Search - Cleveland Crochet :: Cleveland Crochet & Sugar Bees

The music isn't bad, it's everything else

Audio Obscurica | Spectrum of Sound | 08/10/2006

(1 out of 5 stars)

"This album is a very good recording, but I give it 1 star less because of the overdubbing and the dogdy product presented here.

This release, with identical track listing, was previously issued as "The Great Shorty LeBlanc". Why, may you ask, did it appear under another artists name? Answer: LeBlanc was the accordianist on these recordings. When he passed away, Eddie Shuler, label head at Goldband, "cashed in" on his death by reissuing the "Cleveland Crochet and Sugar Bees" album under his name. Truth is, this album is not an "album" so to speak, but a collection of recordings by Cleveland Crochet and the Hillbilly Ramblers, Jay Stutes and The Sugar Bees, and Shorty LeBlanc and The Sugar Bees. There is no indication on the packaging of what is what. To make matters worse, the "addition" is the obtrusive bass overdubbing Eddie Shuler chose to do. But anyway...

Cleveland Crochet produced the single which provided guiding light on the direction of Louisiana's music. "Sugar Bee", released in 1961, managed to sneak into the #80 slot on the Billboard pop chart. If you liked that single, you are bound to find something here you like. Since this is the only disc on these musicians you pretty much have no alternative but to get this for a chance to hear them. An un-dubbed version of "Sugar Bee" is available, readily on Rhino Records "Alligator Stomp" disc."