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. 4: Koko Joe 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, where you will hear established artists rubbing shoulders with the obscure. This is merely one segment of the attraction 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, these records are selling fast for that 50’s rock ‘n’ roll! Perusing the lengthy list of rock ‘n’ roll contenders from the setlist of More Boss Black Rockers Vol. 4: Koko Joe, 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 ‘Miss Lucy’ opens fire with the vocals of Big Al Downing enough to propel this glorious track on its own! Such charisma continues via the appropriately named ‘Rock Roma Rock It’ with further impressive vocals, and this time from “Scat Man” Crothers, to more appropriately named songs for this title marking the dawn of rock ‘n’ roll via ‘Teen Age Machine’ by The Travellers. The intensity of rock ‘n’ roll continues with Chuck Willis’ ‘Kansas City Woman’, Larry Darnell ‘Ramblin’ Man’, Bo Diddley ‘I’m Looking For A Woman’, before arriving at The Blue Chips’ ‘The Contest’ where the vocals really do the talking! Nathan Olsen-Haines (Koko Mojo Records)
More BOSS BLACK ROCKERS 4 - Koko Joe
A1 Big Al Downing – Miss Lucy (Downing) Carlton 489 1958
A2 Bobby Day – Teenage Philosopher (Rene) Rendezvous 130 1960
A3 Larry Darnell – Ramblin’ Man (McCoy, Mendelsohn, Owens) Deluxe 6123 1957
A4 The Blue Chips – The Contest (Thumper) RCA Victor 47-7923 1961
A5 Chuck Willis – Kansas City Woman (Willis) Atlantic 1098 1956
A6 Don and Dewey – Koko Joe (Christy) Speciality 639 1958
A7 Roosevelt Grier – Lover Set Me Free (Grier, Otis) Battle BF-45911 1963
A8 Bo Diddley – I’m Looking For A Woman (Geddins, Lauderdale) Checker 832 1956
B1 “Scat Man” Crothers – Rock Roma Rock It (Russell, Sperzal, Quinn) Challenge 59028 1958
B2 Jack Hammer – Girl, Girl, Girl (Hammer) Roulette R-4046 1958
B3 The Tibbs Brothers – (Wake Up) Miss Rip Van Winkle (Pomus, Shuman) Atco 45-6074 1956
B4 Joe McCoy and his Real McCoys – Too Much Goin’ On (Williams, Williams) Tiara T45-6115 1958
B5 The Hollywood Flames – Strollin’ On The Beach (Jones) Ebb 144 1958
B6 Thurston Harris – Do What You Did (Harris) Aladdin 45-3399 1957
B7 The Travellers – Teen Age Machine Age (Johnson, Michael) Andex 3-4006 1958
B8 King Sid and The Four Princes – Unh Uh Baby (Davis) Talos 45-400 1959
