The Everly Brothers "Give Me a Future" 2005

"Give Me a Future" is an album by The Everly Brothers, released in 2005 and the sequel to the similar release of the same year, "Too Good To Be True". Like its predecessor, it contains previously unheard songs recorded by the group in the early stages of their career...

trax:
01 Give Me a Future 02 Maybe Tomorrow 03 How Did We Stay Together 04 Since You Broke My Heart 05 You're the One 06 Will I Ever Have a Chance Again 07 Who's to Be the One 08 Don't Call Me, I'll Call You 09 Captain, Captain 10 You Can Fly 11 Her Love Was Meant for Me 12 Hello Amy 13 I'll Bide My Time 14 Oh What a Feeling 15 Turned Down 16 I'm Tired of Singing My Song in Las Vegas 17 I'm Gonna Make Real Sure 18 Only Me
...served by HERVEPAUL...

FLOYD JONES "THE CHRONOLOGICAL 1948-1953 CLASSICS"

FLOYD JONES "THE CHRONOLOGICAL 1948-1953 CLASSICS"

Born in Marianna, AR, Floyd Jones grew up in the company of Walter Horton and Chester Burnett, later known as Howlin' Wolf. The three young men traveled together during the 1930s and came into contact with Robert Johnson, Charley Patton, Eddie Taylor, and Johnny Shines. While Howlin' Wolf and Walter Horton are well known in the annals of blues and rock & roll, Floyd Jones has never received anything like the attention and respect that his life and music deserve. Listening through these 18 precious recordings, one might sense other blues spirits quietly hovering in the vicinity: Muddy Waters is in here for real, along with John Lee Hooker, Tommy Johnson, Bukka White, and One String Sam, that remarkable individual whose plaintive "I Need a Hundred Dollars" grew directly out of Floyd Jones' "Stockyard Blues" of 1948. This tune was originally issued on the Marvel label backed with the pragmatic "Keep What You Got." Floyd Jones and Howlin' Wolf have in common a riveting intensity that immediately takes over and suspends all superficialities. This is most evident on the slow and deeply distilled "Dark Road," where Jones even howls like the Wolf. The movingly potent J.O.B. and Chess recordings of 1951 are presented here in a sort of primal Rorschach pattern, with two different treatments of "Dark Road" sandwiched between two versions of "Big World." Floyd Jones sang about life as he knew it and felt it, reflecting with gut level honesty on the grueling challenges he encountered while scuffling to make it through each night and day. This compilation closes with eight sides cut in early 1953 for the J.O.B. and Vee-Jay labels. Floyd Jones' bands were invariably made up of tough and seasoned players. In addition to guitarist Eddie Taylor, listeners hear Floyd's cousin Moody Jones on both guitar and string bass, harmonica men Snooky Pryor and Little Walter, and master pianist Sunnyland Slim. This bracing music is essential listening for both experienced devotees and those who have only begun to explore the blues. Everyone ought to make time to experience the awe-inspiring recorded legacy of Chicago bluesman Floyd Jones. (All Music Guide)

trax:
01 Stockyard Blues 02 Keep What You Got 03 Big World 04 Dark Road 05 Dark Road 06 Big World 07 Overseas 08 Playhouse 09 You Can't Live Long 10 Early Morning 11 I Lost a Good Woman 12 Skinny Mama 13 Rising Wind 14 On the Road Again 15 Schooldays on My Mind 16 Ain't Times Hard 17 Floyd's Blues 18 Any Old Lonesome Day
...served by Gyro1966...

T-BONE WALKER "The Chronological 1947 Classics"

Volume two in the complete recordings of T-Bone Walker as reissued on the Classics Chronological Series is loaded up with two dozen fine West Coast blues recordings cut for the Black & White, Capitol, and Comet labels over the span of exactly two months' time, from September 13 to November 13, 1947. Billed only as "T-Bone Walker & His Guitar," the group responsible for the fine music captured on this compilation consisted of various session men from all over the musical map. Teddy Buckner, George Orendorff, and Bumps Myers were all seasoned jazz players whose professional careers had taproots reaching back to the '20s and '30s. Oscar Lee Bradley was one of the most sought-after drummers in the business. The band provides excellent backing for T-Bone's smoky voice and irresistible electric guitar. The general sensation throughout is one of relaxed dignity and poignant truthfulness. Listeners are advised to beware of T-Bone Walker. Exercise caution! This man's music might grow on you. A full-blown dependence may develop, requiring the purchase of every volume in the complete chronological recordings of T-Bone Walker. (All Music Guide)

trax:
01 I Know Your Wig Is Gone 02 T-Bone Jumps Again 03 Call It Stormy Monday But Tuesday Is Just As Bad 04 She Had To Let Me Down 05 She's My Old Time Used-To-Be 06 Dream Girl Blues 07 Midnight Blues 08 Long Lost Lover Blues 09 Triflin' Woman Blues 10 Long Skirt Baby Blues 11 Goodbye-Blues 12 Too Much Trouble Blues 13 I'm Waiting For Your Call 14 Hypin' Woman Blues 15 So Blue Blues 16 On Your Way Blues 17 The Natural Blues 18 That's Better For Me 19 First Love Blues 20 Lonesome Woman Blues 21 Vacation Blues 22 Inspiration Blues 23 Description Blues 24 T-Bone Shuffle
...served by Gyro1966...

"RARE WINDY CITY R&B VOCAL GROUPS" Vol. 3

Stellar collection of Chicago R&B vocal groups from 1952-1953 on the legendary United label.trax:
1. Linger Awhile - The Dozier Boys 2. I Keep Thinking of You - The Dozier Boys 3. Do You Ever Think of Me - The Dozier Boys 4. Cold, Cold Rain (is Falling) - The Dozier Boys 5. Woke Up One Early Morning - The Dozier Boys 6. Laughing in Rhythm - The Dozier Boys 7. Mary Jo - The Four Blazes 8. Mood Indigo - The Four Blazes 9. Rug Cutter - The Four Blazes 10. Night Train - The Four Blazes 11. My Hats on the Side of My Head - The Four Blazes 12. My Great Love Affair - The Four Blazes 13. Please Send Her Back to Me - The Four Blazes 14. Stop Boogie Woogie - The Four Blazes 15. All Night Long - The Four Blazes 16. Ella Louise - The Four Blazes 17. Perfect Woman - The Four Blazes 18. Not Any More Tears - The Four Blazes 19. Do the Do - Braden & His Flames 20. Did You Ever See a Monkey Play the Fiddle - Braden & His Flames 21. Pink Cadillac - Paul Bascomb 22. Daughter (That's Your Red Wagon) - Gloria Irving w/Swinging Sax Kari & His Orchestra 23. Lonely Monday - Tommy Dean & His Gloom Raiders 24. All By Myself - Helen Thompson 25. Going Down to Big Mary's - Helen Thompson
...served by Gyro1966...

"RARE WINDY CITY R&B VOCAL GROUPS" Vol. 2

Excellent collection of Chicago R&B vocal groups from 1953-1957 on the legendary United label.trax:
1. Have No Fear - The Answers 2. Keep Me Worried All the Time - The Answers 3. Whoo-Wee Baby - The Five C's 4. Tell Me - The Five C's 5. Goody Goody - The Five C's 6. My Heart's Got the Blues - The Five C's 7. Whoo-Wee Baby (Alternate Take) - The Five C's 8. There's No Tomorrow (Unreleased) - The Five C's 9. I Long for You (Unreleased) - The Five C's 10. Only By You (I Want to Be Loved) (Unreleased) - The Five C's 11. Going My Way (Unreleased) - The Five C's 12. Pardon My Tears - The Moroccos 13. Chicken - The Moroccos 14. Somewhere Over the Rainbow - The Moroccos 15. Red Hots & Chili Mac - The Moroccos 16. What is a Teenager's Prayer - The Moroccos 17. Bang Goes My Heart - The Moroccos 18. Sad Sad Hours - The Moroccos 19. The Hex - The Moroccos 20. Edna - The Palms 21. Sherry - The Sheppards 22. Mozelle - The Sheppards 23. Just Let Me Love You (Unreleased) - The Sheppards 24. Put Your Arms Around Me - The Pastels 25. Boom De De Boom - The Pastels
...served by Gyro1966...

B.B. KING "The Chronological 1949-1952 Classics"

This excellent compilation presents the very beginning of the Riley "B.B." King story as documented on phonograph records made between the years 1949 and 1952. Born in Mississippi, influenced by his uncle Bukka White as well as by Lowell Fulson, Wynonie Harris, and Ivory Joe Hunter, King cut his first four sides in 1949 for the Bullet label in Memphis, TN. Backed by trumpet, trombone, two saxes, and a rhythm section containing both Phineas Newborns Jr. and Sr., "Blues Boy" King sang his own kind of blues in a high and spirited voice. Moving over to the RPM label, King made a series of recordings in 1950 and 1951 that began to define his style, putting him on the map, as it were, and on the road to popularity. There seems to have been an amiable fire lit under the band during the session of January 8, 1951. "My Baby's Gone" moves like a New Orleans rhumba. "Questionnaire Blues" deals with the troublesome topic of conscription, a subject also handled by J.B. Lenoir, Titus Turner, and Sunnyland Slim during those Korean War years. Solomon Hardy's screaming tenor sax introduction jacks up "B.B. Blues" to a high level of emotional intensity from the get-go. It was always King's heart that spoke so directly to the people. The New Orleans-inspired authentic rock & roll energy is wonderfully exciting but King's heartfelt emotional honesty, so beautifully expressed on the slow and powerfully delivered "She's a Mean Woman," fills in the rest of the picture and makes his music uncommonly relevant to the listener. By September of 1951, B.B. King had steadily developed into a performer of stunning depth and immediacy. Note the presence of a pianist Ike Turner with alto saxophonist Hank Crawford on this session, and the legendary Johnny Ace at the piano on two sides dating from 1952. Here are some of the men who changed the very course of popular music midway through the 20th century, and these records are exactly how they went about it. (All Music Guide)

trax:
01 Miss Martha King 02 When You Baby Packs Up And Goes 03 Got The Blues 04 Take A Swing With Me 05 Mistreated Woman 06 B. B. Boogie 07 The Other Night Blues 08 Walkin' And Cryin' 09 My Baby Is Gone 10 Don't You Want A Man Like Me 11 Questionnaire Blues 12 B. B. Blues 13 A New Way Of Driving 14 Fine Looking Woman 15 She's Dynamite 16 She's A Mean Woman 17 Hard Working Woman 18 Pray For You 19 Three O'clock Blues 20 That Ain't The Way To Do It 21 She Don't Move Me No More 22 Shake It Up And Go 23 It's My Own Fault
...served by Gyro1966...

"RARE WINDY CITY R&B VOCAL GROUPS" Vol. 1

Great collection of Chicago R&B vocal groups on The States label, which was a subsidiary of United Records. (From 1953-1957)trax:
1. My Autumn Love - The Danderliers 2. Chop Chop Boom - The Danderliers 3. Loving Partner - The Danderliers 4. Shu-Wop - The Danderliers 5. May God Be With You - The Danderliers 6. Little Man - The Danderliers 7. My Love - The Danderliers 8. She's Mine - The Danderliers 9. Gloria - The Five Chances 10. Sugar Lips - The Five Chances 11. In Your Dreams - The Strollers 12. Go Where My Baby Lives - The Strollers 13. Lonesome Baby - The Hornets 14. You Played the Game - The Hornets 15. Reelin' And Rockin' - The Hornets 16. I Can't Believe - The Hornets 17. Big City Bound - The Hornets 18. Teardrops - The Palms 19. Darling Patricia - Artie Wilkins & The Palms 20. Please Come Back - Artie Wilkins 21. When You Love - Cliff Butler & The Doves 22. People Will Talk - Cliff Butler & The Doves 23. Jealous Hearted Woman - Cliff Butler & The Doves 24. Run Jody Run - Jimmy Coe & His Gay Cats Of Rhythm
...served by Gyro1966...

THE EVERLY BROTHERS "Too Good To Be True" 18 Unreleased 1950's Recordings

The early versions of some of their well-known songs stand up just as well as the released versions. "I Wonder If I Care As Much" and "When Will I Be Loved" come to mind as stand-outs. The big surprise here is that each of the previously unreleased tunes (of which there are many) is written and performed EXPERTLY. JUST as good as anything they put out. Ya gotta get this one. (Amazon)Seldom has an album title been as true as it is for Varese's 2005 Everly Brothers compilation Too Good to Be True. This brief but rich 18-track disc contains a wealth of songwriting demos the Everlys made for the publishing company Acuff-Rose in the late '50s, almost all unreleased (two songs, "Give Me a Future" and "Life Ain't Worth Living," were on Bear Family's exhaustive 1992 box set Classic Everly Brothers, which compiled all of the duo's known Cadence and pre-Cadence recordings). The big news is that there aren't just demo versions of such timeless Everly hits as "I Wonder if I Care as Much," "Maybe Tomorrow," and "Should We Tell Him," but six previously unknown, unheard Everly songs: "That's Too Good to Be True," "How Did We Stay Together," "I Didn't Mean to Go This Far," "All I Ask of Life," "I'll Throw Myself at You," and "It's Too Late to Say Goodbye." Like most of the recordings here, these tracks were recorded in 1957, after the duo had their first big hit for Cadence with the Felice & Boudleaux Bryant-written "Bye Bye Love" and were demoing their own original songs for future use at the label. These recordings, let alone these songs, weren't known to exist until Cary E. Mansfield and Andrew Sandoval began work on this project and were presented with the recordings by Acuff-Rose. As Sandoval says in his liner notes, these are the "missing part of the puzzle" between the fine but unremarkable close harmony cuts the duo made for Columbia in 1955 and the classic Cadence sound: it's possible to hear the Everlys grow into their classic sound on these demos. That would have been enough of a treat for devoted fans, but the fact that there are six new songs, all good, makes this absolutely essential. Since these are demos, the songs are short and some of the unheard tunes don't feel completely fleshed out, but the core of each tune is here, and it's rather wondrous to hear new Everly tunes so many years after the fact. There's no question that this is a historically important release, and because of its historical nature it may not be played as often as the duo's classic Cadence sides, but even so, it's hard to imagine any Everly fan not having this superb disc in his collection. (All Music Guide)trax:
01 That's Too Good To Be True 02 I Wonder If I Care As Much 03 How Did We Stay Together 04 Maybe Tomorrow 05 I Didn't Mean To Go This Far 06 Should We Tell Him 07 It's Too Late To Say Goodbye 08 Since You Broke My Heart 09 All I Ask Of Life 10 Give Me A Future 11 I'll Throw Myself At You 12 Made To Love 13 Life Ain't Worth Living 14 Kiss Me Once 15 Dancing On My Feet 16 Do You Love Me 17 When Will I Be Loved 18 It's All Over
...served by Gyro1966...

"DEEP SOUL DISCOVERIES" Vol. 2

Great collection of hard to find soul!trax:
1. Don't Take Your Love From Me - Third Guitar 2. Love Is Not A Strange - John "Rootman" Henry 3. All Of A Sudden - Sarah Simpson 4. Too Much Monkey Buisiness Part 1 - Fred Towles 5. Too Much Monkey Buisiness Part 2 - Fred Towles 6. We All Make Mistakes Sometimes - King Davis & The House Rockers 7. Hooray For The Child Who Has Its Own - James "Sugar Boy" Crawford 8. Guilty - The Twentie Grans 9. The Montague Wvone Theme - Magnificent Montague 10. Love Is The Best I Can - R.B. Freeman 11. straighten it up (get it together) - The Flamingos 12. It's Been A Long Time - Sonny Perry 13. I Need You - The Masters Of Soul 14. That's How Strong My Love Is - Joe Wade 15. You're The One For Me - Betty Renay 16. You Don't Have To Suffer Anymore - Clay Hammond 17. I'm Worried - Melvin Davis 18. She's My Lady - Lonnie Jones 19. Can't Take The Hurt - Vernon Herrell 20. Heaven Has Blessed You - Jimmy Ellis 21. If You Go, Stay Gone - Joe Frazier 22. Send Her Home To Me - Johnny Hoffett
...served by Gyro1966...

"DEEP SOUL DISCOVERIES" Vol. 1

Great collection of hard to find soul!trax:
1. Baby, Come Back To Me - Bobby Harris 2. Lost Without Your Love - Bobby McClure 3. I'm Glad It's Over - Oscar Mack 4. Last Mile Of The Way - The Minits 5. Better Days Are Coming - Wesley Paige 6. He Made You Mine - Big Daddy Rucker 7. I Can't Live Without You - Jay Robinson 8. The Thrill Will Still Be New - Billy Jackson 9. Everybody's Somebody's Fool - Pat Hunt 10. Don't Pass Me By - Joe Beck 11. I'm Just A Poor Boy - The Showstoppers 12. Hold Back The Night - Andy Butler 13. What If It Happens To You - Miss Soul 14. Pride - Howard Tate 15. Can't Stand Your Fooling Around - Gene Burks 16. Do It - Bobbie Jean Bland 17. Try My Love - Shaine 18. Do I - Chet "Poison" Ivey 19. Please Let Me Help You - Diane Lewis 20. Do It For Me - Baby Love 21. I'm Greateful - Johnny Adams 22. I Lost My Love - Robbie Mitchell & Darryl Patterson 23. Love Is Hurt - Art Grayson 24. Treat Me Right - Ironing Board Sam 25. Just Two Of A Kind - Rubin Russell
...served by Gyro1966...

IVORY JOE HUNTER "The Chronological 1950-1951 Classics"

Bespectacled and velvet-smooth in the vocal department, pianist Ivory Joe Hunter appeared too much mild-mannered to be a rock & roller. But when the rebellious music first crashed the American consciousness in the mid-'50s, there was Ivory Joe, deftly delivering his blues ballad "Since I Met You Baby" right alongside the wildest pioneers of the era.
Hunter was already a grizzled R&B vet by that time who had first heard his voice on a 1933 Library of Congress cylinder recording made in Texas (where he grew up). An accomplished tunesmith, he played around the Gulf Coast region, hosting his own radio program for a time in Beaumont before migrating to California in 1942. It was a wise move since Hunter -- whose real name was Ivory Joe, incidentally (perhaps his folks were psychic!) -- found plenty of work pounding out blues and ballads in wartime California. He started his own label, Ivory Records, to press up his "Blues at Sunrise" (with Johnny Moore's Three Blazers backing him), and it became a national hit when leased to Leon Rene's Exclusive imprint in 1945. Another Hunter enterprise, Pacific Records, hosted a major hit in 1948 when the pianist's "Pretty Mama Blues" topped the R&B charts for three weeks.
At whatever logo Hunter paused from the mid-'40s through the late '50s, his platters sold like hot cakes. For Cincinnati-based King in 1948-1949, he hit with "Don't Fall in Love with Me," "What Did You Do to Me," "Waiting in Vain," and "Guess Who." At MGM, then new to the record biz, he cut his immortal "I Almost Lost My Mind" (another R&B chart-topper in 1950), "I Need You So" (later covered by Elvis), and "It's a Sin." (All Music Guide)

trax:
01 Living A Lie 02 Don't You Believe Her 03 Old Man's Boogie 04 Don't Make Me Cry 05 You Thrill Me 06 I Can't Resist You 07 Sorta Need You 08 It's A Sin 09 I Ain't Got No Gal No More 10 Wrong Woman Blues 11 Time Has Passed 12 I'm Yours 'til Eternity 13 When I Lost You 14 Is My Pop In There? 15 Tell Her For Me 16 You Lied 17 I Get That Lonesome Feeling 18 Blue Moon 19 U Name It 20 Music Before Dawn 21 Where Shall I Go? 22 I Must Be Talking To Myself 23 I Thought I Had Loved 24 Laugh
...served by Gyro1966...

IVORY JOE HUNTER "The Chronological 1947-1950 Classics"

Ivory Joe Hunter was known as "the Baron of Boogie" for his regal appearance and sprightly piano style, and throughout a career that lasted five decades he incorporated blues, gospel, country and a proto-rock & roll style into his smooth brand of R&B. A skilled songwriter, and possessing an emotive, velvet voice that prefigured such crooners as Nat King Cole, Hunterwas instrumental in bringing R&B to an uptown audience in the late 1940s. This collection gathers 14 of the 16 sides he cut for King Records between 1947 and 1949, along with ten tracks he recorded for MGM Records shortly before leaving for the Atlantic label, where he enjoyed his greatest success with "Since I Met You Baby" in 1954. Highlights here include two of the King tracks, "Waiting in Vain" and "Guess Who," both of which feature runaway violin lines from Ray Nance, and the beautiful blues ballad "I Almost Lost My Mind," a middling hit in 1950 on MGM. Casual listeners should probably pick up one of the more historically comprehensive greatest-hits packages, but the already converted will be happy to have these early classics by one of the sweetest voices in R&B history. (All Music Guide)

trax:
01 Stop Rockin' That Train 02 Siesta With Sonny 03 Waiting In Vain 04 It's You, Just You 05 That's The Gal For Me 06 Changing Blues 07 Guess Who 08 Too Late 09 Please Don't Cry Anymore 10 I Got Your Water On 11 I Quit My Pretty Mama 12 Lying Woman Blues 13 I Have No Reason To Complain 14 Jealous Heart 15 If I Give You My Love 16 I Almost Lost My Mind 17 I Need You So 18 S. P. Blues 19 Let Me Dream 20 Leave Her Alone 21 Why Fool Yourself 22 Gimme A Pound O' Ground Round 23 I Can't Get You Off My Mind 24 I Found My Baby
...served by Gyro1966...

THE BEST OF DERBY RECORDS, Vol. 3

This collection of r&b is from a small New York company, which existed for about three years in the '50's, before filing for bankruptcy.
Their first release by the Freddie Mitchell Orchestra is titled "The Derby"-hence the label name. The label would eventually score some "hits" on the pop charts, but was really remembered for its r&b sides. This collection is filled with good New York style swinging r&b.
Along with Mitchell's orchestra's r&b, there are sides by the reknown Doc Pomus, Cootie Williams (from Ellington's group), H-Bomb Ferguson, and Brownie McGhee, among the more well known artists. Of interest is the track "Sleepless Nights", credited to McGhee on vocals, when in fact the vocals (and some piano on a number of sides here) are handled by Champion Jack Dupree. There are also several tracks by Jimmy Preston, who was important in early r&r. The rest of the tracks will not be familiar to most listeners (excepting r&b lovers) who haven't had the chance to hear the fine music produced by small record companies. Most tracks have that solid back-beat so important to this music, along with either/and a honking sax or piano. These collections have a definite New York feel to the music. This is another series that fans of r&b should pickup. If this era of music entices you, you will be well satisfied with this collection. (Amazon)
Discography of Derby Records:
http://www.globaldogproductions.info/d/derby.html

trax:
1. Roll 'Em Boogie - Freddie Mitchell 2. Why Did You Leave Me - The Imperials 3. Wine Head - Bob Ferguson 4. Cold Heat - Freddie Mitchell 5. What A Wonderful Feeling - King Odom Quartet 6. Evening Train - Eunice Davis 7. I'm Just A Fool - The James Quintet 8. Pony Express - Freddie Mitchell 9. Up And Down The Hill - Bobby Harris 10. Back Bitin' - Sammy Cotten 11. Wedding March - Freddie Mitchell & His Orchestra 12. Rock With It Baby - Jimmy Williams 13. Sleepless Nights - Brownie McGhee 14. Louise - Freddie Mitchell 15. I'm Glad I Made You Cry - King Odom Quartet 16. Bewitched - Big Dale Scott 17. Walking Holmes - Cedrick Wallace 18. Summertime Boogie - Freddie Mitchell 19. The Woman I Love - Champion Jack Dupree 20. My Girl Wants A Millionaire - Bob Mitchell 21. Home Sweet Home - Freddie Mitchell 22. Body & Soul - Big Dale Scott 23. Rain Is The Teardrops Of Angels - King Odom Quartet 24. Indiana Express - Freddie Mitchell 25. Willow Tree Blues - Walter "Sandman" Harris 26. I'm A Wild West Woman - Eunice Davis 27. Bonus Mystery Track (?) - Unknown Derby Recording Artist
...served by Gyro1966...

"THE BEST OF DERBY RECORDS" Vol. 2

This collection of r&b is from a small New York company, which existed for about three years in the '50's, before filing for bankruptcy.
Their first release by the Freddie Mitchell Orchestra is titled "The Derby"-hence the label name. The label would eventually score some "hits" on the pop charts, but was really remembered for its r&b sides. This collection is filled with good New York style swinging r&b.
Along with Mitchell's orchestra's r&b, there are sides by the reknown Doc Pomus, Cootie Williams (from Ellington's group), H-Bomb Ferguson, and Brownie McGhee, among the more well known artists. Of interest is the track "Sleepless Nights", credited to McGhee on vocals, when in fact the vocals (and some piano on a number of sides here) are handled by Champion Jack Dupree. There are also several tracks by Jimmy Preston, who was important in early r&r. The rest of the tracks will not be familiar to most listeners (excepting r&b lovers) who haven't had the chance to hear the fine music produced by small record companies. Most tracks have that solid back-beat so important to this music, along with either/and a honking sax or piano. These collections have a definite New York feel to the music. This is another series that fans of r&b should pickup. If this era of music entices you, you will be well satisfied with this collection. (Amazon)
Discography of Derby Records:
http://www.globaldogproductions.info/d/derby.html

trax:
1. Moondog Boogie - Freddie Mitchell 2. Come On Up To My Room - The Majors 3. I'll Be True To You - Billy Fair 4. Long Lean Daddy - Eunice Davis 5. Madera Hop - Freddie Mitchell 6. My Baby Done Left Me - Jimmy Preston 7. Divorce Me C.O.D. - Cootie Williams 8. Hard Working Woman - The Imperials 9. Red Beans And Rice - Bob Mitchell 10. All Of Me - King Odom Quartet 11. Here Comes Pain - Sammy Cotten 12. Hot Ice - Freddie Mitchell 13. Baby You Say You Love Me - Champion Jack Dupree 14. I'm Gonna Move Across The River - Brownie McGhee 15. Front Door Blues - Jimmy Preston 16. I'm In Love With You Baby - Willie Hunter 17. Beauty Parade Boogie - Cootie Williams 18. The Beetle - Joe Black Orch. 19. You Ran Away With My Heart - The Majors 20. Stop That Baby - Jimmy Preston 21. Rock Little Daddy - Eunice Davis 22. My Heart Cried For You - King Odom Quartet 23. Lonesome And Mistreated - Honey Brown 24. National Emblem March - Freddie Mitchell 25. Hard Lovin' Woman - Bob Ferguson 26. Cuttin' Out - Walter "Sandman" Harris
...served by Gyro1966...

"Twang!" UK Instrumental Diamonds '58-'62

60 Tracks of eary 60's U.K Guitar Instrumentals. Features the better known artists: PACKABEATS, JOE BROWN, DAVE CLARK 5, The EAGLES [the early 60's U.K group] + Other lesser known outfits [sadly no tracks by KREW-KATS or the GLADIATORS]. But if you are a fan of this type of music, this is a must-have item.trax disc 1:
1. Cerveza - Cherry Wainer 2. Weekend - Rockin' Red Price 3. Yashmak - Chico Arnez & His Latin American Orchestra 4. Easy Go - David Ede & The Rabin Rock 5. The Blue Bird - David Ede & The Rabin Rock 6. Sunday Date - The Flee Rekkers 7. Ten Swingin' Bottles - Pete Chester & The Consulates 8. Whole Lotta Shakin' On The Range - Joe Brown 9. The Switch - The Jeff Rowena Group 10. Peanut Vendor - The Jeff Rowena Group 11. Bullfight - David Ede & The Go Man Go Men 12. Obsession - David Ede & The Go Man Go Men 13. Bootnik - David Ede & The Go Man Go Men 14. Three Old Maids - The Pete Chester Group 15. Forest Fire Pete - The Chester Group 16. The Ghoul Friend - The Ravens Rock Group 17. Career Girl - The Ravens Rock Group 18. Ambush - The Jeff Rowena Group 19. John Peel - The Jeff Rowena Group 20. Man In Space - The Vigilantes 21. Eclipse - The Vigilantes 22. Lone Rider - The Flee Rekkers 23. Rockin' Minstrel - The Checkmates 24. Pompeii - The Checkmates 25. Last Night - David Ede & The Go Man Go Men 26. Ding Dong John - David Ede & The Go Man Go Men 27. Blue Moon - The Checkmates 28. Ram, Bunk, Shush - The Checkmates 29. Isle Of Capri - The Flee Rekkers 30. Hangover - The Flee Rekkers
trax disc 2:
1. Yep - The Checkmates 2. Juicy - The Checkmates 3. Twelfth Street Rag - David Ede & The Rabin Rock Band 4. No Hats On Ilkley - David Ede & The Rabin Rock Band 5. Lumbered At The Lotus - Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen 6. Caravan - The Checkmates 7. Night Train - The Checkmates 8. A Matter Of Who - The Rustlers 9. High Strung - The Rustlers 10. Tornado - The Checkmates 11. After You've Gone - The Checkmates 12. Twistin' The Trad - David Ede & The Rabin Rock Band 13. Twistin' Those Meeces To Pieces - David Ede & The Rabin Rock Band 14. Honky Tonk - The Checkmates 15. La Cucaracha - The Jeff Rowena Group 16. Hot Toddy - The Original Checkmates 17. Tuxedo Junction - The Original Checkmates 18. Stage To Cimarron - The Flee Rekkers 19. Begin The Beguine - The Original Checkmates 20. Checkmate Stomp - The Original Checkmates 21. Bristol Express - The Eagles 22. Johnny's Tune - The Eagles 23. Out Of This World - Tony Hatch 24. Sunburst - The Flee Rekkers 25. Exodus - Main Theme - The Eagles 26. March Of The Eagles - The Eagles 27. First Love - The Dave Clark Five 28. I Walk The Line - The Dave Clark Five 29. Evening In Paris - The Packabeats 30. The Traitors - The Packabeats
ripped from cd in glorious monoloudarama!

"THE BEST OF DERBY RECORDS" Vol. 1

This collection of r&b is from a small New York company, which existed for about three years in the '50's, before filing for bankruptcy.
Their first release by the Freddie Mitchell Orchestra is titled "The Derby"-hence the label name. The label would eventually score some "hits" on the pop charts, but was really remembered for its r&b sides. This collection is filled with good New York style swinging r&b.
Along with Mitchell's orchestra's r&b, there are sides by the reknown Doc Pomus, Cootie Williams (from Ellington's group), H-Bomb Ferguson, and Brownie McGhee, among the more well known artists. Of interest is the track "Sleepless Nights", credited to McGhee on vocals, when in fact the vocals (and some piano on a number of sides here) are handled by Champion Jack Dupree. There are also several tracks by Jimmy Preston, who was important in early r&r. The rest of the tracks will not be familiar to most listeners (excepting r&b lovers) who haven't had the chance to hear the fine music produced by small record companies. Most tracks have that solid back-beat so important to this music, along with either/and a honking sax or piano. These collections have a definite New York feel to the music. This is another series that fans of r&b should pickup. If this era of music entices you, you will be well satisfied with this collection. (Amazon)
Discography of Derby Records:
http://www.globaldogproductions.info/d/derby.html

trax:
1. We're Gonna Ball This Morning - Sammy Cotten 2. Oh Babe - Jimmy Preston 3. Laughing On The Outside - The Majors 4. Mama Inez - Freddie Mitchell 5. Rockin' And Jumpin' - Honey Brown 6. Traveling Doc - Doc Pomus 7. Bend In The River - The Four Fellows 8. I Got Your Boogie - Sara Dean 9. Boogie In The Morning - Billy Fair 10. At Last - The Majors 11. Paws In The Kitchen - The James Quintet 12. Flying Star Boogie - Cedrick Wallace 13. Mary Ann - Freddie Mitchell 14. Shotgun Boogie - Cootie Williams 15. All Night Party - Brownie McGhee 16. Willie's Blues - Willie Hunter 17. Clown Of The Masquerade - The Carnations 18. Drinking Little Woman - Champion Jack Dupree 19. Jersey Bounce - Freddie Mitchell & His Orchestra 20. Rock Roll Roll - Jimmy Preston 21. The Mainliner - Joe Black Orch 22. I Tried - The Four Fellows 23. Kiss My Wrist - Doc Pomus 24. Tree In The Meadow - The Carnations 25. Hog Head - Freddie Mitchell 26. Lover Come Back To Me - King Odom Quartet
...served by Gyro1966...

IVORY JOE HUNTER "The Chronological 1947 Classics"

Ivory Joe Hunter began establishing himself as singer, pianist, and bandleader on the West Coast beginning with his first self-produced records in 1945. His 1947 recordings for the 4 Star label showed the world a seasoned performer, ready for success. The real break took place in New York City on September 6, 1947, when Ivory Joe Hunter made his first recordings for the King label. The personnel in the band backing him on this auspicious occasion have not been identified, although the conjecture that Ben Webster was blowing tenor is probably accurate. "Don't Be No Fool-Fool" signals a new degree of honesty in popular music, sorely needed but scarcely heeded by the mainstream. Ivory Joe's next recording session took place in Nashville, TN, on November 18, 1947, with Owen Bradley's electrically amplified guitar out in front. "In Time" serves as a premonition of Hunter's eventual involvement with country music. "The Code Song" is a delightful number with Morse code syllables built right into the lyrics. There is a wonderful brooding horn arrangement on "No Money No Luck Blues," with a tenor sax solo by Sammy Ford. The real cream of this crop is the amazing session of December 5, 1947, which took place in Cincinnati, OH. Here Ivory Joe was backed by a quintet of players from Duke Ellington's orchestra. There are ballads, blues, rhumba, and boogie played by Harold "Shorty" Baker, Tyree Glenn, either Wendell Marshall or Oscar Pettiford, and reedman supreme Russell Procope, who was the real instrumental star on this particular occasion. (All Music Guide)

trax:
01 Big Wig 02 Jumpin' At The Dew Drop 03 She's A Killer 04 Boogin' In The Rain 05 Did You Mean It? 06 I Shouldn't Love You 07 Foolish Pride 08 San Francisco Blues 09 I Was Only Playing 10 Don't Be No Fool-Fool 11 Come On Let Your Hair Down 12 All States Boogie 13 The Code Boogie 14 In Time 15 She's Gone Blues 16 No Money, No Luck Blues 17 Woo Wee Blues 18 Landlord Blues 19 Old Gal, New Gal Blues 20 Don't Know 21 I Like It 22 False Friend Blues 23 Don't Fall In Love WIth Me 24 Send Me Pretty Mama 25 What Did You Do To Me
...served by Gyro1966...

IVORY JOE HUNTER "The Chronological 1945-1947 Classics"

Here's a fascinating chronological survey of Ivory Joe Hunter's first commercially released recordings made in Los Angeles, Oakland, and San Francisco during the mid-'40s. Born in Kirbyville, TX, and actually christened Ivory Joe Hunter as an infant, by the age of 13 he had developed into an able pianist capable of playing spirituals in the home and blues whenever he could get away. He made one little record in 1933 on location in Weingate, TX, for Alan Lomax on behalf of the Library of Congress. (Regrettably, that "barrelhouse" piano solo is not included on this compilation.) After several years gigging and leading bands in the southwestern United States he made the California scene in 1941, cutting his first two sides for public consumption with Johnny Moore's Three Blazers in Los Angeles sometime during the year 1945. Released on his own Ivory label and later reissued on Exclusive, "Blues at Sunrise" backed with "You Taught Me to Love" were sung by Hunter with accompaniment by pianist Charles Brown, guitarist Johnny Moore, and bassist Eddie Williams. Months later in San Francisco and Oakland, Ivory Joe started up his second label, Pacific Records, and commenced recording a series of excellent blues, ballads, swing, and boogie tunes that comprise the remainder of this interesting compilation. With him now were trumpeter Ernie Royal, saxophonists Eddie Taylor and John "Pat" Patterson, and guitarist Pee Wee Crayton. "Tavern Swing" is a Louis Jordan/Slim Gaillard-styled routine, while "I'm Sorry" has bop edges similar to what Earl Bostic was starting to put out. Wardell Gray sat in on two excellent sides, "Why Did You Lie" and the explosive "We're Gonna Boogie." Hunter briefly employed a female singer identified only as Aurelia, who sounded more than a bit like Julia Lee. The session of July 2, 1947, bore nine substantial recordings featuring saxophonists Baker Millian and John Patterson. By this time, Ivory Joe Hunter had matured into a very expressive vocalist. His slow tunes in particular are arresting. His "High Cost Low Pay Blues" seems almost frighteningly relevant in today's parsimonious, mean-spirited world. (All Music Guide)

trax:
01 Blues At Sunrise 02 You Taught Me Love 03 Seventh Street Boogie 04 Reconversion Boogie 05 Boogin' In The Basement 06 Don't Leave Me 07 Tavern Swing 08 Bad Luck Blues 09 I'm Sorry 10 Ivory Joe's Boogie 11 Gazing 12 Are You Hep 13 I Love My Man 14 Heavy Hearted Blues 15 We're Gonna Boogie 16 Why Did You Lie 17 Jammin' Down In Town 18 Blues At Midnight 19 High Cost Low Pay Blues 20 Mean Woman Blues 21 You're Always Looking For More 22 Greiving Blues 23 Pretty Mamma Blues 24 I Don't Want Cheese No More 25 Please Come Back Home Baby
...served by Gyro1966...

"VEE JAY DOO WOP" Vol. 4 - Flippity Flop

EXCELLENT COLLECTION OF VEE JAY VOCAL GROUP GREATNESS. Chicago's Premier 50's Vocal Group label!Vee Jay Records was the most successful black-owned independent record label in the pre-Motown era — Berry Gordy actually used Vee Jay as a template when he set up Motown. Maverick to a fault, Vee Jay placed records in the charts in an amazing diversity of styles, from blues and urban R&B to doo wop, straight pop, jazz, and gospel. Formed in Gary, IN in 1953 (the label moved its base to Chicago soon after) by the husband-and-wife team of Vivian Carter and James Bracken (the company name was an extension of the pair’s first initials), and blessed with the assistance of Vivian’s bother, Calvin Carter, a gifted and visionary A&R man, Vee Jay had an aggressive recording, licensing, and marketing approach that saw them selling records to black and white audiences alike, and it worked so well that the label frequently had difficulty meeting the demands of its distributors, which meant that Vee Jay was often facing cash flow problems. Still, when the label finally closed its doors in 1966, it had outlasted most of the other black-owned record companies of the era, a list that included Exclusive, Excelsior, Duke-Peacock, and JVB.
Vee Jay wasn’t afraid to gamble, and when they picked up two early Beatles singles, “Please, Please Me” and “From Me to You,” and released them in 1963, they introduced Beatlemania to the U.S. at a time when even Capitol Records, EMI’s American arm (and thus first in line for the Beatles) failed to recognize the group’s potential. Vee Jay always took risks and chances with its catalog, and that fearlessness in the face of the music marketplace kept the company constantly over extended financially and contributed mightily to the label’s eventual demise, but the music that resulted was wonderfully diverse and vital, a central part of the sound of pop music in the 1950s and early 1960s. After all, this is a label that gave the world (at least the U.S. part of it) both Jimmy Reed and the Beatles, not to mention the immortal “Duke of Earl” and paved the way for Motown Records. That’s not a bad legacy. Not bad at all. (AMG)
Read more about Vee-Jay Records here:
http://www.recordsbymail.com/veeJay.php
http://www.bsnpubs.com/veejay/veejaystory1.html

trax:
1. The Convention (w/Dee Clark) - The Delegates 2. I'm Gonna Be Glad - The Delegates 3. You Painted Pictures - The Spaniels 4. You Don't Move Me - The Spaniels 5. You Know (Outtake) (w/Dee Clark) - The Kool Gents 6. I Just Can'T Help Myself (w/Dee Clark) - The Kool Gents 7. Elevator Operator - The Sheppards 8. Loving You - The Sheppards 9. Get Lost - The Rhythm Aces 10. Flippity Flop - The Rhythm Aces 11. For Your Precious Love (w/Jerry Butler) - The Impressions 12. High School Diploma - The Capers 13. First Man On The Moon - The Deltones 14. Boom Diddle Boom - The El Dorados 15. Language Of Love (Unreleased) - The El Dorados 16. Happy Til The Letter - The Orioles 17. Live It Up - The Orioles 18. Great Googley Moo (Outtake) - The Spaniels 19. Ozeta - The Magnificents 20. Hiccup - The Magnificents 21. Never Leave Me Baby - The Orioles 22. Dry Your Eyes - The Dells 23. This Old Love Of Mine (Unreleased) - The Magnificents 24. Olly Olly Atsen Free - The Rhythm Aces 25. Come On Baby - The Dells
...served by Gyro1966...

TODD RHODES "The Chronological 1947-1949 Classics"

Born in Kentucky and raised in Springfield, OH, Todd Rhodes first attracted attention during the 1920s as pianist with McKinney's Cotton Pickers. Beginning in 1934, Rhodes spent years gigging around Detroit before assembling his own little band in 1943. By 1946 this group had established itself at Lee's Sensation Lounge in Chicago, and in July 1947 the band began making records bearing the Sensation label, with its primitively rendered graphic depicting tongues of flame surrounding the lettering. Some of Rhodes' recordings would also appear on Vitacoustic, yet another small-time phonographic enterprise based in Chicago. None of the players in this band became famous, and even most seasoned jazz heads would probably not recognize their names. George Favors asserted himself with a big meaty baritone sax, Louis Barnett held down tenor, and Holley "Hal" Dismukes played dazzling alto, with Howard Thompson blowing trumpet. Rhodes had Joe Williams on the bass and Huestell Tally at the drums. Their first four recordings were exceptionally well-played, employing both elements of bop and boogie. "Dance of the Redskins," with its driving rhythms, bears a striking resemblance to the "Redskin Rhumba," itself a variant on Ray Noble's "Cherokee." The records cut in October and November of 1947 for the most part sound just as solid, with occasional lapses in coordination, timbre, and tuning among the horns and in some instances as an apparent result of an improperly tuned piano. While Sun Ra's early Arkestras found ingenious ways of utilizing these kinds of sonic irregularities, the sour harmonics heard here and there on these Rhodes sessions come across as minor momentary discombobulations. Once the Sensation masters were sold to King Records, Rhodes began to enjoy more than modest success. "Blues for the Red Boy" climbed to number four on the Billboard R&B chart in 1948, and was even used as a broadcast theme song by Alan Freed a few years later, after Freed rechristened it "Blues for Moondog." The rocking "Walkie Talkie," also recorded by young Dinah Washington in 1946, is sung here by Louis Saunders, the singing waiter from Lee's Sensation Lounge. Rhodes' next recording date occurred in Cincinnati on January 25, 1949. The band seems to have tightened up its act for keeps; "Moonlight Blues" in particular sounds like something out of Jay McShann's bag. "Pot Likker," with its rousing group vocal chorus, was a smash hit, making it to number three on that auspicious Billboard chart. (All Music Guide)

trax:
01 Dance Of The Redskins 02 Blue Sensation 03 Bell Boy Boogie 04 Flying Disc 05 Lonely Echoes 06 Oh Baby 07 Bop Bop Sizzle 08 Swoon Boulevard 09 Toddlin' Boogie 10 Anitra's Jump 11 Sportee's Jump 12 Blues For The Red Baby 13 Todd's Idea 14 Walkin' Talkie 15 Page Boy Shuffle 16 Teardrops 17 Pot Likker 18 Red Boy At The Mardi Gras 19 Midnight Session 20 Moonlight Blues
...served by Gyro1966...

"VEE JAY DOO WOP" Vol. 3 - A Long Time Ago

EXCELLENT COLLECTION OF VEE JAY VOCAL GROUP GREATNESS. Chicago's Premier 50's Vocal Group label!Vee Jay Records was the most successful black-owned independent record label in the pre-Motown era — Berry Gordy actually used Vee Jay as a template when he set up Motown. Maverick to a fault, Vee Jay placed records in the charts in an amazing diversity of styles, from blues and urban R&B to doo wop, straight pop, jazz, and gospel. Formed in Gary, IN in 1953 (the label moved its base to Chicago soon after) by the husband-and-wife team of Vivian Carter and James Bracken (the company name was an extension of the pair’s first initials), and blessed with the assistance of Vivian’s bother, Calvin Carter, a gifted and visionary A&R man, Vee Jay had an aggressive recording, licensing, and marketing approach that saw them selling records to black and white audiences alike, and it worked so well that the label frequently had difficulty meeting the demands of its distributors, which meant that Vee Jay was often facing cash flow problems. Still, when the label finally closed its doors in 1966, it had outlasted most of the other black-owned record companies of the era, a list that included Exclusive, Excelsior, Duke-Peacock, and JVB.
Vee Jay wasn’t afraid to gamble, and when they picked up two early Beatles singles, “Please, Please Me” and “From Me to You,” and released them in 1963, they introduced Beatlemania to the U.S. at a time when even Capitol Records, EMI’s American arm (and thus first in line for the Beatles) failed to recognize the group’s potential. Vee Jay always took risks and chances with its catalog, and that fearlessness in the face of the music marketplace kept the company constantly over extended financially and contributed mightily to the label’s eventual demise, but the music that resulted was wonderfully diverse and vital, a central part of the sound of pop music in the 1950s and early 1960s. After all, this is a label that gave the world (at least the U.S. part of it) both Jimmy Reed and the Beatles, not to mention the immortal “Duke of Earl” and paved the way for Motown Records. That’s not a bad legacy. Not bad at all. (AMG)
Read more about Vee-Jay Records here:
http://www.recordsbymail.com/veeJay.php
http://www.bsnpubs.com/veejay/veejaystory1.html

trax:
1. Shombalor - Sheriff & The Ravels 2. That's My Sugar - The Rhythm Aces 3. You Gave Me Peace Of Mind - The Spaniels 4. You're Gonna Cry - The Spaniels 5. Let's Do The Cha Cha - The Magnificents 6. Caddy Bo - The Magnificents 7. For All We Know - Sonny Til & The Orioles 8. Sugar Girl - Sonny Til & The Orioles 9. What's Bugging You Baby - The El Dorados 10. Lord Knows I Tried Hard (Unreleased) - The El Dorados 11. You Know - The Kool Gents 12. Won't You Believe - The Prodigals 13. Lonely One - Sheriff & The Ravels 14. When I Call On You (Unreleased) - The Kool Gents 15. Whisper To Me - The Rhythm Aces 16. I Wonder Why - The Rhythm Aces 17. Bangie - The Prodigals 18. Kiss Me (Unreleased) - The El Cincos 19. You Got To Go (Unreleased) - The El Cincos 20. Lover's Prayer - The Delltones 21. Baby I Need You (Unreleased) - The Delltones 22. Why Do You Have To Go - The Dells 23. Jo Jo - The Dells 24. Mother's Song - The Delegates 25. A Long Time Ago - The Impressions
...served by Gyro1966...

SAUNDERS KING "The Chronological 1948-1954 Classics"

Pioneering R&B guitarist Saunders King had his first hit in 1942 with "S.K. Blues." King was a preacher's son who sang gospel in his father's church in Oakland. He learned piano, banjo and ukulele. In 1938 he began playing guitar and wound up singing with the Southern Harmony Four for an NBC radio station in San Francisco. He soon developed his passion for blues and "S.K. Blues" was an enormous hit. It also features one of the earliest examples of electric blues guitar, the style for which T-Bone Walker would soon be famous. King recorded for the Aladdin, Modern, and Rhythm labels. He may have made a greater impact in the burgeoning West Coast blues scene of the '40s but was saddled with numerous personal problems including the suicide of his wife in 1942, a serious wound from a .45-caliber pistol fired by his landlord in 1946, and his serving time at San Quentin prison for heroin possession. King retired from music in 1961 and dedicated time to the church. In 1979, he briefly came out of retirement to play on his son-in-law Carlos Santana's Oneness album. By 1999 he had suffered a stroke that partially paralyzed him. He passed away on August 31, 2000 at his Oakland home. He was 91. (All Music Guide)

trax:
01 September Song 02 Nobody Wants Me 03 When Your Lover Has Gone 04 Big Fat Butterfly 05 Imagination 06 Empty Bedroom Blues 07 St. James Infirmary Blues 08 Little Girl 09 Misery Blues 10 Something's Worrying Me 11 When I Got Home This Morning (I'm So Worried) 12 Auf Wiedersehn, My Dear 13 2.00 A.M. Hop 14 Blues About Midnight 15 Unfaithful Blues 16 Stormy Night Blues 17 Danny Boy 18 Read The Good Book 19 Get Yourself Another Fool 20 Summertime 21 My Close Friend 22 Goin' Mad 23 Quit Hangin' Around Me 24 Long Long Time
...served by Gyro1966...

"VEE JAY DOO WOP" Vol. 2 - Bim Bam Boom!

EXCELLENT COLLECTION OF VEE JAY VOCAL GROUP GREATNESS. Chicago's Premier 50's Vocal Group label!Vee Jay Records was the most successful black-owned independent record label in the pre-Motown era — Berry Gordy actually used Vee Jay as a template when he set up Motown. Maverick to a fault, Vee Jay placed records in the charts in an amazing diversity of styles, from blues and urban R&B to doo wop, straight pop, jazz, and gospel. Formed in Gary, IN in 1953 (the label moved its base to Chicago soon after) by the husband-and-wife team of Vivian Carter and James Bracken (the company name was an extension of the pair’s first initials), and blessed with the assistance of Vivian’s bother, Calvin Carter, a gifted and visionary A&R man, Vee Jay had an aggressive recording, licensing, and marketing approach that saw them selling records to black and white audiences alike, and it worked so well that the label frequently had difficulty meeting the demands of its distributors, which meant that Vee Jay was often facing cash flow problems. Still, when the label finally closed its doors in 1966, it had outlasted most of the other black-owned record companies of the era, a list that included Exclusive, Excelsior, Duke-Peacock, and JVB.
Vee Jay wasn’t afraid to gamble, and when they picked up two early Beatles singles, “Please, Please Me” and “From Me to You,” and released them in 1963, they introduced Beatlemania to the U.S. at a time when even Capitol Records, EMI’s American arm (and thus first in line for the Beatles) failed to recognize the group’s potential. Vee Jay always took risks and chances with its catalog, and that fearlessness in the face of the music marketplace kept the company constantly over extended financially and contributed mightily to the label’s eventual demise, but the music that resulted was wonderfully diverse and vital, a central part of the sound of pop music in the 1950s and early 1960s. After all, this is a label that gave the world (at least the U.S. part of it) both Jimmy Reed and the Beatles, not to mention the immortal “Duke of Earl” and paved the way for Motown Records. That’s not a bad legacy. Not bad at all. (AMG)
Read more about Vee-Jay Records here:
http://www.recordsbymail.com/veeJay.php
http://www.bsnpubs.com/veejay/veejaystory1.html

trax:
1. Bim Bam Boom - The El Dorados 2. A Love Of My Own (Unreleased) - The El Dorados 3. Tell Me Baby - The Five Echoes 4. Evil Woman (Unreleased) - The Five Echoes 5. The Glitter In Your Eyes - The Sheppards 6. Come To Me - The Sheppards 7. Heart And Soul - The Spaniels 8. Everyone's Laughing - The Spaniels 9. My Only Love - The Falcons 10. Now That It's Over - The Falcons 11. Come On Home (Unreleased) - The Falcons 12. Up On The Mountain - The Magnificents 13. Why Did She Go - The Magnificents 14. Yes, She's My Baby (Unreleased) - The Magnificents 15. Movin' On - The Dells 16. Dreams Of Contentment - The Dells 17. Stop (Unreleased) - The Falcons 18. I Really Do - The Five Echoes 19. Tastee Freeze - The Five Echoes 20. Fool's Prayer - The Sheppards 21. Bim Bam Boom (Outtake) - The El Dorados 22. Tragic - The Sheppards 23. Every Now And Then - The Sheppards 24. Let's Make Up - The Spaniels 25. Off The Mountain - The Magnificents
...served by Gyro1966...

"NEW ORLEANS TWIST PARTY"

This collection of rare and un-reissued New Orleans R&B offers listeners an excellent primer to the legendary works of Professor Longhair, Reggie Hall, Eddie Bo and Bobby Mitchell. Features Professor Longhair’s rarest recordings from the vaults of RIP Records! (Amazon)

trax:
1. Whole Lotta Twisting - Professor Longhair 2. Everybody's Blowing (Pt. 1) - Professor Longhair 3. Everybody's Blowing (Pt. 2) - Professor Longhair 4. I Believe I'm Gonna Leave - Professor Longhair 5. Always Picking On Me - Reggie Hall 6. Work - Reggie Hall 7. The Joke - Reggie Hall 8. You Can Think What You Want - Reggie Hall 9. You're The Only One - Eddie Bo 10. You're With Me - Eddie Bo 11. Let's Limbo - Eddie Bo 12. Mo - Jo - Eddie Bo 13. Woman - Eddie Bo 14. Temptation - Eddie Bo 15. You Got The Nerve - Bobby Mitchell 16. Walking In Circles - Bobby Mitchell
...served by Gyro1966...

"VEE JAY DOO WOP" Vol. 1 - Oh What A Nite!

EXCELLENT COLLECTION OF VEE JAY VOCAL GROUP GREATNESS. Chicago's Premier 50's Vocal Group label!Vee Jay Records was the most successful black-owned independent record label in the pre-Motown era — Berry Gordy actually used Vee Jay as a template when he set up Motown. Maverick to a fault, Vee Jay placed records in the charts in an amazing diversity of styles, from blues and urban R&B to doo wop, straight pop, jazz, and gospel. Formed in Gary, IN in 1953 (the label moved its base to Chicago soon after) by the husband-and-wife team of Vivian Carter and James Bracken (the company name was an extension of the pair’s first initials), and blessed with the assistance of Vivian’s bother, Calvin Carter, a gifted and visionary A&R man, Vee Jay had an aggressive recording, licensing, and marketing approach that saw them selling records to black and white audiences alike, and it worked so well that the label frequently had difficulty meeting the demands of its distributors, which meant that Vee Jay was often facing cash flow problems. Still, when the label finally closed its doors in 1966, it had outlasted most of the other black-owned record companies of the era, a list that included Exclusive, Excelsior, Duke-Peacock, and JVB.
Vee Jay wasn’t afraid to gamble, and when they picked up two early Beatles singles, “Please, Please Me” and “From Me to You,” and released them in 1963, they introduced Beatlemania to the U.S. at a time when even Capitol Records, EMI’s American arm (and thus first in line for the Beatles) failed to recognize the group’s potential. Vee Jay always took risks and chances with its catalog, and that fearlessness in the face of the music marketplace kept the company constantly over extended financially and contributed mightily to the label’s eventual demise, but the music that resulted was wonderfully diverse and vital, a central part of the sound of pop music in the 1950s and early 1960s. After all, this is a label that gave the world (at least the U.S. part of it) both Jimmy Reed and the Beatles, not to mention the immortal “Duke of Earl” and paved the way for Motown Records. That’s not a bad legacy. Not bad at all. (AMG)
Read more about Vee-Jay Records here:
http://www.recordsbymail.com/veeJay.php
http://www.bsnpubs.com/veejay/veejaystory1.html

trax:
1. Oh What A Night - The Dells 2. The Bells Ring Out - The Spaniels 3. Marsha - The Prodigals 4. Judy - The Prodigals 5. Do Ya Do (Outtake) - The Kool Gents 6. This Is The Nite - The Kool Gents 7. Don't Leave Me - The Magnificents 8. Rosebud (Unreleased) - The Magnificents 9. Tell The World - The Dells 10. Times Make You Change - The Dells 11. Hello Dear - The Hi-Liters 12. Bobby Sox Baby - The Hi-Liters 13. I'll Be Forever Loving You - The El Dorados 14. She Don't Run Around (Unreleased) - The El Dorados 15. Candy Store Blues - The Capers 16. Miss You My Dear - The Capers 17. At The Country Fair - The Impressions 18. Lovely One (Outtake) - The Impressions 19. Great Googley Moo - The Spaniels 20. I'm Going To Thank Him (Unreleased) - The Spaniels 21. Baby I Need You - The El Dorados 22. Time Makes You Change (Outtake) - The Dells 23. Feelin' Allright (Unreleased) - The Hi-Liters 24. Just Like A Fool - The Kool Gents 25. Crazy Over You (Unreleased) - The Kool Gents
...served by Gyro1966...

HOWLIN' WOLF "The Chronological 1951-1952 Classics"

While there are numerous Howlin' Wolf compilations and anthologies available that trace his extraordinary career, the 25-track 1951-1952 compilation from the French Classics label focuses on Wolf's crucial early Memphis sessions. Recorded for Sam Phillips in 1951 and 1952 prior to Wolf's move to Chicago, each track is raw, passionate, and essential. If you're looking for a comprehensive overview of this period with excellent sound, this disc provides it. (All Music Guide)

trax:
01 Moanin' at Midnight 02 How Many More Years 03 Riding in the Moonlight 04 Dog Me Around 05 Morning at Midnight 06 Keep What You Got 07 Riding in the Moonlight 08 House Rockin' Boogie 09 Crying at Daybreak 10 Passing by Blues 11 My Baby Stole Off 12 I Want Your Picture 13 The Wolf Is at Your Door (Howlin' for My Baby) 14 California Blues 15 California Boogie 16 Look-A-Here Baby 17 Howlin' Wolf Boogie 18 Smile at Me 19 Gettin' Old and Gray 20 Mr. Highway Man 21 My Baby Walked Off 22 C.V. Wine Blues 23 My Troubles and Me 24 Chocolate Drop 25 Highway Man
...served by Gyro1966...

"NEW ORLEANS VOCAL GROUP CONNECTION" Vol. 3

GREAT HARD ROCKING NEW ORLEANS SOUND!!!!trax:
1. It Takes Time - The Blenders 2. Why Oh Why - The Hawks 3. Snatchin' Back - The Bees 4. Do You Have The Right - The Scotchtones 5. You Made Me Love You - The Sha-Weez 6. Don't Walk Out - The Barons 7. I Won't Be Back - The Kidds 8. I Want To Be Loved - The Bees 9. Graveyard - The Blenders 10. I Don't Want To Lose Her - The Spiders 11. It Ain't That Way - The Hawks 12. My Lost Dreams - The Dukes 13. Cold Kisses - The Barons 14. You're Gone - Roy Perkins & Group 15. He's The Fat Man - The Hawks 16. Are You Forgetting Me - The Pelicans 17. My Only Girl - The Goldenaires 18. I'm A Young Man - The Toppers 19. Get Away Baby - The Bees 20. Bluesy Me - Dave Collins & The Scrubs 21. Here I Am - Roy Perkins & Group 22. That's What You Are - The Hawks 23. Ain't Gonna Do It - The Pelicans 24. She Keeps Me Wondering - The Spiders 25. All About You - The Goldenaires
...served by Gyro1966...

"NEW ORLEANS VOCAL GROUP CONNECTION" Vol. 2

GREAT HARD ROCKING NEW ORLEANS SOUND!!!!trax:
1. Crying The Blues - The Moonbeams 2. Down In Mexico - The Pelicans 3. Early Sunday Morning - The Sha-Weez 4. Don't Leave Me Here To Cry - The Supremes 5. Remember Me - The Bees 6. Wini Brown - The Dukes 7. All Women Are The Same - The Hawks 8. Free, Single And Disengaged - Huey "Piano" Smith & The Clowns 9. Eternally Yours - The Barons 10. Shimmies And The Shakes - The Dukes 11. You Broke My Heart - The Kidds 12. Teenage Baby - The Moonbeams 13. Drunk, Drunk, Drunk - The Pelicans 14. Quit My Job - Bobby Marchan & The Clowns 15. Tell Me You Love Me Too - The Spiders 16. Sunny Side Of The Street - The Bees 17. Real Gone Mama - The Pelicans 18. Just For You And I - The Supremes 19. Meant For Me - Bobby Mitchell & The Toppers 20. Feeling Sad - The Sha-Weez 21. It's Too Late Now - The Hawks 22. So Tired - The Spiders 23. No Money - The Blue Diamonds 24. Teardrop Eyes - The Dukes 25. Snoopin' And Accusin' - Bobby Marchan & The Tic Tocs
...served by Gyro1966...

JULIA LEE "The Chronological 1927-1946 Classics"

Although this first volume in the Classics Julia Lee chronology is ostensibly part of the label's Blues & Rhythm vintage R&B series, it begins with eight valuable early jazz recordings made in the notoriously wide-open nonstop party town of Kansas City during the years 1927 and 1928. On the opening track, lifted up off of a dusty old platter that bore the obscure Meritt record label, 25-year-old Julia Lee is heard singing "Down Home Syncopated Blues" with her big brother George E. Lee & His Novelty Singing Orchestra. For the flip side, a stomp named after the record company, the band conjures up something similar to Duke Ellington's "East St. Louis Toodle-O." A series of Brunswick sides cut during November of 1929 features both George E. Lee and a young Albert "Budd" Johnson in the reed section. George Lee sings James P. Johnson's "If I Could Be with You" and Joe Primrose's "St. James Infirmary Blues" in a rather shrill voice not unlike that of the young Cab Calloway. Two instrumentals, "Paseo Street" and "Ruff Scufflin'," provide a piquant taste of Bennie Moten-era Kansas City hot jazz. The pianist on all of these early sides is said to have been Julia Lee and/or legendary Kansas City bandleader and future R&B composer Jesse Stone. All of this serves as a wonderful prelude to the records actually featuring Julia Lee the vocalist. She chortles "He's Tall, Dark and Handsome" in a powerful voice edged with ringing vibrato similar to that which Alberta Hunter would use during the 1930s. In a neat maneuver, Julia Lee's "Won't You Come Over to My House?" of 1929 segues smoothly into her 1944 recording "Come on Over to My House," a jump tune that clearly inspired Nellie Lutcher's 1947 hit record "Hurry On Down." What happened to Julia Lee during those missing 15 years? She is said to have remained in Kansas City working as pianist in her brother's band, gigging steadily but apparently not preserving any of her performances on phonograph records. Her Capitol recordings, which began to materialize in the mid-'40s, show listeners a mature woman who had gradually perfected her casual mannerisms in the 24-hour nightclubs of Kansas City. This is best demonstrated when she belts out the words to Richard M. Jones' "Trouble in Mind" with a band anchored by the world's toughest rhythm section of Jay McShann, Walter Page, and Sam "Baby" Lovett. (All Music Guide)trax:
01 Down Home Syncopated Blues 02 The Meritt Stomp 03 If I Could Be With You One Hour Tonight 04 Paseo Street 05 Ruff Scufflin' 06 St James Infirmary 07 He's Tall, Dark And Handsome 08 Won't You Come Over To My House 09 Come On Over To My House 10 Trouble In My Mind 11 If It's Good 12 Show Me Missouri Blues 13 Lotus Blossom 14 Dream Lucky Blues 15 Julia's Blues 16 Lies 17 Gotta Gimme Whatcha Got 18 When A Woman Loves A Man 19 Oh Marie 20 I'll Get Along Somehow 21 A Porter's Love Song To A Chambermaid 22 Have You Ever Been Lonely 23 Since I Have Been With You 24 Out In The Cold Again 25 Young Girl's Blues 26 On My Way Out
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"NEW ORLEANS VOCAL GROUP CONNECTION" Vol. 1

GREAT HARD ROCKING NEW ORLEANS SOUND!!!!trax:
1. Feeling Alright On Saturday Night - The Velvetiers 2. This Is The Life - The Tic Tocs 3. Joe The Grinder - The Hawks 4. Mardi Gras Mambo - The Hawkettes 5. No One To Love Me - The Sha-Weez 6. I Know I Was Wrong - The Barons 7. Question - The Webs 8. 4 X 11= 44 - The Toppers 9. Who Are You - The Orbits 10. Boom Boom - The Barons 11. Blue Jeans And Ribbons - The Spiders 12. Oh Baby - The Velvetiers 13. Honey Honey - The Supremes 14. Chimes - The Pelicans 15. Cotton Pickin' Hands - The Dukes 16. Toy Bell - The Bees 17. Good News - The Hawks 18. True Fine Mama - The Showmen 19. Witchcraft - The Spiders 20. Mr. Hard Luck - The Orbits 21. Dearest Darling - The Clowns 22. My Girl Across Town - Lester Robinson & Upsetters 23. Honey Baby - The Blue Diamonds 24. What A Party - Jesse Allen & Group 25. Feeling Alright On Saturday Night (Outtake) - The Velvetiers
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CHARLEY PRIDE "In Person" 1968

Seeing Charley Pride sing the national anthem on TV the other night before his beloved Texas Rangers were summarily dispatched by a bunch of sixteen year old hippies from San Francisco, I was reminded that he cut what might be the best live country album ever. It's like a country version of the first Ramones album in its brevity and perfection. If you're used to his studio recordings, many of which are slathered in high fructose Nashville additives, it's a treat to hear him swinging and loose with nary a string section or choir in sight and a killer band that prominently features the astonishing Lloyd Green on pedal steel, who does this thing on "Six Days On The Road" where he imitates an approaching police siren and for a moment you think that either something's wrong with your stereo or your ride is finally here. This album appears to be out of print but you can find the LP used easily enough, and you should. (http://wfmuichiban.blogspot.com/)

trax:
01 Intro By Bo Powell 02 The Last Thing On My Mind 03 Just Between You And Me 04 I Know One 05 Dialogue 06 Lovesick Blues 07 The Image Of Me 08 Kaw-Liga 09 Shutters And Boards 10 Six Days On The Road 11 Streets Of Baltimore 12 Got Leavin' On Her Mind 13 Crystal Chandeliers 14 Cotton Fields
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THE RIBEYE BROTHERS "Bar Ballads And Cautionary Tales" 2005

Although they never transcend their obvious Nuggets-era roots, the Ribeye Brothers make the most of them.Founded by two ex-members of Monster Magnet, the five-piece churns up a mighty garage racket, often compared to the Seeds and the 13th Floor Elevators, enhanced with occasional Supersuckers country twang. Tim Cronin's snotty, in-your-face vocals are front and center, but Matt Forman's keyboards and Jon Kleinman's scruffy guitar provide a greasy base for him to work from. As its country-styled title suggests, there are a few -- but just a few -- weepy, cautionary ballads in the mix. "Death or Greyhound" is the best, but "From the Floor," a tragic tale of alcoholism that references the cover of Neil Young's American Stars 'N Bars, comes close. However, those are the only instances where ballads interrupt the punky, stripped-down '60s rocking that the Ribeye Brothers recall so effortlessly. Backward guitars on "Roberto Duran" and vocals on "Turpentine" bring the psychedelia, and it's this sense of experimentation that helps the band occasionally transcend its influences. Not that they need to, because this no-frills, American rock stands on its own merits and the band assaults it with the integrity and intensity of the greats that precede them in this genre. It may be only three chords, but the gutsy energy and gritty yet surprisingly well-recorded sound attacks like a rabid dog tearing out of the speakers. Riffs fly, guitars churn, and Cronin wallows in the atmosphere like he was born for it. This may not create any new enthusiasts for the tough garage rock the Ribeye Brothers celebrate, but the album is a real find for existing fans who think that real rock & roll died after the '60s. - Review by Hal Horowitztrax:
1. Nothing To Show You 2. Roberto Duran 3. Buffalo 4. We Became Snakes 5. From The Floor 6. Lonesome Rhodes 7. Turpentine 8. Electric Chair 9. Horn Of Plenty 10. Find Yer Own 11. Goddamn The Sun 12. Death Or Greyhound 13. Working Men Are Pissed 14. I Been Thinkin' - bonus
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THE RIBEYE BROTHERS "If I Had A Horse..." 2002

This is the twisted brainchild of Monster Magnet drummer Jon Kleiman, and spiritual advisor Tim Cronin, who smear garage-shock ooze over twangy backwoods drunkrock and filter it through a deft psychedelic-pop sensibility, adding covers by The Creation, and The Beatles for good measure. (Amazon)From the former members of Monster Magnet, Tim Cronin and Jon Kleiman bring you Ribeye Brothers: An infusion of acid-country south-western rock. It is quite the rare addition to the music scene. Extremely potent in its addictive craziness. I can't think of a single other band to relate this to. Slightly garagey but psychadelic in its own right as well. Absolutely worth the listen. Check this out. (N. Malcolm)trax:
1. If I Had A Horse... 2. Mister Ray Charles 3. Bootful Of Piss 4. D.W.I. 5. How Does It Feel 6. Drinkin' And Stinkin' 7. Last Place Champs 8. Mr. Ray Charles 9. Steakhat 10. Swagger Turns To Stagger 11. Don't Pass Me By 12. Love Theme
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RICKY ALLEN "Remember The Time"

Limited edition European CD featuring 31 tracks recorded in the 60's by this excellent and, undeservedly obscure, soul blues singer from Chicago. Allen was a fine and expressive singer and had a strong following in Chicago though he only had one national R&B hit with the fine Mel London composition Cut You A-Loose - a song that has subsequently become a Chicago blues standard and been recorded by Junior Wells, Otis Rush, Luther Allison and others. Allen was accompanied by top Chicago musicians like Earl Hooker, Reggie Boyd, Abb Locke, A.C. Reed, Lafayette Leake, Sonny Lantz and others. What Do You DO from 1966 features some fine harp from Junior Wells. Sound quality, presumably dubbed from 45s, is satisfactory and the booklet includes a biography of Ricky.(Roots & Rhythm Music)

trax:
01 You'd Better Be Sure 02 You Were My Teacher 03 From You 04 Remember The Time 05 Ouch! 06 I Don't Get It 07 I Wanna Hear From You 08 Heart Breaking 09 Cut You A-Loose 10 Faith 11 Early In The Morning 12 Catch Up With Your Crowd 13 Eighty Hour Week 14 Can I Come Back Home 15 Help Me Mama 16 The Big Fight 17 Little By Little 18 Going Or Coming 19 I Have Made A Change 20 Messed Around And Fell In Love 21 I Ain't Never 22 Hurt Look On My Face 23 It's Love Baby 24 Step Down 25 I'm A Real Thankful Man 26 I Can't Stand No Signifying 27 Just You And Me 28 Nothing In The World Can't Hurt Me 29 What Do You Do 30 It's A Mess I Tell You 31 Skate Boo-Ga-Loo
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"DOO-WOPPING THE BLUES"

Fine and varied collection of 50's and 60's vocal group R&B with the word "blues" in the title. The music is much better than the horrible cover!trax:
1. Crying The Blues - The Moonbeams 2. Blues No More - Eddie Saxton & Paramounts 3. My Heart's Got The Blues - The Five C's 4. Rock Me The Blues - Bobby Klint & The Jades 5. Blues In A Letter - The Flamingos 6. Devil Blues - The Chromatics 7. Crying The Blues Over Me - The Criterions 8. I Got The Blues - The Van-Dells 9. Blues In The Night - The Robins 10. Two For The Blues - The Five Grand 11. Candy Store Blues - The Capers 12. Blues At Dawn - The Sultans 13. Teenage Blues - Carlo & The Cupids 14. Lulabelle Blues - The Crows 15. I Cry The Blues - Gayle Fortune & The Terry Tones 16. Rock A Bye Blues - Eddie Banks & Van Dreamers 17. Blues For Monday - The Emanon Four 18. I Had The Blues - Sheldon Dunaway & Cup Cakes 19. Chasing The Blues - The Arist-O-Kats 20. Beatle Mania Blues - The Roaches 21. Count Off Blues - Billy Perry & The Starlites 22. Opera Vs. The Blues - The Utopians 23. Road Of The Blues - The Phaetons 24. Bye Bye Baby Blues - The Ravens
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