V.A. - Rock & Rau Forever (1954–80) (24/96 Vinyl Rip)

Lippmann+Rau started a concert agency in the early 60ies, redefining the European music scene. Here we have a non-commercial LP with recordings, mostly live, from the first 25 years of their activities.

Tracks
01. Two Beat Stompers · Jenny's ball 03:44
02. Sonny Boy Williamson · I got to cut out from home 03:07
03. Diego Vargas & Juan Maya Marote · Siguiriyas 05:06
04. Albert Mangelsdorff · The up and down man 04:07
05. Buddy Guy & Passport · I just wanna make love to you 06:11
06. Bette Midler · Boogie woogie bugle boy 02:23
07. Al Jarreau · Take five 03:32
08. Manhattan Transfer · Four brothers 03:48
09. Veronique Sanson · Amoureuse 02:59
10. Paul Simon · One trick pony 03:46
11. The Eagles · Seven bridges road 03:05
12. Led Zeppelin · The song remains the same 05:29
13. Leata Galloway & Udo Lindenberg · Baby, wenn ich down bin 03:25
Total time: 50:39

This is one of the records where there is even more to write about than to listen to.
It's a promo only release and has never been available commercially, no listing on Discogs or RateYourMusic yet, you might call it a private release of Mr. Nesuhi Ertegun, president of WEA.
The tracks are not so special in that they all have been (re-)released elsewhere, maybe even with a better mastering.
But the story behind the record is a long one, to be precise 25 years and countless lines long, the letter above gives you a first idea.
Only few music fans know Horst Lippmann and Fritz Rau, and even less know how they defined the whole European music scene.
The title "Rock & Rau forever" is a citation from Mick Jagger, who called Fritz Rau also his "Godfather".
Lippmann+Rau started a concert agency in the early 60ies bringing black US musicians to Europe, when back home they still played in small clubs for a black audience only.
Many of them had never seen a real stage or big audiences before these tours, and some have never played together again before or afterwards.
Their concerts attracted people like Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton, Alexis Korner and all the other musicians who then started the British blues-rock scene.
Remember that for their first LP the Rolling Stones recorded mostly songs they first heard here.
Horst Lippmann produced the first ever recording with Eric Clapton.
Without L+R the whole European music history might well have taken a completely different path.
With this reputation their concert agency became the most successful in Europe, serving bands and labels from all over the world.
Listen to these songs and follow the links on Wikipedia, you can spend hours exploring their – and our – music history.
Fritz Rau died in August this year, RIP.