Some of the
greatest post-war rhythm and blues came from Modern, RPM, Flair and
Meteor, a constellation of record labels owned by the four Bihari brothers. While most of their music was recorded in Los Angeles,
they had a secondary base of operations in Memphis. Initially, they
purchased masters from Sam Phillips recorded at his Sun studio.
Later, they hired Ike Turner to work as a talent scout and to
supervise recording sessions.
Modern released
over 500 R&B singles between 1945 and 1957. RPM released about
200 singles between 1950 and 1957, while Flair and Meteor had
considerably fewer. Ace Records in the U. K. is gradually releasing
the Bihari catalog of recordings. They have previously issued 2-CD
“best of” sets from Meteor and Flair. Now they are releasing two
2-CD packages from the larger RPM files. Volume 1 covers the years
1950 to 1953, and Volume 2, due later this year, will feature songs
from 1954 to 1957. Some of the Biharis' most successful artists
released some or all of their records on RPM.
Because some of
these songs have been released on previous Ace CDs, it is their
policy to use alternate takes, when available. About half of these
52 songs are alternate takes. This makes little difference, since
they are usually quite similar to the master takes.
RPM's first record
was a Dixieland jazz version of “Alabamy Bound” by trumpeter
Clyde Hurley's small group, with vocal by Adele Francis. Beginning
with their second release, “Happy Payday” by Austin McCoy, the
remainder of the songs on these two CDs are either country blues or
urban R&B.
The mainstay of
RPM was B. B. King, who released 15 singles from 1950 to 1953, and
another 21 from 1954 to 1957. Eight of them are collected here,
including his breakthrough hit, “Three O'Clock Blues” from 1951.
There are seven songs by Memphis singer and pianist Rosco Gordon,
including his hits “Booted” and “No More Doggin'.” One side
of each of Howlin' Wolf's two RPM releases is also included. (Both
Gordon and the Wolf were involved in a contract dispute between the
Biharis and the Chess brothers in Chicago. It was settled when the
Biharis signed Gordon and Wolf moved into the Chess kennel, a trade that
ultimately favored Chess.)
West Coast jump
bluesman Jimmy Nelson is represented by five cuts, including his
signature tune, “T-99 Blues.” Texas country blues specialist
Lightnin' Hopkins contributes four selections. Ike Turner takes the lead on two
records, one of them a duet with his second wife Bonnie. Turner
proteges Sunny Blair, Junior Brooks and Houston Boines have one
selection apiece, as do notable Memphis bluesmen Willie Nix and Big
Walter Horton (billed as “Mumbles”). Detroit's Eddie
Kirkland sings a duet with the uncredited John Lee Hooker.
RPM was known for
its great vocal group records, especially those by the Jacks and
Arthur Lee Maye and the Crowns, but most of them were released after
1953. Only two vocal group sides are included here, both by the Robins,
moonlighting as the Nic Nacs, in which they attempt to duplicate
their success on Savoy backing Little Esther. Teenager Mickey
Champion, a Little Esther soundalike, sings the lead. There is also
a selection by Ms. Champion as a solo artist.
Collections like
this one usually include a few unexpected pleasures and this is no exception. There are two
lively sides by little-known L. A. jump bluesman Jimmy Huff. Tenor
saxophonist Jay Franks contributes a breathless instrumental,
“Stripped Gears.” There are also chances to hear Gene Forrest
(later of Gene and Eunice) and actor Harry Caesar (as “Little
Caesar”) singing bluesy ballads.
In sum, there are
several terrific R&B records and very few duds on these two CDs.
The only drawback is that collectors may have some of them on other
CDs.
Disc 1: Clyde Hurley, Alabamy
Bound; Austin McCoy, Happy
Payday, Part 1; Luke Jones, Mama,
Oh Mama; B. B. King, B.
B. Boogie; The Other Night Blues; She's Dynamite; Three O'Clock
Blues; Fine Lookin' Woman; Memphis Eddie, Good
Time Woman; Gene Phillips,
Big Fat Mama; The Nic Nacs, Found
Me a Sugar Daddy; Gonna Have a Merry Christmas; Junior
Blues, Whiskey Head Woman;
Mickey Champion, Good
For Nothin' Man; Rosco Gordon, Rosco's
Boogie; Saddled the Cow; Booted; Jimmy Nelson, T-99
Blues; Fine Little Honey Dripper; Alexander Moore,
If I Lose You, Woman; Willie Nix, Try
Me One More Time; Howlin' Wolf, Riding
in the Moonlight; I Want Your Picture; Lightnin' Hopkins,
Bad Luck and Trouble, Jake Head
Boogie; Mumbles (Big Walter Horton), Black
Gal. (74 min.)
Disc 2: Rosco Gordon, No
More Doggin', New Orleans Wimmen; Just in From Texas; We're All
Loaded; Lightnin' Hopkins, Last
Affair; Another Fool in Town; Sunny Blair, Glad
to Be Back Home; B. B. King, Shake
It Up and Go; Woke Up This Morning; Please Love Me; Ike
Turner, Trouble and Heartaches;
Jay Franks, Stripped
Gears; Bonnie and Ike Turner, My
Heart Belongs to You; Houston Boines, Superintendent
Blues; Jimmy Huff, She's
My Baby, Don't You Know?; Eddie Kirkland, It's
Time For Lovin' to Be Done; Jimmy Nelson, Sweetest
Little Girl; Meet Me With Your Black Dress On; Cry Hard Luck; Gene
Forrest, Aching and Crying;
King Perry, Vaccinate
Me, Baby; Welcome Home, Baby; Melvin Daniels, I'll
Be There; Little Caesar, Chains
of Love Have Disappeared; Frankie Irvin, False
Love. (74 min.)
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