Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson - Kidney Stew - 1976 (1983)

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Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson - Kidney Stew - 1976 (1983)

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Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson Biography: An advanced stylist on alto saxophone who vacillated throughout his career between jump blues and jazz, bald-pated Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson (he lost his hair early on after a botched bout with a lye-based hair-straightener) also possessed a playfully distinctive vocal delivery that stood him in good stead with blues fans. Vinson first picked up a horn while attending high school in Houston. During the late '30s, he was a member of an incredible horn section in Milton Larkins's orchestra, sitting next to Arnett Cobb and Illinois Jacquet. After exiting Larkins' employ in 1941, Vinson picked up a few vocal tricks while on tour with bluesman Big Bill Broonzy. Vinson joined the Cootie Williams Orchestra from 1942 to 1945. His vocals on trumpeter Williams' renditions of "Cherry Red" and "Somebody's Got to Go" were in large part responsible for their wartime hit status. Vinson struck out on his own in 1945, forming his own large band, signing with Mercury, and enjoying a double-sided smash in 1947 with his romping R&B chart-topper "Old Maid Boogie" and the song that would prove his signature number, "Kidney Stew Blues" (both songs featured Vinson's instantly identifiable vocals).

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Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson - Kidney Stew - 1976 (1983)

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A 1949-1952 stint at King Records produced only one hit, the amusing sequel "Somebody Done Stole My Cherry Red," along with the classic blues "Person to Person" (later revived by another King artist, Little Willie John). Vinson's jazz leanings were probably heightened during 1952-1953, when his band included a young John Coltrane. Somewhere along about here, Vinson wrote two Miles Davis classics, "Tune Up" and "Four." Vinson steadfastly kept one foot in the blues camp and the other in jazz, waxing jumping R&B for Mercury (in 1954) and Bethlehem (1957), jazz for Riverside in 1961 (with Cannonball Adderley), and blues for Blues Time and ABC-BluesWay. A 1969 set for Black & Blue, cut in France with pianist Jay McShann and tenor saxophonist Hal Singer, beautifully recounted Vinson's blues shouting heyday (it's available on Delmark as Old Kidney Stew Is Fine). A much later set for Muse teamed him with the sympathetic little big-band approach of Rhode Island-based Roomful of Blues. Vinson toured the States and Europe frequently prior to his 1988 death of a heart attack. ~ Bill Dahl, All Music Guide

* Born: December 18, 1917, Houston, TX
* Died: July 02, 1988, Los Angeles, CA
* Active: '40s, '50s, '60s, '70s, '80s
* Genres: Jazz
* Instrument: Sax (Alto)
* Representative Albums: "Bosses of the Blues, Vol. 2", "Blues, Boogie & Bebop - Meat's Too High", "Cleanhead & Cannonball: The Lost 1960's Recordings"
* Representative Songs: "Kidney Stew Blues", "Cleanhead Blues", "Cherry Red"

Product Description: Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson plays and sings his usual material in this meeting with Ted Easton's five-piece Dutch jazz band. The group is enthusiastic and Vinson, even though he had performed such material as "Kidney Stew," "Just a Dream" and "Somebody … Full DescriptionSure Has Gotta Go" a countless number of times by 1976, was still able to come up with someting fresh to say on this blues-oriented set. ~ Scott Yanow

Recording information: New Orleans Jazzclub (04/17/1976).

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Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson - Kidney Stew - 1976 (1983)

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Review: Eddie Cleanhead Vinson was the collest cat on records during the 1946-47 periods, sounding more like he was in the future in 1954 or 55! He had a unique voice, in the style later used for rockabilyy in the 50's, and of course Ruth brown used Cleanhead's unique vocal tecnique in her biggest hit "Mama, He Treats your Daughter Mean". He's got a real groove and style all his own, not to mention being a great sax player too. This cd was recorded later in his career but recaptures what he sounded like in 1946, but in STEREO!!! His voice sounds the same, and the band sounds rockin'! This cd should appeal to people who like Louis Jordan, Big Sandy, Brian Setzer, Carl Perkins, Ruth Brown,. or jazz, jump blues, blus, swing, and rockabilly, or r&b. A fun energetic set, shwoing that Vinson lost nothing with age. ~ Amazon Customer

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Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson - Kidney Stew - 1976 (1983)

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Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson - Kidney Stew - 1976 (1983)

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