| The Boss of the Blues | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Big Joe Turner |
| Cover: | Boss_of_the_Blues.jpg |
| Released: | June 1956 |
| Label: | Atlantic |
| Producer: | Nesuhi Ertegun, Jerry Wexler |
| Prev Title: | Joe Turner and Pete Johnson |
| Prev Year: | 1955 |
| Next Title: | Rock & Roll |
| Next Year: | 1957 |
The Boss of the Blues is a 1956 album by the American singer Big Joe Turner. Originally released on the Atlantic label, the album has been reissued many times on cassette and CD by Atlantic, Rhino and Collectables.
From the 1920s through the 1930s, Turner and boogie-woogie pianist Pete Johnson enjoyed a successful and highly influential collaboration that, following their appearance together at Carnegie Hall on December 23, 1938, helped launch a craze for boogie-woogie in the United States.[1] [2] After the pair separated, Turner continued to experience cross-genre musical success, establishing himself as one of the founders of rock and roll with such smash hits as "Shake, Rattle and Roll", but he did not turn his back on his roots.[2] The Boss of the Blues marks one of the last reunions Turner would have with Johnson,[3] when, supported by a number of swing's best performers,[3] he re-created a number of the classic tracks that had helped lay the groundwork for rhythm and blues.[1]
The bold, vigorous arrangements by the veteran Ernie Wilkins fully represent the traditions of Kansas City music, while also giving a 'mainstream' platform to the musicians, not all of whom, including both Pete Brown and Lawrence Brown, had Kansas City backgrounds.
Except where otherwise indicated, all tracks composed by Pete Johnson and Big Joe Turner.