​On volume 42 of the 'That'll Flat...Git it!' series you could already get acquainted with the first volume filled with the rock 'n' roll and rockabilly of the King Label. A label that, as we already established on the first volume, has produced quite a few big names. Because of the many hits these artists have achieved, it is only natural that some of them are also present on this second volume about King's legacy. Charlie Feathers, Mac Curtis, Moon Mullican, among others, return, in addition to lesser-known and sometimes completely unknown artists. The 31 tracks on this compilation once again show that the musical legacy Syd Nathan left behind should not be underestimated. Authentically rocking, Boyd Bennett and His Rockets kick off with 'Move'. Arthur ‘Big Boy’ Crudup's ‘That's All Right’ awakened the artist in Elvis Presley. In turn, Presley's version caused Mac Curtis to leave country music behind and turn to rockabilly. Mac comes three times on this collector. Elvis also had a major influence on Ronnie Speeks. This is clearly expressed in 'What Is Your Technique'. You can also hear Elvis in 'Run Fool Run' by organist Bobby Cash, who gives a nice solo on the organ. The Humphries family was active in the jazz scene. Teddy Humphries took a different course. With success if you listen to 'Guitar Pickin' Fool'. Rusty York certainly also deserves a mention for his 'Goodnight Cincinnati, Good Morning Tennessee', a handsome train rocker. On the first volume in this miniseries, Delbert Barker starred with 'No Good - Robin Hood'. Here you get the equally formidable 'Jug Band Jump' from that same session. Nice vocal backings give Al Henderson's 'All Star Boy' some extra shine. An 'earcatcher' is also the 'Mercy, Mercy, Percy' by Joe Penny interwoven with some blues. Superb number! A touch of rhythm & blues contains Ray Starr's 'Donna Lou'. Lack of enthusiasm is not Booker Lee Jr.’s kind. Just listen to 'Rockin' Blues'. You will undoubtedly notice that Ronnie Molleen was addicted to the work of Little Richard in his 'Rockyn' Up'. A mix of styles can be found in Zeb Turner's 'Jersey Rock', in which the sax provides a jazzy touch and the steel guitar gives the song a country feel.
Volumes 42 and 44 in the 'That'll Flat...Git it!, Vol.44' give a nice picture of all the fine work released by King in the second half of the fifties and early sixties. With both volumes you get no less than 61 rockabilly and rock 'n' roll toppers. 

Volume 42 in the Bear Family series 'That'll Flat...Git It!' is the first of two CDs to feature the King label. Syd Nathan founded the label in 1943. King soon established a unique place in the post-war music industry, bringing successful rhythm & blues and country & western to market. When rockabilly broke through in the mid-1950s, King immediately jumped on the bandwagon. It absorbed so much successful rock 'n' roll and rockabilly, making the genre as important as rhythm & blues and country & western. It is therefore logical that all this beauty had to be spread over two CDs. The artists initially came from Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana with names such as the now legendary Charlie Feathers, Trini Lopez, Bruce Channel, Rusty York, Wes Voight, Fuller Tood, Moon Mullican and Dave Dudley. A lot of well-known names can already be found on this first volume.
For example, Charlie Feathers is present twice. A first time with 'One Hand Loose' and then with 'Nobody's Woman'. Mac Curtis is even featured three times. We immediately start rocking hard with 'Clock Tickin' Rhythm' by Cecil McNabb Jr.. Perhaps less known, but certainly not less good was Donnie White. He convinces without a doubt with the handsome 'Your Kind Of Lovin'. Another classic is 'Jungle Rock' by Hank Mizell. If the song did not do so well at first, that would change when collectors threw themselves into it in the sixties and seventies and 'Jungle Rock' even ended up in the charts. Someone who later also managed to gain worldwide fame is Trini Lopez. Here you get the famous 'Rock On'. Later he comes back with 'Yes You Do'. You can find some country in Bob Newman's 'Haulin' Freight'. When an artist was successful, labels looked for someone of equal value. The King label found Boyd Bennett and His Rockets in response to Bill Haley and His Comets. Not a bad choice when you hear 'You Upset Me Baby' and 'Put The Chain On The Door'. Joe Penny could also rock contagiously in his 'Bip A Little, Bop A Lot'. Hardrock Gunter certainly had a very own style. Just listen to the sublime 'I'll Give 'Em Rhythm'. Rocking no-nonsense is Ken McDonald's talent in 'Good, Good, Good'. Mac Curtis’ ‘Don't You Love Me’ contains some blues influences. The Voight family had some members who achieved success in the entertainment business. Jon Voight became a well-known movie actor who appeared in ‘Midnight Cowboy' and ‘Coming Home'. His younger brother Wes sought it in rock 'n' roll, as you can hear in 'Midnight Blues' that he recorded together with The Town Three for the DeLuxe label in 1958. Bruce Channel also gained international fame. A few years before this would happen, he recorded 'Slow Down Baby'. In quiet beauty, Luke McDaniel closes this first volume on King's legacy with 'One More Heart'.
That'll Flat...Git It!, Vol. 42' tastes like more releases from the King Label. We are curiously looking forward to volume 2.

​Summer time is here and therefore high time for a new release in the 'Summertime Scorchers' series and it is here now. Get that summer outfit out of the closet, treat yourself to a cocktail, so that Mark and Henrique can serve the ideal soundtrack for your sweltering beach party. Both gentlemen are already raring to go with 30 songs from the period 1957 – 1963. Rocking hard to the tones of 'School's Out' by Bill James, we take our first steps in the warm sand. The pace remains high. Chuck Tharp and The Fireballs take care of that with 'Long Pony Tail', including a fantastic clean guitar solo. As if it isn’t warm enough already, Joe Jones treats you to some 'California Sun'. Joe Jones was an artist from New Orleans and you can hear that in the song. You may have known the song before from The Rivieras cover version. Holidays, sea, sun and beach can be the locations for many things. Flirting is definitely one of them. Ted Forbes and The Kisses highlight it musically via 'The Flirt'. You can certainly also twist to the tunes of Jimmy Simm's Thunderbirds and the appropriate 'Twistin' On The Beach'. Prefer rock and roll? No problem, Mark and Henrique already have the very special 'Hawaiian Rock 'n' Roll' by The Hulawai'ns on the turntable. You undoubtedly know 'You Excite Me' from Franke Avalon. Here you get an extremely handsome cover version of Johnny O'Keefe. The result of such a beach party is a lot of 'Footprints In The Sand'. The well-known The Marcels even made a song about it in their well-known style. With Darryl Vincent through the speakers it will certainly be a 'Wild Wild Party'. Well-known people are also present at the party. Ricky Nelson is there and he brings 'Good Rockin' Tonight'. Also known is Carla Thomas, daughter of that other legend, Rufus Thomas. She puts down a soulful 'Dance With Me'. Less is known about Jan Moore. She didn't record much, but she did record this wonderfully rocking 'Head Over Heels In Love'. You don't hear Nappy Brown on this compilation, but one of his songs, namely 'Little By Little' in a cover by Micki Marlo, who also recorded duets with Paul Anka. With razor-sharp guitar skills, The Sportesmen will take you in from the very first notes during 'Sand Storm'.
Lovers of vocal groups will get their money's worth. A first time with '45 R.P.M' from The Mark IV. A good portion of doo-wop awaits you with 'From The Bottom Of My Heart' by The Fantastic Five Keys. Brilliant harmony vocals also include ‘Red Hot Love (Oo This Love)’. It is provided by The Charms who back Otis Williams. The Pageants then provide the vocal impressive backings on Tony Dee's 'Make You My Queen'. And 'Rickety Rock' by The Jewels is also a good example of what vocal groups were capable of.
When you hear The Arqyles' 'Vacation Days Are Over', you know it. Time to get rid of the sand between your toes, because the beach party is coming to an end. But not before David Hill sings Cliff Richard's 'Living Doll' over the beach.
It is a fact that Mark and Henrique have the talent to musically support a real beach party. Just this one more. You can enjoy this album with just as much pleasure from the comfort of your couch. I’m sure you really will get that summer feeling.

​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 second artist who can count on a '10 inch vinyl Rhythm Bomb Records 20th Anniversary Edition' release is Ruby Ann. This Portuguese artist performed in the clubs as an upcoming talent. After that, she stayed under the radar. She went out into the world and tried to survive singing on small stages. She already had talent then, but it was until she recorded the album 'Mama's Back' together with Cherry Casino and his musicians in 2010 and 2011 that the general public could enjoy it. Fortunately, due to the 20th anniversary of the Rhythm Bomb Records label, this album is once again getting the necessary attention. Because that's what Ruby Ann deserves. However, you can hardly put them in one musical box, because she is too versatile for that. She immediately shows that on 'Call His Name', with which she kicks off. A rhythm & blues class of stature and pay particular attention to that powerful voice. Rockabilly-wise she continues with 'No I Won't Cry', including beautiful guitar work. The raw undertone in her voice in 'Mad Mama' brings out the 'real rockin' chick' in her. With a voice drenched in echo, she later rocks herself with verve through 'Your Mama's Here'.
Side 2 starts with 'Baby Don't Care' that certainly exudes the Sun atmosphere and once again shows that Ruby Ann breathes pure rock and roll. Rockabilly then comes once again to the surface in "I'll Never Get Rich". For a moment she slows down a little bit in the somewhat poppy sounding 'I've Heard That Line Before', but on closing track 'Many Tears Ago' she pulls out all the stops again.
More than 10 years after its release, ‘Mama’s Back’ still has the power of rock 'n' roll and rockabilly.

​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.

​During their fourth Canadian trip, compiler Mark Armstrong and designer and artist Henrique San once again search for recordings by local heroes on labels such as Apex, Canatal, Delta, Sparton and Quality. These are supplemented by imported records that performed extremely well in that country. Again you get 28 songs, all recorded between 1952 and 1963.
Let's start right away with the oldest recording. That's ‘Don't Hang Around Me Anymore’ by Hank Snow, a song that creates a great country atmosphere with the addition of steel guitar. That atmosphere also characterizes 'Party Doll' by Luke Simmons and Jack Turner's 'Everybody's Rockin' But Me’. The Canadian Vanda Jackson, however, may kick off with the rocking 'Ooh Watcha Do!'. More female talent comes later with Penny Candy and the somewhat poppy 'Came On Over'. Small or meaningless titles were common in the 1950s. One of them is ‘Bop-A-Dee, Bop-A-Doo’ by Hall Willis. Willis initially started out as a country artist, but with this pure rockabilly song he was certainly able to reach the same level as his American colleagues. Energetic number! Paul Anka had many hits worldwide. Before he got that far, however, he already made this 'Blau-Wile-Deveest-Fontaine' in 1956, at the age of 15. You can also hear him with 'Late Last Night', recorded 3 years later. And yet Anka had to lose at the time during an amateur singing contest. Sixteen-year-old Bob King won the first price and you can hear him here with 'Rockin' Jukebox'. In the 1960s, R. Dean Taylor scored several hits here. However, the rocking 'At The High School Dance' from 1961 did not reach us. A shame, because it is a formidable number. Marty Hill and Bill Ramal teamed up for the title track 'Red Lips'. In addition to being a singer/songwriter and producer, Hill was also a guitarist. Ramal was a professionally trained saxophonist. The result is an exciting song with beautiful orchestral accompaniment. This also applies to the later 'Mr. Oracle of love". For a rather tearing sax you can go to The Sugar Canes with the instrumental 'Sioux Rock'. Saxophonist was Ray Felder. He also worked with Wynonie Harris, Bull Moose Jackson and James Brown, among others. Also at this volume, a French song should not be missing, Rudy Asselin does that job with 'En Avant Le Rock 'n Roll', on which the accordion is of course also present.
Also worth mentioning are the rhythm & blues of Eugene Church in 'Miami', the famous Dale Hawkins with 'Mrs. Merguitory's Daughter', of course Little Richard and his wildly rocking 'Keep A Knockin'' and the sweet harmony vocals of girl group The Valentines with 'The Sock'.
It has become a tradition that the 'Rockin' Rollin' USA' series features only high quality rockers. We are already curious what the Armstrong/San duo still have in the pipeline.

​Few artists in the genres of rockabilly and rock 'n' roll could score more than locally in the 1950s, the heyday of both genres. Legends such as Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Gene Vincent and Eddie Cochran succeeded. This also applied to Sanford Clark who immortalized his name in rock 'n' roll history with 'The Fool' in 1956. The song also landed him a contract with Dot Records, which made him one of the most successful rockers of his time. Later Clark also made recordings for Ramco, Warner Bros, Project and Trey, among others. 'The Fool' was produced by Lee Hazlewood, who also immediately profiled himself as a producer. It is not surprising that 'The Fool' became a national hit, because the song typifies Clark in a strikingly personal way, which differs from the average rock and roll artists. In 1966 he recorded 'The Fool' again, in an adapted version for the time, for the Ramco label. Of course both versions found their way to this compilation, as well as 'Lonesome For A Letter' the flip side of the original single released in 1956. Song that winks at Elvis. But Sanford had much more to offer. This is immediately apparent from the first track 'Ooo Baby', which he plays as an experienced rocker. And also note the great work of lead guitarist Al Casey. In addition to Sanford's formidable performances, the same Casey shines on every song. 'Modern Romance', 'Usta Be My Baby', 'Love Charms' and 'Lou Be Doo' are just a few of the many gems on this album. Also noteworthy is the then unreleased 'Cross-Eyed Alley Cat'. Unbelievable, because the song is a blast of a rock song. Another great track is the pre-Dean Martin version of the Hazlewood composed 'Houston'. A rarity is also the presence of the two versions of 'A Cheat'. In addition to the original version, you also get the version with 'snare drum overdub'. Clark's blues side floats again in Hazlewood's 'Just Bluesin', as well as in 'It Hurts Me Too'. You can hear that he also had country in his genes on 'Black Jack County Chain'. Humorous sounds more like '(They Call Me) Country'. In addition, you will also find rare recordings that Sanford made for Project, Trey and Warner Bros. Sanford Clark passed away on July 4, 2021 due to Covid. He was 85 years old.
That he can be counted among the historical heroes of rock 'n' roll is clear from this compilation. His masterful voice, the beautiful choice of songs, the extremely competent studio musicians and especially the presence of producer Lee Hazlewood are an undeniable part of this. In addition, there is a 36-page booklet, in which, in addition to beautiful photos, you can learn everything about the person Sanford Clark and the tracks. Super release!

​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.

​For our second visit in the Pan American Series 'Rockin' Rollin' USA' we are still staying in Canada. The 28 tracks on 'Teenage Boogie' dating from the period 1956 - 1963 were released on both local labels and were available via import in Canada. The local labels, whose recordings you can hear here, are Artic, Canatal, Sparton, Teen-Age and Tundra.
We start with Canadian local heroes Bob and Lucille. They rock hard in the cheerful 'Eeny-Meeny Miney Moe', song from 1959. They are followed by Keray Regan with 'Vibratin'’, which goes a bit hillbilly with the addition of fiddle. There were plenty of female artists who played rock 'n' roll with verve. Perhaps less known, but Myrna Lorrie was not of lesser quality. She was only 17 when she recorded ‘Hello Baby’. Of a completely different order is 'Arkansas Jane' by The Millionaires, floating on a jungle beat. A rarity is 'The Big Black Jacket' by Marcel St. Jean and The Jitters. The single was only pressed in a limited edition. Fortunately he graces this compilation because it is an excellent rocker. The Novatones provide a good portion of rocking rhythm & blues with 'Mary Lee'. More rocking rhythm & blues will follow later with 'Mean Old Woman' by The Hi-Fives. Bob and Lucille who opened the album, return as The Canadian Sweethearts with 'Freight Train', in which Lucille's voice reminds me of the other Lucille, namely Lucille Starr. French Canadian is featured through Les Trois Clefs and their 'Ah Oui Je L'Aime Tant'. The song contains an unusual but impressive xylophone solo. The Bucks went whistling through life. They even made a nice song with it. Just listen to the bluesy 'The Whistling Stroll'. Covering has been down all times and happened everywhere. The Canadian The Crew Cuts recorded a nice version of Dale Hawkins' 'Susie-Q'. Rocking wildly, supported by an all-scorching sax, Tommy Ambrose and Joe King work their way through 'The End Of The World'. Curtis Lee had a hit with the Phil Spector produced 'Under The Moon Of Love'. Here you get the flip side of that single with 'Beverly Jane', which should certainly not give way to the hit side. Fans of instrumental songs will get their money's worth with 'Rain Maker' by Tony Mystery and The Masquerades, a band led by the English brothers Tony and Chris Albury. And successor 'Watch Your Step' by The Galaxies is also an instrumental 'guitar driven' topper. A touch of Buddy Holly can be heard somewhat in 'I've Got A Feeling' by Larry Lee and The Leesures.
Doo-wop fans will certainly enjoy 'Baby Tell Me (Why, Why, Why) by The Mello Kings, as well as 'Tomorrow' by The Rock-A-Tunes. Wonderful harmony vocals also include 'Little Woman' by The Dukes. Song that, by the way, is introduced by a twangy surf guitar. Rocking with a light pop touch, Frank Rondell and The Chancellers close with 'Your True Love'.
Quality once again adorns this second volume in the 'Rockin' Rollin' USA' series. 28 tracks and all 'killers', you just have to do it. This needs no further explanation.

With volume 41 in the 'That'll Flat...Git It!' series we dive into the archives of the labels Dot and their daughter label Hamilton. The Dot label was also known for their pop covers of rhythm & blues hits from the fifties, but also recorded a lot of good rock 'n' roll and rockabilly. From that offer, compiler Nico Feuerbach selected 37 tracks for this compilation. A number of well-known names such as Leroy Van Dyke, Sanford Clark, Jimmy Newman and Robin Luke can be found here. But also a number of artists who could not generate general fame are discussed.
Rock 'n' roll with both country and blues influences or rousing rockabilly, you will find it all on this album.
And in the 34-page beautifully illustrated booklet you get all the information about the artists and their songs.
The fact that there is still a lot of interesting rock 'n' roll and rockabilly to listen to is certainly a reason to get this album.

​‘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.

​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!

​Rockin' Rollin' USA, Visit 01, Canada, Shhhhhhh Blast Off' is the first release in the new series from Pan American Recordings. The 28 tracks on this album include songs released on major and local labels between 1955 and 1963. Local labels such as Aragon, Apex Français, Barry, Quality and Rodeo may be less known or perhaps not known at all, but they certainly recorded songs that are more than worth listening to. Every state had a local hero. Some stayed that way, but others left their hometowns and moved on. In this series, compiler Mark Armstrong also pays attention to their musical journey. But before we start our journey through the American states, we first focus on Canada. This first volume features records that were produced in Canada as well as those that were imported there.
What can you expect? That's pretty simple. Vocal and instrumental rock 'n' roll, rockabilly and country at the highest level.
Give that volume knob a good turn to the right, because this new series is the umpteenth direct hit. Unbelievable that there are still so many really great songs, of which we didn't even suspect the existence. Thanks to compiler Mark Armstrong for drawing our attention to this and just as much thanks goes to Henrique San who makes the editions visually attractive with his matching artwork.

​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'.

The next release that will be discussed in the 'Destination' series, has as its subject a destination where you do not want to end up, namely the prison or 'jail'. In American roots music, such as country, hillbilly and rock 'n' roll, there are many songs that can be placed in this context. In addition to life behind bars, these songs can also deal with gruesome crimes, escapes or remorseful confessions. Examples of this can be found galore on this compilation.
A mix of well-known and lesser-known artists provide formidable thematic country, rock 'n' roll and rockabilly. It's best to stay out of prison, but this album is definitely a winner.

​Following the success of 'Rock 'n' Roll Songs Of Happiness', the Atomicat label launches a new series entitled 'Rockabilly Love'. The first volume 'Servant Of Love', contains 30 tracks in the genres of rock 'n' roll and rockabilly, which also have ‘love’ as their subject. The recordings span six years, namely from 1956 to 1962 and have bop, jive and stroll rhythms. True to tradition, a number of unknown artists also make an appearance on this compilation. Artists whose songs you probably didn't know, but who definitely need to be heard.
'Servant Of Love', the first volume in the 'Rockabilly Love' series raises high expectations for what's to come. You won't find anywhere else better than the unadulterated rock 'n' roll and rockabilly that you get here.

​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.

​At the Atomicat label, the machine is running at full speed. Not only were new series added and are still being added, the label also pays enormous attention to the new volumes in the existing series. This is also the case with 'The Rockin' Spot' series, which is on its fourth release with 'Cheryl'. Again 28 tracks that are only too happy to take possession of our playback device and chase rock 'n' roll and rockabilly through our speakers. Songs that saw the light of day between 1955 and 1963 and that lead to surprising discoveries. Those surprises can be found in the recordings of lesser-known artists. Recordings that, for whatever reason, unfortunately continued to float around locally and failed to make it to the mainstream. Fortunately, they are now surfacing on series like this.
Pointing out highlights is impossible, because once again the 28 tracks are real pearls that are full of beautiful echo-drenched vocals, razor-sharp guitars and scorching saxes.
Feel like rocking and rolling yourself into a sweat? Then 'Cheryl' is the ideal soundtrack for this. An absolute must!

​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!

​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.