Press Archiv - Ritchie Valens Rocks - Blues & Rhythm
W nter Dance Party 1959'. Writing this in February 2019, sixty years later, seems rather poignant. Much is made in the lavish and in-depth booklet of the wisdom of touring the mid-west in the middle of a fierce winter in busses with failing heating, so that Buddy Holly chartered a small plane to take some of the participants of the 'Winter Dance Party' package to the next gig after their show on 2nd February 1959: Ritch e Valens flipped a coin with guitarist Tommy Alisup for a place, and The Big Bopper cajoled Waylon Jennings out of his place. The CD contains music from around the time from all those on the tour, including Dion & The Belmonts, fellow New Yorker Frankie Sardo (his 'Class Room' is a Coasters-inflected number h s other, the far less interesting 'Fake Out', is misplaced on the track listing), and rocker Debbie Stevens who was one of the opening acts at the show in Kenosha, Wisconsin. There are also tribute songs by Eddie Cochran, Hershel Almond, with the track that gives the CD its main title (released on Ace), Ray Camp and Benny Barnes. The set even includes radio promos for the tour, an interview with Buddy Holly by Alan Freed (talking largely about flying and more newscasts on the tragedy. Musically of course th s s rock and roll all the way, and very much a snapshot of an era and both of these sets come highly recommended, of course.
W nter Dance Party 1959'. Writing this in February 2019, sixty years later, seems rather poignant. Much is made in the lavish and in-depth booklet of the wisdom of touring the mid-west in the middle of a fierce winter in busses with failing heating, so that Buddy Holly chartered a small plane to take some of the participants of the 'Winter Dance Party' package to the next gig after their show on 2nd February 1959: Ritch e Valens flipped a coin with guitarist Tommy Alisup for a place, and The Big Bopper cajoled Waylon Jennings out of his place. The CD contains music from around the time from all those on the tour, including Dion & The Belmonts, fellow New Yorker Frankie Sardo (his 'Class Room' is a Coasters-inflected number h s other, the far less interesting 'Fake Out', is misplaced on the track listing), and rocker Debbie Stevens who was one of the opening acts at the show in Kenosha, Wisconsin. There are also tribute songs by Eddie Cochran, Hershel Almond, with the track that gives the CD its main title (released on Ace), Ray Camp and Benny Barnes. The set even includes radio promos for the tour, an interview with Buddy Holly by Alan Freed (talking largely about flying and more newscasts on the tragedy. Musically of course th s s rock and roll all the way, and very much a snapshot of an era and both of these sets come highly recommended, of course.
Press Archives - Ritchie Valens Rocks - Jukebox, France
RITCHIE VALENS Rocks Bear Family 17525 Killed at the age of 17 in the air crash that killed Buddy Holly and Big Bopper on February 3, 1959, Ritchie Valens had only eight months to build his reputation in rock'n' roll. This he has done brilliantly, as this anthology highlights (36 tracks, booklet 40 p. by Bill Dahl). Born Richard Valenzuela on May 13, 1941 in Los Angeles, he attended the Junior High School in Pa-coima and then the High School in San Fernando (1956), he played the guitar (Harmony Stratotone verte) and joined the Silhouet-tes, the orchestra of vibraphonist Gil Rocha who let him sing songs including "La Bam-ba" in Spanish (although neither he nor his family spoke that language) and loans from Little Richard (his idol), Chuck Berry, Everly Brothers... Doug Macchia recorded the Silhouettes and gave a copy to Robert Kuhn alias Bob Keene then Bob Keane from Del-Fi who only retained Ritchie Valens for whom he organized two-track models with an Ampex 6012 and two Telefunken U-87 microphones.
RITCHIE VALENS Rocks Bear Family 17525 Killed at the age of 17 in the air crash that killed Buddy Holly and Big Bopper on February 3, 1959, Ritchie Valens had only eight months to build his reputation in rock'n' roll. This he has done brilliantly, as this anthology highlights (36 tracks, booklet 40 p. by Bill Dahl). Born Richard Valenzuela on May 13, 1941 in Los Angeles, he attended the Junior High School in Pa-coima and then the High School in San Fernando (1956), he played the guitar (Harmony Stratotone verte) and joined the Silhouet-tes, the orchestra of vibraphonist Gil Rocha who let him sing songs including "La Bam-ba" in Spanish (although neither he nor his family spoke that language) and loans from Little Richard (his idol), Chuck Berry, Everly Brothers... Doug Macchia recorded the Silhouettes and gave a copy to Robert Kuhn alias Bob Keene then Bob Keane from Del-Fi who only retained Ritchie Valens for whom he organized two-track models with an Ampex 6012 and two Telefunken U-87 microphones.