The Ravens - The Very Best of the Ravens

Innumerable vocal groups followed on the heels of The Mills Brothers in the late '30s and '40s, but none of them possessed what The Ravens did -- the mellifluous, nearly narcoleptic bass of lead Jimmy Ricks. Near the beginning of their career, between 1947 and 1950, The Ravens recorded several dozen sides for the National label, 14 of which are included on this Savoy Jazz compilation. The appropriate starting point is "Ol' Man River," one of their biggest hits, with subsequent Hit Parade entries -- "Send for Me if You Need Me," "Rickey's Blues," "I Don't Have to Ride No More" -- taking up the rear. Read More