”More grovelling around in dusty vaults in search of that elusive master has turned up this grab-bag of goodies from the Del-Fi/Donna group of labels. Even with 31 tracks to play with, all you can hope to do is sketch out a label like Del-Fi from 1958 – 1964. Hopefully a volume 2 will appear to further flesh the bones of this first attempt. Bob Keane’s Del-Fi group of labels are generally known for their development of local Mexican talent around L.A. (of whom Ritchie Valens was the most famous and the most tragic), and later for .being at the fore-front of ’real’ surf music. But also there were the vocal groups (The Shadows and Pentagons are featured here), and the teen pop of Johnny Crawford, the pop rock of Ron Holden and Johnny Flamingo and the dry humour on Larry Bright’s ”When I Did The Mashed Potato”. A wealth of goodies are included here; the show kicks off with Chan Romero’s immortal ”Hippy Hippy Shake”, one of the most influential records on the British beat groups, including four famous mop tops, which appeared a few years later. Romero’s rockabilly classic ”My Little Ruby” is also here along with the previously unissued wild rocker ”I Want Some More”. There is an out-take version of Valens’ ”That’s My Little Susie” and a wild unissued acoustic rocker from Dick Dale (pre surfin’), called ”Marie”. The Ron Holden hits, ”Love You So” and ”My Babe” (another beat group stalwart) are included as is the hilarious instrumental with spoken word ”A Little More Wine My Dear”, by The Hawks. Towards the end we go surfin’ and pick up on early sides by David Gates, later of Bread and Bruce Johnson, sometime Beach Boy. All in all a wonderful trip through the vaults of one of the most successful pop and rock & roll west coast labels. Vol 2 out on CDCHD 489.”