Through a combination of practicality and necessity, many albums released in the mid-50s were simple collections of songs previously released as singles. This meant that some of the tracks may have been already available for one or two years before the album release, which is why so many of the earliest albums by rock and roll artists sound a lot like greatest hits packages.

In 1955-56, there was not a big market to hear ‘deep cuts’ from the likes of Little Richard, but there certainly was enhanced interest in owning a collection of his best hits. By the time Little Richard released this, his debut album, he already had four songs on the national top 40. All of them appear here, along with “Jenny, Jenny,” which became a hit single after the album’s release. Nine of the twelve songs that appear here charted in one way or another; The coolest thing about playing “Here’s Little Richard” all these years later is that even the non-hit songs sound like hits. Like Little Richard himself, the album’s energy never relents. 

In his time, it would be hard to exaggerate the impact of Little Richard’s intensity, but it’s apparent to anyone with ears that his studio band made the formula work. Other than Little Richard himself, the most impressive and rewarding characteristic of these recordings is the New Orleans rhythm section that supports them. The one-two punch of Lee Allen and Red Tyler must be the most powerful sax team in the history of rock and roll, staying on top of the groove while competing with the lunatic whirlwind at the piano for driving the material to levels of energy that were previously unknown.

Holding all this manic energy together while maintaining the pace is the hands down best rhythm section of early rock and roll. If you want a pair that can simultaneously make you move and blow your mind, you simply cannot do any better than Frank Fields (bass) and Earl Palmer (drums). In an era when rock and roll was striving toward new heights of raw energy, this band consisted of New Orleans rhythmic gods. If you want to understand the uninhibited power of rock and roll on the generation that first heard it, you can’t do better than “Here’s Little Richard”.

Feature Tracks:

Tutti Frutti

True, Fine Mama

Can't Believe You Wanna Leave

Ready Teddy

Baby

Slippin' and Slidin'

Long Tall Sally

March 1957 - Billboard Charted #13