Great compilations of early R&B

[Rabshakeh]

For some reason I'm in the mood. 

Please recommend me some great compilations (single artist or various) of R&B singles.  Jazzy, bluesy, pre-rocky, whatever. Widely defined is fine, although the collections themselves need not be. Ideally streamable.

[HutchFan]

This set immediately comes to mind:

Various Artists - Atlantic Rhythm and Blues 1947-1974 (8 CDs)

 

 

[Rabshakeh]

2 minutes ago, HutchFan said:

This set immediately comes to mind:

Various Artists - Atlantic Rhythm and Blues 1947-1974 (8 CDs)

Oh yeah! Great one. 

[JSngry]

https://www.discogs.com/label/2458297-Risqué-Blues?page=1

Maybe wait until the kids aren't around...

 

[JSngry]

Can't go wrong here!

 

[Rabshakeh]

Some great stuff here! Thanks.

Also, Fluffy Hunter is a great name. Fluffy being short for Loronia, apparently.

[JSngry]

Check out early Johnny Guitar Waton.

Or later!

Vocal groups. Definitely The Ravens.

[JSngry]

Doo Wop - There's %he Moonglows and then there's everybody else.

 

[Dan Gould]

If you like the Louisiana thing, Ace's Rhythm 'n Bluesin' comps are all worth hearing.

 

[ghost of miles]

This Rhino set covers the early 1940s through the early 1970s fairly well across 6 CDs:

The R & B Box: 30 Years of Rhythm & Blues

Viewpoint from one label:

The King R & B Box Set

The Okeh Rhythm & Blues Story 1949-1957

[mjzee]

Can't forget the motor city...

[mikeweil]

I like this one:

https://www.discogs.com/release/4382058-Various-The-King-RB-Box-Set

https://www.discogs.com/master/1067750-Various-The-OKeh-Rhythm-Blues-Story-1949-1957

[JSngry]

A big source of pre-rock R&B is the Savoy catalog. Their Roots of Rock & Roll series was damn near epic, beginning as LPs and the moving to CD. No idea how to look for it on Spotify today.

This list doesn't seem complete, but maybe it is?

https://www.discogs.com/label/680442-Roots-Of-Rock-N-Roll?srsltid=AfmBOopX3H5g8ag3wiuv-LEG80y0n2E0TP-uZ9gMDo4zRrOsCmITVNro&page=1

And here's The Ravens:

Jimmy Ricks sounds like Lockjaw on that one!

[danasgoodstuff]

Wild sax from the aforementioned Savoy Roots of Rock and Roll series, the sounds are as epic as the cover art.

I have several volumes from this series, to which the guys from Canned Heat contributed rare 78s

[JSngry]

Is that a Specialty label comp?

[danasgoodstuff]

4 hours ago, JSngry said:

Is that a Specialty label comp?

The second one i posted is a series drawn from the Imperial label.  There is a good box of things on Specialty:

[Rabshakeh]

Streamability of these Savoy comps is weird. Some are up on the Spots and some aren't. But there's gold there.

I find early RnB bewildering. There's such a profusion of different singles.

[soulpope]

https://www.acerecords.co.uk/the-tramp-years

[JSngry]

3 hours ago, Rabshakeh said:

I find early RnB bewildering. There's such a profusion of different singles.

That's all there was. 78s. Jukeboxes. Radio.

Albums only game later.

[Rabshakeh]

27 minutes ago, JSngry said:

That's all there was. 78s. Jukeboxes. Radio.

Albums only game later.

I get that. 

But a bit like dance music now. There's so much and it is so disorderly. I am always quite historiography focused in my approach to music and I like to know where things stand, so the sections of bubbling chaos are an adjustment. 

Another issue with RnB is it is high stakes. The gold is really shiny but the shit stinketh. A bit like comps of old timey fiddle music. Not always a rewarding trawl. 

Edited 2 hours ago by Rabshakeh

[JSngry]

The disorder IS the order!!!!🤩🤩🤩