"Lowe Groovin'" - Joe Morris
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/lowe-groovin/1405581026?i=1405582605
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/5yY7DHBYfxNceVtOz0bCu2?si=5e44b180cf5a4811
Recorded in New York, December 12, 1947
Perhaps the first significant landmark single on the label, and if you are familiar with a lot of '50s Atlantic singles, you can hear how much this rich, gritty, horn-based sound would be the bedrock of the many classics to come. Yet, this jazzy piece of rhythm and blues is probably not very impressive today: it has a decent swingin' horn riff and enough of a lazy strut to keep your attention going, but as far as '40s jazz and old-school R&B goes, the excitement level and compositional substance here do not begin to compete with contemporary classics like Wynonie Harris's "Good Rockin' Tonight," Dizzy Gillespie's "Manteca," Louis Jordan's "Barnyard Boogie," or Amos Milburn's "Chicken Shack Boogie." R&B as a genre had still not reached its summit, but at this point, the label was still more focused on getting itself financially and artistically stable rather than competing with the trailblazers of the day. With this context in mind, it will be easier to appreciate the six instrumentals opening the Atlantic Rhythm and Blues compilation: none of them are major stunners, but they do have their place when learning about the label's history. Listen to this to pay tribute to the beginnings of Atlantic Records, but for true gut pleasure, move on to "Drinkin’ Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee" and beyond in the history of the label.
Verdict: Decent
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