Lucky Millinder - Let It Roll Again 1949-1955

The blues had never been absent in Lucky Millinder's brand of jazz, but toward the end of his recording career, the R&B flavor of his records became much more pronounced. This compilation -- mostly of vocal numbers, with a few instrumentals thrown in -- assembles 29 such tracks from the late 1940s through the mid-'50s, employing an assortment of featured singers. Occasionally Millinder even landed an R&B hit with these kind of sides, and there are a few chart items on this collection, including "Little Girl Cry," "D Natural Blues," "I'll Never Be Free," "Oh Babe!," and "I'm Just Waiting for You." The link between swing-jazz and R&B (and, indirectly, hence the link between swing-jazz and rock & roll) is generally underestimated, and this anthology is a fine illustration of how the connections between the forms were stronger than is usually acknowledged. Read More