In 1979, Ace Records of London released Volume One of The Ace Story on LP, celebrating the music of its namesake label, Ace Records of Jackson (Mississippi).  Roughly five years later, Ace issued the fifth and final volume in the series.  Fast-forward to 2010.  That was when Ace revisited The Ace Story with a CD reissue of that original 1979 LP, expanded with bonus tracks.  The new and improved Ace Story series has itself just come to a close with the recent release of Volume 5 on CD.

The new Volume 5 draws on the period between 1956 and 1962 when Johnny Vincent’s Ace enterprise and its imprints (such as the Vin label) ruled the roost of New Orleans R&B.  1962 can be considered the line of demarcation for Ace, as Vincent had decided by then to concentrate on pop, rather than R&B.  Jimmy Clanton scored a hit that year with “Venus in Blue Jeans” penned by the Brill Building team of Howard Greenfield and Jack Keller, signaling just how far afield the label had come from its N’awlins roots.  The success of “Venus” led Vincent to take an A&R position with competitor Vee-Jay, though he continued to sporadically issue singles on Ace.  There was a return to soul music with a briefly reactivated label in the 1970s, and once again in the 1990s.  But the heyday of the original Ace will always be those heady days of the mid-to-late fifties and early sixties.

Some of the label’s most familiar artists appear on Volume 5, expanded from the LP’s 15 tracks to a generous 24.  Huey “Piano” Smith (“Rockin’ Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu”) and His Clowns are heard on two tracks, “Educated Fool” (1962) and “If It Ain’t One Thing, It’s Another” (also 1962).  Huey also appears on the original 1958 recording of his song “Sea Cruise.”  Recorded with Gerri Hall, Johnny Vincent refused to release the “Huey and Jerry” version, and of course, Ford’s version went on to hit status and in fact kicked off the original Ace Story Volume One.  You can decide for yourself whether Vincent was right!  Charles Brown (“Merry Christmas, Baby”) offers “Love’s Like a River” (1960), and Lee Dorsey (“Working in the Coal Mine”) is represented with his 1959 recording of “Rock.”  Like Joe Tex and Benny Spellman, Ace recording artist Dorsey would soon find much greater success elsewhere.  Ace star Clanton sings two tracks here, “You Aim to Please” (1958) and “What Am I Living For” (1961), with the former co-written by New Orleans music impresario Cosimo Matassa.

What role did a legendary Night Tripper play at Ace?  Hit the jump!  Plus: the full track listing with discography, and order links!

The future Dr. John, Mac Rebennack, served some of his musical apprenticeship as A&R chief at Ace.  He co-wrote “Keeps Dragging Me On” for his signing Ronnie Barron (as Ronnie and the Delinquents) and “Who Can I Turn To” for another of his signings, Edgar “Big Boy” Myles.  The good Doctor also supports James “Sugar Boy” Crawford on a 1961 re-recording of Crawford’s 1954 hit “Jockomo.”  That song, of course, had its biggest success when transformed by The Dixie Cups into 1965’s “Iko Iko.”

The Ace Story Volume 5 boasts a 12-page booklet with liner notes from Tony Rounce.  Nick Robbins has remastered each track.  With the conclusion of this look at the vintage U.S. Ace label, might it be time for the compilers to launch a new multi-volume series celebrating their own esteemed Ace label?  In the meantime, you can order this gumbo of New Orleans nuggets below!

Various Artists, The Ace Story Volume 5 (Ace CDCHD 1351, 2012)

1. Well I Never Get Tired – Johnny Fairchild (rec. 1959)
2. Educated Fool – Huey “Piano” Smith and His Clowns, vocal by Danny White (rec. 1962)
3. Hey Hey Baby Come Home – Albert Scott (Vin 1005, 1958)
4. Baby Say You Will – Jesse Allen (Vin 1002, 1958)
5. Somebody Else is Taking My Place – Bobby Webb (Ace 542, 1958)
6. Roll On Train – Elton Anderson (Vin 1001, 1958)
7. Well Goodbye Baby – Frankie Lee Sims (Vin 1006, 1958)
8. Doing the Rock and Roll – Calvin Spears (Vin 1020, 1960)
9. Classy Lassie – Alvin “Red” Tyler and the Gyros (Ace LP 1006, 1960)
10. Love is My Business – Bobby Woods (Vin 1009, 1959)
11. I’m Packing Up – Earl King (rec. 1956)
12. Keeps Dragging Me On – Ronnie and the Delinquents (JC 1000, 1962)
13. Love’s Live a River – Charles Brown (Ace 599, 1960)
14. Who Can I Turn To – Big Boy Myles (Ace 637, 1961)
15. Roll ‘Em Back – Eddie Bo (rec. 1956)
16. Sea Cruise – Huey and Jerry (rec. 1958, issued Ace LP 2021, 1971)
17. Jockomo – Sugar Boy Crawford with Mac Rebennack’s Orchestra (rec. c. 1961, issued Music Club CD MCCD 355, 2000)
18. You Aim to Please – Jimmy Clanton and His Rockets (Ace 546, 1958)
19. Shed So Many Tears – Elton Anderson (Vin 1001, 1958)
20. If It Ain’t One Thing It’s Another – Huey “Piano” Smith and His Clowns (Ace 8002, 1962)
21. Rock – Lee Dorsey (Rex 1005, 1959)
22. What Am I Living For – Jimmy Clanton (Vin 1028, 1961)
23. She Likes to Boogie Real Low – Frankie Lee Sims (Vin 1006, 1958)
24. Baby It’s Love – Johnny Angel (Vin 1004, 1958)

Tracks 1-15 originally compiled as Ace LP CH 113, 1984