At the end of the Second World War, economics forced the big bands to trim their once great size and thus, the Jump Blues combo was born. Between 1946-1954, rhythm and blues laid the tracks for what was to become Rock n’ Roll. So how come, 75 years later, this vibrant and influential music is still so unknown to so many? Matt The Cat is going to change that with the radio program, “Juke In The Back.” These were the records that you couldn’t hear on the jukebox in the front of the establishment. To hear all this great 1950s rhythm & blues, you had to go to “Juke In The Back.”
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Episode #458 – Paul “Hucklebuck” Williams
Air Week: February 11-17, 2019
Paul “Hucklebuck” WilliamsThis week, “Juke In The Back” presents one of the architects of the “honkin'” sax, Paul Williams. Many people associate that “honkin'” sax sound with West Coast Jump Blues, but it actually originated in 1947 with Paul Williams in Detroit. Savoy Records dug Williams’ style as it was very different than their other sax great at the time, Charlie Parker. Williams’ Sextette released some moderately successful instrumentals early on, before they hit paydirt with “The Huckle-Buck” in 1949. It was at a show in late 1948 that Williams and his group played a slowed down version of Parker’s “Now’s The Time” and saw the kids going crazy doing a new dance called The Hucklebuck. He knew he was on to something and rushed into the studio to cut “The Huckle-Buck.” The record sparked a national dance craze and hit #1 on the R&B chart, where it remained for 14 week. “The Huckle-Buck” was the best selling record of 1949. From then on out, Paul Williams was known as Paul “Hucklebuck” Williams and the rest is history. Matt The Cat digs deep into Williams’ catalog for a plethora of killer R&B jump tunes that deserve more exposure on this week’s “Juke In The Back.”
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