Frankie Ford - Ooowee Baby (CD)

All Music Guide

Frankie Ford's one big hit, "Sea Cruise," may rank him as a onehit wonder, but his tenure at Ace produced other material in the fine Crescent City tradition, loaded with Ford's exuberant vocals and great playing from the New Orleans 1950s Ateam of session stalwarts. The collection opens with take one of Ford's great hit, different enough but really great, a true hit in the making. Both sides of his first Ace single ("Cheatin' Woman" b/w "Last One to Cry") follows that in fine fashion, and of course, the issued version of his big hit is here too. The majority of Ford's later recordings find him trying for Sinatra respectability via the Bobby Darin route, but tunes like the undubbed take of "Hour of Need," "Watchdog" and "Morgus the Magnificent" (with a young Mac Rebennack on lead guitar) are fine rocking and soulful additions to complete the big picture on this 27track collection.

- Cub Koda, All Music Guide