It could be argued that drummer and vocalist Roy Milton was the personification of the “Jump Blues,” which was immensely popular in the 40s and 50s. He was a charter member of the famed Specialty label, and had a number of big hits that mixed Kansas City swing with infectious blue tones. This two disc set has everything you need to not only appreciate the R&B sound of the era, but also to lighten up any party you’re going to host. Roll up the carpet!
The beauty of Milton’s music lay in his infectious ability to deliver a behind the beat groove. With his earthy Oklahoma voice, he’d team up with growling sax players like ”Buddy Floyd, Caughey Roberts, Jackie Kelso, Benny Waters and Bill Gaither as well as team with Camille Howard/p and Johnny Rogers/g and other rotating members to form His Solid Senders.
His first recordings “I’ll Always Be In Love With You” set the stage while big hits such as the irresistible “Hop, Skip and Jump,” “Milton’s Boogie,” “Information Blues” and “Best Wishes” were played in every pool hall and juke joint during the Truman years. He’s able to add an extra kick to standards as well, with “Them There Eyes,” and “Blue Turning Grey Over You” rich in color, while he the grooving backbeat and riffing saxes on “The Hucklebuck” and “I Have News For You” swoon with delight.
His style eventually got absorbed by the new sounds of rock and roll, but this album doesn’t have anything that even hints at obsolescence; if anything, it is timeless.