NEW RELEASES: CHUCK BERRY - ROCKIN' AT THE HOPS; KOKO TAYLOR - BASIC SOUL; BO DIDDLEY - ANOTHER DIMENSION

CHUCK BERRY - ROCKIN' AT THE HOPS

Chuck Berry's way more than just rocking for sock hops here – as the set has the seminal figure working at the height of his powers – in a raw, stripped-down setting that still packs way more punch than you might remember if you only think of Chuck in terms of all those over-used cliches! The approach is almost more blues than rock – as the core combos have key work from Chess staple Willie Dixon on bass, plus piano from Johnnie Johnson and some occasional tenor from Leroy C Davis. But the real highlight is Berry and his mean guitar – and his sinister style of singing – almost a midwest counterpart to the nasty gritty grooves that the young Johnny Guitar Watson was laying down on the west coast at the time! Titles include "Worried Life Blues", "Too Pooped To Pop", "I Got To Find My Baby", "Broken Arrow", "Let It Rock", "Down The Road Apiece", and the cool instrumental "Mad Lad".  ~ Dusty Groove

KOKO TAYLOR - BASIC SOUL

Basic soul, plenty of blues, and a fair bit of funk as well – a killer from Koko Taylor, recorded in that best style of late Chess Records! Koko sings here more like a funky female soul artist than on her later blues – and the record crackles with energy right from the start, thanks to impeccable production from Willie Dixon – who really knows how to keep things lean and mean! The core group is nice and tight – and all Chicago-bred – Joe Young on guitar, Lafayette Leake on piano, and Louis Satterfield on bass – and Gene Barge added just a bit of horns over the top, to deepen the soul of the tunes. Titles include "Pollution", "Tease Your Man", "That's The Way Love Is", "Un Huh My Baby", "It's A Poor Dog", "I Need More & More", and "Let Me Love You Baby". ~ Dusty Groove

BO DIDDLEY - ANOTHER DIMENSION

Funky Bo Diddley – one of Bo's key early 70s sessions for Chess Records – all of which have him stepping out in a much harder groove than years past! The sound here is relatively tight – with Diddley guitar and vocals on top of some larger arrangements from Bob Gallo – backings that mix together sounds from contemporary rock and soul, but always with an ear for the roots that Bo inspired in the first place – put forward towards a new generation with nicely kicking rhythms and really fuzzy guitars! The standout number here is the break classic "Go For Broke" – a drum-heavy instrumental that's worth the price of the record alone – and other titles include the great original "Pollution", plus versions of "The Shape I'm In", "Down On The Corner", "Lodi", "Bad Side Of the Moon", and "Bad Moon Rising". ~ Dusty Groove