From The Vaults Volume 5: The Roots Of Rock 'N' Roll

構成数 : 1枚
合計収録時間 : 01:07:41
Recorded between 1944 & 1953. Includes liner notes by Billy Vera. Digitally remastered by Bob Norberg (Capitol Mastering). This is part of Capitol Records' From The Vaults series. Personnel: Judy Hayden, Marvin Johnson, Nat King Cole (vocals); Benny Goodman (clarinet); Wardell Gray (tenor saxophone); Doug Mettome (trumpet); Buddy Greco (piano). Recording information: 11/30/1943-07/16/1953. The fifth volume in the Capitol From the Vaults series focuses on artists from the label's pre-rock & roll halcyon days -- just as R&B, country & western, jazz, big band, and traditional pop were beginning to cross-pollinate. The results -- as exemplified on this 25-track compilation -- are as disparate as the pre-doo wop sacred harmonies of the Selah Singers' "I'll Be Satisfied" to the double-entendre jive-talkin' on Ella Mae Morse's 12-bar blues "The House of Blue Lights." A decidedly more social effect of these precursors to rock & roll is that the music began to blur racial lines as well. Capitol's roster was indeed more interested in talent than color and, as such, blind to anything but the green from the cash registers. They had plenty of hits during their seminal days as well -- among the chart-topping inclusions are "How High the Moon" (Les Paul and Mary Ford), "Shot Gun Boogie" (Tennessee Ernie Ford), and the opening track "Straighten Up and Fly Right" -- an early bopper from the Nat King Cole Trio -- featuring some nimble electric guitar licks from Oscar Moore. Arguably the most successful crossover artist from the big-band genre was Benny Goodman. His rendition of the "Huckle-Buck" is equally as inspired as the more traditional R&B rendering from vocalist Sis Andrews. Sadly, this is one of the very few of Andrews contributions to have made it on CD. There are many other primordial rockers of note included here, such as the jumpin' jive of "Let the Good Times Roll" -- which was revamped to great effect by Ray Charles and B.B. King, among others. The boogie-woogie "Down the Road Apiece" became performance staples for both Chuck Berry and the Rolling Stones. As always, Billy Vera's liner notes essay is full of behind-the-scenes information. It's a good accompanying read to this CD compilation which is a considerable primer to the birth of rock & roll. ~ Lindsay Planer
録音 : モノラル (Studio)