On The Dancefloor With More Fingersnaps – Various Artists
Released 2024 on Bear Family Bear Family Records - Vinyl, CD, DVD- Musik Mailorder Online (bear-family.com)
This is the follow-up album to 'Fingersnap!' CD (BCD17718) in the 'On the Dancefloor' series on Bear Family Records. The second instalment delivers 31 more highlights of cool grooves and rhythmic hooks, often simple finger snaps. So sharpen up your fingers and take a headlong dive into this irresistible collection of 31 highly infectious items where the groove is cool and the percussion is often supplied by the snapping of fingers.
Reviewed date November 2024 by Jailhouse John Alexander
Review
Possibly in the 1940s and definitely in the 1950s the image of being a cool cat would be enhanced by the way you could snap your fingers in time to a tune. In the classic Stan Freberg recording “Old Payola Roll Blues” the newly found teen idol, Clyde Ankle, is going “to go three nights a week for finger snapping lessons”! This CD features stars from a range of musical genres who may well have been some of Clyde’s fellow students. In fact, Fabian, who may well have been the inspiration behind Stan’s creation has a track here (13 About A Thing Called Love).
A lesser know track from R&B legend Wynonie Harris, “Bring It Back” from 1953, sets the scene nicely. That’s followed by a slow rockabilly track “Chicken House” by Dave Rich, then it’s a folksy song from Sonny James with the “The Cat Came Back” at track 3. Eddie Banks And Five Dreamers with an R&B stroller from 1956 is followed by jazz/R&B super star, Dinah Washington doing a version of Louis Jordan’s “Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby?” Tracks 6 and 7 are from rock and roll royalty in 1963. Elvis does “Relax” from the soundtrack of “It Happened At The World Fair” and Gene Vincent does “Crazy Beat” from his Capitol LP “The Crazy Beat of Gene Vincent”. The style goes back to R&B with Donnie Elbert doing “Wild Child” at track 8.
I’m not sure I would ever think of Tennessee Ernie Ford as being a cool dude, but his classic “Sixteen Tons” certainly fits in here. Then at track 10 there’s another R&B superstar, Ruth Brown, with “Why Don’t You Do Right”. Vocal Group Hall Of Fame members, the Four Tunes are at track 11 with a fine version of a song from the 30s“Dancing With Tears In My Eyes” that has nothing to do with the Ultravox song of the same name. Track 12 “Really Really Love You” by Jo-Ann Campbell is a pop rocker recorded for the Gone label in 1958. The aforementioned teen idol, Fabian, gives us track 13 with “About A Thing Called Love”. Rockabilly singer Jimmy Dell sounds a bit moody with “New New Baby” at track 14. There’s a jazzy edge to “He's A King” by Barbara McNair at track 15 that’s followed by a novelty song “Who's Zat” by Jesse Stone And His Orchestra.
“I Don't Know” by Ruth Brown at track 17 is another cool jazz track from the lady who was so important to growth of Atlantic records in the label’s early days. Track 18 is an English recording released on the UK Decca label from Jimmy Young who later found fame as a DJ on the BBC. Who would have thought he could sound cool? Ernie Fields And His Orchestra’s mid paced instrumental “Workin’ Out” that has some fine sax and guitar is track 19. Top doo-wop group, Vernon Green And The Medallions, have their 1957 Dootone single as track 20. Ike Turner with his Kings of Rhythm sounds a bit like Screamin’ Jay Hawkins with his slightly creepy, “She Made My Blood Run Cold”. Track 20 is a fine cover of the classic cool track “Fever” (as made famous by Peggy Lee) from another doo-wop group, Little Ceaser And Romans. Track 23, “Watcha Gonna Do When Your Baby Leaves You” a good stroller and an American R&B hit on Atlantic for Chuck Willis 1957.
The Platters do a great version of the Tennessee Ernie Ford Classic “Sixteen Tons” (see track 9), the bass vocal defines cool! A good stroller too. Track 25 dates from 1958 when “Lonesome Drifter” was issued on the Del Di label in the States. Jericho Brown’s vocal wistful vocal suits the song nicely. Track 26 “Jailer Man” by Bill Carter is a country song that does have a slight rockabilly feel to it thanks to the guitar work. Merle Kilgore’s “Start All Over Again” has a more R&B vibe than his usual country recordings. Track 28 is reworking of "Ol' Man River", a show tune from the 1927 musical Show Boat with music by Jerome Kern and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein by Eddie Barnes that has a more pop feel to it. For track 29 rock ‘n’ roll legend, LaVern Baker, teams up with Jimmy Ricks who has another of those cool sounding, deep voices to sing “You’re The Boss” Rocker turned crooner, Bobby Darin, does a very capable cover of Nat King Cole’s “Nature Boy” for the penultimate track. The thirty first an final track come from bluesman, Sonny Boy Williamson who plays a fine harmonica on “Help Me”.
Summary and recommendation
An eclectic and very enjoyable selection of tunes with excellent sleeve notes, another top drawer collection from Bear Family definitely worthy of gracing any music collection.
YouTube - Why Don’t You Do Right - Ruth Brown https://youtu.be/f4-uKpFAJiU
Reviewed by Jailhouse John Alexander
Track List
1, Bring It Back - Wynonie Harris
2, Chicken House - Dave Rich
3, The Cat Came Back - Sonny James
4, Sugar Diabetes - Eddie Banks And Five Dreamers
5, Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby - Dinah Washington
6, Relax - Elvis Presley
7, Crazy Beat - Gene Vincent
8, Wild Child - Donnie Elbert
9, Sixteen Tons - Tennessee Ernie Ford
10, Why Dont You Do Right - Ruth Brown
11, Dancing With Tears In My Eyes - Four Tunes
12, Really Really Love You - Jo-Ann Campbell
13, About A Thing Called Love - Fabian
14, New New Baby - Jimmy Dell
15, He's A King - Barbara McNair
16, Who's Zat - Jesse Stone And His Orchestra
17, I Don't Know - Ruth Brown
18, Chain Gang - Jimmy Young
19, Workin' Out - Ernie Fields And His Orchestra
20, A Lovers Prayer - Vernon Green And Medallions
21, She Made My Blood Run Cold - Ike Turner And Kings Of Rythm
22, Fever - Little Ceaser And Romans
23, Watcha Gonna Do When Your Baby Leaves You - Chuck Willis
24, Sixteen Tons - The Platters
25, Lonesome Drifter - Jericho Brown
26, Jailer Man - Bill Carter
27, Start All Over Again - Merie Kilgore
28, Ol' Man River - Eddie Barnes
29, You're The Boss - LaVern Baker & Jimmy Ricks
30, Nature Boy - Bobby Darin
31, Help Me - Sonny Boy Williamson
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