Honkers & Bar Walkers, Vol. 2

by HONKERS & BAR WALKERS VOL.2 /

Overview

Founded in 1944, New York-based Apollo Records was home for a time to an impressive roster of artists, including saxophonists Coleman Hawkins, Arnett Cobb, and Illinois Jacquet. Honkers & Bar Walkers, Vol. 2, a compilation of meat-and-potatoes blues, blues-based swing, R&B, and some early rock & roll, is one of a series of reissues by Delmark of material from the Apollo archives. This volume focuses on some of Apollo's other sax players and sax-based bands and combos. Sequenced chronologically, the set presents rare and previously unreleased sides from eight sessions recorded between 1950 and 1956, opening with Willis Jackson's "Call of the Gators" and concluding with King Curtis' "Dynamite at Midnite." The riffing and bumptious beats here can blur into an indistinct haze over the course of its 22 tracks, but taken individually, there are a number of fine performances. Highlights include an astonishing artistic and technical display from alto master Hilton Jefferson on the ballad "Darkness on the Delta" -- one of four tracks from drummer and bandleader Panama Francis; the unidentified baritone sax player with Bobby Smith on "That's for Sure"; and the prototypical yakety sax of King Curtis' "Rush Hour." There are also some interesting vocal choruses, notably the lugubrious moaning behind the unidentified bluesy tenor sax on "Hard Times" from Charlie Ferguson & His Orchestra. The hopelessly politically incorrect stereotyping on "Gitchie Gitchie Goomba," one of two tracks from Morris Lane & His Orchestra, is the only lame moment. The compilation's documentation is helpful: Bob Porter's useful liner notes provide context and attempt to identify as many of the key performers as possible, and the track listings include session dates, master numbers, and take numbers. The remastering is also very good, bringing to life sounds that current players might be able to approximate but never replicate. ~ Jim Todd

Product Details

Release Date:	09/18/1993
Label:	Delmark
UPC:	0038153045227
Rank:	178756

Tracks

1. Pee Wee (Call of the Gators)  - Willis "Gator" Jackson
2. Return of B.O. Plenty  - Morris Lane
3. Gitchie Gitchie-Goomba  - Morris Lane
4. Joe's Beat  - Morris Lane
5. Blue Jeans  - Morris Lane
6. Benson Bounce  - Panama Francis
7. Darkness on the Delta  - Panama Francis  - Jerry Levinson  - Al J. Neiburg  - Marty Symes
8. Bess's Blues  - Panama Francis
9. 12:00 Jump  - Panama Francis
10. I Love Her  - Dave Bartholomew  - Fats Domino  - Bill Harvey
11. Walk Right In  - Gus Cannon  - Bill Harvey  - Jonah Koslen  - Hosea Woods
12. Doll Baby  - Charles Ferguson
13. Bean Head  - Charles Ferguson
14. Hard Times  - Ray Charles  - Charles Ferguson
15. Big G  - Charles Ferguson
16. That's for Sure  - Bobby Smith
17. That's It  - Charles Ferguson
18. Low Lights  - Charles Ferguson
19. Hi Beam  - Charles Ferguson
20. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)  - Duke Ellington  - Charles Ferguson  - Paul Francis Webster
21. Rush Hour  -  King Curtis
22. Dynamite at Midnite  -  King Curtis

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Panama Francis   Primary Artist,Drums
Charles Ferguson   Primary Artist,Sax (Tenor)
Bill Harvey   Primary Artist,Sax (Tenor)
Bobby Smith   Primary Artist,Sax (Alto)
Willis "Gator" Jackson   Primary Artist,Sax (Tenor)
King Curtis   Primary Artist,Sax (Tenor)
Morris Lane   Primary Artist,Sax (Tenor)
Dave Rivera   Piano
Shad Collins   Trumpet
Ernie Hayes   Piano
Arnold James   Piano
Bobby Rae Williams   Trumpet
Reuben Phillips   Sax (Baritone)
Bonita   Vocals
Mickey Baker   Guitar
Milt Hinton   Bass
George James   Sax (Baritone)
Count Red Hastings   Sax (Tenor)
Lloyd Trotman   Bass
Hilton Jefferson   Sax (Alto)
Andrew "Fats" Ford   Trumpet
Michael Booty Wood   Trombone
Leonard Heavy Swain   Bass
Andrew Ford   Trumpet
Bobby Williams   Trumpet
Booty Wood   Trombone

Technical Credits

Duke Ellington   Composer
Frank Driggs   Photography
Fats Domino   Composer
W. Warring   Composer
Darryl McDaniels   Composer
Joseph Simmons   Composer
Robert G. Koester   Producer
Chuck Stewart   Photography
Gus Cannon   Composer
Gary Borremans   Artwork,Cover Art,Cover Design
Juerg Morgenthaler   Composer
Marty Symes   Composer
Jerry Levinson   Composer
Stony Browder Jr.   Composer
Dave Bartholomew   Composer
Willis "Gator" Jackson   Composer,Performer
Al J. Neiburg   Composer
Paul Francis Webster   Composer
Bobby Smith   Performer
Jonah Koslen   Composer
Arlo Guthrie   Composer
Morris Lane   Performer
Al Brandtner   Design
Charles Ferguson   Performer
Hosea Woods   Composer
Panama Francis   Performer
Steve Wagner   Producer
Ray Charles   Composer
Bob Porter   Liner Notes
Bill Harvey   Performer
King Curtis   Performer