Redd Foxx

Years before Sanford and Son made him a television star, Redd Foxx was the king of the "party record", the adults-only comedy LP that radio would not play and that was passed around at home instead. Laff of the Party, released in 1956 by Dootone, the small Los Angeles label later renamed Dooto, is generally regarded as the first of them, and one account counts 14 Foxx albums between 1956 and 1958. His loose, blue, conversational nightclub style is the bridge between the Black theatre circuit and Richard Pryor. Recommended recording: Laff of the Party, Vol. 1, included complete on the 2022 set Classic Stand-up: The Early Years Collection 1946-60. Single volumes come and go on streaming services, so look for the collection first.