Although it has no surprises, CEMA Special Markets'
R&B Essentials is a good budget-priced collection of R&B hits from the late '50s and early '60s, all culled from the EMI-Capitol vaults (including recordings from labels they have recently purchased). The disc will certainly be a little brief for most tastes, but there's no denying what's here --
Fats Domino's "Ain't That a Shame,"
the Chiffons' "He's So Fine,"
Inez Foxx's "Mockingbird,"
Shirley & Lee's "Let the Good Times Roll,"
Ernie K-Doe's "Mother-In-Law,"
the Falcons' "You're So Fine,"
the Johnny Otis Show's "Willie and the Hand Jive" and
Jessie Hill's "Oo Poo Pah Doo" among them -- is first-rate and makes for a terrific budget-line sampler.