​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!

​Often you don't know too well what gift to give someone for his or her birthday. Well, maybe this compilation can bring some solace. Not only is the album provided with a 'birthday sticker' on which you can write down the name of the giver and receiver, but above all it contains 32 tracks dating from the fifties and early sixties, which quickly shift the birthday party up a gear. Tracks that also contain multiple music genres. Rock 'n' roll, doo-wop, rhythm & blues and country, whether or not in combination, adorn this CD.
It needs no further explanation. 'Happy Birthday, Baby!' is a beautiful theme compilation that shouldn't just be in your playback device on birthdays, by the way.

​Johnny Kidd is the next to appear in the series 'The Brits Are Rocking'. Although he died in 1966 at the age of 30, Johnny Kidd and The Pirates are among the greatest British rockers. In the late 1950s and the following 1960s, many artists tried to build a career on Elvis-based singing. But Kidd wasn't guilty of that. He made himself immortal by naturally developing his own style and with 'Shakin' All Over' he managed to reach the top of British rockers. It is therefore not surprising that other artists were inspired by Johnny. Artists like The Who, The Hollies, Tom Jones and undoubtedly many others openly admitted this. And could David Bowie's pirate look at one point in his career have been a reference to Johnny Kidd?
This compilation contains all the highlights of Johnny Kidd's short but powerful career. Of course 'Shakin' All Over' could not be missed, but there is so much more to enjoy. In addition to the songs he recorded with different line-ups in his Pirates, you also get 'Hurry On Back To Love' / 'I Want That', solo single that Johnny recorded in 1962. The 20 tracks are also supplemented with 14 tracks from six radio performances that Johnny gave for BBC radio. This includes three short conversations Brian Matthew had with Johnny.
This compilation clearly shows that Johnny Kidd could not be compared to anyone. Vocally he sought his own way, which was also expertly supported by his Pirates. His arrangements were also exceptionally original for that period.
One thing is clear and simple, no one rocked like Johnny Kidd. In fantastic sound quality, this compilation is therefore a more than formidable tribute to one of, if not the greatest, British rocker.

In the period before Valentine's Day, the label released the album 'Think Me A Kiss' in 2021. The following year came volume 2 with the name 'Kiss Me' and now Atomicat releases the third volume that bears the name 'Kiss Away', subtitled 'Rock 'n' Roll Songs Of Happiness'. Once again, Mark Armstrong collected 30 tracks that have love as their subject. Love in all its forms. Big love, why fall in love, longing for someone, true love, the pitfalls, the charm to finally be one with someone, these are all subjects that are sung about in both rock and roll and doo-wop, which were recorded from 1954 to 1962.
'Kiss Away' is the soundtrack that will brighten up your Valentine. But just as well, this album is suitable to please your romantic soul 365 days a year.
Brilliant album!

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.

​In the 1950s to the mid-1960s, a lot of rock 'n' roll, rockabilly and rhythm & blues were recorded in America. Unfortunately, only a few of those artists managed to achieve worldwide recognition and success. Were those other artists' recordings that bad? Well, no, but usually the major labels put all their money and energy into promoting those few with whom they thought they could make the cash register ring. Many recordings were also made with independent regionally active labels, which made it even more difficult for these artists to break through internationally. The fact that those lesser-known songs certainly don't have to end up in the dark corner is an achievement that the Atomicat label can certainly put on their account with 'The Rockin' Spot' series. The first two volumes, namely 'Juliet' and 'Louise', were recently published and now there is the third volume that has been given the name 'Jeanie'. Like the previous volumes, 'Jeanie' also contains 28 awesome rocking and rolling tracks.
We can only conclude that 'JEANIE', the third volume in 'The Rockin' Spot' series, is another great hit.

​The Atomicat label recently started a new series with 'Jungle-A-Rama' and a new series will soon see the light of day, but that will have to wait a while. The existing series are also very popular and it is therefore logical that new volumes are coming onto the market. You could already read the reviews of the third volumes of 'Bop-A-Rama' and 'Stroll-A-Rama' here. Now it's the turn to 'Jive-A-Rama'. True to tradition, this compilation again contains 30 songs released between 1953 and 1962. With 'Just To Hold My Hand' a beautiful rhythm & blues from 1955 by Paul Perryman we are ready for more than an hour of steamy music. Vocal delights, rocking rhythm & blues, rock 'n' roll and rockabilly follow in a lightning fast way.
It needs no further explanation. You can also summarize this volume in four words, namely NOT TO BE MISSED!

​In the fifties to about the mid-60s, a lot of solid rhythm & blues, blues, rock 'n' roll and rockabilly were recorded in America. Recordings that could not always count on a wide success, but which often deserved it. It is therefore a pity that many of those recordings would never make it to our living room, if the Atomicat label did not exist. A first possibility could have been to randomly put those recordings together on albums, but unfortunately they would not always do justice to them. To avoid this problem and to release these songs in a proper and orderly way, creativity is needed. Creativity to always find new and appropriate perspectives for this. And that is precisely where the Atomicat team succeeds. This is also the case with this new series 'Duet-A-Rama', an album that bundles 28 known and less known and perhaps even forgotten duets. Duets can be one-off, although there are also duos that have a long life.
Whether the genre is rock 'n' roll, rhythm & blues, rockabilly or something a little more country, superior harmony vocals are the glue between them all.
Many of the artists recorded here operated under various names. You can learn all about this in the extensive liner notes from Mark Armstrong.
'Duet-A-Rama' shows surprising duets and since it concerns 'volume 1', there will certainly be a sequel soon. To discover!

​The previously released 10-part series 'Boss Black Rockers' was such a success that the KokoMojo label fortunately added a sequel with 'More Boss Black Rockers'. A sequel that certainly does not compromise on the quality of the associated tracks. After all, the treasury in which compiler Little Victor is grabbing still contains a lot of danceable, formidable and not always known gems.
Powerful vocals, rousing rhythms, vicious guitar sounds and heated saxes, you will find it all on this fourth volume. With 'Sure Look Good To Me' to be released in January, we are already half way through the 'More Boss Black Rockers' series. In any case, we are already looking forward to it!

​With the 30 tracks that adorn volume 3 in this series, it's boppin' time again. The golden years were between 1947 and 1962, the period in which these tracks were also recorded. There is no lack of diversity at this volume either. Wild or not, rockabilly goes hand in hand with country, hillbilly, Western swing and foot-stomping blues.
Rock 'n' roll with a more than fantastic drum solo comes first with Gene Watson's 'Drummer Boy Rock'. Immediately the tone is set for more than an hour of 'boppin'.
In short, this volume also contains catchy music. Not surprising, given that Atomicat's slogan is still 'killers and no fillers'.

​In 2020, the Atomicat label started this series and a year later the second volume appeared and now volume three is being released. Like the previous releases, this volume again contains not to be underestimated rockabilly, rock 'n' roll, energetic rhythm & blues in all its forms and doo-wop, as well as some not to be underestimated instrumental tracks. All tracks were recorded between 1956 and 1963.
If you like wonderful vocals, razor-sharp guitar work and scorching saxes, then this album is for you. All this in a superior sound quality and since the eye also wants something, Henrique San was again able to guarantee a suitable cover.
'Are you ready to stroll?' The 30 tracks on this album are happy to keep you company.

​With 'All Shook Up' we are already at the third volume in the ten-part series 'More Boss Black Rockers'. Again, compiler Little Victor sought 28 rocking tracks from black artists. Tracks of which a large number you will certainly hear for the very first time. Naturally, a number of well-known names also populate this album.
If you listen to the previous series of 'Boss Black Rockers' and this 'More Boss Black Rockers', it is striking how much beautiful rhythm & blues and rock 'n' roll was recorded in America during the half of the last century. Songs we didn't even know they existed. It is therefore gratifying that these songs are now reaching our ears through these series.

​The number of hits that Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller have put together is almost incalculable. It is therefore nice that in addition to the album 'Spotlight On Leiber And Stoller, Flip Our Wigs, The R & B Recordings', a second album is being released around this talented composer duo. While the album in the 'Spotlight' series focused on the rhythm & blues compositions of the duo, this second album, as the title suggests, focuses on rock 'n' roll. This compilation shows once again that many well-known artists owe one or more of their hits to Jerry and Mike. Little Richard, Elvis Presley, Ruth Brown, Frankie Lymon, The Drifters, Carla Thomas and LaVern Baker are just some of the artists who shine on this album. You will undoubtedly know many of the songs here in a different version. Such as 'Yakety-Yak', 'Lucky Lips', 'Ruby Baby', 'Love Potion No.9', 'Charlie Brown', 'Jailhouse Rock' and closing track 'Stand By Me'.
'Leiber And Stoller, That is Rock And Roll' is a wonderful addition to the previously released 'Spotlight On Leiber And Stoller, Flip Our Wigs'.

​Although Wanda Jackson was originally a country singer, in the mid-1950s she became the first female successful rock 'n' roll artist to cause a serious earthquake. She had a mega hit with 'Let's Have A Party', as well as with 'Mean Mean Man' and 'Fujiyama Mama'. She was rightfully given the title 'Queen Of Rockabilly'. Recently, on October 20, Wanda was allowed to blow out 85 candles. An opportunity that the German Bear Family seized to pay their respects. In chronological order, as Jackson once recorded the songs, you get the songs. These are supplemented with more recent tracks. That she had a great influence on other artists is apparent from the number of times her songs were covered. This album even contains several covers of the same songs. In addition, you also get a number of originals that were covered by Jackson. It is therefore not surprising that a number of big names can be found here, such as Brenda Lee, Chuck Berry, Roy Orbison and The Collins Kids.
Matching Wanda Jackson is an impossible task given her status. The fact that the artists present here give Jackson's oeuvre their own twist to a greater or lesser extent, means that Bear Family gives the 'Queen Of Rockabilly' a special birthday present with this album.

​For the fifth time, compiler Mark Armstrong delved into the archives of legendary and lesser-known labels such as Candlelight, Columbia, Knickerbocker, Wing, Teen, Impac, Sun, Mercury, Imperial, Decca, Warner Bros, Prestige, MGM and Capitol. Again he found 28 black rhythm & blues songs covered by white artists. Covers that didn't always garner the success the artist had in mind, but luckily there were also covers that could possibly generate greater fame than the original. Good Rockin' Tonight', the title of the fifth volume in the 'R&B Goes R&R' series, more than lives up to its promise. Play it loud and enjoy, this is the real thing!

​Under the title 'Juliet', the Atomicat label starts the new series 'The Rockin' Spot', an album that contains 28 rocking and rolling tracks recorded between 1953 and 1962. A compilation that is also extremely suitable to provide your rock and roll party with the appropriate soundtrack.
28 raw, energetic, high-quality and danceable rock 'n' roll songs that scream to give that volume knob a good yank to the right.
So, put the furniture aside, because the chance that 'you get wild on the rockin' spot' is guaranteed and remember……we are not responsible for the consequences.

​On volume 25 in the series, composer Mark Armstrong dives for the fifth time into the rich repertoire of the artists from Tennessee and Arkansas. The 28 tracks of this album show that these regions have not yet given up all their musical secrets.
The album's subtitle is ‘No Blow, No Show’. You can apply that to the trains of that time, as Bobby 'Blue' Bland does in this song. But you can just as easily apply it to the horn sections and in this case you can take it literally, because there is a lot of creative and groundbreaking honking to be heard.
The 28 carefully selected tracks are from the releases of Excelsior, King, Excello, Chief, Duke, Capitol, Okeh, Decca, MGM, Vee Jay, Modern and Savoy, among others. So not the least!
Be entertained by formidable rocking blues, rhythm & blues, rock 'n' roll and doo-wop in the most diverse performances.
We can't help but give this album the maximum score again. A lower rating would violate our integrity. Enjoy!

​Unfortunately, Ronnie Hawkins showed up a little late on the rockabilly scene. After all, when he got a recording contract in 1959, the heyday of pure rockabilly was already more or less in the past. The moment it came to Hawkins's turn, the charts were stormed by good-looking teen idols. As a result, his star did not rise like that of Elvis or Jerry Lee Lewis. Nevertheless, Ronnie was bursting with talent. Twice he managed to score for the Roulette label. A first time with Chuck Berry's 'Forty Days' and a second time with Young Jessie's 'Mary Lou'.
Hawkins started his musical career in the mid-1950s in Arkansas. But a few years later, it was Canada where he achieved his greatest success. In addition, The Hawks contain the seeds for the later The Band.
It is therefore commendable that Bear Family Records honors singer and pianist Ronnie Hawkins, the last true rock 'n' roller, with this limited edition.
The 10'' inch vinyl contains 12 songs, including Ronnie's hits 'Forty Days' and 'Mary Lou', supplemented with original work and beautiful covers of, among others, 'My Gal Is Red Hot', 'Honey Don't' and 'Bo Diddley '. Not only did Ronnie have the 'real voice' for rockabilly, but the incendiary guitar parts and Levon Helm’s tight drumming could have made Hawkins as great as the legends had he been given the chance sooner. Ronnie died on May 29, 2022.
Together with the 10” vinyl, this release contains a bonus CD with no less than 32 songs. These include the tracks from the 10' vinyl as well as cover versions of these songs. Plus, you get a formidable 11-page colorful booklet with liner notes by Bill Dahl. The beautiful, often never seen photos were provided by Canadian music historian and DJ Dave Booth. And if all this is not enough, a postcard with the photo of the cover is attached.
‘Red Hot Rockin'’ by Ronnie Hawkins and The Hawks is an unmissable release. Highly recommended!

​‘Smack Dab In The Middle’, already the fourth release in the R & B Goes R & R series, catapults you straight back to the fifties, the heyday of rock 'n' roll. As has been said so many times, the basis of rock 'n' roll is nowhere else than rhythm & blues. That is again abundantly noticeable in the 28 tracks of this album. Tracks that naturally originated in America, but also artists from Australia, New Zealand and Argentina are featured here.
In addition to the tracks that underwent a sublime transformation from R&B to R&R, you also get a number of covers that stayed closer to the original, but are no less enjoyable for that.
It may once again be said that the compilations released by Atomicat are performed with knowledge of the facts. Just like the previous releases, we can only warmly recommend this album.

​With 'Patiently', his first album for the German Bear Family label, American rockabilly artist Marcel Riesco immediately delivered one that hits like a bomb. In other words, an album of such a high level that you don't get sent every now and then. Marcel has all the assets you could wish for as an artist. He is a brilliant guitarist, has a more than formidable voice and writes songs that grab you immediately and never let go. The recording took place at the famous Jack Clement's Cowboy Arms Studio in Nashville. Clement is best known as a producer at Sam Phillips' Sun Studio. This immediately guarantees a superior, pure fifties rock 'n' roll sound, to which Riesco adds a pinch of sixties honky-tonk. Marcel learned to sing with the songs of Roy Orbison, whom he also sees as his example. Coincidentally, Riesco's voice is also reminiscent of the young Orbison's, which in no way means that he copies Roy, quite the contrary. Riesco does his own thing with it. His songs are perfect for that. Rock 'n' roll, rockabilly and even a touch of country thrive on his voice.
The 10” vinyl contains 10 tracks, of which 7 are originals and 3 are covers. On the enclosed CD and digital platforms you get 9 originals and 5 covers. It is clear that Riesco is not easily satisfied with his compositions. He pays a lot of attention to both the melody and the arrangements. Everything is right down to the last detail. As he himself indicates, he must have a real click with the covers. He proves that in Orbison's 'You've Got Love', which he puts in a more rocking look.
He and his band of top musicians from the Nashville scene recorded 12 songs live in 2 days. Marcel Riesco feels like no other contemporary artist how fifties rock 'n' roll, rockabilly and country should sound. That his songs come straight from his heart is certainly part of that.
'Patiently' is an absolute must for fans of contemporary fifties genres and don't say afterwards that we didn't warn you! You can't get any purer than this!

​The third volume of 'The Elvis Presley Connection' focuses on the music that inspired Presley on the one hand, and on the other hand you get a number of covers of songs that were immortalized by the King. The songs featured here are songs Elvis recorded between 1962 and 1966. Some of the covers on this compilation are rather rare and were recorded for UK and US budget labels. In addition, a number of well-known names are also present.
The 34-page full-color booklet contains, in addition to often rare photos, all information about the tracks and the performing artists by German Elvis expert Helmut Radermacher.
For Presley fans who want to know everything about the songs their idol released between 1962 and 1966, this edition is a must have.

​Sun, sea and beach immediately evoke a holiday atmosphere. Due to the pandemic measures, beach visits have not been taken for granted in recent years. Fortunately, there are now fewer restrictions and sunny weather lures us again en masse to water and sand. If you also want the right music to accompany you, then the compilation 'Destination Beach' released by Bear Family is the perfect soundtrack. Thirty tracks recorded in the late fifties and early sixties will undoubtedly put you in the right mood. Well-known and lesser-known songs and artists serve up brilliant rock 'n' roll, rockabilly, doo-wop and instrumental work.
However, don't be misled by the title 'Destination Beach', because even for those who opt for a 'staycation', these 30 songs are guaranteed to bring the holiday feeling to your home.

​With volume 3 in the 'R & B Goes R & R series, the Atomicat label serves us again 28 songs. Songs that were initially recorded by artists from the black community and could be classified under the name rocking rhythm & blues. As it often happened, white performers discovered their black colleagues' songs, recorded them, and called them rock 'n' roll. It is also remarkable, however, that the dividing line between the original rhythm & blues version and the rock 'n' roll version is often difficult to draw. Some songs were covered outright, while others added more rock 'n' roll. A mix of well-known and lesser-known artists once again makes an enjoyable album with versions of songs you've probably never heard before. To discover!

​Unfortunately, Lily Locksmith was unable to experience the release of her debut album. First, the release was delayed due to the pandemic, and on December 27, 2021, the sad news came that she had died of a severe brain haemorrhage. At the funeral, Patrik Staffansson, head of Sweden's Enviken Records, for whom Lily recorded, talked to her mother, who expressed her wish as follows: 'I want the whole world to hear her voice, release the album'. With her blessing, it was obvious. Lily Locksmith's debut album was to be released and has turned out to be one of the biggest surprises. From the first track, Lily convinces like no other. Her powerful, voluminous voice, her extremely tight and constructive playing band, the clever mix of own songs and covers immediately captivate you. Add to that Lily's enormous versatility and you get one hell of a debut album. In addition to being an excellent performer, Locksmith shows also her songwriter side. She does that in the bluesy written 'Praying' together with Staffansson. Finishing the songwriter's job alone, she immediately showcases in successor, the swinging 'Bad'. Guitarist Chris Bergström, who is responsible for several tracks, gave her the soulful 'Last Night', the swinging 'You Gotta Try' and the rockabilly leaning 'I Don't Need'.
Of the covers she puts down an enormously strong version of Nick Curran's 'Player'. That the blues also suits her, she proves with verve in 'Further Up On The Road'. Lily also knows how to bend a heck of a slow to her will. Listen to the Lloyd Price penned and sung into eternity by Little Richard 'Can't Believe You Wanna Leave'. Locksmith concludes with Bo Diddley's well-known 'What Do You Know About Love'. Although this album doesn't end completely, because Lily still treats you to an unmentioned track, where she shows the beautiful emotional side of her voice with only piano accompaniment.
With this debut album, Lily Locksmith had a golden ticket to a successful musical career. Too bad fate decided otherwise.

​For the second release in the series 'On The Dancefloor With….' the German Bear Family Records goes back to the dance that took over in no time the world in the early sixties. Hank Ballard and his Midnighters carefully kneaded the twist dough, after which Chubby Checker only had to pop it in the oven and his ‘bun was baked’. In other words, Hank Ballard was not properly rewarded for unleashing ‘the twist’. Unlike Checker, who struck a gold mine with Ballard's cover and was only too happy to be crowned the king of the twist.
With the real twister Hank Ballard, this 25-track compilation starts with not as might be expected 'The Twist', but with the 1962 recorded 'Good Twistin' Tonight'. In addition, you get 24 tracks that all have the twist as their subject. Well-known and lesser-known names give the best of themselves.
'On The Dancefloor With A Twist' is the perfect soundtrack to master those 'twist moves' in a funny way and don’t forget…… ‘Keep On Twistin'!’