Jimmy Nolen - Strollin' With Nolen: Hot Guitar (1953-1962)

Size: 343 MB
Time: 145:02
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2019
Styles: Blues, R&B, Rock
Art: Front


CD 1:
01. New Orleans Hop (2:32)
02. After Dark (2:45)
03. Just A Rockin' (2:30)
04. Blues In The Evening (3:15)
05. Midnight Rider (2:38)
06. Going Back To Kansas City (2:20)
07. I'll Be There (2:35)
08. Slow Freight Back Home (2:52)
09. Let's Try Again (2:27)
10. I Can't Stand You No More (2:46)
11. You've Been Goofing (2:41)
12. Strollin' With Nolen (2:24)
13. Strollin' With Nolen (Alternate Version) (2:25)
14. After Hours (2:39)
15. Here I'm Is (2:08)
16. Wetback Hop (2:22)
17. Wrong Doin' Woman (2:30)
18. Talkin' 'Bout Me (2:33)
19. The Buggy Ride (2:28)
20. I'm Mad With You (2:46)
21. My Little Angel (2:49)
22. Strawberry Jam (3:01)
23. Strawberry Jam (Alternate Take I) (3:12)
24. Strawberry Jam (Alternate Take II) (3:08)
25. Strawberry Jam (Alternate Take III) (3:03)
26. The Lost Train (2:47)
27. Don't Leave Me No More (2:47)
28. Wipe Your Tears (2:54)

CD 2:
01. The Way You Do (2:29)
02. Movin' On Down The Line (2:30)
03. It Hurts Me Too (2:27)
04. How Fine Can You Be (2:17)
05. I'll Be Home To See You Tomorrow Night (2:27)
06. Bad Bad Bulldog (2:44)
07. Hot Diggitty Dog (2:13)
08. Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! (2:57)
09. The Midnite Creeper, Pt. 1 (2:56)
10. The Midnite Creeper, Pt. 2 (2:33)
11. Bring Her Back To Me (2:32)
12. Baby Please Come Home (2:29)
13. Country Home (2:46)
14. What Have I Done Wrong, Pt. 1 (3:04)
15. What Have I Done Wrong, Pt. 2 (3:02)
16. Come On Home (2:29)
17. Jimmy's Jive (3:07)
18. Swingin' Peter Gunn, Pt. 1 (1:53)
19. Weekend Blues (3:01)
20. Times Won't Be Hard Always (2:30)
21. Tight Dress (2:32)
22. Loose Screws (2:28)
23. The Will To Go On (2:18)
24. Sometimes You Win When You Lose (3:00)
25. Come On Home (2:19)
26. You Can't Undo What's Been Done (2:22)
27. Rope That Twist (1:52)

This is possibly the most comprehensive overview of the early career of Jimmy Nolen, one of the most influential guitarists of the 20th Century. Today Nolen's fame rests almost entirely on the innovative work he did as lead guitarist for the James Brown Orchestra between 1965 and his death in 1983. The music magazine 'Mojo' rated Jimmy Nolen No 12 in it's survey of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" some years ago. In this package we are concerned solely with Jimmy Nolen's musical journey until 1961 and over the 55 tracks featured herein you can hear Jimmy's outstanding guitar work on 78s and 45s released under his own name and as a much in demand session guitarist and touring band member with artists like Monte Easter, Johnny Otis and George Smith.

Strollin' With Nolen

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VA - Club Beat: Stirring Up Some Blues (The Original Sound Of UK Club Land)

Size: 147,3 MB
Time: 62:39
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2019
Styles: Blues, R&B, Rock
Art: Front

01 Al Simmons, Slim Green & The Cats From Fresno - Old Folks Boogie (3:00)
02 Smokey Smothers - I Ain't Gonna Be No Monkey Man No More (2:25)
03 Skip Robinson & His Imperials - I Just Can't Wait (2:09)
04 Schoolboy Cleve - She's Gone (2:14)
05 Snooky Pryor - Someone To Love (2:40)
06 The Nightriders - Lookin' For My Baby (2:03)
07 Howlin' Wolf - Poor Boy (2:34)
08 Harmonica Slim - Mary Helen (2:00)
09 Jimmy Nolen - You've Been Goofing (2:41)
10 Dossie Terry - I Got A Watch Dog (2:33)
11 Jimmy Rogers - I Can't Believe (2:46)
12 Little Mac - Times Are Getting Tougher (2:24)
13 Danny Boy - Kokomo Me Baby (2:39)
14 Little Jimmy Ray - You Need To Fall In Love (2:33)
15 Sonny Boy Williams - Alice Mae Blues (2:28)
16 Muddy Waters - Trouble No More (2:41)
17 Magic Sam - Look Whatcha Done (2:08)
18 Little Esther - If It's News To You (2:39)
19 Willie Mae Thornton - Just Like A Dog (Barking Up The Wrong Tree) (2:47)
20 Elmore James - Knocking At Your Door (2:37)
21 Little Walter - Oh Baby (2:46)
22 Mercy Baby - Pleadin' (2:15)
23 Dennis Roberts - Come On (2:19)
24 Bob Reed & His Band - I'm Leaving You (2:36)
25 Little Joe Hinton - My Love Is Real (2:26)

WELCOME to the latest instalment of our "Adventures in UK Club Land" exploring the "Club Beat" - the roots of R&B, Ska, Gospel, Jazz, Soul, Mod and, in this chapter, BLUES. THE BLUES evolved in the late eighteen hundreds from a melting pot of homespun black music performed to small audiences across the American South. It wasn't until the 1920s, after the migration to cities such as Chicago that the genre was christened the Blues, a term initiated by the record industry, designed to appeal to a black audience. The blues continues to evolve today and, like it's original counterparts, gospel, jazz and R&B, it plays a leading role in popular music, the roots of which can be heard in our unique 25-track compilation.

Club Beat: Stirring Up Some Blues

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VA - Mighty Instrumentals R&B Style 1959

Size: 172,9+178,5 MB
Time: 72:59+75:21
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Blues, R&B
Art: Front

CD 1:
01 Floyd Dixon - Let's Go Smitty (2:23)
02 Bo Diddley - Mumblin' Guitar (2:47)
03 Tommy Ridgley - Real Gone Jam (2:18)
04 The Gondoliers - Knocked Out (2:39)
05 The Carter Bros - Pacoima Stomp (2:16)
06 Gus Jenkins - Cutting Out (2:48)
07 Paul Gayten - Hot Cross Buns (2:30)
08 Mary Lou Williams Trio - Chunk-A-Lunk Jug, Pt. 1 (2:13)
09 Mary Lou Williams Trio - Chunk-A-Lunk Jug, Pt. 2 (2:15)
10 James Brown - Mashed Potatoes (3:15)
11 Nat Kendrick & The Swans - Mashed Potatoes, Pt. 2 (1:49)
12 The Swinging Earls - Yum Yum (2:45)
13 Garland Davis - Sweet Meats (2:49)
14 Herb Hardesty & The Rhythm Rollers - Perdido Street (2:33)
15 Mac Rebennack - Storm Warning (3:19)
16 Royal Earl & The Swingin' Kools - Royal Earl Shuffle (2:21)
17 Spot Barnett - Boney Shuffle (2:21)
18 King Curtis - Soul Groove, Pt. 1 (2:18)
19 King Curtis - Soul Groove, Pt. 2 (2:39)
20 Lefty Bates - Rock Alley (2:35)
21 The Bim Bam Boos - Can't Sit Down (2:37)
22 Sam Price & His All Stars - Boogie Cha Cha (2:37)
23 Cozy Cole - Cozy's Mambo (2:30)
24 Ernie Freeman - Live It Up (1:54)
25 Doc Starkes & His Nite Riders - Talk To Me Baby (2:20)
26 Buddy Johnson - Down Yonder (3:10)
27 Jimmy Nolen - Swingin' Peter Gunn, Pt. 1 (1:42)
28 Jimmy Nolen - Swingin' Peter Gunn, Pt. 2 (2:05)
29 Gene Redd & The Globe Trotters - Zeen Beat (2:59)

CD 2:
01 Memphis Slim - Steppin' Out (2:00)
02 Buster Brown - The Madison Shuffle (2:33)
03 The Carter Bros - Voodoo Cha Cha (1:51)
04 Doc Starkes & His Nite Riders - Night Ridin' (2:25)
05 Willie Dixon & Memphis Slim - Slim's Thing (3:26)
06 Ike Turner - Ho Ho (2:29)
07 Howlin' Wolf - Wolf In The Mood (2:18)
08 Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown - Swingin' The Gate (2:47)
09 Chuck Berry - Blue On Blue (3:02)
10 Elmore James - Bobby's Rock (2:11)
11 Little Boyd - Harmonica Rock (1:51)
12 Bo Diddley - Diddling (2:13)
13 Gus Jenkins - Spanky (2:41)
14 Royal Earl & The Swinging Kools - Talkin' Guitar, Pt. 2 (Edit) (2:06)
15 Cliff Davis & The Turbo-Jets - Let It Roll, Pt. 1 (2:13)
16 Cliff Davis & The Turbo-Jets - Let It Roll, Pt. 2 (2:32)
17 Jimmy Nolen - Blues After Hours (2:36)
18 Lefty Bates - E N A (2:30)
19 (Eddie) Clear Waters - A-Minor Cha-Cha (3:05)
20 Jerry McCain - Steady (2:03)
21 Nick & The Jaguars - Cool And Crazy (2:14)
22 Ernie Freeman - Night Sounds (2:19)
23 Herb Hardesty - Beatin' And Blowin' (2:14)
24 Sammy Price & Rock Band - Honky Tonk Caboose (2:47)
25 Louis Brooks & His Hi-Toppers - Rollin' Home (2:21)
26 Bill Doggett - Backwards, Pt. 1 (3:17)
27 Bill Doggett - Backwards, Pt. 2 (3:28)
28 Harmonica George - Sputnik Music (2:15)
29 Walter J. Westbrook & His Phantom 5 - Midnight Jump (2:29)
30 Paul Gayten - The Hunch (2:49)

1960 may have been the big year for Instrumentals, but back in 1959, several white instrumentals acts were already making a dent in the pop charts, among them the Virtues, the Rebels, the Rock-A-Teens and the Fireballs. Duane Eddy had broken through in 58 but in 1959 he had no less than seven singles on the Hot 100. Johnny & the Hurricanes had their first success this year with three big hits. Black artists, however, had less mainstream success. Jimmy Beck sneaked in at #82 for two weeks with Pipe Dreams, Larry Kerrin s The Hunch was a hit for both Paul Gayten and the Bobby Peterson Quintet; Bill Doggett had three discs in the R&B charts but apart from a couple of organ hits for Preston Epps and Dave Baby Cortez, that was it for R&B instrumentals chart-wise. If you re knocked out by what you hear from 1959, just wait till you find out what was on offer in 1960 and 1961.

Mighty Instrumentals R&B Style 1959

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Pete 'Guitar' Lewis, Jimmy Nolen, Cal Green - Scratchin'

Size: 139,9 MB
Time: 58:43
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1991
Styles: Blues, R&B
Art: Full

01. Jimmy Nolen - Strollin' With Nolen (2:31)
02. Pete Lewis - Louisiana Hop (2:34)
03. Jimmy Nolen - How Fine Can You Be (2:17)
04. Pete Lewis - Scratchin' (2:41)
05. Jimmy Nolen - Been Goofin' (2:40)
06. Pete Lewis - Crying With The Rising Sun (3:06)
07. Jimmy Nolen - The Way You Do (2:28)
08. Cal Green - The Big Push (2:32)
09. Pete Lewis - Raggedy Blues (2:23)
10. Jimmy Nolen - I Can't Stand You No More (2:43)
11. Jimmy Nolen - After Hours (2:39)
12. Pete Lewis - Harmonica Boogie (2:48)
13. Jimmy Nolen - Don't Leave Me No More (2:46)
14. Pete Lewis - Chocolate Pork Chop Man (2:53)
15. Jimmy Nolen - Wipe Your Tears (2:52)
16. Cal Green - Green's Blues (2:45)
17. Jimmy Nolen - It Hurts Me Too (2:27)
18. Jimmy Nolen - Strollin' With Nolen (2:25)
19. Pete Lewis - The Blast (2:51)
20. Jimmy Nolen - Strawberry Jam (2:59)
21. Pete Lewis - Ooh Midnight (2:46)
22. Jimmy Nolen - Movin' On Down The Line (2:27)

Thanks to MarcFr
Scratchin' MP3
Scratchin' FLAC

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VA - West Coast Guitar 1946-1956

Size: 166,6+164,6+166,1+163,5 MB
Time: 69:19+68:26+69:05+67:58
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: West Coast Blues
Label: JSP Records
Art: Front

CD 1:
01. Johnny Otis - Boogie Guitar (2:33)
02. Pee Wee Crayton - Don't Ever Fall In Love (2:57)
03. Gene Phillips - Big Legs (2:56)
04. Jimmy Nolen - Strawberry Jam (Take 1) (3:10)
05. Monte Easter - Slow Freight Back Home (2:39)
06. James Reed & Lafayette Thomas - Roughest Place In Town (Tin Pan Alley) (2:59)
07. Johnny Otis & His Orchestra - Goomp Blues (2:50)
08. Lloyd Glenn - Rampart Street Jump (Fried Chicken Boogie) (Hep Cat Shuffle) (3:05)
09. Pee Wee Crayton - Bounce Pee Wee (2:53)
10. Tiny Webb - Tiny's Down Home (2:58)
11. Jimmy Nolen - You've Been Goofing (2:37)
12. Lafayette Thomas - Weekend Blues (Take 1) (3:04)
13. Pee Wee Crayton - Brand New Woman (2:46)
14. Johnny Otis - New Orleans Shuffle (2:39)
15. Gene Phillips - Slippin' And Slidin' (2:24)
16. Pee Wee Crayton - Texas Hop (3:04)
17. James Reed & Lafayette Thomas - My Mama Told Me (2:43)
18. Willie 'Bo' Thomas - Bos Boogie (2:28)
19. Monte Easter - New Orleans Hop (2:24)
20. Gene Phillips - I Wonder What The Poor Folks Are Doin' (2:42)
21. Pee Wee Crayton - Rockin' The Blues (2:30)
22. Jerry Thomas - Don't Have To Worry Aka Jumpin' In The Heart Of Town (2:42)
23. Johnny Otis - Doggin' Blues (3:08)
24. Pete 'Guitar' Lewis - Raggedy Blues (2:20)
25. Pee Wee Crayton - Poppa Stoppa (2:37)

CD 2:
01. Jimmy McCracklin & His Blues Blasters - Blues Blasters' Shuffle (3:02)
02. Pee Wee Crayton - Central Avenue Blues (2:40)
03. Jimmy Nolen - Wipe Your Tears (2:49)
04. Johnny Otis - Hangover Blues (2:50)
05. Gene Phillips & His Rhythm Aces - Punkin' Head Woman (2:32)
06. Jimmy Wilson - Tin Pan Alley (3:05)
07. Pee Wee Crayton - Pappy's Blues (2:31)
08. Pete 'Guitar' Lewis - Crying With The Rising Sun (3:03)
09. Gene Phillips - Honky Tonk Train (2:33)
10. Jimmy Nolen - It Hurts Me Too (2:24)
11. Pee Wee Crayton - Blues After Hours (3:04)
12. Lloyd Glenn - Midnight Boogie (2:36)
13. Gene Phillips - Stinkin' Drunk (2:59)
14. Monte Easter - Blues In The Evening (3:13)
15. Pete 'Guitar' Lewis - Louisiana Hop (2:31)
16. Pee Wee Crayton - Crying And Walking (3:00)
17. Jimmy Wilson & Lafayette Thomas - Big Town Jump (2:12)
18. Jimmy Nolen - Strollin' With Nolen (Take 1) (2:22)
19. James Reed - My Love Is Real (2:52)
20. Lloyd Glenn - Levee Blues (2:49)
21. Pee Wee Crayton - Tired Of Travelin' (2:42)
22. Lafayette Thomas - Weekly Blues (2:33)
23. Jimmy Nolen - I Can't Stand You No More (Alternate Take) (2:40)
24. Pee Wee Crayton - Fillmore Street Blues (2:13)
25. Johnny Otis - Head Hunter (3:01)

CD 3:
01. Pee Wee Crayton - Huckle Boogie (2:32)
02. Johnny Otis - Midnight In The Barrelhouse (3:03)
03. Jimmy Nolen - Strawberry Jam (Take 3) (3:05)
04. Gene Phillips - You Cant Come Back Home (2:29)
05. Jimmy McCracklin & His Blues Blasters - Standing In The Back Door Crying (3:16)
06. Pee Wee Crayton - Louella Brown (3:19)
07. Johnny Otis - Freight Train Boogie (2:31)
08. Monte Easter & Jimmy Nolen - Midnight Rider (2:36)
09. Gene Phillips - Honky Tonk Train (2:55)
10. Pee Wee Crayton - Forgive Me (2:45)
11. Jimmy Nolen - How Fine Can You Be (2:13)
12. Lafayette Thomas - Deep South Guitar Blues (3:03)
13. Pete 'Guitar' Lewis - Scratchin' (2:37)
14. Gene Phillips - Ramblin' Woman (3:19)
15. Jimmy McCracklin & His Blues Blasters - I Wanna Make Love To You (2:25)
16. Pee Wee Crayton - I'm Your Prisoner (3:02)
17. Jimmy Wilson - Big Town Jump (2:39)
18. Jimmy Nolen - The Way You Do (2:25)
19. Gene Phillips - To Each His Own Brother (2:54)
20. Willie 'Bo' Thomas - I Don't Know What's Happening Baby (2:33)
21. Pete 'Guitar' Lewis - Ooh Midnight (2:43)
22. Jimmy McCracklin & Lafayette Thomas - Take A Chance (2:52)
23. Jimmy Nolen - After Hours (2:36)
24. Pee Wee Crayton - Good Little Woman (2:30)
25. Gene Phillips - Crying Wont Help You None (2:30)

CD 4:
01. Lafayette Thomas - The Thing (2:11)
02. Johnny Otis - One Nighter Blues (2:46)
03. Pee Wee Crayton - Dedicated To The Blues (3:01)
04. Gene Phillips & His Orchestra - Women, Women, Women (2:49)
05. Jimmy Nolen - Strollin' With Nolen (2:22)
06. Lafayette Thomas - Weekend Blues (Take 2) (3:05)
07. Johnny Otis - Ain't Nothin' Shakin' (2:25)
08. Pee Wee Crayton - Answer To Blues After Hours (2:59)
09. Gene Phillips - Big Fat Mama (2:42)
10. James Reed & Lafayette Thomas - You Better Hold Me (2:32)
11. Pete 'Guitar' Lewis - Chocolate Pork Chop Man (2:50)
12. Jimmy McCracklin - Southside Mood (2:51)
13. Pee Wee Crayton - California Woman (3:21)
14. Johnny Otis - Honky Tonk Boogie (2:47)
15. Jimmy Nolen - Strawberry Jam (2:54)
16. Gene Phillips & His Rhythm Aces - Fatso (2:26)
17. Jimmy McCracklin & Lafayette Thomas - Beer Tavern (2:51)
18. Pee Wee Crayton - Crayton's Blues (2:51)
19. Jimmy Nolen - Let's Try It Again (2:21)
20. Johnny Otis & Pete 'Guitar' Lewis - You Got Me Cryin' (2:55)
21. Gene Phillips - Hey Lawdy Mama (2:48)
22. Jimmy Nolen - Don't Leave Me No More (2:43)
23. Pee Wee Crayton - Blues For My Baby (2:35)
24. Jimmy Wilson - Instrumental Jump (2:11)
25. Gene Phillips - Big Bug Boogie (2:30)

West Coast guitar skills were hugely influential in the development of blues- and rock-guitar. The popular dictum was that T-Bone Walker was the sole source of inspiration but the men that succeeded him, including Pete 'Guitar' Lewis, Jimmy Nolen and Robert Kelton, created a leaner, meaner blues-based style that had a wider appeal. Like Walker, Gene Phillips straddled the line between jazz and blues, as well as being a gifted lap-steel player. In fact, the only man to closely emulate Walker was Pee Wee Crayton. Beyond all speculation is one fact: those West Coast artists produced a fine body of work, which has been insufficiently acknowledged or celebrated. Listen. This is a group of artists dead-set on entertaining - and on demonstrating their considerable artistry.

West Coast Guitar 1946-1956 CD 1
West Coast Guitar 1946-1956 CD 2
West Coast Guitar 1946-1956 CD 3
West Coast Guitar 1946-1956 CD 4

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Various Artists - Honky Tonk! The King & Federal R&B Instrumentals

Year: 2000
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s (from Flac)
Time: 64:24
Size: 149,1 MB
Styles: R&B
Scans: Full

1. Bill Doggett - Honky Tonk (Part 1) (3:08)
2. Bill Doggett - Honky Tonk (Part 2) (2:35)
3. Freddy King - Hide Away (2:37)
4. Todd Rhodes Orchestra - Blues For The Red Boy (2:41)
5. Earl Bostic & His Orchestra - Flamingo (2:42)
6. Sonny Thompson w. The Sharps & Flats - Long Gone (Part 1) (2:46)
7. Sonny Thompson w. The Sharps & Flats - Long Gone (Part 2) (2:56)
8. Washboard Bill w. Mickey Baker & King Curtis - Pot Likker (2:43)
9. Cal Green & His Orchestra - The Big Push (2:31)
10. Jimmy Nolen - After Hours (2:39)
11. Bill Doggett - Slow Walk (2:33)
12. Freddy King - San-Ho-Zay (2:38)
13. Washboard Bill w. Mickey Baker & King Curtis - Washboard Story (2:26)
14. Johnny Otis w. Johnny 'Guitar' Watson - Early In The Morning Blues (3:03)
15. Cal Green & His Orchestra - Green's Blues (2:44)
16. Roy Gaines - Gainesville (3:02)
17. Jimmy Nolen - Strollin' With Nolen (2:24)
18. Washboard Bill w. Mickey Baker & King Curtis - In The Morning (2:23)
19. Young John Watson - Space Guitar (2:38)
20. Pete 'Guitar' Lewis - Louisiana Hop (2:33)
21. Washboard Bill w. Mickey Baker & King Curtis - River Boat Dock (2:39)
22. Johnny Otis w. Johnny 'Guitar' Watson - Let's Rock (Let's Surf Awhile) (2:08)
23. Freddy King - The Stumble (3:12)
24. Bill Doggett - Hold It (2:32)

With Bill Doggett and Freddy King alone, the King/Federal labels had two of the most popular and significant instrumental R&B/rock hitmakers of the 1950s and early '60s. Both are represented by their most popular instrumental tracks (four by Doggett, three by King) here. But this compilation, assembling 24 instrumentals from 1948-1964, also demonstrates that King/Federal was quite active in the instrumental R&B field beyond its work with those two artists. In many of the 24 cuts (particularly the earliest ones), the label mined R&B/jazz crossover sounds with a smoky barroom flavor.

Giving the sleeve a casual glance, most would assume that the material for the most part flopped upon release, but actually a few of these were big (if virtually forgotten) R&B hits, like Todd Rhodes' "Blues for the Red Boy" (from 1948), Earl Bostic's effervescent "Flamingo" (from 1951), and Sonny Thompson's shuffling "Long Gone" (1948), a groundbreaker in that it not only sat atop the R&B charts for a long time but also made the pop Top 30. Beyond that, things do get rather generic, even though there are some relatively big names like Mickey Baker and King Curtis (heard backing Washboard Bill) and future James Brown sideman Jimmy Nolen (who shines on blues guitar on the 1956 single "After Hours"/"Strollin' With Nolen").

There's no denying, however, that Doggett's massive and classic "Honky Tonk" (parts one and two are both here) and King's snazzy blues guitar instrumentals are easily the most worthwhile items on board. There is, however, one other great cut: Johnny "Guitar" Watson's astonishingly futuristic 1954 workout "Space Guitar" (released under the billing Young John Watson), one of the great relatively obscure classics of the mid-'50s. /Richie Unterberger, AllMusic

Honky Tonk! The King & Federal R&B Instrumentals mc
Honky Tonk! The King & Federal R&B Instrumentals zippy

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Jimmy Nolen - The Rhythm & Blues Years

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 50:15
Size: 115.0 MB
Styles: R&B
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[2:56] 1. Strawberry Jam
[2:25] 2. Come On Home
[2:27] 3. Movin' On Down The Line
[2:38] 4. You've Been Goofing
[3:01] 5. I Used To Love A Woman
[2:41] 6. Strangest Blues
[2:14] 7. How Fine Can You Be
[2:28] 8. Strollin' With Nolen [alt.]
[2:52] 9. Wipe Your Tears
[2:24] 10. Strollin' With Nolen
[2:25] 11. Let's Try Again
[2:25] 12. The Way You Do
[3:06] 13. Jimmy's Jive
[2:24] 14. It Hurts Me Too
[2:40] 15. I Can't Stand You No More
[2:37] 16. After Hours
[2:47] 17. The Lost Train
[2:43] 18. Don't Leave Me No More
[2:51] 19. Slow Freight Back Home

b. 3 April 1934, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA, d. 18 December 1983, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. The inventor of the ‘Chicken Scratch’ and thus the father of funk guitar, Nolen was the archetypal sideman who also had a fitful solo recording career. After learning the violin, he took up the guitar at 14, inspired by T-Bone Walker. Singer Jimmy Wilson saw him in a Tulsa club and brought him back to Los Angeles, where Nolen began his recording career backing trumpeter Monte Easter and Chuck Higgins, and under his own name for John Fullbright’s Elko label. In the autumn of 1956, he recorded three sessions for Federal, from which six singles were released to little effect. During this time, he also worked with Johnny Otis, playing on many sessions for Otis’ Dig label and recording some sides of his own. He remained with Otis for a couple of years and played on ‘Ma, He’s Making Eyes At Me’ and ‘Willie And The Hand Jive’.

In 1959, Nolen signed with Specialty Records subsidiary Fidelity, from which just one single emerged. Much of the early 60s was spent backing harmonica player George Smith before joining James Brown’s band, where in February 1965 his guitar licks became the defining element of ‘Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag’. Apart from a two-year break between 1970 and 1972, when he played with Maceo And The King’s Men, Nolen remained with Brown for the rest of his career, which ended suddenly with a fatal heart attack while the band was in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Rhythm & Blues Years mc
The Rhythm & Blues Years zippy

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