It all began with ‘The GI Sing-sation’, Cecil Gant and his ‘I Wonder’, a blues ballad that caught the public’s imagination. It was also a time for downsizing; the full Johnny Otis Orchestra backed Jimmy Rushing singing ‘Jimmy’s Round The Clock Blues’ but such aggregations quickly broke up and the trend was for small quintets led by the likes of Joe Liggins (‘The Honeydripper’), Saunders King (‘SK Blues’), Buddy Banks (‘Fluffy’s Debut’), Jack McVea (‘Open The Door Richard’) and Roy Milton (‘R.M. Blues’). Charles Brown (‘Drifting Blues’), Jimmy Witherspoon (‘Ain’t Nobody’s Business’) and T-Bone Walker (‘Call It Stormy Monday’) set the fashion for cool, laidback blues, while Gene Phillips (‘Stinkin’ Drunk’), Amos Milburn (‘Chicken Shack Boogie’), Joe Lutcher (‘Rockin’ Boogie’) and Jimmy Liggins (‘Cadillac Boogie’) added a little heat to the pot. After Big Jay McNeely’s ‘The Deacon’s Hop’ and Wild Bill Moore’s ‘Rock And Roll’, honking sax instrumentals became a major sales incentive. The market was crowded with pianist/singers like Little Willie Littlefield (‘It’s Midnight’), Ivory Joe Hunter (‘I Almost Lost My Mind’), Jimmy McCracklin (‘Beer Drinkin’ Woman’), Roy Hawkins (‘Why Do Everything Happen To Me’) and a young Ray Charles (‘Late In The Evening Blues’).
As the 1950s began, rhythm and blues took centre stage, preparing the ground for the advent of rock’n’roll. Percy Mayfield (‘The River’s Invitation’) remained cool but newcomers like Lloyd Price (‘Lawdy Miss Clawdy’), Young John Watson (‘Motorhead Baby’), Willie Mae Thornton (‘Hound Dog’), Etta James (‘The Wallflower’) and Linda Hopkins (‘Yes I Know’) sang to a stronger beat. Meanwhile, the blues had not been forgotten, Pee Wee Crayton (‘When It Rains It Pours’), Jimmy Wilson (‘Tin Pan Alley’), James Reed (‘Things Ain’t What They Used To Be’) and Johnny Fuller (‘Roughest Place In Town’) could still stir the emotions. Saxophonists still made the charts but as an indication of what was to come, guitarists like Pete ‘Guitar’ Lewis (‘Louisiana Hop’) and Jimmy Nolen (‘Strollin’ With Nolen’) also found themselves popular. By 1956, the year of Jimmy McCracklin’s ‘Savoy’s Jump’, rock’n’roll had knocked down the door. Public taste was changing and within a couple of years the music celebrated here was old-fashioned and passed by.
Disc 1
01. T-Bone Walker / Mean Old World [00:02:57]
02. Saunders King / SK Blues (Part 1) [00:03:32]
03. Cecil Gant / I Wonder [00:03:40]
04. The Blues Man (George Vann) / My Baby's Blues [00:03:22]
05. Joe Liggins / The Honeydripper (Part 1) [00:03:37]
06. Charles Brown / Drifting Blues [00:03:17]
07. Johnny Otis Orchestra / Jimmy's Round The Clock Blues [00:03:14]
08. Jim Wynn's Bobalibans / Shipyard Woman [00:03:01]
09. Johnny Alston Orchestra / Everything Will Be All Right [00:02:37]
10. Alton Redd / When The Sun Goes Down [00:02:52]
11. Buddy Banks Sextet / Fluffy's Debut [00:02:34]
12. Camille Howard with Roy Milton & His Solid Senders / Groovy Blues [00:02:40]
13. Roy Milton / R.M. Blues [00:03:02]
14. Big Joe Turner / My Gal's A Jockey [00:03:19]
15. Lowell Fulson / Crying Blues [00:02:39]
16. Gene Phillips / Stinkin' Drunk [00:03:04]
17. Jack McVea's All Stars / Open The Door Richard [00:02:59]
18. Helen Humes / Be Ba Ba Le Ba Boogie [00:02:47]
19. Joe Lutcher / Rockin' Boogie [00:02:30]
20. T-Bone Walker / Call It Stormy Monday [00:03:05]
21. Little Willie Jackson / Jackson's Boogie [00:02:51]
22. Julia Lee / I Didn't Like It The First Time [00:03:03]
23. Jimmy Witherspoon / Ain't Nobody's Business (Part 1) [00:03:00]
24. Amos Milburn / Chicken Shack Boogie [00:02:53]
25. Crown Prince Waterford / Move Your Hand Baby [00:02:23]
Disc 2
01. Jimmy Liggins / Cadillac Boogie [00:02:41]
02. Edgar Hayes / Fat Meat 'n' Greens [00:02:31]
03. King Perry Orchestra / Let 'Em Roll Blues [00:03:02]
04. Vivianne Green / Bowlegged Boogie [00:03:08]
05. Big Jay McNeely / The Deacon's Hop [00:02:52]
06. Wild Bill Moore / Rock And Roll [00:02:53]
07. Floyd Dixon / Drafting Blues [00:03:11]
08. Little Willie Littlefield / It's Midnight (No Place to Go) [00:02:59]
09. Johnny Moore's Three Blazers / Walkin' Blues [00:02:59]
10. Ivory Joe Hunter / I Almost Lost My Mind [00:03:13]
11. Johnny Otis & Little Esther & The Robins / Double Crossing Blues [00:02:50]
12. Roy Hawkins / Why Do Everything Happen to Me [00:03:01]
13. Jimmy McCracklin / Beer Drinkin' Woman [00:03:01]
14. Calvin Boze & His All Stars / Safronia B [00:02:25]
15. King Perry & His Pied Pipers / Everything's Gonna Be Alright [00:02:33]
16. T. Bone Walker / Glamor Girl [00:02:46]
17. Ray Charles / Late In The Evening Blues [00:03:07]
18. Helen Jumes / Million Dollar Secret [00:03:12]
19. Percy Mayfield / Please Send Me Someone To Love [00:02:57]
20. Charles Brown / Black Night [00:03:09]
21. Lowell Fulson / Everyday I Have The Blues [00:02:34]
22. Roy Hawkins / The Thrill Is Gone [00:02:53]
23. Peppermint Harris / I Got Loaded [00:02:31]
24. Jimmy Nelson / T-99 Blues [00:03:09]
25. Fluffy Hunter / The Walkin' Blues [00:02:54]
Disc 3
01. Pee Wee Crayton / When It Rains It Pours [00:03:04]
02. Pete 'Guitar' Lewis / Louisiana Hop [00:02:35]
03. Little Ester / Better Beware [00:02:40]
04. Percy Mayfield / The River's Invitation [00:02:55]
05. Lloyd Price / Lawdy Miss Clawdy [00:02:34]
06. Mabel Scott / Walkin' Daddy [00:02:54]
07. Johnny Otis & Mel Walker / Call Operator 210 [00:03:10]
08. Willie Mae Thornton / Hound Dog [00:02:54]
09. Little Willie Littlefield / KC Lovin' [00:02:42]
10. Amos Milburn / Let Me Go Home Whiskey [00:02:51]
11. Jimmy Witherspoon / Jay's Blues (Part 1) [00:02:39]
12. Linda Hayes / Yes I Know [00:02:51]
13. Young John Watson / Motorhead Baby [00:02:38]
14. Jimmy Wilson / Tin Pan Alley [00:03:10]
15. Oscar McLollie / The Honey Jump (Part 1) [00:02:25]
16. Effie Smith / Cry Baby Cry [00:02:42]
17. T-Bone Walker / Strugglin' Blues [00:02:35]
18. James Reed / Things Ain't What The Used To Be [00:02:39]
19. Jimmy Liggins / I Ain't Drunk [00:02:26]
20. Daddy Cleanhead / Something's Goin' On In My Room [00:02:15]
21. Johnny Fuller / Roughest Place In Town [00:02:47]
22. Etta James / The Wallflower [00:03:00]
23. Peppermint Harris / Cadillac Funeral [00:01:59]
24. Jimmy Nolen / Strollin' With Nolen [00:02:27]
25. Jimmy McCracklin / Savoy's Jump [00:03:08]
