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7"
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ROJ 118EP
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"Founded in 1963, Rojac Records was Jack Taylor's attempt to capture the musical pulse of Harlem. Throughout the '60s (and into the '80s) the imprint released a steady stream of releases. Whether they were hits or near hits they're all exceptional in quality. Now select Rojac (and sister label Tay-Ster) singles are once again available for a limited time. First up in the series; Big Maybelle's 1967 offering 'Quittin' Time' with 'I Can't Wait Any Longer' on the B-Side."
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2LP
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RO 159LP
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Double LP version. " It had been a full decade since mountainous blues belter Big Maybelle had found her way onto the R&B hit parade when Jack Taylor's Harlem-based Rojac Records restored her to national prominence in 1966. It hadn't been an easy decade for Maybelle, but little about her life resembled a cakewalk. She'd waged a long struggle with heroin addiction and suffered from diabetes. But those physical maladies failed to silence her fabulous pipes. You could always tell it was Maybelle singing, four bars or less into any of her classic platters. She had a curious burr in her voice and a touching vulnerability. It was particularly acute on the smoky after-hours blues ballads that were her specialty from the early 1950s on. Maybelle could rock the house, make no mistake; she cut 'Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On' long before a cocky young piano pounder from Ferriday, Louisiana latched onto it and made it his eternal signature theme. But she could absolutely tear your heart out on the slower stuff. The woman clearly knew what pain was all about. Rojac was the last label Maybelle recorded for. In search of that elusive hit that would relaunch her career, Taylor gave her some of the most challenging material she ever tackled, stuff miles outside her wheelhouse. That she actually squeaked onto the pop charts in early 1967 with a soulful rendering of ? & the Mysterians' garage rock anthem '96 Tears,' even as the original was falling off that very same hit parade, was a truly remarkable achievement, testifying to her uncommon resiliency."
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CD
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RO 159CD
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" It had been a full decade since mountainous blues belter Big Maybelle had found her way onto the R&B hit parade when Jack Taylor's Harlem-based Rojac Records restored her to national prominence in 1966. It hadn't been an easy decade for Maybelle, but little about her life resembled a cakewalk. She'd waged a long struggle with heroin addiction and suffered from diabetes. But those physical maladies failed to silence her fabulous pipes. You could always tell it was Maybelle singing, four bars or less into any of her classic platters. She had a curious burr in her voice and a touching vulnerability. It was particularly acute on the smoky after-hours blues ballads that were her specialty from the early 1950s on. Maybelle could rock the house, make no mistake; she cut 'Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On' long before a cocky young piano pounder from Ferriday, Louisiana latched onto it and made it his eternal signature theme. But she could absolutely tear your heart out on the slower stuff. The woman clearly knew what pain was all about. Rojac was the last label Maybelle recorded for. In search of that elusive hit that would relaunch her career, Taylor gave her some of the most challenging material she ever tackled, stuff miles outside her wheelhouse. That she actually squeaked onto the pop charts in early 1967 with a soulful rendering of ? & the Mysterians' garage rock anthem '96 Tears,' even as the original was falling off that very same hit parade, was a truly remarkable achievement, testifying to her uncommon resiliency." Digipak with 24-page booklet.
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7"
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FRY 009EP
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A well-placed RnB reissue which cheekily pairs two of the gems from Big Maybelle's '50s recordings for the Okeh label. "I've Got A Feelin'" has proven rather difficult to track down, especially on its 45rpm format. With congas, swinging horn patterns and Maybelle's dread-drenched vocals, this is one of those tracks that cuts through genres. "Ocean Of Tears" is a true rhythm and blues masterpiece. A deep gospel feel is offset by a swinging rhythm, while Maybelle's gut-wrenching vocal is the blues encapsulated.
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