Ernestine Allen with the King Curtis Band: Let It Roll (1961)

An album of bluesy jazz, jazzy r'n'b, whatever. This music sits comfortably among the genres, and there's so much fun jumping at you from these grooves, it really doesn't matter how to classify this.

Tracks that are interpreted as ballads by most singers, like Love For Sale or The Man I Love, are played at a fast or at least medium pace here. And even when singing how Mean and Evil she is, Ernestine Allen emanates pure joy. On the extended version of Let It Roll, a jump-blues/r'n'b hit for her with Lucky Millinder's band in the 1940s, she does some boisterous scatting and great exchange with King Curtis. Witty arrangements like the "bongo rhythm" played by Al Casey's guitar on Love For Sale add to the fun - one review even calls the track "demented".

Which brings us to the guitarists, who deserve extra mention, since their contribution is just as important as the sax of leader King Curtis. Al Casey and Chauncey Westbrook are credited for playing guitar, but i assume the impressive lead work we hear stems from Casey, like the beautiful obligatos on Mean and Evil and Baubles, Bangles and Beads (Curtis sits out on both tracks).

This Al Casey, of course, ...

Here's a good review from the organissimo forum:

"I've just been listening to this Ernestine Allen album, made originally for Tru-Sound in 1961 and reissued on Original Blues Classics. It's not a blues album; doesn't sound like an R &B album to me. Sounds like a very bluesy jazz album. Damn fine album, whatever.

Produced by Esmond Edwards and featuring the King Curtis band of the day. The band is in better than fine form. I've loved Curtis since I started buying records, but his (and the others') playing is really at the top of his form. Relaxed, but really playing stuff.

Ernestine (sometimes credited as Anisteen) Allen sang with Lucky Millinder's band from 1947 to 1954. When Millinder closed his big band down, she left music and took a day job except for occasional weekend gigs. This album came out of a gig with the Curtis band at Smalls', Brooklyn. As far as I know, she never recorded again. A shame. She doesn't sound like any other jazz or R&B singer I've heard. Very relaxed, creative, charming, funky as anything, baby!

One of those albums that gets under your skin. Almost certainly deleted, but probably easy enough to pick up on the cheap from lots of places."

...not this Al Casey.

Ernestine Allen: Let It Roll
Tru-Sound TRU-15004

1 Let It Roll (Lucky Millinder) 6:45
2 I Want a Little Boy (Murray Mencher / Billy Moll) 3:45
3 Lullaby of Broadway (Al Dubin / Harry Warren) 2:39
4 Mean and Evil (Ernestine Allen) 3:24
5 Love for Sale (Cole Porter) 2:58
6 Miss Allen's Blues (Ernestine Allen) 5:35
7 Baubles, Bangles and Beads (George Forrest / Robert Wright) 2:51
8 The Man I Love (George & Ira Gershwin) 3:20
9 Tea for Two (Irving Caesar / Vincent Youmans) 3:04

Ernestine Allen: Vocals; King Curtis: Tenor Sax; Al Casey, Chauncey Westbrook: Guitar; Paul Griffin: Piano; Jimmy Lewis: Bass; Belton Evans: Drums;
Recorded by Rudy Van Gelder

"The Man I Love" is the only track on youtube: