Various Artists - The Last Shout! Twilight of the Blues Shouters 1954-1962 (2014)

The forgotten superheroes of 20th-century black music, the leather-lunged blues shouters, dominated the US nightclub stages and R&B charts for half-a-dozen years or so following World War II, before being side-lined by the bourgeoning rock n roll storm in the early 1950s. Still considered a force with which to be reckoned in the US music industry of the mid-fifties, and still at the height of their vocal prowess, many of the biggest stars were granted one or two final shots to save their flagging recording careers during rock n roll s heyday - their Last Shout. Compiled and annotated by R&B authority Dave Penny, this 3CD set from Fantastic Voyage endeavours to document the twilight of that proud musical genre and resurrect the ultimate releases from some of the great voices of R&B. The international blues boom of the 1960s - informed by the white Europeans predilection for more unsophisticated rural country blues and urban down-home blues, coupled with black America s progressive, wholesale acceptance of gospel-steeped soul and funk - served to entomb the art of the jump blues shouter further and to remove the memory of an exciting musical form from general consciousness, until it began to be exhumed decades later. Featuring singers famous and obscure, The Last Shout! serves the best of the final commercial recordings issued for the African-American R&B market by the likes of Big Joe Turner, Wynonie Harris, Jimmy Witherspoon and Eddie Cleanhead Vinson. When they no longer sold to their market, some, like Turner and Witherspoon, were able to make a comfortable living on the jazz circuit, others pursued alternative careers in comedy, preaching, composing or acting, yet others remained tragically determined; trying to maintain an ever-dwindling touring schedule on the chittlin circuit and drinking themselves into an early grave. 97 tracks and a 20pp illustrated booklet offer a snapshot of time in the history of black music, when the undiminished power of the classic blues shouters was married to the urgent rhythms of the rock n roll era, resulting in some very special music indeed!
Tracklist
Disc: 1
1 Bloodshot Eyes (Wynonie Harris) - Wynonie Harris - Wynonie Harris
2 Feeling Happy (Joe Turner) - Joe Turner and His Blues Kings - Joe Turner and His Blues Kings
3 My Girl Ivy (Jimmy Witherspoon) - Jimmy Witherspoon and The Quintones - Jimmy Witherspoon and The Quintones
4 Hold It Right There! (Eddie Cleanhead Vinson) - Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson - Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson
5 A Tale Of Woe (Wynonie Harris) - Wynonie Harris - Wynonie Harris
6 Who Baby Who? (Jimmy Witherspoon) - Jimmy Witherspoon & The Starlights/Jesse Stone Orchestra - Jimmy Witherspoon & The Starlights/Jesse Stone Orchestra
7 Hide & Seek (Joe Turner) - Joe Turner and His Blues Kings - Joe Turner and His Blues Kings
8 Big Chief Rain In The Face (Eddie Vinson) - Eddie Vinson - Eddie Vinson
9 I Gotta Go Home (Jimmy Witherspoon) - Jimmy Witherspoon - Jimmy Witherspoon
10 There's No Substitute...(Wynonie Harris) - Wynonie Harris - Wynonie Harris
11 Suffer Fool (Eddie Vinson) - Eddie Vinson - Eddie Vinson
12 I Need A Girl (Joe Turner) - Joe Turner with Choker Campbell Orchestra - Joe Turner with Choker Campbell Orchestra
13 That's Me Right Now (Wynonie Harris) - Wynonie Harris - Wynonie Harris
14 Teenage Party (Jimmy Witherspoon) - Jimmy Witherspoon - Jimmy Witherspoon
15 Old Man Boogie (Eddie Vinson) - Eddie Vinson - Eddie Vinson
16 Wee Baby Blues (Joe Turner) - Joe Turner with Jesse Stone Orchestra - Joe Turner with Jesse Stone Orchestra
17 Tell A Whale Of A Tale (Wynonie Harris) - Wynonie Harris - Wynonie Harris
18 Anxious Heart (Eddie Vinson) - Eddie Vinson - Eddie Vinson
19 All Right Miss Moore (Jimmy Witherspoon with J. S. Orchestra) - Jimmy Witherspoon with Jesse Stone O - Jimmy Witherspoon with Jesse Stone Orchestra
20 Rock A While (Joe Turner) - Joe Turner - Joe Turner
21 Destination Love (Wynonie Harris) - Wynonie Harris - Wynonie Harris
22 You Can't Have My Love...(Eddie Vinson) - Eddie Vinson - Eddie Vinson
23 When I Start To Thinking (Jimmy Witherspoon) - Jimmy Witherspoon with Jesse Stone Orchestra - Jimmy Witherspoon with Jesse Stone Orchestra
24 Big Old Country Fool (Wynonie Harris) - Wynonie Harris - Wynonie Harris
25 That's The Way To Treat Your Woman (Eddie Cleanhead Vinson) - Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson - Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson
26 Love Roller Coaster (Joe Turner) - Joe Turner with Choker Campbell Orchestra - Joe Turner with Choker Campbell Orchestra
27 You Can Make It...(Jimmy Witherspoon) - Jimmy Witherspoon - Jimmy Witherspoon
28 Tomorrow May Never Come (Eddie Vinson) - Eddie Vinson - Eddie Vinson
29 Teen Age Letter (Joe Turner) - Joe Turner with Jesse Stone Orchestra - Joe Turner with Jesse Stone Orchestra
30 Sweet Lucy Brown (Wynonie Harris) - Wynonie Harris - Wynonie Harris
31 Endless Sleep (Jimmy Witherspoon) - Jimmy Witherspoon - Jimmy Witherspoon

Disc: 2
1 Wake Up Miss Rip Van Winkle (The Tibbs Brothers) - The Tibbs Brothers - The Tibbs Brothers
2 Baby Don't Tell On Me (Jimmy Rushing) - Jimmy Rushing - Jimmy Rushing
3 Soda Pop Rock (Grant Jones) - Grant Jones with Mike Simpson Orchestra - Grant Jones with Mike Simpson Orchestra
4 I Wanna Hug Ya...(Bull Moose Jackson) - Bull Moose Jackson and His Buffalo Bearcats - Bull Moose Jackson and His Buffalo Bearcats
5 Hold Out Baby (Teddy Mr Bear McRae) - Teddy 'Mr Bear' McRae & His Orchestra - Teddy 'Mr Bear' McRae & His Orchestra
6 The Crazy House (Redd Foxx) - Redd Foxx - Redd Foxx
7 I Owe Everybody (Gene Phillips) - Gene Phillips with Jack McVea Orchestra - Gene Phillips with Jack McVea Orchestra
8 Work Little Carrie Work (Doc Pomus All Stars) - Doc Pomus All Stars - Doc Pomus All Stars
9 Come Back Uncle John (Big John Greer) - Big John Greer - Big John Greer
10 I'm A Big Boy Now (Tic & Toc) - Tic & Toc with Howard Biggs Orchestra - Tic & Toc with Howard Biggs Orchestra
11 My Baby Is Gone (Ollie Shepard) - Ollie Shepard - Ollie Shepard
12 Ada From Decatur (Jimmy Liggins) - Jimmy Liggins & His Drops Of Joy - Jimmy Liggins & His Drops Of Joy
13 I Ain't Mad At You (Bobby Mr Blues Merrell) - Bobby 'Mr Blues' Merrell - Bobby 'Mr Blues' Merrell
14 Take Me To Your Leader (Timmie Rogers) - Timmie Rogers - Timmie Rogers
15 Function At The Junction (Smoki Whitfield) - Smoki Whitfield with Freddie Simon Orchestra - Smoki Whitfield with Freddie Simon Orchestra
16 No-Sackie-Sack (H-Bomb Ferguson) - H-Bomb Ferguson & His Mad Lads - H-Bomb Ferguson & His Mad Lads
17 Red Light (Roy Milton) - Roy Milton - Roy Milton
18 If You Ain't Lovin You Ain't Livin (Bull Moose Jackson) - Bull Moose Jackson and His Buffalo Bearcat - Bull Moose Jackson and His Buffalo Bearcats
19 Driftwood Blues (Crown Prince Waterford) - Crown Prince Waterford - Crown Prince Waterford
20 Heavyweight Baby (Bull Moose Jackson) - Bull Moose Jackson - Bull Moose Jackson
21 Get Your Clothes...(Crown Prince Waterford) - Crown Prince Waterford with Labert Ellis - Crown Prince Waterford with Labert Ellis
22 Real Pretty Mama (Redd Foxx) - Redd Foxx - Redd Foxx
23 I'm Gonna Set You Free (Bobby Mr Blues Merrell) - Bobby 'Mr Blues' Merrell - Bobby 'Mr Blues' Merrell
24 Pinball Machine (Grant Jones) - Grant Jones with Mike Simpson Orchestra - Grant Jones with Mike Simpson Orchestra
25 Hi Fi Baby (Teddy Mr Bear McRae) - Teddy 'Mr Bear' McRae & His Orchestra - Teddy 'Mr Bear' McRae & His Orchestra
26 Say Yeah (Ollie Shepard) - Ollie Shepard - Ollie Shepard
27 Come Back Maybelline (John Greer) - John Greer - John Greer
28 Watch My Signals (Bull Moose Jackson) - Bull Moose Jackson - Bull Moose Jackson
29 Take The Hint (Smoki Whitfield) - Smoki Whitfield with Freddie Simon Orchestra - Smoki Whitfield with Freddie Simon Orchestra
30 Midnight Ramblin Tonight (H-Bomb Ferguson) - H-Bomb Ferguson - H-Bomb Ferguson
31 Bye Baby Bye (Doc Palmer) - Doc Palmer - Doc Palmer
32 Knocked Out (Jimmy Liggins) - Jimmy Liggins & His Drops Of Joy - Jimmy Liggins & His Drops Of Joy
33 Jibba Jab (Tic & Toc) - Tic & Toc with Howard Biggs Orchestra - Tic & Toc with Howard Biggs Orchestra

Disc: 3
1 Chicken-Hearted Woman (Clarence Samuels) - Clarence Samuels - Clarence Samuels
2 I Sat & Cried (Jimmy Nelson) - Jimmy Nelson - Jimmy Nelson
3 Hey Pretty Girl (The Tone Twins) - The Tone Twins with Jimmy Lewis Band - The Tone Twins with Jimmy Lewis Band
4 Ride Superman Ride (Stomp Gordon) - Stomp Gordon and His Orchestra - Stomp Gordon and His Orchestra
5 Boogie w. Calypso (Joe Mr G August) - Joe 'Mr G' August - Joe 'Mr G' August
6 Skinny Ginny (Dossie Thunderbird Terry) - Dossie 'Thunderbird' Terry - Dossie 'Thunderbird' Terry
7 How About It Baby (Emmet Davis) - Emmet Davis - Emmet Davis
8 Get On The Right Track Baby (Titus Turner) - Titus Turner - Titus Turner
9 O Baby Please (Earl Williams) - Earl Williams and His Quintette - Earl Williams and His Quintette
10 Sugar In My Tea...(Piney Brown) - Piney Brown and his Blues Toppers - Piney Brown and his Blues Toppers
11 Rock Away My Blues (Tommy Brown) - Tommy Brown - Tommy Brown
12 Jump, Jump, Jump (Great Gates) - Great Gates - Great Gates
13 I'm Reachin (Little Caesar) - Little Caesar with Eddie Beal Orchestra - Little Caesar with Eddie Beal Orchestra
14 Teeny Weeny Baby (Rudy Green) - Rudy Green - Rudy Green
15 The Question Wha cha Gonna Do? (Billy Wright) - Billy Wright - Billy Wright
16 Country Boy (Big Tiny Kennedy) - Big Tiny Kennedy and His Orchestra - Big Tiny Kennedy and His Orchestra
17 Hungry Man (Titus Turner) - Titus Turner and His Band - Titus Turner and His Band
18 Wild Life (Rudy Green) - Rudy Green - Rudy Green
19 Who Slammed The Door (Little Caesar) - Little Caesar with Eddie Beal Orchestra - Little Caesar with Eddie Beal Orchestra
20 Strange Things Happening...(Joe Mr G August) - Joe 'Mr G' August - Joe 'Mr G' August
21 You Ain't Puttin Out...(Earl Williams) - Earl Williams and His Quintette - Earl Williams and His Quintette
22 Last Night...(Jimmy Lewis) - Jimmy Lewis - Jimmy Lewis
23 My Mumblin Baby (Rudy Green) - Rudy Green - Rudy Green
24 You Changed My Night...(Emmet Davis) - Emmet Davis - Emmet Davis
25 Fool Mule (Dossie Thunderbird Terry) - Dossie 'Thunderbird' Terry - Dossie 'Thunderbird' Terry
26 My Love (Piney Brown) - Piney Brown and his Blues Toppers - Piney Brown and his Blues Toppers
27 Strange Kind Of Feeling (Big Tiny Kennedy) - Big Tiny Kennedy and His Orchestra - Big Tiny Kennedy and His Orchestra
28 Someday Somewhere (Tommy Brown) - Tommy Brown - Tommy Brown
29 Unlock The Door (Jimmy Nelson) - Jimmy Nelson - Jimmy Nelson
30 Be My Love...(Roy Brown) - Roy Brown - Roy Brown
31 Have Mercy Baby (Titus Turner) - Titus Turner - Titus Turner
32 Welcome Home Baby (Ivory Joe Hunter) - Ivory Joe Hunter with Milt Rogers Orchestra - Ivory Joe Hunter with Milt Rogers Orchestra
33 I'm Coming Down With The Blues (Smiley Lewis) - Smiley Lewis - Smiley Lewis