Be Bop Wino Pages

Joan Selects - the complete Joan Selects Collection

Big Ten Inchers - 78rpm rips by El Enmascarado


Attention Mac Users!

Mac users have been experiencing problems in unpacking the WinRAR archives used on this blog. Two solutions have been suggested.

1. Use The Unarchiver - www.theunarchiver.com - see comments on Little Esther Bad Baad Girl post for details.

2. Use Keka - http://www.kekaosx.com/en/ - see comments on Johnny Otis Presents post.

Saturday, 7 March 2020

Tiny Bradshaw - Breaking Up The House






















Side 1:
01) Breaking Up The House
02) Walk That Mess
03) The Train Kept A-Rollin'
04) T-99
05) Bradshaw Boogie
06) Walkin' The Chalk Line
07) Mailman's Sack
08) Snaggle Tooth Ruth

Side 2:
01) Rippin' And Runnin'
02) The Blues Came Pouring Down
03) Two Dry Bones On The Pantry Shelf
04) Brad's Blues
05) Boodie Green
06) Well Oh Well
07) Newspaper Boy Blues
08) One, Two, Three, Kick Blues






A 1980s Charly comp which includes some (but not all) of Tiny Bradshaw's R&B hits from the early 1950s. The emphasis on this collection is on the vocal efforts of bandleader Bradshaw who was a fine blues shouter, plus sides featuring vocalists Tiny Kennedy and Dorena Deane.

In an earlier post of the LP "A Tribute To The Late Tiny Bradshaw" there is an overview of Bradshaw's career detailing his evolution from 1930s big band front man, through small group swing in the mid 1940s, to leader of a stomping R&B jump band when he joined King Records in late 1949. His raucous brand of hard rocking jump blues sold well in the early 1950s with "Well Oh Well" reaching number 2 in the R&B charts in May 1950 while "I'm Going To Have Myself A Ball" was at number 5 in October 1950, and "Walkin' The Chalk Line" reached number 10 in September 1951.

Billboard, July 1950

Two hits in 1953, "Soft" and "Heavy Juice" were instrumentals featuring Red Prysock on tenor sax. These set the pattern for much of the band's remaining recorded output in 1954 and 1955 as ill health (a series of strokes or heart attacks depending on who you read) forced Tiny to increasingly take a back seat as far as musical activity was concerned. The band however did keep going, with Red Prysock being replaced by Sil Austin who was in turn replaced by Noble "Thin Man" Watts on a series of good instrumental releases for the juke box crowd.

Billboard June 1954 - the last Tiny disc to see chart action

The tracks on this LP were recorded between 1950 and 1952 when Bradshaw's blues ballin' and squallin' was at its artistic and commercial height. His powerful voice was backed by a suitably powerful band which featured tenor sax man Rufus Gore and Orrington Hall on alto and baritone saxes. When Gore left he was replaced by former Tiny Grimes sax player Red Prysock although Gore would return to join Prysock and Hall in a blow the roof off the joint sax lineup.

So this LP is mostly classic Tiny although there are a couple of tracks ("Rippin' And Runnin'" and "Newspaper Boy Blues") where vocals, both male and "female" parts, are by Tiny Kennedy. There's also "One, Two, Three, Kick Blues" where the band backs bloozy chantoozy Dorena Deane. A welcome bonus is a hitherto unreleased track "Snaggle Tooth Ruth" which is lots of fun. All this and a classic 1980s Nozbig cover by Dave Gibson. What more could you want, rhythm fans?

Original Release Details:

Well Oh Well / I Hate You - King 4357 - April 1950

Boodie Green / After You've Gone - King 4376 - August 1950

Breaking Up The House / If You Don't Love Me, Tell Me So - King 4417 - December 1950

Walk That Mess / One, Two, Three, Kick Blues - King 4427 - February 1951

Two Dry Bones On The Pantry Shelf / Brad's Blues - King 4447 - April 1951

Bradshaw Boogie / Walkin' The Chalk Line - King 4457 - June 1951

T-99 / Long Time Baby - King 4487 - September 1951

The Train Kept A-Rollin' / Knockin' Blues - King 4497 - February 1952

Mailman's Sack / Newspaper Boy Blues - King 4537 - April 1952

Lay It On The Line / Rippin' And Runnin' - King 4547 - July 1952

Heavy Juice / The Blues Came Pouring Down - King 4621 - May 1953

Snaggle Tooth Ruth - first issued on this LP


Elsewhere On The Blog:


King LP of mainly instrumental sides by the Bradshaw band. Includes the two big hits featuring Red Prysock, "Soft" and "Heavy Juice." Post includes biography of Tiny Bradshaw.


Krazy Kat compilation of best of Bradshaw (no "Soft" though) quite a bit of duplication with "Breaking Up The House."

General update post on all things Tiny Bradshaw on the blog, including links to El Enmascarado's 78 rpm singles:


Scan by El Enmascarado


Above 2 scans from Joan

More R&B coming soon including loose as a goose West Coast sounds from Marv, untamed Detroit vocal group shenanigans from Charlie B and an LP by an old favourite ripped by my good self. Perhaps another look at Earl Bostic to be thrown in? Stay tuned.

Wednesday, 4 March 2020

Rhythm And Blues Hit Vocal Groups (Authentic / Dooto LP 501)




















Side 1:
01) Speedin' - The Medallions
02) The Telegram - The Medallions
03) My Pretty Baby - The Medallions
04) Did You Have Fun - The Medallions
05) Coupe De Ville Baby - The Medallions
06) Mary Lou - The Medallions

Side 2:
01) Be Mine Or Be A Fool - The Penguins
02) So Tough - The Cufflinx
03) It's Too Late Now - The Cufflinx
04) House Cat - The Romancers
05) Let Me Cry - Willie Headen & The Birds
06) I Love You Bobby Sox - Willie Headen & The Birds






Thanks to Marv for reconstructing this third LP collection of Dootone vocal group sounds. Get the first two back in the blog - The Best Vocal Groups Of Rhythm And Blues and The Best Vocal Groups In Rock'n' Roll.

This LP was first released in 1958 on Authentic which was a short lived subsidiary label of Dootone / Dooto which released some singles and a few budget priced LPs. This LP was later reissued on parent label Dooto. If you like that real greasy West Coast R&B sound like I do then you'll find this collection to be right up your alley. Doo Wop wailin' plus Willie Headen - great stuff!

Original Single Issues

The Medallions:

The Telegram / Coup De Ville Baby - Dootone 357 - July 1954

Edna / Speedin' - Dootone 364 - May 1955

My Pretty Baby / I'll Never Love Again - Dootone 373 - October 1955

Did You Have Fun / My Mary Lou - Dootone 407 - October 1956 (Vernon Green And The Medallions)

The Penguins:

Be Mine Or Be A Fool / Don't Do It - Mercury 70610 - April 1955. Was a previously unissued Dootone take unearthed for this LP? It sounds like the Mercury release on this reconstructed LP post. Only buyers of the original LP will know for sure!

The Cufflinx:

It's Too Late Now / The Saxaphone (sic) Rag (instr.) - Dooto 422 - August 1957 (The Cuff Links)

So Tough / My Love Is With You - Dooto 433 - January 1958

The Romancers:

I Still Remember  / House Cat - Dootone 381 - January 1956

Willie Headen & The Birds:

I Love You Bobby Sox / Stop Drinking - Dootone 1203 - May 1954 (Willie Headen)

Let Me Cry / The Skinny Woman Story - Authentic AU 410 also Dooto AU 410 - January 1957 (Willie Headen And The Five Birds)
Discographical info mainly from Marv Goldberg's site plus The Cash Box.

Your Marv Goldberg links for the lowdown on some of these groups:

The Medallions:

http://www.uncamarvy.com/Medallions/medallions.html

The Penguins:

http://www.uncamarvy.com/Penguins/penguins.html

The Cufflinx:

http://www.uncamarvy.com/Cufflinks/cufflinks.html

With thanks to Marv (who is not Marv Goldberg!) for sending this collection.

For much more of that West Coast R&B vocal group sound, purchase Ace CD collections of Dootone, Modern, Combo and John Dolphin label sides!

Sunday, 1 March 2020

The Fabulous Guitar Of Bill Jennings (King LP 295-106)





















Side 1:
01) Big Boy
02) Darn That Dream
03) Soft Winds
04) Sophisticated Lady

Side 2:
01) They Can't Take That Away From Me
02) What's New
03) 633-Knock!
04) Danny Boy






Back in November 2019 I posted a "reconstruction" of the Bill Jennings / Leo Parker King LP "Billy In The Lion's Den." That 12 incher from 1957 was an expanded version of an LP originally released as a 10 incher in 1955 - "Jazz Interlude" (King LP 295-105) -


At roughly the same time (going by the issue numbers) King released the 10 inch LP that I have "reconstructed" for this post - "The Fabulous Guitar Of Bill Jennings." Four of the eight tracks originated from the July 1954 sessions with Leo Parker ( but sans Parker, natch) and the remaining four tracks were from an October 1954 session on which Jennings was backed by the Bill Doggett combo.

A couple of the tracks recorded with Doggett are good R&B swingers ("Big Boy" and "633-Knock!") with "Big Boy" being a substantial R&B hit in 1955. The rest of the tracks are fine mellow jazz with "Soft Winds" perhaps being the closest to R&B in feel. It was interesting to find that Billboard reviewed some of the single releases of these tracks as jazz ("What's New" / "Soft Winds" and "They Can't Take That Away From Me") while the remaining tracks were reviewed under R&B. See below for details on the issue on single of the tracks on this LP.

Recording Details

They Can't Take That Away From Me; What's New; Soft Winds; Sophisticated Lady were recorded in Cincinnati on July 8th 1954 by the following personnel: Bill Jennings (guitar); Andrew Johnson (piano and organ); Joe Williams (bass); George DeHart (drums)

Big Boy; Darn That Dream; 633-Knock!; Danny Boy were recorded in Cincinnati in October 1954 by the following personnel: Bill Jennings (guitar); Bill Doggett (organ); Jimmy Glover (bass); Shep Shepherd (drums)

Single Release Details

What's New / Soft Winds - Bill Jennings Quartet - King 45-4735 - released August 1954

Big Boy / Danny Boy - Bill Jennings Quartet - King 45-4760 - released December 1954

Darn That Dream / Blue Grass - Bill Jennings Quartet - King 45-4771 - released February 1955

Sophisticated Lady / 633-Knock! - Bill Jennings Quartet - King 45-4786 - released April 1955

They Can't Take That Away From Me / Sweet And Lovely - Bill Jennings Quartet - King 45-4805 - released June 1955

Elsewhere On The Blog

Get yourself over to the post on the Bill Jennings / Leo Parker LP "Billy In The Lion's Den" for more of Bill's guitar stylings plus the lowdown on his career as an R&B session man (mostly with King) and as an exponent of soul jazz (mostly with Prestige).


My thanks to the original uploaders of the album artwork. The front and back covers were from amazon.it and the disc labels were adapted from discogs.com.

Friday, 21 February 2020

Joan Selects Volume 26 - What's The Word?



















01) Drunk - Jimmy Liggins
02) WPLJ - The Four Deuces
03) Quiet Whiskey - Wynonie Harris
04) Pink Champagne - Joe Liggins And His Honeydrippers
05) Wine Wine Wine - The Nightcaps
06) One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer - Amos Milburn
07) Who Drank My Beer While I Was In The Rear - Dave Bartholomew
08) I Ain't Drunk - Jimmy Liggins
09) Bloodshot Eyes - Wynonie Harris
10) Down It Went - The Four Deuces
11) Mambo Shevitz - Melino with The Crows
12) Tabarin - The Four Flames
13) One Mint Julep - The Clovers
14) Thunderbird - Hal Page and the Whalers
15) The Drunkard - The Thrillers
16) Alcohol And Jake Blues - Tommy Johnson
17) Baptize Me In Wine - Screamin' Jay Hawkins
18) Wine Women Whiskey - Papa Lightfoot
19) I Got Loaded - Peppermint Harris
20) Drinkin' Wine, Spo-Dee-O-Dee - Stick McGhee
21) Corn Whiskey - The Empires
22) Pour The Corn - Hal Paige and the Whalers
23) Cherry Wine - Little Esther
24) Empty Bottles - The Robins
25) Drunk Again - Champion Jack Dupree
26) Sneaky Pete - Bull Moose Jackson
27) Serve Another Round - The Five Keys
28) Cheap Old Wine And Whiskey - Jack "The Bear" Parker
29) Be Bop Wino - The Lamplighters
30) Bartender Blues - The Chocolateers
31) Wine Woogie - Marvin Phillips
32) Alligator Wine - Screamin' Jay Hawkins
33) Port Wine - Bill Samuels
34) Beer Bottle Boogie - Bobby Plater Orchestra
35) Barfly - Sonny Til and The Orioles
36) Let Me Go Home Whiskey - Amos Milburn
37) Fat Backs And Corn Whiskey - Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five
38) Pass The Juice Miss Lucy - The Joe Morris Orchestra
39) Bar Fly Blues - Jay McShann & Jimmy Witherspoon
40) Let's Go To The Liquor Store - Tuff Green
41) Whiskey Do Your Stuff - Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five
42) Drinkin' Beer - J.B. Summers
43) Beer Bottle Boogie - Marylyn Scott
44) Wine-O-Wine - Willis Jackson
45) No More Alcohol - Jimmy Liggins and His Orchestra
46) Sittin' Here Drinking - Christine Kittrell
47) Bar Room Blues - Roy Brown
48) Drinkin' Blues - Jo Jo Adams & Tom Archia
49) Waiting & Drinking - Calvin Boze
50) Looped - Melvin Smith
51) Juiced - Billy Love (credited to Jackie Brenston)
52) Tequila - The Champs






What's the word? Thunder Bird! Is this the drunkenest compilation ever? As the world goes to hell in a handcart, Joan returns to remind fans of real R&B that all is not lost for there is always solace to be found in the bottle. Any bottle. Wine, beer, whiskey, paint stripper, whatever. So welcome to the world of rhythm 'n' booze where the joys of all day drinking, nay, all year drinking are celebrated amidst a bevvy of drunken sax solos and occasional incomprehensible gibbering (that's you, Screamin' Jay!).

Amidst the raucous celebration of alcohol fuelled good times there is a leavening of more reflective late night, after closing time regret. Amos Milburn, Peppermint Harris, and Christine Kittrell evoke the atmosphere of the wee small hours when Joe ain't gonna set 'em up any more. Not even "one more for the road."

Boozehounds the wide world over will be familiar with many of these tracks, but the art of the compilation lies in mixing the familiar with the unfamiliar in the shaker and pouring out a cocktail which satisfies. This particular concoction has tickled my taste buds so effectively that it's been getting constant play on my media player for the last several days and like fine wine, it just keeps improving over time.

Included in the plain brown wrapper are not only vintage sounds but also a package of label scans, all provided by Joan who deserves a special toast. So my R&B friends, please stagger to your feet, raise your glasses to our benefactor, and drunkenly bawl "Cheersh!"







01 Jimmy Liggins - "Drunk" - Released on: Specialty SP-470-45 in August 1953

02 The Four Deuces - "WPLJ" (White Port Lemon Juice) Released On Music City 45-790 in September(?) 1955

03 Wynonie Harris - "Quiet Whiskey" - Released on King 45-4685 in December 1953

04 Joe Liggins and his Honeydrippers - "Pink Champagne" - Released on Specialty SP 355-A in April 1950

05 The Nightcaps - "Wine Wine Wine" - Released on Vandan VR 7491 in October 1960

06 Amos Milburn - "One Scotch, One Bourbon One Beer" Released on Aladdin 45-3197 in August 1953

07 Dave Bartholomew - "Who Drank My Beer While I Was In The Rear?" - Released on Imperial 45-5210 in December 1952

08 Jimmy Liggins - "I Ain't Drunk" - Released On Aladdin 45-3250 in July 1954

09 Wynonie Harris - "Bloodshot Eyes" Released on King 4461-AA in July 1951

10 The Four Deuces - "Down It Went" - Released On Music City 45-794 in September(?) 1955

11 Melino with The Crows - "Mambo Shevitz (Man O Man)" - Released On Tico 45-108 in April 1954

12 The Four Flames - "Tabarin" - Released On Fidelity 3001 / Unique 005A in November 1951

13 The Clovers - "One Mint Julep" - Released on Atlantic 45-963 in March 1952

14 Hal Page and The Whalers - "Thunder Bird" - Released on J&S J-1601A in October 1957

15 The Thrillers - "The Drunkard" - Released on Big Town 45-109 in October 1953

16 Tommy Johnson - "Alcohol and Jake Blues" - Released on Paramount 12950-A in July 1930

17 Screamin' Jay Hawkins - "Baptize Me In Wine" - Released on Apollo 528-45 in December 1958

18 Papa Lightfoot - "Wine, Women and Whiskey" - Released on Imperial 5289 in June 1954

19 Peppermint Harris - "I Got Loaded" - Released on Aladdin 45-3097 in September 1951

20 Stick McGhee - "Drinking Wine Spo-De-Odee" - Released on Atlantic 873 in March 1949

21 The Empires - "Corn Whiskey" - Released on Harlem 45-2325 in late 1954

22 Hal Paige and the Whalers - "Pour The Corn" Released on Fury 1002 and Checker 873 in September 1957

23 Little Esther - "Cherry Wine" - Released on Federal 45-12142 in August 1953

24 The Robins - "Empty Bottles" - Released on RCA 47-5489 in December 1953

25 Champion Jack Dupree - "Drunk Again" - Released On Red Robin 130-X45 in 1954

26 Bull Moose Jackson and His Buffalo Bearcats - "Sneaky Pete" - Released on King 4181-B in October 1947

27 The Five Keys - "Serve Another Round" - Released on Aladdin 3158 in October 1952, rereleased on Aladdin 45-3312 in January 1956

28 Jack (The Bear) Parker - "Cheap Old Wine Whiskey" - Released on 7-11 45-2100 in March 1953

29 The Lamplighters - "Be Bop Wino" - Released on Federal 45-12152 in November 1953

30 The Chocolateers - "Bartender Blues" Released on Parrot 781 in July 1953

31 Marvin Phillips and His Men From Mars - "Wine Woogie" - Released on Specialty XSP-445-45 in November 1952

32 Screamin' Jay Hawkins - "Alligator Wine" Released on Okeh 4-7101 in April 1958

33 Bill Samuels and the Cats 'N' Jammer Three - "Port Wine" Released on Mercury 8012 in April 1946

34 Bobby Plater Orchestra With Mr. Swing - "Beer Bottle Boogie" Released on Bullet 327 in 1950. "Mr Swing" was Rufus Thomas

35 The Orioles with Buddy Lucas and his Band of Tomorrow - "Barfly" Released on Jubilee 45-5084 in July 1952

36 Amos Milburn - "Let Me Go Home Whiskey" Released on Aladdin 45-3164 in January 1953

37 Louis Jordan and the Tympanny Five - "Fat Backs and Corn Whiskey" Released on Aladdin 45-3270 in December 1954

38 Joe Morris Orch. W/ Mr. Stringbean - "Pass The Juice Miss Lucy" Released on Herald H-418 in September 1953

39 Jay McShann and Jimmy Witherspoon - "Barfly Blues" Mercury 8049 Released in August 1947

40 Tuff Green Orchestra with J.P. Louper - "Lets Go To The Liquor Store" Released on Bullet 312-A in September 1949

41 Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five - "Whiskey Do Your Stuff" Released On Aladdin 3223 in February 1954

42 J.B. Summers - "Drinkin' Beer" - Released On Gotham 203-A in November 1949

43 Marylyn Scott (The Carolina Blues Girl) With Johnny Otis Orch. - "Beer Bottle Boogie" - Released On Regent 1025-A in November 1950

44 Willis "Gator Tail" Jackson - "Wine-O-Wine" - Released On Atlantic 957 in February 1952

45 Jimmy Liggins and His Orchestra - "No More Alcohol" - Released on Aladdin 45-3251 in October 1954

46 Christine Kittrell - "Sittin' Here Drinking" Released on Tennessee 128 in August 1952

47 Roy Brown - "Bar Room Blues" - Released on DeLuxe 3319 (DeLuxe 310 in Canada) in November 1951

48 Tom Archia And His All Stars Vocal by Doctor Jo Jo Adams - "Drinkin' Blues" - Released On Aristocrat 801-B in November 1948

49 Calvin Boze - "Waiting and Drinking" - Released on Aladdin 3045A in February 1950

50 Melvin Smith - "Looped" - Released on RCA 47-4735 in June 1952

51 Billy Love (credited to Jackie Brenston) - "Juiced" - Released On Chess 1472 in July 1951

52 The Champs - "Tequila" - Released on Challenge 1016 in January 1958


"... one for my baby, one more for the road"

Sunday, 16 February 2020

Jimmy Witherspoon - Ain't Nobody's Business!



















Side 1:
01) Ain't Nobody's Business Part 2
02) In The Evening
03) Frogomore Blues
04) McShann Bounce Part 1
05) How Long
06) Money's Getting Cheaper

Side 2:
01) Skid-Row Blues
02) Spoon Calls Hootie
03) Back Water Blues
04) Louie's Guitar Boogie
05) Destruction Blues
06) Ain't Nobody's Business Part 1






Another LP which has lain unplayed for decades on the shelves of the vinyl vault. An unfortunate state of affairs as it provides a valuable snapshot of a period when one of the all time great blues shouters, Jimmy Witherspoon, enjoyed considerable success on the R&B charts. Witherspoon, of course, went on to have a decades long career as a jazz and blues singer but here we concentrate on 1947 - 1949 when his recordings for Supreme Records made a big noise on the sales charts.

Although the sleevenotes for this LP say that these recordings were made for Jack Lauderdale's Down Beat / Swing Time label, in fact with the exception of "Spoon Calls Hootie" and "Destruction Blues'" these tracks were recorded in November 1947 for Supreme Records, a small LA based label owned by dentist Al Patrick. The label had a limited but interesting roster of R&B artists which included Jimmy Witherspoon, Jay McShann, Buddy Tate, Paula Watson and Eddie Williams. Two lawsuits (brought by Decca and Black & White) plus the inevitable financial pressures of a small label having to support a nationwide smash hit (Witherspoon's "Ain't Nobody's Business") brought about the closure of the label in 1950 with most of its masters being bought up by Swing Time.

In the previous post "Jay McShann - The Band That Jumps The Blues!" we saw how pianist and former big band leader Jay McShann had migrated to the West Coast, leading small jump groups rather than full bands. In Vallejo California McShann came across Witherspoon and immediately signed him to his band which for a while could boast three vocalists - Crown Prince Waterford, Witherspoon and Numa Lee Davis. The band cut sides for Philo, Premier and Mercury (1945 - 1947) with Waterford and Davis dropping out, leaving Witherspoon as the sole vocalist fronting the band.

Supreme started recording Witherspoon who was now a solo act in October 1947. Further sessions followed in November 1947 with backing by Jay McShann who generously provided studio support for his former singer, and in a final late December 1947 session, backing was provided by the Buddy Tate band. To confuse matters somewhat, Witherspoon and McShann also recorded for Modern in late December 1947 with the Al "Cake" Wichard band.

Although a stash of recordings had been built up, Supreme didn't start releasing Witherspoon sides until the spring of 1948. Just as these platters hit the record shops, Witherspoon started recording for Down Beat, again backed by Jay McShann. He continued to record for Down Beat into the summer of 1948 and then started recording for Modern in the autumn of that year, staying with that label until 1952 when he switched to Federal.

Amidst the flurry of releases on Supreme, Down Beat and Modern in 1948-49, it was the Supreme recordings which made the biggest impact sales wise, with the two parter "Ain't Nobody's Business"  reaching number 1 in the R&B chart in the spring of 1949, and its follow up, "In The Evening" reaching number 7 in October of that year. Witherspoon enjoyed further success in 1950 with a double sided hit on Modern, "No Rollin' Blues" and "Big Fine Girl" both of which reached number 4 R&B.

Release Details - Titles as on original single releases

01) Ain't Nobody's Business Part 2 - Supreme 1506 / Swing Time 263
02) In The Evening - Supreme 1533
03) Frogomore Blues  - Supreme 1505
04) McShann's Bounce Part 1 - Supreme 1540 (Jay McShann)
05) How Long - Supreme 1545
06) Money's Getting Cheaper - Supreme 1501
07) Skid-Row Blues - Supreme 1545 / Swing Time 244
08) Spoon Calls Hootie - Down Beat / Swing Time 157
09) Back Water Blues - Supreme 1520
10) Louie's Guitar Boogie - Supreme 1501 (Louis Speiginer)
11) Destruction Blues - Down Beat / Swing Time 161
12) Ain't Nobody's Business Part 1 - Supreme 1506 / Swing Time 263

In chronological order. All tracks credited to Jimmy Witherspoon unless otherwise noted (in brackets):

Louie's Guitar Boogie (Louis Speiginer) / Money's Getting Cheaper - Supreme 1501 - May 1948

Frogomore Blues / Wee Baby Blues - Supreme 1505 - August / September (?) 1948

Call My Baby / Spoon Calls Hootie - Down Beat 157 - circa October 1948

Funny Style Baby / Destruction Blues - Down Beat 161 - circa October 1948

Ain't Nobody's Business Part 1 / Ain't Nobody's Business Part 2 - Supreme 1506 - February 1949

Back Water Blues / Third Floor Blues - Supreme 1520 - April 1949


In The Evening (Jimmy Witherspoon) / Six-Foot-Two Blues (Buddy Tate Orchestra vcl - Jimmy Witherspoon) - Supreme 1533 - September 1949

McShann's Bounce Part 1 / McShann's Bounce Part 2 (Jay McShann At The Piano) - Supreme 1540 - circa October 1949

How Long / Skid-Row Blues - Supreme 1545 - November 1949

 


Label shots adapted from The Internet Archive.

Recommended Purchase:

Cold Blooded Boogie (Night Train International NTI CD 7008)

20 hollerin' tracks from Supreme and Down Beat. At the time of posting there are copies going very cheaply on ebay.co.uk. Worth a look!

Sunday, 9 February 2020

Lloyd Glenn Presents All Time Favorites (Swing Time LP 1901)






















Side 1:
01) Yancey Special
02) After Hours
03) Chica Boo

Side 2:
01) Pine Top Boogie Woogie
02) Honky Tonk Train
03) Old Time Shuffle






Sometimes serendipity plays a part in the appearance of a post on this blog and here's an example. While doing some background reading for the recent Jay McShann post I came across the information that Jack Lauderdale's Swing Time label had issued a 10 inch LP of Lloyd Glenn sides. Being a fan of early R&B LPs I couldn't resist reconstituting the album. So here it is with artwork adapted from the heritage auction website and mp3s from the Chronological Classics collections which were uploaded by Uncle Gil a few years back.

Some sources give the year of release of this LP as 1954 but the 16th February 1952 issue of The Cash Box announces the imminent release of the album, so February 1952 it is then. All sides on this collection were also released as singles. Full details below. "Old Time Shuffle Blues" and "Chica Boo" were big hits in 1951, so much so that Lloyd Glenn was the 9th best selling R&B artist of that year. "Yancey' Special" although not a national R&B hit sold well in territories in 1952.

 Original Release Information

All sides recorded in Los Angeles 1950-1951. Lloyd Glenn (piano); Billy Hadnott (bass); Bob Harvey (drums). Earl Burton plays bongos on "Chica Boo."

Sinner's Prayer - Lowell Fulson featuring Lloyd Glenn at the "88" / Old Time Shuffle Blues - Lloyd Glenn with the Fulson Unit - Swing Time 237 - November 1950

Jungle Town Jubilee / Chica Boo - Lloyd Glenn at the "88" - Swing Time 254 - March 1951

Yancey' Special / After Hours - Lloyd Glenn's Combo - Swing Time 292 - April 1952

Honky Tonk Train / Pine Top Boogie Woogie - Lloyd Glen's Combo - Swing Time 293 -April / May 1952?

Elsewhere On The Blog

Lloyd Glenn left Swing Time for Aladdin in late 1953 or early 1954. Here is a post of a Pathe Marconi LP of some of his Aladdin sides. The post has a potted biography of Lloyd along with artwork from Joan and El Enmascarado.


More Swing Time / Down Beat R&B shenanigans coming soon! Keep tuning in to Be Bop Wino.
 

Thursday, 6 February 2020

The Best Vocal Groups In Rock'n' Roll (Dooto DL 224)





















Side A:
01) Crazy Over You - The Calvanes
02) Always And Always - The Meadowlarks
03) Let Me Give You Money - The Pipes
04) I Still Remember - The Romancers
05) I Ain't Gonna Cry No More - The Penguins
06) Edna - The Medallions

Side B:
01) Guided Missiles - The Cuff Links
02) Double Dealing Baby - The Souvenirs
03) Don't Take Your Love From Me - The Calvanes
04) Back Home Again - The Birds
05) Boogie Woogie Teenage - The Meadowlarks
06) Untrue - The Meadowlarks






Thanks to our regular contributor Marv for this second instalment of reconstituted Dootone vocal group albums. This LP was originally issued in April 1957 on Dooto (the Dootone name having been altered in early 1957 due to a court case). It was also reissued on the Dooto subsidiary Authentic label.

Remember a couple of posts ago I said I would just get the music up and forego the investigations into the background details? Oops - looks like I got carried away when preparing this post, so you get the usual heap o' arcane info.

There's just something about this 1950's Los Angeles R&B into Rock 'n' Roll sound that goes straight to the gut. Perhaps someone more articulate than I can explain it in the comments. Maybe it's the slightly fly by night feel of the records on these small labels like Dootone, Combo, the John Dolphin stable of labels, and many even more obscure outfits. The vocal groups and the sax instros, I love it all. Now I'm gonna cruise on over to Dolphin's Of Hollywood to grab me some 45s and maybe Huggy Boy is broadcasting from the store window. Or am I too late?

 Release Details:

The Calvanes - Crazy Over You / Don't Take Your Love From Me - Dootone 371 - August 1955

Don Julian And The Meadowlarks - Always And Always / I Got Tore Up - Dootone 367 - June 1955

Don Julian And The Meadowlarks - I Am A Believer / Boogie Woogie Teenage - Dootone 405 - October 1956

Don Julian And The Meadowlarks - Untrue - first released on this LP.

The Pipes - Be Fair / Let Me Give You Money - Dootone 388 - March 1956

The Romancers - I Still Remember / House Cat - Dootone 381 - January 1956

The Penguins - I Ain't Gonna Cry No More on Dootone EP "Rhythm and Blues Vocal Group Series Album #1" - Dootone EP-101 - June 1955

The Medallions - Speedin' / Edna - Dootone 364 - June 1955

The Cuff Links - Guided Missiles / My Heart - Dootone 409 - December 1956

The Souvenirs - Double Dealing Baby - first released on this LP

Willie Headen And The Five Birds - Back Home Again / I Wanna Know - Authentic 703 - July 1956 (also released on Dooto 703) Reviewed in The Cash Box, 7th July, 1956

Info from 45cat.com, The Cash Box, and Marv Goldberg's site.

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Ace CDCHD 579