Calvin Boze & His All Stars - The Complete Aladdin Singles 1949-1952 (2021)

Remembered as being a senior - and the school band leader - by Charles Brown at Prairie View College in Texas, trumpeter Boze (or Boaz, as his name appears earlier) first came to the public’s attention on recordings with the west coast bands of Russell Jacquet (Globe) and Marvin Johnson (G&G). In 1949, he began recording as a vocalist in a strong Louis Jordan vein for Aladdin Records with Maxwell Davis and his band. Although he never made a huge impression on the R&B charts, his recordings were all solid, earthy R&B jive, advocating ‘Working With My Baby’ (who made his lolly pop, and his peanut brittle), and ‘Waiting And Drinking’. He is best known for ‘Safronia B’ and the b-side - Boze’s celebration of his adopted home - ‘Angel City Blues’, as well as a couple of songs he wrote for old homeboy Charles Brown - ‘Texas Blues’ and ‘Hot Lips And Seven Kisses’ - also recorded for Aladdin.