Presse Archiv - Various Artists - The Bakersfield Sound 1940 - 1974 - The New York Times
‘The Bakersfield Sound’
(Bear Family; 10 CDs plus hard-bound book, $179.68)
The city of Bakersfield, Calif. emerged in the 1950s to rival Nashville as the place defining country music. The Bakersfield sound clung tenaciously to country’s most twangy, sinewy elements — bluegrass, Western swing, honky-tonk, rockabilly — to accompany lean, down-to-earth, working-class storytelling. Buck Owens and Merle Haggard were the city’s superstars, but this copious 10-CD set, which includes an extensively researched hardcover book, digs far deeper. It starts with Library of Congress recordings of migrant Southwestern farmworkers in California — real “Okies” — and celebrates Bakersfield’s studio mainstays. It rediscovers rowdy rarities like Phil Brown’s “You’re a Luxury” and Rose Stassie’s “Out of My Mind.” Instead of well-worn hits, it selects lesser-known cuts from Owens and Haggard, including their barely distributed debut singles. While Nashville eventually won country radio, at least Bakersfield never got slick. JON PARELES
‘The Bakersfield Sound’
(Bear Family; 10 CDs plus hard-bound book, $179.68)
The city of Bakersfield, Calif. emerged in the 1950s to rival Nashville as the place defining country music. The Bakersfield sound clung tenaciously to country’s most twangy, sinewy elements — bluegrass, Western swing, honky-tonk, rockabilly — to accompany lean, down-to-earth, working-class storytelling. Buck Owens and Merle Haggard were the city’s superstars, but this copious 10-CD set, which includes an extensively researched hardcover book, digs far deeper. It starts with Library of Congress recordings of migrant Southwestern farmworkers in California — real “Okies” — and celebrates Bakersfield’s studio mainstays. It rediscovers rowdy rarities like Phil Brown’s “You’re a Luxury” and Rose Stassie’s “Out of My Mind.” Instead of well-worn hits, it selects lesser-known cuts from Owens and Haggard, including their barely distributed debut singles. While Nashville eventually won country radio, at least Bakersfield never got slick. JON PARELES
Presse Archiv - Yulesville! - 33 Rockin' Rollin' Christmas Blasters For The Cool Season - UK Rock & Roll Magazine
VARIOUS ARTISTS `YULESVILLE' (Bear Family)
Here 33 Festive tunes you probably won't have many of. It's that time of year again, Bear Family have been rummaging where others haven't when it comes to compiling festive compilations.
Unless you have an extensive collection of rarities it's unlikely many of these have featured in your previous playlists, in some cases that's a tragedy, Three Aces And A Joker's uber rare 'Sleigh Bell Rock' disproves any theory that Christmas songs have to be cheesy, this cracker rocks but only 600 people got a copy back in 1960.
Rarity is the feature of the album, it's impossible to list the merits of all the tracks in a short review, yes there are some jingle belled contrived numbers, well it's Christmas after all.
There's some ear-popping good stuff too the earliest from 1950, jazz but so near rock n roll, add some quirky, do-wop and rockabilly bopping and you have a tremendous compilation The booklet is packed with artist information too as you'd expect coming from this label, ideal if you're an anorak like me
Simon Nott
VARIOUS ARTISTS `YULESVILLE' (Bear Family)
Here 33 Festive tunes you probably won't have many of. It's that time of year again, Bear Family have been rummaging where others haven't when it comes to compiling festive compilations.
Unless you have an extensive collection of rarities it's unlikely many of these have featured in your previous playlists, in some cases that's a tragedy, Three Aces And A Joker's uber rare 'Sleigh Bell Rock' disproves any theory that Christmas songs have to be cheesy, this cracker rocks but only 600 people got a copy back in 1960.
Rarity is the feature of the album, it's impossible to list the merits of all the tracks in a short review, yes there are some jingle belled contrived numbers, well it's Christmas after all.
There's some ear-popping good stuff too the earliest from 1950, jazz but so near rock n roll, add some quirky, do-wop and rockabilly bopping and you have a tremendous compilation The booklet is packed with artist information too as you'd expect coming from this label, ideal if you're an anorak like me
Simon Nott
Presse Archiv - Link Wray Rocks - UK Rock & Roll Magazine
LINK WRAY `ROCKS' (Bear Family)
Aficionados of music of the 50's and 60's will almost certainly have some of guitarist Link Wray's tunes in their collection, that's going to include 'Rumble' which hit the top 20 in the USA and UK in 1958. Apparently, the disc was shunned by some radio stations because it was considered to be inciting violence amongst teen gangs, some achievement for an instrumental. It's here but you have to wait until the 34th and final track for the hit. What you glean listening getting that far is the rich musical legacy this hugely influential guitarist left. There's none of the earliest Western Swing because this collection includes just tracks from 1958 to 1966 over several labels. They feature some lesser known gems including 'Big City After Dark' backing his brother Ray plus two tracks where Link provides the vocals. This is a fascinating collection easily illustrates why artists diverse as Neil Young and the Cramps were huge fans.
Simon Nott
LINK WRAY `ROCKS' (Bear Family)
Aficionados of music of the 50's and 60's will almost certainly have some of guitarist Link Wray's tunes in their collection, that's going to include 'Rumble' which hit the top 20 in the USA and UK in 1958. Apparently, the disc was shunned by some radio stations because it was considered to be inciting violence amongst teen gangs, some achievement for an instrumental. It's here but you have to wait until the 34th and final track for the hit. What you glean listening getting that far is the rich musical legacy this hugely influential guitarist left. There's none of the earliest Western Swing because this collection includes just tracks from 1958 to 1966 over several labels. They feature some lesser known gems including 'Big City After Dark' backing his brother Ray plus two tracks where Link provides the vocals. This is a fascinating collection easily illustrates why artists diverse as Neil Young and the Cramps were huge fans.
Simon Nott
Presse Archiv - Billy Fury Wondrous Place - The Brits Are Rocking - UK Rock & Roll Magazine
BILLY FURY `WONDEROUS PLACE' (Bear Family)
Billy Fury is on one hand considered up there with the best of the best of the breed of British rockers. His 1960 album 'The Sound Of Fury' thought of by some with a respect usually reserved for recordings that came out of Sun. True, that 10" is the nearest thing to authentic rockabilly that a UK artist recorded back in the day. On the other hand the conversation then tends to be that Billy Fury turned his back on rock n roll to concentrate on ballads, hits and money. The facts, like them or not is that the sort of music Billy was laying down in 1960 was almost half a decade out of date back in the States, their own brand of fabricated teen idols were flooding the charts while the originators of rock n roll were either in the army, out of vogue, hitting the bottle or both. Worst still, dead, Eddie and Buddy had already started looking beyond rock n roll before their untimely deaths. As far as record company bosses were concerned there was nowhere else commercially to go with Billy but ballads, mostly penned by someone else, they were proved right too, his ballads were much bigger hits than his early rockers. This goes some way to show that despite being know for ballads at the height of his career, when Billy was off the leash he was still rocking, here's the proof.
Simon Nott
BILLY FURY `WONDEROUS PLACE' (Bear Family)
Billy Fury is on one hand considered up there with the best of the best of the breed of British rockers. His 1960 album 'The Sound Of Fury' thought of by some with a respect usually reserved for recordings that came out of Sun. True, that 10" is the nearest thing to authentic rockabilly that a UK artist recorded back in the day. On the other hand the conversation then tends to be that Billy Fury turned his back on rock n roll to concentrate on ballads, hits and money. The facts, like them or not is that the sort of music Billy was laying down in 1960 was almost half a decade out of date back in the States, their own brand of fabricated teen idols were flooding the charts while the originators of rock n roll were either in the army, out of vogue, hitting the bottle or both. Worst still, dead, Eddie and Buddy had already started looking beyond rock n roll before their untimely deaths. As far as record company bosses were concerned there was nowhere else commercially to go with Billy but ballads, mostly penned by someone else, they were proved right too, his ballads were much bigger hits than his early rockers. This goes some way to show that despite being know for ballads at the height of his career, when Billy was off the leash he was still rocking, here's the proof.
Simon Nott
Presse Archiv - Autumn Leaves – 29 Gems for the Indian Summer - UK Rock & Roll Magazine
VARIOUS ARTISTS `AUTUMN LEAVES' (Bear Family)
Bear Family are taking a chance on their loyal listeners broadness of musical mind with this quirky series of seasonal compilatiOns. True there's a lot of something for everyone on here but when you consider the tracks date from 1930 —1962 there is broad musical spectrum encompassed. Whoever complied it did a magnificent job because listen to the album as a whole then it really does work. That's quite a feat when you consider Eddie Cochran's 'Cotton Picker' and Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs `Shuckin' The Corn' are compilation mates with Memphis Minnie & Kansas Joe wondering `What Happened To The Mill?' and Don Duke's cover of 'Wild Wind'. It's an ambient musical adventure which will introduce you to music you are never likely to hear otherwise and well worth the dip in unless you really are blinkered musically, in which case it won't be for you.
Simon Nott
VARIOUS ARTISTS `AUTUMN LEAVES' (Bear Family)
Bear Family are taking a chance on their loyal listeners broadness of musical mind with this quirky series of seasonal compilatiOns. True there's a lot of something for everyone on here but when you consider the tracks date from 1930 —1962 there is broad musical spectrum encompassed. Whoever complied it did a magnificent job because listen to the album as a whole then it really does work. That's quite a feat when you consider Eddie Cochran's 'Cotton Picker' and Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs `Shuckin' The Corn' are compilation mates with Memphis Minnie & Kansas Joe wondering `What Happened To The Mill?' and Don Duke's cover of 'Wild Wind'. It's an ambient musical adventure which will introduce you to music you are never likely to hear otherwise and well worth the dip in unless you really are blinkered musically, in which case it won't be for you.
Simon Nott
Press Archive - Carl Perkins - Discovering Carl Perkins - Eastview, Tennesse 1952-1953 (LP, 10inch) - CARL PERKINS Discovering Eastview, Tenn-essee 1952-53 Bear Family **** Rare Recordings von Carl Perkins, der als einer der Gründungsväter des Rock 'n' Roll gilt. Noch 2 Jahre vor seinen Aufnahmen bei Sun Records spielte er zwischen 1952-53 in einem kleinen Studio in Tenn-essee vorliegende 9 Stucke ein, die nun von Bear Family im remaster-ten und bestmöglichen Sound als 10" Vinyl mit beiliegender Bonus-CD veröffentlicht werden. Ein Mei-lenstein der frühen Rock 'n' Roll-Geschichtet RAINER GUERICH
33 Rockin' Rollin' Christmas Blasters For The Cool Season Bear Family **** Mal eine etwas andere Weihnachts-scheibe kommt hier in Form der 33. gängigen "Yulesville!"-Kompilation, die rare Rock'n'Roll, Rhythm'n'Blu-es-Songs und Instrumentals rund um die Win-ter- und Weih-nachtszeit zwi-schen 1950 bis 1963 bereit hält. Auf dem Spielplan stehen zahlreiche Christmas Rockabilly Kracher, blue-sige Titel (u.a. Lightnin' Hopkins, Dee Dee Ford) und bekannte Namen der Rock'n'Roll-Szene wie The Drifters, Claude McPhatter, The Penguins und The Four Seasons. UTE BAHN
33 Rockin' Rollin' Christmas Blasters For The Cool Season Bear Family **** Mal eine etwas andere Weihnachts-scheibe kommt hier in Form der 33. gängigen "Yulesville!"-Kompilation, die rare Rock'n'Roll, Rhythm'n'Blu-es-Songs und Instrumentals rund um die Win-ter- und Weih-nachtszeit zwi-schen 1950 bis 1963 bereit hält. Auf dem Spielplan stehen zahlreiche Christmas Rockabilly Kracher, blue-sige Titel (u.a. Lightnin' Hopkins, Dee Dee Ford) und bekannte Namen der Rock'n'Roll-Szene wie The Drifters, Claude McPhatter, The Penguins und The Four Seasons. UTE BAHN
Presse Archiv - Various Artists - The Bakersfield Sound 1940 - 1974 - theseconddisc
Bakersfield, California is a long way from Nashville – a little under 2,020 miles west, actually. But the distance isn’t quite as great when one considers how much significant country music came out of the city in Kern County. Recent years have seen numerous reissues from legendary Bakersfield artists like Buck Owens and Merle Haggard, as well as a fine exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame. But now Bear Family Records has delivered the ultimate tribute to the city’s remarkable legacy of music. The Bakersfield Sound: Country Music Capital of the West 1940-1974 is a beautifully sprawling chronicle of how Music City West came to be, as told via 10 CDs, almost 300 songs, and a definitive, 224-page hardcover tome.
While the sound of Bakersfield came to signify a raw, grittier honky-tonk country style (as opposed to the lush strings and choirs of The Nashville Sound as pioneered in the 1960s by Chet Atkins and others), folk, western swing, and so-called “hillbilly music” all figured into the embryonic Bakersfield Sound Those individual sounds are all explored on the early discs of the box set before local discs cede to the major label releases from Capitol Records and others which drew on the city’s talented artists. Once Bakersfield was established, its artists touched on further genres like rock, pop, and even psychedelia.
Bakersfield, California is a long way from Nashville – a little under 2,020 miles west, actually. But the distance isn’t quite as great when one considers how much significant country music came out of the city in Kern County. Recent years have seen numerous reissues from legendary Bakersfield artists like Buck Owens and Merle Haggard, as well as a fine exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame. But now Bear Family Records has delivered the ultimate tribute to the city’s remarkable legacy of music. The Bakersfield Sound: Country Music Capital of the West 1940-1974 is a beautifully sprawling chronicle of how Music City West came to be, as told via 10 CDs, almost 300 songs, and a definitive, 224-page hardcover tome.
While the sound of Bakersfield came to signify a raw, grittier honky-tonk country style (as opposed to the lush strings and choirs of The Nashville Sound as pioneered in the 1960s by Chet Atkins and others), folk, western swing, and so-called “hillbilly music” all figured into the embryonic Bakersfield Sound Those individual sounds are all explored on the early discs of the box set before local discs cede to the major label releases from Capitol Records and others which drew on the city’s talented artists. Once Bakersfield was established, its artists touched on further genres like rock, pop, and even psychedelia.
Presse Archiv - Yulesville! - 33 Rockin' Rollin' Christmas Blasters For The Cool Season - oldtimereviews
Many Christmas compilations are released each year, with most of them boasting the same selection of recordings. The predictable nature of these albums makes them a monotonous endeavour, one that leaves the listener feeling a sense of deja vu every single year. However, there is a new alternative that could shake up your festive listening; especially if you enjoy rarely heard vintage tunes.
German label Bear Family Records have added to their series of seasonal albums by releasing a Christmas themed compilation; featuring 33 tracks released between 1950 and 1963. Nostalgia is a huge seller at Christmas, but will it carry over to a collection of rarely heard vintage recordings?
Many Christmas compilations are released each year, with most of them boasting the same selection of recordings. The predictable nature of these albums makes them a monotonous endeavour, one that leaves the listener feeling a sense of deja vu every single year. However, there is a new alternative that could shake up your festive listening; especially if you enjoy rarely heard vintage tunes.
German label Bear Family Records have added to their series of seasonal albums by releasing a Christmas themed compilation; featuring 33 tracks released between 1950 and 1963. Nostalgia is a huge seller at Christmas, but will it carry over to a collection of rarely heard vintage recordings?
Presse Archiv - Various Artists Tell It To Me - The Johnson City Sessions - oltimereviews
Some of the included tracks here make it seem obvious why the Bristol Sessions are considered seminal and these are not so well known. The Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers are perhaps more individual in hindsight and their influence can be traced clearly and strong through the generations of future artists and musicians. However, here we find examples of the music of the people, which is as fine and representative of the people of the day living in those rural areas as was the work of the Carters and Rodgers.
There is quite a shortage of female voice here. That is possibly the only thing which sticks out as unusual. Otherwise, the 26 artist names also bring to mind charmingly a bygone world. There are names and song titles which bring vibrancy and life to a time long gone. Despite this evocation, this music feels as fresh today as ever.
Some of the included tracks here make it seem obvious why the Bristol Sessions are considered seminal and these are not so well known. The Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers are perhaps more individual in hindsight and their influence can be traced clearly and strong through the generations of future artists and musicians. However, here we find examples of the music of the people, which is as fine and representative of the people of the day living in those rural areas as was the work of the Carters and Rodgers.
There is quite a shortage of female voice here. That is possibly the only thing which sticks out as unusual. Otherwise, the 26 artist names also bring to mind charmingly a bygone world. There are names and song titles which bring vibrancy and life to a time long gone. Despite this evocation, this music feels as fresh today as ever.
Press Archive - Carl Perkins - Discovering Carl Perkins - Eastview, Tennesse 1952-1953 (LP, 10inch) - musikreviews
: Der sensationelle Fund von vier Song-Raritäten des Rock'n'Roll-Vaters CARL PERKINS, die noch vor seiner Erfolgszeit bei Sun Records in einem kleinen Studio in Tennessee entstanden und bis zum heutigen Zeitpunkt 70 Jahre lang verschollen waren. Bear Family Records veröffentlicht „Discovering CARL PERKINS – Eastview, Tennessee 1952-53“ nun in absolut angemessener und um mehrere Outtakes erweiterter, remasterter Form auf einer LP im weißen 10inch/25cm-Vinyl und ergänzt diese Ausgabe noch um eine CD mit den digitalisierten Aufnahmen und ein 16-seitiges Begleitheft in Single-Größe!
: Der sensationelle Fund von vier Song-Raritäten des Rock'n'Roll-Vaters CARL PERKINS, die noch vor seiner Erfolgszeit bei Sun Records in einem kleinen Studio in Tennessee entstanden und bis zum heutigen Zeitpunkt 70 Jahre lang verschollen waren. Bear Family Records veröffentlicht „Discovering CARL PERKINS – Eastview, Tennessee 1952-53“ nun in absolut angemessener und um mehrere Outtakes erweiterter, remasterter Form auf einer LP im weißen 10inch/25cm-Vinyl und ergänzt diese Ausgabe noch um eine CD mit den digitalisierten Aufnahmen und ein 16-seitiges Begleitheft in Single-Größe!
Presse Archiv - The Ventures Play Telstar - The Lonely Bull - oltimereviews
Bear Family Records have re-issued 1962 album The Ventures play Telstar – The Lonely Bull as part of their 11000 collectors series. This is a very special reproduction of the 10-inch Japanese pressing, including the hard-to-find rare cover featuring artwork of the group with a space-craft. The 11000 series from Bear Family Records is a selection of limited edition vinyl reissues of rare and sometimes pricey vinyl collectables. The album is available in many forms on several formats, Is this edition worth picking up?
The Music
British listeners may equate the sound and style with being like The Shadows. In so much as The Ventures do instrumental covers of popular songs, this is true. In the cases of some tracks, it feels somewhat like they are capitalising on a trend for background-sound for parties and dances in the early 1960s. Many tracks are of a very similar vein as the library music used in the TV action shows produced by ITC and ATV in the mid to late 60s.
Their interpretation of popular tunes are competent but a little pedestrian. Sometimes the elements can seem like they are more of an exercise in experimenting with different sounds. It all ends up achieving a similar effect to that of the original or best-known version, though, with every number very well executed and enjoyable. The whole album has presumably the desired effect: it is very tempting to get up and get moving. Disappointingly, the renditions still have a rather safe vibe about them.
Bear Family Records have re-issued 1962 album The Ventures play Telstar – The Lonely Bull as part of their 11000 collectors series. This is a very special reproduction of the 10-inch Japanese pressing, including the hard-to-find rare cover featuring artwork of the group with a space-craft. The 11000 series from Bear Family Records is a selection of limited edition vinyl reissues of rare and sometimes pricey vinyl collectables. The album is available in many forms on several formats, Is this edition worth picking up?
The Music
British listeners may equate the sound and style with being like The Shadows. In so much as The Ventures do instrumental covers of popular songs, this is true. In the cases of some tracks, it feels somewhat like they are capitalising on a trend for background-sound for parties and dances in the early 1960s. Many tracks are of a very similar vein as the library music used in the TV action shows produced by ITC and ATV in the mid to late 60s.
Their interpretation of popular tunes are competent but a little pedestrian. Sometimes the elements can seem like they are more of an exercise in experimenting with different sounds. It all ends up achieving a similar effect to that of the original or best-known version, though, with every number very well executed and enjoyable. The whole album has presumably the desired effect: it is very tempting to get up and get moving. Disappointingly, the renditions still have a rather safe vibe about them.
Press - Fats Domino I’ve Been Around - The Complete Imperial and ABC Recordings - Now Dig This
FATS RE-BOXED Due for mid-October release from Bear Family Records of Germany is a new Fats Domino box-set, 'I've Been Around - The Complete Imperial & ABC Recordings'. Back in 1993, the company assembled all of Fats' known Imperial rec-ordings of the 1949 - 1962 period onto the 8xCD box-set, 'Out Of New Orleans'. That package has now been completely overhauled and expanded into a 12xCD collection also con-sisting of a DVD (Joe Lauro's acclaimed 'The Big Beat - Fats Domino And The Birth Of Rock n Roll'), together with a 240-page full colour book containing an updated Imperial discog-raphy. "We've found a lot of new material", says a Bear Family press release, "[including] some things that were thought to be lost and other things that nobody knew existed. We have alternative takes that have never before been issued. We've got new unedited and non-overdubbed versions of some familiar Fats songs and newly discovered overdubs of familiar songs.
FATS RE-BOXED Due for mid-October release from Bear Family Records of Germany is a new Fats Domino box-set, 'I've Been Around - The Complete Imperial & ABC Recordings'. Back in 1993, the company assembled all of Fats' known Imperial rec-ordings of the 1949 - 1962 period onto the 8xCD box-set, 'Out Of New Orleans'. That package has now been completely overhauled and expanded into a 12xCD collection also con-sisting of a DVD (Joe Lauro's acclaimed 'The Big Beat - Fats Domino And The Birth Of Rock n Roll'), together with a 240-page full colour book containing an updated Imperial discog-raphy. "We've found a lot of new material", says a Bear Family press release, "[including] some things that were thought to be lost and other things that nobody knew existed. We have alternative takes that have never before been issued. We've got new unedited and non-overdubbed versions of some familiar Fats songs and newly discovered overdubs of familiar songs.
Press Archive - The Best Of Little Richard !! (LP, 10inch, Ltd.) - Music Street Journal, USA
Little Richard
The Best Of Little Richard !! (vinyl EP)
Review by Gary Hill
I know the conventional wisdom is that Elvis Presley was "The King of Rock and Roll." Personally, I've never felt he deserved that title. For me the triumvirate of most important contributors to early Rock and Roll is Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry and Little Richard. Of the three, I think Richard (I know his real last name is "Penniman," but I'm using Richard as his last name for the sake of this review - and the general alphabetization over the whole publication) was the most consistent (in terms of quality) and important of those three.
It could be argued that Richard has been the biggest influence on rock music for decades. Certainly a lot of his style became tied the genre. His little screams might well be the roots of metal screamers like Rob Halford. Lemmy Kilmister said that he thought Richard was the best rock singer of all time. His flamboyance and style really are rock and roll.
This cool EP captures a dozen Richard classics. It's a disc that manages to stand tall even today. That is just one of the charms of it. This is a 10" record on orange vinyl, and it's well worth having. The music is great, and the packaging really works for this release.
Little Richard
The Best Of Little Richard !! (vinyl EP)
Review by Gary Hill
I know the conventional wisdom is that Elvis Presley was "The King of Rock and Roll." Personally, I've never felt he deserved that title. For me the triumvirate of most important contributors to early Rock and Roll is Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry and Little Richard. Of the three, I think Richard (I know his real last name is "Penniman," but I'm using Richard as his last name for the sake of this review - and the general alphabetization over the whole publication) was the most consistent (in terms of quality) and important of those three.
It could be argued that Richard has been the biggest influence on rock music for decades. Certainly a lot of his style became tied the genre. His little screams might well be the roots of metal screamers like Rob Halford. Lemmy Kilmister said that he thought Richard was the best rock singer of all time. His flamboyance and style really are rock and roll.
This cool EP captures a dozen Richard classics. It's a disc that manages to stand tall even today. That is just one of the charms of it. This is a 10" record on orange vinyl, and it's well worth having. The music is great, and the packaging really works for this release.
Presse Archiv - Various Artists - The Bakersfield Sound 1940 - 1974 - INK19
Bear Family Productions
It was a study in contrasts for a county music fan during the late ’60s. On the one hand you had “Music City USA” – Nashville, with hits such as “Make the World Go Away” by Eddy Arnold and “Danny Boy” by Ray Price, something called “The Nashville Sound” that morphed into “Countrypolitian”. Produced by Billy Sherrill and Chet Atkins, among others, it was country music – easy listening style. It was as far removed from the hills and farms that birthed the song collections of A.P. Carter and family as was possible. For those longing for the old songs and feel, one had to turn to the coast, where music still played in honkytonks, five sets a night.
That place was called Bakersfield, CA, and is the subject of this grand look assembled by Bear Family, The Bakersfield Sound – Country Music Capital of the West 1940-1974. On the West coast Merle Haggard and Buck Owens ruled the airwaves, record sales and beer joints, stringing up hit after hit, leading the area to be known as “Nashville West” for a time. While the area’s heyday was largely over by the mid-’70s, a quick look at today’s country stars – from Dwight Yoakam to the entire “outlaw country” movement owes a huge debt to folks like Merle Haggard, whose poetic songs captured the plight of the everyman as well as anyone, and Buck Owens, that made a career out of classic country/pop moments, propelled by his ace guitarist Don Rich.
Bear Family Productions
It was a study in contrasts for a county music fan during the late ’60s. On the one hand you had “Music City USA” – Nashville, with hits such as “Make the World Go Away” by Eddy Arnold and “Danny Boy” by Ray Price, something called “The Nashville Sound” that morphed into “Countrypolitian”. Produced by Billy Sherrill and Chet Atkins, among others, it was country music – easy listening style. It was as far removed from the hills and farms that birthed the song collections of A.P. Carter and family as was possible. For those longing for the old songs and feel, one had to turn to the coast, where music still played in honkytonks, five sets a night.
That place was called Bakersfield, CA, and is the subject of this grand look assembled by Bear Family, The Bakersfield Sound – Country Music Capital of the West 1940-1974. On the West coast Merle Haggard and Buck Owens ruled the airwaves, record sales and beer joints, stringing up hit after hit, leading the area to be known as “Nashville West” for a time. While the area’s heyday was largely over by the mid-’70s, a quick look at today’s country stars – from Dwight Yoakam to the entire “outlaw country” movement owes a huge debt to folks like Merle Haggard, whose poetic songs captured the plight of the everyman as well as anyone, and Buck Owens, that made a career out of classic country/pop moments, propelled by his ace guitarist Don Rich.
Presse Archiv - William Clarke Heavy Hittin' West Coast Harp (LP, 180gram Vinyl) - Living Blues magazine (US)
Even a cursory survey of the obituaries and tributes that circulated after William Clarke's untimely passing in late 1996 reveals one consistent theme: Clarke was perceived by fans and critics alike as one of the very best harmonica players to ever master the instrument. The blues world is no stranger to hyperbole, for sure, but the praise for Clarke's artistry was (and still is) clearly merited. His dexterous style could oscillate between as-sertive and aggressive to sweet and subtle as the song required, and his rich, fat tone—es-pecially when blowing through amplification equipment—established a benchmark that few have matched. Clarke, a native of Southern California, released several indie label recordings during the late 1970s and 1980s, a time where he honed his craft, as Rod Piazza had before him, under the tutelage of George "Harmoni-ca" Smith. But it wasn't until his partnership with Alligator Records in the 1990s that Clarke started to garner national and international at-tention.
Even a cursory survey of the obituaries and tributes that circulated after William Clarke's untimely passing in late 1996 reveals one consistent theme: Clarke was perceived by fans and critics alike as one of the very best harmonica players to ever master the instrument. The blues world is no stranger to hyperbole, for sure, but the praise for Clarke's artistry was (and still is) clearly merited. His dexterous style could oscillate between as-sertive and aggressive to sweet and subtle as the song required, and his rich, fat tone—es-pecially when blowing through amplification equipment—established a benchmark that few have matched. Clarke, a native of Southern California, released several indie label recordings during the late 1970s and 1980s, a time where he honed his craft, as Rod Piazza had before him, under the tutelage of George "Harmoni-ca" Smith. But it wasn't until his partnership with Alligator Records in the 1990s that Clarke started to garner national and international at-tention.
Presse Archiv - William Clarke Heavy Hittin' West Coast Harp (LP, 180gram Vinyl) - musicstreetjournal
William Clarke
Heavy Hittin' West Coast Harp (vinyl)
Review by Gary Hill
The new LP is a compilation of music from a killer blues artist who was not well-known outside certainly circles. It includes a host of studio recordings along with a live track. There are some definite rarities here. That's true in part because his music is out of print and was never widely released, but also because there is one track that's previously unreleased. There is a healthy mix of blues and jazz here. While the recordings here are not of modern quality expectations, they sound good and really do represent the era in which they were released. The records if a heavy vinyl album with a gatefold sleeve. Overall, this is a great product that's well worth having for blues harp fan
William Clarke
Heavy Hittin' West Coast Harp (vinyl)
Review by Gary Hill
The new LP is a compilation of music from a killer blues artist who was not well-known outside certainly circles. It includes a host of studio recordings along with a live track. There are some definite rarities here. That's true in part because his music is out of print and was never widely released, but also because there is one track that's previously unreleased. There is a healthy mix of blues and jazz here. While the recordings here are not of modern quality expectations, they sound good and really do represent the era in which they were released. The records if a heavy vinyl album with a gatefold sleeve. Overall, this is a great product that's well worth having for blues harp fan
Press Archive - COUNTRY ALL-STARS String Dustin' (LP, 10inch, Ltd.) - musicstreetjournal
Country All-Stars
String Dustin' (vinyl EP)
Review by Gary Hill
Chet Atkins is a legend within and without country music. In 1952 he put together the Country All-Stars and recorded this set of instrumentals (one song has vocals). The music here is all intriguing. While it's billed as country, and there is country at the core of a lot of it, it really transcends that label, wandering into jazz and more. This is quite an intriguing set of music. This new edition is a 10-inch record on orange vinyl. It's also all class.
Country All-Stars
String Dustin' (vinyl EP)
Review by Gary Hill
Chet Atkins is a legend within and without country music. In 1952 he put together the Country All-Stars and recorded this set of instrumentals (one song has vocals). The music here is all intriguing. While it's billed as country, and there is country at the core of a lot of it, it really transcends that label, wandering into jazz and more. This is quite an intriguing set of music. This new edition is a 10-inch record on orange vinyl. It's also all class.
Presse - DYNAMITE MAGAZIN 11/12 - 14 Auflage 15.000 BCD16094
East Tennessee State University
This essay considers the Bristol, TN/VA (1927-1928) and Johnson City, TN (1928- 1929) Sessions recordings released by the Bear Family label, as well as recordings, made by linguist Joseph Hall in the 1930s, of musical performances by residents of the Smokies in eastern Tennessee and west- ern North Carolina. I also consider here a collection of performances, by contempor- ary artists, of songs that Hall recorded in the 1930s. This essay is informed by my experience as a musician who has listened to, played, and written about the string- based vernacular music often called “old time music.” Like others who style them- selves connoisseurs of this music, I have paid careful attention to the content and context of recordings like those I consider here. I am particularly interested in these recordings since they are part of my current local environment; I currently live near the sites of these recordings, my work as a per- former and teacher involves using these recordings, and I work with people who were involved in the production of these collections. I chose these four collections because I am curious about what sense of place they afford other aficionados of old time music. My experiences with these recordings lead me to consider the larger question of how contemporary audiences and producers of old time music consume, engage, and create a sense of place through their music-making (listening, performing, mediating, etc.). As a participant-observer in old-time music-making circles, I have observed that we seem very concerned with place.
East Tennessee State University
This essay considers the Bristol, TN/VA (1927-1928) and Johnson City, TN (1928- 1929) Sessions recordings released by the Bear Family label, as well as recordings, made by linguist Joseph Hall in the 1930s, of musical performances by residents of the Smokies in eastern Tennessee and west- ern North Carolina. I also consider here a collection of performances, by contempor- ary artists, of songs that Hall recorded in the 1930s. This essay is informed by my experience as a musician who has listened to, played, and written about the string- based vernacular music often called “old time music.” Like others who style them- selves connoisseurs of this music, I have paid careful attention to the content and context of recordings like those I consider here. I am particularly interested in these recordings since they are part of my current local environment; I currently live near the sites of these recordings, my work as a per- former and teacher involves using these recordings, and I work with people who were involved in the production of these collections. I chose these four collections because I am curious about what sense of place they afford other aficionados of old time music. My experiences with these recordings lead me to consider the larger question of how contemporary audiences and producers of old time music consume, engage, and create a sense of place through their music-making (listening, performing, mediating, etc.). As a participant-observer in old-time music-making circles, I have observed that we seem very concerned with place.