One of the true pioneers of both R&B and rock and roll is still with us these days, but unfortunately forgotten. 87 year old Huey “Piano” Smith, born in good ol’ New Orleans, was one who’s style was influenced by the original stride giants like Pete Johnson, Meade Lux Lewis and Albert Ammons, and was updated to create the 50s R&B popularized by Fats Domino, Little Richard and Larry Williams. This two disc, 58 song set includes all of the influential songs and piano styles of Mr. Smith, and it’s just a fantastic way to get a party started.
His signature piano lick is most famously heard on the tune that Johnny Rivers made famous namely “Rockin Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu”, which is included here in both vocal and instrumental parts. But, if you miss it here, you’ll here it repeated a number of times on this collection, as it returns for a number of the other pieces. His style is a kind of mix of the humor of The Coasters and the sweaty drive of Gary US Bonds, shown on the chickabooming “Pop-Eye”, “Would You Believe It (I Have A Cold)” and “Tu-Ber-Cu-Lucas And The Sinus Blues”. There’s also some proto Little Richard/ Larry Williams felt on his hits “Don’t You Know, Yockomo” and “Don’t You Just Know It”, and he’s an absolute hoot on the collection of Christmas tunes like “Almost Time For Santa” and “Rock and Roll Santa Claus”. He delves deep into the blues on “Someone To Love” while yucking it up like Cornell Gunter on “Behind The Wheel”. His last material here is from 1962, and, unlike many other R&B artists, he doesn’t show any sense of decline. In fact, according to the very interesting liner notes, he just dropped out of the scene because he was dissatisfied with the fact that they stole his version of the hit “Sea Cruise” and put in a different vocalist.
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