The name Wee Willie Harris may not immediately ring a bell, but he was undoubtedly the most colorful figure in the early days of British rock 'n' roll. He was certainly extravagant, with his pink hair and striking clothes. Moreover, his wild and exuberant stage performances brought a breath of fresh air to the British music scene of the late 1950s. You could even say he was a punk or glam rocker avant la lettre. The ‘Wild One From Bermondsey’, as he was known, rightfully claims the ninth volume in the ‘The Brits Are Rocking’ series. It's incredibly that his rare LP ‘I Go Ape’, released exclusively in Israel in the early 1960s, can be heard in its entirety here. The album is incredibly hard to find, making it a collector's dream. You'll also get his most important studio recordings from the 1950s, including ‘Rockin' At The 2 I's’, ‘Love Bug Crawl’, ‘Got A Match’, and ‘Wild One’. While rock 'n' roll may have originated in America, it's a fact that guys like Wee Willie Harris, with their uncompromising performances, also ignited the rock 'n' roll flame in London. It's logical that they initially relied on songs that were hits in the US. Many of these songs, therefore, appear on this album in Harris's own successful version. Wee Willie's ability to write great songs is certainly evident in ‘Rockin' At The 2 I's’ and ‘Grab You’. The latter must have inspired Brian Setzer.
Harris also mastered various rock 'n' roll styles, ranging from wildly raging numbers to more subdued ones. The tracks recorded with an audience at The Railway Tavern in October 1957, as well as those recorded for TV shows, are the ultimate proof of this. His band's talent and craftsmanship are revealed in the instrumental ‘Got A Match?’. Harris's versatility is also showcased in the country-rocking ‘Have A Drink On Me’.
David Bowie, Ian Dury, and The Clash all hinted that Wee Willie Harris inspired them. This immediately proves that Harris, although he didn't achieve the worldwide fame he undoubtedly deserved, was invaluable to the development of British rock 'n' roll.
In the 36-page booklet, richly illustrated with numerous photos and illustrations, Roland Heinrich Rumtreiber tells the impressive story of the unique, extravagant Wee Willie Harris, from his early years at the legendary 2 I's Coffee Bar in Soho, his tours with Buddy Holly and Gene Vincent, to his status as the ‘Godfather of Punk’. Fans of wild, energetic British rock 'n' roll will love this tribute to Wee Willie Harris. Plus, you'll also own the hard-to-find ‘I Go Ape’ album in stunning sound quality and for the first time  on CD. Highly recommended!

A lot of traditonal songs and a few own creations gives you the opportunity to dance or relax. It deserves a few listens. 

When rhythm & blues laid the seeds for the new genre of rock 'n' roll, blues shouter Wynonie Harris, born on August 24, 1913, in Omaha, Nebraska, was one of its founders. He earned his nickname ‘Mr. Blues’ early in his career, a moniker he readily lived up to with his wild, boisterous, and raw performances. Harris undoubtedly deserves his place in the ‘Rocks’ series launched by Bear Family Records. This compilation contains 30 tracks Wynonie recorded for the King label in the late 1940s and early 1950s. His best-known song, ‘Good Rockin' Tonight’, is naturally included. Incidentally, it was frequently covered by artists like Elvis, Buddy Holly, and James Brown. As befits postwar rhythm & blues, Harris's lyrics usually deal with women, alcohol, and nightlife, and often had a double meaning.
His nickname ‘Mr. Blues’ he immediately lives up in the first track, ‘Rock Mr. Blues’, where the burgeoning rock 'n' roll is already clearly audible. Wynonie recorded songs that would still be on the playlists of many blues artists years later, as is evident with ‘Bloodshot Eyes’. It's the ultimate proof that Harris was indispensable, not only for the development of rock 'n' roll, but also for the survival of rocking rhythm & blues. The way Wynonie regularly introduces his own songs is also delightful. Live, that must have been truly amazing, considering the interaction with the audience further energized his performances.
The power that Harris's songs exude is phenomenal. The album is brimming with it. Examples include ‘My Playful Baby's Gone’ and ‘Lovin' Machine’, rocking rhythm & blues at its very best. Moreover, Wynonie could also cover songs by other artists in such a way that they seemed original to him. Convince yourself of ‘Drinkin' Wine Spee-Dee-O-Dee’. ‘All Night Long’, which he recorded with the vocal group The Royals, also sounds fantastic. Mambo enjoyed success in the 1950s. This prompted Harris to record ‘All She Wants To Do Is Mambo’ and ‘Good Mambo Tonight’, a variation on ‘Good Rockin' Tonight’.
Wynonie also consistently surrounded himself in the studio with the crème de la crème of horn instrumentalists. You'll find saxophonists Hal Singer, Tom Archia, Johnny Griffin, and Red Prysock, and Hot Lips Page occasionally offered his services as a trumpet player, as he did on ‘Good Rockin' Tonight’. Fans of solid horn instruments, like myself, will be thoroughly satisfied on this compilation. Legendary jazz guitarist Kenny Burrell can be heard on ‘That's Me Right Now’. As always, the CD is accompanied by a beautifully produced 40-page booklet with a biography, all the track information, and historical photos and illustrations.
Fans of rocking rhythm & blues have no excuse not to own the album ‘Wynonie Harris Rocks’. This compilation is among the best in its genre.

Classic Latin-American music on acoustic guitar, not only gentil but especially strong performance.

With the end of the year fast approaching, the holidays are upon us. It's always nice to brighten up this season with music that serves as your ultimate soundtrack. Bear Family Records is therefore releasing ‘Santa Is Rockin' and Rollin'‘ in two versions. There's the CD, featuring 25 tracks to get you in the Christmas spirit, and the vinyl edition, featuring a selection of 16 tracks from the CD. The vinyl edition comes in a vibrant red vinyl and includes a beautiful illustration depicting a winter scene. For the full track list of both the CD and the vinyl edition, please visit the ‘DETAIL ALBUM’ button.
‘Jingle Rock’, a fun rocker with excellent vocals from Tommy Lee & The Orbits, will instantly get you in the mood. ‘Run Rudolph Run’, of course, is a classic Chuck Berry song. Here's The Outlaws' version, where the boogie piano takes center stage and is certainly on par with Berry's version, where the guitar takes center stage. Incidentally, this recording was made live and has superb sound quality. For a dose of doo-wop, you can definitely skip to ‘Rockin' Santa Claus’ by The Martells with The Bella Tones. When we think of soul, we naturally think of the Motown label. You can tell that the Fortune label also released decent soul with Nathaniel Mayer's ‘Mr. Santa Claus (Bring Me My Baby)’. Harry Lee was described by his Alaska-based record label as ‘The Sensation of Eskimo Land’. Hopefully, his hot ‘Rockin' On A Reindeer’ didn't cause a complete thaw there. Bill Parker serves up a fine example of rockabilly with the title track of this compilation. ‘White Christmas’ is a classic that has been covered by a vast number of artists over the years. Jerry Robinson delivered a fantastic up-tempo version. ‘There's Trouble Brewin'‘ may not immediately evoke Christmas, but it's a lovely Jack Scott song. The performance is somewhat reminiscent of Elvis. Perhaps that connection is due to saxophonist Boots Randolph, who appears on both Presley's and Scott's recordings. A touch of country can be found in Del Reeves' ‘Twisting Santa Claus’. The steel guitar, a staple of country music, is the lead instrument in Santo & Johnny's instrumental ‘Twistin' Bells’. Also instrumental is Little Bobby Rey's ‘Rockin' ‘J’ Bells’. More country follows with ‘Jingle Bells Boogie’ by Jody Levins and His Boys. Rocking and jumping rhythm & blues forms the basis for Big Bud's impressive ‘Snow-Man Rock’. Also note that wonderfully ripping sax solo. Benny Lee and the Ken-Tones' ‘Rock 'N' Rollin' Santa Claus’ also falls into that genre. Elvis completely revolutionized music in the 1950s. It was no surprise then that teenagers dreamed of spending Christmas with him. Little ‘Lambsie’ Penn brought it to light in ‘I Wanna Spend Xmas With Elvis’. Temperatures can plummet at Christmas. This inspired Donny Burns to write ‘Cool Yule’, a spoken-word song with a rocking guitar background, referencing the Peter Gunn theme. Beautiful harmonies follow shortly after with Kathy and Jimmy Zee's ‘Santa Claus Rock and Roll’. Wonderful vocals can also be found in ‘Santa's Got a Coupe De Ville’ by The Four Imperials. Yes, apparently Santa was keeping up with the times in 1962.
Marcel Martel was Canadian, so it's no wonder he sang in French. His ‘Rock 'n' Roll Du Pere Noel’ may sound a bit strange, but it's highly original and incorporates influences from both rock 'n' roll and country. Incidentally, he also composed the song. The combination of rockabilly vocals with a country backing is a resounding success in Sandy Center's ‘Come On Baby It's Christmas’.
Bobby (Boris) Pickett and The Crypt-Kickers close with ‘Monster's Holiday’, which also gets a bit spooky thanks to spoken word lyrics.
The vinyl edition, just like the CD, includes all the information about the tracks and the artists.
Whether you choose the CD or the beautiful red vinyl version, you'll always have the perfect, rocking soundtrack for the Christmas season. If you want to own all the songs, CD and vinyl are highly recommended.

With his unstoppable, energetic performances, where his wild piano attacks made rock 'n' roll proud, complemented by his passionate vocals, Jerry Lee Lewis set many venues ablaze in the mid-twentieth century. Unfortunately, seeing him live is no longer possible. Fortunately, you can blast him through your speakers on a brilliant live album. Germany's Bear Family Records is now taking care of that with the reissue of the vinyl ‘The Greatest Live Show On Earth’. First released by Smash Records in 1964, the album, along with Jerry Lee's ‘Live At The Star Club Hamburg’, is considered one of the best live albums of the 1950s and 1960s. ‘The Greatest Live Show On Earth’ was recorded during Lewis's performance at the Municipal Auditorium in Birmingham, Alabama, on July 18, 1964. It's clear that ‘The Killer’ was at his best then. The album contains ten tracks, featuring now-classic songs in rock 'n' roll, rhythm & blues, and country, each presented in Lewis's formidable interpretation. These songs, as we've come to expect from Jerry Lee, he committed to vinyl with an incomprehensible, dynamic enthusiasm. Rockers like ‘Jenny Jenny’, ‘Memphis Tennessee’, ‘Hound Dog’, ‘Mean Woman Blues’, ‘No Particular Place To Go’, ‘Long Tall Sally’, and the rhythm & blues of ‘High Heel Sneakers’ blend seamlessly with the slow country of Charlie Rich's well-known ‘Who Will The Next Fool Be’ and Buck Owens’ ‘Together Again’.
The album closes with an impressive, over five-minute-long version of ‘Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On’.
‘The Greatest Live Show On Earth’ has been remastered from the original stereo tapes, resulting in a truly impressive sound. What's more, the 180-gram vinyl comes packaged with the original cover, and as a bonus, you'll receive a rare postcard with a promo photo of Jerry Lee.
Does it even need to be said that this album is a must-have for any fan of straightforward, uncompromising rock 'n' roll? I don't think so!

Expressive fingerpicking guitar in a sensitive Classic, Brazilian or Flamenco style.  Really beautiful!

This vinyl arrived just after Halloween, but don't worry, because these tracks will make your mouth water all year round. Besides, Halloween is an annual event……! As the title suggests, this compilation contains 14 rare horror tracks that are sure to give you the creeps. The tracks date from the '50s and '60s and explore various roots genres.
Merv Griffin gets the party started with the primarily instrumental ‘House Of Horrors’. Rockabilly horror can be enjoyed without any shame on ‘I'm The Wolfman’ by Round Robin. In the early '60s, Round Robin was a huge hit with dancing crowds. Later, he would record for the Stax label as a funky soul singer. Wonderful doo-wop, though the horror here is rather gentle, arrives with ‘Zombi’ by The Monotones. Screamin' Jay Hawkins took the horror very personally. He transformed himself into a monster, which he transferred to the stage. Here, he delivers a fantastically rocking ‘Little Demon’, and note that sublime guitar solo. Serial killer Jack the Ripper inspired Casey Jones and The Governors for the eponymous rhythm & blues rocker.
Side two of this vinyl opens with The Swingin' Phillies, who give the title track of this compilation a twisty touch. The Swingin' Phillies are followed by Rod Willis. He delivers the previously unedited version of the cat-screech-laced ‘The Cat’, a brilliant example of how a rockabilly song should sound, complete with a superb guitar. Virgil Holmes was a rather obscure figuur. He invites you to take a seat on a spooky train with ‘Ghost Train’, which, thanks to the clever arrangement, you can almost literally hear it riding along the rails. Screaming, Dick Barton's Rebels announce themselves with ‘Yes, Baby, I'm Scared’, a massive rockabilly banger. Little Gerhard then cheerfully works his way through the anything but scary, yet fantastically rocking ‘Rockin' Ghosts’. Completely horror-style, with raw vocals, The Savoys close with ‘The Mortal Monster Man’.
With ‘Frankenstein's Party’, Bear Family Records treats you to a devilishly spooky fusion of rockabilly and doo-wop, a hit that DJs and collectors alike will appreciate. Frankenstein and his colleague Igor will give you a warm welcome!

Technical strong second album with fascinating short songs.