The Complete Singles A's & B's Set

Yes! What we have here is just what the label says--the singles (both A/B sides) between 1951 and 1962. It does (rightfully I think) exclude the track, "Calling All Blues", sometimes credited to James, but he doesn't play on it. There's a couple of tracks which he does appear, under Sax Man Brown's name ("Sax Only Boogie"), and J.T. (Big Boy) Brown ("Dumb Woman Blues"), both recorded in the very early fifties. Audiophiles may have a problem with the variable sound--certainly not pristine--but (as I like to hear it) authentic, atmospheric, period sound. But sound issues aside, the excitement on hearing these tracks is undeniable. Yes, James' music can be found on many reissues--both box sets and single /double disc editions--but this is (if my memory serves me right) the first time both sides of his singles from this period have been reissued in one, nice, neat set. The rating is for the music, not the sound quality--plus I'm very partial to his playing/singing ever since I first heard him and his little combo.There's a 15 page booklet with complete track listing, and session details--where/when recorded/personnel/what name used--Elmo James, Elmore James, Broomdusters, Broom Dusters, etc. The only photos are small b&w shots that have been used many times before. There's a seven page essay on James and his music that's pretty interesting and informative--especially if you're new to James' music and that period of blues. Be aware that these discs are CD-R's, not industry manufactured discs usually used for commercial CD release. The Acrobat label started using CD-R discs some time ago, and their releases like the multi-disc sets by Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, and other recent sets are all CD-R discs. I'm assuming that they do this to bolster the bottom line. Too bad. Some people have no problem with purchasing CD-R discs--I own a number of Acrobat releases that are CD-R--but I would rather have the regular industry standard discs instead. To each his own, but in good conscience I thought I should bring this to your attention.Like you I own a lot of James' music, from his earliest recordings up through his last efforts shortly (1963) before he passed on. And I confess I like it all. And even though I already own a lot (if not all) of these recordings, they're spread across various sets that include his other recordings on various labels from the same periods as these singles. But pay particular attention to the earliest things here, which sometimes don't always make it onto overviews of his music. Plus James' early sound (to my ears) is even better than his later recordings which have a slightly different sound. But if you're new to this great performer I envy you your first listening experience. I still remember way back in the sixties when I first heard James' plaintive vocals and dirty slide guitar blaring out of the speakers.So having a set that just focuses on James' singles, taken from all the labels that recorded/released his music, really brings into sharp focus how powerful a performer he was. These small labels were looking to make money, so they issued tracks they thought would appeal to blues fans, and that means that only the "best" of James' recordings were issued as singles. Picking out favorites or high lights is pretty useless--we all will have favorites and/or feel that a particular period was his greatest. Suffice to say that if you don't own much of Elmore James' music, and want to hear what all the fuss and excitement is about, get this 2 CD set. And if you do own a lot of his music (like me) this is still worth having in your Elmore James collection because it's just the tunes picked as singles for maximum effect for radio play. This is another in a series from the Acrobat label that focuses on various performer's best work. Look for other similar sets, well worth adding to your music shelf.

First, let me state my bias: I love blues in general, particularly post WWII stuff, and Elmore James is my favorite artist of the period.The other reviewer mentioned "variable sound" as a demerit of this set, but potential buyers should know that this is a problem on more expensive reissues. The Chief sides, for example, sound ragged on all the sets I've heard (most of them). The major virtue of the set under review is that it includes only the issued singles, whereas other sets, e.g., the Ace 1951-56 compilation includes alternate takes, false starts, and studio chatter, fascinating to Elmore fanatics, possibly not so much to those less devoted.Lillian McMurray (sp?) had her reasons for finding Elmore a difficult customer, starting with his reluctance to make a B side for her Trumpet issue of DUST MY BROOM, a major hit for his label, but which she was forced to issue with a forgettable flip side by another artist, and continuing breaches of contract to record for the Biharis.His best sides were made with Tampa Red's erstwhile band, particularly Little Johnny Jones, one of the great Chicago blues pianists, and J.T. Brown on sax. While "broomdusting" was a recurrent theme with this group, Elmore, contrary to Ms. McMurray's catty assertion that DUST MY BROOM was the only tune he knew, played some great guitar without the slide, a major example of which is COUNTRY BOOGIE (a.k.a. TOOL BAG BOOGIE) on Checker for the Chess brothers.Ironically, Elmore's bad health contributed to the plangency of his vocals as time went on. His heart trouble gave him a more bronchial sound that made his singing more gruff and powerful, and combined with his titantic guitar playing to create a sound that's never been duplicated by his many imitators (although Hound Dog Taylor and J.B. Hutto, for example, were great artists in their own right). Elmore's guitar is an amazing artifact: he used a cheap Kay flattop guitar (I believe these were sold through the Sears or Montgomery Ward catalogues), presumably because the action was higher than on more expensive instruments, ideal for slide playing, and he used two separate DeArmond pickups which he had wired up for a very distinctively electric sounds. The brave French fans who went to the South side of Chicago to see him play live in 1959-60 said that you could hear Elmore's guitar a block away from the club where he was playing.Even when the Biharis carried Elmore to Culver City to record with a group under Maxwell Davis that was comparatively anemic compared to his Chicago Broomdusters, his distinctive vocals and guitar still make an impact, even though the volume on his amp was diminished. (This was apparently a last feeble effort by the Biharis to sell Elmore's records in the developing R & B scene of doo-wop and insipid crooning.)Elmore's later recordings for Bobby Robinson are worth hearing, but they're the wrong place to start to appreciate his immense talent. The Modern stuff from 1951-61 is definitely the best of Elmore and it's all here on this set.Highly recommended, even if you've never heard much Elmore. If you're not a fan by the time you listen to these discs, I'll be surprised.

One of the greatest bands of the Sixties, and definitely the best blue-eyed soul group America has ever produced, gets the mono/stereo complete singles A & B sides treatment. Across the set's two discs and 47 tracks, we see/hear the Rascals grow from A-list cover band (Good Lovin', Slow Down, Mustang Sally), to hit-making self-produced songsmiths (You Better Run, Lonely Too Long, How Can I be Sure?), to ambitious and adventurous trend-setters (Groovin', It's Wonderful, A Beautiful Morning), and outspoken social commentators (People Got to Be Free, A Ray of Hope, See). Ed Osborne delivers the goods in his well-observed liner notes; Mike Milchner's remastering is peerless; Claire Morales's booklet design, which includes replications of the band's Atlantic picture sleeves, is pure eye-candy for long-time fans like yours truly. The Atlantic years were definitely the band's high-water mark, both commercially and creatively. But the lesser Columbia singles (Jungle Walk, Love Me, Lucky Day) are also a blast to hear and appreciate, even after all these years.

Très bien, plusieurs commandes a ce vendeur jamais déçu

Great CD. Great price, quick delivery. Came in condition described.

Hier erhält der Sammler alle Single A- und B-Seiten der (Young) Rascals - Label übergreifend. Hervorzuheben ist nicht nur die excellente Soundqualität, sondern auch die akribisch genaue Unterscheidung der Mono- und Stereo-Versionen. D.H., man erhält exakt die Version, die auch als Single veröffentlicht wurde. Das wird übrigens besonders deutlich bei einer der letzten Singles, die von den Rascals veröffentlicht wurde. Bei "Brother Tree" wurde für die Singleauskopplung das Intro weggelassen, die Single selbst wurde dann mit vertauschten Stereo-Kanälen veröffentlicht. Und genauso wird sie denn auch hier präsentiert. Ein großes Lob an die "Macher", die hinter diesem US-Label "Real Gone Music " stehen. Also kaufen, solange diese Doppel-CD noch greifbar ist.

Por vez primera se editan todos los singles de la banda, tanto en AM como en CBS, una gozada total, lastima el precio que es caro y desconozco la razón. Es sin duda la mejor recopilación de la banda ya que en aquello s60 todo era a bases de discos sencillos que luego se reunían para sacar un LP. Una banda extraordinaria que lograba hit tus hits. 2 CD, 47 temas y versiones de Groovin en español e italiano. Grupo extraño que una el origen latino de algunos de sus miembros con su amor al soul, de hecho fue la primera banda blanca que ficho Atlantic, especializada en música soul. Es una de las bandas favoritas de aquellos años. Sus discos con CBS son mas complicados pero igualmente bellos. Una gozada.

ELMORE JAMESThe Complete Singles As & Bs 1951-62AcrobatThere are few individual blues men or women who have had the impact on contemporary blues music than did Elmore James. Born Elmore Brooks in Richland, Holmes County, Mississippi, he later took the name of his supposed biological father. When he took up the guitar as a teenager, he was strongly influenced by the work of Robert Johnson, Kokomo Arnold and Tampa Red. Elmore would have been about 18 when RJ recorded “I Believe I’ll Dust My Broom”, Elmore did not record it until 1951. The opening riff (described by R&B musician Jesse Stone, as "Changety changety changety changety chang chang!" Is one of the most famous (and most copied) riffs in blues. By some standards, Elmore was not a very prolific recorder. Nevertheless, this CD brings together 52-tracks consisting of the A and B sides of every single he released from his debut on the small Trumpet label to a few months before his death from a heart attack in 1963, including side he recorded for the Meteor, Flair, Modern, Chief, Fire and Chess labels. Elmore shared one other thing with RJ, apart from the song and the riff, that is; His singing was extraordinary. Elmore had the capacity to push emotion though his voice. As George Adins put it “…his voice reached a climax and created a tension that was unmistakably the down and out blues. Notwith-standing that raw voice, Elmore sang his blues with a particular feeling, [with] an emotion and depth that showed his country background.” All assisted by that hair-raising guitar work on his personally modified hollow-bodied acoustic guitar fitted with custom pick-ups. In short this is a fabulous collection that needs your attention, if only so that your know more of Elmore than Changety changety changety changety chang chang!Ian McKenzie