FEATURING PEE WEE CRAYTON-- JIMMY WITHERSPOON & JAY MC SHANN!!!......... Al 'Cake' Wichard s drumming can be heard behind almost all of the singers and instrumentalists who recorded for Modern in the company s early years. During those years he also recorded several sessions for Modern with his own Sextette. This CD brings together the very best masters and alternates from Wichard s own sessions as a bandleader and fills a conspicuous gap in Ace s reissue programme of post WWII West Coast R&B. Little is known of Wichard but plenty is known about those who recorded with him, including Jimmy Witherspoon, Pee Wee Crayton, Big Duke Henderson and legendary Kansas City piano player Jay 'Hootie' McShann all of whom can be heard on this CD. With one exception, none of the masters or alternates on 'Cake Walkin' has previously been issued on any Ace CD. In fact, over 60% of the selections here have never been issued at all. This really is exemplary small group R&B from what are considered to be the peak years for this kind of music............ 1. His Majesty s Boogie (Take 2) 2. Sweet Lovin Baby (Take 3) 3. Junction Drive (Take 1) 4. Gravels In My Pillow (Take 2) 5. That s Your Red Wagon (Take 2) 6. Piece Of Cake (Take 1) 7. Daddy Pinocchio (Take 2) 8. Boogie Woogie Baby (Take 1) 9. Geneva Blues (Take 4) 10. Connie Lee Blues (Take 1) 11. Cake Jumps (Take 1) 12. Good Lover Blues A.K.A. Feelin So Sad 13. T.B. Blues 14. Slow Lope (Take 1) 15. Big Fine Girl (Take 1) 16. Grandma, Grandpa (Take 2) 17. Junction Drive (Take 2) 18. Thelma Lee Blues (Take 1) 19. Far Away Baby (Take 1) 20. I Want A Little Girl (Take 1) 21. Piece Of Cake (Take 2) 22. Roll Em Boy (Take 1) 23. Boogie Woogie Basement
