Back in the 50s and 60s, there were blues shouters like Joe Turner, blues belters like Jimmy Witherspoon and R&B blues jumpers like Lloyd Price. Nappy Brown (1929-2008) was able to sound a little bit like all three, but had the distinction of being able to add melisma, which is not a skin disease, but a way of slurring notes together into one syllable. Brown had it down, and it worked well, as these 52 songs from 2 discs are able to demonstrate.
Brown’s voice could range from earthy tenor to rich baritone, sounding fervent on the early gospel pieces like “Jesus Said It” and “Lord I’m In Your Hans” when he was with The Heavenly Lights. On the more secular side of the tracks, he swings the blues with jazzers including saxists Budd Johnson and Al Sears on infectious stompers like the hit “Don’t Be Angry” and “That Man” as well as the R&B classic “Piddly Patter Patter” with alto saxist Hilton Jefferson joining in for a take of “The Right Time” that Ray Charles stole verbatim. With Sam Price at the piano, Brown and Kelly Owens’ Orchestra deliver a smoky “Little By Little” and swaying “I Crie Like A Baby,” with Teacho Wilshite and His Orchestra sizzles on” It Don’t Hurt No More” and bops to “Is You Is Or IS You Ain’t My Baby.”
R&B sax legend King Curtis joins in with Count Basie alumnus Earl Warren for some smoky blues on “Baby, I Got News For You” and “ What’s Come Over You Baby” with Brown showing why Elvis Presley always tried to catch him in concert. While not on the short list of artists like Little Richard, Chuck Berry and Fats Domino who “crossed over” to white audiences, Brown was still a major influence, and these songs hold up amazingly well. Can the same be said for Pat Boone?