Search - Bill Black :: Best of Bill Black's Combo - The Hi Records Years

Instrumentalist finally gets his due

Zub | Forks Twp., PA | 12/27/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"While best known for his signature tune "White Silver Sands", Bill Black, his successors and his group had 18 of their tunes crack the pop top 100 during the 60s. Inexplicably, their catalog has been virtually ignored by domestic CD reissuers up to this point. Now, Right Stuff has provided this well-constructed compilation of Black's hits as well as several reissues of original albums. Their distinctive sax- and organ-led, pulsing beat continued to permeate the a.m. airwaves into the mid-60s and paved the way for subsequent r'n'b-styled instrumentalists of the decade. Although Black died in '65, the combo continued recording into the 70s though the hits dried up leaving only one chart appearance for them in 1968. This collection contains all but two of the pop-charted entries for the combo, those being the reworked "twist" version of "White Silver Sands" from 1962 and the post-Black era "Turn On Your Love Light". The set is well executed with clean sound and all tracks except 13-15 offered in stereo. Completing the piece is a twelve-page basically black-and-white (a maybe too obvious tie-in) liner notes booklet with backround notes, track details and a few pics. This is a welcome reissue that fills a major gap in the availability of such seminal instrumentals from the golden age of American rock and roll."

Solid music from a master.

oldtimerocker | 06/06/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Bill Black took the sounds of the day and gave it his own twist. With Black on bass and a guitar and drum, the bottom was filled out and the saxaphones and organ took over from there to create a sound that was different than anything else released at the time. This particular album shoes his versatility, from upbeat rockers to slower ballads. I recommend the individual albums, but this is a great starter."