Various Artists – Blowin’ The Fuse – 28 R&B Classics That Rocked The Jukebox in 1950 – Bear Family Records BCD 167105 AS

The 16 CDs comprising Bear Family Records’ phenomenal Blowin” The Fuse series were a mainstay of my late-night blues radio show days, and for good reason.  The string of years covered ran from 1945-1960, and each anthology was extraordinary in its scope and quality.  This collection is no exception, and the 79 plus minutes of music found here is sure to thoroughly excite any fan of blues and R&B.

Quite simply, the blues and R&B found on this CD is the finest overview for 1950 seen yet.  And when coupled with the exhaustive liner notes, the whole package provides the fan and listener a total experience unlike any other.

Highpoints of this collection?  Frankly, there’s no pedestrian cut to be found!  All are superb.  And as with any Bear Family Records outing, overall production energies are top-shelf, as witnessed by the exemplary sound quality and song sequencing enjoyed.  1950 never sounded so great!

To this reviewer, Bear Family Records’ Blowin” The Fuse” series will always be the gold standard for what a reissue effort should be.

Below are the superlative tracks of this essential CD in running order.

Song Titles

• Roy Milton – “Information Blues”
• Wynonie Harris – “Sittin’ On It All The Time”
• Ivory Joe Hunter – “I Almost Lost My Mind”
• Doc Sausage “Rag Mop”
• Fats Domino – “The Fat Man”
• Johnny Otis – “Double Crossing Blues”
• Eddie Mack – “Hoot And Holler Saturday Night”
• Professor Longhair – “Mardi Gras In New Orleans”
• Jewel King – “3 x 7 = 21”
• Roy Hawkins – “Why Do Things Happen To Me”
• Joe Liggins – “Pink Champagne”
• T-Bone Walker – “Strollin’ With Bones”
• Tiny Bradshaw – “Well Oh Well”
• Joe Turner – “Still In The Dark”
• Archibald – “Stack-A’Lee (parts 1&2)
• Goree Carter – “Come On Let’s Boogie”
• Calvin Bose – “Safronia B.”
• Ravens – “Count Every Star”
• Lowell Fulson – “Blue Shadows”
• Louis Jordan – “Blues Light Boogie (parts 1 & 2)
• Roy Brown – “Love Don’t Love Nobody”
• Joe Morris – “Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere”
• Lightnin’ Hopkins – “Shotgun Blues”
• Ruth Brown – “Teardrops From My Eyes”
• Clarence Brown – “Boogie Rambler”
• Percy Mayfield – “Please Send Me Someone To Love”
• Lloyd Glenn – “Old Time Shuffle Blues
• Jimmy Preston – “Oh, Babe”