Ivory Coast music reviews

This is the best place to start your education then. Taking 25 songs from two labels, this spans the entire 1950's, his most prolific stretch of recording, gathering up nine R&B and Pop hits, plus some truly fantasic non-charted sides to paint a fuller picture of a veteran musician who was capable of delivering in any style.

Hunter began recording back in 1933 while still a teen and by the 40's owned two record labels making him one of the first black men, and one of the first artists of any race, to run his own company. Both disappeared quickly, but not before giving him his first Number One hit ("Pretty Mama Blues" - available on other collections of his 40's work). A brief stop at King Records gave him a few more hits and by the time he landed at MGM Records in 1950 he was primed for the start of the R&B revolution that would lead to rock 'n' roll.

That's where this collection picks up. The first five cuts are from those early 50's MGM years and showcases Hunter's feathery piano, pleasant, intimate vocals and his prolific writing (he penned over 2,500 songs in his lifetime, including a few specifically written for Presley, who befriended him in 1956) all of which made Ivory Joe (which was his real name) one of the era's best R&B balladeers along with Percy Mayfield and later Johnny Ace. When rock 'n' roll dawned in the mid-50's Hunter was already past 40, but the hit cover versions of his songs by Boone, Presley, even pop stars the McGuire Sisters (busy ripping off every black R&B singer they could find, grabbing his "It May Sound Silly" for a trip to the Top 20), and Teresa Brewer (who copped "A Tear Fell" from him and took it to #5) proved he still could connect with younger audiences. As a result, now on R&B powerhouse Atlantic Records, Hunter stormed back into the spotlight with back to back smashes "Since I Met You Baby" and "Empty Arms" that made him, along with Big Joe Turner, the 1950's oldest rock 'n' roll star.

With "Empty Arms" in 1957 he resumed a flirtation with country-sounding R&B which he'd started on King Records with great success in '49 ("Jealous Heart" - #2 R&B), a move that far preceeded Ray Charles more famous groundbreaking move from R&B to C&W a few years later. Just one of the many reasons why Hunter is deserving of a Rock 'n' Roll Hall Of Fame induction for which he has thus far been shamefully denied.

This disc shows Hunter at his best - from the ballads he was most adept at and known for, but also offering him as a smokin' bluesman ("I Feel So Good") and a strong-mid-50's rocker ("I Want Somebody", "You Mean Everything To Me", "You Flip Me Baby"). The liner notes are very informative, there's a full sessionography including sidemen, recording and release dates, as well as a few pictures. It is not an album that will knock your socks off on first listen, Hunter just wasn't the kind of performer. If given a chance for repeated listening though, it will slowly sneak up on you until you find yourself uncontrollably humming "I Almost Lost My Mind" on the subway, elevator or in board meetings, (or on the school bus and playground), while people look at you oddly. Let those quizzical onlookers listen to this disc though and soon they'll be humming along too.

Then he touchily browses the troubles and tribulation people go through or have gone through in their life. Firsts in line are "BLACK MEN TEARS" and "JAH MUSIC", where he portrays some the troubles black people have been through during slavery time and the discrimination and vicious cycle black people are caught into nowadays. Secondly, he goes to an even more general subject, which is the struggle every body goes against in trying to lead a good and exemplary life in today's society in "FACE TO FACE".

Finally, he returns to topics typical of the motherland, Africa. In "COUP DETAT", Alpha denounces the wrong doing of some African leaders who thirsty of power try to get it by any means necessary. And many times they do so by using military force. "BANANA" is specific to the Ivory Coast (Cote D'Ivoire) in that he tells the problems the Ivorian dairy farmer faces in trying to make a living from his work. Not only does he have to overcome the uncertainties of the weather but also producing quality food in convenient quantities in order to be able to sell it at a good price and make profit out of it.

I recognize that often times Alpha using French, Dioula (an African language from the Ivory Coast), or English in trying to convey his message, makes it difficult for other who don't understand to grasp the concepts behind the melody. But again, it is only natural for him to do so and that is the reason why I tried to give as much details as I could fit in this slot. I would fiercely recommend this album to anybody found of reggae, good music or good singers able to bring attention to meaningful subjects.

If you listen to this and like it you should also go for "SOS GUERRE TRIBALE" and "MASADA" which are other album of his dealing with similar subjects in a philosophical manner.

Then he touchily browses the troubles and tribulation people go through or have gone through in their life. Firsts in line are "BLACK MEN TEARS" and "JAH MUSIC", where he portrays some the troubles black people have been through during slavery time and the discrimination and vicious cycle black people are caught into nowadays. Secondly, he goes to an even more general subject, which is the struggle every body goes against in trying to lead a good and exemplary life in today's society in "FACE TO FACE".

Finally, he returns to topics typical of the motherland, Africa. In "COUP DETAT", Alpha denounces the wrong doing of some African leaders who thirsty of power try to get it by any means necessary. And many times they do so by using military force. "BANANA" is specific to the Ivory Coast (Cote D'Ivoire) in that he tells the problems the Ivorian dairy farmer faces in trying to make a living from his work. Not only does he have to overcome the uncertainties of the weather but also producing quality food in convenient quantities in order to be able to sell it at a good price and make profit out of it.

I recognize that often times Alpha using French, Dioula (an African language from the Ivory Coast), or English in trying to convey his message, makes it difficult for other who don't understand to grasp the concepts behind the melody. But again, it is only natural for him to do so and that is the reason why I tried to give as much details as I could fit in this slot. I would fiercely recommend this album to anybody found of reggae, good music or good singers able to bring attention to meaningful subjects. If you listen to this and like it you should also go for "SOS GUERRE TRIBALE" and "MASADA" which are other album of his dealing with similar subjects in a philosophical manner.

At the time of this recording, Brookmeyer was an established trombonist with several records to his name. Evans was emerging as a phenomonal pianist, having just joined the Miles Davis quintet in 1958.

The tracks recorded were standards (someone liked Gershwin), with the faster paced ones (Honeysuckle Rose) spotlighting Brookmeyer and the slower paced ones (The Man I Love) allowing Evans to show his stuff. Typical of the stereo style of the day, Brookmeyer is heard on the left channel and Evans on the right, with Percy Heath on bass and Connie Kay on drums mixed across both channels.

This is a "must have" CD for jazz enthusiasts because of the unusual instrumentation, and as a point of reference in the developing career of Bill Evans.