CD - Jackie Wilson - Mr. Excitement

Spotlight on Jackie Wilson

Vierte Folge der „Spotlight Series“ auf KOKO MOJO, die sich einzelnen Künstlern widmet - CD im dreiteiligen Digisleeve mit 28 Songs sowie Linernotes über Leben und Karriere des Detroiter Rhythm’n’Blues-Tenors JACKIE WILSON. Schon 1953, wenige Wochen nach seinem 19. Geburtstag, ging die musikalische Karriere des aus Michigan stammenden JACKI WILSON los: als Leadsänger der DOMINOES ersetzte der markante Tenor den zuvor ausgeschiedenen CLYDE MCPHATTER. WILSON, der aufgrund seiner dynamischen Livepräsenz schnell den Spitznamen „Mr. Excitement“ trug, machte sich aber schon ab 1957 als Soloartist einen Namen - unvergessen zum Besipiel sein Hit „Reet Petite“. Auch seine Duette mit LINDA HOPKINS, „Do Lord“, „I Found Love“ und „Say I Do“, die diese Zusammenstellung abschließen, sind beeindruckend. Zu hören ist MR. EXCITEMENT als Leadsänger von BILLY WARD & THE DOMINOES auf den ersten sechs Songs, weitere 19 Solosongs zwischen 1957 und 1963 reichen von ursprünglichem Rhythm’n’Blues bis hin zum aufkommenden glamourösen Soul- und Pop-Stil.

Detroit, Michigan-bred Jackie Wilson was one of the most fantastic vocalists of the rhythm & blues and rock 'n' roll era, topped off with an amazing stage show he was Mr Excitement.

The musical journey begins in 1953 a few weeks after Wilson’s nineteenth birthday when he officially replaced Clyde McPhatter in Billy Ward’s Dominoes (see KM-CD-94 Clyde McPhatter The Voice of R&B). Ward was a vocal coach, writer, arranger, and producer who led the Dominoes group, which comprised of only the pick of the best musicians available.

From his tenure with the Dominoes showcased are six of Wilsons up-tempo vocal performances; You Can't Keep A Good Man Down, Above Jacob's Ladder, A Little Lie, Bobby Sox Baby, Learning The Blues, and St Louis Blues.

The next stage in Wilson’s career found him scaling the music charts as a solo performer and gaining instant fame with Reet Petite (The Finest Girl You Ever Want To Meet). Wilson’s recordings from the golden years of 1957 to 1963 benefited from professional arrangements and his recordings crossed over into mainstream pop music charts.

The classics on Mr Excitement include; the jiving tempos of Come Back To Me, Why Can't You Be Mine, (So Many) Cute Little Girls, and Love Train. His stroll rockers attract the ladies onto the dance floor like a magnet; Come On And Love Me, Baby, I Know I'll Always Be In Love With You, and from 1963 his pop hit Baby Workout. From here onwards his music had a cross over style amalgamation of rhythm & blues and the newly appearing soul music known as The New Breed. To bring the excitement to a thundering close there are three titles on which Wilson duets with Linda Hopkins, the gospel rocker Do Lord, I Found Love, and Say I Do.

The album is compiled by Dee Jay Mark Armstrong and topped off with the best possible sound quality possible from our mastering team at our El Paso, Texas, Studio. The album sleeves are made from top-quality eco-friendly cardboard and lavishly decorated by design artist and working musician Urban Zotel. The album is ideal for Dee Jays to fill the dance floor with, and for home listening or while cruising around. All that remains is to say, "Crank up the volume and dig these musical gems.

Koko Mojo doesn't make an album of average music our philosophy is to compile songs of quality, with every album, it's a "killer and no filler" ideology! You are listening to music from the past with a remastered sound that will shake the speakers." Atomicat Records "are often imitated, never duplicated."

Dee Jay Mark Armstrong Bühl, Germany

 

1. Billy Ward and The Dominoes (Jackie Wilson - Lead) - You Can't Keep A Good Man Down (Ward, Marks) Federal 1953

2. Billy Ward and The Dominoes (Jackie Wilson - Lead) - Above Jacob's Ladder (Ward) Federal 1954

3. Billy Ward and The Dominoes (Jackie Wilson - Lead) - A Little Lie (Shelley) King 1954

4. Billy Ward and His Dominoes (Jackie Wilson - Lead) - Bobby Sox Baby (Ward, Marks) Federal 1956

5. Billy Ward and His Dominoes (Jackie Wilson – Lead) - Learning The Blues (Silvers) Federal LP 1956

6. Billy Ward and The Dominoes (Jackie Wilson - Lead) - St Louis Blues (Handy) Federal 1957

7. Jackie Wilson - Reet Petite (The Finest Girl You Ever Want To Meet) (Gordy, Carlo) Brunswick 1957

8. Jackie Wilson - Come Back To Me (Wilson) Brunswick 1958

9. Jackie Wilson - If I Can't Have You (Scott) Brunswick LP 1958

10. Jackie Wilson - Why Can't You Be Mine (Tucker, Weatherspoon) Brunswick EP 1958

11. Jackie Wilson - Right Now! (Wolf, Starr) Coral EP 1958

12. Jackie Wilson - I'll Be Satisfied (Gordy Jr., Carlo) Brunswick 1959

13. Jackie Wilson - Etcetera (Gordy, Davis) Coral (Germany) 1959

14. Jackie Wilson - You Better Know It (Wilson, Henry) Brunswick 1959

15. Jackie Wilson - The Joke (Is Not On Me) (Gordy, Bradford) Brunswick LP 1959

16. Jackie Wilson - So Much (Burton, Dias, Wilson) Brunswick EP 1960

17. Jackie Wilson - (So Many) Cute Little Girls (Wilson, Woods) Coral 1960

18. Jackie Wilson - I Know I'll Always Be in Love With You (Campbell) Coral (Germany) 1960

19. Jackie Wilson - Come On And Love Me Baby (Lee) Brunswick 1960

20. Jackie Wilson - Sazzle Dazzle (Lee) Brunswick 1960

21. Jackie Wilson - Comin' To Your House (Lee) Brunswick 1960

22. Jackie Wilson - I'm Comin' On Back To You (Kasha, Ott) Brunswick 1961

23. Jackie Wilson - Love Train (Blackwell, Scott) Brunswick LP 1963

24. Jackie Wilson - Baby Workout (Wilson, Tucker) Brunswick 1963

25. Jackie Wilson - The New Breed (Evans, Readon) Brunswick 1963

26. Jackie Wilson and Linda Hopkins - Do Lord (Black, Traditional) Brunswick LP 1963

27. Jackie Wilson and Linda Hopkins - I Found Love (Wilson, Tucker) Brunswick 1962

28. Jackie Wilson and Linda Hopkins - Say I Do (Thomas, Dillard, Tucker) Brunswick 1963