The Grapevine playlist for 10/14/2010

In this edition of The Grapevine, you will be treated to some of the real roots to the classic rhythm & blues sound. The spotlight will be on some of the earliest material that was recorded on the (then) new Atlantic label by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. These two fellows (later joined by the all-time producer, Jerry Wexler) were lead players in the way music was recorded and distributed for many years to come. Atlantic Records is arguably the most successful label in the history of recorded music and which the likes of we will never see again. Here's a little info from the liner notes of "Best of Atlantic Rhythm & Blues, Volume 1:

"When Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson started their own record company in October of 1947, they jumped into a hot new field. It was called Rhythm & Blues, a loose term encompassing black swing bands, jazz combos, cocktail lounge trios, blues shouters, boogie-woogie pianists, down-home guitarists, and vocal harmony groups. The popularity of this music had increased enormously during the war years and it was the beginning to coalesce onto a more recognizable style."

And the rest...is history!

A special thanks to "Walkin', Talkin' & Rockin'" Lee Renault for loaning me a few sounds for this broadcast from his extensive collection...and a heartfelt "so long" to the incomperable Solomon Burke who left the planet this past week on his way to a gig.