Issued under the rightful title, More Boss Black Rockers, The “Mojo” Man was charged with the (enviable) task of bringing these albums to life. To achieve such an outcome, More Boss Black Rockers Vol. 9: Hey Doll Baby continues its exploration of Black African American rock ‘n’ roll by mining deep into the heart of a traditional rhythm and blues scene of 50’s America that eventually became rock ‘n’ roll, and where you will hear established artists rubbing shoulders with the obscure. This is merely one segment of the attraction here, because the sounds blaring from the adjacent speakers is often wild in nature, raw and dangerous, just as it is scintillating, not to mention unhinged rock ‘n’ roll. Let’s face it, it’s the kinds of sounds that no doubt left many a jaw gaping as rock ‘n’ roll was ushered into the world for the very first time upon an innocent public, before evolving into the next big thing and continuing to resonate in the present with an equally feisty presence.
Quick, it’s almost last orders for that 50’s rock ‘n’ roll! Perusing the lengthy list of rock ‘n’ roll contenders from the setlist of More Boss Black Rockers Vol. 9: Hey Doll Baby, any attempt to arrive at a favourite makes for an impossible task because, quite simply, there’s not a dud in the house. With this being the penultimate album in the series, any notion of saving the best until last does not apply because the phrase, “All killer, no filler” is accurate here. Evidence can be found in the higher number of established artists included from Big Joe Turner, Huey “Piano” Smith, Jackie Wilson, and Don and Dewey, but Koko Mojo ensures there’s plenty of less featured artists with Pork Chops, The Ensenators, and K.C. Mojo Watson making themselves known. Why, there’s even the inclusion of the Burnette brothers’ ‘Yes I’m Gonna Love You’ performed by Sonny Anderson offering further persuasion of the greatness on offer. Nathan Olsen-Haines (Koko Mojo Records)
More BOSS BLACK ROCKERS 9 - Hey Doll Baby
A1 K.C. Mojo Watson – Love Blood Hound (Wright) Nanc 003X45 1961
A2 The Cues – Why (Calhoun) Capitol F3582 1956
A3 Huey “Piano” Smith – Little Chickie Wah Wah (Smith) Ace LP 1004 1959
A4 The Clovers – Hey Doll Baby (Turner) Atlantic 45-1083 1956
A5 Big Joe Turner – I Need A Girl (Pomus, Shuman) Atlantic 45-1155 1957
A6 Billy Tate – Right From Wrong (Tate) Peacock 5-1671 1957
A7 Little Willie Egans – You Must Be Foolin’ (Egans) Spry 107 1956
A8 Jackie Wilson – Come Back To Me (Wilson) Brunswick 9-55052 1958
B1 Doug Fowlkes and The Airedales – Bony Moroney (Williams) Barclay 70 409 1961
B2 The Vibrations – Love Me Like You Should (Johnson) Bet B0001 1960
B3 The Ensenators – I Had A Little Too Much (Baxter) Tarx 1001 1962
B4 Pork Chops – I Wanna See My Lovin’ Baby (Down) Herald H-493 1957
B5 Mel Williams – I Got Eyes (Gallo, Otis, Shorten) Dig 45-136 1957
B6 Don and Dewey – Jungle Hop (Harris, Terry) Speciality 599 1957
B7 Sonny Anderson – Yes I’m Gonna Love You (Burnette, Burnette) Imperial X5634 1959
B8 Odessa Harris – A Rockin’ Good Way (Benton, Otis, DeJesus) Capitol 4881 1962