Format Details: Jewel Case
Release Date: 31 July 2000
Label: Ace Records
Packaging Type: Jewel Case
No of Units: 1
Barcode: 029667176828
Genres: Rock 'N' Roll Rock 'N' Roll
Description
The Bihari Brothers (Joe, Saul and Jules) who founded the Modern group of labels, were arguably the smartest of the young businessmen who got into the independent record business in the late 40s, if only because they never got their motives confused or allowed pride or sentiment to cloud their judgement, the simple mono recording processes of the day being a means to an end, not a conduit for creating great art. If one of their new labels failed to deliver, it was immediately wound down or, if a new line in music was proving unprofitable or difficult to sell (as was the case with the Biharis' brief flirtation with "hillbilly"), it was simply abandoned in favour of the tried and tested - usually rhythm and blues. And this is the area of music where they really came into their own, rapidly creating one of the great inventories of post-war blues and R&B recordings. The rock'n'roll explosion of 1956 brought the company its first pop hits as R&B records such as Stranded In The Jungle by the Cadets, Eddie My Love by the Teen Queens and Girl In My Dreams by the Cliques crossed over into the pop field. Despite these successes and the prospect of further hits as rock'n'roll swept the nation, the Biharis took the view that the expenditure and effort involved in marketing rock'n'roll wasn't justified by the return in an increasingly competitive market. Therefore, in December 1957, they decided to wind down RPM and Modern and focus on their profitable Crown budget album line which was manufactured in-house at the Modern plant on North Robertson. However, in March 1958 the Biharis launched a new singles label, Kent (randomly named after the cigarette brand), essentially as a vehicle for B B King whose popularity among black record buyers virtually guaranteed substantial sales with every release. Scattered among the early Kent releases were several rock'n'roll discs by Danny Flores, Lee Denson aka Jesse James, Don Cole and the Barker Brothers, the best of which form part of this set along with rockabilly sides recorded for RPM by Pat Cupp and storming black rockers by Big Duke, Van Robinson, Clarence Garlow and others. Joe Bihari stumbled across Pat Cupp and his band, the Flying Saucers in Louisiana in early 1956 when the record industry was being rocked on its heels by Elvis. Though lacking in physical stature, Cupp was an accomplished rockabilly vocalist whose handful of recordings for RPM are rightly regarded as being among the best of their kind. The legendary Lee Hazlewood began his long and varied career producing rockabilly records for small labels in the mid-50s. In 1957 he persuaded the Biharis that there were dozens of would-be Elvises out in the sticks waiting to be discovered and delivered the goods in the form of two successive singles by Phoenix-born rocker Don Cole. Around the same time he recorded Hey Little Mama by the Barker Brothers (a mean-assed version of the Everlys) for Kent. Two unissued sides from the same session are heard here f
Tracklisting
Elmore James
B.B. King
B.B. King
Young Jessie
Wynonie Harris
Willie Hightower
Willie Headen
Wayne Cochran
Various Artists
Various Artists
Various Artists
Various Artists
Various Artists
Various Artists
Various Artists
Various Artists
