Crossed Combs - retro, rockabilly, rhythm and blues, tiki and all that jazz.

Jerry Wexler dead at 91

Jerry Wexler, who as a reporter for Billboard magazine in the late 1940s christened black popular music rhythm and blues, and who as a record producer helped lead the genre to mainstream popularity, propelling the careers of Ray Charles, Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin and other performers, died on Friday at his home in Sarasota, Fla. He was 91.

His main influence came in the 1950s and ’60s as a vice president of Atlantic Records, working largely with black artists who were forging a new musical style, which came to be called soul music, from elements of gospel, swing and blues.

With the recent passing of Isaac Hayes, it has indeed been a sad week.

Bo Diddley Road Runner / The Chess Masters, 1959-1960

CD Edition limited to 5000 non-numbered limited edition copies.

Dedicated to the late lamented Ellas McDaniel a/k/a Bo Diddley, this second Hip-O Select volume of his classic Chess recordings stands as a reminder of how endlessly creative and groundbreaking "The Originator" was. The 52-track volume covers all of his 1959 home and Chess studio recordings, plus half of his first 1960 session. And it shows Mr. Diddley expanding his musical base far and wide, including adding a second guitarist, emphasizing melodies very different than his original blues base, and working on a number of intriguing guitar and rhythm-based instrumentals. There is only one major hit here, the title song, but this volume is a treasure trove of Diddley-ized rare gems - 20 previously unreleased songs or alternates - plus many tracks seeing life on CD for the first time in the U.S. (and sometimes anywhere).

The double CD also includes insightful liner notes by Diddley biographer/discographer George R. White, plus complete track by track credits.

Track listing:

Disc 1
1. Mama Mia
2. Bucket (Take 1) - Previously Unreleased in USA
3. Bucket (Take 2) - Previously Unreleased in USA
4. What Do You Know About Love
5. Lazy Woman (Alternate Take 1) - Previously Unreleased
6. Lazy Woman (Take 3)
7. Come On Baby (Take 2) - Previously Unreleased
8. Come On Baby (Instrumental Run-through Take 3) - Previously Unreleased
9. Come On Baby (Take 4)
10. Nursery Rhyme aka Puttentang
11. Mumblin' Guitar
12. James' Instrumental - Previously Unreleased
13. Silly Willy - Previously Unreleased
14. I Love You So aka The Beat
15. Story Of Bo Diddley aka My Story
16. She's Alright (Unedited Version)
17. She's Alright (Alternate Take) - Previously Unreleased
18. She's Alright (Mindy Lou) (Alternate Take) - Previously Unreleased
19. She's Alright
20. Darling Tell Me - Previously Unreleased
21. Limbo aka Limber (Alternate Take) - Previously Unreleased
22. Limbo aka Limber
23. Gonna Tell It Like It Is - Previously Unreleased
24. Say Man, Back Again (Alternate Take)
25. Say Man, Back Again
26. Jungle - Previously Unreleased
 
Disc 2
1. Walking (Alternate Take 2) - Previously Unreleased
2. Walking (Alternate Take 4) - Previously Unreleased
3. To Each His Own - Previously Unreleased
4. Run Diddley Daddy
5. Unknown Title Issued As Run Diddley Daddy - Previously Unreleased
6. Road Runner (Alternate Take) - Previously Unreleased
7. Road Runner
8. Spend My Life With You
9. Love You Baby
10. Diddling aka Tash
11. Cadillac
12. Limbo
13. Willie Fell In Love (Version 1) - Previously Unreleased
14. Willie Fell In Love (Version 2 [Take 10]) - Previously Unreleased
15. Look At My Baby
16. Better Watch Yourself
17. Prisoner Of Love (Fast Version)
18. Prisoner Of Love (Slow Version) - Previously Unreleased
19. You Know I Love You So - Previously Unreleased
20. Let Me In (Alternate Version 1) - Previously Unreleased
21. Let Me In (Alternate Version 2) - Previously Unreleased
22. Let Me In
23. Signifying Blues (Unedited)
24. Signifying Blues
25. Deed & Deed I Do (Alternate Take) - Previously Unreleased
26. Deed & Deed I Do 

More info at Hip-O Select

Thanks to RWR

Pace jeans - new website

Swedish brand Pace have just launched their new website at www.pacejeans.com
Go check it out if you're into denim.

PACE denim is made in traditional vintage way on original shuttle looms and comes from small mills around Osaka, Japan. The denim is a right hand twill, ring spun in warp and weft. It’s unique in look and feeling. Using significant details such as split side seams, chain stitching on hem, tab and patch in real leather, buttons have the gearwheel logo in steel finish, zippers in antique copper from the classic brand YKK, strengthened pocket openings on all models, rivets in real genuine copper. All denims are pre-shrunk.

Too Much Too Young - The Story of 2 Tone

A very interesting documentary on BBC Radio 2, and you can listen on-line. For free. Nice.
Part one is available now. Not sure for how long though, so don't hang about.

Too Much Too Young documentary on BBC Radio 2

Paul Sexton traces the history of 2 Tone records and the band at its centre - The Specials.

1979 saw Ska explode onto the UK's music scene. Leading the wave were The Specials, who tackled social issues, unemployment and racism through their music.

The band were signed to the 2 Tone label, which was the brainchild of The Specials' Jerry Dammers, who wanted to create his own Motown Records - in Coventry.
 
2 Tone scored seven hit singles, a top-ten album, and a sell-out UK tour - all within its first year. The label also launched the careers of Madness, The Selecter and The Beat.

Featuring new interviews from The Specials, Madness, The Beat and The Selecter, Paul will also talk to Pete Waterman, Don Letts and Garry Bushell to follow the highs and lows of the label and its bands.

 

Isaac Hayes R.I.P.

The great songwriter, arranger and musician Isaac Hayes has left us.
The world now seems a bit colder...