​As we reported earlier, 'Stroll-A-Rama', just like its brothers 'Jive-A-Rama' and 'Bop-A-Rama', received a sequel with a second volume. The reviews of the last two have already appeared on this site. Now it is of course the turn of 'Stroll-A-Rama', another atmospheric album with danceable grooves that contain rhythm & blues, rock 'n' roll, rockabilly and doo-wop. Thirty tracks, carefully composed by Mark Armstrong, with beautiful artwork from Henrique San, catapult you like a tsunami back to the fifties and early sixties.
Anyone who has volume 1 of 'Stroll-A-Rama' in their record collection knows that they want volume 2 next to it without hesitation.

​Money is necessary for everyone, even if it is only to provide for the necessities of life. Providing for their necessities and building a little wealth was not self-evident for the African/American community for decades. It is therefore certainly not abnormal that a large number of artists from that community saw the opportunity to make songs about it. Thirty of those songs can be found on this album composed by Little Victor. Thirty tracks, the vast majority of which even have the word 'money' in the title and can be cataloged under awesome blues and rhythm & blues.
‘Money Money Money’ is another formidable concept album released by the KokoMojo label. And while we're on the subject of money, this album is more than worth your hard earned money.

​Also on volume 19 in the 'Southern Bred' series, we remain in Louisiana and New Orleans and we refresh ourselves again with the traditional music from the half of the last century, which is rich in the region. This rich tradition is once again translated into a beautiful mix of blues, rhythm & blues and rock 'n' roll, in short danceable party songs. It is the seventh and penultimate album that places the region in the spotlights. The eighth and final album about this region will focus on the Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
Despite the fact that seven compilations have already been devoted to the rhythm & blues and rock 'n' roll from Louisiana and New Orleans, none of these albums contain inferior tracks. The reason why we are already looking forward to volume 20, which is scheduled for september 17th. 

​The treasury of musical gems from the Louisiana and New Orleans region seems inexhaustible. Because number 18 from the 'Southern Bred' series, which listens to the name 'Jumpin' From Six To Six', is already the 6th release that places artists from these regions in the spotlight. There are 28 songs that will make your mouth water. Characteristic of this album is the balance between two genres. On the one hand, there are artists who remained faithful to the traditional rhythm & blues, on the other hand there are also a number who switched to the successful rock 'n' roll at that time. You could actually sum it up as 'when rhythm & blues turned to rock 'n' roll'.
Volume 18 in this series once again sent a lot of catchy music through our speakers. And we still haven't heard everything from the Louisiana and New Orleans area. Because volume 19, which will be released on September 3, also digs again into the rich music tradition of the region.

​‘Do Not Commit Adultery, The Cheater’ is the eighth commandment of the ten commandments of rock 'n' roll. A subject that often gave rise to cool blues and rhythm & blues. Music genres that, because of the emotional nature they have, just like country, are extremely suitable for expressing the feelings that adultery entails. Compiler Mark Armstrong has again done his utmost to reproduce the feelings associated with adultery in the form of 30 tracks.
Much doom and gloom for the artists on this 'Do Not Commit Adultery, The Cheater'. As a listener, however, you benefit from it, because once again you have 30 fantastic songs in your collection with this album.
The penultimate, the Ninth Commandment, is titled ‘Fend Off Impassiveness, Lonesome For A Letter’ and is scheduled for release on September 17.

The marketing of the 'Popcorn Blues Party' volumes was the impetus for The Mojo Man to start this 'Popcorn Story' series. Long before the genre was given the name 'Popcorn', the music described as such already existed. Belgium may be a small country, but in this it was big. After all, this music owes its name to the square farm in Vrasene, near Antwerp, which has been converted into 'Dancing Popcorn'. Popcorn is a genre that is still very attractive today. The reason for this can be found in the quality of the songs. After all, the black rhythm & blues of the mid-20th century stands head and shoulders above the other music genres from that period. It is often difficult to find the real Popcorn classics on CD or vinyl. It is therefore commendable that the Koko-Mojo label now bundles a number of those high-flyers. On this first volume you will already find 28 tracks that have the 'real Popcorn vibe'. Exciting black rhythm & blues, soul and rocking rhythm & blues at a high level!
We are already looking forward to volume 2, which is planned for release on October 1.

​Recently we reviewed 'Shilly Dilly' an album from the 'Koko-Mojo Original' series or the next album in that series is already announcing itself. 'Knockdown' with the subtitle 'and lubricate the gear' serves again 28 tracks. 28 tracks that once again balance between authentic rhythm & blues, rocking rhythm & blues and rock 'n' roll.
Each album in the 'Koko-Mojo Original' series has its own emphasis. 'Knockdown' distinguishes itself by its mainly uptempo tracks that seriously hit you. Guitar driven, dynamic songs that don't shy away from a raw and harder sound. 'Knockdown' is therefore yet another bull's eye.

Volumes 1 and 2 in this series were published in 2019, which focuses on songs from the period that 'The Green Book' was important. The mass production of the car manufacturers made it possible for many Americans to realize their dream on wheels. The people could move more easily, they went exploring and tourism was born. Without a manual or guide, it was quite an undertaking to find your way in the immense country. You may have had a car, but where were you going to drive? The help with this was 'The Green Book' by Victor Hugo Green. It became the manual for African/American road trippers. The first volume of ‘Motorvatin’ dedicated compiler Little Victor to the author of the book. Volume two was a tribute to German immigrant Nick Dreystadt who saved Cadillac from a financial crash and made it possible for the black community as well to get a car. Volume three is dedicated to Garrett Morgan. He patented several of his inventions, but the most important invention he introduced in 1923 was  'the three-position traffic sign', the predecessor of what we know as the traffic lights. From then on, it controlled the right of way at intersections and saved countless lives. You can read the entire history around this on the digipack.
The 28 tracks on this album naturally deal with various car types, traffic, car breakdown and everything related to that. Awesome rhythm & blues and blues, vocal and instrumental from the golden era.
Moreover, 'Motorvatin' volume 4’ is already under construction. Keep an eye on this site for a review!

'Be Empathic, She's A Flirt', that's the seventh rock 'n' roll commandment. If you thought she was honest, forget it, because before you know it, she'll be rambling the opposite through your brain. Dust enough for 30 great songs, as can be heard on this album.
A relationship sometimes has sharp edges, which are not always perfectly removable. That inspired artists to catchy rhythm & blues, rock 'n' roll and rockabilly. Enjoying this album, we are already looking forward to 'Commandment Eight' which is entitled 'Do Not Commit Adultery, The Cheater'. That promises!

​Volume 17 'Down Yonder We Go Ballin' in this series takes another look at remarkable recordings by artists from Louisiana and New Orleans. Hotbeds that inspired many rhythm & blues artists to beautiful songs. Old School rhythm & blues, jump blues, zydeco but also the later rock 'n' roll was recorded with great enthusiasm and craftsmanship. Also now, on this fifth album that puts the R&B rockers from Louisiana and New Orleans again in the spotlight, compiler Mark Armstrong once again managed to lay claim to 28 excellent tracks, which do justice to the diversity. As we mentioned in previous reviews, New Orleans rhythm & blues has a distinctive sound, so does this compilation.
It is becoming more and more clear that many songs recorded in this region in the middle of the last century did not get the attention they deserved. Fortunately, the 'Southern Bred' series ensures that these songs still reach the general public. For volume 18 you have to wait a little longer. It will be on the market on August 20th.

​With regard to the 'Ten Commandments of Rock 'n' Roll', we are over halfway with 'Be Faithful, Let's Jump The Broomstick', also the sixth commandment. This means something like 'let's live together and stay faithful'. Love therefore radiates from the 30 tracks, carefully composed by Mark Armstrong.
Volume 6 of 'The Ten Commandments Of Rock 'n' Roll' again contains excellent rock 'n' roll and rocking rhythm & blues. August 6 is the release date of volume 7, which is titled ‘Be Empathic, She's A Flirt.’ We are already looking forward to it and keep an eye on this site for the review.

​With this album we are once again in the 'Koko-Mojo Original' series. The compiler is still Little Victor aka 'The Mojo Man' and again he selected 28 great tracks. The title is taken from the song that doo-wop group The Flamingos recorded for the Checker label in 1956. Whether you can also call the other 27 tracks 'shilly' is up to you, but they are fun in any case.
'Shilly Dilly' contains 28 super rhythm & blues tracks in various forms from the heydays of the genre, some of which even contain a good dose of humor. Successful compilation!

​Apparently there are still a lot of recordings of female African-American singers gathering dust. A shame, because as once again appears from volume 7 in the 'Rock And Roll Vixens' series, there are a lot of gems in between. Gems of singers who are hardly known to us or even not at all. After all, at the time of these recordings, from the early fifties to roughly the mid sixties, most of those recordings did not reach Europe. Fortunately, they now reach us through carefully curated collectors like this one. It is also not all lesser known ladies who adorn this album.
'Rock and Roll Vixens' is a series that is full of great female rocking rhythm & blues. As this volume shows again, a series that certainly deserves a place in the record collection of every fan of authentic, awesome and dynamic rhythm & blues by Afro-American singers from the middle of the last century.

​Strong album from the 79 years old ‘bard’ Roger Chapman. Almost six decades of being a rocksinger results in releasing one of his best albums.  Strongly recommended!

​Fortunately, after about a year, there is now a second volume in the 'Jive-A-Rama' series. The by the Atomicat label always applied philosophy, stays effortlessly upright. That is, a nice mix of well-known, lesser-known and sometimes obscure danceable tracks, which include rhythm & blues as well as rock 'n' roll and doo-wop. In short, a super balanced album. Traditionally, this album is also bathed in a fantastic contemporary sound. 30 tracks, of which no less than 26 from the fifties and 2 from the early sixties, supplemented with 2 tracks by contemporary artists who have a warm heart for the music of the fifties, ensure a high-quality danceable album.
Missed the first 'Jive-A-Rama'? Together with this volume two, you immediately get 60 superior tracks.

Also on volume 4 in the 'Koko-Mojo Diner' series, the menu looks tempting again. Barbecue, tacos, ribs and hot sauce, goulash, oysters, kidney stew and you name it. Enough inspiration again for 28 formidable tracks. Striking on this volume is the presence of many instrumental tracks.
Volume 4 in the 'Koko-Mojo Dinner' series once again contains very catchy vocal and instrumental songs. Songs that will be a discovery for many and perhaps set them on the path to look for other work by these artists. In any case, I can heartily recommend it. This compilation, like the previous releases, is not to be missed.

​In part 16 of this series, compiler Mark Armstrong continues his search for rocking mid-century gems. Also on this release we are still in Louisiana and New Orleans, where the brooding Rhythm & Blues from the 50's lend a helping hand to the emerging and world-conquering rock 'n' roll. No less than 28 rocking rhythm & blues gems of songs fill this disc.
'Rock 'n' Roll Dance' is the subtitle of this collection. A flag that fully covers the load. We are secretly looking forward to volume 17 in this series, which will be titled 'Down Yonder We Go Ballin'. When you purchase the 'Southern Bred' Series in full, you have a beautiful view of the rocking rhythm & blues in America's hotbeds of this genre.

​The 'Southern Menu' card of part 3 in the series 'Koko-Mojo Dinner' contains a lot of delicacies. Barbecue ribs, fried chicken, gumbo and chitlin' balls are just some of the many dishes that live up to the name 'soul food'. Dishes that were also translated into musical terms. 28 of those songs that glorify African American cuisine found their way to this collector. Songs that are not only musically fun, but also sharpen the feeling of hunger. Hunger feeling both in terms of food and music.
Pounding rhythm & blues, captivating blues and innovative instrumental tracks, bundled in 28 tracks, have us curiously looking forward to volume 4, which was released simultaneously. Soon a review of this on this site!

​Covering songs is something of all times and there are probably several reasons for it. Sometimes the cover artists tried to profit from the success of the original performers. Sometimes it worked and the cover became more famous than the original, but just as well the cover disappeared just as quickly as it came. Other artists went a step further by providing the original with their own twist. Here too, success was not always guaranteed. Covering was also not limited to one genre or another, as evidenced by this new series that compiler Mark Armstrong is launching through the Atomicat label. On this first volume we immediately get 30 covers that are situated in rhythm & blues and white rock 'n' roll, all recorded from 1952 to 1963.
It's always nice to hear hits in a different version, and you also discover cover versions that you didn't know at all. The Atomicat label serves you with these 'Rockin' Rollin' Covers' at your beck. This series is therefore a must for the real music fan looking for other versions of songs that are well known.

​Things are moving very fast at the Koko-Mojo label. Not so long ago we reviewed volume 5 in the 'Rock and Roll Vixens' series or volume 6 was already in our mailbox. Again 25 exciting tracks by female Afro-American singers recorded from the early fifties to the mid sixties. The repertoire of some artists is more extensive than that of others and it is therefore only logical that some singers who appear on this album, were also present on the previously released volumes. Again a nice mix of well-known and lesser-known artists and breathtaking rock & roll and rhythm & blues songs.
By the way, it is striking how much music that still sounds current today African-American singers recorded in the middle of the previous century. If you want the 'creme de la crème' of these recordings, then this 'Rock and Roll Vixens' series is definitely recommended.

​After four volumes filled with ‘dancefloor killers’, Little Victor aka The Mojo Man presents in the same tradition volume 5. For those who haven't figured it out yet, the title of this volume 'Party Time' is clear. With another 24 tracks Victor sucks you inexorably towards the dance floor.
This compilation also pays attention to a number of artists who gained world fame through the blues. Eddie Burns, John Lee Hooker and Bo Diddley are just a few of the well-known names. Together with lesser-known artists they provide sublime rocking rhythm & blues and a pinch of soul.
If you are in the mood for 24 high-quality catchy dance songs, then volume 5, just like the previous four volumes, is highly recommended. Start the party!

​About Clyde McPhatter, the previous artist featured in the Bear Family released ‘Rocks’ series, we mentioned that he had a profound influence on the development of soul music. That also applies to The “5” Royales. This quintet also knew via gospel to have more than one finger in the pie in the development of rhythm & blues, which would result in soul. The group started with gospel-soaked songs, but after their contract with New York's Apollo Records in 1951, the worldly rhythm & blues got more grip on their repertoire and the quintet turned out to be a real rocking rhythm & blues band, who also shined by the powerful, beautiful blending voices.
More rocking than the 31 recordings bundled here that The “5” Royales made for Apollo and King, no other vocal group did. This album is therefore an absolute must!

​We were enthusiastic about her album ‘These Years’, released in 2018. Not only us, by the way, because the album earned Jennifer several awards. Versatility is a characteristic that predominates at Porter. Jazz, country and opera already belonged to her fields of action. For ‘Sun Come And Shine’, her eighth album, Jennifer explores rhythm & blues, blues and soul. She does this with rhythm & blues drummer Bernard ‘Pretty’ Purdie who also fulfills the position of music director. Purdie surrounded Jennifer with an elite corps of musicians who made their mark through their collaboration with artists such as Wilson Pickett, James Brown, B.B. King, Bo Diddley, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas and Blood, Sweat and Tears.
As always, the immensely talented and with a unique voice gifted Porter, sails her own course. So don't expect cliché rhythm & blues, blues and soul. No, Jennifer gives these genres a formidable personal twist. Feel free to call it the ‘Jennifer Porter twist’.
‘Sun Come And Shine’ is more than fantastisc album. Jennifer's heavenly voice, her beautiful compositions, the detailed arrangements and the personal twist she manages to give to rhythm & blues, blues and soul, distinguish her from many artists. It is high time for this lady to break through internationally.

​In the review of ‘The Ballads Of Clyde McPhatter’ we already mentioned that Bear Family simultaneously released a second McPhatter CD in the ‘Rocks’ series. In the review of ‘The Ballads Of Clyde McPhatter’ we also emphasized the influence he had in the development of the later soul genre. This was not surprising because the experiences from rhythm & blues and gospel that Clyde had, coupled with his exclusive and adaptable tenor voice, made this possible. In the ballads he was undoubtedly one of the highlights of the fifties and sixties, but the more uptempo songs were also suited to him. No doubt he also opened the door to a genre where rhythm & blues and rock dared to influence each other.
Clearly, Clyde McPhatter was a hugely versatile performer. He provided the ballads with an impressive soul and he rocked the rhythm & blues. It is therefore right that he is the only artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, once as a solo artist and another time as lead singer of The Drifters.
Just like with ‘The Ballads Of Clyde McPhatter’ you also get an extensive booklet with a lot of info about the artist and the recordings. Recommended!

Although Clyde McPhatter passed away in 1972 at the age of 39, he still had a great musical influence. In his career that spanned just 22 years, McPhatter laid the foundation for what would become the soul genre. The German Bear Family simultaneously releases two albums that illustrate this. A first album is ‘The Ballads Of’ and a second is part of the ‘Rocks’ series. This album will be covered later, but let's first concentrate on the CD that brings together the best ballads of McPhatter. Ballads that he recorded as lead singer with The Drifters, solo and together with Ruth Brown.
Despite his beautiful recordings, Clyde McPhatter unfortunately remained underappreciated. It was only after his death and the full development of soul music that the true value of McPhatter's musical legacy came to light.
Whether as a member of The Drifters, as a solo artist or in a duet with Ruth Brown, the fact is that Clyde McPhatter was one of the most soulful voices of the 1950s and 1960s.
‘The Ballads Of Clyde McPhatter’ effortlessly convinces you.