Rhythmtown-Jive - 2 albums: Analog Travelog / Retrogroove Artifact

RHYTHMTOWN-JIVE is an exciting American roots combo featuring accomplished San Francisco Bay Area musicians recognized nationally for their versatility and outstanding skill. With rich vocal harmonies and tasty saxophone-based instrumentals, they offer infectious dance music, delivering inventive, original '40s and '50s influenced rhythm & blues, zydeco, jump-swing, rock & roll and New Orleans gems. They have a deep sense of the feel and mechanics of the essential grooves of these American roots styles. As a back-up group they are in demand and recognized as journeymen in their field, having worked with, among others: Bo Diddley, Big Joe Turner, Johnnie Johnson, Earl King, Robert Ward, Long John Hunter and New Orleans rock & roll sax innovator Lee Allen. They were the featured house band at the 15th annual Sacramento Blues Festival. The RJs are fronted by Tim Eschliman (founding member of the Christmas Jug Band), vocalist and bassist, who was formerly with Etta James, Commander Cody, and the Moonlighters, whose "Rush Hour" release was produced by Nick Lowe.

Following a fascination with the era of transition from '40s & '50s rhythm & blues to rock & roll, Rhythmtown-Jive is the Bay Area's leading proponent of American roots dance music, featuring driving and syncopated counter-rhythms the feet cannot deny. The "RJ"s, Formerly Five Guys Named Mo, have a refreshing repertoire which goes beyond the typical rehashed "top 40" music of yesterday usually associated with R&B dance bands. In addition to their original numbers, the members of the group draw from a well of obscure and unusual post-world war II saturday night rave-ups and moody relief numbers that offer something different for the dance-inclined public: Louis Jordan & his Tympani Five, Big Joe Turner, Hank Ballard & the Midnighters, Big Jay McNeely, Clyde McPhatter, Freddie King, Lee Allen, Clifton Chenier, Maceo Parker, Jimmy Reed, Louis Armstrong, Huey "Piano" Smith & the Clowns, Roy Brown, Thurston Harris, Ray Charles, the Meters, Smiley Lewis, Paul Gayten, King Curtis, Sonny Thompson, James "Wee" Willie Wayne, Ella Mae Morse, Lil Millet, Will Bradley, Ray McKinley & Bill Doggett.

Album: Analog Travelog
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:49
Size: 109.5 MB
Styles: R&B, Jump blues
Year: 1994
Art: Front

[3:10] 1. Magnatone
[3:41] 2. You Better Believe It
[3:48] 3. Have You Heard
[3:49] 4. Hurry Babe
[5:27] 5. Jump Star
[4:45] 6. Rich Woman
[3:35] 7. Go West
[3:03] 8. The Sweeper
[3:11] 9. If You Believe
[4:05] 10. New Groove Unit
[3:20] 11. Let The Boogie Woogie Roll
[5:49] 12. State Of Mind

Analog Travelog mc
Analog Travelog zippy

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Album: Retrogroove Artifact
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:16
Size: 85.3 MB
Styles: R&B,Jump blues
Year: 1991
Art: Front

[3:50] 1. Down At The Edge Of Town
[2:53] 2. Went To The City
[4:49] 3. Motorfy
[3:44] 4. Boppin' At The Hop
[3:41] 5. Everywhere Honey Goes Money Goes
[2:32] 6. Big Daddy
[3:15] 7. All Tore Up
[5:11] 8. The Things You Do
[3:10] 9. Johnny Nocturne
[4:07] 10. Jump Jive An' Wail

Retrogroove Artifact mc
Retrogroove Artifact zippy

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Rhythmtown-Jive - On The Main Stem

Size: 131,8 MB
Time: 56:19
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1998
Styles: Piano Blues, Jump Blues
Art: Front

01. Kidd Jordan's Second Line (4:08)
02. Take It Easy Baby (Feat. Johnnie Johnson) (5:24)
03. Blues Hotel (Feat. Johnnie Johnson) (4:05)
04. Headin' Home (Feat. Johnnie Johnson) (5:30)
05. Mighty Fine Day (5:04)
06. That Was Then, This Is Now (4:23)
07. Jet Stream (Feat. Johnnie Johnson) (3:50)
08. Johnnie's Idea (Feat. Johnnie Johnson) (5:46)
09. Twilight Blue (5:00)
10. Somebody Told You (3:55)
11. Slow Drag (Feat. Johnnie Johnson) (5:39)
12. Boogie Woogie (Feat. Johnnie Johnson) (3:29)

A house band mainstay on the Bay Area circuit, Rhythmtown Jive's third album enlivens their Second Line New Orleans strut with a strong blues base at its core with solid guest piano work from Johnnie Johnson on seven tracks, who also wrote them. The album also features guest cameos from R&B siren Rahni Raines, Steve Freund on guitar and a full horn section blasting its way into creation. Johnson shines on "Slow Drag" and the band does their "Nawlins" thing on the opener "Kidd Jordan's Second Line" and "Mighty Fine Day." The instrumentals "Blues Hotel," "Jet Stream" and the closer "Boogie Woogie" (a true showcase for Johnson's stride work) are still this band's meat, however, and this disc gives a strong indication of why this band is so often the backing group for visiting blues and R&B stars who need a top flight band behind them. ~Review by Cub Koda

Thanks to Marc.
On The Main Stem

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