#893 (7/15/17)

SPOTLIGHT ON THE JAMES QUINTET   
(Including Audio For Nine Of Their Sides, Eleven Total)    

"A Neighborhood Affair"/
"You Make Too Much Noise When We Kiss"
The James Quintet
on Decca 48218
released in 1951

"I'm Just A Fool"/
"Paw's In The Kitchen"
The James Quintet
on Derby 726
released in 1949


[The above image courtesy of Marv Goldberg and Gibb Laytham.]

Above: The James Quintet circa 1950. This vocal and instrumental group consisted of (Top L-R) Thomas Harrod, tipple; Thomas LaGon , bass fiddle; Charlie Hooser, tipple; (Bottom L-R) Eddie Johnson, mandolin; and Danny Johnson, tenor guitar.



Buffalo (NY) Courier Express

4/24/49 — New York Age 3/4/50.
Above Right: The James Quintet (L-R) Thomas Harrod, Eddie Johnson, Thomas LaGon , Danny Johnson, and Charlie Hooser.



Afro-American 12/1/51.
AFRO-AMERICAN, December 1, 1951: ANOTHER BALTIMORE GIFT — The James Quintet, Decca recording artists, currently playing a downtown spot, began in Baltimore about two years ago and now ranks high among the small vocal-instrumental groups of the country. Left to right, standing: Thomas Harrod of Baltimore, tipple; Buzz Cottman, Brooklyn, N.Y., bass fiddle; Eddie Johnson, Washington, DC. Seated left to right: Charlie Hooser, son of Mr. and Mrs. C.B. Hooser, Statesville, N.C., tipple and leader; and Danny Johnson, tenor guitar, Washington, D.C. The Johnson boys are twins.


(At Left) Long Island City Star Journal 1949.

(Above) Cumberland News (Maryland) 10/31/51.




EXTRA AUDIO (Windows Media Player):
[Audio restoration by Dave Saviet.]


Above Left: Label image of Atlantic 968 recorded on May 28, 1952 and released in June 1952. It was their only record together.

Above Middle And Right: Austin Powell.

The Cash Box Review (6/28/52):

AUSTIN POWELL — ATLANTIC 968....
What More Can I Ask?
(C+)
A slow romantic ballad is treated to a heart-felt vocal by Austin Powell. The James Quintet provide the harmony and instrumental backing.
Wrong Again (C+) Powell and the James Quintet get together on another slow item with a more forceful adaptation than presented on the top side.

(NOTE: A rating of C+ was considered "good.")

Listen to "Wrong Again" - Austin Powell And The James Quintet - Atlantic 968 - 1952.
Listen to "What More Can I Ask?" - Austin Powell And The James Quintet - Atlantic 968 - 1952.
BOTH played in sequence.


EXTRA EXTRA AUDIO (Windows Media Player):
[Audio restoration by Dave Saviet.]


Above Left: Label image of Atlantic 973 recorded on July 2, 1952 and released in August 1952. It was their only record together. There is no vocal group on the other side.

Above Middle And Right: Ruth Brown.... from 1951 and 1949.

The Cash Box Review (8/9/52): RUTH BROWN — ATLANTIC 973.... Daddy Daddy/Have A Good Time
Ruth Brown, whose past successes have been such tremendous juke box hits and have brought her into such prominence in the rhythm and blues field, throws two new ones onto the market that bid fair to raise the star to new heights. The upper lid, "Daddy Daddy," has Ruth singing a Calypso like beat in a torrid style that grips the listener with excitement. The moderate tempo is pulsatingly arranged and the Willis Jackson ork supplies the fem thrush with a solid musical backdrop. The under portion is a ballad, "Have A Good Time," which the thrush sings in the style of her famous "So Long" and is a fitting backing for the top lid. The artist gives a stirring vocal performance and comes through with an etching that should happen. Both sides could break big.

The Billboard Review (8/30/52): RUTH BROWN — ATLANTIC 973....
Have A Good Time
(82) Here is another mighty strong side by the thrush. She sells this ballad with much meaning as she turns it into a real weeper, backed by the chorus and ork. This side could grab coin.
(NOTE: A ratings range of 80-89 was considered "excellent.")

Listen to "Have A Good Time" - Ruth Brown And The James Quintet - Atlantic 973 - 1952.

Click HERE for an article about Ruth Brown by Marv Goldberg. (Will open in a separate window)



Above: Label image of Derby 726 released in November 1949. This is the first of two The James Quintet had on the Derby label (1949-50).

Listen to their second Derby record: "Don't Worry" - The James Quintet - Derby 732 - 1950 (Windows Media Player).


SPOTLIGHT ON DERBY RECORDS:

Top Left: (Cash Box Magazine 3/1/52) Larry Newton, Eddie Wilcox and Sunny Gale celebrating the success of her Derby record "Wheel Of Fortune." Newton is president of Derby Records, Wilcox did the arrangement of the song and led the orchestra.

Top Right: (Cash Box Magazine 2/21/53) Standing: Eddie Wilcox, Jerry Wexler, Bob Carroll, Val Irving, and Sitting: Larry Newton, president of Derby Records. Smiles all around for Carroll's hit Derby record "Say It With Your Heart." Wilcox is orchestra leader and arranger for Derby Records, Wexler is representing the publisher, Irving is Carroll's personal mannager.

Far Left: (Cash Box Magazine 3/28/53) Larry Newton and Eddie Wilcox.

Immediate Left: (Cash Box Magazine 11/28/53) Larry Newton.

Larry Newton was owner and president of Derby Records, located in New York City. Eddie Wilcox was the label's Musical Director. Phil Rose was their A&R Man. The label existed from 1949 to 1954. Along with Lee Magid, Newton formed Central Records, an r&b Derby affiliate, in late 1953.

Vocal groups that recorded for Derby include The James Quintet, Majors (see end of this section), King Odom Four, Carnations, Striders, Winners, Imperials, Vanguards, and Four Fellows. The Rag-Muffins and Charmers recorded for Central Records.

NEW YORK AGE, 2/4/50: Derby Records Continue To Wax Best In Music [Caveat: This article appears to have been written by a Derby publicist.]
New York has for years been recognized as the entertainment capital of the world and into this category we desire to bring the attention of Derby Records of 767-10th Avenue near 52nd St., in N.Y.C., who are winning recognition throughout the entire country for the many releases they have placed on the market.

Established here 7 months ago, Derby Records is under the ownership and direction of the Messrs Larry Newton and Eddie Heller, who have each had over 14 years of experience in this special field of entertainment....

Although all of the records they produced to date are of the 10-inch type, Derby Records are now making arrangements for the 45 r.p.m. and the L.P. records....

CASH BOX, 3/28/53: Derby Records Currently One Of The Hottest Independents In The Field
NEW YORK — One of the hottest independent record companies in the business at the moment is Derby Records, headed by prexy Larry Newton.... Derby started in the record business as primarily a rhythm and blues firm and achieved considerable success in the field.

However, a little more than a year ago, a singer by the name of Sunny Gale came to Newton and he saw hit possibilities in her. He took a tune which had been released a few months before, "Wheel Of Fortune," but which nothing had happened to and had her record it. The rest is a well known story. Derby became a pop firm.

Following this, Newton took one of his artists who had made a hit in the r&b field with "The Masquerade Is Over," Bette McLaurin, and released her next record to the pop market. Again, he took a tune which had not quite made it and sent it into the hit category, "I May Hate Myself In The Morning." After this he followed with another Bette McLaurin hit, "My Heart Belongs To Only You." ....

One of the main reasons for Derby's success, Newton contends, is Eddie Wilcox, the firm's musical director. Wilcox has been responsible for most of the terrific arrangements on the Derby hits.

Newton himself sees a great future for the independent in the record field. He says that the mode of operation of an independent makes his overhead low and his need for hits limited. With a couple of good selling records a year, an independent firm can more than get along....

Reference Links: I May Hate Myself In The Morning ; My Heart Belongs To Only You.

At Left: Label image of Derby 779 released in November 1951. It is the second of The Majors' two records on Derby. The group members on this record are Jimmy Beckum, William Beebe, Alvin Scott Jr., and Clyde Lee. Beckum is shown on the flipside label as composer.

The Cash Box Review (12/29/51): THE MAJORS — DERBY 779.... Laughing On The Outside, Crying On The Inside/Come On Up To My Room
A feelingful treatment of a grand oldie is served up by the Majors on the upper end. It's done slowly and softly and it should gather some coin. The lower deck is a jump tune that the boys really go to town on and bring it in handsomely. The top dish seems to carry a bit more appeal.

Windows Media Player:
Listen to "Laughing On The Outside Crying On The Inside" - The Majors - Derby 779 - 1951.
Listen to "Come On Up To My Room" - The Majors - Derby 779 - 1951.
BOTH played in sequence.




Above: Label image of Decca 48218 recorded on May 17, 1951 and released in July 1951. As shown on the labels, Danny Johnson sang lead on both sides.

The James Quintet had three records on Coral (1948-49), two on Decca (1951), and two on Derby (1949-50). Coral was a subsidiary of Decca. They also backed Austin Powell and Ruth Brown, one record each, on Atlantic (1952).

Listen to their third Coral record: "Tell Me Why" - The James Quintet - Coral 65016 - 1949 (Windows Media Player).

NOTE: Most discographical information provided at this website is from Ferdie Gonzalez' Disco-File.


Listen to this week's selections featuring The James Quintet:
[Audio restoration by Dave Saviet.]

     A. Stream RealAudio...
 
          1. A Neighborhood Affair - The James Quintet - Decca 48218 - 1951
          2. You Make Too Much Noise When We Kiss - The James Quintet - Decca 48218 - 1951
          3. I'm Just A Fool - The James Quintet - Derby 726 - 1949
          4. Paw's In The Kitchen - The James Quintet - Derby 726 - 1949
 
          ALL FOUR played in sequence

     B. Download RealAudio...
 
          1. A Neighborhood Affair - The James Quintet - Decca 48218 - 1951
          2. You Make Too Much Noise When We Kiss - The James Quintet - Decca 48218 - 1951
          3. I'm Just A Fool - The James Quintet - Derby 726 - 1949
          4. Paw's In The Kitchen - The James Quintet - Derby 726 - 1949

     C. Stream/Download Media Player...
 
          1. A Neighborhood Affair - The James Quintet - Decca 48218 - 1951
          2. You Make Too Much Noise When We Kiss - The James Quintet - Decca 48218 - 1951
          3. I'm Just A Fool - The James Quintet - Derby 726 - 1949
          4. Paw's In The Kitchen - The James Quintet - Derby 726 - 1949
 
          ALL FOUR played in sequence

      [To download audio files, right-click on link and then select "Save (Link) Target As..."]


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