​Fortunately, music does not take skin color into account. While the black population in America still suffered greatly from the prevailing discrimination and struggled for equal rights, black artists were already mixing their rhythm & blues with the white country & western. Like volume 1, the second volume again features 28 black artists who pushed musical boundaries and merged genres.
It is clear that the 'Rhythm & Western' series is the umpteenth series that attaches great importance to quality and is a must have for the true music lover. True to tradition, these, like all other Atomicat editions, also bathe in a beautiful contemporary sound quality.

'Branded', the title of the album that accompanies us on our fifth visit to Sadie's Gentlemen's Club, is open to several interpretations. On the one hand you can see the hot club atmosphere in it and on the other it just as well indicates the 'being branded' of the visitors. Richie Robin shares his experience. He recorded ‘Branded’ for Gone in 1959. Well, it really doesn't matter much. What is important, however, are the 30 tracks with hot rhythm & blues and smooth soul that this compilation contains and they are once again more than worth it.
Besides some lesser known but no less appreciated songs, this compilation features some legendary artists. Nina Simone is there with the beautiful 'Chilly Winds Don't Blow'. Another great lady arrives with Marilyn Monroe and her well-known plea 'I Wanna Be Loved By You'. King of Twist Chubby Checker traditionally puts on his dancing shoes for 'Dancin' Party', while Ike Turner and his Kings of Rhythm indulge themselves in the instrumental, somewhat Eastern-looking 'Katanga'. Ray Charles makes his wish known in his well-known way in 'Kissa Me Baby', while The Drifters go a step further in 'I'll Take You Home', with beautiful harmony vocals as always.
Needless to say that 'Sadie's Gentlemen's Club, Visit 05, Branded' once again contains qualitative toppers? I didn't think so, but it's still better to discover it for yourself. Enjoy!

​It has become a tradition that the releases of the Atomicat label are full of danceable tracks. To reinforce this, the label is now releasing the 'Dance-Craze-A-Rama' series, the first volume of which has now been released. Under the heading '28 Craze Hits From The Vault Of Atomicat!', the series bundles the pinnacle of danceable music, recorded from 1957 to 1963.
Dance fads sprang up like 'The Wobble', 'The Hoss', 'The Horse', 'The Slop Beat', 'The Scotch', 'The Whiz Wosh', 'The Slop Beat' and ‘The Drag’ in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Dances of which you get the songs here in vocal or instrumental versions and especially in the very best sound quality. Besides the lesser known artists, a number of greats also grace this compilation.
Since this is only volume 1, we are already curious what the next volumes will surprise us with. And also note the awesome illustrations with which Henrique San, as always, also brightened up this compilation.

​With their abundant shiny chrome, the immensely sized 'dream cars' repeatedly appeared in the rock 'n' roll in the fifties. Brands abounded. Just think of Chevrolet, Plymouth, Pontiac, Edsel, Buick, Mercury and Chrysler. But if you really made it, you showed off a Cadillac. Not surprisingly, many artists dreamed of owning a four-wheeler like this. Sun boss Sam Phillips even promised a brand new Cadillac to his artist who was the first to sell a million singles. Carl Perkins won it with his hit 'Blue Suede Shoes'. Sometimes that dream became reality, but often it remained a dream. A dream that was then expressed in music. The Cadillac brand was founded on August 22, 1902, thus celebrating its 120th anniversary this year. Given the brand's relationship with the music, it's clear that Mark Armstrong bundled 30 tracks, which spotlight the brand in various ways. For example, the album contains 9 tracks, in which artists in the rhythm & blues and blues sang their love for the vehicle. The rockers and hillbillies did the same in 10 songs. Four groups chose the car brand as their band name, after which seven interpreters incorporated Cadillac into their lyrics. In short, diversity is not lacking on this compilation. This is also reflected in the musical genres. You will find rhythm & blues, blues, doo-wop, rock 'n' roll and hillbilly.
You have to admire the staff at the Atomicat label. How they do it, it’s a mystery to me, but time after time they amaze you with the angles with which they compile their albums. We can only conclude that this compilation around the 120th anniversary of the Cadillac brand is another high flyer. Your car may not be a Cadillac, but with this album on the road you sure get the feeling of drivin' in a Cadillac.

'Ecstasy' is the code word for the fourth entry to Sadie's Gentlemen's Club, where DJ Mark Armstrong will get you in the right mood with 30 appropriate tracks. As soon as you enter, a true artist will be resounding through the immense speakers. None other than Ray Charles welcomes you with the classic 'Hit The Road Jack'. And so it goes on at high level for more than 1 hour. Rhythm & blues, rock 'n' roll and soul of the best kind fill 'Visit 04, Ecstasy' in the more than fantastic series 'Sadie's Gentlemen's Club'. Highly recommended!

​In the series 'Rockin' Soul Party', the KokoMojo label is looking for pearls within the rhythm & blues that showed the first signs of soul. These songs would later also form the inspiration for the releases of well-known labels such as Tamla Motown and Stax. Just like on the previously released three volumes, this release also contains 30 tracks by legends and lesser-known artists who were the first to import soul into rhythm & blues and thus laid the seeds for the soul genre. Both solo artists and vocal groups did this.
If you want to discover the origin of soul in its purest form, then this volume is an absolute must, just like the three previously released albums in this series. An absolute must!

He certainly had one of the most beautiful voices in soul, gospel and rhythm & blues and became known to the general public for the song 'Wonderful World'. Sam Cooke was born on January 22, 1931 in Clarksdale, Mississippi. He was barely 15 when he became a member of the gospel group The Soul Stirrers. He stayed with until 1957 when he recorded his first album named after him for Keen Records. Cooke left the label two years later due to royalties. In 1960 he signed with RCA Victor. From then on, Sam composed blues and gospel-inspired songs.
This compilation contains 20 solo recordings by Cooke, 5 recordings from two different formations of The Soul Stirrers, of which one formation with Cooke as lead singer. These are supplemented with 1 track by The Falcons, 1 by The Simms Twins and 1 by Johnnie Taylor, each with a Cooke composition.
'Movin' and Groovin' with Sam Cooke' is without a doubt a formidable release in 'Koko Mojo's Spotlight Series'. An album that beautifully reflects Cooke's musical evolution in an excellent sound. You may already have a 'best of' by Sam Cooke on your shelf, but this compilation with songs that may not sound so familiar to you, should be next to it without apologies. An absolute winner!

​Last year the Koko Mojo released label 'Let's Go Latin', the review of which you can read again at http://www.keysandchords.com/album-review-blog/various-artists-lets-go-latin . With 'Let's Go Latin Again' there is now a sequel. Once again the emphasis is on groups that take a Latin tour with clever harmony vocals. Latin, which was created by the merging of cultures, exudes a relaxed and Southern atmosphere due to its Spanish roots. So do the 28 tracks on this album, recorded between 1954 and 1963. The fact that the genre inspired artists from various musical genres is a fact and can also be established on this compilation. This way you get delicious Latin based on rhythm & blues and doo-wop.
'Let's Go Latin Again' is the perfect album to give a summer garden party the necessary charm. However, if you listen to the album during a rainy day, slumped in your armchair with a cocktail within reach, a summer feeling will soon take over you. It's Mambo time!

​Willie Dixon is an integral part of the history of the blues. What he contributed to the development of the blues and rhythm & blues as we know them today is invaluable. William James Dixon was born on July 1, 1915, in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Like many blues artists, Willie was also given the music through the faith community. He was barely 4 years old when he sang in the Springfield Baptist Church. In 1936 he moved to Chicago. Initially, he attempted a gareer in boxing, but soon converted to music. Chicago was the ideal place for that, where he emerged as a bassist on upright bass, songwriter, producer, pianist and singer. In the 1940s, Dixon worked on the Chess label with all the major artists of the Chicago blues, such as Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Memphis Slim, Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry. As a composer he wrote songs that have since become real blues classics. Songs that have also been covered countless times.
In short, with this compilation the Koko Mojo label honores the most talented blues bassist and author of a number of blues standards ever, namely Willie Dixon.

​The next artist to be spotlighted in the brilliant 'Rocks' series is Jimmy McCracklin. As James David Walker Jr. he was born on August 13, 1921, but he became known by his stage name. Not only was Jimmy a talented pianist and singer, but he was also responsible, as he pointed out, for writing a thousand songs, several hundred of which he himself recorded on more than 30 albums. He can therefore be counted among the most important musicians of the period after World War II that the Bay Area produced. Jimmy was active in the West Coast blues, jump blues, soul and rhythm & blues. This included a large number of rocking songs and it is precisely these songs that the German Bear Family bundles on this album.
The 30 songs are all rocking tracks, which originated in the rhythm & blues. But also apart from the rhythm & blues Jimmy rocks in the purest style that it is a delight.
With 30 tracks spanning the period from the fifties to the mid sixties, Bear Family offers a nice overview of McCracklin's rocking work.

​Our third visit to Sadie's Gentlemen's Club shows us that there are no taboos. After all, the music that drives the deejay through the speakers is of such a nature that when you enter Sadie's Gentlemen's Club, she accompanies you to the artificial world, where, provided you put the necessary money on the table, all your wishes are fulfilled. The 30 tracks on volume 3 once again give you a musical insight into the ins and outs of the club where Sadie and her company rule. Well-known and lesser-known artists provide the necessary atmosphere through 30 tracks, all recorded from 1952 to 1963. They contain rousing rhythm & blues, rock 'n' roll, doo-wop and a touch of jazz. Genres that fire up the flames of love during the third visit to Sadie's Gentlemen's Club.
For a next visit to the club we will have to wait patiently. That visit is scheduled for April 8, when the next volume titled 'Ecstasy' will be released.

​Although he is often only known for his hit ‘Reet Petite (The Finest Girl You Ever Want To Meet)’, Jackie Wilson had a lot more arrows on his musical bow. This compilation will certainly convince you of that. Jackie Leroy Wilson, born on June 9, 1934, already had a decent musical career before his big hit. In 1953, he replaced that other great artist, Clyde McPhatter, as lead singer on Billy Ward's Dominoes. Jackie had just turned 19 at the time of joining. He stayed with Ward until 1957, after which he resolutely opted for a solo career. That choice was immediately sealed with 'Reet Petite', which brought him instant world fame. The title ‘Mr. Excitement' he acquired through his live performances, but the fact that he effortlessly switched from rhythm & blues to rock 'n' roll and later to soul, makes that title even more important. Musically he was one of the greatest, but privately it did not always run smoothly. Like his father, Jackie was also a heavy drinker. His second wife fired twice at him and three of his children died at a young age. He had to pay for his stressful lifestyle on September 29, 1975, when he had a heart attack on stage and ended up with his head on stage equipment. Severe brain damage left him in a coma until his death on January 21, 1984. Jackie Wilson turned 49. His immense popularity is evident from the fact that none other than Michael Jackson paid for Wilson's funeral.
The 28 tracks on this album, spanning the period from 1953 to 1963, give an extremely beautiful picture of Jackie Wilson's immeasurable talent. The first six tracks, recorded for Federal, highlight his time with Billy Ward and The Dominoes and are rhythm & blues related, culminating in the somewhat jazzy feel and doo-wop laced 'St. Louis Blues'. What follows are 19 songs that Wilson recorded under his own name. His mega hit 'Reet Petite' tops the list, but the other songs are certainly not inferior to this. Listen for example to the sublime swinging 'If I Can't Have You', the energetic rocken 'Right Now!', the cheerful 'So Much' or 'Sazzle Dazzle', 'Love Train' that showcases Jackie's vocal range and the majestic 'Baby Workout'.
These are randomly chosen tracks, because every song is like a finely cut diamond. Songs that can all boast of excellent and formidably performed arrangements.
The last three tracks are reserved for duets that Jackie recorded with Linda Hopkins in 1962 and 1963. Fantastic songs by an impressive duo!
The fact that the tenor Jackie Wilson had an enormous vocal range, rightly puts this album in the spotlights, and don't forget that this album, traditionally with Koko-Mojo, is once again bathed in a sublimely remastered sound. An absolute must!

​With volume 24 of the 'Southern Bred' series, we reside in Tennessee and Arkansas for the fourth consecutive album. As we already noted with the previous three releases around this region, there were a large number of artists there. They often had to wait for recognition until the 1960s when a real blues revival arose. The fact that the Tennessee and Arkansas recordings had a full sound certainly contributed to their popularity in the 1960s. The 28 tracks on this volume, titled 'Dippin' Is My Business', once again feature rhythm & blues and rock 'n' roll from the genre's heyday. Recordings that, because of their danceability, will still provide a lot of entertainment in this time.
It has gradually become a tradition, because again volume 24 contains only the best classy rhythm & blues, rock 'n' roll, piano blues and doo-wop. Anyone who owns the other volumes of the 'Southern Bred' series will certainly not want to miss this volume.

​Our second visit to Sadie's Gentlemen's Club, better known as 'the house of sin', immediately says what Sadie's club is all about, namely 'flirting'. The lights are dimmed which enhances the intimate atmosphere, the deejay chooses the appropriate music and the gentlemen fight to win the favor of Sadie and her colleagues. The 30 songs on this compilation highlight the game of 'attract, seduce and repel'. Once again you can enjoy swinging and rocking Rhythm & Blues of the highest quality, with or without soul, supplemented with catchy instrumentals.
The second visit to Sadie's Gentlemen's Club certainly won't be the last. After all, 'Visit 03, Taboo' will be released on March 11, of which you are guaranteed to find a review here.

​If the name Charlie McCoy doesn't sound familiar to you right away, there's a good chance that you'll find his achievements in your record collection without knowing it. After all, a visit to his website introduces you to an immense list of celebrities to whom Charlie has provided musical assistance. Among them are Elvis Presley, Joan Baez, Steve Miller, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Paul Simon, Ringo Starr, Bob Dylan, Waylon Jennings…..and we could fill several more lines. Not surprising because McCoy is a multi-instrumentalist. When his mother gave him a harmonica as a little boy, it was the start of a glorious career. Later, Charlie taught himself to play guitar, bass, percussion, organ, sax and tuba. In 1941 he was born in Oak Hill, West Virginia, but for health reasons he grew up in Miami. In 1961, Charlie's big break came. Chet Atkins heard him play and immediately hired him as a harmonica player and session musician. The 1970s gave Charlie's success a huge boost. He was heard on more than 400 recordings and in 2009 he was honored in the Country Music Hall of Fame.
With this compilation, the Bear Family label focuses on McCoy's early years, long before he became a celebrated country artist. The album contains recordings that he made in his own name, but also as Charlie McCoy & The Escorts or The Gas Lantern and this in the period 1961 – 1969. Charlie's talent and craftsmanship also make him feel various musical styles like no other. The album naturally contains enthusiastic rock 'n' roll, rhythm & blues, blues and soul. In this way he works his way through a number of songs that have become classics. His unique harmonica playing is soon reflected in 'Gimme Some Lovin'', with which The Spencer Davis Group scored or 'Shot Gun' known from Jr. Walker, where he replaces the sax with the harmonica with verve. Masterfully he lets the harmonica sound on 'Harpoon Man'.
Also extremely beautiful versions of Little Walters 'Juke', 'My Babe', the rousing soulful 'Turn On Your Lovelight', Orbison's 'Candy Man', the poppy 'Will You Love Me Tomorrow' by The Shirelles, Muddy Waters' ' I'm Ready' and The Beach Boys' 'Good Vibrations', here in an instrumental harmonica version, just to name a few, but actually all tracks are absolute toppers. Charlie himself provided the foreword, after which Daryl Sanders elaborates on Charlie's career and his discography in the liner notes. Traditionally, everything is again illustrated with beautiful photos.
Screamin', Shoutin', Beggin', Pleadin'' by Charlie McCoy & The Escorts is an album of 29 captivating tracks, which sublimely showcases the talent of the young McCoy. A must without a doubt!

​For volume 23, entitled 'Rough Lover', we prick our ears for the third time to the rocking rhythm & blues from Tennessee and Arkansas. There is still so much to discover from that region, so this compilation contains a great mix of electric blues and rousing boogies with the piano in the lead. The region was a hotbed of talent and as a result produced a large number of well-known artists. So it makes sense that Big Maybelle, Sonny Boy Williamson, Memphis Slim, Jimmy McCracklin, Aretha Franklin, Rosco Gordon and Joe Hill Louis, to name just a few, can be found on this compilation.
Like every volume in the 'Southern Bred' series, volume 23 is again full of catchy rhythm & blues, blues, soul and rock 'n' roll at the highest level.
You want more? Just a little patience, because volume 24 entitled 'Dippin' Is My Business' is scheduled for release on February 25.

​Without a personal invitation, you can't get into the mysterious Gentlemen's Club, where Sadie and her ladies rule. When the doorman opens the door for you after a checking look and shows you the way with an inviting wink, there is no escape. The red velvet-covered walls and the dimmed lights absorb you immediately. It is strange and outsiders label it as 'the house of sin'. The temptation eats your heart out and is reinforced by the music that the deejay carefully chose. Here's the setting for the new five-part Atomicat series, 'Sadie's Gentlemen's Club'. We do not speak of 'volumes' here, but of 'visits'. ‘Lover’ is the first visit in this series. Visit that is expressed in 30 songs, which saw the light of day between 1952 and 1963, supplemented by three tracks from the late 1940s. A colorful mishmash of hip shakers, popcorn, exotic rhythms, rhythm & blues, big band crooners and rock 'n' roll should not only provide the gentlemen a relaxing evening, but also ensure that money is in the drawer.
In short, 30 cool tracks that form the soundtrack for Sadie's seduction game. ‘Visit 02 Flirtin” will be released on February 15. Keep an eye on this site for reviews of this fantastic series!

​In the review of volume 1 of '70 Years Of The Sun Sound', which dealt with the Rockers who recorded for the label, we already mentioned the R&B Performers who are featured on this volume. In addition to rock 'n' roll and rockabilly, the Sun label also pioneered rhythm & blues. Also in this genre a large number of artists take their first steps in the studio of Sam Phillips. First steps that some of them take on the road to a great musical career. It is therefore crawling with the big names on this compilation. MaRainey, Little Junior, Doctor Ross, Joe Hill Louis, Rufus Thomas Jr., Billy Emerson, James Cotton, Little Milton, Rosco Gordon and Frank Frost all grace this disc and often with more than one song. You can therefore expect superb blues and rhythm & blues.
'70 Years Of The Sun Sound, Volume 2, The R & B Performers' is without a doubt a super album. Together with the previously reviewed volume 'The Rockers' you have no less than 60 formidable class tracks recorded by Sam Phillips in your record collection. Obligatory food!

​With volume 21 we were heading for Tennessee and Arkansas, where we will continue to be with volume 22. Not surprising because these regions produced a multitude of artists whose names are etched in the memory of lovers of American roots music worldwide. This is also apparent from the tracks on this album. Just think of Memphis Slim, Louis Jordan, Big Maybelle, Stick McGhee, Washboard Sam, Bobby 'Blue' Bland, Johnny Shines, Jimmy Witherspoon, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Johnny Ace, Little George Smith or Sonny Boy Williamson. They ensure that a wide range of roots genres are covered. Jump blues, gospel, rhythm & blues and early rock 'n' roll are naturally abundant.
Once again this volume in the Southern Bred series gathers the best of the diverse American roots music. We would like to repeat once again that with this series, you can bring home the best rhythm & blues and related genres from the middle of the last century without any struggle.

​The name of saxophonist Jimmy Cavallo probably means little to you and maybe nothing at all. Not surprising because you will not come across his name when you go through the charts from the fifties. His greatest achievement dates from the 1956 film ‘Rock, Rock, Rock’. He appeared in it three times and also provided the title track. Unfortunately, Jimmy was overshadowed in the charts by Bill Haley, who operated somewhat in the same style. Unjustly, by the way, because when you listen to Jimmy's repertoire, you inevitably realize that his songs were just as danceable and hit-sensitive than those of his more famous colleagues.
It is rocking, swinging, jumping and bopping a volonté. But Jimmy Cavallo is not easy to catch. He also manages to put down sublime slows with 'Teenage Lover' and 'Cherry Pie'. He manages to make all this even more attractive through his clever sax work.
In addition, the 36-page booklet by Bill Dahl gives you all the information about Cavallo's career and the tracks. As always, there are rare photos and illustrations that embellish the whole. Recommended!

​With volume 20 we were still in Louisiana and New Orleans, but with volume 21 we turned our noses towards Tennessee and Arkansas. Rhythm & blues is also part of the cultural heritage in these states. The album is subtitled ‘On The Floor’ and is taken from Chicago Sunny Boy, a harmonica-driven instrumental blues, which he recorded for Meteor in 1953. Chicago Sunny Boy is maybe better known as Joe Hill Louis.
Over 28 tracks, your ears will once again be spoiled with excellent rocking rhythm & blues and mid-century blues from well-known and lesser-known artists from Tennessee and Arkansas.
It's a fact that if you follow the complete Southern Bred series, you have the very best blues and rocking rhythm & blues from the American hotbeds in your record collection.

​'Atomicat Rockers' is the latest series to be launched by the label Atomicat. Over 5 volumes we are treated to the rocking and rolling songs that accompanied the often wild life of the youngsters in the fifties.
The first part is titled 'Rock-A-Beatin' Boogie' and judging by the cover it was also heavy in the middle of the last century. Composer Mark Armstrong collected 28 songs for this collection that reflect the atmosphere of that time. Rock 'n' roll and rocking rhythm & blues recorded between the early 1950s and early 1960s.
With this new series, Atomicat has once again hit the bull's eye. Incidentally, the first part immerses you in a beautiful sound quality, in the songs that gave color to the lives of young people in the fifties. With 4 issues to go, we can already close with 'an unmissable series'.

​December 15 marks the 100th anniversary of Alan Freed's birth. A reason for Bear Family to release a more than formidable compilation in the 'Memorial Series' under the title 'A Hundred Years Of Rock 'n' Roll'. You can certainly say that the legendary d.j. the ultimate top DJ in the fifties was in America. His radio shows were sublime, inspiring and connecting an entire generation of teenagers. But there was more. The rising popularity of rhythm & blues, which evolved into white rock 'n' roll, prompted Alan to program the original rhythm & blues recordings of the African-American artists into his radio shows. Freed certainly and perhaps even unconsciously contributed to the fight against discrimination through his Moondog Radio Shows.
With this album you'll enjoy catchy rhythm & blues and rock 'n' roll chatted by Freed's inspired presentation and interspersed with commercials, while also witnessing the way Alan Freed modeled generations of DJs. For over an hour this album immerses you in the American radio nostalgia of the fifties. A unique experience!
As quickly as he rose to prominence, Alan's popularity also declined due to the ‘payola affair’, where DJs were paid for promoting records through their radio shows. This album not only provides a perfect picture of Freed's radio shows, but also the 36-page booklet, prepared by Bill Dahl, with extremely rare photos and graphics, tells the story of Alan Freed and the artists he cared about. Freed passed away, barely 43 years old, on January 20, 1965. Rock and roll never got a better friend.

In America, the word ‘hootenanny’ is used for something or someone that one cannot immediately name. With us, the term more or less became established through the music program 'Jools Holland's Hootenanny' broadcast by the BBC on New Year's Eve. The album 'Atomicat Hootenanny' is not only a wonderful compilation to dive into the new year, but also a collection of 30 songs that you can enjoy all year round. Rock 'n' roll, rhythm & blues and blues of the very best kind!
It is already self-evident, but this 'Atomicat Hootenanny' compiled by Mark Armstrong is again a bull's eye and ideal to provide your end-of-year parties with stylish music.

​With 'Shun Immoral Behaviour, We'll Raise A Ruckus Tonight' we arrive at the last rock 'n' roll commandment. Actually we are back to the first commandment 'Defy The Devil's Music, Dig That Rock 'n' Roll' and the circle is complete. We may be 'off' again and standing with our feet on the ground after the perils the other commandments warned us about, but they made us wiser, making us even more 'party-minded'. Of course that includes the necessary drinks and exciting rock 'n' roll. You have to take care of the necessary amount of alcohol yourself, the 30 songs bundled here will take care of the rock 'n roll. Once again, well known names including Wanda Jackson, The Treniers, Big Joe Turner, Stick McGhee, Louis Jordan, Wynonie Harris and The Platters are paired with lesser-known but equally amazing artists.
In short, the tenth rock 'n' roll commandment again has to offer formidable rocking rhythm & blues and rock 'n roll. 'The Ten Commandments of Rock 'n' Roll' is a series well worth buying in full. You won't regret it!