Big Joe Turner - Boss of the Blues

During an era when Big Joe Turner recordings were often surprise hits with rock & roll fans (particularly "Shake, Rattle and Roll"), he occasionally recorded no-nonsense blues-oriented jazz dates too. This reissue album matched Turner for one of the last times with the veteran boogie-woogie pianist Pete Johnson and also includes a variety of top swing players: trumpeter Joe Newman, trombonist Lawrence Brown, altoist Pete Brown, tenor saxophonist Frank Wess, guitarist Freddie Green, bassist Walter Page, and drummer Cliff Leeman. It is not surprising, considering the number of Basie-ites on the date, that the band often sounds like a Count Basie combo. Turner is in top form on remakes of some of his early tunes (including "Cherry Red," "Roll 'Em Pete," and "Wee Baby Blues"), a few traditional blues, and a couple of swing standards. This music should appeal to many listeners. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

Name Credits Big Joe Turner Vocals Bob Defrin Design, Art Direction Cliff Leeman Drums Curtice Taylor Hand Coloring Ernie Wilkins Arranger Frank Wess Sax (Tenor) Freddie Green Guitar Jerry Wexler Producer, Supervisor Jimmy Nottingham Trumpet Joe Newman Trumpet Lawrence Brown Trombone Len Frank Engineer Marvin Israel Artwork Nesuhi Ertegun Producer, Supervisor Pete Brown Sax (Alto) Pete Johnson Piano Seldon Powell Sax (Tenor) Walter Page Bass Whitney Balliett Liner Notes