Following up on the success of Jump Children, this second collection covers the recordings made outside of Imperial Records and covers the years 1947-1952. It includes the incredibly rare releases on the park label under the alias Dave Barton Band with The Shrewsbury Kid (Tommy Ridgley) covering the big hits of 1952. Dave Bartholomew was one of the chief architects of New Orleans R&B and this is an essential collection for fans of the genre.

Big Joe Williams was the epitome of the rambling, wandering itinerant bluesman. This two CD collection features many of his most famous recordings in the post war years. The really exciting attraction of this compilation is the CD debut of the eight tracks he recorded with Chicago pianist Erwin Helfer in 1957. These eight tracks only ever appeared on two very rare UK EPs on the Collector label.

Essentially a one-man-band, Joe Hill Louis sang, played guitar and blew harmonica, all with added percussion, making one of the most exciting and danceable sounds of 50s' R&B. He was a pioneer of distorted and over amplified guitar and worked with many post war giants of blues. Also featured are some rare recordings from labels like Checker, Meteor, Rockin' and Big Town.

This compilation concentrates on Johnny Otis' chart hits scored between 1948 and 1962. His earliest hits featured vocalists like Joe Swift, and of course Little Esther Phillips, and discs like Double Crossing Blues with vocal group The Robins, were hugely influential. Other billboard R&B smashes include Mistrustin' Blues and Cupids Boogie. Johnny Otis was one of the most important pioneers of rhythm & blues and continued to record and broadcast throughout the rest of his life. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.

This collection of 50's sides feature Jack Dupree in his prime.  Supported by such players as Mickey Baker, George Harmonica Smith, Larry Dale & Papa Lightfoot, these sides are the best examples of his talent.  Drawing from the KING- HARLEM/JAX- GROOVE & VIK labels, this could be the best collection on the market.........

Shambolic - not a word often used to describe musicians, their recordings or their careers, but in the case of Rosco Gordon it seems to fit. Certainly, his piano stylings are often referred to as shambolic, however his looping piano style and his ability to place an accent on the offbeat helped to form the foundation of bluebeat and ska in Jamaica. Presented here are the A & B sides of every release he made up to 1961, major hits include Booted, No More Doggin', Saddle The Cow plus great tracks such as Just A Little Bit. This is the first time his exciting recordings have been presented in this way. An undeniably original talent whose contributions to the development of popular music cannot be underestimated and this collection fully demonstrates that.

In the annals of American R&B history, Ivory Joe Hunter is largely forgotten today. He was an enormous star who enjoyed an enviable string of R&B hits during the mid to late 1940s which continued into the rock and roll era.  Pretty much every song on this CD charted and includes the hits: Blues at Sunrise, Pretty Mama Blues, Guess Who', I Almost Lost My Mind, I Need You So, It's A Sin and of course the title track of this collection, Since I Met You Baby plus many more.  After moving to Nashville, Ivory Joe Hunter went on to successfully crossover into country music and thrived in the genre until his death in 1974. Jerry Wexler said of him 'I believe that Ivory Joe, together with Ray Charles set the stage for the merger of black blues ballads and white country music in the sixties.'

During the 1940s, Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson was one of the biggest stars in black America. He strode the decline of the big bands and the rise of the smaller R&B unit like a behemoth, scoring hits with Cootie Williams Orchestra and then with his own band.  He was able to compete with the biggest stars of his genre like Louis Jordan, etc. until the rise of rock and roll and the new younger audience changed the landscape for him and all of his contemporaries.  This CD includes many of his race/jukebox and R&B hits that have become blues standards and enjoyed a popularity which still resonates today thirty years after his death..................

This two CD set features the A & B sides of all his releases between 1947 and 1961 and brings together all of his singles for the Peacock and Aladdin labels on one collection. Despite receiving very little chart success, many of his singles were highly original and are now so famous it becomes difficult to understand why Boogie Uproar, Okie Dokie Stomp, Gate Walks To Board and many others were staples for bar bands for years to come and were a huge influence over guitarists like Johnny Winter, Anson Funderburgh and the brothers Vaughan. He didn't like to be called a bluesman, but whether he liked it or not, he was undeniably a major influence over the genre throughout his lifetime.

The first 14 tracks are Willie's solo recordings on Chess Records and include his only chart hit under his own name Walking The Blues. His other singles were all exceptional records, but none managed to chart, however by this time he had already started having major hits with his songs and productions for Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Howlin’ Wolf and Otis Rush and a selection of these great songs and hits make up the rest of this compilation. Willie Dixon through Chess studios produced a stream of classic records and a formidable portfolio of songs that would help fuel the worldwide revival in the blues during the 1960s.

Finally, a comprehensive look at one of the Windy City's most prolific and recognizable guitarists.  From his session work with Bo Diddley and Billy Boy Arnold to the amazing recordings he did under his own name, Jody Williams defines the bright and jazzy sound of 50's Chicago Blues.  Many of these recordings have never been available digitally so this is a welcome reissue of classic sides

Ike & Tina Turner were amongst the first pioneer acts to help launch the sound of soul in the early 1960s. This set includes the all-time classic recordings It's Gonna Work Out Fine, A Fool In Love, I Idolize You and more.  Much of this material went on to influence the Rolling Stones and other British beat and blues groups. Unless history could be re-written, it is fair to say that without these significant recordings there would be no Tina Turner to ask What’s Love Got To Do With It?

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