Johnny Vincent founded Ace Records in 1955 after being laid off from his job as an A&R man at Specialty Records -- he had also founded Champion Records earlier in the decade -- and although he based his operations in Mississippi, he was very much sympathetic and in tune with the New Orleans R&B and blues scene, signing and releasing singles by several Crescent City artists, including
Huey "Piano" Smith & the Clowns (“Don't You Just Know It” and “Rocking Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu”),
Frankie Ford (“Sea Cruise”), and
Jimmy Clanton (“Venus in Blue Jeans”). All of these sides are collected in this fun set, which also includes a wonderful version of “I Want to Go Home” by
Amos Milburn and
Charles Brown.