A really great collection of work from the early years of King
Records – music from a time when the Cincinnati label was one of the key forces in helping shape the sound of R&B in the years before soul music – always with a quality level that set them apart from the rest! Sure, plenty of folks know Atlantic
Records and Chess, but back at the time of these recordings, King might have had both of them beat – a label with a fantastic ear for the sorts of acts who were turning late swing and jump blues into something leaner and groovier – a range of artists that includes vocal groups, solo singers, and instrumental combos! There's plenty of classics here, but the package digs nicely into the deeper range of King as well – and as a special bonus, there's even a few unusual spoken passages from the legendary label owner, Syd Nathan. The set features 87 tracks in all, a very big booklet of notes, and work by artists who include Smokey S
mothers, Bullmoose Jackson, The Dominoes, Johnny Watson, The Charms, Tiny Topsy, Champion Jack Dupree, Mabel Scott, The Midnighters, Wynonie Harris, Lucky Millinder, Roy Brown, Lonnie Johnson, Todd Rhodes, Little Esther, Dave Bartholomew, The Swallows, Roy Byrd, Tiny Bradshaw, Sonny Thompson, The King Pins, Otis Williams & The Charms, The Ravens, Little Willie Littlefield, Hank Ballard, and many others!