KING OF NEW ORLEANS ROCK 'N' ROLL
Stuart Jefferson | San Diego,Ca | 05/13/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Four discs 50,49,49,47 minutes each approximately. The sound is warm and immediate. Because of the era which these sides were recorded,the vocals and other instruments tend to bleed into each other slightly,which,in this instance,is very appealing sounding. The accompanying booklet is (as usual for Proper Records) informative,with information on the songs and the recording era.
This set confirms what I have always thought to be true-that Fats Domino really is part of the foundation of r&r,not just a minor player. The combination of his piano,the wailing saxophones,and the arrangements can be heard in r&r music that came after Domino.
These tracks were all recorded in the years 1949-1957,just when r&r was rearing it's head up from the combination of blues and r&b. Domino's backing band during these years was fairly consistent (especially the rhythm section) which helped solidify his sound. Besides Domino's vocals and piano,there was always,at least,a saxophone or two,which in the style of the day,would take a solo mid-way through the tune. Occasionally a guitar solo would substitute for the horn,which helped pave the way toward the r&r format we all know. It's interesting that even the slower numbers seem to roll along with a steady beat,which keeps the music (and the listener's interest) from flagging. It helped,too,that the majority of these tracks were recorded in New Orleans,which helped define Domino's style. It wasn't until 1953 that Domino recorded some tracks in Hollywood,and even then he used basically the same band members and configuration in the studio. Interspersed throughout this collection are several instrumentals,which will be a revelation to those listeners (listen to FAT'S FRENZY) who only know Domino by his "hits". Speaking of which,there are quite a few that anyone who has listened to radio (even today) will recognize. Songs such as THE FATMAN,AIN'T IT A SHAME,BLUE MONDAY,MY BLUE HEAVEN,BLUEBERRY HILL,and I'M WALKIN',are just some of the classics found here. However,that's only the beginning. There are plenty of hidden gems here to be discovered. This proves my point about Fats Domino being part of the foundation of r&r. There seems to be something about Domino's music that mark them of their time,yet make them timeless. That's the mark of good music."
Track Listings (21) - Disc #1