Off The Wall, Little Walter & His Jukes (1953)
Little Walter Jacobs was the first and only blues harp player (to date) to be inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Following his January 1953 recording on Checker Records, Big Walter Horton claimed to be the composer and recorded the same harmonica-led tune for Sun Records in May of the same year.
Hair-Net, The 5 Peaks, (1985?) Jay-R RecordsFrom Pueblo, Colorado, Gerald Gantt, Robert Stallworth, Casey Hynes and Joel Scherzer recorded in the 70’s as The Four Shades, The Five Bucks, and as The 5 Peaks in the late 80’s for the Jay-R label. The 45 rpm credits M. Simpkins as the songwriter. [Heard on The Hound.]
La Coqueta, Los Intrépidos del Sahara (2015)Described as “tropical cumbianchera,” there’s not much on the internet about them except that the group is still recording and performing in Veracruz, Mexico, and is popular with the folks in poor rural areas. (The shed in the picture above advertises a show. See below for more.)
[Top image from Google Maps of the SW corner of two unnamed roads at the entrance to San Leopoldo, pop. 689, a community in the municipality of San Andrés Tuxtla, Veracruz. Click on the maps link and take a drive via “street view.”]
Polly Put Your Kettle On, Sonny Boy Williamson (1947)Williamson’s final recording session took place in Chicago in December 1947, in which he accompanied Big Joe Williams. On June 1, 1948, Williamson was killed in a robbery on Chicago’s South Side as he walked home from a performance at the Plantation Club. After his death, Alex “Rice” Miller stole the name for his own performances and recordings.
Harlem Nocturne, The Viscounts (1959)The Viscounts’ only hit was released in 1959 and peaked at No. 53 on Billboard’s Top !00. It was re-released in 1966 and made it to No. 39.
[Top image: I was looking for something to go with the music and found Fleur de Guerre, a vintage model from the UK. Her Twitter profile states, “I like old stuff, wrestling & heavy metal.”]
Alalaké, Bembeya Jazz National (1971)
Formed by vocalist Aboubacar Dembar Camara in 1961 and specializing in modern arrangements of Manding classic tunes, Bembeya Jazz National won the first two national Biennial festivals in 1962 and 1964 and was crowned National Orchestra (of Guinea-Bissau) in 1966. The songis from a live album, Hommage a Demba Camara, recorded during a 1971 concert.
Mary Lou, Young Jessie (1955)Recorded by 18 year-old Obediah Donnell Jessie (1936-2020) who later spent some time with The Flairs, The Coasters, and the Obie Jessie Combo. It was his younger brother, actor DeWayne Jessie, who portrayed Otis Day in “National Lampoon’s Animal House.” Jessie was also related to Blind Lemon Jefferson.
Schwinn 24, King Arthur & the Carrots (1966)Kinky Friedmanformed King Arthur & the Carrots while in college, and they recorded one 45rpm. Flip side was Beach Party Boo Boo, cover version here.
[Top image: Created from a kindergartner’s drawing of a car? Nope. It’s El Super Auto del “Potro” Rodriquez, Ingenario Popular. The owner, Alberto Rodriguez (of Deán Funes, Córdoba, Argentina) left a message in the vid comments.]
Chicken Stuff, Hop Wilson & His Chickens (1958)Harding Wilson (1921-1975) got his nickname from playing harmonica a lot as a kid – harp is pronounced hop in Texan. (Chicken stuff goes by another name there, too.) Pop Hop’s steel slide style influenced many other bluesmen.
