In 1974, the head of Atlantic Records, Ahmet Ertegun, said, ''Jesse Stone did more to develop the basic rock and roll sound than anybody else.'' This accolade is a strong statement that Stone’s work for the Atlantic Record Company helped shape Rhythm & Blues music and made the cross-over into the emerging Rock ‘n’ Roll music. Several songs on this album often had his physical presence upon them, and the sleeve notes provide were available the session information and indicate his personal involvement. Eight titles are sourced from the Atlantic label, and he also worked or recorded for; MGM, Capitol, RCA Victor, Epic, and Decca all of whom gained coin from his tunes. The smaller independent companies which recorded his songs or used him in the studio are; Waldorf, Groove, Target, and the Ran-Dee labels. The liner notes where information is available will inform you of Stone’s presence during a session. The music world owes much to Jesse Albert Stone who was the grandson of Tennessee slaves.
The album ignites in 1952 with the alarm bells ringing as Odelle Turner with Stone’s orchestra supporting her for the jump tune Alarm Clock Boogie, and the tempo is set. Jesse Stone using his birth name in 1954 cut the guitar rocker Runaway which featured Mickey Baker for Atlantic Records, he signed to MGM in 1955 as Charlie Calhoun for the vocal rocker (I Don't Know) Why The Car Won't Go, when the year rolled over he recorded for Groove as Charles Calhoun the must-have jive opus My Pidgeon's Gone.
Joe Turner again benefited from Stones’ orchestra; for Hide And Seek, Stone was also the session pianist, as Calhoun, he co-wrote Well All Right and featured in the session as the pianist, and Stone arranged and led the Teen Age Letter session. The other artists in the studio with Stone and one of his many orchestras include; Chuck Willis, Ease The Pain, Frankie Brunson, Ward 13, The Metronomes, I'm Gonna Get Me A Girl, Candy Reed, Give Me Love, LaVern Baker, Bumble Bee, and You Said, Jimmy Breedlove, Oo-Whee, Good Gosh A-Mighty, Roy Hamilton, Crazy Feelin´, and A Great Romance, and The Clovers rocked up the standard Old Black Magic. Once more from the featured music, you could sub-title the contents “Instant Dee Jay with one Album.”
Looking at the other recordings, Stone’s influence upon the music charts, movies and his cross-over appeal is instantly apparent; Bill Haley and His Comets energy charged Razzle Dazzle invites you to dance, when some of the Comets split from Haley they became The Jodimars and with Dick Richards as the vocalist recorded Stone’s co-written Rattle My Bones, although Alan Freed’s name is on the record label for Right Now, Right Now his vocal call-outs are over-dubbed, and the tune is an Al Sears-led recording and Stone plays the accordion. Janis Martin travelled to New York City to record the pleasing Good Love, while Carl Perkins stayed in Nashville where he cut loose in the studio during Shake, Rattle 'n' Roll. Al Gardner with Stone’s orchestra recorded the album’s dance-craze title The Stomp for Decca 1960, and in the same year rockabillies, Frank Deaton and The Mad-Lads for Target covered Roy Hamilton’s Don't Let Go. In 1961 Bill Haley and His Comets recorded a feisty version of Flip, Flop And Fly, and Dale Hawkins in the same year recorded in his own style Money Honey and the inclusion of this song is certain to please.
There are two enjoyable off-centre titles on the album. The outlandish almost-instrumental version of Crawfish by The Stone Cutters finds Stone in the studio as the session leader, and this version is far removed from Elvis Presley’s. The album ends with a mad-cap dance-craze tune Ubangi Bangi from The Four Sounds which Stone wrote and possibly produced.
When known, the sleeve notes from the compilation/ re-issue producer and Dee Jay Mark Armstrong will provide information on the supporting band and where session information is available. The album is topped off with the best possible sound quality possible from our mastering team at our El Paso, Texas, Studio. The concept is lavishly decorated by working musician and design artist Urban Zotel, and the sleeve is made from top-quality eco-friendly cardboard specially designed to avoid the use of plastic and be environmentally friendly.
Koko Mojo Records endeavours to use some lesser-known and for some, perhaps more obscure titles and adds something unexpected to every album. The album is ideal for Dee Jays to fill the dance floor with, and for home listening or while cruising around.
You are listening to music from the past and preserving the future! Koko Mojo Records “often imitated, never duplicated”
All that remains is to say, “Crank up the volume and dig these musical gems.
Dee Jay Mark Armstrong Bühl, Germany
Koko Mojo Records (KM-CD-178) Spotlight Series
Jesse Stone, The Stomp
01 Odelle Turner with Jesse Stone’s Orch. Alarm Clock Boogie (Hegner, Turner) Atlantic 1952
02 Jesse Stone and His Band Runaway (Calhoun, Nugetre) Atlantic 1954
03 Charlie Calhoun (I Don't Know) Why The Car Won't Go (Calhoun) MGM 1955
04 Joe Turner and His Blues Kings Hide And Seek (Winley, Byrd) Atlantic 1955
05 Bill Haley and His Commets (Calhoun) Decca 1955
06 The Jodimars Rattle My Bones (Stone, Adams, DeKnight) Capitol 1956
07 Alan Freed Right Now, Right Now (Sears, Calhoun) Coral 1956
08 Charles Calhoun My Pidgeon's Gone (Davenport) Groove 1956
09 Big Joe Turner Well All Right (Calhoun, Nugetre, Gerald) Atlantic LP 1957
10 Chuck Willis with Jesse Stone’s Orch. Ease The Pain (Willis, Thomas) Atlantic 1957
11 Frankie Brunson Ward 13 (Stone) RCA Victor 1957
12 Joe Turner with Jesse Stone’s Orch. Teen Age Letter (Richard) Atlantic 1957
13 The Metronomes with Jesse Stone’s Orch. I'm Gonna Get Me A Girl Somehow (Wright) Cadence 1957
14 Candy Reed with Jesse Stone’s Orch. Give Me Love (Franklin, Otis) Vanguard 1958
15 Carl Perkins Shake, Rattle 'n' Roll (Calhoun) Columbia LP 1958
16 Janis Martin Good Love (Stone) RCA Victor 1958
17 Jimmy Breedlove with Jesse Stone’s Orch. Oo-Whee, Good Gosh A-Mighty (Breedlove) Epic 1958
18 Roy Hamilton with Jesse Stone’s Orch. Crazy Feelin´ (Teifer, Sharp) Epic 1958
19 Roberta Sherwood Love Is A-Breakin' Out (Stone) Decca 1958
20 The Stone Crushers leader Jesse Stone Crawfish (Wise, Weisman) RCA Victor 1958
21 Walter Spriggs with Jesse Stone’s Orch. Rack ‘Em Back (McCoy, Owens) Atco 1958
22 Roy Hamilton with Jesse Stone’s Orch. A Great Romance (Dixon, Dean, Schowalter) Epic 1959
23 The Clovers with Jesse Stone’s Orch. Old Black Magic (Arlen, Mercer) Poplar 1958
24 Al Gardner with Jesse Stone’s Orch. The Stomp (Covay, Berry) Decca 1960
25 LaVern Baker with Jesse Stone’s Orch. Bumble Bee (Fullylove, Baker) Atlantic 1960
26 Frank Deaton and The Mad-Lads Don't Let Go (Stone) Target 1960
27 Bill Haley and His Comets Flip, Flop And Fly (Calhoun, Turner) Warner Bros. 1961
28 Dale Hawkins Money Honey (Stone) Tilt 1961
29 LaVern Baker with Jesse Stone’s Orch. You Said (Wright) Atlantic LP 1962
30 The Four Sounds Mama Ubangi Bangi (Calhoun) Ran-Dee 1962
When known supporting band and session details are indicated within the sleeve notes.
Various – Spotlight On Jesse Stone – The Stomp (Koko Mojo)
Another album from Koko Mojo focusing on their “Spotlight On” series featuring iconic artists who made a considerable impact in terms of songwriting and influence during the 1950s and early 1960s. This time out the featured artist is Jesse Stone. With thirty tracks selected, Spotlight On Jesse Stone – The Stomp sees a variety of artists from Joe Turner, Bill Haley and His Comets, The Jordimars, and LaVern Baker to name but a few, perform songs of traditional rhythm and blues to early rock ‘n’ roll. Whether operating in the recording studio or serving as a songwriter, Jesse Stone proved influential given the artists featured here. The songs included certainly live up to their descriptions of dance-floor movers and shakers and begins with aptly-named ‘Alarm Clock Boogie’ from the vocals of Odelle Turner, which is a terrific rhythm and blues song featuring Jesse Stone, before the artist at the centre of this album gets to shine outright with “His Band” via lively instrumental ‘Runaway’. With so many mesmerising tracks to choose from, this long player is a rhythm & blues delight, and best heard through great examples from Big Joe Turner ‘Well All Right’, (alias) Charles Calhoun and broken love tale ‘My Pidgeon’s Gone’, and charismatically relayed ‘Ward 13’ from Frankie Brunson. The list continues during The Stomp with further names of previously mentioned Bill Haley and His Comets chipping in with early rock ‘n’ roll ‘Razzle Dazzle’, and ‘Flip, Flop And Fly’, Dale Hawkins with a different and more polished version of ‘Money Honey’, to the vocals alone being enough to hold any listener’s attention with reliable Lavern Baker, featuring Jesse Stone, during excellent ‘Bumble Bee’. Continuing the record’s wonderful momentum are The Clovers with Jesse Stone and song ‘Old Black Magic’, Walter Spriggs with Jesse Stone ‘Rack ‘Em Back’, title track ‘The Stomp’ featuring Al Gardner with Jesse Stone, and Chuck Willis with Jesse Stone during ‘Ease The Pain’, leaving the album, The Stomp, a perfect example of how to compile a balanced appreciation of the talented and inspirational Jesse Stone.
Nathan Olsen-Haines (Koko Mojo)
