Bobby Rio The Scrambler

The blue-eyed soul brother’s Verve and MGM recordings anthologised on CD for the first time, including seven previously unissued masters.

Bobby Hutcherson recorded frequently for Blue Note in the 1960s, though this session remained unissued until 1999. The first half features the vibraphonist in a cooking hard bop session with Joe Henderson and Duke Pearson, starting with an energetic take on the normally slow ballad "If Ever I Would Leave You" and a sizzling Hutcherson original, "For Duke P." Guitarist Grant Green is added for the second half, beginning with the first recording of Henderson's "The Kicker," which became well known from it's later rendition on Horace Silver's highly successful release Song for My Father.

Bobby Womack first came to prominence in the in the 1950s as part of The Womack Brothers, a gospel group that was comprised of siblings Cecil, Harry, Curtis and Friendly. Impressed with the group, Sam Cooke encouraged them to come to Los Angeles where he signed them to his SAR label. Making the transition from gospel to R&B, they recorded as The Valentinos, ultimately hitting with “Lookin’ For A Love” and “It’s All Over Now.” The latter song which was written by Bobby and Shirley Womack was soon covered by the Rolling Stones and became the group’s very first 1 hit. Bobby’s relationship with the Stones continues to this day. As Bobby’s solo career evolved, he became the standard bearer for contemporary soul music, with such hits as “That’s The Way I Feel About ‘Cha” and “Woman’s Gotta Have It.” He wrote the title theme for the film Across 110th Street which went on to be used in both Quentin Tarantino’s Jackie Brown as well as in the recent American Gangster.A new career pinnacle was achieved in the 1980s with the release of the albums THE POET and THE POET II. These evocative records yielded numerous hits including “Where Do We Go From Here,” “Secrets,” “It Takes A Lot of Strength To Say Goodbye,” “Love Has Finally Come At Last,” “Tell Me Why” “If You Think You’re Lonely Now,” and others. “If You Think You’re Lonely Now” was the basis for Mariah Carey’s 1 hit “We Belong Together.” Womack has also recorded Snoop Dogg, Rod Stewart, Gorillaz and a host of other top names.Exactly one month after celebrating his 65th birthday, the legendary Bobby Womack was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He was the first Cleveland native to be inducted into the Hall of Fame as an individual performer. The event was a true homecoming for this brilliant singer/songwriter/guitarist.“This is just the greatest, I’m extremely happy. My very first thought was – I wish I could call Sam Cooke and share this moment with him. This is just about as exciting to me as being able to see Barack Obama become the first Black President of the United States of America! It proves that, if you’re blessed to be able to wait on what’s important to you, a lot of things will change in life. Being able to work, perform and make people happy is where it’s at. I haven’t been home in almost 30 years, so having this happen in my hometown is really icing on the cake,” Womack remarked after he heard the good news. “I’m looking forward to going home.

Originally released in 1963 at a time when Bobby Hackett was playing trumpet behind Tony Bennett, these are jazz-oriented versions of Broadway musicals. These sessions from the vaults of Columbia Records are not essential, but it's fun lite pop/jazz that doesn't take itself too seriously and is easy to relax with. Jazz Impressions of Oliver is self-explanatory while The Swingiest Gals in Town includes themes from Mame and Sweet Charity.

He was born Robert Joseph Bare in Lawrence County, Ohio, and began his career in Springfield, Ohio. In 1953 he moved to Los Angeles, where he recorded briefly for Capitol and Challenge in the mid-1950s and signed as a writer with Opal Music.

The elegant funk pianist dresses up his elegant playing, catchy melodies and familiar funk leanings with rhythmic excursions to Latin America, Brazil and Africa. A sticker on the wrapping of the disc touts the pianist as one of the true pioneers of smooth jazz, but that tag oversimplifies his uniquely global approach.