This transcript of the radio show is an approximation of what I said in the show. The real spoken parts may differ slightly.
And for today a mix of music that I recently got on a few CDs and records and that I'd like to share with you. One fine thing of making a radio program is that it gives me an excuse to ever expand my music collection. Take for instance this goody. From 1950 on the New York based Skyscraper label here is Buddy Hawkins with his Keynoters, a vocal group from Norfolk, VA. Listen to the St. Louis Blues.
Buddy Hawkins & The Keynotes - Saint Louis Blues
Blue Lu Barker - Now You're Down In The Alley
Blue Lu Barker on the Capitol label from 1947, that was Now You're Down In The Alley and though she had just a limited vocal range she sang with the great names including Cab Calloway and Sydney Bechet, and with her husband, guitarist Danny Barker.
Next from 1953 on the Hollywood label Linda Hayes with Red Callender's orchestra. She recorded four sides with Callender and later did background vocals on her brother Tony Williams' vocal group the Platters - that is before they would rise to stardom. Apart from her 1953 hit Yes I Know - the other single she did with Red Callender - she hasn't been overly succesful - and I think she had enough talent.
Judge for yourself with What's It To You Jack.
03 - Linda Hayes & the Red Callender Sextette - What's It To You Jack
04 - Honey Brown With Freddie Mitchell's Orchestra - Rockin' And Jumpin'
(jingle)
05 - Goree Carter - I'm Your Boogie Man
06 - Joe Liggins - Sweet Georgia Brown
Joe Liggins on the Exclusive label from 1948, you heard the popular classic Sweet Georgia Brown. The song originally is originally from 1925 and there are a few real great versions from the twenties out there on YouTube. In a short movie from 1925 there's the orchestra of Ben Bernie doing an instrumental version of it with - as far as known - the first saxophone solo ever caught on film, and Ethel Waters did a great vocal version in that same year. The Ascap repository of songs mention some one hundred covers, but he list probably is far from complete. At least this version is not mentioned.
Before that you got Goree Carter from 1951 on the Coral label and the song before the jingle was Honey Brown from that same year '51, backed up by the band of Freddie Mitchell with Rockin' And Jumpin'.
Next Joe Turner with The Sun Is Shining and that was the flip of his version of the classic Blues Jumped the Rabbit released on the Bayou label in 1953 - but the recording already was done in 1950. Listen to The Sun Is Shining.
07 - Big Joe Turner - The Sun Is Shining
08 - Dave Bartholemew - Country Gal
Dave Bartholomew with the Country Gal recorded in 1952 and by then he had become one of the key persons in the New Orleans music scene. Imperial records had hired him as a talent scout, songwriter and leader of the house band and each of these tasks he did with huge success. Among the artists he wrote songs for and whom he backed up by his band are many great names of the Crescent City - including Shirley & Lee, Lloyd Price, Smiley Lewis, Earl King, and most of all, Fats Domino - with him he worked throughout the fifties writing and producing Domino's greatest hits.
His legacy is enourmous. He proclaimed himself as the inventor of New Orleans' Big Beat style and maybe he was right, as he is one of the key figures in shaping Rock 'n Roll. The Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame in 1991, where he was inducted in 1991, on their web site they say Bartholomew was "one of the most significant musical figures of the New Orleans scene" and I think they are right, but his name doesn't ring a bell in to the greater public. A lot of his work was in the background - and those people are often overlooked. Anyhow, the royalties of the 4,000 songs he wrote made him a millionaire. Not many Rhythm & Blues artists have achieved that.
From this important and influential man to a bluesman who never lived to see himself become succesful. Carolina Slim died at the tragically young age of 30 of a heart failure while undergoing a minor surgery. His recording career spans not more than two years on the Savoy and King labels.
Carolina Slim was the stage name of Edward P. Harris, but he also recorded and performed under other names such as Lazy Slim Jim, Paul Howard, Country Paul, Jammin' Jim and Georgia Pine. It's not clear why he used so many names - neither are more details of his short life.
Listen to the flip of his debut single - Mama's Boogie that was released on the Savoy subsidiary Acorn in 1950.
09 - Carolina Slim - Mama's Boogie
10 - Baby Face Leroy Trio - Red Headed Woman
On the Chicago-based Parkway label Baby Face Leroy with the Red Headed Woman and that was from 1950. On this record you also hear Muddy Waters on the guitar and Little Walter on the harp. Now before the music I told you of the untimely death of Carolina Slim - well Leroy Foster - that was his real name - didn't get much older. He also died of a heart attack - at the young age of 35 years.
Next bluesman Amos Easton - better known as Bumble Bee Slim on the Fidelity label with Ida Red from 1952.
11 - Bumble Bee Slim - Ida Red
12 - Big John Greer & His Rhythm Rockers - Rockin' With Big John
Well that's what they call for something completely different. This instrumental was Big John Greer & His Rhythm Rockers with Rockin' With Big John, and that was from 1948 on the Sittin' In With label. Now Greer had already agreed to take a job with Lucky Millinder's orchestra as sax player and singer, but in the meanwhile recorded this - I don't know who the other musicians, billed as the Rhythm Rockers, on this session were.
Next Earl Bostic and his band with That's The Groovy Thing and that was released both on the Gotham label as number 104 for part 1 and 111 as part 2, and on the Queen label, the Rhythm & Blues subsidiary of King. King originally only did country music, by then called hillbilly. Bij 1947 the name Queen ended and R&B was issued on King instead. The re-release of Earl Bostic's That's The Groovy Thing was the last release under the Queen name.
13 - Earl Bostic - That's The Groovy Thing
14 - Joe Lutcher - Foothill Drive
(jingle)
15 - Andy Kirk And His Clouds Of Joy - Messa Stomp
16 - Big Connie - Mumbles Blues
From 1956 on the Groove subsidiary of RCA Big Connie with the Mumbles Blues. Before that you got Andy Kirk and his Clouds of Joy and that was a lot older, we're talking 1938 now, with the Messa Stomp on Decca, one of the many compositions of the great pianist Mary Lou Williams who was with the band from 1929 to '42. And then before the jingle you heard Joe Lutcher with Foothill Drive and that was on the Modern label from 1949.
Next, from 1951 on the Federal label Annisteen Allen with Lies Lies Lies. Allen had been working for Lucky Millinder since 1945 but the records were all credited to Millinder and his orchestra. On Federal she was released under her own name, that is, the first name Annisteen was made up by Millinder, who mixed his howe town, Anniston, AL, with her first name, Ernestine. She kept on using Annisteen as her stage name. Only her very last record, in 1961, was billed as Ernestine Allen.
Listen to Lies Lies Lies.
17 - Annisteen Allen - Lies Lies Lies
18 - Arnett Cobb & Milt Larkin - Flower Garden Blues
19 - Sugar Chile Robinson - I'll Eat My Spinach
And just when I don't talk that much, I easily squeeze a track more in an hour. You heard child prodigy sensation Sugar Chile Robinson with I'll eat my spinach released in 1950 on Capitol.®ß
So some more music and a little less talk - I hope you liked that, well I know you come here for the music and not for my voice, but still I try to tell you some background information on what I play. Let me know what you think and send me an e-mail at rockingdutchman@rocketmail.com. And if you want to review today's play list or see what's on next time, you can visit my web site. Do a google search for the Legends of the Rocking Dutchman and my site will show up first. As for now, byebye and have a great and rocking day. See you next time on the Legends of the Rocking Dutchman!