​Just like the previous volume entitled ‘It's Your Voodoo Working’, volume 4 ‘Voodoo Man’ maintains the same atmosphere. An atmosphere that is again created by 24 breathtaking rhythm & blues songs. Songs that may not always be known, but after listening to them you will undoubtedly confirm that it is a shame that they stayed under the radar for so long.
So, volume 4 in the ‘The Mojo Man Special’ series again contains a lot of very enjoyable rhythm & blues and rocking blues. Sometimes recognizable, but often not, but always of an extremely high quality.

​Volume 15 in the ‘Southern Bred, Louisiana & New Orleans R&B Rockers’ series goes by the name ‘I Hate To See You Go’ and is the third album to spotlight artists from Louisiana and New Orleans. Some of them retained that typical danceable and exuberant musical atmosphere of the region, while others mixed the style with rhythm & blues, rocking blues or rock and roll. The innovative exuberant horns, the inspiring guitar parts and the solid rhythm sections made the music, in whatever form, extremely enjoyable. Again we get 28 tracks from figureheads of the genre, supplemented with the work of lesser known artists. But always keeping in mind KokoMojo's motto, they are all ‘killers and no fillers’.
So again there is a lot to discover and especially to enjoy on this album. Authentic New Orleans rhythm & blues, whether or not mixed with rockin’ blues or rock and roll, the fact is that the 28 danceable tracks again have a high quality content. Add to that the ultimate sound and you have no good reason to miss out on the Southern Bred Series.

​The fact that many African-American female singers were given the opportunity to enter the studio, ensures that volume 5 in the ‘Rock and Roll Vixens’ series again unleashes 25 tasteful recordings. Recordings that unfortunately, when they were released, did not always get the attention they deserved. Fortunately, this series changes that half a century later.
Authentic rhythm & blues, blues, beautiful vocal harmony vocals and traces of early soul also provide 25 formidable songs on volume 5, recorded by African-American singers from the early 1950s to the mid-1960s.

​When Clyde McPhatter died on June 13, 1972 at the age of just 39, he had a musical career of no less than 22 years. After providing lead vocals with The Dominoes and later with The Drifters, he still enjoyed success as a solo artist. In addition, he was the first artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, albeit posthumously. Once as a solo artist in 1987 and the other time in 1988 as a member of The Drifters.
When you listen to the recordings with The Dominoes and The Drifters with which this collector starts, you immediately notice the clear tenor voice of Clyde. A voice that also gives shine to his later solo recordings. But there's more. McPhatter may be classified as a rhythm & blues artist, but the soul he managed to put into his songs through his voice is unparalleled. The way he injected rhythm & blues with soul is so unique and also gives rhythm & blues an extra dimension. You can say that Clyde McPhatter, without knowing it, paved the way for the future soul artists. The 32 tracks, recorded between 1952 and 1963, provide his. It would do him an injustice to highlight certain songs, because then you would do the others short. And let us also point out the once again sublime sound. ‘Spotlight on Clyde McPhatter’ in the ‘Koko Mojo Spotlight Series’ series is already one of the top releases of 2021 for me personally. It is therefore definitely an absolute must have!

​It is also moving very fast in the series ‘The Mojo Man Special’. The large number of high quality danceable rhythm & blues songs from the last century beg to be featured on a compilation. In this case, these are 24 ‘dance floor killers’ from the archives of labels like Sue, RCA Victor, Deluxe, King, Excello, Federal, Columbia, Okeh, Specialty and Chess. A great mix of rhythm & blues, blues, rock and roll and instrumental songs.
In other words, volume 4 has something for everyone too. The series may be billed as ‘dance floor killers’, but these songs are also extremely enjoyable when sitting in your chair, with a glass of wine or a cool beer.

​With the mention ‘tuning the guitar for new adventures’ you know what to expect. 28 tracks in which the guitar is in the spotlight and which sometimes also provided a fresh and innovative sound when they were created. In other words rhythm & blues and blues at the highest level.
It goes without saying that quality reigns supreme on this album as well. Again, there is not a single inferior song to be found. So you really do get value for your hard-earned money. Recommended!

In a short time the KokoMojo label released four volumes in the ‘Rock and Roll Vixens’ series. If we go through the track list of these albums for a moment, you will inevitably come to the following conclusion. While many African American singers made fantastic rhythm & blues recordings, only a few could taste the fame. Not that their names sound completely unknown, but the successes they deserved more or less failed to materialize. However, it is never too late to discover these artists and their songs. That is why a series like ‘Rock and Roll Vixens’ is extremely welcome. Volume 4 also bundles 25 rhythm & blues songs that you must have heard.
In short, volume 4 of ‘Rock and Roll Vixens’ is another album to cherish.

​With volume 13 we already made the switch from Texas to Louisiana and New Orleans. There is also much to discover musically in this region. The region is a melting pot of cultures and musical influences. The African-American music is mixed with French and Spanish influences, partly due to the presence of various population groups. This gives the music a festive, exuberant and danceable appearance. That appearance is also present on this album. The subtitle of this compilation ‘I Love To Rock ’n Roll’ clarifies what you are served.
It is a fact that Louisiana & New Orleans have a lot to offer. We are therefore curious about the following volumes compiled by Mark Armstrong. That ‘Southern Bred’ is an unmissable series is once again proven true.

​Simultaneously with the release of volume 1 ‘Soulfood’, volume 2 ‘Cornbread & Cabbage Greens’ was also released. By the way, you can reread the review of ‘Soulfood’ at http://www.keysandchords.com/album-review-blog/various-artists-koko-mojo-diner-volume-1-soul-food. ‘Cornbread & Cabbage Greens’ refers to the plant-based diet of the African population who were brought to America as slaves. Given the hard living conditions, they were actually more or less forced vegetarians. For them, meat was a luxury product that was only served in small quantities and at special events. And yet, with the little available to them, they developed a tasty food culture. A food culture that also found its way into music, as the 28 songs collected here show.
The beautiful mix of instrumental and sung rhythm & blues and blues tracks makes ‘Volume 2, Cornbread & Cabbage Greens’ sure to hit the ‘Koko-Mojo Diner’ bullseye.

​Personally, I always like it when a compilation CD is not just a simple compilation, but one with a theme. That is something they take very seriously at Koko-Mojo, just like at Atomicat. Themes are plentiful, only you have to want to use them. Moreover, it will take a lot of research to find songs that fall under the chosen thematic heading. This just to indicate that the 28 songs that make up this first volume of the new series ‘Koko-Mojo Diner’, each emphasize the joys of ‘soul food’. Fiery rhythm & blues or inspiring instrumental songs, this album is full of it.
Any doubts? Clearly put them aside because ‘Koko-Mojo Diner, Volume 1, Soul Food’ also traditionally contains only ‘killer’ tracks.

​The first two volumes in these series were released at the beginning of this year and now they are already followed by volumes 3 and 4. Just like the previously released CDs in this series, this disc again contains 25 enchanting 'black woman singer, movers & shakers' . With one exception, all songs date from the early 1950s to the mid 1960s. That only exception was made for the German Bonita & The Blues Shacks. Their ‘Where's The Money Honey’ was recorded in 2019.
Volume 3 in the ‘Rock and Roll Vixens’ series continues the high quality level of the previously released volumes and may we again emphasize the fantastic sound quality?

​With ‘Doctor Velvet’, Mojo Man Little Victor launched the series ‘The Mojo Man Special’, a series of dance floor killers. Volumes 2 and 3 have already been released. We will first pay attention to volume 2, entitled ‘Voodoo Doll’. This volume contains 24 dance grooves registered under the ‘crème de la créme’. Doo-wop, rhythm & blues, blues, rock and roll or gospel, you will find it all on this compilation.
Already curious about volume 3? Soon you will read the review here.

​With volume 13 in the ‘Southern Bred’ series, we leave Texas behind and set our nose towards Louisiana & New Orleans. Time for Creole rhythms, steamy rhythm & blues, rock and roll and the piano blues typical of the region. Louisiana and New Orleans also produced a large number of well-known artists. But also the lesser known are highly successful. Discover them all at this album.
So, best is to get fast your copy of ‘Southern Bred, Louisiana & New Orleans R&B Rockers, Vol. 13 ‘ and convince yourself of 28 killer songs that Mark Armstrong filled this album with.

Volume 9 ‘Crackerjack’ is already on the penultimate part of the ‘Boss Black Rockers’ series. A series that sheds light on the black rockers. That they knew the clapping of the rock and roll whip, that's what we learned from the previous releases. Long story short, ‘Crackerjack’ effortlessly continues the quality of the previously released volumes, resulting in 28 impressive danceable songs. Can not be missed!

​No fewer than 14 songs written by the band and one cover show you all corners of the dance floor. Imagine yourself in a classy club in the middle of the last century, where gentlemen, dressed in three-piece suits and dent hats, try to flirt with the ladies who are thriftily sipping champagne and dressed in glittery dresses. The smoke is there to be cut, because smoking was still possible in those days. On the small stage, a five-piece band gives the best of themselves. Their suits are drenched in sweat, but the music they play is heavenly. The repertoire shows talent and craftsmanship.
If you want to enjoy Haney's Big House just like the clubbers, then be sure to purchase  ‘Hiding To Nothing’. However, don't forget to make some space for a dance floor. The chance that the infectious rhythm & blues and swing will leave you untouched is small ……… and actually nonexistent.

​In the series ‘In Session’ guitarist Mickey Baker is next on whom the spots can shine. In the 1950s, Mickey was one of those guitarists that the big names were happy hiring for recording sessions. Unsurprisingly, these internationally renowned artists were so fond of him. Mickey was so versatile on the six strings that it takes him no effort to take the recordings to the next level. Blues, rhythm & blues, swing or a slightly more jazzy approach, Baker performs his task with verve. You will find a large number of hits on this collector. Hits that you probably never suspected Mickey Baker had a big say in.

​The album ‘Killer B’S U.S. Pop Hits’, which we recently reviewed, contained the B sides of 32 hit singles that caused a furore in the charts in the fifties and early sixties. Those singles were situated in pop, rock and roll and instrumental music. Following on from that album, Jasmine simultaneously releases ‘Killer B’S U.S. R&B Hits' on the market. Here the same principle is applied, but the label now focuses on the R&B toppers, from that same period, with 32 tracks as well.
Gorgeous rhythm & blues and compelling soul from the heyday of the genre, sporadically spiced with great harmony vocals.

​We recently reviewed volume 1 in the ‘Rock And Roll Vixens’ series, and now it is time for volume 2, which was released simultaneously with volume 1. Traditionally, this release also focuses on the rhythm & blues, blues and soul, which African-American ladies released from the early 1950s to the mid-1960s. Once again this compilation contains superior blues, rhythm & blues and soul, sporadically with a jazzy twist.
Volume 2 of the ‘Rock And Roll Vixens’ is, just like volume 1, another hit from the KokoMojo label.

​This volume immediately puts an end to the superior Texas R&B Rockers from the ‘Southern Bred’ series. Don't worry though, because the series will be continued with artists from other American regions of American roots music. Besides Texan artists who made it solo, this album also contains the recordings of a number of bands whose vocalist had Texan roots. Again 28 tracks with smashing rhythm & blues, sometimes mixed with some doo-wop or jazz. Fortunately, as mentioned, this series will not come to an end. Soon the KokoMojo label will focus on artists from Louisiana and New Orleans. This will happen for the first time on the album entitled ‘You Can Fly High’. We are already looking forward to it, are you too?

​With ‘Rock And Roll Vixens, Vol. 1', the Koko-Mojo label focuses on the recordings of African-American female singers from the early 1950s to the mid 1960s. These were the heyday of the blues, rhythm & blues and early soul, but also recordings by women's groups that guaranteed harmony vocals were very popular.
Keeping in mind the Koko-Mojo slogan ‘No Fillers, Just Killers’, we can only conclude that this has once again been 100% successful.

​The next artist to be featured in the ‘Rock’ series is Frank Virtue. Frank could only score once, namely with the song ‘Guitar Boogie Shuffle’, which allowed him to reach the Top 10. On this compilation you get two extra 'guitar boogies', namely an early version of the Esquire Boys from 1953 and 'Guitar Boogie Twist' from 1960. More important and more interesting is that this collector gives a nice picture of the musical evolution that Frank went through in various settings. From rhyhtm & blues to rock and roll he eventually became a master of instrumental guitar songs.
Well-known, less well-known and obscure recordings that Frank recorded in various settings for both small and budget labels put his virtuoso guitar work in the spotlight. Extensive information about Frank's career, his chronological discography, supplemented with illustrations and rare photo material can be found in the 36-page colorful booklet written by Chicago music journalist Bill Dahl. Recommended!

​With ‘Pass The Gin’, already the eleventh volume in the ‘Southern Bred’ series, we continue our search for Texan R&B Rockers. And there are a lot of famous and lesser known artists and their songs to discover. We are immediately treated to a heavy R & B rock song by H.B. Barnum with ‘Don't Cha Know’. Barnum was part of The Dootones in the late 1950's.
We close with a classic undertone. The instrumental ‘Nut Rocker’ of Jack B Nimble and The Quicks is based on Tchaikovsky's ‘Nutcracker Suite’. The song is also known in the version of B. Bumble and The Stingers.
Beyond all this beauty, volume 11 of the stunning ‘Southern Bred’ series hides a host of other gems. Like all previous volumes, number 11 is an absolute must.

​The third commandment of those Ten Commandments of rock and roll says ‘Become Self-Sufficient, Get A Job’, in other words, get a job, so that you can make a living for yourself. Mark Armstrong collected another 30 amazing songs around this fact. How can you obey this command? Well, without money, it gets damn hard to obey this.
How to approach it or not, these rhythm & blues, rock & roll and doo-wop tracks offer enough inspiration. Now it's up to you!

​You probably don't know the name Billy Strange, yet chances are you've heard him and he might even be in your record collection as a companion to your favorite artists. Besides this work as a session musician, he also recorded under his own name.
What is striking is that Strange cannot be pinned down to one music genre. Whether he was hired for swinging rhythm & blues and rock and roll, a light jazzy feel, country, cowboy songs or pop, Billy always carries out his task with an enormous dose of talent and craftsmanship.
With ‘Climb Aboard The Hell Train’, compiler dee jay Mark Armstrong not only pays tribute to Billy Strange, but also makes Strange's work more public.

Volume 8 in the ‘Boss Black Rockers’ series continues with high quality recordings that characterize the series. Rhythm & blues and rock 'n roll at a high level. To be continued!