VA - Great Rock 'n' Roll Instrumentals (2009)

The subtitle "The Original Rock 'n' Roll Recordings 1950-1960" further clarifies the contents of this double-CD compilation tightly packed with 63 predominantly instrumental tunes from the early days of rock & roll. Most of the usual suspects are here, such as "Tequila," "Rebel Rouser," "Rumble," and "Honky Tonk," but it's the rest of this set that is such a revelation. Obscure choices from legends such as Chuck Berry, Bill Haley & the Comets, and Fats Domino share space with less familiar names such as Kid King's Combo, Lawson Haggart Rockin' Band, Dave Appell & the Applejacks, and Merrill Moore, best known only by rabid fans of the genre. The strict chronological time frame precludes any surf, which generally came to prominence after 1960, so much of this stays in the blues, country, and R&B veins. There are a few obvious omissions such as Santo & Johnny's classic "Sleep Walk" but that doesn't detract from the wealth of rare and seldom-anthologized songs that make this such an enjoyable spin for enthusiasts of the time period. Only two tracks break the three-minute mark; these nuggets, typically guitar or sax based, get in, swing for a few minutes, and end quickly, never extending into the jams that would seem natural to the idiom. Six pages of detailed, tiny-type liner notes by compiler Dave Travis provide fascinating background information on even the most under-the-radar selections and artists, although there are no specific personnel listed. The tracks aren't arranged in chronological order, or seemingly any order at all, and after nearly two-and-a-half hours all the honking saxes, twangy guitars, and walking pianos seem to run together. But this remains a minor goldmine of frisky instrumentals from these early years of rock & roll when the music was still heavily influenced by jump blues and country, and just starting to evolve into its singular style and form.

Tracklist:

CD 1
1. Chuck Berry - In-Go (2:25)
2. Duane Eddy - Movin' 'n' Groovin' (2:04)
3. B.B. Cunningham - Electrode (2:29)
4. Floyd Cramer - Flip Flop & Bop (2:15)
5. Owen Bradley - Big Guitar (2:34)
6. Ritchie Valens - Fast Freight (1:58)
7. The Champs - Midnighter (2:11)
8. Scotty Moore - Have Guitar Will Travel (2:00)
9. Ace Cannon - .38 Special (1:44)
10. Sonny Burgess - Itchy (2:18)
11. Lynn Vernon - Moon Rocket (2:24)
12. Chuck Berry - Blue Feeling (3:02)
13. Chet Atkins - Dance With Me Henry (2:19)
14. Arthur Smith & His Crackerjacks - Guitar Boogie (3:21)
15. Merle Travis - I'll See You In My Dreams (1:53)
16. Duane Eddy - Rebel Rouser (2:22)
17. Les Paul - How High The Moon (2:07)
18. B.B. Cunningham - Scratchin' (2:12)
19. Merrill Moore - Nola Boogie (2:04)
20. Country Cats - Hot Strings (2:10)
21. Buddy Knox - Rockabilly Walk (2:13)
22. Chuck Berry - Deep Feeling (2:17)
23. The Champs - Gone Train (2:32)
24. Ace Cannon - Big Shot (2:16)
25. Duane Eddy - Cannonball (1:54)
26. Chet Atkins - Tweedle Dee (2:22)
27. Al Casey - Ramrod (1:26)
28. Ritchie Valens - Big Baby Blues (1:55)
29. Merle Travis - Cannonball Rag (1:55)
30. Sonny Burgess - Thunderbird (2:18)
31. The Champs - Train To Nowhere (2:14)
32. Bill Haley & His Comets - Blue Comet Blues (2:25)
33. Link Wray - Rumble (2:15)

CD 2
1. The Champs - Tequila (2:13)
2. Bill Justis - Raunchy (2:22)
3. Sil Austin - Slow Walk (2:39)
4. Lawson-Haggart Rockin' Band - Dumplings (2:51)
5. Fats Domino - Fats Frenzy (2:24)
6. Bill Haley & The Comets - Rudy's Rock (2:42)
7. Noble 'Thin Man' Watts - Hard Times (The Slop) (2:41)
8. Willie Mitchell - Bongo Beat (2:03)
9. Lee Allen - Walkin' With Mr. Lee (2:28)
10. Red Halloway - Foolin' Around Slowly (3:07)
11. T.J. Fowler - Back Biter (2:33)
12. Red Prysock Band - Rock n Roll (3:05)
13. Fats Domino - Second Line Jump (2:33)
14. Jimmy Cavallo & His House Rockers - Footstompin' (2:14)
15. Kid King’s Combo - Skip's Boogie (2:55)
16. The Blazers - Walk On (2:27)
17. Bill Justus - College Man (2:24)
18. Albert Ammons & Pete Johnson - Walkin' The Boogie (2:49)
19. Lawson-Haggart Rockin' Band - The Stroll (2:58)
20. Dave Appell & The Applejacks - Dinner With Drac (2:36)
21. Willie Mitchell - The Crawl (2:04)
22. Rusty Bryant - The Honeydripper (2:13)
23. Fats Domino - Swannee River Hop (2:46)
24. Alan Freed & His Rock 'n' Roll Band - The Grey Bear (1:58)
25. Bill Haley & The Comets - Goofin Around (2:39)
26. The Nino Temo Band - Heartburn Motel (1:52)
27. Lawson-Haggart Rockin' Band - Yancey Special (2:47)
28. Bill Doggett - Honky Tonk (3:07)
29. Fats Domino - The Fat Man't Hop (2:25)
30. Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra - Jay-Dee's Boogie Woogie (2:33)