VA - The Cosimo Matassa Story Vol. 01 [2007] (4 x CD's)

 

COSIMO MATASSA         Part 1

VA - The Cosimo Matassa Story Vol. 01 [2007] (4 x CD's)

Cosimo Vincent Matassa was born in New Orleans in 1926. In 1944 he began studies as a chemistry major at Tulane University, which he abandoned after completing five semesters of course work. In 1945, at the age of 18, Matassa opened the J&M Recording Studio at the back of his family's shop on Rampart Street, on the border of the French Quarter in New Orleans. In 1955, he moved to the larger Cosimo Recording Studio on Gov. Nichols Street, nearby in the French Quarter.  As an engineer and proprietor, Matassa was crucial to the development of the sound of R&B, rock and soul of the 1950's and 1960's, often working with the producers Dave Bartholomew and Allen Toussaint. He recorded many hits, including Fats Domino’s "The Fat Man" (a contender for the first rock and roll record), Little Richard's "Tutti Frutti", and records by Ray Charles, Lee Dorsey, Dr. John, Smiley Lewis, Bobby Mitchell, Tommy Ridgley, the Spiders and many others. He was responsible for developing what became known as the New Orleans sound, with strong drums, heavy guitar and bass, heavy piano, light horns and a strong vocal lead. In the late 1950's and early 1960's, Matassa also managed the successful white New Orleans rock-and-roll performer Jimmy Clanton.  Matassa retired from the music business in the 1980's to manage the family's food store, Matassa's Market, in the French Quarter. He died on September 11, 2014, aged 88, in New Orleans. (Wikipedia)

VA - The Cosimo Matassa Story Vol. 01

Virtually every R&B record made in New Orleans between the late 40's and early 70's was engineered by Cosimo Matassa and recorded in one of his four studios. Cosimo placed New Orleans on the musical map recording hits for Little Richard, Fats Domino, Lloyd Price and many more. This is a monster of a set with 120 vital tracks, all the hits plus much more. Features cuts from Smiley Lewis, Dave Bartholomew, Shirley & Lee, T-Bone Walker, Lowell Fulson, Guitar Slim, Professor Longhair and many more.  An absolutely wonderful, remarkably  collection that will immerse you in the backstreets of the true New Orleans, no goofy Bourbon Street watered down rehashes; this is the real thing, if this collection doesn't get your toes tapping and your fingers snapping, you must be either dead or deaf. From the well-known bayou rockers (Fats Domino, Little Richard, Guitar Slim) to the lesser known but every bit as brilliant and tight recording artists (Little Mr Midnight, Smiley Lewis), there is not a single filler track, and not a single misstep in pacing these gems. A marvelous collection of R&B hip-shakers from the late 40's to the early 70's, all recorded in Cosimo Matassa's studios - the man who put New Orleans on the map as the forefront of incredible, ground-breaking RockNRoll. Absolutely Essential!  (Amazon)

The music in this collection is essential to understanding the evolution of music in the last half of the 20th century. You can hear the development from swing and jump to early rock & roll to New Orleans R&B. Besides, this stuff is so much fun to listen to.

==========================================================

===========================================================

Track lists

CD1

01 Little Mr. Midnight Got a Brand New Baby 2:21

02 Little Mr. Midnight Four O'clock Blues 2:44

03 Smiley Lewis Don't Jive Me 2:22

04 Dave Bartholomew Tra-La-La 2:32

05 Dave Bartholomew Teejim 2:37

06 James Wayne Agreeable Woman 2:33

07 James Wayne Two Faced Woman 2:52

08 Roy 'baldhead' Byrd (Professor Longhair) Rockin' With Fes 2:03

09 Dave Bartholomew Stormy Weather 2:53

10 Dave Bartholomew My Ding-A-Ling 2:15

11 Fats Domino Reeling and Rocking 2:21

12 Lloyd Price Lawdy Miss Clawdy 2:33

13 Lloyd Price Chee Koo Baby 2:13

14 Shirley & Lee Sweethearts 2:31

15 Shirley & Lee I'm Gone 2:20

16 Royal Kings Teachin' and Preachin' 2:03

17 Royal Kings Bouncin' the Boogie 1:59

18 The Sha-Weez Early Sunday Morning 2:23

19 Dave Bartholomew Who Drank My Beer While I Was in the Rear 2:51

20 Dave Bartholomew Country Gal 2:26

21 Shirley & Lee Baby 2:23

22 Clarence Garlow New Bon Ton Roulay 2:55

23 T-Bone Walker Got No Use for You 2:40

24 T-Bone Walker Long Distance Blues 3:03

25 Fat Man Matthews I'm Thankful 2:27

26 Fats Domino Little School Girl 2:40

27 Hawks I-Yi 2:39

28 Hawks Candy Girl 2:16

29 Lowell Fulson Don't Leave Me Baby 3:00

30 Guitar Slim The Things That I Used to Do 3:01

CD2

01 Guitar Slim Well, I Done Got Over It 2:29

02 Professor Longhair Tipitina 2:40

03 Slim Saunders Let's Have Some Fun (Honey) 2:17

04 Sugar Boy & His Cane Cutters Jock-A-Mo 2:27

05 Spiders I Didn't Want to Do It 2:43

06 Spiders You're the One 1:58

07 Smiley Lewis Blue Monday 2:43

08 Bobby Mitchell & the Toppers Baby's Gone 2:07

09 Bobby Mitchell & the Toppers Sister Lucy 2:29

10 Kings 'til I Say Well Done 2:05

11 Pee Wee Crayton Every Dog Has His Day 2:22

12 Dave Collins & the Scrubbs Bluesy Me 2:34

13 Hawks Give it Up 2:09

14 Hawks Nobody But You 2:21

15 Spiders 21 (3x7=21) 2:21

16 Spiders That's Enough 2:16

17 Fats & Dave Jump Children 2:24

18 Fats & Dave Cat Music 2:03

19 Kidds Drunk Drunk Drunk 2:39

20 Pelicans Ain't Gonna Do It 2:27

21 Bees I Want to Be Loved 2:43

22 Bees Toy Bell 2:22

23 Pee Wee Crayton You Know Yeah 2:34

24 Pee Wee Crayton Runnin' Wild 2:29

25 Hawks It's Too Late Now 2:09

26 Smiley Lewis Real Gone Lover 2:33

27 Boo Breeding Low and Lonesome 2:54

28 Boo Breeding Country Woman 2:24

29 Willie Johnson Say Baby 2:17

30 Willie Johnson That Night 2:39

CD3

01 Little Leo What's it All About! 2:47

02 Little Leo Handwriting on the Wall 2:35

03 Hawketts Mardi Gras Mambo 2:14

04 Hawketts Your Time's Up 2:35

05 Barons Eternally Yours 2:18

06 Barons Boom Boom 2:20

07 Shirley & Lee Feel So Good 2:50

08 Smiley Lewis I Hear You Knocking 2:45

09 Wee Willie Wayne Travelin' Mood 2:29

10 Wee Willie Wayne I Remember 2:12

11 Little Bo Baby 2:45

12 Little Bo So Glad 2:33

13 Bernie Williams & the Barons Why Fool Yourself 2:42

14 Little Richard I'm Just a Lonely Guy 2:38

15 Little Richard Tutti Frutti 2:24

16 Ernest Kador (Ernie K-Doe) Do Baby Do 2:11

17 Big Boy Myles & the Sha-Weez Who's Been Fooling You! 1:52

18 Big Boy Myles & the Sha-Weez That Girl I Married 2:10

19 Li'l Millett & His Creoles Rich Woman 2:38

20 Fats Domino I'm in Love Again 1:56

21 Bobby Charles On Bended Knee 2:14

22 Bobby Charles See You Later Alligator 2:50

23 Charles Williams So Glad You're Mine 2:13

24 Fats Domino My Blue Heaven 2:08

25 Bobby Mitchell Try Rock'n'roll 2:07

26 Bobby Mitchell No No No 1:57

27 Little Richard Long Tall Sally 2:08

28 Little Richard Slippin' and Slidin' 2:39

29 Eddie Bo I'm Wise (Slippin' and Slidin') 2:14

30 Bobby Charles Take it Easy, Greasy 2:12

CD4

01 Little Richard Rip it Up 2:20

02 Little Richard Ready Teddy 2:08

03 Shirley & Lee Let the Good Times Roll 2:23

04 Huey Piano Smith & His Rhythm Aces Everybody's Whalin' 2:42

05 Huey Piano Smith & His Rhythm Aces Little Liza Jane 2:11

06 Dukes Teardrop Eyes 2:43

07 Dukes Cotton Picking Hands 2:37

08 Lloyd Price Rock'n'roll Dance 2:17

09 Little Richard The Girl Can't Help It 2:32

10 Little Richard Heebie Jeebies 2:15

11 Fats Domino Don't Blame it on Me 2:40

12 Jimmy Beasley Don't Feel Sorry for Me 2:14

13 Jimmy Beasley Little Coquette 2:13

14 Smiley Lewis Down Yonder (We Go Ballin') 2:59

15 Smiley Lewis Shame Shame Shame 1:58

16 Roy Montrell Oooh-Wow 2:31

17 Roy Montrell (Everytime I Hear) That Mellow Saxophone 2:24

18 Lee Allen Rockin' at Cosimo's 2:50

19 Edgar Blanchard Stepping High 1:53

20 Shirley & Lee I Feel Good 2:18

21 Werly Fairburn I'm a Fool About Your Love 2:12

22 Werly Fairburn All the Time 2:25

23 Clarence 'frogman' Henry I'm a Country Boy 1:54

24 Clarence 'frogman' Henry Ain't Got No Home 2:22

25 Big Boy Myles & the Sha-Weez Hickory Dickory Dock 1:48

26 Big Boy Myles & the Sha-Weez Just to Hold My Hand 2:12

27 Art Neville Oooh-Wee Baby 2:11

28 Art Neville Back Home to Me 2:24

29 Earl King You Can Fly High 2:16

30 Earl King Those Lonely, Lonely Feelings 2:38

=============================================================

=============================================================