One of the overlooked and underappreciated R&B bands of the 1950s was the team of brothers Jimmy and Buddy Griffin with the vocalist Margie Day. Jimmy played trombone while Buddy hit the piano, and for the most part there was also the original team of Virgil Wilson/ts, Wilbur Dyer/as, Jimmy Reeves/b and Emmett Shields/dr, with Noble Watts/ts, Wilbur Little/b and Belton Evans/dr coming on later. Together and apart, the created some of the funnest blues and shuffling R&B-ers post WWII. This two disc51 song collection goes all the way back to the sensuous singing of Day on “Street Walkin’ Daddy” to Buddy Griffin on his own leading an orchestra for a hip “You Keep Me Guessin’”.
The team hits hard with wailing saxes and Day’s rich and earthy hue on “Little Red Rooster” while she’s mellow and sweet with Buddy on “Your Best Friend”. Jimmy’s trombone slides like butter on “Hoppin’ And wails on the bluesy “Black Beard” . Watts’ tenor wails on “Shuffle Bug” and the band is reminiscent of The Hollywood Flames on “Comin’ Home” while a dash of Louis Jordan jumps the blues on “Move It On Over” . Vocalist Tommy Brown joins the band for the clever “Tra La La” and the big hit “Weepin’ and Cryin’ with some unforgettable hiccupping and wailing. On her own, Day slinks to “My Story” and gets sassy for “Don’t Talk To Me About Men”. These cats jump like kangaroos!