"Rock & Roll" by JOE TURNER. A Review Of His Stunning 1956 Atlantic Album Now Remastered Onto CD In 2012 As Part Of The Japanese "Atlantic 1000:Best R&B Collection" Series.

This Review Along With 100s Of Others Can be Found In My E-BOOK

"BLUES, VOCAL GROUPS, RHYTHM & BLUES and ROCK & ROLL

Exceptional CD Remasters"

Available on Amazon for £3.95

"...Give Me One More Kiss...Hold It A Long Long Time..." 

"Rock & Roll" by JOE TURNER 

(2012 Japan-Only CD Remaster - Part of the “Atlantic 1000: Best R&B Collection” Series)

Since October 2012 going through to August 2014 and beyond - Warner Brothers Music Japan has been engaged in a massive reissue campaign covering all the labels under the Atlantic Records umbrella - it's called the "Atlantic 1000: R&B Best Collection" series. The 1000 refers to the Yen price - most are about 950 yen and at current exchange rates averages about 8 to 10 dollars or 5 to 6 pounds - with P&P - they can cost as little as 8 to 10 pounds per disc - which is cheap for quality like this. 

The genres covered are Blues, Rhythm 'n' Blues, Soul, Funk, Fusion, Disco, Gospel and some Jazz. Others labels featured are STAX, ELEKTRA and CURTOM as well as tiny Atlantic subsidiaries like Cat. Each release is in a jewel case - the artwork is repro’d in the booklet - there's an Obi strip around the outside and the CD label itself usually mimics the original vinyl album design. The big news however is not just the breath of the titles issued - but that all are 2012 to 2014 DSD remasters from the original tapes. And that's where this wonderful CD reissue for Joe Turner comes in…

1. Shake, Rattle & Roll

2. Flip, Flop & Fly

3. Feeling Happy 

4. Well All Right 

5. The Chicken And The Hawk 

6. Boogie Woogie Country Girl 

7. Honey Rush

8. Corrine Corrina [Side 2]

9. Midnight Special Train

10. Hide And Seek

11. Oke-She-Moke-She-Pop

12. Crawdad Hole

13. Sweet Sixteen

14. Chains Of Love

Released 7 November 2012 on Warner Brothers WPCR-27563 (Barcode 4943674126477) - "Joe Turner - Rock & Roll" is an exact repro of his famous 1957 14-track MONO album on Atlantic 8005 (total playing time 38:05 minutes). Page 1 of the 12-page booklet repros the front sleeve while the last page is the rear with all the recording details. In between you get a Japanese essay and the lyrics in English and naught else. The label (like the other 2) is Green. But the big news is the sound...

I've already reviewed Bear Family's superb "Rocks" CD by Joe Turner - and these remasters equal them. The sound quality is truly fantastic here - very clean - the stunning piano playing of PETE JOHNSON jumping out of every track. As for the LP - it's mostly a collection of rocking hit singles and their B-sides stretching back as far as 1951 and 1952 - gems like "The Chicken And The Hawk", "Shake, Rattle & Roll" (with its saucy lyrics not sanitized by Bill Haley's version), "Crawdad Hole" and so on. The hits just keep on coming - "Sweet Sixteen", "Boogie Woogie Country Girl" and the cool "Flip, Flop & Fly" (lyrics from it title this review). The only downer is that the last track "Chains Of Love" (his first 7" single for Atlantic back in 1951) is clearly from a badly corrupted tape or vinyl. But outside of that - fans of Fifties R'n'B will have to own it - "Corrine Corrina" sounding this good has to be heard to be believed.

Big Joe Turner and his superlative Atlantic sides - are GOD in our house - and this fabulous sounding remaster does him rocking proud…

PS: Here are some of the Blues and R'n'B titles available in this series so far:

1. LaVern Baker [aka "Rock & Roll"] (1957) - LaVERN BAKER

2. The Wildest Guitar (1959) - MICKEY BAKER

3. Ruth Brown [aka "Rock & Roll"] (1957) - RUTH BROWN

4. Late Date With Ruth Brown (1958) - RUTH BROWN

5. Yes Indeed! (1960) - RAY CHARLES

6. The Coasters (1958) - THE COASTERS

7. The Clovers (1956) - THE CLOVERS

8. Dance Party (1959) - THE CLOVERS

9. Don't Turn Me From Your Door (1963) - JOHN LEE HOOKER

10. Have Tenor Saxophone Will Blow (1959) - KING CURTIS

11. Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters [aka "Rock & Roll"] (1956) - CLYDE McPHATTER & THE DRIFTERS

12 The Boss Of The Blues (1956 Mono) - JOE TURNER [see REVIEW]

13. Joe Turner [aka "Rock & Roll"] (1957 Mono) - JOE TURNER [see REVIEW]

14. Big Joe Rides Again (1959 Stereo) - JOE TURNER [see REVIEW]

15. T-Bone Blues (1959 - includes 4 Bonus Tracks) - T-BONE WALKER

16. The King Of The Stroll (1958) - CHUCK WILLIS

A list of all 250 + titles in the series are on my Blog Site if you want a deeper look.

Google "Atlantic 1000: R&B Best Collection" and you’ll find it…