LaVern Baker - Soul on Fire: The Best of LaVern Baker

One of r&b's earliest divas, LaVern Baker could grab hold of a song and belt it out with the best of them, whether she was singing bouncy, up-tempo rock & roll or bluesy torch ballads. Baker's contributions to the rockin' and rollin' wing of '50s r&b were in a class with Atlantic labelmates Ruth Brown and the Clyde McPhatter-era Drifters, as the stellar 20-track compilation Soul on Fire: The Best of LaVern Baker proves. Baker had a muscular delivery and a commanding personality on record, so much so that her ravishing visual appeal wasn't even necessary (though it certainly didn't hurt). Here she bellows and growls her way through rock & roll standards like "Tweedlee Dee" (her first big hit), the oft-covered "Jim Dandy" (her only r&b chart-topper), and "See See Rider," not to mention Leiber & Stoller's gospel pastiche "Saved." But Baker was equally powerful on her slow numbers, turning in positively smoldering performances on the classics "Soul on Fire," "Play It Fair," "I Cried a Tear" (her biggest pop hit), and "I Waited Too Long," among others. Baker isn't as much of a household name as she probably ought to be, but Soul on Fire is required listening for anyone interested in the first waves of r&b and rock & roll. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide

Name Credits Abie Baker Bass Ahmet Ertegun Executive Producer, Producer Al Caiola Guitar Al Sears Sax (Tenor) Alan Sokoloff Choir, Chorus Allen Hanlon Guitar Ben E. King Performer, ? Bert Keyes Piano Billy Johnson Sax (Alto), Sax (Tenor) Bob Defrin Art Direction Bucky Pizzarelli Guitar Budd Johnson Sax (Baritone), Sax (Alto) Buddy Lucas Sax (Tenor) Carl Lynch Guitar Chuck Sagle Conductor, Arranger, Choir, Chorus Connie Kay Drums Dave McRae Sax (Tenor) Dave Vogel Choir, Chorus Dick Vance Trumpet Doc Severinsen Trumpet Don McLeod Choir, Chorus Doug Allan Marimba Doug Allen Marimba Ed "Buck" Barnes Choir, Chorus Eddie Costa Vibraphone Elise Bretton Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus Emmett Berry Trumpet Ernie Freeman Piano, Arranger, Conductor Ernie Hayes Organ, Piano Everett Barksdale Guitar Freddie Mitchell Sax (Tenor) Gary Chester Drums Gene Lowell Choir, Chorus Gene Redd Conductor, Arranger Gene Steck Choir, Chorus Hank Jones Piano Harry "Sweets" Edison Trumpet Harry Breuer Xylophone, Choir, Chorus Haywood Henry Flute, Sax (Baritone) Howard Biggs Piano, Conductor, Arranger Irving Ashby Guitar Jerry Graff Choir, Chorus, Vocals (Background) Jerry Packer Choir, Chorus Jerry Wexler Producer Jesse Stone Conductor, Arranger Jimmy Lewis Guitar Joe Comfort Bass Joe Richardson Guitar John Anderson Trumpet Joseph Marshall Drums King Curtis Sax (Tenor) LaVern Baker Vocals Lawrence Brown Trombone Léon Cohen Sax (Alto) Lilton Mitchell Organ Lloyd Trotman Bass Malcolm Dodds Choir, Chorus Marcia Neil Choir, Chorus Marilyn Palmer Choir, Chorus Martínez, José Conga Michael Mazzarella ?, Research Coordination Mickey Baker Guitar, Organ Mike Stewart Choir, Chorus Mike Stoller Piano Milt Hinton Bass Moe Wechsler Piano Mundell Lowe Guitar Neil Sedaka Guitar Panama Francis Drums Paul Griffin Piano Phil Bodner Reeds Phil Kraus Marimba Phil Spector Guitar Pinky Williams Sax (Baritone) Plas Johnson Sax (Tenor) Ray Ellis Arranger, Conductor Ray Martinez Drums, Choir, Chorus Reggie Obrecht Conductor, Arranger, Piano Richard Williams Vocals (Background) Romeo Penque Reeds Rudy Powell Sax (Alto) Russ Saunders Bass Sam "The Man" Taylor Sax (Tenor) Shad Collins Trumpet Stan Applebaum Conductor, Arranger Stephen Innocenzi Remastering, Digital Remastering Steve Berrios Percussion Sticks Evans Drums (Bass), Drums Sylvester Payne Drums Taft Jordan Trumpet The Gliders Choir, Chorus, Vocals Thomas Bricker Design Todd Sommer Drums Tom Dowd Engineer Urbie Green Trombone Wally Richardson Guitar Wendell Marshall Bass Winfield Scott Choir, Chorus, Vocals (Background) Yves Beauvais Reissue Producer, Producer