October 2024

Celebrating 50 years of Rockstar Records with this deluxe Gatefold 10inch vinyl record. 14 classic Eddie Cochran tracks, incl. rare Stereo versions and alternate takes. PLUS a 12-page, full colour booklet with reproductions of unseen fan letters, photos and more from the archives of the Eddie Cochran fanclub. Liner notes by Cochran expert Antoon van Olderen.

"Koko Mojo Records anthology Hi Strung R&B is a series of albums each containing twenty eight captivating black rockers, which have a jive or stroll tempo. As always the name Koko Mojo Records is synonymous with quality and our reputation sells the products, and you know it will be a killer diller series." The Koko Mojo Records series of albums are designed for optimum listening pleaser, for dancing, and can additionally be considered as an instant Dee Jay collection. The vibrant series mixes rhythm and blues rockers with spirited doo-wop movers with comprising up-tempo jive tunes and each album contains some lady-pleasing stroll tempo rockers.  The albums are artfully mixed to place well-known artists and lesser-known but equally good performers together to enhance the listening experience. You get quality sound and due to our regular customer base, you know what to expect. The listed artists and songs are a taster from each of the albums to whet your musical appetite. Some artists you will know, and others will be relatively unknown, there are a plethora of original songs and some extremely interesting cover versions that will capture the attention of people. Inter-spaced with in the series you will hear; Bill Harvey, Walk Right In, Brother Woodman, Lovin' Man, Ernie Freeman, Rockin' Red Wing, Frank Brunson, How You Gonna Live, Billy Bland, The Fat Man, The Chimes, Chop Chop, John Lee Hooker, She's Mine, The Adventurers, Do It, Dinah Washington, Such A Night, Billy and The King Bees, Susie Q, Lenny Welch, You Can Have Her, 5 Crowns, Good Luck Darling, Johnny Ace and Willie Mae, Yes, Baby, Ruth Brown, I Would If I Could, The Swallows, Itchy Twitchy Feeling, Ella Johnson, What A Day, Chris Allen, Lonely, The Gaylarks, Mr. Rock-N-Roll, Ivory Joe Hunter, Old Gal And New Gal Blues, Roy Hamilton, If Only I Had Known, Enda Brown, Whole Lotta' Lovin', Jackie Wilson, Am I The Man, The Larks, How Long Must I Wait For You, Gloria Jean Pitts, I Don´t Stand No Quittin´, Rockin' Sidney, You Ain't Nothin' But Fine, Joe Turner, The Chicken And The Hawk, The Epics, Let's Dance, Bob Williams, On A Honky Tonk Hardwood Floor, Kirk Taylor, You Didn't Learn That In School, The Five Scamps Red Hot, and the last song sums up the series! As always the name Koko Mojo Records is synonymous with quality and our reputation sells the products. Each Hi-Strung R&B CD album has a sub-title:  (KM-CD-181) Volume 01 Rock House (KM-CD-182) Volume 02 Chop Chop (KM-CD-183) Volume 03 Do It (KM-CD-184) Volume 04, Yes, Baby (KM-CD-185) Volume 05 Honey Bunch The albums are housed in an attractively designed cardboard sleeve, specially designed to avoid the use of plastic and be environmentally friendly. The series has a stunning design by artist Gito Lima, sleeve notes from reissue producer Dee Jay Mark Armstrong, and songs mastered for the best possible sound by our mastering team at our El Paso, Texas, Studio.  Koko Mojo Records endeavours to use some lesser-known and for some, perhaps more obscure titles and adds something unexpected to every album. The albums in the series are ideal for Dee Jays to fill the dance floor with, for home listening, and discovering lesser-known and often overlooked songs. You are listening to music from the past and preserving the future! Rockstar Records 'Often imitated, never duplicated.”  All that remains is to say, "Crank up the volume and dig these musical gems.” Dee Jay Mark Armstrong Bühl, Germany

Chuck Norris Vol.1 1946-1955 Norris originates from the Midwest, born in Kansas City, Missouri on August 11, 1921, and raised in Chicago, where he studied under the fabled music instructor Captain Walter Dyett at Chicago's DuSable High School. Here, he learned to read music, and his versatility and keeping up with the trends kept him in constant demand, resulting in a career that spanned four decades. In the mid-40s, Norris relocated to Los Angeles where his performances in local clubs caught the attention of independent labels and producers, particularly saxophonist, songwriter, and producer Maxwell Davis, whose connections across labels like Aladdin, Modern, and Specialty provided Norris with plenty of opportunities for session work. In the 40s and early 50s, the West Coast served as the cradle of R&B, blending diverse musical genres. It amalgamated small, almost pop-styled combos with the blues of Texas and the big band influences of the Midwest. Throughout his career, he released just 16 solo tracks. These releases primarily served to fill gaps in the company's catalog rather than being seen as long-term investments, and as so they had limited distribution and were pressed in small quantities, making many of them nearly impossible to find today. Not many realize that they have heard Chuck’s guitar or bass on countless recording sessions by everybody from Charles Brown and Dinah Washington to Percy Mayfield and Jesse Belvin and on bestselling records by Bobby Day, The Robins, The Platters, and The Rivingtons. His resume also includes a session for an X-rated movie, and a soundtrack for the movie "The Great White Hope". He even did a month-long stint playing the banjo behind Louis Armstrong and Barbara Streisand on "Hello Dolly”. Other than a great interview on the back of Swedish LP "Los Angeles Flash" recorded in 1982, there is limited documentation of his career, and no official collection of his work exists. Until now. Norris’ earliest recordings lean more towards jazz and later the refined urban blues stylings of Floyd Dixon and Charles Brown whose styles owed a lot to the smooth velvety pop of Nat King Cole. When Charles Brown departed from the Three Blazers in 1948, he established his own trio The Smarties with Eddie Williams on bass and Norris on guitar. As a guitarist Norris (and his close friend T-Bone Walker) was heavily influenced by Charlie Christian, but he had to adjust to keep working. More and more he had to abandon jazz and his idol. Jules Bihari of Modern Records started using Norris on sessions behind Floyd Dixon, Jimmy Witherspoon, and Little Willie Littlefield and he wanted nothing but Blues, and soon Norris was playing nothing but The Blues. Norris’ first solo outing was with the Charles Norris Trio-No Better For Me b/w Moneys Getting Cheaper (Personnel unknown). The latter became a Jimmy Witherspoon standard as "Time's Getting Tougher Than Tough". Notice the very cool tremolo guitar! "Hey Everybody" and "Kinda Sick, Mostly Worried" were both recorded on December 28, 1950, and feature Tom Reeves (trumpet), Early Brow (alto sax), Maxwell Davis (tenor sax), Jim Wynn (baritone sax), Jesse Belvin (piano), Warren Owens (bass), and Peppy Prince (drums). To be continued on Vol. 2 where we will feature more Chuck Norris solo sides, and outstanding tracks recorded between 1946 and 1962 with artists such as Pearl Traylor, Percy Mayfield, Johnny Guitar Watson, Linda Hopkins, and Larry Williams!

Rock 'n' Roll Kittens Volume Six Hot Lick's encompasses 25 hot female rockers from the Golden Years 1956 through to 1963 plus one previously unreleased modern-day recording. Atomicat Records endeavors to use some lesser-known and for some, perhaps more obscure titles and adds something unexpected to every album. The album is ideal for Dee Jays to fill the dance floor with, and for home listening

Visit 06 to Sadie's Gentlemen's Club continues the popular Atomicat Records theme. The visitation finds the couples leaving the dance floor and heading into the red satin bedrooms where they indulge in private activity, while the Dee Jay blasts out the exotic sounds you hear on this album for the dances. The concept is "loud, pulsating and vibrant" and the songs are sourced from 1954 to 1962

Volume six of the Rockin Spot series. ACCD170 The Rockin Spot V6 Belinda