This post gives my alternative history to the birth of rock'n'roll. Something that predates Bill Haley, Elvis and conventional wisdom. There is of course so much more to the start of rock'n'roll than what I am going to put forward but my contention is that while Elvis, Bill Haley and others undoubtedly took the new sound to the masses there was much rocking and rolling going on before Elvis sang That's Alright Mama.
My alternative history also comes from the fact that for whatever reason I have not been able to connect with Elvis other than the early Sun Sessions - he always seemed more showbiz than rock'n'roll. To me Johnny Cash is more rock'n'roll than Elvis.
I do not play this music that often but its nice to have this morning we played Louis Jordan through twice!
Many say the first rock'n'roll hit was Rocket 88 by Jackie Brenston. The song as actually written and played by Ike Turner (later of Ike and Tina Turner) and recorded by Sam Philips in Memphis in 1951 (3 years before Elvis).
However before that in the 40's there was Louis Jordan and his Timpany 5.
My introduction to Louis Jordan was through Joe Jackson's tribute to swing jazz "Jumpin' Jive" where he covered quite a few Jordan tracks. There is a lot of discussion as to whether Louis Jordan's music was late period swing or early rock'n'roll and the truth as always is somewhere in between.
Nevertheless Jordan's contribution to the development of rock'n'roll can not be disputed nor underestimated. If you listen to a collection of Jordan's music like this one the connection becomes obvious. Songs like Caldonia, Saturday Night Fish Fry, Don't let the Sun Catch You Crying, Is you is or is you ain't my baby and Nobody here but us Chickens all had that rock.n'roll groove.
Ruth Brown started out with Big Bands but was picked up the Atlantic label in the 50's and her hits basically bankrolled the label until Ray Charles got going. She managed to cross R'n'B and Pop markets with tracks like Teardrops from my Heart, Mama He Treats your Daughter Mean.
Then there was the stroll scene in New Orleans with Guitar Slim and The Things That I used to Do (produced by Ray Charles). Guitar Slim was a hero of Buddy Guy's who admits to copying Slim's most flamboyant moves.
Further west there was Atlanta's Chuck Willis who took Ma Rainey's See See Rider Blues and made it his own as C C Rider - which in turn lead to Elvis and others covering it in the 60s. His Hang Up My Rock'n'roll shoes became a feature of The Band's live set.
Dr John's 1972 Gumbo album introduced me to Huey (Piano) Smith and I eventually picked up a greatest his collection. Some great songs including High Blood Pressure and Don't you Know Yockomo. It was only then that I recognised Dinah Lee's cover which was a big hit in NZ when I was young!
My alternative history also comes from the fact that for whatever reason I have not been able to connect with Elvis other than the early Sun Sessions - he always seemed more showbiz than rock'n'roll. To me Johnny Cash is more rock'n'roll than Elvis.
I do not play this music that often but its nice to have this morning we played Louis Jordan through twice!
Many say the first rock'n'roll hit was Rocket 88 by Jackie Brenston. The song as actually written and played by Ike Turner (later of Ike and Tina Turner) and recorded by Sam Philips in Memphis in 1951 (3 years before Elvis).
However before that in the 40's there was Louis Jordan and his Timpany 5.
My introduction to Louis Jordan was through Joe Jackson's tribute to swing jazz "Jumpin' Jive" where he covered quite a few Jordan tracks. There is a lot of discussion as to whether Louis Jordan's music was late period swing or early rock'n'roll and the truth as always is somewhere in between.Nevertheless Jordan's contribution to the development of rock'n'roll can not be disputed nor underestimated. If you listen to a collection of Jordan's music like this one the connection becomes obvious. Songs like Caldonia, Saturday Night Fish Fry, Don't let the Sun Catch You Crying, Is you is or is you ain't my baby and Nobody here but us Chickens all had that rock.n'roll groove.
Then there was the stroll scene in New Orleans with Guitar Slim and The Things That I used to Do (produced by Ray Charles). Guitar Slim was a hero of Buddy Guy's who admits to copying Slim's most flamboyant moves.
Further west there was Atlanta's Chuck Willis who took Ma Rainey's See See Rider Blues and made it his own as C C Rider - which in turn lead to Elvis and others covering it in the 60s. His Hang Up My Rock'n'roll shoes became a feature of The Band's live set.
Dr John's 1972 Gumbo album introduced me to Huey (Piano) Smith and I eventually picked up a greatest his collection. Some great songs including High Blood Pressure and Don't you Know Yockomo. It was only then that I recognised Dinah Lee's cover which was a big hit in NZ when I was young!
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