Tune Wranglers 1936-1938 (2000)

Tune Wranglers 1936-1938 (2000) @320

One of the earliest and most entertaining Western swing groups, the Tune Wranglers specialized in both cowboy music and raucous, 1920s-style jazz and blues. Concerning the latter, they were among the greatest groups of their day, turning out exciting, swinging material that was the equal of Bob Wills in daring if not quality. The group's rowdy banter and call-and-response harmonizing are immensely entertaining, reminiscent of the Maddox Brothers & Rose and early Bill Monroe. This is especially true of the sides featuring pianist Eddie Whitley, a master of barrelhouse jazz who could turn any old song into a hard-swinging good time. All told, this is a fairly astonishing listen featuring the group's only hit, "Texas Sand," and other splendid moments such as "El Rancho Grande," "Red's Tight Like That," and the twisted novelty "Sarah Jane."

LINK

(A thankyou is always appreciated)

 

2004 - The Very Best of Asleep at the Wheel

2004 - The Very Best of Asleep at the Wheel @320

Asleep at the Wheel has been the standard bearer for the western swing tradition for a long time - entering its fourth decade, in fact. Of course, one of the risks of being a standard bearer is that you might just run out of standards to bear.

Led, as always, by the tall Texan transplant Ray Benson (originally from Philadelphia) AATW presents 14 tracks, mostly re-recorded versions of some of its best-known signature tunes. This is as good an opportunity as any to appreciate how effortlessly the band has always shifted from pure honky tonk country ("The Letter That Johnny Walker Read") to the uptown swing of Louis Jordan ("Choo Choo Ch-Boogie" and "Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens") And they've contributed some of their own original classics as well, like Leroy Preston's rocking "My Baby Thinks She's a Train." The most natural sounding grooves are reserved for Bob Wills classics such as "Take Me Back to Tulsa."

With the addition of some newer tracks such as "Dance With Who Brung You" and "Texas Me and You," AATW shows that Benson and company are still the very best at bringing the Texas Playboys sound to the world of contemporary country music. (Country Standard Time)

LINK

 

The Colorblind James Experience - The Colorblind James Experience (1987) @320

 

* Strange one, the vinyl has 10 tracks the CD has 12 and the version, I have has 16 tracks, the same 12 as on the back cover above from the CD version. I have no idea from where I got my copy from, at all, but it contains a John Session with 4 extra tracks from the CD version, I can't find my version on discogs? * 

* Ok did a bit of research on the Peel session added, it was recorded on the 18th October 1988 and broadcast on John Peel's show on the 24th October 1998. It was recorded in Studio 4 at the BBC studio's at Maida Vale and was engineered and produced by Mike Robinson *

 * If anyone would like a Flac version of this please ask for it in the comments including your email address, don't panic, we won't post your address in the comments. Or request the Flac via an email to the site address, which is on the top post "about this Site" on the right. This offer of Flac is limited, you have 7 days to request the Flac version. *

* Enjoy, Reb 😎 Link 👇 *

 

Elana James

(2006)

 

"When one door closes, another opens" might seem little more than a comforting cliche, but don't try telling that to Elana James. Dealt an unwelcome surprise little more than two years ago, when the band she'd worked with for close to a decade suddenly dissolved, James was more pleasantly stunned just weeks later by an invitation to join Bob Dylan's band and what she learned in the course of touring with a legend set her on a new path whose first (but certainly not last) milestone is the release of her solo debut, "Elana James." Almost evenly divided between captivating originals and deftly chosen standards, "Elana James" is a portrait of an artist at the crossroads between where she's been and where she's headed. Whether she's singing or leading a swinging instrumental with her violin, James is confident and convincing the legacy of years spent as a member of the acclaimed Hot Club of Cowtown.

 

320

If you like what you see, look for the link in the comments.

 

 

Whit Smith

On the Nature of Strings

(2014)

 

320

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Elana James

Black Beauty

(2015)

 

320

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