Black Pearls Volume 7 - Oh! What A Wonderful Time

Black Pearls Vol.7 “Oh! What A Wonderful Time” (Koko Mojo) Gathering pace is the album series Black Pearls. Now on its seventh album, Koko Mojo continues to provide coverage for more blues and rhythm and blues compiled by Ronni Boysen, a multi-award winning blues guitarist from Denmark and, for those in the know, the founding member of The Kokomo Kings (See Rhythm Bomb Records for the band’s albums because they are worth checking out!), in addition to performing with Mud Morganfield Band (son of Muddy Waters) for the past thirteen years. With such talent and knowledge given by the accompanying information regarding Ronni Boysen’s record buying habits and therefore ever-expanding collection, the giveaway are the many delightful records found in this album series so far. Volume Seven, “Oh! What A Wonderful Time”, features another twenty-eight tracks for your listening and/or dancing pleasures, and mixes some well-known artists with a considerable amount of lesserknown names as well. Such combinations often make for an interesting listen, and it’s safe to say that Black Pearls “Oh! What A Wonderful Time” continues the, by now, winning formula. Evidence for such an announcement can be heard throughout the latest album whether it’s opening song ‘Done Done The Slop’ by Ervin Rucker, or later on Percy Mayfield offering up ‘Loose Lips’, to Jimmy Witherspoon bringing up ‘Big Daddy’, Dolores Ware and ‘Is It True’, or classic from Johnny Guitar Watson with ‘The Bear’. There’s doo-wop track ‘Rumblin’ Tumblin’ Baby’ presented by Emeralds, to popcorn-rhythm and blues number ‘Listen Baby’ with a commanding performance by Angel Face With The Swing Masters. Ending Volume 7, “Oh! What A Wonderful Time” with two belters; the first from Big Sam & The House Wreckers’ with ‘At The Party’, and then following this with the instrumental ‘The Swinging Thing’ by Jimmy McCracklin, will leave the listener craving more but, rest assured, any such desires will soon be satisfied once the next instalment of this album series is released. Nathan Olsen-Haines (Koko Mojo)