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Sunday, 28 February 2016

New York Blues Volume 2





Tracklist:

Side 1
01. Angel Child - Sammy Myers
02. Little Girl - Sammy Myers
03. You Don't Have To Go - Sammy Myers
04. Sad, Sad Lonesome Day - Sammy Myers
05. Rockin' With B - B. Brown & His Rockin' McVouts
06. The Pleasure Is All Mine - Bobby Long
07. I'm Tired Of It - Dr. Horse

Side 2
01. I Go Into Orbit - Johnny Acey
02. What Am I Going To Do - Johnny Acey
03. Why Baby - Mighty Joe Young
04. Empty Arms - Mighty Joe Young
05. Jack That Cat Was Clean - Dr. Horse
06. Think I Know - Dr. Horse
07. Go Away Mr. Blues - Noble Watts and June Bateman

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Second compilation of blues sides from Bobby Robinson's labels. These are all early 1960s recordings from Fire, Fury, Fling and Everlast. Two of the Sammy Myers sides (recorded with Elmore James in 1961) were unissued as singles. Original release details are given below:

01. Angel Child - Sammy Myers - unissued recording (1961)
02. Little Girl - Sammy Myers - unissued recording (1961)
03. You Don't Have To Go - Sammy Myers - Fury 1035 (1960)
04. Sad, Sad Lonesome Day - Sammy Myers - Fury 1035 (1960)
05. Rockin' With B - B. Brown & His Rockin' McVouts - Everlast 5014 (1961)
06. The Pleasure Is All Mine - Bobby Long - Everlast 5020 (1963)
07. I'm Tired Of It - Dr. Horse - Fire 501 (1961)
08. I Go Into Orbit - Johnny Acey - Fling 728 (1962)
09. What Am I Going To Do - Johnny Acey - Fling 728 (1962)
10. Why Baby - Mighty Joe Young - Fire 1033 (1961)
11. Empty Arms - Mighty Joe Young - Fire 1033 (1961)
12. Jack That Cat Was Clean - Dr. Horse - Fire 514 (1962)
13. Think I Know - Dr. Horse - Fire 501 (1961)
14. Go Away Mr. Blues - Noble Watts and June Bateman - Everlast 5033 (1965)

Bobby Robinson was an example of that comparative rarity in the world of 1950s R&B - a black entrepreneur who owned record companies catering for the musical tastes of the black community. Other examples include Don Robey, John Dolphin and the Rene Brothers. His first label, started in 1951, was Robin (quickly renamed Red Robin) on which the first record issued was "Bobby's Boogie" / "Ghost Town" by saxman Morris Lane. Other Bobby Robinson labels were Fire, Fury and Fling. He had a brief business relationship with Jerry Blaine with whom he co-owned the Whirlin' Disc label. With his brother Danny, Bobby also ran Everlast and Enjoy. Danny owned Holiday and Vest.

The music issued on these labels covered most R&B bases, from sophisticated sax outings to fiery electric guitar blues to doo wop. The only really big pop hit was Wilbert Harrison's "Kansas City" but Buster Brown's "Fannie Mae" and "Sugar Babe", Bobby Marchan's two parter "There Is Something On Your Mind", and "Soul Twist" by King Curtis also saw a bit of pop action while selling well in the R&B market.

In the UK, JSP Records have issued a 4 CD collection, "The Bobby Robinson Story, Selected Sides 1951 - 1960."


There are no doo wop or vocal groups sides included. Disc A is drawn from the Red Robin label and includes sides by Morris Lane, Charlie Singleton, Red Prysock, Tiny Grimes, Sonny Terry, Champion Jack Dupree and Brownie McGhee. Disc B has Fire and Fury sides from Hal Paige & The Wailers, Wilbert Harrison, Junior Lewis, Sam Myers and Tarheel Slim. Disc C has Fire sides by Willis Jackson, Mary Ann Fisher, Buster Brown, Wild Jimmy Spruill, Riff Ruffin, Tarheel Slim & Little Ann, Elmore James and Bobby Marchan. Disc D has Fury, Fire, Vest and Everlast sides by, inter alia, Tarheel Slim, Buster Brown, Bobby Marchan, Elmore James, Lightnin' Hopkins, Wild Jimmy Spruill and B.Brown.

If that don't whet your appetite then Jack you're dead.

Also worth looking out for is the 2 CD letter box set on Charly from 1996 - "The Fire & Fury Story."


Disc One is titled "The Doo Wop Years" and includes sides by The Du-Droppers, The Channels, The Teenchords, The Kodoks, The Vocaleers and others. Disc Two is a more eclectic mix with quite a few sides and artists to be found on the JSP collection plus Arthur Crudup, King Curtis, Titus Turner and the one and only Doctor Horse.

2 comments:

  1. Hi

    Could you please repost.

    Many thanks for the great blog.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Two new links now provided, Bruce.

    BW

    ReplyDelete