Stiv Bators "Disconnected" 1980

Originally released in 1980, Stiv Bators' first solo album was re-released in 1993 by Bomp, which added eight extra tracks not available on the original version (all recorded live at the Berkeley Square in May of 1980). Like his other Bomp solo release, the L.A., L.A. compilation, the music is more similar to '60s power pop than the vicious punk rock that Bators was originally known for as a member of the Dead Boys. - Review by Greg PratoBators' garage-inspired power-pop is clearly the music nearest and dearest to his heart. On preceding singles and demos Bators had covered obscure '60s classics such as The Choir's "It's Cold Outside" and The Glories' "I Stand Accused," and that sensibility melds perfectly with the band's originals, combining a dash of the Dead Boys' snotty punk energy with the power-pop sounds of late '70s bands like The Plimsouls. There are hints of New Wave, but the back-to-basics production (thanks to then-rookie Thom Wilson) and arrangements keep this from sounding dated; there's also some foreshadowing of the Lords sound (who themselves would look back with a cover of "Question of Temperature"), but, again, the roots are firmly in the '60s. In addition to songs from Bators and band members Frank Secich, George Cabaniss and David Quinton, the album includes a rousing cover of The Electric Prunes' "Too Much To Dream Last Night" and a leering live take of The Syndicate of Sounds' "Little Girl." The Lords' fame and Dead Boys' infamy may have obscured the brilliance of Bators' middle-period garage pop, but thanks to Bomp! it's here for you to hear. - amazontrax:

01 Evil Boy 02 Bad Luck Charm 03 Million Miles Away 04 Make Up Your Mind 05 Swingin' a Go-Go 06 Too Much to Dream Last Night 07 Ready Any Time Last Year 08 Last Year 09 I Wanna Forget You (Just the Way You Are) 10 Circumstantial Evidence 11 It's Cold Outside (bonus)

"The Northern Soul Of Vee-Jay Records 1962-1966"

2011 collection that spotlights the influential catalog of this legendary label. Vee-Jay Records was founded in Gary, Indiana in 1953 by Vivian Carter and James C. Bracken (later that year, Mr. & Mrs. Bracken), who used their first initials for the label's name. The first song they ever recorded made it to the Top Ten of the national Rhythm & Blues charts. In a short time, Vee-Jay was the most successful black-owned record company in the United States. By 1963, they were charting records faster than some of the major labels. Vee-Jay were the first U.S. Company to have the Beatles and, in one month alone, in early 1964, they sold 2.6 million Beatles singles. Two years later, the company was bankrupt. This is the story of the rise and fall of a black music dynasty and the rare Soul legacy they left behind that changed the sound of Chicago and brought Soul music to the world.

trax:

1. Don't Let Me Down - Fred Hughes 2. I Love You Always - The Rivingtons 3. Too Hot To Hold - Betty Everett 4. I Can't See Your Love (For The Tears In My Eyes) - The Ballads 5. In Your Heart (You Know I'm Right) - The Dontells 6. Gonna Take A Journey - Barrett Strong 7. A Spanish Boy - The Rubies 8. Years Of Tears - The Rivingtons 9. You Can't Take It Away - Fred Hughes 10. I'm The One - Jerry Butler 11. Please Don't Go - Yvonne Carroll 12. I Came Running (Back From The Party) - Wade Flemons 13. A Lucky Guy - The King-Pins 14. Trouble Over The Weekend - Betty Everett 15. Oo Wee Baby, I Love You - Fred Hughes 16. Money In My Pocket - Moss Tolbert 17. Deeper - The Rubies 18. Just A Little Bit - Jerry Butler 19. What - Melinda Marx 20. I Can't Get Away From Your Love - Wade Flemons 21. I Keep Tryin' - Fred Hughes 22. Billy's Bag - Billy Preston 23. Getting Mighty Crowded - Betty Everett 24. Hey Sugar (Don't Get Serious) - The Dells 25. Check Yourself - Gene Chandler 26. A Love Like Mine - Gladys Knight & The Pips 27. That Other Place - Wade Flemons

...served by Gyro1966...

Just found... really funny!

Solomon Burke "The Platinum Collection" 2007

2007 installment of Warner UK's very popular Platinum Collection series. Each disc contains the artist's finest recordings from the WEA vaults including album tracks, singles and more. This 22 track collection from the R&B vocalist includes 'Everybody Needs Somebody To Love', 'If You Need Me' and 'Get To Get You Off My Mind'.While gospel was a key influence for many of the great voices of '60s soul, few artists brought the spiritual and the secular together with as much skill and emotional gravity as Solomon Burke (no great surprise, given that he became a preacher later in life). However, Burke's influences went beyond gospel. He had a real gift for country influenced material, and his "Just out of Reach (Of My Two Empty Arms)" scored significant airplay on Southern C&W radio; there was plenty of raw blues in his recipe; and he had a potent sense of drama (the man's knack for a recitation was unequaled) as well as a subtle but keen wit (who else would record a dance tune called "Stupidity" and make it work?). While Burke made worthwhile records for a number of labels (and continues to do so at this writing), his strongest body of work remains his Atlantic Records sides, and Burke's installment in Warner Platinum's The Platinum Collection series features 22 songs which cover his biggest hits and most memorable album cuts. Rhino's two-disc Home in Your Heart: The Best of Solomon Burke remains the definitive overview of this phase of Burke's career, and their single-disc The Very Best of Solomon Burke includes the remarkable "Soul Meeting" (the A-side of the only single from the Soul Clan, a short-lived R&B supergroup featuring Burke, Ben E. King, Joe Tex, Don Covay and Arthur Conley), and either of those sets is slightly preferable to this one. But any CD that features Solomon Burke singing "Cry to Me," "The Price," "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love," "Got to Get You off My Mind" and "Tonight's the Night" is worth owning, and that only scratches the surface of the great music on The Platinum Collection, and it's a fine value for anyone with a taste for Southern soul. - -Mark Deming, AllMusic (Rating: 4,5/5 stars)

trax:

1. Everybody Needs Somebody To Love 2. Got To Get You Off My Mind 3. If You Need Me 4. I Wish I Knew (How It Would Feel To Be Free) 5. Tonight’S The Night 6. Down In The Valley 7. Just Out Of Reach (Of My Two Open Arms) 8. Stupidity 9. Cry To Me 10. Home In Your Heart 11. Looking For My Baby 12. I’M Hanging Up My Heart For You 13. You’Re Good For Me 14. Baby, Come On Home 15. Price 16. Take Me (Just As I Am) 17. Keep A Light In The Window 18. Someone Is Watching 19. Get Out Of My Life Woman 20. Maggie’S Farm 21. Since I Met You Baby 22. What’D I Say

...served by Toxxy...

THE NOT QUITE "The Not Quite" 1986

By this time The Not Quite were headlining throughout Connecticut and drawing decent crowds. Writing sessions started for the next album, but a snag was hit. Rob MacKenzie songs being heavy, moody, and dramatic were going down a storm with the audience, but guitarist/vocalist Joe Guidone began to feel that his own material, which was more garagey, was being slighted. The situation wasn't improved (from Joe's point of view) when Colleen Crane was added on keyboards. Her dramatic, classically - influenced keyboard style being at odds with the garage material. Joe split and the band heaved a sigh of relief.

In order to exorcise their garage demons, once and for all, they decided to concentrate all their garage-grunge on their next LP entitled 'Having A Grunge-Fest With The Not Ouite'. Resonance Records wasn't amused, however, since garage music wasn't (& still isn't) selling. Consequently the LP still has to see the light of day.

After that, The Not Quite began recording 'Or The Beginning'. Recording took an eternity, but was eventually finished and the final product should be available from Voxx any minute now. In fact, the band have already started on the follow-up, and no doubt would have that ready for release too, if not for guitarist Morrie McCarthy's unfortunate accident & Rob MacKenzie contracting some weird disease just when they'd got the studio booked. The band claim that they've been cursed by witches, but a counter-hex is in development. Whatever, Morrie's finger is being nursed back to health & Rob is back in action... - the Not Quite Freakbeat #7 1990 - LOST IN TYME

trax:

01 let her go 02 get lost girl 03 wars or hands of time 04 I don't know how to tell you 05 get away 06 mushroom people 07 you're gonna need  me 08 just like us 09 heaven sent 10 fickle wind 11 paint me in a corner

"Groovesville USA" Detroit Soul Classics

Some of the hippest Detroit soul of the 60s – a wealth of wonderful recordings done by legendary producer Don Davis! In the 70s, Don would make some huge marks in the mainstream with groups like The Dramatics, Dells, and others – but these sides represent the initial flowering of the Davis' genius in the Motor City – a magnificent melding of that scene's tightness with some rootsier, harder-edged vocals that really send the tunes home! We'd be hard-pressed to think of a better start to dig into the Detroit scene past Motown – and in addition to rare singles, the set also features some unissued tracks too. Titles include "Somebody Needs You" by Darrell Banks, "Love On A Lease Plan" by Johnnie Taylor, "Girl Crazy" by Sharon Soul, "A Love That Never Grows Cold" by Jackey Beavers, "I'm The One Who Loves You" by Melvin Davis, "Headache In My Heart" by Debonaires, "I Need You Like A Baby" by Andrea Henry, "Who's Kissing You Tonite" by Herman Lewis, "Has It Happened To You Yet" by Edwin Starr, "That's Why I Love You" by The Professionals, "Deeper In Love" by Robert Ward, "Friday Night" by Steve Mancha, and "When You Lose The One You Love" by Buddy Smith.  © 1996-2014, Dusty Groove, Inc.

trax:

1. Please Baby Come Back Home - J. J. Barnes 2. Girl Crazy - Sharon Soul 3. Love On A Lease Plan - Johnnie Taylor 4. Somebody (Somwehere) Needs You - Darrell Banks 5. I'm The One Who Loves You - Melvin Davis 6. A Love That Never Grows Cold - Jackey Beavers 7. Never Alone - The Holidays 8. When You Lose The One You Love - Buddy Smith 9. Don't Be Sore At Me - The Parliaments 10. Friday Night - Steve Mancha 11. I'll Never Forget You - The O'Jays 12. I Miss My Baby - Rose Batiste 13. Has It Happened To You Yet - Edwin Starr 14. That's Why I Love You - The Professionals 15. Genie - Tony Hester 16. Did My Baby Call - Pat Lewis 17. Who's Kissing You Tonite - Joey Kingfish 18. Sister Lee - Herman Lewis 19. Good Things - Sam Ward 20. Come To Those Who Wait - Willie Hatcher 21. I Need You Like A Baby - Andrea Henry 22. Baby, Baby (You're My Heart's Desire) - The Tokays 23. Headache In My Heart - The Debonaires 24. Deeper In Love - Robert Ward

...served by Gyro1966...

Solomon Burke "The Chess Collection" 2006

20 track compilation by this '60s Soul legend who made a critically and commercially successful comeback in 2004-05. Features some of his finest original recordings including 'Music To Make Love By', 'All The Way', 'Let Me Wrap My Arms Around You', 'Come Rain Or Come Shine', 'Everlasting Love' and more.Solomon Burke achieved his most notable successes in the sixties, but his recording career spans more than half a century. In that time, he has recorded for a variety of different labels. One of them was Chess, who are also best remembered for their sixties music. However, by the time Solomon joined Chess, the label was less than a year away from the end of its independent existence. The collection here includes the two albums that Solomon recorded for Chess, one of which was first released after Chess was taken over, and a couple of tracks released as singles. Mostly forgotten now, they have their moments.
Producer Gene Page had worked with Barry White and it shows on several of these tracks. Solomon may lack Barry's growl, but you can hear the influence nevertheless on several tracks, by the way in which he sometimes whispers rather than sings. He wrote many of the songs himself, but includes three covers of some oldies from the Great American Songbook, adapting them to suit his style, notably his disco version of Cole Porter's Night and day.
I see that this collection has aroused mixed feelings. Personally, I don't think it's as bad as some other people do, but it would be fair to say that overall, this is not the best that Solomon Burke has ever recorded. If you haven't got any of his music, the best place to start may be a collection of his sixties music that includes Just out of reach, Cry to me and The price. --Amazon customer reviewtrax:

1. Music To Make Love By (Part 1) 2. Let Me Wrap My Arms Around You 3. Come Rain Or Come Shine 4. You And Your Baby Blues 5. All The Way 6. Thanks I Needed That 7. Everlasting Love 8. Midnight And You 9. Music To Make Love By (Part 2) 10. Burning For Your Love 11. Night And Day 12. Everybody's Got To Cry Sometime 13. I'm Going Back To My Roots 14. Precious Flower 15. The Do Right Song 16. Life Has Its Ups And Downs 17. Over And Over (Hugging And Loving) 18. I'll Never Stop Loving You 19. I'm Having On That Late, Late Train 20. Love's Paradise

...served by Toxxy...

"Doctors, Professors, Kings & Queens" The Big Ol' Box Of New Orleans (2004)

Man, does this set go down easy big easy! This gorgeous set features over 80 hits from New Orleans' most famous-and occasionally obscure-musical sons and daughters, 4 CDs of jazz, blues, Cajun, zydeco and funk all mixed together like a good 'n' spicy gumbo. An 84-page book takes you by the hand into the most notorious bars and restaurants as you listen to such Crescent City classics as Iko Iko Dr. John; Potato Head Blues Louis Armstrong; You Can Have My Husband Irma Thomas; I'm Walkin' Fats Domino; Let the Good Times Roll Shirley & Lee; Mother-in-Law Ernie K-Doe; Release Me Johnny Adams; Jambalaya Clifton Chenier; St. James Infirmary Preservation Hall Jazz Band; Hey Pocky A-Way Meters; Tell It Like It Is Aaron Neville; I Hear You Knocking Smiley Lewis; Lipstick Traces (on a Cigarette) Benny Spellman; Tipitina Professor Longhair, and more. (New Orleans Monthly)New Orleans is my home, and I love New Orleans music. New Orleans is, and always has been, a city that lives and breathes music. Doctors, Professors, Kings and Queens ("DPKQ") magnificently succeeds in capturing the wide spectrum of seemingly disparate sounds that comprise the New Orleans music phenomenon. No other compilation comes even close to seamlessly melding the common threads found in jazz, R&B, blues, gospel, Mardi Gras music, Cajun, zydeco, brass band music, Latin dance grooves, funk, and even klezmer music.

DPKQ shoots for an extremely high goal. It tells the grand story of the history of New Orleans music from the jazz of the 1920's through the brass band/hip hop fusion of the present day while paying tribute to every important stylistic genre in between. Although it is impossible to do more than scratch the surface of the endless bounties of the New Orleans sound in any 85 track, 5 1/4 hour box set, DPKQ thrillingly pulls it off and clearly sets the new standard for compilation projects.

In addition, the "liner notes", is actually an 84 page book chock full of detailed descriptions of the music and the history and idiosyncrasies of the city itself. There are over 70 photographs that will transport you to New Orleans if you don't live here, and will remind you of the unique beauty of your own backyard if you do.

As a life long New Orleanian, I am proud to give DPKQ the highest possible rating and to praise everyone involved in sharing the wonderful gift of New Orleans music with the world. (R&B Review)

The producers of The Big Ol' Box of New Orleans claim it to be the first box set to cover the full range of music from the Crescent City--from R&B to jazz, from zydeco to funk. Indeed, this handsome four-disc collection ranges through the decades and the neighborhoods of America's first city of music, which has both pluses and minuses. Yes, it's a joy to bask in the diversity of the New Orleans sound. From Louis Armstrong to the Meters, Little Richard to Pete Fountain, Doctors, Professors, Kings & Queens scrambles to include a little something from a whole lot of native sons and daughters among its 85 selections. Problems, however, do arise. At times the sequencing can be jarring, as when Troy Andrews's raucous take on "Ooh Poo Pah Doo" gives way to the modern blues-rock of Sonny Landreth's "South of I-10." The obscurities here are great fun, but, given the city's rich history, they skew too heavily toward more recent releases. Still, there's much to be enjoyed here, from the photo-packed 82-page booklet to the mix of classics and hidden treasures that populate the discs. Not definitive, perhaps, but definitely delightful. --Steven Stolder, Soul World

trax disc 1:

1. Welcome To New Orleans - Galactic Featuring Theryl deClouet 2. Drop Me Off In New Orleans - Kermit Ruffins 3. I'm Walkin' - Fats Domino 4. Iko Iko - Dr. John 5. Potato Head Blues - Louis Armstrong & His Hot Seven 6. My Darlin' New Orleans - Lil' Queenie & The Percolators 7. Para Donde Vas (Where Are You Going) - The Iguanas 8. Meet The Boyz On The Battlefront - Anders Osborne & "Big Chief" Monk Boudreaux 9. Ain't Got No Home - Clarence "Frogman" Henry 10. Feel Like Funkin' It Up - Rebirth Brass Band 11. Zydeco Gris-Gris - BeauSoleil 12. Mother-In-Law - Ernie K-Doe 13. That's Enough Of That Stuff - Marcia Ball 14. Confidential - The Radiators 15. Hey Pocky A-Way - The Meters 16. I Thought I Heard Buddy Bolden Say - Jelly Roll Morton & His New Orleans Jazzmen 17. Foot Of Canal Street - Paul Sanchez 18. Down In Honky Tonk Town - Vernet Bagneris & The Cast Of One Mo' Time 19. Rocking Pneumonia And The Boogie Woogie Flu - Huey (Piano) Smith & The Clowns 20. More Hipper - Jon Cleary & The Absolute Monster Gentlemen 21. Release Me - Johnny Adams 22. Preachin' Blues - Sidney Bechet & His New Orleans Feet Warmers 23. Jambalaya - Clifton Chenier

trax disc 2:

1. Dog Days - Leigh Harris 2. No City Like New Orleans - Earl King 3. Salée Dames, Bon Jour - Don Vappie & The Creole Jazz Serenaders 4. Marshall's Club - Balfa Toujours 5. You Can Have My Husband - Irma Thomas 6. Go Go - Galactic 7. Not Too Eggy - New Orleans Klezmer All Stars 8. St. James Infirmary - Preservation Hall Jazz Band 9. Going Back To New Orleans - Deacon John Moore 10. Hot Tamale Baby - Buckwheat Zydeco 11. Fear, Hate, Envy, Jealousy - The Neville Brothers 12. Poop Ain't Gotta Scuffle No More - James Andrews 13. Mardi Gras Mambo - The Hawketts 14. Ice Cream - George Lewis' Ragtime Band 15. No Doubt About It - J. Monque'D 16. Don't You Feel My Leg - Dirty Dozen Brass Band With Danny Barker & Eddie Bo 17. Dog Hill - Boozoo Chavis 18. Au Bord De Lac Bijou - Zachary Richard 19. Mardi Gras In New Orleans - Tuba Fats' Chosen Few Brass Band

trax disc 3:

1. Shrimp And Gumbo - Dave Bartholomew 2. St. Phillip Street Breakdown - Dr. Michael White 3. Going Back To Louisiana - Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown 4. Tell It Like It Is - Aaron Neville 5. The Saints - Coolbone 6. Canaille - Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie 7. Carnival Time - Al Johnson 8. La Negra Tomasa - Fredy Omar Con Su Banda 9. Let The Good Times Roll - Shirley & Lee 10. The Broken Windmill - Tom McDermott & Evan Christopher 11. Way Down - Champion Jack Dupree 12. Hallelujah - Raymond Myles 13. I Hear You Knocking - Smiley Lewis 14. La Crève De Faim (Starvation 2-Step) - Steve Riley And The Mamou Playboys 15. Main Street Blues - The Red Stick Ramblers 16. Sea Cruise - Frankie Ford 17. Tee-Nah-Nah - Henry Butler 18. Smoke That Fire - New Birth Brass Band 19. Give Him Cornbread - Beau Jocque & The Zydeco Hi-Rollers 20. I Like It Like That - Chris Kenner 21. Classified (Version Two) - James Booker 22. Southern Nights - Allen Toussaint

trax disc 4:

1. Tipitina - Professor Longhair 2. Party - The Wild Magnolias 3. Dr.Jazz - Ellis Marsalis 4. Ooh Poo Pah Doo - Troy Andrews 5. South Of I-10 - Sonny Landreth 6. Lipstick Traces (On A Cigarette) - Benny Spellman 7. The Right Key But The Wrong Keyhole - Charmaine Neville Band With Reggie Houston & Amasa Miller 8. Rip It Up - Little Richard 9. Royal Garden Blues - Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band 10. Stoned, Drunk & Naked - Anders Osborne 11. Laissez Faire (Let It Be) - Bruce Daigrepont 12. Digga-Digga-Do - New Orleans Jazz Vipers 13. Tailspin - Walter "Wolfman" Washington 14. Lawdy Miss Clawdy - Lloyd Price 15. Havin' Fun In New Orleans - Eddie Bo 16. King Of The Mardi Gras - Tim Laughlin 17. Red Beans - Snooks Eaglin 18. S.U.V. - Mem Shannon & The Membership 19. 'Tits Yeux Noirs (Little Black Eyes) - The Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band 20. Lazy River - Pete Fountain & His Band 21. Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans? - Louis Armstrong & His Dixieland Seven

...served by Gyro1966...

Solomon Burke "Make Do With What You Got" 2005

A classic soul album from the GRAMMY-winning legend! Produced by Don Was and featuring brand-new songs by Van Morrison and Dr. John.
One of the most powerful and original voices in the history of soul music, Solomon Burke continues his career renaissance with Make Do With What You Got. Produced by celebrated studio auteur Don Was (The Rolling Stones, Bonnie Raitt), and featuring veteran soul musicians such as Ray Parker Jr. and Reggie Young, Make Do With What You Got is a return to Burke’s soul roots after the Grammy-winning 2002 album Don’t Give Up On Me. Like its predecessor, the album contains songs by some of rock’s finest songwriters: Bob Dylan, Jagger/Richards, Van Morrison, Robbie Robertson, Dr. John, and others. Also included is a personal introduction by Van Morrison.One of the great pleasures of Solomon Burke's 2002 "comeback" album, Don't Give Up on Me (Burke never really went away, but this time around folks were paying attention), was the fact it was so unexpected -- instead of trying to replicate the sound and feeling of the records Burke made in the 1960s, producer Joe Henry conjured up a warm but skeletal backdrop which allowed the once and future King of Rock 'n' Soul to dig into the heart of the songs (contributed by the likes of Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, and Brian Wilson) in a manner unlike anything he'd done before. Conversely, the greatest disappointment of Burke's next "big-league" album, 2005's Make Do With What You Got, is that it sounds almost exactly the way you'd expect it to. The spare approach of Don't Give Up on Me has been abandoned in favor of a high-gloss production from Don Was, and Was has set up a bombastic soul session replete with horns, massed keyboards, and big vocal choruses, but while the accompaniment is strong, professional, and occasionally even enthusiastic (where has Ray Parker, Jr. been hiding his razor-sharp guitar skills for the past two decades?), Make Do With What You Got sounds like an overly anxious attempt to re-create the sound of vintage R&B sides that gets the surfaces right but never quite captures the heart and soul of the music. Of course, Was' overly slick production and the less impressive set list does nothing to hold back Solomon Burke -- his performances are typically superb, and he gives this album enough soul power to fuel a small city for a month, even bringing chestnuts like "It Makes No Difference" and "I've Got the Blues" to vivid and passionate life that's thrilling to hear. No one can sing a song quite Solomon Burke, and that's what makes Make Do With What You Got worth a listen; unfortunately, lots of people could have produced these sessions as well if not better than Don Was, and that's this album's Achilles' heel. --Mark Deming, AllMusictrax:

01. I Need Your Love In My Life 02. What Good Am I? 03. It Makes No Difference 04. Let Somebody Love Me 05. After All Of These Years 06. Fading Footsteps 07. At The Crossroads 08. I Got The Blues 09. Make Do With What You Got 10. Wealth Won't Save Your Soul

...served by Toxxy...

"Rare Soul Heaven" - SSS International Meets GSF Records 1968-1974

East meets West in this melting pot of post-1965 Northern and Funk tinged Soul. On this release, we pay homage to two great bastions of Soul - Shelby Singleton's colossus SSS International and the motion picture subsidiary GSF Music Corp. Both labels issued a heady mix of deep, sweet Funk and classic Soul. It's not just the 'heavenly' output of the labels that link them together, they both originate from New York although SSS had moved operations to Nashville in 1968, some four years before the GSF imprint emerged. 20 tracks. Outta Sight.

trax:

1. Lonely For You Baby - Sam Dees 2. Don't Talk Like That - Clarence Murray 3. Help Is On The Way - Van McCoy 4. Nothing Worse Than Being Alone - The Ad Libs 5. If It Ain't One Thing, It's Another - Oscar Irving 6. Baby You Got It - Clarence Murray 7. Lonely Man - Johnny Soul 8. Ain't Got No Love - Van McCoy 9. I Got The Place If You've Got The Time - Allison 10. Trust Me - Winfield Parker 11. My Hang Up Is You - Skull Snaps 12. I Can See Him Loving You - Anderson Brothers 13. Don't Spread Your Love Around - Liberation 14. Love Music - Lloyd Price 15. Can't Live Without You - Connie Laverine 16. Hey There Little Girl - The Classic Example 17. I'm Your Pimp - Skull Snaps 18. Take My Best Shot - Liberation 19. Do I (Love You Like You Like It) - Jackie Ross 20. Give Him Up - The Whatnauts

...served by Gyro1966...

Solomon Burke "Live" 2010

This may have been billed as a Jazz festival, but the dish served up by Solomon is one of pure Soul.trax:

01. The Greeting Song 02. Down In The Valley 03. Diamond In Your Mind 04. Medley: If you Need Me - Tonight's The Night - I Almost Lost My Mind - He'll Have To Go - Got To Get You Off My Mind - Having A Party - Amen 05. Soul Searchin' 06. Georgia On My Mind 07. A Change Is Gonna Come 08. Medley: (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay - Spanish Harlem - Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song) - Stand By Me 09. I Wish I Knew (How It Would Feel To Be Free) 10. Proud Mary 11. Don't Give Up On Me 12. Mona Lisa 13. I Will Survive 14. Medley: Long Tall Sally - Lucille - Tutti Frutti 15. May The Good Lord Bless Und Keep You 16. Everybody Needs Somenody To Love

Recorded at North Sea Jazz Festival Rotterdam, 2003.

...served by Toxxy...

BIG WALTER HORTON - King Of The Harmonica Players 1953-1975 (Expanded 2009)

Two obscure LPs by harmonica master Big Walter Horton have found their way onto CD for the very first time. Big Walter Horton / King Of The Harmonica Players is now out on the Deltacat label.
This CD features 24 cuts; 17 of which were recorded in the early to mid 1970s with backing by Floyd Jones and Johnny Young. The other 10 are vintage recordings from the 50′s featuring Horton playing with Tampa Red, Sunnyland Slim, Willie Dixon and Jimmy DeBerry.
Horton’s harmonica was magical with its bell-like tone and perfect phrasing, and his legacy lives on through reissues like this one.Big Walter Horton, sometimes known as Shakey Walter Horton, is one of the most influential blues harmonica players of all time, and a particular pioneer in the field of amplified harmonica. He isn't as widely known as his fellow Chicago blues pioneers Little Walter and Sonny Boy Williamson II, due mostly to the fact that, as a rather shy, quiet individual, he never had much taste for leading his own bands or recording sessions. But his style was utterly distinctive, marked by an enormous, horn-like tone, virtuosic single-note lines, fluid phrasing, and an expansive sense of space. Horton's amplified harp work graced sides by Muddy Waters, Jimmy Rogers, Otis Rush, Johnny Shines, Tampa Red, and many others; he was frequently cited as an inspiration by younger players, and most accounts of his life mention a testimonial from legendary bassist/songwriter Willie Dixon, who once called Horton "the best harmonica player I ever heard." (Allmusic)
INFO: http://crossharpchronicles.wordpress.com/2010/01/18/two-previously-un-released-lps-of-big-walter-horton-tracks-released-on-one-cd-by-deltacat/trax:

1. JUKE 2. LA CUCARACHA / LA PALOMA- (solo 1970) 3. I HATE TO SEE THE SUN GO DOWN- (w/ Floyd Jones 1970) 4. GOIN’ BACK TO ST. LOUIS- (w/ Floyd Jones 1970) 5. CRAWLING KING SNAKE- (w/ Floyd Jones 1970) 6. AIN’T IT A SHAME-(solo 1970) 7. SHE LEFT ME A MULE TO RIDE- (w/ Johnny Young 1966) 8. THAT’S WRONG LITTLE MAMA- (w/ Johnny Young 1966) 9. SHE’S GOT A NICKLE- (w/ Floyd Jones) 10. DON’T GET AROUND MUCH ANYMORE- (w/ Floyd Jones) 11. STOCKYARD BLUES- (w/ Floyd Jones) 12. WHEN THE MOON RISE HIGH- (w/ Floyd Jones) 13. TALK ABOUT YOUR DADDY- (w/ Floyd Jones 1975) 14. MR. FREDDIE’S BLUES- (w/ Floyd Jones 1975) 15. HEY LITTLE GIRL- (w/ Floyd Jones 1975) 16. OVERSEAS BLUES- (w/ Floyd Jones 1975) 17. TAKE A LITTLE WALK- (w/ Floyd Jones 1975)

VINTAGE 50′s RECORDINGS

18. EASY- ( w/ Jimmy DeBerry 1953) 19. EVALENA- (w/ Tampa Red 1953) 20. HAVE A GOOD TIME- (w/ Willie Dixon 1956) 21. NEED MY BABY- (w/ Willie Dixon 1956) 22. IT’S YOU BABY- (w/ Sunnyland Slim 1956) 23. HIGHWAY 61- (w/ Sunnyland Slim 1956) 24. BACK HOME TO MAMA- (w/ Willie Dixon 1954)

...served by Gyro1966...

Solomon Burke "Don't Give Up On Me" 2002

"Don't Give Up On Me" features song contributions from Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson, Van Morrison, Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, Nick Lowe, Dan Penn, Joe Henry, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil. It won the 2003 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album.Solomon Burke produced one of his best full-length album with Don't Give Up on Me. It's easy to give some credit to the album's star songwriters, who include Burke fans Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, Van Morrison, Brian Wilson, and Bob Dylan. But really it's the quality of the songs and Burke himself, one of the most versatile and charismatic singers around, that make this album so special.
The 11 songs range from the lazy, seductive plea of the title track and the gravelly gospel of "Diamond in Your Mind" to the country-soul of "Other Side of the Coin" and the civil-rights-era urgency of "None of Us Are Free." Joe Henry's production is suitably subdued, and the instrumentation--generally guitar, bass, drums, organ, and piano--is sympathetic throughout. And if you doubt that Burke is the real star in a room crowded with those folks, consider this: the two slightest tracks here were written by Wilson and Costello, while one of the best, the album-closing "Sit This One Out," was written by someone named Pick Purnell. A great album not fixed in the past or fully of this decade, Don't Give Up is a crowning achievement of an R&B pioneer who has returned to reclaim his self-bestowed title from the '60s: "The King of Rock and Soul." --Keith Moerer, Editorial review, Amazon.comtrax:

01. Don't Give Up On Me 02. Fast Train 03. Diamond In Your Mind 04. Flesh And Blood 05. Soul Searchin' 06. Only A Dream 07. The Judgement 08. Stepchild 09. The Other Side Of The Coin 10. None Of Us Are Free 11. Sit This One Out

...served by Toxxy...

"Your Wish is Our Command" Northern Soul Of Chicago

The heaviest side of the Chicago soul scene of the 60s – served up in a massive batch of rare tracks from the indie label underground! The collection is a great tribute to the depth of the Windy City scene back in the day – the huge range of local artists who were working hard to keep Chicago grooving – often with a style that was nice and gritty, with a bit less polish than work from Detroit – but with an equal sort of punch on the dancefloor! All tunes here are upbeat and grooving – and the range of artists is wonderfully representative, and includes a few rare tracks from singers who'd crack later fame on bigger labels. Titles include "I Can't Forget" by Bull & The Matadors, "I'm A Big Man" by Big Daddy Rogers, "Swing Your Love My Way" by No No Starr, "Disillusioned" by Marvin L Sims, "Check Her Out" by The Idols, "Spring Song" by The Accents, "All The Way" by The Danderliers, "Lovely Ladies" by Jimmy Hughes, "All Of My Life" by The Ringleaders, "I'm A Good Guy" by The CODs, "A Lonely Boy" by Lee Wilson, and "Speed Up" by Betty Moorer.  © 1996-2014, Dusty Groove, Inc.

trax:

1. Your Wish is My Command - The Inspirations 2. I'm a Big Man - Big Daddy Rogers 3. Swing Your Love My Way - No No Starr 4. Walk On Back To You - Fred Hughes 5. She Needs Somebody - The Intentions 6. Check Her Out - The Idols 7. Disillusioned - Marvin L.Sims 8. Psychodelic Soul Pt. 1 - Saxie Russell 9. I Still Can't Get You - Joseph Moore 10. Just Being Careful - Baby Huey & The Baby Sitters 11. Mr Fix-It! - Geraldine Latham 12. You're Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone - Jimmy Burns & The Fantastic Epics 13. Show Place - Otis Clay 14. Spring Song (New Girl) - The Accents 15. All The Way - The Danderliers 16. Stop And Get A Hold Of Myself - Carole Waller 17. Lovely Ladies - Jimmy Hughes 18. Don't Waste Your Time - The Five Stairsteps 19. Speed Up - Betty Moorer 20. I'm A Good Guy - The C.O.D.'s 21. Baby, I Know I'm Losing You - The Apocryphals 22. Don't Leave Me - The Admirations 23. A Lonely Boy - Lee Wilson 24. All Of My Life - The Ringleaders 25. I Can't Forget - Bull & The Matadors 26. Just Loving You - Ruby Andrews

...served by Gyro1966...

Solomon Burke "Home In Your Heart" The Best Of 1992

Without question, Solomon Burke is the most unfairly overlooked singer of soul's golden age. This definitive double CD proves it, including all of his best recorded for the Atlantic label between 1962 and 1968: the insanely accusatory "The Price," the Nashville Sounding "Just Out Of Reach," the romantically devout "Hanging Up My Heart," and more than three dozen others, all of them as Wilson Pickett-hard or, when it's called for, Sam Cooke-sweet as needed, and always drawing on the intense emotional testifying Burke had refined as a boy preacher. --David Cantwell, Amazon.comOf the great stars of the 1960s soul movement, Solomon Burke isn't as well-remembered as many of his peers, most likely because he had relatively minor success in the crossover marketplace (never scoring a Top 20 pop hit), and he faded from view on the R&B charts by the early '70s. But if Burke's impact was somewhat narrow, it was also quite deep; he was hugely popular in the deep south, a potent live attraction across the country, and (after Ray Charles) one of the first major attractions at Atlantic Records, who helped define the label's signature polished-but-deeply soulful sound. Burke also had, quite simply, one of the finest voices in popular music, a rich and resonant instrument that possessed a churchy authority that was the ideal match for his material, which balanced the pleasures of the flesh with the price of transgression. While Burke made solid albums after leaving Atlantic, his tenure at that label remains his strongest and most rewarding period, and Home in Your Heart: The Best of Solomon Burke is a superbly compiled and annotated two-disc set that cherrypicks 40 superb selections from Burke's Atlantic archive, including the epochal "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love," "Just out of Reach (Of My Two Empty Arms)," "Cry to Me," "The Price," "If You Need Me," and many more. Someday, some archivist should go through Burke's long out-of-print sides for MGM, Bell, Chess, Dunhill, and other labels and create a compilation that will fill in the gaps of Burke's "lost years" before his re-emergence in the mid-'80s, but for the meantime Home in Your Heart: The Best of Solomon Burke remains the best place to start exploring his body of work, and it's a remarkable collection of Southern soul at its finest. --Mark Deming, AllMusic (Rating: 4,5/5 stars)trax disc: 1

1. Home In Your Heart 2. Down In The Valley 3. Looking For My Baby 4. I'm Hanging Up My Heart For You 5. Cry To Me 6. Just Out Of Reach (Of My Two Open Arms) 7. Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye) 8. Words 9. Stupidity 10. Send Me Some Loving 11. Go On Back To Him 12. Baby (I Wanna Be Loved) 13. Can't Nobody Love You 14. Got To Get You Off My Mind 15. Someone To Love Me 16. You're Good For Me 17. Dance Dance Dance 18. Everybody Needs Somebody To Love 19. Tonight's The Night 20. Baby, Come On Home 21. If You Need Me 22. The Price

trax disc: 2

1. Get Out Of My Life Woman 2. Save It 3. Take Me (Just As I Am) 4. When She Touches Me 5. I Wish I Knew (How It Would Feel To Be Free) 6. Party People 7. Keep A Light In The Window 8. I Feel A Sin Comming On 9. Meet Me In Church 10. Someone Is Watching 11. Detroit City 12. Shame On Me 13. I Stayed Away Too Long 14. It's Just A Matter Of Time 15. Since I Met You Baby 16. Time Is A Thief 17. Woman, How Do You Make Me Love You Like I Do 18. It's Been A Change 19. What'd I Say

...served by Toxxy...

"The Northern Soul Of Jewel-Paula-Ronn"

Uptempo soul from Jewel, Paula and Ronin labels – the Shreveport, LA base of Stan Lewis – record store and label opener, distributor, and all around behind-the-scenes wizard of the 60s & 70s independent soul scene! The singles are wonderful throughout, bridging the mid 60s to the 70s very nicely – with tracks by Billy Joe Young, The Objectives, Cliff Wagner, Peppermint Harris, Montclairs, Barbara West, Jay Jay Taylor and many more. The liner notes have a reprint of a cool vintage feature on Stan's empire from Billboard in 1973 – and the titles include "Got You On My Mind" by Billy Joe Young, "I'm Waiting" by Bill Bush, "Love Went Away" by The Objectives, "Wait Until It Happens To You" by Peppermint Harris, "Not Too Long Ago" by The Uniques feat Joe Stampley, "I'm A Fool For You Baby" by Barbara West, "Fight Fire With Fire" by Shay Holiday, "Hung Up On Your Love" by Montclairs, "Sugar Coated Words" by Miki Honeycutt, "I'm Not Tired Yet" by Jay Jay Taylor and more.  © 1996-2014, Dusty Groove, Inc.

trax:

1. Got You On My Mind Again - Billy Joe Young 2. I'm Waiting - Bill Bush 3. I Wanna Weep - Ola V. Harper 4. Love Went Away - The Objectives 5. It Ain't What You Do - Peggy Paxton 6. Wishing And Hoping - Billy Keene 7. Exception To The Rule - Cliff Wagner 8. I'm Undecided - Toussaint McCall 9. (She's So Fine) So Glad She's Mine - The Carter Brothers 10. Wait Until It Happens To You - Peppermint Harris 11. Not Too Long Ago (Featuring Joe Stampley) - The Uniques 12. I'm A Fool For You Baby - Barbara West (Primary) 13. Guess I'll Have To Take What's Left - Little Charles 14. Fight Fire With Fire - Shay Holiday 15. Since You Came Into My Life - The El Dorados 16. Hung Up On Your Love - The Montclairs 17. Everything Good To You (Doesn't Have To Be Good For You) - Bobby Patterson 18. Congratulations Baby - Barbara West 19. Hit And Run Lover - Tommie Young 20. I'm Tired Of These Changes - Isaac Taylor 21. Sugar Coated Words - Miki Honeycutt 22. I'm Not Tired Yet - Jay Jay Taylor

...served by Gyro1966...

Dr. Feelgood "The Complete Stiff Recordings" 2005

A legendary road band, Dr. Feelgood toured constantly from 1971 until lead singer Lee Brilleaux's death in 1994. Playing untold hundreds of packed pub shows, the band's bluesy Stones-style rock and sweaty rowdy live act won them thousands of fans over the decades.Dr. Feelgood and Stiff Records seem like the perfect match. Under the direction of Lee Brilleaux, Dr. Feelgood was perhaps the key band to push pub rock toward punk, thanks to their hard-driving, relentless rock & roll, coupled with their love of reckless rock & roll and drunken pranks, Stiff was the label that bridged pub and punk. Of course, this describes Dr. Feelgood and Stiff Records in the mid-'70s, when they were both at the beginning of their stories, but they didn't team up then: they teamed up a decade later, when Stiff was on the decline and Dr. Feelgood had metamorphosed from a tough group of rock & roll revivalists to genuine working band, soldiering on through shifts in the lineup and shifts in mainstream tastes, so they were kind of forgotten by the public at large. In other words, neither party was at their peak, so the music captured on Grand's 2005 double-disc set The Complete Stiff Recordings is not exactly what fans of either pub or punk would have in mind from merely reading the title. This is not raw, raucous, rock & roll; this is an old-fashioned band that is valiantly trying to swim with the tides of the '80s, so that means they've brought in drum machines, ratcheted up the synths and tried to sound modern even if they'd much rather be covering Johnny Cash's "Get Rhythm" and Bobby Charles' "See You Later Alligator," which they do here. Dr. Feelgood did have sympathetic producers for their two albums for Stiff -- Will Birch produced the 1986 Brilleaux LP, Dave Edmunds helmed the 1986 single of "See You Later Alligator," Pip Williams produced 1987's Classic -- but everybody involved is trying to sound like the times, sometimes for better (Birch pulls off an effective slice of synth-soul on "Don't Wait Up"), sometime for worse (complete with canned synth-horns, "Alligator" is truly ghastly).

Of the two albums, Brilleaux's is the stronger effort, largely because Birch does keep the focus on the band, never succumbing to the robotic pulse that plagued Jeff Lynne's '80s productions of Dave Edmunds, or the work that Edmunds does with Feelgood here. If that's the nadir of new wave oldies rock, Williams' work on Classic falls somewhere between the two extremes, never sounding as misdirected as the Lynne/Edmunds axis but sounding far bigger and slicker than Birch's work, as if this was intended to sit next to Brothers in Arms on the charts when Feelgood would have been better served with something simpler. And Classic is really overblown: at its worst, the cavernous drums are pushed to the front and are dressed with clunky synths, and this makes such an impression, it's easy to forget that there are some cuts here that either play up the band's interaction well or actually use the sound to its advantage, as on the lively, Nick Lowe-esque shake-n-pop of "Spy vs Spy." These are the reasons why The Complete Stiff Recordings are worth investigating by fans of Feelgood, Stiff and pub rock: decades after these albums were originally released, it's easier to appreciate not just the good stuff here, but to marvel at how even bands singularly unsuited for the big sound of the '80s nevertheless succumbed to it. So, it's not essential listening per se, but for those dedicated fans of Dr. Feelgood and Brilleaux, as well as the handful of listeners fascinated by oldies rock given a new wave polish, this is worth investigating. --Stephen Thomas Erlewine, AllMusic

trax disc 1:

01. I Love You, So You're Mine 02. You Got My Number 03. Big Enough 04. Don't Wait Up 05. Get Rhythm 06. Where Is The Next One? 07. Play Dirty 08. Grow Too Old 09. Rough Ride 10. I'm A Real Man 11. Come Over Here 12. Take What You Can Get 13. Don't Wait Up [Extended Version] 14. Something Good 15. Rockin' With Somebody New 16. What Do You Think Of That? 17. See You Later Alligator

trax disc 2

01. Hunting Shooting Fishing 02. Break These Chains 03. Heartbeat 04. (I Wanna) Make Love To You 05. Highway 61 06. Hurricane 07. Quit While You're Behind 08. Nothing Like It 09. Spy Vs Spy 10. Crack Me Up 11. Lights Of Downtown 12. A Touch Of Class 13. Don't Underestimate Your Enemy 14. Crash Your Car Megamix

...served by Toxxy...

"Walkin' the Duck" 23 Northern Soul Instrumental Tracks

Just as classic instrumentals like Booker T. & the MG's' "Green Onions" and Cliff Nobles' "The Horse" defied the odds to crack the charts in a soul genre dominated by vocalists, so too have obscure instrumentals like the Just Brothers' "Sliced Tomatoes" earned a place of honor in the pantheon of Northern soul greats, where every record falls into the ranks of the esoteric. Another sterling release from the Goldmine Soul Supply reissue label, Walkin' the Duck assembles close to two dozen instrumentals from Northern soul's late-'60s heyday, bringing new clarity to the percolating basslines, funky rhythms, and chicken-scratch guitar licks that comprise the bedrock of the classic soul sound. Stripped of vocals that would otherwise dominate the proceedings, cuts like André Brasseur's "The Kid" and Van McCoy's "Sweet and Easy" reveal a complexity and craft closely approximating jazz -- the interplay between the musicians is stunning, a potent reminder of the virtuosity these long-forgotten studio hotshots brought to each and every session. (Jason Ankeny, Allmusic)

trax:

1. Harlem Train - Dick Leslie 2. The Kid - Andre Brasseur 3. Sliced To - The Just Brothers 4. It's The Go-Go - The Buena Vistas 5. Don't Start None - The Mayfield Players 6. These Boots Are Made For Walkin' - The Happy Cats 7. The Joker - The Milestones 8. Condition Red - Baltimore, The & Ohio Marching Band 9. Snatch N' Grab It - The Jades 10. I Need Help - The Detroit Land Apples 11. Sawmill - The Admirals 12. Sweet And Easy - The Van McCoy Strings 13. Walkin' The Duck - Tony & The Mockin' Birds 14. Jerkin' Around - The Scepter Wand Orchestra 15. The Shing-A-Ling Thing - The Naked Truth 16. Times Gone By - The Music Track 17. Do The Pearl Girl (Part 2) - The Matta Baby 18. Zola - King Errison 19. Ready On Ready - Donnie Vann & Co. 20. Headin' West - The Pure Soul Band 21. Breakaway - The Ernie Bush Band 22. Girl You Better Wake Up - The Liberty Orchestra 23. The Penguin Breakdown - Bobby Martin's Men

...served by Gyro1966...

Dr. Feelgood "Singled Out" The U.A.-Liberty A's B's & Rarities 2001

Dad? - Yes son? - Why did Leo Fender invent the electric guitar? - Because one day he knew that a man called Wilko Johnson would come along and play the living shit out of it!There have been so many Dr. Feelgood reissues from Grand Records that it's easy to forget they were a UA/Liberty/EMI act. This three-disc British import is a reminder, EMI's way of covering the group's historical high-points, and it's a little strange in that it does so from the standpoint of their 45 rpm releases. That is, albums were a bug chunk of what Dr. Feelgood did, and Grand's Twenty-Five Years of Dr. Feelgood is a better history, if only for incorporating lots of LP tracks. On the other hand, this 49-song compilation is a lot of fun, putting the A-sides on one CD, the B-sides on another, and the rarities on the third, like three See for Miles CDs assembled together. The first disc's content will be the most familiar, with the material on the second not too far behind, but disc three is unique, opening with a pair of cuts credited to the Oil City Sheiks, one of which, "Blues Jam," is a rare slow blues instrumental from this crew. The rest of that disc is comprised mostly of live sides off various odd bonus and promotional 45s, and closes with a quartet of acoustic, live-in-the-studio tracks by the 2000 vintage version of the band. Their concert versions of "The Blues Had a Baby and They Named It Rock 'n' Roll" and "Lights Out," released in June of 1979, were the kind of records that weren't getting made (or released) by too many people this side of the Flamin' Groovies. Tracks like that, coupled with the A- and B-sides, constitute a kind of hidden, highly potent underside to '70s music, separate from punk, new age, power pop, or any of the other fads that boomed, bloomed, and wilted in that decade. Astonishingly, these guys actually topped the charts in England, which made them even more significant culturally than the Groovies. The sound is excellent and the notes are well-written and entertaining, but, as with the annotation on most of the Dr. Feelgood material out there, they're more stylish than deep or informative. --Bruce Eder, AllMusic.  Rating: 4/5 stars

trax CD 1, the A-sides:

01. Roxette 02. She Does It Right 03. Back In The Night 04. Roxette [Live] 05. Sneakin' Suspicion 06. She's A Wind Up 07. Baby Jane 08. Down At The Doctors 09. Milk And Alcohol 10. As Long As The Price Is Right 11. Put Him Out Of Your Mind 12. Hong Kong Money 13. No Mo Do Yakamo 14. Jumping From Love To Love 15. Violent Love 16. Waiting For Saturday Night 17. Milk And Alcohol [New Recipe]

trax CD 2, the B-sides:

01. (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66 02. I Don't  Mind 03. I'm A Man (Live) 04. Keep It Out Of Sight (Live) 05. Lights Out 06. Hi Rise 07. Looking Back 08. Take A Tip 09. Every Kind Of Vice 10. Down At The (Other) Doctors 11. Bend Your Ear 12. Keeka Smeeka 13. Best In The World 14. Love Hound 15. A Case Of The Shakes 16. Eileen 17. She's Got Her Eyes On You

trax CD 3, Rarities & Extras:

01. It Don't Take But A Few Minutes (Performed By The Oil City Sheiks) 02. Blues Jam (Performed by The Oil City Sheiks) 03. Riot In Cellblock No. 9 [Live] 04. Johnny Be Goode [Live] 05. Homework [Live] 06. You Upset Me Baby [Live] 07. Riot In Cellblock No. 9 [Live] 08. The Blues Had A Baby And They Named It Rock 'n' Roll [Live] 09. Lights Out [Live] 10. Great Balls Of Fire [Live] 11. Hong Kong Money [DJ Version] 12. Mad Man Blues 13. Don't Start Me Talking [BBC Radio Suffolk, 11. May 2000] 14. Suzie Q [BBC Radio Suffolk, 11. May 2000] 15. Gimme One More Shot [BBC Radio Suffolk, 11. May 2000]

...served by Toxxy...

THE CACTUS BLOSSOMS "The Cactus Blossom" 2011

Great new take on the classic country sound. Makes me think I'm in an old country tavern drinking Premium. The brothers that leader this band have great voices, reminiscent of Hank Williams Sr. They also have seasoned players in their band. The pedal-steel player is Randy Broughten, of Trailer Trash and the Gear Daddies. Their fiddler is Mark "Razz" Russell has played with Joe Henry and Mark Olson of the Jayhawks. The bassist is Liz Draper, who has played in Black Blondie and currently Lucy Michelle's Velvet Lapelles. Give them a try, you will not be disappointed. (J. P. LARSON , The Louvin Brothers Monthly)"An absolute gem - a completely stunning debut album" - Bob Harris, BBC Radio 2
"... the album I've listened to the most this fall is by The Cactus Blossoms ... It's true and traditional country, folks” - Craig Shelburne, Country Music Television
“It's easy enough to phone in a cornball imitation of old country ... It's another thing entirely to live and breathe the craft of writing and singing a good country and western song as The Cactus Blossoms have done" - Nikki Miller, City Pages (Minneapolis)
"The Cactus Blossoms have quickly turned into the Twin Cities' most beloved new traditional-country act” - Chris Riemenschneider, Minneapolis Star Tribune
"Stunning debut [5 stars]” - Duncan Warwick, Country Music People (UK)
"... harkens back to the roots of country with their earnest songs and pristine harmonizing” - Chris Roberts, Minnesota Public Radio
"They sound like a jam session in Hank Williams’s basement, but they didn’t become a sensation by pure imitation. Their edge is real, their harmonies hard-earned." - Minnesota Monthly Magazinetrax:

01 A Sad Day To Be You 02 Lost John Dean 03 Cold Foot Boogie 04 Song Of The Bird 05 Lonesome And Blue 06 Adios Maria 07 Stoplight Kisses 08 Blue Railroad Train 09 Don't Do It 10 Traveler's Paradise

...served by Gyro1966...

Dr. Feelgood "Down At The Doctors" 1994

Down at the Doctors captures Lee Brilleaux's last concert before his death in the spring of 1994. Culled from concerts performed on January 24 and 25, 1994, the set features many of Feelgood's classic songs, including "Milk and Alcohol" and "Down at the Doctors", plus unexpected, delightful covers of Nick Lowe's "Heart of the City" and "Road Runner." It's a surprisingly energetic and thoroughly enjoyable record that serves as an excellent epitaph for Brilleaux, who remained one of the hardest-working performers in rock & roll until the very end. --Stephen Thomas Erlewine, AllMusicAwesome! For a live album, this is just amazing, especially when you consider that Lee was dying of cancer when he made it. I would go so far as to say that even if you weren't a Dr Feelgood fan, you would like this one as it's just raw R+B excellently produced. There are a couple of D/F tracks near the end but this is all good listening. It's strange what emotions surfaced, listening to this; one of these was great sadness. Why did Lee have to die so young? It doesn't seem fair when you see some of the dross crawling over this planet! Ho hum.... Anyway, listen to this, it will make you Feelgood! If it doesn't, you really need to see a doctor!

trax:

01. If My Baby Quits Me 02. Styrofoam 03. Tanqueray 04. Wolfman Callin' 05. Roadrunner 06. One Step Forward 07. Mojo Workin' 08. Milk & Alcohol 09. Down At The Doctors 10. Freddie's Footsteps 11. Heart Of The City

...served by Toxxy...

Big Mama Thornton "The Complete 1950-1961" Precious & Rare Collection

Blues singer Big Mama Thornton's early recordings in their entirety include 35 tracks of which four were not released as singles or 78's at the time. Both CDs have been remastered with the greatest care. The 36 page booklet includes rare contemporary documents, a text in French and English and a detailed discography. (Crawdaddy)Wow. A true musical slap in the face . Does not get the recognition she deserves. Big Mama Thornton is probably the first "star" of the female blues. And yet, despite some success ( Hound Dog, Ball and Chain , They call me Big Mama ), she will always remain fairly unknown to the general public. What injustice ! Just listen to the songs of this collection to realize the extent of her vocal qualities . Big Mama 's voice is alternately moving, full of rage, full of love and the music compositions that accompany her are excellent . Despite a modest amount of recordings, she is an essential artist for those interested in blues and great singers . A great discovery for me. You will not regret the purchase . (Serge Pepe, French Blues Monthly)

trax disc 1:

01 Partnership Blues 02 Mischievous Boogie 03 I'm All Fed Up 04 Cotton Picking Blues 05 Everytime I Think Of You 06 No Jody For Me 07 Let Yours Tears Fall Baby 08 They Call Me Big Mama 09 Walking Blues 10 Hound Dog 11 Just Can't Help Myself 12 Nightmare 13 Rockabye Baby 14 Hard Times 15 I've Searched The World Over 16 All Right Baby 17 Bad Luck Got My Man

trax disc 2:

01 I Ain't No Fool Either 02 The Big Change 03 I Smell A Rat 04 Yes, Baby 05 Willie Mae's Blues 06 Tarzan And The Dignified Monkey 07 Stop A Hoppin' On Me 08 Story Of My Blues 09 The Fish 10 You Don't Move Me No More 11 Laugh, Laugh, Laugh 12 How Come 13 Just Like A Dog (Barking The Wrong Tree) 14 My Man Called Me 15 You Did Me Wrong 16 Big Mama's Blues 17 Don't Talk Back 18 Big Mama's Coming Home

...served by Gyro1966...

Dr. Feelgood "Live In London" 1990

Recorded live at the Town & Country Club, London on June 21,1989, this is a great album of straight up, no messin' Rock'N'Roll/Blues/R&B from a band who played for the pure love of music. The music is in the same style of most Dr. Feelgood albums, using the band's winning formula in their approach to good old fashioned Rock'N'Roll. "Live In London" doesn't deviate from the norm. The late Lee Brilleaux sings and plays harmonica on the album. Great stuff from one of the world's greatest ever "pub rock" bands.Live in London was the first Dr. Feelgood album to be recorded following the departure of guitarist Gordon Russell -- although nobody knew that at the time. New member Steve Walwyn had played just a handful of shows with the band when they headlined London's Town and Country Club, a sold-out show that was being filmed for a television special; it was only when the group listened to the tapes after the show that they decided there could be no better way of introducing the new recruit to the record-buying public. The set was classic late-'80s Feelgoods, ranging across the band's entire career and drawing the wildest crowd-pleasers from every era. Even among the old-old-timers, who in the audience could resist powerhouse renditions of "Milk and Alcohol," "Down at the Doctors," and "Route 66," pumped out with the Maxim gun intensity that had always been the Doctor's calling card? "Baby Jane" is a savage surprise, taking a song that had grown somewhat tired and disheveled and giving it an absolute facelift; "She Does It Right" sounds dirtier than it has since Wilco's day. And one track from the misguided Classic album, the apt "Quit While You're Behind," proves that, whatever else was wrong with the record, it wasn't the material. Live in London is not a new Stupidity -- time, place, and flavor have all changed irrevocably since the days when this material wasn't simply exciting, it was fresh as well. But anybody ever sitting down to chart the Feelgoods' musical course by live recordings alone would be hard-pressed to find even the hint of a decline. The Doctor is always on duty. --Dave Thompson, AllMusic (4/5 stars)

trax:

01. King For A Day 02. You Upset Me 03. As Long As The Price Is Right 04. Mad Man Blues 05. She Does It Right 06. Baby Jane 07. Quit While You're Behind 08. Back In The Night 09. Milk & Alcohol 10. See You Later Alligator 11. Down At The Doctors 12. Route 66 13. Going Back Home 14. Bony Maronie - Tequila

...served by Toxxy...

"The Sound Of Sidra" The Complete Northern Soul Recordings: 27 Rare Soul Gems From The Detroit City Limits

A motherlode of rare Detroit soul – all pulled from the small Sidra label imprints, and put together here in a package that features nearly every Northern Soul groover from the company! This set goes way deeper than most Northern collections – and many of the cuts here are ones we haven't seen on other compilations, at least not in recent years – which makes the whole thing a massive discovery in music – maybe even more when you consider the nice notes and colorful package, which also features a load of rare label scans too! Titles include "We've Got Each Other" by Ronnie & Robyn, "I'm Sure" by Two Plus Two, "I Lost A Good Thing" by Gwen Owens, "So Real" by Barbara Mercer, "Please Stay" by Pearl Jones, "Let My Baby Go" by The Embraceables, "Baby You're Mine" by Lou Ragland, "How To Make A Sad Man Glad" by The Capreez, " Love's What You Want" by Marisa Gatti, "Keep On Going" by Gary Haines, "The Other Side" by 5 Of A Kind, "Open Up Your Heart" by Profonix, and "God Must Have Created Love" by Flery Bursey.  © 1996-2014, Dusty Groove, Inc.

trax:

1. Look Around - Two Plus Two 2. How To Make A Sad Man Glad - The Capreez 3. Just Say You're Wanted (And Needed) - Gwen Owens 4. Keep On Going - Gary Haines 5. Love's What You Want - Marisa Gatti 6. Such Misery - The Precisions 7. Sidra's Theme - Ronnie & Robyn 8. Call On Me - Barbara Mercer 9. Here I Go - The Embraceables 10. Lost In a World of a Dream - The Sharpets 11. God Must Have Created Love - Fiery Bursey 12. Open Up Your Heart - The Profonix 13. The Other Side - 5 Of A Kind 14. Mr Soul Satisfaction - Timmy Willis 15. I Lost a Good Thing - Gwen Owens 16. I'm Sure - Two Plus Two 17. Baby You're Mine - Lou Ragland 18. Step Into My Heart - Ronnie & Robyn 19. Let My Baby Go - The Embraceables 20. If This Is Love (I'd Rather Be Lonely) - The Precisions 21. Please Stay - Pearl Jones 22. As Long As You Love Me - Ronnie & Robyn 23. Look At Me - Dave Hall 24. So Real - Barbara Mercer 25. I Just Want You (For My Own) - Byron 26. Ain't No Sun - The Profonix 27. We've Got Each Other - Ronnie & Robyn

...served by Gyro1966...

Dr. Ring Ding "Back And Forth" 2007

This is: Ska, Reggae, Dub, Rocksteady.An amazing career spanning compilation featuring loads of hard to find vinyl-only singles, rarities, and previously unreleased goodies. Be it 60's ska, rootsy dancehall, reggae, calypso - DR RING DING does it all. Incudes trx with Vic Ruggiero of THE SLACKERS, KING DJANGO, and songs backed by KINGSTON COCTAIL and the SENIOR ALL STARS. Even if you have loads of DR RING DING CDs, you still are missing 75% of these tracks! And they have all been personally chosen - like an old skool "mix tape" - by the DR himself!!!trax:

01. Doctor's Darling 02. Badness 03. Ram Di Dance [Ska Version] 04. You Make Me Sing 05. My Sound (Remix) [feat. G-Clef] 06. Millionaire 07. Fever 08. Seven Days (One Week) 09. What It Takes [feat. Vic Ruggiero] 10. The Needle 11. The Sticks 12. The Best 13. Dash Weh Yuh Frock 14. Feast [feat. King Django] 15. Big Man 16. Bad Company 17. Obeah Wedding 18. Old School Baby 19. Big Up 20. Love In Your Heart 21. In The Mood For Love

...served by Toxxy...

"The Blues… A Real Summit Meeting" 1973

Recorded live at Newport, New York, in 1973, "The Blues…A Real Summit Meeting," is exactly what it professes to be. This two LP set is bursting at the seams with legendary performers. Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Big Mama Thorton, and Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson are some of the luminaries… just to drop a few names.

A lot of these folks are no longer with us, but they remain alive and well through the legacy of their music. As it's stated in the liner notes, the people that were part of the blues community had a spirit and friendly competition going on amongst each other. And it wasn't in an egotistical or tit for tat atmosphere at all. That's not what these people were about. They were the real deal, playing the real folk blues.

The vinyl does all of the music justice, and its just as good as any CD that I have ever heard in a live setting. It's a wonderful thing seeing all of this great music given another chance to engage a new audience, and please the loyal faithful all at the same time. Every one of the performers included on this recording had an equally compelling performance to offer. It was a pleasure indeed to have the opportunity to revisit that special night and feel like I was welcomed home by the blues. Given that feeling, and the appreciation I gained for each artist, I cannot say anymore. Get this now, and make sure it's the vinyl version. MuzikMan (Vinyl Reviews)

trax disc 1:

1. Little Red Rooster - 'Big Mama' Thornton 2. Ball and Chain - 'Big Mama' Thornton 3. Smooth Sailing - Jay McShann 4. Confessin' the Blues - Jay McShann 5. They Call Me Mr. Cleanhead - Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson 6. Hold it Right There - Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson 7. Back Door Blues - Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson 8. Kidney Stew Blues - Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson 9. That's Alright Now Mama - Arthur 'Big Boy' Crudup

trax disc 2:

1. Honky Tonk Train Blues - Lloyd Glenn 2. After Hours - Lloyd Glenn 3. Pine Tops Boogie Woogie - Lloyd Glenn 4. Long Distance Call - Muddy Waters 5. Where's My Woman Been - Muddy Waters 6. Got My Mojo Workin' - Muddy Waters 7. The Drifter - Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown 8. Please Mr. Nixon - Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown 9. Outside Help - B.B. King
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Dr. Ring Ding and the Senior Allstars "Dandimite!" 1995

One of the key albums in my music education. Nice mix of raggamuffin and ska in Doctors style. [user review at http://rateyourmusic.com]When the third wave ska revival hit in the mid-'90s, it brought with it for the first time a sizable contingent of bands from Europe and South America. Of the German crew, Dr. Ring Ding & the Senior Allstars were by far the best. Led by the large and garrulous Richie "Dr. Ring Ding" Jung and featuring a crack horn section and pitch-perfect organist, the band manages to produce historically faithful traditional ska and reggae while imbuing it with modern energy and freshness. Jung has worked hard on his Jamaican patois, and on old-fashioned originals like "Big Man" and "(Want Me) Money Back" and cover versions like Justin Hinds' "Save a Bread" (to which he appends a DJ addendum titled "Save a Toast"), his flawless Rasta syntax combines with a faint Teutonic accent for a thoroughly charming combination. His musical foundation is equally deep -- "(Want Me) Money Back" is a calypso tune that Roaring Lion or Lord Kitchener would have killed for, while the minor-key instrumental "Bellevue Asylum" sounds like Augustus Pablo with a big horn section. Even ska legend Derrick Morgan believes -- he steps in as a guest vocalist on the very fine "Knocking on My Door." Overall, this is about as good as traditional ska gets. And that's very good. --Rick Anderson, AllMusic (4/5 stars)

trax:

01. Phone Talk 02. Dandimite Ska 03. Big Man 04. Medley: Save A Bread / Save A Toast 05. (Want Me) Money Back 06. Got My Boogaloo 07. Bellevue Asylum 08. What A Day 09. Latin Goes Ska 10. Rudeboy Style 11. Stay Out Late 12. Knocking On My Door [feat. Derrick Morgan] 13. Man In The Street 14. One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer 15. Gloria 16. Bonus Track

Track 16 is not listed on the release

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"Metropolis Stomp Time" Northern Soul From The Big City

Hard-burning soul from the great stretch of the 60s – that magical latter half of the decade when the genre really exploded – and turned out thousands of amazing tracks on smaller indie labels! This package pulls together some of the best groovers of that generation – all hand-picked by Northern Soul expert Kev Roberts, and served up here with fidelity that's a lot better than most of the beat up 45s we've got in our collection! And with a massive 31 tracks on the set, the whole thing's a heck of a great deal too – with cuts that include "Do You Love Me Baby" by The Masqueraders, "Change Your Ways" by Willie Kendrick, "I Need You" by Shane Martin, "I Got My Heart Set On You" by The Toys, "Let's Get Back Together" by The Honeybees, "You Can't Keep A Good Man Down" by The Gentlemen Four, "Tightrope" by Inez & Charlie Foxx, "In The Long Run" by Curtis Blandon, "I Got What It Takes" by Brooks & Jerry, "One In A Million" by Maxine Brown, "Walk Like A Man" by Johnny Moore, and "I'll Always Need You" by Dean Courtney.  © 1996-2014, Dusty Groove, Inc.When it comes to compiling a Northern Soul compilation, Harmless Records couldn’t have selected a better compiler than Kev Roberts for their latest Backbeats’ compilation Metropolis Stomp Time. After all, Kev Roberts life has been Northern Soul since Northern Soul’s heyday. Kev Roberts started off as a DJ at the legendary Wigan Casino, and in the intervening forty years, has been a promoter, owned record labels, been a radio presenter and a songwriter and producer. Then there’s the small matter of Kev compiling over 300 albums. To that number he can add one more, Metropolis Stomp Time which was one of the latest batch of Backbeats’ compilations.

Metropolis Stomp Time features thirty-one tracks from a truly eclectic selection of artists. There’s everyone from Little Richard, Paul Anka, Chuck Jackson, Inez and Charlie Foxx, The Just Brothers, Melba Moore, Maxine Brown and The Shirelles. These tracks were released on labels like RCA, Wand, Columbia, Date, Scepter, King, Dynamo, Garrison and Musicor. It seems Kev Roberts who came up with the idea for Metropolis Stomp Time has looked through every corner of his extensive and unrivaled collection of Northern Soul records. The result is a peerless collection of Northern Soul that’ll appeal to Northern Soul veterans and newcomers alike. That’s what you’d expect from a man whose life has revolved around Northern Soul.

Indeed, if you’ve never bought a Northern Soul compilation, this is a good place to start. Every one a winner, without any filler describes Kev’s selection. This should give you a flavor of one of Kev’s DJ sets, forty years ago at the Wigan Casino. Back then Northern Soul was a true musical phenomena. In the intervening forty years, Northern Soul’s popularity has never faltered, and its followers appetite for compilations like Metropolis Stomp Time has never waned. However, unlike many compilations, Metropolis Stomp Time has thirty-one quality tracks. Picking just a few of Metropolis Stomp Time’s highlights won’t be easy. 

Full Review:

http://dereksmusicblog.wordpress.com/2013/03/28/backbeats-metropolis-stomp-time-northern-soul-from-the-big-city/

trax:

1. I'll Always Need You - Dean Courtney 2. Walk Like A Man - Johnny Moore 3. Get Down With It - Little Richard 4. I Can't Help Loving You - Paul Anka 5. I Need You - Shane Martin 6. Cause You're Mine - The Vibrations 7. Change Your Ways - Willie Kendrick 8. Do You Love Me Baby - The Masqueraders 9. Ain't No Soul (Left In These Old Shoes) - Ronnie Milsap 10. Try Me For Your New Love - Junior McCants 11. Help Me - Al Wilson 12. In The Long Run - Curtis Blandon 13. I Got What It Takes - Brooks & Jerry 14. One In A Million - Maxine Brown 15. They'll Never Know Why - Freddy Chavez 16. Livin' The Nightlife - The Charts 17. This Man - Wally Cox 18. Never Love A Robin - Barbara & Brenda 19. Tightrope - Inez & Charlie Foxx 20. You Can't Keep A Good Man Down - The Gentlemen Four 21. Let's Get Back Together - The Honeybees 22. Please Stay - The Ivories 23. These Chains Of Love (Are Breaking Me Down) - Chuck Jackson 24. Carlena - The Just Brothers 25. That's No Way To Treat A Girl - Marie Knight 26. Dearly Beloved - Jack Montgomery 27. The Magic Touch - Melba Moore 28. My Heart Cries For You - Porgy & The Monarchs 29. Last Minute Miracle - The Shirelles 30. I Got My Heart Set On You - The Toys 31. I've Got To Live While I Can - Freddie Williams

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Howlin' Wolf "The Wolf Is At Your Door" The Singles As & Bs 1951-1960 (2011)

Howlin' Wolf was a primal force in the history of the blues and worthy to be labelled one the most important and influential blues artists of the past 50 years. This is the first time that his music has been presented in this way featuring the A and B sides from every single he released between 1951 and 1960. Fantastic and iconic tracks such as 'Smokestack Lighting', 'Spoonful' and 'How Many More Years' helped to inspire the British blues movement of the 1960s including a little band called the Rolling Stones! Fully detailed liner notes cover his entire career top this superb 2CD off perfectly.trax CD 1:

01. Moaning At Midnight 02. How Many More Years 03. The Wolf Is At Your Door 04. Howlin' Wolf Boogie 05. Getting Old And Grey 06. Mr. Highway Man 07. Saddle My Pony 08. Worried All The Time 09. Oh Red 10. My Last Affair 11. All Night Boogie 12. I Love My Baby 13. No Place To Go 14. Rockin' Daddy 15. Baby How Long 16. Evil Is Going On (Evil) 17. I'll Be Around 18. Forty Four 19. Who Will Be Next 20. I Have A Little Girl 21. Come To Me Baby 22. Don't Mess With My Baby

trax CD 2:

01. Smokestack Lightning 02. You Can't Be Beat 03. I Asked For Water 04. So Glad 05. Goin' Back Home 06. My Life 07. Somebody In My Home 08. Nature 09. Sittin' On Top Of The World 10. Poor Boy 11. I Didn't Know 12. Moanin' For My Baby 13. I'm Leaving You 14. Change My Way 15. Howlin' Blues 16. I Better Go Now 17. I've Been Abused 18. Mr. Airplane Man 19. The Natchez Burning 20. You're Gonna Wreck My Life 21. Who's Been Talking 22. Tell Me 23. Howlin' For My Darling 24. Spoonful

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FENTON ROBINSON "Somebody Loan Me A Dime" 1974

One of the most subtly satisfying electric blues albums of the '70s. Fenton Robinson never did quite fit the "Genuine Houserocking Music" image of Alligator Records -- his deep, rich baritone sounds more like a magic carpet than a piece of barbed wire, and he speaks in jazz-inflected tongues, full of complex surprises. The title track hits with amazing power, as do the chugging "The Getaway," a hard-swinging "You Say You're Leaving," and the minor-key "You Don't Know What Love Is." In every case, Robinson had recorded them before, but thanks to Bruce Iglauer's superb production, a terrific band, and Robinson's musicianship, these versions reign supreme. (Bill Dahl, Allmusic)Essential. Fenton Robinson was one of the most promising blues artists of the 70's. With a beautiful voice and guitar style he had it all to hit it big. But despite releasing several very fine albums his career never took off, mainly because his style did not appeal to the mass blues fan base who wanted it all to sound like SRV or Johnny Winter. Though he was based in Chicago, his style was jazzier and owed more to T-Bone Walker than Muddy Waters, making even more distinct. After releasing a pair of disappointing albums for 77 Records he went to Alligator Records to record this, his finest album and one of the best blues albums of the 70's. He co-produced with Bruce Igauler and they got the perfect sound and feel for what was needed for a Fenton Robinson. The backing band is terrific, which includes Mighty Joe Young, who contributes very fine and unobtrusive rhythm guitar. The song's are varied, including several terrific slow blues ("Somebody Loan Me A Dime", "Directly From My Heart To You") to more up-tempo numbers ("The Getaway", "You Don't Know What Love Is"). There are a few well chosen covers as well, including his friend Larry Davis's "Texas Flood" and the classic "Going To Chicago". Throughout Fenton's smooth guitar playing and rich vocals are out front, definitely making him the star of the album.
This is an essential blues album, though it has not garnered the attention it deserves despite being as good as it is. Fenton died in 1997, and so this album is the best way to remember this truly great and under-recognized blues master. (Sam Mosley, Living Blues)trax:

01 Somebody Loan Me A Dime 02 The Getaway 03 Directly From My Heart To You 04 Going To Chicago 05 You Say You're Leaving 06 Checking On My Woman 07 You Don't Know What Love Is 08 I've Changed 09 Country Girl 10 Gotta Wake Up 11 Texas Flood

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Howlin' Wolf "Live in Europe 1964" 1964/2007

2007 archive release from the Blues legend. The live performances contained within were recorded in Bremen, German in 1964, catching Wolf at work during his prime. 16 tracks including 'Shake For Me', 'Rockin' The Blues', 'All My Life' and more.Of the myriad circulating live Wolf albums of dubious fidelity and legality, this is the best of the bunch, both from an audio standpoint and the pronouncement in the booklet that royalties were indeed being paid to Wolf's widow. This is Wolf's portion of the show as part of the traveling American Folk Blues entourage, the first festival type presentation of the whole blues spectrum to invade Europe. This 1964 tour is the one that brought the real thing to locales where he had previously been only a name on a phonograph record, and the romantic notions projected into the sound that record gave off. With somewhat subdued but nonetheless solid support from right hand man Hubert Sumlin on lead guitar, Sunnyland Slim on piano, Willie Dixon on upright bass, and Clifton James on drums, Wolf runs through a 45-minute set loaded with classics and presented with a positively genial charm. The lack of Wolf's regular rhythm section (although Dixon played bass on many of the records from this period) lends a different flavor to these versions. Many of the selections seem mistitled here ("Tell Me What I've Done" is "I Didn't Mean To Hurt Your Feelings," "Shake For Me" is "Shake It For Me," "May I Have A Talk With You" is "Love Me," etc.), but as this November 6th performance in Bremen, Germany unfolds, it becomes apparent that the odd titles come from Wolf's introductions. Everything is stretched to a nice, comfortable length here, as Wolf sets both mood and pace, with no tune clocking in at anything less than four minutes and "Goin' Down Slow" and "Forty-Four" reaching the six- and seven-minute mark. Even though the drums and Sumlin's guitar are perhaps muted in the mix more than they should be, the overall sound shows just how well these blues veterans worked together. Just how essential this performance is to a Wolf collection would be in debate, but once you're under the spell, you want to hear it all, and this is a fine addition for someone who's in it for the long haul. --Cub Koda, AllMusictrax:

01. Shake For Me 02. Love Me Darlin' 03. (I Believe) I'll Dust My Broom 04. I Didn't Mean To Hurt Your Feelings 05. Rockin' The Blues 06. All My Life 07. Going Down Slow 08. Howlin' For My Baby 09. Fortyfour

Bonus tracks (Studio, Outtakes):

10. Highway 49 11. Little Red Rooster 12. Wang Dang Doodle 13. Built For Comfort 14. Killing Floor 15. Poor Boy 16. Smile At Me

Tracks 1-9 recorded in Bremen, Germany on 6th November 1964.

Personnel: Howlin' Wolf (vocals, guitar, harmonica).

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GENE AUTREY "Booger Rooger Saturday Nite" Blues Singer 1929 - 1931

I just love this CD, here he is, the squeaky-clean idol of Hollywood's 'Singing' Cowboys', yodeling about booze, women, and jail. Blues and folk music is fundamental to what eventually became the cowboy, western, and country genres, and Gene demonstrates here that prior to his 'Cowboy' fame, he had a solid grip on the blues. He emulates the style of blues legend Jimmie Rodgers, but each track, including the 10 original compositions, is genuinely convincing. Gene's voice & timing are wonderful, and his playing competent, especially when backed up by Roy Smeck's banjo or delicious steel guitar. Before I heard this recording I felt that Gene's major contribution to music was 'Rudolph The Red-nosed Reindeer' and a bunch of movieland hokum, but, as with 'Roy Rogers' early 'Sons Of The Pioneers' recordings (pre 1938), I have come to find that these cowboy-era musicians were at their best before Hollywood re-fabricated them. If you are a fan of Gene Autry 'The Cowboy', this CD will surprise you, if you're not it may surprise you even more, and if you're a fan of Jimmie Rodgers, this is definitely your stuff. (The Jimmie Rodgers Monthly)If your concept of a blues singer embraces the sound of country music singer Jimmie Rodgers, as well as a Muddy Waters sideman like Jimmy Rogers, then this collection will make perfect sense to you. This superlative collection of Autry's earliest recordings for various Columbia budget labels like Melotone, Banner, Velvet Tone, Diva, and Oriole casts the latter-day cowboy hero in direct competition with Rodgers, sometimes recording covers of well-known hits by the Singing Brakeman. While seven of the 23 tracks collected here are Rodgers tunes (and superlative covers they are, too), ten of them are from Autry's pen, an indication that he not only had his own ideas to impart, but had figured the game out early from a business standpoint as well. On the majority of tracks, Autry is only accompanied by his yodeling and his acoustic guitar, but the addition on certain tracks of Roy Smeck on steel guitar or banjo certainly spices things up while allowing Autry to play some nifty fills in tandem. The biggest surprise, of course, is how comfortable Autry sounds on all of this material, clearly enjoying himself while finding his own voice as the sessions progress toward his "cowboy singer" breakthrough, only a year away from the last of these recordings. Yes, Gene Autry sang the blues and was pretty good at it, too. A landmark in country music's history while clearly demonstrating the cross-genre appeal of the blues as a musical form accessible to everyone. (Cub Koda, Allmusic)

trax:

01 Birmingham Daddy [Album Version] 02 The Rheumatism Blues [Album Version] 03 Dallas County Jail Blues 04 Jail-House Blues [Album Version] 05 I'm Atlanta Bound [Album Version] 06 In The Jailhouse Now No. 2 [Album Version] 07 Bear Cat Papa Blues 08 Wildcat Mama Blues 09 High Steppin' Mama Blues [Album Version] 10 A Yodeling Hobo 11 T.B. Blues 12 California Blues (Blue Yodel #4) [Album Version] 13 Slu-Foot Lou [Album Version] 14 Stay Away From My Chicken House [Album Version] 15 Waiting For A Train [Album Version] 16 Frankie And Johnny 17 Do Right Daddy Blues 18 Blue Yodel No. 5 [78rpm Version] 19 My Rough And Rowdy Ways [Album Version] 20 Left My Gal In The Mountains 21 I've Always Been A Rambler [Album Version] 22 Dust Pan Blues 23 That's Why I Left The Mountains [Album Version]

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Elmore James "The Complete Fire And Enjoy Recordings" 1995

Even though this Box is entitled "The Complete Fire and Enjoy Recordings", it is not complete, the "Anna Lee" session is missing. FYI: Four songs are not sung by Elmore, the songs "only" feature him playing guitar.This three-disc set mirrors Capricorn's double box set of the same material. The Collectables set offers more alternate takes and stray vocals from Sammy Myers and an unidentified female vocalist, recorded at the same sessions, with Elmore contributing guitar, many of the tracks in true stereo. But the liner-note information is scant, and the lack of a proper booklet makes this set an also-ran compared to the more sensibly ordered and far better annotated Capricorn set, garish box graphics and all. Further points are docked for the inclusion of two tracks that certainly aren't Bobby Robinson recordings, the first version of "Make My Dreams Come True" and "I Can't Stop Lovin' You." --Cub Koda, AllMusic

trax CD 1:

01. Make My Dreams Come True 02. Bobby's Rock 03. The Sky Is Crying 04. Held My Baby Last Night 05. Dust My Broom 06. Baby Please Set A Date 07. Rollin' & Tumblin' 08. I'm Worried 09. Done Somebody Wrong 10. Fine Little Mama 11. I Can't Stop Lovin' You  12. Early One Morning 13. I Need You Baby 14. Strange Angels 15. She Done Moved (Inst.) 16. Something Inside Me 17. You Don't Have To Go (Vocals by Sam Myers) 18. Stranger Blues 19. Stranger Blues (Alt. version) 20. My Bleeding Heart 21. Standing At The Crossroads 22. One Way Out

trax CD 2:

01. Got To Move 02. Person To Person 03. So Unkind 04. My Kind Of Woman 05. Woke Up Screamin' & Cryin' [Unknown Vocalist] 06. Do It If You Wanna [Unknown Vocalist] 07. Shake Your Money Maker 08. Look On Yonder Wall 09. Poor Little Angel Child [Vocals by Sam Myers] 10. Mean Mistreatin' Mama [Take 1 - Incomplete] 11. Mean Mistreatin' Mama [Take 2 - Alternate] 12. Mean Mistreatin' Mama 13. Sunnyland Train 14. You Know You're Wrong [Take 1 - Incomplete] 15. You Know You're Wrong [Take 2 - Alternate] 16. You Know You're Wrong [Take 3 - Master] 17. Going Back Home Again 18. Look Up On The Wall 19. Find My Kind Of Woman [Take 1] 20. Find My Kind Of Woman [Take 3] 21. Dust My Broom [Alternate Take] 22. My Baby's Gone 

trax CD 3:

01. Hand In Hand (Take 1) 02. Hand In Hand (Take 3) 03. Hand In Hand (Take 4) 04. I've Got A Right To Love My Baby 05. Everyday I Have The Blues 06. Dust My Broom (Alt. take) 07. It Hurts Me Too 08. Talk To Me Baby 09. Can't Stop Loving My Baby 10. She's Got To Go 11. Pickin' The Blues 12. Twelve Year Old Boy 13. Up Jumped Elmore (False start) 14. Up Jumped Elmore 15. Up Jumped Elmore (Black Snake Slide) 16. I Believe 17. I Gotta Go Now 18. Make My Dreams Come True (Alt. take) 19. Back In Mississippi (Studio conversation)

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YOUNG & WILD - FILMED AT THE 15TH ROCKABILLY RAVE (DVD-RIP)

Bevor es wieder Fussi gibt hier etwas visuelles. - DooWopDaddyO

"PRISON BLUES" (Catfish)

The nomadic lifestyle of the blues performer in the American South in the 1920s and '30s, coupled with the necessity of plying one's trade in juke joints and gin mills, often led to incarceration, and songs about jailhouses and prison farms abound. Catfish Records, a fine blues reissue label out of London, has collected some two dozen of those laments here, remastered from the original 78s. They range from the familiar (Leadbelly's "Midnight Special") to the obscure (Peg Leg Howell's "New Prison Blues," which contains the line "drink your blood like wine," cribbed by Bob Dylan for "Stuck Inside of Mobile"), from the resigned (Blind Boy Fuller's "Big House Bound") to the humorous (in "Christmas in Jail, Ain't That a Pain," Leroy Carr pleads with Santa to give him a break). Also includes Bukka White's thundering original version of "Parchman Farm Blues." (Steve Leggett, Allmusic)

trax:

1. Chain Gang Blues - Kokomo Arnold 2. Big Rock Jail - Ed Bell 3. He's In The Jailhouse Now - Jim Jackson 4. Prison Blues - Alice Moore 5. Jailhouse Fire - Buddy Boy Hawkins 6. Christmas Jail-Ain't That A Pain - Leroy Carr 7. Penitentiary Bound Blues - Sylvester Weaver 8. Blind Lemon's Penitentiary Blues - Blind Lemon Jefferson 9. Midnight Special - Leadbelly 10. County Jail Special - Champion Jack Dupree 11. The County Farm Blues - Mae Glover 12. New Prison Blues - Peg Leg Howell 13. De Kalb Chain Gang - Fred McMullen 14. The County Farm Blues - Bo Carter 15. Alabama Prison Blues - Jesse Wadley 16. County Jail - Big Maceo 17. Crime Doesn't Pay - Merline Johnson 18. County Jail Blues - 'Funny Paper' Smith 19. Big House Bound - Blind Boy Fuller 20. Ninety-Nine Year Blues - Julius Daniels 21. Doin' A Stretch - Blind Blake 22. Parchman Farm Blues - Bukka White 23. Prisoner Bound - Frank Busby

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