Chuck Higgins – Pachuko Hop – Ace Records CDHP 024

Chuck Higgins was wild, raw, and greasy, a saxophone performer who melded blues R&B, and Latin ingredients into his own delicious meal of rocking musical stew.

In short, this is one of the most manic saxophone-fueled R&B assemblages to emerge in the 1950s.  Instrumental tunes govern this collection, and Higgins’ saxophone does nothing less than shriek and blast akin to a rocket launching into space.  This is blaring madness straight out of the 1950s school of saxophone hysteria, chock-full of waves of typhoon-like woodwind gusts forceful enough to peel paint off of the walls.

There are several upbeat vocal workouts here, as well, and also certain tunes with Latin-tinged rhythms.  Plus, there’s a decent blues tune, as well.  However, the emphasis here is on electrifying saxophone-driven instrumental raids, and Higgins was a master of such during the glorious period in the 1950s when his enthralling saxophone frenzy, and that of other practitioners, exhilarated throngs of appreciative listeners and audiences.

When this collection first saw the light of day, the rather risqué album cover must’ve sent shock waves through many a household when youngsters brought it home.  Ace Records chose to keep the original cover for this CD release.  In many ways, it ideally suits this terrific outing.

For the way this Higgins collection supremely captures that special period when saxophone artists like him dominated the musical minds tuned into this style of musical fever, this compilation is considered essential.  It is a whirlwind of a musical ride!