Buddy Johnson was able to keep his big band going in the second half of the 1940s by adding touches of R&B and faint hints of bop to his swing sound, and thanks to the skillfully nuanced singing of his sister Ella Johnson, his orchestra had several hits for Decca Records between 1940 and 1951, the era covered by this collection. The essential stuff is here, including Ella's amazing singing on "Please Mr. Johnson," "Since I Fell for You," "That's the Stuff You Gotta Watch," and...   [ read more ]

CD $14.23

A fine 24-track distillation of Johnson's lengthy career for Decca, during which he and his musicians served as a key link between Harlem big bands, jump blues, and R&B. Spanning 1941 to 1952, the focus is on the bluesier and/or more uptempo sides credited to either Buddy or sister Ella, as well as tracks with Johnson associations cut by Arthur Prysock and Harold "Geezil" Minerve. Several of the Johnson clan's most celebrated performances are here: "Walk 'Em" (a sort of signature tune for...   [ read more ]

CD $21.83

Four of Buddy Johnson's six R&B hits on Mercury can be found on this 14-song collection that is drawn in part from the album Rock 'n' Roll Stage Show. Several tracks feature vocals by Johnson's sassy sibling, Ella, whose no-nonsense personality comes through on songs like "(Gotta Go) Upside Your Head." These recordings from the mid-'50s tend toward brassy R&B rave-ups that range from the honking instrumental "A-12" to the near doo wop of "Bring It Home to Me." {&"I'm Just Y...   [ read more ]

CD $13.28