VA — Bar-B-Que Soul-A-Bration (1998)

FLAC (tracks+cue, log) | 1h 48 min | Genre: Early R&B, Soul, Funk | 602 MB

Generally sounding like the soundtrack to a Black house party or outdoor BBQ of the 1960s, this gem-laden two-CD set focuses primarily on the soul music of that era, but isn\’t without some very R&B-minded jazz and organ-combo selections. Much of the package (which spans 1952 to 1989) falls into the Southern soul category, and anyone who\’s seriously into Southern-style R&B will be familiar with such classics as Aretha Franklin\’s \»Respect,\» Sam & Dave\’s \»Soul Man,\» Booker T. & the MG\’s\’ \»Green Onions\» and Wilson Pickett\’s \»Land of 1000 Dances.\» Meanwhile, the sleeker approach of Northern R&B is represented by Billy Stewart\’s \»Summer,\» Brenton Wood\’s \»The Oogum Boogum Song,\» the Capitols\’ \»Cool Jerk\» and Archie Bell & the Drells\’ \»Tighten Up.\» The jazz that Rhino has included fits right in because it\’s groove-oriented and R&B-minded — Jack McDuff\’s \»Hot Barbecue,\» Mongo Santamaria\’s take on \»Watermelon Man\» and the Ramsey Lewis Trio\’s hit version of \»The In Crowd\» are a long way from the cerebral offerings of Ornette Coleman, Jackie McLean and Charles Mingus. And while this collection takes its key inspiration from the 1960s, it doesn\’t exclude Black party music of the 1950s (the Clovers\’ \»One Mint Julep\»), the 1970s (Betty Wright\’s \»Clean Up Woman\» and the Spinners\’ \»Rubber Band Man\») or the 1980s. Highly recommended.

1-1 -King Curtis — Memphis Soul Stew

1-2 -Arthur Conley — Sweet Soul Music

1-3 -Wendy Rene — Bar-B-Q

1-4 -Brother Jack McDuff — Hot Barbecue

1-5 -Mongo Santamaria — Watermelon Man

1-6 -Booker T & The MG\’s — Green Onions

1-7 -Shirley Ellis — The Nitty Gritty

1-8 -Little Milton — Grits Ain\’t Groceries (All Around The World)

1-9 -James Brown — Grits

1-10 -Asylum Choir — Soul Food

1-11 -Albert Collins — Soul Food

1-12 -Tony Joe White — Polk Salad Annie

1-13 -Otis Redding — The Happy Song (Dum-Dum)

1-14 -Billy Stewart — Summer

1-15 -The Meters — Chicken Strut

1-16 -Bobby Bland And B.B. King — Let The Good s Roll

1-17 -Brenton Wood — The Oogum Boogum Song

1-18 -Sam & Dave — Soul Man

1-19 -Aretha Franklin — Respect

2-1 -Professor Longhair — Red Beans

2-2 -Fats Domino — Jambalaya (On The Bayou)

2-3 -The Robins — Smokey Joe\’s Cafe

2-4 -Billy Vera & The Beaters — Millie Make Some Chili

2-5 -The Ramsey Lewis Trio — The \»In\» Crowd

2-6 -J.J. Jackson — But It\’s Alright

2-7 -Booker T & The MG\’s — Soul-Limbo

2-8 -Aretha Franklin — Rock Steady

2-9 -The Capitols — Cool Jerk

2-10 -The Clovers — One Mint Julep

2-11 -Les McCann, Eddie Harris — Compared To What

2-12 -Archie Bell & The Drells — Tighten Up

2-13 -Marcia Bell — Mama\’s Cooking

2-14 -Spinners — The Rubberband Man

2-15 -Wilson Pickett — Land Of 1000 Dances

2-16 -Willie Bobo — Fried Neck Bones

2-17 -Big Twist And The Mellow Fellows — Too Much Barbeque

2-18 -Betty Wright — Clean Up Woman