If jumping the blues is your thing, these albums by the German-based label Koko Mojo is like manna from heaven. Each album is 28 songs of 78 rpms that are smoking the southern blues blues like dry rub ribs from artists well known and obscure, taken right off of the juke box and put into your own home. If you think you know all about the blues and post war R&B, you’re in for a treat!
Volume 22, aka Trouble Trouble, has gritty pieces like Big Maybelle’s take of “Whole Lotta Shakin’” while Sister Rosetta Tharpe brings in some gospel tones with her patented guitar and voice on “Sit Down”. Johnny Shines blows a mean harp on “Evening Son” as is Sonny Boy Williamson on “Shake The Boogie. Louis Jordan is a hoot on “That Chick’s Too Young To Fry”, with Sticks McGhee not too far behind in the humor department on “Oh, What A Face”. The mix of humor, foot stomping piano, blues and gospel makes for a low ceilinged mood.
Volume 22, aka Rough Lover, includes rural blues by Little Al on “Little Lean Woman” while Lillian Offitt belts it out on “My Man Is a Lover” and Barbara Perry wails on “Bobby Is A Bad Boy”. There’s a hoot of a Latinized “Rollin’ Stone” and Memphis Slim pounds the ivories on “No Mail Blues”. There’s a young Aretha Franklin who raises the eyebrows on a stomping “Rough Lover” and the blues get shuffled plenty on “Rock and Rye” by Jimmy McCraklin and His Blues Blasters. Where have these songs been hiding?
Last but not least is Volulme 23, titled Dippin’ Is My Business, featuring Moohah sweating out “All Shook Out” and Rose Marie McCoy delivering the rough and ready title tune. A young Bobby “Blue” Bland is in fine form on “Loan A Helping Hand”, Joe Hill Louis delivers a hoot of “Hydramatic Woman” and there are a surfeit of “boogie” tunes by the likes of Memphis Slim with Willie Dixon (“Joggie Boogie”), Crown Prince Waterford (“Leaping Boogie”) and St. Louis Jimmy (“Hard Luck Boogie”). The floor is shakin’!