Jalacy J. Hawkins
b. July 18th, 1929 in Cleveland (Ohio)
d. February 12th, 2000 in Neuilly sur Seine (France)
THE WHAMEE
Rev-Ola
1953 - November 1955
Né à Cleveland mais élevé dans une famille Blackfoot, Jay apprend d'abord le piano puis la guitare. Il échoue à devenir un chanteur d'opéra et semble participer très jeune à la seconde guerre mondiale. Il reste soldat jusqu'en 1952 tout en exerçant la boxe en amateur. En parallèle, Jay commence une carrière musicale en chantant et jouant des claviers pour la guitariste Tiny Grimes. En tant que leader, il enregistre ses premiers morceaux pour les labels Gotham et Timely (le sympathique "Baptize me in wine") en 1953 à la manière des Blues Shouters avec une orchestration Rhythm & Blues. Mais, son chant expressif et excentrique décolle réellement avec les excellents "She put the whamee on me", "What that is", "This is all" pour Mercury et une première version de "I put a spell on you" pour Grand (qui resta longtemps inédite) en 1955. On peut aussi signaler les bons blues "Well I tried", "$10000 Lincoln Continental", "I is".
Born in Cleveland but raised in a Blackfoot family, Jay first learned piano and then guitar. He fails to become an opera singer and seems to participate in the Second World War at a very young age. He remained a soldier until 1952 while practicing boxing as an amateur. At the same time, Jay began a musical career by singing and playing keyboards for guitarist Tiny Grimes. As a leader, he recorded his first tracks for the Gotham and Timely labels (the nice "Baptize me in wine") in 1953 in the style of the Blues Shouters with a Rhythm & Blues orchestration. But, his expressive and eccentric singing really takes off with the excellent “She put the whamee on me”, “What that is”, “This is all” for Mercury and a first version of "I put a spell on you" for Grand (which remained unissued for a long time) in 1955. We can also point out the good blues "Well I tried", "$10000 Lincoln Continental", “I is.”
COW FINGERS AND MOSQUITO PIE
Epic
September 1956 - March 1958
AT HOME WITH SCREAMIN' JAY HAWKINS
Epic
September 1956 - October 1957 (LP version)
September 1953 - 1962 (CD version)
I PUT A SPELL ON YOU
Epic
September 1956 - October 1957
Screamin' Jay Hawkins trouve le succès en signant chez Okeh et enregistrant une nouvelle version de son formidable "I put a spell on you" (un titre imaginé suite à une rupture amoureuse). Pour ce label, le chanteur toujours aussi fantasque grave plusieurs morceaux colorés et sympathiques comme "Little demon", "Hong Kong", "Orange colored sky", "Alligator wine", "Temptation", "Frenzy". Mais si cette période Okeh est fructueuse sur le plan commercial, elle n'est pas sa meilleure artistiquement : Jay s'essayant à de nombreux styles propose une oeuvre très hétérogène. Concernant cette époque, il faut préférer le CD "Cow fingers and mosquito pie" offrant la meilleure sélection. On peut également signaler que la réédition CD de "At home with Screamin' Jay Hawkins" contient des morceaux déjà édités de l'époque Timely ainsi qu'une poignée de titres rares issus de petits labels (Red Top, Enrica, Chancellor).
Screamin' Jay Hawkins found success by signing with Okeh and recording a new version of his formidable "I put a spell on you" (a title imagined following a breakup). For this label, the always whimsical singer recorded several colorful and nice tracks like "Little Demon", "Hong Kong", “Orange colored sky”, “Alligator wine”, “Temptation”, “Frenzy”. But if this Okeh period is commercially successful, it is not his best artistically : Jay trying out many styles, he offers a very heterogeneous work. Regarding this era, you should prefer the "Cow fingers and mosquito pie" CD offering the best selection. We can also point out that the "At home with Screamin' Jay Hawkins" CD reissue contains previously released tracks from the Timely era as well as a handful of rare tracks from small labels (Red Top, Enrica, Chancellor).
A NITE AT FORBIDDEN CITY
Sounds of Hawaii
1963
ROULETTE ROCK 'N ROLL vol.4 : LOTTA BOPPIN' (AND PLENTY SCREAMIN' TOO)
Sequel
1964
Cette anthologie contient une séance enregistrée pour le label Roulette par Screamin' Jay Hawkins en 1964. Il y a cinq titres - parfois déclinés en plusieurs versions - dont une reprise inattendue et peu convaincante du "Hard day's night" des Beatles et l'envoutant "Feast of the Mau Mau".
This anthology contains a session recorded for the Roulette label by Screamin' Jay Hawkins in 1964. There are five titles - sometimes available in several versions - including an unexpected and unconvincing cover of the Beatles' "Hard day's night" and the haunting "Feast of the Mau Mau".
THE NIGHT OF SCREAMIN' JAY HAWKINS
Planet
THE PLANET SESSIONS
Ace
May 1965
Invité par le promoteur anglais Don Arden, Screamin' Jay Hawkins enregistra cette séance en mai 1965 à Londres. Un programme intéressant entre Jazz et Rhythm & Blues avec de bons morceaux comme "I wanna know", "Your kind of love", "In my dream", "Change your ways", "Move me".
Invited by english promoter Don Arden, Screamin' Jay Hawkins recorded this session in may 1965 in London. An interesting program between Jazz and Rhythm & Blues with good songs like "I wanna know", "Your kind of love", "In my dream", "Change your ways", "Move me".
ROCK & ROLL SHOW
Gusto
1965
SCREAMIN' THE BLUES
Red Lightnin'
September 1965
Dans cette compilation, on trouve deux bons titres inédits gravés pour le label Providence : "Poor folks" et "Your kind of love".
In this compilation, we find two good unreleased tracks recorded for the Providence label : "Poor folks" and "Your kind of love".
SPELLBOUND
Bear Family
July - December 1966 / 1969 / 1974
WHAT THAT IS
Philips
Mercury
Third Man
June 1969
Cette excellente séance a été enregistrée à Los Angeles au Club Amigo en juin 1969 avec de superbes musiciens (dont Plas Johnson, Lyle Ritz, Mike Anthony, Earl Palmer). Le disque est produit par Milan Melvin. En pleine forme, Screamin' Jay Hawkins délivre un programme intense et puissant avec "What that is", "Feast of the Mau Mau", "Stone crazy", "I'm your man" et une première version de son célèbre "Constipation blues".
This excellent session was recorded in Los Angeles at Club Amigo in june 1969 with superb musicians (including Plas Johnson, Lyle Ritz, Mike Anthony, Earl Palmer). This album is produced by Milan Melvin. In great shape, Screamin' Jay Hawkins delivers an intense and powerful program with "What that is", "Feast of the Mau Mau", "Stone crazy", "I'm your man” and a first version of his famous “Constipation blues”.
BECAUSE IS IN YOUR MIND
Philips
Third Man
December 1969
Ce second album pour Philips est produit par Huey P. Meaux. Il s'agit d'un disque bien peu inspiré au niveau des compositions avec un son empruntant à différents styles en particulier Soul-Funk.
This second album for Philips is produced by Huey P. Meaux. This is a very uninspired record in terms of compositions with a sound borrowing from different styles especially Soul-Funk.
RATED X
Sting Music
July 1970
PORTRAIT OF A MAN AND HIS WOMAN
Hot Line
I PUT A SPELL ON YOU
Charly
ITTY BITTY PRETTY ONE
Koala
LAWDY MISS CLAWDY
Koala
1972
Encore une fois, Jay aborde différents styles (Soul, Funk, Blues, Gospel, Rock) mais sans souci d'homogénéité, ce qui peut déplaire. On apprécie "Portrait of a man", "Don't deceive me", "Spell", la reprise du "I don't know" de "Cripple" Clarence Lofton, "What good it is". Le LP original n'a jamais été réédité en CD. Il faut choisir "I put a spell on you" (Charly) pour une édition CD. En fait, cette séance inégale gravée à Nashville a connu plus d'une douzaine d'habillages différents avec des tracklists parfois modifiées. Les deux LP Koala rassemblent des morceaux inédits par rapport aux éditions Hot Line et Charly.
Once again, Jay approaches different styles (Soul, Funk, Blues, Gospel, Rock) but without concern for homogeneity, which may displease. We appreciate “Portrait of a man”, "Don't deceive me", "Spell", the cover of "Cripple" Clarence Lofton's "I don't know", "What good it is". The original LP has never been reissued on CD. You must choose "I put a spell on you" (Charly) for a CD edition. In fact, this uneven session recorded in Nashville went through more than a dozen different packagings with tracklists sometimes modified. The two Koala LPs brings together new sides compared to the Hot Line and Charly issues.
I PUT A SPELL ON YOU
Versatile
1973 / 1976
Sur cet album, on trouve quatre morceaux inédits de 1973 et de 1976 : "Africa gone funky", "Ebb tide", "I've got you under my skin" et "Time after time". Les autres morceaux proviennent du LP "A portrait of a man and his woman".
On this album, we find four unreleased tracks from 1973 and 1976 : "Africa gone funky", "Ebb tide", "I've got you under my skin" and "Time after time". Others tracks come from the "A portrait of a man and his woman" LP.
AMERICAN HOT WAX
A&M
1976
THE ART OF SCREAMIN' JAY HAWKINS
Spivey
1976
PORTRAIT OF A MAN
Edsel
1979
REAL LIFE
Paris Album
EPM
Charly
April - May 1983
De passage en France au printemps 1983 (il s'installera en banlieue parisienne un peu plus tard), Screamin' Jay Hawkins grave cet album dans lequel il est entouré de musiciens français. Le programme s'avère inégal avec toutefois des moments sympathiques comme "Get down France", "All night", "Poor folks" et de nouvelles versions de "Feast of the Mau-Mau" et "Constipation blues". Il y a un titre supplémentaire sur les éditions CD ("Alligator wine").
While passing through France in the spring of 1983 (he would settle in the Paris suburbs a little later), Screamin' Jay Hawkins recorded this album in which he was surrounded by french musicians. The program turns out to be uneven, however with nice moments like "Get down France", "All night", "Poor folks" and new versions of "Feast of the Mau-Mau" and "Constipation blues". There is an additional title on the CD issues ("Alligator wine").
AT HOME WITH JAY IN THE WEE WEE HOURS
Midnight
September 1984
A MIDNIGHT CHRISTMAS MESS
Midnight
December 1984
LIVE
Midnight
December 1985
Dans ce concert des Fuzztones, il y a quatre morceaux chantés par Screamin' Jay Hawkins dans une chaude ambiance (dont "Alligator wine", "Constipation blues").
In this Fuzztones concert, there are four songs sung by Screamin' Jay Hawkins in a warm atmosphere (including "Alligator wine", "Constipation blues").
LIVE AND CRAZY
Blue Phoenix
Evidence
LIVE
Frémeaux
June 1988
BLACK MUSIC FOR WHITE PEOPLE
Bizarre - Planet
Demon
Rhino
October - December 1990
Avec le label Bizarre et le producteur Robert Duffey, la carrière de Screamin' Jay Hawkins prend un nouveau départ. Ce premier album présente le chanteur-showman mélangeant les genres avec excentricité et dynamisme. On note dans ce programme puissant une version rap de "I put a spell on you", "I feel allright", "Swamp gas", "Ice cream man" et le bluesy "I want your body".
With the Bizarre label and producer Robert Duffey, Screamin' Jay Hawkins' career took a new start. This first album presents the singer-showman mixing styles with eccentricity and dynamism. We note in this powerful program a rap version of "I put a spell on you", "I feel all right", "Swamp gas", "Ice cream man" and the bluesy "I want your body".
DR MACABRE
Trade Service
October 1991
I SHAKE MY STICK AT YOU
Aim
DON'T FOOL WITH ME
Prestige
1991
Cet album fut enregistré à Sydney en Australie dans un style quelque part entre Rhythm & Blues et Rock & Roll. Un programme plaisant quoique peu original à réserver aux amateurs confirmés.
This album was recorded in Sydney, Australia in a style somewhere between Rhythm & Blues and Rock & Roll. A pleasant although not very original program to advise to confirmed fans.
STONE CRAZY
Bizarre - Straight
Demon
1993
Second album pour Bizarre avec une tracklist intense et irrésistible : "Strange", "Who's been talkin'", "Stone crazy", "Call the plumber", "I wanna know". Jay s'y montre au meilleur de sa forme parfaitement produit par Robert Duffey.
Second album for Bizarre with an intense and irresistible tracklist : "Strange", "Who's been talkin'", "Stone crazy", "Call the plumber", "I wanna know". Jay shows up at his best, perfectly produced by Robert Duffey.
SOMETHIN' FUNNY GOIN' ON
Bizarre - Planet
Demon
January 1994
Troisième et dernier album pour Bizarre sous la supervision du producteur Robert Duffey. Comme pour l'opus précédent, Jay est à son zénith sur les excellents "Somethin' funny goin' on", "Whistling past the graveyard", "Scream the blues", "You make me sick", "When you walked out the door".
Third and final album for Bizarre under the supervision of producer Robert Duffey. As with the previous opus, Jay is at his zenith on the excellent "Somethin' funny goin' on", "Whistling past the graveyard", "Scream the blues", "You make me sick", "When you walked out the door".
ARE YOU ONE OF JAY'S KIDS : THE COMPLETE BIZARRE SESSIONS
Edsel
October 1990 - January 1994
Comme indiqué, cette compilation reprend l'intégralité des trois albums pour le label Bizarre agrémenté d'une dizaine de titres inédits parmi lesquels les sympathiques "My best friend's girl", "Make you mine" et "Clam bake".
As indicated, this compilation includes all three albums for the Bizarre label with around ten new tracks including the nice "My best friend's girl", "Make you mine" and "Clam bake".
SWING FEELING & SCREAMIN' JAY HAWKINS
Body & Soul
February - March 1995
AT LAST
Last Call
July 1997
Jay délivre encore un album où brillent sa démesure et son sens du spectacle. On apprécie notamment "Listen", "Potluck", "Shut your mouth when you sneeze", "You want love" et une belle reprise de "I shot the sheriff". Il existe une édition limitée avec un titre supplémentaire ("Cool conversation").
Jay delivers yet another album where his excess and his sense of spectacle shine. We particularly like "Listen", "Potluck", "Shut your mouth when you sneeze", "You want love" and a nice cover of "I shot the sheriff". There is a limited edition with an additional title ("Cool conversation").
LIVE
Last Call
April 1998
Un concert sympathique enregistré à Paris (Jay réside en France) avec un bel orchestre. Mais la tracklist est beaucoup trop longue et finit par lasser.
A nice concert recorded in Paris (Jay lives in France) with a beautiful orchestra. But the tracklist is much too long and ends up boring.