The Okeh Rhythm & Blues Story 1949-1957

Various Artists
Pop · 1993

Editors’ Notes Though not as renowned among R&B fans as contemporary labels like King, Specialty, and Aladdin, the Columbia subsidiary Okeh was nonetheless a major player in the postwar scene. This 78-song set offers a thorough, if not comprehensive, survey of the R&B sides that Okeh released during this period. While many independent R&B labels specialized in a particular regional style, Okeh enjoyed major-label backing, which let it record artists from all over the country, from the sophisticated harmonies of veteran New York vocal group The Ravens to the rollicking New Orleans piano of Paul Gayten and the entendre-laden sleaze of Andre Williams. Indeed, many of the most exciting sides here take the form of slyly transgressive numbers, like Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ “I Put a Spell on You” or The Treniers’ gleefully smutty “Poontang.” Though some listeners may be confused by the dizzying array of styles featured here, The Okeh Rhythm and Blues Story’s greatest strength is its eclecticism, which sheds a light on the artistry of a bygone era.
Chris Powell, The Five Blue Flames
1
2:33
 
Chris Powell, The Five Blue Flames
2
2:34
 
The Five Scamps
3
2:45
 
Mr. Google Eyes & Billy Ford & His Musical V-8's
4
2:26
 
The Five Scamps
5
2:50
 
Mr. Google Eyes & Billy Ford & His Musical V-8's
6
2:48
 
Chris Powell, The Five Blue Flames
7
2:33
 
The Five Scamps
8
2:36
 
Jumpin' Joe Williams
9
2:14
 
Jumpin' Joe Williams
10
2:41
 
The Ravens
11
2:15
 
Chuck Willis
12
2:18
 
Maurice King & His Wolverines
13
2:54
 
Earl Williams
14
2:21
 
The Bill Davis Trio
15
2:51
 
Red Saunders, Jumpin' Joe Williams
16
3:11
 
Irlton French
17
2:25
 
The Five Scamps
18
3:02
 
Leroy Johnson
19
2:46
 
The Ravens
20
2:30
 
Larry Darnell
21
2:49
 
Pinnochio James
22
2:22
 
Pearl Traylor
23
2:12
 
Maurice King & His Wolverines
24
2:53
 
Pearl Traylor
25
2:55
 
Little Brother Brown
26
2:53
 
Jumpin' Joe Williams
1
2:24
 
Little Brother Brown
2
3:02
 
Chuck Willis
3
2:47
 
Pinnochio James
4
2:53
 
Larry Darnell
5
2:31
 
Annie Laurie
6
2:38
 
Hadda Brooks
7
2:26
 
Titus Turner
8
2:52
 
The Royals
9
2:25
 
Chuck Willis
10
3:11
 
Big Maybelle
11
2:39
 
The Treniers; Orchestra under the direction of Gene Gilbeaux; Don Hill, Alto Sax
12
2:21
 
Annie Laurie
13
2:31
 
Red Rodney Sextet
14
2:46
 
Paul Gayten
15
2:25
 
Chuck Willis
16
2:35
 
The Treniers
17
2:38
 
Hadda Brooks
18
2:51
 
Big Maybelle
19
2:43
 
Titus Turner
20
2:19
 
Jumpin' Joe Williams
21
2:58
 
The Bill Davis Trio
22
2:26
 
Sammy Cotton
23
2:41
 
Annie Laurie
24
2:08
 
Chuck Willis
25
3:05
 
Paul Gayten
26
2:01
 
Cliff "King" Solomon
1
2:49
 
Sammy Cotton
2
2:10
 
Annie Laurie
3
3:15
 
Cliff 'King' Solomon and His Orchestra
4
2:23
 
Big John, The Buzzards
5
2:19
 
Big Maybelle
6
2:50
 
Titus Turner
7
2:51
 
The Treniers
8
2:59
 
Paul Gayten
9
2:12
 
Larry Darnell
10
2:03
 
The Shufflers
11
2:29
 
Big Maybelle
12
2:46
 
Big John, The Buzzards
13
2:14
 
The Shufflers
14
2:24
 
Big Maybelle
15
2:29
 
Chuck Willis
16
2:30
 
Screamin' Jay Hawkins
17
2:22
 
Screamin' Jay Hawkins
18
2:25
 
Andre Williams
19
3:02
 
Hurricane Harry
20
2:16
 
Little Joe, The Thrillers
21
2:48
 
Lloyd Fatman
22
2:29
 
Lloyd Fatman
23
2:27
 
The Marquees
24
2:24
 
Billy Stewart
25
2:23
 
Screamin' Jay Hawkins
26
2:23
 

78 SONGS, 3 HOURS, 23 MINUTES

RELEASED  JULY 5, 1993

℗ 1993 SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT INC.

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