Issued under the rightful title, More Boss Black Rockers, The “Mojo” Man was charged with the (enviable) task of bringing these albums to life. To achieve such an outcome, More Boss Black Rockers Vol. 1: Guitar Pickin' Fool continues its exploration of Black African American rock ‘n’ roll by mining deep into the heart of a traditional rhythm and blues scene of 50’s America that eventually became rock ‘n’ roll, and where you will hear established artists rubbing shoulders with the obscure. This is merely one segment of the attraction here, because the sounds blaring from the adjacent speakers is often wild in nature, raw and dangerous, just as it is scintillating, not to mention unhinged rock ‘n’ roll. Let’s face it, it’s the kinds of sounds that no doubt left many a jaw gaping as rock ‘n’ roll was ushered into the world for the very first time upon an innocent public, before evolving into the next big thing and continuing to resonate in the present with an equally feisty presence.
Quick, to the tracks! Perusing the lengthy list of rock ‘n’ roll contenders from the setlist of More Boss Black Rockers Vol. 1: Guitar Pickin' Fool, any attempt to arrive at a favourite makes for an impossible task because, quite simply, there’s not a dud in the house. Such realisation dawns once the opening bars of ‘Chicken, Baby, Chicken’ opens fire with the vocals of Tony Harris enough to propel this glorious track on its own! Such charisma continues via the appropriately named ‘Rock And Roll Is In My Soul’ from Chuck Grey, to enjoying a moment under the halo of rock ‘n’ roll with plenty of brass and full band approach of Sammy Taylor and ‘Switchin’ In The Kitchen’. The intensity of rock ‘n’ roll continues via more knockout vocals from, this time, H-Bomb Ferguson during ‘Mary Little Mary’, to an altogether different approach of ‘Goin’ Goin’ Gone’ by vocal group The Jewels who warrant further investigation. Nathan Olsen-Haines (Koko Mojo Records)
KM-LP-121 More BOSS BLACK ROCKERS 1 - Guitar Pickin' Fool
A1 Tony Harris – Chicken, Baby, Chicken (Harris) Ebb 104 1957
A2 Neil Darrow with The Quarter Notes – She’s A Fine Chick (Sperry) Wizz 717 1959
A3 Chuck Grey – Rock And Roll Is In My Soul (Greenwood) Fable F-616 1958
A4 Titus Turner – Hold Your Loving (Snelson, Turner) King 5095 1957
A5 Don and Dewey – Justine (Harris, Terry) Speciality 631 1958
A6 Jackie Wilson – You Better Know It (Wilson, Henry) Brunswick 9-55149 1959
A7 Earl Gaines – Now Do You Hear (Hardison, Jarrett) Champion 1001 1958
A8 The Jewels – Goin’ Goin’ Gone (Jackson) Imperial X5387 1956
B1 H-Bomb Ferguson – Mary Little Mary (Shubert) Federal 45-12411 1961
B2 Eugene Church – Mind Your Own Business (Church) King 5545 1961
B3 Teddy Humphries – Guitar Pickin’ Fool (Glover) King 5182 1959
B4 Johnny Johnson – Great Cooga-Mooga (Johnson) Assault 1830 1962
B5 King Perry – Come Back Baby (Perry) Trylyte 4001 1956
B6 Sammy Taylor – Switchin’ In The Kitchen (Unknown) Jalynne 109 1961
B7 Lee Diamond – Hatti Malatti (Diaomond) Vee Jay 272 1958
B8 Ernie Fields Orchestra – Knocked Out (Marascalco) London 1260 1960
