Freddie Slack – Mr. Five By Five: The Singles Collection 1940-49 – 2CD

Freddie Slack was a boogie-woogie pianist and swing bandleader who started out with Jimmy Dorsey’s band in the 1930s and subsequently racked up a string of hits in the 1940s, first with the Will Bradley Orchestra and then leading his own band, some of them with the fine singers Ella Mae Morse and Margaret Whiting on vocals. This 49-track 2-CD collection begins with his hits with the Will Bradley Orchestra on Columbia, and then comprises selected A & B sides from his releases on Decca and Capitol through to the time he left the label, and did not release any records for another five years. It features all his chart entries with Will Bradley, including the Top 10 hits “Beat Me Daddy Eight To The Bar”, “Down The Road Apiece”, “Scrub Me Mama With A Boogie Beat” and “There I Go”, plus all his career pop and R&B hits with his own band, including the Top 10 successes “Cow-Cow Boogie”, “Mister Five By Five”, “That Old Black Magic”, “Riffette” and “The House Of Blue Lights”. Along with hits that feature Ella Mae Morse, Margaret Whiting and Liza Morrow, it features his hit with Johnny Mercer, “I Lost My Sugar In Salt Lake City”. Other featured vocalists are David Street and Charlotte Blackburn, and there are also notable recordings accompanying blues singers Big Joe Turner and T-Bone Walker. It’s a highly entertaining showcase for the range of his music, especially his renowned boogie-woogie piano.

Track Listing:

CD1: Will Bradley & His Orch.: 1. Beat Me Daddy Eight To The Bar -   2. Celery Stalks At Midnight -   Will Bradley Trio: 3. Down The Road A Piece -   Will Bradley & His Orch. Feat. Ray Mckinley: 4. Scrub Me Mama, With A Boogie Beat -   5. There I Go -   Will Bradley & His Orch.: 6. High On A Windy Hill -   Joe Turner & Freddie Slack: 7. Rocks In My Bed -   8. Goin' To Chicago Blues - Freddie Slack & His 8 Beats: 9. Pig Foot Pete -   10. Strange Cargo -   Joe Turner & Freddie Slack: 11. Sun Risin' Blues -   12. Blues On Central Avenue -   Freddie Slack And His Orchestra: 13. Cow Cow Boogie -   14. Here You Are -   Johnny Mercer With The Freddie Slack Orchestra: 15. The Air Minded Executive -   Freddie Slack And His Orchestra: 16. Doll Dance -   17. Mr. Five By Five -   18. The Thrill Is Gone -   19. Wreck Of The Old '97 -   Johnny Mercer With Freddie Slack And His Orchestra: 20. I Lost My Sugar In Salt Lake City -   Freddie Slack And His Orchestra: 21. Hit The Road To Dreamland -   22. That Old Black Magic -   23. Riffette -   24. Get On Board, Little Children -

CD2: Freddie Slack And His Orchestra: 1. Old Rob Roy -   T-Bone Walker with Freddie Slack, Piano: 2. I Got A Break, Baby -   3. Mean Old World -   Freddie Slack And His Orchestra: 4. Silver Wings In The Moonlight -   5. Ain't That Just Like A Man? -   6. Swinging On A Star -   7. Cuban Sugar Mill -   8. A Kiss Goodnight -   Freddie Slack With Ella Mae Morse And Don Raye: 9. The House Of Blue Lights -   Ella Mae Morse With Freddie Slack: 10. Hey, Mr Postman -   11. Your Conscience Tells You So -   Freddie Slack 8 Beats: 12. Rib Joint -   13. Behind The Eight Beat - Freddie Slack And His Orchestra: 14. Southpaw Serenade -   Freddie Slack’s Eight Beats By Four: 15. A Cat’s Ninth Life -   Freddie Slack And His Orchestra: 16. Kitten On The Keys -   17. Beverly Boogie -   18. Is I Gotta Practise, Ma? -   19. Boogie Minor -   20. Strollin' -   21. Ooh, Ooh, Baby -   22. Steal Away, Easy, Baby -   23. Be-Bop Boogie -   24. Mister Freddie’s Boogie -   25. Whatever Happened To Ol' Jack -