Search - Various Artists :: The Mar-Vel Masters : Get With The Beat : Lost Decade Of American Rock 'N' Roll

Mid-West "Hillbilly" Rock roots

Den NC USA | NC USA | 04/18/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Mar-Vel' was a small, basically one-man operation in the Mid West during the 50's and early 60's. The lovingly compiled and annotated (Cowboy Carl Records) compilation is a mixed-bag of nearly straight steel and guitar, sometimes sax country swing/boogie, with the mixing of early rockabilly rock elements on some. The wide variety of sounds and tunes, some very normal, some, like the tunes Sweet Lucy, by Shorty Ashford, and the big collector's item, Hot Lips Baby by Herbie Duncan are pretty far out, even by the early day standards of, "Say, boy, you can play and sing... let's make a record together."

Calumet City, close to Chicago, was the operation ground central of Mar-Vel' Records, run by Harry Glenn. Glenn did personal "barnstorming" promotions out of a truck with a sound system strapped on to the top, stopping at local radio stations to sell his latest recording, somtimes accompanied by the performers, who were ready to do "appearances" at the drop of a $20 bill. But the great commentary by the co-producer of this set, Cowboy Carl Schneider, must be read in full to enjoy all the stories, and the backgrounds of each of the fine performers.

Each recording has a sound and style, and all are done with care and finess, while keeping the "down-home" sound that just begins to get wild like the rock'n'roll greats that took the country sound of "Hillbilly" music with Black Blues and R&B, and made it GOLD when it broke as Rock'n'Roll."

Straight-up Hillbilly Rock

Slugger | Columbus OH | 07/09/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Raw, unvarnished bangin' and strummin' coming out of the center of the same crossroads of rnb, country and gospel that the great Sun Records stuff sprang from. These guys were havin fun first and trying to make money second (albeit a CLOSE second). I suppose that IS strange, bein' that it's so unlike todays "country" music- you know, the kind without the "o" in it (thank you Shooter Jennings). If you dig Hillbilly roots music you're gonna be one happy puppy with this disc!"