King Vintage Vault Collectors Series

KING VINTAGE VAULT COLLECTORS SERIES

 Last month in the blues column the series of twelve reissues from the King-Federal catalogs was noted. Reviews appeared of the Freddie King and Ray Charles album. This· column will attempt to provide basic information on the rest of the issues.

 Little Willie John (King -5004X) collects 15 of the late gospel-tinged singer's greatest recordings. Theresi some duplication with Free At Last (King KS-1081) but most stuff here is otherwise previously unreissued. Originals of "Fever" (before Peggy Lee) and "Sleep" are special highpoints.

Bill Doggett (5009X) and Earl Bostic (5010X) collect a number of fine instrumentals by the organist and saxophonist. This was jazz-flavored instrumental R&B at its best. Doggett's fourteen sides include the classic "Honky Tonk" whereas tunes on Bostic's sides includes "Flamingo" and "Harlem Nocturne".

A good portion of the King catalog was old group sounds. While historically important the sides by the Ink Spots (5001X) and the Platters (5002X) are too sweet for my taste. Rock'n'Roll Oldies freaks will feel otherwise. Much more solid is the rocking album by Hank Ballard and the Midnighters (5003X). Among the 20 tracks are "Work With Me Annie," "Annie Had a Baby,"  "Annie's Aunt Fanny," "Finger Poppin' Time," and the original recording of "The Twist". Great party music with hot band and vocals. Good bluesy feel on much material.

Finally four albums tracing the career of the group The Dominoes. Volume One (5005X) includes their 14 big hits including the bawdy "Sixty Minute Man". Volume 2 features Clyde McPhatter (5006X) in 18 tunes including two duets with Little Esther (Phillips). Volume 3 features Jackie Wilson on 14 tunes (5007X) and Volume 4 collects 21 other tunes by the group (5008X). The Dominoes was a gospel influenced group capable of doing intense ballad interpretations and some nice bluesy 'numbers. Both McPhatter's and WiIson's albums are superb featuring some strong vocal performances. and like Vol 1 are worth checking into. These are historically important reissues which are also great for parties where you can pop your fingers and twist the night away. Here's hoping for more to come in this series.

I do not remember if I received these from the publication, a publisher or the record company. This review appeared in the March 1978 Buffalo Jazz Report (now Jazz & Blues Report) (Issue 49). Here is Little Willie John singing "Fever."

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.