​In this new series launched by KokoMojo with well-known, lesser-known and completely unknown rhythm & blues, the label focuses on the stimulants in this first volume. Alcohol and mind-altering drugs not only give an instant happy feeling, but often also put the user in unpleasant situations, such as addiction, relationship problems, conflicts with authorities or even worse. Compiler Mark Armstrong gathered 30 songs, all of which are linked to this. Rhythm & blues from the period from 1947 to 1960. A time when a lot was still possible, but also a time that was therefore problematic.
We start with a well-known person, who is often present on good compilations. That is Wynonie Harris, who can immediately start with the title track 'Quiet Whiskey'. He immediately sets the tone for excessive alcohol consumption and debauchery with a penetrating rhythm & blues. Jimmy Witherspoon, on the other hand, prefers 'Drinkin' Beer', a song with a raw sax solo by Buddy Floyd. Herb Fisher indicates later on the album, in 'Wine, Wine, Wine', which also contains some jazz elements, that he chooses this stuff. Unfortunately, whatever excessive drinking can lead to, The Hi-Fidelities showcase in 'Help Murder Police', a song from 1957. It's still fun on 'Rock Me Daddy' by Laurie Tate and The Joe Morris Blues Cavalcade , of which guitarist Roy Gaines was a part. Another famous one is Johnny Otis. Together with his band he is responsible for the backing of Marylyn Scott on 'Beer Bottle Boogie'. Admitting that one is drunk is often quite difficult. Jimmy Liggins confirms this once again in the well-known 'Ain't Drunk'. A really obscure recording is this 'Big Fat Joe The Wino' by Allen Henry & his Band. Song that dates from 1947, but nevertheless sounds quite current. And then we approach a group of extremely well-known artists. The first is Louis Jordan, with the danceable 'Whiskey Do Your Stuff'. He is followed by Roy Brown & His Mighty-Mighty Men. Roy was also in the front row when rhythm & blues turned into rock and roll. 'Bar Room Blues' is still close to rhythm & blues. Smiley Lewis shows that repentance often only comes after sin in the classic 'Shame, Shame, Shame'. Also familiar to the ears is 'You Drink Too Much Booze' by Jimmie Rainey & Slim Slaughter, who recorded the song in 1960 for the Jo-Dee label. A not unknown rhythm & blues pianist was Jack Dupree. On 'Drinkin' Little Woman' he can be heard on the piano, while Danny 'Little Boy Blues' Taylor takes care of the vocals. For Thurston Harris, the excessive consumption of stimulants was also the cause of his death at the age of 58. Here he still enjoys ' (I Got Loaded At) Smokey Joe's'. Within the blues and rhythm & blues, Lowell Fulson belongs to the top. Not unjustified if you listen to 'Don't Be So Evil'. Kansas City gives Jimmy a nice example of jump blues later on 'Cheatin' Women'.
For rhythm & blues with a great combination of the voices of the group members, you can go to The Five Keys and their 'Come Go My Bail'. Impressive are also The Falcons in the slightly more blues tinted 'Sent Up'. Even more on the blues side, The '5' Royales go into 'Laundromat Blues'.
The last song, like the first track, is reserved for Wynonie Harris who closes the bar with 'She Just Won't Sell No More'.
Rhythm & Blues Hell Raisers is definitely a series to keep an eye on. The first volume offers 30 tracks of the highest quality for lovers of rock-solid authentic rhythm & blues. Looking forward to volume 2 is therefore the message!

Doug Deming is an American blues and roots guitarist/vocalist, born and raised in the Detroit area, currently residing on the Gulf coast of Florida. Doug is the 2013 recipient of the Blues Blast Music Awards' Sean Costello Rising Star Award. Drawing influence from greats like T-Bone Walker, Charlie Christian and Robert Jr. Lockwood, Doug's traditional taste and style are evident in his original music. This new album is a live performance. Recorded ith several guest artists in Basel Switzerland. 

​With 'Black Pearls', the KokoMojo label not only launches a new series, but also employs a brand new compiler. The compiler of this series is none other than the multi-award winning Danish blues guitarist Ronni Boysen. In addition to playing in the band of Muddy Waters' son Mud Morgenfield for 13 years, he was also one of the founders of The Kokomo Kings. Ronni played festivals and concerts in 23 countries and worked with an impressive list of artists, including Lazy Lester, James Harman, Dianna Greenleaf, Bob Corritore, Lurrie Bell, Gary Primich, R.J. Mischo, Barrelhouse Chuck and Big Creek Slim. Due to touring and recording professionally in 2022, Ronni was unable to make enough time for his family. Therefore, he is now stopping his professional music career to spend more time with his family. Ronni now has a day job so he certainly shouldn't give up his preference for original 45 and 78 rpm singles. He can therefore now express his love for those recordings in this 'Black Pearls' series. Volume 1, subtitled 'Rhythm & Blues', contains 28 tracks. The kick-off of this new series is Piney Brown who creates one of the roughest blues songs with 'You Bring Out The Wolf In Me'. With Pearl Reeves & The Concords we switch to the jump blues with 'You Can't Stay Here (Step It Up And Go)'. One of the most swinging orchestras on the West Coast was that of drummer Roy Milton. He proves this once again in 'One Zippy Zam'. Milton is followed by another singing drummer who was also active on the West Coast, namely Al Simmons. Here you can hear him with 'You Ain't Too Old', an example of a sublime blues boogie. Another formidable song comes from Carmen Taylor. She took Big Mama Thornton's hit 'Hound Dog' as an example and created the super handsome 'Ding Dong' in the same style. Big Mama Thornton herself passes later with the well-known 'Just Like A Dog (Barking Up The Wrong Tree)'. Preston Love was a saxophonist, bandleader and songwriter and has worked with Count Basie, Billie Holiday, Frank Zappa and Janis Joplin, among others. He left vocals to Roy Easter, but Preston does take care of the alto sax on the rhythm & blues smash song 'If You Ever Get Lonesome'. Another big name in the orchestra leader category was saxophonist Buddy Lucas. He did session jobs with Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin. He also played the sax solo on Dion's 'The Wanderer'. Here he is with 'Bo-Lee'. With 'How Wild Can A Woman Be' by Harold 'Thunderbird' Ward you get a beautiful rocking rhythm & blues. The advantage of expertly compiled compilations is always the discoveries you make. One of those is definitely 'Let's Get Together And Make Some Love' by Jimmy Lewis and his band. Not obvious guitar work, but great! You can experience that 'rapping' has existed for a long time on 'The Buggy Ride' by Rudy Moore. Pianist, singer and composer Floyd Dixon referred to himself as ‘Mr. Magnificent'. Overdone? Judge for yourself after listening to the stunner 'Oooh Little Girl'. Marie Knight started her musical career as a gospel singer and in that capacity she toured with Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Nothing remains of gospel in the wonderfully rocking 'I Thought I Told You Not To Tell Them'. Ike Turner's Kings Of Rhythm have undeniably contributed to the evolution of rhythm & blues and rock 'n' roll. You can hear them here with vocalist Tommy Hodge on 'That's All I Need', a song that flowed from Ike's pen by the way. The last two tracks are reserved for Rufus Thomas and multi-instrumentalist Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown, featuring respectively the catchy 'The Easy Livin' Plan' and the instrumental 'Swingin' The Gate', which showcase Brown's six-string talent. can enjoy.
Ronni Boysen successfully passed the compiler's baptism of fire. After this first volume, we firmly believe that the upcoming releases in this series will provide some serious fireworks.

Lillian Briggs was an impressive artist. Not only did she have an enormously powerful voice, but she was also an adept trombone player. During her performances she stood behind the microphone with the instrument in hand. Lillian was born on June 3, 1932 in Allentown, Lehigh County. During her childhood she mainly listened to jazz and jump blues and had a preference for the work of Louis Jordan, Louis Armstrong and Nat King Cole. Initially, she trained on piano and violin, but in order to join the high school band, she had to change instruments, so she chose the trombone. Her musical career only got a push when she was spotted with her then band during a performance by talent scout Jack Petrill. They made a deal and Jack got her a record deal with Epic. It was the heyday of rock 'n' roll. Lillian bleached her hair, drove a white Cadillac convertible and performed in nightclubs, always with the trombone in hand. As her first single, she covered Louis Jordan's ‘I Want You To Be My Baby’, which sold more than 1 million copies and so she became the first woman to achieve rock 'n' roll star status. She has toured with all the major artists, including her idol Nat King Cole. In addition, in her most glorious years, from 1954 to 1965, she also worked as a film actress and appeared in various TV shows. When her career gradually declined after 1965, she only did small gigs to retire in the seventies. Lillian Briggs died on April 11, 1998 at the age of 65 from lung cancer.
Briggs made 18 singles, several of which made it to the charts. On this album you get 10 tracks that put the enormous talent of this lady in the spotlight. In addition to the aforementioned 'I Want You To Be My Baby', you get 9 songs of an exceptionally high level, including the classic 'Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop'. Opener 'Can't Stop' shows Lillian her jumping rhythm & blues side. Jazzy swinging she works her way through 'Blues In The Night' with class and from 'Follow The Leader' she pulls the rock 'n' roll card. The sporadically appearing raw edge in her voice in 'I Care For You', 'Come Here', 'I' and 'Is There A Man In The House?' give the rock 'n' roll feeling an extra push. Poppy rocking closes the album with 'I'm Burning For You'. Briggs' powerful vocals, the formidable performance of the accompanying big band and the sophisticated arrangements make 'Follow The Leader' an album that you turn after the last track of side B and then turn after the last track of side A and then again… …….! In short, a hell of an album. 

​The Rhythm Bomb Records label celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. An anniversary that gets even more shine with the release of some 10 inch '20th anniversary edition' vinyls.
'Let's Play Around!' by Cherry Casino and The Gamblers' is one of them. In 2006, this German band managed to connect with contemporary bands that embrace traditional rhythm & blues with this album, which was only released on CD. 'Let's Play Around!' received very good reviews and as it turns out, the album has not lost any of its power so many years later. Cherry Casino and The Gamblers have now become a permanent value. Rhythm Bomb’s Records’ boss Ralph Braband therefore thought it appropriate to release these historic recordings for the first time on vinyl on the occasion of the anniversary of his label. A decision that gives us, together with the fans of the band, great pleasure.
When listening, it immediately becomes clear that the band already radiated an enormous dose of professionalism in 2005. Cherry Casino (voc., gtr), Ike Stoye (sax), Michael 'Humpty' Kirscht (rhythm gtr), Torsten Peukert (drums) and 'Lucky' Lehmann (bass) ensure that. This immediately manifests itself in the raw, returning to the essence of rhythm & blues 'Huh Baby'. With 'Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down' the band presents a more rocking version of the genre.  Cherry and his mates work their way swinging through 'You're Too High For Me', which also boasts great backing vocals from the band members. And side two also opens in the same way with 'Baby Please Come Back'. Unadulterated rock 'n' roll typifies 'All Night Long'. A somewhat Chuck Berry-like intro later puts 'Girl Next Door' on the rocking tracks. Song that also boasts sublime sax and guitar solos.
Cherry Casino and The Gamblers know the authentic rhythm & blues and the rocking version of it in detail. Their craftsmanship, coupled with a dynamic performance, also make 'Let's Play Around' an extremely danceable record.

​With 'Lonely Lonely Train' the 'More Boss Black Rockers' series also comes to an end. When you own both the 10 CDs of the 'Boss Black Rockers' series and the complete 'More Boss Black Rockers', you have no less than 560 fantastic songs by black artists, including the 28 gems of volume 10. Let's start right away with the well-known and sublimely rocking 'Hickory Dickory Dock' by Big Boy Myles. Myles is followed by Johnny Acey with "Please Don't Go (Back To Baltimore)" that conveys both blues and gospel. Also beautiful is 'Polly Molly' by The Five Masks, who also provide the rocking rhythm & blues with wonderful harmony vocals. Cool harmony vocals then also characterize 'Forget It' by the vocal group The Larks and certainly 'Sud Buster' by The Spinners. Curtis Knight is best known for his collaboration with Jimi Hendrix. He shows that he could also score vocally on the swinging 'Gotta Have A New Dress' that he recorded for Shell in 1962. If you're looking for a throbbing sax-driven rhythm & blues instrumental, you can't ignoreren King Curtis. Here he presents 'Beach Party' and pay also attention to the performance of the Hammond in addition to the sax. Phil Flowers' ‘You Stole My Heart" is remarkably modulated after the early Elvis. Lee Dorsey was one of New Orleans' most famous artists. ‘Ya Ya’ earned him a worldwide hit. That the man had many more beautiful songs, proves 'Rock'. It is common knowledge that some genres are very close to each other. A good example of this is "I Wanna Do Everything For You" by Brook Benton, which sounds very soulful in addition to rhythm & blues. Another jack-of-all-trades was Wynona Carr. Gospel, rhythm & blues and rock 'n' roll characterized her repertoire. Rock 'n' roll is here the basis for 'Touch And Go'. A hell of an instrumental rocker comes with The Upsetters and their 'Jaywalking'. The band acted as accompaniment for Little Richard on several singles. You can hear him a little later with 'Ain't Nothin' Happening', on which he takes it a bit easier than what we are used to from him. The title track 'Lonely Lonely Train' comes from Sonny Anderson, on which the backing vocals play for train. Wonderful!
There are a lot of bangers galore at this volume. Listing them all would lead us too far, but 'Please, Please Be Mine' by El Pauling & Royal Abbit, including a great piano solo, 'Struttin' and Twistin'' by Roosevelt Grier, 'Turn It Off' by Dean & Jean and The Jarmels with 'She Loves To Dance' are certainly also worth mentioning.
With the rhythm & blues of Jimmy Witherspoon's 'Move Me Baby', not only this volume closes, but also the 'More Boss Black Rockers' series.
We secretly hope that compiler Little Victor will expand on this. Wait and see!

​In America, the 1950s caused a serious upheaval. The growing prosperity, the presence of large car factories and the great distances to be covered made the car extremely successful. This was also the case with young people, because what could be more fun than cruising along the highways, driving into the sunset or enjoying a 'drive-in movie' in a luxurious shiny car. The cars of that time had enormous dimensions, often with immense wings at the back and with 8 cylinder engines, consumption of a liter more or less was not considered. A very different time than with the restrictions currently imposed. The feeling of freedom and the desire for adventure prevailed among the young people. Of course, all this also inspired the music. Artists themselves were often obsessed with the new means of transport and composed songs about it, which provided the whole with a suitable soundtrack.
The German Bear Family now bundled 33 songs recorded between 1950 and 1963, all of which have to do with cars. A large number of the recordings bundled here can be classified as rock 'n' roll and rockabilly, but there is more. The album opens with 'See The U.S.A. In Your Chevrolet' by Dinah Shore. The song served for a promotional spot for Chevrolet in 1950. More female work will follow later by Linda Laurie and 'Soupin' Up Your Motor'.
Classy Gene Vincent is featured twice. The first time with 'Cruisin' and later again with 'Why Don't You People Learn How To Drive'. Hayden Thompson is also no stranger. He rocks with verve through 'Fairlane Rock'. Another notable rock song is Jimmy Carroll's "Big Green Car." The man only made one single, but what kind of one. By the way, Bucky & Premieres also impress with 'Cruisin', rock 'n' roll at the top level.
The car and everything related to it also received the necessary attention in the rhythm & blues. Al Brown & His Tunetoppers show that in their version of the classic 'Route 66', while Clarence 'Bonton' Garlow and his orchestra opt for 'Route 90'. Chuck Willis sends his 'Keep A-Driving' more towards the blues and 'Riding In The Moonlight' by Howlin 'Wolf is also a winner in that genre.
You can listen to instrumental rock 'n' roll via 'Freeway U.S.A.' by The Bonnevilles.
Vocal doo-wop toppers come with The Premiers and 'Jolene', 'The Drive-In' by The Aquatones, The Spaniels with 'Automobiles' and 'Flat Tire' by The Del Vikings.
Beautiful harmony vocals can also be found in the slow 'Tail Light' by Sammy Hagan & The Viscounts and certainly in 'Nine More Miles, The Faster 'Faster' Song' by Georgie Young and The Rockin' Bocs who slowly but surely increase the tempo .
Rather fun is 'Sunday Driving' by actor Jerry Lewis with Billy May and his orchestra.
True to tradition, you will receive all information about the songs and artists in the enclosed booklet.
With 'Destination Freeway' Bear Family adds a beautiful album to the series. Considering the high costs or the impact on the environment, you prefer to leave the car aside, no problem because 'Destination Freeway' provides listening pleasure under all circumstances.

With 'Hey Doll Baby' we are already at the penultimate release from the 'More Boss Black Rockers' series. For the title track, compiler Little Victor consulted The Clovers, who recorded this uptempo doo-wop song in 1956 for the Atlantic label. Before we get to them, K.C. Mojo Watson rocking out wildly with 'Love Blood Hound'. Swinging, rocking and doo-wopping, The Cues then continue with the catchy 'Why'. A bluesy feel characterizes 'Can't This Be Mine' by Freddie Hall. Billy Tate certainly provides a New Orleans rhythm & blues feeling in 'Right From Wrong'. Straightforward rocking is right up the street of Eddie Daniels. 'Playin' Hide Go Seek' is more than a good example of this. An instrumental highlight is 'Lovers Satelite' by The Duals, which connects the feeling of space with the surf sound. Vocal groups in the fifties could boast of sublime harmony singing. The same goes for The Hollywood Flames and their 'Much Too Much'. "Bony Moroney" is a song that has been covered countless times. Here you get the rocking version of Doug Fowlkes and The Airedales. 'A Rockin' Good Way' is another classic that has been provided with its own version by many artists. Odessa Harris successfully sinks her teeth into the song here. The Emenators know all about too much booze. In addition, it provided them with inspiration for the handsome doo-wopper 'I Had A Little Too Much'. Authentic rocking is done by Pork Chops in 'I Wanna See My Lovin' Baby', a song from 1957. Things are a bit wilder with Don and Dewey in 'Jungle Hop'. Moments later, 'Yes, I'm Gonna Love You', a hell of a rocking rhythm & blues by Sonny Anderson, blasts through the speakers.
For a somewhat popcorn song you can go to 'Misery' by The Dynamics.
Well-known names are represented by, among others, Huey 'Piano' Smith who draws a present in his well-known style with 'Little Chicken Wah Wah' and Big Joe Turner who follows the trail of his well-known hits with 'I Need A Girl'. You can also immediately recognize Jackie Wilson by his formidable voice. He recorded 'Come Back To Me' in 1958 together with the orchestra of Milton Delugg. Fats Domino can complete the list of well-known artists with 'Little Mary', which traditionally also contains traces of New Orleans rhythm & blues.
Volume 9 in the 'More Boss Black Rockers' series is another hit. The tenth and final volume in this formidable series will be released next month. Could KokoMojo plan an eventual 'Even More Boss Black Rockers' series? Let’s hope so!

​Despite the fact that record companies led to believe that music should be classified in specific genres, in practice things turned out completely differently. The different genres not only influenced each other, but also the artists. The entanglement between rhythm & blues and country & western is therefore formidably addressed in the series that was appropriately titled 'Rhythm & Western'. 'You Are My Sunshine', volume 9 again, just like his 8 previous volumes, gives a good example of the cross-fertilization between rhythm & blues and country & western. We get a nice example of this right away with opener 'Hillbilly Blues', a song that Pee Wee Crayton recorded. Crayton is immediately followed by Piano Red, who puts Hank Williams' 'Hey Good Lookin' in a very special, but very well-fitting suit. Extremely well done! The tempo and the piano clearly give the song something extra. Later, Fats Domino also tackles a Williams classic. He transforms 'You Win Again' into a stunning New Orleans rhythm & blues. More work from Hank is coming with Nat King Cole and 'Your Cheatin' Heart'. Even gospel matches dribs and drabs with the aforementioned genres. Little Willie John shows this in 'Don't Be Ashamed To Call My Name', a song from 1958. Damita Jo also delivers an extraordinary performance. Her version of Loretta Lynn's ‘I Walked Away From The Wreck’ is a great example of the connection between rhythm & blues, country & western and even soul. We know '(Now And Then There's) A Fool Such As I' in Presley's version. Elvis achieved the most success with it, although Hank Snow already scored a hit with it in 1953. A very special version with formidable harmony vocals is presented here by The Robins, who remind me a bit of The Platters. King Curtis is the perfect artist for an impressive sax instrumental. Here he gives a very personal twist to Pee Wee King's 'The Tennessee Waltz'. Who is still doing very well is Solomon Burke with 'Just Out Of Reach', on which the country & western is in the spotlights. Wonderful country also sounds classy Brook Benton in 'Come On, Be Nice'. Eddie Lang provides rocking rhythm & blues a little later with 'She's Mine All Mine'. Giving an old gospel song a country & western touch is no problem for The Original Gospel Harmonettes. In 'Everyday Will Be Sunday (By and By)’ they show how you have to do that. A style that you immediately recognize is the one by Lee Dorsey. He is present with his version of Jimmie Davis' ‘You Are My Sunshine’. A voice that you can immediately point to at home is that of Jackie Wilson in the uptempo 'Why Can't You Be Mine'. We close with the oldest song on the compilation. That's the 1929 recorded ‘Kunjine Baby’ by The Black Hillbillies, being Tampa Red and Georgia Tom. A very pleasant song where Georgia vocally imitates a horn part.
The ninth volume in the 'Rhythm & Western' series again offers many discoveries and cover versions that you are most likely hearing here for the first time. Definitely an unmissable volume!

The number of decent 'black rock 'n' roll songs' is almost inexhaustible. After all, with the first 'Boss Black Rockers' series consisting of 10 CDs, we were able to add no fewer than 280 gems in that genre to our collection. And also with the subsequent series 'More Boss Black Rockers', compiler Little Victor presents the eighth volume of this series of 10 volumes with 'Rock & Roll Baby'. Once again, the album contains a number of well-known names, supplemented with artists who could not penetrate everyone's brain. Ravon Darnell is immediately in the starting blocks with the infectious 'Chicken Little', a solid rocking rhythm & blues that he recorded for Tampa in 1956. Very nice is 'Smack Smack' by Marvin and Johnny. Originally both gentlemen were saxophonists, but what they do here vocally is formidable, especially the head voice of one of them is impressive. Vocal delights but in the style of beautiful harmony vocals can be heard with The Barons and their 'Who's In The Shack', as well as in 'What's The Matter For You' by The Cellos and certainly with 'She's A Flirt' by The Jewels. Vocally strong are also the ringing at the door in search of 'Miss Petunia' being Day, Dawn and Dusk. Blues singer Jimmy Witherspoon is no stranger. Here he is present with "It Ain't No Secret (What My Baby Can Do)", a song that Willie Dixon credits as co-author and that also contains a bit of gospel due to the input of the backing choir. Jackie Brensten is certainly also known. He is assisted by Ike Turner and his band in 'Trouble Up The Road', by the way, also flowed from Ike's pen. For a swinging 'shout song' you can go to 'Shake Em Up Baby' by the well-known Roy Brown. Whoever let the rock 'n' roll sound through rather than the rhythm & blues was Elmer Parker as he did in 'You Know I Love You'. Influences of New Orleans rhythm & blues are more likely to be found in 'Rock And Roll Baby' by Mercy Baby. 'Juke Box Boogie Chick' by Snookum Russell Orchestra is then a particularly beautiful piece of big band rocking rhythm & blues. Jumping and swinging are indispensable tools for the Jap Curry's Blazers, as evidenced in 'Hey Now'. You can recognize Louis Jordan's style out of a thousand. 'Rock 'n' Roll Call' betrays him from the first notes. Of course you can also twist. Randy Thomas and The Twisters take care of that, except for a few screams, 'Twistin' All Night Long' is instrumental. You undoubtedly know 'Woke Up This Morning' from B.B. King. Well, Kripp Johnson and Chuck Jackson give the song a total metamorphosis by giving it a rocking doo-wop twist. Wonderful approach! 'Mirror Mirror On The Wall' becomes in the hands of Ernest Tucker, an excellent rock song. Chris Kenner who co-wrote “Sick And Tired” with Dave Bartholomew also recorded it first. However, the Fats Dominos version is more fameust. Here you get the Elton Anderson version, which stays close to the original New Orleans sound.
Chuck Higgins can close the list with the instrumental 'The Rooster'.
Even at this volume, the quality of the recorded songs remains exceptionally high. It is already eagerly awaiting the next two volumes, which will complete the 'More Boss Black Rockers' series. Those are volumes 9 and 10, which were given 'Hey Doll Baby' and 'Lonely Lonely Train' respectively as titles and which in turn will appear in May and June. Vinyl enthusiasts can also purchase this series on their beloved black disc, which also gives them the complete CD version as a bonus.

​‘The flag does not always cover the load’ is a statement that applies more than once to this new series released by Atomicat. In other words, a nonsensical song title says nothing about the song itself. The 'Wacky-A-Rama' series shows that behind meaningless titles there are enormously beautiful songs. On this first volume, compiler Mark Armstrong gathered 28 tracks that confirm this and Henrique San once again provided an eye-catching packaging. 'Bo-Bo Ska Diddle Daddle' is the first crazy title from Wayne Walker, who starts rocking with it. Wayne is followed by Wink Lewis who was mainly active in the country. By using piano and steel guitar, his rocking 'Zzztt, Zzztt, Zzztt' still has the seeds of country. Johnny Otis' band backs 'Mr. Goggle Eyes' August on 'Oh Ho Doodle Lu', which features co-produced by Otis' band New Orleans rhythm & blues . Wally Hughes' motto was 'May the music always bring you higher' and he fully lives up to that in 'Pug Nose And Pony Tail'. His whistling certainly contributes to that. With Earl Sanger and 'Whoopie Baby', including beautiful performances on fiddle and piano, we go a little more hillbilly. Slightly sultry and jazzy are the undertones of The Gimicks' '(Get Off My Tail You) Sneaky Snail'. In addition to being a songwriter and producer, Choker Campbell was also a talented saxophonist. He gives a nice example of that in the rhythm & blues 'Walking On My Thin Sole Shoes'. Larry and Lorrie made a name for themselves on TV shows in the fifties as The Collins Kids. They are present with the youthful 'Beetle-Bug-Bop' from 1955. Larry's mentor was Joe Maphis, which made Larry a gifted guitarist at a young age. Roy Hogsed provides a swinging boogie, embellished with an accordion solo with 'Let Your Pendulum Swing'. Prefer a portion of cool harmony vocals? Then you can certainly go to the vocal group The Metronomes and 'The Chickie-Goo'. A nice instrumental is 'Buzzzzz' by Jimmy Gordon. The song was co-written by Dave Burgess of The Champs. Girl group The Hollywood Chicks are present with Tossin 'A Ice Cube', a typical song for such groups. Also note the handclaps. They belong to Barry White who made his first professional recording with them in 1962. You may not believe it, but Big Brown and The Gamblers were a Belgian band. Big Brown was singer and especially shouter Roger Sauvenier. Initially the group started as a Dixieland band, but Sauvenier soon converted to rock 'n' roll. He recorded three singles on Palette, of which 'Menin Aéde Théa', which you can listen here, is the third one. Single that is highly sought after by the way. According to the data found, the song would have been sung or rather shouted in Ancient Greek. All in all a highly appreciated rarity! More famous than Brown is Screamin' Jay Hawkins. He was always special, as here in 'Orange Coloured Sky' from 1958. Instrumentally, the album closes with 'First Rhapsody For Knives, Forks And Spoons' by the aptly named Central High School Cafeteria Band and……..knives, forks and spoons were actually used for this song.
With 'Wacky-A-Rama, Vol. 1', the Atomicat label is once again launching a series that certainly has a lot to offer. The tracks, which all date from the period 1954 - 1963, can be classified into rhythm & blues, rock 'n' roll and doo-wop, some of which are very hard to find. Here you get everything perfectly presented in a sublime sound quality.

​With 'Oh Lonesome Me' we have arrived at the eighth volume in the 'Rhythm & Western' series. The series that focuses on the recordings made by artists from the black community. Recordings that could be linked to country & western.
We immediately start with a swinging rhythm & blues version of 'Cherokee Boogie' by Bullmoose Jackson. Song that was also recorded by Hank Williams and Johnny Horton, among others. Another brilliant example comes from Dinah Washington with her version of ‘I Don't Hurt Anymore’, which gave Hank Snow a hit in 1954. Dinah turned it into a beautiful slow rhythm & blues with a somewhat jazzy slant.
The Olympics perform nice harmony vocals in the rousing 'Dooley', which even has some gospel in it. Gospel is undeniably also an ingredient of the classic ‘I'm A Pilgrim’ by the vocal group The Swanee Quintet. The song was also recorded by country artists, such as Merle Travis, Bill Monroe, Willie Nelson and Doc Watson, among others.
A moment Bo Diddley came closest to country & western in his entire career was during the recording of 'Put The Shoes On Willy'. Most of the time you hear Little Walter on the blues harp but in Eddie Wares blues 'Lima Beans', Walter is the guitarplayer. Another legend is Buddy Holly. He serves as guitarist on the cajun country classic 'Jole Blon', performed here by the young Waylon Jennings, w.o. is fantastically backed by saxophonist King Curtis. Grandmaster Fats Domino provides the necessary portion of New Orleans rhythm & blues with 'Lil' Liza Jane'. Closing is done with a wonderful instrumental guitar number by Sylvester Weaver on slide guitar in 'Guitar Rag'.
‘Oh Lonesome Me’ is a wonderful continuation of the path Little Victor took with the Rhythm & Western series. A recommended series!

​The Firebirds are a five-piece band from Leipzig, Germany, who showcase their very personal interpretation of rock 'n' roll from the fifties and sixties on this album. That own interpretation is immediately apparent on opener 'You Don't Like To R 'n' R', including a fat sax solo. Sax who also put successor 'Blinding Lights' on the tracks. Even pop influences do not avoid The Firebirds. Traces of this can be found in 'Sweet Kisses'. Handsome harmony vocals also fit the band like a glove, as the gentlemen show in 'Mama Should Know'. An outlier is certainly the somewhat jazzy and a 'theatre feel' creating 'Boyfriend'. What a song!
Lyrically, The Firebirds also score in a special way. They avoid beaten paths like the plague. They prefer to continue in a narrative way. A wonderful example of this is certainly the quietly swinging 'The Way Love Goes', which is followed by the slow 'Moviestar', to which the gentlemen also add a bit of doo-wop. ‘Mr. Sunshine' goes even further back in time. Here you get more of a 'roaring twenties' feeling, mixed with vocal delights. What a structure that number has. With 'My Guitar' it is a bit of a shock when the band firmly prefers the fifties rock 'n' roll tour. Familiar in pure Firebirds style, 'Area 51' sounds a little later. A wonderful rhythm & blues, which ends with an emotional steel guitar and transitions almost seamlessly into the dreamy 'Down By The Sea'. They end with 'Let The Good Times Roll'. The umpteenth version of the Louis Jordan classic, I hear you say. NO, this quintet composed their own 'Let The Good Times Roll'.
In short we can conclude that The Firebirds are more than just another contemporary rock and roll band. Comparing them to other contemporary bands that keep the rock 'n' roll fire burning is pointless. After all, this group does not stick to the fifties sound that other bands try to approach as much as possible. Is this a disadvantage? Certainly not, although it takes some time to adjust when your ears are used to the rawer sound of fifties rock and roll. However, if you need a special contemporary and certainly innovative sound, then 'Stripes' by The Firebirds is definitely your thing. I'm already won over!

​Leroy Kirkland is the next to complete the 'Koko Mojo Songwriter Series'. Depending on the source you consult, he was born in 1904 or 1906. His first occupation, starting as a butcher, did not suggest that he would become a renowned songwriter and arranger. He started his musical career in 1932 as a banjo player. In the early 1940s, Leroy moved to New York. After World War II he returned to music and worked as an arranger and songwriter for Erskine Ramsay Hawkins' swing band. Then Kirkland joined the Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey band. From 1951 he was the arranger for the Savoy label and worked for labels such as Carol, Groove, Mercury, Okeh, RCA Victor, Vik, Wing and several independent labels. In addition, he was also a driving force behind the rock and roll shows of the legendary d.j. Alan Freed and organized sessions for The King's Henchmen. The really productive years for Leroy were the 1960s, when his cross-over rhythm & blues compositions could count on worldwide interest. When he passed away on April 6, 1988, Leroy Kirkland left a legacy of more than 700 songs. From that rich oeuvre, 28 songs found their way to 'Thrill-A-Dill'. Songs that contain rhythm & blues, rock 'n' roll, soul and a dash of jazz by solo artists and vocal groups. Famous names include Sonny Terry, Dinah Washington, Alan Freed and His Rock 'n' Roll Band, Clyde McPhatter and The Five Keys.
Perhaps the name Leroy Kirkland meant little or nothing to you. However, when you listen to this compilation, you witness some of his remarkable compositions. Another very successful release in the 'Koko Mojo Songwriter Series'.

​Blues has long been regarded as the 'devil's music' and the perfect genre to provide entertainment on a Saturday night. In other words, on ‘Shake That Thing’, the third volume in the ‘Sin On Saturday, Pray On Sunday’ serie, the genre is well represented. Would you like some examples?
Tender Slim, also known as Fender Guitar Slim, gets the Saturday night off to a glorious start with the rousing 'Don't Cut On Me'. With a nice example on the blues harp, Big Jack Reynolds keeps the tempo high in 'I Had A Little Dog'. For one of bassist Willie Dixon's most remarkable compositions, we have to turn to Bob Gaddy's 'Could I'. Partly due to the background choir, this song also has something gospel-like. By the way, we hear Dixon as bass player in 'Too Late' by harmonica player Little Walter. The other accompanists were also not the least, namely guitarists Robert Lockwood Jr. and Luther Tucker and drummer Fred Below.
We can certainly count on the great Mahalia Jackson for a pious Sunday. She shows her vocal qualities again in the 1953 released 'Said He Would'. Gospel and blues had something in common after all. Listen to 'Didn't It Rain' by Reverend Charles White, accompanied by bluesman James Butler. The Sensational Nightingales provide gospel in its purest form with 'To The End'. That also applies to 'This May Be The Last Time' by The Colemanaires. What a rousing harmony! In 1952, The Radio Four made their record debut with "Blood Done Signed My Name," a beautiful gospel song with minimal instrumental accompaniment.
Furthermore, impressive work by Little Richard, Jerry McCain, The Mello-Tones, Snooky Pryor, Howlin 'Wolf, Billy Boy Arnold, The Fairfield Four, J.B. Lenoir and Arthur 'Big Boy' Crudup can close this again magnificent volume with 'Dirt Road Blues', which bears a resemblance to 'That's All Right Mama'.

​With 'Bim Bam Boom', the seventh volume in the 'More Boss Black Rockers' series, compiler Little Victor once again treats us to 28 fantastic songs. Songs that you can classify under both rhythm & blues and 'early' rock 'n' roll. True to tradition, this volume also contains a mix of well-known and lesser-known artists. We take a successful start with Willie King's 'Peg Leg Woman', released in 1956. He may not enjoy the fame that the other 3 Kings received, but that does not alter the fact that it is a beautiful guitar-driven rocking rhythm & blues. And then we're off for over an hour of rocking rhythm & blues and rock 'n' roll. Solo singing or sublime harmony vocals or instrumental, it's all covered on this album.
It goes without saying that volume 7 'Bim Bam Boom' is more than an absolute must.
Volume 8 entitled 'Rock & Roll Baby' is scheduled for April. Volumes 9 and 10, listening to the titles “Hey Doll Baby” and “Lonely Lonely Train” respectively, will be released in May and June. Enjoy it!

​'Audrey', named after the Billy Lehman song of the same name, is already the fifth volume in 'The Rockin' Spot' series. A series that conjures up expertly selected rock 'n' roll, rockabilly and rhythm & blues on your plate. Volume 5 again contains 28 songs, which probably won't tell you much or even nothing at first sight. Until you listen…..and then you know. Buddy Covelle immediately blows your socks off with 'Lorraine' doused in a nice vintage clean sounding guitar. Rocking 'Little Richard style' we continue the chosen path with 'Uncle John' by Wild Child Gipson. And so it goes on......! With ‘Mercy, Mr. Percy 'rhythm & blues singer Varetta Dillard scored a hit. Her 'Promise Mr. Thomas' is also a blast of a rhythm & blues. Vocal group The Valiants, on the other hand, is wildly enthusiastic about 'Frieda, Frieda' and musically express it that way. Saxophonist Preston Love could be heard with his orchestra on many well-known Motown recordings from the 1960s. Here his orchestra backs Beverly Wright on the rhythm & blues 'Kissin' Boogie' while Preston plays a beautiful sax solo. You can enjoy great rockabilly via Jack Scott's 'Geraldine'. An instrumental that also lays down a hypnotic groove is 'Fling' by The Phaetons. Rhythm & blues, rock 'n' roll, rockabilly and beautiful vocal work follow each other in rapid succession.
A fun fact is that Mark Robinson, the performer of 'Pretty Jane' is none other than Lee Hazlewood. On that song you can also hear another legend, namely Duane Eddy on the guitar.
In short, with 'Audrey' the Atomicat label continues the successful series 'The Rockin' Spot'.

​On 'Screaming & Crying', volume 2 in the 'Sin On Saturday, Pray On Sunday' series, compiler Mark Armstrong continues his quest for dazzling rhythm & blues and trance-inducing gospel. Imagine, you live in America in the middle of the last century, you have worked hard for a whole week for a meager wage and you long for relaxation. Fortunately, there are the juke joints where alcoholic drinks flow freely on Saturday evenings and exciting rhythm & blues irrevocably sets your body in motion. You're having fun, but you know it's going to be labeled sinful.
Then it will be Sunday. With a serious hangover you make your way to church, where the 'reverend' addresses you in a penetrating and admonishing way. The gospel makes you jump up from your chair and you get in the right mood. The music has the same influence on you as the rhythm & blues of the night before and fills you with energy that is essential to get through the coming work week. Well, just like on the first volume, the second volume also contains 28 danceable tracks that perfectly reflect the atmosphere of that Saturday night and Sunday.
It goes without saying because the 'Sin On Saturday, Pray On Sunday' series is one that definitely deserves a place in your collection.

​As with the previous releases in the Rhythm & Western series, this seventh volume once again focuses on black artists who gave their own interpretation to songs labeled as country & western. However, some of these songs were categorized as rhythm & blues because they were not record by a white artist, but still carried the genes of the country & western.
When we go over the tracklist, we see that this volume is almost a succession of big names. Examples? Please join us.....Nat King Cole, Screaming Jay Hawkins, Amos Milburn, Bobby 'Blue' Bland, Rosco Gordon, Washboard Sam, Solomon Burke, Lou Rawls, Joe Tex, The Coasters, The Platters, etc .... Rhythm & blues, soul and country, you can find it all on this album.
Volume 7 in the 'Rhythm & Western' series contains a lot of big names and songs that you didn't dare suspect that they actually belonged to the country & western. Wonderful series!

​For the sixth time already, compiler Little Victor aka The Mojo Man delved into the archive of recordings by black artists. Once again we are introduced to 28 tracks that are full of beautiful rhythm & blues. Rhythm & blues that would later be called rock 'n' roll to reach a wider audience. Although rock ‘n’ roll has much, if not all, in common with black rhythm & blues, black performers were rarely credited for this. For that alone, series such as 'Boss Black Rockers' and 'More Boss Black Rockers' are great opportunities to pay tribute to those artists. Artists who were only able to penetrate the mainstream in dribs and drabs, such as Chuck Berry, who is present here with the well-known 'Too Much Monkey Business'. In addition, there were more artists who only gained local fame. Were their songs of lesser quality? No, not at all, but labels only put their energy and promotion into those artists whose records they were almost certain to sell and generate profits. The fact that these recordings were certainly not inferior in quality, this volume also gives a nice picture.
Like all previously released volumes in the 'Boss Black Rockers' and 'More Boss Black Rockers' series, volume six is another one to cherish.

​The next artist to be featured in the 'Koko Mojo Songwriter Series' is Lincoln Chase. Chase was born on June 29, 1926 in Harlem, New York. His father was Cuban and his mother was from the West Indies. Lincoln studied piano at the American Academy of Music in New York City. After these studies he started making recordings and composing for fellow artists. However, there is a chance that his name will not immediately ring a bell, but indirectly you have undoubtedly already become acquainted with his compositions. He wrote for Big Maybelle, Chuck Willis and Ruth Brown, among others. Lincoln achieved his first major success as a songwriter with ‘Such A Night’ for The Drifters with lead singer Clyde McPhatter. Song that has been covered many times, as by Johnnie Ray and of course Elvis Presley. In addition to lesser-known artists, greats such as George Benson, Ruth Brown, LaVern Baker, Red Foley and Ray Hamilton also recorded songs by Chase.
Lincoln Chase wasn't just a talented songwriter. He was also extremely versatile as an artist. You can witness this in the songs he recorded under his own name.
This compilation proves Lincoln Chase's tremendous talent, both as an artist and as a songwriter. Chase died on October 6, 1980, barely 54 years old, in Atlanta. Unjustly, his meritorious work was not honored with any award. Don't let this album pass you by!

​The next to be featured in Bear Family's ‘Rocks’ series is pianist Memphis Slim. Slim was born Peter Chatman in 1915 in Memphis. He moved from Memphis to Chicago where he emerged as a well-known singer and pianist in the blues. In the 1960s he moved to Paris. His piano style was based on the barrelhouse style, which resulted in energetic parts on the black and white keys.
The 29 tracks on this compilation are recordings by Bluebird, Miracle, VeeJay, Strand, King, Premium, United and Chess from the period 1942 - 1961. The period in which rhythm & blues was at the origin of the rock ' n roll. That can also be clearly heard on the songs brought together here. In addition to rhythm & blues, blues and even gospel can be heard in dribs and drabs. Memphis Slim always knew how to surround himself with the 'creme de la creme' of musicians. His band included Ernest Cotton and Alex Atkins on saxes and Matt ‘Guitar’ Murphy. Matt who, by the way, is also known to the general public through his participation in the movie 'The Blues Brothers'.
In addition to an excellent sound, this album also contains a 36-page color booklet, including liner notes from British rock and roll expert Martin Hawkins.
Memphis Slim died on January 24, 1988 in Paris. He was inducted into The Memphis Music Hall Of Fame and the Blues Foundation.
That Memphis Slim could rock, you get the best proof of that on this collector.
This album simply belongs in the collection of every blues lover and certainly in these of fans of rocking and rolling piano sounds. Recommended!

In the previously published volumes in the 'Rhythm & Western' series, we were already introduced to black artists who found their inspiration in the country & western, which until then belonged more to white artists. That trend also continues in volume 6 'I'm Moving On'. Country & Western, rhythm & blues, blues and gospel in 28 tracks by well-known and lesser-known black artists. The names known to the general public are certainly Little Richard, Lazy Lester, Clyde McPhatter, Lloyd Price, Ivory Joe Hunter, The Platters, Sam Cooke and Blind Willie McTell. But just as well let yourself be surprised by the artists that may not be so well known to you. You won't regret it!
With this compilation, compiler Little Victor aka 'The Mojo Man' has once again delivered a direct hit. Next month, the series will continue with 'Jambalaya', the number seven.

With 'Sure Look Good To Me' we are exactly halfway through the 'More Boss Black Rockers' series. True to tradition, 28 tracks packed with black rhythm & blues and rock 'n' roll. Between opener the rocking and rolling 'Who Ya Gonna Kiss' by Speedo & The Pearls and closing the New Orleans sound by Fats Domino with 'Where Did You Stay Last Night', there is a lot to discover. Rhythm & blues, rock 'n' roll and doo-wop of excellent quality.
Volume 5 in the 'More Boss Black Rockers' series proves once again that a lot of formidable rhythm & blues, doo-wop and rock 'n' roll were recorded by black artists in the fifties and early sixties. We are curiously looking forward to volume 6 in the series, 'Everything's Cool'. It has been announced for February.

​With volume 1 of the miniseries 'Sin On Saturday, Pray On Sunday', compiler Mark Armstrong has again found a nice angle. Always on Saturday evening, the 'devils music' reigns supreme and provides loads of entertainment, but on Sunday the pub or at the time the juke joint is exchanged for the church. What can you expect on this album? First of all sublime rhythm & blues and blues for the entertainment on Saturday evening. On Sunday we take a more religious approach with infectious, rousing gospel.
Rhythm & blues, blues and gospel are alternately presented on the album.
Well-known names sure are Little Milton, Sonny Terry, Hound Dog Taylor, Slim Harpo, B.B. King, Memphis Minnie, Junior Wells, The Sensational Nightingales, The Golden Trumpets, Bells of Joy and Golden Gate Quartet.
With 'Sin On Saturday, Pray On Sunday' the KokoMojo label releases yet another high flyer. Volume two, entitled 'Screaming & Crying', will be released in February. Definitely one to look forward to!