Air Week: February 11-17, 2019

Paul “Hucklebuck” Williams

This week, “Juke In The Back” presents one of the architects of the “honkin'” sax, Paul Williams. Many people associate that “honkin'” sax sound with West Coast Jump Blues, but it actually originated in 1947 with Paul Williams in Detroit. Savoy Records dug Williams’ style as it was very different than their other sax great at the time, Charlie Parker. Williams’ Sextette released some moderately successful instrumentals early on, before they hit paydirt with “The Huckle-Buck” in 1949. It was at a show in late 1948 that Williams and his group played a slowed down version of Parker’s “Now’s The Time” and saw the kids going crazy doing a new dance called The Hucklebuck. He knew he was on to something and rushed into the studio to cut “The Huckle-Buck.” The record sparked a national dance craze and hit #1 on the R&B chart, where it remained for 14 week. “The Huckle-Buck” was the best selling record of 1949. From then on out, Paul Williams was known as Paul “Hucklebuck” Williams and the rest is history. Matt The Cat digs deep into Williams’ catalog for a plethora of killer R&B jump tunes that deserve more exposure on this week’s “Juke In The Back.”

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