Eddie Cleanhead Vinson

The Flying Dutchman imprint BluesTime made it a specialty of modernizing old blues guys, bringing such stalwarts as T-Bone Walker, Otis Spann, and Big Joe Turner into the paisley-drenched, psychedelic late '60s. BluesTime also signed Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson to its label but, for a variety of reasons, the saxophonist didn't follow the label's directive on 1970's The Original Cleanhead, choosing to more or less adhere to the blend of blues, R&B, and bop that became his signature in the '40s, along with relying on a selection of familiar songs. Vinson does show some signs of settling into his role as an old pro – his voice, which surfaces often, is robust and gravelly, he prefers to ease back rather than push – and he's not adverse to giving "Juice Head Baby" space for an organ and horn section that makes it feel somewhat of its time.

As part of The Definitive Black & Blue Sessions series, alto saxophonist Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson is spotlighted on 14 digitally remastered tracks, recorded at Cargo Studio in Paris on March 9, 1969. This straight-ahead session pairs Cleanhead with pianist Jay McShann, Gene Ramey on bass, and McShann's drummer at the time, Paul Gunther. While this disc doesn't contain any unreleased tracks, it does feature several first-rate renditions of Vinson's signature tunes, including "Mr. Cleanhead Blues," "Kidney Stew," and "Juice Head Baby".

Although its programming has been juggled a bit, and the CD has been given liner notes, this Delmark release is a straight reissue of the original LP. Clocking in at around 38 minutes, the relatively brief set is the only recording that exists of Vinson, pianist Jay McShann, and guitarist T-Bone Walker playing together; the sextet is rounded out by the fine tenor Hal Singer, bassist Jackie Sampson, and drummer Paul Gunther. Vinson, whether singing "Plese Send Me Somebody to Love," "Just a Dream," and "Juice Head Baby" or taking boppish alto solos, is the main star throughout this album (originally on Black & Blue), a date that helped launch Vinson's commercial comeback.

A plethora of "lost" recording dates have popped up since the dawn of the compact disc, especially in the jazz world. Unfortunately, most of them haven't been worth the wait and, indeed, as underwhelming as some of them have been, it might - at least aesthetically speaking - have been better had they not been unearthed. Happily, this isn't one of these occasions. The two sessions here were recorded in 1961 and 1962 in Chicago and New York, and feature Cannonball Adderley's quintet that included pianist Joe Zawinul, bassist Sam Jones, drummer Louis Hayes, and brother Nat on cornet. Cleanhead sings his ass off and plays some alto with Cannonball. These dates reveal an anomaly in jazz at the time: The recordings are the place on the map where jazz and R&B meet head on, bringing the full force of their respective traditions and neither giving an inch…

Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, 64 at the time of this Pablo recording, is in superior form on the blues-oriented material. With Art Hillery (on piano and organ) and guitarist Cal Green leading the rhythm section, and trumpeter Martin Banks and the tenor of Rashid Ali offering contrasting solo voices, this is a particularly strong release. It is true that Vinson had sung such songs as "I Want a Little Girl," "Somebody's Got to Go," and "Stormy Monday" a countless number of times previously but he still infuses these versions with enthusiasm and spirit, making this set a good example of Cleanhead's talents in his later years.

Recorded live at Marla's Memory Lane Supper Club in Los Angeles, this 1986 date finds Etta James in front of a superb combo fronted by Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, with Red Holloway, Jack McDuff, and Shuggie Otis providing the supple and swinging backdrop. Vinson is featured on "Kidney Stew," "When My Baby Left Me," and "Railroad Porter Blues" before the turning the stage over to Etta, who provides a blistering "Something's Got a Hold on Me" and a sultry three-song medley of "At Last," "Trust Me," and "Sunday Kind of Love." The two stars duet on Percy Mayfield's "Please Send Me Someone to Love" before Etta closes the show with strong readings of "Lover Man" and "Misty." The small crowd's enthusiastic response makes this a show you wish you were there for; this disc is the next best thing to it.

This 52-disc (no, that is not a typo) comp, ABC of the Blues: The Ultimate Collection from the Delta to the Big Cities, may just indeed live up to its name. There are 98 artists represented , performing 1,040 tracks. The music begins at the beginning (though the set is not sequenced chronologically) with Charlie Patton, Son House, and Robert Johnson, and moves all the way through the vintage Chicago years of Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf, with stops along the way in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, New York, and all points in between. Certainly, some of these artists are considered more rhythm & blues than purely blues artists: the inclusion of music by Johnny Otis, Wynonie Harris, Bo Diddley, and others makes that clear…

Various Artists - The Henry Glover Story, Vol. 1: 1947-1951 (2012) {2CD Set Rhythm & Blues Records RANDB020}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 574 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 350 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 71 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1947-51, 2012 King Records / Rhythm & Blues Records | RANDB020
Rhythm & Blues / Early R&B / Early Pop / Country / Doo Wop / Produced / Trumpet

First of two double CDs exploring the substantial contributions to American music by the amazingly talented Henry Glover who was one of the first African-American executives and producers in a white owned record company. Glover did it all - he was a producer, arranger, songwriter, publisher, talent scout, trumpet player and label owner. He started off playing with the Lucky Millinder band in the early 40s and quickly became arranger for the band and songwriter for the band's many great vocalists. Soon he was writing and producing for Syd Nathan's King label and in 1948 was put on staff by Nathan and the majority of the recordings here are from King along with some covers of King hits by artists on other labels.

Besides the legendary B.B. King and Muddy Waters, a live Newport audience in New York hears some lesser lights such as Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson. Of historical interest, Big Mama Thornton, Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup, and Jay McShann offer renditions of their own songs that were covered for a much larger audience by Janis Joplin, Elvis Presley, and others…