"…Papa
Lou And Gran Are At It…"
With
this quality CD release - the "By The Bayou" series from one of
England's premier reissue labels Ace Records now reaches double-digits (10th in
the series) - and typically their latest edition is a classy inclusion in every
way. Greats tunes (7 previously unreleased), rocking sound and annotation that
both informs and touches the old heartstrings. Here are pretty baby swoons and
mad dog howls...
UK
released January 2015 - "Rhythm 'n' Bluesin' By The Bayou: Mad Dogs, Sweet
Daddies & Pretty Babies" on Ace Records CDCHD 1422 (Barcode
029667063425) fills out as follows (64:33 minutes):
1.
Papa Lou And Gran - LITTLE VICTOR & HIS ORCHESTRA (1961 USA 7" single
on Richland 23, A)
2.
Hoo Wee, Sweet Daddy - KATIE WEBSTER (1959 USA 7" single on Zynn 505, A)
3.
I'd Love To Tell - TABBY THOMAS (first appeared on the 1989 compilation LP
"Hoodoo Party" on Flyright Records FLY LP 621)
4.
Pretty Woman (Take It Home To Grandma) - LESTER ROBERTSON - Previously
Unreleased
5.
Long Way From Home - GUITAR GABLE (first appeared on the 1984 UK LP compilation
"Cool Calm Collected" on Flyright Records FLY LP 599)
6.
I Called You Daddy - ANNA MAE ROGERS (1954 USA 78" on Feature 3004, B-side
of "If I Keep On Worrying" by Clarence Garlow)
7.
I Got Fever (Wicked Fever) - MAD DOG SHEFFIELD (first appeared on the UK 1987
Various Artists LP compilation "Rockin' Jumpin' Shoutin'" on Goldband
GCL-112)
8.
Knock Knock - CAROL FRAN - Previously Unreleased Alternate Take of Excello 2156
9.
Sally Lou - LEROY WASHINGTON - Previously Unreleased
10.
Rooty Tooty - LIONEL TORRENCE (1962 USA 7" single on Zynn 1023, A)
11.
A Merry Christmas - SAD LEROY WHITE (first appeared on the UK 1981 Various
Artists compilation LP "Too Hot To Handle: The Legendary Jay Miller
Sessions Volume 21" on Flyright Records FLY LP 570)
12.
You Know Yeah - WONDER BOY TRAVIS (first appeared on the UK 1976 Various
Artists Compilation LP "Tag Along: The Legendary Jay Miller Sessions
Volume 1" on Flyright Records FLY LP 516)
13.
Tell Me Pretty Baby - LAZY LESTER - Previously Unreleased Alternate Take of
Excello 2129, A)
14.
Hey Ma Ma - CLIFTON CHENIER (1961 USA 7" single on Zynn 1004, A)
15.
Ain't Nothing Shaking (But The Leaves On The Tree) - EDDIE WILLIAMS -
Previously Unreleased
16.
Mad Dog - MAD DOG SHEFFIELD (1956 USA 7" single on Goldband 1045, A)
17.
Mary Lou - KING KARL & GUITAR GABLE (first appeared on the 1984 UK LP
compilation "Cool Calm Collected" on Flyright Records FLY LP 599)
18.
How Wee Pretty Baby - LESTER ROBERTSON - Previously Unreleased Alternate Take
of a track that first appeared on 1984 UK Various Artists compilation LP
"Going To New Orleans" on Flyright FLY LP 601)
19.
One More Chance - CAROL FRAN - Previously Unreleased Alternate Take of Excello
2175)
20.
Don't Le Me Down - FRANK SIMIEN (1959 USA 7" single on Rod 1001, A)
21.
Hello Baby, What You Know - LEROY WASHINGTON (first appeared on the 1976 UK
Various Artists Compilation LP "Rock Me All Night Long" on Flyright
Records FLY LP 606)
22.
I Want Her To Love Me - KATE WEBSTER & ASHTON CONROY (1958 USA 7"
single on Kry 100)
23.
Hey Mr. Love - KATIE WEBSTER & BOBBY JAY (first appeared on the 1988 UK
compilation LP "Katie Webster" on Flyright FLY LP 613)
24.
I Need Your Love - JIMMY DOTSON (1960 USA 7" single on Rocko 516)
25.
When It Rains It Really Pours - CHARLES MORRIS - Previously Unreleased
26.
Baby Please Come Home - LEROY WASHINGTON (first appeared on the 1981 UK compilation
LP "Wild Cherry: The Legendary Jay Miller Sessions Volume 25" on
Flyright FLY LP 574)
27.
I'll Never Hold It Against You - CLARENCE GARLOW (1954 USA 78" on Feature
F-3003, A)
28.
Take It Home To Grandma - LESTER ROBERTSON &THE UPSETTERS (1958 USA 7"
single on Montel 1001, A)
Tracks
4, 8, 9, 13, 18, 19 and 25 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED (all tracks in Mono)
The
16-page booklet has liner notes by Series compiler and leading light IAN
SADDLER and brilliant they are too. His comments on both CAROL FRAN and LIONEL
TORRENCE are full of affection and insights that will tickle collectors
everywhere. Once again resident tape-wizard/Audio Engineer NICK ROBBINS has
handled the transfers and for the most part - they are great. However on the
Fifties sides especially - there's no doubt that were not in Audiophile Heaven
here - many of these recordings are rough and tumble even if the tapes are in
good shape - so be prepared for crude recordings with a whole lot of heart and
passion.
This
latest volume in the "By The Bayou" series opens with an absolute
R'n'B belter - the Little Richard wild pace feel of "Papa Lou And
Gran" by Little Victor on the obscure Richland label - a tune guaranteed
to make grandma boogie that Zimmer-frame. More fun comes in the Fats Domino
roll of "Hoo Wee, Sweet Daddy" complete with a brill Sax solo about a
minute in. The audio quality dips into 78"/Acetate territory for "I
Called You Daddy" by Anna Mae Rogers - a pianist in Clarence Garlow's
band. But I can see why Ace chose to include it - not only is it ludicrously
rare - it's a great boppin' R'n'B tune that sounds like vintage Joe Turner in
his Fifties Atlantic Records heyday. "Sally Lou" gets caught "in
the alley" but Leroy Washington doesn't seem to mind in this excellent
Fats Domino type piano-roller. Back to Saxophone boppin' in the superb
call-and-answer "Rooty Tooty" - the band playing a blinder - the kind
of infectious instrumental (with Vocal jabs) that would bring a morgue to life.
Your
then hit with two wicked dancers - "You Know Yeah" by Wonder Boy
Travis and Lazy Lester's "Tell Me Pretty Baby" (with Nathan Abshire
blowing some nice Slim Harpo like Harmonica). I must admit that the poor
production values of "Ain't Nothing Shakin' (But The Leaves On The Tree)"
do for the song (not surprised it remained in the can) - better is the growl of
Mad Dog Sheffield on "Mad Dog" where our singer is "...with
two-ton Tilly...a glamour girl..."
- is it any wonder he's howling at the moon. Another wicked dancer is
"Mary Lou" which starts out so Fats Domino its embarrassing but then
rocks into a guitar middle-eight that is brilliant. For me one the best songs
on here is a Previously Unreleased Alternate Take of "One More
Chance" with the fantastic voice of Carol Fran - as lovely and lilting as R'n'B
gets. Vocal genius kicks in with "When It Rains It Really Pours" -
Charles Morris with a fantastic Bluesy delivery (aka Left-Hand Charlie). It
ends a little like it started only this time "Take It On Home To
Grandma" has a Cajun/Bayou shuffle against a bopping Little Richard
Rock'n'Roll shuffle - nice.
Another
winner from Ace (celebrating 40 years with 1975 to 2015) and kudos to Ian
Saddler for doing such a good job...
PS:
Titles to July 2015 in the Ace Records "By
The Bayou" CD Series are:
1.
Boppin' By The Bayou - VARIOUS (Ace CDCHD 1345)
2.
Boppin' By The Bayou Again - VARIOUS (Ace CDCHD 1355)
3.
Boppin' By The Bayou: More Dynamite - VARIOUS (Ace CDCHD 1380)
4.
Boppin' By The Bayou: Made In The Shade - VARIOUS (Ace CDCHD 1415)
5.
Boppin’ By The Bayou: Rock Me, Mama! - VARIOUS (Ace CDCHD 1443)
6.
Bluesin' By The Bayou - VARIOUS (Ace CDCHD 1358)
7.
Bluesin' By The Bayou: Rough 'n' Tough - VARIOUS (Ace CDCHD 1403)
8.
Rhythm 'n' Bluesin' By The Bayou - VARIOUS (Ace CDCHD 1363)
9.
Rhythm 'n' Bluesin' By The Bayou: Mad Dogs, Sweet Daddies & Pretty Babies –
VARIOUS (Ace CDCHD 1422)
10.
Rhythm 'n' Bluesin' By The Bayou: Rompin' & Stompin' - VARIOUS (Ace CDCHD
1388)
11.
Swamp Pop By The Bayou - VARIOUS (Ace CDCHD 1397)
