The Big Sound of Red Prysock (FC-9083)

Many thanks to an anonymous donor who sent in this Red Prysock LP. The Forum Circle label was a budget reissue label with some kind of tie-in to Roulette Records. I am unable to find this album listed on any discography, nor can I find any information about the recording sessions for these tracks. Can anyone out there provide any info?

The Both Sides Now website states that the Forum label was founded around 1960, that the 9000 series of LPs probably dates from 1961 – 1963, and in 1964 the label name was changed to Forum Circle. This album is not listed on Both Sides Now.

I think we can assume that these recordings were made after Red’s period with Mercury. The music is tough tenor sax backed by an organ combo. It’s jazzy R&B with a hint of Soul I guess. The ferocious “Castle Rock” should appeal to fans of honk.

Ripped at 192 kbps. Password = greaseyspoon

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1. Another You
2. Flamingo
3. Castle Rock
4. Locomotion
5. Jive Five
6. Monkey Business
7. Second Time Around

The Paragons Meet The Jesters (Jubilee JLP-1098)

And so we reach the end of Joan’s short series of Jubilee LPs featuring those biker hooligans on the cover. I refuse to make any further comment on that unbelievable cover art. Issued in 1959, this album was actually the first in the series and took the form of a “battle of the bands” in which two NYC doowop groups, The Paragons and The Jesters lined up against each other.

All recordings on this album were originally released as singles on the Winley label with the exception of The Jesters “I Laughed” / “Now That You’re Gone” which was released on Cyclone Records, a subsidiary of Winley, which was named after its owner Paul Winley. This company had a connection to Jerry Blaine of Jubilee Records via his Cosnat distribution company, hence the presence of these sides on a Jubilee album.

On his marvellous website, Marv Goldberg remembers the impression this album made on him:

“It's hard to imagine a more quintessential New York sound than the Paragons and the Jesters. Yell at me all you want, but to this day, I still can't tell them apart. More than that, I can't remember hearing a single tune by either of them until the Paragons Meet The Jesters album was released in mid-1959. And yet, when I heard the album, it all sounded so right. This was the way New York music was supposed to sound.”

Now read all about these groups here in Marv Goldberg’s R&B Notebooks:

http://www.uncamarvy.com/Paragons/paragons.html

and here:

http://www.uncamarvy.com/Jesters/jesters.html

Ripped from vinyl (except for track 12) at 192 kbps.

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1. Florence / The Paragons (February 1957)
2. Please Let Me Love You / The Jesters (October 1957)
3. So Strange / The Jesters (May 1957)
4. Let's Start All Over Again / The Paragons (July 1957)
5. Now That You're Gone / The Jesters (June 1958)
6. The Vows Of Love / The Paragons (March 1958)
7. Hey Little School Girl / The Paragons (February 1957)
8. I'm Falling In Love / The Jesters (October 1957)
9. Love No One But You / The Jesters (May 1957)
10. Stick With Me Baby / The Paragons (July 1957)
11. I Laughed / The Jesters (June 1958)
12. Twilight / The Paragons (March 1958)

Whoppers! (Jubilee JGM-1119)

Yep, those teenage tearaways are back, this time with that cool chick. Why are none of them looking at her? Jeez, I’m really beginning to wonder about those fellows ….

Thanks again to Joan for this 1960 compilation of vocal group sides from Jerry Blaine’s Jubilee label. This was a re-release of the 1956 LP “The Best of Rhythm and Blues” (Jubilee LP 1014) with a new title and a new teen rumble type cover which seems to be at odds with the actual musical content.

There’s not much here that could be called rock ‘n’ roll. The Orioles sides include their very first release (and phenomenal hit) from the summer of 1948 “It’s Too Soon to Know”. Joan has included a rare label shot of the original release on Blaine’s (It’s a) Natural label. National Records complained that “Natural” was a little too close to their own label name, so Blaine transferred the hit over to his Jubilee label. “Tell Me So” is a lovely ballad from 1949, and “Crying In The Chapel” was famously revived by Elvis in the 1960s.

The Four Tunes recordings are in pop style rather than R&B. “Marie” obviously owes a lot to The Ravens version (search for The Ravens on the blog), and “I Understand” may be pure pop but I love it. The Ravens were another pioneer R&B group from the 1940s who had enjoyed hits on National and Okeh.

Billy Ward and the Dominoes had a brief recording spell with Jubilee while they were still under contract to King/Federal. Only two singles were released by the group on Jubilee, neither of them reaching the charts. At this stage of their career the series of bluesy, sometimes salacious, and downright brilliant hits (many featuring the soaring voice of Clyde McPhatter) of the early 1950s were a fast fading memory as Ward tried to reposition the group as a pop act. “Take Me Back to Heaven” features lead vocals by McPhatter’s replacement, Jackie Wilson. For the full lowdown on The Dominoes read Marv Goldberg’s article in the latest edition of “Blues and Rhythm” magazine. Search the blog for the Dominoes to get more sounds from the Federal heyday of this brilliant group.

In the meantime groove along to Joan’s sights ‘n’ sounds!

Ripped at 192 kbps.

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1. Marie / The Four Tunes (1953)
2. Take Me Back To Heaven / Billy Ward & The Dominoes (1955)
3. I Understand / The Four Tunes (1953)
4. Come To Me Baby / Billy Ward & The Dominoes (1954)
5. Sugar Lump / The Four Tunes (1953)
6. Sweethearts On Parade / Billy Ward & The Dominoes (1955)
7. Crying In The Chapel / The Orioles (1953)
8. Green Eyes / The Ravens (1955)
9. It's Too Soon To Know / The Orioles (1948)
10. Take Me Back To My Boots And Saddle / The Ravens (1956)
11. Tell Me So / The Orioles (1949)
12. I'll Always Be In Love With You / The Ravens (1956)

Cadillacs Meet The Orioles (Jubilee JGM-1117)

Those loveable juvenile delinquents are still at it on the cover of this Jubilee LP which was originally issued in 1960. To the modern eye their fashion sense may take on connotations which differ from the original intention of portraying rock’n’roll crazed teenage hoods, but let us refrain from going any further down that road. We shall simply pause momentarily to regret the passing of a more innocent age.

Thanks to Joan once more for the artwork, label scans and vinyl rips. This LP presents two very contrasting vocal group sounds – the early 50s sound of R&B group pioneers The Orioles and the more rock’n’roll mid 50s sound of the Cadillacs. There’s quite a lot of popping, clicking and thumping on these tracks and on “Let Me Down Easy” we are definitely on a wing and a prayer as there is considerable doubt as to whether the gramophone needle will make it to the end of the track. In the end it does, although it takes a slight diversion during the sax solo. Either that or Jimmy Wright was drunk. But that, my friends, is the REAL rock’n’roll experience!

Ripped at 192 kbps.

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1. Baby Please Don't Go / The Orioles
2. Hurry Home / The Cadillacs
3. Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me / The Orioles
4. Buzz, Buzz, Buzz / The Cadillacs
5. A Kiss And A Rose / The Orioles
6. Lucy / The Cadillacs
7. Deacon Jones / The Orioles
8. It's Love / The Cadillacs
9. I Don't Want To Take a Chance / The Orioles
10. Let Me Down Easy / The Cadillacs
11. You Belong To Me / The Orioles
12. C'mon Home Baby / The Cadillacs

Boppin’! (Jubilee JGM-1118)

Another Jubilee LP from Joan – a 1960 compilation of Josie and Jubilee sides recorded between 1951 and 1956. The front cover features the same group of would-be juvenile delinquents that posed surrealistically on the front cover of Rumble, although this time round they have been joined by a cool chick. Of course the presence of the bat may indicate that they are going to play rounders, a girly game which our American cousins call baseball.

Actually Joan has emailed me to say that Jubilee produced 5 LPs which sought to cash in on the West Side Story craze with front cover pictures of JD shenanigans. Where’s Offissah Krupke when you need him?

This compilation reaches further back than Rumble. The album was originally to feature two sides by The Marylanders (credited on the cover) but for some unknown reason these sides were replaced by two from The Teardrops. A bebopwino honourable mention to Deke Watson, whose “Why Does A Drink Make You Think?” is reminiscent of the low life tales of Mr. Bear. There is some surface noise on many of these recordings

Ripped at 192 kbps.

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Boppin' (Mega)

Joan has included a folder of label scans which include the “lost” tracks by The Marylanders. Thanks Joan!

1. Let Me Bang Your Box / The Toppers (1954)
2. I Miss You So / The Orioles (1951)
3. Red Light Green Light / The Coney Island Kids (1956)
4. Brown Gal / Deke Watson & The Brown Dots (1954)
5. Blue Moon / The Emanons (1956)
6. My Heart / The Teardrops (1955)
7. Moonlight Beach / The Coney Island Kids (1955)
8. In The Mission Of St Augustine / The Orioles (1953)
9. You're Laughing Cause I'm Crying / The Toppers (1954)
10. Wish I Had My Baby / The Emanons 1956)
11. Why Does a Drink Make You Think? / Deke Watson & The Brown Dots (1954)
12. Ooh Baby / The Teardrops (1955)

Rumble (Jubilee JGM-1114)

Thanks to Joan for the sounds, label scans (a folder of which is included in the download) and eye-watering LP cover. This LP was released in November 1959 as Jubilee JGM-1114. I have no idea if the remarkable cover is the original cover or not. It’s hard to make out what the exotically attired “teenagers” are actually doing in that photo. They may be simulating a “rumble” which is American for a bout of fisticuffs. Alternatively they may be auditioning for the Village People.

Although this is a Jubilee release, these Bop-Chords, Love-Notes, Channels and Continentals sides are gathered from the Bobby Robinson group of labels. The Channels and Continentals sides were originally released on Whirlin’ Disc in 1956 – 1957. This label was jointly owned by Bobby Robinson and Jubilee’s Jerry Blaine. They were subsequently re-released on Port between 1959 and 1961. The Bop-Chords and Love-Notes sides were originally released on Danny Robinson’s Holiday Records in 1956 and 1957.

This classic doowop is fine, fine music though. Ripped by Joan from vintage 45s, so some surface noise is present, but it’s not very intrusive.

Ripped at 192 kbps (converted from m4a).

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Rumble (Mega)

1. Castle In The Sky / The Bop-Chords
2. The Gleam In Your Eyes / The Channels
3. Fine Fine Frame / The Continentals
4. If I Could Make You Mine / The Love-Notes
5. Picture Of Love / The Continentals
6. Tonight / The Love-Notes
7. When I Woke Up This Morning / The Bop-Chords
8. Dear Lord / The Continentals
9. Now You Know / The Channels
10. United / The Love-Notes
11. The Closer You Are / The Channels
12. I Really Love Her So / The Bop-Chords

Calvin Boze and his All-Stars - Havin' A Ball

Trumpeter and vocalist Calvin Boze cut over 30 sides for Aladdin between 1949 and 1952. His singing voice bore a remarkable similarity to that of Louis Jordan and much of the material he recorded was also very similar to that recorded by Jordan in the mid to late 1940s. So the sides presented in this late 1980s album on the Moonshine label are lively and raucous jump blues steeped in a party atmosphere usually very similar to Jordan’s major hit “Saturday Night Fish Fry”. There’s plenty of booting tenor sax solos courtesy of Maxwell Davis.

The album was mastered from vintage 78 rpm discs so there is plenty of surface noise on some sides. Joan K has come through yet again with some label scans, of both 78 rpm and 45 rpm versions of Calvin’s biggest hit “Safronia B”. There is also a scan of a rare deejay white label promo. Thanks Joan!

Ripped from vinyl at 320 kbps. Password = greaseyspoon

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1. Safronia B
2. Angel City Blues
3. Working With My Baby
4. Satisfied
5. Waiting And Drinking
6. You're Tops With Me
7. Slippin' And Slidin'
8. I Can't Stop Crying
9. I've Got News For You
10. Keep Your Nose Out Of My Business
11. Lizzy Lou (parts 1 & 2)
12. Shamrock
13. Havin' A Ball (Having A Time)
14. Looped
15. I'm Gonna Steam Off The Stamp
16. Fishtail
17. Beale Street On A Saturday Night