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East Coast Jive
Delmark DD 669 (1994) [Apollo Series]
Compact Disc

Babs Gonzales could probably come up with a really great and very hip definition of what Jive is. I can think of several, some of them very passe: that which is hip, that which is phony as in “you jive turkey”. But as used in this album and its predecessor, West Coast Jive (657), we refer to jazz and jazz-touched blues that is humorous, not too serious, and at times deflating of the haughtier members of society.

1 Babs Gonzales– Everything's Cool 2:49
2 Babs Gonzales– 1280 Special 2:45
3 Babs Gonzales– Phipps' Deep 2:49
4 The Four Blues– It Takes A Long Tall Brown Skin Gal 2:48
5 The Four Blues– Re Bop de Boom 2:39
6 The Four Blues– It Ain't What You Had 2:21
7 Artie Simms– Call The Police 2:59
8 Artie Simms– Take It Easy Baby (Alt) 2:49
9 Loumell Morgan– Darktown Strutters' Ball 2:57
10 Loumell Morgan– Bow Tie Jam 2:55
11 Ben Smith (9)– Blackstick Boogie 2:35
12 Ben Smith (9)– Travelin' Papa 2:34
13 Ben Smith (9)– No Lovin' Woman 2:52
14 Babs Gonzales– Roy's Groove 2:59
15 Babs Gonzales– Phipps' Deep (Alt) 2:46
16 Loumell Morgan– Blues In The Night 2:56
17 Loumell Morgan– Old Man River 3:02
18 Babe Wallace– Whistlin' At The Chicks 2:52
17 Babe Wallace– Ain't Gonna Worry 'Bout Nothin' 2:41
20 The Four Blues– I'd Rather Have You Fat & Happy 2:35
21 The Four Blues– Vegetable Song

Credits
Bass – Art Phipps (tracks: 1 to 3, 14, 15), Lynwood Jones (tracks: 9, 10, 16, 17)
Clarinet – Tony Scott (2) (tracks: 1 to 3, 14, 15)
Drums – Roy Haynes (tracks: 1 to 3, 14, 15)
Guitar – Roosevelt James "Ham" Jackson (tracks: 9, 10, 16, 17)
Orchestra – Jerry Jerome And His Orchestra (tracks: 17, 18)
Piano – Bobby Tucker (tracks: 1 to 3, 14, 15)
Tenor Saxophone – Jerry Jerome (tracks: 17, 18)
Vocals – Babe Wallace (tracks: 17, 18), Babs Gonzales (tracks: 1 to 3, 14, 15), The Four Blues (tracks: 4 to 6, 20, 21)
Vocals, Clarinet – Ben Smith (9) (tracks: 11 to 13)
Vocals, Piano – Artie Simms (tracks: 7, 8), Loumell Morgan (tracks: 9, 10, 16, 17)
Notes
Recordings from 1946 & 1947 recorded in New York City


"Linked to the Apollo Theater, well before it became the place for James Brown or the entire slate of Motown and Gordy artists, was the Apollo Records label. The theater continued to thrive to the present day, but the label ceased operation in 1962. Fortunately for us, Delmark managed to acquire the masters for Apollo's output, and so have been able to produced a series of albums that compile the best material released by that label. East Coast Jive features Babs Gonzales, Loumell Morgan, Artie Simms, Babe Wallace, the Four Blues and Ben Smith. Delmark's Bob Koester provides liner notes with pointers for further references, though even Koester is stumped by the background of some of the recordings and a few of the artists involved. East Coast Jive is a fun compilation of jive, cheerfully uptempo and lighthearted stuff that keeps the toes tapping and the head nodding in rhythm. Well worth picking up."
AllMusic Review by Steven McDonald