Spirit of New Orleans - The Genius of Dave Bartholomew

Released as part of EMI's Legends of Rock N Roll series in 1992, there has been no better retrospective of Dave Bartholomew's music than the double-disc set The Spirit of New Orleans: The Genius of Dave Bartholomew. That's partially because at 50 tracks, it's the most comprehensive collection ever assembled on Bartholomew, but its real genius is that it doesn't shine a spotlight solely on his solo recordings. Instead, those are interspersed among the numerous hits he wrote and produced for such New Orleans legends as Fats Domino, Smiley Lewis, Earl King, Bobby Mitchell, Snooks Eaglin, Shirley & Lee, Pee Wee Crayton, Tommy Ridgley, Chris Kenner, and many others (including sides by T-Bone Walker). There are plenty of classics here -- "Stack a Lee," "Ain't It a Shame," "Bo Weevil," "I Hear You Knocking," "I'm Gonna Be a Wheel Someday," "One Night," "Come On, Pts. 1 & 2," "Walking to New Orleans," and "Trick Bag" among them -- plus numerous singles and songs known only to collectors. There has since been a dynamite single-disc collection of Bartholomew recordings issued, but any serious collector of New Orleans music needs to have this, pure and simple.

Wynonie Harris - Good Rockin Tonight and All She Wants To Do Is Rock 1947 to 1950

 Here is a job left undone from a while back - these two albums represent Harris' output at the height of his popularity in the late forties.
"Good Rockin' Tonight", the song he wouldn't take when Roy Brown offered it to him, is still a bigger hit for Harris than it was for Brown.

The scans from the Proper set won't tell you who is playing with him here so let me give you some of the notables: The first four tracks have Joe Turner guesting with Wynonie and his All Star band that includes folks like Joe Newman, Allen Eager, Bill Doggett, Mary Osborne, and Al McKibbon. On tracks 9 thru 17 the band features Hot Lips Page and Hal Singer, on the last three Cat Anderson replaces Page and Connie Kay is on drums.

The second volume opens with a track from the Cat Anderson session but the next three tracks are a new band featuring Joe Morris, Johnny Griffin, Elmo Hope and Gene Ramey. Joe Wilder takes over trumpet duties for most of the rest of these tracks. Later sessions have names like Red Prysock, Sir Charles Thompson, George Duvivier, and Kenny Burrell popping up on them.

Brother Cecil Shaw - I Want To Know

It has been a while since we had a two-part Sunday service and I got carried away reloading these gems from Preslives - I will have some totally new things next week, I promise.

Judging from the recent discussion on the blog, at least a few people are enjoying the gospel posts.  So I will continue in that direction.

"I Want to Know" is another of the most important short-lived gospel releases on the Acrobat label - the complete recordings of Brother Cecil Shaw.  True, records would indicate that there were another 11 songs recorded.  But they have never seen the light of day, and it seems that nobody is planning to open up the Peacock vaults any time soon. 

Despite making relatively few recordings, Brother Cecil Shaw was an important figure in gospel history, one of the key figures in the great transition in gospel quartet singing from Jubilee to hard and "shout" gospel.   Two of the pioneers in that transition have been featured in previous posts on this blog: R.H. Harris with the Soul Stirrers and Silas Steele, who is featured on the Spirit of Memphis collection.   Some other key figures did not make any recordings at all.  For Brother Cecil Shaw, we are lucky to have these 18 tracks

I will not go into any biographic details here since I can refer you to a fantastic comprehensive essay on Brother Cecil Shaw written by Opal Lee Nations that can be downloaded here: http://www.opalnations.com/files/Brother_Cecil_Shaw_Blues_Rhythm_198_April_2005.pdf

Opal Lee Nations notes that Brother Cecil Shaw was one of the few singers who could go toe to toe with Archie Brownlee and Julius Cheeks on the program.  In fact, he reports an event in this essay where Archie Brownlee and the Blind Boys refused to perform after a tremendous opening set from Brother Cecil Shaw.

On these recordings, you can hear a resemblance in vocal approach and dynamics between Brother Cecil Shaw and Archie Brownlee.  Although Archie Brownlee started recording at any earlier date than Brother Cecil Shaw, whose first recordings date from 1952, the latter was very much active in the 1940s.  Brother Cecil Shaw may have therefore been a strong influence on Brownlee.   Opal Lee Nations also notes that the most famous Blind Boys song that features Archie Brownlee, My Father, was actually based on the Brother Cecil Shaw song, Jesus Be My Keeper.  The Blind Boys covered several other Brother Cecil Shaw compositions as well.  

The Spiders - The Imperial Sessions

Our friend Guitar Gus has come through with a big followup to my Chuck Carbo post; the rare Bear Family set of The Spiders' Imperial Recordings. I am excited to finally hear these historic recordings.

"New Orleans R&B was best known for its solo artists, but the Spiders rank among the Crescent City's pre-eminent vocal groups, and were certainly the best the city produced during the '50s. The Spiders actually began life circa 1947 as a gospel group called the Zion City Harmonizers; they later changed their name to the Delta Southernaires, and made a few recordings and radio appearances from 1952-1953.

With encouragement from legendary New Orleans studio head Cosimo Matassa, the group switched to secular R&B and signed with Imperial in late 1953. The newly christened Spiders were centered around brothers Hayward "Chuck" Carbo and Leonard "Chick" Carbo, the latter a bass singer who sometimes split lead vocals with his brother; the other members of the quintet were Joe Maxon, Matthew West, and Oliver Howard. Their first single, "I Didn't Want to Do It," went to number three on the R&B charts in early 1954, and other sides like "You're the One," "Tears Begin to Flow," and "I'm Slippin' In" were top sellers as well, making the Spiders a hot concert draw. Maxon and West both left the group in 1955 and were replaced by Bill Moore and Issacher Gordon. the Spiders' string of R&B Top Tens continued that year with "21" and the Dave Bartholomew-penned "Witchcraft," their second Top Five hit and biggest overall seller (it was later covered by Elvis Presley).

Imperial began grooming Chuck Carbo for a solo career in 1956, which caused dissent within the group; by the end of the year, Chick Carbo had signed to Atlantic as a solo artist himself, and the Spiders effectively dissolved. A final single in 1957, "That's My Desire," failed to catch on, as did a posthumous from-the-vaults release in 1960, "Tennessee Slim." ... Chick passed away in 1998, Chuck in 2008."

Irma Thomas - Straight From The Soul

Oh yes! Even more from the classic era of The Queen! Some genius choose to compile the stuff not included on all the other collections and to whoever that person might be, I genuflect in gratitude! A crappy cover no doubt but this stuff is not readily available in any other form that I have seen.

All Killer!

Irma Thomas - Sweet Soul Queen of New Orleans

It is a little difficult to explain to an outsider how we feel about Irma Thomas.  She is The Queen and is as universally beloved as say, Uncle Lionel was. Anyone over 40 has an Irma Thomas story or two, it is just part of New Orleans. I have resisted the temptation to pump this one up beyond the 23 tracks it comes with but I may well have to post a Lagniappe addendum.

    1. Cry On
    2. I Done Got Over It
    3. It's Raining
    4. Hittin' on Nothin'
    5. Ruler of My Heart
    6. Wish Someone Would Care...
    7. Breakaway
    8. I Need Your Love So Bad...
    9. While the City Sleeps
    10. Time Is on My Side
    11. Anyone Who Knows What L...
    12. Moments to Remember

    13. Straight from the Heart...
    14. Take a Look
    15. It's a Man's Woman's Wo...
    16. Long After the Night Is...
    17. Times Have Changed
    18. He's My Guy
    19. What Are You Trying to ...
    20. Nobody Wants to Hear No...
    21. The Hurt's All Gone
    22. I'm Gonna Cry 'Til My T...
    23. It's Starting to Get to...

Irma Thomas (born February 18, 1941, Ponchatoula, Louisiana) is a contemporary of Aretha Franklin and Etta James, but never experienced their level of commercial success; still, she has a large cult following among soul aficionados. In 2007, she won the Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album for After the Rain, her first Grammy in a career spanning over 50 years.

Born Irma Lee, as a teen she sang with a Baptist church choir, auditioning for Specialty Records as a 13-year old. By the age of 19 she had been married twice and had four children. Keeping her second ex-husband's surname, she worked as a waitress in New Orleans, occasionally singing with bandleader Tommy Ridgley, who helped her land a record deal with the local Ron label. Her first single, "(You Can Have My Husband but) Don't Mess with My Man," was released in spring 1960, and reached number 22 on the Billboard R&B chart.

She then began recording on the Minit label, working with songwriter and producer Allen Toussaint on songs including "It’s Raining" and "Ruler of my Heart", which was later reinterpreted by Otis Redding as "Pain In My Heart". Imperial Records acquired Minit in 1963, and a string of successful releases followed. These included "Wish Someone Would Care” (her biggest national hit), its B-side "Break-a-Way" (later covered by Tracey Ullman among others), "Anyone Who Knows What Love Is" (co-written by the young Randy Newman and future country star Jeannie Seely, among others), and "Time Is on My Side" (a song previously recorded by Kai Winding, and later by the Rolling Stones).

Although her first four Imperial singles all charted on Billboard's pop chart, later releases were less successful, and, unlike her contemporaries Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight and Dionne Warwick, she never managed to cross over into mainstream commercial success. She recorded for Chess Records in 1967/68 with some success, the Otis Redding song "Good To Me" reaching the R&B chart. She then relocated to California, releasing records on various small labels, before returning to Louisiana, and in the early 1980s Thomas and her husband opened the Lion's Den Club over near the old Falstaff Brewery on Broad Street (the club that is), Ernie Ladd's Bar-B-Que Joint was neaby.

After several years’ break from recording, she was signed by Rounder Records, and in 1991 earned her first-ever Grammy Award nomination for Live! Simply the Best, recorded in San Francisco. She subsequently released a number of traditional gospel albums, together with more secular recordings. The album Sing It! was nominated for a Grammy in 1999.

Thomas is still active as a performer, appearing annually at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. She reigned as Queen of the Krewe du Vieux for the 1998 New Orleans Mardi Gras season. She often headlined at her own club, which is now out of business due to the effects of Hurricane Katrina. Thomas relocated to Gonzales, Louisiana, 60 miles (97 km) from New Orleans, after Hurricane Katrina, but she is now back in her home in New Orleans.

I believe  that I promised a Lagniappe post to this = HERE IT IS. 7 more tracks but I am not finished!

Earl King - Come On, The Complete Imperial Recordings

 Another lovely contribution from guitar gus and one that has become rare and expensive:

Hard to figure out how this is no longer in print as it represents Earl's greatest work. For that matter it is a bit of a mystery to me that in this age of label centered reissues, there is no Imperial box and few of the artists outside of Fats have been compiled either. The catalog apparently belongs to EMI who seem to be out to best MCA in the race for worst stewards of a precious trust. Hopefully they will eventually allow Ace or Kent to do what they are obviously unwilling to do.

"...Various independent record labels in New Orleans created and perfected a sound that would cross over from black to white audiences and vice versa. Earl King's work at both Specialty (home of Little Richard and Lloyd Price) and Ace (home to Frankie Ford and Huey "Piano" Smith) were nothing short of outstanding, but it was his work at Imperial (home to Fats Domino) with Dave Bartholomew that truly stands out. That is the subject of a new complete exploration on Okra Tone/Rooster Records.
Included on this retrospective are King’s Imperial hits “Come On (Parts 1 and 2)” (also known as “Let the Good Times Roll,” the motto of New Orleans), “Trick Bag” and “Always a First Time.” All of these sound as fresh and vibrant as the day they were released in the early 1960’s, displaying Bartholomew's exquisite touch and King's keen execution.
Also included in this collection are other historical recordings plus tracks that were never released. The April 13, 1961 sessions, which featured the great pianist James Booker plus Bartholomew and Wardell Quezergue, are particularly enjoyable. These recordings include “You Better Know,” “Mama and Papa,” plus the unreleased “It’s Wrong” and “Case of Love.”
While this is an excellent collection of a sometimes overlooked but unquestionably important artist, the producers sequenced the music in order of its recording date. This subtracts from a natural flow and makes it feel sometimes more like a historical document than a record. But that does not detract from the overall power and enjoyment you will feel when you press play." Charlie Dahan, All About Jazz. 

Hmmm, given that these were all singles I would wish to ask Mr. Dahan what other method of sequencing he would suggest, aside from alphabetical or release date, what other criteria is there and what would constitute his "natural flow"? 

Roy Brown - Laughing but Crying

Amazingly enough this collection doesn't overlap the previous two discs of Roy offered here. This is slightly later material but still high quality. As is true with most of these guys, Roy fades thru the 50's, lesser material to work with for one, and difficulty in adjusting to the teen market which becomes all important in the 50's. These guys had been singing adult 'blue' themed lyrics all their careers and if you listen to Roy attempt School Bell Rock, you will hear a perfect example of how they didn't quite fit the new themes. The same thing happened to the majority of the 40's r&b pioneers.

"This Roy Brown import offers something of a rough-guide compliment to Rhino Records' own hits-heavy career retrospective of the jump blues shouter. Laughing but Crying's somewhat obscure Deluxe, King, and Imperial sides may suffer a bit from poor sound quality -- especially the early Deluxe sides -- but the imperfections are soon forgotten because of the sheer quality of the music and Brown's gospel-soaked delivery. In fact, Brown's innovative use of gospel phrasing in an R&B context has distinguished him as the original soul singer and in turn made him a major influence on future soul luminaries like James Brown and Jackie Wilson. The Swedish R&B label Route 66 shores up the claim with this overview of Brown's career through 1959, which includes prime, early jump blues cuts like "Roy Brown Blues" and an incredibly salacious slice of double entendre entitled "Butcher Pete, Pt. 1." In addition, there are medium-tempo blues like "Special Lesson No. 1" and "Laughing but Crying," which showcase Brown's signature technique of shouting and stretching words and phrases in mid-sentence for dynamic effect. To round out the varied program, there's the early rock & roll number "Hurry Hurry Baby" and a Bing Crosby-style ballad entitled "A Fool in Love." Roy Brown made a variety of powerful records, many of which are included on Laughing but Crying and Rhino's Good Rocking Tonight: The Best of Roy Brown; together, these two fine reissues provide a pretty complete picture of the great R&B singer."

Mr Dave Bartholomew - Architect of New Orleans R&B

Dave Bartholomew (born December 24, 1920, Edgard, Louisiana) is a musician, band leader, composer and arranger, prominent in the music of New Orleans throughout the second half of the 20th century. Bartholomew has been active in many musical genres, including rhythm and blues, big band, swing music, rock and roll, New Orleans jazz and Dixieland. Although many musicians have recorded Bartholomew's songs, his partnership with Fats Domino produced some of his greatest successes. In the mid 1950s they wrote more than forty hits for Imperial Records, including two songs that reached Number One on the Billboard R&B chart "Goin' Home" and "Ain't That a Shame". He is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and The Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.

He first learned to play the tuba but the trumpet later became his main instrument. His professional career began in New Orleans, when he put together a group that included Alvin 'Red' Tyler, Earl Palmer and Lee Allen.

He began recording in 1947 for De Luxe Records, but the company folded and he received little recognition. In 1949, however, he began working with Lew Chudd's Imperial Records as an arranger, bandleader and talent scout. He produced hits from Earl King, Tommy Ridgley, Robert Parker, Frankie Ford, Chris Kenner, Smiley Lewis, Shirley & Lee and Fats Domino, among others. He was responsible for the arrangements on the Fats Domino hits in the 1950s including the best seller "Blueberry Hill". He left Imperial in the mid-1960s and moved between several labels, including his own Broadmoor Records (named for his neighborhood of New Orleans, Broadmoor).

Dave Bartholomew was featured as a stellar musician on the Southern Stars poster created by Dianna Chenevert to help promote him and historically document his contribution to the music industry. An article about the poster appeared on the front page of the Life section in the October 12, 1983 issue of USA Today, which provided additional nationwide attention.

As of 2009 he is still involved in the music business and releasing recordings of his own. He also plays traditional jazz trumpet at Preservation Hall, despite his millionaire status.

Bartholomew helped develop and define the New Orleans sound which was so influential in the 1950s. He was key in the transition from jump blues and big band swing to rhythm and blues and rock and roll.

Bartholomew and Domino co-wrote many songs that were hits, including "Ain't That a Shame", "I'm in Love Again" "Blue Monday" and "I'm Walkin'".

Fats, Cosimo and Dave

His "I Hear You Knocking" was a hit for Gale Storm in the 1950s, and Dave Edmunds in the 1970s; "One Night" and "Witchcraft" were both hits for Elvis Presley. Pat Boone's cover of "Ain't That a Shame," and Rick Nelson's version of "I'm Walkin'" were top twenty hits in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Chuck Berry's only #1 Billboard Hot 100 hit was a cover of Bartholomew's "My Ding-a-Ling", although Berry substantially changed the arrangement and verses.
Bartholomew produced a series of memorable hits such as "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" with Lloyd Price; and "I Hear You Knocking" and "One Night (Of Sin)" with Smiley Lewis; plus "Let the Good Times Roll" with Shirley & Lee.

In 1991 Bartholomew was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer owing to his role in producing early rhythm and blues songs.