Tamala plays emotional African songs.  With the addition of harmonica a new path is taken.

With ‘Daddy Cool’, named after the song by the vocal group The Rays, the ‘Hi-Strung R & B’ series is already on its sixth release. Traditionally, the 28 tracks date from the middle of the previous century and more specifically from the period 1951-1961. Fans of this series, including the undersigned, know what to expect, namely the very best of rhythm & blues and doo-wop. This time we start in a very original way. The people responsible for this are Big Boy Myles and The Shaw-Wees. With the rocking rhythm & blues ‘Hickory Dickory Dock’ they were clearly inspired by the rhyming children's song. Don Covay was once part of The Little Richard Revue. His influence can be heard on ‘Rockin’ The Mule (Back In Kansas)’ that Don recorded under the pseudonym Pretty Boy. Don is followed by wonderful doo-wop by The Four Tunes and the funny ‘Three Little Chickens’. Cornell Gunter and The Flairs are also situated in this genre, here with the rocking rhythm & blues ‘She Loves To Rock’. Beautiful harmonies are also the trademark of Shirley Gunter and The Queens in ‘Oop Shoop’. There is indeed a lot of great doo-wop to be found on volume 6. The Larks are also present. They put on a great rocking ‘How Long Must I Wait For You’. More in this genre comes with The Turks and Wilbur Whitfield and The Pleasers also shine with their harmonies.
Jackie Wilson needs no further introduction. You recognize his voice from the first notes of the swinging ‘Am I The Man’. And the icons follow one another. That certainly applies to Smiley Lewis with the well-known ‘Ain’t Gonna Do It’. Later you also get the version of the vocal group The Pelicans. ‘Big Ten Inch Records’ is a song that has often been covered. We know the song also in the version by the British Dana Gillespie. Here you get the original by Moose Jackson. ‘Dizzy Miss Lizzy’ was also covered a lot, an original song by Larry Williams. You can also hear him on this compilation. Another one that was recorded in various versions is ‘You Ain’t Nothin’ But Fine’, known to blues fans in the version by The Fabulouis Thunderbirds. The song was originally released in 1961 by Rockin’ Sidney present here.
 ‘Mirror, Mirror On The Wall’ comes with Ernest Tucker. He recorded it in 1958 for the Jubilee label. For a rhythm & blues shouter you can skip to Herman Manzy and ‘I’m Your Rockin’ Man’. The legendary guitarist Lowell Fulson serves up delicious instrumental rhythm & blues with ‘Jukebox Shuffle’. Not only Don Covay recorded with Pretty Boy under a pseudonym. Dinah Washington did the same. She labeled her ‘Honky Tonky’ as The Queen. Not such a crazy name when you look at her career. And who would call themselves The Lovers? They were Alden Bunn and Anna Lee Sanford, who were also lovers in real life. You hear them here on ‘I Wanna Be Loved’, a beautiful duet, but you actually also hear Tarheel Slim and Little Ann.
‘Good Rockin’ Tonight’ is a song by Roy Brown who released the song in 1947. A version more fitting for the sixties can be found by Arthur Prysock. Within rhythm & blues, gospel and soul, Solomon Burke was a fixed value, who guaranteed quality. Very strangely you hear him here on ‘They Always Say’, a song from 1957, where he even goes a bit on the crooner tour. A legend in the blues is also pianist, singer and composer Roscoe Gordon. He shows his talent here on ‘What You Got On Your Mind’.
In short, ‘Daddy Cool’, the sixth volume in the ‘Hi-Strung R & B’ series, is once again a tasteful release, on which you can hear original versions of songs you know through cover versions. Not only an enjoyable release but also an educational one. How did that go again with ‘two birds with one stone’?

Excellent mix of modern mandingo music.  With hopefull engaged lyrics and energetic rhythms.  Let’s dance all together.

Greg Nagy is a versatile artist in the truest sense of the word; his songwriting, vocals, and guitar playing beautifully reveal his personalized music, refreshingly and authentically infused with elements of soul, R&B, rock, and gospel. This album is highly recommended.

‘Revival’ is the sixth full-length album from Kat Riggins, a Miami native whose gritty vocals and powerful singing style are peppered with generous hints of R&B, soul, gospel and rock ‘n’ roll – but deeply rooted in the blues.

The mix between African rhythms and Mississippi blues looks so natural, which confirms the greatness of SOBA.

We recently reviewed the first volume about Lafayette Thomas in the series ‘Right Hand Man’ released by the KokoMojo label. That volume covered the period 1948-1954 and you can read that review here again. The now released second volume ties in nicely with this and focuses on the period 1955-1962. In 1955, Thomas released his third solo single ‘The Thing / Weekly Blues’ on Ollie Hunt's Trilyte Records label. ‘The Thing’ was actually a reference to Lafayette's acrobatic stage presence. His fourth solo recording came in 1957 with ‘Cockroach Run’, a formidable instrumental number as can be heard on this compilation. In the meantime, he also continued to record with Jimmy McCracklin & His Blues Blasters. As always, Thomas’ guitar playing was sublime, as can be heard on McCracklin’s ‘Beer Tavern Girl’. That Thomas Lafayette as a guitarist determined a large part of Jimmy McCracklin’s success is beyond dispute and can also be heard on, among others, his ‘Take A Chance’, the fun riff-driven ‘Georgia Slop’ and the instrumental ‘The Swingin’ Thing’.
In 1957 and 1958, Lafayette also recorded with Juke Boy Bonner and Big Mama Thornton & The Hi Tones. In 1958, Thomas went into the studio for the Rhythm Recordings label, now Rhythm Records. He did this with pianist Roy Hawkins. With him he recorded four songs, namely ‘I Hate To Be Alone’, ‘Lonesome Without You’, ‘It’s Love’ and ‘Baby Please Don’t’, each of which is a song to which Thomas Lafayette adds value through his guitar playing. He certainly sounds otherworldly beautiful on ‘I Hate To Be Alone’, ‘It’s Love’ and ‘Baby Please Don’t’. In 1958 Thomas moved to New York City, where he can be heard on Little Brother Montgomery’s album ‘Tasty Blues’, of which the beautiful title track and the equally superior ‘Sneaky Pete Blues’ can be heard here, as well as on the album ‘Just Blues’ by Memphis Slim. This album was later re-released under the name ‘Bluesville’. Thomas’ fifth solo single came in 1959 with ‘Please Come Back To Me / Lafayette’s A’ Comin’’, with Sammy Price on the piano and where Lafayette shines especially on the instrumental ‘Lafayette’s A’ Comin’’. After his stay in New York, Thomas returned to California, where he continued to play on the album ‘Jimmy McCracklin Sings’. There he could also be heard on singles by Al & Nettie and Camille And The Creations. In 1972 he appeared again on a single by Sugar Pie DeSanto. Lafayette made his last recording on a few soul/funk records by Papa & The Utopians and The Luscious Three.
Thomas Lafayette died in Brisbane, California in 1977 at the age of 48 from a heart attack.
So much for the second part of Lafayette’s biography, but let’s take a closer look at this second volume. Jumping, we start with ‘Jumpin’ From Six To Six’ by Jimmy Wilson and His Band, on which Thomas’ guitar playing is somewhat pushed into a corner. That changes immediately on the instrumental ‘The Thing’ and on the slow blues ‘Weekly Blues’, on which he shows a textbook example of how the guitar can give a slow blues an emotional boost. He repeats this on Jimmy Wilson’s ‘Poor Poor Lover’ and on his own ‘Please Come Back To Me’, simply heavenly. He shows this again with verve on ‘Don’t You Think You’re So Smart’ by Memphis Slim and on the instrumental ‘Irma Special’ by Roland Mitchell & Band, where the sax and Lafayette’s guitar complement each other beautifully.
The album closes with two songs by Camille & The Creations, where ‘Johnny’ in particular stands out because of the excellent harmonies.
The nice thing about the ‘Right Hand Man’ series is that as a listener you get a completely different picture of artists who made a career. A career that would not have gone so well for many, if they had not been able to count on the super talented musicians, who put their knowledge and craftsmanship at their service. Such a person was certainly Lafayette Thomas!

Jazzy experimentation and traditional Indian percussion leads you to an unknown universe.

Wonderful working class polyphonic singing.  Impressive till the end.

‘Love In The Jungle’ is the third album with erotic songs in the ‘Destination Lust’ series. The unspecified ‘Destination Lust’ and ‘Chicksville U.S.A.!’ were previously released, while the recent volume focuses on jungle love. The 26 historical ‘lust songs’ date from the period 1951-1965.
To understand the how and why of the ‘Destination Lust’ series, we need to go back in time for a moment. In the first decades after the Second World War, it was socially ‘not done’ to talk about eroticism and sexuality in public, let alone to exhibit it. Behind closed doors, however, all inhibitions were released, because ‘love’ contrasted with the experiences that war and destruction had brought about. It is certainly not strange that artists also found inspiration in ‘love’ and ‘lust’. This compilation makes it clear that this did not only concern men. Ladies such as the German Hildegard Knef (here Hildegarde Neff) also grace this album with the smooth jazzy sounding ‘My Heart Belongs To Daddy’, Sallie Blair with an extremely sultry version of ‘Fever’, actress Lola Albright with the sugary sweet ‘Candy’, Carol Gray and Linda Laurie with ‘Ooh, What A Lover’. And there is also Christine Jorgensen, born as George William Jorgensen Jr. and immediately the first transgender. She is part of the party with ‘Nervous Jervis’. Laura Leslie only takes a minimal part of the vocal work on ‘Crazy Girl’ where the vocal group The Counterpoints is responsible for most of the singing.
However, the CD starts with a legendary rhythm & blues in ‘Sexy Ways’ by The Midnighters.
The Kinsey Report also provided inspiration. Dr. Alfred Kinsey published two publications on human sexual behavior in 1948 and 1953. These publications broke the taboos and misconceptions surrounding sexuality. Big Duke Henderson and his orchestra and Stomp Gordon discuss this in ‘Hey Dr. Kinsey’ and the jazzy rhythm & blues ‘What’s Her Winsy Dr. Kinsey’ respectively.
‘Frantic Love’ by Frank Motley & His Crew sounds a bit absurd, with vocal work, if you can call it so, by Lee Vernon.
Bob Hooks & The Kool Kats provide an oriental atmosphere in ‘Exotic Betty’. Country lovers will certainly be charmed by ’38-24-35’ by Sheb Wooley.
Instrumental songs that reinforce the burlesque atmosphere come from Big Jay McNeely and ‘Strip Tease Swing’, Dave Appell & The Applejacks with the title track, ‘Walkin’ And Strippin’’ and ‘Strip Poker’ by Ann Corio Presents Sonny Lester & His Orchestra and ‘Black And Tan Fantasy’ by David Rose and his orchestra. Another nice instrumental and here for the first time on CD comes with ‘Take It Off’ by The Genteels.
Who can talk about the male instincts better than Elvis Presley. That his voice is the ideal instrument for this, he shows in ‘Animal Instinct’, a song from the soundtrack of his film ‘Harum Scarum’.
Finally, in addition to beautiful photos and illustrations, you will get all the information about the artists and the tracks in the 15-page booklet.
Also ‘Love In The Jungle’, the third volume in the ‘Destination Lust’ series, has a lot of nice things to offer and in the meantime enjoy…….love!

Now Woodsmith Jr. is promoting his debut album ‘Hidden Tales’, coloured with a lot of his own work and Zita Swoon’s ‘Oir Daily Reminders’. And Kris introduces us to a lot of bluesy tracks and American folk songs. The lyrics are introspective and are about love, loss and self-reflection, musically everything sounds melodious and is a mixture of folk, blues, bluegrass and indie rock. The long player ‘Hidden Tales’ is released on the Starman Records label.

Dipping into a trove of original songs written over the years, Eannelli’s “Just Deserts” encapsulates his experiences in life as well as music. The songs are deeply rooted in his years as a member of diverse bands.

Modern interpretations of traditional Danish folk songs mixed with strong own compositions.

The ten original songs are a mix of folk, blues, bluegrass, and country. The album Reviere represents musical contemplation, reflecting a journey of prudence and adversity.

Mighty Mo Rodgers' first solo album 'Blues Is My Wailin' Wall' from 1999 was immediately awarded with a W.C. Handy Award nomination. It was characterized by its philosophical views on humanity. Since then, Mighty Mo has continued to be committed to this matter. Mighty Mo is a striking and original singer-songwriter/keyboard virtuoso, who produces daring combinations between soulful and driven blues rhythms. Now there is 'Memphis Callin', Soul Music & The American Dream. A catchy release with the excellent rhythm section of Luca Giordano on guitar, Walter Monini on bass, Abramo Riti (organ) and drummer Alessandro Svampa. Special guests included Eric Cisbani (percussion), Darryl Dunmore (harmonica), Sax 'Gordon' Beadle saxophone), Alessandro Di Bonaventura (trumpet) and Maurice Gainen on tenor saxophone. Rodgers' gritty vocals and driving rhythms once again provide that personal panorama. This is Might Mo's best album in years!  Highly recommended! 

​With ‘A Real Mother For Ya’, the song on his album of the same name, Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson became known to a wider audience in 1977. What was immediately noticeable was the very unique sound that Johnny squeezed out of his guitar. A heavenly sound that many had never heard before. The fact that he was given the nickname ‘Guitar’ is the best proof of his unique talent and associated sound. What many did not know at the time, however, was that Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson had already been active as a singer and guitarist for several decades. He scored in the fifties and early sixties with ‘Too Tired’, the impressive ‘Gangster Of Love’, ‘Johnny Guitar’, ‘Untouchable’ and ‘Cuttin’ In’. And yet, as a teenager, he did not start his career as a guitarist, but as a pianist. He recorded his unique sound as a guitarist as early as 1954 with the instrumental ‘Space Guitar’. Bear Family Records rightly pays attention to Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson in this recent edition of ‘Rocks’. This is done by means of 29 uptempo tracks recorded between 1953 and 1964, on which you can hear Johnny on both guitar and his first instrument, piano. With formidable guitar work, the album opens with ‘Hot Little Mama’, which he recorded for RPM in 1955. On the following track ‘Motor Head Baby’, you hear Johnny on the piano. He also repeats this later on ‘I Got Eyes’ and ‘What’s Going On’. And admit it, his nickname could just as well have been ‘Piano’. But rock-‘n-roll was also his thing. Listen to ‘Deana Baby’ and ‘The Bear aka The Preacher And The Bear’ for this, while ‘Oh Baby’ and ‘One Room Country Shack’ are both a slow blues of size. It was not unusual in the fifties and early sixties for artists to introduce a new dance. For Watson, that became the catchy ‘Posin’’. For some New Orleans blues, you can go to ‘Broke And Lonely’, which Johnny wrote together with that other Johnny, namely Otis. By the way, you can hear Chuck Norris on second guitar here. The well-known Earl King ‘Those Lonely, Lonely Nights’ provides a cracking tearjerker.
All the songs mentioned here and other, equally not to be sneezed at ‘guitar driven’ songs can be found on this album.
The cover mentions 29 tracks, but as a surprise you get an extra as track number 30. That is the remastered version of the slow blues ‘Cuttin’ In’.
In addition, the booklet contains all the information about Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson and the tracks.
What this compilation makes clear is the fact that Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson, with his somewhat aggressive way of playing, lifted the blues guitar to a higher level. The razor-sharp sound and his often surprising twists on the six strings certainly justify his nickname 'Guitar'.

Just like Spanky & Our Gang or The Byrds, Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks could only have emerged in the USA, as all three – and there are many more examples – are direct heirs of America’s white music tradition, particularly C&W and bluegrass. Dan Hicks took that template and added jazz, swing and irresistible rhythms. The violin playing a major role, one frequently finds himself in gypsy territory, while the two fantastic female singers add a gospel and soul feel. Dan Hicks wrote nearly every tune, perfecting the formula, reaching a fairly polished and faultless top with ‘Last Train to Hicksville’ – and thus also the end. This is beautiful, rhythmic music with relevant lyrics, appealing to both your heart and your feet. It comes as no surprise that Hicks & Co. were a popular live act. They are truly unequalled.
BGO Records remastered all three albums released on Blue Thumb in 1971, 1972 and 1973, put them on 2 CDs and added an informative booklet. He sound is really good.
Radio 68 plays choice tracks on Wednesday 20 November from 11 a.m. till 11 p.m. GMT. 

That blues is an international event, we have known for a long time here. This project is also somewhat evidence of that. Harp virtuoso/vocalist and pianist Victor Puertas comes from Barcelona, Spain, Luca Giordano is an Italian guitar prodigy and producer/guitarist Netto Rockfeller has Brazilian roots. Luca often visits the sovereign state of Brasil in South America, and has maintained a long friendship with Rockfeller. Together with Victor Puertas (vocals, harmonica and piano), drummer Danilo Hansem and bassist Guilherme Ambrózio they went to the Blue Crawfish Records studio in São Paulo. Eleven tracks adorn the LP and they open with the Chicago blues ecstatic instrumental shuffle ‘West Armitage Shuffle’. Highly recommended! 

‘Straight Up’ is the third studio album by Endrick & the Sandwiches. Their “working class rock” nouveau genre is more refined than ever. The pieces speak above all of the intimacy of slightly faded flowers with irony and eroticism. All songs were written by Endrick Tremblay, with the exception of "Careful What You Wish For" by Anne Lauzière. A cool mixture with blues, pop, soul, R&B and alternative flavour. Arrangements composed by Jean-Bruno Pinard and Endrick & the Sandwiches.

Last year, also around this time, we reviewed ‘On The Dancefloor With A Fingersnap’. A great album that was full of rhythmic, finger-snappingly inviting, danceable tracks. With the end of the year in sight and the associated parties and celebrations, the German Bear Family Records is releasing a sequel to this with ‘On The Dancefloor With More Fingersnaps’. No less than 31 tracks suck you, as it were, with or without finger-snapping, to the dance floor.
We start off right away with a rhythm & blues star, namely shouter Wynonie Harris and ‘Bring It Back’. Harris is followed by Dave Rich with ‘Chicken House’. Initially, Rich was active in country music, but when rockabilly took off, Dave gladly joined in, as can be heard here. More rhythm & blues follows with Donnie Elbert and the catchy ‘Wild Child’ and Chuck Willis in ‘Whatcha’ Gonna Do When Your Baby Leaves You’. Ruth Brown is present twice. The first time with the sultry jazzy blues ‘Why Don’t You Do Right?’ and a second time with the similarly styled ‘I Don’t Know’. And ‘Lonesome Drifter’ by Jericho Brown can also be included here. A formidable duet in this style is brought by LaVern Baker and Jimmy Ricks with ‘You’re The Boss’. In addition to a number of lesser-known artists, this album also serves up a number of big names, as well as very well-known songs. Such as ‘Sixteen Tons’. In addition to the original by Tennessee Ernie Ford, the album also contains the equally well-known version by The Platters. More well-known names are Dinah Washington, with the well-known ‘Is You Is Or Is You Ain’t Ma Baby’ by Louis Jordan. You can certainly snap your fingers to Elvis’ ‘Relax’, a song from the soundtrack of the film ‘It Happened At The World’s Fair’. Rock-‘n-roll legend Gene Vincent had left rockabilly behind when he recorded ‘Crazy Beat’, on which he took a completely different musical direction. Rock-‘n-roll lovers will be in their element with ‘New, New Baby’ by Jimmy Dell. Fabian was one of the idols of many teenagers at the time. Vocally, he is once again strong on ‘About A Thing Called Love’. Ike Turner should definitely not be missing here. Together with His Kings Of Rhythm, he lets us hear a shivering ‘She Made My Blood Run Cold’, which he wrote himself. Bobby Darin also reaped success in our country. Here you can hear him in the slow poppy ‘Nature Boy’. For a cheerful note, you can go to the unusual ‘The Cat Came Back’ by Sonny James, whose lifestyle was also unusual. For example, he did not drink or smoke and refused to perform in smoky establishments for the sake of his voice. Cool harmonies are the trademark of the vocal group The Four Tunes, here present with ‘Dancing With Tears In My Eyes’. Vernon Green and The Medallions also operate in that genre in ‘A Lover’s Prayer’, as well as Little Caesar and The Romans in a wonderful version of the classic ‘Fever’.
A rather obscure, but no less successful recording, Eddie Banks shows with ‘Sugar Diabetes’, a great popcorn number. Less well-known is also Barbara McNair, who creates a diamond of a slow rhythm & blues with ‘He’s A King’.
An instrumental number that instinctively makes you snap your fingers is ‘Workin’ Out’ by Ernie Fields and his orchestra. A number that is somewhat in the ‘Fever’ style. Closing is reserved for harmonica virtuoso Sonny Boy Williamson II with ‘Help Me’.
In the 38-page beautifully illustrated booklet you can read all about the artists and the tracks. ‘On The Dancefloor With More Fingersnaps’ is a more than worthy successor to the previously released ‘On The Dancefloor With A Fingersnap’.

Vocalist Leon Beal and The Luca Giordano Band have the release 'Live At Porretta Soul Festival', recorded in 2019, in the stores. In addition to Luca on guitar, the tight rhythm section consisted of bassist Walter Cerasani, Abramo Riti (Hammond, piano), Lorenzo Poliandri (drums) and the horn section with special guest Sax Gordon and Martino Boni Beadle on tenor saxophone and trumpet player Alessandro Di Bonaventura.
'Are you ready' throws the master of ceremony to an elated crowd. Beal immediately sets the Porretta Soul Festival ablaze. With his colossal and immense voice timbre, Deadric Malone's "Don't Cry No More" is the first step of what was to be a wonderful show. Luca sparkles with exciting guitar riffs and Leon is honored to be able to perform in Porretta. We get also a lump in our throat at that expressively masterful version of 'A Change Is Gonna Come' (Sam Cooke). The closing and original 'Still Here' is Beal's testimony and is about his fifteen-year drug addiction. With a preacher's or griot's charisma, Leon keeps everyone on their toes.     This live registration is really goosebumps from start to finish…!

Smoothly and energetic with colourful variations in melodic and free style compositions.  This is jazz that will convince even the most toughest critic.

As a long-standing member of the Las Vegas Blues Society, Dick Earl has performed with numerous noted studio artists, worked as a pit musician at Tuacahn Amphitheater, shared the stage with Tas Cru, a national award-winning recording artist, and was even featured in the documentary "Into the Fire" which premiered at Doc Utah (2022) and won Best Feature at Zepstone Film Festival (2023). This is the highly anticipated sophomore album from Dick Earl’s Electric Witness; it follows on the heels of 2020’s live self-titled album. This new studio album was recorded at the Tone Factory in Las Vegas. 

Singer, guitarist and producer Dennis Herrera’s newest release “FOUR” is a definitive and passionate collection of original blues songs straight from his heart & soul.  A provocative fusion of Texas, Chicago, West coast blues grooves. This is a delightfully solid, self released, twelve track outing graced with an enticing sound inspired by the multitude of distinguished blues master musicians and singers past and present.

Recently you could get acquainted with the first volume about Lafayette Thomas in KokoMojo Records' new series 'Right Hand Man'. A series that puts the musicians in the spotlight who undeniably contributed to the successes of many artists, but who unfortunately did not receive the necessary attention in the history of American roots music. By the way, the second volume about Lafayette Thomas, which highlights the period 1955 - 1962, will be released before the end of the year. But now it is Chuck Norris' turn first. By the way, there will also be 2 volumes about him. The first volume, which deals with the period 1946 - 1955, is available now.
Chuck Norris was born on August 11, 1921 in Kansas City, Missouri and grew up in Chicago. There he studied at DuSable High School with the legendary music teacher Captain Walter Dyett. He became skilled in reading music and always finding connections with the new musical trends and movements. Chuck was therefore very popular and constantly working, resulting in a career that spanned no less than four decades. In the mid-forties, Chuck moved to Los Angeles. Through his performances in local clubs, he came into the sights of independent labels and producers. In that capacity, he came into contact with saxophonist, songwriter and producer Maxwell Davis. Davis had connections at labels such as Aladdin, Modern and Specialty and Norris was able to work there as a session musician. In the late forties and early fifties, the West Coast was ‘the hottest place’ for rhythm & blues. They mixed Texas blues with the big band music of the Midwest, which did not escape Chuck’s notice.
As a solo artist, Chuck released only 16 tracks. The intention of the labels was not so much to build a solo career with him, but rather to use them as filler in their catalogues. They were therefore only pressed in small quantities and could not count on good distribution and are therefore practically impossible to find. Chuck Norris may not ring a bell right away, but be assured that you have heard him as a guitarist or bassist on recordings by Charles Brown, Dinah Washington, Percy Mayfield, Jesse Belvin, Bobby Day, The Robins, The Platters and The Rivingtons. His list of achievements also includes a session for an X-rated film and the soundtrack for the film ‘The Great White Hope’. In addition, Chuck played the banjo behind Louis Armstrong and Barbara Streisand on ‘Hello Dolly’.
With the exception of an interview on the back of the Swedish LP ‘Los Angeles Flash’, not much is known about Chuck’s career. There is also no official collection of his work. As far as Chuck’s earliest recordings are known, they tend more towards jazz. Later he would evolve towards the refined blues of Floyd Dixon and Charles Brown. When the latter left The Three Blazers in 1948, he formed his own trio The Smarties. In addition to Eddie Williams on bass, Norris was part of this trio on guitar. Like his good friend T-Bone Walker, Norris was mainly influenced by Charlie Christian. In order to keep working and earn a living, Norris often had to distance himself from jazz. Jules Bihari of Modern Records often hired Norris as a session musician behind Floyd Dixon, Jimmy Witherspoon and Little Willie Littlefield. As a result, Chuck soon only played blues. Chuck made his first solo recording in 1947 as the Charles Norris Trio with ‘No Better For Me / Money’s Getting Cheaper’. Songs that you will also hear on this compilation and that show that Chuck is also very strong vocally. And pay special attention to his sublime guitar part. Other songs that he recorded under his own name and that you will also find on this album are ‘Hey Everybody’ and ‘Kinda Sick, Mostly Worried’. These were recorded on December 28, 1950 with trumpeter Tom Reeves, alto saxophonist Early Brow, tenor saxophonist Maxwell Davis, baritone saxophonist Jim Wynn, Jesse Belvin on piano and Warren Owens and Peppy Prince, respectively on bass and drums.
The album starts with the 1946 recording by Estelle Edson, together with Oscar Pettford All Stars, ‘Don’t Drive This Jive Away’, which immediately shows Chuck’s love for jazz. A beautiful example of Norris on guitar, you get right on the second track, the instrumental ‘Shuffle Boogie’ by Will Rowland and his orchestra. Incidentally, he also repeats this on the following instrumental songs: ‘Pete Kay Boogie’ by Pete Johnson, the Norris original ‘Shuffle Boogie’ by the Floyd Dixon’s Trio, ‘Early Times’ by Red Callendar Sextette and the sublime ‘Blue Strings’ by Buddy Collette. It continues to be a pleasure, also on the smooth bluesy sounding 'Let's Have A Ball' by Charles Brown, where Chuck knows how to capture the perfect atmosphere for the song on the six strings and switches sounds effortlessly. Versatility and flexibility are qualities that Norris had. How he adapts to the artist without any problems, he shows excellently on 'Who's Been Jivin' You' by Jimmy Witherspoon. Norris is brilliantly bluesy and creative on 'You Had A Good Man' by Roy Hawkins. You hear Chuck swinging on 'Hey Lawdy, Miss Claudie' and 'Looped' by Calvin Boze & His All Stars. Chuck's adaptations to every musical style, is also evident on 'The Hatched Man' by the doo-wop group The Robins. Other artists who could count on Chuck's endless talent can be heard here on tracks by Jesse Belvin, boogie-woogie pianist Little Willie Littlefield, Ike Lloyd and his orchestra and Dinah Washington
The second volume about Chuck Norris will feature even more solo recordings by him, as well as formidable numbers that he recorded between 1946 and 1962 with Pearl Traylor, Percy Mayfield, Johnny Guitar Watson, Linda Hopkins and Larry Williams. Keep an eye on this site!