... 78 RPM, Vinyl record

A collection of recordings in Los Angeles from 1949 with John Anderson, Jesse Ewing, Bob McNeely, Jimmie O'Brien, Prize Stanzel, Theodore Shirley, Leonard Hardiman, Clifford Blivens, and McNile, plus some early 50s sessions with Cecil Harris, Johnny Walker, and William Woodson. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A really burning live set from tenor giant Big Jay McNeely – a rare chance to hear this 50s jukebox legend doing his thing in a spontaneous setting! The set features Jay's tight combo working before a very appreciative crowd – clearly a bunch of youngsters there to let loose and do their thing, while McNeely blows hard and soulfully on the tenor sax, and gets some great support from organist Fred Thompson and the rest of the group. The sound's surprisingly raw – especially given that the album was issued by Warner Brothers in the 60s (during a time when they were briefly pinching R&B players from the indie scene) – and the record is an essential partner to Big Jay's better-known earlier work on King! Titles include "Deacon's Hop", "Sunset", "Cisco's", "Big Jay's Count", "Big Boy", "Big Jay's Shuffle", "Further On Up The Road", and "Shake It Shake It Baby". CD

With selections by Fats Domino, Dave Bartholomew, Smiley Lewis, Smilin' Joe, Archibald, Earl King, Huey Smith & The Clowns, Ford Eaglin, Joe Houston, and Big Jay McNeely. LP, Vinyl record album

A really well-done collection – one that spans key postwar years of R&B, then moves through doo wop into the seminal sounds of 60s soul – almost all from Atlantic Records! Music from Illinois Jacquet, Lionel Hampton, the Ravens, Mabel Scott, Big Jay McNeely, Percy Mayfield, the Five Keys, Lloyd Price, Ruth Brown, Big Joe Turner, the Chords, Johnny Ace, Ray Charles, James Brown & much more. CD