“This KoKo Mojo series of albums is compiled by well-known Dee Jay and face on the music scene Mark Armstrong, who has been Dee Jaying since his early teen years.”
I Hate To See You Go Koko Mojo (KMCD065) is the third Southern Bred exploration into the music from Louisiana and the Crescent City, New Orleans and the artists and newly introduced performers are intermixed throughout the series to make a more diverse assortment of sound and artist.
Unquestionably the aural feeling of this album is varied, full of hot recordings, and offers an eclectic assortment of recordings. The songs are not used in chronological order they are used to fit with the album and add a variety of sound. Most importantly due to the time frame of the recordings the sound and style for some artists may have changed, no matter what the songs are "A" grade performances. As always, the sequence of artists and styles sit comfortably side by side and this album focuses on Rhythm & Blues, Rock 'n' Roll, Instrumental gems, and up-tempo Blues music.
The wealth of recorded material and quality artists create a real “gumbo” of music namely; Smiley Lewis, Oscar McLollie and His Honeyjumpers, Roy Brown this time with His Mighty Men. There are two solo recordings from the talented Richard Berry, one of which is as wild as anything by Little Richard and one recording with The Lockettes, all being from different years of his career, and the versatile Tommy Ridgley returns this time with a Rock ‘n’ Roll recording. Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown provides an instrumental which Revival band The Blue Cats covered on their self-titled album in 1980. The riot of rhythm goes on to showcase R&B veterans; Rudy Green, Blind Billy Tate, Ray Johnson, Calvin Spears, Fat Man Matthews and The Four Kitten, Jay Nelson and His Jumpers. Both The Gondoliers and The Hawks contain important local musicians in their line-ups and the sleeve notes tell the story. Two R&B songstresses grace the album, Mickey Champion who has Jazz influences and Irma Thomas who became internationally famous from 1960 onwards with her changing approach to R&B.
The sound on I Hate To See You Go is enriched by the inclusion of Rockin’ Blues which brings a punch to the sound, through the inclusion of Drifting Charles, Lonesome Sundown, Little Walter and His Jukes, Guitar Grable and The Musical Kings and the man who participated on so many Excello sessions Lazy Lester. Hitmakers of varying success are, Edgar Blanchard, Ernest Kador, and Huey "Piano" Smith.
The album like its predecessors could also be referred to as a self-composed album for most of the songs are from the artist's pen. Most importantly due to the time frame of the recordings the sound and style for some artists may have changed, no matter what the songs are “A” grade performances. The album is great to play at home and perfect for Dee Jays who will find good dance-floor filling songs.
As with every album, there is more music to hear and enjoy and the vibrant music has a pleasing up-tempo feel throughout. Our albums have; stunning design, sleeve notes, twenty-eight songs, mastered for the best possible sound. The disc is housed in an attractively designed cardboard sleeve, specially designed to avoid the use of plastic and be environmentally friendly. You are listening to music from the past and preserving the future!
Dee Jay Mark Armstrong
Bühl, Germany
tracklist:
01 Blind Billy Tate and His Orchestra Love Is A Crazy Thing (Tate) 02:05 Herald 1953
02 Smiley Lewis Goin' To Jump And Shout (Bartholomew, King) 01:57 Imperial 1957
03 Edgar Blanchard Let's Get It (Ruffino, Blanchard) 02:28 Ric 1958
04 Drifting Charles Evil Hearted Woman (Lavergne) 02:08 Lanor 1963
05 Little Walter and His Jukes I Hate To See You Go (Jacobs) 02:19 Checker 1955
06 Oscar McLollie and His Honeyjumpers Take Your Shoes Off Pop (Horn, Cuthera) 02:07 Modern 1954
07 Roy Brown and His Mighty-Mighty Men I Feel That Young Man's Rhythm (Brown) 02:53 De-Luxe 1950
08 Fat Man Matthews and The Four Kittens Later Baby (Matthews) 02:39 Imperial 1952
09 Roy Montrell and His Band That Mellow Saxophone (Marascalco, Montrell, Sandy) 02:23 Specialty 1956
10 Charles Williams with Paul Gayten Orchestra So Worried (Gayten) 02:15 Checker 1957
11 Mickey Champion Good For Nothin' Man (Josea, Szabo) 02:17 RPM 1950
12 Richard Berry I Want You To Be My Girl (Berry) 03:20 Paxley 1960
13 The Gondoliers You Call Everybody Darling (Trace, Trace, Martin) 03:20 Ric 1958
14 Irma Thomas A Good Man (Thomas, Johnson) 02:21 Ron 1960
15 Jay Nelson Raise Some San (Shuler, Nelson, Redlich) 02:22 Hollywood 1958
16 Ernest Kador and His Band Do Baby Do (Kador) 02:11 Specialty 1955
17 Lonesome Sundown I'm a Mojo Man (Miller) 02:24 Excello 1958
18 Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown Boogie Uproar (Robey) 02:47 Peacock 1953
19 Little Walter and His Jukes I Got to Go (Jacobs) 02:42 Checker 1955
20 Richard Berry and The Lockettes Heaven On Wheels (Johnson, Taylor) 02:07 Flip 1958
21 Tommy Ridgley The Girl Across The Street (Ridgley) 02:20 Herald 1959
22 Rudy Green No Need Of Your Crying (Green) 02:33 Chance 1953
23 Richard Berry Yama, Yama, Pretty Mama (Berry, Joesa) 02:15 RPM 1956
24. Hawks Joe The Grinder (Bartholomew, Gaines) 02:35 Imperial 1954
25. Lazy Lester I'm A Lover Not A Fighter (Miller) 02:30 Excello 1958
26. Guitar Gable and The Musical Kings Congo Mongo (West, Gable) 02:23 Excello 1956
27. Calvin Spears Come On Home (Tyler) 02:41 Vin 1959
28. Huey “Piano” Smith and His Clowns Don't You Just Know It (Smith, Vincent) 02:36 Ace 1958
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