Amazon.com essential recording

Band leader and lounge kingpin Louis Prima will be best be known for the classic, "Just a Gigolo," immortalized by David Lee Roth for a whole new generation of swingers. But Prima's output went much further: in his day he recorded for Capitol, acted in a movie or two, even owned a golf course. Prima's genius is infectious: lounge, swing, and Dixieland all fuse together into medleys that are fun, dance-worthy, and upbeat. Prima's duets with Keely Smith are the obvious highlights here: "That Ol' Black Magic," "Hey Boy! Hey Girl!," and "I've Got You Under My Skin" are essential Prima tracks. Sure, the cheese factor occasionally runs high, but it is a fun trip. --Jason Verlinde ... Read more

Reviews (59)

The joy of life!
This disk rocks, and is packed with great, upbeat music. It brims with humor and spirit. Even though it runs for well over an hour, I feel let down when it's over.

Unlike many of the people who have posted here before me, I have no particular interest in the swing revival, and I did not come across Louis Prima via Brian Setzer. Brian Setzer is, however, as good a link to Louis Prima as any. Prima was a mysterious figure who played heavily in the otherwise fictional 50's period Italian food film "Big Night" (1996). Intrigued, I bought this disk after seeing "Big Night" in the theatre.

True, the song "Beep Beep" is dated and corny, but it differs from the rest of the disk only in its space-age subject matter and "otherworldly" slide-guitar sound effects. It was topical during the late-50's space race. Everything else holds up perfectly well over 40-plus years.

Prima's band is tight, yet spontaneous and not sterile. He has a great onstage comic rapport with cohort Sam Butera, and also with his then-wife and straight-woman Keely Smith.

Example on "Won't You Please Come Home" --

Keely: (singing) "Won't you come get your baby..."

Louis: (stage whisper aside to audience) "Call from 'The Point'."

This disk is a must for any non-classical music lover with a pulse. This is in my top 5 CD's, out of perhaps 300 I own, and is certainly a "desert island disk." Deservedly, almost everyone on this page has given it 5 stars. It doesn't get any better than this, kids.

AN ALBUM YOU WILL TREASURE FOREVER!
Long before Brian Setzer did "Jump Jive N' Wail," and David Lee Roth did "Just A Gigolo," there was Louis Prima. He is one of the most underated and unappreciated American musicians of the 20th century! Just listen to Setzer's and Roth's (but don't waste your money buying their CD's) versions of those songs, and then listen to Prima's. Not only did Roth and Setzer literally rip off Prima (because they did little to embellish on what Prima had already done), but Prima was making this music 40 years before them! However, this is a testament to Prima's immense talent because his music is as hip today as it was 40 years ago when he was one of the greatest shows in Vegas. Prima was also a gifted songwriter and trumpet player. His voice is unique and no one else has a style like him. The music on this CD covers Prima in his prime and the sound qaulity is excellent. There is a remarkable timelessness to this album because the recordings sound so spontaneous. This album will kick any party into high-gear and will always put a smile on your face. If you really want the real Mcoy when it comes to swing, then Prima's music can't be beat. Prima was a pioneer in swing/jazz who's time has come. He deserves more than just Gap commercials and soundtracks to movies. His place in American music needs to be redefined as one of the greats whose genius was just as immense as Sir Duke's and Dizzy's. Get this album and you'll see what I'm talking about and then tell your friends where the real Swing comes from.

The Music Goes 'Round and Around
Songs are performed between 1956 and 1962 by Sam Butera and The Witnesses and by Luigi's wife Keely Smith. All the classics are here "Just a Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody" gave Dave Lee Roth a hit, "Jump, Jive, An' Wail" was a big hit for "The Brian Setzer Orchestra", "Sing, Sing, Sing" for Benny Goodman Orchestra. This is goddamn great Jump Blues!

BOOM!
If California has another power outage, just hook the generators up to this Louis Prima CD and pow!-- no energy crisis here! Louis is like that other Louis-- Satch of course-- juiced up on rocket fuel. Then you've got Sam Butera blowing the living daylights out of that howling sax. Keely Smith's clear smooth voice mellows it out a bit, but this thing jumps, jives, and wails all the way.

With that crazy New Orleans-- or is it Neapolitan?-- rhythm going on behind him, and Butera growling for a few bars, it doesn't matter if this is jazz, lounge, or whatever, it's just infectious as can be. Oh, and by the way, Prima plays a mean trumpet himself. And he wrote "Sing, Sing, Sing"

So for some screaming, super-hyped music, you simply can't pass this disc up.

so much fun
Louie Prima was a true original. He's been copied but no one has quite matched this level of joyous lunacy. Buy this and have a blast. And catch his wife Keely in concert if you have a chance. ... Read more

Amazon.com

With 20 originals from Louis Jordan's '40s and early '50s heyday at Decca Records, Best Of is the definitive collection of the blues-jazz bandleader-singer's work. Most of the cuts are up-tempo jumpers with lyrics that tell sly tales of the black experience in midcentury: the house-partiers in "Saturday Night Fish Fry" end up in the slam, while the institution of marriage occasions a warning in "Beware."Jordan also dabbled in Latin and Brazilian rhythms on "Run Joe" and "Early in the Morning," and even added a major ballad, "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin'," to the standard repertoire. A major influence on Ray Charles, James Brown, and Chuck Berry, Jordan is a must-hear. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Reviews (16)

"Jump" for joy!
If you were trying to find the exact midpoint between the swing-jazz era and the rock 'n roll era, this is it. This is one of the kinds of music that made rock 'n roll possible. Jump blues is what it was called, and Louis Jordan - composer, singer, bandleader, saxophonist - was its most successful and important practitioner. As jazz veered into the less commercially appealing bebop style, and delta blues was brought north during the pre and post-World War II northward migration of southern blacks, this hybrid musical form was standard entertainment at nightclubs, particularly but not exclusively those with black audiences, during the late 40s and early 50s. At the time, Billboard called this "race music", yet Jordan had great crossover appeal without "whitening" his style, and had several pop chart-topping million-sellers to his credit. These recordings of Jordan's band, the Tympani Five, date from 1942-1954, but are mostly from the late 40s. They include several boogie-woogie piano-driven tracks (like the very successful "Choo Choo Ch' Boogie"), some non-jump blues ("Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out") and a few tracks that actually do sound like early rock 'n roll ("Saturday Night Fish Fry"). The band even throws in a calypso number ("Run Joe"). Jordan also created what might be considered the first music videos that served as introductory fare at movie theaters.

Make no mistake, Jordan was more than a musician - he was an entertainer, and specifically, a comedian. There is a strong lacing of humor through almost every song. For example, in "Saturday Night Fish Fry", you will learn of the events that caused him to warn in the last verse "If you ever want to get a fist in your eye, just mention a Saturday night fish fry." In "Beware, Brother, Beware", Jordan gives an appreciative audience of men hilarious advice for the dubious objective of avoiding marriage at all costs: "If she saves your dough and won't go to a show......Beware! If her sister calls you brotha, you better get furtha.....Beware! If she calls on the phone and says 'are you alone', you say 'no I got three girls with me!'" In "Caledonia", Jordan squeals out the last syllable of the lady's name in such a way that you will instantly know this is what inspired Little Richard to squeal "Lucille" a few years later. In "Beans and Cornbread", we learn of a fight that almost breaks up the marriage of these two foods. There's a nice call and response in this song, in "I Want You to Be My Baby", and in "Five Guys Named Moe".

You can't help but love this guy, so buy this CD! The only good reason you could possibly have for not buying it is that you are buying the Boxed Set instead.

Unbelievably Hot
Jump blues is the most criminally overlooked musical style of the 20th Century, and Louis Jordan is unquestionably the master of it. Jump blues is rooted in the blues of the 20s and 30s (as well as swing music of the 30s and 40s), but it's a more uptempo, good-time style--it was the dance music of the 40s for venues where full big bands were impractical. The biggest difference between jump blues and raw, early r&b and rock & roll (both of which evolved a few years later) is that the horn section dominates the sound, not the electric guitar.

Raucous songs like Caldonia, Saturday Night Fish Fry, and Five Guys Named Moe (featuring an incredible sax solo) really capture the energy of the music. Check this out, and then go track down other, even less well-known jump blues artists like Wynonie Harris and Big Joe Turner. After you've heard this music, you simply won't believe that it's dissappeared almost without a trace for half a century.

Jordan--an important and refreshing influence of rock & roll
Sandwiched inbetween the dying days of big band and early rock-and-roll were 1940's R&B singers whose swinging sounds laced with jazz and blues influences provided a transition to what later became rock-and-roll. Roy Brown, Wynonnie Harris, and blues saxophonist and singer Louis Jordan were among these artists, and it's fair to say that because both Bill Haley and Elvis Presley covered their songs and got more attention than they did.

Louis Jordan's heyday was in the 1940's, and his shuffling, swinging "jump" sound combined with his goofy and humorous man-about-town schtick and sax solos. The earliest hit on here is slow "Knock Me A Kiss", was done in 1941.

A full nine years before Bill Haley, Jordan did "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie" with an engaging boogie-woogieing piano and bass. Yes, remember, "Take me right back to the track, jack."
"Let The Good Times Roll" has a sound similar to "Heartbreak Hotel", which means early rock.

The partying "Saturday Night Fish Fry" is one of two songs that go beyond the average 2:30 time. It clocks in 5:20 but its excess length doesn't diminish the song. Hearing "It was rockin'" and the electric guitar there, this would've been a great Haley song.

"Caldonia" was the song that made me realize Jordan's connection to rock and roll, as I learned in my music class. That boogieing sound and Haley style rock just blends here, and the way he shouts "Caldonia" like "CaldoNYAAA" A singsong type monologue is included here, which shows another influence to rock.

"School Days" is basically a series of old nursery rhymes set to a snazzy jazzy beat. I remember those rhymes, e.g. Humpty Dumpty, Little Jack Horner, from the past, and was amused to hear them like this. "Five Guys Named Moe" has a similar sound.

Then there were songs with goofy titles like "Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens" of chickens telling the farmer to let them get to sleep because chickens have work to do laying eggs. "Beans and Corn Bread" has some silly lyrics. "Beans and cornbread had a fight/beans knocked corn bread outta sight/cornbread said now that's all right." "Barnyard Boogie" is plain silly piano and sax jazz, with Jordan going "oink oink" "moo moo" at times, and is about the animals boogieing in the barnyard.

Jordan could do city blues as well, as evidenced by "Buzz Me Blues", and the slower-paced "What's The Use Of Getting Sober", and "Somebody Done Changed The Lock On My Door." And with the Calypso Boys, he combined the Caribbean sound in his music in "Run Joe".

Most of his biggest hits are here, although not "GI Jive" or "Is You Or Is You Ain't My Baby." Better get the Five Guys Named Moe album for those songs.

Jordan is unjustly underrated when taking the history of rock and roll into consideration and is an artist requiring more evaluation and examination. His music anticipated rock and roll a decade before "Rock Around The Clock" and small wonder Chuck Berry, B.B. King, and Van Morrison acknowledged his influence.

Essential !!-- The Inventor of Rock and Roll
You can't live without this collection if you like Chuck Berry, Ray Charles, rockabilly, Diana Krall, or any of the current swing stuff.

You just can't!

Louis Jordan essentially invented rock and roll and Chuck Berry acknowledged Jordan's influence on his music. Listen to this disk and you will hear the original versions of classic tunes recorded by the great bluesmen and for the last 50 years! And some tunes recently repoularized by the current latter day swing bands. Asleep at the the Wheel has been doing Jordan tunes as part of their standard repetoire for 25 years. Check ut Early in the Morning for influences on guys like Nat King Cole as Well.

Like many an all time master, Jordan never really received a lot of credit in his day, but there aren't many who have had such a great influence. Check this disk out, you can't go wrong.

Great stuff!
This is an absolutely fun CD. The influence Louis Jordan had on artist that came years later is evident. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Atlantic Records has ridden musical trends since the late '40s; these seven CDs chronicle the first 28 years of the label's work in black pop, during which artists such as Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, and Otis Redding oversaw the creation and flowering of soul music. Also included are classic tracks by the Drifters, Wilson Pickett, Ruth Brown, the Coasters, Sam & Dave, and many others who walk through the dreams of R&B and rock & roll fans. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Reviews (26)

more artists
ps. just like to include more great r n b artists that should be on this great box set from atlantic records like levert & the system. put other divine hits out so more people are aware of other great talent,just plain wholesome good music.do you like good music,that sweet soul music!give us more hits by roberta flack, wilson pickett,ben e. king, arthur conley, otis redding, sam&dave aretha,rb greaves,drifters,spinners,esther phillips,les mccan,eddie harris, herbie mann, yusef lateef, the kingpins, percy sledge,major harris,chuck willis, clyde mcphatter,coasters,jimmy castor,ace spectrum,peggy scott&jojo benson,shirley scott,clifford brown,billy cobham,cornell dupree,blue eyed soul from lulu,delaney&bonnie&friends,awb,bette midler,the manhattan transfer,billy vera,the late,great ms.dusty spingfield,buffalo springfield,derek&the dominos,plus many more!keep up the great work!keep on soulin'on!thank you!jhh52757!

Incredible Collection Needs Updated REMASTERING
This 8 cd box set of historical R&B and early rock and roll classics is an incredible collection that documents some of the greatest recordings by a handful of the greatest R&B/Rock artists who created some of the most captivating and amazingly wonderful, R&B/Soul/Rock standards, from the pre-birth rock era and well beyond,in music history. JOE TURNER, LAVERNE BAKER, RAY CHARLES, RUTH BROWN, CHUCK WILLIS, THE COASTERS AND DRIFTERS to name a few! Rock and roll was alive well before Elvis absorbed and reinterpreted it. Unfortunately, the remastering is circa the 1980's and these recordings[at times]fall flat and sound a bit dull and weak. I bought three of the individual compact discs(they were also issued individually)in the 80's and noticed no difference in the sound quality, in comparison to this "updated" version of the Lp Box to Cd. While this is a "cream of the crop" box of classic R&B, it unashamedly borrows heavily from the STAX RECORDS SINGLES COLLECTION BOX SETS Volumes 1, 2, & 3 to a flaw...You'd think that with ATLANTIC RECORDS' long history, they wouldn't need to duplicate the cream of the crop from STAX, regardless of the fact that Atlantic was the "mother" company of STAX's distribution. I'm a "Collector" and I treasure and cherish every track of my STAX BOX SETS(all three and 28 discs!)- chart hits or non-hits - with their supreme and stellar high tech remastering. I'm a huge fan of "REMASTERING" technology and will buy and "rebuy" reissues depending on what artist is honored! Regardless, the recordings in this Box Set are essential to your ears, heart and soul, as Atlantic made history from 1947 to 1974 and well beyond...and they continue into the 21st century! I waited forever to purchase this Box, hoping the remastering would be redefined - but bought it to avoid missing out, and still, I'm almost satisfied, as you will also be. I highly recommend the Joe Turner Box, Aretha Franklin("Queen Of Soul"), Spinners, Esther Phillips, and Ray Charles(all) Boxed Sets, which are genuinely detailed and supremely remastered to the ultimate sound. You can thank Rhino Records for the finest "reissues" on many of those!

Great Box Set!
This is an amazing and extensive collection. Tied for best box set ever! (The other would be Jackie Wilson)

Really great stuff! Totally worth it!

In the beginning....
This most wonderful CD set highlights the roots of all popular music, be it soul, blues, pop. There is no doubt that the great songwriters of the 60's and 70's, not only grew up with this music but did their best to replicate it. As music, it is excellent, as educational material, it is fantastic. If there is a problem, it is with it's length. So much great music that fill a multitude of disks. The difficulty is in selecting just the right CD to satisfy your current mood. This set has the ability to transport to any sound, any age.

ATTENTION KIDS - R & B STANDS FOR RHYTHM & BLUES!!
This is where rock'n'roll's roots are at. I bought the original 7 (double) LP set. Their original CD equivalents replicated them but for a few track omissions on various volumes. This box includes ALL of the origial LP series plus some 20+ extra tracks not previously included covering the fertile period between 1947-1974. It's an education in itself. This is what boxed sets are about. The raw stuff from the 40's & 50's are a pointer to Elvis & Jerry Lee. This is the some of the original music those artists cut their teeth on. Hearing Big Joe Turner for the first time was a revelation for myself particularly "Corrina, Corrine" and "Honey Hush". I further investigated Ray Charles' recorded output based on this set. The hits are here and things that you may vaguely rememnber as well. Legends such as the Professor Longhair, Big Joe Turner, Lavern Baker, Ray Charles, The Drifters, The Coasters, Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Sam & Dave and many others are more than amply represented here. I had heard some of these songs for the first time as cover versions by later artists such as Foghat, Elvis and even Paul McCartney whose "Run Devil Run" CD was a tribute to the 50's and a couple of tracks on this set get a nod there. Atlantic have done a wonderful job with this release. This is what R & B really is...before it was just a couple of initials representing what passes for today's music. I doubt a kid listening to that stuff would know what those letters stood for in today's context. My own preferences are to the 60's period during which Atlantic,Stax & Volt really came into their own as great Soul labels. Where Motown was probably more "showbizzy", which is not meant as a criticism, Atlantic revealed real grit and toughness in it's music. I thoroughly recommend this box set if only as a more than ample education of the rich legacy of American Rhythm & Blues music. ... Read more

Album Description

Subtitled - The History Of The Honkin' & Screamin'Saxophone. Not for the faint hearted, this compilation of106 tracks bursts at the seams with the sound of 50 hardblowing saxophonists who, between 1942-1952, formed thenucleus of what became known as the Honkers & Screamers.Artists include Illinois Jacquet, Arnett Cobb, Wild BillMoore, Paul Williams, Hal Singer, & many more. Includes68-page illustrated booklet with biographies of the players & full discography details. Four standard jewel cases housed in a slipbox. Proper. 2003. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Think five discs and 131 songs is too much Louis Jordan? Not a chance. Not for a man who so consistently and so definitively achieved the elusive and delicate combination of musicianship and accessibility. Not for a man who paved new and vital musical roads without ever losing his sense of style or his appetite for fun. Covering Jordan's historic (not to mention commercially successful) Decca tenure (1938 to 1950), this amazing collection finds the alto sax player, songwriter, and singer building blues and swing into a hot mix that came to be known as R&B, producing hit after hit with topnotch bands behind him, streamlining the big-band concept without diminishing the music's force. Much has been made of his role in the development of R&B--and as a result, rock & roll--and his importance as a musical pioneer can't be underestimated. But all ideas about "historical importance" fade away as these vibrant, insistent, irresistible tracks roll by. --Marc Greilsamer ... Read more

Reviews (12)

What a deal! Great jump blues & swing from the master!
I know what you're thinking: "A set of five discs of the best of Louis Jordan? 131 tracks of great jump blues and swing? For this price? There's got to be something wrong here."

Amazingly, there isn't. These five discs are superbly produced, placing Louis Jordan's career in chronological order from 1938 to 1950, and the sound quality is top-notch. Almost all his classics are here, "Caldonia," "Saturday Night Fish Fry," "Knock Me a Kiss," "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie," plus many surprises you might never have heard before. The only major songs missing are the good numbers he turned out after 1950, when his popularity faded, like "I Want You to Be My Baby." But otherwise: this is the whole deal and then some, for a pretty incredible price.

Louis Jordan is the link between big band swing of the thirties and the rock 'n' roll of the fifties. Starting out as a saxophonist in Chick Webb's 1930s big band, Louis struck out on his own in 1938 with his small group The Tympany Five (not always five people, but the name stuck anyway). They played hard-driving blues swing numbers with creative, crazy lyrics, and scored hit after hit on both the R&B and pop charts for ten years. While jazz drifted toward be-bop, which wasn't danceable, Louis Jordan offered the dancing hepcats and new kind of music to sweat and swing to. His band was a swing dancer's dream, and still is. No musician had a bigger effect on the modern swing movement than Louis Jordan, and his numbers are endlessly covered by other bands. But there's nothing like the real deal: Jordan swung hard on sax, had a wicked sense of humor, was a born entertainer, and lead a band that seemed to be having more fun than anyone.

Each disc comes with its own liner notes booklet, with information on the history and development of the band (plus tidbits about Jordan's busy personal life). Here's what the discs cover:

Disc A: 1938-1940. The weakest disc, since the band is still figuring out their style, and the recording technology is poorer so the sound is muddier. Jordan hasn't yet discovered his signature songs, but there are some excellent pieces here, like "At the Swing Cat's Ball," "June Tenth Jamboree," the slow and sultry "Pompton Turnpike," and "Oh Boy, I'm in the Groove" (a title that fits Jordan perfectly).

Disc B: 1941-1944. After completely changing the original band, Jordan started to become a sensation and scored huge hit records. Boogie woogie takes over the sound, and the bands start swinging hard. The classics here are the sexy "Knock Me a Kiss," the fast and furiously funny "Five Guys Named Moe," and the wonderful slow dance "Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby." With the advent of WWII, Jordan recorded timely and funny war tunes: "Ration Blues," "You Can't Get that No More," and "G.I. Jive." Of the lesser-known pieces, the best is the infectious swing-stomper, "Saxawoogie." It's a boogie, it's a woogie, it's a banger!

Disc C: 1944-46. "Reconversion Blues" bids goodbye to war, but Jordan keeps pulling out even bigger hits. "Caldonia Boogie" is one of his signature numbers, along with "Salt Pork West Virginia," "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie" (probably his most loved song today), "Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens," and my personal favorite, "Reet, Petite and Gone." Tunes you might not know, but which you'll love: "How Long Must I Wait for You?" (Train number one is gone...train number two is gone...) and "Jack You're Dead." Jordan also sings duets with Bing Crosby ("My Baby Said Yes," "Your Socks Don't Match") and Ella Fitzgerald ("Stone Cold Dead in the Market," a Latin piece, and "It's So Easy").

Disc D: 1947-1949. Actually, there's no music from 1948 because of a recording ban. Jordan's humor really blooms on this, the funniest of the CDs. The big hits here: "Barnyard Boogie," "Coleslaw," and "Beans and Cornbread." Most of the great numbers here are surprises, like "Chicky-Mo, Craney Crow," the teasing "Daddy-O," and the all-talk comedy piece "Friendship." Jordan also dips into West Indian music with "Early in the Morning" and "Run Joe."

Disc E: 1949-1950. The best disc; Jordan's last big hits before his popularity vanished were amongst his best and most creative (he uses the organ a lot on these numbers): the boppin' instrumental "Onion," the lengthy "Saturday Night Fish Fry," the slow-simmering "Blue Light Boogie," and the silly "Chartreuse." He sings with Ella again on the awesome "Baby It's Cold Outside" and "I'll Never Be Free." He teams up with the other Louis, Louis Armstrong, for "Life is So Peculiar" and "I'll Be Glad When You're Dead, You Rascal You." These two jokers were made for each other.

Don't turn down this amazing deal. The amount of great music you get for the price here is astonishing. All swing, R&B, and early rock fans should grab this now.

All I've listened to for the past 3 to 4 months.
I'm quite serious...I commute 45 minutes to work and then it takes closer to an hour to get home. Well, time flies listening to this great music. At age 32, I've heard a few of these songs (soundtracks, commercials, e.t.c) but there is so much good stuff in here its incredible!

And Mr. Jordan really switches around his styles from swing, to crooning, to bluesy, to just good ol storytelling...its all great! The packaging on the music is very nice, and each CD has a short (2 page large type) synopsis of the years you're listening to (the CD's are divided by years).

His sense of humor, while corny by today's standards, makes things all the more fun...I smile a bunch when I listen to this music, and I'm pretty sure that Im done with modern music forever, because Louis Jordan has ruined me for much else.

Good stuff, get it...and the price is beyond superb. You'll be addicted to feeling good, I tell ya!

WHAT A BARGAIN! Just about everything from this swing king!
I know what you're thinking: "A set of five discs of the best of Louis Jordan? 131 tracks of great jump blues and swing? For this price? There's got to be something wrong here."

Amazingly, there isn't. These five discs are superbly produced, placing Louis Jordan's career in chronological order from 1938 to 1950, and the sound quality is top-notch. Almost all his classics are here, "Caldonia," "Saturday Night Fish Fry," "Knock Me a Kiss," "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie," plus many surprises you might never have heard before. The only major songs missing are the good numbers he turned out after 1950, when his popularity faded, like "I Want You to Be My Baby." But otherwise: this is the whole deal and then some, for a pretty incredible price.

Louis Jordan is the link between big band swing of the thirties and the rock 'n' roll of the fifties. Starting out as a saxophonist in Chick Webb's 1930s big band, Louis struck out on his own in 1938 with his small group The Tympany Five (not always five people, but the name stuck anyway). They played hard-driving blues swing numbers with creative, crazy lyrics, and scored hit after hit on both the R&B and pop charts for ten years. While jazz drifted toward be-bop, which wasn't danceable, Louis Jordan offered the dancing hepcats and new kind of music to sweat and swing to. His band was a swing dancer's dream, and still is. No musician had a bigger effect on the modern swing movement than Louis Jordan, and his numbers are endlessly covered by other bands. But there's nothing like the real deal: Jordan swung hard on sax, had a wicked sense of humor, was a born entertainer, and lead a band that seemed to be having more fun than anyone.

Each disc comes with its own liner notes booklet, with information on the history and development of the band (plus tidbits about Jordan's busy personal life). Here's what the discs cover:

Disc A: 1938-1940. The weakest disc, since the band is still figuring out their style, and the recording technology is poorer so the sound is muddier. Jordan hasn't yet discovered his signature songs, but there are some excellent pieces here, like "At the Swing Cat's Ball," "June Tenth Jamboree," the slow and sultry "Pompton Turnpike," and "Oh Boy, I'm in the Groove" (a title that fits Jordan perfectly).

Disc B: 1941-1944. After completely changing the original band, Jordan started to become a sensation and scored huge hit records. Boogie woogie takes over the sound, and the bands start swinging hard. The classics here are the sexy "Knock Me a Kiss," the fast and furiously funny "Five Guys Named Moe," and the wonderful slow dance "Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby." With the advent of WWII, Jordan recorded timely and funny war tunes: "Ration Blues," "You Can't Get that No More," and "G.I. Jive." Of the lesser-known pieces, the best is the infectious swing-stomper, "Saxawoogie." It's a boogie, it's a woogie, it's a banger!

Disc C: 1944-46. "Reconversion Blues" bids goodbye to war, but Jordan keeps pulling out even bigger hits. "Caldonia Boogie" is one of his signature numbers, along with "Salt Pork West Virginia," "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie" (probably his most loved song today), "Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens," and my personal favorite, "Reet, Petite and Gone." Tunes you might not know, but which you'll love: "How Long Must I Wait for You?" (Train number one is gone...train number two is gone...) and "Jack You're Dead." Jordan also sings duets with Bing Crosby ("My Baby Said Yes," "Your Socks Don't Match") and Ella Fitzgerald ("Stone Cold Dead in the Market," a Latin piece, and "It's So Easy").

Disc D: 1947-1949. Actually, there's no music from 1948 because of a recording ban. Jordan's humor really blooms on this, the funniest of the CDs. The big hits here: "Barnyard Boogie," "Coleslaw," and "Beans and Cornbread." Most of the great numbers here are surprises, like "Chicky-Mo, Craney Crow," the teasing "Daddy-O," and the all-talk comedy piece "Friendship." Jordan also dips into West Indian music with "Early in the Morning" and "Run Joe."

Disc E: 1949-1950. The best disc; Jordan's last big hits before his popularity vanished were amongst his best and most creative (he uses the organ a lot on these numbers): the boppin' instrumental "Onion," the lengthy "Saturday Night Fish Fry," the slow-simmering "Blue Light Boogie," and the silly "Chartreuse." He sings with Ella again on the awesome "Baby It's Cold Outside" and "I'll Never Be Free." He teams up with the other Louis, Louis Armstrong, for "Life is So Peculiar" and "I'll Be Glad When You're Dead, You Rascal You." These two jokers were made for each other.

Don't turn down this amazing deal. The amount of great music you get for the price here is astonishing. All swing, R&B, and early rock fans should grab this now.

(Just About) All the Jive You Will Ever Need!!!
Louis Jordan takes you back to the time of zoot suits, racing forms, colorful characters, rationing and the war effort, and most of all, trains, trains, and more trains!! His music, language, and tempos are all infused with the rhythm of "the clicky-clack" and make this box set one of the drivingest, jivingest, greatest, and above all, MOST FUN sets of music you will ever listen to! Whether his songs are set in the coolest barnyard this side of Old MacDonald ("A Bird Ain't Nothin' But a Chicken,""Barnyard Boogie,""Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens")or on one of the many trains that criscrossed America throughout the 1940s ("Texas and Pacific," "Choo,Choo,Ch'Boogie," "Salt Pork, West Virginia"), Jordan's music is all about fun and is guaranteed to bring a smile to your face. Don't be intimidated by the size of this set; just one listen, and you'll be startled by how your attention is kept riveted to the speaker through five discs of sheer delights. Several guest greats assist, including Bing Crosby ("My Baby Said Yes"), Louis Armstrong ("Life is So Peculiar"), and, featured on a dozen or so tracks, the immortal Ella Fitzgerald ("Stone Cold Dead in the Market"). Quibblers may not like the fact that several really good songs from Let the Good Times Roll: The Anthology are not present ("Louisville Lodge Meeting," "Bone Dry," "Fat Sam From Birmingham"), but considering you get more than five hours of great music, this is a minor complaint. In any case, you must purchase this set today. Jordan's infectuous joy and pure sense of fun will have you humming and swinging for hours to come! Let The Good Times Roll!!!

A grea tsampling of Louis Jordan's music at a BUDGET price
This box set is amazing it is more or less the complete Decca material(actually less), completists will want the Classics Complete and chrono series, however at this cheap price you get a sampling of his almost complete Decca stuff! This is the place to start when discovering the joyous music of Louis Jordan. JSP also has exelelnt complete Louis Armstrong Hot 5's & 7's, and an exellent Django Reinhardt box set. This is truly an amazing set!!! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

finally I found this
Several songs from this CD are used on the radio show "Finkleman's 45's" which is heard on Saturday evenings on CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation). They do have streaming audio.

So after listening to parts of these songs for several years, I finally found them on a CD. This CD is amazing and well worth the price. When I bought it there were only 3 on this site, and no one else had it. Classic saxaphone jazz, with smooth stylings and a mellow sound. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

THE # 1 R&B Artist Of The 1940s [And Some Say All-Time]
It's easy to see in what high regard the industry holds Louis Jordan simply by scrolling through this site and seeing the wide variety of CDs covering his music, and from a diverse collection of distributors: MCA of course, given that his entire hit recording career was spent with Decca, as well as Universal, Jazz Archives, Blue Note, Verve, Melodie Jazz Classic, Epm Musique, Delta, Proper Box, and Jsp, to name just a few. The ideal purchase, of course, would be the multi-cd anthology from Bear Family of Germany, but not everyone can afford that set.

This one from the U.K.-based Jasmine outlet is as good as any of the reasonably-priced sets currently on the market when it comes to originals of his hit singles [he had 57 on what then passed for the R&B charts between 1942 and 1951, 14 of which crossed over to the pop charts, and, in addition, he had two more make the pop charts only]. It's one of several single-CDs I have covering Louis, another of which is the 22-track Let The Good Times Roll from Castle Pie, also based in England. However, as far as I can tell that is not yet listed in Amazon's catalogue.

In a 24-selection compilation Jasmine gives you 22 of those hits, with only tracks 2 and 23 being obscure cuts - at least in North America [they may have had some significance in the U.K.]. The sound reproduction is excellent and the liner notes quite informative.

Born on July 8, 1908 in Brinkley, Arkansas, Louis, whose instrument of choice was the saxophone, first recorded for Brunswick way back in 1929 with The Jungle Band, then moved over to the Clarence Williams orchestra in the early part of the 1930s before linking up with Chick Webb's band from 1936 to 1938. He formed his own band in 1938 which eventually became known as The Tympany Five, always showing a clear preference for the comedy-oriented songs that became his mainstay.

An extremely popular entertainer, some of the biggest names in the business cut records with him, including Bing Crosby with whom he recorded the # 14 pop hit (Yip Yip De Hootie) My Baby Said Yes in 1945, one of the two pop-only hits he had [the other was 1948's Run Joe, a # 23 with The Claypso Boys].

He also had several major hits in conjunction with the great Ella Fitzgerald - Stone Cold Dead In The Market (He Had It Coming), a # 1 R&B/# 7 pop in 1946 and its flipside, Patootie Pie [# 3 R&B], Baby, It's Cold Outside, a # 6 R&B/# 9 pop in 1949, and I'll Never Be Free [# 7 R&B in 1950]. Also, in late 1948 a duet with Martha Davis on Daddy-O reached # 7 R&B, and on each of I'll Never Be Free, Tamburitze Boogie, and Lemonade in 1950/51 his organist was non other than Bill Doggett, later of Honky Tonk fame.

Some 18 of his R&B hit singles reached # 1 [only G.I. Jive made it to # 1 pop], and in this volume you get 13 of those. Together, his # 1s spent a total of 113 weeks at that position which is a record likely never to be broken or even equalled. His best ever was Choo Choo Ch'Boogie [later covered by Bill Haley] which spent 18 weeks at # 1 in 1946, followed closely by Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens [17 weeks at # 1 in late 1946/early 1947], Boogie Woogie Blue Plate [14 weeks at # 1 in the fall of 1947], and Saturday Night Fish Fry [12 weeks at # 1 in late 1949].

Louis, who passed away from a heart attack at age 66 on February 4, 1975, appeared in several films, among them Follow The Boys, Meet Miss Bobby Sox, and Swing Parade Of 1946, and in 1987 was inducted into the R&R Hall Of Fame in the Early Influence category. If you have never sampled Louis Jordan, this is as good a place as any to start. Recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

A Memorable Collection, But Not Really For the Casual Fan
Strictly speaking, "swing" designates a style of performance in which the emphasis falls on the offbeat. Even so the term "big band swing" is a flexible one, and if your ideas about it center on the style of The Glenn Miller Orchestra you will likely be disappointed with this double disk collection, which ranges in tone from the strict tempos of the Deco era to the bop-inflected sounds popular in post-World War II America.

In the big band era, most popular ballrooms and dance clubs had a "house orchestra," and each strove to create a specific style that would set them apart in the highly competitive world of big band music--and overall this collection does a superior job of capturing both the broad differences and subtle nuances that made each band distinctly different from the rest, as well as giving the listener an overview of the form as it changed over time. Consequently, the selections here are not often the most popular, but rather most indicative.

The emphasis here is really more upon lesser known bands and then-popular but now forgotten releases, including such one-hit wonders as Casa Loma Orchestra, a house band that reached a brief popularity with the "Casa Loma Stomp." Even so, there are famous names aplenty, such as Duke Ellington, The Dorsey Brothers, Count Basie, Chick Webb, Louis Armstrong, Woody Herman, Bennie Goodman, Artie Shaw--and yes, even the inescapable and to my mind slightly overrated Glenn Miller, to name but the most obvious.

Hardcore fans are likely to regret the absence of certain artists and certain tunes--my own complaint is that Cab Calloway is absent from the collection, and it is unfortunate that Artie Shaw is represented by "The Continental" instead of "Begin the Beguine." It is also true that the sound quality, particularly re recordings from the early 1930s, is sometimes problematic; this, however, is inevitable, for early recording techniques were a far cry from current standards. Even so, you'd have to go some to find a collection that so effectively captures the wide array of styles seen in big band music over the course of 25 years of popularity.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Swing, swing, swing
This is a nice anthologie which is not typical for it features lsser known bands and lesser known songs. It has Don Redman's classic Chant Of The Weed, a RARE Spud Murphey & His Orchestra track! This cd is pure swing at it's best. My wife & I are swing dancers and there is palnty here for lindy hopping, shag, balboa, and jitterbug. Fun msuic for dancing or listening. A great place to start and the 1st disc gives you a nice sampling of where swings roots come from...

Well, almost all of us agree
This is a glorious collection. The cover art is indeed repugnant. And some of the recordings are a little hissy. But the performers sound pretty mean to me.

A good anthology covers the big numbers (though maybe not the biggest) and also uncovers mistakenly overlooked items. This does a good job on that, for the relative novice. And it also moderates between up-tempo and more relaxed performances, so it's not just constant swing. Another tip o' the hat--well-chosen selections. I had never heard of Lucky Millinder when I bought this, nor The Mills Blue Rhythm Band, nor the Casa Loma Orchestra. Those cuts alone made it worth the price--this stuff swings! And I found some new bands to investigate as well....never enough CDs on the shelf!

I found this collection almost perfect. How can anyone say Saratoga Drag doesn't swing....my shoulders gyrate and hips swivel. And I'm an old, non-dancing, rhythm-free guy. Thanks Decca!

It's got it all !!
This CD has the most wonderful classic swing tunes I have heard. As a matter of fact, it has tunes that you don't find anywhere else. I keep looking around to find out what the most popular CD's are, and this one is never on the list. Either the majority of people haven't heard this collection, or the swing world needs to be advised. Dave Grusin and Larry Rosen have done a wonderful job of producing this collection. Personally, I think this CD will provide a full set of danceable tunes. If you haven't heard it, you gotta' listen to it. Currently, I have about 25 swing CD's in my collection. I still keep playing this one again and again. It's one of the Best!!!

Swing? Where?
Well, I hate to spoil the party, but I found this CD disapointing at best.

The bands are certainly Big, but they sure aren't swinging. I love swing--but it ain't here.

The sound is flat, flat, flat, as if the bands played at one end of a huge warehouse and the microphone was set up at the opposite end. Most of the performances are a few beats too slow, and the soloists sound uniformly tired.

On the other hand, the cover art is repugnant. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Great
Sil Austin Plays the most fabulous instrunental version of Danny Boy I ever heard. I have it on his ALBUM "Sil Austin Plays Pretty for the People" and I want the CD but looks like it is unavaible. Must have it!

Sil Austins Plays Pretty for the People
Want to buy this album but can not find a copy. Is it on CD yet? My favorite sax album.

I was hoping for "Plays Pretty for the People"!
I entered this site specifically to order 'Sil Austin Plays Pretty for the People'. What a disappointment. Earlier today while riding in my car, a local radio station played the entire album. It took me back in time and I rushed home to order thhis album specifically. Hopefully, enough fans of the great Sil Austin will prompt promoters to put this wonderful album on a CD, or, at least an audiocassette.

Great Sax - Sil Austin, 16 January 2003
I read the reviews, and I have not heard the songs. Yet, I am disappointed because I remember Sil's original version of Danny Boy. If this album does not contain the original Danny Boy, I would not buy it. I have been searching decades for this song but I have never found the original. I would buy the whole CD just for the original Danny Boy. No one, but no one plays it like Sil Austin.

Great Sax by Sil Austin
I purchased the CD "Great Sax" by Sil Austin and although Sil Austin plays the Greatest Sax, I was disappointed. The orchestra with violins take away from the Sax. I have the 45 rpm recording of "Danny Boy," and the beauty of Mr. Austin's Sax chokes me up every time I hear it even though it's scratchy and re-recorded on cassette. There is no orchestra to drown out the beauty of his music, or if it's there, it's so far in the background as to be unnoticeable.. I agree with "turtlepnt" that it will be wonderful if the powers-that-be would see fit to re-issue the original versions of "Danny Boy" as will as "Slow Walk" on a CD. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

I LUV THIS CD!
it's so cool! i 'specially like ON THE ATCHISON, TOPEKA, AND THE SANTA FE. oh and HONEY SUCKLE ROSE

Hallelujah!
Who loves musicals? I mean REAL musicals. The way I see it, there was only ONE golden age of the genre- that was the age of the MGM musical during the 40's and 50's. NOTHING beats the artistry and sophistication that made an MGM musical what it was. "More stars than there are in heavens" the promos proclaimed. Damn straight, there was talent- and that same talent glows like wildfire in this CD anthology! Listen and you'll know what I mean.

That's Entertainment! well-needed by public
With all the trash music out in the world today, That's Entertainment! is a good reflect to the Golden Age of movies. It contains the best of the best, and whenever I hear it, I get the urge to go and rent a musical. This CD puts some culture into today's world. Buy it, buy it, buy it! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Brilliant,get it.
I came to this box set having heard nothing of the music of Blind Willie McTell,I just thought I'd take a chance.I do not regret it for one solitary second,the whole set is brilliant.Unlike some more famous blues artists,Mr.McTell sang in a soft voice that displays his regional accent.He sang clear and he sang sweet.His guitar playing is fantastic,it's hard to believe that there is only one player on a lot of these recordings,but's that indeed how it is,and thanks to the clarity of the vast majority of the recordings,I would recommend this set without reserve.

wow...prepare yourself!!
Absolutely compelling music from one of the masters of country blues. Here you will find most of his classics but there are hidden jewels also. The lomax cd is great stuff...highly recommended to any fan of the blues.

Exceptionally thorough box set
William Samuel McTell never had a hit record.
He also didn't make Rolling Stone's list of the 100 greatest guitarists of the twentieth century, even though he could play circles around most of those who did.

Willie McTell was in fact one of the blues' greatest guitarists, and also one of the idiom's finest and most expressive singers ever. Almost every other pre-WW II blues guitarist relied on their instrument as a rhythm instrument, often hitting it, utilizing its resonance, but McTell displayed a nimble, sophisticated slide and finger-picking style that made it sound like more than one guitar at any given moment.

This fine box set offer a lot more value than JSP Records is asking in its retail price, and there is absolutely no reason to view this as a low budget-type compilation (in spite of the slightly cartoonish design).

JSP has somehow managed to assemble a series of generally clean and bright masters going back to the late '20s. Now digitally remastered, they showcase McTell's dazzling finger-picking style on the 12-string guitar, and listeners will swear there's more than one guitarist playing, but there isn't - at least not on the early sides. What Blind Willie McTell gets out of that one guitar makes it sound almost like a trio, covering rhythm as well as lead parts, but without any feeling of artifice.
And when he gets teamed up with fellow blues virtuoso Curley Weaver (who also escaped Rolling Stones' net) on some of the 1930s sessions, it's a collaboration between two geniuses that can spin your head if you listen closely enough to the playing.

Only a few of the mid-'30s sides and the relatively primiive non-commercial Lomax-sides have some surface noise; otherwise the sound quality is very good for 20s and 30s waxings, at least as good as on any pre-war McTell compilation on the market. And all four discs are well annotated, including thorough recording information.

Unlike Catfish's otherwise excellent three-disc compilation "The Definitive Blind Willie McTell", this set includes McTell's religious sides as well as several minutes of very interesting interview snippets conducted by John Lomax during the 1940 session. (Willie McTell sounds strikingly urbane, more so than the 73-year-old John Lomax, who adresses him in a condescending manner, and obviously doesn't understand or appreciate McTell's sophisticated brand of blues.)
And McTell's sides with vocalist Ruth Willis are here as well, making this the definitive overview of the music of Blind Willie McTell at the height of his abilities.

A True Poet of The Blues
Blind Willie McTell was a true poet of the blues and also a master guitar player. Songs like "Statesboro Blues," "Writin' Paper Blues," "Ticket Agent Blues," "Talkin' To Myself," "Love Changin' Blues," "Lay Some Flowers On My Grave" and "Teasin' Brown" are all magnificent highlights of this 4 cd set. The only drawbacks are the lousy vocals of the female singers whom McTell backs on some of the tracks, and the extremely racist views that Lomax holds, and demonstrates on disc 4. Otherwise, this is a wonderful buy. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Mother's milk -
For anyone who grew up on rock and roll in the fifties and sixties, the sound of King Curtis' saxophone is just about as satisfying as mother's milk. Curtis was the ultimate rock and roll sax man, he defined the idiom, he was the idiom. His playing is pure pleasure. This disc contains some great blowing.

Curtis's sound is huge, every note forcefully played, driving, and still, while he plays with tremendous power, his sound is also completely nuanced. Probably every sax player who has played rhythm and blues has played some of King Curtis's licks, but his power and finesse are unmatched; no one can play these licks as well as Curtis.

Curtis invented rock and roll sax, but this was not the limit of his inventivenss, for an example of his playing outside the idiom, check out "Hot Saxes", this track features a tenor battle with Sam "The Man" Taylor, with both players in top form; and Curtis's playing in particular is superb, and he plays some licks you never heard on "Short Shorts" to keep one step ahead of "The Man". My favorite cut is "Hully Gully Twist", it has a super funky guitar riff a la New Orleans's Earl King, and Curtis's four chorus solo is pure power start to finish.

The disc has some great players, like Taylor, Jack McDuff on organ, Billy Butler on guitar. They're playing the rock and roll idiom, track that are two or three minutes long, with easy melodies and easy chords, but even so, there is some great playing on this disc by any standard.

KING CURTIS WAS ONE OF THE BEST SIDE MEN IN MUSIC.
THE ALBUM "NIGHT TRAIN" USES SOME OF THE BEST IF NOT THE BEST MUSIC MEN OF THERE TIME .I BOUGHT THIS ALBUM A 33 1/3 RECORD AND I PLAYED IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN .I THINK I WORE IT OUT.IN MY MIND I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE BEST I'VE EVER OWNED. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A must-have
If you are a fan of blues harmonica - actually, even if can't stand the harmonica, you will love this CD. This is definitely a must-have for any fan of Sonny Terry and a good addition to any blues library. ... Read more

Album Description

Because both Cephas and Wiggins were born in Washington, D.C., they bring an urban sophistication to the traditionally rural blues they perform. With their new album (and third for Alligator), SOMEBODY TOLD THE TRUTH, Cephas & Wiggins' spirited and seamless mix of both original and classic material sheds a bright light on Piedmont blues. Of the album's 13 songs, Cephas wrote or co-wrote three and Wiggins wrote two. With the solid mix of brightly played music fueled by Cephas’ gently rolling guitar and vocals and driven by Wiggins’ freight train chugging harmonica, Somebody Told The Truth is the antidote for anyone who still thinks blues music is a soundtrack for sadness. According to Wiggins, "People automatically think of sadness and depression when they think of blues. But the blues is uplifting music, music to rejuvenate you, to nourish the spirit. When you get down, the blues will pick you up again." ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great classic delta blues
I bought this as my first Cephas & Wiggins disc and it was definitely worth it and I'll try others. The is stripped-down, raw delta blues played in a modern studio and it sounds as good as you would expect. It's a happy collection of songs, good for the soul but light enough that it's not distracting if you need to get some work done while it plays in the background, and not annoying at all if you leave it repeating all day.

Simple and good!
In today's overproduced, overhyped world of music, it is refreshing to hear two really talented guys play acoustically. I love the combination of old chestnuts like "Stack and the Devil," "Railroad Bill," "Last Fair Deal," and "Darling Cora" combined with new, refreshing stuff like "Pimp in the Pink Suit" and "Forgiveness." This is great roots music that doesn't try to hard for that studio sound, but at the same time shows some excellent musicianship. The great ones always make it look so easy...

sheer joy
As a rule John Cephas and Phil Wiggins aren't dark-night-of-the-soul bluesmen, or even bluesmen in the strict sense. Which is to say that other kinds of traditional Southern genres also grace their repertoire, including ballads (e.g., "Darling Cora," rarely covered by African-American performers) and gospel (Wiggins's touching original "Forgiveness"). "Reno Factory," first recorded on a Flying Fish album in the 1980s, puts rarely heard lyrics to the often-heard, Reconstruction-era folk song known variously as "Reuben's Train," "900 Miles," and more.

The fun these guys are having through it all is palpable, and it's infectious. This is African-American roots music at its most extroverted and celebratory. I have no doubt that Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry, two giants of Piedmont music and Cephas and Wiggins's most direct inspiration, would have loved it. The tradition, it is clear, remains in good hands. ... Read more

Amazon.com

An odd pairing on a couple of counts. First, there's the discrepancy between the innate swing of Jimmy Rushing's phrasing and Brubeck's notorious stiffness. (In one off-kilter moment, the singer exclaims "tell the truth, man... play it, home!" behind the pianist's ultraterse, bluesless, soft-pedaled solo on "Blues in the Dark.") Second, there's Rushing's enormous, rough-textured voice juxtaposed against the sweet, soft, lithe alto sax counterlines of Paul Desmond. It's the latter relationship that carries this 1960 session, though to be fair Brubeck rises to the occasion too, his spare playing--along with the unimpeachable bed created by associates Gene Wright, on bass, and Joe Morello, on drums--providing an exquisite showcase for the Basie belter. Don't miss Rushing slightly rolling his r's on "Evenin'"--the exquisite diction of blues aristocracy! --John Corbett ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Brubeck meets Rushing
An overall enjoyable collaboration between a great blues/jazz singer and the cool Brubeck quartet. This was somewhat of an odd pairing, but the results are "nice".

This turns out sounding more of a Jimmy Rushing album though than a Dave Brubeck album though.

Overall it's nice, but nothing too terribly new or exciting though.

Interesting...
As others have pointed out, Jimmy Rushing and the Dave Brubeck Quartet don't initially seem like natural partners. Apparently Brubeck himself felt that same way prior to recording this album! But in spite of that, it works pretty well. The differing styles do jar occasionally it has to be said and more often they simply don't quite work. That said, some of it works well ("Evenin'" especially is worth a look) and at times Rushing and Desmond really seem to click.

It's clear that the band had a lot of fun on this album. They didn't QUITE make magic though. Worth a look if you are a fan of either the Brubeck Quartet or of Rushing but I wouldn't say it could be classed as an essential addition to a collection of either's works. Both did better work than this during their careers. That said, they set high standards to live up to. It's never anything other than pleasant to listen to, but it doesn't set the world on fire either.

Moonshine and Martinis
Never thought this pairing could bring it off. I was pleasently amazed! A true example of people having fun, making music and all of the listeners benefit. It's a shame that more fans of both aren't aware of this album. I chased it down from a car comercial! Shame on Columbia!

Better than I'd hoped
I took a chance on this CD because I like Brubeck and love Rushing! It really is better than I'd hoped. As the editorial reviewer notes, this is hardly what most fans of these two would consider a natural pairing. Jimmy Rushing was one of the most naturally swinging vocalists the jazz/blues world has ever known. While I've always enjoyed Brubeck (esp. Take 5) he's no Basie (Rushing was singer w/ the Basie Band for a long time; check out the few recordings of those two you might be able to find). Finally, "Changes" has been used in a recent T.J. Maxx t.v. commercial, so you may have heard part of this CD & not even known it!

A fine jazz vocal LP, A true classic...
Jimmy Rushing(former Count Basie vocalist) started singing in the late 20's and recorded with the great count Basie Orchestra as early as 1930. He had plenty of experience by the 50's, when he recorded this session with Dave Brubecks's very popular group featuring georgious sax playig of Paul Desmond, with Rushing's warm raspy, yet smooth and ageless baritone. The results are much better then one would expect, in fact this then LP, now CD isa classic, and ranks as one of Rushing's few re-issues. Rushing has a timeless voice like billie Holday, or Lee Wiley, it never goes out of style or sounds dated, and jazz like brubeck's is always hip and classy. A highly enjoyable jazz session. Recommended ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The best collection of basic American music yet compiled.
If you have to listen to any music, this is the collection to listen to. It covers all the basic beginnings of American Music and leaves you with a want for more. You will have all the tracks memorized and will be playing the CD even after the machine is shut-off. The CD shows the incredible range of American music. This is the BEST. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Rockin', boppin', jump blues and r&b from the 50's
This is an exellent cd, that reissues all the Okeh master takes by a great r&b jump blues dive of the 50's.

I was very taken when I 1st discovered Ruth Brown's Atlantic recordings like Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean, and was looking for more singers who swung r&b, like Brown, so I stumbled upon Wynona Carr, Helen Humes & Sister Wynona Carr(& even Big mama Thornton), they are all great(especially Humes), but I hadn't yet discovered the great Big Maybelle.

I was talking to an aquintance of mine, an r&b singer from the bay area Miss Lavay Smith, and I was asking her if she was influenced stylisticly by Helen Humes and she said yes, and also named all the singers I though she would, but she also listed Big Maybelle as a big influence, in fact she went up on stage and annoucnced ahe was going to to a big Maybelle tune and she went into "I've Got a Feeling." Later on I bought this Big Maybelle cd, and was blown away, by that song, as well as Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On, New Kind Of Mambo, and essentially every track is a gem, however she sounds particularly jubilant when swinging a jump blues number. Maybelle doesn't hold anything back and sings with raw emotion and power, and she just shuffles thru those r&b numbers with assurance and rhtyhm! A great cd, and a great singer. Also check out Lavay Smith who sings a few Maybelel songs if your in San Francsico, get Lavay Smith's cd Everybody's Talkin' Bout Miss Thang(avaialble on Amazon), which has a version of I've Got a feeling that is truly a lovely tribute to Maybelle.

This is the ONE Big Maybelle cd you NEED!
Big Maybelle had a powerful voice and a unique r&b style. If you like Ruth Brown's early playful r&b sides, you will also like Big Maybelle's slightly edgier performances. Both Brown and Maybelle are highly rhythmic singers technically they swign hard, however where Brown uses cuteness and slyness, to win her audience over, Maybelel uses harshness and bite in her delivery. This cd has all her classic and essential 50's jump blues sides, including a rollicking "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" and a latin r&b jump blues number "I've Gotta Fellin'." Each song is worthy of repeated listens but those two tracks mentioned stand out one's mind. An exellent singer who is able to handle both swingers and slow blues numbers, and make your heart wrench. Her style is dry and somewhat rough, but on ballads can be bittersweet. A great cd, and it is one that you surely need in your music library weather your a swing dancer and want something cool to dance to, or a blues buff, or even someone interested in the beginnings of rock'n'roll. If you liek this also check out: Big Mama Thornton, Ruth Brown, Candye Kane, and especially Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet lickers, who've revived a Big Maybelle classic.

Greatest Female Singer of all-time!
I sent a friend three Big Maybelle cd's, here's an email that arrived today: "Dan, I am in love with Big Maybelle! Tell me her history. I play the discs all the time-----------thank you so much-----------B"

Here's my review of Very Best, if you've ever been or ever hope to be in love, you need everything Big Maybelle cut as a reference point.

Big Maybelle Smith was ... 300+ pounds. Aretha writes in her autobiography of seeing Maybelle in New Orleans "...with her little-bitty boyfriend." Imagine you're in a small club in Chicago, 2 in the morning, snowing outside, booze, tears, smoke and lost love permeating the place ... and a huge woman singing from the depths of her soul, a place so dark and deep there ought to be a warning label on the cd: Don't listen to this when you're seriously depressed! In the decades since I discovered her I've wondered if Maybelle's voice was a result of her heroin and other addictions, or were the addictions a result of her inner-soul and that voice. "I Don't Know What To Do With Myself" is her song, forget Dionne Warwick. "Until the Real Thing Comes Along" and "That's All" ... they get my vote as the most wonderful songs ever for humans in love. And "I Will Never Turn My Back On You." That's the track that Torch Song Trilogy (the play, not the movie) used at it's end ... it's one thing to say you 'love' somebody, it's quite another to promise you'll never turn your back on them. "Oh Lord, What Are You Doing to Me" showcases that mammoth voice that soars one second and hits rock bottom the next. Maybelle died in Ohio after being in a diabetic coma for two years ... she wasn't yet 50. Listen to this (and other) Big Maybelle, you'll hear every tragedy and heartache a human can endure. I've given dozens of cd's of this collection, invariably, the comment is "How could I have gotten this old without ever hearing about her?" Now. You've heard about her. Go buy the collections! It's a tragedy she never found the fame and fortune her talent deserves. You might even buy a couple extra copies, you'll have friends you want to share them with.
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See above