The Okeh Rhythm & Blues Story 1949-1957

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Arranged in chronological order, this set begins with a strong emphasis on jump blues in the style of Louis Jordan and Big Joe Turner. Gradually, though, OKeh turned to more modern sounds. It jumped on the New Orleans R&B scene early with vital recordings by Paul Gayten and Lee Allen. The Treniers were an irreverent harmony/comedy group in the style of the Coasters, and Chuck Willis abandoned the swing rhythms of jump blues for the pounding 4/4 of rock & roll. OKeh's greatest moment came on September 12, 1956, when a case of Italian Swiss Colony wine helped Screamin' Jay Hawkins and New York's best session musicians (Mickey Baker, Sam Taylor, etc.) cut crazed, electrifying versions of "I Put a Spell on You" and "Little Demon." --Geoffrey Himes

Tracks:

My Ship Is Comin' In
What Would You Do
It's All Over
That's What Mama Say
Suddenly I'm All Alone
It's An Uphill Climb (To The Bottom)
Tear For Tear
After You There Can Be Nothing
Speak Her Name
Lee Cross
Moonlight In Vermont
Funny (Not Much)
A Corner In The Sun
There Goes That Song Again
Welcome Home

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding Listening Pleasure.......2007-06-27

I have listened to the CD so often that it is a wonder I have not worn it out if that were possible.

master singer.......2007-01-22

All of my teenage years were in the 1960's, i was fortunate to listen to rock'n-roll, blues and soul in and urban city of D.C. The late walter Jackson was very special not because of his disability and singing, but the delivery and expression through out his phrasing. He told a story with beautiful tonement that vibrated with a sense of crying, begging and moaning for love of a woman. Only a true music lover and listner can appreciate the soul of a Walter Jackson.

Very Underrated Artist.......2002-02-15

I got to Hear His stuff when I was a Little boy thanks to My Mother.back then Radio gave everybody a chance&you had to bring the goods&Walter Jackson did.He had a Cool Vocal Delievery.the music is still very soulful&right on time.Artists like Him shouldn't be overlooked they have alot going for them if given a fair chance.

The best of Memories.......2000-04-12

I remember Walter's music from the '60's, especially this album which has nothing but great cuts. The soul that comes out of this man cannot be compared to anyone before or since...and the voice that transmits it is incomparable as well. It's truly unfortunate that the Walter Jackson discography is so limited, but 'Welcome Home', of itself, gives us an immensely satisfying taste of the man.

A magnificent collection from a premier artist........1999-08-12

No one can do it like Walter Jackson! His smooth, sensual voice and profound lyrics make you feel like he is in the room with you. You can feel his pain/pleasure in every song. Grab this CD - it is a collection of his best work. Listen to it with someone you love, grab the wine, and enjoy!

Welcome Home: The Okeh Recordings, Vol. 2

Average customer rating:

Not Received
#1 BEST OF ALL!!!

Welcome Home: The Okeh Recordings, Vol. 2
Walter Jackson
Manufacturer: Kent Records UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Pop | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Feelings
The Best of Walter Jackson: Welcome Home - The Okeh Years
Finally Got Over: Deep Soul from the Classic Era
The Ever Wonderful: Okeh Uptown Soul 1962-1966
Lou Beatty's Detroit Soul: Thirty Rare Gems from the Vaults of La Beat Records

ASIN: B000IHYTQG
Release Date: 2006-11-13

Tracks:

My Funny Valentine
Moonlight In Vermont
Let It Be Me
Suddenly I'm All Alone
Imagination
Welcome Home
Moon River
Blowin' In The Wind
The Magic's Gone
Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words)
Still At The Mercy Of Your Love
Where Have All The Flowers Gone
Deep In The Heart Of Harlem (Bonus Track)
A Cold, Cold Winter (Bonus Track)
I Think It's Going To Rain Today (Bonus Track)
That's When I Come To You (Bonus Track)
Special Love (Bonus Track)
One Heart Lonely (Bonus Track)
The Folks Who Live On The Hill (Bonus Track)

Album Description

Our first volume of the late Walter Jackson's 1960s OKeh, Epic and Columbia recordings has met with unanimous acclaim amongst the soul fraternity. They will be no less pleased with the second volume in the trilogy, which is built around Walter's fabulous "Welcome Home" album and which once again also features many additional bonus tracks to augment the original track listing.

Along with the "Welcome Home" album in its entirety, this volume also features four rare non-album OKeh 45s and - for the delight of Walter obsessives everywhere - three tracks that have never been heard publicly since being committed to tape 39 years ago.

The inevitable wealth of label shots is complemented by a sleeve note that explores Walter's recordings on a session-by-session basis.

For many Walter Jackson is the epitome of mid-60s Chicago soul. His recordings were supervised by the city's greatest producer, Carl Davis, and repertoire was provided by Curtis Mayfield, Van McCoy, Chip Taylor, Randy Newman and Jimmy Radcliffe. With these kind of names on board it's pretty hard to go wrong.

Watch out for Kent's third and final volume in the trilogy, "Speak Her Name" in 2007.

Customer Reviews:

Not Received .......2007-03-26

Although I received confirmation that 2 CD's were sent I have not received them and am unable to resolve this problem through tracking. Iwould appreciate any help with this matter. Maureen Begley

#1 BEST OF ALL!!!.......2007-01-04

This is the one cd that everyone should own.My favorite singer going back to '68. nobody can compare.

Average customer rating:

Dig This Menu, Please!
Heartily recommend this set.

The Okeh Rhythm & Blues Story 1949-1957
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Blues | Styles | Music

Jump Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Compilations | Jazz | Styles | Music

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1950s | By Decade | Pop | Styles | Music

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Musicals | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00000287T
Release Date: 1993-07-13

Tracks:

Rock The Joint - Chris Powell & The Five Blue Flames
That's Right! - Chris Powell & The Five Blue Flames
Chicken Shack Boogie - The Five Scamps
No Wine, No Women - Mr. Google Eyes/Billy Ford & His Musical V-8's
Red Hot - The Five Scamps
Rough And Rocky Road - Mr. Google Eyes/Billy Ford & His Musical V-8's
Hot Dog - Chris Powell & The Five Blue Flames
Fine Like Wine - The Five Scamps
CHI (Chicago) - Jumpin' Joe Williams/Red Saunders & His Orchestra
Lyin' Girl Blues - Jumpin' Joe Williams/Red Saunders & His Orchestra
Gotta Find My Baby - The Ravens
Let's Jump Tonight - Chuck Willis
I Want A Lavendar Cadillac - Maurice King & His Wolverines/Bea Baker
If You Ever Had The Blues - Earl Williams
Catch 'Em Young, Treat 'Em Rough, Tell 'Em Nothin' - The Bill Davis Trio
Weekday Blues - Jumpin' Joe Williams/Red Saunders & His Orchestra
My Run Around Baby - Irlton French/Chuck Thomas
Stuttering Blues - The Five Scamps
She Did Me Wrong - Leroy Johnson
Honey I Don't Want You - The Ravens
Work Baby Work - Larry Darnell
Camp Meeting - Pinnochio James
Come On Daddy (Let's Go Play Tonight) - Pearl Taylor/Chuck Thomas
I Feel So Good - Maurice King & His Wolverines/Ruby Jackson
Three Ball Sam (The Pawn Shop Man) - Pearl Taylor/Chuck Thomas
Brother's Blues - Little Brother Brown

Tracks:

Hey Bartender Give That Man A Drink - Jumpin' Joe Williams/Red Saunders & His Orchestra
Goof Boogie - Little Brother Brown
I Rule My House - Chuck Willis
Pinnochio's Blues - Pinnochio James
I'll Be Sittin', I'll Be Rockin' - Larry Darnell
It's Been A Long Time - Annie Laurie
Jump Back Honey - Hadda Brooks
Got So Much Trouble - Titus Turner
Gas Happy Mama - The Royals
My Story - Chuck Willis/The Royals
Gabbin' Blues - Big Maybelle
The Moondog - The Treniers
Stop Talkin' And Start Walkin' - Annie Laurie
Dig This Menu Please! - Red Rodney Sextet
It Ain't Nothing Happening - Paul Gayten
You Broke My Heart - Chuck Willis
Poontang - The Treniers
Brook's Boogie - Hadda Brooks
Jinny Mule - Big Maybelle
Livin' In Misery - Titus Turner
Voodoo Blues - Jumpin' Joe Williams/Red Saunders & His Orchestra
Bring The Money In - The Bill Davis Trio
You The Kind Of Women - Sammy Cotton
I'm In The Mood For You - Annie Laurie
Make Up Your Mind - Chuck Willis
Cow Cow Blues - Paul Gayten

Tracks:

But Officer! - Cliff 'King' Solomon
Give Me One More Drink - Sammy Cotton
Leave It To Me - Annie Laurie
Square Dance Boogie - Cliff 'King' Solomon
Your Cash Ain't Nothin' But Trash - Big John & The Buzzards
One Monkey Don't Stop No Show - Big Maybelle
My Lonely Room - Titus Turner
Uh Oh (Get Out Of The Car) - The Treniers
Creole Alley - Paul Gayten/Lee Allen
Give Me Your Love - Larry Darnell
Bad, Bad Women - The Shufflers
I'm Gettin' 'Long All Right - Big Maybelle
Oop Shoop - Big John & The Buzzards
Jump Ted! - The Shufflers
Ocean Of Tears - Big Maybelle
Ring Ding Doo - Chuck Willis
Little Demon - Screamin' Jay Hawkins
I Put A Spell On You - Screamin' Jay Hawkins
Bacon Fat - Andre Williams (Mr. Rhythm)
The Last Meal - Hurricane Harry
Let's Do The Slop - Little Joe & The Thrillers
Where You Been - Lloyd Fatman
Miss Mushmouth - Lloyd Fatman
Wyatt Earp - The Marquees/Marvin Gaye/Bo Diddley
Billy's Heartache - Billy Stewart/Bo Diddley
Yellow Coat - Screamin' Jay Hawkins

Amazon.com

Arranged in chronological order, this set begins with a strong emphasis on jump blues in the style of Louis Jordan and Big Joe Turner. Gradually, though, OKeh turned to more modern sounds. It jumped on the New Orleans R&B scene early with vital recordings by Paul Gayten and Lee Allen. The Treniers were an irreverent harmony/comedy group in the style of the Coasters, and Chuck Willis abandoned the swing rhythms of jump blues for the pounding 4/4 of rock & roll. OKeh's greatest moment came on September 12, 1956, when a case of Italian Swiss Colony wine helped Screamin' Jay Hawkins and New York's best session musicians (Mickey Baker, Sam Taylor, etc.) cut crazed, electrifying versions of "I Put a Spell on You" and "Little Demon." --Geoffrey Himes

Customer Reviews:

Dig This Menu, Please!.......2003-05-19

The music contained within these three discs covers the most criminally ignored segment of the last half of the 20th century - the pre-emergance of rock 'n' roll. How that general oversight came to be is inexplicable but suffice it to say if more rock 'n' roll fans heard these 78 cuts that shameful trend might start reversing itself because these songs are blistering hot.

Sadly obscure artists from Chris Powell and the Blue Flames, to the wonderfully showboating Treniers, to the Five Scamps make their case for inclusion alongside such comparitively better known artists as Big Maybelle, Chuck Willis, The Ravens, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, and even the earliest notices from Marvin Gaye and Billy Stewart under the guidence of the Moonglows and Bo Diddley respectively. But known to one and all or only their families it doesn't change the fact that there's not a bum song in the lot, and some, like the hilarious "The Last Meal" by Hurricane Harry and "No Wine, No Women" by Mr. Google Eyes and His Musical V-8's are true lost classics and should be heard by anybody who's ever snapped his fingers or shuffled her feet to music. Don't worry if you've never heard of the singers or the song titles before, if you like rockin' and rollin', no matter what it was actually called at the time (R&B, jump blues, etc.), you will love the songs contained here and the entire set will be an eye and ear opening experience you'll want to share with your more close-minded friends.

The packaging is fine (though the discs and jewel cases are identical, which can cause confusion on a quick glance), with a slim, but very good booklet that does its best to give sketch bios of the artists as well as sort out who played on what. Since that information is not quite clear thanks to shoddy A&R work at the time of the recordings, there is a lack of a full sessionography, unfortunate but entirely understandable. The booklet has tremendous pics though, all the writing credits, recording dates and a well written concise intro to the birth of this style of rhythm and blues as well as the OKeh label itself.

The one problem, if it can be called that, is this: Boxed sets are by nature meant for the hardcore fanatic, not the casual listener. This is especially true if the boxed set in question covers an entire label, multiple artists and the corresponding neglected era in music history. Thus the compilers had to be aware that they weren't going to get many spur of the moment impulse purchases just to see what the music was like (although those who do will be amply rewarded for their faith). Yet they seemed to try and hedge their bets by having just three discs rather than a more uniform four. While it may have kept the price down and swayed a handful of potential buyers to pick it up, the true audience for this type of set is going to want more, especially considering OKeh had plenty of material to do so. As it is they left off the Treniers only charted hit "Go Go Go", Big Maybelle's original version of the well-known "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On", and a number of Andre Williams songs they praise lavishly in the notes while offering up just one to hear. Furthermore, despite Amazon's inclusion of his name under the product title at the top of the page, inexplicably left off is legendary white vocalist Johnnie Ray who worked with LaVern Baker (who's here under the name Bea Baker) at the Flame Bar in Detroit, a notorious stop on the black R&B circuit, and along with Baker was signed to OKeh. Because he recorded on a black R&B label, and before he was seen on television or in person by most, he was initially thought by record buyers to be black (not to mention perhaps female), and as a result his early two-sided smash "Cry" b/w "The Little White Cloud That Cried" made it to #1 and #2 respectively on the R&B charts in late '51/early '52. His later work veered entirely towards pop songs and arrangements, which along with his increased visability that showed he was pale white subsequently kept him out of the R&B realm in the future (though he and Baker remained good friends for life), but it would be great, as well as historically accurate, to hear Ray's first OKeh effort "Whiskey & Gin" as well as his two previously mentioned hits. But they are nowhere to be found here nor is Ray even mentioned in the notes.

What they DO offer however is extraordinary, much of it previously unreleased at the time (including many Chuck Willis songs, who was perhaps their biggest star), and much from virtually unknown artists which would be near impossible to even find out about today, much less actually track down to hear. Just the sheer varience of approaches to songs you may know already from their more famous versions is facinating (Gene Vincent's "Jump Back Honey, Jump Back" which Hadda Brooks turns into playful flirting, Big John & The Buzzards turning both Shirley Gunter & The Queens doo wop classic "Oop Shoop" and the Clovers "Your Cash Ain't Nothing But Trash" into a comic bass-sung send-ups, or the scalding workout the Blue Flames give the proto-rock classic "Rock The Joint", later covered by Bill Haley as his first true rock effort). If that's not enough you can sample the delightful political incorrectness of "Stuttering Blues", the subtle jab at being black and dealing with white-enforced laws in "But Officer", or the birth of reggae rhythms in "Billy's Heartache".

If all this isn't enough to convince you that this music and this set are at least worth a try then go back to your cheap little 8 song greatest hits collections, insipid Oldies radio and pitifully sheltered life. After all, you might be too old to change now, for as the song says - to get results you gotta "Catch 'Em Young, Treat 'Em Rough, Tell 'Em Nothin". You've been told. But will you listen?

Heartily recommend this set........2000-10-27

On the recommendation from a friend, I bought this 3-disc set today. I was looking to hear Big Maybelle sing "Ocean of Tears" which had become a favorite of mine after hearing my favorite local band play it at their gigs. This song from Big Maybelle had not been released before this set came out. Anyway, I first threw it in and jammed on that particular song. I then started with the first song on that disc not knowing what was coming my way. Well, of course I knew it would be some blues, but I had not been into blues that much. I do like big band and jump blues type music. That being said, I am impressed with the sound quality and the great music on these discs. After having listened to just 2 discs so far I can honestly say that I haven't heard one bad song. There is some great horn blowin' and piano strummin' and a ton of heavenly voices on these discs. I can't accurately describe what it is I enjoy about this set like I was some kind of major-league musicologist. I just know it hits me in the right place. For me that's all that counts. Also I would like to point out that it is a great bargain for the price. It has 78 songs that will knock your socks off.