The Modern Cuts
08/04/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"As with many R&B artists who recorded in the late Forties and early Fifties, it's often difficult to determine whether re-mastered CD compilations offer original versions of their singles hits or those done later with other labels, especially when an artist had a history of hopping from one label to another.
But although such was the case with Floyd Dixon, Born February 8, 1929 in Marshall, Texas, the good news is the fact that this comes from the excellent Ace of London, which tells you straight off that these are, indeed, original cuts. The bad news (for completist collectors) is that it focuses only on his Modern Records output and therefore does not include his hits with Peacock (Sad Journey Blues, a # 8 R&B in late 1950 b/w She's Understanding and billed to Floyd Dixon & His Orchestra) and Aladdin (Telephone Blues, a # 4 R&B in February 1951 b/w Real Lovin' Mama and billed to Floyd Dixon with Johnny Moore's Three Blazers featuring Oscar Moore - and Call Operator 210, a # 4 R&B in August 1952 b/w Wine, Wine, Wine).
In the late Forties this accomplished singer/pianist became a protegé of the great Charles Brown and, while recording for Modern, in 1949 his group, The Floyd Dixon Trio, scored with Dallas Blues, a side featuring his tinkling piano riffs and lazy, dragged-out singing style which rose to # 10 R&B in March (actually, then known as The Most Played Juke Box R&B Records charts) b/w Helen. These are at tracks 15 and 16.
He was also the vocalist and pianist on another hit that October for the group Eddie Williams And His Brown Buddies (guitarist Mitchell Webb, drummer Ellis Walsh and bassist Eddie Williams) when Broken Hearted went all the way to # 2 on the same charts. Unfortunately, that was on the Supreme label and so is also omitted here. A couple of months later The Floyd Dixon Trio hit again for Modern with Mississippi Blues which topped out at # 14 in December b/w Drifting Blues (tracks 2 and 6).
Floyd later recorded for Specialty and Chess, followed by a sequence of small, obscure labels, and it's pretty well certain that he re-recorded some - if not all - his hits at each stop. But as I say, rest assured these are the originals done at Modern. What we need is a compilation of ALL his original hit singles."
Track Listings (26) - Disc #1