R & B!

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Yakov · #1 Post by **Yakov** » Mon Jan 26, 2004 3:01 pm

edit: this thread has a friend
http://www.swingdjs.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=191

I have mentioned this before... now I decided to make a thread. I think an underplayed genre of swing dance music (and definitely under-discussed on this board) is the hard driving swingin stuff that started up about the same time as bop in 1945ish -- when bop (and other forms of art-jazz) took the intellectual audience, the [black] dancing crowd went looking for something different, and that became Rhythm And Blues. It is characterized by a VERY powerful rhythm section, incessant riffing, honking/wailing tenor solos, and badass blues lyricists... Does anyone else love this stuff? I think it holds one of the solutions to the problem a DJ sometimes has, which is finding music that is HIGH ENERGY in any tempo. Many of these songs are midtempo or fast (150-220ish) but there is also the occasional raunchy blues. And since rock and roll is very very very strongly influenced by these songs, they are accessible to newbies.

Most of my favorite and oft-played R&B recordings are on the following sets:

Gettin' Funky: The Birth of New Orleans R & B
http://www.propermusic.com/code/products.asp?recid=113
Save Fats Domino, I never heard of any of these musicians before getting this set -- but trust me they're all AMAZING. My favorite tracks (as of now) are on the last disc by Chubby Newsome, George Miller, and JEWEL KING ("I Broke My Mother's Rule"). Famous tracks include the original version of GOOD ROCKIN' TONIGHT.

The Big Horn: The History Of The Honkin & Screamin Saxophone
http://www.propermusic.com/code/products.asp?recid=290
There are some big names on here: ILLINOIS JACQUET, ARNETT COBB, RED PRYSOCK (all of whom played with Lionel Hampton), WILLIS "GATOR" JACKSON (who played with Ruth Brown), and PAUL BASCOMB (who plays the original, hard-swingin' version of "Pink Cadillac" -- yet another reason to upgrade your Indigo Swing cd to a coaster). This is a new proper box... highly highly recommended.

Atlantic Rhythm & Blues 1947-1974
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000002IRS
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=am ... b1z85ajyv8
This 8-cd ($80) set is more of a "mixed bag" for a swing dance DJ -- there are plenty of tracks you can't play. Also, I hate the way its organized (not chronological, not by artist... then, <i>what?</i>) But the tracks here are indispensible, and over the set you will get the history of the development from R & B to Soul. It's really breathtaking. My favorite songs thus far (haven't analyzed the whole set yet) are by JOE MORRIS ORCHESTRA, FRANK CULLEY, RUTH BROWN, WILLIS JACKSON, THE CLOVERS. Later on in the set we get into the soul heavy hitters that appeal to some of this board's readership: SAM & DAVE, ARETHA FRANKLIN, etc.
Also the booklet is awesome.

that's enough for now.

julius · #2 Post by **julius** » Mon Jan 26, 2004 3:24 pm

not my thing. maybe for listening to, but it annoys me to dance to it.

Lawrence · #3 Post by **Lawrence** » Mon Jan 26, 2004 3:43 pm

We've discussed the terms "R&B" and "Rhythm and Blues" before on other threads. "R&B," especially as an abbreviation, can mean anything from the jump blues of Jumpin Joe Williams/Joe Turner to the smooth jazz of Luther VanDross. A more fitting term would be "Jump Blues," although I know what you mean from your examples and the term is used widely to refer to pre-rock and roll Blues music.

I agree that this music gets overlooked on this list. I play jump blues all the time: and much more than the boring, overplayed Louis Jordan and Jimmy Liggins stuff. (I also suspect that most people on this list just don't name-drop Jump Blues artists because it isn't as "impressive" as dropping the names of forgotten jazz artists.)

Another great set: the 3-CD "Okeh's Rhythm and Blues Story, 1949-57." Also found here.

Also, a 2-CD "Jumpin Like Mad" compilation on Capitol.

Ace Records also has two great 1-CD compilations: Jumpin the Bluesand Jiving Jamboree.

dana · #4 Post by **dana** » Mon Jan 26, 2004 3:50 pm

Lawrence wrote:Another great set: the 3-CD "Okeh's Rhythm and Blues Story, 1949-57."
Also, a 2-CD "Jumpin Like Mad" compilation on Capitol.

If I could find that Capitol set, I'd be a happy girl. The OKeh set is good too.

My scene was started during the Neo era and they spend a lot of time dancing to live jump blues, funk, and regular-blues bands. I spend a lot of time playing jump blues for them - it really gets them out on the floor. We're pushing them a bit to get them to dance to other, more complicated stuff, but if we crater, on goes the jump, and back on the floor they come.

I got a really great cd offa the internet - Risque Rhythm and Blues. It has about 50% danceable stuff and great songs like "Poontang", "It ain't the Meat, it's the Motion", "Big Long Sliding Thing", and so on. Funny how most dancers never listen to the lyrics

d.

Yakov · #5 Post by **Yakov** » Mon Jan 26, 2004 3:52 pm

no one ever notices lyrics, it's sad

by R & B i mean rhythm and blues and i mean, in general, heavy stuff from 1945-51

this stuff is related to jump blues, which i imagine as having a slightly "cleaner" sound than this stuff. but yeah, you could probably get away with calling it jump blues.

-yakov

gatorgal · #6 Post by **gatorgal** » Mon Jan 26, 2004 5:14 pm

Some of us definitely listen to the lyrics... which is one of the reasons why we dance!

Tina

Greg Avakian · #7 Post by **Greg Avakian** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 8:23 am

gatorgal wrote:Some of us definitely listen to the lyrics... which is one of the reasons why we dance!

Tina

Yeah, you saying you like risque rhythms?

I love the OKeh set and I also like a lot of R&B and JB. It is indeed great crossover music for Lindy Hoppers/ECSers. I think the problem for me is that some of it sounds very generic and repetitive in a very basic way. However, there is a bunch of stuff that just makes me feel great.

Yakov · #8 Post by **Yakov** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 8:40 am

well, often the lyrics get swallowed up in the rooms.

and yes -- i do like risque` rhythms.

Lawrence · #9 Post by **Lawrence** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 10:03 am

Just to elaborate on the ambiguity of the term "R&B," here are the "R&B" award winners from this year's grammy awards:

BEST R&B SONG

"Crazy In Love," Shawn Carter, Rich Harrison, Beyonce Knowles (news) & Eugene Record, songwriters (Beyonce Featuring Jay-Z)

BEST R&B ALBUM

"Dance With My Father," Luther Vandross

Yakov · #10 Post by **Yakov** » Tue Feb 10, 2004 12:00 pm

by "r&b" i mean "rhythm & blues"
by "r&b" they mean "crap & crappy crap"

you can see there is a difference

Lawrence · #11 Post by **Lawrence** » Tue Feb 10, 2004 3:58 pm

Yakov wrote:by "r&b" i mean "rhythm & blues"
by "r&b" they mean "crap & crappy crap"

you can see there is a difference

Yes, I know, and I totally agree.

I just noticed it and figured it was funny.

Actually, the Beonce video is rather nice... to watch.

Yakov · #12 Post by **Yakov** » Tue Feb 10, 2004 5:07 pm

that's got to be one of the worst choruses ever written... "me myself and I, that's all I got in the end, that's what I found out"... it scans terrible! i'll take billie holiday's "me myself and I"

Lawrence · #13 Post by **Lawrence** » Tue Feb 10, 2004 11:02 pm

Yakov wrote:that's got to be one of the worst choruses ever written... "me myself and I, that's all I got in the end, that's what I found out"... it scans terrible! i'll take billie holiday's "me myself and I"

You're making one crucial mistake: you are listening to the words, not watching.