Fantastic west coast blues from the 60s, none of issued at the time – collected together here in a set that really shows the continuing evolution of the sound of LA! During the 60s, the city's blues took on some of the transformations that were happing in Chicago – with similar roots in a southern scene that moved into a hipper, more urban environment – where blues phrasing was more electrified, and mixed with influences from soul and jazz – often with some funky hybrids along the way! All the cuts here were recorded by Kent Records – the clear black music powerhouse of the west coast at the time – and half were issued on rare Japanese CDs in the 90s, the other 12 appear here for the first time ever – and as usual with Ace, the presentation, notes, and sound quality are wonderful. Titles include "Mama Said" and "Hey Baby" by Willie Headen, "Address In My Hand" and "Soul Blues" by Willie Garland, "Christine" and "Baby Don't Tear My Clothes" by Model T Slim, "Blues Pain" by Lowell Fulson, "You Told Me A Lie" by Smokey Wilson, "Before Day" by Big Mama Thornton, and "Rocks In My Pillow" and "Let Me Play With Your Poodle" by Long Gone Miles. CD

Roy Milton definitely rocks, even though he wasn't a rocker at all – and instead was one of the key artists in postwar R&B who helped really chart the course for other decades of musicians to follow! As you'll see from the image on the cover, Roy's a drummer, but his real strength is leading a tight small combo – effortlessly blending together influences from jazz and blues in the years before soul, and really setting loose with both searing instrumental solos and great lead vocals – including work from Camille Howard, who also plays piano in his combo! The package features a whopping 31 tracks in all – with material from both his Specialty and Dootone years, on titles that include "One Zippy Zam", "Train Blues", "It's Later Than You Think", "Succotash", "Wakin Up Baby", "Big Fat Mama", "Red Light", "Hop Skip & Jump", "Junior Jumps", "Train Blues", "Bam A Lam", and "Baby I'm Gone". (Soul, Blues) CD