Vee-Jay

[garth cartwright]

Doing research on Vee-Jay Records for a Dells feature I'm to write I came across this indepth website.

http://www.bsnpubs.com/veejay/index.html

Vee-Jay were a great label, the first really successful African American owned label, who had hits with The Spaniels, Jimmy Reed, Jerry Butler, John Lee Hooker, The Dells, Four Seasons, lots of gospel and jazz and even The Beatles initial US releases! Oddly underrated label considering their legacy.

[Rob Hall]

Rhino did a large format box of Vee Jay stuff some years back:

http://rhinomedia.com/store/productdeta ... umber=7706

Since then, Charly have re-issued a number of collections. This one seems to be pretty comprehensive:

http://www.charly.co.uk/albums/chicago-hit-factory/

You probably know all of this already Garth, but if there's anyone reading this who doesn't already know about Vee Jay, they produced some great, great records.

I'm a fan of the Dells; be sure to tell us when it gets published! Meantime...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vf2zckmheso

[Alan Balfour]

When Charly took over the UK rights to Vee-Jay in 1980 it was in the wake of some superb double album compilations that David Yeats at DJM (1975-80) instigated through Betty Chiapetta, the then head honcho at Vee-Jay. These not only contained previously unissued tracks but also items not listed in their master file. These two followed in the wake of other UK reissuers of the label, namely Stateside (1964-67) and Joy (1968-seventy something) who released mainly straight reissues of existing VeeJay LPs.

Sorry to burble on....

[john poole]

Charly have also recently reissued "The Blues", which they suggest was "probably" the first multi artist blues compilation to be issued in the UK (on EMI's Columbia label in 1960). I guess it was the source for British r&b groups covering songs including 'Dimples'; 'You Can Make it if You Try'; & 'I Wish You Would'. The new version has a second disc with a further 22 tracks.

http://charly.co.uk/albums/vee-jay-reco ... the-blues/

[Alan Balfour]

Charly have also recently reissued "The Blues", which they suggest was "probably" the first multi artist blues compilation to be issued in the UK (on EMI's Columbia label in 1960).

It's actually dated 1961.That was the second or third LP I ever bought in 1962 and it's still with me. The sleeve note by Alexis Korner is priceless - and ends with You can treat the blues as an intellectual exercise, or you can treat them as straight entertainment; that is up to you. One thing is sure ; this is music to which you can really twist! Stuart Coleman got me to read that out when I took it to his Radio London show in 1987.

[Hugh Weldon]

You can treat the blues as an intellectual exercise, or you can treat them as straight entertainment; that is up to you.

So is/are the blues singular or plural? Alexis has it both ways.

[AndyM]

Can you really picture Alexis Korner twisting ??

[Adam Blake]

Frankly, yes. He'd have twisted vigorously for a minute or two if he thought it was naughty (which it probably was in 1961).

[Rob Hall]

A propos of not very much in particular, I saw Alexis Korner live once, in a dancehall in Hanley. It must have been about 1972. The only thing I had on record by him was his track on "Gutbucket", a cover of Freddie King's "I'm Tore Down". The gig, for some reason, was in the afternoon (maybe it was free? that could explain my presence) and there was just a relatively small bunch of people sitting cross-legged on the dancefloor (as we did; some of us may well have been wearing loon pants). Alexis was one of a group of individual musicians who each took a turn, and perhaps helped each other out on second guitar, etc. I'm afraid that I can't remember who any of the others were, but I do recall that, when performing, they sat on stools, rather like solo artists were presented on 'The Old Grey Whistle Test'. Anyway, the point of this little detour is that during a break between songs, I called out "I'm Tore Down"! and the Alexis was kind enough to play it for me, and I always retained a soft spot for him after that.

[Adam Blake]

I saw him at Dingwalls in 1978, celebrating 50 years since the release of Pinetop Smith's "Pinetop's Boogie Woogie". He had Ian Stewart on piano, Charlie Watts on drums, Jack Bruce on bass - and Alexis was the star of the show from beginning to end, despite his guitar being completely out of tune throughout and his constant efforts to throw the spotlight onto his guests. I've rarely seen anyone with as much charisma or charm.