In the 1950s, Jerry “Boogie” McCain cut a batch of great singles for Excello and Trumpet that established his reputation as a great singer and harmonica player as well as an exceptionally hip, clever songwriter. This series of five 45s on Norton spotlights the 1955 demos he recorded prior to going to Excello and they’re pretty hard to beat for raw, raucous party music. An in-depth look at Mr. McCain is here: http://www.bluesworld.com/JerryMcCain.html

Geronimo!: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcZK8otg9LY

“Norton recently took a rocket ride into the vaults of El Saturn Research and arrived back on Earth with a motherlode of unissued early R&B, doo wop, soul and general weirdness featuring Sun Ra and his Arkestra backing a variety of artists. This series consists of two albums of Doo Wop from Saturn and Beyond entitled Interplanetary Melodies and The Second Stop Is Jupiter plus a set of totally twisted sides called Rocket Ship Rock featuring Yochanan ‘The Outer Space Vocalist’ (with his demented Saturn 45 Muck Muck/Hot Skillet Momma) and his way out friends backed by Sun Ra and his Arkestra! Atomic outer space genius from yet another Norton turban headed star!” – Norton

Track listing:
Cosmic Rays – Daddy’s Gonna Tell You No Lie
Cosmic Rays – Dreaming
Cosmic Rays – Bye Bye
Cosmic Rays – Somebody’s in Love
Cosmic Rays – Summertime
Crystals – Honey in the Bee Box
Nu Sounds – Spaceship Lullaby
Nu Sounds – I’m Through with You
Nu Sounds – Africa
Nu Sounds – Dabba Dabba Dabba Du Bay
Qualities – It’s Christmas Time
Qualities – If Only I Hadn’t Sinned
Juanita Rogers – Love Letters Full of Promises
Juanita Rogers and Lynn Hollings – Teenager’s Letter of Promises
Sun Ra – Tony’s Wife

“Norton recently took a rocket ride into the vaults of El Saturn Research and arrived back on Earth with a motherlode of unissued early R&B, doo wop, soul and general weirdness featuring Sun Ra and his Arkestra backing a variety of artists. This series consists of two albums of Doo Wop from Saturn and Beyond entitled Interplanetary Melodies and The Second Stop Is Jupiter plus a set of totally twisted sides called Rocket Ship Rock featuring Yochanan ‘The Outer Space Vocalist’ (with his demented Saturn 45 Muck Muck/Hot Skillet Momma) and his way out friends backed by Sun Ra and his Arkestra! Atomic outer space genius from yet another Norton turban headed star!” – Norton

Track listing:
Cosmic Rays – Somebody’s in Love
Cosmic Rays – Daddy’s Gonna Tell You No Lie
Cosmic Rays – Dreaming
Cosmic Rays – There’s a Small Hotel
Cosmic Rays – The Second Stop is Jupiter
Nu Sounds – Spaceship Ullaby
Nu Sounds – Honeysuckle Rose
Nu Sounds – Baby Won’t You Please Be Mine
Nu Sounds – Black Sky and Blue Moon
Nu Sounds – Dreams Come True
Qualities – Happy New Year to You!
Qualities – She’s My Moonglow
Crystals – Little Sally Walker
Juanita Rogers – I’m So Glad You Love Me
Juanita Rogers – I’m So Glad You Love Me
Sun Ra – Stuff Like That There

I do believe the late great Nathaniel Mayer might’ve referred to the rough-and-tumble R&B numbers on this record as “raggely”. It’s largely comprised of late ‘50s recordings of Sun Ra collaborating with another eccentric visionary – Yochanan, the Space Age Vocalist. Miriam Linna describes the Muck Muck as “a wailing opus that makes Screamin’ Jay Hawkins sound like a milquetoast Mantovani.” Indeed, the muck muck muck will cook your duck! Not to be outdone, a singer known as Ebah howls through an epic “I Am Gonna Unmask the Batman” at what sounds like the tail end of one of Sunny’s 36-hour rehearsals.

Track listing:
Yochanan – Muck Muck
Yochanan – Hot Skillet Momma
Yochanan – Rocket Ship Rock
Yochanan – Is That Me?
Yochanan – Hot Skillet Momma
Yochanan – Muck Muck
Yochanan – The Sun Man Speaks
Yochanan – Message to Earthman #1
Yochanan – Message to Earthman #2
Little Mack – Tell Her to Come on Home
Lacy Gibson – I am Gonna Unmask the Batman
Ebah – I am Gonna Unmask the Batman
Don (Dino) Dean – Space Stroll