Ernie Freeman - Jivin' Around: The Singles & Albums Collection 1956-62 (2026)

Tracklist

CD1
01. No No Baby
02. Two Things I Love
03. Hey Now
04. My Love Grows Stronger
05. Jivin' Around Pts. 1 &2
06. Rockin' Around
07. Lost Dreams
08. Funny Face
09. Rainy Day
10. Spring Fever
11. Walking The Beat
12. A Touch Of The Blues
13. Return To Me
14. The River Boat
15. Swing It (The Runaway)
16. Beautiful Weekend
17. Dumplin's
18. Raunchy
19. Puddin'
20. The Tuttle
21. Leaps And Bounds
22. Theme From Igor
23. Shape Up
24. Indian Love Call
25. Summer Serenade
26. After Sunset
27. Jamboree
28. Junior Jive
29. School Room Rock

CD2
01. Blues After Hours
02. Live It Up
03. Marshmallows, Popcorn And Soda Pop
04. The Honeydripper
05. A Summer Love
06. Always With You
07. Big River
08. Night Sounds (Backstage Hop)
09. Rockin' Red Wing
10. Dark Eyes
11. Theme From The Dark At The Top Of The Stairs
12. Come On Home
13. Swamp Meeting
14. That's All
15. Conquest
16. Swingin' Preacher
17. The Twist
18. What Am I Living For
19. I Didn't Want To Do It
20. The Stripper
21. Half As Much
22. Flyin' High
23. Bluesy Me
24. Save The Last Dance For Me
25. Night Theme
26. Volare
27. Diane
28. I'm Movin' On
29. I Don't Hurt Anymore
30. I Walk The Line



Ernie Freeman was an R&B pianist, organist, bandleader, composer and arranger, born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1922, and who started playing swing music during the '30s before leading the first all-black US Navy Band in WWII. In the late '40s he started playing R&B with Ernie Fields and Earl Bostic, and in the early '50s formed his own band, making his first records in 1955, and was in the vanguard of the vogue for grooving organ and sax-based instrumentals in the rock 'n' roll era. This 60-track 2-CD collection comprises most of his A and B sides on the Middle-Tone, Cash and Imperial labels from this era, plus selected titles from his Imperial albums Jivin' Around, Dreaming With Ernie Freeman, The Dark At The Top Of The Stairs and Soulful Sounds Of Country. It features his R&B No. 1 Raunchy and No. 5 Jivin' Around, plus his other pop and R&B hits Dumplin's, Indian Love Call, Rockin' Red Wing, Theme From Dark At The Top Of The Stairs and The Twist. He was at the heart of a particular strand of instrumental pop during a key era of the market's evolution, and this is a substantial and entertaining showcase for his distinctive style of R&B.