This 12th (!) installment of Ace’s ongoing Rhythm ‘n’ Bluesin by the Bayou series springs to life with a rolling piano lifted from “Tipitina,” but soon shifts the focus away from the rhythm and toward the vocal harmonies. Yes, this 28-track collection, digging out largely unheard highlights from the vaults of Southern Louisiana recordman J.D. Miller, shines a spotlight on the New Orleans equivalent of doo wop-street corner harmonies supported by greasier grooves. Sometimes, things do get pretty sweet and smooth — that’s standard for ’50s vocal groups — but the interesting cuts here walk a line between those supple harmonies and swinging R&B, a hybrid that isn’t often heard among doo wop singles from the ’50s and early ’60s. This emphasis on harmonies means this volume of…
320 kbps | 140 MB UL | MC ** FLAC
…Rhythm ‘n’ Bluesin isn’t as wooly and wild as others — no matter how rollicking those beats are, the focus is always on the singers, which keeps the abandon in check –- but it’s good to have it all on one disc, because this is a little-known area of Louisiana music history and the tracks play off of each other, revealing how sharp and creative many of these unknown (and sometimes uncredited) groups were.