Johnny Ace – Ace’s Wild! The Complete Solo Sides and Sessions / FVDD117 2-CD

Description

Fantastic Voyage CD-FVDD117.

2-CD collection from one of R&B’s brightest but most short-lived supernovas, that ropes together all his solo singles along with sublime piano sessions for the likes of B.B. King and Bobby “Blue” Bland. Compiled and annotated in intricate detail by Dave Penny, the set runs the gamut from yearning to regret. Highlights include his inimitable grasp of the ‘heart-ballad’ on hits including “My Song”, “The Clock” and “Please Forgive Me”, along with jumping R&B outings such as “Never Let Me Go”. Johnny Ace was a monumental talent who was dealt the worst hand imaginable much too soon. By rounding up every recording credited to the artist in his own right, plus his neglected session work, Ace’s Wild! provides an overdue, comprehensive survey of – and worthy tribute to – his short but spectacular career.

Ace (real name John Alexander), is known by as much for the way he died (playing Russian roulette on Christmas Day 1954) as for his several great 45 Singles he released during the 1950’s. Labels included in this set are RPM, Flair, Duke, and Modern.

Ace’s smooth, plaintive, city style voice was the perfect vehicle for that whole era of R&B. His gentle yet firm vocals are a real treat to hear, and with an extra disc of his session work, we now have a bigger, better picture of “the great Johnny Ace”.

Hats off to the Fantastic Voyage label, who not only decided to put together Ace’s solo work, but also included some good/fine session man sides from the same period.

Included also are several tribute songs recorded after Ace’s death, by artists like Johnny Moore’s Blazers, Johnny Fuller, Frankie Ervin, Varetta Dillard, The Rovers, and The Five Wings.

The packaging is very nice, with a thirteen page booklet, with a several page essay on Ace and the music. The discs snap inside a tri-fold cardboard holder, that includes a pocket for the booklet. There’s also some great graphics, including album covers, posters, and a reprint of the newspaper article about Ace’s death during a short break at a concert he was giving. But of real interest are the complete session details (except for the tribute recordings), including date, location, and label, and a list of the musicians who played on each track.

CD1: Ace R&B Star
1-1 Johnny Ace– Mid Night Hours Journey
1-2 Johnny Ace– My Song
1-3 Johnny Ace– Follow The Rule
1-4 Johnny Ace– Angel
1-5 Johnny Ace– Aces Wild
1-6 Johnny Ace– Cross My Heart
1-7 Johnny Ace– Burley Cutie
1-8 Johnny Ace– The Clock
1-9 Johnny Ace– Please Forgive Me
1-10 Johnny Ace, with Willie Mae Thornton – Saving My Love For You
1-11 Johnny Ace, with Willie Mae Thornton – Yes, Baby
1-12 Johnny Ace– Still Love You So
1-13 Johnny Ace– Anymore
1-14 Johnny Ace– So Lonely
1-15 Johnny Ace– You’ve Been Gone So Long
1-16 Johnny Ace– Pledging My Love
1-17 Johnny Ace– Never Let Me Go
1-18 Johnny Ace– Don’t You Know
1-19 Johnny Ace– No Money
1-20 Johnny Ace– How Can You Be So Mean
1-21 Johnny Ace– I’m Crazy, Baby
1-22 Johnny Ace– Anymore (Overdubbed)
1-23 Johnny Ace– Pledging My Love (Overdubbed
Bonus Tracks
1-24 Frankie Ervin, Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers– Johnny Ace’s Last Letter
1-25 Varetta Dillard– Johnny Has Gone
1-26 The Rovers – Salute To Johnny Ace
1-27 Linda Hayes, Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers– Why, Johnny, Why?
1-28 The Five Wings– Johnny’s Still Singing

CD2: Ace Session Musician
2-1 Earl Forest– Whole Heap Of Mama
2-2 B.B. King– Someday, Somewhere
2-3 Earl Forest– Sad And Lonely
2-4 B.B. King– Shake It Up And Go
2-5 Earl Forest– Rumpus Romp
2-6 B.B. King– My Own Fault, Darlin’
2-7 Earl Forest– Trouble And Me
2-8 B.B. King– Gotta Find My Baby
2-9 Earl Forest– I Cried
2-10 B.B. King– I Got A Gal
2-11 Bobby Bland– Drifting From Town To Town (Take 1)
2-12 B.B. King– Low Down Dirty Baby
2-13 Bobby Bland, Little Junior Parker– Love My Baby
2-14 B.B. King– I’m So Glad
2-15 Bobby Bland– Drifting From Town To Town (Take 2)
2-16 Earl Forest– I Wronged A Woman
2-17 Bobby Bland– IOU Blues
2-18 Earl Forest– I Can’t Forgive You
2-19 Earl Forest– Baby, Baby
2-20 Bobby Bland– Lovin’ Blues
2-21 Earl Forest– Rock The Bottle
2-22 Bobby Bland– Wise Man Blues
2-23 Earl Forest– Pretty Bessie
2-24 Bobby Bland– Army Blues
2-25 Earl Forest– Whoopin’ And Hollerin’
2-26 Bobby Bland– No Blow, No Show
Bonus Track:
2-27 Johnny Fuller– Johnny Ace’s Last Letter