VA - The Cosimo Matassa Story Vol. 02, Gumbo Ya Ya [2012] (4 x CD's)

COSIMO MATASSA         Part 2

VA - The Cosimo Matassa Story Vol. 02, Gumbo Ya Ya [2012] (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. 02, Gumbo Ya Ya [2012]

This is a fine companion to the first box set of Cosimo Matassa's recording work from this period in New Orleans. This second volume begins essentially where the first set ends. Like all box sets from the Proper label, each disc slips into a cardboard sleeve, with the tracks listed on the backside. This second collection is even more proof (as if it's needed) that Cosimo Matassa had that certain "something" when it came time to record these seminal sides of "New Orleans' style" music. He more often than not set the controls in the studio and then rarely touched them when recording. He liked a live sound and feel to the music and tried to stay true to that sound. There are many treasures to be found in this collection, and in these songs you can hear music morphing into something new right in front of you. An example of a great song from an unknown performer is Diamond Joe's "Moanin' and Screamin', Pts 1 & 2". He's backed by the band Allen Toussaint used for much of his studio work, and some great background vocals. This late night sounding lament is a combination of soul music and the blues. Joe's pleading, lonely vocals are combined with some heartbreaking lyrics, with everything coming together to make a great, atmospheric little gem. After this song Joe never again gained any notoriety and disappeared. But what a song. What a performance. Cosimo Matassa recorded nearly all the New Orleans R & B and Rock 'N' Roll classics that emanated from one of his four recording studios during the Crescent City's golden age. Much of this music forms a large part of all the music that came afterwards. It's both important and it's hot rocking r&b/r'n'r. How can you beat that? (Amazon)

This is one of those collections that's all killer no filler. Yes, there's a number of tunes that will be familiar, and that you probably already own. But hearing all this music in one nice little package is both exciting and revelatory-all this music from one man who was an engineer-not a music producer.  

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Track lists

CD1

01 Dave Bartholomew Four Winds 2:25

02 Smiley Lewis One Night 2:20

03 Fats Domino I Can't Go On 2:15

04 Fats Domino Bo Weevil 2:10

05 Dave Bartholomew Shrimp And Gumbo 2:08

06 Spiders Witchcraft 2:40

07 Lloyd Price Woe Ho Ho 2:24

08 Little Richard Miss Ann 2:20

09 Smiley Lewis She's Got Me Hook, Line And Sinker 2:29

10 Roland Cook Tell Me Baby 2:40

11 Roland Cook Hear My Plea 2:16

12 Bobby Marchan Chickee-Wah-Wah 2:20

13 Bobby Marchan Don't Take Your Love From Me 2:21

14 Fats Domino When My Dreamboat Comes Home 2:21

15 Little Richard Lucille 2:28

16 Little Richard All Around The World 1:57

17 Little Richard Shake A Hand 2:54

18 Smiley Lewis Mama Don't Like It 2:39

19 Bobby Charles Laura Lee 2:13

20 Little Richard Jenny Jenny 2:07

21 Little Richard Good Golly Miss Molly 2:14

22 Little Richard Baby Face 2:18

23 Little Richard By The Light Of The Silvery Moon 2:11

24 Little Richard Send Me Some Lovin' 2:22

25 Sugar Boy Crawford She's Got A Wobble (When She Walks) 2:15

26 Fats Domino I'm Walkin' 2:06

27 Tommy Ridgley When I Meet My Girl 2:11

28 Bobby Marchan Rockin' Behind The Iron Curtain 2:20

CD2

01 Huey 'piano' Smith & the Clowns Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu 2:16

02 Huey 'piano' Smith & the Clowns Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu (Pt. 2) 2:23

03 Charles 'hungry' Williams Darling 2:21

04 Charles 'hungry' Willians So Worried 2:15

05 Lee Allen Walkin' With Mr.Lee 2:26

06 Lee Allen Tic Toc 2:36

07 Paul Gayten 07- Nervous Boogie 2:22

08 Shirley & Lee Rockin' With the Clock 2:39

09 Eddie Bo Walk That Walk 1:50

10 T.V. Slim Flatfoot Sam 2:14

11 Paul Gayten 11- Tired of Cryin' 2:57

12 Paul Gayten Just One More Chance 2:03

13 Bobby Mitchell I'm Gonna Be a Wheel Someday 2:06

14 Allen Toussaint Java 1:57

15 Little Booker Teenage Rock 1:53

16 Jerry Byrne Lights Out 1:55

17 Paul Gayten Windy 1:47

18 Joe Tex You Little Baby Face Thing 2:26

19 Art Neville Zing, Zing 2:04

20 Art Neville Cha Dooky-Doo 2:42

21 Eddie Bo Oh, Oh 2:29

22 Huey 'piano' Smith & the Clowns Don't You Just Know It 2:33

23 Huey 'piano' Smith & the Clowns Don't You Know Yockomo 2:28

24 Jimmy Clanton & His Rockets Just a Dream 2:32

25 Art Neville What's Going On 2:03

26 Art Neville Arabian Love Call 2:25

27 Fats Domino Whole Lotta Lovin' 1:42

28 Jimmy Clanton A Letter to an Angel 2:53

CD3

01 Frankie Ford Sea Cruise 2:47

02 Frankie Ford Roberta 2:28

03 Eddie Bo I Love To Rock 'N' Roll 2:27

04 Lee Allen Creole Alley 2:30

05 Huey Smith & His Clowns Would You Believe It (I Have A Cold) 2:22

06 Joe & Ann Gee Baby 2:52

07 Frankie Ford Alimony 2:25

08 Fats Domino I Want To Walk You Home 2:24

09 Earl King Everybody's Carried Away 2:17

10 Johnny Adams I Won't Cry 2:20

11 Alvin 'Red' Tyler Snake Eyes 2:30

12 Mac Rebennack Storm Warning 3:21

13 Fats Domino Be My Guest 2:05

14 Charles Brown; Amos Milburn Educated Fool 2:22

15 Professor Longhair Go To The Mardi Gras 2:56

16 Joe Jones You Talk Too Much 2:34

17 Jessie Hill Ooh Poo Pah Doo (Pts. 1 & 2) 4:28

18 Jessie Hill Whip It On Me 2:22

19 Huey 'Piano' Smith & His Clowns For Crying' Out Loud 2:35

20 Lee Dorsey Lottie Mo 2:39

21 Aaron Neville Over You 2:18

22 Frankie Ford What's Goin' On 2:02

23 Frankie Ford; Jerry Byrne; The Three Stooges Chinese Bandits 2:04

24 Ernie K. Doe Mother-In-Law 2:29

25 Fats Domino Walking To New Orleans 2:02

26 Roy Montrell Mudd 2:39

27 Aaron Neville Show Me The Way 2:33

28 Big Boy Miles New Orleans 2:22

CD4

01 Aaron Neville Show Me the Way 2:33

02 Big Boy Miles New Orleans 2:22

03 Aaron Neville Even Though (Reality) 2:40

04 Fats Domino My Girl Josephine 2:08

05 Irma Thomas Cry On 2:30

06 Chris Kenner I Like it Like That 1:59

07 Clarence 'frogman' Henry But I Do 2:23

08 Ernie K. Doe Ta-Ta-Te-Ta-Ta 2:43

09 Clarence 'frogman' Henry You Always Hurt the One You Love 2:31

10 Clarence 'frogman' Henry Lonely Street 2:14

11 Alvin 'red' Tyler and the Gyros Peanut Vendor 2:09

12 Alvin 'red' Tyler and the Gyros Junk Village 2:33

13 Fats Domino Let the Four Winds Blow 2:04

14 Irma Thomas It's Too Soon to Know 3:38

15 Aaron Neville Let's Live 2:41

16 Chris Kenner Something You Got 2:52

17 Ernie K. Doe I Cried My Last Tear 2:15

18 Ernie K. Doe A Certain Girl 2:48

19 Diamond Joe Moanin' and Screamin' (Pts. 1 & 2) 6:44

20 Willie Harper New Kind of Love 2:20

21 Joe Barry I'm a Fool to Care 2:22

22 Lee Dorsey Ya Ya 2:28

23 Showmen It Will Stand 2:18

24 Showmen Country Fool 1:55

25 Joe (Mr.G) August Everything Happens at Night 2:36

26 Lee Dorsey Do-Re-Mi 2:15

27 Del-Royals Always Naggin' 2:43

28 Jessie Hill Oogsey Moo 2:47

29 Barbara George I Know 2:22

30 Barbara George Something You Got 2:45

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