Boss of the Blues

1	Cherry Red 3:21
2	Roll 'em Pete 3:41
3	I Want a Little Girl 4:16
4	Low Down Dog 3:38
5	Wee Baby Blues 7:15
6	You're Driving Me Crazy (What Did I Do?) 4:10
7	How Long Blues 5:43
8	Morning Glories 3:39
9	St. Louis Blues 4:17
10	Piney Brown Blues 4:49

Barnes & Noble

If you haven't heard Big Joe Turner sing the directive "I want you to boogie my woogie 'till my face turns cherry red," well, you just haven't lived. The aptly titled BOSS OF THE BLUES places Turner among the company he deserves, including Ellington band trombonist Lawrence Brown, the legendary boogie pianist Pete Johnson, and Count Basie band veterans, saxophonist Frank Wess, trumpeter Joe Newman, and bassist Walter Page; Ellington band trombonist Lawrence Brown; and the legendary boogie pianist Pete Johnson.Turner, for his part, just stomps the blues, shouting the stuffing out of "Roll 'em Pete," "I Want a Little Girl," "How Long Blues," and the lascivious "Cherry Red." A major link between swing and rock 'n' roll, Turner exemplified pure Kansas City blues singing at its nasty best. Steve Futterman

All Music Guide

During an era when Big Joe Turner recordings were often surprise hits with rock & roll fans (particularly "Shake, Rattle and Roll"), he occasionally recorded no-nonsense blues-oriented jazz dates too. This reissue album matched Turner for one of the last times with the veteran boogie-woogie pianist Pete Johnson and also includes a variety of top swing players: trumpeter Joe Newman, trombonist Lawrence Brown, altoist Pete Brown, tenor saxophonist Frank Wess, guitarist Freddie Green, bassist Walter Page, and drummer Cliff Leeman. It is not surprising, considering the number of Basie-ites on the date, that the band often sounds like a Count Basie combo. Turner is in top form on remakes of some of his early tunes (including "Cherry Red," "Roll 'Em Pete," and "Wee Baby Blues"), a few traditional blues, and a couple of swing standards. This music should appeal to many listeners. Scott Yanow