LPCDreissues: Looking forward to the past

in that cool dark age hiatus between the pro-hepcats of swing and the burgeoning diy raucousness of rock ‘n’ roll lies an all-but lost time when big band veterans such as johnny hodges and tab smith rubbed shoulders in the r&b charts with real wild childs like big jay mcneely and little walter, rollerskating to gigs, wearing lurex turbans, taking over radio shows, blowing sax from the stage, down the street and back again, a screamin’ and rockin’ out harlem and central avenue, all vying to grab that magical jukebox coin and launch a veritable zoot suit riot! “the era of the tenor sax” is how duke ellington described the post-war slump that saw the decline of the big swing bands and the rise of the lone saxophone star. the sound of the saxophone became the sound of 1940s jazz and jump blues - these small combos were not, however, any kind of throwback to tame mainstream trad jazz, a full on extravaganza of r&b showbiz, as the likes of roy milton and lynn hope throw themselves around the clubs of new york city and la's central avenue, igniting a spontaneous psychotic reaction in young blacks and latinos that was wilder than and prefigured rock'n'roll. for the first time ever, rev-ola records present a cd collection of this amazing period in jazz and r&b history! featuring six number ones as well as all the top tenor smash hits and packaged with extensive liner notes from 50s expert dave penny, this is the ultimate zoot suit riot! big jay mcneely - the deacon's hop / paul williams - the hucklebuck / frank "floorshow" culley - after hours session / lloyd glenn - old time shuffle blues / roy milton - junior jives / lynn hope - tenderly / freddie mitchell - easter parade / cecil payne - block buster boogie / stick mcghee - tennessee waltz blues / earl bostic - flamingo / roy milton - t-town twist / johnny otis - mambo boogie / griffin brothers - hoppin' / johnny hodges - castle rock / tab smith - because of you / lloyd glenn - chica boo / jimmy forest - night train / little walter - juke / sonny thompson - mellow blues (parts 1 & 2) / johnny hodges - a pound of blues / tiny bradshaw - soft / kid king combo - banana split / tiny bradshaw - heavy juice bonus tracks: castle rock - frank sinatra with harry james orch / the hucklebuck - betty carter with lionel hampton orch / night train - the four blazes / let's do it (the deacon's hop) - three dots and a dash with big jay mcneely