Ace's 2015 compilation Payday Jump is subtitled "Later Sessions," which means these 24 acetates date from 1949-1951, when Roy Brown was at the tail-end of his time at DeLuxe. Although he'd keep recording throughout the decade -- and have a good run at Imperial toward the end of the '50s -- this represents the tail-end of Brown's glory days and, accordingly, it does have some of his major sides: "Cadillac Baby," "Boogie at Midnight," "Rockin' at Midnight," "Miss Fanny Brown," "Hard Luck Blues," all U.S. Top Ten R&B hits. Alongside these are some unheard acetates -- eight in total -- and other sessions, all of equally strong quality. Most of this jumps to a lusty, rocking beat -- a rhythm that presaged rock & roll -- but Brown was equally compelling when the tempo slowed and he testified with passion. As he sings here in a remake of a signature tune, Brown was a mighty, mighty man and this dynamite disc is proof. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
