Label: Rhino Records.
Release Date: June 18, 1996.
Recording Time: 64 minutes.
Recording Date: May 25, 1949 - May 7, 1959.
Releases: 1996 (Rhino / Atlantic/WEA), 2005 (Rhino Atlantic).
Release Info: Compilation Studio & Live.
Recording information: Herndon Stadium, Atlanta, GA (05/25/1949-05/07/1959); Los Angeles, CA (05/25/1949-05/07/1959); New York, NY (05/25/1949-05/07/1959).
Styles: Early R&B, Urban Blues, Jump Blues, New York Blues, Regional Blues.
For those who want a cheaper and more concise collection of her best Atlantic cuts than the two-CD Miss Rhythm, this superb 23-track CD has the cream of her '50s work, including no less than 19 Top Ten R&B singles. Charting her evolution from her jazzy debut, "So Long," through jump blues and early rock & roll, it also adds a bonus of two previously unissued live cuts from 1959.
by Richie Unterberger
"Rockin' In Rhythm: The Best Of Ruth Brown" is an excellent one-CD overview of Brown's work for Atlantic Records between 1949 and 1959. Not all the hits are here, of course; Brown had so many that Atlantic was often referred to as "The House that Ruth Built." What you'll find on "Rockin' In Rhythm", however, is indisputably choice Brown, including such signature tunes as "Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean" and "5-10-15 Hours."
You'll also find two fascinating, previously unreleased live tracks from an Atlanta show in '59. The sound on these recordings is surprisingly good. It's so well recorded, in fact, that you'll quickly be able to single out the band member playing on "Oh What a Dream" under the influence of controlled substances.
Personnel: Ruth Brown, Clyde McPhatter (vocals); Howard Biggs (conductor); King Curtis (saxophone); Joe Bushkin (piano); Budd Johnson's Orchestra, Eddie Condon's N.B.C. Television Orchestra.
Audio Remasterers: Daniel Hersch; Bill Inglot.
Liner Note Author: Peter Grendysa.
Liner Note Author: Peter Grendysa.
Producers: Ahmet Ertegun, Herb Abramson, Jerry Wexler, Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller.
Compilation producers: James Austin, Peter Grendysa.
Director: Howard Biggs.
Recorded in New York City, New York between May 25, 1949 and March 7, 1959; Los Angeles, California on March 2, 1956; and live at Herndon Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia in May 1959.
Credits: Harold Abramson - composer; Herb Abramson - producer; James Austin - compilation producer; Brook Benton - composer; Howard Biggs - director; Ruth Brown - primary artist, vocals; Joe Bushkin - guest artist; Charles E. Calhoun - composer; Chuck Calhoun - composer; Lincoln Chase - composer; Eddie Condon - guest artist; Manny Curtis - composer; Bobby Darin - composer; Ahmet Ertegun - composer, producer; Peter Grendysa - compilation producer, liner notes; Remus Harris - composer; Daniel Hersch - remastering; Bill Inglot - producer, remastering; Marguerite James - composer; Ted Jarrett - composer; Budd Johnson - guest artist; Budd Johnson's Orchestra - primary artist; King Curtis - guest artist, saxophone; Leroy Kirkland - composer; Herb Lance - composer; Jerry Leiber - composer, producer; Rose Marie McCoy - composer; Clyde McPhatter - guest artist, performer, primary artist; Irving Melsher - composer; Patrick Milligan - project supervisor; Russ Morgan - composer; Gary Peterson - discographical annotation; Bob Sharp - composer; Bobby Sharp - composer; Coco Shinomiya - art direction; Charles Singleton - composer; Charlie Singleton - composer; Billy Dawn Smith - composer; Dick Smith - composer; Bobby Stevenson - composer; Mike Stoller - composer, producer; Mamie Thomas - composer; Rudy Toombs - composer; Johnny Wallace - composer; Jerry Wexler - producer; Hudson Whittaker - composer; Chuck Willis - composer.
Tracks: 1) So Long; 2) Teardrops From My Eyes; 3) I'll Wait For You; 4) I Know) 5) Shine On (Big Bright Moon, Shine On); 6) 5-10-15 Hours; 7) Daddy Daddy; 8) (Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean; 9) Wild Wild Young Man; 10) Mend Your Ways; 11) Oh What A Dream; 12) Mambo Baby; 13) I Can See Everybody's Baby; 14) As Long As I'm Moving; 15) It's Love Baby (24 Hours Of The Day); 16) Love Has Joined Us Together; 17) I Want To Do More; 18) Sweet Baby Of Mine; 19) Lucky Lips; 20) This Little Girl's Gone Rockin'; 21) I Don't Know; 22) (Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean (Live); 23) Oh What A Dream (Live).
Credits: Harold Abramson - composer; Herb Abramson - producer; James Austin - compilation producer; Brook Benton - composer; Howard Biggs - director; Ruth Brown - primary artist, vocals; Joe Bushkin - guest artist; Charles E. Calhoun - composer; Chuck Calhoun - composer; Lincoln Chase - composer; Eddie Condon - guest artist; Manny Curtis - composer; Bobby Darin - composer; Ahmet Ertegun - composer, producer; Peter Grendysa - compilation producer, liner notes; Remus Harris - composer; Daniel Hersch - remastering; Bill Inglot - producer, remastering; Marguerite James - composer; Ted Jarrett - composer; Budd Johnson - guest artist; Budd Johnson's Orchestra - primary artist; King Curtis - guest artist, saxophone; Leroy Kirkland - composer; Herb Lance - composer; Jerry Leiber - composer, producer; Rose Marie McCoy - composer; Clyde McPhatter - guest artist, performer, primary artist; Irving Melsher - composer; Patrick Milligan - project supervisor; Russ Morgan - composer; Gary Peterson - discographical annotation; Bob Sharp - composer; Bobby Sharp - composer; Coco Shinomiya - art direction; Charles Singleton - composer; Charlie Singleton - composer; Billy Dawn Smith - composer; Dick Smith - composer; Bobby Stevenson - composer; Mike Stoller - composer, producer; Mamie Thomas - composer; Rudy Toombs - composer; Johnny Wallace - composer; Jerry Wexler - producer; Hudson Whittaker - composer; Chuck Willis - composer.
Tracks: 1) So Long; 2) Teardrops From My Eyes; 3) I'll Wait For You; 4) I Know) 5) Shine On (Big Bright Moon, Shine On); 6) 5-10-15 Hours; 7) Daddy Daddy; 8) (Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean; 9) Wild Wild Young Man; 10) Mend Your Ways; 11) Oh What A Dream; 12) Mambo Baby; 13) I Can See Everybody's Baby; 14) As Long As I'm Moving; 15) It's Love Baby (24 Hours Of The Day); 16) Love Has Joined Us Together; 17) I Want To Do More; 18) Sweet Baby Of Mine; 19) Lucky Lips; 20) This Little Girl's Gone Rockin'; 21) I Don't Know; 22) (Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean (Live); 23) Oh What A Dream (Live).