"The USA Records Blues Story" 1963-1966

More than a decade before Alligator Records began reviving the careers of Koko Taylor, Fenton Robinson, Lonnie Brooks, and Detroit Junior, among others in the 1970s, these cats were cutting killer sessions for little labels that you probably have never heard of, including USA Records (not to be confused with Leonard Allen's twin labels United and States from the '50s). Recorded between 1963 and 1966, The USA Records Blues Story captures a dozen of Chicago's best at their peak, often in the midst of some kind of historic transition artistically -- witness Koko Taylor a couple years shy of "Wang Dang Doodle," Fenton Robinson a couple years shy of "Somebody Loan Me a Dime," and Junior Wells a couple years shy of his Hoodoo Man Blues breakthrough. But USA also lured more bankable talent, including Willie Mabon and J.B. Lenoir, who were both still going strong long after their stints with Chess Records. If USA Records ever cut any duds, you wouldn't know it from the way Bill Dahl compiled the reissue; this one hits the jackpot all the way through. Review by Ken Chang, All Music GuideThis CD is the fried pork chops; poke salit, grits and gravy of American rhythm and blues. It doesn't get more basic or better. You've got your barrelhouse piano, squealing sax, echoing harmonica, throaty whisky vocals, pithy guitar, and shoe scuffling scooting. You could polish the floor to this stuff. Picture seven adults nestled comfortably in the confines of a late 1960s Cadillac sedan, whispering down interstate, clipping off the mileage makers at a rate of 70 plus MPH. All the windows are down; a couple of rod and reels stick askew out of a not quite closed trunk, just above an I LOVE BEAUMONT bumper sticker. This incredible sound emanates from the car. “Are we in heaven yet?” “No, but we’re getting darn close.” You arrive at some bent wood tavern off a beaten down dirt road, with bottle cap littered parking, sagging post oaks, broken, sputtering neon, and a small room filled-to-capacity. The floor is shaking, beer spilling, cigarette smoke so thick it melts into fog. Sweating bodies swaying and rubbing to the sounds of Junior Wells, Koko Taylor, Lonnie Brooks, J.B. Lenoir, Mighty Joe Young and the entire family that made USA Records the bastion of blues and soul recording artist during the 1960s Chicago. USA Records served as a clearinghouse of sorts as most of their artist made the obligatory one hit, and then moved on too bigger things. This is a collection of those hits. "Figure Head" by Lonnie Brooks, "She's A Sweet One" by Junior Wells, "Going and Coming" by Ricky Allen, "Momee, Momee" by Eddy Clearwater aren't exactly national hits but serve as prime examples of a sound that went on to influence The Rolling Stones, Robert Cray, and you start to get the idea. The music was and is absolutely essential in the evolution of American rhythm and blues. The fact that 26 choice cuts have been remastered and included with 8 pages of liner notes, you too could appear to know more than you do on the subject. This is a wonderful thing - timeless, classic, and way, way cool.(Blues World)

trax:
1. Figure Head - Lonnie Brooks 2. The Duck Walk - Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater 3. Some Time I Wonder - Willie Mabon 4. From My Heart - Fenton Robinson 5. Going Or Coming - Ricky Allen 6. Forget It - Jimmy Burns 7. It's Bad To Make A Woman Mad - Detroit Junior 8. You Better Stop - Andrew Brown 9. Hard Times (Follow Me) - Mighty Joe Young 10. Like Heaven To Me - Koko Taylor 11. I Feel So Good - J.B. Lenoir 12. I'd Rather Fight Than Switch - A.C. Reed 13. Just Got Some - Willie Mabon 14. Too Many Cooks - Jessie Fortune 15. Crossroads - Homesick James 16. I Have Made A Change - Ricky Allen 17. She's A Sweet One - Junior Wells 18. Through All Your Faults - Jimmy Burns 19. Call My Job - Detroit Junior 20. Momee, Momee - Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater 21. Something Can Go Wrong - Andrew Brown 22. I'm Not Going Home - Lonnie Brooks 23. Say You're Leavin' - Fenton Robinson 24. My Baby's Sweet - Homesick James 25. Honky Tonky - Koko Taylor 26. Good Things - Jessie Fortune
...served by Gyro1966...