Various Come Dance With Me (LP)

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catalog number: LPMH001101
weight in Kg 0.21

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(Murray Hill) 14 tracks 1954-1956 (mostly unissued) few copies! For sheer excitement and... more

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Various: Come Dance With Me (LP)

(Murray Hill) 14 tracks 1954-1956 (mostly unissued) few copies!

For sheer excitement and colorful vocal tricks, there's no equal to New York City's contribution to fifties R&B group harmony. Other cities could perhaps claim groups which were more polished and professional, but the streets of New York nurtured hundreds of youngsters who sang for the fun of it on their neighborhood blocks and stoops. Some of the best found their way down to George Goldner's Rama-Gee offices on West 42nd Street near Hubert's Flea Circus; they hoped to join the Teenagers, Cleftones, and Valentines in their quest for overnight stardom.

This Rama-Gee compilation features unre-leased songs or alternate takes by well-known groups like the Heartbeats and Crows, rare singles like They Say by the Rainbows and Heaven Above Me by the Jets, and some real doo-wop gems like the two previously unreleased tracks by the Vocaltones. Rama-Gee was creating R&B magic in 1955-56, when most cuts on this LP were recorded. When you hear these 14 tracks, you'll understand why the N.Y. group sound was so exciting and vibrant in the mid-fifties. Come Dance With Me and Answer to My Dreams by the Vocaltones are superb examples of up-tempo, N.Y.C. doo-wop at its best. The guys from Harlem had done three moderately successful 45's for Apollo; their '57 session for Goldner's Juanita label produced a single, Wolkin' With My Baby, that isn't as good as the two unissued songs on this album.

Roland Martinez and Bobby Robinson alternated lead for the '57 Vocaltones, backed up by Wyndon "Corky" Porter, with Bobby Moore and Irving Lee Gail from the Pretenders. If it weren't for the distinctive floating tenor and rumbling bass, it would be hard to recognize the Heartbeats on their unreleased cut of Tell Me, recorded at the Wedding Bells session of November 4, 1956. The Queens-based group — James "Shep" Sheppard. Wally Roker, Vernon Seavers, Robby Tatum, and -Arthur Crump — sing in unison on Tell Me, which lacks Shep's usual lead. The Heartbeats were trying to follow-up their A Thousand Miles Away smash at this November session for Rama. The Rainbows came from Washington. D.C. to N.Y.C. to wax an up-tempo jumper Minnie, coupled with They Say, a quivering ballad which has become a legend among R&B record collectors. Recorded on July 5, 1956 and released as Rama #209 in October, They Say got airplay in Baltimore and Washington, where key R&R dj Jay Perry managed the group. Ronald Miles led They Say; John Berry sang Minnie: both were supported by bass Chester Simmons, and baritone Don Covay, who later waxed Bip Bop Bip as Little Richard imitator Pretty Boy for Atlantic.

It's a mystery why the Crows weren't able to follow up their two-sided hit. Gee/I Love You So. They cut some great sides for Rama. including the previously unreleased alternate take of Baby, recorded on February 10, 1954. The versatile group from Harlem consisted of Bill Davis, baritone, tenor, and lead; Daniel "Sonny" Norton, also lead; Gerald Hamilton, bass; Harold Major. tenor; and Mark Jackson. guitarist. The released version of Baby was backed by Untrue, a very hard-to-get 45 on Rama #29. Boston dj Little Walter identified the lead voice on Don't Do Me Wrong as Little Butchie Saunders, and, although there's no confirmation on the tape box, it's hard to disagree. Perhaps in deference to Frankie Lymon's kiddy-lead dominion at Gee. Don't Do Me Wrong was never released.

Goldner may have not wanted a black youngster to challenge Lymon on his own turf, but he wasn't opposed to trying out Little Billy Mason, a white teen, on Make Me Your Own for Rama in '56. Right after the monster ha. Why Do Fools Fall in Love?. Rama-Gee quickly acquired a reputation among New York street-corner groups. They trooped down to 42nd Street to audition. and the best would be rewarded with recording sessions. Goldner might press a few hundred 45's to test in N.Y. and Philly before national release, but, despite Gee's impressive track record, it was difficult for a new group to get much exposure. That accounts for the fate of the remaining cuts on this LP; some are as good as the hits of the day, but they received minimal airplay and promotion. The Crows' manager Cliff Martinez, brought the Jets to Gee. Released as Gee #1020 in June, 1956, the original 45 of Heaven Above Me brings a very lofty price indeed. The ending is tailor-made for Alan Freed's Manhattan phone book slapping, on-the-air accompaniment.

The Valtones' ballad, Have You Ever Met an Angel?, cut in November 1955 and released as Gee #1004 in January 1956, is another obscure but nice 45, while the Debonaires' rousing N.Y. jump. I'm Gone (cut on December 19, 1955), was supposedly released as Gee #1008 in January 1956 (I've never seen a copy). Rama-Gee's superb house band, led by sax honker Jimmy Wright, backs up the Debonaires on I'm Gone, as well as most of the other groups on this album. One James Parker led the Mellow Keys on Listen Baby, recorded on February 16, 1956, and later released as Gee # 1014. We've included an unreleased alternate take, much better than the familiar version of Listen Baby. Girl groups got scant attention at Rama-Gee (although Goldner later had the Chantels on his End label), but they certainly contributed their share to memorable late '50's harmony. The Rosebuds' acappella gem, Darling I Love You So, was probably done in February 1957; the girls sound a lot more street-wise than the Rosebuds who sang Dearest Darling for Gee in '57. And the joytones, who waxed My Foolish Heart for an obscure Rama 45 (#215) on October 26, 1956, were trained by Raoul Cita, the arranger for the Harptones. Margaret Moore, Vickie Burgess, and Lynn Middleton comprised the joytones, a trio featured at the Apollo Theatre on the all Rama-Gee bill which also included the Teenagers, Cleftones, Valentines and Harptones.

Sammy Fain was the Limelighters' lead on Love Conquers All, a catchy jump tune that was inexplicably shelved by Goldner and Gee A&R man Don Carter. Eugene Tompkins sang ballad lead for the Bronx group, supported by Fain, William, "Dutch" Nadel, Henry Gunter and Tony Streeter. It's hard to beat the Rama-Gee groups for exhilarating vitality. They sang in the shadows of the Cleftones, Wrens, and Teenagers, but they helped create that unmistakable "New York" sound of mid-fifties group harmony. (Donn Fileti)

Video von Various - Come Dance With Me (LP)

Article properties: Various: Come Dance With Me (LP)

Interpret: Various
Album titlle: Come Dance With Me (LP)
Genre R&B, Soul
Geschwindigkeit 33 U/min
Vinyl record size LP (12 Inch)
Record Grading Mint (M)
Sleeve Grading Mint (M)
Label MURRAY HILL
Artikelart LP
EAN: 4000127789440
weight in Kg 0.21

Various - Come Dance With Me (LP) LP 1
01	Come Dance With Me	VOCALTONES
02	Tell Me	HEARTBEATS
03	Minnie	RAINBOWS
04	Baby	CROWS
05	Don't Do Me Wrong	LITTLE BUTCHIE SAUNDERS
06	Heaven Above Me	JETS
07	Darling I Love You So	ROSEBUDS
08	They Say	RAINBOWS
09	I'm Gone	DEBONAIRES
10	Love Conquers All	LIMELIGHTERS
11	Have You Ever Met An Angel?	VALTONES
12	Listen Baby	MELLOW KEYS
13	Answer To My Dreams	VOCALTONES
14	My Foolish Heart	JOYTONES

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Various Artists – Music for Every Mood

The ultimate collections – from greatest hits to themed compilations and rare B-sides. Here, you'll find everything that makes music diverse – on CD, Vinyl, and in special Box Sets

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