"Street Corner Symphonies Volume 1: 1939-1949" by VARIOUS ARTISTS (2012 Bear Family CD – Marcus Heumann Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…If I Didn’t Care...Would I Feel This Way..."

Hot on the heels of their definitive "Blowing The Fuse" and "Sweet Soul Music" CD Series (15 volumes to each genre of R'n'B and Soul) comes Bear Family’s Vocal Group attack - 15 discs spanning 1939 to 1963. Volumes 1 to 10 hit the shops in May and October 2012 and the last five in the spring of 2013. And while critics

will argue that Vocal Group music has already been done to death by Rhino (3 x 4CD Box Sets across the decades) and a mountain of other cheapo labels taking advantage of the 50-year copyright law - this is the first time someone reputable (other than Rhino) have had a go - and typically these German-issued Bear Family CDs are gorgeous in all the right places - presentation and audio. You get 30 tracks and a format-incredible total playing time of 87:09 minutes. Time to 'cover the waterfront'...with 'memories that never die'...

Released May 2012 in Germany - "Street Corner Symphonies Volume 1: 1939-1949" on Bear Family BCD 17279 AR (Barcode 4000127172792) breaks down as follows (I've provided American 78" catalogue numbers on all tracks – those with two or more catalogue numbers are reissues in the same year – 87:09 minutes):

1. If I Didn't Care – THE INK SPOTS (1939, Decca 2286, A)

2. I Miss You So – THE CATS and THE FIDDLE (1940, Bluebird 8429, B-side to “Public Jitterbug No. 1”)

3. Till Then – THE MILLS BROTHERS (1944, Decca 18599, A)

4. I Learn A Lesson, I'll Never Forget (1944, Beacon 7120, A)

5. Sentimental Reasons – DEEK WATSON (1945, Manor 1009, A)

6. Play Jackpot – DUSTY BROOKS and His Four Tones (1945, Memo 1001, A)

7. Atom And Evil – THE GOLDEN GATE QUARTET (1946, Columbia 37236, A)

8. Just A-Sittin' And A-Rockin' – THE DELTA RHYTHM BOYS (1946, Decca 18739, A)

9. I Know – THE JUBALAIRES with Andy Kirk and His Orchestra (1946, Decca 18782, A)

10. I Sold My Heart To The Junk Man – THE BASIN STREET BOYS (1946, Exclusive 225, A)

11. I Cover The Waterfront – THE CATS 'N' JAMMER THREE (1946, Mercury 2003, A)

12. My Baby – THE MELODY MASTERS (1946, Apollo 379, A)

13. I Wonder, I Wonder, I Wonder – THE FOUR ACES (1946, Trilon 143, A)

14. P. S. I Love You – THE FOUR VAGABONDS (1947, Apollo 1057, A)

15. Ol' Man River – THE RAVENS (1947, National 9035, A)

16. Don't You Think I Oughta Know – BILL JOHNSON and His Musical Notes (1947, Harlem 1011/Queen 4171/King 4171, A)

17. I'm All Dressed Up With A Broken Heart – THE FIVE BARS (1947, Bullet 1009, A)

18. Solitude – THE SCAMPS (1947, Modern Music 550, A)

19. After Awhile – THE BIG THREE TRIO (1947, Columbia 37893/30103, A)

20. It's Too Soon To Know – THE ORIOLES (1948, It’s A Natural 5000/Jubilee 5000, A)

21. Recess In Heaven – THE DEEP RIVER BOYS (1948, RCA Victor 20-3203, A)

22. Loch Lomond – THE ROCKETS (1948, Aladdin 3017, A)

23. Go Long – THE DIXIEAIRES (1948, Gotham 163, A)

24. It Takes A Long Tall Brown Skinned Gal – THE FOUR BLUES (1948, Apollo 398, A)

25. You're Heartless – THE FOUR TUNES (1949, RCA Victor 22-0024/50-0008, A)

26. A Kiss And A Rose – THE CHARIOTEERS (1949, Columbia 38438, A)

27. Wrapped Up In A Dream – THE FOUR KNIGHTS (1949, Coral 60046, A)

28. River Stay Away From My Door – THE SYNCOPATORS (1949, National 9095, A)

29. If It's So Baby – THE ROBINS (1949, Savoy 726, A)

30. I've Been A Fool – THE SHADOWS (1949, Lee 200, A)

The 82-page non-detachable booklet is a feast of indepth liner notes on each release by Grammy-winning writer and lifelong fan BILL DAHL. Let's put it this way - there's a 'Photo Captions' index on Page 81 that tells who's who in the black and white publicity shots that accompany most (not all) of the photos. It actually lists the singer's names  - who else but Bear would do this? The text is peppered with pictures of those old American 78s on long-forgotten labels like National, Gotham, Bullet, Apollo, Memo, Beacon and Bluebird. You get trade adverts and concert posters for The Ink Spots, The Delta Rhythm Boys, Bill Samuels, The Four Vagabonds and The Four Blues. The CD repros the rare "I'm All Dressed Up With A Broken Heart" by The Five Bars on Bullet and the spine makes up a single photograph of the series name when you line up all 15 volumes alongside each other on a shelf. Long-standing and trusted names like Walter DeVenne, Nico Feuerbach, Victor Pearlin, Colin Escott and Billy Vera have been involved in the research - while Audio Engineer MARCUS HEUMANN did the superb mastering (some Disc/Metalpart transfers by Victor Pearlin and Lothar Blank). The sources (as you can imagine) differ wildly but to my ears the sound quality is improved on everything that I've heard before (including some of the Rhino box sets). The audio and presentation are top-class here (a norm for Bear Family)...

With a huge 30 tracks and a format-busting playing time of 87:09 minutes – you certainly can't accuse this CD of scrimping it. Volume 1 in the series of 15 opens with a died-in-the-wool 1938 classic famously used in the opening scene of Frank Darabont's 1994 movie masterpiece "The Shawshank Redemption". The character Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is sat drunk in his car at night with a gun in hand. He knows that his wife is inside the house ahead of him with another man as he listens to The Ink Spots on the radio sing their nostalgic love song "If I Didn't Care'. Both it and the following two lullabies precursor Fifties Vocal Groups by a decade – "I Miss You So" by The Cats And The Fiddle and "Till Then" by The Mills Brothers – and the opening three sound utterly astonishing in their clarity. All that goes out the window with "I Learned A Lesson, I'll Never Forget" which has clearly been dubbed from a badly worn disc (shame because it's a sweetheart of a tune).

I've always had a thing for "Sentimental Reasons" which Linda Ronstadt covered so beautifully on her 1986 album "'Round Midnight" (also used in the Julia Roberts/Richard Gere soundtrack to "The Runaway Bride" in 1999) and often wondered who did the original? Well here it is. Fronted by ex Ink Spots Tenor Ivory 'Deek' Watson and written by their Baritone/Guitarist William 'Pat' Best – it's another rough transfer – but a fabulous inclusion – scratchy or no. A welcome lyrical wit kicks in with the slot-machine song "Play Jackpot" where our hero wisely advises his listeners to "...pull down the lever and see what you got..." (it also boasts great audio despite the barely audible crackle in the background). The same brill audio applies to a genuinely astonishing find – an anti nuclear song cut a year after Enola Gay dropped its horrible cargo. It's called "Atom And Evil" wherein The Golden Gate Quarter solemnly warn us that if "...Atom and Evil should ever be wed...then damn near all of us are gonna be dead..." (so true).

Duke Ellington's "Just A-Sittin' And A Rockin'" as sung by The Delta Rhythm Boys features the gorgeous Lead Vocals of Otho 'Lee' Gaines – said to have massively influenced a singer beloved by all Vocal Group collectors – Jimmy Ricks of The Ravens. And you can hear why Ricks was so enamoured – Gaines' deep velvet tone lift every song to another place. Fabulous clarity returns with "I Know" by The Jubalaires where Andy Kirk fronts amazing Brass and Guitar. The gorgeous standard "I Sold My Heart To The Junk Man" is represented here by a clean-as-a-whistle transfer for The Basin Street Boys where Ormond Wilson sadly tells all his lady friends that "...he'll never fall in love again...” (though I've heard they’re not so sure). Two very rough transfers come at you next – "Cover The Waterfront" and "My Baby" and while the lovely melodies impress – there's no escaping the fact that the wall of cackle and clicks make them hard going as a listen.

Better is "P.S. I Love You" sung by Lead Tenor John Jordan of The Four Vagabonds – as lovely and as nostalgic a tune as a filmmaker could wish for. A welcome bopper arrives in sparkling form as the awesome Bass Singer Jimmy Ricks does that Jerome Kern classic "Ol' Man River" for The Ravens – thankfully keeping it upbeat - the suffering explored in the song somehow pushed into the background. Two more beautiful melodies "Don't You Think I Oughta Know" by Bill Johnson and "I'm Dressed Up With A Broken Heart" by The Five Bars are badly wrecked – but they're such gorgeous songs and strong performances – I can fully understand their inclusion is not just about rarity value. Thankfully the clarity on The Scamps version of Duke Ellington's "Solitude" is fabulous – piano and voices like they were in the room. The Big Three Trio liven things up with "...Hey Mo! Tell old Tom...hurry on down...the party is on...were gonna drink a little whiskey...after awhile..."

Things go into the legendary with "It's Too Soon To Know" by The Orioles fronted by the suave and silver-toned Sonny Til - a sex symbol of the day for African-American teenage girls (the equally terrific George Nelson holds the second half of the song sounding not unlike a young Louis Armstrong). Another professing-my-love "my angle, my dear" song comes in the sweet shape of The Deep River Boys singing "Recess In Heaven" while the vocal bopper "Loch Lomond" assures us that The Rockets have all been to Scotland (well maybe not). And on it goes to Preacher Brown who's in both celestial and congregational trouble because a "...long tall brown skinned gal made him lay his bible down..." (oh dear). Saving us all from the flames of desire is the wistful "You're Heartless" by The Four Tunes – another audio winner with stunning clarity. Aside from the R&B jaunt of The Robins on a wonderfully clear "If It's So Baby" - two of the compilation's final four - "A Kiss And A Rose" by The Charioteers and "Wrapped Up In A Dream" by The Four Knights are amazingly evocative – dripping the sob-pillow longings of hopeless romantics the world over...and would we have it any other way.

To sum up – I had honestly felt that Volume 1 in this series would be an Audio Disaster Area because of transfer problems with discs so staggeringly old (and as I’ve highlighted - in some cases it is). But man oh man the clarity on the others is stunning. And like its 1950 follow-up – '1939 to 1949' is dominated by unashamedly smoochy tunes – an out-and-out 'romantic' compilation that positively drips old movies nostalgia – and personally I love that.

Niggles - they're too expensive as singles discs and perhaps they should have been doubles because real collectors will have more than a few titles on offer here. But Bear Family will argue '...not in this sound quality or looking this good...' - and they'd have a point.

Presented to us with love and affection by an independent record company that cares about forgotten voices that shouldn’t be forgotten. What a sweetheart of a compilation and another gold standard from Bear...

"Blowing The Fuse: 28 R&B Classics That Rocked The Jukebox In 1947" by VARIOUS ARTISTS (November 2004 Bear Family CD – Jurgen Crasser Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…Big Legs Is All I Crave..."

Bear Family's truly fabulous "Blowing The Fuse" series of CD compilations chronicles the transition of minority ghettoized Blues into national Rhythm 'n' Blues and stretches across 16 individual single-disc volumes that cover the years 1945 to 1960. Released across 2004 and 2005 –"Blowing The Fuse" was then followed in 2008 and 2009 by Bear’s equally magnificent "Sweet Soul Music" series of 15 sets from 1961 to 1975 - complimented in turn by their spiritual and musical partners - 15 volumes of Vocal Group sets called "Street Corner Symphonies" covering 1939 to 1963 (released 2012 and 2013). I suppose you could argue that I just say, "Buy the lot man!" in a very loud voice - but bluntly they're so good - each deserves a thorough review (and that’s what I’ve done). So here goes with Volume 3 of the R&B Series "Blowing The Fuse"…(where the compilations really start to shine for me)...

"Blowing The Fuse - 28 R&B Classics That Rocked The Jukebox In 1947" is on Bear Family BCD 16702 AS (Barcode 4000127167026) and was released November 2004 in Germany. Each US-based yearly compilation comes in a 3-way foldout card digipak sleeve. The left flap pictures an original record relevant to the year (1947 has "Sally Zu-Zaz" by JOE TURNER on National 4016), the centre flap holds a 70 to 90 page oversized booklet that slips out so you can read it separately and the right flap a colour-themed CD that matches the outer packaging. As with the 15 volumes of "Sweet Soul Music" and "Street Corner Symphonies" - each of the "Blowing The Fuse" spines makes up a whole photo when placed alongside each other (a fantastic black & white shot of a crowd of hip dudes and their gals dancing at some Saturday night bar). As you can see from the cover photos of these compilations too, the theme of people dancing and artists enjoying themselves is repeated right across all of these wonderfully restored photographs (they're from The Showtime Music Archive in Toronto). Siding the text and black/white publicity photos are uber rare trade adverts and of course those equally scarce 78’s in their lovely label bags. This 1947 issue has 72-pages in its booklet and the CD runs to a trouser-pleasing 79:48 minutes.

THE SOUND and TRACK CHOICES:

Sourcing the best disc available (or occasional tape) Bear’s Audio Engineer genius JURGEN CRASSER has mastered each cut with care. Depending on the condition of the disc – the audio varies wildly - and as you can imagine it’s a case of astonishingly clean transfer one moment and hiss & cackle-laden version the next. Overall though I’m more than pleased with what I’m hearing...all of it imbibed with huge musical and lyrical talent and a sheer sense of to "hell-with-it-all!" – let's have some fun...

THE BOOKLET:

The booklet in each of these reissues is to die for. There's an intro on Page 4 with the text for the songs beginning on Page 5 and ending on Page 70, so there's almost no wasted space. Each artist is pictured using quality publicity shots, and every now and then, a beautiful page plate of lesser-seen trade adverts, or a rare 78” in its label bag (long ago American Record labels like Black & White, Mercury and National). What’s noticeable about the 1947 Volume (over 1945 and 1946) is that there’s more advert repros and is massively evocative of the time period because of it (there’s even a colour photo of Louis Jordan on a 25c 'Color' fanzine on Page 58). Each song then has an essay on its history by noted writer COLIN ESCOTT and because the booklet allows him to spread out on each song, the details come thick and fast - it's a fabulously entertaining and informative read.

THE SONGS:

Volume 3 of 16 opens with the irrepressible Louis Jordan giving it his mantra "Let The Good Times Roll" and that's exactly what happens. And what you also notice as we slide into the joyous barrelhouse piano boogie of "Swanee River Boogie" by Albert Ammons – compared to some of the seriously rough cuts on 1945 and 1946 – the audio leaps forward a million miles into wonderful clarity. Even on the seriously bluesy and mellow "Bobby Sox Baby" – the transfer is so clean it’s almost unnerving. The witty "Open The Door Richard!" has a clearly worried Jack McVea talking to his band as they try to get Richard out of bed – banging the drums for every chorus (knocks on the door) as they sing "...let me in!" but the numbskull doesn't reply. There's even a photo on Page 15 of McVea's All Stars Band standing in the dark knocking on Richard's door with Sombreros on their heads, a Saxophone in hand and several guns pointed at the lock.

We continue in the fat Boogie Woogie vein with a wicked piano-pounding gem from Amos Milburn doing "Down The Road Apiece". It was a revival of a 1940 hit and he seems determined to impress and he tears up the keys (great stuff). The audio takes a major dip with the slow and romantic Vocal Group of "I Want To Be Loved (But Only By You)" which has clearly been dubbed from 78". But what a brilliant and worthy inclusion! It's by the lesser heard Savannah Churchill (backed up by The Four Tunes) and is properly gorgeous stuff (stayed at No.1 on the Harlem hit parade for 7 weeks) – a truly evocative sentimental lilt that I’ll be playing again real soon (crackle or no). We return to Boppin' R 'n' B with Eddie Vinson who tells his gal in "Old Maid Boogie" that she should wake up because in ten more years her youth will be gone. We now get a real blast from Sonny Boy Williamson whose distinctive Harmonica wailing never ceases to thrill. Shockingly good too is Dinah Washington doing smoochy Blues with Lionel Hampton’s band on "Blow Top Blues" where she informs her squeeze that she's "...got bad news baby and you're the first to know...I’ve been rocking on my feet and talking all out of my head..." – oh dear Dinah.

It's hardly surprising to find the mighty Joe Turner and his wonderful "Sally Zu-Zaz" is pictured on the inner flap. What an absolute R 'n' B winner it is – racy, rude and full of life. Tom Jones did a belting cover of it with Jools Holland on their self-titled CD compilation in 2004 - smartly airing a criminally forgotten masterpiece. Hadda Brooks based her version of the 1931 hit "That's My Desire" on a Frankie Lane performance she saw live (hers is a lovely version). Chess Records in-house genius Willie Dixon and his impossibly commercial wit imbibes the Big Three Trio's "Signifying Monkey" with such great fun - a slagging match in the jungle between a monkey and a lion where the supposed king of the realm has to survive an elephant as well the primate's relentless jibes. Future History kicks in with Arthur Crudup's cool original of "That's All Right" which would of course be taped in 1954 at Sun Records by some punk kid from Tupelo whereupon he and it would thereafter alter the fabric of our known Universe (cheeky bugger). "...I'm in love with you baby...and I just can't help myself..." - a pleading Roy Milton tells his punters in the neck-jerking shuffle of "True Blues" – a wicked groove that grabs you and just won't let go (sometimes simplicity is best). Jump piano dancing comes in the shape of "Chicago Boogie" from the Five Blazes (Ernie Harper dominating both the vocals and the keys) where small-town boys speak of the windy city with awe. Roughest of transfers goes to the beautiful "Don't You Think I Ought To Know" which features the silk vocals of Bill Johnson – it's covered in crackle but is also full of pathos and atmosphere and a smart inclusion. I've reviewed Nellie Lutcher's 5CD Box Set on Bear Family (a treasure I own) and her "He's A Real Gone Guy" will be a thrill to does new to her fantastic stint at Capitol Records. Best Audio returns for The Ravens who put in a winner with the 1927 "Show Boat" musical stalwart - "Ol' Man River". Lead vocals are handled by the astonishing voice of Jimmy Ricks who could make any hokum sound utterly convincing. He warns "...you'll get drunk and land in jail..." – well I’m glad his voice landed here. And on it goes with wicked danceable Forties R 'n' B winners from Louis Jordan, Julia Lee and the lewd "Big Legs" from Gene Phillips who is clearly enjoying himself way too much as he sings "...big legs is all I crave...let big-legged women carry me to my grave..." Amen...

To sum up - even though they were initially expensive as imports - as the years have gone by they've gone down in price (some online retailers via Amazon or eBay are selling them for about £8.50. But I can't help thinking that once long-time collectors actually get their hands on even one of these compilations (no matter what the date) - they'll be irresistibly hooked and need to own the lot.

For the casual buyer just looking for a great one-stop account of R&B Music for a given year - "1947" is 'the' place to start. I've collected and reviewed the whole set (16 titles)...and they're amongst my favourite reissues...

TRACK LIST for "Blowing The Fuse - 1947" (79:48 minutes) 

Volume 3 of 16

Song Title, ARTIST (Record Label and US 78" Catalogue Number, A-Side or B-Side)

1. Let The Good Times Roll- LOUIS JORDAN and his Timpany Five (Decca 23741, A)

2. Swanee River Boogie – ALBERT AMMONS and his Rhythm Kings (Mercury 8022, A)

3. Bobby Sox Blues – T-BONE WALKER and his guitar with Jack McVea and his All Stars (Black & White 110, A)

4. Open The Door Richard! – JACK McVEA and His All Stars (Black & White 792, A)

5. Down The Road Apiece – AMOS MILBURN (Aladdin 161, A)

6. I Want To Be Loved (But Only By You) – SAVANNAH CHURCHILL with The Four Tunes (Manor 1046, A)

7. Old Maid Boogie – EDDIE VINSON and his Orchestra (Mercury 8028, A)

8. Shake That Boogie – SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON (RCA 20-2056, A)

9. Blow Top Blues – LIONEL HAMPTON and his Septet - Vocal by Dinah Washington (Decca 23792, A)

10. Time To Change Your Town – WYNONIE ‘Blues’ HARRIS with Oscar Pettiford and his All Stars (Apollo 378, A)

11. Sally Zu-Zaz – JOE TURNER and his Boogie Woogie Boys (National 4016, B)

12. That's My Desire – HADDA BROOKS (Modern 147, A)

13. Signifying Monkey – BIG THREE TRIO (Columbia 37358, A)

14. That's All Right – ARTHUR 'Big Boy' CRUDUP (RCA 20-2205, A)

15. New Orleans Blues – JOHNNY MOORE'S THREE BLAZERS (Exclusive 240, A)

16. True Blues – ROY MILTON and his Solid Senders (Specialty 510, A)

17. Chicago Boogie – 5 BLAZES – Vocal and Piano by Ernie Harper (Aristocrat 201, A)

18. Don't You Think I Ought To Know – BILL JOHNSON and his Musical Notes (Harlem 1011 / King 417, A)

19. W.B. Blues – WALTER BROWN with Jay McShann's Quartet (Mercury 8046, A)

20. He's A Real Gone Guy – NELLIE LUTCHER and her Rhythm (Capitol 40017, A)

21. Ol' Man River – THE RAVENS [Lead Vocals Jimmy Ricks] (National 9035, A)

22. Boogie Woogie Blue Plate – LOUIS JORDAN and his Tympany Five (Decca 24104, A)

23. (Opportunity Knocks But Once) Snatch And Grab It – JULIA LEE and her Boyfriends (Capitol 40028, A)

24. Lollypop Mama – CLARENCE SAMUELS with Dave Young's Orchestra (Aristocrat 1001, A)

25. Since I Fell For You – ANNIE LAURIE with Paul Gayten and his Trio (DeLuxe 1082, A)

26. Big Legs – GENE PHILLIPS and the Rhythm Aces (Modern 527, A)
27. Guitar In My Hand – CLARENCE 'Gatemouth' BROWN with Maxwell Davis and his Orchestra (Aladdin 199, A)

"Blowing The Fuse - 26 R&B Classics That Rocked The Jukebox In 1945" by VARIOUS ARTISTS (2004 Bear Family CD Compilation, Volume 1 of 16, Jurgen Crasser Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…I Went Downtown To Buy You Some Hair...As The Good Lord Never Gave You None..."

Bear Family's truly fabulous "Blowing The Fuse" series of CD compilations chronicles the transition of minority ghettoized Blues into national Rhythm 'n' Blues and stretches across 16 individual single-disc volumes that cover the years 1945 to 1960. Released across 2004 and 2005 –"Blowing The Fuse" was then followed in 2008 and 2009 by Bear’s equally magnificent "Sweet Soul Music" series of 15 sets from 1961 to 1975 - complimented in turn by their spiritual and musical partners - 15 volumes of Vocal Group sets called "Street Corner Symphonies" covering 1939 to 1963 (released 2012 and 2013). I suppose you could argue that I just say, "Buy the lot man!" in a very loud voice - but bluntly they're so good - each deserves a thorough review (and that’s what I’ve done). So here goes with Volume 1 of the R&B Series "Blowing The Fuse"…

"Blowing The Fuse - 26 R&B Classics That Rocked The Jukebox In 1945" is on Bear Family BCD 16700 AS (Barcode 4000127167002) and was released November 2004 in Germany. Each US-based yearly compilation comes in a 3-way foldout card digipak sleeve. The left flap pictures an original record relevant to the year (1945 has "Harlem Nocturne" by Johnny Otis on Savoy), the centre flap holds a 70 to 90 page oversized booklet that slips out so you can read it separately and the right flap a colour-themed CD that matches the outer packaging. As with the 15 volumes of "Sweet Soul Music" and "Street Corner Symphonies" - each of the "Blowing The Fuse" spines makes up a whole photo when placed alongside each other (a fantastic black & white shot of a crowd of hip dudes and their gals dancing at some Saturday night bar). As you can see from the cover photos of these compilations too, the theme of people dancing and artists enjoying themselves is repeated right across all of these wonderfully restored photographs (they're from The Showtime Music Archive in Toronto). Siding the text and black/white publicity photos are uber rare trade adverts and of course those equally scarce 78’s in their lovely label bags. This 1945 issue has 72-pages in its booklet and the CD runs to a fulsome 78:06 minutes.

THE SOUND and TRACK CHOICES:

Sourcing the best disc available (or occasional tape) Bear’s Audio Engineer genius JURGEN CRASSER has mastered each cut with care. Depending on the condition of the disc – the audio varies wildly - and as you can imagine it’s a case of astonishingly clean transfer one moment and hiss & cackle-laden version the next. Overall though I’m more than pleased with what I’m hearing...all of it imbibed with huge musical and lyrical talent and a sheer sense of to "hell-with-it-all!" – let's have some fun...

THE BOOKLET:

The booklet is to die for. There's an intro on Page 4 with the text for the songs beginning on Page 5 and ending on Page 70, so there's almost no wasted space. Each artist is pictured using quality publicity shots, and every now and then, a beautiful page plate of lesser-seen trade adverts, or a rare 78” in its label bag (long ago American Record labels like Majestic, Bluebird, Victor, Decca, Exclusive, Philo and others). Each song then has an essay on its history by noted writer COLIN ESCOTT and because the booklet allows him to spread out on each song, the details come thick and fast - it's a fabulously entertaining and informative read.

THE SONGS:

Volume 1 of 16 opens with what many believe to be the first Independent R&B release of importance – the lo-fi but emotionally charged "I Wonder" by the returned WW II soldier from Tennessee Private Cecil Gant. It was recorded by other bigger names that year under more professional studio circumstances – but something in Gant’s garage-recorded version tapped into the longing of the populace after the war and made it a No. 1 hit on the Harlem Parade (Marvin Gaye and Aretha Franklin recorded versions of it years later). There’s a hint of the 78" being played but the audio is surely best ever for this historic recording.

Speaking of impressive audio - the Louis Jordan cut "Caldonia" is incredibly clean and full of vim - as is the stunning Blues of "Things Have Changed" by T-Bone Walker and "Left A Good Deal In Mobile" by Herb Jeffries – but the acoustic and piano boogie of Sister Rosetta Tharpe is covered in cackle (that doesn’t mean it isn’t brilliant and actually one of the highlights on here). Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup's "Rock Me Mamma" is beautifully clear and powerful for it. The hilarious Lucky Millinder boozy parable "Who Threw The Whiskey In The Well" where Deacon Jones wants his sinners to repent (but first he's got to find out whose spiking his holy water font) occupies the middle ground. The track features Wynonie "Mr. Blues" Harris on his debut vocal and audio-wise is a half-way house – some clicking and clacking on the vocal passages but thereafter mostly clean. The World War II brass laden shuffle of "That's The Stuff You Gotta Watch" by Buddy Johnson features a cautionary vocal by Ella Johnson about wandering eyes that lead to wandering hands...

Other winners include the Hadda Brooks boogie-woogie piano instrumental "Swingin' The Boogie" – a happy song that transcends its rough transfer. Piano blues kicks in with the fabulous “Things Have Changed” from Big Maceo (real name Major Merriweather) with superb sound – very Curtis Jones (Tampa Red plays the guitar). Criminally unacknowledged great R&B voice comes in the shapely warm tones of Herb Jeffries who recorded "Left A Good Deal In Mobile" apparently as the same session as the legendary "Honeydripper" track by Joe Liggins (also on this disc). I love, love, love "I'll Be Home Soon" by The Golden Gate Quartet - a vocal group in the vein of the Ink Spots. Think the beginning of The Shawshank Redemption where Andy sits in his car drunk listening to the radio about to commit a crime he'll pay for forever  - the song has beautiful deep longing tones and none other than Elvis Presley instinctively knew that it would suit his vocals (he does a gorgeous version of "I'll Be Home Soon" on his 1960 RCA album masterpiece "Elvis Is Back"). It's more Vocal Groups than driving R&B but I applaud its inclusion here. "I Ain't Mad At You Pretty Baby" was written by Gatemouth Moore about a woman who whacked her lover in a drunken tiff across the face with her stiletto and out popped the song title. Favourites include the Joe Turner boppin feel to "Be-Baba-Leba" by Helen Humes - which is very Little Esther territory and the instrumental finisher "Beulah's Boogie" which like Glenn Miller announces that the battles are over and its time to dance...

To sum up - even though they were initially expensive as imports - as the years have gone by they've gone down in price (some online retailers via Amazon or eBay are selling them for about £8.50). But I can't help thinking that once long-time collectors actually get their hands on even one of these compilations (no matter what the date) - they'll be irresistibly hooked and need to own the lot. 

For the casual buyer just looking for a great one-stop account of R&B Music for a given year - "1945" is 'the' place to start. I've collected the whole set...and they're amongst my favourite reissues...

TRACK LIST for "Blowing The Fuse - 1949" (78:06 minutes):

Volume 1 of 16

Song Title, ARTIST (Record Label and US 78” Catalogue Number, A-Side or B-Side)

1. I Wonder – PRIVATE CECIL GANT (Gilt Edge 500, A)

2. Somebody's Gotta Go – COOTIE WILLIAMS and his Orchestra (Vocals by Eddie Vinson) (Majestic 7184, A)

3. S.K. Blues, Part 1 – JOE TURNER with Pete Johnson’s All Stars (National 9010, A)

4. Tippin' In – ERSKIN HAWKINS and his Orchestra (Victor 20-1639, A)

5. Strange Things Happening Every Day – SISTER ROSETTA THARPE (Decca 8669, A)

6. Rock Me Mamma – ARTHUR "Big Boy" CRUDUP (Bluebird 34-0705, A and reissued on Victor 20-2976, A)

7. V Day Stomp – THE FOUR CLEFS (Vocal Refrain by Johnny Green) (Victor 20-1656, A)

8.  Who Threw The Whiskey In The Well? – LUCKY MILLINDER and his Orchestra (Vocal Chorus by Wynonie 'Mr. Blues' Harris and Congregation) (Decca 18674, A)

9. Caldonia – LOUIS JORDAN and His Tympany Five (Decca 8670, A)

10. Boogie Woogie On A Saturday Nite – FIVE RED CAPS (Joe Davis 7133, A)

11. That's The Stuff You Gotta Watch – BUDDY JOHNSON and His Orchestra (Decca 8671, A)

12. I Will Be Home Again – GOLDEN GATE QUARTET (Okeh 6741, A)

13. The Honeydripper, Part 1 – JOE LIGGINS and His Honeydrippers (Exclusive Master Series 207, A)

14. Jimmy's Blues – COUNT BASIE and His Orchestra (Vocal Chorus by Jimmy Rushing) (Columbia 36831, A)

15. Swingin' The Boogie – HADDA BROOKS (Modern 102, A)

16. Sail On Boogie – T-BONE WALKER with Marl Young and his Orchestra (Rhumboogie 4000, B-side of “I’m Still In Love With You”)

17. Things Have Changed – BIG MACEO (Bluebird 34-0735, A)

18. Left A Good Deal In Mobile – HERB JEFFRIES with Joe Liggins' Honeydrippers (Exclusive 208, A)

19. I Ain't Mad At You Pretty Baby – GATEMOUTH MOORE with Dallas Bartley and his Small Town Boys (National 6001, A)

20. Blues At Sunrise – "IVORY" JOE HUNTER with Johnny Moore’s 3 Blazers (Ivory 56, A, and Exclusive Master Series 209, A and further reissued on Dot 1036, A)

21. Baby Look At You – WYNONIE 'Blues' HARRIS with Jack McVea and his All Stars (Apollo 361, A)

22. Be-Baba-Leba – HELEN HUMES with the Bill Doggett Octet (Philo P 106, A and Aladdin 106, A)

23. Harlem Nocturne – JOHNNY OTIS, his drums and his Orchestra (Excelsior 142, A)

24. Garfield Avenue Blues – JAY McSHANN and the Sextet (Premier 29010, A, and reissued on Mercury 8002, A)

25. If It's Good – JULIA LEE with the Tommy Douglas Orchestra (Premier 29012, A, reissued on Mercury 8005, A)

26. Beulah's Boogie – LIONEL HAMPTON and his Orchestra (Decca 18719, A)