The Buddy Johnson Orchestra collection......

The Buddy Johnson Orchestra was one of the most popular R&B based bands during the immediate post war years. With his sister Ella seductively serving for decades as his primary vocalist, pianist Buddy Johnson led a large jump blues band that enjoyed tremendous success during the 1940s and '50s, visiting the R&B charts often for Decca with "Let's Beat Out Some Love," "Baby Don't You Cry," the chart-topping "When My Man Comes Home," and "That's the Stuff You Gotta Watch." The bandleader spotlighted a series of talented singers, including balladeers Arthur Prysock, Nolan Lewis, and Floyd Ryland, but it was Ella's understated delivery rendering of a Buddy Johnson original tune that would become an American standard, "Since I Fell For You" in 1945, and Buddy's crisply danceable "Walk-Em Rhythm" that made the aggregation so successful for so long. With a string of hit records, memorable vocals, and great original music charts, the Buddy Johnson band was one of the big attractions of the time. They were as popular at the Savoy Ballroom in New York as the Savoy in Los Angeles. They drew sellout crowds in Houston,Atlanta, and Chicago as well as Kansas City.  Buddy moved over to Mercury Records in 1953 and scored more smashes with Ella's "Hittin' on Me" and "I'm Just Your Fool," the latter a 1954 standout that was later covered by  Chicago harpist Little Walter.  Rock & roll eventually halted Buddy Johnson's momentum, but his band (tenor saxophonist Purvis Henson was a constant presence in the reed section) kept recording for Mercury through 1958, switched to Roulette the next year, and bowed out with a solitary session for Hy Weiss' Old Town label in 1964.

Here is a compilation that I've put together from most of their recorded output. This is a true labour of love, as they have been one of my favourite groups for years. My mom is a major fan of Ella, and so I'm putting this up today for her.....hope you enjoy it.

This is in three files. Here are the links:

Part I:     http://www.4shared.com/file/XIlSpc7F/johnson.html
Part II:    http://www.4shared.com/file/wpIDrBxW/2johnson.html
Part III:   http://www.4shared.com/file/pCJb9AqR/johnson3.html

Here are the tracks:

I.
I don't want nobody
Please Mr. Johnson
Bring it home to me
I wonder who's boogying
A pretty girl
I ain't mad with you
Any Day now
Let's beat out some love
Oh! baby don't you know
So good
A-12
Shake 'em up
Dr. Jive jives
Shufflin' and rollin'

Hittin' on me
I don't care who knows
Did you see Jackie Robinson hit that ball?

II.
Rockin' time
Doot doot dow
They don't want me to rock no more
Boogie woogie's mother-in-law
Opus Two
Rock on!
Ain't cha got me where ya want me
You'll get them blues
Buddy's boogie
It's obdacious
You'd better believe me
I still love you
That's the stuff you gotta watch
Gone walkin'
Walk 'em

III.
Walk the chalk line
South Main
You got it made
Hey, sweet potato
Crazy 'bout a saxophone
When my man comes home
'Lil dog
Ain't but one
You can't tell who's lovin' who
Bitter sweet
Down yonder
I'm just your fool
Since I fell for you
(Gotta go) upside your head
Baby, you're always on my mind
You'll get them blues
I'm gonna jump in the river