Joan's "A Doo Wop Christmas"

Well, we just can't have Christmas without reviving this collection from the "Joan Selects" series.

01 - Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer - The Melodeers

02 - Jingle Jangle - The Penguins

03 - White Christmas - The Drifters

04 - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - The Harmony Grits

05 - You're My Christmas Present - The Skyliners

06 - Can This Be Christmas - The Falcons

07 - Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer - The Cadillacs

08 - It's Christmas Time - The Five Keys

09 - Rockin' Santa Claus - The Martels

10 - It's Christmas Once Again - Frankie Lymon

11 - Merry Christmas To My Heart - The Sheps

12 - Merry Merry Christmas Baby - The Tune Weavers

13 - Merry Twist-Mas - The Marcels

14 - Merry Christmas Darling (And A Happy New Year) - The Uniques

15 - Mambo, Santa, Mambo - The Enchanters

16 - Mr. Santa's Boogie - The Marshalls

17 - Just A Lonely Christmas - The Moonglows

18 - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Hank Ballard & The Midnighters

19 - (It's Gonna Be A) Lonely Christmas - The Orioles

20 - A Christmas Long Ago (Jingle Jingle) - The Echelons

21 - Hey Santa Claus - The Moonglows

22 - What Are You Doing New Year's Eve - The Orioles

23 - White Christmas - The Ravens

24 - After New Year's Eve - The Heartbeats

25 - Every Heart Is Home At Christmas - The Five Keys

26 - Happy Holiday - The Shells

27 - Christmas Is Coming At Last - The Rhythm Kings

28 - Rockin' & Rollin' With Santa Claus - The Hepsters

29 - Christmas Letter - La Fets and Kitty

30 - Have A Merry Christmas - The Robins

31 - Love For Christmas - The Ebonaires

32 - Merry Christmas - The Cameos

Download from here:

http://www27.zippyshare.com/v/35103022/file.html

I think I can hear sleigh bells .... Merry Christmas Joan, and a Merry Rock 'n' Roll Yule to everyone else!

The Clovers - Five Cool Cats

Side One
1 - One Mint Julep
2 - Good Lovin'
3 - Lovey Dovey
4 - I Got My Eyes On You
5 - Down In The Alley
6 - Your Cash Ain't Nothin' But Trash
7 - In The Morning Time
8 - Don't You Know I Love You

Side Two
1 - Blue Velvet
2 - Love Bug
3 - If I Could Be Loved By You
4 - Nip Sip
5 - Devil Or Angel
6 - Your Tender Lips
7 - So Young
8 - All About You

Download from:

http://www20.zippyshare.com/v/HnKVl0vC/file.html

First time for this LP on Be Bop Wino, which frankly I can't believe. I remember getting this record as a Christmas present (along with The Drifters' "Bip Bam") thirty years ago. Just where the heckity heck has the time gone?

In a fit of excessive enthusiasm a couple of posts ago I may have declared that I would be posting the greatest drunken R&B vocal group ever. And it's not The Lamplighters! Step forward Atlantic's finest, The Clovers - the top selling R&B act between 1950 and 1955. The 6th best selling R&B act of the 1950s, behind Fats Domino, The Platters, Clyde McPhatter, Chuck Berry and Little Richard (if you're wondering).

Now let me make it plain that I'm not casting aspersions on the sobriety or otherwise of any members of this magnificent vocal group. I was in fact referring to the classic series of discs they released between 1951 and 1955 which are redolent of the consequences of hanging around in a bar all day. Hymns to lost love or, even worse, the catastrophic results of just that one mint julep. Records that reek of booze and tinkling barroom piano (played by Harry Van Walls) and squawking inebriated tenor saxes. Classic numbers that belong right up there with the alcoholic anthems of Amos Milburn.

Label shots courtesy Joan K

You get a good dose of that in this collection which is an overview of their Atlantic sides between 1952 and 1958 and which therefore charts their progress (?) from sleazy and rumbustious R&B to the smoother pop sound of the second half of the '50s. It's a good collection despite the inclusion of saccharine pop numbers, and the back cover has classy liner notes by Clive Anderson.

Back in the 1990s the UK Sequel label licensed Atlantic material and released two Clovers CDs based around their 1950s Atlantic LPs "The Clovers" and "Dance Party" but each with many extra tracks. If, like myself, you had the opportunity and the good taste to buy these CDs then you possess just about everything they ever recorded for Atlantic. If you upload the said CDs to your computer and compile a chronological playlist on your music player of choice then you can experience the sheer joy of their 1951 - 1955 output. If, like me, you have spent most of the day hanging around in bars then your listening experience will be considerably enhanced.

The pop material of their later Atlantic sides can be dismissed with a mouse click if you so wish, but do give "Down In The Alley" a listen.

LP covers courtesy Joan K

Personnel include Buddy Bailey, Harold Lucas, Matthew McQuater, Harold Winley, Bill Harris, Charlie White and Billy Mitchell.

Marv Goldberg has a three part Clovers story on his great R&B Notebooks blog, starting here:

http://www.uncamarvy.com/Clovers/clovers1.html

Get yourself over to Unca Marvy's and get hip!

Boogiewoody's favourite Clovers tracks (label number and release date):

Don't You Know I Love You So / Skylark (Atlantic 934, April 1951)
Fool, Fool, Fool (Atlantic 944, August 1951)
One Mint Julep / In The Middle Of The Night (Atlantic 963, February 1952)
Ting-A-Ling / Wonder Where My Baby's Gone (Atlantic 969, May 1952)
I Played The Fool / Hey Miss Fannie (Atlantic 977, September 1952)
Crawlin' / Yes It's You (Atlantic 989, February 1953)
Good Lovin' (Atlantic 1000, June 1953)
Comin' On / The Feeling Is So Good (Atlantic 1010, October 1953)
Lovey Dovey / Little Mama (Atlantic 1022, February 1954)
Your Cash Ain't Nothing But Trash (Atlantic 1035, June 1954)
Blue Velvet (Atlantic 1052, December 1954)
In The Morning Time (Atlantic 1060, May 1955)
Nip Sip (Atlantic 1073, August 1955)
Down In The Alley (Atlantic 1152, August 1957, recorded March 1953)

The above discographical information is from Nick Tosches' "Unsung Heroes Of Rock 'n' Roll, except for "Down In The Alley," the information on which is from the liner notes by Gordon Skadberg and George Povall on the Sequel CD "The Clovers" (RSA CD 857).

Click on the link below to listen to "In The Morning Time":

In The Morning Time - The Clovers

Click on the link below to listen to "Nip Sip":

Nip Sip - The Clovers

Those 1997 Sequel CDs (RSA CD 857 and RSA CD 858). Familiar artwork and 49 tracks in all!

Nick Tosches' "Unsung Heroes of Rock 'n' Roll" chapter on The Clovers, memorably titled "Absalom, Absalom! Doo-Wah, Doo-Wah!" is a hoot. To use his own words, it "beehooves beholding." Have a cool Yule, y'all!

Pee Wee Crayton (Crown LP 5175)

Many thanks to El Enmascarado for salvaging this Crown LP for our aural delectation. It's the familiar budget label packaging which just adds to the charm - cardboard sleeve with good front cover  picture, generic back cover slapped on to the sleeve at an odd angle, and minimal labels on the disc itself which at least seem to list the tracks which are actually on the record (we hope).

This LP was originally released in 1960, but the illustrations on the back cover and the plain white label with crown logo point to this copy being an early 1970s issue, sometime between the end of 1969 and 1972 when Crown stopped issuing records.

Tracks:

Side 1

1. Texas Hop

2. Blues After Hours

3. Phone Call From My Baby

4. Tired Of Travelin'

5. California Women

Side 2

1. Blues In My Heart

2. Pee Wee's Boogie

3. Old Fashioned Baby

4. Blues For My Baby

5. My Everything

"Texas Hop" recorded in Los Angeles, 1948. Originally issued as single Modern 20-643. Features Buddy Floyd on tenor sax.

"Blues After Hours" recorded in Los Angeles, September 1948. Original single release Modern 20-624.

"Tired of Travelin'" recorded in Los Angeles, 1951. Rerecording of single release Modern 20-796, recorded in late 1949.

"Phone Call From My Baby" and "Blues In My Heart" recorded in Los Angeles, August 1950. Both first issued on this LP. Backing musicians include Ben Webster (tenor sax) and Joe Comfort (bass). "Blues In My Heart" is an alternate take (with added echo) of "Answer To Blues after Hours" Modern single 20-763.

"California Women," "Pee Wee's Boogie," "Blues For My Baby," and "My Everything" all recorded in Los Angeles circa late 1951 and first released on this LP.

"Old Fashioned Baby" was recorded in Los Angeles, late 1949. Original single release Modern 20-719.

Download LP from:

http://www17.zippyshare.com/v/MG2Q6zQa/file.html

Connie Curtis Crayton was born in Texas in 1914, spent his youth in Austin and moved out to the West Coast in 1935. In the early 1940s he took up blues guitar playing, being mentored by none other than the great T-Bone Walker. His first professional gigs were with the small bands of Count Otis Matthews and Ivory Joe Hunter and his first recordings were with the latter combo. In 1948 he was signed by Modern Records. In September of that year he recorded a moody instrumental "Blues After Hours" which topped the Race Records chart by the end of October.

Also in the charts at the time - Sonny Thompson with the equally moody "Late Freight" a follow up to "Long Gone" which was surely an inspiration for "Blues After Hours."

In February 1949 Pee Wee had a second big chart hit on Modern with the rollicking instrumental "Texas Hop" which featured brilliant sax work by Buddy Floyd. This time round Pee Wee's disc peaked at number 5, and was soon followed by his third and last hit, "I Love You So."



Pee Wee continued to cut sides for Modern until October 1951. Although it was mostly primo jump, boogie and blues, nothing else charted and in November Pee Wee moved over to Aladdin Records for one session. In 1953 he recorded material for John Dolphin's Recorded In Hollywood label. In 1954 he was recording for Imperial with Dave Bartholomew's band and in 1956 - 57 he recorded some good stuff for Vee Jay.

Thereafter his recording career became very intermittent and he dropped out of the music business. In 1970 there was the start of a revival when he appeared at the Monterey Jazz festival with Johnny Otis which led to an album for Vanguard and further recordings with Otis. Pee Wee was still active as interest in genuine 1940s R&B continued to revive in the 1980s. He recorded with Rod Piazza, appeared at festivals, and saw his 1940s and 50s Modern material reissued by Ace (UK). Unfortunately Pee Wee died of a heart attack in 1985.

Ace have repackaged his Modern sides in 3 CDs. Your starting point should be Ace CD CHD 632 "The Modern Legacy Volume 1." Get hip or stay square as they say!

With many thanks to El Enmascarado for reviving this scratched old Crown LP. Merry Christmas, Compadre!

Three Requested Re-Ups

Apologies for my prolonged absence to all you hepcats out there. No excuses - I just needed a rest. There have been requests for re-ups while I was in limbo, so here are three LPs which were posted more years ago than I care to remember, starting with -

Great King / Federal comp of 1950s chantoozie sides featuring some stompers and some tear stained ballads. All backed by some of the greatest jump and jazz bands of the time, including the Johnny Otis band (anonymously), Earl Bostic, Hot Lips Page, Bill Doggett, Jimmy Coe, Buddy Banks, Lucky Millinder, Roy Milton and Sonny Thompson.

Tracklist:

Side 1

1. Dorothy Ellis - He's Gone

2. Lil Greenwood - Grandpa Can Boogie Too

3. Earl Bostic & His Orchestra - Portrait Of A Faded Love

4. Duke Hampton & His Orchestra - Please Be Good To Me

5. Fluffy Hunter - Climb The Wall

6. Roy Milton & His Orchestra - You're Gonna Suffer Baby

7. Sarah McLawler - I Need You Now

8. Gene Redd & His Orchestra - I Dreamed The Blues

Side 2

1. Bill Doggett Trio - No More In Life

2. Marion Abernathy - Undecided

3. Flo Garvin - I'm On The Outside Looking In

4. Flo Garvin - Let Me Keep You Warm

5. Lorraine Lester - You Can't Have Me Now

6. Lucky Millinder & His Orchestra - It's A Sad, Sad Feeling

7. Dorothy Ellis - Slowly Going Out Of My Mind

8. Sugar Pie - Please Be True

New link:

http://www85.zippyshare.com/v/cc6O4AdS/file.html

Original post (August 2008) here:

:http://bebopwinorip.blogspot.co.uk/2008/08/rare-blues-girls-from-king_3236.html

Superb compilation of sides recorded by Basie tenor sax player Buddy Tate for LA indie label Supreme in December 1947. Small group swing, blues and jump with Jimmy Witherspoon on board for a couple of vocal outings.

Tracklist:

Side 1

1. Tate's A Jumpin' (Take 4)

2. Blue And Sentimental

3. Vine Street Breakdown (Take 4)

4. Ballin' From Day To Day

5. Six Foot Two Blues

6. Kansas City Local (Take 3)

Side 2

1. Kansas City Local (Take 5)

2. The Things You Done For Me Baby

3. Vine Street Breakdown (Take 1)

4. Early Morning Blues

5. Good Morning Judge

6. Tate's A Jumpin' (Take 2)

New link:

http://www60.zippyshare.com/v/rgPa25KO/file.html

Original post (March 2008) here:

http://bebopwinorip.blogspot.co.uk/2008/03/buddy-tate-jumpin-on-west-coast_357.html

Rock and roll sides from the Plas, recorded for Capitol in 1957. LP donated by Big Al (the bloggers' pal!) back in 2010. This comp is quite different from the other 2 re-ups on this post, being a mix of novelty, space age pop, jazz noir, burlesque and general 50s instro mood music.

Tracklist:

Side 1

1. Hoppin' Mad

2. Blow Your Blues Away

3. Popcorn

4. Downstairs

5. The Loop

6. Swanee River Rock

7. The Big Twist

Side 2

1. Little Rockin' Deacon

2. You Send Me

3. Robin's Nest Cha Cha

4. Plas Jazz

5. Come Rain or Come Shine

6. Dinah

7. Everyone Knows

New link:

http://www16.zippyshare.com/v/RgUThBP6/file.html

Original and very informative post (from June 2010) here:

http://bebopwinorip.blogspot.co.uk/2010/06/plas-johnson-rockin-with-plas.html

Zippyshare links will expire if files aren't downloaded during a period of 30 days. I'm afraid that I failed to check my zippyshare account for several months and we have therefore lost some of the early Joan Selects comps. I'll try to get these back up again.

The last year and a half has been a struggle on the blog with firstly all rapidshare download links going down the tubes and then the divshare streaming audio service imploding. My advice is to download or listen while you can, for the opportunity to access the riches of Be Bop Wino may be fleeting. And that's a metaphor for life in general. Here endeth the lesson for tonight.

Coming soon - new stuff! Including a crackly Crown LP sent in by El Enmascarado and an 80s comp of the greatest drunken vocal group of all time. Stay salty!

Roy Milton - Early In The Morning / Bless Your Heart (Warwick M 549)

Recorded in 1960. Released in May 1960. Probable personnel: Roy Milton (vocal) accompanied by possibly Vernon "Jake" Porter (cornet); John "Streamline" Ewing (trombone) Jackie Kelso (alto sax); Jack McVea (tenor sax); John Creach (violin); Robbin Webb (piano); unknown (organ); Billy Hadnott (bass); Oscar Bradley Jr. (drums); female vocal group (The Tiaras?) on "Bless Your Heart"

Billboard review, 20th May 1960:

"Early In The Morning - Here's a tune written by Milton himself and it's done to an old-style big band arrangement. Milton sounds good on the blues message, however."

"Bless Your Heart - Here's a fine tune sung in hip style by Milton, the blues singer. Fem chorus and a slightly swinging violin add interest. This can get spins because of its offbeat touches."

Releases: Lou Wa 1002 in 1960; Warwick M 549 in 1960; Sue (UK) WI - 4021 in 1966, but wrongly attributed to Little Milton. "Early In The Morning" was originally recorded by Roy Milton in 1953 and released on Specialty 464 (B Side was "Let Me Give You All My Love").

Once more we have Corky to thank for another Roy Milton single from late in his career. "Early In The Morning" (not to be confused with the Louis Jordan song with the same title) is a good blues which grows on you after a few plays. Roy originally recorded this tune for Specialty back in 1953. You can hear the original version on YouTube by clicking on this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iANFnRnaveg

The original version was posted by RPMmanToledo Ohio. He has a whole load of rips from 78 rpm discs and his posts are well worth checking out. The contrast between the two versions of "Early In The Morning" is interesting especially as the 1953 cut has some neat guitar licks.

The Sue Records issue features in this post on Paul's Sue Records UK blog -

https://suerecordsuk.wordpress.com/2013/09/12/little-milton-early-in-the-morningbless-your-heart/

There's a label shot complete with the mistaken attribution of the disc to Little Milton!

"Bless Your Heart" is a rather more sentimental offering complete with violin played by Papa John Creach. Sounds ominous, but it works out OK!

Many thanks to Corky for ripping the sound files from the original Warwick 45 rpm and also for the label shots. There's a couple more late Roy Milton tracks in the pipeline! Stay tuned, fellow hipsters.

B.B. King - Live On Stage (United 7736)

Originally released on Kent 5015 in 1965. Chitlin' circuit atmosphere, rough as heck, possibly the best ever "live" (!?!) blues set on LP. Released before B.B. broke into the blues-rock market. I don't think this one has ever made it to CD. Bought in the much missed 23rd Precinct record shop in Glasgow in the early 70s.

They played 2 hours solid B.B. tracks tonight in the Scotia Bar in Glasgow. I doubt if anyone else could have inspired such a tribute.

This is one long mp3 ripped earlier tonight. No separate tracks but here's the set list:

Please Love Me - Every Day I Have The Blues - Sweet Sixteen - 3 O'Clock Blues - Rock Me Baby - Sweet Little Angel - Baby Look at Me - Woke Up this Morning - You Upset Me Baby - I've Got A Right To Love My Baby - Let Me Love You.

I assume (!?!) it is a "bona fide" live recording. (Edit - it isn't! See comments below) With these budget Modern / RPM and subsidiary label LPs you just never know! No matter, this is one smokin' set. Download, play and raise a glass of beer to the memory of the great man.

Download link:

http://www17.zippyshare.com/v/lF3fYfab/file.html

Bull Moose Jackson - Two Re-Ups

In answer to a request for a re-up of the Bull Moose Jackson LP "Moose On The Loose" on Saxophonograph, here are re-ups of both Bull Moose LPs which I originally uploaded in 2011 and 2009 respectively: "Moose On The Loose" and "Big Fat Mamas Are Back In Style Again."

Moose On The Loose:

Side A:
1. Chittlin' Switch (Lucky Millinder and his Orchestra)
2. Hold Him Joe
3. We Ain't Got Nothin'
4. Just In Case You Change Your Mind
5. Jammin' And Jumpin'
6. Bad Man Jackson, That's Me
7. Moose On The Loose
8. Sometimes I Wonder

Side B:
1. Houston Texas Gal
2. Moosey
3. We Can Talk Some Trash
4. Oh John
5. End This Misery
6. Bearcat Blues
7. Big Ten-Inch Record
8. Hodge-Podge

New download link:

Moose On The Loose (Mega)

Original post is here:

http://bebopwinorip.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/bull-moose-jackson-moose-on-loose.html

Big Fat Mamas Are Back In Style Again:

Side A:
1. I Know Who Threw The Whiskey (In The Well)
2. Bull Moose Jackson Blues
3. Sneaky Pete
4. Cleveland Ohio Blues
5. Fare Thee Well, Deacon Jones
6. Keep Your Big Mouth Shut
7. Miss Lucy
8. Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide

Side B:
1. Memphis Gal
2. Why Don't You Haul Off And Love Me
3. Big Fat Mamas Are Back In Style Again
4. Cherokee Boogie (Eh-Oh-Aleena)
5. Nosey Joe
6. Bootsie
7. I Wanna Hug Ya, Kiss Ya, Squeeze Ya
8. Watch My Signals

New download link:

Big Fat Mamas Are Back In Style Again (Mega)


Original post:

http://bebopwinorip.blogspot.co.uk/2009/09/bull-moose-jackson-big-fat-mamas-are.html


Check out the original posts for much more info on Bull Moose, the LPs, and loadsa label scans.

New Blog Page - El Enmascarado's 78 rpm Rips Plus Comps

The Masked One's record room - where vinyl and shellac rule

I've finally (!) finished constructing the new blog page dedicated to El Enmascarado's rips from original 78 rpm shellac discs. On the page you'll find links to every post featuring these rips. On these posts you'll find links to streaming audio of both sides of each disc. I've replaced all the audio links to the accursed Divshare with new links to Box.

At the bottom of the page you'll find download links and details of the compilation "LPs" in which the 78s have been gathered together. Some months ago I was amused to find some of these comps turning up for sale on some music download services. Get 'em for free here, on the site where they were created!

New page link: 

78 rpm rips by El Enmascarado

There is also a link on the Page List section at the top of the blog sidebar.

Check it out! I've taken the liberty of adding short, pithy summaries of each 78 rpm disc in the style of the old Norton Records mail order catalogues I used get sent from the States. Brief and to the point I hope! One reason for the delay in updating the blog recently is that I have rediscovered my old copies of the incredible "Kicks!" magazine, which was the precursor to the whole Norton Records shebang. Rereading that stuff has fried my brain again, just as it did about 15 years ago when one of my workmates turned me on to the words of wisdom penned by Billy Miller, Miriam Linna and their Kickster cohorts.

There was no option but to open up a new library (called "Kicks", of course) on my laptop music player of choice (MusicBee) and rip  and upload piles of CDs of rockabilly, surf instros, teenbeat instros, greasy rhythm 'n' blues, and general late 50s - early 60s mayhem. Then I turned on Auto DJ and 5 days later here I still am, slumped in the old homestead while the laptop blares out through the HiFi. Luke McDaniels is playing right now, to be followed by somebody called The Crazy Teens (off of "Sin Alley"!) and then Joe Hill Louis. Oh and Elvis is coming up soon with "Money Honey." This could go on forever ... Aw hell, now it's Gentleman Jim and The Horsemen with "Soul Searchin'" - Help! Somebody get me outta here!

Savin' Those Sounds - Blues On 78 (re-up)

Side One

1. Rockin' With Red - Piano Red

2. Possum Hunt - Smokey Hogg

3. Off The Wall - Little Walter

4. Don't Start Me Talking - Sonny Boy Williamson

5. Boogie Chillen' - John Lee Hooker

6. Honey Honey Blues - Lightnin' Hopkins

7. Walking The Blues - Willie Dixon

Side Two

1. If You're Mine - Willie Dixon

2. Tell Me Mama - Little Walter

3. Sally Mae - John Lee Hooker

4. Moonrise Blues - Lightnin' Hopkins

5. Red's Boogie - Piano Red

6. Let's Get Together And Drink Some Gin - Smokey Hogg

7. All My Love In Vain - Sonny Boy Williamson

Ripped from shellac at 128 kbps by El Enmascarado

New download link:

http://www84.zippyshare.com/v/tbde3l2o/file.html

password = greaseyspoon

NEW NEW download link with no password:

http://www12.zippyshare.com/v/thsW6mgP/file.html

Original post (November 2011):

http://bebopwinorip.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/blues-on-78-album.html

This re-up of the blues "LP" compiled from El Enmascarado's rips from shellac 78 rpm discs represents the last-but-one stage in the recovery of the posts featuring the "mp3s from 78s" sent in by The Masked One. At present the "latest news" section in the blog sidebar contains the complete list of posts of these 1940s/50s 10 inch shellac discs, all of which have had new streaming audio installed following the collapse of Divshare.

Of course this will soon no longer be "latest news" and therefore I am presently constructing a new page which will list links to all the 78 posts plus links to the downloadable compilations of these rare discs. It will be a "one stop shop" for this unforgettable series of glimpses into R&B history.

The demise of Divshare has been a heavy blow to the blog as its streaming audio widget was on many posts. I've prioritized El Enmascarado's rips for new streaming audio, just as I prioritized the Joan Selects series for re-ups following the final disintegration of Rapidshare. I feel that this is only fair as both Joan and The Masked One put in a tremendous amount of work to bring rare sounds to Be Bop Wino.

Re-ups have dominated the blog for months now, but I hope to post some new stuff soon. One thing I noticed while uploading the 78 rpm singles to Box, was that in general they had more audio presence than rips from 1980s reissue vinyl. This was especially noticeable when listening to Sonny Boy Williamson's "Don't Start Me Talking" / "All My Love In Vain". The 78 version just had so much more whomp than the mp3s I had of these tracks from a 1980s "Chess Masters" 2LP set. And this was the despite the fact that the vinyl rips were at a much higher bit rate.

There's much talk these days of a vinyl revival, but c'mon folks, let's get back to shellac! That's where the action is!

Skid Row - Roy Milton (King 5069)

Listen to "Skid Row"

Recorded in Los Angeles, February 27th 1957. B Side of Roy's cover of "Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu". Released in mid-July 1957.

Personnel (probably): Walter Williams (trumpet); Harvey Braxton (alto sax); Cliff Solomon (tenor sax); Oscar Estelle (baritone sax); Emmanuel Kennebrew (piano); Johnny Rogers (guitar); Lawrence Kato (bass) Roy Milton (drums).

Billboard review, 22nd July 1957: "Fine blues instrumental with a lot of mood and feeling, and a modified Yancey bass in the arrangement. Satisfying wax for the savants."

Ask and ye shall be given ... I must thank Corky who answered a request on the blog for this rare Roy Milton B side. As he said in his email "the disc was pretty trashed" but he has done a stand up job in removing the scratches, plus he has also supplied a label scan. Many thanks, sir.

The Billboard review sums up the record quite nicely - a moody bluesy instro with nice solos on guitar and alto and tenor saxes. The writer credits are to Roy Milton, trumpeter Walter Williams, tenor sax man Cliff Solomon and baritone sax player Oscar Estelle, so this may well be a little something cooked up during the recording session. Only one other side resulted from this particular session - "I'm Grateful" (King 5035) which featured a vocal by Roy.

You can download "Skid Row" (320 kbps mp3) plus label scan from here:

http://www89.zippyshare.com/v/Any90yMo/file.html

Grab it and add it to your download of "The Later Roy Milton" which is doubtless featuring strongly on all your current playlists. Have fun, folks, and thanks again Corky.

Todd Rhodes - Dance Music That Hits the Spot!

Side One:

1. Blues For The Red Boy

2. Pot Likker

3. Teardrops

4. Beet Patch

5. Blue Autumn

6. Specks

7. Echoes

8. Chicken Strut

Side Two:

1. Bell Boy Boogie

2. Rocket 69

3. Feathers

4. Thunderbolt Boogie

5. Red Boy Is Back

6. Snuff Dipper

7. Silver Sunset

8. Gin Gin Gin

I guess this should count as a re-up as I originally posted this LP back in October 2007 in the very earliest days of Be Bop Wino. This time round I've included brand new cover and label scans, so you now get the complete front and back covers for the very first time. In my view that makes it a kind of new post!

This is a 1980s reissue of King LP 658, originally issued in August 1959. The music spans the entirety of Todd's recording career with "Bell Boy Boogie" originating from his very first session with Sensation in July 1947 and "Silver Sunset", "Specks" aka "Space", "Echoes" and "Chicken Strut" being the complete last session for King in July, 1954.

Todd Rhodes was a native of Kentucky (born 1900), a trained musician who attended the Springfield School of Music (Ohio) and a big band veteran who played piano with McKinney's Cotton Pickers in the 1920s and 1930s. In the 1940s he settled in Detroit and led small bands which played around the many clubs in that city.

His first recording contract was with local label Sensation and his records were simultaneously released on the Chicago label Vitacoustic for national distribution. Before 1947 was out, Vitacoustic had gone belly up and a new national distribution deal was arranged with King Records. Detroit issues were still put out on Sensation but tension between the two companies led to a legal dispute which was won by King in 1951. From then on, all Todd Rhodes releases were exclusively through King who also bought out all existing Sensation masters. The information on the back cover of this LP only lists King release numbers.

The full story of Todd's early career is told in the notes to the excellent Ace CD "Blues For The Red Boy - The Early Sensation Recordings" CDCHD 856.



This is a CD I can highly recommend. It has superb sound quality (being from original masters) and gives a marvelous insight into the versatility  of the Todd Rhodes band - capable of sounding equally good on boppers, lush jazzers, boogies, blues and even occasional reworkings of classical pieces! If ever a jump band lived up to the title of "little big band", it was the Todd Rhodes outfit.

The "Dance Music That Hits the Spot!" LP can't match the CD for sound quality. In fact this release sounds like echo has been added to most of the tracks. It's still a cracking jump collection. The boogies are especially powerful and let's not forget that "Blues For The Red Boy" was chosen by Alan Freed as the introductory theme to his first "rock 'n 'roll" radio show in Cleveland.

Todd was credited with starting the career of Lavern Baker and also being an important influence on the career of Johnnie Ray as he worked with them both at Detroit's Flame Show Bar. He also backed Wynonie Harris on two sessions for King in July 1951 and January 1952, including a couple of memorably raunchy releases in "Lovin' Machine" and "Keep On Churnin' (Till The Butter Comes)".

Download from here:

http://www13.zippyshare.com/v/c6kK6Jup/file.html

The Later Roy Milton (re-up)

Re-upped by request, this time with a front cover! Original post here:

http://bebopwinorip.blogspot.co.uk/2009/01/roy-milton-later-roy-milton_26.html

New download link:

http://www52.zippyshare.com/v/S5ZN30Vi/file.html

From the original post:

Although Roy Milton’s chart career ended in 1952, his recording career rolled on. As the sound of rhythm & blues changed and rock ‘n’ roll loomed on the horizon, Roy’s records got tougher and bluesier. His last recordings for Specialty were made in 1953, with some of this material being released through 1954 and 1955. “Baby Don’t Do That To Me” and “Tell It Like It Is” were recorded for Specialty in April 1953 and released in February 1955 and October 1954, respectively.

Walter “Dootsie” Williams, the owner of DooTone Records and a former trumpeter with Roy’s band The Solid Senders, signed Roy to his label in 1955. There was only one recording session  for Dootone, in October 1955 which produced a few classic rockin’ numbers, especially “You Got Me Reelin’ & Rockin’”. “Fools Are Getting Scarcer” and “I Can’t Go On” are also from this session.

In October 1956 Roy recorded a session for King Records in Cincinnati. The hip stomper “One Zippy Zam” which includes terrific electric guitar from Johnny Rogers is from this session. “A Brand New Thrill” and “Jeeps Blues” are from Roy’s final session for King in July 1957. Thereafter there was no more recording by Roy until 1960 when he started making discs for a series of small obscure labels through to 1964. “Driveway Blues” and “I’m Forgetting About You” were recorded in Los Angeles for the Thunderbird label in 1962.

Many thanks to Joan for some obscure vinyl rips and label shots!

Ripped (mostly) from vinyl (except the Specialty sides) at hugely varying bitrates.

1. Baby, Don't Do That To Me (Specialty 545)

2. Tell It Like It Is (Specialty 538)

3. Fools Are Getting Scarcer (Dootone 363)

4. I Can't Go On (Dootone 363)

5. You Got Me Reelin' & Rockin' (Dootone 369)

6. One Zippy Zam (King 4993)

7. A Brand New Thrill (King 5074)

8. Jeep's Blues (King 5074)

9. Driveway Blues (Thunderbird 104)

10. I'm Forgetting About You (Thunderbird 104)

An appeal - there was a request a few weeks ago for a source for Roy Milton's King recording "Skid Row." Does anyone have a copy they could share?