Aladdin label

musicology #459

TheManWithTheBag #9

(Amos Milburn – Let’s Make Christmas Merry Baby)

Intended on breaking the mould today and throwing the cut early?, (unless of course you’re in NYC, LA, ‘Chi’ or pretty much any State in America), but as Robert Burns wrote:

“The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men
Gang aft agley,
An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain,
For promis’d joy!”

So stick that in yer pipes and smoke it !! while we slide into this cut from one of the great Rhythm & Blues pioneers Amos Milburn who, (along with Louis Jordan), had a major impact on the transition from swing to Rhythm & Blues in the mid 1940’s. recorded in 1949 for Eddie & Leo Mesner’s powerhouse Aladdin label, (the home of West Coast Rhythm & Blues).

musicology #156

vocalgroupaction2 #1

(The 5 Keys – The Glory Of Love)

it’s been a challenge keeping on top of themusicologist these last few days, (and weeks), especially as ‘the project’ has been taking up most of my, (physical and mental), time.

on top of that I have also been tied up with the selling of the family drum. as a result themusicologist has suffered a drop in quantity, (the quality I am very happy with)

all I can do is apologize for not ‘taking care of business’ and hope that the quality is enough for you to stand by themusicologist….

this week it’s round 2 of the vocalgroupaction theme and I’m kicking off with this seminal cut from the dawn of doo wop courtesy of one of the greatest of the vocal groups ‘The 5 Keys’. it’s from their second recording session for LA label Aladdin, recorded in New York’s RCA Studio on March 22nd 1951. The song, (written by Billy Hill), had already been a #1 for Benny Goodman in 1936 but, (as much as I rate brother Goodman), performed by the 5 Keys it reached new heights.

the lineup..

Rudy West (first tenor), Maryland Pierce (second tenor), Ripley Ingram (octave tenor), Dickie Smith (baritone/second tenor), Bernie West (bass) and the group’s regular accompanist Joe Jones on Piano…

what a tune…