Hotter Than A Pistol

Saxman/bandleader Mike Pedicin, from Philadelphia, was one of the pioneers of "House Rock", the musical hybrid which incorporated Swing, R&B and Hillbilly into an exciting new, danceable format in the immediate pre-R&R era. Operating largely in and around Philadelphia and New Jersey, his biggest local rival was Bill Haley, who of course went on to become a worldwide star. Nonetheless, during the 1950s Pedicin and his boys recorded a memorable body of work, and even dented the U. S. Top 100 a couple of times, with 'The Large, Large House' and 'Shake A Hand', while sides like 'One Potato-Two Potato', 'Hotter Than A Pistol' and 'Burnt Toast And Black Coffee' are big collectors' items. This compilation presents the very best of Mike's rockin' and jivin' sides between 1952-62, recorded for some half-dozen or so labels, the first time that this body of work has been thus anthologised. Several of these sides are unfeasibly rare, notably his early 50s releases, some of which have never previously appeared on CD.