The Blazers

(Dédié à la mémoire de François, Kurt et Screamin’ Jay pour avoir tenté de rétablir la vérité sur ce groupe)

Voici (peut–être) la véritable histoire de ce mystérieux groupe, selon les sources de Screamin’Jay Hawkins, Kurt Mohr et de mon maître François Postif, que je considère comme LE pionnier du Rock And Roll en France. A l’époque, contrairement à d’autres pays d’Europe et, bien sûr, aux USA le Rock And Roll est taxé d’art mineur et doit faire face à l’hostilité de jazzeux sectaires dont la plupart n’a jamais touché un instrument de musique de sa vie, sauf Boris Vian, l’un de ses plus farouches détracteurs (qui en a pourtant fait de nombreuses adaptations). François s’en moque. Pour lui, la musique est en perpétuelle évolution. Il a rencontré Vian suite à un article négatif sur T-Bone Walker dans Jazz Hot, et lui écrit une lettre cinglante.

Disponible en CD et LP

Elle plaît à Boris, qui l’engage sur le champ. Postif peut s’enorgueillir d’avoir fait découvrir en France Ray Charles, d’avoir sorti aussi sur CID et (ou) Brunswick des 33 tours de Lionel Hampton, Louis Armstrong, Sy Oliver ou Jimmy Lunceford, le simple de Roy Hall, les EP’s de Johnny Carroll, Bill Haley, Brenda Lee, Bobby Helms, des Kalin Twins…, puis, sur Polydor, ceux de Ricky Nelson, Ritchie Valens, Fats Domino, Katy Zee …et, pour couronner le tout, chez Mercury-Barclay, le Big Bopper, les Blockbusters, les Flairs (deux groupes qu’il fait venir à Paris avec Benny Joy, comme Brenda Lee, les Kalin Twins, ou Bill Haley), sans oublier sa contribution aux disques Pretoria et Lido Musique, qui distribuait la marque anglaise Embassy. Au tout début de l’année 1958, Boris Vian reçoit des USA, une première série de bandes magnétiques avec, pour seule inscription, “Rock and Roll by The Blazers”.

Mais, voilà…Si une fiche avec les titres enregistrés y est bien jointe, elle ne comporte aucun renseignement sur la composition du groupe ou des interprètes, à l’exception de ceux par chantés par un certain Frankie Tucker. Vian les écoute. Pour lui c’est du Rhythm and Blues, pas du Rock And Roll. Et il trouve intéressant de les sortir sur THE BLAZERS HISTORY.

New York 1957 / 1958 The Blazers :
Chanteurs possibles : Frankie Tucker, Margie Day, les Thrillers, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins (?)
Musiciens possibles : Harry “Doc” Bagsby (orgue), Mickey Baker ou Everett Barksdale
(guitare), Buddy Lucas et Sam “The ManTaylor” (saxophones), Milt Hilton (basse),
Curley Hamner et Panama Francis (?) (batterie).

The Blazers - Rockin’ Boppin’ & Strollin’ Rock Paradise RP RCD 12

That record produced by a strong French record label bring us a tribute to François Postif and Kurt Mohr, two great men who helped greatly to promote rock and roll and rhythm and blues music in France in the 50’s. If those guys had strong roots in jazz and rhythm and blues, they don’t get along the usual stupid talk about rock and roll. When those Blazers sides were issued in France in 1958, nobody knew who was behind the horns, piano or guitar. You can’t judge by the name, the color or the picture of the band … François Postif found those recordings sent by US Columbia worthy enough to be issued on two 10 inches LPs and Rock Paradise with the help of Rock and Roll Revue is glad to make them available again to a large crowd.

In the 50’s, François Postif had worked for CID some releases by Lionel Hampton, Louis Armstrong, Bill Haley Roy Hall, Johnny Carroll and for Brunswick stuff by Brenda Lee, Bobby Helms or The Kalin Twins. He later worked for Polydor handling record issues by Ricky Nelson, Ritchie Valens, Fats Domino and Kathy Zee. His next move was to Barclay (that handled Mercury distribution in France) with some EPs by The Big Bopper, The Blockbuster and The Flairs. Among its releases are some of the rarest records issued in France in the 50’s.

In 1958 when a reel to reel tape was sent by Columbia to Boris Vian, A & R man for “Fontana”, any indication were given about the group members, except Frankie Tucker’s name, or the location. Those recordings were already issued in USA on Harmony, early March 1958, on “Harmony”, a budget label trying to attract young shoppers as well as adult with a cool price of $ 1.98 for a LP. Those sides may have been produced by Bob Prince, A & R man for that record label. The US LP Harmony HL 7103 was titled “Rock and Roll – Ten Big Hits in Hi-Fidelity” and carried any info or picture just like another budget label, “Somerset”. Boris Vian made the choice to make those recordings available in France on a ten inches LP titled “The Blazers – Stroll” (Fontana 662.023). A dancing couple drawing was put on the front cover to work out something even without info. It was a common practice then on “London” or “CID” products. Later a second LP Harmony HL 7126 was issued in USA under the title of “Rock and Roll Vol 2” and the reel to reel was sent in France. “Fontana” made again the choice to make it available under the same format to French customers under the banner “The Blazers – Witch Doctor” (Fontana 662.028). Still any info and a cartoon cover with a dancing couple designed by Maurice Apelbaum. Several EPs and a single were also issued in France while part of those recordings were made available in England, Mexico and Argentina (under the name of Los Harmony Blazers – Orfeon 40 004). But if all those songs had found them ways on them original version in the trade magazine charts, what about those mysterious Blazers?

Nothing was know until some infos came in light in the 70’s, in France, after a meeting between Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, Kurt Mohr, François Postif and Big Joe. While listening those recordings, Screamin’ Jay was straight about the work of “Doc” Bagsby, Mickey Baker and himself on the “Tequila” vocal part. A long talk between those musical wise ears brings in light the probable participation of Margie Day (vcl), Everett Barksdale (gtr), Buddy Lucas (sax), Sam “The Man” Taylor (sax), Milt Hilton (bs), Curley Hammer (dms) and Panama Francis (dms). One thing is sure, now we got here recordings coming from at last two different professional sessions and nothing coming from a jam during a session break. The songs were carefully selected from the early 1958 Billboard charts and worked out to sell.

Before moving to the recordings, it may worth to share some infos about those musicians. Curley Hammer was himself a singer and played with Lionel Hampton in 1953 before joining Josephine Baker in Paris in 1960. Everett Barksdale recorded with Cliff Jackson’s Village Cat for “Black and White” in 1945 before playing bass for The Erroll Garner trio in 1952. Buddy Lucas recorded under his name for Jubilee (1952), Savoy (1956) and Ember (1959) and can play a dozen of instruments. Milton Hilton played bass for The Emmett Berry Five in National (1944). Margie Day was one time member of the Griffin Brother Orchestra and recorded for Atco, DeLuxe and Cat. Panama Francis and Mickey Baker don’t need any presentation being the backbone of many rock and roll recordings done in the 50’s.

How about the recordings? The first LP was made by covers of Bill Justis’ “Raunchy” (Phillips International – late 57), “Walk On” (with Doc Bagsby on orgue), The Diamonds’ “The Stroll” (vcl) , The Silhouettes “Get A Job” (vcl), a strollin’“Big Guitar”, Sil Austin’s “Slow Walk”, Roy Hamilton highly dancin’ “Don’t Let Go” (vcl), The Royal Teens “Short Shorts”, Pedro Prado’s 7*11 (Mambo n°5) and Lee Allen “Walking With Mr. Lee”. The second LP came from a later session but may include some recordings from the previous session opens with Link Wray “Rumble”. Next came The Champs “Tequila”, David Seville “Witch Doctor” (vcl), Kay Starr “Stroll Me” (vcl) and The Woxpoppers “Wishing For Your Love” (vcl), both well sung by Margie Day with the probable vocal support of The Thrillers. More follow with the classic Monotones “Book of Love” (vcl) more than OK, the crooning “For Your Love” (vcl), Chuck Berry “Johnny B. Goode” (vcl), Dion “I Wonder Why” (vcl) and to close “High Sign” (vcl) lead by a mellow sax. A large part of those songs were running on the Best Pop Singles Billboard listing by mid April 1958. The choice of picking the top tunes of the time and to rework them on budget LP is obvious. The first LP was more build around instrumental waxing while the second carried more vocal sides. That CD well packaged with a tasty 50’s look-a-like cover feature those 20 sides hard to get in France on them original version by 1958. For the time it was two good dancing strollin’ LPs played by first class musicians making the bridge between them jazz roots and the current rhythm ‘n’ blues and rock‘n’roll sound. That’s not the clean cut sound of Pat Boone or the beat pulsing sound of the original recorded versions but here everything is well delivered and tasty.

A good release for all the dancers and 50’s nostalgic looking for music to dance...and a welcome addition to the French records history not been told yet.

That CD and a limited vinyl10 inches LP edition with ten songs is available at www.rockparadise.fr or sending an email to rockparadise@wanadoo.fr (phone: 01 45 58 40 30). Rock Paradise produce also current rockabilly acts like Tony Marlow, The Megatons or Easy Lazy “C” Sliver Slippers and welcome you to a cool shop stacked with oldies located 42 rue Duranton – 75015 Paris. Come on, let’s stroll!

Dominique "Imperial" Anglares - May 12, 2011