The New Orleans Sessions - Mercury Records

 By request:

In earlier posts we looked at some of the pioneering R&B recordings coming out of New Orleans in the late 40's. The success of that material began to attract labels like Mercury to come down and record some for themselves, a repeated theme in the cycles of New Orleans popularity.

For whatever the reason may be, these recording are some of the most neglected of the major label recordings made here. This magnificent Bear Family set is an expansion of their earlier 2 lp set, with the second disc representing material that has not seen the light of day since I was a baby. I wish I had a way to give you the enclosed book with it but at 96 pages, I was not doing all them scans!

One of the real treasures here are the large number of tracks from the forgotten lady blues shouter Miss Lollipop but there are also 13 rare Professor Longhair tracks and some Gospel from the Silvertone Singers. All great stuff that even collectors likely did not have in full.

Plug It In, Turn It Up! - Electric Blues, Part 4 1970-2005

AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
"In some ways, the fourth installment of Bear Family's four-volume Plug It In! Turn It Up! Electric Blues - The Definitive Collection is the most important -- not because this was the most innovative period for electric blues but rather the years of 1970-2005 are generally considered to be when the genre was rather dormant. Certain acts had hits now and then, but the blues weren't ruling the R&B charts and rock & roll starts to shed its blues influence during the '70s, so its presence doesn't seem as immediate. Nevertheless, this fourth volume proves that electric blues not only has a rich legacy but that it is one that continues into the modern era, both by old hands (Buddy Guy pops up with his 1991 "Damn Right, I've Got the Blues") and new (Robert Cray's "Smoking Gun," which actually crossed over into the Top 40). Most of the major names of soul-blues and mainstream blues are here -- B.B. King, Al Green, Z.Z. Hill, O.V. Wright, Bobby Rush, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Albert King -- and this also traces the rise of Alligator Records (Hound Dog Taylor's "Give Me Back My Wig" still sounds nasty all these years later), grapples with such rock bands as the J. Geils Band and ZZ Top, and makes a case for the influence of Stevie Ray Vaughan and the Fabulous Thunderbirds. While it doesn't necessarily make a case for the next generation -- some of the newer tracks toward the end of the set are by old guys like R.L. Burnside -- this fourth volume does prove that electric blues remained vital well into the new millennium."

Plug It In, Turn It Up! - Electric Blues, part 3

AllMusic Review by Steve Leggett

"This is the third three-disc volume in Bear Family Records' ambitious four-volume history of the electric blues, all compiled and annotated by blues historian and musicologist Bill Dahl. The Gibson guitar company introduced the first electric guitar in the 1930s, and the advent of amplification meant the blues could preach louder and longer, which allowed a country acoustic music to transform itself into its own kind of powerfully rhythmic pop music. Taken as a whole, this ambitious Bear Family series traces and surveys that transformation, beginning with jazz-inspired jump blues tracks and following through to the juncture of blues and rock, blues and funk, and beyond, on into the 21st century. This particular volume covers 1960 to 1969, a time when blues and rock & roll really started to join hands, and it features classic tracks like Buddy Guy's "First Time I Met the Blues," Jimmy Reed's "Big Boss Man," Albert King's "Crosscut Saw," and B.B. King's "Rock Me Baby," but it also collects lesser-known gems like Frank Frost's "Jelly Roll King" and Junior Parker's "Driving Wheel," then slides into blues and rock hybrids like the Animals' "House of the Rising Sun," Canned Heat's Henry Thomas-inspired "On the Road Again," and Janis Joplin's "Ball and Chain," before closing things out with Stevie Wonder's blues-based "I Ain't Superstitious" done by the Jeff Beck Group. Bear Family Records is known for its quality releases, and this volume is no exception. When the full 12 discs are taken together, with nearly 300 tracks, it makes for a fascinating survey of the blues in all of its electric configurations."

Allen Toussaint - The Complete Tousan Sessions

Allen's first solo recordings.

A lovely contribution from our pal Morris:

"From the German-based Bear Family Records reissue label comes over two-dozen selections by a young Allen Toussaint (piano) during his earliest outings as a solo artist -- albeit under the slightly truncated nom de plume of "A. Tousan" or simply "Tousan." Although he'd been gigging and sitting in on a variety of Crescent City R&B sessions, it was RCA Records' Danny Kessler who took the initiative to book studio time for Toussaint. That very first endeavor -- held on January 29, 1958 -- featured Toussaint supported by other Nola locals Alvin "Red" Tyler (baritone sax), Nat Perrilliat (tenor sax), or Lee Allen (tenor sax), either Justin Adams (guitar) or Roy Montrell (guitar), Frank Fields (bass), and Charles "Hungry" Williams (drums). While the exact lineup may not be certain, what is undeniable is the masterful energy of these seminal sides. Toussaint revealed to a reviewer that he "had no involvement in the titles of the songs. When I played them, I referred to them as 'Song Number One,' 'Song Number Two' and so on. It wasn't until the record came out that I was informed Kessler had chosen to name each piece after a different racehorse." Once "Whirlaway" b/w the raucous sacred-inspired "Happy Times" scored favorable results, Kessler hit Toussaint up for enough material to compile what would become the full-length Wild Sound of New Orleans (1958) LP. Arguably the best-known of the instrumental lot is the perky "Java" -- which Al Hirt (trumpet) was able to take to the top of the pop singles survey, not to mention carve out a nice career for himself in the process. Other entries worthy of multiple spins include the mile-a-minute "Tim Tam," "Bono," and the musical Mardi Gras that is "Nashua" -- which owes much to Professor Longhair and points the way for Toussaint's future musical aspirations. Similarly, "Wham Tousan" and "Pelican Parade" are evidence of Toussaint's already fully formed keyboard style. The second half of the Complete "Tousan" Sessions (1992) is dedicated to tracks destined for the Seville imprint and credited to "Al Tousan and His Piano." Of the 15 tunes documented during the December 7 and 8, 1959 session only a handful were ever released. Namely, the 45s "Chico" b/w "Sweetie Pie," "Naomi" b/w "Back Home Again in Indiana" -- a rare cover tune for Toussaint, "A Blue Mood" b/w "Moo Moo" (aka "Cow Cow Boogie"), and "Real Churchy" b/w "Twenty Years Later." Interestingly, the latter is nothing more than a recycled and abbreviated edit of the aforementioned "Sweetie Pie." The remainder make their debut and in true Bear Family style are thoroughly annotated in the 20-page liner notes booklet."

Plug It In! Turn It Up! Electric Blues: Part 2, 1954-1967

AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

"The second volume of Bear Family's four-part electric blues series Plug It In! Turn It Up! features the years 1954-1967 but that's slightly misleading, as much of the latter years are bunched up on the third disc, which rounds up 29 significant instrumentals. The rest of the collection concentrates on continuing the story the first volume began, as West Coast, Delta, and Chicago blues all began to swing harder and play louder, working their way onto rock & roll jukeboxes as they did so. Some of these singles do play like rock & roll -- that's particularly true of Bo Diddley's heavy-footed rumble and Hank Ballard's easy shuffle on "Look at Little Sister" -- but this is primarily devoted to electrified blues that jolts and jumps like a bare wire. There are plenty of big names and classics here, songs that would later be standards in any number of house bands across the country: "Kansas City," "I'm Ready," "My Babe," "I'm a Man," "I Wish You Wouldn't," "I Can't Quit You Baby," "Got My Mojo Working," "I'm a King Bee," "Texas Flood," "Kansas City," "Baby What You Want Me to Do," "The Sky Is Crying," "Wham!," "Frosty." It's a crash course in history that plays like a party, even on that third disc of high-octane instrumentals."

Plug It In, Turn It Up: The Electric Blues, Part 1- Beginnings 1939-1954 (3discs)

AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
"Bear Family's Electric Blues history Plug It In! Turn It Up! may not seem quite as ambitious as some of their projects, but that's only because it arrives in four volumes of three CDs, not a hulking 12-disc, 12X12 box complete with a hardcover book. Taken on its own terms, it is a pretty impressive chronicle of electrified blues from its infancy to its prime. Here in the first volume, the spotlight shines on its birth, opening up with a cut from Andy Kirk & His Twelve Clouds of Joy, a 1939 side called "Floyd's Guitar Blues" featuring a solo by Floyd Smith, and running to 1954, when the jumping, hard-charged sound started to break into the big time. Wisely, Bear Family is happy to repeat artists -- there is no way to limit yourself to just one T-Bone Walker or Muddy Waters song, after all -- and they bend the rules ever so slightly, letting in sides by R&B singers like Fats Domino and Ray Charles, artists who aren't always strictly classified as electric blues but certainly fit this wide definition. Roughly speaking, the first disc here is devoted to the swinging, jumping sounds of the '40s and '50s, with the second finding the rawer, nastier sounds starting to sneak in (Jackie Brenston's 'Rocket '88'," Howlin' Wolf's "How Many More Years," Elmore James' "Dust My Broom," and Little Walter's "Juke" pop up here), and the third concluding with the rise of overdriven Chicago blues and boogie, with Jimmy Reed rubbing shoulders with Wynonie Harris. Perhaps there are some seminal sides from these 15 minutes -- almost certainly there are -- but this first volume of Plug It In! Turn It Up! tells its story expertly and, best of all, it sounds like a party as it does so."

note if you double click either track list, they will expand for easier reading

The Roots Of It All: Acoustic Blues, Vol. 4, 1980's.90's, 2000's & 2010's

" Blues greats like TajMahal, James 'Son' Thomas, Homesick James, John Hammond, and Keb' Mo, alongside lesser know artists like Guitar Frank, John Dee Holeman, Precious Bryant, a.m.o. Any concern that interest in acoustic blues guitar would recede in the face of the loss of many of its leading
figures and so much electric blues and blues-rock was permanently put to rest by a new legion of disciples, and the discovery of yet more older musicians that somehow eluded discovery during the postwar era (and in a few notable cases, pre-war days). Certified legends Robert Lockwood, Jr., Henry Townsend, and Sam Chatmon were happily still in business.

Younger '60s/'70s discoveries TajMahal, John Hammond, Geoff Muldaur, David Bromberg, and Bonnie Raitt were now joined by the next generation of acoustic pickers, who brought fresh ideas to the table ? along with a
deeply ingrained sense of tradition. As the blues underwent a major resurgence during the '80s and '90s with the genre finding its way into advertising campaigns and mainstream films such as 'Crossroads,' young acoustic players with exciting new ideas emerged. In the cases of Keb' Mo and Alvin Youngblood Hart, their debut CDs were released on a major label, underscoring the genre's renewed commercial potential. Corey Harris was every bit their artistic equal, albeit without major label backing.

The acoustic movement remains very much alive today, thanks to a constant infusion of new blood and established visionaries such as Otis Taylor dedicated to escorting the approach into uncharted waters. Let there be
no doubt: acoustic blues as we've traced it over the course of this eight-disc series won't go anywhere anytime soon."

The Roots Of It All: Acoustic Blues, Volume 3, 1960's & 1970's

 "...and this volume covers huge years of revival for the acoustic blues style – seminal recordings from the 60s and 70s, as a host of younger labels worked hard to rediscover lost blues giants from previous decades, and give exposure to some lesser-known talents too! 2CD package features 48 titles in all – with work by Mance Lipscomb, Scrapper Blackwell, Smokey Babe, Herman E Johnson, Johnny Young, Buddy Moss, Maxwell Street Jimmy Davis, Robert Pete Williams, Rev Gary Davis, Henry Townsend, Louisian Red, Jack Owens, Johnny Shines, Juke Boy Bonner, Babe Stovall, Furry Lewis, Joe Callicott, John Jackson, JB Lenoir, and many others. " © 1996-2015, Dusty Groove, Inc.

The Roots Of It All: Acoustic Blues, Volume 2, 1940's & 1950's

"... and this volume features 55 tracks from the 40s and 50s – a time when acoustic blues were on the wane in the mainstream, but still getting exposure on a handful of labels – although often fair from their fame of the early years. The volume's overflowing with great music – by artists who include Alabama Slim, KC Douglas, Lowell Fulson, Dan Pickett, Willie Lane, Tony Hollins, Robert Lockwood, Robert Petway, Gabriel Brown, Johnny Shines, Snooks Eaglin, Little David, James Disdom, Big Son Tillis, Jesse Thomas, Jimmy & Walter, and the trio of Lick, Slick, & Slide!  © 1996-2015, Dusty Groove, Inc."

The Roots Of It All Acoustic Blues, Vol 1, 1920's & 1930's

 A stunning selection of acoustic blues – a series of well-done, deep-detailed CDs put together by the folks at Bear Family – who always give way more than 100% when it comes to this sort of project! The package comes with 2CDs and a super-heavy booklet that's filled with notes on the music, and song-by-song details – and this first volume covers the crucial first two decades of acoustic blues, the 20s and 30s – with a batch of 58 titles that include "Downtown Blues" by Frank Stokes, "Shake That Thing" by Papa Charlie Jackson, "Guitar Blues" by Sylvester Weaver, "Statesboro Blues" by Blind Willie McTell, "Ice & Snow Blues" by Clifford Gibson, "Pony Blues" by Charley Patton, "Little Hat Blues" by Little Hat Jones, "Cross & Evil Woman Blues" by Blind Gary, "Crow Jane" by Carl Martin, "Lone Wolf Blues" by Oscar Woods, "This Train" by Sister Rosetta Tharpe, and "Bottle It Up & Go" by Tommy McClennan.  © 1996-2015, Dusty Groove, Inc.

Blowing the Fuse 1950

Another rerun by request

 Blowing the Fuse is a killer series of compilation CDs issued by Germany's premier archivist label, Bear Family. Subtitled "R&B Classics That Rocked the Jukebox," each volume is compiled by year. 1950 was a boom year for jukeboxes across the United States. This volume, like most of the others, contains 28 affirmed classics of the early postwar years though some of these titles have been obscured a bit by history. Assembled by Dave "Daddy Cool" Booth, the sequencing of these tracks has proved invaluable in this series. Some of the more relatively obscure titles here include Calvin Boze's "Safronia B," Goree Carter's "Come On Let's Boogie," Doc Sausage's' "Rag Mop," and Jewel King's "3 x 7 = 21." But there are plenty of well-known wonders too from Percy Mayfield, Ruth Brown, Roy Milton, Wynonie Harris, Lightnin' Hopkins, Eddie Mack, Professor Longhair, Joe Liggins, T-Bone Walker and over a dozen others. Sound quality is very fine throughout. Colin Escott's detailed liner notes -- a set for each cut -- are in his usual form, authoritative and engaging, and the photographs in this handsome digipack are just beautiful.

Sweet Soul Music 1970

And so the series comes to it's end with one last blast. With these 2 series we've journeyed through 26 amazing years. I have seen that there is a new set out from a different company that pursues the same concept with 4 discs for each year! Perhaps there is such a thing as overkill.

This final volume is every bit as magical as it's predecessors, songs straight out of my high school years, the soundtrack of my youth.

Sweet Soul Music 1969

 And the beat goes on.....

Sweet Soul Music 1968

"... This volume covers the year 1968 and includes classics like Smokey Robinson's "I Second That Emotion," Sam & Dave's "I Thank You," Otis Redding's "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," the Temptations' "Cloud Nine," and so much more. Every track shines and reveals new joys by affiliation -- listening to these 29 sides is like time traveling back to a beautiful summer's night and a long drive with the top down. This is what Bear Family does so well, turning out collections of essential music lovingly assembled, remastered, and restored. Sweet is exactly the right word for each of the ten volumes in this series." AMG

Sweet Soul Music 1967

 Oooooo Yeah! 1967...Another fine, fine year! Nothing but stone cold winners here!

Cannonball, Arthur Conley, O.V., Otis, The Franklins,,,this thing is so loaded you may  as well mention every track.

Sweet Soul Music 1966

1966 On the mainstream pop side of things the airwaves belonged to The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Monkees, The Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel, The Mamas and the Papas, The Righteous Brothers... Frank Sinatra was singing 'Strangers in the Night' and his daughter was walkin' in them boots. 'Cherish', 'Winchester Cathedral', 'Wild Thing', 'Hanky Panky', 'Sunshine Superman', and 'Summer In The City' were all huge multi-week number ones. Was R&B and Soul withering on the vine? Unh, no, actually, a look at this list of tracks makes it clear that Soul music was absolutely SMOKIN'!

Mowtown is in full flight but Southern Soul is pumping out many of it's greatest hits too. Joe Tex, Lee Dorsey, Wilson Pickett, James Carr, Sam & Dave, Percy Sledge, Jimmy Hughes, Carla Thomas, Robert Parker, Aaron Neville, Howard Tate, James and Bobby Purify....whew!

Dis'here one is ALL KILLER!

Sweet Soul Music 1965

 I heard the call that someone was getting impatient for the next installment soooo...quite a dizzying lineup here. The Blues is nearly absent, only a lone Jimmy McCracklin tune and the  blue soul of Southern Soul singers like Joe Tex, Otis Redding, Solomon Burke, Wilson Pickett, Little Milton and Lee Dorsey retain any echos. The strong rhythmic instrumental tradition of R&B is carried on by Booker T & The MG's, Jr Walker and The All Stars and the jazz crossover from Ramsey Lewis. Motown and Philly with some help from Chicago are beginning to flex the hit making muscles that will soon have them dominating black radio and pushing southern soul gradually into the background. Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, The Supremes, The Impressions, The Miracles, The Four Tops...Fontella Bass bursts on the scene burning brightly but is soon to be lost in the giant shadow that Aretha will cast. James Brown has begun his break from everyone with the loud proclamation that Papa Has a Brand New Bag! New Orleans is still heard from in both Lee Dorsey's second run on the charts and the novelty song of the year, which was a Mardi Gras tune by a girl group called the Dixie Cups. (Of course most of America had no idea it was an Mardi Gras Indian chant and took it as a teen age nursery rhyme) Add in the usual sprinkle of good one hit wonders and 1965 is a fine selection.

Sweet Soul Music 1964

 Da Beat Goes On! Back to that theme of the British Invasion arriving on the shores of a desolate American music scene and sweeping away the remains of the earlier R&B and Rock movements here in the States....I don't know about you but this looks like some pretty fertile ground that was allegedly swept over....ya know what? I remember 85% of THIS music far better than I do the 1964 Beatles or Dave Clark Five (Well...Okay, I was pretty familiar with the DC5), or Rolling Stones of that era. When you look at the rather stunning quality of what is here, and add what would be evident in similar compilations in other genres, the overwhelming success of the Brits is a little mystifying to me. Of course I don't exactly represent mainstream America music tastes either so to me the early 60's were an incredibly fertile time in Jazz, Blues, R&B and Soul and the British Invasion interrupted and marginalized what should have been a Golden Age....

Sweet Soul Music 1963

 When you start from way back in 1945 and do these one at a time, it gets increasingly difficult to find anything to say, but the year 1963 makes me think....I've read pieces where the period just prior to the British Invasion is described as a near vacuum which the new music rushed in to fill....Hmmm Bobby Bland, Mary Wells, Ruby & The Romantics, Otis Redding, The Miracles, Chuck Jackson, Jackie Wilson, Baby Washington, Marvin Gaye, Solomon Burke, Etta James, Garnet Mimms, Little Johnny Taylor...hardly what I would call a vacuum and that is just within the narrow focus of this compilation. The sad truth is, however, that many of the folks on this disc would be scuffling for work just a year or two down the road. 

Looking down the list I am struck by how little blues there is compared to previous years.

Sweet Soul Music 1962

And
da
beat 
goes
on!