Archive for September, 2008

Part One

Atlantic Records was the most important R&B; record label of all time. This week on Harlem, you’ll get the back story on how Atlantic signed Ruth Brown, The Clovers & Professor Longhair through a vintage interview with the late Atlantic co-founder Ahmet Ertegun. Atlantic began in late 1947 with a number of killer jazz releases before they scouted out and signed their R&B; talent; Ray Charles, Chuck Willis & Ivory Joe Hunter. This is PART ONE of a two part series on Atlantic Records, only on HARLEM.

Harlem airs on the 50s on 5:
Monday 9/29 @ 1pm over Washington, DC
Tuesday Night 9/30 at 9pm PST & midnight EST
Friday 10/3 @ 6pm over Boston
Sunday 10/5 @ 11am over NYC

Napoleon Culp, better known to the world as Nappy Brown passed away over the weekend, just a few week’s shy of his 79th birthday. Nappy was born on October 12, 1929 in Charlotte, NC and raised on the spiritual sound of gospel music. As a young man, he sang in the local Charlotte gospel group, the Heavenly Lights. He was signed to Savoy Records in 1954 and switched over to secular rhythm & blues. Nothing sounded like Nappy’s “Don’t Be Angry” when it hit the air in 1955. Nappy told me that Ray Charles didn’t release his version of “The Right Time” until Nappy’s version had “cooled” off. Ray’s would become the standard, but it is heavily based on Nappy’s interpretation of the song. I had the privilege of interviewing Nappy last October as he promoted his fantastic new album “Long Time Coming”. Shortly after the album’s release, Nappy became very sick and his health only deteriorated from there. I’ll be playing back that interview as we honor the late, great Nappy Brown tonight on the Night Prowl Show.

Earl Palmer
1924 – 2008

Billy Vera says of Earl Palmer, “… a good guy and maybe the greatest studio drummer of them all.” That’s a great way to sum up Earl Palmer in one sentence. He died in his Los Angeles home after a long illness on Friday, September 19 at the age of 84.
He was a great studio drummer during the early to mid 1950s in New Orleans, playing on almost everything Fats Domino, Little Richard and Smiley Lewis cut. He worked on hundreds of sessions at Cosimo Matassa’s famous J&M; studios in New Orleans. By the mid-1950s, he decided to give LA a try, which he soon conquered. Palmer appeared on records by Eddie Cochran, Frank Sinatra, Ike & Tina’s “River Deep, Mountain High” and even the Righteous Brothers’ “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling”. So, as you can see, Billy Vera was right on the money when he said that Earl Palmer may possibly be the greatest studio drummer of them all. Now, that’s a backbeat I can dig.

Earl was inducted into The Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame as a sideman in 2000.

I will feature some of Earl’s best studio drumming on tonight’s Night Prowl Show.

The Savoy Records Story

Savoy Records is primarily known as a jazz label (with such artists as Charlie Parker, Charles Mingus and Lester Young on its roster), however, Savoy made quite a contribution to 1950s R&B; and Rock n’ Roll as well. This week, music historian, singer and all around groovy guy, Billy Vera co-hosts the show with Matt The Cat to bring you the amazing story behind the story of this legendary record label.

Catch Harlem on the 50s on 5:
Monday 9/22 @ 1pm over Newark, NJ, where Savoy Records was founded.
Tuesday 9/23 @ 9pm over Dolphins of Hollywood and Midnight over Times Square Records
Friday 9/26 @ 6pm over Augusta, GA
Sunday 9/28 @ 11am over Charlotte, NC