Jackie Brenston

Identifying the first actual rock and roll & move record is a impossible task. Nevertheless, you can’t proceed too far incorrect citing Jackie Brenston’s 1951 Chess waxing of “Rocket 88,” a seminal little bit of rock’s interesting history with all the current prerequisite elements strongly set up: virtually indecipherable lyrics about vehicles, booze, and ladies; Raymond Hill’s booting tenor sax, and a churning, beat-heavy rhythmic bottom level. Sam Phillips, a fledgling in the record business, created “Rocket 88,” Brenston’s debut waxing, in Memphis. The vocalist/saxist was supported by Ike Turner’s Kings of Tempo, an aggregation that Brenston experienced joined the prior year. Turner performed piano around the tune; Willie Kizart provided dirty, distorted acoustic guitar. Billed mainly because by Jackie Brenston & His Delta Pet cats, “Rocket 88” drove up to the very best slot around the R&B graphs and continued to be there for greater than a month. But non-e of his Chess follow-ups sported the same high-octane functionality, though “True Eliminated Rocket” was certainly a deserving applicant. Brenston’s slide in the limelight was swift. After some more Chess singles stiffed (including a duet with Edna McRaney, “Hi-Ho Baby”), Brenston reunited with Turner in 1955, keeping down the baritone sax seat until 1962. He cut some terrific edges fronting Turner’s Kings of Tempo on the way: “Gonna Await My Possibility” and “Very much Afterwards” for Government in 1956, “You need to Lose” for Chicago’s Cobra label in 1958 (also carrying out session function there with Otis Hurry and Buddy Man), and “You Ain’t the main one” for Sue in 1961. After your final one for Mel London’s Mel-Lon imprint, Brenston was through; he proved helpful as a vehicle driver and demonstrated little curiosity about reliving his glory years.