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

Jim Jones Revue on tour with Chuck Berry

The Jim Jones Revue will be playing with Chuck Berry on his November UK tour.

Here are the tour dates:

November

21...OLYMPIA THEATRE W/ CHUCK BERRY - LIVERPOOL, UK
22...JOURNAL TYNE THEATRE W/ CHUCK BERRY - NEWCASTLE, UK
23...O2 ACADEMY W/ CHUCK BERRY - GLASGOW, UK
24...O2 ACADEMY W/ CHUCK BERRY - LEEDS, UK

Tickets are on sale now and available from http://www.ticketline.co.uk/chuck-berry-tickets

King of the Queen City (Music in American Life)

King of the Queen City is the first comprehensive history of King Records, one of the most influential independent record companies in the history of American music. Jon Hartley Fox tells the story of a small outsider record company in Cincinnati, Ohio, that attracted an extremely diverse roster of artists, including the Stanley Brothers, Grandpa Jones, Redd Foxx, Earl Bostic, Bill Doggett, Ike Turner, Roy Brown, Freddie King, Eddie Vinson, Johnny 'Guitar' Watson, and even a young James Brown. While other record companies concentrated on one style of music, King was active in virtually all genres of vernacular American music, from blues and R & B to rockabilly, bluegrass, western swing, and country.

More about King of the Queen City (Music in American Life)

Thanks to RWR

The ballads of Charlie Rich

Charlie Rich (1932-1995) is one of our favourites here at Crossed Combs. He is the subject of an upcoming compilation by Bear Family Records, or rather his ballads.

Nearly 15 years after his death, Charlie Rich remains a hero to country and rockabilly collectors. Forget about the slick, over-produced hits of the 1970s and '80s. This collection goes way, way deeper in revealing the soul of Charlie Rich. 

This generous album of ballads, compiled from three different label affiliations during the earliest years of Rich's career, showcases the finest features of his composing and vocal talent. Considered by many to be the finest white soul singer of his time, Charlie Rich really lets it fly on this exceptional compilation. As usual, Bear Family Records digs deep into the vaults and brings together a stellar combination of known, semi-known and utterly obscure selections from Rich's earliest work.

Includes some previously unissued tracks, a detailed musical commentary and original biographical notes by Sun and Rich historian, Hank Davis.

More over at the Bear Family website

Gizzelle - Baby Please Don't Go on vinyl! Again!

The first edition, on black vinyl, has been fetching around $100 on eBay. Now Wild Records have pressed another 250 copies, this time on purple vinyl. This is most likely to be the last batch to be made.

On the flip you find Blessed Are The Tears. As said, only 250 copies made so act fast. Get your copy of Gizzelle - Baby Please Don't Go from Sivletto.

Koko Taylor - What It Takes (expanded edition)

As we reported back in June, Koko Taylor has left us. However, her music lives on. Originally an 18 song compilation, What It Takes (Expanded Edition) is now a robust 24 tracks (over 70 minutes long) and includes five tracks making their U.S. CD debut.

“The Queen Of Chicago Blues,” Koko Taylor was the modern epitome of the big voiced female blues belter, in the magnificent tradition of Big Mama Thornton, Bessie Smith, and Memphis Minnie.  Fittingly, Koko - born 1935 Cora Walton in Memphis, Tennessee  – had her career launched in Chicago with a near decade-long (1964 to 1972) stay on the historic Chess label’s Checker imprint, scoring what became the last great Chicago blues hit single, “Wang Dang Doodle,” in 1965.  

 A sharecropper’s daughter, Cora’s nickname Koko came from her love of chocolate, and her move to Chicago was prompted by her marrying truck driver Robert “Pops” Taylor in 1953.   A maid during the day, Koko often played the Southside Chicago blues clubs at night and was “discovered” there by Chess in-house bass player/producer/A&R man/songwriter Willie Dixon.   Launched with the great original of “I Got What It Takes,” the Koko/Willie relationship lasted over seven years, produced two albums and numerous singles – the best of which are included here on this expanded edition of a long-out-of-print 1991 compilation.

More info at HIPO