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Jukebox Jam Label and CLUB
♫ “Greasy RnB” ♫
♫ “Raw Blues Rockers” ♫
♫ “Hot Latin Mambo” ♫
♫ “Jump, Jive ‘n Boogaloo” ♫
Jazzman - Jukebox Jam
Jazzman Jukebox Jam
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2 killer Jump work-outs from one of the leading voices in the transgression from R&B to Rock and Roll. Amos Milburn shot to fame in the mid-40s and then went on to carve something of a niche making booze blues numbers. Here, Amos is in mainly sober if playful mood as he sings along with snappy lyrics about the fairer sex to a red-hot backing ensemble on 'I Done Done It', whilst on 'Greyhound' he pleads wistfully for the famous bus to bring his sweetheart home.
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One of the highlights from our current Jukebox Mambo compilation and a song which really deserved a 45rpm release in its own right, Lalo Guererro's 'Los Chucos Suaves' is perhaps the definitive recording in the short-lived Los Angeles sub-genre of Pachuco music - the sounds which emanated from the Mexican youth sub-culture of the same name in the late 1940s. A hybrid of American Jazz, Pop and Latin American rhythms, with songs sung in Spanish and dense in chicano slang, the movement was an intriguing sub-plot in the emergent narrative of rock and roll in the mid-century.
Guererros 'Los Chucos Suaves' was the anthem to the young pachuco's and pachuca's of LA - young hepcat Mexican's who decked themselves out in voluminous zoot suits. Guererro sings of how these cool kids are ditching the jitterbug and the boogie woogie in favour of the cuban rumba and danzon dances. It's a unique, swinging number which always catches the ear and is guaranteed to set the dance floor off. On the flip side is a terrific rendition of the Champs 'Tequila', with added lyrics from Lalo Guererro, sung in Spanish and a loose, jazzy approach giving this well-worn rock & roll instrumental staple an earthier, more rustic appeal.
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With hundreds and reportedly even thousands of songs to his name, Jimmy McCracklin is a true legend of Blues and R&B, beginning his career in the post war era and thriving through the 50s recording scores of Jump Blues and Rock & Roll classics. 'What's That' was recorded during McCracklin's relatively brief spell at Mercury records in the early 60s, the era when R&B was morphing into the newer soul sound. 'What's That', based around an infectious bass guitar and horn riff, with complimenting group backing vocals and a swaggering rhythm, sits on this cusp beautifully, and you can almost hear it echoing around highly charged big dance halls as McCracklin calls out a roll call of major states and the latest dances sweeping around them. The single was originally released as 'Part One' on the A-side, with a different song altogether on the flip. Our release includes the new to vinyl 'Part Two' on the flip side, meaning the irresistible groove of 'What's That' now plays out longer, and how it should have done... | |||
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Super wig-twisting blooze stroller from one of the 50s LA R&B fraternity's finest honkers, Chuck Higgins. Comes complete with a laid back barrel-house piano, trademark sleazy sax break and ad-libbed gibberish lyrics. What more could you possibly need from a record?!?
On the flip, lovely down at heel blues ballad with an emotive vocal from Frank Dunn, and our man Chuck directing the band in the back. | |||
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Two wigged out wonders from the mysterious Lincoln Chase, an artist who found most success as a composer for other artists such as LaVern Baker, and in particular Shirley Ellis, but nevertheless recorded a raft of intriguing and often bewildering solo material. Operating strictly from left-field, Chase's songs characteristically included off-kilter rhythms and clever and esoteric word play and these sides deliver on all fronts!
"I Love Your Many Ways" is lifted from the full length 'The Explosive Lincoln Chase' LP, and appears on 45rpm for the first time. The track is the undisputed winner of that set, a sublime piece of bizarro jazzy exotica with prominent, driving percussion and vocals seemingly driven in equal parts by lust and madness!
'Miss Orangatang' on the flip is a much-loved, infectious, shuffling R&B dancer where Chase sings an ode to his new simian ladyfriend. Of course!
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Two all-time classic, seminal Rumba-laden R&B sides backed together for the first time. Texan born guitarist and vocalist Clarence Garlow first cut 'Bon Ton Roula' in 1950 for local label Macy's. A unique piece of music laced with Cajun slang ('Bon Ton Roula' translates to 'Good Times Roll', as in 'Let The...') and set to a heavily played, clattering Rumba drum track. The song became a regional hit and perhaps Garlow's signature piece. Originally a 78 only release, this appears on 45 for the first time. Such was the song's popularity that he returned to it a number of times with his own answer records. We thus feature 'New Bon Ton Roulay' on the A-side, a jazzier, less frenetic version, originally cut in 1953 for the Aladdin label in LA, and sounding just as cool and hep all these years later... | |||
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Don't forget about our JUKEBOX MAMBO LAUNCH PARTY on Sat 10 Nov 2012 - CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS! We first featured Camille Howard quite a few releases back on JBJ 1017, with the steamy, sensual blues rumba of 'Shrinking Up Fast', a track which also features on our 'Jukebox Mambo' compilation (Out November). We've now returned to the great Miss Howard for another two amazing sides of Latin edged Rhythm & Blues, both recorded for the Specialty label and previously available on 78rpm only. Such is the quality of both tracks, this is really a double A release as we couldn't really decide which we preferred between the playful, rhumboogie of 'Fiesta In Old Mexico' and the deeper, exotic jazz sound of 'Within This Heart Of Mine'. Either way, rest assured both tracks are smoking hot killers, with slinky Latin style percussion giving way to rolling boogie woogie piano and Camille Howard's superior sultry vocals all combining to great effect. | |||
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Born 1914, Sonny Boy Williamson I was one of the pioneering first wave of bluesmen to achieve a level of success and national notoriety as a recorded artist. In his all too brief life and career, Williamson popularized harmonica blues and after landing in Chicago in 1934 became one of the key movers and influences on the cities now infamous blues scene.
Both sides here were cut in 1947 and showcase an evolving sound which was to be tragically cut short when Williamson died a year later at the desperately young age of 34. Williamson's influence and popularity always remained as blues and R&B performers through the 50s and 60s continued to reference and cover his work. 'Polly Put Your Kettle On' was in turn rediscovered and became something of a club favourite on the roots music scenes of the 80s and has long since continued to light up the floor as the quintessential early 'Blues Bopper'. The fact that it was issued in '48 on 78rpm only has meant that this classic has never had a proper DJ friendly 45rpm issue - and the same goes for the hep shuffler 'Mellow Chick Swing' ... Until now!
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Well known for the evergreen R&B club classic 'It's Your Voodoo Working', here's a less well known number from the Lake Charles, Louisiana born Charles 'Mad Dog' Sheffield that's every bit as ripe for the dancefloor. A tasty mid-tempo mover with a shuffling bayou rumba, the reason this is not so well known could just be that it originally went unissued by the Goldband label Sheffield recorded it for, first appearing in rather low-fidelity form on an 80s comp. Now restored to its original audio beauty from the original masters and pressed here using the late 50s Goldband label artwork with permission, 'I Got Fever' has finally landed the 45rpm release it deserves and hopefully the dancefloor exposure will follow quickly! On the flip side, you get Sheffield's twanging swamp blues cut 'Isabella', another unissued gem from the Goldband studio!
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A track from our imminent Jukebox Mambo comp of hot Latin R&B crossover numbers, Percy Mayfield's 'Louisiana' is a typically haunting tribute to the swampy Bayou state of his upbringing, set to an energetic Creole rumba and a cool horn riff. On the flip side, something very interesting, this the original demo version of 'Hit The Road Jack' as sung acapella by Mayfield and submitted to Art Rupe at Specialty records. Specialty was winding down operations at the time but somehow one Ray Charles got wind of the song. Ray had been a long time friend and fan of Mayfield, and obviously heard something in the demo. He opted to record it and the rest falls into history as 'Hit the Road Jack' became one of Ray Charles' biggest ever sellers and perhaps even his signature song. Few people would have realized that the composer was such a talent in his own right, our own Percy Mayfield, 'the poet of the blues'.
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One of the most in demand R&B records of recent years and not for no good reason. 'If You Ain't Got No Bread' is a quirky dancer full of character and charm built around a simple but ridiculously infectious horn riff. Hamlin's vocal, drawled and laced with a humorous tone is the perfect vehicle for the smart, sharp lyrics, which tell a familiar tale of financial woe and mounting bills.
The song begins with an elongated spoken intro as first the landlord, car hire man and then girlfriend come knocking for cash. As entertaining as this undoubtedly is, it can also prove a bit of a floor killer as everyone hangs on for the song to kick in proper - which is really a crime as once it does get going, this is one of the best things you could ever offer any dance floor. As such, we've included a delicately edited version on the flip side, which jumps right into the best bit with no messing... Play this in a club, and flip over and listen to the full version at home! | |||
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Brother Woodman / Joe Houston / Chuck Higgins / Al Smith / Ernie Flields Combo
In anticipation of the forthcoming full length compilation of wild Latin Rumba accented Rhythm & Blues 'Jukebox Mambo', we have followed up the success of our unique 102 release! The eagerly anticipated 2nd release in our unique Jukebox Jam 10" series. As with the first, this comes in a specially designed and hand screen-printed company bag and features the smaller '78' style label on a flat-mould vinyl 10” EP. In anticipation of 'Jukebox Mambo' - the forthcoming compilation of wild Latin Rumba Rhythm & Blues, we've culled 5 tracks from Jake Porter's legendary LA indie label Combo - 2 of which have never been available on vinyl before, having been unissued back in the 50s. All 5 tracks have that Latin feel which under-pinned so many hot R&B sides through the mid-‘50s as the Mambo Craze reached feverish heights. Vocal group The Chanters' 'Hot Mamma' boasts an awesome vocal turn from Ethel Brown - who plays the sultry sexual predator as she warns her fellow womenfolk 'If you wanna keep your man - keep him outta my way!', over a cool rumba-edged riff on the Hound Dog riff. Joe Porters 'Cha Cha All Nite Long' reworks his own earlier hit for the Latin set. On the flip side, Chuck Higgins top instro 'Blues N Mambo' is all rolling drums and honking horns whilst we also feature a previously unreleased take of Jack McVea's wild group number 'Chop Chop Boom' and end the set with the unissued 'T-Town Mambo', a jazzy female vocal piece with a sweet Latin seasoning. | |||
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Two raucous, stomping bar-room bawlers here from obscure blues shouter Hubert Robinson of Houston, Texas, singing over a really hot backing group playing it pretty loose with twanging bass, a head-nodding beat and honking horn eruptions!
Robinson's brief recording career began in 1947 as featured vocalist with sax-man Curtis Amy. From there, Robinson moved on to feature with a couple of other orchestra's before releasing two 78's for the husband and wife owned local Houston stable Macy's. We've picked the best of those two releases for this pairing, first time ever on 45rpm vinyl with label artwork which lovingly restores the original Macy's design! | |||
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Two early R&B sides from Detroit's legendary Tamla stable, and two tracks which shed some light on the foundations of the then undefined 'Motown sound'.When Barrett Strong recorded 'Money' in 1961 it became Tamla's biggest seller to date and set a ball rolling whereby Berry Gordy's small enterprise would soon become the lead player for soul and R&B, first in Detroit and then nationally and indeed internationally, scoring hit after hit. Prior to that recording, however, Tamla's output was rather more exploratory, and here we find on 'Misery' a beautifully downbeat piece of soulful melancholy with superb instrumentation. Earlier still, 1959's 'Let's Rock' is a low-fi, uptempo soul rocker, one of those transitional songs which sit in the Rock & Roll of the 50s but contain somehow an echo of what was to come in the 60s as soul music took over... | |||
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Featuring two sides of bumping New Orleans boogie and shuffle as little known songstress Jewel King adeptly slinks and glides her way across typically top-notch accompaniment from Dave Bartholomew's orchestra. Two early sides too - both originally 78rpm only releases and hence appearing on DJ friendly 7" vinyl for the first time. '3 x 7 = 21' is a coming of age tale as Jewel proudly declares her excitement at reaching drinking age! A 'fancy dance' and some romance are next on the cards... 'I'll Get It' continues a similar rhythmic theme as Miss King confidently sets her sights on one particular beau. She's right to be confident, who could resist such sass and charm as on display here? | |||
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Another dynamite R&B twin spin from Jukebox Jam - featuring 2 sides appearing on vinyl for the first time ever from the legendary New Orleans Rock & Roll star, Larry Williams. ‘Love Charms’ is a hot mid-tempo R&B cut with a popcorn feel. When it was recorded back in the late 50s by Larry Williams for Art Rupe’s Specialty label, the song was doing the rounds as a potential hit-maker, originally written and recorded by Ray Stanley. Before Larry’s version had a chance for release, however, the song rapidly appeared on singles by the likes of Sam Butera, Sanford Clark and even a female version by Diane Maxwell. Rupe must have felt that their version stood little chance amongst such mainstream competition, and the song duly went back in the can. Which is a shame, because this is probably the best of the bunch! Well, a shame no more as finally the track sees a 45rpm release, maintaining the Speciality logo and artwork - just like it shoulda been!
On the flip, one of a reported 20 recorded takes of Larry Williams’ attempt at his label-mate Little Richard’s hit ‘Heeby Jeebies’ - a rollocking piece of New Orleans R&R with Earl Palmer starring on drums. | |||
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Eunice Davis’ super slinky - and super risqué - vocals combine with a stuttering, off-kilter rhythm on this great and totally unique number cut in the mid-50s for the Deluxe subsidiary of King records. At the time, the talented Davis was working as one half of an in-house writing team for King, with Lowman ‘El’ Pauling, but she had also led a slew of releases herself, signing off her career with the regional hit, ‘Rock Little Daddy’ for Derby Records in New York. ‘Get Your Enjoys’ was sadly to be the only release for Deluxe and her career drifted into local obscurity soon after.On the flip is ’Go To Work Pretty Daddy’, another transparently lewd ditty set to a brash, big city Jump Blues backing, this from Eunice Davis’ sole release for the Atlantic label. | |||
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Returning to the artist (and label design) from our 4th release a couple of years back, here are two more N’awlins bangers from the undisputed Crescent City King.Recorded right at the end of the ’40s, ‘Carnival Day’, Bartholomew’s mardi gras anthem, is the kind of record which encapsulates how unique the City’s sound and musical heritage is, and how ahead of the curve its musicians were. A riotous gumbo stew of heavily syncopated Caribbean rhythms and laid back Southern swagger, it’s one of Dave’s very best, even if it sadly wasn’t recorded with the highest fidelity - studio set ups were a lot more rudimentary back in the 40s than they were about to become, and with all those horns and percussion fighting for attention, this can’t have been the easiest session to Mic up! ‘Cat Music’, recorded a few years on, is just as it says, cool, jiving sounds for hep cats - as Dave sings, ’We don’t dig a Square!’ | |||
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Back to back, two total killers from Big Tiny Kennedy - a cutely named singer whose over-bearing and fulsome vocal presence was said to be only over-shadowed by his huge physical dimensions! These were amongst Tiny’s last credited releases, and what a shame as they are both completely great - one side a deceptively slouching flip on the ‘Hound Dog’ motif - this time with Tiny proclaiming proudly that he ‘ain’t nothing but a country boy’, and the other a full-bodied Jump Blues dancer.
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Totally amazing, wild and untamed R&B room-shaker all about the dance craze that made a mess of many a dance floor - the Slop! A massive spin on the notorious Pittsburgh scene of yesteryear that’s recently gained another well-earned airing in today’s worldwide smattering of vintage R&B clubs. On the flip is the perhaps even more amazing ‘Baby You Were Meant for Me’, a totally groovy, low-fi mid-tempo bumper with an off-kilter rhythm and sleazed-out sax solo to die for. What a sound! | |||
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By far one of the most infectious and danceable ‘60s blues tracks out there, this one picks us up from the off and doesn’t shake us off until it’s 2 and a half minute time slot subsides. Thumping, hard-driving, beat-led R&B from the Toledo, Ohio based Griswold brothers - two under-exposed heroes of latter-period blues who showed up in Detroit sometime in the mid to late 60s to cut officially the last two singles in the catalogue of the legendary motor-city based Fortune label. And this was no limp send-off either! Mean and gritty to the very last note, just how we like it!
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Introducing the newest off-shoot to the Jazzman reissue family! In conjunction with London's Jukebox Jam club night (coming soon - click HERE for more info) we will be bringing you regular doses of the wildest, rawest original Rhythm and Blues of the -50s and early -60s on DJ friendly collectable 45rpm format. Linked by a sequential catalogue numbering system, each release will also boast a unique label design and title, making them unlike any other reissue on the market.For our first release, we bring you Rose Mitchell with possibly the most powerful version of the blues standard -Baby Please Don't Go' that you're ever likely to hear. Sounding at once as old as time itself, yet with a freshness you rarely hear in new recordings, it's a record which sounds like it's been beamed in from deepest, outer space. Certainly it is the work of a higher power, and that could be accredited to New Orleans genius Dave Bartholomew who produced this masterpiece in 1951. With its handclapping rhythm and Mitchell's fraught, despairing vocal, it's a work which links the deepest roots of the blues to the emergent R&B sound of the early 50s. Covered by the likes of Aerosmith, Muddy Waters, Big Joe Williams and Them, this is also one hell of a popular tune, but as RnB club records go, the Rose Mitchell side is perhaps one of the most oft-requested at the JukeJam. Originally released on the Imperial label, a 45 does exist but is near impossible to locate. Coupled with that, early vinyl production was a decidedly hit-and miss operation and if you were ever lucky enough to find this grail of a record you would have to live with considerable background hiss. So this is the perfect track to open our run of sought after R&B sides, crying out for a 45 reissue in fact, and definitely deserving of more club exposure than it's more common fragile 78rpm pressing has allowed it. On the flip, we give you another female rendition of -Baby Please Don't Go', with the ridiculously dancefloor-friendly rendition by obscure singer Jo Ann Henderson. Cut in the late -50s, this has been an established classic of the Popcorn and Mod scenes for some time. One quick listen will explain why! | |||
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Introducing the newest off-shoot to the Jazzman reissue family! It's our SECOND RELEASE in conjunction with London's Jukebox Jam club night, bringing you regular doses of the wildest, rawest original Rhythm and Blues of the ˜50s and early as on DJ friendly collectable 45rpm format. Linked by a sequential catalogue numbering system, each release will also boast a unique label design and title, making them unlike any other reissue on the market.THE STORY BEHIND THIS RECORD Little Willie John's 1956 breakthrough hit "˜Fever" quickly spawned a thousand imitations in the R&B world, with artists left, right and centre ripping off the now infamous riff and inventing not-so-subtle lyrical variations on the theme of one's lover making them feel a little under the weather. A while before things became faintly ridiculous with track names such as "Sugar Diabetes", Joe Tex had been one of the quickest off the mark when he cut his own answer to the classic in the same year. Certainly a more danceable cut than the LWJ, Joe also upped the meanness no end with some decidedly un-PC lyrics perhaps best left in the mid-50s! An truly infectious bit of R&B, and perhaps the definitive Fever rip-off (that's a big complement, trust me!), Pneumonia has appealed to dancers on the Mod, Popcorn and Rockin' scenes for some time, and it's shared rights has ensured a steady increase in the value and desirability of the original. For the flip, we include the lesser heard alternate take, which for unknown reasons features a continuous Hammond organ track completely missing from the released version. As many collectors have expressed a preference for this obscure version, we couldn't pass up the opportunity to press it up on a DJ friendly 45 for the first time. !!! Limited Run Only 500 copies pressed !!! | |||
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| In conjunction with London's Jukebox Jam club night we bring you regular doses of the wildest, rawest original Rhythm and Blues of the '50s and early '60s on DJ friendly collectable 45rpm format. Linked by a sequential catalogue numbering system, each release will also boast a unique label design and title, making them unlike any other reissue on the market. For JBJ-1003 we've selected two complimentary female vocal sides from the legendary Chicago Blues independent, Cobra records. The top side has an otherwise unknown Gloria Irving singing a lascivious plea over an exotic, latin-seasoned rhythm. The flip shows an early performance by Betty Everett, who went on to forge a successful singing career in the '60s and '70s. It's soulful RnB she offers here with the sultry 'My Love', a low-key beauty. Two sides of desperate romance from two truly seductive vocal talents - is it any wonder we've tagged this one with the label 'Charm' | |||
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In conjunction with London's Jukebox Jam club night we bring you regular doses of the wildest, rawest original Rhythm and Blues of the '50s and early '60s on DJ friendly collectable 45rpm format. Linked by a sequential catalogue numbering system, each release will also boast a unique label design and title, making them unlike any other reissue on the market.Our first release on the Jukebox Jam subsidiary showcased the production talents of New Orleans' finest Dave Bartholomew on Rose Mitchell's haunting rendition of 'Baby Please Don't Go' (now sold out everywhere!). For Jukebox Jam number four it's time for Dave himself to take centre stage with two solo sides from his prolific spell with Imperial Records, both with some distinctly Latin/Caribbean seasoning, hence the naming of this label 'Mambo'. You'd be hard pushed to find a record which sounds more N'Awlins than 'Shrimp and Gumbo' - a raucous percussion heavy party starter perfect for any Creole Carnival. And in fact, perfect for any party, be it a full house at your local supper club dance, neighbourhood jukebox joint or your back garden bar-b-que! The flip-side is an earlier recording from Dave, and again one which could only have come from NOLA, and could only really have been made by Bartholomew himself. His lyrics might be in jest but the band certainly aren't messing around and they pull off a sound so authentic that you'd imagine it must surely be Cuban players responsible. All in all a nice package then, two bags of Mambo-Mardi Gras Gris-Gris sure to keep you safe from all manner of Voodoo ill will! | |||
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A whole raft of top notch Jump Blues was issued on the RCA Victor label in the first half of the 50s but it seemed that the company wasnt fully sure of how to push the huge amount of vibrant R&B talent they had amassed on their roster. Even though RCA was a leading major, artists such as Mr. Sad Head, who issued 4 high quality singles on the label, are now amongst the more mysterious and obscure names in vintage R&B.Here are the pick of the Mr. Sad Head releases right here in this two sider 45. The flip, Sad Head Blues, is a straight ahead West Coast Jiver with the classic big city sound. However, Hot Weather Blues is the BIG tune so it gets on the A side on our limited run reissue. Alternating between a mambo-inflected minor key riff and a regular jiving rhythm, Hot Weather Blues is the kind of unique and quirky sound we actively seek out at the Jukebox Jam club night. The song was also recently played by none other than Bob Dylan on his radio show, so it seems Jukebox Jam are not the only Sad Head admirers..! | |||
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When David Walker did a spot of moonlighting under the pseudonym ‘Bunker Hill’ with Link Wray and his band, the alter-ego was necessary not only to avoid a conflict with his other commitments but also to allow Walker to break out from his gospel shackles and raise some hell – which he most certainly did on the unique and astounding set of recordings he made under this new moniker. Redefining the term ‘Blues Shouter’, Bunker Hill’s vocals are screamed, barked and growled with a truly wild abandon, like a deranged synthesis of Little Richard and Howlin’ Wolf. The accompaniment from Link Wray and his Raymen, meanwhile, is a masterclass of stark, primitive blues noise. ‘You Can’t Make Me Doubt My Baby’ is a bass heavy stomper, a rolling rhythm with cool piano hits and of course Walker’s gruff vocal. On the other side, ‘Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf’ showcases Bunker Hill’s (even) wilder side as he yells and riffs a call and response sermon based on the nursery rhyme of the same name over an insistent, sparse, clattering drum-led back drop. It’s worth mentioning that all of the original singles were released on terrible styrene, which as most collectors know deteriorates progressively on repeated playing. So not only is it a pleasure to offer up Bunker Hill’s unique madness to a wider audience, but also to preserve these two tracks on good quality vinyl for the first time. | |||
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It’s our 7th release on the Jukebox Jam label, so we thought it was about time to throw you a curve ball with something truly interesting and unique…Back to back on one 45 are the 2 best sides from the 2 super hard to find singles accredited to the mysterious Marga Benitez, a calypso singing ‘exotic dancer’ originally from the Caribbean who first made her way to a studio in 1954 with vocal group the Mello Tones. The label artwork for this reissue, incidentally, features an illustration of the lady herself, in full shake ’n’ maraca mode!The top side here features the potent and intoxicating concoction that is ‘Geechie Goomie’, a record unlike any other we’ve ever heard like of. The slinky, seductive tones of Ms Benitez and her whacked out lyrics sit alongside an almost clunky exotic piano-led accompaniment and some oddly sinister backing vocals from the Mello-Tones to create a wonderful record which was perhaps always destined to find its audience in another time and place. The B-side features the prize of the earlier session for Decca Records, ‘Wino’s on Parade’, a curious one-off oddity which should definitely appeal further to fans of the weird and wonderful with its unique blend of calypso vocals, quirky story-telling lyrics and doo-wop backing vox. Both singles dually flopped on original release and whilst ‘Geechie Goomie’ has had a small but dedicated following on the Belgian popcorn scene for a while, we anticipate that with this limited run 45rpm reissue the time and place for Marga Benitez’s indisputably unique charms has finally arrived! | |||
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Originally issued in 1961 on Savoy Records and at the dwindling tail end of Nappy Brown’s initial R&B career, Coal Miner was a huge record which belonged, sound-wise at least, to his peak, some years prior. With its honking sax and sleazy Fever-esque bass line, the song probably arrived a little too late in the day to seriously trouble the charts at the time but nowadays it sounds perfect for the R&B set and is Nappy’s signature record on the Mod and Popcorn scenes, and beyond.A few years ago, a previously unheard take of Coal Miner was uncovered, a little longer and with slightly more off-kilter percussion and sax refrains – and dig that triangle! Still keeping the stomping, rasping, honking feel of the released version in place, but amplifying the quirkiness no end, this take was probably deemed a little too unconventional for release, but again it has fast become the version today. We are pleased to finally offer up this version on 45rpm vinyl for the first and what will also probably be the last time ever! Backed up with the original Savoy take, as released, which is still an incredible sound in its own right. The label has been named ‘Saxco’ in tribute to the late and very, very great bandleader, songwriter and arranger Sax Kari, whose long and largely unsung career enhanced that of many other artists. Sax passed away just over a year ago, with little to no tribute or fanfare in the mainstream media, and not even much noise made in R&B circles. We can only recommend further investigation into Sax’s long and winding career, and would say that any 45 bearing his credit is one worth listening to... | |||
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After a brief summer hiatus we’re back with another crackin’ old skool RnB jukebox monster! Two sides of jump n’ jive with ‘Shorty’, a fictional character who ran through a number of early Rhythm & Blues and Jazz Vocal sides way back in the ‘40s. Shorty was the fella who avoided the draft and reaped the rewards with many a lonely housewife while their respective husbands were away on duty in WWII. This scandalous lout was first introduced to the public by the prolific bandleader Lucky Millinder with his 1946 hit ‘Shorty’s Got To Go’.
On this single we feature one of Millinder’s own answer songs, the snappy ‘Who Said Shorty Wasn’t Coming Back’, whilst on the top-side we have selected a superb but scarcely heard early 50s rendition of the song by the relatively unknown West Coast vocalist Vernon Dilworth. Dilworth’s vocal delivery has all the hip and laid back swagger of the big city cat on the corner, and his band’s hot-stepping accompaniment is the height of jazzy sophistication - small wonder they were named ‘The Top Cats’. Safe to say that both sides really cook and we’re also proud to offer them both on 45rpm vinyl for the very first time! Please note that these are both very old pieces, and the recording techniques used quite rudimentary. Whilst every effort has been undertaken to obtain the best sources possible, we freely admit that these are rough recordings, but we feel they are too good too ignore all the same. We’ve recently been hammering the test pressing at the Jukebox Jam club and nobody has complained that’s for sure! | |||
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The Texan born Larry Dale only recently passed away, in May 2010, aged 87. His passing is doubly sad for us, as he never got to see these two gems pressed up and released on 45rpm vinyl, as they should have been some 55 years ago. Discovered a while back languishing in the vaults of Groove, a long defunct sub of RCA set up to handle the parent labels R&B output, these two sides were recorded at New York sessions in the mid-50s. Both tracks feature the sterling guitar and arrangement skills of the legendary Mickey Baker, and the handiwork of the equally infamous Jack Dupree on the '88s. ‘Down To The Bottom’ is a real monster - a rolling Blues Rhumba with crashing piano rolls and rather suggestive lyrics from Dale, who is headed down to the Gulf of Mexico to find himself a woman - with one pre-requisite, “She‘s got to like to jelly roll”. Whatever he’s talking about, and I’ll let you all draw your own conclusions, one thing is clear, and that is that this is a floor-rocking, roof-raiser of a record. On the flip, ‘Midnight Hours’ is a low and greasy, down home Blues, cut in the same session and the likely intended B-side. In the event, the single was inexplicably pulled from release by Groove. As such, we have maintained the original Groove logo and label design for this long overdue 45rm vinyl pairing of these two great rocking Blues sides. !!! Limited Run – Only 500 copies pressed !!! | |||
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New from Jukebox Jam comes something else - a wild Carib-Jazz flavoured R&B gem flipped with a big and brash big city Jump Blues number! A neat pairing of two of Chris Powell‘s hottest sides! The top side ‘I Come From Jamaica’ is a totally unique early exotic RnB jam, whilst ‘Country Girl Blues’, is a delicious RnB dancehall mover aimed at shakin’ hips & shufflin’ feet!Bandleader Chris Powell was a relatively busy in Philly through the late 40s and 50s, cutting a raft of Jump sides and a number of crooning big-band ballads for the Columbia, Okeh and Grand labels. Amidst his releases for Okeh lies this curious novelty - ‘I Come from Jamaica’, unlike anything else Powell recorded and similarly out of sorts with much of the contemporary R&B sounds of the day. From the off, as we hear odd percussive sound effects over an off kilter latin rhythm, it’s clear that we are in experimental territory. What follows is a sheer delight - an exotic, jazzy, Caribbean themed dancer which ALWAYS turns heads! This also showcases the first known recorded work of the influential jazz trumpeter Clifford Brown… !!! Limited Run – Only 500 copies pressed !!! | |||
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Something we love to do with the Jukebox Jam series is unleash certain forgotten, neglected or simply unissued R&B sides on 45rpm vinyl for the very first time. And so we turn our attention to our latest release, which see’s Etta James’ wonderful ‘Nobody Loves You Like Me’ finally released on our cherished 7” format. Cut in the mid-50s for Modern Records, the recording was inexplicably shelved, perhaps because it didn’t quite fit with the straight ahead jivers and ballads which formed the young Miss James’ other output for the label. Because this is neither ballad, nor rocker, but in fact an enchanting, moody, mid-tempo blues which would conceivably be categorized as Popcorn nowadays - only back then that term was simply something you munched at the drive-in - the popular dance hadn’t even been invented yet, let alone the retrospective Belgian music scene!Famously, Etta James left Modern in the late 50s to find major fame and glory as the Chicago based Chess Records first star of Soul music in the early 60s. To cash in on that success, Modern quickly churned out a compilation of her masters from her brief tenure there, which included the previously unheard ‘Nobody…’ The LP itself is a pretty squalid item, it’s poorly pressed and packaged, and presumably Modern had lost all image rights as the sleeve artwork features a completely different lady standing under the title ‘The Best Of Etta James’. The release did get one thing right though, for amongst her many-jewelled back catalogue, ‘Nobody Loves Me’ is indeed one of Etta’s best, even if it lies very low under the shadow of such vast and opulent 60s hits as ‘At Last’. As this was never issued on Modern, and never before on 45rpm, we have opted, with permission, to use the original Modern logo. On the flip, we have a recording appearing on vinyl for the very first time, an alternate take of the jiving rocker ‘Tough Lover’. !!! Limited Run – Only 500 copies pressed !!! | |||
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Fans of Jukebox Jam know we don’t like to stay too predictable with our releases, and true to form here is another truly unique sound, the red-hot Latin Jazz accented R&B instrumental ‘Ojai’ from bandleader Joe Lutcher. Originally pressed only on 78rpm for the Modern label, this appears here on 45rpm vinyl for the very first time, whilst the B-side alternate take has never been available on any kind of record at all! Like with our last release, Etta James’ ‘Nobody Loves Me Like You‘, as this is thus the first 45rpm outing for both sides, we have used the original Modern logo for authenticity (with kind permission).It’s almost impossible to believe that this music is over 60 years old, but that is indeed the case, Ojai (pronounced “Oh-High” and named after the region in California) was cut in 1949. Lutcher was at that point a state-wide renowned bandleader, having assembled a first rate Jump Blues combo and recorded a healthy number of sides through the 40s, but his career was always played out somewhat in the shadow of his rather more successful sister Nellie. Nevertheless, Lutcher did score some modest hits in his own right, though Ojai didn’t really register as such at the time. Small wonder really, it’s hardly the most instantly commercial of sounds and there isn’t too much in Lutcher’s wider repertoire which is remotely similar. With its Eastern / Minor Chord / Latin Jazz feel, Ojai bears the clear influence of Ellington, but what is more striking is the heaviness of the rhythm and percussion. I’m not sure what had possessed Lutcher and his band that afternoon in ’49 but I wish they had repeated the experiment again. As it is, the song stands as unique both within Lutcher’s catalogue and within R&B in general, an ahead-of-it’s-time one-off. What an absolute scorcher, a killer diller, a real knockout, ’Ojai’ is all of ‘em and more! | |||
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Two contrasting R&B killers from this fantastic but little known vocalist! Recorded for RCA in the early ‘50s as the rock ‘n roll era was about to dawn, ‘Talk to Me’ is a wicked, driving Jump Blues with cool horn riffs and even cooler jangling guitar accompaniment. The flipside ‘My Goose Is Cooked’ is a greasy piece of twisting Black Rock & Roll which surfaced on two obscure independents near the end of the same decade. Both are sure-fire dance floor sure-shots and very hard to source on their original issues.
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Before Jimmy Nolen became known as James Brown’s first choice guitar man, playing with the Godfather on almost all of his key 1960s hits, he had already gained a strong reputation as a talented and versatile session player in LA through the 50s, featuring regularly in the line-ups of bandleaders and record producers such as Chuck Higgins and Johnny Otis. Nolen also cut a small clutch of singles for Federal, none of which did much business at the time.Of these, ‘The Way You Do’ is our choice and the A-side of this limited reissue. A classy, popcorn styled mid-tempo R&B with a tasty delayed rhythm, cool vocals and Nolen’s trademark scratchy guitar. The B-side features yet another vinyl debut from us here at Jukebox Jam - the killer instrumental ‘Jimmy’s Jive’, a track which was recorded for Johnny Otis’ Dig label but never originally released. With it’s rocking stop-start rhumba rhythm and catchy recurring riff, this is one which we’ve personally wished was available on vinyl for some time - and now it is! | |||
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Another month, another cool and unique R&B sound from the Jukebox Jam series! This time around, we feature ’40s songstress with a really superb low-slung and slinky number. Making its first appearance on 45rpm vinyl, ‘Shrinking Up Fast‘ is bound to set pulses raising with its hot and seductive Jazzy feel, Mambo rhythm and wailing horns. Yet another record which sounds not so much ahead of its time as occupying another realm altogether!
The flip side ‘Please Don’t Stay Away So Long’ is a worthy effort in its own right - a breezy Jump Blues side which also rotates around a loosely Latin influenced rhythm. But as good as it is, ‘Shrinking Up Fast’ is the clear winner for us, an awesome, slow-burning scorcher which we are proud to be able to finally make available on DJ friendly 45rpm - it’s going straight in out box and we’d urge you to follow suit! !!! Limited Run – Only 500 copies pressed !!! | |||
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Up next on the world’s favourite rompin’ stompin’ howlin’ growlin’ RnB oldies 45s series Jukebox Jam, a super-moody popcorn style R&B number with an aptly down-trodden vocal turn from Mary Ann Fisher! Following the release of this small-label RnB banger, Mary Ann went on to became well known as one of the Raelettes - Ray Charles' all female backing vocal troupe. In fact Ray held her in such high esteem that he even penned his excellent mambo R&B number 'Mary Ann' in tribute.Originally released on the small but respected Blues indie label Fire, this is one which has proven particularly elusive to collectors and DJ's of R&B and popcorn alike and hence has been near the top of many wants lists across varying scenes over the past couple of years. In contrast to the slow and mean 'Put On My Shoes', the flipside 'As Wild as You can Be' is a more raucous affair - a foot-stomping R&B rocker which sees Mary Ann gruffly berating her feral lover for his wily ways. Another essential 45 for your Jukebox Jam collection! !!! Limited Run – Only 500 copies pressed !!! | |||
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Two killer vocal Rhythm & Blues sides from the great but sadly somewhat unheralded Roy Brown. 'Mr. Hound Dog's Back In Town' was Roy's snappy retort to Big Mama Thornton's massive breakthrough hit 'Hound Dog'. Roy answered back to speak up for the poor old hound in all of us, and did so over an immense rolling drum-led backing track with some killer guitar licks borrowed from Thornton's original. Another pretty unique record for its time, this is ripe for today's thriving New Breed R&B scene.On the flip is a great Jump Blues classic, and this time Brown is answering his own call. 'Miss Fanny Brown' was one of his biggest sellers in the late 40s and after already returning to the story with 'Fanny Brown Returns' in 1950, Roy then added this final chapter in '55, which saw Miss Brown shacked up with a well-to-do suitor but still holding a 'mighty, mighty' flame for our hero! With both sides originally released on King, we decided to call this label 'Royalty' as that is surely where Roy Brown's name belongs... !!! Limited Run – Only 500 copies pressed !!! | |||
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Originally discovered and subsequently compiled by Soho legend Gaz Mayall languishing amidst the old Modern Records tapes held by Ace Records, Jeanne Demetz's killer 'Calypso Daddy' has since been crying out for a 45rpm issue and finally there is one!It's difficult to determine why 'Calypso Daddy' never saw a release when it was cut back in the early 50s. Perhaps it was deemed too unusual or exotic for mass consumption. Perhaps it was shelved as the bandleader responsible, Johnny Alston, had come to something of a down turn in popularity after enjoying good success through the '40s. No matter as like all good things, the world simply had to wait for this genre-transgressing beauty of a tune to emerge from its hiding place. A Latin Mambo rhythm pattern, great instrumentation and a seductive exotic Calypso-esque vocal from DeMetz, this is just the kind of sound that we go nuts for at the Juke Jam... With permission, we have also recreated the beautiful 'Modern Music' label design of the 1940s for this release, and I believe this is the first time this artwork has appeared on a 45rpm pressing (the original releases would have otherwise been 78s). | |||
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Raw, hard and guttural blues from obscure female Chicago singer Frances Burr, backed up by a hard-driving, pepped-up and rowdy ‘KJ Trio’ - piano banging, sax honking, drums clattering everywhere. No mistake though, this is Miss Burr’s show all the way, and she’ll let you know too!Another unique and wonderful Rhythm & Blues side to grace our ongoing Jukebox Jam series of club rockin’ RnB 45s! | |||
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Immense early 50s Rhythm and Blues belter from a singer otherwise more often known for far softer material. This one opens with a rasping horn pattern to wipe out all before it, before slipping into a swinging and rolling tom-drum and hand-clap rhythm and some knockout call and response vocals from Terry and her backup. The horns return sporadically to wild effect throughout, making this a effortless showcase of the art of ‘build it up and break it down’. Superb!
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Born and bred in the LA melting pot of Watts, Gil Bernal was a highly decorated and hugely prolific saxophonist who performed and recorded throughout the ’50s with the crème de la crème of the cities R&B talent. Signed up with Leiber & Stoller’s Spark records, Gil also featured on some of that writing team’s biggest and most influential hits - playing the riffs and solo’s on songs such as the Coasters ‘Youngblood’ and ‘Down In Mexico’ amongst many others. Through the ’60s, Gil figured with the Lionel Hampton orchestra and continued to undertake notable session work and gig locally throughout his life. As a solo artist, Gil’s catalogue is much slimmer than his featured credits, but is marked by some pretty unique and impressive offerings. None less than this super rare record originally recorded for Bumps Blackwell’s own label and released locally in LA. A beat-heavy, jazzy number, with socially conscious lyrics delivered in a swinging style, this is ripe for the dance floor, making it no surprise that the record has steadily grown in notoriety to become one of the most in demand R&B spins on the scene, indeed now crossing over to the Northern Soul circuit too. Shortly after agreeing terms with Gil Bernal himself for this reissue, he very sadly passed away from congestive heart failure. This came as a terrible shock to us who had discovered a dynamic and exuberant gentleman in our dealings with Gil. We know that Gil was excited at the prospect of having ‘The Dogs’ and ‘James’ available again, and perhaps for a wider audience than was originally mustered. We had always intended to have Gil name the label but sadly ran out of time before he passed, so his family volunteered ‘James Meridith’, the full name of the friend who had inspired Gil to write the song ‘James’. This reissue is hence released in tribute to the memory of a true legend on American R&B and Jazz, Gil Bernal. | |||
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In anticipation of the first full length Jukebox Jam compilation album (JMANCD/LP.046 - coming soon), we have decided to go back to where the whole thing started. The first single on the Jukebox Jam series, the pairing of the incredible Rose Mitchell and Jo Ann Henderson versions of 'Baby Please Don't Go', was an instant sell-out and ever since we've been inundated with requests to make it available again. Well, we finally decided to do that, and in fact went one better with this unique 45rpm 10" pressing, pressed with a 78rpm style label, housed in a specially made, hand screen-printed company sleeve, featuring exclusive artwork. In addition to the two songs featured on the original 45, as a bonus the 10" also offers a fantastic, brooding and jazzy rendition of 'Baby Please Don't Go' by the legendary Big Maybelle, recorded live at the Newport Jazz festival 1958. This is the first time this version has ever been available on vinyl, yet is more than good enough to sit side by side with the others. - 3 fantastic versions of the incredibly popular RnB song on 10” 45rpm vinyl format - Big Maybelle version for the first time on vinyl - 78rpm label in size and style - Hand-printed 10” brown paper sleeve - Unique custom artwork !!! Limited Run – Only 600 copies pressed !!! | |||