Stringbean may look a bit silly on the cover, but he's a dead serious banjo player – one of the greats of his generation, and an artist who's sometimes overlooked on his instrument, because of a penchant for humor in his live performances! And although some of the songs here have a bit of wit at the start, once things get going, Stringbean's in that great mix of old time styles that the Starday Records label was hitting hard in the 60s – one of the few strong outlets for more country-flavored work on banjo, at a time when so many of the folk revival kids wanted things steered a bit more their way! Needless to say, you probably never would have caught Stringbean headlining a club in the Village – but that difference is what makes a record like this so great to discover – as you'll hear on titles that include "Birdie", "Don't Bob Your Hair Girls", "Herdin Cattle", "Keep My Skillet Good & Greasy", "Give Me Back My Five Dollars", and "Wake Up Little Betty". CD

An RCA classic from Shorty – one that features an expanded version of his Giants group, running through some of the best compositions of Richard Rogers! The gimmick of the twin Rogers in the title notwithstanding, the album's a pretty tight little set – as Shorty's leading an all-star group that includes Pete & Conte Candoli, Frank Rosolino, Jack Montrose, Bill Holman, Pete Jolly, and Pepper Adams – all of whom are great company in this session of tight arrangements. Shorty still gives the best players enough solo space to keep things interesting – and the real charm of the record is the way that familiar tunes are transformed by the swinging arrangements and surprisingly nice solo moments. Titles include "I've Got Five Dollars", "A Ship Without A Sail", "Mimi", "Ten Cents A Dance", "The Girl Friend", "On A Desert Island With Thee", and "I Could Write A Book". LP, Vinyl record album

US pressing of reggae classics from one of the greats – with titles that include "Fire Fire", "Memphis Underground", "Mucking Funch", "Big Five", "Dollars & Bonds", and "Who Done It". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes tracks by The Five Crowns, The Flaming Hearts, The Plants, The Blenders, The Seniors, The Dandevilles, The Brooklyn Boys, and The Pirates. 28 tracks in all! CD