Roscoe Gordon – Just A Little Bit: The Singles Collection 1951-61 – 2CD

Roscoe Gordon (his name sometimes also appeared as Rosco) was a blues pianist, singer and songwriter from Memphis, who was a pioneer of the Memphis blues style, creating what was known as the “Rosco rhythm”, which later influenced ska and reggae. Born in 1928, he was an associate in Memphis of artists known as the Beale Streeters, who included Johnny Ace, Bobby Bland and B.B. King, He got his own radio show in 1950 after winning a talent show, and was introduced to Sam Phillips of Sun Records and Johnny Otis, talent scout and producer for Modern Records, and they both influenced his recording career. This 52-track 2-CD collection comprises most of his recordings from this era on the RPM, Chess, Duke, Sun and Vee Jay labels – confusingly, he often recorded for different labels simultaneously. It features his R&B No. 1 “Booted”, and his other Top 10 R&B hits, which were the No. 2s with “No More Doggin’”and “Just A Little Bit”, and a No. 9 with “Saddled The Cow (And Milked The Horse)”. He was an influential figure in Memphis, often appearing on other artists’ records, and this collection of his own recordings is an entertaining showcase for his distinctive talent and style.

Track Listing:

CD1:
Roscoe Gordon: 1. City Women -   2. Roscoe’s Boogie -   3. Ouch! Pretty Baby -   4. Saddled The Cow (And Milked The Horse) -   5. Dime A Dozen -   6. A New Remedy For Love -   7. Booted -   8. I Love You Till The Day I Die -   9. Cold, Cold Winter -   10. No More Doggin' -   11. Maria -   Rosco Gordon with the Beale Streeters: 12. Tell Daddy -   13. Hey, Fat Girl -   Roscoe Gordon: 14. New Orleans Wimmin -   15. I Remember Your Kisses -   16. What's You Got On Your Mind -   17. Two Kinds Of Women -   Rosco Gordon with the Beale Streeters: 18. T Model Boogie -   Rosco Gordon and his Orchestra: 19. Trying -   20. Dream Baby -   Roscoe Gordon: 21. Lucille (Looking For My Baby) -   22. Blues For My Baby -   Rosco Gordon with the Beale Streeters: 23. Too Many Women -   24. Wise To You Baby -   Roscoe Gordon: 25. Just In From Texas -

CD2:
Roscoe Gordon: 1. I'm In Love -   2. Tomorrow May Be Too Late -   3. We're All Loaded (Whiskey Made Me Drunk) -   Rosco Gordon and his Orchestra: 4. Rosco’s Mambo -   5. Ain't No Use -   6. Three Cent Love -   7. You Figure It Out -   Rosco Gordon: 8. Just Love Me Baby -   9. Weeping Blues -   10. The Chicken (Dance With You) -   11. Love For You Baby -   12. Shoobie Oobie -   13. Cheese And Crackers -   14. Bad Dream -   Rosco Gordon with Joe Scott Orch.: 15. Tummer Tee -   16. I've Loved And Lost -   Rosco Gordon: 17. Sally Jo -   18. Torro -   19. A Fool In Love -   20. Just A Little Bit -   21. Goin’ Home (Tomorrow) -   Roscoe Gordon: 22. The Dilly Bop -   23. You'll Never Know (The Way I Feel) - Rosco Gordon: 24. What You Do To Me -   25. Surely I Love You -   Roscoe Gordon: 26. Let 'Em Try -   27. What I Wouldn’t Do -