The Mojo Collection: The Ultimate Music Companion

[Zeeba Neighba]

Have been trimming down my books lately with the purpose of downsizing - I don't think I've gotten rid of a book since college. Lots of fun books I haven't picked up in years (rekindling my love of Doonesbury comics).

Of course, many music books emerged which are among the most difficult to part with (and in most cases I'm not parting with them) including this 4th addition of The Mojo Collection. Back in the day would love Mojo magazine and the free themed compilation CDs that would come with them (still have many of those too). This book, bought be me around 2007 when it first came out, rises above the usual "best of" list books - coming from Mojo it does have an interesting British perspective. It also in very inclusive with hundreds of selections, and it has a nice compilation and greatest hits section (realizing that some artists may not have those essential albums but should be included based on singles).

I've been listening to several albums over the past few days but, like @lpfreak1170 Pitchfork thread or Sam's Bluegrass thread (or my Broadway one) thought it might make a nice thread here. Albums presented as chronologically as possible (with comps squeezed in)

 

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Robert Johnson - King of the Delta Blues

The Voice of Frank Sinatra (2003 release/bonus tracks) (1946)

Hank Williams - Gold (2 CDs)

 

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Black Coffee with Peggy Lee (1953)

Julie London - Julie is Her Name (1955)

 

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The Doo Wop Box (1948-1987)

Although Disc 4 is the "Doo Wop Revival", most of this set rightfully concentrates on the classic era of late 40s-1950s
Been meaning to revisit this set for awhile so when I saw it in Mojo, I was excited to break it out. Filled with classics of the era, and a prime example of what lists that focus on only albums rather than compilations miss out (artists like Chuck Berry and Little Richard will benefit from this strategy soon in the book as well)

 

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Elvis Presley - The Sun Sessions (1976 - recorded 1954-1955)

 

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The Four Freshmen - Four Freshmen and Five Trombones (1955)

Interesting Inclusion: hey, music best-of lists are my jam, but I must say never seen this one included on one before (and in fact I've never listened to it before today) so was surprised to see its inclusion in the Mojo book. It's certainly a pleasant light vocal jazz/standards album - apparently back in the day, The Four Freshman were a very respected vocal group (attracting the attention of Stan Kenton), and this album is on the list because of its influence on one Brian Wilson who noted this was the first album he ever bought. One can hear a lot of Beach Boys in fact on this album.

I'm sure @Ojai Sam knows all about this, but I found this article interesting:

‘Four Freshmen And 5 Trombones’: The Vocal Jazz Album That Inspired The Beach Boys

'Four Freshmen And 5 Trombones' was the first album The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson bought, and remains an exquisite vocal jazz record.

www.udiscovermusic.com

 

[Ojai Sam]

Great project, Zeeb!

Mojo makes some really interesting selections from the deep catalog we don't often see. I knew that Brian Wilson liked The Four Freshmen generally but not this album. Gotta dig it out.

 

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Ella Fitzgerald - Sings the Cole Porter Song Book (1956)

Ella...Cole Porter...perfection! Essential stuff indeed

 

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Frank Sinatra - Songs for Swingin' Lovers! (1956)

 

[Ojai Sam]

Frank Sinatra - Songs for Swingin' Lovers! (1956)

My favorite album in 7th grade. I was a strange kid.

 

[Zeeba Neighba]

Interesting Omission: we've now seen two Sinatra entries but I gotta say, almost every "essential" or "best of" covering the 1950s tends to include In the Wee Small Hours given its stature as the first concept album (it's not @Ojai Sam has pointed out examples of 78 rpm sets that were early examples) or as a hugely successful early 12 inch LP (which is was indeed). Personally I'm fine with its omission - I love several of the songs but its quite sleepy as a whole. Swingin' Lovers! is a better album.

Personal Inclusions: we've finished the early 1950s and it seems strange for Benny Goodman's Carnegie Hall concert and The Quintet, covering the famous Massey Hall concert to not be here. We'll see jazz though its certainly not Mojo's focus so it doesn't surprise me.
And although the Peggy Lee and Julie London picks were understandable, I think I would substitute Dinah Washington's Dinah Jams (1954) and include some Anita O'Day album or comp.
And if we're including jazz from the early 1950s, one can't go wrong with Duke's Newport concert (1956), Lester Young's album with the Oscar Peterson Trio (1954), and Roy and Diz (1954). Just my two cents

 

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Chuck Berry - Gold

Well, The Great Twenty-Eight was the comp listed. This one had 48 songs - more Berry is better.

 

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A few more last night/early this AM off the Mojo list:

Little Richard - The Georgia Peach

Elvis might have moved his hips, but this is the true subversive early rock. Still exciting today - I'm not surprised why 50s parents were worried.

Johnny Burnette and the Rock and Roll Trio (1956)

 

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Sonny Rollins - Saxophone Colossus (1957)



Personal Inclusion: Saxophone Colossus is the giant - killer album, but I can’t see a world where Rollins’ album Way Out West wouldn’t make my list, not only for its importance in the saxophone trio format but also for its use of atypical country & western songs in jazz. Brilliant move in jazz were up to now, primarily American Songbook and theatre songs were used.

 

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Miles Davis - Birth of the Cool (1957 - recorded 1949-50)

 

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Nat "King" Cole - Love is the Thing (1957)

 

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Mose Allison - Back Country Suite (1957)

Interesting Inclusion: First listen for me - although I've spun some of pianist Allison's jazz albums (e.g. Autumn Song) and know of him from being namechecked by Pete Townshend at Live at Leeds (for "Young Man Blues" which appears on this album) and from his song "Parchment Farm", never checked out his debut. Good mellow, chill music.

 

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The Essential Jerry Lee Lewis: The Sun Sessions

MOJO book listed the All Killer, No Filler anthology, but this covers the same stuff - aside from scattered hits, I'm not sure I've ever listened to this much Jerry Lee in one sitting - 40 songs, but these initial years were very consistent, good energetic rockabilly.

Aside: I actually saw Jerry Lee in concert as part of an oldies show in NYC at Madison Square Garden put on by WCBS FM (which at that time was the premier oldies station covering 1950s-1970s - now it covers 1970s-1990s...just not the same). I forget all the acts - Little Anthony and the Imperials and Bo Diddley were there. Jerry Lee played last and during his set, a stage manager came up and whispered in his ear at the piano that it was time to wrap it up. Jerry Lee angrily said "Nobody tells the Killer when to stop!" I'm not sure if this was part of the planned show (for all I know Jerry Lee might do this every show) but he really did seem angry. The stage manager slunked away and Jerry Lee kept playing.

 

[axolotl]

Jerry Lee played last and during his set, a stage manager came up and whispered in his ear at the piano that it was time to wrap it up. Jerry Lee angrily said "Nobody tells the Killer when to stop!" I'm not sure if this was part of the planned show (for all I know Jerry Lee might do this every show) but he really did seem angry. The stage manager slunked away and Jerry Lee kept playing.

Goodness Gracious!

 

[Zeeba Neighba]

Fats Domino - Greatest Hits: Walking to New Orleans