The Beale Street Gang - Back Alley Blues

Side 1:
01. Lights Out
02. Raising The Roof
03. Jelly Roll Jan
04. Jumpin' In Jack's House
05. Teddy Bear

Side 2:
01. Fatstuff Boogie
02. Lazy Joe
03. Back Alley Blues
04. Red, Red Wine
05. Boogie Grunt

Download from here:

http://www15.zippyshare.com/v/YeZYVGw1/file.html

If you like your R&B stripped down to the basics, if you dig a late night smoky club atmosphere with a small group groovin' on lowdown blues and boogie, if Sonny Thompson's "Long Gone" is your bag, then this is the stuff for you.

"The Beale Street Gang" (occasionally "The Beale Street Boys") was the moniker of several small groups led by pianist Milt Buckner which recorded for Savoy in 1946-48 and again in 1951. While recording these sessions Milt's main musical activity was with the Lionel Hampton big band of which he was an original member, having joined as pianist and arranger in 1941. In 1949 and early 1950 Milt recorded for MGM with his own short lived big band (the sides had a similar sound to that of Hamp), but by October 1950 Milt was back with the Hampton outfit.

The sides on this little comp could therefore be regarded as very much a "side project" and they certainly have a spontaneous feel about them as they consist mainly of basic blues riffing and boogies. It's R&B the way I like it!

In 1952 Milt changed over from piano to the Hammond organ and embarked on a long career playing small group jazz. In the 1950s into the early 1960s he cut material for Capitol, Argo and Bethlehem. From 1966 until his death in 1977 he recorded many LPs for European labels, especially the French label Black & Blue.

The Beale Street Gang sides represent a brief outbreak of raw R&B in between Milt's more well known stints as big band arranger / pianist and organ combo leader. Here's the details, groovers:

"Lights Out" and "Raising The Roof" were recorded in NYC on October 28th, 1946. Personnel: Milt Buckner (piano) with: Pazzuza Simon (tenor sax); Curly Russell (bass); Arthur Herbert (drums).

Lights Out / Raising The Roof was issued on Savoy 653 in July 1947. Credited to The Beale St. Boys then on later issues to The Beale Street Gang.

"Jelly Roll Jan," "Raisin' The Roof" and "Teddy Bear" were recorded in NYC on December 8th, 1947. Personnel: Milt Buckner (piano) with: unknown (trumpet); Ray Abrams (tenor sax); possibly Curly Russell (bass) and possibly Arthur Herbert (drums).

Jelly Roll Jan / Jumpin' In Jack's House was issued on Savoy 669 in August 1948.

"Teddy Bear" was issued as the B Side of Regent 129, probably in October 1948, credited to The Beale Street Gang. The A Side was "Killer Diller" by Gene Coy And His Killer Dillers. This disc was very popular in Jamaica where it was released on Savoy 5555 and later as a 45 on Top Rank.

"Fatstuff Boogie," "Lazy Joe" and "Back Alley Blues" were recorded in NYC on July 11th 1948. Personnel: Milt Buckner (piano) with unknown trumpet, tenor sax, bass and drums.

Fatstuff Boogie / Lazy Joe was issued on Savoy 693 in May 1949.

"Back Alley Blues" was issued as the B Side of "Double Crossin' Blues" by the Johnny Otis Quintette on Savoy 731 in February / March 1950. The original review issue of this disc had "Ain't Nothin' Shakin'" by Leon Sims coupled with the Johnny Otis side, but this seems to have been quickly replaced by The Beale Streeters' opus.

"Double Crossin' Blues" which featured Little Esther and The Robins was a number 1 R&B hit in March and April 1950. In May 1950 it was replaced at the top of the R&B charts by another Johnny Otis disc - "Mistrustin' Blues" which featured Little Esther and Mel Walker.

"Red, Red Wine" and "Boogie Grunt" were recorded in NYC on April 5th, 1951. Personnel: Milt Buckner (piano, vocal) with: Tyree Glenn (trombone); Harold Clark (tenor sax); Reuben Phillips (baritone sax); Aaron Bell (bass); Tim Kennedy (drums).

Red, Red Wine / Boogie Grunt was issued on Savoy 785 in May 1951. Credited to Milton Buckner And His Beale Street Gang.

I first came across The Beale Street Gang when I was reading up on the background to the Savoy LP "Rhythm and Blues Volume 1" which had "Lights Out" credited to Milton Buckner. Read that post for details of how "Lights Out" reappeared in 1954 as "Blue Nights" credited to The Hot Shots.

For an in depth look at this phase of Milt Buckner's career see this website:

http://www.jazzdocumentation.ch/buckner/discography/buckner1.html

For listening it has to be this CD:

Classics 5032. Now out of print but you may be able to pick up a second hand copy. Or visit a certain blog by a certain French uncle and search around!

Rhythm and Blues Volume 1 (Savoy LP MG 15008)

Side A:
01. The Hucklebuck - Paul Williams
02. The Deacon's Hop - Big Jay McNeeley
03. 35-30 - Paul Williams

Side B:
01. Bubbles - Bill Moore
02. Corn Bread - Hal Singer
03. Lights Out - Milton Buckner

Download from here:

http://www48.zippyshare.com/v/UiU25ocr/file.html

Here's a bit of fun for the weekend! This is a "reconstruction" of the Savoy 10 inch LP MG 15008, issued in 1952, although some sources give 1951 as the year of issue. I've been unable to find any reference to this LP in Billboard or The Cash Box, so the exact year remains in doubt.

The front cover was "borrowed" from Discogs.com, and the label shots are from ebay. According to various websites the back cover of this LP was blank. I have the first five tracks of the compilation on a slightly scratched copy of the classic Savoy 2LP set from the 1970's, "The Roots Of Rock'N Roll," so this download contains that authentic crackly vinyl experience. The Milt Buckner track is from a Chronological Classics download from Uncle Gil.

Track details:

1. The Hucklebuck - Paul Williams. Personnel: Phil Guilbeau (trumpet); Miller Sam (tenor sax); Paul Williams (baritone, alto sax); Floyd Taylor (piano); Herman Hopkins (bass); Reetham Mallett (drums). Recorded in Detroit, 15th December, 1948.

Released on Savoy 683 (b/w ""Hoppin' John"), January 1949. "The Huckle-Buck by Paul Williams and his Hucklebuckers."

2. The Deacon's Hop - Big Jay McNeeley. Personnel (possibly - opinion varies!): John Anderson (trumpet); John "Streamline" Ewing (trombone); Big Jay McNeely (tenor sax); Bob McNeely (baritone sax); pbly Jimmy O'Brien (piano); Ted Shirley (bass); Leonard "Tight" Hardiman (drums). Recorded in Los Angeles, December 15th, 1948.

Released on Savoy 685 (b/w "Artie's Jump"), January 1949. "The Deacon's Hop by Deacon McNeeley's Blue Jays."

3. 35-30 - Paul Williams. Personnel: John Lawton (trumpet); Walter Cox (tenor, alto sax); Paul Williams (baritone sax); T.J. Fowler (piano); Hank Ivory (bass); Clarence Stamps (drums). Recorded in Detroit, 6th October, 1947.

Released on Savoy 661 (b/w "Come With Me Baby"), December 1947. "Thirty-Five Thirty by Paul Williams Sextette."

4. Bubbles - Bill Moore. Personnel: Phil Guilbeau (trumpet); Wild Bill Moore (tenor sax); Paul Williams (baritone, alto sax); Floyd Taylor (piano); Herman Hopkins (bass); Reetham Mallett (drums). Recorded in Detroit, 21st November, 1947.

Released on Savoy 662 (B Side of "Swingin' For Pappy"), January 1948. "Bubbles by Bill Moore And His Band."

5. Corn Bread - Hal Singer. Personnel: Milt Larkin (trombone); Hal Singer (tenor sax); Wynton Kelly (piano); Franklin Skeete (bass); Heywood Jackson (drums). Recorded in NYC, circa June 1948.

Released on Savoy 671 (b/w "Plug For Cliff"), August 1948. "Corn Bread by Hal Singer Sextette."

6. Lights Out - Milton Buckner. Personnel: Pazzuza Simon (tenor sax); Milt Buckner (piano); Curly Russell (bass); Arthur Herbert (drums). Recorded in NYC, 28th October, 1946.

Released on Savoy 653 (b/w "Raising The Roof"), July 1947. Credited to "The Beale St. Boys" with no mention of any of the performers on the label. The composer credit "A.M. Brunner" was a pseudonym for Savoy owner Herman Lubinsky. "Lights Out" was subsequently reissued on a 45 rpm disc, Savoy 45-797, still credited to The Beale St. Boys. The reverse side of this release was "Corn Bread" by Hal Singer.

"Lights Out" was first credited to Milt Buckner on this LP, and is a terrific late night slow blues instrumental which is similar to Sonny Thompson's "Long Gone." This track was also released as a single on Savoy 1136 in September 1954 under the title "Blue Nights" (b/w "Blue Dreams"), credited to "The Hot Shots." This time round the composer credit was given to "L. Herman," another pseudonym for Herman Lubinsky.

Label shot from Discogs .com

All of the tracks on this LP also appeared spread across two Savoy EPs confusingly titled "Rhythm and Blues Volume 1" and "Rhythm and Blues Volume 2" with the exact same front cover artwork as the LP. The front cover of the  Volume 1 EP was coloured red and that of the Volume 2 EP was coloured blue (see below).

Sleeve shot from Discogs.com

The Volume 1 EP (XP 8049) had the Paul Williams tracks "The Hucklebuck" and "35-30" plus "Bubbles" by Bill Moore and "Corn Bread" by Hal Singer. Volume 2 (XP 8050) had "The Deacon's Hop" by Big Jay McNeely (note that his surname was now spelled without the extra "E") and "Lights Out" by Milton Buckner. The two additional tracks were "Back Biter" by T.J. Fowler and "Cooking With Cookie" by Sir Charles Thompson with Hal Singer on tenor sax.

We may well be digging out more gems from the 1940s Savoy vaults in upcoming posts. Have a groovy weekend!