The Big "D" Jamboree Live Vols. 1&2 (Dragon Street, 2000)
Various Artists
Reviewed by Jon Johnson
In truth, the Big "D" Jamboree (which operated from the late '40's until the mid-'60's) embraced rock 'n' roll to a far greater degree than others in the country industry did. As a result, much of the second disc draws on the respectable Dallas rockabilly scene of the late '50's, including strong performances from Johnny Carroll, Joe Poovey, Johnny Dollar, Ronnie Dawson and the Everly-esque Belew Twins, who at least come across here as slightly less disturbing than they did in the classic 1956 no-budget flick "Rock, Baby, Rock It!" Notable national acts of the period pop up on disc 2, as well, including Sun-era Carl Perkins and Warren Smith, not to mention three riveting numbers from Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps.
The graphic presentation here is impeccable (though regrettably packaged in the cardboard "digipak" format), with dozens of previously unpublished photos, and the liner notes by Kevin Coffey are both entertaining and informative. What's more, the sound quality (taken from the original 16" transcription discs stored with the Library of Congress) is excellent. While one can lament the fact that transcriptions of Big "D" appearances by the Sun-era Elvis, Hank Williams, Lefty Frizzell and the Maddox Brothers & Rose were either never made or haven't survived, "The Big 'D' Jamboree Live" captures an important era of 20th century American music and offers a fascinating glimpse at the autumn of the once-thriving regional "barn dance" broadcasts that blanketed the US and Canada. (Dragon Street Records, P.O. Box 670714, Dallas, TX 75367, E-Mail: dragonst@flash.net)
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