HADDA BROOKS
That's Where I Came In (Ace; CD)
     Singer/pianist Hadda Brooks was the reason that Modern Records, one of the most successful independent US record companies of the late 1940s and 1950s, was formed by Jules Bihari, and over the past several years, Ace Records have compiled and issued two earlier CDs from this source. The last was Swingin' The Boogie (CDCHM 899) which pulled together her best instrumental piano boogies, while this - the third in the trilogy - gathers the best of the vocal performances; many of them undiscovered until the earlier CD was being researched. Of the 24 tracks contained in the present CD, no fewer than 18 are previously unissued!
     Born in Los Angeles in 1916, Hadda Hopgood began recording for Bihari's brand new Modern label in 1944 and enjoyed her greatest chart successes in 1947/48 with 'That's My Desire' (#4), 'Out Of The Blue' (#9) and 'What Have I Done?' (#3); the hit version of the latter along with alternative versions of the two others are featured here. The other tracks range from 1930s Tin Pan Alley standards by Kern, Berlin and Gershwin to 1940s blues standards by Big Bill Broonzy and swing era ballads from Buddy Johnson and Irene Higginbotham. She died at home in 2002 after enjoying a renaissance brought about by Virgin Records and the best-selling comeback CD Time Was When in 1996.
     This is a fine release with a lot of interest for the collector by way of unissued takes from her peak years of 1946 and 1947, studio chat and an attractive eight page booklet. The pace, which rarely gets above an easy, laid-back mid-tempo, may seem a little samey after a while, but the wonderful musicianship of Hadda and her regular guitarist, Teddy Bunn, more than make up for the lack of fire. If you love the lost artistry of the likes of Lady Day, you will adore Hadda!
http://www.virginrecords.com/hadda/
http://www.acerecords.co.uk/
Dave Penny

THE CHECKERS
Checkmate - The Complete King Recordings 1952-55 (Ace; CD)
     Prior to alienating his star voice, Clyde McPhatter, in 1953, Billy Ward's draconian leadership had chased several other members from the line-up of his best-selling vocal group The Dominoes. The first to go was Charlie White in September 1951, who promptly formed his own group, cheekily named The Checkers. White needed a bass voice and set about tempting The Dominoes' Bill Brown - he of 'Sixty Minute Man' fame - away from Ward. By early 1952 the group was set and they managed to secure a contract with their former employer King Records, too. Quite a thorn in the side of Billy Ward!
     This CD gathers the entire recorded legacy of the group from June 1952 to October 1954 - although King Records issued some later 1950s 45s as by "The Checkers", the original group bearing that name ceased to be in late 1954. Unlike the successful Dominoes, The Checkers had no national chart hits despite trying to milk the 'Sixty Minute Man' cash cow with a fine sequel, ' Don't Stop Dan', professional covers such as The Du Droppers' 'I Wanna Know', and a pleasing spread of consummate jump tunes ('You Never Had It So Good', 'White Cliffs Of Dover', 'Can't Find My Sadie') and unusual bluesy doowop ballads ('House With No Windows', 'Flame In My Heart', 'Ghost Of My Baby').
     A 12 page booklet stuffed with label shots is just the icing on the cake to 26 outstanding vocal harmony tracks from the early 1950s, which includes five unissued alternative takes and one completely new, previously unissued recording; the searing 'Friend In Need'.
http://home.att.net/~marvy42/Checkers/checkers.html
http://www.acerecords.co.uk/
Dave Penny

THE LAMPLIGHTERS
Loving, Rocking, Thrilling - The Complete Federal Recordings (Ace; CD)
     The Lamplighters were formed in 1953 when the then vocal trio lost a talent contest in Los Angeles to a charismatic solo singer from Indianapolis called Thurston Harris. With no hard feelings, the trio approached Harris to ask him to join their group, and by the summer of that year they had been signed to Ralph Bass's Federal Records. Between July 1953 and January 1956 they recorded the 28 tracks comprising this CD before Harris departed to carve out a solo career with Aladdin Records and national R&B hits such as 'Little Bitty Pretty One' (#2 1957) and 'Do What You Did' (#14 1958). No longer The Lamplighters, the group became The Sharps and, eventually, The Rivingtons, who finally scored well-deserved Billboard hits on Liberty Records in the early 1960s with 'The Bird's The Word' and 'Papa Oom Mow Mow'.
     A decade before that, the group were pumping out both exciting rockers ('I Used To Cry Mercy Mercy', 'You Hear', 'Love, Rock And Thrill', 'Turn Me Loose') and touching doowoppers ('Give Me', 'Part Of Me', 'Tell Me You Care', 'Don't Make It So Good') in equal measure, usually featuring the gospel-trained lead tenor of Thurston Harris. All 12 singles released on Federal as well as four unissued songs make up this collection, topped off with the usual sterling 12-page book, this time with notes by West Coast vocal group expert Jim Dawson. Another essential purchase for lovers of good 1950s vocal group harmony.
http://home.earthlink.net/~jaymar41/lamplighters.html
http://www.acerecords.co.uk/
Dave Penny