Koko Mojo Writer Series Leroy Kirkland / Various Koko Mojo Writer Series Leroy Kirkland / Various CD

The Songwriter's album Leroy Kirkland Thrill-La-Dill (KM-CD-176) is the first of two independent albums from Koko Mojo Records that endeavour to dig more deeply into Kirkland's legacy and focus on the up-tempo compositions he cast his magic upon. As his legacy is so fast the following companion label album (KM-CD-179) Spotlight on Leroy Kirkland, Good Gracious) continues the story with more wonderful music. The sleeve notes for the Songwriter's album Leroy Kirkland Thrill-La-Dill (KM-CD-176) will provide where available session information, and identified when he led the orchestra and arranged the session. The album is also programmed year by year to illustrate the changing direction of the music from 1952 through to 1962 with twenty-one songs being from the 1950s, and Kirkland was often in the hot seat as arranger and orchestra leader. By intention, we exclude his development years which were musically grounded in jazz, his instrumental recordings as Claude Cloud, and the songs with pop arrangements. We can proudly say we have dug a little deeper into the annals of music history and through intensive research, we can omit many titles which have been often reissued. The album begins in 1952 when he began writing exciting rhythm & blues rockers for soloists; Larry Darnell I'll Be Sittin', I'll Be Rockin', and Bobby Lewis, Mumbles Blues. Kirkland could vary his style and from 1953 he co-inked two stomping blues rockers for Sonny Terry, Hooray Hooray, and Hoopin' And Jumpin', and one year afterwards directed his craft on Jimmy/Jimmie Newsome and two rockin' blues titles, Do That Thing, and I'm Afraid I Love You.

1. Larry Darnell - I'll Be Sittin', I'll Be Rockin' 2. Bobby Lewis - Mumbles Blues 3. Sonny Terry - Hooray Hooray 4. Sonny Terry? - Hoopin' and Jumpin' 5. Jimmy Newsome - Do That Thing 6. Jimmie Newsome - I'm Afraid I Love You 7. The Eagles - Don't You Wanna Be Mine 8. Dinah Washington - My Man's An Undertaker 9. Alonzo Scales - She's Gone 10. Dolores Ware - Thrill-La-Dill 11. John Greer - Come Back Maybelline 12. The Prestos - Looking for Love 13. Zilla Mays - Right Now 55 14. Jay Hawkins - Talk About Me 15. Alan Freed - Band Rock 'N Roll Boogie 16. The Pearls - It's Love, Love, Love 17. Bobby Brookes - You'd Better Move 18. Brook Benton - Crinoline Skirt 19. The Equadors - Stay a Little Longer 20. The Strollers - We're Strollin' 21. The Mighty - Jupiters Your Love 22. The Five Keys - Your Teeth and Your Tongue 23. Bobby Guy Good - Enough 24. The Fabulons Give Me Back My Ring 25. Bobby Hendricks Good Lovin' 26. Clyde McPhatter Whole Heap of Love 27. Ruth McFadden - Lovin' Time 28. Yvonne Baker and the Sensations - Party Across the Hall