King R&B Box Set [Box set]

Various Artists (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 15, 1996)
• Original Release Date: February 12, 1996
• Number of Discs: 4
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: King
• ASIN: B0000017BT
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #317,554 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. I Know Who Threw The Whiskey In The Well - Bull Moose Jackson And His Band

2. Bye, Bye Baby Blues - The Ravens

3. I Love You, Yes I Do - Bull Moose Jackson And His Buffalo Bearcats

4. Tomorrow Night - Lonnie Johnson

5. I Want A Bowlegged Woman - Bull Moose Jackson And His Buffalo Bearcats

See all 26 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Mellow Blues (Part I) - Sonny Thompson And His Orchestra

2. Lovin' Machine - Wynonie Harris With Todd Rhodes Orchestra

3. The Train Kept A' Rollin' - Tiny Bradshaw And His Orchestra

4. It Ain't The Meat - The Swallows

5. Rockin' With Fes - Roy Byrd (Professor Longhair)

See all 26 tracks on this disc

Disc: 3

1. Don't Take It So Hard - Earl 'Connelly' King

2. All Around The World - Little Willie John

3. Ivory Tower - Otis Williams And His Charms

4. I'm Tore Up - Billy Gayles

5. Fever - Little Willie John

See all 26 tracks on this disc

Disc: 4

1. Me And My Crazy Self - Lonnie Johnson

2. That's What You're Doin' To Me - Billy Ward And His Dominoes

3. No Troubles Bubbles - Earl Bostic

4. Wild Stage Of Life - Lula Reed With Sonny Thompson

5. Fever (With String Overdub) - Little Willie John

See all 10 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Classic in every way...but it should've been a 5 record set, February 13, 2004

By 

B. Margolis (Minneapolis, MN United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: King R&B Box Set (Audio CD)

Read the other reviews....most are right on.

What I want to add is Syd Nathan's 3 recorded talks are a cool insider look at a company of such musical importance, yet hardly anything is written about the inside workings of the company. Nathan is not a tyrant; he was a tough business man who had more taste than some of the other post-war record company owners. Compared to Lubinsky (Savoy) and Weiss (Old Town) and Blane (Jubilee), this guy was a pussycat!

Of course, there's almost no James Brown - his sides are not the property of the current King owners.

As far as one complaint about Joe Tex not on the box, hell, he cut a handful of early medicore sides for King....hardly a part of their history!

What is missing, though (and this is what the 5th disc should've included) is the early sides by artists who made a splash on other labels (Joe Tex, Syl Johnson, etc.)

But, ultimately, when you look over the history of King's R&B recordings, most of the really endearing favorites are here and sound great.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A valuable slice of music history, March 15, 2000

By 

M.R. (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: King R&B Box Set (Audio Cassette)

I have to agree with the Amazon reviewer. This is an essential set for lovers of R&B. Sure, it can't compare in terms of size to similar sets on the Mercury, Atlantic, Specialty, and Chess labels. But it contains many classics available nowhere else. Even if, as I do, you own Rhino's (much-recommended) greatest hits packages on The "5" Royales, Roy Brown, Wynonie Harris, Hank Ballard and the Midniters, Little Willie John, and Freddy King, this set contains enough great tracks by less-famous artists to make it a wise purchase. Get it while it's still in print. Note: treat this as a three-disc set with a bonus disc of rarities and speeches and you won't be as frustrated as the Amazon reviewer was.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best box sets for R&B., May 4, 2000

By 

"oldtimerocker" - See all my reviews

This review is from: King R&B Box Set (Audio CD)

Rhythm and Blues is some of the toughest music available. This set focuses on the King label. Based out of Cincinnati, King gave artist like James Brown a chance. Hank Ballard also recorded at King records. Work With Me Annie is one of the best songs never played on oldies radio. The booklet is very imformative and the pictures are also nice. Many of the songs on this disc have been forgotten, but thanks to this collection, they just might make it back.