unissued numbers. (Dusty Groove)

trax:
01 I Got Soul 02 This Heart Can't Break No More 03 I'll Be There 04 Wishing, Waiting, Hoping 05 I'm A Fool For Lovin' You 06 I Need, I Need Your Love 07 This Is My Prayer 08 Confessin' A Feeling 09 Got'a Get My Baby Back Home 10 I Can't Lose (Part 1) 11 I Can't Lose (Part 2) 12 I Can Hear Music 13 (When You're Wrong) You Got To Pay The Price 14 One Man's Woman, Another Man's Wife 15 Loneliness Still Follows Me 16 All That Matters 17 I Don't Want Nobody But My Baby 18 The Letter That Broke My Heart 19 Do What You Wanna Do 20 Woman I Got To Leave You 21 Thank You 22 Love Is (The Thing We Feel)
...served by Gyro1966...

"LEGENDARY LEADS OF RHYTHM & BLUES" Vol. 1 - Crossover Sounds, 1960-1964

This compilation traces the progression from the 50's R&B; style to the early 60's birth of soul sound. Some call it "birth of soul" or "post doo-wop" or "crossover" . The progression from 50's doo-wop to early 60's R&B; involves a shift in emphasis from a "vocal group" concept to that of a "soloist" or featured lead singer, and so the concept of our "Legendary Leads of R&B;" series. (from the liner notes)

trax:
1. Rope Of Sand - Cornell Gunter 2. Good Enough - Bobby Guy (Howard Guyton) 3. Living Dream - Lenny Miles 4. Here I Stand - Joel Scott (Joe Jones) 5. Breaking Hearts - Varetta Dillard 6. Jealous Heart - Pookie Hudson 7. Run-Run Senorita - Ray Pollard 8. I've Got A Date - Barbara English 9. Once Again - Nate Nelson 10. Mr. Fix- It - Jimmy Jones 11. Camera - Jimmy Beaumont 12. Stay With Me - Ed Townsend 13. Fly By Night - Varetta Dillard 14. Queen Bee - Jimmey Breedlove 15. Until - Billy Barnes 16. I Want To Be Near You - Johnny Woodson 17. Donna's Gone - Lenny Miles 18. Donkey Walk - Big Dee Irwin 19. To Belong - Jimmy Breedlove 20. Shoo Fly - Barbara English 21. Second Best - Tony Williams 22. Please Send Me Someone To Love - Jimmy Beaumont 23. Sing Me A Song - Johnny Woodson 24. Unchained Melody - Tony Middleton
...served by Gyro1966...

"Jukebox Swing" Classic West Coast R&B; from SWINGTIME LABEL

CLASSIC BLUES and R&B FROM: Downbeat/ Swingtime/ Supreme/ Exclusive/ Excelsior group of labels. HARD TO FIND RECORDINGS OF WEST COAST GIANTS!trax:
disc 1
1. B-Sharp You'll See - Charles Brown w/Johnny Moore's 3 Blazers 2. Drippers Boogie Part 1 - Joe Liggins & His Honeydrippers 3. Take Out The Squeal - Earl Jackson w/Johnny Otis Band 4. Tate's A jumpin' - Buddy Tate 5. Saturday Night Fish Fry - Eddie Williams & His Brown Buddies 6. I'll Do Anything But Work - Ray Charles 7. Baby You're Still A Square - Percy Mayfield 8. You're Driving Me Crazy - Vic Dickenson 9. Ee-Bobaliba - Teddy Bunn Group 10. Gonna Have My Fun - Jimmy McCracklin
disc 2
1. Big Baritone 2 - Joe Liggins & His Honeydrippers 2. No Name Boogie - Jay McShann 3. Crazy 'Bout Your Cooking - Johnny Otis Band 4. Johnny'S Boogie - Charles Brown w/Johnny Moore's 3 Blazers 5. Carlos - Jack McVea 6. Juke Box Boogie Woogie Chick - Snookum Russell 7. Fish House Boogie - Sylvestor Mike 8. Willie And The Cool Cat - Big Jay McNeeley 9. Fat Man Blues - Clifford Blivens 10. I'm A Lovin' Man - Earl Brown w/The Red Callender Combo 11. Mean Poor Gal - Fletcher Smith & orchestra
disc 3
1. Bobby Sox Blues - Charles Brown w/Johnny Moore's 3 Blazers 2. I Cover The Waterfront - Joe Liggins & His Honeydrippers 3. Be Bop Baby Blues - Johnny Otis Band 4. Fightin' Mama Blue - Jack McVea 5. Mixed Fruit - Steve Miller's Four Barons 6. St. Louis Blues - Vic Dickenson 7. June-Teenth Jamboree - Fatso Bently 8. I Lost My Sugar In Salt Lake City - Frantic Faye Thomas 9. Christopher Columbus - King Perry 10. Dr. Duke's Boogie - Duke Henderson & His Orchestra
disc 4
1. Let'S Have A Ball - Ray Charles 2. Little Willie - Joe Liggins & His Honeydrippers 3. Green Gin - Ernie Andrews 4. Geronimo - Jay McShann 5. Juke Box Lil - Charles Brown w/Johnny Moore's 3 Blazers 6. Fat Meat & Greens - Lloyd Glenn w/Edgar Hayes Stardusters 7. Voot Nay On The Vot Nay - The Basin Street Boys 8. O Baby Please - Earl Williams 9. Need It Bad - Buddy Banks 10. Vine Street Breakdown - Buddy Tate
...served by Gyro1966...

"BROWN EYED SOUL" The Sound Of East L.A., Vol. 3

Much like Britain's northern soul community, the Latino population of Southern California fell for soul music and initially imported many of its favorite songs, but the community also fostered a fertile base of artists by the mid-'60s. Unlike the sound of boogaloo/Latin soul (based in New York City), early brown-eyed soul owed little to traditional Latin music and was rarely performed in Spanish. Instead, rock bands like Cannibal & the Headhunters ("Land of 1000 Dances") and Thee Midniters -- inspired by '50s Latino rocker Ritchie Valens -- earned national recognition playing anthemic rock & roll with an R&B; edge. Smooth Chicago soul and Motown hits were big crowd favorites at dances during the early '60s (alongside a rare local sensation like Brenton Wood). When the East L.A. community began gradually moving from energetic R&B; to romantic soul, the results were some of the sweetest soul music heard during the late '60s and '70s.
Another wing of the brown-eyed soul crowd was influenced by Chicano, the Latino civil-rights movement emphasizing heritage and cultural pride. As a result, bands like War, Malo, El Chicano, and Tierra followed Latin-rock breakout Santana into the nation's cultural consciousness. Brown-eyed soul anthems kept edging the charts during the mid-'70s (a good example being Bloodstone's "Natural High"), but rarely breached the national radar after 1980. Rhino Records' three-volume series Brown Eyed Soul: The Sound of East L.A. remains the definitive document of all the imported hits and homegrown talent associated with the style. (All Music Guide)

trax:
1. Mine Exclusively - The Olympics 2. Tell Her She's Lovely - El Chicano 3. Let's Get Together Again - Carol Hughes 4. I Fooled You This Time - Gene Chandler 5. Natural High - Bloodstone 6. Don't Let No One Get You Down - War 7. Land Of 1000 Dances - Cannibal & The Headhunters 8. Tell Him - Patti Drew 9. I'm Sorry - Bo Diddley 10. Making Ends Meet - Thee Midniters 11. Forever - The Marvelettes 12. Bring Me Happiness - Rosie & Ron 13. Close Your Eyes - Peaches & Herb 14. Image Of A Girl - The Safaris 15. Catch You On The Rebound - Brenton Wood 16. It's Got To Be Mellow - Leon Haywood
...served by Gyro1966...

RUFUS THOMAS "Do The Funky Somethin'" (Best Of)

The Best of Rufus Thomas: Do the Funky Somethin' is an overdue, career-spanning collection of Thomas' best material, centering around his Stax hits from the '60s and early '70s. The whole "dog" series of novelty dance songs from 1963-1964 is here, as well as the hit "Jump Back" and a clutch of Stax singles that weren't hits but became pretty well-known anyway, like "Sister's Got a Boyfriend" and "Sophisticated Sissy." There are also the early-'70s funk-dance hits "Do the Funky Chicken," "(Do The) Push and Pull," "The Breakdown," and "Do the Funky Penguin," a couple of '60s duets with his daughter Carla, and his 1953 blues single "Bear Cat (The Answer to Hound Dog)," the first hit on Sun Records. A few other compilations have gone into specific phases of his career in greater depth, but this is certainly the best overview of a man who offered some of the funkiest and funniest Memphis soul around. (by Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide)

trax:
1. Bear Cat (Answer To Hound Dog) - Rufus Thomas 2. Cause I Love You - Carla & Rufus 3. I Didn't Believe - Carla & Rufus 4. The Dog - Rufus Thomas 5. Walking The Dog - Rufus Thomas 6. Can Your Monkey Do The Dog - Rufus Thomas 7. Somebody Stole My Dog - Rufus Thomas 8. That's Really Some Good - Carla & Rufus 9. Jump Back - Rufus Thomas 10. Little Sally Walker - Rufus Thomas 11. The World Is Round - Rufus Thomas 12. Sister's Got A Boyfriend - Rufus Thomas 13. Sophisticated - Rufus Thomas 14. The Memphis Train - Rufus Thomas 15. Do The Funky Chicken - Rufus Thomas 16. Do The Push & Pull, Part 1 - Rufus Thomas 17. The Breakdown, Part 1 - Rufus Thomas 18. Do The Penguin, Part 1 - Rufus Thomas 19. Do The Funky Somethin' - Godchildren Of Soul w/Rufus Thomas
...served by Gyro1966...

"BROWN EYED SOUL" The Sound Of East L.A., Vol. 2

Much like Britain's northern soul community, the Latino population of Southern California fell for soul music and initially imported many of its favorite songs, but the community also fostered a fertile base of artists by the mid-'60s. Unlike the sound of boogaloo/Latin soul (based in New York City), early brown-eyed soul owed little to traditional Latin music and was rarely performed in Spanish. Instead, rock bands like Cannibal & the Headhunters ("Land of 1000 Dances") and Thee Midniters -- inspired by '50s Latino rocker Ritchie Valens -- earned national recognition playing anthemic rock & roll with an R&B; edge. Smooth Chicago soul and Motown hits were big crowd favorites at dances during the early '60s (alongside a rare local sensation like Brenton Wood). When the East L.A. community began gradually moving from energetic R&B; to romantic soul, the results were some of the sweetest soul music heard during the late '60s and '70s.
Another wing of the brown-eyed soul crowd was influenced by Chicano, the Latino civil-rights movement emphasizing heritage and cultural pride. As a result, bands like War, Malo, El Chicano, and Tierra followed Latin-rock breakout Santana into the nation's cultural consciousness. Brown-eyed soul anthems kept edging the charts during the mid-'70s (a good example being Bloodstone's "Natural High"), but rarely breached the national radar after 1980. Rhino Records' three-volume series Brown Eyed Soul: The Sound of East L.A. remains the definitive document of all the imported hits and homegrown talent associated with the style. (All Music Guide)

trax:
1. La La La La La - The Blendells 2. Queen Of My Heart - Rene & Ray 3. We Belong Together - Ritchie Valens 4. Those Lonely Lonely Nights - Johnny "Guitar" Watson 5. Why Can't We Be Friends? - War 6. Baby, Is There Something On Your Mind - McKinley Travis 7. Sitting In The Park - Billy Stewart 8. Diamonds And Pearls - The Paradons 9. I'm Without A Girl Friend - The Gallahads 10. My Heart Cries - The Romancers 11. Dreaming Casually - Thee Midniters 12. Please Baby Please - Cannibal & The Headhunters 13. Beware - Jesse Belvin 14. Farmer John - The Premiers 15. Baby You Got It - Brenton Wood 16. East Side - Hank Jacobs
...served by Gyro1966...

TYRONE DAVIS "Turn Back The Hands Of Time" 1970

If the only great song on Tyrone Davis' second album, Turn Back the Hands of Time, was its impeccable title track, it still would have been a noteworthy record in the history of uptown Chicago soul and early-'70s soul -- it's simply that good of a song. Fortunately, it's the tip of the iceberg on this terrific album that ranks among the finest soul records of its era. In a way, the single is a little misleading, since it is such a silky smooth, seductive tune that it gives the impression that everything on the album will be the same, and it's not. Yes, the album has more than its fair share of strings, backing vocals, horns, and even harpsichords (showcased on "If It's Love You're After"), but that doesn't mean this is so smooth that it becomes glossy and slick. Instead, it's luxurious, and Davis is able to deepen it with his nuanced, soulful interpretations; he's even given a chance to try bluesy funk with "Undying Love" and does a great slow ballad with "I Keep Coming Back." What's impressive about the record is not just that Davis is able to handle everything from those slow-burners to the soul-pop, sounding convincing in each setting, but that producer Willie Henderson has crafted utterly appropriate, intoxicating, and unique productions for each song. And those songs are all very, very strong. There's no filler here, just terrific songwriting from the pens of Jack Daniels/Johnny Moore, Eugene Record/Carl Davis, and Cash McCall, among others. There were other singles pulled from Turn Back the Hands of Time that scaled the charts -- "Is It Something You've Got?" and "I'll Be Right Here," both R&B; Top Ten hits, plus "Let Me Back In" -- but album tracks like "All the Waiting Is Not in Vain," the Impressions-styled "Just Because of You," and the great, great, funky "Love Bones" are strong as well. There's not a weak moment here (and there shouldn't be, considering that the whole thing clocks in at under 30 minutes), just great early-'70s soul. It's a forgotten gem. (by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide)

trax:
01 Turn Back The Hands Of Time 02 The Waiting Was Not In Vain 03 Let Me Back In 04 Love Bones 05 I'll Be Right Here 06 Something You Got 07 Undying Love 08 Just Because Of You 09 If It's Love That You're After 10 I Keep Coming Back
...served by Gyro1966...

"RIGHT TO CHEWS" Bubblegum Classics Revisited 2002

Picked #1 by John Borack as the Best Power Pop Tribute CD!
An amazing extravaganza of pop talent has gathered to give homage to a sunnier, cheerier and beautifully naive time. 25 tracks from various 'bubblegum' artists including The Rubinoos, Teen Machine, The Andersons, Linus of Hollywood, Beagle, Superstone, Walter Clevenger & The Dairy Kings, Wonderboy and more. (Amazon)Obscure power pop groups covering classic bubblegum songs sounds like a winning combination right off the bat and leave it to Not Lame to pull it off. Seeing as how power pop is the step grandchild of bubblegum, most of the groups here are fairly reverential to the original material. There aren't a lot of surprises or experimentation even down to the choices of songs. I could argue that there are too many Osmond/Brady/Jackson/Partridge Family songs (with the Sparkle*Jets U.K. contribution belonging more on a soul comp) but that's my rarified taste and you should ignore that.
Leading with the well-known Rubinoos is a smart move. The irony of putting down Herb Alpert in the lyrics while parodying his most famous album cover isn't lost on this fan of all things 60's. Other highlights include The Andersons who cover the most obscure gum track (The New Yorker's Goody Good Ice Cream Man). Teen Machine and The Mitch Easter Sound come so close to sounding like the Godfather of Gum Joey Levine himself that I guarantee you'll get so lost in the new versions that you'll think you've taken a power pop bus back to 1967. (Amazon)trax:
1. Bubblegum Music - The Rubinoos 2. Yummy, Yummy, Yummy - Teen Machine 3. Smile A Little Smile For Me - Chris Von Sneidern 4. Goodie Good Ice Cream Man - The Andersons 5. I Want You Back - Sparkle*Jets U.K. 6. Dizzy - Cliff Hillis 7. Gimme Gimme Good Lovin' - The Mitch Easter Sound! 8. I Enjoy Being A Boy (In Love With You) - Linus Of Hollywood 9. Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) - Beagle 10. Goody Goody Gumdrops - The Receiver 11. I Woke Up In Love This Morning - Doug Powell 12. Time To Change - Michael Carpenter 13. Goin' Home - Stingray Green 14. Feelin' So Good (S.K.O.O.B.Y. D.O.O.) - The Lolas 15. 1, 2, 3, Red Light - Joy Ride 16. Saturday Night - The Oranges 17. My Baby Loves Lovin' - Einstein's Sister 18. Little Bit O' Soul - Walter Clevenger & The Dairy Kings 19. Get Down - Marykate O'Neil 20. May I Take A Giant Step (Into Your Heart) - Jim Laspesa With Michael Quercio 21. Down By The Lazy River - Wonderboy 22. Beautiful Sunday - The Popdudes 23. Superman - The Beatifics 24. Wig-Wam Bam - Tammy & The Lords Of Misrule 25. Melody Hill - Superstone
…originally served by Gyro1966...

"BROWN EYED SOUL" The Sound Of East L.A., Vol. 1

Much like Britain's northern soul community, the Latino population of Southern California fell for soul music and initially imported many of its favorite songs, but the community also fostered a fertile base of artists by the mid-'60s. Unlike the sound of boogaloo/Latin soul (based in New York City), early brown-eyed soul owed little to traditional Latin music and was rarely performed in Spanish. Instead, rock bands like Cannibal & the Headhunters ("Land of 1000 Dances") and Thee Midniters -- inspired by '50s Latino rocker Ritchie Valens -- earned national recognition playing anthemic rock & roll with an R&B; edge. Smooth Chicago soul and Motown hits were big crowd favorites at dances during the early '60s (alongside a rare local sensation like Brenton Wood). When the East L.A. community began gradually moving from energetic R&B; to romantic soul, the results were some of the sweetest soul music heard during the late '60s and '70s.
Another wing of the brown-eyed soul crowd was influenced by Chicano, the Latino civil-rights movement emphasizing heritage and cultural pride. As a result, bands like War, Malo, El Chicano, and Tierra followed Latin-rock breakout Santana into the nation's cultural consciousness. Brown-eyed soul anthems kept edging the charts during the mid-'70s (a good example being Bloodstone's "Natural High"), but rarely breached the national radar after 1980. Rhino Records' three-volume series Brown Eyed Soul: The Sound of East L.A. remains the definitive document of all the imported hits and homegrown talent associated with the style. (All Music Guide)

trax:
1. I'm A Fool - The Turks 2. Together - Tierra 3. All Day Music - War 4. Hey Senorita - The Penguins 5. Heaven & Paradise - Don Julian & The Meadowlarks 6. The Entertainer - Tony Clarke 7. Mr. D.J. - Van McCoy 8. I Found My Love - The M-M & The Peanuts 9. The Town I Live In - Thee Midniters 10. Me And You - Brenton Wood 11. Brown Eyed Girl - El Chicano 12. Tonight - The Carlos Brothers 13. Pachuko Hop - Chuck Higgins 14. Our Anniversary - The Five Satins 15. I Guess That Don't Make Me A Loser - The Brothers Of Soul 16. Symbol Of Heaven - Little Julian Herrera
...served by Gyro1966...

TYRONE DAVIS "Can I Change My Mind" 1969

The debut album from Tyrone Davis – a supreme achievement for the Chicago soul scene of the late 60s, and a record with a sound that would set the standard for years to come! Tyrone had been bumping around as a blusier singer before this set – but here, working with arrangements by Don Myrick and Willie Henderson, he gets a sound that's sweet and soaring – taking a rough-spirited soul, and recasting it in a sweeter sound for the 70s. Tyrone's not lapsing into bluesy cliches here, and instead keeps things wonderfully soulful by hitting a loping groove that picks up his beat and gives the songs a nice lilt. You can hear this to best effect on the title track "Can I Change My Mind", but all tracks are great – including "She's Looking Good", "Call On Me", "Open The Door To Your Heart", and "Have You Ever Wondered Why?". (Dusty Groove)After launching his career as a blues singer, Tyrone Davis helped usher in a new era for Chicago soul with his Dakar debut, Can I Change My Mind, teaming with arrangers Don Myrick and Willie Henderson to create a collection of lilting, effervescent R&B grooves sweeter than sugar. Although entries like "Knock on Wood," "Slip Away," and "Call on Me" are rooted in the earthy, rough-edged traditions of Memphis soul, Can I Change My Mind is strikingly urbane: with its loping rhythm, squiggly guitar licks, and buoyant horns, the smash title cut embodies the album in microcosm, but even the sad songs soar, lifted by the sheer vibrancy of the arrangements. And while you can pull the boy out of the blues, you can't pull the blues out of the boy -- Davis' poignant vocals wring genuine emotion from the lyrics but deftly avoid theatricality at every turn. (by Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide)

trax:
01 She's Lookin' Good 02 Knock On Wood 03 Have You Ever Wondered Why? 04 Slip Away 05 Good Times 06 Can I Change My Mind 07 Open The Door To Your Heart 08 Call On Me 09 Just The One I've Been Looking For 10 You Can't Keep A Good Man Down 11 A Woman Needs To Be Loved
...served by Gyro1966...

LAURA LEE "That's How It Is" Chess Years

Laura Lee broke with her gospel roots in 1966 to wax a string of gritty, tough-talking country soul gems for Chess. Her recordings are very prized, and the best of them are included here. Soul music doesn't get any truer or deeper than this. (Christine Ohlman, All Music Guide)

trax:
01 Are You Doing Me Wrong 02 Need To Belong 03 Dirty Man (A_K_A Dirty Old Man) 04 As Long As I Got You 05 That's How It Is (Alternate Mix) 06 She Will Break Your Heart 07 It's All Wrong But It's All Right 08 It's How You Make It Good 09 A Man With Some Backbone 10 Love More Than Pride 11 Wanted_ Lover, No Experience Necessary 12 Hang It Up 13 It's Mighty Hard 14 It Ain't What You Do (But How You Do It) 15 Uptight, Good Man (Alternate Mix)
...served by Gyro1966...

LITTLE ANN "Deep Shadows"

Brilliant soul from the Detroit underground of the late 60s – a full set of work by vocalist Little Ann, issued here for the first time ever! You might recognize Ann's name from her appearance on a few of the Ace/Kent Records issues of material by Detroit producer Dave Hamilton over the years – and the work here all comes from those classic collaborations with Hamilton – trapped on tape for many years, always contemplated as a possible Little Ann album – but only issued in full by the funky folks at Timmion Records! The groove here is as offbeat as some of Dave's other great work – not nearly as tight, or uptight, as Motown music – and instead, done with a sly undercurrent of darkness on most numbers, even the mellower ones – almost that earliest mix of Detroit styles that you get on pre-fame singles from Westbound Records artists. Ann's vocals are nice and lean, and slide right into the mix with ease – heartfelt enough to grab us right away, yet without any obvious cliches as well. Late 60's recordings.(Dusty Groove)

trax:
01 Deep Shadows 02 Possession 03 Who Are You Trying to Fool 04 Sweep It Out In the Shed 05 What Should I Do 06 I Got to Have You 07 Lean Lanky Daddy 08 The Smile on Your Face 09 Who Are You Trying to Fool - Instru 10 Going Down A One Way Street
...served by Gyro1966...

Snooky PRYOR & And The Country Blues "The Today Recordings" 1972

Without selling many records, Snooky Pryor’s honky-tonkin’ Harmonica Blues helped put the Chicago sound on the map during the late ’40s and ’50s. Still going strong, he’s finally received the recognition he’s always deserved. His sound is a solid example of how Country Blues were urbanized. - 
By Nick Dedina.Only recently has Snooky Pryor finally begun to receive full credit for the mammoth role he played in shaping the amplified Chicago blues harp sound during the postwar era. He’s long claimed he was the first harpist to run his sound through a public address system around the Windy City — and since nobody’s around to refute the claim at this point, we’ll have to accept it! James Edward Pryor was playing harmonica at the age of eight in Mississippi. The two Sonny Boys were influential to Pryor’s emerging style, as he played around the Delta. He hit Chicago for the first time in 1940, later serving in the Army at nearby Fort Sheridan. Playing his harp through powerful Army PA systems gave Pryor the idea to acquire his own portable rig once he left the service. Armed with a primitive amp, he dazzled the folks on Maxwell Street in late 1945 with his massively amplified harp. Pryor made some groundbreaking 78s during the immediate postwar Chicago blues era. Teaming with guitarist Moody Jones, he waxed “Telephone Blues” and “Boogie” for Planet Records in 1948, encoring the next year with “Boogy Fool”/”Raisin’ Sand” for JOB with Jones on bass and guitarist Baby Face Leroy Foster in support. Pryor made more classic sides for JOB (1952-1953), Parrot (1953), and Vee-Jay (“Someone to Love Me”/”Judgment Day”) in 1956, but commercial success never materialized. He wound down his blues-playing in the early ’60s, finally chucking it all and moving to downstate Ullin, IL, in 1967. For a long while, Pryor’s whereabouts were unknown. But the 1987 Blind Pig album Snooky, produced by guitarist Steve Freund, announced to the world that the veteran harpist was alive and well, his chops still honed. A pair of solid discs for Antone’s, Too Cool to Move and In This Mess Up to My Chest, followed. Pryor stayed busy until his death in 2006.

Personnel:
Snooky Pryor- Vocal, Harmonica; Homesick James- lead llide Guitar; Dave Myers- Bass; Mighty Joe Young- Rhythm Guitar; Fred Below- Drums;

trax:
01 Miss Mattie Mae 02 Stop Teasing Me 03 Mr Charlie's Mules 04 Mighty Long Time 05 Can I Be Your Friend 06 Break It On Down 07 Dirty News 08 Wrapped In Sin 09 Time Waits On No One 10 Call The Doctor
...served by Gyro1966...

TONY JOE WHITE "Swamp Music" + Bonus Tracks

Here are all three of Tony Joe White's Monument Records albums ('68-'70) in their entirety plus a slew of unreleased tracks, including ten 1969 Paris sessions and seven live performances from the Isle Of Wight. Recorded with such Muscle Shoals musicians as David Briggs, Norbert Putnam, and Jerry Carrigan, White's first album, 1969's Black And White, featured such originals as "Willie And Laura Mae Jones" and "Polk Salad Annie," along with such covers as Jimmy Webb's "Wichita Lineman." Released later that year, White's second album, ...Continued, featured the same Muscle Shoals players, along with Mike Utley, Tommy McClure, and Sammy Creason. Tony Joe came out in 1970, revealing an absence of the horns that had been so dominant on the previous records, and anchored by White's acoustic guitar. Following an electrifying performance at the legendary Isle Of Wight festival, White moved to Warner Bros. Records, ending this first chapter. (Amazon)
Read more about Tony Joe at The Hound Blog:
http://thehoundblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/tony-joe-white.html

trax:
01 Mississippi Delta 02 Chain Of Fools 03 Woodpecker 04 The Ballad Of Hollis Brown 05 Blue Monday 06 Tabacco Road_Dead End Street 07 Caress Me Babe! 08 Dusty Marshmallow 09 Just Look At You 10 Skinny Legs & All 11 Boom Boom 12 Roosevelt And Ira Lee (Night Of The Mossacin) 13 I Want You 14 Groupy Girl 15 Stud Spider 16 Polk Salad Annie 17 Save Your Sugar For Me
...served by Gyro1966...

TONY JOE WHITE "Tony Joe" 1970

Here are all three of Tony Joe White's Monument Records albums ('68-'70) in their entirety plus a slew of unreleased tracks, including ten 1969 Paris sessions and seven live performances from the Isle Of Wight. Recorded with such Muscle Shoals musicians as David Briggs, Norbert Putnam, and Jerry Carrigan, White's first album, 1969's Black And White, featured such originals as "Willie And Laura Mae Jones" and "Polk Salad Annie," along with such covers as Jimmy Webb's "Wichita Lineman." Released later that year, White's second album, ...Continued, featured the same Muscle Shoals players, along with Mike Utley, Tommy McClure, and Sammy Creason. Tony Joe came out in 1970, revealing an absence of the horns that had been so dominant on the previous records, and anchored by White's acoustic guitar. Following an electrifying performance at the legendary Isle Of Wight festival, White moved to Warner Bros. Records, ending this first chapter. (Amazon)
Read more about Tony Joe at The Hound Blog:
http://thehoundblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/tony-joe-white.html

trax:
01 Stud Spider 02 High Sheriff Of Calhoun Parrish 03 Widow Wimberly 04 Conjure Woman 05 Save Your Sugar For Me 06 Hard To Handle 07 What Does It Take (To Win Your Love) 08 My Friend 09 Stockholm Blues 10 Boom Boom 11 Groupy Girl 12 Prisoner 13 Do You Want My Love 14 Gospel Singer 15 I Hate To See You Cry 16 Dusty Marshmallow 17 I Can't Stand It 18 Mississippi River
...served by Gyro1966...

THE JAMES COTTON BAND "100% Cotton" 1974

At his high-energy 1970s peak as a bandleader, James Cotton was a bouncing, sweaty, whirling dervish of a bluesman, roaring his vocals and all but sucking the reeds right out of his defenseless little harmonicas with his prodigious lung power. Due to throat problems, Cotton's vocals are no longer what they used to be, but he remains a masterful instrumentalist.
Cotton had some gargantuan shoes to fill when he stepped into Little Walter's slot as Muddy Waters' harp ace in 1954, but for the next dozen years, the young Mississippian filled the integral role beside Chicago's blues king with power and precision. Of course, Cotton had prepared for such a career move for a long time, having learned how to wail on harp from none other than Sonny Boy Williamson himself. (Bill Dahl)
The ebullient, roly-poly Chicago harp wizard was at his zenith in 1974, when this cooking album was issued on Buddah. Matt "Guitar" Murphy matched Cotton note for zealous note back then, leading to fireworks aplenty on the non-stop "Boogie Thing," a driving "How Long Can a Fool Go Wrong," and the fastest "Rocket 88" you'll ever take a spin in. (Bill Dahl, All Music Guide)

trax:
01 Boogie Thing 02 One More Mile 03 All Walks Of Life 04 Creeper Creeps Again 05 Rocket 88 06 How Long Can A Fool Go Wrong 07 I Don't Know 08 Burner 09 'Fatuation 10 Fever
...served by Gyro1966...

PLAY MY JUKE BOX "East Coast Blues"

Bruce Bastin's English Flyright label -- only one of the magnificent tributaries of his Interstate Music Company -- has consistently demonstrated a union of fine scholarship and great music. This collection of mostly little-known East Coast blues artists is no exception. There are seven tracks of singer/guitarists, four harp/guitar duets, four piano/guitar pairings, two guitar duos, and one arresting cut featuring three harps plus vocal. Artists such as Skoodle-Dum-Doo & Sheffield, Boy Green, Robert Lee Westmoreland, Marilyn Scott, and Sonny Jones serve up a startling reminder of all the amazing talent that has gone unrecognized over the years. (Larry Hoffman, AMG)

trax:
1. Play My Jukebox - Boy Green 2. Some Rainy Day - Curley Weaver 3. I Got What My Daddy Likes - Marilyn Scott 4. West Kinney Street Blues - Skoodle-Dum-Do & Sheffield 5. Harlem Woman - Hank Kilroy
6. Awful Shame - Hank Kilroy 7. Tampa Blues - Skoodle-Dum-Do & Sheffield 8. I Love That Woman - Guitar Shorty 9. Dices Dices - Big Chief Ellis 10. One O'Clock Boogie - Julius King 11. Hello Central Please Give E 209 - Robert Lee Westmoreland 12. Good Looking Woman Blues - Robert Lee Westmoreland 13. Broom Street Blues - Skoodle-Dum-Do & Sheffield 14. Humming Bird Blues - Guitar Slim & Jelly Belly 15. Leaving Home Blues - Sunny Jones 16. Don'T Want Pretty Women - Sunny Jones 17. Better Get Ready - Elder R. Wilson & Family 18. I'Ve Been Dreaming - Guitar Slim & Jelly Belly 19. The Jinx Is On Me - Gabriel Brown 20. Gas Station Blues - Skoodle-Dum-Do & Sheffield 21. A & B Blues - Boy Green 22. Too Much Competition - Tarheel Slim
...served by Gyro1966...

TONY JOE WHITE "Continued" 1969

Here are all three of Tony Joe White's Monument Records albums ('68-'70) in their entirety plus a slew of unreleased tracks, including ten 1969 Paris sessions and seven live performances from the Isle Of Wight. Recorded with such Muscle Shoals musicians as David Briggs, Norbert Putnam, and Jerry Carrigan, White's first album, 1969's Black And White, featured such originals as "Willie And Laura Mae Jones" and "Polk Salad Annie," along with such covers as Jimmy Webb's "Wichita Lineman." Released later that year, White's second album, ...Continued, featured the same Muscle Shoals players, along with Mike Utley, Tommy McClure, and Sammy Creason. Tony Joe came out in 1970, revealing an absence of the horns that had been so dominant on the previous records, and anchored by White's acoustic guitar. Following an electrifying performance at the legendary Isle Of Wight festival, White moved to Warner Bros. Records, ending this first chapter. (Amazon)
Read more about Tony Joe at The Hound Blog:
http://thehoundblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/tony-joe-white.html

trax:
01 Elements and things 02 Roosevelt and Ira Lee (Night of the Mossacin) 03 Woodpecker 04 Rainy night in Georgia 05 For Lee Ann 06 Old man Willis 07 Woman with soul 08 I want you 09 I thought i knew you well 10 The migrant 11 Watching the train go by [Single version] 12 Old man Willis [Single version] 13 Funky fingers 14 Soul Britches 15 Dusty Marshmallow 16 Toil & Trouble 17 What does it take 18 This Guy's in love with you 19 Woodpecker [alternate version] 20 Laying out all night 21 I want your sweet love 22 Keep a movin' train
...served by Gyro1966...

Ben Vaughn Combo "Beautiful Thing" 1987

1987 BEN & COMBO record "BEAUTIFUL THING" with borrowed money intentionally "SMALL" production is used in response to the direction of alternative music at that big time (big drum sounds, etc.). RESTLESS picks up "BEAUTIFUL THING" and signs Ben exclusively.Beautiful Thing has a fresh, easygoing feel, but too much restraint can be dangerous: halfway through the first side, this mild record threatens to slide right off the turntable. (Flat-sounding production, sorely deficient in highs and lows, exaggerates that impression.) The LP's other shortcomings are its lack of funny titles ("Jerry Lewis in France" is as good as it gets), the paucity of overtly clever lyrics (two exceptions being "Shingaling with Me" and "Big House with a Yard") and a decided shortage of raveups (a crazed polka called "Gimmie, Gimmie, Gimmie" and the peppy guitar instrumental "Desert Boots" notwithstanding). from: http://www.trouserpress.com/Ben Vaughn Combo:
Ben Vaughn: guitar, voc, harmonica / Aldo Jones: bass, piano, vocals / Lonesome Bob: drums, bongos, tambourine, '69 Rambler hubcap, voc / Gus Cordovox: accordion, maracas, voc / Giant Slugs Horn Section

traxfromwax:
1. Jerry Lewis In France 2. Clothes Don't Make The Man 3. Beautiful Thing 4. The North Wind Blow 5. Shingaling With Me 6. Gimme, Gimme, Gimme 7. She's A Real Scream 8. Big House With A Yard 9. On The Rebound 10. A Good Woman Is Hard To Find 11. Desert Boots 12. The Apology Line

THE CRITTERS "Anthology" - Complete Kapp Recordings 1965-1967

New Jersey's Critters have earned a reputation as a bubblegum pop group, but they really had a lot more going for them than that. For starters, founding members Jim Ryan and Don Ciccone were both gifted songwriters, singers, and arrangers, and if they had a sort of soft, sunshine approach to things, well, they did it as well as anyone. This anthology collects their Kapp recordings (which essentially means their one album for Kama Sutra and a handful of singles and B-sides) from 1965 to 1967, and it shows a versatile band that was much more than a sort of precursor to Bread. Their first single, a folk-rock cover of Jackie DeShannon's "Children and Flowers," leads things off here, and yes, it's sappy, but wonderfully so, and once you accept the lyrics, it emerges as a bit of a lost treasure. The next two tracks are also striking, the Beatlesque "He'll Make You Cry" and the equally impressive "Little Girl," both of which could have -- and should have -- been AM radio hits. "Mr. Dieingly Sad," a group original that out-associates the Association, is another highlight, and the set closes with a surprisingly bright, joyous, and breezy version of the Motown classic "Dancing in the Street." Leaving Kama Sutra at the end of 1967, the band recorded a second album on the Project 3 label before calling it quits. The Critters, like Chicago's Cryan' Shames, might have gone on to bigger and better things if the military draft, label snafus, and public perception hadn't short-circuited the creative life span of the group. As it is, they'll make you smile on a rainy day. There's something really valuable in that.(Steve Leggett, all Music Guide)

trax:
01 Children And Flowers 02 He'll Make You Cry 03 Little Girl 04 Heart Of Love, Head Of Stone 05 Mr. Dieingly Sad 06 Gone For Awhile 07 Younger Girl 08 It Just Won't Be That Way. 09 Come Back On A Rainy Day 10 Best Love You'll Ever Have 11 Forever Or No More 12 I Wear A Silly Grin 13 Blow My Mind 14 Everything But Time 15 Bad Misunderstanding 16 Marryin' Kind Of Love 17 New York Bound 18 Don't Let The Rain Fall Down On Me 19 Walk Like A Man Again 20 Dancing In The Street
...served by Gyro1966...

TONY JOE WHITE "Black and White" 1968

Here are all three of Tony Joe White's Monument Records albums ('68-'70) in their entirety plus a slew of unreleased tracks, including ten 1969 Paris sessions and seven live performances from the Isle Of Wight. Recorded with such Muscle Shoals musicians as David Briggs, Norbert Putnam, and Jerry Carrigan, White's first album, 1969's Black And White, featured such originals as "Willie And Laura Mae Jones" and "Polk Salad Annie," along with such covers as Jimmy Webb's "Wichita Lineman." Released later that year, White's second album, ...Continued, featured the same Muscle Shoals players, along with Mike Utley, Tommy McClure, and Sammy Creason. Tony Joe came out in 1970, revealing an absence of the horns that had been so dominant on the previous records, and anchored by White's acoustic guitar. Following an electrifying performance at the legendary Isle Of Wight festival, White moved to Warner Bros. Records, ending this first chapter. (Amazon)
Read more about Tony Joe at The Hound Blog:
http://thehoundblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/tony-joe-white.html

trax:
01 Willie and Laura Mae Jones 02 Soul Francisco 03 Aspen Colorado 04 Whompt out on you 05 Don't steal my love 06 Polk salad Annie 07 Who's making love 08 Scratch my back 09 Little green apples 10 Wichita lineman 11 The look of love 12 Willie and Laura Mae Jones [alternate version] 13 I protest 14 A man can only stand just so much pain 15 Toil & Trouble 16 Georgia Pines 17 It's not what you got 18 Prison song 19 Hung up on you 20 Ten more miles to Louisiana 21 Let the party roll on 22 Watching the trains go by 23 Georgia Pines [alternate version] 24 Baby please don't go
...served by Gyro1966...

Laika & The Cosmonauts "Local Warming" 2004

Laika & The Cosmonauts are not only Finland's #1 Surf band, they are considered by many to be the greatest rock'n'roll band in all of Scandinavia. That said, describing the Cosmonauts as simply a "surf" band falls short of telling the whole story of these masterful instrumentalists. While the Cosmonauts were initially inspired by such American instro-kings as Dick Dale and The Ventures, Local Warning finds the band digging deeper into the genre and referencing UK greats The Shadows and legendary producer Joe Meek ("Telstar"). The band's increasing use of layered and overlapping guitar and organ melodies and pounding rhythmic grooves - even dance beats - gives these songs a soundtrack-like, cinematic feel.The Finland-based surf rockers' first studio album in almost seven years finds them on terra firma. Not straight surf, this is rather surf-influenced instrumental guitar rock with touches of prog and the occasional Zappa-esque flourish. The band has shelved some of the experiments in rap, reggae, and electronica they toyed with on Absurdistan, but still playfully push the boundaries of their genre with twisty tempos and textured, nuanced arrangements. They remain generally bouncy, but these songs are extremely well conceived and often surprisingly complex as they avoid exclusively riding Ventures-styled waves. Matti Pitsinki's keyboards along with the occasional sample add to the multi-layered methodology and Mikko Lankinen's inventive guitar tones keep the tunes, most of which stay well under four minutes, consistently engaging. Deep Purple-ish harder-edged rock ("Mr. Melée") and even lounge ("Meneito Paraiso") are parts of the Laika equation, but the band is at their best when they mix and match styles in the same track, as on the shape-shifting "Disco Plank." While little here is revolutionary, the members of Laika show themselves to be one of the world's foremost surf-based practitioners who are smart and talented enough not to remake the same album. They nudge the boundaries of their approach just enough to refrain from drowning in a tsunami of nostalgia, but keep one foot firmly lodged in the sand kicked up by their predecessors. ~ Hal Horowitz

Laika & The Cosmonauts remain drummer Janne Haavisto; guitarist Mikko Lankinen; organist/ guitarist Matti Pitsinki (the only Cosmonaut to ever actually ride a surfboard) and bassist Tom Nyman.

trax:
01 N.Y. '79 02 The Key Role 03 Haroosh 04 Crosstown Canyon 05 Nocturne Of The Neon Night 06 Rikki On The Loose 07 Liposuction 08 Apt. 23B 09 Soulmate 10 Disco-Plank 11 Meneito Paraiso 12 Mr. Melee

BLU LU, WEE BEA & BABY DEE "Don't You Feel My Leg" (Apollo Recordings)

Subtitled "Apollo's Lady Blues Singers," this Delmark CD has nine numbers (three previously unissued) by Blue Lu Barker, five from Wea Bea Booze and four by Baby Dee. Barker was rather limited but ironically was easily the best-known singer of the three. She is assisted on some cuts (all outfitted by Danny Barker lyrics) by trumpeter Shad Collins and either Teddy McRae or Jerry Jerome on tenor and is at her best on the remake of her hit "Don't You Feel My Leg." Wea Bea Booze (joined by a quartet that includes tenorman George Kelly and organist Larry Johnson) and Baby Dee (backed by an unidentified but talented sextet) were actually stronger vocalists despite being long-forgotten, and are the main reasons to acquire this fine early R&B;/jump music set. ~ Scott Yanow

Apollo's lady blues singers w. Danny Barker's Sextet, George Kelly, Larry Johnson, Panama Francis, Bill Campbell.
Personnel includes: Blu Lu Barker, Wee Be Booze, Baby Dee (vocals); George Kelly (tenor saxophone); Larry Johnson (organ); Panama Francis (drums); Danny Barker's Sextette, The Bill Campbell Band.
Personnel: Blue Lu Barker (vocals); Baby Dee (vocals); Wee Bea Booze (vocals, guitar); Danny Barker (guitar); George Kelly, Jerry Jerome, Teddy McRae (tenor saxophone); Shad Collins (trumpet); Norman Lester, Bill Campbell (piano); Panama Francis (drums).
Liner Note Author: Tamarind Free Jones.

trax:
1. Buy Me Some Juice - Blu Lu Barker 2. Where's Joe - Blu Lu Barker 3. Lyin' In Jail - Blu Lu Barker 4. Easy Riding Blues - Wee Bea Booze 5. I Just Ain't Feelin' Right - Wee Bea Booze 6. Feel It - Baby Dee 7. I Want To See My Daddy - Baby Dee 8. Don't You Feel My Leg - Blu Lu Barker 9. That Made Him Mad - Blu Lu Barker 10. I Feel Like Layin In Another Woman's Husband's Arms - Blu Lu Barker 11. Don't Tell Me Nothin' 'bout My Man - Wee Bea Booze 12. I'm Gonna Put You Down - Wee Bea Booze 13. I Just Ain't Feelin Right - Wee Bea Booze 14. Look What Baby's Got For You - Baby Dee 15. Baby Dee Blues - Baby Dee 16. Buy Me Some Juice(Alt) - Blu Lu Barker 17. You Gotta Show It To Me Baby - Blu Lu Barker 18. There Was A L'il Mouse - Blu Lu Barker
...served by Gyro1966...

SHY GUY DOUGLAS "Stone Doin' Alright"

The late Nashville TN based blues singer and harmonica player Thomas “Shy Guy” Douglas had a rather long and continuous career in the local music scene, making records for Excello, Bullet and MCA back in the day. He was one of Nashville’s greatest Bluesmen (some figure he was the Greatest in the Down Home genre). In the 1940s, he frequented the city’s Bijou Theater, a black-oriented venue located on Fourth Avenue that had earlier hosted performers such as Bessie Smith and Ethel Waters. Red Wortham discovered him in 1947 and recorded him first in 1950. If you love early Frank Frost orJimmy Reed, Shy Guy’s lazy-beat tunes and fine acoustic harp will appeal to you. His vocals are laid back and cool on “Stone Doin’ Alright and his tune “Haulin’” is a rural blues harp masterpiece, while “Miss Iola” is simple perfection, and proof that Shy Guy Douglas should be far, far better known. (AMG)

trax:
01 Monkey Doin' Woman 02 What's This I Hear 03 Let's Rock and Roll 04 My Little Baby 05 Shy [take 2, inst.] 06 Miss Ilola 07 Evening Soul [inst.] 08 Don't Leave Me Girl 09 Haulin' [inst.] 10 Stone Doin' Alright [take 1] 11 Midnight Soul [take 4, inst.] 12 Shy Guy's Back in Town (Hip Shakin' Mama) 13 Detroit Arrow 14 Work with Her 15 Raid on Cedar Street 16 I Should Have Known 17 Yankee Doodle 18 Harvest Moon (Bring Her Back to Me) 19 Shy [take 1, inst.] 20 Stone Doin' Alright [take 2] 21 Midnight Soul [take 1, inst.]
...served by Gyro1966...

Laika & The Cosmonauts "Laika Sex Machine" 2001

If you have not seen Laika and the Cosmonauts live you may not believe your ears when listening to this album. These guys are masters of their instruments. They play the familiar tunes from their albums with double speed and energy but with precision. It is flawless. I have seen this band like dozen times live and it never fails to deliver an excellent show. L&C is a great live band and although they tour occasionally in USA, many fans will never see them play live. This album is a treat for them. Put this album to your player, turn the volume to southeast (10 that is) and enjoy. The cover art is misleading but it only express the warped sense of humour these guys have. Reviewer: Topi (TURKU Finland)Finland's favorite retro-rockers rev up with a generous 26-song, 75-minute set of music recorded live, predominantly in 1998 and on their home turf. Except for some brief introductions in both English and the band's native tongue, this is a non-stop roller coaster ride through instrumental rock & roll. The quartet plays with fire and fury whether covering genre classics like "Telstar" or obscurities such as Roy Budd's theme to "Get Carter." Not surprisingly, a Ventures tune gets worked in, but the group digs deep into the California band's catalog to unearth "Fugitive." The foursome charges through a unique combination of Bernard Herrmann's themes from Psycho and Vertigo in a composite renamed "Psyko." "Mission Impossible" also gets the Laika treatment as they speed and trash it up in a breathless version that doesn't break the two-minute mark. While not as recognizable, the group churns out originals with as much flair touching on hard rock with a slight Spanish matador approach on "Look! No Head!" and the "Walk Don't Run"-styled "Floating" which stands as a contemporary surf classic. Many of these tracks appear in less frantic fashion on the band's studio albums, but the live approach electrifies these versions. Certainly you'll never hear "Ode to Billy Joe" the same way after experiencing Laika's take on the song (which they rename "Sauna-Soul" for no apparent reason). With its extended playing time, there is plenty of room for experimentation on a low-down run-through of Henry Mancini's "Experiment in Terror," a showcase for Matti Pitsinki's distorted organ sounds. The rhythm section is spry but stays out of the way of the lead guitar and keyboards that drive this music. Crowd noise is minimal to non-existent, smartly keeping the focus on the tight musicianship and superbly well-recorded tunes. Better and more lively than the group's slightly less compelling studio albums, this is a rousing live performance from one of contemporary music's most talented and creative instrumental combos. Review: All Music Guide - Hal Horowitz

Laika & The Cosmonauts:
Janne Haavisto: Drums / Mikko Lankinen: Guitar / Tom Nyman: Bass / Matti Pitsinki: Organ, Guitar, Band

trax:
1. The Hypno-Wheel 2. Disconnected 3.Syncophant 4. Tantrum 5. Floating 6. Turquoise 7. Boris the Conductor 8. Look! No Head! 9. Experiment in Terror 10. The Avengers 11. Circumstantial Evidence 12. Hi & Lo 13. Café Equator 14. Lands End 15. Psyko Themes from Psycho and Vertigo 16. Mission Impossible 17. Get Carter 18. Global Village 19. Enchanted Rock 20. C'mon Do the Laika! 21. Fugitive 22. Ba-Ha-Re-Bah! 23. Fadeaway 24. Sauna-Soul Ode to Billy Joe 25. Telstar 26. Vendetta

JIMMY MCCRACKLIN "High On Blues" (Stax Recordings)

Great Soul-Blues From Stax with The Hi Records House Band!The best soul band that ever existed was the house band at Hi records in Memphis. God knows I love Booker T and the boys at Stax, and there's enough Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section recordings on my shelf to start a damn store, but, for my money, Willie Mitchell's guys at Hi were the daddies. This record, along with 'Al Green Gets Next To You', is perhaps the finest example of that band's work. This was released on Stax, but make no mistake, this is the Hi rhythm section. (Fat Henry, Amazon)

trax:
01 Double Dealing 02 Just Got To Know 03 Stay Away From That Monkey 04 Yesterday Is Gone 05 Would Man Be Satisfied 06 Like My Mama 07 I Finally Got You 08 You're The One 09 The Love Money Can't Buy 10 Think 11 I Got Somebody 12 Girl Stealer
...served by Gyro1966...

THE VALENTINOS "Do It Right"

THE VALENTINOS...The Cleveland,Ohio-based family R&B; group, consisting of 2009 Rock and Roll Hall Of Famer BOBBY WOMACK and his four brothers,CECIL WOMACK,FRIENDLY WOMACK (yes, that's his real first name), the late HARRY WOMACK (of "Harry Hippie" fame), and CURTIS WOMACK, once rivaled another Cleveland-based group, THE O'JAYS, in local popularity.But, as the lyrics of one of their hit songs, "It's All Over Now", stated : "The tables turned". THE O'JAYS went on to become R&B; superstars, while THE VALENTINOS, sadly, fell into undeserved obscurity. Today, THE VALENTINOS are barely remembered ,save for a few hard-core 60's R&B; fans , such as myself , and many fans of the popular "Northern Soul" music scene across the pond in England , where they are revered as one of the best. You may not remember THE VALENTINOS, but you have , for sure ,heard their songs,if not by them, then almost certainly by the many COVER VERSIONS of their hits recorded by other artists over the years.
Case in point : Their hit , "IT'S ALL OVER NOW" was covered , and made a bigger hit by THE ROLLING STONES. Their biggest hit , the 2 million - selling "LOOKING FOR A LOVE", was covered by THE J GEILS BAND , and also later by BOBBY himself as a solo artist. Their 1973 hit , I CAN UNDERSTAND IT , was covered by NEW BIRTH. Fellow RRHOFamer SOLOMON BURKE covered their hit, "EVERYBODY WANTS TO FALL IN LOVE". the WICKED one, WILSON PICKETT, covered their hit ,"I FOUND A TRUE LOVE",
Pretty INFLUENTIAL for a group you've never heard of , right ?
Even their name "THE VALENTINOS", was STOLEN by a popular rock group in Australia,until BOBBY and his brothers threatened to sue.THE VALENTINOS started in the 1950's as kids singing in their father's church in Cleveland ,in one of the city's toughest neighborhoods as THE WOMACK BROTHERS, singing gospel. While on tour with the successful gospel group THE SOUL STIRRERS, that group's lead singer , SAM COOKE , took a liking to the young group, and signed them to his SAR RECORDS label. Thus began a series of R&B; hits , such as the ones mentioned above.(They also recorded for CHESS RECORDS in the mid 60's, and the JUBILEE Label in the early 70's). All of these songs , and lots more are available in this comprensive multi-label "Greatest Hits " collection. If you're a Valentinos fan, a Bobby or Cecil Womack fan,or just like great 60's R&B;, This collection is a MUST! Highly recommended!! (Amazon)

trax:
01 Darling, Darling, Darling 02 Everybody Wants To Fall In Love 03 Baby, Lots Of Luck 04 Lookin' For A Love 05 I've Got Love For You 06 I've Got A Girl 07 Tired Of Living In The Country 08 It's All Over Now 09 I Found A True Love 10 What About Me 11 Do It Right 12 I'm Gonna Forget About You 13 Let's Get Together 14 I've Come A Long Way 15 See Me Through 16 Sweeter Than The Day Before 17 Baby Girl 18 A Lonesome Man 19 Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray 20 Yield Not To Temptation 21 Somewhere There's A God 22 I Can Understand It
...served by Gyro1966...

Laika & The Cosmonauts "Absurdistan" 1997

Members of my beach house and I stumbled into the Dogfish Head in Rehoboth Beach where Laika and the Cosmonauts were playing. We all came out converts to the Cosmonaut cause. Two bought t-shirts and one bought a copy of "Absurdistan", which became our house theme music immediately. We play it on the porch, to the amazement of tourists and locals alike. Most always we get the thumbs up. - By Bruce Baker (Falls Church, VA USA)Well, lets see... first of all this disc is similar to all previous L&TC discs in the most important fashion - finely tuned instrumental virtuosity and tight tight tight playing combine to produce a delightful silky smooth "surf" record light years ahead of it's time. So far ahead of it's time that it is also quite different from any previous L&TC effort... the addition of some scratchy samples and a tasty (if sparing) inclusion of a broader drum pallat elevate this disc far above most contemporary instrumental efforts available on the 'zon. Earlier L&TC offerings have been relatively straight forward Guitar/ Drums/ Bass with some limited use of other items, this disc goes further than any previous effort to the benefit of the sound and the listener. If you like surf, modern instrumental music generally, Los Straitjackets, Ozric Tentacles, etc, etc, etc... then do not hesitate to buy this disc... the previous Intruments of Terror is also an excellent starting location for the L&TC journey to begin. - By W. Wilkerson "Dog Boy" (Earth; waiting for a ride...)

trax:
01 Disconnected 02 Turquoise 03 Look! No Head! 04 The Hypno-Wheel 05 Boris the Conductor 06 Lands End 07 Circumstantial Evidence 08 The Freefaller 09 Syncophant 10 Silenzio. 11 Hi & Lo 12 Nanaki 13 Rough Ground 14 SIlenzio in Dubsurdistan 15 Rough Evidence on Circumstantial Ground 16 Re-inventing the Hypno-wheel

"THE KRC STORY"

This very obscure and short lived label was an offshoot of Atlantic Records, and stood for "Cent Recording Company."Fine collection of R&B recorded in 1957 and 1958 for Lloyd Price's short lived KRC label - most of their output. 12 of the tracks are by Lloyd himself including his wonderful Just Because which was licensed to ABC-Paramount and became a big hit. Though recorded in New York many of his sides have a New Orleans feel reminiscent of his great early 50s Specialty sides. The other artists are also excellent - Stella Johnson, vocal group The King Bees, hot rocker Eddy Seacrest and Little Jimmie Merritt. (Roots & Rhythm)

trax:
1. Just Because - Lloyd Price 2. Why - Lloyd Price 3. The Chicken And The Bop - Lloyd Price 4. Lonely - Lloyd Price 5. Can't You Understand - The King Bees 6. Lovely Love - The King Bees 7. Georgianna - Lloyd Price 8. Hello Little Girl - Lloyd Price 9. Please Tell Me So - Stella Johnson 10. Yeah Baby - Stella Johnson 11. How Many Times - Lloyd Price 12. To Love And Be Loved - Lloyd Price 13. Such A Mess - Lloyd Price 14. No Limit To Love - Lloyd Price 15. Shakin With A Flavor - Eddie Seacrest 16. Down By The River - Eddie Seacrest 18. Gonna Let You Come Back Home - Lloyd Price 19. Down By The River - Lloyd Price 20. Fancy Free - Little Jimmie Merritt 21. Honky Tonk Angel - Little Jimmie Merritt
...served by Gyro1966...

DOCTOR ROSS "The Harmonica Boss" (Fortune Label Recordings)

A wild, chaotic sessions, featuring the title cut, "Good Things Come to My Remind," and the original version of "Cat Squirrel." Here are the rare Fortune Label Recordings!Isaiah "Doc" Ross was a throwback to a bygone era; a true one-man band, he played harmonica, acoustic guitar, bass drum and high-hat simultaneously, creating a mighty racket harking back to the itinerant country-blues players wandering the Delta region during the earlier years of the 20th century. Born Charles Isaiah Ross on October 21, 1925 in Tunica, Mississippi, he took early inspiration from the music of Robert Johnson, Blind Boy Fuller and Sonny Boy Williamson I; primarily a harpist — hence his nickname "The Harmonica Boss" — he only added the other instruments in his arsenal in order to play a USO show while a member of the army during World War II. (The "Doc" moniker was acquired because he carried his harmonicas in a doctor's bag.) Upon his release from the military, Ross settled in Memphis, where he became a popular club fixture as well as the host of his own radio show on station WDIA; during his club residency he was witness to a number of brutal murders, however, and swore off appearances in such venues during the later years of his life. During the early 1950s, Ross recorded his first sides — among them "Chicago Breakdown" — for labels including Sun and Chess; in 1954 he settled in Flint, Michigan, where he went to work as a janitor for General Motors, a position he held until retiring. In 1965 he cut his first full-length LP, Call the Doctor, and that same year mounted his first European tour; as the years passed Ross performed live with decreasing frequency, however, and was infamous for backing out of shows to catch his beloved Detroit Tigers on television. Upon winning a Grammy for his 1981 album Rare Blues, he experienced a career resurgence, and played festival dates to great acclaim prior to his death on May 28, 1993. (AMG)

trax:
01 Cat Squirrel 02 Biscuit Baking Woman 03 Miss Ledora Blues 04 I Am Not Dead 05 Mean Old World 06 Industrial Blues 07 I'd Rather Be An Old Woman's Baby 08 Good Things Come To My Mind 09 Baby Stop Crying 10 My Black Name Ringing 11 Going Away Baby 12 General Motor Blues 13 Industrial Boogie 14 Thirty-Two-Twenty 15 New York Breakdown 16 Call The Doctor 17 Numbers Blues 18 Cannon Ball 19 The Sunnyland 20 Sugar Mama 21 San Francisco Breakdown 22 Boogie Disease
...served by Gyro1966...

Laika & The Cosmonauts "Zero Gravity" 1996

Tune in, turn on... and wipe out!One of the better outfits to emerge during the surf revival of the early '90s, the Helsinki, Finland-based Cosmonauts combine a reverence for surf's pioneers with a wacky sense of humor. Bizarre arrangements suggest Ennio Morricone, John Barry, Don Ho, and Tex-Mex as readily as Dick Dale or the Ventures. Throughout Zero Gravity, guitarist Mikko Lankinen's true-blue Fender guitar swells, spooky spy chords, and tremolo bursts add both irony and authenticity to tracks such as the lai-cool "Oahu Luau" and the Bond-approved send-up of "A Night in Tunisia." Though more traditional and possibly better schooled in surf's rudiments than iconoclasts Man or Astro-Man? and the Mermen, the Cosmonauts make the surf aesthetic seem terribly contemporary and as much fun as you'd like to believe it was--y'know, back in the day, dude. --James Rotondi
note: ZERO GRAVITY compiles the albums C'MON DO THE LAIKA! (1988) and SURFS YOU RIGHT (1990), which were released in Finland.Laika & The Cosmonauts:
Matti Pitsinki (guitar, organ); Mikko Lankinen (guitar); Tom Nyman (bass); Janne Haavisto (drums). Additional personnel: Gick Sonder (tenor saxophone)

trax:
1. C'mon Do The Laika 2. Fugitive 3. Oahu Luau 4. A Night In Tunisia 5. Surf-Ro-Mania 6. Fadeaway 7. Beat 88' 8. Salt Mine Twist 9. Zero Gravity Stomp 10. 1'45 11. Surfs You Right 12. Fear 13. Baja 14. Point Of No Return 15. Zunami 16. And Suddenly You Run

J.J. JACKSON "But It's Alright"

Soul belter J.J. Jackson is best known for his 1967 smash, "But It's Alright," but he has some fine singles and a couple of excellent albums as well, and 1967's But It's Alright on the Calla label is one of them. Kicking off with the infectious title track, the record alternates between flat-out rockers like "I Dig Girls," "Come See Me (I'm Your Man)" (which was written by Jackson, covered by the Pretty Things, and then reclaimed powerfully here), and "Boogaloo Baby," midtempo groovers like "You've Got Me Dizzy" and "The Stones That I Throw," and ballads like "Try Me" and a righteous "A Change Is Gonna Come." Jackson's live-wire voice and boundless energy put the songs across and the band kicks up quite a storm as well. The only times Jackson stumbles are when he takes on Lou Rawls' "Love Is a Hurting Thing" and loses the battle and on the Temptations' "Ain't Too Proud to Beg," which is a boring instrumental version. Otherwise, the record is a bit of a lost gem. (Tim Sendra, All Music Guide)

trax:
01 But It's Allright 02 Try Me 03 That Ain't Right 04 You've Got Me Dizzy 05 A Change Is Gonna Come 06 I Dig Girls 07 Come And See Me (I'm Your Man) 08 The Stones That I Throw 09 Give Me Back The Love 10 Ain't Too Proud To Beg 11 Love Is A Hurting Thing 12 Boogaloo Baby 13 Let It Out
...served by Gyro1966...

Laika & The Cosmonauts "Surfs You Right" 1995

The band's compositions have been used in numerous films, including Flipper, LA Without A Map, Fox Hunt, Blood and Donuts and The Iron Horsemen. Since the band members are all big fans of movies and soundtrack albums, one of their main goals is to get their music on the big screen.The Finnish instrumentalists' first album, C'mon Do The Laika, was released in 1988. Since then, the band has released five more studio albums, all with the same line-up.
But the band's popularity really took off after their music was introduced into the US, where they became legendary among the surf/ garage/ punk/ alternative set for their otherworldly instrumental albums and mesmerizing live shows. In the states, Laika & The Cosmonauts have released three original CDs - Instruments of Terror, The Amazing Colossal Band and Absurdistan - as well as a compilation of their early material from C'mon do the Laika and Surfs You Right!
These critically acclaimed releases brought Laika a good amount of radio airplay and won the admiration of music fans and musicians alike, including none other than "king of surf guitar" Dick Dale. Other musician fans include Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers fame, Mike Palm of surf-punk legends Agent Orange, and John Jorgenson of The Hellecasters.
Laika have toured the states six times, including a legendary stint supporting Chicago industrial rockers Ministry on the band's "Filth Pig" tour. Ministry frontman Al Jourgensen, who invited Laika to join them on the stadium tour, has declared them "the best f**king band in the world!"
Laika & The Cosmonauts was founded in 1987 by Mikko Lankinen (guitar), Janne Haavisto (drums), Matti Pitsinki (organ and guitar) and Tom Nyman (bass).trax:
1. Surfs You Right 2. Bullseye 3. King Cobra 4. Oahu Luau 5. Zunami 6. A Night In Tunisia 7. Don´t Monkey With Tarzan 8. Caravan 9. Surf-Ro-Mania 10. Fadeaway 11. Point Of No Return 12. And Suddenly You Run

"SAXOPHONY!" Jubilee Honkers & Shouters

trax:
1. Easy Rockin' - Freddie Kohlman Orchestra 2. Flashlight - Jimmy Wright 3. Jim The Him (Tk 1) - Jimmy Wright 4. Jim The Him (Tk 7) - Jimmy Wright 5. Move Over - Jimmy Wright 6. 2:20 Am - Jimmy Wright 7. Blowin' Awhile - Rene Hall Sextette 8. Rene's Boogie - Rene Hall Sextette 9. Blue Creek Hop - Rene Hall Sextette 10. Chitlin Switch - Rene Hall Sextette 11. Downbeat - Rene Hall Sextette 12. Jubilee Jump - Rene Hall Sextette 13. Jesse's Blues - Jesse Powell 14. Turnpike - Jesse Powell 15. Sopping Molasses - Jesse Powell 16. Whooping Blues - Buddy Lucas 17. Pea Lily - Buddy Lucas 18. One Taste Calls For Another - Buddy Lucas 19. Give It Up - Buddy Lucas 20. Undecided - Buddy Lucas 21. Big Bertha - Buddy Lucas
...served by Gyro1966...

"THE BAYOU RECORDS STORY"

Hard rockin 50's jump, jive and boogie!!!Bayou Records - This little remembered label was founded in the spring of 1953 by record producer Franklin Kort, who recently was with the Recorded In Hollywood label. Noted West Coast session man Red Callender had the first two releases for the new label - "The Honey Jump" parts one and two on #001 and backed up Duke Upshaw on vocals on "Soldier's Blues" and "In The Meantime". Famous blues personality Mercy Dee recorded "Please Understand" and "Anything In This World" for Bayou #003 and sax man Joe Houston performed "Sabre Jet" and "Moody" for #004. Clarence Samuels recorded "Lowtop Inn" on #010 in mid 1953, but by the late summer of that year it was apparent that Bayou Records would not survive on its own, and so was absorbed into Lew Chudd's Imperial label.

trax:
1. The Honey Jump - Pt.1 - Red Callender & The Sextet 2. The Honey Jump - Pt. 2 - Red Callender & The Sextet 3. Soldier's Blues - Duke Upshaw w/Red Callender 4. In The Meantime - Duke Upshaw w/Red Callender 5. Anything In This World - Mercy Dee 6. Please Understand - Mercy Dee 7. Sabre Jet - Joe Houston 8. Moody - Joe Houston 9. Country Gal - Dave Bartholemew 10. Snatchin' Back - Dave Bartholemew 11. Gather Round - Jimmy Gil 12. North Wind - Jimmy Gil 13. Mean And Evil - L.C. Williams 14. My Darkest Hours - L.C. Williams 15. Low Top Inn - Clarence Samuels 16. Drunk Or Sober - Clarence Samuels 17. Dragnet - Jesse Allen 18. Take It Easy - Jesse Allen 19. Pigtails - Joe Houston 20. Chillin' - Joe Houston 21. Crepe On Your Door - Mercy Dee 22. Happy Bachelor - Mercy Dee 23. Hometown Jamboree - Big Jay McNeely 24. Teenage Hop - Big Jay McNeely 25. Blues Jumped The Rabbit - Big Joe Turner 26. The Sun Is Shining - Big Joe Turner 27. I'm Thankful - Fats Matthews 28. Goin' Down - Fats Matthews 29. Landslide - Joe Houston 30. Scramble - Joe Houston 31. Catastrophe - Big Jay McNeely 32. Calamity - Big Jay McNeely
...served by Gyro1966...

Laika & The Cosmonauts "Instruments Of Terror" 1994

Its like standing toes over a perfect wave on a tropical beach somewhere in the cosmos. If Dick Dale puts his stamp of approval on it then so can you.Laika & The Cosmonauts are Finland's number one instrumental combo and with surf music legends like Dick Dale and Teisco Del Rey singing their praises, they are an outfit well worth checking out. While it seems these days that any retro-instrumental combo that turns the reverb control on their amps up past two gets lumped in a clump as a 'surf group, ' one listen to Instruments of Terror will make you realize that Laika and the boys have tapped in to that decidedly European-Spaghetti Western side of the equation. Their adaptions of TV and movie themes ("Mission Impossible," Henry Mancini's "Experiment in Terror," Bernard Herrman's theme from "Vertigo" and "Psycho" done here as a medley) are quirky, unique and delivered with style, while material like "Magic Bullet" or "Enchanted Rock" are nothing short of trance inducing. ~ Cub Koda, All Music GuideLaika & The Cosmonauts:
Matti Pitsinki: Guitar, Organ / Mikko Lankinen: Guitar / Tom Nyman: Bass / Janne Haavisto: Drums, Producer, Mixing

trax:
1. Mission Impossible 2. Note Crisis 3. Piedras Negras 4. Psyko (Themes From Psycho And Vertigo) 5. Magic Bullet 6. Enchanted Rock 7. Baha-Ree-Bah! 8. S.P.Y.D.A.'S Web 9. Space Base 10. Experiment In Terror 11. Six Seconds In Dallas 12. Vendetta

"YOU THRILL MY SOUL" - Female & Girl Group Sides From The Early Stax Sessions

You Thrill My Soul features early female and girl group recordings originally released on Stax Records. Only Carla Thomas emerged from these artists as a hit maker, but unfortunately "for casual fans" none of them are included. Wendy Rene (the Drapels) warbles like Frankie Lymon on a few non-sellers. Deanie Parker, who later hit somewhat as a songwriter, not a singer, does a few tracks. Barbara Stephens, a talented singer, never busted a grape and vanished after these early efforts bricked. The Tonettes, comprised of Oscar Toney Jr.'s three sisters, held on a bit longer as the Charmels but with little success. For a costly CD, there's not a hit among its 24 tracks, but there are enough interesting selections to appease the most ardent soul music lover, including some early Chips Morman stuff, who left Stax before the serious cooking began.(AMG)

trax:
1. Same Thing - Carla Thomas 2. Here it Comes Again - Carla Thomas 3. I Can't Stay - Carla Thomas 4. Heavenly Angel - The Tonettes 5. Stolen Angel - The Tonettes 6. Unhand That Man - The Tonettes 7. Gone for Good - Wendy Rene 8. The Same Guy - Wendy Rene 9. Love at First Sight - Wendy Rene 10. If She Should Ever Break Your Heart - Barbara Stephens 11. Heartbreaker - Deanie Parker 12. Ask Him - Deanie Parker 13. Love is Like a Flower - Barbara Stephens 14. Just One Touch - Deanie Parker 15. Ain't Enough Hours in the Day - Carla Thomas 16. Gosh I'm Lucky - Carla Thomas 17. He Hasn't Failed Me Yet - Wendy Rene 18. Crying All By Myself - Wendy Rene 19. Last Love - Wendy Rene 20. Crowded Park - Wendy Rene 21. Can't Stay Away - Wendy Rene 22. Tell Me - The Tonettes 23. Come to Me - The Tonettes 24. Do Boys Keep Diaries - Carla Thomas
...served by Gyro1966...

LEE MOSES "Time & Place"

Possibly one of the most intense vocal recordings ever made. Lee is battling 'hellhounds', being chased by demons; he works through it all in a gospel soul blues rock mix. This is raw tight and very intense music. Recorded in '71, and augmented with singles recorded in the 60's through the 70's. Propelled by a tight rhythm section he screams, whoops, and hollers his way to deliverance. Fans of James Carr, Otis Clay, and Wilson Pickett should enjoy this CLASSIC. (Amazon)trax:
01 My Adorable One 02 Diana (From N.Y.C.) 03 Reach Out I'll Be there 04 Day Tripper 05 Bad Girl (Part 1) 06 Bad Girl (Part 2) 07 I'm Sad About It 08 How Much Longer (Must I Wait) 09 If Loving You Is A Crime (I'll Always Be Guilty) 10 Never In My Life 11 Time And Place (Single Version) 12 I Can't Take No Chances 13 Time And Place (Album Version) 14 Got That Will 15 What You Don't Want Me To Be 16 California Dreaming 17 Every Boy And Girl 18 Hey Joe 19 Free At Last 20 Would You Give Up Everything 21 Adorable One 22 The Dark End Of The Street 23 She's A Bad Girl
...served by Gyro1966...