The ninth, 28 track release in the “By the Bayou” series, Ace has once again assembled an impressive showcase of early Gulf Coast music.

The majority of the rockin’ and rollin’ repertoire here was recorded at J. D. Miller’s Crowley studio. (To the unenlightened, J.D. Miller was the Bayou State’s equivalent of Memphis’ Sam Phillips) Miller’s studio trademark sound was defined by reverb and he often employed unorthodox, but rhythmic percussion effects. (Check the cover where Lazy Lester appears to be playing an instrument made from empty coconut shells.)

This release is front end loaded as the more memorable tracks are early in the mix. The pace setting opening title track, by the previously unknown Gene Dunlop, is an exception as it originated in Bayview, Texas, and it features clever lyrics as well as some frantic guitar and piano.

It’s followed by an unknown Baton Rouge artist Gene King, who’s “T.V. Show” is a great cop of Chuck Berry’s then popular style. Speaking of unknowns, one of the better tracks here, the weepy swamp pop ballad “Waiting on a Letter,” was recorded by a mystery man, as Miller never wrote the artists’ name on the tape box.

A Miller artist with a local/Westbank connection is Joe Carl, and his “Your Too Hot To Handle” is a real dance floor filler. Another Miller artist with a familiar name in rockabilly circles is Guitar Jeff known best for “You Humbuggin’ Me” (included in a previous anthology). The title of his “Jump and Shout” sums up the songs style and one can’t help think English was probably Jeffrey Broussard’s second language.

Another track with a title that describes its content is Bobby Wheeler’s “Rock & Roll Baby” with is lively Johnny Winter guitar breaks.

There’re some more traditional country/Cajun tracks (fiddles/accordions/steel guitars) here, notably by Johnny Bass, Shorty Le Blanc, Pee Wee Trahan, Shelby Martin and Gene Rodrigue.

If you have any of the previous releases in this series you can expect Made In the Shade is a first class package.

However, listeners might want to tackle this one in two-or-three separate listening’s, as airing 28 tracks from this genre back-to-back can be an arduous endeavor.