Frank Frost, Big Jack Johnson, Sam Carr, Jelly Roll Kings

[Neal Pomea]

Can you recommend me some cds or iTunes downloads? Oh God, I loved this group when they played the Twist & Shout in Bethesda Maryland in the ? (late 80s, early 90s)

Edited December 3, 2014 by Neal Pomea

[jeffcrom]

One of the greatest Delta juke joint trios of all time! Rockin' the Juke Joint Down on Earwig is the one to get - all live with no overdubs. Later albums are more problematic. The Fat Possum Off Yonder Wall is more of a Big Jack Johnson album - Frank Frost was not in good health. But it's kind of amazing to hear Big Jack sing "Frank Frost Blues" ("Frank Frost, you'd better put that bottle down!") with Frank right there in the studio. And some later "Jelly Roll Kings" albums are not the trio, they're really Frank Frost albums.

Get Rockin' the Juke Joint Down! Now!

Edited December 3, 2014 by jeffcrom

[jeffcrom]

Also:

The 1962 Phillips International album Hey Boss Man! by Frank Frost and the Nighthawks is one of the rarest and most collectible blues LPs, but it has been reissued on Charly as Jelly Roll King - you should be able to find it. The Nighthawks were, in fact, Frost, Johnson, and Carr - they later changed their name to avoid confusion with the blues/rock band. It's a little different from their later sound - it's definitely a Frost album, and Frank is not playing keyboards yet, just guitar and harp. It's a great album, just different from the more collective emphasis the group had later. Some tracks sound like they have a bass, but Big Jack said that he just played guitar on the album, presumably tuned down.

And over half of the Earwig album Midnight Prowler by Frank Frost is by the same trio, but with overdubs. It's not really on the same level as Rockin' the Juke Joint Down or Hey Boss Man!, but once you have those, you might want to check it out. I have story about the title song....

[Chuck Nessa]

Yup, the Earwig!!

[jeffcrom]

Here's my Frank Frost story.

I visit the Mississippi Delta periodically, to hear the blues and to visit holy sites. In the late 1990s, I was in Clarksdale for the Sunflower River Blues Festival. One evening ended with a concert by harmonica player Willie Foster, from Greenville, Mississippi. In the backing band were Frank Frost on organ and Sam Carr on drums, along with a couple of younger musicians on bass and guitar. By this time Frost was worn down by age and alcohol, and it was sad to see him hunched over the organ, playing chords - not interested in soloing, and seemingly not very interested in the proceedings at all. Foster kept trying to get him to come to the front of the stage and sing a feature number, but Frank kept shaking his head. Finally he gave in - he stood up and slowly walked to the front of the stage, while pulling a harmonica out of his jacket pocket. He said something to the band, counted off a tempo, and launched into "Midnight Prowler."

It was one of the most amazing performances I have ever seen. For five minutes, he was the Midnight Prowler. He snarled into the microphone, stalked around the stage, and just about blew the harmonica apart. It was stunning.

Then the song ended, and he slowly walked back to the organ, where he spent the rest of the set hunched over, playing chords.

[jeffcrom]

And if it hadn't been for my quick reflexes, we would have lost Big Jack Johnson 15 years earlier than we did.

On another trip to Clarksdale, I enjoyed a set by Big Jack which featured a bizarre, random version of "Tequila," during which he moved from the A section to the bridge whenever he damn well felt like it, thank you very much. Late that night I was driving down Sunflower Avenue, going back to my hotel, when I drove past Red's, the juke joint that's been there seemingly forever. Big Jack was hanging out in front of the place, and just as I was driving past, he cracked up at something someone said to him, and staggered into the street, doubled over with laughter. I swerved.

You're welcome.

[Neal Pomea]

Thanks for the recommendations and stories! I ordered Rockin' the Juke Joint Down.

Edited December 3, 2014 by Neal Pomea

[Neal Pomea]

Delivered today. This sounds fantastic!