T.J. Fowler - Early Detroit R&B

Re-up as requested by you jumpers and jivers out there, complete with a new front cover scan plus label scans. Sorry, I forgot to do a new back cover so you'll have to get along with the old one.

Download from here:

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

Tracklist:

Side 1

1 - T.J. Boogie

2 - What's The Matter Now

3 - Midnight Clipper (pt 1)

4 - Midnight Clipper (pt 2)

5 - Harmony Grits

6 - Red Hot Blues

7 - Hot Sauce

8 - Blue Lullaby

Side 2

1 - Night Crawler

2 - Fowler's Boogie

3 - Back Biter

4 - Wine Cooler

5 - Camel Walk

6 - Gold Rush

7 - The Queen

8 - Tell Me What's The Matter

Boogie pianist and bandleader T.J. Fowler (and T.J. was his given name) was a stalwart of the post-war Detroit R&B scene who never enjoyed chart success but nevertheless did record a number of very good sides on his own account as well as providing backing for big names like Paul Williams and Varetta Dillard. Born in Georgia in 1910, he was raised in Detroit where he attended the local conservatory of music. His professional music career started when he played piano at a poolroom owned by his father and then he joined a band led by alto sax player Guy Walters. From there he moved to another Detroit band led by Clarence Dorsey where he played alongside Paul Williams.

In 1947 T.J. formed his own jump band which provided the backing for Paul Williams on his big 1948 seller "35-30". T.J.'s own first disc was recorded for local label Paradise - "Sultry Moon" / "Mango Blues" which does not feature on this collection. During 1948 - 49 T.J.had discs released on both National and Sensation. These form the side one of this comp and are mostly rousing boogies and stompers. "Midnight Clipper" is in the style of Sonny Thompson's moody hit "Long Gone" while "Blue Lullaby" is as its title indicates - an attractive mood piece with an outbreak of bluesy piano in the middle section.

The first six tracks of side two are instrumentals recorded for Savoy in 1952-53. They have a punchier sound than the 1940s sides, particularly when blues guitarist Calvin Frasier weighs in. The last two sides of the compilation were recorded in Chicago at the end of 1953 for the States label. "The Queen" is another good instrumental while the vocal side "Tell Me What's The Matter?" rattles along nicely enough. T.J. continued to play live gigs around Detroit  through the 1960s with small groups but gradually his non-musical business interests took up more of his time. He died in Detroit in 1982.

Recommended purchase and the source of the above information is the 25 track Classics Blues & Rhythm Series CD "T.J.Fowler 1948 - 1953." Compiled and annotated by Dave Penny who acknowledges the Jim Gallert book "Before Motown: A History of Jazz in Detroit 1920-60" as a source of information.

Listen to the sensational "Red Hot Blues":

Listen to "Camel Walk":

Todd Rhodes - Dance Music That Hits the Spot!

Side One:

1. Blues For The Red Boy

2. Pot Likker

3. Teardrops

4. Beet Patch

5. Blue Autumn

6. Specks

7. Echoes

8. Chicken Strut

Side Two:

1. Bell Boy Boogie

2. Rocket 69

3. Feathers

4. Thunderbolt Boogie

5. Red Boy Is Back

6. Snuff Dipper

7. Silver Sunset

8. Gin Gin Gin

I guess this should count as a re-up as I originally posted this LP back in October 2007 in the very earliest days of Be Bop Wino. This time round I've included brand new cover and label scans, so you now get the complete front and back covers for the very first time. In my view that makes it a kind of new post!

This is a 1980s reissue of King LP 658, originally issued in August 1959. The music spans the entirety of Todd's recording career with "Bell Boy Boogie" originating from his very first session with Sensation in July 1947 and "Silver Sunset", "Specks" aka "Space", "Echoes" and "Chicken Strut" being the complete last session for King in July, 1954.

Todd Rhodes was a native of Kentucky (born 1900), a trained musician who attended the Springfield School of Music (Ohio) and a big band veteran who played piano with McKinney's Cotton Pickers in the 1920s and 1930s. In the 1940s he settled in Detroit and led small bands which played around the many clubs in that city.

His first recording contract was with local label Sensation and his records were simultaneously released on the Chicago label Vitacoustic for national distribution. Before 1947 was out, Vitacoustic had gone belly up and a new national distribution deal was arranged with King Records. Detroit issues were still put out on Sensation but tension between the two companies led to a legal dispute which was won by King in 1951. From then on, all Todd Rhodes releases were exclusively through King who also bought out all existing Sensation masters. The information on the back cover of this LP only lists King release numbers.

The full story of Todd's early career is told in the notes to the excellent Ace CD "Blues For The Red Boy - The Early Sensation Recordings" CDCHD 856.



This is a CD I can highly recommend. It has superb sound quality (being from original masters) and gives a marvelous insight into the versatility  of the Todd Rhodes band - capable of sounding equally good on boppers, lush jazzers, boogies, blues and even occasional reworkings of classical pieces! If ever a jump band lived up to the title of "little big band", it was the Todd Rhodes outfit.

The "Dance Music That Hits the Spot!" LP can't match the CD for sound quality. In fact this release sounds like echo has been added to most of the tracks. It's still a cracking jump collection. The boogies are especially powerful and let's not forget that "Blues For The Red Boy" was chosen by Alan Freed as the introductory theme to his first "rock 'n 'roll" radio show in Cleveland.

Todd was credited with starting the career of Lavern Baker and also being an important influence on the career of Johnnie Ray as he worked with them both at Detroit's Flame Show Bar. He also backed Wynonie Harris on two sessions for King in July 1951 and January 1952, including a couple of memorably raunchy releases in "Lovin' Machine" and "Keep On Churnin' (Till The Butter Comes)".

Download from here:

http://www13.zippyshare.com/v/c6kK6Jup/file.html

T.J. Fowler and his Band - Early Detroit R & B

Detroit pianist T.J. Fowler (that was his full name, the initials didn’t stand for anything) started his jump band in 1947. They backed Paul Williams in his early Savoy sessions, then recorded on their own account from 1948 onwards, firstly for Paradise, then for National and Sensation. In 1952-53 they recorded several sessions for Savoy, before moving to States at the end of 1953.

The music on this collection is arranged in chronological order, with the first 8 tracks being from National and Sensation sessions and the remaining tracks being from Savoy and States. The music is mostly instrumental R&B, moving from jump to early rock ‘n’ roll in some of the 1952-1953 tracks.

Ripped from vinyl at 320 kbps. Password = greaseyspoon.

Download link:

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

1. TJ Boogie
2. What's The Matter Now
3. Midnight Clipper (pt 1)
4. Midnight Clipper (pt 2)
5. Harmony Grits
6. Red Hot Blues
7. Hot Sauce
8. Blue Lullaby
9. Night Crawler
10. Fowler's Boogie
11. Back Biter
12. Wine Cooler
13. Camel Walk
14. Gold Rush
15. The Queen
16. Tell Me What's The Matter

Todd Rhodes - Dance Music That Hits The Spot!

This is a re-up of a post I originally put on rockhall. I have replaced the scan of the front cover (which was pretty dreadful) with a new much-improved scan.
A mix of jazzy jump blues and punchy R&B instrumentals. The earliest sides were recorded for Sensation and Vitacoustic in 1947/8, the rest for King in 1951-54. "Blues For The Red Boy" was used by Alan Freed as the theme for his Moondog radio show in 1951 in Cleveland.

Ripped at 320 kbps from vinyl. Password = greaseyspoon

http://www13.zippyshare.com/v/c6kK6Jup/file.html

1. Blues For The Red Boy
2. Pot Likker
3. Teardrops
4. Beet Patch
5. Blue Autumn
6. Specks
7. Echoes
8. Chicken Strut
9. Bell Boy Boogie
10. Rocket 69
11. Feathers
12. Thunderbolt Boogie
13. Red Boy Is Back
14. Snuff Dipper
15. Silver Sunset
16. Gin Gin Gin

If you dig this album then you should buy this excellent CD which has been issued by Ace -

CDCHD 856. Todd Rhodes' early r&B recordings in superb sound quality. Far better than the compressed mp3s ripped from some 1980s bootleg on offer here at Be Bop Wino! Plus a great information booklet is included in the usual exemplary Ace packaging.