Clubbing, Early 1950s Style

Sunday double of sides about nightlife. The way the youth of today (and I mean anyone under 40) go on about "clubbing" you'd think they'd invented all night dancing /drinking / socialising. Well here's a couple of early 1950s R&B tracks to demonstrate that there's nothing new under that lucky old sun. Oh, and by "R&B" I mean REAL R&B.

First up, Frank Culley and Harry Van Walls rap about the Rhumboogie Club in Columbus, Ohio. Recorded in late 1949, "Rumboogie Jive" was the B Side of "After Hours Session" (Atlantic 888) which reached number 10 in the R&B charts in February 1950.



The "Coffee Grinder" referred to was a dance. Wonder what it was like?

After boogieing our woogies for a few hours, it's time to move on to an after hours joint where we can chill out to some slinky sax and hear Jimmy Coe and his drummer Earl "Fox" Walker exchanging hip observations. The scene described on the record was inspired by Jimmy and the band's visits to an after hours joint called "The Royal Roost" in Indianapolis. "After Hour Joint" was released on States 118 in June 1953. There was a follow up a few months later, "Raid On The After Hours Joint." We're gonna split before that happens, but remember, if the cops grab you, don't give your real name.



As an aside, the excellent Ace CD "Let The Boogie Woogie Rock And Roll" has a totally different track under the title "Rhumboogie Jive." Does anyone know what that track really is?

Great article on Jimmy Coe on Red Saunders Research Foundation here:

http://myweb.clemson.edu/~campber/coe.html

Have a restful Sunday.