Document Records release - Blues, Blues Christmas Volume 4 1925 ~1962 - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, Blues, Blues Christmas Volume 4 1925~1962 from Document Records and it covers a lot of area. Opening disc one is Charles Brown's R&B classic, Please Come Home For Christmas. Roy Milton And His Solid Senders put up a bluesy, Christmas Time Blues and The Drifters a swinging R&B cover of White Christmas. One of my favorites is Arthur Guitar Boogie Smith's Sensational Trio on Guitar Jingle Bells. Classic blues from Peetie Wheatstraw is as solid as it gets on Santa Claus Blues. Clarence Williams' Blue Five covers the same track but in 40's swing/big band style. Bob Wills does an easy country swing, Santa Is On His Way. With a Latin twist big band Sam Manning with the Melodettes dances into Looking For Me Santa Claus. The Qualities do an unusual arrangement of It's Christmas Time and Freddie King lays down some hot riffs on I Hear Jingle Bells. Champion Jack DuPree is hot on the keys and great vocal delivery on Santa Claus Blues, another of my favorites. The Cadillacs have a rocking arrangement on Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer with a hot sax solo and the Marquees do a 50's trip, Santa Done Got Hip. Bobby and Boobie do a quick rocker, Cool Cool Xmas with a swinging guitar solo and Chuck Blevins does straight up rock n roller Sleighbell Rock. The Enchanters have a definite island feel with Mambo Santa Mambo and Bill Lacey with Lil Armstrong and her Ebony-Aires do Cowboy Santa Claus with an authentic cowboy feel. The Mighty Spoiler does Father Christmas, another track with an island feel. Jackson Trio with the Ebonaires are as simple 50's as it gets with solid male vocals and piano driver and the first disc closes with Billy Ward and His Dominoes and a heartfelt R&B Christmas in Heaven. Little T-Bone opens disc 2 with a hot guitar solo T-Bone Walker style on Christmas Time. His vocals are hot and the overall pace superb making this another of my favorites on the release. Nathaniel Mayer does a twisting Mr Santa Claus and Marvin & Johnny harmonize on R&B track, It's Christmas. Prairie Ramblers really set up terrific harmonies, cowboy style on Cowboy Santa Claus and Kathy and Jimmy Zee put up an early 60's style rockin Santa Clause Rock And Roll. Nap Hepburn & March of Dimes set a terrific island feel on Tell Santa Claus backed by a full orchestra and Johnny Moore's Blazers with Frankie Ervin do a real nice Christmas Eve Baby in solid electric blues style. Dixon Brothers use rural country vocal harmonies and simple acoustic backing on A Mother, A Father, A Baby and Gribble, Lusk York do a real folk jig with banjo and fiddle on Christmas Eve. The Dixon Brothers are back with another nice rural country vocal, Answer To Maple On The Hill - Part 4. The Golden Gate Quartet present a traditional arrangement of Silent Night acapella, certainly one of the more rich and somber tracks on the release. The Victory Five do a terrific acapella spiritual Children Go Where I Send Thee followed by the Middle Georgia Four on Twenty-Fifth Day Of December. Very rich! The Ward Singers are all out spiritual with piano on Sweet Little Angel Boy followed by Angelic Gospel Singers on A Child Is Born in uplifting style. The Ward Singers return with Glory Glory To The King continuing for one last spiritual followed by R&B The Falcons and Orchestra on Can This Be Christmas. This track drips 50's with a wealth of backing vocals followed by a calypso Lord Executor with Gerald Clark and His Caribbean Serenaders on Christmas Is A Joyful Day, a really cool track. The Qualities return one last time on Happy New Year To You, a simple track with paired male and female vocals and wrapping the release is R&B track After New Years Eve by The Heartbeats. This is an interesting mix of holiday tracks with a splash of music from many decades. Check it out!

   

  If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

 

Real Gone Music: Apollo Saturday Night/Saturday Night At The Uptown - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, Apollo Saturday Night/Saturday Night At The Uptown, from Real Gone Records and it's a real R&B party. Originally released on Atlantic in 1964, these two original LP's are combined onto a single Cd. Opening Apollo Saturday Night with I Found A Love and Alabama Bound by the Falcons, this is scorching hot and real. Otis Redding takes the stage with Pain In My Heart and These Arms Of Mine and in classic style. His voice is unmistakable and his dynamics with the horns impeccable. Doris Troy swings with Misty and gets a hot groove on Say Yeah. Great sax (King Curtis) backing really pushes this track. Rufus Thomas is down with Rockin' Chair and Walking The Dog gets that funky groove going with trumpets, trombones and sax with a Watusi kick. The Coasters deliver T'Ain't Nothin' To Me with their typically classic humor and Speedo's Back In Town with that hot R&B feel. Ben E King's set includes Groovin', Don't Play That Song, and Stand By Me... a hard set to follow! Finale featuring various artists hits hard. Spectacular set!

 Starting the second LP, Saturday Night At The Uptown and an introduction by Jimmy Bishop. The Drifters open with Under The Boardwalk, On Broadway and There Goes My Baby. These guys have the crowd firmly in their hands. The recording quality isn't perfect but the performance is top notch. Patty & the Emblems does Mixed Up, Shook Up, Girl and the recording is very clear and well balanced with classic 60's style. The Vibrations perform My Girl Sloopy and The Watusi, both with a much more pop feel and a lot of spunk. Next up is Wilson Pickett with strong soul ballad, If You Need Me and the hip shaking I'm Gonna Cry. Patti LaBelle & Her Bluebelles lays down an angelic soul ballad, Down The Aisle.... very powerful! The Carltons offer up Can't You Hear The Beat with an Isley's enthusiasm and bright horns. Wrapping the release is Barbara Lynn with (O Baby) We Got A Good Thing Going, a cool R&B track with a great feel. Lynn sings with all of the confidence of a closer and this makes for a great track to sum up a super release.

  If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”