Big Joe Turner was the premier blues shouter of the post-WWII era. They didn't call him "The Boss of the Blues" for nothing. His bluesey husky roar could shake the foundations of any night club he sang at and without a microphone.

Tuner was among the first to fuse R&B and boogie-woogie resulting in a new form of blues called jump blues, a style that would later become rock and roll. His original version of "Shake, Rattle and Roll" remains one of the cornerstone songs of the rock and roll revolution. While Big Joe was a huge figure in the world of blues, his career touched almost every genre of music in the 20th century from swing and boogie-woogie to rock and roll.

By the time of his pasting in 1985, Joe's influence had pasted his booming voice on to the likes of Elvis Presley and Ray Charles.

Posted by Andrew on Friday, 02/15/2013 @ 22:29pm

Big Joe Turner is a unique instance of a recording artist who managed to make the transition between several varying styles and eras of music and still sound fresh. Beginning with pianist Pete Johnson in the boogie-woogie jazz style, the Boss of the Blues broadened his scope to incorporate swing, jump blues, and rhythm & blues stylings. In one fascinating recording, Turner even collabored with Delta blues guitarist Elmore James on the classic TV Mama. Turner's overpowering vocals enabled him to suit his voice to multiple genres of music. There are many adjectives to describe Turner's music, but the most appropriate I can suggest is rollicking. There's absolutely nothing boring about this music!

I would recommend Rhino's 1998 compilation The Very Best of Big Joe Turner as an introduction to novices. In addition to the immortal classic Shake , Rattle and Roll (the original version, complete with racy lyrics), there's also such stellar cuts as the aforementioned TV Mama (A marvelous blending of Delta and jump blues), Honey Hush, Well All Right, Hide and Seek, Flip Flop and Fly, Oke-She-Moke-She-Pop, and Sweet Sixteen, just to list some of my favorites. Truthfully, there isn't a single dud on this disc. It's essential listening for any true music expert or fan.

Lastly, I'll leave you with a quote that succinctly illustrates his place in history:

“Rock and roll would have never happened without him" - Doc Pomus, one of the greatest songwriters who ever wrote a verse

Posted by Zach on Monday, 11/11/2013 @ 23:50pm