I've just taken possession of this fabulous 26 track new release from Ace, which spotlights two of the Federal label's finest R&B queens. One has to wonder why it has taken so long for these two forgotten acts and their recordings for Federal to make it to legit CD. (There is actually a bootleg Tiny Topsy CD around, although the songs, which are all disc dubs, are mastered too fast, in contrast to these fresh transfers direct from the master tapes). Tiny Topsy was a short 250 lb bundle of dynamite who tragically died at the young age of only 34. She released only 6 singles between 1957 and 1961. Her complete Federal recordings 1957-1959 are on this CD. Her voice is a cross between LaVern Baker and Big Maybelle. Her debut 45, the bouncy 'Aw Shucks Baby' from July 1957 is LaVern Baker at her finest, although Tiny's lung power is a cut above LaVern (who I count in my favorite 3 female singers of the 1950s). Tiny's other singles range from the out & out rock & roll of 'Come On, Come On', 'You Shocked Me', and 'Waterproof Eyes' to 'Western Rock & Roll', a 1958 novelty rocker which includes snippets of other hit songs including 'Lollipop' and 'Short Shorts'. Her final Federal release coupled her original version of Roscoe Gordon's 1960 hit 'Just A Little Bit' with 'Everybody Needs Some Loving' a magnificent soulful number. It's very difficult to understand how none of Tiny Topsy's uniformally excellent recordings for Federal were able to crack the charts.
In contrast to Topsy, Lula Reed is better represented on CD. Ace themselves issued her much earlier recordings for King on a previous CD. Her Federal releases, which cover the years 1961 - 1962 are much tougher sounding than those and perfectly compliment Tiny Topsy's recordings from the previous decade. These veer more towards soul than Topsy's rock & roll and include 4 very entertaining duets she cut with Freddy King which finish off this CD release. As the liner notes in Ace's excellent 16 page booklet point out, it is a tragedy up to this point, that these two great artists have been overlooked by compilers, in favor of less talented contemporaries of R&B music. What is even more a shame is that neither of these great ladies is still around to enjoy this release. Highly recommended!

Product Description
The third of Ace's limited edition releases.

Here's something to thrill all fans of tough, female new breed R&B - the first ever CD reissue of the complete Federal recordings of Tiny Topsy and Lula Reed.

Both of these artists are revered by New Breeders all over the world for their uncompromsingly tough Federal sides - virtually none of which have been legitimately digitised up to now.

Produced in Chicago in the late 1950s and early 1960s by the great Sonny Thompson (Mr Lula Reed) and featuring the same musicians who appear on all of Freddy King's great records of the period, this is phenomenally exciting music that has stood the test of time well. As a bonus Freddy King appears in duet with Ms Reed on four of the tracks.

As an encapsulation of the Chicago black music scene in the years between rockin' rhythm & blues and early soul, this collection has few peers. Here are two tough and sassy ladies that you wouldn't want to mess with, on a collection of tracks that you wouldn't want not to own.

Strictly limited edition.

1. Just A Little Bit
2. Everybody Needs Some Loving
3. A Woman's Intuition
4. Aw Shucks Baby
5. Miss You So
6. Come On, Come On, Come On
7. A Ring Around My Finger
8. You Shocked Me
9. Waterproof Eyes
10. Cha Cha Sue
11. Western Rock 'N' Roll
12. Know What You're Doing
13. What Makes You So Cold
14. I Got A Notion
15. Ain't No Cotton Pickin' Chicken
16. Baby Baby
17. Puddentane
18. I'm A Woman (But I Don't Talk Too Much)
19. I Know
20. Say Hey Pretty Baby
21. You Gotta Have That Green
22. Your Love Keeps A-Working On Me
23. Do The President Twist
24. (Let Your Love) Watch Over Me
25. It's Easy Child
26. You Can't Hide

Amazon USA:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003GE69MK/?tag=imwan-20

Amazon UK:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003GE69MK/?tag=imwan-21