The Okeh Rhythm & Blues Story 1949-1957

The Okeh Rhythm & Blues Story 1949-1957 (Epic/Okeh/Legacy E3K 48912) is a three compact disc set surveys excellent rhythm and blues recordings that appeared on Okeh between 1949 and 1957. Okeh was the label that first issued a blues recording with Mamie Smith. During the 1920’s it was acquired by Columbia and faded with the depression. Columbia reactivated Okeh to replace the Vocalion logo which passed to Decca in 1940, although wartime exigencies led to its demise in 1942. Okeh was revived in 1948 to expand Columbia’s presence in the nascent rhythm’n’blues market, although the label was unable to make the market impression the small hustling independent labels did. Despite not being a major market force, Okeh had a number of records hit the charts, and recorded some of the earliest recordings by major postwar stars Chuck Willis, Joe Williams and Big Maybelle. Also on Okeh were artists who may have had some success with small independents and moved on to Okeh such as Joe ‘Mr. Google Eyes’ August, Larry Darnell, Hadda Books, Paul Gayten and Annie Laurie. Other Okeh artists had a couple records and disappeared into obscurity.

Much of the music here is in the jump blues vein best represented by the young Joe Turner influenced Joe Williams, who certainly gets a groove going backed by drummer Fred Saunders’ tough combo. These brash vocals will be a revelation for those familiar only with Williams’ ballad style or his work with Count Basie. Williams was not the only one to show a heavy debt to Joe Turner. Singer Irlton French’s My Run Around Baby  is a rocker with phrasing and shouting style very much like Big Joe’s pre-Atlantic recordings. Earl Williams also shows a debt to the Turner-Wyonnie Harris school of singing. The small combo, Chris Powell & the Five Blue Flames cover Jimmy Preston’s hot jump blues Rock This Joint which later would be a hit for Bill Haley, while the Five Scamps show more indebtedness to Nat Cole than Amos Milburn on their reworking of Milburn’s Chicken Shack Boogie.

Chuck Willis show his roots as he urges everyone to Let’s Jump Tonight. The harmonies of one of the earliest of the postwar vocal groups, The Ravens, enliven the jumping Honey I Don’t Want You, while the ballad singing of New Orleans vocalist Annie Laurie, is showcased in It’s Been a Long Time. Another New Orleans artist, Joe ‘Mr. Google Eyes’ August evokes Roy Brown’s influence on the crying blues Rough and Rocky Road. Hadda Brooks had enjoyed commercial success for Modern. A torch and cabaret singer (she recorded That’s My Desire before Frankie Laine), and a sophisticated pianist, her two songs here are in a jump blues vein with solid boogie based piano. In contrast to Brooks cabaret influenced style, Big Maybelle’s church rooted vocals come at you with the force of a hurricane and she is represented by Gabbin’ Blues and the rocking One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show.

Okeh adapted with the times and also recorded novelties like The Treniers’ salute to dee jay Allen Freed, The Moondog and Hurricane Henry’s rendition of The Last Meal, one of Jimmy Rogers’ more unusual recordings. Sometimes Okeh hit the jackpot with Screaming Jay Hawkins’ I Put a Spell on You. Of local interest are recordings by Billy Stewart and the short-lived group, the Marquees, that included a young Marvin Gaye from sessions organized by Bo Diddley

An attractive booklet provides information on Okeh’s history and the performers. Information on recording dates and initial release (where applicable) of the songs is also provided, although not full discographical information. This collects many artists whose recordings have been hard to find on compact disc at all. It is a well programmed anthology with plenty of variety, and will be a must for jump blues devotees.

This was part of a review with other Columbia/Legacy reissues that I reviewed this past Friday. It originally appeared in issue 188 of Jazz and Blues Report in 1994. I received review copies from Columbia Records.

Roy Milton's Miltone label delighted both musically and visually

The British Acrobat label has been issuing a number of very intriguing public domain reissues of classic rhythm & blues, often focusing on a specific label. While these releases may duplicate reissues of various recordings, such reissues often have a lot of unfamiliar material. Also, the releases gather together a variety of material that ranges from blues to gospel quartet, vocal group, pop, swing jazz and more. I point to reissues from vintage labels as Trilon, Big Town, Olivet or Irma as examples.

One reissue of special note is of the Miltone label that the great Roy Milton was a co-owner of. The attractive labels often sported illustrations from cartoonist William "Alex" Alexander that made them a treasure trove for collectors. The label was centered on Roy Milton and His Solid Senders, one of the premier jump blues bands, but included a number of other terrific recordings. Like other Acrobat label reissues, this disc contains a detailed label history and artist notes from Opal Louis Nations as well as some terrific sounds. The liner booklet also contains plenty of label illustrations.

The set opens with four solo sides by The Blues Troubadour, Jesse Thomas, who had recorded for Victor in 1929. Thomas, from Shreveport Louisiana, superficially comes off as a country blues artist as a solo performer, but his dazzling single note guitar and bop-tinged vocals (the delightful D. Double Due Love You being one example), sound modern six decades later. Then there is Jimmy Grissom, the Mississippi born singer who fronted the Blenders and Miltone vocal groups as well as share solo spots with Camille Howard, Milton's featured pianist. One interesting single was Miltone 4001 which coupled You Look So Good To Me b/w The Signifying Monkey, two early Willie Dixon classics with the Big Three Trio. Some of the sides with The Blenders featured comedienne and singer Effie Smith who sang Answer to R.M.Blues, an answer song to one of Milton's biggest hits.

Of course there are a number of Milton's big hits like Milton's Boogie, Red Light, Sunny Side of the Street, and Rainy Day Confession Blues, although some of the transfers here are noisier than those reissued on Specialty. Other delights are five stunning vocals from Little Miss Cornshucks and a number of sides from New Orleans legends like Roy Brown, Paul Gayten and Annie Laurie. So included here is Chubby Newsome's Hip Shakin' Mama; Roy Brown's Long About Midnight; Paul Gayten's Hey Little Girl; and Paul Gayton with Annie Laurie doing the classic Since I Fell For You. Through in some down home blues by Wright Holmes, and blues shouting from The Great Gates, and one has a real fine sampling of late forties R&B with many terrific recordings.

This is available from various Internet retailers like bluebeatmusic.com or amazon.