Jericho Alley Blues Flash Volume 1

Side One:
01. Good Woman Blues - B. Brown And His McVouts
02. Do Right Mind - Haskell Sadler And His Orchestra
03. Gone For Good - Haskell Sadler And His Orchestra
04. Hurry Hurry Baby - Sidney Maiden And His Ramblers
05. Everything Is Wrong - Sidney Maiden And His Ramblers
06. Shake 'Em Up - Slim Green
07. Jericho Alley - Slim Green

Side Two:
01. Are You Alright? - Paul Clifton
02. It Ain't To Play With - Sheryl Crowley
03. Just A Night Girl - Sheryl Crowley
04. Sweet Pea - Sweet Pea Walker
05. Gonna Hold On - Frank Patt And His Orchestra
06. You Gonna Pay For It Baby - Frank Patt And His Orchestra
07. I'm Your Slave - Frank Patt And His Orchestra

Jericho Alley Blues Flash Volume 1 (Mega)

Jericho Alley Blues Flash Volume 1 (Zippy)

The Be Bop Wino blues roadtrip stays in Los Angeles with this rousing comp of sides recorded for Charlie Reynolds' label Flash Records. Parallels have been drawn between Charlie Reynolds and John Dolphin in that both LA entrepreneurs started out as record shop owners and both expanded into recording and running their own record labels out of their respective back shops. Flash Records didn't enjoy anything like the success of the Dolphin labels although they did have two hits - with The Jayhawks original version of "Stranded In The Jungle" in 1956, and with a Gus Jenkins instrumental "Tricky" in 1957.

There were around 35 singles released on Flash and its two associated labels, Pull and Canton. Although the releases covered a variety of R&B styles including a generous helping of doo wop, this compilation concentrates on basic blues and fits right in with our recent posts from Charlie B. The first 5 tracks on Side 1 originate from the first Flash recording session in June 1955 which featured B. Brown (vocals, drums), Haskell Sadler (vocal, guitar) and Sidney Maiden (vocal, harmonica). Three singles were issued, one each under the name of each artist and all in a real "back in the alley" blues style. The sides by Slim Green are if anything even more basic but the driving guitar / harp blues vibe is taken up again on Side 2 by Paul Clifton, Sweet Pea Walker and Frank Patt (with Gus Jenkins). The two sides by Sheryl Crowley have slightly more of an R&B feel, but they fit right in with the general blues hollerin' going on here.

There are excellent sleevenotes by Les Cook and the original release numbers are also included on the back cover. The notes are obviously meant for both volumes of this collection as they refer to sides by Gus Jenkins and Guitar Shorty which don't feature on Volume One. Unfortunately I don't have Volume Two, but if you're interested in hearing more from Flash Records, Ace (UK) have a double CD set out - "The Flash Records Story." You can find out more as well as listen to sound samples on the Ace website here:

https://www.acerecords.co.uk/the-flash-records-story-1 

I've got a copy on order, so I'll be able to add a short review to this post next week.

Also of interest is a Flash Records discography on the wirz.de website here:

https://www.wirz.de/music/flash.htm

Note that the discography doesn't include issues on Canton and Pull.

Next stop on the blues tour is Memphis. All aboard!

Buster Brown and B. Brown & His Rockin' McVouts - 45s

Tracklist:

01. Fannie Mae - Buster Brown

02. Lost In A Dream - Buster Brown

03. John Henry (The Steel Driving Man) - Buster Brown

04. The Madison Shuffle - Buster Brown

05. Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby - Buster Brown

06. Don't Dog Your Woman - Buster Brown

07. Doctor Brown - Buster Brown

08. Sincerely - Buster Brown

09. Sugar Babe - Buster Brown

10. I'm Going But I'll Be Back - Buster Brown

11. Hardworking Man - B. Brown & His Rockin' McVouts

12. My Baby Left Me - B. Brown & His Rockin' McVouts

13. Fannie Mae Is Back - B. Brown & His Rockin' McVouts

14. Candied Yams - B. Brown & His Rockin' McVouts

15. Rockin' With B - B. Brown & His Rockin' McVouts

Download from:

http://www111.zippyshare.com/v/YS3FDYxE/file.html

Time for a bit of fun with some crackly old records. This is an expanded version of a compilation originally got together by Joan K way way back in the early days of the blog. Back in the days when we were proud to post old records that had been scratched to heck. There's a few like that here. Indeed I remember wondering if Joan had been dancing on the records or perhaps just using them as beermats. Whatever, this is the way that the Good Lord intended for us to hear rock 'n' roll and this stuff rocks like crazy.

I've added a few more sides in more respectable condition to the originals that Joan sent in. Back when I originally posted on Buster and B. Brown there was some confusion as to whether or not they were the same artist. Despite some similarities they are completely different people, although one can't help but suspect that B. Daniel  Brown with "Fannie Mae Is Back", was trying to cash in on Buster's big hit "Fannie Mae."

All sides were recorded for Bobby and Danny Robinson owned labels between 1959 and 1962. Wild Jimmy Spruill is present on both artists' sides.

Jasmine Records have released a collection called "I'm Going But I'll Be Back" which has the complete Buster Brown and B. Brown output on the Robinson labels. 28 tracks in all, and a promise that the mystery of the Buster Brown / B. Brown relationship has been definitively solved.

Looks like it's worth buying! In the meantime have a Bebop Wino taster courtesy Joan K.

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

Download from:

New York Blues Volume 2 (Mega)

New York Blues Volume 2 (Zippy)

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.

New York Blues Volume 1

Tracklist:

Side 1

01. Shake Baby Shake - Champion Jack Dupree

02. Daisy - Brownie McGhee

03. Candied Yams - B. Brown

04. Drunk Again - Champion Jack Dupree

05. Doggin' My Heart Around - Sonny Terry

06. My Baby Left Me - B. Brown

07. Number Nine Blues - Champion Jack Dupree

Side 2

01. Harmonica Hop - Sonny Terry

02. Fannie Mae Is Back - B. Brown

03. Highway Blues - Champion Jack Dupree

04. Don't Dog Your Woman - Brownie McGhee

05. Stumbling Block Blues - Champion Jack Dupree

06. Hardworking Man - B. Brown

07. Shim Sham Shimmy - Champion Jack Dupree

Download link:

http://www48.zippyshare.com/v/npFCaTA8/file.html

Good collection of sides from Bobby Robinson's NYC labels, mainly from 1953 sessions for his first label Red Robin, by Champion Jack Dupree, Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry. Also present are 4 early 1960s sides from the Vest label (owned by Bobby's brother Danny) by B. Brown and his Rockin' McVouts. It's all rousing stuff and there are good notes by Chris Smith on the back cover. Session and release details are also on the back cover so there's no need for me to add any more. Just download and dance!