King Curtis - Wail Man Wail! The Best Of King Curtis 1952-1961 (3 CD)

King Curtis was the last of the great R&B tenor sax giants. He came to prominence in the mid-’50s as a session musician in New York, recording, at one time or another, for most East Coast R&B labels. A long association with Atlantic/Atco began in 1958, especially on recordings by the Coasters. Over three discs and nearly 100 tracks, Wail Man Wail! traverses the unmistakable tones of the late Curtis Ousley after he arrived from Texas in New York City in 1952, winning amateur night at Harlem s Apollo before embarking on a recording career which took him to several seminal independent labels and bands with the likes of Lester Young and Lionel Hampton. He settled in New York for 17 years, declaring himself King Curtis and quickly making a name for roaring instrumentals and enhancing countless sessions.

With the assistance of K.C. expert Roy Simmonds, Dave Penny has excelled himself in providing both beginner's guide and record collector's magnet, starting with Curtis riproaring role in the earliest days of rock’n'roll on Disc 1, collating outings under his own name for labels such as RPM, Gem, Apollo, DeLuxe, Atlantic/Atco, ABC-Paramount, Everest and Sue, also encompassing his time with Alan Freed's rock’n'roll orchestra. Titles include his debut, Tenor In The Sky, Honeydripper, Dynamite and Wicky Wacky.

Discs 2 and 3 chart some of his many memorable recording sessions from between 1952 to 1957, then 1958 to 1961, respectively, names including Solomon Burke, the Willows, Roy Gaines, Neil Sedaka, Wilbert Harrison, Ruth Brown, the Coasters, Waylon Jennings, Lionel Hampton, Bobby Darin, Chuck Willis, the Avons, the Willows, Mickey & Sylvia, the Nitecaps and obscurities such as Washboard Bill. King Curtis was yet another name to fall victim to an early demise, in his case stabbed to death in 1971 after challenging two junkies using drugs outside his Manhattan apartment. Just the groin-rasping solo on Jest Smoochin is enough to convince anyone with a heart and soul that they're in the presence of greatness.

Album: Wail Man Wail! The Best Of King Curtis 1952-1961
Size: 184,6+180,4+185,4 MB
Time: 79:13+77:27+79:27
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2012
Styles: R&B
Art: Full

CD 1 - King's Rock (1953-1961):
1. King Curtis & His Tenor Sax w. Orchestra - No More Crying On My Pillow (3:03)
2. King Curtis & His Tenor Sax w. Orchestra - Tenor In The Sky (2:20)
3. King Curtis - Movin' On (2:42)
4. King Curtis - Rockabye Baby (2:22)
5. King Curtis - Open Up (2:20)
6. King's Rock (3:02)
7. King Curtis - Dynamite At Midnight (2:44)
8. King Curtis - The Stranger (2:43)
9. King Curtis - Steel Guitar Rag (2:33)
10. King Curtis - Wicky Wacky (Part 1) (2:18)
11. King Curtis - Wicky Wacky (Part 2) (2:43)
12. King Curtis & Count Hastings w. Leroy Kirkland's Hi-Flyers - The Count And The King (2:37)
13. The King's Henchmen - The King (2:50)
14. King Curtis & Count Hastings w. Leroy Kirkland's Hi-Flyers - Battle Royal (3:14)
15. King Curtis & His Royal Men - Jest Smoochin' (2:45)
16. King Curtis & His Royal Men - Birth Of The Blues (2:35)
17. King Curtis & His Orchestra - Ific (2:03)
18. King Curtis & His Orchestra - You Made Me Love You (2:02)
19. King Curtis & His Orchestra - Castle Rock (2:09)
20. King Curtis & His Orchestra - Chili (2:09)
21. King Curtis & His Orchestra - Honeydripper (Part 1) (2:01)
22. King Curtis & His Orchestra - Honeydripper (Part 2) (2:19)
23. King Curtis - Peter Gunn (2:56)
24. King Curtis & His Orchestra - Heavenly Blues (2:32)
25. King Curtis & His Orchestra - Restless Guitar (2:05)
26. King Curtis - King Neptune's Guitar (2:06)
27. King Curtis - Beatnik Hoedown (1:50)
28. King Curtis Combo - The Lone Prairie (2:08)
29. King Curtis Combo - Jay Walk (2:40)
30. Sonny Jackson - St Louis Blues (2:39)
31. Sonny Jackson - My Babe (2:31)
32. King Curtis - Hot-Rod (1:55)

CD 2 - Wail, Curtis, Wail! (1952-1957):
1. Melvin Daniels w. King Curtis Orchestra - I'll Be There (3:28)
2. Bob Kent Band - Korea, Korea (3:15)
3. Melvin Daniels w. King Curtis Orchestra - Boogie In The Moonlight (2:30)
4. Doc Pomus All Stars - Work, Little Carrie, Work (2:24)
5. The Sparks Of Rhythm - Woman, Woman, Woman (2:39)
6. Solomon Burke - Why Do Me That Way (2:50)
7. Mr Bear & The Bearcats - Mr Bear Comes To Town (2:05)
8. Varetta Dillard - If (You Want To Be My Baby) (2:17)
9. Roy 'Mr Guitar' Gaines - Dee Dat Dee Dum Dum (2:11)
10. Big Connie - Mumbles Blues (2:23)
11. The Tibbs Brothers - I'm Going Crazy (2:41)
12. The Nitecaps - Bamboo Rock 'N' Roll (2:34)
13. The Cues - Yes Sir! (2:21)
14. Washboard Bill - In The Morning (2:24)
15. The Avons - Our Love Will Never End (2:37)
16. The Willows - Don't Push, Don't Pull, Don't Shove (2:24)
17. Sonny Thompson Orchestra - Gum Shoe (2:42)
18. Mickey & Sylvia - I'm Going Home (2:23)
19. The Nitecaps - Oh! You Sweet Girl (2:08)
20. Sam Price & His Texas Bluesicians - Rib Joint (2:39)
21. Rudy Greene - Juicy Fruit (2:17)
22. Sammy Lowe & His Orchestra - Wail Man Wail (2:44)
23. Rudy Greene - You're The One For Me (2:22)
24. Washboard Bill - Pot Likker (2:44)
25. The Pearls - Ice Cream Baby (2:11)
26. The Five Keys - Handy Andy (2:17)
27. The Twin-Tones - Before You Go (2:45)
28. Big Maybelle - Blues, Early Early (Parts 1 & 2) (4:31)
29. Walter Spriggs - Rack 'Em Back (1:57)
30. The Diamonds - The Stroll (2:30)

CD 3 - Takin' Care Of Business (1958-1961):
1. Joe Turner w. Howard Biggs Orchestra - (We're Gonna) Jump For Joy (2:08)
2. Chuck Willis - Keep A-Driving (2:20)
3. The Strollers - Crowded Classroom (2:10)
4. The Coasters - The Shadow Knows (2:14)
5. The Del-Larks - Lady Love (2:07)
6. Bobby Darin - Keep A Walkin' (1:58)
7. The Bobbettes - Rock And Ree-Ah-Zole (2:29)
8. The Coasters - Yakety Yak (1:56)
9. Pretty Boy w. Lee Simmons Orchestra - Switchen In The Kitchen (2:28)
10. Hutch Davie - In The Mood (2:21)
11. Varetta Dillard w. Sid Bass & His Orchestra - Just Multiply (2:27)
12. The Stone Crushers - Crawfish (2:20)
13. The Arcades - Fine Little Girl (2:30)
14. Ruth Brown w. Howard Biggs Orchestra - This Little Girl's Gone Rockin' (1:48)
15. Waylon Jennings - When Sin Stops (2:10)
16. The Coasters - That Is Rock And Roll (2:26)
17. Bobby Darin - I Ain't Sharin' Sharon (2:14)
18. Neil Sedaka - You Gotta Learn Your Rhythm And Blues (2:20)
19. Bracey Everett - The Lover's Curse (2:15)
20. The Coasters - Charlie Brown (2:22)
21. Waylon Jennings - Jole Blon (1:55)
22. Sammy Turner w. Stan Applebaum Orchestra - Always (2:13)
23. Ruth Brown w. Howard Biggs Orchestra - Takin' Care Of Business (2:21)
24. Neil Sedaka - Stupid Cupid (2:27)
25. The Coasters - Besame Mucho (Part 2) (2:14)
26. Lionel Hampton & His Orchestra - More Juice (3:02)
27. Roy Hamilton - Your Love (2:39)
28. The Strolls Feat. King Curtis - Madisonville (Part 1) (2:13)
29. The Strolls Feat. King Curtis - Madisonville (Part 2) (2:13)
30. The Coasters - Shoppin' For Clothes (2:58)
31. Bobby Lewis w. Joe Rene Orchestra - Tossin' And Turnin' (2:22)
32. The Top Notes w. Teddy Randazzo Orchestra - Hearts Of Stone (2:04)
33. The Shells - Better Forget Him (2:47)
34. Wilbert Harrison - Off To Work Again (2:37)

(For personnel and recording info, see artwork included.)

Wail Man Wail! The Best Of King Curtis 1952-1961 (3 CD) mc
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