After releasing a re-mastered 180g vinyl version of The Searchers’ second LP – ‘Sugar and Spice from 1963 – BGO Records applied the same treatment to their third 33rpm offering, 1964’s ‘It’s The Searchers’.  And this one too comes with four bonuses – When You Walk in The Room, What Have They Done To The Rain, Goodbye My Love and He’s Got No Love.
Melodies and harmonies is what The Searchers did best, think Jackie De Shannon’s ‘Needles and Pins’ or David & Bacharach’s ‘Empty Place’, but Merseybeat implies both fast rock and roll and – forgotten too often - the rhythm and blues that is too exclusively accredited to the Bluesboomers that came later. Just listen to their take on ‘Hi Heel Sneakers’ and ‘Gonna Send You Back to Georgia’.
A beautiful album and a beautiful product too. 

Wayne Cochran was born on May 10, 1939 in Georgia and died on November 21, 2017 in Florida. Wayne became known for his immense white pompadour hairstyle and for the song 'Last Kiss', the last song he wrote. He started as a young rocker, but later evolved into an impressive soul artist. He was influenced by Otis Redding and James Brown, among others. Two artists he could also count among his circle of friends. On this compilation you will also find the very first recording of 'These Arms Of Mine', written by Otis Redding. Cochran was widely regarded as the best white soul and rhythm & blues artist, earning him the title 'The White King Of Soul'. On this double CD, released by Bear Family Records, you get all the recordings that Wayne made in the period 1959 - 1966. In addition to the rare recordings on local labels, this double album also contains all the recordings he made for Chess, Mercury and King. Plus you get three exceptionally rare instrumental songs recorded by his band The Rocking Capris. Including the bonus tracks, this release contains 42 tracks. On the first CD, Wayne presents himself as a rocker of his time, where he effortlessly convinces in both the slower and uptempo songs. Wayne is completely immersed in his songs and when he comes out vocally raw, the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. Wayne Cochran simply deserved worldwide recognition.
The second CD starts with a soulful rhythm & blues version of 'The Coo', a song that can be heard in a rock 'n' roll version on the first CD. On this CD the sound becomes fuller due to the horn section, which fits better with the soulful. The influence of James Brown is clearly heard in Wayne's performance of 'Think'. 'You Let The Water Running' sounds extremely soulful, even with some gospel influences. The dynamics and intensity that Wayne puts into the Bob & Earl classic 'Harlem Shuffle', 'Somebody Please' and 'Get Down With It' is heavenly, which justifies his title 'The White King Of Soul'. In 'No Rest For The Wicked' Otis Redding nods approvingly from behind the corner.
The bonus tracks consist of 3 Cochran compositions, performed by Bobby Lee Smith, Alice Rozier and Richie Kall and 4 songs by Otis Redding. Three of them, including 'These Arms Of Mine' sung by him, supplemented with Buddy Leach's version of this song.
It also becomes clear that Wayne Cochran, in addition to being an excellent performer, also had a knack for writing formidable songs.
In the 35-page booklet, written by Bill Dahl, you receive an extensive biography in addition to beautiful photos and illustrations. 'The Bigger The Pompadour...' is a beautiful tribute to an artist who deserved more recognition than he received.

Turkish folk songs and own compositions in a very modern interpretation.  Creative and original world music indeed! 

Insects and spiders don't just scare a lot of people at Halloween. They scare many people at any time of the year. Insects and spiders won't scare you on this compilation released by Bear Family Records. On the contrary, the 28 songs on this album will make you enjoy it to the fullest. To such an extent that you can no longer imagine that these little animals make you run wild when you see them. The album contains 28 tracks, all of which were recorded between 1937 and 1966 and many of which are beautiful instrumentals. Once again, well-known artists are linked to lesser-known and perhaps even completely unknown names. We also start instrumentally with guitar wizard Buddy Merrill and 'Green Hornet Theme'. And successor 'Hornet's Nest' by Curtis Knight and The Squires also does without vocaal. The lead guitar here is played by Jimi Hendrix. Here you can already hear that he had an enormous talent on the six strings. When you think of a vibraphonist, Lionel Hampton's name immediately comes to mind. He once again demonstrates his skills on the vibraphone on the instrumental 'Buzzin' Around With The Bee', recorded in 1937 and the oldest recording here, but it has not lost any of its power. A lightning-fast piano forms the basis for Winifred Atwell's 'Bumble Boogie'. More interesting instrumental work is coming, including Martin Denny who draws attention to one of the most dangerous insects in 'Tsetse Fly' or The Nobles who instrumentally frame another dangerous individual in the guitar-driven 'Black Widow'. The 1955 American science fiction film 'Tarantula' inspired Bob Regan, Bruce Gist and The Invaders, The Tarantulas and The Storms for instrumental songs with the same title. You will find sultry and jazzy with 'The Web' by Abie 'Available' Baker. The Swing Kings serve up a portion of instrumental rock 'n' roll in 'The Bug', as well as Link Davis with 'Beate Bug'.
Twisting, Chubby Checker achieved great success. Here he discovers himself to a new dance, namely 'The Fly'. The conversation between 'The Spider And The Fly' by John Zacherley sounds funny. For a dose of rock 'n' roll you can go to Jack Hammer in 'Black Widow Spider Woman' and in terms of rockabilly, Gene Maltais works his way through 'The Bug'. Who still knows jazz guitarist Freddy Sunder? In the late 1950s and early 1960s he was part of the then BRT Orchestra conducted by Francis Bay. Here you hear Sunder in the catchy 'Cucaracha Boogie' from 1953. The insect Boll Weevil that could be found in cotton fields forms the basis for Brook Benton's spoken 'The Boll Weevil Song'.
Also inspiring vocal work comes, among others, from LaVern Baker and 'Godfather of Country' Hank Williams. In the 16-page booklet, with rare photos of artists and memorabilia, Marc Mittelacher guides you through all the tracks.
'Beware! Insects And Spiders!' will not scare you, but you will enjoy it all the more.

French jazzy chanson with influences from Sade and some Tracy Chapman.  Jazzy worldmusic that feels nice.

It is no longer a surprise that both blues and doo-wop are about emotions and that both genres have a link. You could already read that in the review of the first volume in the 'Blues Meets Doo-Wop' series, which you can read again here https://www.keysandchords.com/album-review-blog/various-artists- blues-meets-doo-wop-vol-1. What might surprise you is the fact that there are quite a few blues recordings that connect both genres. Compiler Little Victor filled the second volume with 28 tracks that will sound like heavenly music to the ears of both blues and doo-wop lovers. The album starts immediately with class leader Champion Jack Dupree. On 'Somebody Changed The Lock', a fine example of New Orleans blues, he leaves the polyphonic work to The Empires. Another well-known artist, namely Tampa Red, passes later with 'Since Baby Been Gone'. Legend Bo Diddley is also present. He is assisted by vocal group The Teardrops during 'I'm Sorry', a major tearjerker. Johnny Darrow presents a formidable version of Sonny Boy Williamson's 'Don't Start Me Talking'. For beautiful guitar work you can later visit The Evergreens and 'Guitar Player'. 'Reno Blues' is a formidable blues by The Big Three Trio, which takes center stage here as a doo-wop group. This also applies to The Royal Jokers in 'I Don't Like It That Much', after which Baby Washington delivers a truly compelling blues with 'Congratulations Honey'. Another beautiful blues comes with 'Walkin'' by Phil Flowers. Jimmy Witherspoon was a blues artist who made impression as both a shouter and a crooner. Here he can be heard with the rhythm & blues song 'My Girl Ivy'. A very clever doo-wop song comes with 'Bye Bye Baby Blues' by The Ravens, which swingingly heralds the arrival of rock 'n' roll. Clarence Gatemouth Brown was a multi-instrumentalist. In addition to being a guitarist, he also played the mandolin, harmonica, violin and drums. On 'Be Bop Baby' by The Peacheroos he serves as a guitarist. Due to the constant female laughter, 'Talking Trash' by The Marathons sounds rather hilarious. You can expect a good dose of sixties soul from Little Eddie Mint and his 'Bring Yourself Back Here'. Soul is also contained in the following track, 'Cryin' And Sighin'' by Manzie Harris. Blues-wise, The Five Breezes, with the help of blues legend Willie Dixon, can close the album with 'My Buddy Blues'.
This second volume once again shows that fantastic songs were recorded by blues artists with the help of doo-wop groups, as well as by doo-wop groups in the blues genre. 'Blues Meets Doo-Wop' is a series that serves you the best of both genres on a platter.

The track listing for Blood Brothers Live in Canada album includes 10 live versions of songs that were originally included on the duo’s Blood Brothers studio album released to great international critical acclaim on Gulf Coast Records. 

Here Riviere, whose lead guitar infuses the album, is backed by McKendree on keys and guitars along with bassist David Santos and drummer Kenneth Blevins, just your basic four-piece, with the McCrary Sisters (Ann, Regina, & Freda) appearing on the closing gospel tune “Cold, Cold, River.” 

On January 17, 1920, the National Prohibition Act, came into effect in America. The law aimed to make the sale of intoxicating liquids illegal, as well as banning the consumption of alcoholic beverages. However, this ban did not have the desired result. Illegal cafes sprang up where illegally distilled drinks were sold. The criminal circuit took control of the banned liquor industry and gangsters such as Al Capone did golden business. The criminals stole industrial alcohol and turned it into somewhat acceptable and drinkable alcohol. That is why in 1926 the American government forced manufacturers of industrial alcohol to add substances such as kerosene, benzene, acetone or methanol. As a result, many users, including musicians such as blues pioneer Robert Johnson, died. Thirteen years after the introduction of the law, it was realized that things could not continue like this and the ban came to an end on December 5, 1933. It is now 90 years later and the Atomicat label  pays attention to the lifting of the Prohibition Act with 30 tracks on 'Booze Party, The Rockers'. Not all titles immediately hint at the link with alcohol. Sometimes it also shows up in the lyrics. 'F-B-I Story', rock 'n' roll with doo-wop by Rudy Grayzell, opens with the sound of machine guns and the criminal side of the law immediately becomes clear. The song is based on the actions of John Edgar Hoover, then director of the FBI. For the Indian population, alcoholic drinks were 'Firewater'. Packaged here by Premieres in a beautiful instrumental, with both guitar and sax in the leading role. More instrumental work will follow with The Wailers and 'Tall Cool One'. Illegally distilled alcohol, also called 'Moonshine', inspired Whitey Pullen, once Gene Vincent's road manager, for this rocking song. Later 'Moonshine' songs follow, with the same title, but completely different ones by Montie Jones and Cecil Moore. With the former it provides a wonderful hillbilly rocker and with Moore traces of honky tonk emerge.
The 'Bloodshot Eyes' that often appear after excessive alcohol consumption are transformed by Millie Vernon into infectious rock 'n' roll. The consequences of alcohol can lead to dangerous situations, as Gene Vincent shows in the well-known 'Pistol Packin' Mama', with Georgie Fame on the piano. Tequila and The Champs is always a good combination. This becomes clear once again in the instrumental 'Tequila Twist', a derivative of their mega hit. Chuck Rio was once part of The Champs. You can also hear that in his instrumental 'Margarita'. You get a dash of country via 'Too Many Bubbles' by Jay Chevalier. With the help of Eddie Cochran on guitar, Bo Davis rocks away his worries during 'Drownin' All My Sorrows'. Who knows the consequences of alcohol better than the legendary Carl Perkins, here with 'Dixie Fried' with Jerry Lee Lewis on the black and white keys. You undoubtedly know 'One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer' in other versions. The Five Encores version is extremely swinging. This also applies to The Tyrones who stick to 'Pink Champagne'. 'Trouble Bound' is Billy Lee Riley's inspiration for a great rockabilly song. The agent who had to check whether 'prohibition' did not lead to illegal things gets an image in 'Revenuer Man' by Bill Goodwin. Cowboy Jack Clement and Billy Riley join forces with Sonny Burgess in the instrumental 'Thunderbird', an ode to the cheap wine that was often consumed on sessions.
'Booze Party, The Rockers' is an album with many possibilities. At a party it will provide the necessary ambiance, in the car it will always invite you to press the gas pedal a little deeper and at home with a well turned up volume knob and a glass of wine, beer or whiskey in hand, for top-level musical entertainment. Highly Recommended!

You know them...songs where you can snap your fingers to the rhythm so wonderfully. Perhaps the most obvious song, on which the finger snapping is clearly present, is Peggy Lee's 'Fever'. Song that should not be missing from this compilation. Later you will also get Elvis Presley's version. Before we get that far, there is first striker Joe Henderson with the appropriate 'Snap Your Fingers', recorded in 1962. But they aren't the only artists who made recordings where you can snap your fingers along to the rhythm. Another example is Roger Miller's 'King Of The Road', which was also a hit with us at the time. Other well-known people pass by, including The Coasters, The Platters with 'My Heart Belongs To Daddy' written by Cole Porter, Sanford Clark, the then billed as 'Blues Boy' B.B. King with the '16 Tons' immortalized by Tennessee Ernie Ford, Connie Francis, Ruth Brown, Wynonie Harris and Bill Haley and His Comets, who take a somewhat quieter approach for once in 'Hawk'. '16 Tons' follows later in the separate version by Jimmy Dean. A popcorn song that is great for finger-snapping is 'My Nerves' by Little Willie John. You can also place 'Chills And Fever' by Ronnie Love in the same genre. For some cool rhythm & blues you can go to 'Cool Miner' by the famous Nappy Brown. You could easily place Brook Benton's 'Hotel Happiness' next to Peggy Lee's 'Fever' in terms of finger snapping. Things get swinging a little later on 'Lookout Mountain' by Chuck Miller. Country is the basis for 'I Cast A Lonesome Shadow' by Hank Thompson and The Brazos Valley Boys, who recorded it in 1958. Al Pittman called himself Dr. Horse. In that capacity he delivers a beautifully 'spoken' 'Jack That Cat Was Clean'. Dick Penner co-wrote Roy Orbison's 'Ooby Dooby'. Under his own name he recorded the 'Cindy Lou' selected here for the Sun label. If Ruth Brown was the leading queen in the first half of the fifties, LaVern Baker took on that role with class in the second half of the fifties. Convince yourself of this during 'Tiny Tim'. A hint of rock 'n' roll surfaces with Steve King and The Echelons in 'Satan Is Her Name'. Featuring Lorrie and Larry Collins as The Collins Kids, in 'Heartbeat' you can once again enjoy Larry's guitar work in addition to Lorrie's beautiful vocal performance.
In the beautifully illustrated booklet, music historian Bill Dahl delves deeper into the artists and tracks selected by Nico Feuerbach.
Of course you don't have to cut your thumb and middle finger blue during all 31 tracks, but if you really want to, you can and it is possible with this 'On The Dancefloor With A Fingersnap'.

Wh^rl, is a self-titled double LP, it is also a solo debut of Groninger Jurgen Veenstra (Avery Plains, Moan, Moonlizards). Jurgen is not hiding behind walls of noise anymore, but making a huge emotional impact with his bare & beautiful lo-fi songs. Jurgen Veenstra from Groningen (Netherlands) finally makes his debut as a solo artist, using the moniker wh^rl as an outlet for his morose musings in a lo-fi setting. On his self-titled debut, Veenstra delivers 15 songs that - for the untrained listener - fall into the 'singer-songwriter' idiom, but are much broader and deeper, filled with decades of life experience and listening to all kinds of music. Each song enhabits its own lo-fi universe, here and there hinting at indie rock, folk, blues, noise, americana and ambient. 

With 'Rhythm Rockin' Boogie', compiler and ex-member of The Kokomo Kings Ronni Boysen is on his fourth volume in the 'Black Pearls' series. As the title already indicates, you can expect some rocking blues boogies on this volume. The legendary king of the blues boogie John Lee Hooker can light the fuse with 'Who's Been Jiving You', a song that the then young Hooker recorded in Detroit in 1948. With the successor 'You're Too Bad' by Birmingham Junior and His Lover Boys, the blues harp also makes an appearance. Hound Dog Taylor is known for his raw, straight-from-the-heart boogies. 'Take Five' here is one of his best-known songs. J.B. Hutto, master of the slide guitar, was Taylor's uncle and he also taught him the tricks of the trade. Hutto himself comes up later with 'Lovin' You', on which you can clearly hear that Taylor modeled his sound on Hutto's. Betty James was born in Louisiana. The blues from that region is also reflected in 'Henry Lee'. Frankie Lee Sims has provided a number of beautiful songs in his career. Moreover, he was the cousin of that other great Lightnin' Hopkins. You can hear him later as an excellent guitarist on the instrumental 'Hopkins' Sky Hop'. You can hear Sims here on 'Yeh, Baby'. On this song Mercy Baby is on drums. In turn, you can hear Mercy Baby under his own name on 'Pleadin''. Sims was also often heard on Baby's recordings. Speaking of friendly services! For a nice intro on the blues harp you can go to 'My Sweet Woman' by Drifting Slim. At the piano was none other than Ike Turner. With Clifford King's 'Want To Jump With You Baby' you not only get a formidable boogie, but also an extremely rare recording. The song was only pressed 500 copies at the time. Another well-known figure in the blues world is Lightnin' Slim, often called the king of the Louisiana blues. Slim recorded for 12 years for the Excello label, which was also home to Lazy Lester. Slim delivers a stirring 'Wonderin' and Goin'' here. Little Junior was also not one of the least. He worked with Sonny Boy Williamson II and Howlin' Wolf, among others. Here he is present with the well-known 'Love My Baby' that he recorded for Sun. A versatile artist was Eddie Burns, also known as Eddy 'Guitar' Burns. In addition to being a guitarist, harmonica player and singer, he was also an excellent songwriter. He effortlessly convinces of this in 'Hello Miss Jessie'. Lena Hall really goes back to the essence of the blues in 'What You Gonna Do'. On washboard you hear Washboard Willie and guitarist was Calvin Frazier. Frazier is featured under his own name in 'Little Mae', a song dedicated to his wife. Confiners of Mississippi State Penetentary serve up a formidable instrumental blues boogie on the harmonica on the appropriate 'Harmonica Boogie'. Doctor Ross was known for his 'one man band' where he played guitar, harmonica and drums. He proves that he could do that excellently on 'Come Back Baby'. In the fifties and sixties, Earl Hooker was a respected guitarist in the Chicago blues scene. Rightly so, as he shows on the instrumental 'On The Hook'. James Cotton became one of the most famous harmonica players. On 'Hold Me In Your Arms', a Sun recording, he leaves the instrument behind and concentrates on the vocals. In addition to the aforementioned 'one man band' of Doctor Ross, Joe Hill Louis also operated on his own. He can close with 'Gotta Go Baby'.
With the fourth volume in the 'Black Pearls' series you get 28 sublime tracks that celebrate the blues boogie. An album that is guaranteed to ensure a packed dance floor at parties.

Now there is finally new work from the 11 Guys Quartet, ten instrumentals, alternated with one vocal song. The Quartet opens with the instrumental warm-up track 'Lightning Road', before continuing with the swampy 'Black Cat Bone' and the rock ballad 'Blues Beyond Midnight'. From the high-speed performed 'Drivin' A Fast Car' it goes quickly to the funky and Latin inspired 'Texicali Mojo' and the Texas blues rocker 'Stompin' Blues'. The heavily charged 'He Ain't Got You' is one of the few songs that contains some vocality.  'Jokers Blues' is also a cool guitar boogie. 'Possum Blues' is classified as country blues, just like 'The Rona Stomp' and the closing 'Rockin' The Blues' are swinging rockers. And know, replay please! 

”Richard Rozze is an artist who has successfully forged a unique approach to his playing and compositions. He glides effortlessly through multi-genre worlds, his solos flawlessly committed to his surroundings. ‘Lion’ is an electric guitar album, with a focus on song writing at its core. The songs have subjects that are personal yet universal.

Blues guitarist Johnny Laporte came to the Netherlands from Indonesia with his family in 1958. There ​his musical career began with the Oscar Benton Blues Band. In 1974 he and others started the blues band Barrelhouse, in which he and his brother Guus still form the guitar tandem. Next year, Barrelhouse will celebrate their 50th anniversary with an extensive farewell tour. Together with Oscar Benton, Johnny made the album 'I Am Back' in 2018 and 'Mirrors Don' Lie' a year later. Another year later, Oscar Benton died and the corona period arrived. Johnny found time for his own music during that period and started working in his home studio. The result of this can now be found on 'That's Me', Johnny's debut as a solo artist. At the same time he is also releasing his debut novel 'Zwijgen Zweeg Gezwegen'. A number of song lyrics on 'That's Me' are taken from the novel, of which you can soon read a review on this site. Anyway, let's take care of 'That's Me' first. Johnny is an extremely talented guitarist and this obviously manifests itself on this album. In addition, he also emerges as a multi-instrumentalist because he plays all instruments. With the exception of two songs, namely 'World's In A Tangle' by Jimmy Rogers and 'Ramblin' On My Mind' by Robert Johnson, all songs flowed from his pen. With a very special, somewhat Eastern-style intro and ditto riff, he starts with the uptempo 'Waitin''. Successor 'Better Run Through The Fire' is bursting with blues. Johnny does not follow well-trodden paths, but develops a wonderful 'Laporte blues'. He once again successfully continues that vision, supplemented with some soul, in 'Forbidden Fruit', a contemporary, but above all personal slow blues. Jimmy Rogers' 'World's In A Tangle' gets a clever contemporary makeover in Johnny's hands, not to mention his interpretation of Johnson's 'Ramblin' On My Mind' with heavenly piano and guitar parts. With 'Angel Fly Home' he has an original golden ballad and on 'We Gotta Tie Her Down' some reggae creeps in. The somewhat jazzy 'Storyteller' presents itself intimately with once again phenomenal performances on the black and white keys. With the currently applicable 'There's A War Outside' he significantly increases the tempo and creates a sublime blues rocker. Introduced by samples from Tony Joe White, the album closes with 'Play It', a heck of an instrumental swamp blues inspired by White.
Vocally, Johnny's voice has acquired a pleasantly raw edge over the years, which only makes the songs more convincing.
With 'That's Me' Johnny Laporte gives an impressive example of his performances as a solo artist. Hopefully it doesn't end with this first solo album.

Hailing from Teesside in the North of England, Emma Wilson with her fabulously dynamic voice moves effortlessly between heart-wrenching sweet soul licks & raw, real, powerful blues. Emma's unique, tender vocals & gorgeous tone lend themselves beautifully to recordings with shades of early Aretha Franklin & hints of another of Emma's all time favourites Ann Peebles. Sensational British Rhythm & Blues Singer releases her new album titled 'Memphis Calling,' beautiful nine track record which features the original members of the HI Rhythm Section and drummer Steve Potts (Booker T & the MG's) and recorded at Sam Phillips Record Studios in Memphis. 

Little Village Foundation is very excited about the stunning and revelatory brand new Marcel Smith soul and blues release, "From My Soul" from the good folks at Little Village!! This is a real classic SOUL album, done the right way- old school feeling, natural organic instrumentation, some modern flourishes, and fronted by a soul singer supreme who comes straight from the gospel church! Some killer originals from Marcel and Anthony Paule (be sure to check out "I'm Comin Home To You" and "Nothing Left To Burn") and some choice covers, including 2 duets with Marcel's bud, soul & blues singer star, Johnny Rawls - their versions of O.V. Wright's " There Goes My Used To Be" and Tyrone Davis' "Turn Back the Hands of Time" are so freakin' good!! Producer/guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Kid Andersen and Greaseland Studios and pianist/organist Jim Pugh and Little Village have done it again! Special guests include harp ace Rick Estrin and backing vocals from Lisa Leuschner Andersen and the famed The Sons of the Soul Revivers of San Francisco, CA . Be sure to check out Marcel's show-stopping live bonus cut with special guest legendary bassist Jerry Jemmott, an amazing heart wrenching version of The Bee Gees via Al Green classic, "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart" a heavy tribute/dedication from Marcel, dealing with the loss of his recently departed mother. Highly recommended…! 

Although the Christmas period should be one where rest and relaxation come first, putting together the festive meal or looking for the right presents can also cause a lot of stress. To shake off that stress, composer Mark, designer Alf and quality advisor Franky, together with the entire team of Atomicat Records, present you 'Seasons Greetings'. 28 tracks that, provided you give the volume knob a good jerk to the right, will quickly make you dance and wave your stress away. The pace is immediately good with the swinging 'Dig That Crazy Santa Claus' by Ralph Marterie and Lola Dee, a song from 1954, after which Paul Anka presents a catchy and very personal version of the classic 'Jingle Bells'. Anka returns with the crooner-like 'Christmas In Japan'. In 1959, The Lollipops changed the well-known 'Mr. Sandman' into the more appropriate 'Mr. Santa'. 'Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!' may have been heard in many versions, but this swinging, slightly jazzy version by Ella Fitzgerald stands head and shoulders above the others. For beautiful gospel you can always contact The Staple Singers. Pops Staples and his children are here with 'The Last Month Of The Year'. We previously indicated that many associate doo-wop with Christmas. Well, they will definitely enjoy 'The Robin' by The Holidays.
Nice instrumental songs come from The Guitars, Inc. and their version of 'Sleigh Ride' and the sax-driven 'White Christmas' by Bill Robbin and The Blue Jays. You get the flip side of that single later with the equally instrumental 'Rockin' Bells', a remake of 'Jingle Bells'. It is rather cheerfully twisting in Jay Matty's 'Merry Twist Mas'.
An 'all time Christmas classic' is 'The Bells Of St. Mary's', although the lyrics have no direct link with Christmas, the melody clearly does. You get a nice version here from Lynn Taylor with The Peachettes. Fans of a cappella will certainly find something to their liking in the gospel 'Born In Bethlehem' by The Famous Blue Jay Singers Of Birmingham Alabama.
Also very atmospheric work by Louis Armstrong and The All Stars with 'Christmas Night In Harlem', beautiful harmonies by The King Sisters And Family with 'Over The River (And Through The Woods)', The Bookends in 'Christmas Kisses' and from The Voices Of Walter Schumann in 'Christmas Gift'. The country-like 'Cowboy Santa Claus' by Bill Lacey with Lil Armstrong and Her Ebony-Aires also sounds pleasant. Country is also the basis of Homer and Jethro's 'Santa's Moving On', which is based on Hank Williams' 'I'm Movin' On'. The flip side of 'Santa's Moving On', namely the 'Nuttin' For Christmas' with a dose of hillbilly, is also on this compilation. Kay Martin and Her Body Guards often performed on stage in nightclubs, no wonder that 'Come On Santa, Let's Have A Ball' evokes the prevailing atmosphere there. The 'Happy New Year To You' by vocal group The Qualities announces itself at the door, which immediately heralds the end of this album. With 'Seasons Greetings' the entire team of Atomicat Records sends you 28 atmospheric tracks bathed in various music genres for the upcoming Christmas period. Highly recommended!

The Groningen band Them Dirty Dimes is already a permanent fixture in the music firmament. They add color to the intended musical sounds with a lot of pleasant swing, blues, folk and many jazzy tunes. Them Dirty Dimes is a band that goes back to old genres and forges something new. With their varied set, the band moves from gypsy to blues and from Americana to Dixieland. After the well-received debut album, Them Dirty Dimes will present its successor ‘Empty Pockets’ in 2023. Highly recommended! 

A wonderful and joyful album, breaking boundaries in classical music. A very interesting fusion of styles. Recommended.

Christian Kjellvander releases the album "Hold Your Love Still" and goes on tour. There is a necessity over Christian Kjellvander's artistry. Regardless of whether the Swedish singer-songwriter dealt with Americana, indie rock or – as of late – free experiments with jazz and rock! This is the work of a skilled songwriter at its most essential. Floating on a cloud of an extensive musical sound palette, he expands our minds. 

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

As we already showed in the first volume of 'Blues Meets Doo-Wop', doo-wop is often linked to the end of the year and more specifically to the Christmas event. However, Doo-Wop is more than just the soundtrack for a warm and cozy Christmas. But this aside, it is also a fact that this genre gives the Christmas period a special glow through the heavenly voices of its performers. To give that warm glow an extra boost, the Koko Mojo label is launching this compilation 'Doo Wop Christmas Party'. No fewer than 30 tracks that will undoubtedly make your Christmas a unique event this year. Many songs that you will certainly hear for the first time, but also a number of well-known names, such as The Drifters, Jan & Dean, The 4 Seasons, The Platters and Huey 'Piano' Smith and The Clowns, will immediately put you in the right mood. The Rhythm Aces can start with the sublime polyphonic, devoutly performed 'C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S'. Speeding up a bit and somewhat rocking, Debbie & The Teen Dreams continue with 'Santa, Teach Me To Dance' from 1962. The Martels also rock in 'Rockin' Santa Claus'. A song that certainly deserves our attention is 'My First Christmas With You' by The Eligibles. The instrumental accompaniment, reduced to its essence, ensures that the voices always grab you by the scruff of the neck. This also applies to 'Merry Christmas One And All' by The Rhythm Kings. Excellent and with an enormous dose of soul, The Midnighters deliver a formidable 'Christmas Time For Everybody But Me'. Soul is also part of 'A Very Special Birthday' recorded by The Cashmeres, as well as Dodie Stevens' 'Merry, Merry Christmas Baby'. No white Christmas, but a sultry 'Christmas In The Congo'. The Marquees will show you what that sounds like. The Stompers give you a tip about what you can do around the Christmas tree with 'Stompin' Around The Xmas Tree'. You don't even have to wait until Christmas to enjoy it. The Classic Four convince you of this with verve in 'Early Christmas'. Johnny Mendell serves the very special and especially twisting version of 'Jingle Bells' a little later as 'Jingle Bell Twist USA'. 'I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus' would certainly have sounded a bit naughty in 1962, which once again puts the beautiful harmony singing of The 4 Seasons in the spotlight. In his typical style, Huey 'Piano' Smith, together with his inseparable The Clowns, closes the list with 'Happy New Year'.
You get classic Christmas songs from The Drifters with 'Bells Of St. Marys', 'White Christmas' by The Precisions, Jan & Dean and an energetic version of 'Frosty The Snowman', the very special 'Jingle Bells' by The 4 Seasons, 'Here Comes Santa Claus' with The Mills Brothers and 'Winter Wonderland' by The Ames Brothers.
'Doo Wop Christmas Party' not only contains impressive doo-wop, but also shows you how the genre graced Christmas in the fifties and early sixties and still does that today. I am extremely impressed. Recommended!

This album offers the listener a wide range of blues, a lot of blues rock, soul, funk and a dash of country

With 'Santa Swings……The Windup', the German Bear Family label launches a very special Christmas CD. 'The Windup' refers to the time when one still had to wind a record player, or rather gramophone, with a handle and 78 rpm records had to be played with a steel needle. It is therefore understandable that the album does not contain any obvious interpretations of Christmas songs, including the sound of the necessary bells. Instead you get 27 tracks from the thirties and forties of the last century by renowned orchestras. Naturally, these songs were released on fragile shellac records. So you can expect stylish swinging jazz, which is also ideal for doing some dance moves. Well-known names that come into the spotlight on this album include Glenn Miller, Paul Whiteman, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Chick Webb and Stuff Smith. Among these well-known and lesser-known orchestras we also find The Ramblers, from the Netherlands, who, together with the Belgian singer Marcel Thielemans, recorded an orchestral arrangement of 'Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!' There is also a wonderful track with 'And The Angels Sing' by Count Basie's orchestra with that other legend, namely Helen Humes behind the microphone. The same song follows later in the version by Jan Savitt and His Tophatters. Legend Glenn Miller and his orchestra are present with a special version of 'Jingle Bells' that he recorded on December 24, 1941, one day before Christmas, for the legendary radio, Chesterfield Broadcast. Ella Logan's version sounds even more special, but also extremely original, as 'Jingle (Bingle) Bells'. Ella Fitzgerald can shine together with Chick Webb's orchestra on 'There's Frost On The Moon', a song from 1937. A swinging instrumental is undoubtedly 'Freeze And Melt' by Joe Turner and His Memphis Men, a pseudonym for Duke Ellington and his orchestra for the recordings at Columbia Records. You don't hear Big Joe Turner on this recording. He was already active as a blues shouter.
The album contains both instrumental and sung tracks, but the 'swing' is always present.
Although the recordings date from the thirties and forties, they sound impressively good. In addition, you will receive all information about the tracks in the accompanying booklet. It will not surprise you that many of these tracks appear on CD for the first time. However, if you like vinyl, there is also good news. Bear Family distilled 14 tracks from this CD and released them on red colored vinyl (BAF18074).
Of course you have to have a soft spot for authentic swinging jazz to enjoy this album to the fullest. If you do that, you have a pearl in your hands with 'Santa Swings…The Windup'.