Customer Reviews

Best of Sue Records

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This Cd is an excellent collection of lesser-known 60s soul. Right up there with the Loma Records and Blue Rock records compilations. We hear the early Ike and Tina with "It's Gonna Work Out Fine" (BTW That's actually Mickey of Mickey and Sylvia speaking to Tina, and not Ike, beign that Ike ain't the most articulate guy in the world) and "Poor Fool." We Hear Charlie and Inez Foxx with their energetic version of "Mockingbird." There's Tina Britt with "The Real Thing" (penned by Ashford and Simpson) sounding like the twin sister of Martha Reeves' "Quicksand" (which isn't a bad thing at all). "She Blew A Good Thing" which reminds you of a inner city high school gym dance circa 1966 (can't you see them jerk?). There's also half of Jimmy McGriff's High-powered version of "I Got A Woman" and Wilbert Harrison's original version of Canned Heat's "Let's Work Together" with an appealingly wheezy harmonica. Buy this and see what your oldies stations have been missing.

I deliberated over buying this CD -- I really only wanted The Real Thing by Tina Britt -- but man am I glad I finally bought it! This is one really great CD, especially if you like that kind of bluesy mid 50s/early 60s rock. A highly recommended CD.

Sue records was founded by one Mr. Juggy Murray in 1958 and was based in NYC through the 60's. As the record co. sported several different labels e.g. Symbol and Eastern...it became the Northeast R&B label of that decade! Like another reviewer...I too was only after Tina Britt's..."The Real Thing" which is absolutely a dynamite record and perhaps the most overlooked R&B classic of all-time! You do really get so much more than that one great song as every track is wonderful. You even get the hard to find Poets' class..."She Blew A Good Thing." Anybody who loves the 60's sound is in for a real treat with this CD despite the monaural sound. Yes...indeed some shortcomings of the master tapes are evident but overall...Sue never sounded better!

Before Berry Gordy and Motown there was Juggy Murray and Sue Records. This collection provides a cross section of releases that pretty much were staples in the R&B market. Arguably the most overlooked and underrated producer from that era, Juggy's biggest success was with Ike & Tina Turner. A very good introduction to the Sue catalog that is available in box set format.

This 1990 CD collects 18 cuts originally issued on Sue Records. Sue was another wonderful post-War indie label that issued a wealth of soul and r&b (as well as some fine jazz, rock, and pop) during its heyday. Formed by Juggy Murray, Sue was an early black-owned label based in New York. This set, on Collectables, features rather poor sound and has been supplanted by later, superior collections. In 1994 EMI issued "The Sue Records Story: The Sound Of Soul", a terrific 4-CD boxed set with 100 tracks covering 1957 - 66, superior notes and remastering, and numerous gems rarely issued on CD. Juggy Murray was a fine producer who utilized the best session musicians in New York; his label also licensed fine material produced elsewhere. In addition to Barbara George, Prince La La, Baby Washington, and other soul legends, the box features more than a full album's worth of material by Ike & Tina, Ike Turner and band, or various Ike-produced sides. This box is one of the great neglected label retrospectives I've encountered. If you can't afford the box, or it is unavailable, EMI put out "The Soul Of Sue: New York City", a fine, 27-track comp, in 2005 that also blows this Collectables set out of the water. Either EMI title will feature superior, consistent assortment of great black singles you won't hear on the radio or find on many other compilations.