Monday, 28 February 2011

"CAJUN HOT SAUCE"

An fine collection of various cajun style music from the great Arhoolie label. This comp is now out of print.Cajun Hot Sauce is a nice compilation of Cajun dance music, covering to some degree the full spectrum of styles to come through the genre over time. Some of the old hands are present, including the likes of Joseph Falcon, as are the newer breed of players, such as Beausoleil. Splitting the difference are inclusions from semi-traditionalists such as the Savoy-Doucet collective, and those that have just been playing nonstop since the old days, such as the Hackberry Ramblers. While there's some emphasis in the liner notes placed upon the forward-looking directions taken by the players here, there are more than enough nods to the old ways to put that idea in question. There's even a reworking of an old Amédé Ardoin number hidden away here. Admittedly, some of the tunes do have notes of fusion with Mexican concepts, or ties to country music (including "Grand Texas," which is rumored to have been stolen by Hank Williams), but the sound remains somewhat primitive throughout, with the violins properly scratchy, and the accordions properly off key from time to time. (Allmusic guide)

trax:
1. The Mosquito That Ate Up My Sweetheart In New Iberia - Beausoleil 2. The Kaplan Waltz - Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band 3. Monsieur Leonard - Califonia Cajun Orchestra 4. Port Arthur Blues - Dewey Balfa 5. Two Step D'Amede - Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band 6. En Bas Du Chene Vert - D.L. Menard 7. Shoo Black - Canray Fontenot & Beausoleil 8. Bosco Stomp - Octa Clark & Hector Duhon 9. Jolie Blonde - Chuck Guillory 10. Allons A Lafayette - Harry Choates 11. Bayou Pom Pom - Wallace "Cheese" Read 12. Crowley Waltz - The Hackberry Ramblers 13. Hey, Ma! - The Breaux Brothers 14. Grand Texas - Chuck Guillory 15. Valse Criminelle - Octa Clark & Hector Duhon 16. Keep A Knocking - Wallace "Cheese" Read 17. Catch My Hat - Wade Fruge 18. Je Veux Marier - The Hackberry Ramblers 19. Valse Du Mariage - California Cajun Orchestra 20. One Step D'Amede - Michael Doucet 21. Basile Waltz - Harry Choates 22. Osson Two Step - Joseph Falcon
...served by Gyro1966...

"COAST TO COAST ROCKABILLY"

Fine collection of vintage 1950's rockabilly from all corners of the USA. A very hard to find and out of print CD!trax:
1. High Classed Baby - Jerry Arnold 2. Don't Be Unfair - Bob Taylor 3. Honey Bun - Larry Donn 4. I Sure Do Love You Baby - Clyde Stacey 5. Come On - Wynn Stewart 6. You'll Be My Baby - David Gates 7. Won't Tell You Her Name - Al Urban 8. Bop Hop - Ron Haydock & The Boppers 9. Big Door - Gene Brown 10. Rattle Shakin' Mama - Mel McGonnigle 11. Better Feeling - Larry Phillipson 12. Radio Boogie - L.C. Smith 13. Lonesome Baby Blues - David Ray 14. You Got The Blues - Johnny Nace 15. Rock'N'Roll Angel - Jay Chevalier 16. Lost John - Casey Clark 17. Wait A Little Baby - Jimmy Roby 18. Hey Mae - Rusty & Doug Kershaw 19. Rompin And Stompin - Curtis Gordon 20. I'm In Love - Frans & The Never Mind Band 21. Mama Don't You Think I Know - Jackie Lee Cochran 22. Black Cadillac - Sonny Wallace 23. Susie Or Mary Lou - Chuck Barr & The Rockabillys 24. I've Gotta Find Someone - Tiny Tim 25. Carry On - Jimmy C. Newman 26. The Blues Keep Rockin' - Buck Trail 27. Blue Black Hair - The Jades 28. Quicksand Love - Macy Skipper 29. Come To My House - Bill Logson 30. When You Said Goodbye - Jerry Arnold
...served by Gyro1966...

Sunday, 27 February 2011

THE 23RD TURNOFF / The Kirbys "The Dream of Michaelangelo" - The Legendary '66/'67 Recordings

With beginnings going back to the 1950s, this Liverpool group evolved through the Merseybeat era into being known as The Kirkbys. This complete collection of sought after material includes highly collectable singles. Several tracks featured have been before been reissued & 17 are previously unreleased. For all fans of beat, pop psych, & classic English 60s music. (RPM)The 23rd Turnoff's name was an in-joke, referring to the exit off the M6 that led to Liverpool, from whence they came. Their history was a bit like that of the Tremeloes or, closer to home, the Beatles, in that their musical lineage went back to the end of the 1950s. With guitarist/composer Jimmy Campbell as their leader, they went through a long (and musically credible) stint as the Kirkbys, before evolving into the 23rd Turnoff, embracing flower-power and psychedelia in the process.
Their magnum opus was 1967's 'Michael Angelo', a gorgeous if somewhat downbeat single that should've fit right in with pieces like "Nights in White Satin," among other melancholic hits.Michelangelo is one of those jems hidden in that treasure chamber which we call Psychedelia. An absolutely brilliant arrangement to a great song.
It didn't make the charts, and eventually the group split up and Campbell teamed up with Billy Kinsley to form Rockin' Horse. (1966 Magazine)trax:
The Kirbys:
01 'Cos My Babys Gone (single) 02 Don't You Want Me No More (single) 03 Don't You Want Me No More (demo version) 04 She'll Get No Lovin' That Way (single) 05 Bless You 06 Bless You (demo version) 07 It's A Crime 08 I've Never Been So Much In Love (single) 09 Dreaming (demo)
THE 23RD TURNOFF:
10 Flowers Are Flowering (demo) 11 (Not) A Penny In My Pocket (demo version) 12 I'll Be Round (demo) 13 Michaelangelo (demo version) 14 Another Vincent Van Gough (demo) 15 Mothers Boy (demo) 16 I'll Be With You (demo) 17 You Sing Your Own Song (demo) 18 Michaelangelo (demo with strings) 19 (Not) A Penny In My Pocket (demo with strings) 20 Michel Angelo (single) 21 Leave Me Here (single)
...served by Gyro1966...

Saturday, 26 February 2011

"CHICAGO BLUES"

A definitive collection from the vaults of the famous Bluebird label, recorded between 1937 and 1953.trax disc 1:
1. Friendless Blues - Big Bill Broonzy 2. Mississippi River Blues - Big Bill Broonzy 3. Keep On Knocking - Lil Johnson 4. When The Sun Goes Down - Leroy Carr 5. Hustlin' Woman Blues - Memphis Minnie 6. Well Well - Joe Mccoy 7. I Love All My Women - Washboard Sam 8. Prowlin' Night Hawk - Robert Lee McCoy 9. Bluebird Blues - Sonny Boy Williamson 10. My Gal Is Gone - Tampa Red 11. My Old Lizzie - Bill "Jazz" Gillum 12. Back Door - Washboard Sam 13. Bad Luck Blues - Sonny Boy Williamson 14. I Been Dealing With The Devil - Sonny Boy Williamson 15. 38 Pistol Blues - James "Yank" Rachell 16. Break 'Em On Down - Big Joe Williams 17. Why Don't You Do Right? - Lil Green 18. Worried Life Blues - Big Maceo 19. Beer Drinking Woman - Memphis Slim 20. I'm Gonna Train My Baby - Robert Lockwood, Jr.
trax disc 2:
1. Little Boy Blue - Robert Lockwood, Jr. 2. Cheating And Lying Blues - Doctor Clayton 3. Going Down Slow - St. Louis Jimmy 4. He's A Jelly-Roll Baker - Lonnie Johnson 5. Mean Ol' Frisco Blues - Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup 6. Chicago Breakdown - Big Maceo 7. Somebody's Been Worryin' - Big Joe Williams 8. High Price Blues - Roosevelt Sykes 9. Elevator Woman - Sonny Boy Williamson 10. That's All Right - Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup 11. Sunny Road - Roosevelt Sykes 12. Better Cut That Out - Sonny Boy Williamson 13. I Had To Let Her Go - Eddie Boyd 14. When Things Go Wrong With You (It Hurts Me Too) - Tampa Red 15. Down Behind The Rise - Pete Franklin 16. Take One More Chance With Me - Bill "Jazz" Gillum 17. Tears Come Rolling Down - Walter Davis 18. So Crazy About You Baby - Tampa Red 19. Big Stars Falling Blues - Tampa Red 20. Signifying Woman - Bill "Jazz" Gillum
...served by Gyro1966...

Friday, 25 February 2011

"JAVA-JAVA" Indonesia Screaming Fuzz

Was there anywhere that didn't have a psyche or garage scene in the 60s? We think not – given the sounds on the set, and a host of other global rock compilations in recent years! We've always thought of Java as a place of gentle gamelon sounds – but back in the 60s, it's clear the island was awash in fuzzy guitars, brooding basses, and killer keyboards – all used by a variety of Indonesian groups in ways that make for an odd extrapolation of American rock and roll – kind of a unique homegrown version of the famous, given lots of weird local twists! Added to that is the fact that many of these musicians were regularly going to The Netherlands – the old motherland when the nation was a Dutch colony – so there's some European-bred elements in the music, particularly Brit beat group modes that were crossing over to Germany. The set's got a wealth of music. (Dusty Grooves)After the real savage compilations of Cazumbi and Zulu Stomp, Nosmoke Records attacks again… Now looking back to the Indonesian legacy of garage and rock ‘n’ roll. Those bands wrote some history by themselves during the ’60s and confronted the Indonesian regime with music. Some of these bands migrated to Europe, Malaysia, $ingapore and Hong Kong and helped out creating a new musical movement called INDO-ROCK.
Bands like The Peels, Swallows, Tielmann Brothers or Rolling Beats have been part of that movement. Lots of fuzz and rock ‘n’ roll, making their own revolution through the fuzz pedal. Among these, other bands confronted the regime inside Indonesia, like Dara Puspita or Koes, among others. Don’t look for protest ballads or even traditional songs here, there’s only room for garage, raw beat and indo-rock at its best.” (Ricecooker)trax:
1. bertamasja (Indonesia) - Dara Puspita 2. poor clown (Indonesia) - Koes Bersaudara 3. la ngomber (Singapore) - The Swallows 4. sweeter than you (Netherlands) - The Rolling Beats 5. what am i supposed to do (Indonesia) - Pattie Bersaudara 6. tinggalkan ku sa orang (Singapore) - The Peels 7. can't you hear (Spain) - Los Indonesios 8. together we dance (Indonesia) - The Panber's 9. talik kum bang djati - The Females 10. kitjir kitjir (Singapore) - The Steps 11. kelewar (Indonesia) - The Koes Plus 12. marabunta (Netherlands) - The Tielman Brothers 13. believe me (Indonesia) - Dara Puspita 14. don't ask me why (Netherlands) - The Rolling Beats 15. angkok ankok bilis (Singapore) - The Swallows 16. surfin' gipsey '63 (Netherlands) - The Black Magic 17. marilah ke mari (Singapore) - The Peels 18. be kalan satria (Indonesia) - S. Mona Rita & The Kingstons 19. digebukin (Indonesia) - Benjamin S.
...served by Gyro1966...

Wednesday, 23 February 2011

Andre Williams & Green Hornet "Holland Shuffle!" Live At The World Famous Vera Club 2003

"Green Hornet- a great group, The Vera a great Club, Groningen - great city, Holland a great country. I hold Green Hornet in a special place in my heart and look forward to working with them in the future." A. WilliamsRhythm & Blues legend Andre Williams has taken Green Hornet as opening - and backingband on his 2003- European tour. This long (33 shows, 12 countries, 5 weeks), exhausting and hilarious, but purifying experience resulted in a great live album with Andre Williams on the American Norton records: 'Holland shuffle'. Quite good live album from this 70-year old godfather of R&B, hard and very explicit.trax:
01 Agile, Mobile and Hostile 02 You Got It and I Want It 03 I Can Tell 04 Shake a Tail Feather 05 I Wanna Be Your Favorite Pair of Pajamas 06 Car With the Star 07 I Don't Know Why 08 Pussy Stank 09 Get This Love off My Mind 10 Jail Bait

"WE NEVER HAD IT SO GOOD" A Tribute To British Rockabilly

A fantastic 25 track tribute to British Rock n Roll of the late 50s and early 60s. Featuring lots of your favourite Western Star artists, some original British legends and a few new names you'll not have heard of yet!A 25 track compilation, put together over several years by way of a tribute to British Rock n Roll & Pop of the late 50s/early 60s. New tracks from Alan Wilson (Sharks), Graham Fenton (Matchbox), Bob Butfoy (Jack Rabbit Slim), Den Hegarty (the bass vocalist of the Darts...), etc. Nice booklet, great design and in depth sleeve notes. (Ish Kabible)trax:
1. Hoots Mon! - McNasty's Unsavory Six 2. Johnny Remember Me - John Leyton & The Western All-Stars 3. Don't Jump - Bob Butfoy & The Western All-Stars 4. Six-Five Special - The Ugly Dog Skiffle Combo 5. The Feminine Look - Kidd Kane & The Pirates 6. What Ya Gonna Do - Graham Fenton & The Western All-Stars 7. Sparkling Brown Eyes - Jack Rabbit Slim 8. Man Of Mystery - The Flames 9. Danny - Bob Butfoy & The Western All-Stars 10. Lost John - The Ugly Dog Skiffle Combo 11. That's What Love Will Do - Howlin' Wilson 12. You Took My Love For Granted - John Leyton & The Western All-Stars 13. Longing Lips - Kidd Kane & The Pirates 14. Be Mine - Paul Swift & The Western All-Stars 15. Red Planet Rock - Bill Smarme & The Western All-Stars 16. That's Love - Bill Fadden & The Rhythm Busters 17. The Switch - Howlin' Wilson 18. Movin' In - Bob Butfoy & The Western All-Stars 19. Freight Train - The Ugly Dog Skiffle Combo 20. There Are 8 Million Cossack Melodies - The Flames 21. Move Over Tiger (4-Wheeled Version) - Graham Fenton & The Western All-Stars 22. Voodoo Woman - John Leyton & The Western All-Stars 23. Brand New Cadillac - Kidd Kane & The Pirates 24. Danny (Street Corner Mix) - Bob Butfoy & The Western All-Stars 25. Red Planet Rock (Smarmy Version) - Bill Smarme & The Western All-Stars
...served by Gyro1966...

Tuesday, 22 February 2011

OTIS CLAY "Got To Find A Way" (One-Derful Studios, Chicago 1965-1967)

Early Otis Clay tunes recorded for the Chicago-based One-derful label in the mid- to late '60s. Cut before Clay made his career defining soul hits for Hi Records in the early '70s, he chalked up some amazing gritty gospel-inflected singles. This is a good introductory retrospective from this underappreciated deep soul master and is the perfect companion to any of Clay's Hi Records material. (Al Campbell, All Music Guide)
Otis Clay made most of his best-known records in Memphis during the early '70s, but he's still universally hailed as Chicago's deep soul king. In a city filled to overflowing with legendary blues artists, Clay has become the proud standard-bearer for Chicago's enduring soul tradition.
Like so many of his contemporaries, Clay's intense vocal style reflects a gospel background. He made the secular jump in 1965, signing with Chicago's One-derful Records and issuing a series of gospel-tinged soul records that were a lot grittier than the customary Windy City soul sound. Clay inaugurated Atlantic's Cotillion subsidiary in 1968 with a supercharged cover of the Sir Douglas Quintet's "She's About a Mover," produced by Rick Hall in Muscle Shoals shortly before the singer joined forces with Hi Records boss Willie Mitchell. With the relentlessly driving Hi Rhythm Section in tow, Clay waxed his biggest seller in 1972, "Trying to Live My Life Without You," later covered very successfully by Bob Seger.
Although Clay's tenure on Hi may have been his most commercially potent, he steadily recorded and gigged ever since. He is a genuine hero in Japan, where he's recorded two sizzling live albums filled with the churning grooves, punchy horns, and searing vocals that inevitably characterize the best deep soul -- no matter where it's recorded, a fact proved by another live set recorded in Switzerland in 2003, Respect Yourself, and released in 2005 by Blind Pig Records. In 2007, Clay returned to the studio and recorded the gospel album Walk a Mile in My Shoes on his Chicago-based Echo label. - BIOGRAPHY: by Bill Dahltrax:
01 Got To Find A Way 02 Wrapped Up In Her Love 03 I Don't Know What I'd Do 04 Cry Cry Cry 05 A Flame In Your Heart 06 Tired Of Falling In And Out Of Love 07 I Paid The Price 08 I'm Satisfied 09 I Testify 10 It's Easier Said Than Done 11 I Lost Someone 12 Funny Life 13 This Love Of Mine 14 Nothing To Look Forward To 15 Come My Dear 16 That's How It Is 17 Must I Keep On Waiting 18 Don't Pass Me By 19 That'll Get You What You Want
...served by Gyro1966...

"ROCKABILLY KINGS & QUEENS"

Excellent collection of rockabilly and rocking' hillbilly on the King record label from 1953-1964. (This comp is now impossible to find.)trax:
1. Bip A Little, Bop A Lot - Joe Penny 2. Rockin' Up A Storm - Ronnie Molleen 3. Jungle Rock - Hank Mizell 4. Peg Pants - Bill Beach 5. You're Gonna Like Me Baby - Bill Beach 6. Eeny Meeny Miney Moe - Bob & Lucille 7. Bull Frog Boogie - Earl Stone 8. Tight Shoe Boogie - Donny Bowshire 9. Shake 'Em Up Baby - Rusty York 10. Country Boy Rock 'n' Roll - Reno & Smiley 11. Gone With The Wind - Wayne Raney 12. Turn Your Fire Down - Wayne & Wanda 13. Top 10 Rock - Fuller Todd 14. Oh Yeah - The Blue Tones 15. Livin' It Up - The Rock Brothers 16. A Little Bit Of Nylon - Ann Jones 17. Shake Shake - The Blue Tones 18. I Gotta Get To My Baby - Wayne & Wanda 19. Rock 'n' Roll Nursery Rhyme - Dave Duddley 20. No Good Robin Hood - Delbert Barker 21. Gotta Make Her Mine - Ronny Wade 22. Nothing Like This - Cecil McNabb Jr 23. Oh Baby Dance With Me - Gene Steward 24. Finger Poppin' Time - The Stanley Brothers 25. Shoppin' List - Jimmy Lee Prow 26. Sweet Orchard Vine - Bob Newman 27. I'm Turning Over - Billy Barton 28. Vim Vam Vamoosie - Bob Temple 29. Freight Train Boogie - The Delmore Brothers 30. Hound Dog - Charlie Gore & Louis Innis
...served by Gyro1966...

Monday, 21 February 2011

"ON THE ROAD AGAIN" - Country Blues 1969-1974

Raw country blues on this long out of print CD on the Flyright label."If you enjoy the Living Country Blues USA series recordings, then the field recordings recorded by Bengt Olsson on the Flyright cd "On The Road Again:Country Blues 1969-1974" will also be of great interest. The Walter Miller tracks on this CD (Stuttgart Arkansas, Sherman's Blues and especially Hop's Boogie) have always been a personal favorite for their rawness and attitude." (Ish Kabibble, Living Country Blues)

trax:
1. When A Gal Cross The Bottom - Lattie Murrell 2. Railroad Blues - Lum Guffin 3. Spoonful - Lattie Murrell 4. Blues For Mattie Mae - Lattie Murrell 5. Johnny Wilson - Lum Guffin 6. On The Road Again - Lum Guffin 7. Loping Blues - Lincoln Jackson 8. Kennedy Moan - Perry Tillis 9. Tell My Why You Like Roosevelt - Perry Tillis 10. Why Did I Have To Leave Cairo? - William Davis Floyd 11. Sweet Peace - Ashley Thompson 12. Good Morning Little Schoolgirl - Lattie Murrell 13. Old Country Blues - Lum Guffin 14. Denomination Blues - Perry Tillis 15. Take Your Burdens To The Lord - Joe Townsend 16. Moaning And Groaning Blues - Lum Guffin 17. Stuttgart Arkansas - Walter Miller 18. Last Night - Dewey Corley 19. Sherman'S Blues - Walter Miller 20. Fool's Blues - Dewey Corley 21. Hop's Boogie - Walter Miller 22. Don't The Peaches Look Mellow - Othar Broadnax 23. Sally Got A Big Leg - Fife & Drum Band Of The United Sons And Daughters Of Zion Chapter Nine
...served by Gyro1966...

Sunday, 20 February 2011

The Fleshtones "Soul Madrid" - Recorded live at the Rock Club in Madrid 1988

Coming at you BIFF, BANG, POW!TEEN SCENE: Is 'Soul Madrid' the last live album?
KEITH STRENG: Well that is an official bootleg OK. This is the people from Record Runner saying "Hey look, we're gonna record you live tonight here's money", so that makes it an official bootleg. But basically that's all that is! It was mixed as it was going down live and it was pressed...
TS: ...Direct Metal Mastered.
KS: Exactly. So that's what all that was about.
TS: 'Cause that was when Fred Smith was briefly in the band.
KS: Well he was in the group for a year if you consider that brief. That is brief in the history of the Fleshtones.Fue grabado en directo por Carlos Roa, en el ROCK CLUB de Madrid, el 20 de diciembre de 1988.
Como todas las canciones están grabadas en vivo, no las iré despiezando una por una, ya que los directos para mí, son un todo! Sólo decir que tiene auténticas bombas, como "Let's go in 69", "Hall of fame", " I got a line on you" y "The dreg".

The Fleshtones:
Bill Milhizer: drums / Keith Streng: guitar, vox / Peter Cha Cha Zaremba: vox, organ, harp / Fred "Wagon Wheel" Smith: bass / Paul "Macaroni" Vorcesi: sax / Nelson Keene Carse: trombone

traxfromwax:
1- the dreg 2- Stop fooling around 3- I see the light / Moon dawg 88 4- Noting's gonna bring me down 5- I got a line on you 6- Fingertips part III 7- All around the world 8- Turn on song 9- Los reyes del piel negro / Hexbreaker 17 10- Hall of fame 11- Get down with it 12- Let's go in 69' / It's too late 13- Sha la la reprise

ROBERT NIGHTHAWK "Bricks In My Pillow" (United Records 1951/1952)

In a flurry of recent releases a clearer picture of Night Hawk's artistry is emerging (he himself spelled his name as two words). This disc re-releases the recordings made by Night Hawk in 1951 for the United label and in 1952 for its subsidiary, States. It adds two takes that were not on the original LP release of 1977 (Pearl 11). Highlights include "The Moon is Rising" and "Maggie Campbell," which are interesting to hear in different versions here. With this disc, two recent Testament discs that include Night Hawk material ("Down Home Slide" and "Down Home Harp," both of which include performances that are a bit stilted--they were probably bootlegged from the May 1964 blues festival at Mandel Hall at the University of Chicago which had blues artists performing in an auditorium before a polite audience unused to the blues), and, most important, the new "And This Is Maxwell Street" 2CD set from P-Vine in Japan PCD 5527/28 (and let us hope soon on a U.S. label!), we begin to see that Night Hawk was a far more versatile guitarist than many probably have realized. On the "Bricks In My Pillow" release reviewed here, the pace is usually fast. The disc has a rather different feel from the lush but mournful playing we know from Chess recordings such as Anna Lee. Perhaps most interesting of all, however, is the extraordinary range of styles Night Hawk plays on the P-Vine "And This Is Maxwell Street" discs, but perhaps that should not be surprising given Night Hawk's remarks in the interview with Michael Bloomfield that was made in conjuction with the filming of Mike Shea's Maxwell Street documentary "And This is Free." There he mentions that he used to play swing, Spanish numbers, popular numbers.... The P-Vine discs release all of the recordings made for "And This Is Free." It is great to have the United and States masters available again here on this disc. Recommended. Just wish I knew who the drummer in the cover photo was! [Reviewer's update: I have confirmed that the drummer is Jimmy Lee Collins, the same drummer that appears in "And This is Free." "And This is Maxwell Street" was released on Rooster Records (US) and Katfish Records (UK) after this review was written.] (Amazon)

trax:
01 Crying Won't Help You 02 Take It Easy, Baby 03 Seventy-Four 04 Maggie Campbell (alternate) 05 The Moon Is Rising 06 Nighthawk Boogie 07 Kansas City 08 You Missed A Good Man 09 Bricks In My Pillow 10 Seventy-Four (alternate) 11 U_S Boogie 12 Feel So Bad 13 Maggie Campbell 14 The Moon Is Rising [Incomplete Take]
...served by Gyro1966...

Saturday, 19 February 2011

"TEENAGE PARTY / PAJAMA PARTY"

Another two albums on one compact disc affair from Westside, this one combining an album originally issued on George Goldner's Gee imprint in 1958 and its follow-up, which eventually came out on Roulette in the early 1960s. Teenage Party is often cited as the first "oldies" album, even though the songs were only a couple of years old at the time of this LP's debut. Its follow-up, Pajama Party, didn't come out until Gee was absorbed by Roulette in the following decade. But either way, the music couldn't be better, bringing together hits and turntable faves from the stars of Goldner's doo-wop stable of talent like the Crows ("Gee," "I Love You So"), the Harptones ("Three Wishes," "You're Driving Me Mad"), the Valentines ("Lily Maybelle," "Nature's Creation," "Don't Say Goodnight"), Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers ("Out In the Cold Again," "Little White Lies"), the Cleftones ("Little Girl of Mine," "String Around My Heart," "Can't We Be Sweethearts"), the Wrens ("Come Back My Love") and bandleader Jimmy Wright ("Move Over"). A solid chunk of New York City vocal group music during its peak of creativity, and a reissue well worth adding to anyone's doo-wop collection. (CUB KODA, ALL MUSIC GUIDE)

trax:
1. Little Girl Of Mine - The Cleftones 2. Can't We Be Sweethearts - The Cleftones 3. Come Back My Love - The Wrens 4. Nature's Creation - The Valentines 5. Lily Maebelle - The Valentines 6. Three Wishes - The Harptones 7. You Baby You - The Cleftones 8. You're Driving Me Mad - The Cleftones 9. Gee - The Crows 10. I Love You So - The Crows 11. One Sunday Afternoon - The Harptones 12. That's The Way It Goes - The Harptones 13. Little White Lies - Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers 14. I Want To Know - The Heartbeats 15. See You Next Year - The Cleftones 16. Move Over - Jimmy Wright 17. Crazy For You - The Heartbeats 18. The Woo Woo Train - The Valentines 19. Since We Fell In Love - The Cleftones 20. Out In The Cold Again - Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers 21. String Around My Heart - The Cleftones 22. Don't Say Goodnight - The Valentines 23. 2.20 am - Jimmy Wright 24. A Thousand Miles Away - The Heartbeats
...served by Gyro1966...

Friday, 18 February 2011

The Fleshtones "Speed Connection II / Live In Paris 85" 1985

The only way to match that achievement was to do it live, smearing as much sweat and personality on the vinyl as possible.It took two attempts: the first Speed Connection was issued in France but deemed inferior to the second, which was recorded at a different 1985 Paris show and released in the US and UK. Although technically casual, Speed Connection II is a stupendous, old- fashioned warts'n'all concert record, loaded with all the chaos and frantic rock panache the Fleshtones can muster. Especially potent is their brilliant "Kingsmen Like Medley," as well as "Return to the Haunted House" and "Wind Out," the latter featuring guest guitar by Pete Buck of R.E.M. - from trouserpressThe Fleshtones:
Bill Milhizer, Jan Marek "Buck" Pakulski, Gordon Spaeth, Keith Streng "The Beautiful Angel", Count Peter Zaremba - Geoff Blythe: tenor sax, Sid Gould: trumpet, Niles Strange: tom toms
Credits: This is "an instant record" produced by Richard Gottehrer. Recorded live at the Gibus Club, Paris.

traxfromwax:
1. Hide and Seek 2. Watch This 3. Kingsmen Like Medley: Trouble/Haunted Castle/Twelve Months Later 4. Return to the Haunted House 5. Hope Come Back 6. B.Y.O.B. 7. One More Time 8. The Dreg 9. Extended Super Rock Medley: Stop Fooling Around / Theme From the Vindicators / Hexbreaker / Roman Gods 10. When the Night Falls 11. Wind Out 12. La La La La Reprise

RICHARD BERRY "Daddy Daddy"

This 23-track disc -- a mixture of drags, ups, and novelties -- shows a small portion of Richard Berry's prolific career as a southern California recording artist. Berry made solo, group, and duet recordings -- a whole slew of them. If you didn't reside in southwest U.S.A. when these dropped, you probably never heard any of these local/regional-ish recordings. But Berry was as influential as Bo Diddley, and if Diddley's in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, then Berry and singers like Billy Stewart should be too. "Daddy, Daddy," "Baby Darling," "Look out Miss James," "Get out the Car," and "Yama Yama, Pretty Mama" are hard to find. (All Music Guide)

trax:
01 Daddy Daddy 02 Good Love 03 Next Time 04 I Am Bewildered 05 Pretty Brown Eyes 06 Together 07 Wait For Me 08 Baby Darling Aka Baby, Baby 09 The Big Break 10 Jelly-Roll 11 At Last 12 Bye Bye Baby 13 Real Good Lovin' Man W The Flairs 14 Look Out Miss James W The FlairsRock 15 Rockin' Man 16 Big John 17 I'm Still In Love With You 18 Crazy Lover 19 One Little Prayer 20 Get Out Of The Car 21 Mad About You 22 Angel Of My Life 23 Yama Yama Pretty Mama
...served by Gyro1966...

Thursday, 17 February 2011

The Fleshtones "Solid Gold Sound!" 2001

America's greatest garage band servin' up a heapin' helpin'of Super Rock !!! Hear the fabulous Fleshtones in all their splendor and majesty!!The venerable Fleshtones awarded themselves a gold record in tandem with the release of Solid Gold Sound, possibly accentuating frustration at remaining a cult peculiarity for their two and a half decades together. Subtly, the grooves themselves also hint at some level of disenchantment; whether it's the lyrical cynicism of the New York Dolls-ish "Whatever It Takes," which name-checks disco divas, or the track that follows it, "Good Good Crack," which could be disco, there seems to be resentment. And there shouldn't be. The Fleshtones have struck gold with many fans of punk-infused retro-rock, and the meat of this disc will do nothing to dissuade them. There is a French version with a modified cover and different track order, and the vinyl version includes two bonus tracks, "Beer Run" and "The Friends of Bazooka Joe." ~ Brian O'Neill, Rovitrax:
01 Ten Dollars More 02 Good Good Crack 03 Test The Flesh 04 Hitsburg USA 05 Daddy-O 06 Line Check 07 Whatever It Takes 08 Love's In The Grave 09 Baja Weekend 10 Sound Check 2001 11 Dreaming About Work 12 Bazooka Joe's Vacation 13 New Song 14 Solid Gold Sound

Wednesday, 16 February 2011

The Fleshtones "Hitsburg Revisited" 1999

Being one of the many bands with a name that ends with 'tones (The Spongetones, The Fuzztones...) they set themselves apart by sounding tight and loose at the same time, if that makes any sense. Meaning they reek of New York Dolls styled hedonism but their riff-heavy songcraft is razor sharp and they always sound alive and wired, almost sounding like this was hastily recorded in a live setting, trying to capture their firepower before it dissolved forever. You'll be hooked. - by TezcatlipocaYeah, Hitsburg USA baby, a scene so swinging the Fleshtones just knew they had to make that trip again. So, welcome to where the guys are cool and the girls all shout. It's where the Fleshtones and their friends get together. That's why they've prepared this "back to school special" just for you. It's a fresh cocktail of Fleshtones Favourites, all given their "tried and true" treatment that's guaranteed to delight their friends and confound their enemies. Enjoy while studying, or over a bottle of the finest wine with that special lady. Better yet, forget all of that and grab a few cases of beer and see where the Fleshtones lead you on this latest trip to HITSBURG. They have never steered you wrong before, ...have they? - (fingerbreakin' self "abgetippte" liner notes) by Lamprey Leitch, ManagerThe Fleshtones:
Peter Zaremba (harmonica, keyboards, vocals), Keith Streng (guitar, vocals), Ken Fox (bass, vocals), Bill Milhizer (drums, vocals)

trax:
1. Rock And Roll Baby 2. Comin' Home Baby 3. Don't Stop Now 4. Take My Love (I Want To Give It All To You) 5. Little Lou 6. Going Down To Tia Juana 7. Find Somebody 8. Tribute To Hank Ballard 9. Voodoo Voodoo 10. Tearing Me Apart 11. Soul City 12. Keelee's Twist 13. I'm Over Twenty-Five (But You Can Trust Me)

Tuesday, 15 February 2011

HANK BALLARD & THE MIDNIGHTERS "Dancin' and Twistin'" (King/Federal 1957-1969)

The pioneering dance records of Hank Ballard & the Midnighters, featuring their original version of 'The Twist'.This is the first time that Hank Ballard's dance classics, recorded for Federal and King between 1955 and 1969, have been gathered together in one collection.
Some projects do not come to fruition overnight and this compilation is a case in point. The idea germinated way back in 1992, when Paul Harris and I took the opportunity to interview Hank about his dance records before his successful appearance at the Blues Estafette in Utrecht, Holland. Eight years on, and I think the wait has been worthwhile. The music sounds great and the stories hold up well.
Hank Ballard and the Midnighters were at the forefront of the dance crazes that proliferated at the turn of the 1960s. The bedrock of the genre was The Twist, written by Hank himself, although Chubby Checker's cover version snatched eternal glory. Hank's original cut of The Twist is included here, along with his other big hits Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go, The Continental Walk and Finger Poppin' Time (the 45 version, not the one with the oft-reissued 40-second edit).
But there is much more, starting with four releases in the name of the Midnighters from 1955 to 1957 including Henry's Got Flat Feet (Can't Dance No More). After The Twist hit paydirt, Hank enjoyed a golden streak with no less than 10 other dance hits between 1960 and 1962. Inevitably, there was a cooling off period as the dance craze abated and the soul era began to bite. But, adaptable as ever, Hank proceeded to give his new dance songs a soul beat, notably Funky Soul Train and the James Brown-type Butter Your Popcorn.
This set is sure to appeal to fans of rock 'n' roll oldies, vocal group collectors and dancers alike. Get those hips swivelling and come on, baby, let's do the Twist! - By John Broventrax:
01 The Twist 02 Rock And Roll Wedding 03 Henry's Got Flat Feet (Can't Dance No More) 04 E Basta Cosi 05 Rock Granny Roll 06 The Coffee Grind 07 Finger Poppin' Time 08 Let's Go,Let's Go,Let's Go 09 The Hoochi Coochi Coo 10 The Continental Walk 11 Let's Go Again (Where We Went Last Night) 12 The Float 13 The Switch A Roo 14 Keep On Dancin' 15 It's Twistin' Time 16 Good Twistin' Tonight 17 Do You Know How To Twist 18 That Low Down Move 19 (I'm Goin' Back To) The House On The Hill 20 Poppin' The Whip 21 Sloop And Slide 22 Dance Till It Hurtcha 23 Funky Soul Train 24 Butter Your Popcorn
...served by Gyro1966...

Monday, 14 February 2011

THE SHEPPARDS "Bunky's Picks" (The Best Of The Sheppards 1959-1969)

The Sheppards were one of the most underrated 60's doo wop groups in Chicago history. As the story goes, their original master tapes were destroyed in a fire which could be the reason for a lack of re-issues over the years. With strong lead vocals by Murray Eskridge and Millard Edwards, the Sheppards were in every way as important as the Dells, Spaniels, El Dorados, Moonglows, Magnificents and Flamingos. Many if not all of the songs here are probably remastered from phonograph records and Westside of Europe did a decent job of restoring this material with the exception of 1 or 2 selections like "Society Girl". Chris Columbo is playing organ on many of the songs and there is excellent guitar work by Phil Upchurch, Lefty Bates and the Sheppards own guitarist too. Tragic (both versions),Glitter In Your Eyes, Just Like You, Come Home Come Home, So In Need For Love and most of their known recordings are included in this package. Any person who is a doo wop fan should have this cd. (Amazon)

trax:
01 Come To Me 02 Loving You 03 Glitter In Your Eyes 04 Elevator Operator 05 Meant To Be 06 Every Now And Then 07 Never Let Me Go 08 Never Felt Like This Before 09 Society Gal 10 Just When I Needed You Most 11 Queen Of Hearts 12 It's Crazy 13 Island Of Love 14 So In Need For Love 15 Tragic 16 Give A Hug To Me 17 Forgotten 18 Feel Like Lovin' 19 I'm Not Wanted 20 Come Home Come Home 21 Just Like You 22 Your Love (Has Got A Hole In It) 23 Steal Way 24 What's The Name Of The Game 25 Tragic (Echo Version)
...served by Gyro1966...

Sunday, 13 February 2011

"The Very Best Of SWINGIN' JIVE GUITARISTS"

P-Vine's Very Best of Swingin' Jive Guitarists is one in a series of historic music compilations, each bearing the phrase "Swingin' Jive" in the title. This language generally places the material in the context of '30s and '40s jazz, and could lead one to expect coordinated hip vocals from guitar-driven groups like the Spirits of Rhythm, the King Cole Trio, or the Cats and the Fiddle and that group's leading exponent, Tiny Grimes. What's actually in this 25-track anthology is 20 years' worth (1927-1947) of jazz and blues recordings that feature a wonderfully broad spectrum of guitarists, ranging from relatively well-known masters of their art like Django Reinhardt (with the Quintet of the Hot Club of France) and Charlie Christian (with Edmond Hall's Celeste Quartet) to equally brilliant but less universally recognized players, each of them deserving wider recognition. "Toledo Shuffle" is one of only two records ever released under the name of guitar wizard Bernard Addison; the same group also recorded as trumpeter Freddy Jenkins' Harlem Seven. Addison is also heard with a group led by stride pianist Willie "The Lion" Smith, and providing accompaniment for vaudeville blues vocalist Coot Grant. Allan Reuss is best remembered as featured guitarist with trombonist Jack Teagarden's orchestra (demonstrated here with "Pickin' for Patsy"). He is also heard with Peck's Bad Boys (named after an old vaudeville show in which George M. Cohan starred as a boy) and the Arnold Ross Quartet. Ted Tinsley was the guitarist in the trio billed as the Harlem House Rent Stompers; "Gravel Pit Stomp" appears to have been their only issued title. This collection is packed with diversity, as Eddie Lang sits in with Wilton Crawley, Louis Armstrong and Bing Crosby; Carl Kress demonstrates the "Peg Leg Shuffle," and Dick McDonough works up a swell version of Fats Waller's "Honeysuckle Rose." Ikey Robinson, whose first name was practically "Banjo," switched to guitar for a rowdy "My Four Reasons" with pianist Herman "Ivory" Chittison and a reading of the old rural favorite "Ragged But Right" with somebody named Sloke. The guitarist heard on the "Telephone Blues" is Ed "Snoozer" Quinn, and Big Bill Broonzy tosses off the "W.P.A. Rag" with his Memphis Five. Versatile Jimmy Shirley performs solo and with Alamo "Pigmeat" Markham, Creole George Guesnon and Art Hodes' Back Room Boys. Al Casey, who joined Fats Waller & His Rhythm while still in high school, is heard on two different Waller recordings, and in his own sequel to "Buck Jumpin'," "Buck Still Jumps." There are quite a number of historical swing guitar collections floating around waiting for someone to take notice. This one receives highest marks for well-rounded selection, and is richly stocked with uncommon and entertaining material. (All Music Guide)trax:
1. Toledo Shuffle - Freddie Jenkins & His Harlem Seven 2. Peace On You - Willie "The Lion" Smith & His Orchestra 3. You Need A Woman Like Me - Leola P. Pettigrew 4. Pickin' For Patsy - Jack Teadgarden & His Orchestra 5. I Never Knew - Peck's Bad Boys 6. Bye Bye Blues - Arnold Loss Quartet 7. Gravel Pit Stomp - Harlem House Rent Stompers 8. She's Forty With Me - Wilton Crawley 9. Knocking A Jug - Louis Armstrong 10. Some Of These Days - Bing Crosby 11. Peg Leg Shuffle - Carl Kress 12. Honeysuckle Rose - Dick McDonough 13. My Four Reasons - Ivory Chittison & Banjo Joe 14. Ragged But Right - Sloke & Ike 15. Telephone Blues - Snoozer Quinn 16. Jimmy's Blues - Jimmy Shirley 17. See See Rider - Pigmeat Markham 18. Good Bye, Good Luck To You - Creole George Guesnon 19. S.C.H. Blues - Back Room Boys 20. Georgia On My Mind - Le Quintette du Hot Club de France 21. W.P.A. Rag - Bill Big & The Memphis Five 22. Everybody Loves My Baby - Fats Waller 23. Buck Jumpin' - Fats Waller 24. Buck Still Jumps - Al Casey 25. Profoundly Blues - Edmund Hall Celeste Quartet
...served by Gyro1966...

Saturday, 12 February 2011

The Fleshtones "Laboratory Of Sound" 1995

No one will care either, for they will have long since pushed back the living room furniture to make room for dancing, moving and grooving. [Sid Griffin]Hooray, Hooray, the 'Tones are back! They've been kickin' ass since '76 and I'm glad to say, nothing's changed. If you've been hiding your ripped Ramones T-shirt in the sand, this clouting combo deliver no-nonsense rock'n'roll with no heavy undertones whatsoever. Opening with the jolly 'Let's Go!' then straight into 'High On Drugs' and eleven other such busting blasts, if you miss this superbly constructed piece of sure-fire get up 'n' go twaddle produced by Steve Albini (Nirvana, Urge Overkill etc.) then you need your goolies cut off (sorry mum). Buy it, love it, dance up 'n' down with your brain hanging out! P.S. Don't miss the hidden track! [Les Cannon - Face It]The Fleshtones:
Peter Zaremba (harmonica, keyboards, vocals), Keith Streng (guitar), Ken Fox (bass), Bill Milhizer (drums, vocals), Gordon Spaeth (sax, harmonica, organ), Thymme Jones and Bob Weston (trumpet), John Upchurch (baritone Sax), Tom Zaluwsky (trumpet colorings and organ duets)

trax:
1. Let's Go! 2. High On Drugs 3. Sands Of Our Lives 4. Nostradamus Jr. 5. The Sweetest Thing 6. Hold You 7. Accelerated Emotion 8. Train Of Thought 9. One Less Step 10. A Motor Needs Gas 11. Psychedelic Swamp 12. Fading Away 13. We'll Never Forget 14. Uh! The Bonus Track

"GIRLS, GIRLS, GIRLS"

Fun collection of late 50's to early 60's songs about girls!trax:
1. Rockin' Rollin' Clementine - Coy Joye 2. Sweet Skinny Jenny - Paul Peek 3. Snaggle Tooth Ann - Gene Norman 4. Long Legged Linda - The Kids From Texas 5. Lorraine - Jackie Dallas 6. Daisy Belle - Andy Dio 7. Liza Lee - Roger & The Markees 8. Rosalie - Dion & The Belmonts 9. Bop-A-Lena - The Legends 10. Joannie - The Bay Bops 11. Silly Sally - Sammy Lara 12. Little Jeanie - The Delatones 13. Little Alice - The Moods 14. Piano Nellie - Bobby Brant 15. Rosaleena - Conway Twitty 16. Oh Ye Louise - Chip Fisher 17. Hey Miss Fanny - Tommy Sandra 18. Laura Lee - Neil Sedaka 19. Jello Sal - Benny Ingram 20. Snuggle Bunny - Sammy Hagan 21. Suzie - Fabian 22. Barbara - Joe Melson 23. Cindy - The Collins Kids 24. I'll Remember Carol - Tommy Boyce 25. Judy, Judy - Gary Crosby 26. Mona Lisa - Bobby Cash 27. Molly - Eddy Arnold 28. Girls - Billy Dolton 29. Girls - Johnny Burnette 30. Girls! Girls! Girls! - Elvis Presley
...served by Gyro1966...

Friday, 11 February 2011

The Fleshtones "Beautiful Light" 1993

...rootsy production by R.E.M.'s Peter Buck, crafted their most earnest release, while not totally foresaking the Beat...On BEAUTIFUL LIGHT (1993), the Fleshtones largely abandoned the punk-rockisms of their youth, focusing more on power-pop and garage. Playing fast, guitar-driven music perfect for traveling, they never had much sympathy for ballads. This album is no exception, though a few songs are slightly slower, notably "Worried Boy Blues," which still features a smooth, rolling beat. Of note to R.E.M. fans: the album was produced by Peter Buck and features other R.E.M.ers on it as well - Mike Mills plays organ, Michael Stipe co-wrote "Whistling Past the Grave," and Buck plays guitar.
BEAUTIFUL LIGHT is a solid record, with a few standouts. Despite its slightly familiar, Kinks-y guitar line and hammering piano, the rousing singalong "Take a Walk With the Fleshtones" makes you want to play air drums. A chugging guitar, Peter Zaremba's voice, and a genuine sense of wonder carry along the title track. "Pickin' Pickin'" features a fast, scale-climbing bass guitar rounded out by a slick horn section and barroom piano. Perhaps not the best introduction to the band's music (they are one of those bands that are helped by starting at the beginning of their catalogue), BEAUTIFUL LIGHT is ample proof that the Fleshtones never lost their edge.The Fleshtones:
Peter Zaremba (vocals), Keith Streng (guitar), Ken Fox (bass), Bill Milhizer (drums), Joe Loposky (trumpet), Markus Arike (bariton sax), Mike Mills (Organ), Tony Orbach (Tenor Sax), Tim White (Piano), Keene Carse (Trombone), John Keane (Guitar), Peter Buck (Guitar, Producer) - Album notes: Recorded at John Keane Studios, Athens, Georgia.

trax:
1. Mushroom Cloud 2. Take a Walk With the Fleshtones 3. Beautiful Light 4. Big Heart 5. Not Everybody's Jesus 6. Whistling Past the Grave 7. Outcast 8. D.T. Shadows 9. Pickin' Pickin' 10. Pocketful of Change 11. Push on Thru' 12. Worried Boy Blues

Thursday, 10 February 2011

"BLUE BONNET SWING" 1947-1950

trax:
1. Peeping Through The Keyhole (Watching Jole Blon) - Sheb Wooley 2. My Troubled Mind - Louisiana Ramblers 3. Outskirts Of Town - Tiny Colbert 4. Daisy Mae - Buster, Stoney & The Buckaroos 5. That's All - Chester Odom 6. Cab Driver's Blues - Eddie Miller 7. Piano Pete's Boogie - Jesse James 8. My Gal Alice - Bill Grubbs 9. Bumble Bee Baby - Tiny Colbert 10. I Love You Honey - Eddie Miller 11. Leap Year Blues - Chuck Harding 12. Fiddle Swing - Jesse James 13. Virginia (From West Virginia) - Lloyd Weaver 14. New Joe Turner Blues - Tiny Colbert
...served by Gyro1966...

Wednesday, 9 February 2011

The Orangu-Tones "Pledge Kappa Epsilon Gamma" 2004

"Great live band, they always tear the place up!"More RnB mayhem from these lords of lager. Your IQ will plummet as you listen to this, but you’ll have more fun than a barrel of monkeys dancin’ the night away! Produced by Deke Dickersontrax:
1. Rockin' Rambler 2. Little Latin Lupe Lu 3. Fly-Boy Monkey 4. Escarot-Go 5. Monkey Boy 6. Good Lovin' 7. Monkey Twist 8. There Is Something on Your Mind 9. Twist at the Tavern 10. Beer Run 11. Little Lil 12. Gotta Get Drunk 13. Yama Yama Pretty Mama 14. Desert Twist 15. Treat Her Right
…originally served by Gyro1966...

Tuesday, 8 February 2011

The Orangu-Tones "Introducing the Simian Sounds of..." 2002

"Check out this fun album by this amazing live band!"Twist and stomp to songs about monkeys, and beer, and beer-drinking monkeys… This Denver, CO based six-piece with guitar, drums, bass and two saxophones twists and grinds with a sound that’ll get you movin’ n’ groovin’ in no time. The song titles tell the whole story: “You Can’t Sit Down”, “Dance, Monkey, Dance”, “Pour Me A Beer” and “Beer Can Pyramid”. Fifteen songs in all, perfect for your next kegger or twist party.The Orangu-Tones:
Garret Brittenham (vocals, guitar); Kurt Ohlen (vocals, bass); Ed DeBord (guitar); Jason Karuzas (tenor saxophone); Kenny Davis (baritone saxophone); Barry Newton (drums). Recorded at Wormtone Recording Service, Denver, Colorado on January 25-27, 2002. Produced by Johnny Bartlett

trax:
1. Dance, Monkey, Dance 2. You Can't Sit Down 3. Ooga Booga 4. Western Movies 5. Last Night 6. Justine 7. Mighty Joe Young 8. Respectable 9. Monkey Woman 10. Beer Can Pyramid 11. Ballad of the Empire State 12. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry 13. Hey Lucy 14. Pour Me a Beer 15. Too Many Girls
…originally served by Gyro1966...

Monday, 7 February 2011

"NIGHT TRAIN TO NASHVILLE" Music City Rhythm & Blues 1945-1970 - Vol 2

NASHVILLE, Tenn., June 16, 2005 - All R& B heaven is about to break loose when the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum and Lost Highway Records release Night Train to Nashville: Music City Rhythm & Blues, 1945-l970, Volume Two on September 20, 2005. The first volume garnered a Grammy Award as the best historical recording of 2004.
Both volumes accompany the Museum’s same-titled multi-media exhibition, which opened in March 2004 and closes in December this year. The exhibition and its accompanying recordings, publications and continuing series of public programs revisit an almost forgotten time when Middle Tennessee was a major center for R&B; musicians and their followers. "The Night Train story resurrects and celebrates an important era in the evolution of Nashville as Music City," said Museum Director Kyle Young. "The avalanche of local and national critical acclaim it has already received has helped not only to validate the work of important artists, but also to create new opportunities for them.
The two-CD second volume further illustrates the sterling quality and diverse sounds of the Nashville rhythm & blues that exploded across national radio and television airwaves (even though it was not considered suitable for family audiences) in this period. Again, there are numerous interesting examples of collaborations between R&B; and country music artists, of country songs that became R&B; hits and R&B; songs that became country hits. The major focus is on Nashville-based artists, but the collection also includes selected recordings by renowned out-of-towners such as Ivory Joe Hunter, Clyde McPhatter, Esther Phillips and John Coltrane (as a member of Gay Crosse’s band). A number of the Nashville artists, including the Spidells, Jimmy Church and Sandra King, appeared in the 1960s on the all-black, Nashville-produced, groundbreaking television program Night Train. First imagined by show host Noble Blackwell, Night Train was followed in later years by the more well-known, Chicago-based Soul Train.
"I think Volume Two strikes a balance between well-known hits and seductive rarities," said Museum Associate Editor Michael Gray, who co-produced both volumes with Dan Cooper. (Amazon)

trax disc 1:
1. Boogie Woogie Jockey - Jimmy Sweeney 2. Gene Nobles' Boogie - Richard Armstrong 3. All States Boogie - Ivory Joe Hunter 4. Wail Daddy - Charlie Dowell & Orchestra 5. 31 E. Blues - Billie McAllister 6. No Better For You - Gay Crosse & the Good Humor Six 7. You Belong To Me - Helen Foster 8. Too Much - Bernard Hardison 9. If Things Don't Change - Gene Allison 10. Love, Love, Love [Single Version] - Ted Jarrett 11. Miss You So - Lillian Offitt 12. Little Darlin' - The Gladiolas 13. No Fool No More - Charles Walker & The Daffodils 14. Pretty Please - The Kinglets 15. She Can Rock - Little Ike 16. I'm Coming Home - The Neptunes 17. You Better Change - Hal & Jean 18. OK, So What? - Freddie North 19. She Wears My Ring - Jimmy Bell
trax disc 2:
1. Doctor Feel-Good - Dr. Feelgood & The Interns 2. I'm A Woman - Christine Kittrell 3. Don't Pity Me - Herbert Hunter 4. Next To Me [Single Version] - Clyde McPhatter 5. Release Me - Esther Phillips 6. Soldier Of Love - Arthur Alexander 7. Don't Take My Kindness For A Weakness - Earl Gaines 8. That's My Man [Single Version] - Marion James 9. Strain On My Heart - Roscoe Shelton 10. Soul Poppin' - Johnny Jones & The King Casuals 11. Swinging Soul Medallion Commercial - John Richbourg 12. Right On Time - Jimmy Church 13. Judy - Frank Howard 14. Leave It Up To The Boys - Sandra King 15. Don't You Forget That You're My Baby [Single Version] - The Spidells 16. I'm Free (The Prisoner's Song) - Johnny Bragg 17. Screamin' And Shoutin' - The Fabulettes 18. (You Keep Me) Hangin' On - Joe Simon 19. She's All I Got [Album Version] - Freddie North 20. Lucky Lou (Live) - The Imperials
...served by Gyro1966...

Sunday, 6 February 2011

"NIGHT TRAIN TO NASHVILLE" Music City Rhythm & Blues 1945-1970 - Vol 1

The most startling revelation contained on this two-CD compilation is how rich, varied, and deep Nashville's R&B; scene was during a 25-year period in which the city solidified its reputation as the undisputed capital of country music. Arranged chronologically, Night Train to Nashville also traces the steady progression of African-American music beginning with the end of WWII--from jump blues, lusty R&B;, and smooth-groove vocal groups to proto rock & roll, Southern soul, and Top 40 pop that drew blacks and whites together even as the Vietnam War nearly ripped the country apart. Although this collection contains well-known hits (Bobby Hebb's "Sunny", Robert Knight's "Everlasting Love") and widely acknowledged stars (Etta James and Ruth Brown, both of whom recorded some of their best work in Nashville), many of its most satisfying pleasures come courtesy of lesser-known artists, such as R&B; belter Christine Kittrell, swamp bluesman Shy Guy Douglas, and balladeer Sam Baker. In the midst of many ear-opening discoveries, add one more: When listening to the countrified soul of Arthur Alexander, Joe Simon, and Johnny Adams, it's apparent that Nashville in its '60s heyday wasn't two separate but equal towns but one glorious Southern-music Mecca. --Keith Moerer, Amazon

trax disc 1:
1. Nashville Jumps - Cecil Gant 2. Buzzard Pie - Rudy Green & His Orchestra 3. Skip's Boogie - Kid King’s Combo 4. L & N Special - Christine Kittrell 5. Sittin' Here Drinking - Christine Kittrell 6. Just Walkin In The Rain - The Prisonaires 7. If You And I Could Be Sweethearts - The Varieteers 8. Baby Let's Play House - Arther Gunter 9. Christene - Little Hank & The Rhythm Kings 10. It's Love Baby (24 Hours A Day) - Louis Brooks & His Hi-Toppers feat Earl Gaines 11. Rollin' Stone - The Marigolds 12. You Can Make It If You Try - Gene Allison 13. Rockin' The Joint - Esquerita 14. Let's Trade A Little - Audrey Bryant 15. Say You Really Care - Roscoe Shelton 16. Somebody, Somewhere - Larry Birdsong 17. Pipe Dreams - Jimmie Beck & His Orchestra 18. WLAC Commercial - Little Richard 19. White Rose - Earl Gaines
trax disc 2:
1. WLAC Air Check/Monkey Doin' Woman - Shy Guy Douglas 2. What'd I Say - Etta James 3. Really Part 1 - Johnny Jones & The Imperial 7 4. Just Like Him - Frank Howard & The Commanders 5. Anna (Go To Him) - Arthur Alexander 6. Snap Your Fingers - Joe Henderson 7. Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean - Ruth Brown 8. Something Tells Me - Sam Baker 9. Sunny - Bobby Hebb 10. I Want To Do Everything For You - Joe Tex 11. Bigger And Better - The Hytones 12. Since I Met You Baby - The Avons 13. The Chokin' Kind - Joe Simon 14. She Shot A Hole In My Soul - Clifford Curry 15. Gotta Get Yourself Together - The Valentines 16. Soul Shake - Peggy Scott & Jo Jo Benson 17. Reconsider Me - Johnny Adams 18. Everlasting Love - Robert Knight
...served by Gyro1966...

Saturday, 5 February 2011

"ROLLING THE DICE" The Best Of Harlem Records of Texas

trax:
1. The Beating Of My Heart - The Lyrics 2. I Want To Know - The Lyrics 3. Why Why Why - Doug Sahm & The Markays 4. If You Ever Need Me - Doug Sahm & The Pharaohs 5. My Angel Of Love - The Royal Jesters 6. Those Dreamy Eyes - The Royal Jesters 7. Kiss Tomorrow Goodbyre - Benny Easley 8. You Say You Love Me - Benny Easley 9. I'm Gonna Try To Live My Life Over - Famous Flames W/ The Original Sunglows 10. So Long My Darling - Famous Flames W/ The Original Sunglows 11. Falling In Love With You - The Playboys 12. Let 'em Talk - The Playboys 13. Mathilda - The Satin Kings 14. Let's Go, Let's Go - The Satin Kings 15. For The Rest Of My Life - Charlie & The Jives 16. Bobby Sox & Tennis Shoes - Charlie & The Jives
...served by Gyro1966...