Various Artists - That'll Flat Git It! Vol. 50: Rockabilly & Rock 'n' Roll From The Vaults Of - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

2020 . With a landmark 50th anniversary album, 2018's Soul Side of Town, still visible in their rearview mirror, one would think Tower of Power, the much-lauded creators of their own horn-based, hybrid brand of East Bay soul/funk/R&B/rock, would take a well-deserved breather. But that is not in the band's DNA, nor that of it's founder and ringmaster, tenor saxophonist and bandleader Emilio Castillo. Now, with Step Up, the band forges on into the next decade of the 21st century reinvigorated with the addition of new talent, most notably the phenomenal young lead vocalist, Marcus Scott. Marcus replaced TOP's longtime lead singer, Ray Greene, who makes his final appearance with the band on Step Up. Also taking his bows on the new album is 30-year TOP veteran bassist Francis 'Rocco' Prestia, who is stepping back from life on the road and whose driving fingerstyle funk is ably replaced on tour by Marc Van Wageningen. From the band's debut up to Step Up, the TOP sound remains true to Emilio's original musical vision reach inside the deep, multidimensional well of what is broadly called soul music and bring together all it's diverse components in a singular, emotional sound.

Movie cowboy Gene Autry likely found navigating the complexities of the record business a wee bit more difficult than riding the range and shooting bad guys when he launched Challenge Records in early 1957, but he and his cohorts Joe Johnson, Johnny Thompson, and Dave Burgess managed to amass an impressive array of rock and roll talent at the diskery all the same - as the latest 36-song offering in our 'That'll Flat... Git It!' franchise abundantly illustrates. Naturally, The Champs - the boys that put Challenge on the map with their chart-topping '58 instrumental Tequila - are here with a pair of rockers (vocals, no less) as well as backing their founder, Dave Burgess, on a catchy Maybelle. So are future country stars Bobby Bare with his droll Vampira and Wynn Stewart with a raging Come-On, both originally on Challenge's Jackpot subsidiary. Big Al Downing roars Down On The Farm in front of The Poe Kats, while Huelyn Duvall's five selections include the savage Three Months To Kill. Memphis rocker Kimball Coburn, the somewhat mysterious Kip Tyler, Champs front man Dean Beard, and George Weston check in with stormers, the collection digging deeper for splendid obscurities from Phil Carter, Lee Harris, The Contenders, and The Riptides. There's even room for smooth-piped Jerry Wallace, turning it up a few notches for the romping Good And Bad and With This Ring. Rest assured digging this bountiful set is no challenge to bop to - in fact, you've hit the rocking jackpot!

Albert Schweitzer Quintet - Wind Quintet [COMPACT DISCS] date 10/06/2000