The Legends of the Rocking Dutchman - episode 3

Legends Mix #1

This transcript of the radio show is an approximation of what I said in the show. The real spoken parts may differ slightly.

And legends is what you're gonna get from me as today I'll pour you a mix of the hottest rhythm 'n blues of the forties and fifties. I dusted off some cracky 78s, a few odd 45s and some compilation LPs, put it all in the blender and what I got from that is what I'll serve you today. Not too much blabla as I know you came here for the music. So let's start off with a little finding that I did on a compilation LP of music from the Groove label. Here is Roy 'Mr Guitar' Gaines with De Dat De Dum Dum

Roy 'Mr Guitar' Gaines - Dat Dat De Dum Dum - Groove

Roy 'Mr Guitar' Gaines with De Dat De Dum Dum - a nice appetizer to get you in the mood I guess. Now for some ditch diggin' blues from the rather obscure Luke Jones. Here is the Ditch Diggin' Daddy.

Luke Jones - Ditch Diggin' Daddy
Jack McVea & his All Stars - Mumblin' Blues - Exclusive

Now I did promise you some old shellac and the cracks are free today for you to enjoy. That was Jack McVea and his all stars with the Mumblin' Blues on 78 off the Exclusive label. He started in Lionel Hampton's band on the saxophone and led his own band from 1944. He also was a sideman in the very first Jazz at the Philharmonic concert in Los Angeles on July 2nd, 1944. Yet from the mid-sixties up to 1980 you could find the man playing in a little jazz band on the New Orleans Square of Disneyland, CA. How things can go.

Ike Turner now - when he started recording and touring with Tina from the early sixties he already had a long music career after him as a band leader, talent scout, songwriter and session musician. From this period is the following song I'm gonna forget about you.

Ike turner - I'm Gonna Forget About You
Rosco Gordon - Decorate The Counter

Rosco Gordon with Decorate The Counter He was one of the musicians that were discovered by Ike Turner and brought to Modern Records of the Bihari brothers. Turner brought quite a few musicians from the Missisippi Delta to their studio, including Howlin' Wolf and Bobby Bland.

Time for something completely different, here on the Legends of the Rocking Dutchman, The Ravens. >> They were one of the classic vocal groups of the late forties and early fifties with that wonderful and distinctive bass voice of Jimmy Rick. Unfortunately they rapidly grew out of fashion when Rock 'n Roll started off. From 1953 on the Jubilee label is here Green Eyes. After that you will get the Moonlighters with Shoo Doo Be Doo (My Loving Baby). Now that was the kind of vocal group style that did make it through the Rock 'n Roll craze. I think it's easy to hear the differences and understand why the latter style did survive.

Ravens - Green Eyes - Jubilee
Moonlighters - Shoo Doo Be Doo (My Loving Baby) - chess

The Moonlighters with Shoo Doo Be Doo (My Loving Baby)

Going back to the year 1950 with Roy Brown. He had his breakthrough in 1948 to the top of the charts with his influential hit "Good Rocking Tonight" one of these typical forerunners of Rock 'n Roll and covered with even more success by Wynonie Harris and Elvis Presley. From the Deluxe label is here Cadillac Baby - followed by Betty Hall Jones with This Joint's too hip for me.

Roy Brown - Cadillac Baby - DeLuxe 1950
Betty Hall Jones - This Joint's Too Hip For Me - capitol 1950

Betty Hall Jones with This Joint's Too Hip For Me, on the Capitol label.

We're going to the great Lavern Baker. From her, from the Atlantic label, You Better stop, followed by Big Joe Turner with Careless Love.

Lavern Baker - You Better Stop - Atlantic
Big Joe Turner - Careless Love - Atlantic

That was Big Joe Turner with Careless Love. Next Larry Dale who started in various bands before he took this name as his stage name. From 1960 is probably his best song, Big Muddy, on the Glover label. After that Jack Dupree, with whom he had worked before in a band that also featured the great Mickey Baker. "Champion" Jack Dupree got his nickname for his succesful boxing career but he definitely was a champ on the piano. Hear his Rock 'n Roll classic Shake Baby Shake . But first Larry Dale with Big Muddy.

Larry Dale - Big Muddy - Glover 1960
Jack Dupree - Shake Baby Shake - Vik 1957

Two instrumentals now, here on the Legends of the Rocking Dutchman, we'll start with Todd Rhodes and his orchestra. From 1954 on the King label the Chicken Strut. After that Joe Lutcher with the Strato-Cruiser on Capitol records, recorded in 1947.

Todd Rhodes - Chicken Strut - King 1954
Joe Lutcher - Stratocruiser - Capitol

Earlier I played Ike Turner and told you he had discovered many good artists when working as a talent scout. Now of course one of the greatest talent scouts in Rhythm 'n Blues was the great Johnny Otis. Some on the long list of his discoveries: Mel Walker, Little Esther Phillips, the Robins who later renamed themselves as the Coasters, Big Jay McNeeley, Etta James, Jackie Wilson, Hank Ballard, and Little Willie John... just to name a few.

He was son of Greek immigrants and he grew up in a black neighbourhood in Berkeley, CA. He chose to live his life and work in the african-american community - or as he said himself "As a kid I decided that if our society dictated that one had to be black or white, I would be black".

I will play you the Deceiving Blues, with Little Esther Phillips on lead.

16 - Johnny Otis Orch. feat. Little Esther Phillips - Deceivin' Blues
17 - Teddy 'Mr. Bear' McRae - Hold Out Baby

Teddy McRae was that with Hold Out Baby. He was mostly known for working in several bands and session work playing the tenor saxophone. There are just a few recordings where he is either the band leader or the vocalist. This was from 1955 on the Groove label where he cut a few songs under the name of Mr. Bear.

As we reach the end of the show I want to introduce you to two bluesmen that you probably haven't heard of before. First Edgar Blanchard. He was a permanent feature of the New Orleans music scene in the forties and fifties with his band the Gondoliers. I will play his Creole gal Blues. After that Washboard Sam. Now he is a singer who's completely forgotten but in the thirties and forties he was one of the hottest blues singers around in Chicago. He recorded some 160 sides for Bluebird and Vocalion records. I'll play Diggin'My Potatoes, but first Edgar Blanchard's Creole gal blues.

18 - Edgar Blanchard - Creole Gal Blues
19 - Washboard Sam - Diggin' My Potatoes - Chess 1953

Diggin' my potatoes, that was Washboard Sam. Now he's an example of how a once great artist can be completely forgotten nowadays. I'm glad to be able to showcase this great music on this little radio station and revive a musical style that was so important and influential for popular music up to now.

I hope you have enjoyed the show and if so - or if not - please don't hesitate to drop a line to rockingdutchman@rocketmail.com. You can of course ask me all about the great music that I showcase here. Once again, that is rockingdutchman@rocketmail.com. So for now - byebye and have a great day. No - have a rocking day. See you again next time, when I'll play more of that great music from the fourties and fifties - on the next episode of the Legends of the Rocking Dutchman.