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7"
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ROJ 127EP
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"Founded in 1963, Rojac Records was Jack Taylor's attempt to capture the musical pulse of Harlem. Throughout the '60s (and into the '80s) the imprint released a steady stream of releases. Whether they were hits or near hits they're all exceptional in quality. This time around it's Snoopy Dean's South Florida R&B
Staple, the Third Guitar with 'Been So Long' and 'Down To The River.'"
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7"
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ROJ 118EP
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"Founded in 1963, Rojac Records was Jack Taylor's attempt to capture the musical pulse of Harlem. Throughout the '60s (and into the '80s) the imprint released a steady stream of releases. Whether they were hits or near hits they're all exceptional in quality. Now select Rojac (and sister label Tay-Ster) singles are once again available for a limited time. First up in the series; Big Maybelle's 1967 offering 'Quittin' Time' with 'I Can't Wait Any Longer' on the B-Side."
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7"
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RJ 6500EP
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"Founded in 1963, Rojac Records was Jack Taylor's attempt to capture the musical pulse of Harlem. Throughout the '60s (and into the '80s) the imprint released a steady stream of releases. Whether they were hits or near hits they're all exceptional in quality. Now select Rojac (and sister label Tay-Ster) singles are once again available for a limited time. This time around, the last ever single released on Rojac, Tolbert's 1982 offering 'I've Got It' backed with 'Lucky Man.'"
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2LP
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RO 158LP
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Double LP version. "Harlem's 116th Street was ground zero for Jack Taylor's network of enterprises, both legitimate and otherwise. From the 1960s into the '80s Fat Jack, as Taylor was widely known on those mean streets, was one of Harlem's flashiest and toughest characters, allegedly a local drug kingpin. No matter what he may have been in the business of selling, it's a certainty that Taylor was a shrewd businessman who understood the value of diversification. Launching a record label was one of his many ventures, and not an unsuccessful one by any means. Around 1963, Taylor inaugurated Rojac Records, attempting to capture the musical pulse of Harlem on microgroove the way Berry Gordy was managing to perfection in the Motor City. No doubt the ultimate goal was to accrue stacks of Benjamins by releasing a non-stop barrage of hits on Rojac and its sister Tay-Ster label. Rojac and Tay-Ster issued a steady stream of product through the latter half of the '60s. Taylor relocated his base of operations to Detroit at the end of the decade; after that, his labels went dormant for a while, though he intermittently reactivated them. This rarities-loaded collection offers proof positive that the Fat Man knew how to produce exceptional soul records." Artists include Big Maybelle, Curtis Lee & The KCP's, Clarence Reid, Lavell Hardy, Third Guitar, Jo Armstead and Kim Tolliver.
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2LP
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RO 159LP
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Double LP version. " It had been a full decade since mountainous blues belter Big Maybelle had found her way onto the R&B hit parade when Jack Taylor's Harlem-based Rojac Records restored her to national prominence in 1966. It hadn't been an easy decade for Maybelle, but little about her life resembled a cakewalk. She'd waged a long struggle with heroin addiction and suffered from diabetes. But those physical maladies failed to silence her fabulous pipes. You could always tell it was Maybelle singing, four bars or less into any of her classic platters. She had a curious burr in her voice and a touching vulnerability. It was particularly acute on the smoky after-hours blues ballads that were her specialty from the early 1950s on. Maybelle could rock the house, make no mistake; she cut 'Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On' long before a cocky young piano pounder from Ferriday, Louisiana latched onto it and made it his eternal signature theme. But she could absolutely tear your heart out on the slower stuff. The woman clearly knew what pain was all about. Rojac was the last label Maybelle recorded for. In search of that elusive hit that would relaunch her career, Taylor gave her some of the most challenging material she ever tackled, stuff miles outside her wheelhouse. That she actually squeaked onto the pop charts in early 1967 with a soulful rendering of ? & the Mysterians' garage rock anthem '96 Tears,' even as the original was falling off that very same hit parade, was a truly remarkable achievement, testifying to her uncommon resiliency."
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CD
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RO 159CD
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" It had been a full decade since mountainous blues belter Big Maybelle had found her way onto the R&B hit parade when Jack Taylor's Harlem-based Rojac Records restored her to national prominence in 1966. It hadn't been an easy decade for Maybelle, but little about her life resembled a cakewalk. She'd waged a long struggle with heroin addiction and suffered from diabetes. But those physical maladies failed to silence her fabulous pipes. You could always tell it was Maybelle singing, four bars or less into any of her classic platters. She had a curious burr in her voice and a touching vulnerability. It was particularly acute on the smoky after-hours blues ballads that were her specialty from the early 1950s on. Maybelle could rock the house, make no mistake; she cut 'Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On' long before a cocky young piano pounder from Ferriday, Louisiana latched onto it and made it his eternal signature theme. But she could absolutely tear your heart out on the slower stuff. The woman clearly knew what pain was all about. Rojac was the last label Maybelle recorded for. In search of that elusive hit that would relaunch her career, Taylor gave her some of the most challenging material she ever tackled, stuff miles outside her wheelhouse. That she actually squeaked onto the pop charts in early 1967 with a soulful rendering of ? & the Mysterians' garage rock anthem '96 Tears,' even as the original was falling off that very same hit parade, was a truly remarkable achievement, testifying to her uncommon resiliency." Digipak with 24-page booklet.
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7" BOX
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ROJ 157AC
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"The Rojac Singles Box is presented in a collector's 45 RPM record carrying case with an alligator-textured finish featuring a three color embossed metal Rojac logo. The set includes seven classic Rojac and Tay-Ster singles with faithful reproductions of the original labels. Each box also includes a pair of unique 7" slipmats emblazoned with the Rojac logo. Founded in 1963, Rojac Records was Jack Taylor's attempt to capture the musical pulse of Harlem. Throughout the '60s (and into the '80s) the imprint released a steady stream of releases. Whether they were hits or near hits, they're all exceptional in quality. This deluxe collector's set highlights some of the best singles from the Rojac catalog including Big Maybelle's 1967 offering 'I Can't Wait Any Longer,' Chico and Buddy's frenetic funk on 1971's 'A Thing Called the Jones,' and many more, including Little Jewel's 'I Want To' (the first single issued on the Tay-Ster imprint) and Tolbert's 'I've Got It' (released in 1982 as the last 7' issued on the Rojac imprint). The story of Jack Taylor's storied imprint has a new chapter with this deluxe collector's edition."
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2CD
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RO 158CD
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"Harlem's 116th Street was ground zero for Jack Taylor's network of enterprises, both legitimate and otherwise. From the 1960s into the '80s Fat Jack, as Taylor was widely known on those mean streets, was one of Harlem's flashiest and toughest characters, allegedly a local drug kingpin. No matter what he may have been in the business of selling, it's a certainty that Taylor was a shrewd businessman who understood the value of diversification. Launching a record label was one of his many ventures, and not an unsuccessful one by any means. Around 1963, Taylor inaugurated Rojac Records, attempting to capture the musical pulse of Harlem on microgroove the way Berry Gordy was managing to perfection in the Motor City. No doubt the ultimate goal was to accrue stacks of Benjamins by releasing a non-stop barrage of hits on Rojac and its sister Tay-Ster label. Rojac and Tay-Ster issued a steady stream of product through the latter half of the '60s. Taylor relocated his base of operations to Detroit at the end of the decade; after that, his labels went dormant for a while, though he intermittently reactivated them. This rarities-loaded collection offers proof positive that the Fat Man knew how to produce exceptional soul records." Six-panel digipak with 28-page booklet; artists include Big Maybelle, Curtis Lee & The KCP's, Clarence Reid, Lavell Hardy, Third Guitar, Jo Armstead and Kim Tolliver.
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10"
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RO 160EP
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Their classic Rojac Soul recordings, circa 1968, including: "Baby Don't Cry" (featured on Jazzman's Florida Funk and The World's Rarest Funk 45s Volume Two compilations), plus a bonus Kenny Dope edit. "Snoopy Dean calls his band Third Guitar. As far as we're concerned, he's first-call all the way on his chosen instrument--and a mighty fine singer too. It's high time the rest of you folks all over the U.S. know about him the way we do in his hometown, so I'm here to give you the lowdown. My man Snoopy's been paying his dues on the Miami R&B scene for years, tearing up the clubs and building a much-deserved reputation as one of the Sunshine State's top axemen. Ever since he put together Third Guitar and started recording for Jack Taylor's Rojac Records (Jack clearly knows talent--he happens to operate one of New York's top soul labels, with great artists like the legendary Big Maybelle and another of our homegrown talents, Clarence Reid, adorning his vast talent roster), Snoopy's been turning heads all across the country with his hot licks and cool set of pipes. With the release of this knockout album, Mr. Dean will surely be more in demand than ever." --From the jacket notes by Slammin' Sammy, WMBM-AM, Miami
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CD
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RO 155CD
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"Despite recording albums for Chess and Fantasy, most of her singles output was on the smallest of indie labels with little or no promotion despite some incredible releases. Probably her best 45s were recorded for Rojac and Tay-Ster Records, owned by legendary Harlem entrepreneur Jack Taylor, who was also responsible for guiding Big Maybelle's career in the '60s. Kim's style epitomizes deep and southern soul singing at its finest. She can wring every last ounce of emotion out of any lyric, as her performances on 'Where Were You' and 'I'll Try To Do Better' may more than amply prove. She's not afraid to belt it out on up-tempo numbers such as '(You're Trying To) Copy My Stuff where you just know she's going to beat the s**t of any woman who tries to take her man. This is the first time any of these Rojac and Tay-Ster singles have been released on CD. Great music deserves the appropriate presentation, and this retrospect is beautifully packaged in a limited edition casebook with great memorabilia and new liner notes."
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