VOCAL HARMONY HEAVEN For too many years r&b vocal group harmony has received a less than generous allocation of attention amongst the , r&b and soul collecting fraternity, particularly this side of the Atlantic. However, this has been slowly changing in recent years. Now Bear Family are aiming to redress the balance somewhat with this staggering new series, which will eventually number around 25 CDs covering the period from the late 1930s to the mid-1960s. Tony Watson examines the first five volumes. ocal harmony recordings have been around much earlier Moonglows, Vthan the 1930s of course. Ferdie Gonzalez, in his highly- Flamingos and the regarded vocal group ‘bible’, Disco-File, lists recordings as most popular of them all, . early as 1890. Indeed the earliest-known vocal group per se, But for every group is quoted by Funk in his introduction in Disco-File as The such as the ones Fisk Jubilee Singers, a Fisk University-sponsored group that listed above who was formed in 1871 and who successfully toured the USA and achieved lasting Europe, spawning a number of other ensembles and quartets success, there were at other, usually black, educational establishments. The first many, many others black group to be recorded commercially (on cylinder only), who found fame of was the Unique Quartette, from 1890 to 1896, whilst the first sorts in the general story. These lesser- group known to make records other than cylinders was the known (outside Dinwiddie Colored Quartette in 1902. Most of the recordings of the vocal group this period were of a religious nature, but popular numbers of collecting fraternity) the day were also recorded. groups such as The Paralleling the black groups, white outfits such as the American Quartet, Basin Street Boys, Peerless Quartet and Hayden Quartet, recorded in a style sometimes known Four Aces, Rockets, as ‘barbershop’, singing a mixture of standards and current tunes. Charioteers, With the advent of the era in the 1920s and particularly when radio Shadows, Whispers, gained widespread prominence, something of a vocal group explosion took Dozier Boys, place, headed up by the Norfolk Jazz Quartet, an outfit who made over 100 Hollywood Flames, recordings in the 1920s and were widely emulated by groups such as The Mills Heartbreakers, Brothers, Charioteers and the opening act of this series, . Cardinals, Four Deek Watson And The Brown Dots. Courtesy Bear To say that the Ink Spots and Mills Brothers were superstars of their day is Knights, Diamonds, Family Records. something of an understatement. They and other groups paved the way for Checkers, Five the legions of groups that followed, most of whom are now documented in Crowns, Vocaleers, Crows, Du-Droppers, Flairs and Spiders, have all gained this new series. huge followings amongst collectors over the years, and their stories are today The Ink Spots, of course, became household names in the , thanks to very well-known. hits such as ‘Java Jive’, ‘’ and this set’s opener, ‘If I Didn’t Still further down the line in pecking order terms are a myriad of groups - far Care’, the number that propelled them from a novelty and jive act to world-wide too many to attempt to list here - who are today known for a solitary hit or two. success thanks to Bill Kenny’s wonderful high tenor lead. This set the formula These groups have all been included in this series, which is intended to cover for so many hits over the next ten years on both sides of the Atlantic (see Marv every significant vocal group hit recording. Each group’s story is told in the Goldberg’s wonderful book, ‘More Than Words Can Say’ for their full story). respective volume’s eighty (or so) page booklet written by noted historian Bill This success was preceded by , who had huge hits such Dahl. This near 400-page work would have made a fine book in its own right, as ‘Tiger Rag’ , ‘Paper Doll’ and the cut selected here, the much-covered but here it’s available for ‘free’ to purchasers of this definitive set. ‘Till Then’. The four brothers, John, Herbert, Harry and Donald were dealt a As a term, ‘Doo Wop’, has become generally accepted today, despite the devastating blow in 1936 when John died. Their father John Sr. (who’d been name being initially held in abhorrence by many hard-core collectors, usually a member of twenties group, the Four Kings Of Harmony) stepped into the based in the N.E. corner of the USA. Many collectors have conceded that breach, enabling the group to continue their spectacular career. the term is too widely used nowadays that continued resistance to its use is Whilst the Ink Spots and Mills Brothers were the flag-bearers of the vocal group redundant. Indeed ‘Doo Wop’ has fallen into general usage by people and movement in the 1930s and 1940s, there were many others who achieved fame, organisations that wouldn’t have known what it meant just a few years ago. albeit of a lesser magnitude during this period. Amongst these were groups The term only came into use in the late 1960s/ early 1970s, being used to such as The Cats And The Fiddle, The Red Caps, The , try to describe the early sounds made by (usually) white groups emulating the The Delta Rhythm Boys, The Four Vagabonds, The Deep River Boys, The black groups of the . Before that, these recordings were known as r&b Four Tunes and others, all of whom paved the way for probably the two most in the States, a description that sometimes baffled European listeners, who influential groups of couldn’t relate to the often sweet harmony recordings instead of the tough the period and who blues-shouting vocalists fronting a jumping sax-led combo which is what would lead the way was usually regarded as rhythm & blues this side of the water. Many UK r&b from the pop era of collectors when listening to a vocal harmony track, just couldn’t handle the the early 1940s to sweet sounds that they heard, often equating it to a bunch of alley-cats in a the r&b explosion of mating ritual. How times have changed! the later 1940s and The music has undergone a transformation in terms of its collector-appeal early 1950s, The outside the USA, with many, many vocal group sets appearing since the first Ravens and The few tentative releases in the 1970s. Before that, the nearest we got here were Orioles. , Coasters, Platters and little else. Little were we aware of the rich The two latter treasures that we would come to know and love in ensuing years. groups are widely Volume One covers the dawn of the sound later known as r&b or Doo Wop regarded today and covers the immediate pre-war period and the ensuing decade in which as the first of the the music evolved from the ‘pop’ sounds of the Mills Brothers and Ink Spots r&b ‘supergroups’, to the more earthy r&b of or the sweet harmonies of . being followed by Volume Two focuses on 1950, the year in which The Dominoes, Clovers and legendary outfits Larks took the music to a younger generation. Volume Three takes us into such as The 1951 and the emergence of The Five Keys, Swallows and Royals, groups that Robins, Dominoes, could do both ballads and the heavier r&b styles that were pointing the way Clovers, Cap-Tans, towards rock ‘n’ roll. Volume Four, 1952, and groups like The Five Royales, Four Buddies, Du-Droppers and Four Jacks took us further into rock ‘n’ roll territory whilst Larks, Swallows, others such as The Vocaleers, Checkers and Diamonds still flew the vocal Royals, Drifters, harmony flag. Finally Volume Five carries us into 1953, the year in which Clyde Five Royales, Five McPhatter & The Drifters, Moonglows, Flamingos and Platters emerged, all of whom would find success not only in the r&b marketplace, but in the now The Cats And The Fiddle. Courtesy Bear Family Keys, Spaniels, widely popular field of music soon to be known as rock ‘n’ roll. Records. Harptones,

10 >> B&R >> 272 Volume Three: 1951 Bear Family BCD 17281 (88:53) DOMINOES: Sixty-Minute Man/ I Am With You; FIVE KEYS: The Glory Of Love; FOUR BUDDIES: Sweet Slumber: CLOVERS: Don’t You Know I Love You/ Fool, Fool, Fool; SWALLOWS: Will You Be Mine; ORIOLES: Baby Please Don’t Go; RAVENS: Gotta Find My Baby; LARKS: My Reverie; CARDINALS: Shouldn’t I Know?; HOLLYWOOD’S FOUR FLAMES: Wine; MELLO-MOODS: Where Are You (Now That I Need You); MARSHALL BROTHERS: Who’ll Be The Fool From Now On; BOBBY NUNN WITH THE ROBBINS (Sic); That’s What The Good Book Says; BILLY BUNN & HIS BUDDIES: I’m Afraid; CAP- TANS: Asking; SULTANS: Lemon Squeezing Daddy; HEARTBREAKERS: Heartbreaker; FOUR DOTS: My Dear; FOUR KNIGHTS: Walkin’ And Whistlin’ Blues; BLENDERS: Little Small Town Girl (With The Big Town Dreams); VICTORIANS: I Guess You’re Satisfied; RHYTHM KINGS: I Gotta Go Now; 4 DEEP TONES: Just In Case You Change Your Mind; FALCONS FEATURING GOLDIE BOOTS: How Blind Can You Be; ROYALS: Give Me One More Chance; DRIFTERS: Honey Chile; VARIETEERS: I’ll Try To Forget I Loved You; KING ODUM FOUR: Rain Is The Teardrops Of Angels; STEVE GIBSON AND THE ORIGINAL RED CAPS: Would I Mind; FOUR TUNES: May That Day Never Come

The Five Keys. Courtesy Bear Family Records. Each Digipack CD contains its own integrated booklet which includes, besides Dahl’s comprehensive and detailed notes, many, many label shots and group photographs, some well-known, others less so. As well as a potted history of each group, Dahl tells us the story of each recording, detailing in most cases, the , and recording session. There is scarcely a stone left unturned in Bear Family’s mission to make this the most comprehensively detailed series ever! Bear Family’s legendary attention to sound quality means that we can hear these classic recordings in the best possible fidelity, indeed if (like me) you initially only heard many of these sides via sometimes less than perfect bootleg copies, the sound here is a revelation. Each CD contains between thirty and thirty-two tracks (185 in total), which means that, even at Bear Family’s premium prices, these are a bargain. It’s difficult to sum up this collection in so few words and to do it justice. This really is an amazing series that will well serve both the long-time aficionado of this amazing music, or those who have long regarded the wealth of music now collectively known as ‘Doo-Wop’ with some trepidation. This set just might convert you. I await further volumes with exciting anticipation!

Under discussion: Street Corner Symphonies: The Complete Story Of Doo Wop . Courtesy Bear Family Records. Volume One: 1939-1949 Volume Four: 1952 Bear Family BCD 17279 (86:55) THE INK SPOTS: If I Didn’t Care; CATS AND THE FIDDLE: I Miss You Bear Family BCD 17282 (85:04) So; MILLS BROTHERS: Till Then; FIVE RED CAPS: I Learned A Lesson DOMINOES: / That’s What You’re Doing To Me; CARDINALS: I’ll Never Forget; DEEK WATSON AND HIS BROWN DOTS: Sentimental The Wheel Of Fortune; VOCALEERS: Be True; 5 ROYALES; Baby Don’t Reasons; DUSTY BROOKS AND HIS FOUR TONES: Play Jackpot; GOLDEN Do It; BILLY BUNN & HIS BUDDIES; That’s When Your Heartaches Begin; GATE QUARTET: Atom And Evil; DELTA RHYTHM BOYS: Just A-Sittin’ CLOVERS: One Mint Julep/ Ting-A-Ling; SERENADERS: But I Forgive You; And A-Rockin’; JUBALAIRS WITH ANDY KIRK AND HIS ORCHESTRA: ROYALS: Every Beat Of My Heart; RAVENS: Rock Me All Night Long; LARKS I Know; BASIN STREET BOYS: I Sold My Heart To The Junk Man; CATS FEATURING EUGENE MUMFORD: Hold Me; FOUR KNIGHTS: That’s The ‘N’ JAMMER THREE, VOCAL BY BILL SAMUELS: I Cover The Waterfront; Way It’s Gonna Be; SWALLOWS: Beside You; FOUR BUDDIES: You’re Part MELODY MASTERS: My Baby; FOUR ACES: I Wonder, I Wonder, I Wonder Of Me; ORIOLES WITH BUDDY LUCAS ORCHESTRA: Don’t Cry Baby; - Part 2; FOUR VAGABONDS: P.S. I Love You; RAVENS: Ol’ Man River; BILL FOUR TUNES: Let’s Give Love Another Chance; FOUR JACKS: The Last JOHNSON AND HIS MUSICAL NOTES: Don’t You Think I Oughta Know; Of The Good Rocking Men; MARYLANDERS: Make Me Thrill Again; FOUR FIVE BARS: I’m All Dressed Up With A Broken Heart; SCAMPS: Solitude; BIG BLAZES: Rug Cutter; SULTANS: Don’t Be Angry; DIAMONDS: A Beggar For THREE TRIO: After Awhile; ORIOLES: It’s Too Soon To Know; DEEP RIVER Your Kisses; DU-DROPPERS: Can’t Do Sixty No More; ENCHANTERS: I’ve BOYS: Recess In Heaven; FOUR ROCKETS: Loch Lomond; DIXIEAIRES: Go Lost; CHECKERS: Flame In My Heart; FIVE KEYS: Serve Another Round; Long; FOUR BLUES: It Takes A Long Tall Brown Skinned Gal; FOUR MEL-O-DOTS FEATURING RICKY WELLS: One More Time; FIVE TUNES: You’re Heartless; CHARIOTEERS: A Kiss And A Rose; CROWNS: You’re My Inspiration; HEARTBREAKERS: Rockin’ FOUR KNIGHTS: Wrapped Up In A Dream; SYNCOPATORS: Daddy-O; FOUR FLAMES: Later; FIVE SHARPS: Stormy River Stay Away From My Door; ROBINS: If It’s So Baby; Weather SHADOWS: I’ve Been A Fool Volume Five: 1953 Volume Two: 1950 Bear Family BCD 17283 (87:39) Bear Family BCD 17280 (82:49) CLYDE McPHATTER AND THE DRIFTERS: Money RAVENS: Count Every Star/ I Don’t Have To Ride Honey; ORIOLES: Crying In The Chapel; SPANIELS: No More; ; JOHNNY OTIS ORCHESTRA: VOCAL Baby, It’s You; CHECKERS: White Cliffs Of Dover; BY : Turkey Hop, Part 1; BEAVERS: MOONGLOWS WITH RED HOLLOWAY ORCHESTRA: I’d Rather Be Wrong Than Blue; DOMINOES: Do Baby Please; VOCALEERS: Is It A Dream; CROWS: Something For Me; CLOVERS: When You Come Gee; CORONETS: Nadine; CRICKETS: You’re Mine; 5 Back To Me; CAP-TANS: Chief, Turn The Hose On Me; ROYALES: Too Much Lovin’ (Much Too Much); HARP- DELTA RHYTHM BOYS: You See The Tears In My Eyes; TONES: A Sunday Kind Of Love; FLAMINGOS WITH ORIOLES: At Night; THREE RIFFS: Jumping Jack; STEVE RED HOLLOWAY’S ORCH.; Golden Teardrops; CLOVERS: GIBSON AND THE RED CAPS: I’ll Never Love Anyone Good Lovin’; ROBINS: (Now And Then There’s) A Fool Such Else; WHISPERS: Got No Time: FOUR BUDDIES: I Will Wait; As I; CASTELLES: My Girl Awaits Me; FOUR TUNES WITH FOUR TUNES: Old Fashioned Love; STRIDERS: Cool Saturday SID BASS ORCH.; Marie; BILLY WARD AND HIS DOMINOES: Night; CATS AND THE FIDDLE: Do You Love Me; COLEMANS: I Don’t These Foolish Things Remind Me Of You; WANDERERS: We Could Mind Being All Alone; BLENDERS: Gone (My Baby’s Gone); SHADOWS: Find Happiness; DU-DROPPERS: I Wanna Know; BUCCANEERS WITH THE I’ll Never, Never Let You Go; DOZIER BOYS: She’s Gone; FOUR BLUES: JOE WHALEN TRIO: Dear Ruth; PRISONAIRES: Just Walkin’ In The Rain; As Long As I Live; MASTERKEYS: Mr. Blues; CAROLS: Please Believe ROYALS: Get It; CARDINALS: Lovie Darling; FLAIRS: I Had A Love; FIVE In Me; MILLS BROTHERS: Nevertheless; FIVE LARKS: My Heart Cries KEYS: My Saddest Hour; PLATTERS: Hey Now; VELVETS: I; FIVE ECHOES For You; FLAMES: Young Girl; FOUR ACES: Who Was There To Blame; WITH FATS COLE BAND: Baby, Come Back To Me; SWALLOWS: Nobody’s KING ODUM FOUR: Lover Come Back To Me; RIVALS: Rival Blues; Lovin’ Me; VAN WALLS AND THE ROCKETS; Big Leg Mama; HORNETS: I JUBALAIRES: A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes Can’t Believe; SPIDERS: You’re The One

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