"Atlantic Rock & Roll Series" by VARIOUS ARTISTS (July 2017 Atlantic/Stateside 6CD Mini Box Set of Remasters with Mini LP Repro Artwork) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...The Sun Comes Shining Through..."

A little explanation is due on this one. Issuing original Jazz, Blues and especially Rhythm 'n' Blues music - Atlantic Records had been around a decade when they launched this series of six themed albums in July 1957 (all six albums in the same month - this July 2017 6CD reissue is a 60th Anniversary celebration of that). Trying of course to cash in on the rave-craze that had been sweeping the USA and the world since Bill Haley's "Rock Around The Clock" LP on Decca Records in December 1955 – the generic series title Rock 'n' Roll was however a bit of a porky pie.

In truth Atlantic Records had very little to do with Rock & Roll as we now know it (Atlantic was one of the premium race music labels of the day). But that hasn't stopped this legendary series of six LPs from being treasures – all of which are listed between two hundred and four hundred dollars as collectable vintage vinyl. By the time October 1957 had come round - Atlantic were offering these long-playing platters to US dealers at knocked-down rates and thus many of these affordable gems made there way to Blighty as imports where hungry white kids were gagging for the real deal - black singers and bands playing the originals - Rhythm 'n' Blues with a bop and a driving beat and not saccharine covers of Little Richard songs by the likes of Pat Boone.

This '60th Anniversary' "Atlantic Rock & Roll Series" 6CD 84-Track Mini Box Set Reissue from July 2017 on Atlantic/Stateside 0081227934354 (Barcode 0081227934354) offers you the six 14-track themed albums in the 'Rock & Roll' Series (straightforward reissues, no extras) as exact repros in 5" card sleeves of the July 1957 US LPs with the original artwork front and rear (see photos below). It's accompanied by a fairly functionary 12-page booklet with new liner notes from Florence Joelle Halfon - most of which is taken up with more detailed tracks lists of the LPs and a picture of the album's front artwork at the top of the page. Each Mono album was comprised of 7" hit singles and their flipsides - some stretching back as far as 1953 and 1954 - along with a couple of new stragglers thrown in to entice buyers of the day. A nice touch too is that the CD labels actually reflect (in a way) the Black & Silver coloring of the those sought-after 50ts originals.

You get  "Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters" on Atlantic 8003 (37:22 minutes), "Ruth Brown" on Atlantic 8004 (38:05 minutes), "Joe Turner" on Atlantic 8005 (39:05 minutes), "Ray Charles" on Atlantic 8006 (41:38 minutes), "La Vern Baker" on Atlantic 8007 (38:21 minutes) and "Ivory Joe Hunter" on Atlantic 8008 (38:06 minutes). In the case of Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters, Ray Charles and Ruth Brown - these long-plays were their debuts on the album's market. For Ivory Joe Hunter and LaVern Baker, "Rock & Roll" was their second album, whilst the older Big Joe Turner (even as early as 1957) saw "Rock & Roll" as album number three. 

As you can see from the total playing times provided above - as original albums they must have been a total blast - but as present day CD compilations they come up a tad short in terms of chock full of goodies. But don't let this put you off. Each unbreakable long player acts as a sort of mini 'Best Of' and the Remastered Mono Audio is spiffing. You also have to take the 'Rock & Roll' Series title with a pinch of musical salt. The music offered here is mostly Rhythm 'n' Blues - and even as you play the opening Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters tracks - Crooner tunes and Vocal Group slowies will come at you too.

The outer box is pretty - as are the card sleeves within and the 'Atlantic Records' label bag pictured on Page 2 of the booklet - but as you can't read the actual liner notes on the rear of each album (penned by Guy Remark). It might have been smarter to reproduce those in the booklet instead of track lists that are already on the rear of the box. The AUDIO is superb however - Remastered versions - all very clean and full of life a full 60 to 65 years after the event. I got my copy secondhand for eight quid - which with post cost me about a tenner - way better than the rather greedy eighteen pounds price tag for one as new.

And musically what these albums lack in hair-gelling Gene Vincent, Elvis Presley excitement - they more than make up for in boppin' R 'n' B and dancefloor Blues shufflers. The La Vern Baker, Ray Charles, Ruth Brown and Big Joe Turner records especially are fantastic fun and properly great listens. And for nostalgia nuts like me (lads of a certain age) - I can't resist that iconic artwork - LPs I've admired and loved for most of my life.

"Flip, Flop & Fly" as the might Joe Turner sang. As a lifetime fan of this stunning record label and a huge lover of Fifties Blues, Rhythm 'n' Blues and Vocal Groups - you could say that the lack of extras here is a tad disappointing and as a voracious collector of the label there's not a lot I don't already have. But as a newcomer - I absolutely envy you the journey...