Aladdin 14 Magic Lamps

Face A:
01) I Ain't Drunk - Jimmy Liggins
02) Doo Dob Sha Bam - The Spence Sisters
03) New Orleans Hop - Monte Easter
04) Shtiggy Boom - Patti Anne
05) Way Down Boogie - Harold Burrage
06) Smack Smack - Marvin & Johnny
07) Yak A Dak - Chuck Higgins

Face B:
01) Maggie's Boogie - Peppermint Harris
02) Doodle Doodle Doo - Gene & Eunice
03) Chuck A Buck - Chuck Higgins
04) John, John - Aggie Dukes
05) No One Can Love You Like I Do - Skinny Dinamo
06) Go Ahead - Joe Liggins
07) If I Were A Itty Bitty Girl - Velma Nelson

Aladdin 14 Magic Lamps (Mega)

Aladdin 14 Magic Lamps (Zippy)

Here's the second early 1980s Pathe Marconi compilation of Aladdin sides, the follow up to "Aladdin's Rock'n Roll Sock Hop." Like its predecessor, this LP was originally posted on Be Bop Wino in 2008 with incomplete cover scans and now makes its comeback with all-new, complete scans of front and back covers plus disc label scans. There is also a folder with some single label scans provided by Joan.

And what makes this post a delight is that I don't have to do any trawling through Billboard, The Cash Box, 45worlds.com or Discogs.com to dig out the fax on these tracks, jack, because the sleeve notes by Colin Escott not only detail recording dates and original issue numbers, they also give the issue dates of these platters that once mattered. And so download and dig this selection of Aladdin jump, R&B and rock 'n' roll tracks and peruse the arcane knowledge imparted on the back cover.

There are no big hits here but there are memorable tracks by Jimmy Liggins, Velma Nelson and the unique Aggie Dukes whom we met a couple of posts ago where she warbled through "Swing Low Sweet Cadillac" accompanied by Buddy Collette on flute. Both are back on the similarly eccentric "John John." Solid!

Of note - a number of nonsense titles such as "Yak A Dak" and "Doo Dob Sha Bam." Post literate titles for a post literate age. Hubba hubba.

Thanks to Joan for the scans of singles featured in this short series of Aladdin posts and to Marv for kicking this short Aladdin season off with his Score LP contribution.

Aladdin's Rock'n Roll Sock Hop

Side 1:
01) P.B. Baby - Little Wilbur & The Pleasers
02) I'm Out To Get You - Thurston Harris
03) Rockin' With The Clock - Shirley & Lee
04) Hey Lawdy, Miss Claudie - Calvin Boze
05) I'm So In Love With You - Gene & Eunice
06) Purple Stew - Thurston Harris
07) Rockin' At Cosmo's - Lee Allen

Side 2:
01) Little Mama - The Jivers
02) Flim Flam - Gene & Eunice
03) Bow Wow - Amos Milburn
04) Runk Bunk - Thurston Harris
05) Move It Over Baby - Gene & Eunice
06) Let's Get Together - Gene & Eunice
07) Good Time Sue - Calvin Boze

Aladdin's Rock'n Roll Sock Hop (Mega)

Aladdin's Rock'n Roll Sock Hop (Zippy)

As a follow up to the Score "Rock'n Roll Sock Hop" LP, we just have to go with the 1980s Pathe Marconi compilation "Aladdin's Rock'n Roll Sock Hop" which turns out to be a very different album. I first uploaded this LP to Be Bop Wino back in 2008, along with its companion volume "Aladdin 14 Magic Lamps." Both posts disappeared in the great takedown of 2009 and although I had a back up archive, I didn't repost because of the poor quality cover scans.

Now the LPs make their return in 2019 (inspired by Marv's post of the Score LP) complete with brand new Be Bop Wino standard cover scans. Same sound files, though. It's a good listen - Aladdin never did quite come to terms with the rock'n roll revolution in my opinion as they lacked the big star which some of the other indy labels had, e.g. Little Richard at Specialty, Fats Domino and Ricky Nelson at Imperial, Chuck Berry at Chess, The Drifters, Ray Charles, Chuck Willis and others at Atlantic. Nevertheless Aladdin put out some good rock and roll material before being taken over by Imperial.

This comp was also my introduction to Calvin Boze whose Louis Jordan style jumpin' jive seems somewhat out of place here. The same can be said in spades for Amos Milburn's "Bow Wow" which is a rather chaotic instrumental first released as the B-Side of "Let's Make Christmas Merry, Baby" in 1949. What on Earth is it doing on this album? It sounds like it's been beamed in from another planet or even another galaxy.

Original Issue Details

Wilbur Whitfield And The Pleasers - P.B. Baby / The One I Love - Aladdin 3381 - May 1957

Thurston Harris - I'm Out To Getcha' / Be Baba Leba - Aladdin 3415 - March 1958

Thurston Harris - Purple Stew / I Hear A Rhapsody (Thurston Harris and The Masters, Rufus Hunter featured vocalist) - Aladdin 3440 - November 1958

Thurston Harris - Bless Your Heart / Runk Bunk - Aladdin 3452 - April 1959

Shirley & Lee - The Flirt / Rockin' With The Clock - Aladdin 3390 - August 1957

Calvin Boze - My Friend Told Me / Hey Lawdie, Miss Claudie - Aladdin 3122 - February 1952

Calvin Boze - Keep Your Nose Out Of My Business / Good Time Sue - Aladdin 3132 - May 1952

Gene and Eunice - This Is My Story / Move It Over, Baby - Aladdin 3282 - March 1955

Gene and Eunice - Flim Flam / Can We Forget It - Aladdin 3292 - July 1955

Gene and Eunice - Let's Get Together / I'm So In Love With You - Aladdin 3321 - June 1956

Lee Allen - Rockin' At Cosmo's / Shimmy - Aladdin 3334 - September 1956

The Jivers - Little Mama / Cherie - Aladdin 3329 - August 1956

Amos Milburn - Let's Make Christmas Merry, Baby / Bow Wow - Aladdin 3037 - October 1949

- All discographical information from 45worlds.com

Thanks to Joan for the Aladdin 45rpm scans. These and some more scans by Joan are included in the download.

Calvin Boze Special!

Following on from the Roy Milton re-ups here are some more new links to primo West Coast jump blues in the shape of 2 re-upped Calvin Boze LPs. The original Calvin Boze posts prompted email correspondence with friends and family of Calvin and the uncovering of previously unknown information about this accomplished but relatively unknown artist.

The post on the Route 66 LP "Choo Choo's Bringing My Baby Home" contains a whole load of info, anecdotes from Bobby Rivers, recommended purchases, and label scans from Joan K and El Enmascarado. It is, if I may say so myself, R&B heaven!

New download link for "Choo Choo's Bringing My Baby Home":

http://www55.zippyshare.com/v/Cg2ScELi/file.html

Password = greaseyspoon

Link to original post (September 2011):

http://bebopwinorip.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/calvin-boze-choo-choos-bringing-my-baby.html

Tracklist:

01 - Choo Choo's Bringing My Baby Home
02 - My Friend Told Me
03 - Good Time Sue
04 - Stinkin' From Drinkin'
05 - Slippin' And Slidin'
06 - I Can't Stop Crying
07 - Beale Street On A Saturday Night
08 - Hey Lawdie, Miss Claudie
09 - Have You Ever Had The Blues
10 - Waiting And Drinking
11 - Blow Man Blow
12 - Safronia B
13 - Angel City Blues
14 - Baby You're Tops With Me
15 - I'm Gonna Steam Off The Stamp
16 - Looped
17 - Look Out For Tomorrow Today
18 - Fish-Tail
19 - I've Got News For You

My first post on Calvin Boze was back in June 2008. It featured the Moonshine LP "Havin' A Ball" which may have some dodgy sound quality but is still tremendous fun. I think "tremendous fun" may be the best description of Calvin's music!

New link for "Havin' A Ball":

http://www7.zippyshare.com/v/L1i5Tmq8/file.html

Password = greaseyspoon

The original post is here:

http://bebopwinorip.blogspot.co.uk/2008/06/calvin-boze-and-his-all-stars-havin_1682.html

Tracklist:

01 - Safronia B
02 - Angel City Blues
03 - Working With My Baby
04 - Satisfied
05 - Waiting And Drinking
06 - You're Tops With Me
07 - Slippin' And Slidin'
08 - I Can't Stop Crying
09 - I've Got News For You
10 - Keep Your Nose Out Of My Business
11 - Lizzy Lou (parts 1 & 2)
12 - Shamrock
13 - Havin' A Ball (Having A Time)
14 - Looped
15 - I'm Gonna Steam Off The Stamp
16 - Fishtail
17 - Beale Street On A Saturday Night

There was also a streaming audio post on a 78rpm disc sent in by El Enmascarado: "Baby You're Tops With Me" / "Slippin' And Slidin' (Aladdin 3086). Original post, with streaming audio restored, is here:

http://bebopwinorip.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/baby-youre-tops-with-me-slippin-and.html

I also wrote a post on Calvin's best known track "Safronia B" which featured extensive streaming audio which was lost in the divshare meltdown and which I haven't yet replaced. Despite that, the post still has background info which makes it worth reading:

http://bebopwinorip.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/safronia-b-calvin-boze-and-his-all.html

One more time - tremendous fun! Keep jumpin', cats 'n' kittens!

Jump & Jive On 78 - Volume 3

It's time to gather together the latest selection of El Enmascarado's 78 rpm rips in downloadable form. We proudly present Volume 3 of our series of "Jump & Jive On 78" virtual LPs. If you dig your R&B on the jazzy side, then this is the collection for you.

Click on the artist names in the labels section to find out more about these tracks. The download includes a folder of label scans.

Download from here:

http://www24.zippyshare.com/v/28763255/file.html

No password

Track list:

1 Calvin Boze - Slippin' and Slidin'
2 Big John Greer - Hey Bruz
3 Gene Ammons - Dues In Blues
4 Tiny Bradshaw - Walking The Chalk Line
5 Red Saunders - Blow Mr Low Blow
6 Russell Jacquet - Lion's Roar
7 Sonny Thompson - Backyard Affair
8 Joe Liggins - How Come
9 Calvin Boze - Baby You're Tops With Me
10 Gene Ammons - Odd-En-Ow
11 Tiny Bradshaw - Bradshaw Boogie
12 Russell Jacquet - Suede Jacket
13 Big John Greer - Tonight's The Night
14 Tiny Grimes - Flying Home Part 1
15 Tiny Grimes - Flying Home Part 2
16 Red Saunders - Lyin' Girl Blues
17 Joe Liggins - Worried
18 Sonny Thompson - Dreaming Again

Collect 'em all!

http://bebopwinorip.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/jump-jive-on-78-volume-2.html

http://bebopwinorip.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/jump-jive-on-78-volume-1.html

With thanks, as ever, to El Enmascarado.

Baby, You’re Tops With Me / Slippin’ And Slidin’ – Calvin Boze and His All-Stars (Aladdin 3086)

  

“Baby, You’re Tops With Me” was recorded in Los Angeles on January 13^th, 1950. Probable personnel: Calvin Boze (vocal); Floyd Turnham (alto sax); Don Wilkerson (tenor sax); Chuck Walker (baritone sax); Willard McDaniel (piano); Ulysses Livingstone (guitar); Bill Cooper (bass); Walter Murden (drums)

“Slippin’ And Slidin’” was recorded in Los Angeles on January 15^th, 1951. Personnel: Calvin Boze (trumpet and vocal) with possibly Marshall Royal (alto sax); Maxwell Davis (tenor sax) plus unknown baritone sax, piano, guitar, bass and drums. Possibly Scatman Crothers with vocal ensemble.

Listen to "Baby You're Tops With Me"

Listen to "Slippin' And Slidin'"

Aladdin 3086 was released at the beginning of May 1951. It was reviewed in Billboard on May 5^th. The verdict on “Baby You’re Tops with Me” was – “Shuffle boogie novelty drives, with Boze doing a Louis Jordan on the lyrics, of which he sings a couple of choruses.” The B-Side, “Slippin’ And Slidin’” was given a higher rating and more positive review – “Boze projects an engaging set of novelty lyrics infectiously, while combo puts down a swingy, medium shuffle. Could click.”

Both these sides are obviously heavily influenced by Louis Jordan. I find myself in agreement with Billboard – “Slippin’ And Slidin’” is a funny (and gloriously politically incorrect) account of the joys of dancing (?) with big boned women.  Somehow one night Calvin finds himself in a shabby joint on the wrong side of town - “… A big fat chick walked up and said ‘come on baby, and dance with me.’” Who could possibly resist such an invitation? “That big fat chick knew all the tricks, she’s got me in a spin …” In fact there’s nothing for it but to go back again the following night for another close encounter with the energetic large dame.

“Baby You’re Tops With Me” is another good jump blues but it doesn’t quite hit the spot the way “Slippin’ And Slidin’” does. The two sides were recorded almost exactly a year apart with different personnel, but they both feature fantastically tight arrangements and playing. Despite this, the record didn’t chart. Dominating the Billboard Rhythm And Blues chart in May 1951 were “Black Night” by Charles Brown, “Lost Love” by Percy Mayfield, “Teardrops From My Eyes” by Ruth Brown and “Rockin’ Blues” by Johnny Otis, featuring Mel Walker.

For much more on Calvin Boze, please read the post “Choo Choo’s Bringing My Baby Home.”

A big thank you to El Enmascarado for providing the rips and scans from a 60 year old 78 rpm shellac disc. Once again the sound quality is remarkably clear and a testament to the work put in on these artefacts from the great years of R&B.

Calvin Boze – Choo, Choo's Bringing My Baby Home

Side 1:
1. Choo Choo's Bringing My Baby Home
2. My Friend Told Me
3. Good Time Sue
4. Stinkin' From Drinkin'
5. Slippin' And Slidin'
6. I Can't Stop Crying
7. Beal Street On A Saturday Night
8. Hey Lawdie, Miss Claudie
9. Have You Ever Had The Blues

Side 2:
1. Waiting And Drinking
2. Blow Man Blow
3. Safronia B
4. Angel City Blues
5. Baby You're Tops With Me
6. I'm Gonna Steam Off The Stamp
7. Looped
8. Look Out For Tomorrow Today
9. Fish-Tail
10. I've Got News For You

I first came across the music of Calvin Boze back in the early 1980s via the old Pathe Marconi compilation “Aladdin’s Rock’n Roll Sock Hop.” When I heard his “Hey Lawdy, Miss Claudie” on Side One of the LP, three thoughts raced through my mind:
(1) Nope, that’s not the Lloyd Price song which was brilliantly covered by Elvis
(2) That guy sounds just like Louis Jordan
(3) What’s this old 1940s jump blues doing on a rock and roll album?

Not that I didn’t like “Hey Lawdy, Miss Claudie,” mind you. There was another Calvin Boze track on Side Two, “Good Time Sue” which wasn’t quite as good, but it had the same eerie resemblance to the sound of Louis Jordan. And it turned out that both tracks were from the early 1950s rather than the 1940s. Apart from a 1949 Amos Milburn opus (“Bow Wow”), the rest of the tracks on the album WERE rock and roll by the likes of Gene & Eunice, Thurston Harris, Shirley & Lee, The Jivers, Lee Allen and Little Wilbur and the Pleasers.

In the late 1980s two Calvin Boze compilation LPs appeared. “Havin’ A Ball” was issued on Moonshine. The LP had indifferent sound quality, having been obviously mastered from shellac or vinyl records. The LP on this post, “Choo, Choo’s Bringing My Baby Home” was issued by Route 66 in 1989. As with the Moonshine LP, the tracks are mastered from old records but with slightly better sound quality.

Some Calvin Boze tracks turned up in pristine sound quality on the great Billy Vera double CD compilation on Capitol, “Jumpin’ Like Mad: Cool Cats & Hip Chicks.” The second track on the first disc was the unforgettable “Safronia B” and there were three more gems on the set: “Looped,” “Blow Man Blow,” and “Keep Your Nose Out Of My Business”. How could the last track not be by Louis Jordan? Heck, even the song title was pure Louis. “Safronia B” also turned up on the terrific “The Aladdin Records Story” double CD set.

What was noticeable from these reissues was that very little was known about Calvin Boze. Indeed there seemed to be only one photograph of him, the photo that’s on the front of this Route 66 LP. “Rock and Roll Sock Hop” used a drawing of him that originally appeared on Aladdin record sleeves of the 78 era and this drawing was adapted for the illustration on the front of “Havin’ a Ball.” The most thorough notes on him were by Dave Penny for “Choo, Choo’s Bringing My Baby Home” and even at the time of the writing of these notes in 1989, Calvin’s place and date of birth were unknown.

However, time moves on and more facts about Calvin Boze have come to light. He was born in Trinity County, Texas on October 15th, 1916. He was educated in Houston and in the 1930s he played trumpet and led the Wheatley High School band which numbered Tom Archia, Russell and Illinois Jacquet, and Arnett Cobb among its members. Thereafter Calvin attended Prairie View College where he led the Collegians who included his old school band mate Tom Archia and Charles Brown.

At some time in the mid 1940s Calvin relocated to Los Angeles, possibly after his military service. His first recording was for Globe Records in LA in 1944-45 with Russell Jacquet’s band which included Teddy Edwards on alto sax, Charles Mingus on bass and Chico Hamilton on drums. Two sides were issued on Globe 105 – “Penny’s Worth of Boogie” and “Look What You’ve Done To Me.”

Calvin’s next recordings were as vocalist with Marvin Johnson and his Orchestra (in reality a seven piece jump band) on November 2nd, 1945, for the G&G label. Billed as Calvin Boaz, he sang on “Just A Dream” and “Saffronia Bee,” which he would re-record several years down the line for Aladdin.

In August 1949 Calvin signed for Aladdin Records for whom he recorded a total of seven sessions, commencing on August 15th, 1949 and ending on August 15th, 1952. The recordings, under the supervision of Maxwell Davis, showed a remarkable resemblance to the jump blues hits of Louis Jordan. Not only was Calvin’s singing voice very like that of Jordan (perhaps with the exception of a couple of the slow blues numbers), but the material itself can be described as Jordanesque. It was mostly melodic good humoured jump and jive with “Beal (sic) Street on a Saturday Night” being similar to Jordan’s “Saturday Night Fish Fry” with its description of street life and rambunctious goin’s on – in Memphis in Calvin’s song, as opposed to New Orleans in Jordan’s number. There’s lots of fun for jump blues fans here in spotting the similarities between Calvin’s songs and various Louis Jordan numbers.

As we’ve seen in a previous post, only “Safronia B” had a brief brush with the national R&B chart. However it has stood the test of time and has featured in numerous official and unofficial jive compilations and to this day remains a favourite at jumpin’ record hops. Calvin and his road band were a successful live act, with residencies and appearances in the LA area and several national tours supporting Dinah Washington. Aladdin promoted Calvin’s sides well and even featured his likeness on their record sleeves, but after his final session in August 1952, Calvin faded from the music scene.

Back in the 1980s and early 90s his disappearance from the entertainment world was seen as another aspect of the Calvin Boze mystery. In fact we now know that he took up a career in teaching.

A few years back I posted the Moonshine LP “Havin’ A Ball” and last year I received an email from a former pupil of Mr. Boze. I can’t say how long a gap there was between Calvin Boze’s final recording session in 1952 and the start of his new career as an elementary school teacher. According to our anonymous correspondent he was teaching at George Washington Carver Elementary School in the Willowbrook district of South Los Angeles by 1963.

In a short series of emails our informant has painted a picture of a dedicated and very effective teacher. Mr. Boze was able to guide his young charges through the difficult days in the aftermath of the assassination of JFK. In a lighter moment one Friday afternoon he gave his class a demonstration of how to do “The Mashed Potato” much to their noisy delight. Once a hep cat, always a hep cat.

Sadly Calvin Boze passed away in June 1970 at the comparatively young age of 53.

Further information:

The J.C. Marion website has a page “Remembering Calvin Boze” at this link:

http://home.earthlink.net/~jaymar41/cboze.html

The article has interesting information about his live appearances.

“Spyder John” has informed me that issues 9 and 10 (volume 1) of ‘Fessa John Hook’s “Dancing on the Edge Journal” contain a two part article on the origins of “Safronia B.” There is an exploration of the California big band scene of the 1930s as well as info on Marvin Johnson and Calvin Boze. See:

http://www.beachshag.com/

in order to subscribe to “Dancing on the Edge (Explorations in Beach and Shag History)”

There is a brief entry in the Texas State Historical Association online handbook here:

http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fboaq

Further listening:

“Calvin Boze: the Complete Recordings, 1945 –52 (Blue Moon BMCD 6014) was issued in 2007 and is still available.

“Marvin Johnson: Jumpy Rhythm Jive, the Complete Recordings, 1946–51 (Blue Moon BMCD 6050) was issued in 2006 and is also still available at mid-price if you look around.

I’ve ordered my copies of the Blue Moon CDs from Amazon.co.uk marketplace. So much for the argument that blogs discourage CD sales.

There are twelve of Calvin Boze’s Aladdin sides on the previously recommended 4 CD collection on JSP “Rare West Coast Jump ‘n’ Jive 1945 – 1954.” Tip - search around for a reasonable price on this set. The people at Amazon.co.uk are doing it for £9.99. Don’t go paying around £20 for it!

Ripped from vinyl at 320 kbps. Password = greaseyspoon

Download from here:

http://www55.zippyshare.com/v/Cg2ScELi/file.html

1. Choo Choo's Bringing My Baby Home (13th January, 1950, Aladdin 3079)

2. My Friend Told Me (23rd October, 1951, Aladdin 3122)

3. Good Time Sue (23rd October, 1951, Aladdin 3132)

4. Stinkin' From Drinkin' (24th July, 1950, Aladdin 3072)

5. Slippin' And Slidin' (15th January, 1951, Aladdin 3086)

6. I Can't Stop Crying (15th January, 1951, Aladdin 3100)

7. Beale Street On A Saturday Night (15th January, 1951, Aladdin 3079)

8. Hey Lawdie, Miss Claudie (23rd October, 1951, Aladdin 3122)

9. Have You Ever Had The Blues (15th August, 1949, Aladdin 3045)

10. Waiting And Drinking (15th August, 1949, Aladdin 3045)

11. Blow Man Blow (15th August, 1952, Aladdin 3147)

12. Safronia B (13th January, 1950, Aladdin 3055)

13. Angel City Blues (13th January, 1950, Aladdin 3055)

14. Baby You're Tops With Me (13th January, 1950, Aladdin 3086)

15. I'm Gonna Steam Off The Stamp (23rd October, 1951, Aladdin 3110)

16. Looped (15th August, 1952, Aladdin 3147)

17. Look Out For Tomorrow Today (24th July, 1950, Aladdin 3072)

18. Fish-Tail (23rd October, 1951, Aladdin 3110)

19. I've Got News For You (24th July, 1950, Aladdin 3100)

With thanks to Joan K and El Enmascarado for label scans. And many thanks to a former pupil for memories of Mr. Boze the teacher.

Let’s listen to “Blow, Man Blow.” Take it away, Calvin!

Safronia B – Calvin Boze and his All-Stars

Scan courtesy Joan K

Recorded on January 13th, 1950, in Los Angeles. Personnel include Calvin Boze (trumpet and vocal), Maxwell Davis (tenor sax), and possibly Marshall Royal (alto sax), Don Wilkerson (tenor sax) and Willard McDaniel (piano).

Listen to “Safronia B” here:



Released on Aladdin 3055, b/w “Angel City Blues” in May, 1950. In Billboard, 10th June 1950, the record reached number nine in the most played juke box rhythm & blues records chart. It failed to appear in the record sales chart. By the following week “Safronia B” had dropped out of the juke box chart. This was in fact the only chart appearance by any Calvin Boze recording.

Scan courtesy Joan K

Nevertheless, it’s a fine catchy jump blues which has stood the test of time. It was included in two of the best CD compilations of Aladdin material: “The Aladdin Records Story” and “Jumpin’ Like Mad – Cool Cats & Hip Chicks.” It also appeared on the two vinyl Calvin Boze collections – “Havin’ A Ball” and “Choo Choo’s Bringing My Baby Home.”

2 CD comp presented as a mini-78 rpm album

Well worn copy of classic 2CD set compiled by Billy Vera

However, this wasn’t the first version of “Safronia B” recorded by Calvin. In 1946 he sang on “Saffronia Bee” with the Marvin Johnson Orchestra on the small G&G label. He was billed as “Calvin Boaz” on the disc. The song itself is in some ways a throwback to the swing era with phrases like “I’se a muggin’” and “Shoot the liquor to me John boy,” both of which refer to 1930’s hits. The 1950 Aladdin version is very much a Louis Jordan style jump blues with a romping backing arranged by Maxwell Davis who manages to get a sly quote from “Buttons and Bows” into his sax break.



Aladdin's big seller - Amos Milburn gets promotion in Billboard, June 1950

For decades Calvin Boze remained a somewhat mysterious figure to fans of jump blues, with the date and place of his birth being unknown and his musical career suddenly stopping in 1952. A lot more is now known about his background and you’ll be able to catch up on more about Calvin in a soon-to-appear post. Stay tuned!

So what else was happening in the R&B charts in June, 1950? “Safronia B” may have had only the most fleeting appearance amongst the platters that mattered back then, but I’ve compiled a little playlist based on the real “stayers” in the R&B charts that month.

First up is the top selling R&B record of 1950 – “Pink Champagne” by Joe Liggins on Specialty Records. Easily the top selling R&B act of the year was the Johnny Otis Revue on Savoy, thanks to his sensational female vocalist Little Esther. Three of her smashes are in the June playlist – “Double Crossing Blues,” on which she was accompanied by The Robins, and “Cupid’s Boogie” and “Mistrustin’ Blues,” both of which were duets with Mel Walker.

Scan courtesy Joan K

There was more hot jump action from Tiny Bradshaw on King with “Well Oh Well” and two classic blues tracks also sold very well at this time – Lowell Fulson (with the Lloyd Glenn band) on Swing Time with “Every Day I Have The Blues” and Roy Brown’s “Hard Luck Blues” on De Luxe which crashed straight into the charts at number six towards the end of the month. Of interest to those of us who like jazz flavoured R&B is an advert in Billboard from June 1950 in which Prestige Records attempt to market jazz sides as rhythm and blues. Among the discs billed as “America’s newest - hottest rhythm - blues records” are sides by James Moody, Stan Getz, Sonny Stitt, Gene Ammons and Wardell Gray.

Anyway whether you’re an R&B fan or a jazzer, or preferably both at the same time, here’s the playlist for June 1950. Keep checking back for more on Calvin Boze!