Hi Strung RnB 8 – Oh Yeah! Various Artists

Hi Strung RnB 8 – Oh Yeah!

Date of release :

Record Label : Koko Mojo Records

Reviewed by Pony Express. 13/04/25

If you liked Hi Strung R&B Vol 7, there’s a good chance you gonna like Vol. 8 of the same series (and in case you missed vol 7, just check the excellent review from Terry Mead on https://www.slapthatbass.online/album-reviews).

Like vol 7 this release explores the fabulous world of pre or early Rock’n’roll area. We are treated to an excellent cocktail that mixes a good dose of jive and boogie with a little doo-woop, a slice of rockin’ blues and even a touch of early 60s soul.

The recordings, which span the period from 1947 to 1962, are mostly fairly unknown titles, but there are also a few standards. Whatever the year and the genre, most of them will make you want to dance.

‘Shake till I’m shook’ by Beverly Wright is a groovy and shaky doo-woop track recorded in 1956 for the… Groove Label. This will certainly put you in it!

You won’t stop shaking with Kitty & Clay’s “Whoa-Ho (Let’s get together)”. Great track supported by a haunting piano and bass line, with exciting vocals from Kitty and Clay. Impossible to seat still with this one.

‘Taxi Blues’ is a good R&B tune recorded by M. Penniman in 1951, long before his Specialty days. Funny to hear how Little Richard's voice remains quite tame, a bit in crooner mode, without giving free rein to the vocal exuberance that would make him successful a few years later. But the swing is definitely there and we also enjoy an excellent sax solo.

Talking about Specialty, here come two great releases from this label : First we get Earl King’s “Funny face”, recorded in 1955 with swinging sax and stomping rhythm, a great jiver!

It’s followed by “Twitchy”, an instrumental recorded by Rene Hall & Willie Joe with interesting guitar and sax interplay.

Now time for Lavern Baker and her version of “He’s a real gone guy”, first recorded by Nelly Lutcher. The girls chorus gives it a more pop flavour that I could have done without, but the rhythm section, sax solos and Lavern’s voice are faultless.

If you have been traveling on planet Mars over the last 60 years, you may not have heard the next track: a song called “Shake, Rattle and Roll” by a certain Joe Turner. Ring any bells? What can I say... a pillar of rock 'n' roll history!

Back in those swinging days any reason was good enough to shout the blues : finding a new girl, getting drunk or even being broke. The last reason is Mr Cledus Harrison’s motivation on this one. Excellent guitar sound with a T-Bone Walker feel to it.

Next we get a little bit of Doo-Woop with Don Julian and the Larks’ ‘Oop boopy Oop’.

Steve Gibson & Don Patillo’s “Rock and Roll Stomp” is an hectic ode to rock'n'roll. Dancers can hold on tight to this one! The tempo is crazy, the tune gradually rises in octaves, and the singer becomes more and more hysterical!

Chuck Berry’s Come On : a lesser played Chuck number, recorded in 1961, but what a killer! Very twangy tune that Chuck sings with his wife Martha Berry. This song would eventually become the first single of a British group by the name of the Rolling Stones. Ever heard of them?

Here’s Otis Smith’s ‘You’re so good looking’. From the very first bars, we are captivated by the scathing guitar introduction, which heralds the best. And the best is soon to come with a great groove, roaring sax, stompy rhythm and catchy vocals. But that’s not all, a little surprise arrives at the end of the track with a full brass chorus supported by the bass. A high-class track!

Bill Pinky’s ‘After the Hop’ was recorded in 1958 at the Sun studio with the cream of the Sun team (Roland Janes, Stan Kesler, Jimmy Van Eaton, Jimmy Wilson and Bill Justis) and a vocal group, the Turks. Good RnB tune, maybe not typical of the Sund sound, but enjoyable just the same!

Pearl Woods – Don’t tell it all. Mrs Woods was a very soulful singer who turned to religion in the 70’s. But before that, she recorded some very good devil’s music, like this nice stroller from 1962.

Little Milton’s ‘Long Distance operator’ is a good mid-tempo rockin’ blues recorded in 1959, in between his Sun and Chess days. The horns bring a touch of calypso that should draw more than a few to the dance floor.

Next is an excellent swinging and jazzy track from Mrs Thorne. Very nice melody, beautiful voice, top-notch guitar and piano solos. As smooth as a Martini in the moonlight!

If the previous track left you in a dreamy or nostalgic mood, Don & Dewey will now wake you up with their wild Rock'n'roll, Bim Bam, recorded in 1958 for Specialty. Frantic piano, howling sax, super vocal harmonies… Another killer tune!

Back to Doo-Woop with the Eldorados. Beautiful’ womp-womp-ditty-womp’ harmonies, a dose of sax, a little hand clapping on the side, all served with a good stompin’ rhythm. All the ingredients of a good doo-woop tune, well mixed. All that's left is to enjoy!

Now we are treated to as excellent rockin’ blues recorded for the Chiel label by in 1960. Earl Hooker is on guitar, supported by Junior Wells on the Harmonica.

The previous piece was already quite spicy, so we might as well continue with a little gumbo from New Orleans. Larry Williams serves up his recipe, as tasty as can be, even if we would have liked the piece to be a little longer.

Pat Flowers’ ‘Rock Sock the Boogie’. In case you hadn't guessed… this one is a great boogie-woogie. Pat was a talented pianist trained by Fats Waller and capable of playing anything from stride to Chopin. When the boogie-woogie fever broke out, it probably didn't take him much effort to demonstrate he could also boogie like mad.

‘Bark, Battle and Ball’ is another great Doo-Woop by the masters of the genre…. the Platters. A superb piece of jive!

And to finish, a superb instrumental with honking sax and jazzy piano by Mr Roy Hawkins and his orchestra.

What a program. Just blast the CD in your stereo and put on your jivin’ shoes. You’re in for a swinging night! Oh Yeah!!

Track list :

1 - Beverly Wright – Shake till I’m shook

2 – Kitty & Clay – Whoa-Ho (Let’s get together)

3 – Little Richard - Taxi Blues

4 – Earl King – Funny face

5 – Rene Hall & Willie Joe – Twitchy

6 – Lavern Baker – He’s a real gone guy

7 – Joe Turner – Shake, Rattle and Roll

8 – Cledus Harrison - Broke