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CD
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BCD 17679CD
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"Ike Turner proved to be a challenging and polarizing character, considered moody, irascible and aggressive, even towards his partner. Despite all his contradictions, Ike Turner the musician is considered an influential figure in RnR, a talent scout, producer, pianist and pioneering guitar stylist. Bear Family Records gathers the very best early rockers and instrumentals by this brilliant musician on a CD. Chicago music historian Bill Dahl has studied Turner's life and work in great depth and describes the significance of the RnR eccentric in the illustrated and detailed liner notes. Sometimes you have to separate the man from the music-seldom a wiser course of action than in the case of Ike Turner. No matter your feelings regarding the man himself, the recordings he made during the 1950s rocked with an unbridled vengeance, whether Ike was laying down supple boogie piano underpinnings or whammy bar-laden guitar magic. This collection largely concentrates on Turner's pre-Tina years, when his band, The Kings of Rhythm, operated like a well-oiled machine and Ike was the picture of polished professionalism. He and The Kings bounced from one label to the next (Chess, Modern, Federal, Cobra and Sue are all amply represented), spotlighting an array of extraordinary vocalists. Many of them are showcased on this set, beginning with Jackie Brenston's immortal Rocket '88,' a 1951 R&B chart-topper and a genuine rock and roll landmark. Dennis Binder, Billy Gayles, Clayton Love, Tommy Hodge, and Jimmy Thomas all had big, booming voices when they fronted Ike's combo -- a must, since Turner was going insane behind them on his lethal axe. That was especially true on the band' 1956-57 Federal sides; 'I'm Tore Up,' 'Sad As A Man Can Be,' and 'Gonna Wait For My Chance' are downright intimidating in their rollicking intensity. This is truly some hellraising stuff."
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LP
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JEROME 003LP
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Life's a bitch, and so is the world -- for Ike Turner at least. Neither his late and absurd Hall Of Fame induction nor the release of compilations like this one will ever do justice to one of the KEY characters in the birth and development of R&B. That is why any album underlining his historical importance and artistic talent deserves plenty of attention. Down And Out -- available on vinyl only -- gathers the very best of Ike's output as a solo artist and as the leader of the Kings Of Rhythm during the '50s. This feast of raw R&B includes "I'm Lonesome Baby," his legendary first 45, the killer instrumentals "Cuban Getaway" and "Cubano Jump," as well as "Box Top," the recording debut of a very young Tina Turner. Features exquisite cover art, remastered sound, liner notes and discography by specialist Fred Rothwell, the man who is currently writing Ike Turner's biography.
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JEROME 004LP
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