Duet tracks are a long-standing tradition in the R&B world, from classic late-'20s blues through '40s R&B (and all the way into hip-hop of the '90s and beyond). This P-Vine compilation celebrates jive duets, balancing a few of the more popular tracks of the subgenre with a lot of genuine obscurities that should bring tears of joy to the eyes of any collector who realizes how little of what was recorded during the '40s has actually been reissued. Elevator Papa, Switchboard Mama begins with a few risqué novelties from the '20s, including "Put Your Mind to It" by the Hokum Boys and the hilarious "Coldest Stuff in Town" by Whistling Bob Howe and Frankie Grigg. The two greatest R&B duet acts, Slim & Slam and Butterbeans & Susie, check in with two tracks apiece, followed by great inclusions from the obscure Grant and Wilson and Nora and Dell. A couple of great duets feature those master love sharks, Fats Waller and Louis Jordan, and Pearl Bailey and Moms Mabley gossip and cat around with a subtle ease on "Saturday Night Fish Fry." And thankfully, it's just one in a series of jive reissues that rank as one of the most important reissue series of the millennium. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
Elevator Papa, Switchboard Mama: The Best of Jive Duets
10/01/2002
All Music Guide Review
Track Listing
Credits
- Monette Moore
- Vocals
- Loumell Morgan
- Piano
- Tony Mottola
- Guitar
- Ikey Robinson
- Guitar, Vocals
- Gene Sedric
- Sax (Tenor)
- Rabon Tarrant
- Vocals
- Ray Tunia
- Piano
- Clarence Williams
- Wood Block
- Spencer Williams
- Vocals
- Leola B. Wilson
- Vocals
- Buddy Burton
- Piano, Vocals
- Cedric Wallace
- String Bass
- Una Mae Carlisle
- Vocals
- Clara Smith
- Vocals
- Wesley Wilson
- Piano, Vocals
- John "Bugs" Hamilton
- Trumpet
- Gene Gilbeaux
- Piano
- Claude Trenier
- Vocals
- Cliff Trenier
- Vocals
- Herman Washington
- String Bass
- Eddie Powell
- Flute
- Alex Robinson
- Guitar, Vocals
- Smokey Whitfield
- Vocals
- Chris Frazer Smith
- Liner Notes, Transcription
- Nora Lee King
- Vocals
- Crow Kahn
- Piano
- Jodie "Butterbeans" Edwards
- Vocals
- Hideaki Nunomura
- Cover Design
- Teddy Bunn's Group
- Accompaniment
- Alex Hill & His Sepians
- Piano, Vocals
- Irene Sanders
- Vocals
- Dr. Prof. Yasuhiro Uozumi
- Compilation
- Pete Peterson
- Bass
- Wild Bill Davis
- Piano
- Mitch Miller
- Clarinet (Bass)
- Don Hill
- Sax (Alto)
- Bob Bain
- Guitar
- Gene Phillips
- Guitar
- Slim Gaillard
- Guitar, Vocals
- Robert Burns
- Clarinet
- Teddy Bunn
- Guitar
- Jack McVea
- Vocals
- Dallas Bartley
- String Bass
- Bill Beason
- Drums
- Frank Clarke
- String Bass
- Susie Hawthorne
- Vocals
- Henry Green
- Drums
- Carl Hogan
- Guitar
- Aaron Izenhall
- Trumpet
- Eddie Johnson
- Sax (Tenor)
- Slick Jones
- Drums
- Tommy Jordan
- Vocals
- Joe "Red" Kelly
- Trumpet
- Pearl Bailey
- Vocals
- Mildred Bailey
- Vocals
- Roy Eldridge
- Trumpet, Vocals
- Eddie Heywood
- Piano
- Specs Powell
- Drums
- Slam Stewart
- Bass, Vocals
- Fats Waller
- Piano, Vocals
- Bob Haggart
- String Bass
- Lonnie Johnson
- Guitar, Vocals










