To kick off, I thought I would give spotlight to a woman whose records get constant play at my place at the moment: rhythm and blues gal LaVern Baker.

Baker was born Dolores LaVern Baker in 1929 in Chicago, Illinois where, in 1946 she began singing in Chicago clubs. Eventually, she came to the attention of the folks at RCA records where she was signed for a time. However, it was in 1953, after a few years travelling as the female lead singer of various bands, she signed to the still fledgling rhythm and blues house, Atlantic Records. Originally started by a pair of Hungarian brothers – immigrants to the United States and based in NYC – with a love of jazz music. This happened a lot in those days – immigrants or white Americans would start record labels, usually with another style of music in mind, that would end up as critical staples of black culture in the US, to say nothing of its vast contribution to the art of recorded music.

I’m not just talking about rhythm and blues giants of the day that were happily contracted to Atlantic – Big Joe Turner, Professor Longhair, Ruth Brown, The Coasters, The Drifters (and a slew – a literal slew – of others emerging throughout the 1960s and into the 1970s (this is well documented in a boxed set of 8 CD’s chronicling ‘Atlantic R&B 1947-1974’) – I’m including jazz, one of the truly great wholly American contributions to art, to which black American citizens were the most prolific and important contributors. It was not uncommon, however, during the 1950’s and 60’s that it was thanks to the help of white men – either native or immigrant – who were able to obtain power and form the labels and initiatives that allowed these phenominal artists to record in the first place.

LaVern Baker was one such beneficiary, and we’ll encounter many others on this blog I’m guessing, as we move through some of my tastes. But Baker, already a marginalized citizen (one of many) finally in a position that allows her the freedom to conduct the career of performing as she does. Just as she gets that break though, she falls victim of further racism when white artists at the Mercury label re-recorded one of Baker’s songs (the immortal Tweedle Dee) virtually note for note except, of course, for the white (and frankly bland as fuck) vocals of Georgia Gibbs. They ranked in at No. 1 on Billboard’s pop chart, while Baker’s original classic only managed No. 14, though it settled at No. 4 on the Billboard R&B chart.

During the 1950’s these recordings were still called race records. Ridiculous, but there we go. They contain all the hallmarks of great rhythm and blues, but the musical selections of original tunes written by the many talented songwriters operating in and around the Atlantic stable, as well as covers of older songs, some of them standards, is particularly what makes these records great. There is some variety between quite novel, playful upbeat numbers through to jazz and pop standards from Tin Pan Alley, and in between Baker manages to supply some definitive precursors (or perhaps part-mutations) of rock ‘n’ roll.
That sound, though, of the solid rhythm sections, adventurous use of percussion, horn sections worth their weight in gold and often centred around powerful, emotive tenor sax solos.

To highlight Baker’s music, I’ve placed the 2010 release It’s So Fine: The Complete Singles As and Bs (1953-1959). If I’m being completely honest, I wish they packed a little more in and delved into LaVern’s 60’s output (which is superb). Nevertheless, this is a pretty solid set of Baker’s work and amply highlights what she has to offer.

Soul on Fire, Baker’s first single on Atlantic records in ‘53, a searing, impassioned rhythmic declaration of love and a stunning way to debut her killer voice – a blend of jazz and blues sensibilities with a cheeky side that shows itself in quite unique vocal flourishes. Tweedle Dee and Tomorrow Night a stunning A and B side from a 1955 single. Tweedle Dee spawned the exploitative cover version by Georgia Gibbs, effectively overshadowing the Baker original and totally without merit, and is considered a classic, if a little in the novelty song territory. Flip it over though and you have a stirring ballad sung exquisitely. Baker’s performance of That Lucky Old Sun – one of the most gorgeous lyrics ever penned by man – gives the song unique nuances and warmth that a lot of other versions lack. I’d say it’s the best female version I have ever heard and rival only to Louis Armstrong’s classic performance. Later another standard, Harbour Lights, is given a new lease of life in Baker’s interpretation.

Baker generates a voice that, for me, greatly surpasses that of her prime Atlantic competitor, Ruth Brown. Baker’s handling, particularly, of ballads is masterful: Play it Fair, My Happiness Forever and I Cried A Tear being superb examples. Some interesting influences and oddities crop up along the way, forays into hero worship in an album of Bessie Smith covers, blues tracks pre-dating these by up to 30 years, represented here by St. Louis Blues which Baker gives a lighter, contemporary touch but retains the stop time chunk in the middle due to its significance to both the content and form of blues music. The slightly Latin flavoured use of percussion on Tra La La, a great rhythm and blues cut which easily masquerades as novelty pop. Gospel makes its way in on a number of tracks, especially when it comes to vocal delivery and style, and most notably on So High, So Low. But despite the frequent lashings of licks from other musical territories, the guts of early 1950s rhythm and blues is here in its full glory, perhaps best illustrated by Still and Love Me Right and It’s So Fine.

So, to check this album out. Download and join DropBox and I’ll add you to the shared blog folder and you can download them. Do it for LaVern, if not for me.