While these tracks have been around the block more times than the mailman, it’s great to know they’re available again, conveniently on two discs. Although Ace was based in Jackson, Mississippi, it was a New Orleans label for all intents and purpose, one which, from the mid-1950s to early 1960s, took advantage of the abundance of R&B and rock ’n’ roll talent that this city nurtured. Ran (eventually into the ground) by the gregarious Johnny “Vincent” Imbragulio, he often stumbled blindly into luck in the record business, but he was never afraid to throw the dice, especially in New Orleans.
Volume One contains such timeless hits as Frankie Ford’s “Sea Cruise,” Huey Smith’s “Rockin’ Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu” and Jimmy Clanton’s “Just a Dream”—songs that are the virtual templates of New Orleans rock ’n’ roll. It also contains Red Tyler’s “Peanut Vendor,” Morgus and the Ghouls’ “Morgus the Magnificent,” Mac Rebennack’s “Storm Warning,” Chuck Carbo’s “Lover of Love” and Earl King’s “Everybody’s Carried Away”—jukebox and sock hop favorites confined to Jefferson, Orleans and St. Bernard parishes. Of the non-New Orleans tracks, Frankie Lee Sims’ “Hey Little Girl” is an exceptional blues, the Phaetons “I Love My Baby” is rockabilly at its apex, and the Supremes’ (not the Diana Ross group) “Just for You and I” is top-notch doo-wop. This expanded CD set (24 tracks) also contains the bonuses “Alimony” by Frankie Ford and Huey “Piano” Smith’s “Pop-Eye.”
Volume Two relies less on national hits—Clanton’s “Go Jimmy, Go” (recorded in New York and later covered by Bob Marley) is the only one here—but it does rely on outstanding New Orleans rock ’n’ roll. Junior Gordon’s “Blow Wind Blow,” Big Boy Myles’ “New Orleans,” Bobby Marchan’s “Chickee Wah-Wah,” and “Rockin’ Behind the Iron Curtain,” James Booker’s “Teen Age Rock,” Huey’s “Would You Believe It (I Have a Cold),” Frankie’s “Roberta,“ Joe and Ann’s “Curiosity”—need we say more? It’d be remiss not to mention there are some superior blues tracks here—Sammy Myers’ lethal “Sleeping in the Ground,” Mercy Baby’s wonderful “Silly Dilly Woman,” Lightnin’ Hopkins’ “Bad Boogie” and Charles Brown and Amos Milburn’s swinging “Educated Fool.” Eddie Bo, Jimmy Clanton, Joe Tex and Earl King also contribute here, so you know this is a recipe for a tasty collection.
These discs collect outstanding music that helped make New Orleans the absolute center of the music universe, and the packaging is top-notch with informative notes, period photos and illustrations. Thankfully, three more volumes in this series are in the works. Worth pawning your wedding ring to obtain either or both.
