Rockin' n' Reelin' With The Cadets (Crown CLP 5015)

Side 1:
01) Stranded In The Jungle
02) I Want You
03) So Will I
04) I'll Be Spinning
05) Fools Rush In
06) Annie Met Henry

Side 2:
01) Heartbreak Hotel
02) Dancin' Dan
03) Church Bells May Ring
04) I Got Loaded
05) Rollin' Stone
06) Smack Dab In The Middle

Rockin' 'n Reelin' With The Cadets (Mega)

Rockin' 'n Reelin' With The Cadets (Zippy)

Thanks to Marv for another Crown LP reconstruction. "Rockin' n' Reelin' With The Cadets" was issued in 1957 and may have been a reissue of Modern 1215 although there is uncertainty over whether the Modern release actually made it to the record shops.

This is one of the earlier Crown LPs and the presentation is classier than that of the Marvin & Johnny LP which was featured a few posts ago. The back cover doesn't consist of a generic paper list of other Crown releases carelessly glued on to the cardboard sleeve, and the front cover has a rather good photo of  The Cadets. Heck, there are even sleeve notes! So perhaps this particular platter won't be lurking in the bargain basement as it looks good enough to make it to the Vocal Groups browser in the main part of the virtual Be Bop Wino record shop.

As for The Cadets themselves, well they recorded for RPM as The Jacks, as well as being The Cadets on Modern. There's only one Jacks track on this compilation, the absolutely glorious "Smack Dab In The Middle" which features a lead vocal by one of the great R&B group bass singers, Will "Dub" Jones who later became a member of The Coasters.

The Cadets had a smoother, more professional sound than most of their fellow Los Angeles vocal groups which, combined with tight instrumental backing, resulted in some top class R&B discs. One possible problem though - a lot of their output consisted of cover versions of popular R&B and rock 'n' roll tracks, which means that The Cadets were never really famed for their own readily identifiable sound. A listen to the tracks on this LP, however, shows that the covers were very good indeed. Their biggest hit "Stranded In The Jungle" was originally recorded by The Jayhawks on Flash Records, but The Cadets version is for me the better of the two and ended up outselling the original.

As is usual when it comes to group sounds, I'll refer you to Marv Goldberg's site for the lowdown on who sang what and when -

http://www.uncamarvy.com/JacksCadets/jackscadets.html 

Original Single Releases:

All singles released by The Cadets except RPM 428 by The Jacks.

Why Don't You Write Me? / Smack Dab In The Middle - The Jacks - RPM 428 - April 1955

Rollin' Stone / Fine Lookin' Baby - Modern 960 - May 1955

So Will I / Annie Met Henry - Modern 969 - September 1955

Church Bells May Ring / Heartbreak Hotel - Modern 985 - February 1956

Stranded In The Jungle / I Want You - Modern 994 - June 1956

Dancin' Dan / I Got Loaded - Modern 1000 - September 1956

I'll Be Spinning / Fools Rush In - Modern 1006 - November 1956

Recommended Purchase:

The Cadets Meet The Jacks - Stranded In The Jungle (Ace CDCHD 534)

When it comes to West Coast vocal group action, always turn to Ace!

Dub Jones is hereby inducted into the Be Bop Wino Hall Of Fame.

Thanks again to Marv for supplying the blog with great R&B sounds.

Marvin & Johnny (Crown LP 5381)

Side 1:
01) Cherry Pie
02) Ain't That Right
03) Tell Me Darling (Long Tall Marvin)
04) Sometimes I Wonder
05) Sweet Potato

Side 2:
01) Tick Tock
02) Have Mercy Miss Percy (Long Tall Marvin)
03) Dear One
04) Will You Love Me
05) I Wanna

Marvin & Johnny (Crown LP 5381) - Mega

Marvin & Johnny (Crown LP 5381) - Zippy

Sometimes I think of the Be Bop Wino blog as a kind of ersatz radio station, at other times I think of it as a virtual record shop. So you're walking down the street in a slightly louche quarter of a big city and you come across a shop with "Be Bop Wino - New 'n' Second Hand Records" on a faded sign above the window which contains a selection of LP sleeves beckoning, yes, beckoning, to your inner rhythmatic urges. You've just got to go in, and it's an Aladdin's cave of vinyl and even shellac and maybe some 'zines such as "Blues & Rhythm" and a few fly blown, dust covered copies of "Kicks."

Despite the slightly run down appearance of the shop which has perhaps seen better days (as has its owner), you get the impression that it is a carefully curated emporium, with the browsers clearly labelled as "Blues" or "R&B" or "Vocal Groups" or "Instrumentals" or "Soul Jazz" or "Swing."

You notice a doorway towards the rear of the shop with a hand written cardboard sign above it saying "bargain basement" and down a narrow staircase you go into a dimly lit cellar which smells slightly of damp and here they be, the bargain bins full of remaindered and second hand LPs. There's no sign of any organisation here, just browsers crammed with album sleeves. At first glance it doesn't look very promising - lots of garish cardboard sleeves in not very good condition, with promises of "Million Seller Hits," numerous invitations to a "Rock 'n' Roll Dance Party" and opportunities to "Twist" with Jimmy McCracklin or Etta James.

Unless you're one of the hip crowd, you've probably never heard of many of the artists on these albums but if you're in the know then you quickly realise that there are treasures in this most unpromising of locations.

Your eye is caught by a sleeve which is slightly less cheap looking than most of the stuff here and so you pull out this Marvin & Johnny LP which boasts a painting of the musicians. It's even got an artist's signature "Fazzio" although if truth be told the "painting" of Marvin & Johnny is in fact an airbrushed photo. Thick cardboard sleeve, no inner sleeve, no info on the back cover which is just a sheet of paper with a list of other releases on this label, Crown, and by St. Nicholas of Tosches most of them seem to be the most appalling schlock. And there's only 5 tracks on each side. But hell, it's only pennies to buy so buy it you do and once you get it home you realise you've got ten tracks of primo R&B / Rock 'n' Roll, for Crown was the budget LP outlet for the Los Angeles based Modern / RPM diskery.

And thanks to regular donor Marv for reconstituting this fine example of a cheapo LP of West Coast rhythm 'n' blues. "Marvin & Johnny" was issued in 1963 but 7 of its 10 sides were issued on singles between 1954 and 1956 on the Modern label.

"Marvin" was Marvin Phillips, once the tenor sax player in the band of The Great Gates and also one of a tenor sax duo with Emory Perry. He was friends with singer / pianist / songwriter Jesse Belvin and the pair were both members of a vocal group called Three Dots And a Dash which was formed by Big Jay McNeely to feature in his live concerts and on his recordings for Imperial in 1950-51. Belvin left the McNeely outfit and Phillips took over on lead vocals. The two were reunited as a vocal duo on Specialty Records in 1953 when they had a hit with "Dream Girl" as Jesse and Marvin.

When Belvin left for the Army, Phillips kept the vocal duo going under the name of "Marvin and Johnny" with a series of further releases on Specialty. "Johnny" was initially Carl Green (of the Turks) and then Marvin's old sax partner Emory Perry (this is the duo on the LP cover). The pair transferred over to Modern Records where they had a hit with "Tick Tock" / "Cherry Pie."

Most of the sides on this LP feature the Phillips / Perry duo. "Will You Love Me" has Rufus Anderson as "Johnny" while on "Ain't That Right" Phillips and Perry are joined by Jesse Belvin. Note that two of the tracks, "Have Mercy Miss Percy" and "Tell Me Darling" are Marvin Phillips solo efforts under the name Long Tall Marvin.

This brief article by Marv Goldberg details the various singers behind "Johnny" in the duo's 1950s recordings for Specialty, Modern and Aladdin.

 Original Releases:

Tick Tock / Cherry Pie - Modern 933 - July 1954

Ko Ko Mo / Sometimes I Wonder - Modern 949 - January 1955

Will You Love Me / Sweet Dreams - Modern 968 - September 1955

Ain't That Right / Let Me Know - Modern 974 - November 1955

Have Mercy Miss Percy / Tell Me Darling - Long Tall Marvin - Modern 933 - June 1956

Sweet Potato; I Wanna; Dear One; first issued on this LP.

Elsewhere On The Blog:

Two compilations of Aladdin sides feature some Marvin and Johnny tracks:

 Rock'n Roll Sock Hop (Score SLP-4018)

Aladdin 14 Magic Lamps

Recommended Purchase:

Cherry Pie - Ace CDCHD 509

Thanks once again to Marv for Marvin & Johnny.

John Lee Hooker - The Blues (Crown LP 5157)

Side 1:
01. Boogie Chillen
02. I'm In The Mood
03. Crawling King Snake
04. Queen Bee
05. Hobo Blues
06. Weeping Willow

Side 2:
01. Cold Chills
02. Hoogie Boogie
03. Whistling And Moaning
04. Sally Mae
05. House Rent Boogie
06. Anybody Seen My Baby

 John Lee Hooker - The Blues (Mega)

John Lee Hooker - The Blues (Zippy)

Thanks to regular contributor Marv for this reconstitution of a John Lee Hooker LP which was originally released in 1960. The sides on this collection are a good selection of Hooker's late 1940s / early 1950s releases on Modern, some of which were very big R&B hits. "Boogie Chillen" was number 1 in the R&B charts in January 1949. "Hobo Blues," "Crawling King Snake" and "I'm In The Mood" were also hits in 1950/51. During this period Hooker sides were also released on a multiplicity of labels, including Specialty, King, Chess, and Gotham, sometimes pseudonymously.

A native of Clarksdale, Mississippi, Hooker's footstomping, one man and his guitar delta blues style stood in stark contrast to the jump band and blues combo styles which dominated the R&B charts of the time. When he signed for Vee Jay records in the autumn of 1955, his vocals and guitar work were accompanied by small combos which usually featured labelmate Jimmy Reed's collaborator Eddie Taylor. He re-recorded many of his Modern tracks for Vee Jay and also had success with new R&B material such as "Dimples" and "Boom Boom."

This particular LP was issued at a time when Hooker was making a successful move into the "folk blues" market, having recorded two accoustic albums for the jazz label Riverside aimed at the mainly white college crowd. The Bihari Brothers' budget LP outlet Crown wasn't the only label to cash in on the folk blues craze as more early 1950s Hooker material was recycled on LPs by the King and Chess labels in 1960.

On June 25th, 1960, Hooker appeared at the Newport Folk Festival on the same bill as Joan Baez, Flatt & Scruggs, and The Weavers. On July 3rd he appeared at the Newport Jazz Festival. His Riverside LP, "That's My Story" was released around this time. In August 1960 Vee Jay had an ad in the trade papers announcing that the LP "Travelin'" was a winner in the Downbeat International Critics Poll in both jazz and folk categories. In October a Vee Jay advert advised dealers of the issue of "John Lee Hooker's New Folk Single" - "Tupelo" which was a live recording from one of the Newport festivals.

The cover of this Crown LP uses one of the favourite themes of "folk blues" LP covers - empty chair(s) and a guitar lying ready for the folk artist to take to the stage to perform a set of songs relating tales of hard times on the Delta. Mind you this cover is a model of restraint when you compare it with that of another 1960 LP of Hooker sides - Chess LP 1438 "House Of The Blues" which had a photograph of a shot-to-hell country shack.

It should be borne in mind that John Lee Hooker, like fellow Vee Jay bluesman Jimmy Reed, was still recording rockin' R&B records while doing the folk blues rounds. In 1962 his "Boom Boom" reached number 16 in the R&B chart  and even crossed into the lower reaches of the pop charts.

The Track Details:

01. Boogie Chillen - Recorded in Detroit, circa September, 1948. Personnel: John Lee Hooker (vocal, guitar). Released on Modern 20-627.

02. I'm In The Mood - Recorded in Detroit, August 7th, 1951. Personnel: John Lee Hooker (vocal, guitar); Eddie Kirkland (vocal, guitar). Released on Modern 835.

03. Crawling King Snake - Recorded in Detroit, February 18th, 1949. Personnel: John Lee Hooker (vocal, guitar). Released on Modern 20-714.

04. Queen Bee - Recorded in Detroit, November 16th, 1950. Personnel: John Lee Hooker (vocal, guitar). Released on Modern 20-814.

05. Hobo Blues - Recorded in Detroit, February 18th, 1949. Personnel: John Lee Hooker (vocal, guitar). Released on Modern 20-663.

06. Weeping Willow - Recorded in Detroit, ? 1949. Personnel: John Lee Hooker (vocal, guitar). Released on Modern 20-688.

07. Cold Chills - Recorded in Detroit, early 1952. Personnel: John Lee Hooker (vocal, guitar); Bernie Besman (organ). Released on Modern 862.

08. Hoogie Boogie - Recorded in Detroit, ? February 1949. Personnel: John Lee Hooker (vocal, guitar). Released on Modern 20-663.

09. Whistling And Moaning - Recorded in Detroit, ? 1949. Personnel: John Lee Hooker (vocal, guitar, whistling). Released on Modern 20-688.

10. Sally Mae - Recorded in Detroit, circa September, 1948. Personnel: John Lee Hooker (vocal, guitar). This is an alternate take of the side released on Modern 20-627.

11. House Rent Boogie - Recorded in Detroit, November 16th, 1950. Personnel: John Lee Hooker (vocal, guitar). Released on Modern 20-814.

12. Anybody Seen My Baby - Recorded in Detroit, August 7th, 1951. Personnel: John Lee Hooker (vocal, guitar); Eddie Kirkland (guitar). Released on Modern 847.

Original Single Releases of Tracks:

Modern 20-627 - Sally May / Boogie Chillen' - John Lee Hooker & His Guitar - released November 1948. Re-released as Modern 627 in 1951.

Modern 20-663 - Hoogie Boogie / Hobo Blues - John Lee Hooker & His Guitar - released March 1949.

Modern 20-688 - Whistlin' and Moanin' Blues / Weeping Willow Boogie - John Lee Hooker - released June (?) 1949.

Modern 20-714 - Crawlin' King Snake / Drifting From Door To Door - John Lee Hooker and his Guitar - released October 1949.

Modern 20-814 - John L's House Rent Boogie / Queen Bee - John Lee Hooker - released May 1951.

Modern 835 - I'm In The Mood / How Can You Do It - John Lee Hooker - released October 1951.

Modern 847 - Turn Over A New Leaf  / Anybody Seen My Baby - John L. Hooker - released ?early 1952?

Modern 862 - Rock Me Mama / Cold Chills All Over Me - John Lee Hooker - released circa April 1952.

Elsewhere on the blog: "This Is Hip" - a collection of Vee Jay sides including "Dimples" and "Boom Boom."

Click on the link - "John Lee Hooker - This Is Hip"

The original Zippyshare link is still active and I have added a new Mega link.

Many thanks to Marv and a tip of the chapeau to Discogs.com for cover art.

West Coast Blues

Side 1:
01. Stubborn Woman - Mercy Dee
02. Have You Ever - Mercy Dee
03. T-99 Blues - Jimmy Nelson
04. Blues After Hours - Pee Wee Crayton
05. Texas Hop - Pee Wee Crayton
06. S.K. Blues (Part 1) - Saunders King

Side 2:
01. Sitting Here Wondering - J.W. Walker
02. J.W.'s Blues - J.W. Walker
03. Dr. Brown - James Reed
04. You Better Hold Me - James Reed
05. Strange Land - Roy Hawkins
06. S.K. Blues (Part 2) - Saunders King

West Coast Blues (Mega)

West Coast Blues (Zippy)

This is the last of the Musidisc re-releases of the Kent Anthology of the Blues series that I have. West Coast Blues was number 12 and the last in this series which explored the blues sides in the vaults of the Bihari brothers' Modern / RPM labels. This collection differs from the others that I have posted as it includes some really big R&B hits. Pee Wee Crayton's "Blues after Hours" and "Texas Hop" were big sellers, making the higher reaches of the national R&B chart, as did Jimmy Nelson's "T 99 Blues."

The J.W. Walker ("Big Moose" Walker or "Moose John Walker") recorded for Trumpet Records in Jackson, Mississippi. The sides on this comp were recorded in St. Louis with backing provided by Ike Turner and therefore have no connection with the West Coast!

One circumstance common to all the other artists on this record is that they had a Bay Area connection. Pee Wee Crayton, for example, started his professional music career playing with Ivory Joe Hunter's band in San Francisco. Saunders King and Jimmy Nelson both lived in San Francisco and worked the local clubs there. Roy Hawkins was discovered by Bay Area record man Bob Geddins playing in a club in Oakland. James Reed also recorded for Geddins, in fact it was the latter who sent the sides featured on this comp to the Biharis. Mercy Dee Walton cut his first record in Fresno (admitedly well south of The Bay) for the Spire label.

All started their playing and recording careers away from LA, usually recording their earliest sides for Bob Geddins who then brought them to the attention of the Biharis. As with the LPs in the Anthology of the Blues series, there is now an expanded and carefully researched CD equivalent available on the Ace UK label:

The Downhome Blues Sessions Volume 5

Here is the complete list of the Anthology of the Blues series:

1. The Legend Of Elmore James
2. Memphis Blues
3. California Blues
4. Deep South Blues
5. Texas Blues
6. Detroit Blues
7. Arkansas Blues
8. Lightnin' Hopkins: A Legend In His Own Time
9. Mississippi Blues
10. The Resurrection Of Elmore James
11. B.B. King 1949-1950
12. West Coast Blues

West Coast Blues - The Who, The Where and The When (Perhaps)

Mercy Dee - "Stubborn Woman" and "Have You Ever" recorded in Los Angeles in 1955. Released on Flair 1078 in November 1955. "Have You Ever" on this LP is probably an alternate take to the version on the Flair single.

Jimmy Nelson - "T 99 Blues" recorded at the Clef Club, Richmond, California, in June or July 1951. Jimmy Nelson with the Peter Rabbit Trio. Released on RPM 325 in June / July 1951.

Pee Wee Crayton - "Blues After Hours" recorded in Los Angeles in September 1948. Released on Modern 624 in October 1948. "Texas Hop" recorded in Los Angeles in 1948, released on Modern 643, late 1948.

Saunders King - original version of "S.K. Blues" recorded in San Francisco, June 1942 and released on Rhythm 3. New version recorded in San Francisco in 1948 or 49 and released on Rhythm 302 as "Saunders Blues, Pts 1 and 2" in 1949. Reissued on RPM 375 as "New S.K. Blues Parts 1 and 2" in December 1952. Also reissued on RPM 497 as "S.K. Blues, Pts 1 and 2" in 1957. As to which version is on this LP, I'm not sure!

J.W. Walker - "Sitting Here Wondering" and "J.W.'s Blues" recorded in St. Louis, November 11th, 1955, with the Ike Turner band. First released on this compilation.

James Reed - "You Better Hold Me" and "Dr. Brown" recorded in Oakland in March 1954. With the Que Martyn Orchestra. Both sides released on Flair 1042 in July 1954. The version of "You Better Hold Me" released on Big Town 117 in 1955 is a different recording.

Roy Hawkins - "Strange Land" was recorded in San Francisco circa 1948. Released on Down Town 2025 in April 1949. Remastered and reissued on Modern 693 in September 1949.

Mississippi Blues

Side 1:
01. All In My Dreams - Boyd Gilmore
02. Just An Army Boy - Boyd Gilmore
03. Superintendent Blues - Houston Boines
04. Monkey Motion - Houston Boines
05. Charlie's Boogie Woogie - Charlie Booker
06. Moonrise Blues - Charlie Booker

Side 2:
01. Take A Little Walk With Me - Boyd Gilmore
02. If That's Your Gal - Boyd Gilmore
03. Rabbit Blues - Charlie Booker
04. No Riding Blues - Charlie Booker
05. Going Home - Houston Boines
06. Relation Blues - Houston Boines

Mississippi Blues (Mega)

Mississippi Blues (Zippy)

I've had a whole heap of fun reviving my decades-old copy of  "Mississippi Blues" from the late '70s Musidisc reprint of the Kent "Anthology Of The Blues" series which was originally issued around 1969 - 1970.

For a start I just had to re-read Ray Templeton's two part story of this series in "Blues & Rhythm" magazine  (numbers 309 and 310, May- June 2016). Then there was the problem of trying to make sense of the dates and personnel details of the tracks from my usual info sources for this sort of thing - mainly Bruyninckx and in this case the 706 Union Avenue Sessions website. Unfortunately the info didn't quite hang together.

I was getting a bit fed up with the whole thing, I mean it's the music that counts and do we really need to go into the minutiae of exactly who recorded what and where and when nearly 70 years ago? Then my enthusiasm was reawakened when I remembered that I had a copy of the CD in the series "A Proper Introduction To ..." and it was a CD which I didn't really enjoy when I bought it years ago - "Ike Turner / Jackie Brenston - Rocket 88." I've changed my mind, I now think it's a great collection.

This 29 tracker is centred on Ike Turner's role as musician and talent scout in Memphis and beyond in the early 1950s. It includes the Ike Turner's Kings Of Rhythm tracks which were recorded by Sam Phillips and then released on Chess under Jackie Brenston's name, which led to the rupture in the relationship between Phillips and the Bihari brothers, owners of the Modern / RPM labels, who reckoned that they had been stiffed by Sam.The Biharis recruited Ike as a talent scout, arranger and backing musician and were soon bypassing their former source of Memphis blues by recording their own sessions with Ike in charge alongside Joe Bihari and his portable Magnecord recording machine.

Starting in West Memphis in September 1951, they recorded Howlin' Wolf (who was simultaneously recording for Chess at Sam Phillips' studio) but soon took to the road for trips through Arkansas and Mississippi to record local blues musicians in makeshift studios set up in venues such as a music store, night clubs, and a Greyhound bus garage. This process is outlined in the excellent notes to the above CD which also includes a selection of recordings from these forays.

Artists featured on the CD include Drifting Slim, Baby Face Turner, and Sunny Blair from a March 1952 session in North Little Rock, Arkansas and also (and more relevant to the featured LP), Boyd Gilmore, Charlie Booker and Houston Boines who were recorded over two sessions which are the source of the tracks on this Anthology Of The Blues Collection.

These Mississippi sessions took place on the 23rd January 1952 at the Club Casablanca in Greenville and in late March 1952 at the Greyhound bus garage in Clarksdale.

All of the tracks on this LP (with one exception) were released on singles in 1952 on Modern, RPM and Blues & Rhythm. This last was a short lived label which the Biharis founded as an outlet for their blues recordings but only seven singles were ever released on it. Two further Bihari labels, Meteor and Flair carried more of their blues recordings.

It should be remembered that the purpose of these recording trips was to make records which would earn a buck. These weren't academic ethnological field trips. This stuff sold, as was noted in contemporary issues of Billboard. Electric amplification was transforming the formerly old fashioned guitar / harmonica blues and electric blues combos could now match the sax based jump bands both on stage and on the jukeboxes.

Blues Trax Fax

01. All In My Dreams - Boyd Gilmore - Late March, 1952, Clarksdale, Mississippi. Modern 872.

02. Just An Army Boy - Boyd Gilmore - January 23rd, 1952, Greenville, Mississippi. Modern 860.
03. Superintendent Blues - Houston Boines - Late March, 1952, Clarksdale, Mississippi. RPM 364.
04. Monkey Motion - Houston Boines - Late March, 1952, Clarksdale, Mississippi. RPM 364.
05. Charlie's Boogie Woogie - Charlie Booker - Late March, 1952, Clarksdale, Mississippi. Modern 878.

06. Moonrise Blues - Charlie Booker - January 23rd, 1952, Greenville, Mississippi. Modern 878.
07. Take A Little Walk With Me - Boyd Gilmore - Late March, 1952, Clarksdale, Mississippi. Modern 872.

08. If That's Your Gal - Boyd Gilmore - January 23rd, 1952, Greenville, Mississippi. Not released.
09. Rabbit Blues - Charlie Booker - January 23rd, 1952, Greenville, Mississippi. Blues & Rhythm 7003.
10. No Riding Blues - Charlie Booker - January 23rd, 1952, Greenville, Mississippi. Blues & Rhythm 7003.
11. Going Home - Houston Boines - January 23rd, 1952, Greenville, Mississippi. Blues & Rhythm 7001.
12. Relation Blues - Houston Boines - January 23rd, 1952, Greenville, Mississippi. Blues & Rhythm 7001.

Sessions

January 23rd, 1952, Club Casablanca, Greenville, Mississippi:

Boyd Gilmore (vocal, guitar); Ike Turner (piano); James Scott Jr. (guitar); Jesse "Cleanhead" Love (drums): Just An Army Boy; If That's Your Gal.

Charlie Booker (vocal, guitar); Houston Boines (harmonica); Ike Turner (piano); Jesse "Cleanhead" Love (drums): Rabbit Blues; No Ridin' Blues; Moonrise Blues.

Houston Boines (vocal, harmonica); Charlie Booker (guitar); Ike Turner (piano); Jesse "Cleanhead" Love (drums): Going Home; Relation Blues.

Late March, 1952, Greyhound Bus Garage, Clarksdale, Mississippi:

Boyd Gilmore (vocal, guitar); Ike Turner (piano), Jesse "Cleanhead" Love (drums): All In My Dreams; Take a Little Walk With Me.

Note that All In My Dreams has intro and break by Elmore James from his Please Find My Baby spliced in.

Charlie Booker (vocal, guitar); Ike Turner (piano); Jesse "Cleanhead" Love (drums): Charlie's Boogie Woogie.

Houston Boines (vocal, harmonica); Charlie Booker (guitar); Ike Turner (piano); Jesse "Cleanhead" Love (drums): Monkey Motion; Superintendent Blues.

Releases

All sides were released on singles on Modern, RPM, and Blues & Rhythm on unknown dates in 1952, with the exception of  "If That's Your Gal" by Boyd Gilmore which remained unreleased until this collection.

Houston Boines - Going Home / Relation Blues - Blues & Rhythm 7001.

Houston Boines - Monkey Motion / Superintendent Blues - RPM 364.

Boyd Gilmore - Ramblin' On My Mind / Just An Army Boy. Modern 860.

Boyd Gilmore - All In My Dreams / Take a Little Walk With Me - Modern 872.

Charlie Booker - Rabbit Blues / No Ridin' Blues - Blues & Rhythm 7003.

Charlie Booker - Charlie's Boogie Woogie / Moonrise Blues - Modern 878.

Hold it! We ain't quite done yet. Having been fired up by listening to the Proper CD collection, I decided to delve deeper and there was only one way to do that - buy the first two volumes of the Ace series "The Modern Downhome Blues Sessions." It's the only way to get the full, fascinating story of these Mississippi and Arkansas recording trips and what a story it is.

We've already seen how the Memphis scene became a three way battleground between Sam Phillips, the Biharis, and the Chess brothers. Another blues war broke out as Joe Bihari encroached on territory which Lillian McMurry of Trumpet Records regarded as her own. The tales told in the detailed and entertaining notes to these CDs almost defy belief as the formidable McMurry fought off attempts to poach her contracted artists such as Elmore James, Willie Love and Sonny Boy Williamson.

It wasn't only the prospect of getting more background info which motivated me to buy the CDs. Having heard Drifting Slim on the Proper CD, I decided I had to get me some more of that! I wasn't disappointed. Both of these CDs are absolutely recommended:

The Blues roll on here on Be Bop Wino ... but there will be more jumpin' jive along soon!

 

Etta James - Good Rockin' Mama

Side 1
01. Dance With Me Henry - Etta James and "The Peaches"
02. Crazy Feeling - Etta James
03. W-O-M-A-N - Etta James
04. I Hope You're Satisfied - Betty And Dupree
05. Strange Things Happening - Etta James

Side 2
01. Good Rockin' Daddy - Etta James
02. Number One - Etta "Miss Peaches"  James
03. Hey! Henry - Etta James
04. I'm A Fool - Etta "Miss Peaches" James
05. That's All - Etta James

Good Rockin' Mama (Mega)

Good Rockin' Mama (Zippy)

Real rockin' 1950s Los Angeles rhythm 'n' blues from precocious chantoozy Jamesetta Hawkins, better known as Etta James. Recorded for the Bihari stable of labels, in this case Modern and Kent, these sides mostly backed by bands led by Maxwell Davis are a whole rompin' and stompin' world away from Etta's Chess sides of the 1960s. The future soul diva is a teenage rocker on this Ace UK ten incher and every track is a gem. Only "The Wallflower" (aka "Dance With Me Henry") and "Good Rockin' Daddy" were big R&B hits but quality shines through the whole album.

"I Hope You're Satisfied" was credited to "Betty And Dupree" who were Etta plus then boyfriend Harvey Fuqua.

The story of how Etta's career started is told on this post of El Enmascarado's shellac rips of her first record which was conceived as an answer record to The Midnighters' "Work With Me Annie" - "The Wallflower" -

The Wallflower / Hold Me, Squeeze Me

 The Tracks

Dance With Me Henry (aka The Wallflower, aka Roll With Me Henry) recorded in Los Angeles, 25th November 1954. Personnel: Etta James and "The Peaches" - Etta James (vocal) with Richard Berry (vocal);  Abbye Mitchell, Jean Mitchell (vocals); Don Johnson (trumpet); Maxwell Davis (tenor sax); Jim Wynn (baritone sax); Devonia Williams (piano); Chuck Norris (guitar); Chuck Hamilton (bass); Leard Bell (drums).

The Wallflower / Hold Me, Squeeze Me by Etta James and "The Peaches" released on Modern 947 in January 1955.

Hey! Henry, Good Rockin' Daddy, Crazy Feeling (aka Do Something Crazy), That's All, W-O-M-A-N were recorded in Los Angeles in 1955. Dates unknown. Personnel: Etta James (vocal) with the Maxwell Davis Orchestra - Maxwell Davis (tenor sax); + 2 other unknown saxes; Devonia Williams (piano); unknown guitar and bass; Leard Bell (drums). Backing vocals - Richard Berry on Hey! Henry; The Dreamers (including Richard Berry and Jesse Belvin) on other tracks except That's All.

Hey! Henry / Be Mine by Etta James released on Modern 957 in May 1955.

Good Rockin' Daddy / Crazy Feeling by Etta James released on Modern 962 in August 1955.

That's All / W-O-M-A-N by Etta James released on Modern 972 in November 1955.

Number One (aka My One And Only), I'm A Fool recorded in Los Angeles, date unknown, personnel (Maxwell Davis Orchestra) perhaps similar to above.

Number One / I'm A Fool by Etta "Miss Peaches" James released on Modern 984 in March 1956.

I Hope You're Satisfied, recorded in Los Angeles in 1958, date unknown. Betty And Dupree (Etta James and Harvey Fuqua) vocals, with unknown band and vocal group.

I Hope You're Satisfied / If It Ain't One Thing by Betty And Dupree released on Kent 318 in February 1959.

Strange Things Happening (aka Strange Things) recording date and personnel unknown. Released on Crown LP 5250 "Twist With Etta James" in 1962.

There's more Etta coming soon on Be Bop Wino - the rockin' station for the hepcat nation!

Maxwell Davis - Father Of West Coast R&B (re-up)

Side 1:
01. Boogie Cocktails - Maxwell Davis & His Orchestra
02. Bristol Drive - Maxwell Davis & His Orchestra
03. Flying Home - Gene Phillips & His Orchestra
04. Royal Boogie - Gene Phillips & His Rhythm Aces
05. Resistor - Maxwell Davis & His Orchestra
06. Belmont Special - Maxwell Davis & His Orchestra
07. Jumpin' With Lloyd - Lloyd Glen & His All Stars

Side 2:
01. Thunderbird - Maxwell Davis & His Rock'n'Roll Orchestra
02. Cool Diggin' - Maxwell Davis & His Orchestra
03. Bluesville - Maxwell Davis & His Rock'n'Roll Orchestra
04. Rocking With Maxie - Maxwell Davis & His Orchestra
05. Tempo Rock - Maxwell Davis & His Orchestra
06. Gene Jumps The Blues - Gene Phillips & His Rhythm Aces
07. Boogie Cocktails - Maxwell Davis & His Orchestra

Father Of West Coast R&B (Mega)

Father Of West Coast R&B (Zippy)

Outstanding 1988 Ace LP of instros from the Modern / RPM stable presented in an attractive gatefold sleeve. This LP was originally posted on the blog in October 2009. For this re-up I've added label shots. The full gatefold which contains a very informative biographical article on Maxwell Davis by Ray Topping is included in the download.

It's now almost a cliche to say that Maxwell Davis is an unsung hero of rhythm and blues and rock 'n' roll. He worked for a multiplicity of Los Angeles based record labels from the 1940's to 1970 in a variety of roles including tenor sax sideman'  arranger, producer and bandleader. The gatefold sleeve includes a long list of the R&B hits to which he contributed including "Safronia B." by Calvin Boze, "Please Send Me Someone To Love" by Percy Mayfield, "I Got Loaded" by Peppermint Harris, "Call Operator 210" by Floyd Dixon, and a whole heap o' hits by B.B. King and Amos Milburn.

Fax On The Trax, Jack

Maxwell Davis & His Orchestra - Los Angeles, circa November 1950. Personnel: Jake Porter (trumpet); Jack McVea (alto sax); Maxwell Davis (tenor sax); Maurice Simon (baritone sax); Austin McCoy (piano); Chuck Norris (guitar); Red Callender (bass); Lee Young (drums):

Boogie Cocktail, Belmont Special, Resistor, Bristol Drive.

Boogie Cocktail / Belmont Special released on Modern 20-791 in January 1951.

Bristol Drive / Resistor released on Modern 20-805 in March 1951.

Maxwell Davis and his Rock and Roll Orchestra - Los Angeles , 1955. Personnel: Maxwell Davis (tenor sax); unknown others:

Thunderbird, Bluesville, Tempo Rock, Cool Diggin'.

Thunderbird / Bluesville released on RPM 449 in December 1955.

Above: The Cash Box, 17th December 1955

Tempo Rock / Cool Diggin' released on RPM 482 in December 1956.

Rocking With Maxie - unreleased mid 1950's track.

Gene Phillips And His Rhythm Aces - Los Angeles, 1948. Possible personnel: Gene Phillips (guitar); Jake Porter (trumpet); Marshall Royal (alto sax); Maxwell Davis (tenor sax); Lloyd Glenn (piano); Arthur Edwards (bass); William Streets (drums).

Gene Jumps The Blues, Flying Home, Royal Boogie.

Gene Jumps The Blues unreleased.

Royal Boogie / Stinkin' Drunk released on Modern 20-586 in June 1948.

Flying Home -Bruyninckx lists its release on Modern 20-614, possibly in October 1948. I can find no other mention of such a release. This is the same track which was released in November 1951 as "New Flying Home" (RPM 332x45) with overdubbed crowd noise and credited to the "Lloyd Glenn All Stars featuring Maxwell Davis."

The B Side of RPM 332x45 was "Jumpin' With Lloyd" which also had overdubbed crowd noise, as can be heard on this LP. There has also been a release of this disc with both sides credited simply to "Maxwell Davis." "Jumpin' With Lloyd" was originally an unreleased Gene Phillips recording from 1947 / 1948 which was "transformed" into the Lloyd Glenn / Maxwell Davis instro with the addition of crowd noise and some echo.

Elsewhere On The Blog:

Maxwell Davis And His Tenor Sax:

A 1980's reissue of a 1950's Maxwell Davis Aladdin LP. The original article with background information on Maxwell and on the evolution of this LP through various reissues can be found here:

http://bebopwinorip.blogspot.co.uk/2009/10/maxwell-davis-and-his-tenor-sax.html

The LP can be downloaded from here:

http://www53.zippyshare.com/v/2veIHSnf/file.html

or here:

Maxwell Davis And His Tenor Sax (Mega)

Recommended purchase:

Triple CD set on the Fantastic Voyage label. Compiled by Dave Penny, CD1 has 31 tracks issued on various labels (Aladdin, Modern, Pacific, Down Beat, Miltone, etc) under Maxwell Davis' name. CD2 and CD3 contain tracks from the '40's and '50's on which Maxwell played, including records by Helen Humes, Charles Mingus, Jimmy Witherspoon, Calvin Boze, Jimmy Nelson and Percy Mayfield. The collection deliberately avoids the big R&B hits on which he played, opting instead for lesser known sides. Very highly recommended, especially if like me you're into the more obscure areas of West Coast R&B. There's a review of this set on the blog here:

http://bebopwinorip.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/review-wailin-daddy-best-of-maxwell.html

Happy Easter, music fans.

Twist With Jimmy McCracklin (Crown LP 5244) Re-Upped

Side 1:
01. I Can't Tell
02. I'm Gonna Tell Your Mother
03. My Mother Says
04. That Ain't Right
05. Please Forgive

Side 2:
01. Couldn't Be A Dream
02. Oh Baby
03. You Don't Seem To Understand
04. Reelin' And Rockin' Twist

Twist With Jimmy McCracklin (Mega)

Twist With Jimmy McCracklin (Zippy)

With many thanks to El Enmascarado who sent in this 1962 Crown LP which was originally posted on the 7th December 2010.

The original post is here -

https://bebopwinorip.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=jimmy+mccracklin

Go to it now for the fascinating details of how to do the twist, and if you happen to own a record company, how to pass off your back catalogue of old R&B tracks as the latest dance craze. There's also a fairly lengthy summary of the R&B years of Jimmy McCracklin and the CDs and tracks to look out for and a link to The Hound's article on Jimmy's guitarist Lafayette "The Thing" Thomas.

Yes, this is as fine an example of low budget exploitation as you could find, but it is also a nice little collection of some of Jimmy's R&B recordings for Modern in 1954-55, plus "Reelin' And Rockin'" from 1950. Scratched vinyl, a low bit rate, but surprisingly good sound quality as I found when I compared it to these excellent Ace CDs of Jimmy's Modern recordings -

Ace CDCHD 720

Ace CDCHD 993

More rockin' and boppin' re-ups, plus new stuff in the pipeline. Stay tuned!