Nappy Brown - Something Gonna Jump Out the Bushes!

The mid-1950s was an era of radical musical change. It was a time when musical and racial barriers began dropping, when the spirit and drive of rhythm & blues and rock 'n' roll burned with an intensity and joy that has never been equaled. Big-voiced blues shouters belted out their tunes backed by rocking bands of guitars, drums and horns. During these golden years, a group of performers emerged in the forefront as pioneers of this sound. Napoleon "Nappy" Brown was one of these.

A big man with an incredible amount of energy, Nappy soon became famous for his wild stage antics. Touring with the likes of Little Richard and Jackie Wilson, Nappy always got the crowds involved in his performances, often getting in the audience down on his knees and singing or dancing with the ladies.

Ultra-solid support from guitarists Anson Funderburgh, Eugene Ross, Ronnie Earl, and Earl King and Black Top's superb house horn section make this Dallas-cut set Brown's best contemporary album to date. His lusty shouting style works well on covers of the Dominoes' "Have Mercy Baby," the "5" Royales' title track, a pair of Earl King-penned numbers, and Robert Ward's "Your Love Is Real."