1959 (l-r) Danny Levy, Eddie Stokes, Ray Figueroa, Waldo Champen and Sonny Jordan

 The Five Delights  (New York)
aka The Mood Makers
aka The Watusi Warriors


Personnel :

Ed "Sonny" Jordan (First Tenor)

Waldo Champen (First Tenor)

Douglas Ferrer (Second Tenor)

Georges Rosa (Baritone)

Daniel Levy (Bass)

Discography :

The Five Delights
Singles:
1958 - There'll Be No Goodbye / Okey Dokey Mama (Newport 7002/Unart 2003)
1959 - The Thought Of Losing You / That Love Affair (Abel 228)
Unreleased :
1959 - Sweet Little Girl (Abel)

The Mood Makers
Single:
1961 - Dolores / Dream a Dream (Bambi 80)
Unreleased :
1961 - Sweet Little Girl (Bambi)

The Watusi Warriors
1959 -  Wa-Chi-Bam-Ba  / Kalahari (Prince 1206)


 

Biography :

In 1958, Waldo Champen and Ed Jordan reunited in the 5 Delights, with Douglas Ferrer (second tenor), George Rosa (baritone) and Daniel Levy (bass). This mixed group (George was Spanish and Daniel was white) was already in existence; when they brought in Ed (an old friend), he, in turn, brought in Champ. They recorded a single record which was released on another of Jerry Winston's labels in June (Newport this time; it was distributed by George Goldner's Gone label).

(l-r) Danny Levy, Eddie Stokes, Ray Figueroa, Waldo Champen and Sonny Jordan 

Ed led "There'll Be No Goodbye," while Douglas fronted "Okey Dokey Mama." When it started making a little noise, the masters were sold to United Artists, which re-released it on Unart in September. However, a little noise was all it made, and George and Douglas left. Two new members were found in Raymond Figuroa (a Spanish second tenor) and Ed Stokes (a white baritone). They had a release, in March 1959, on the Prince label (under the embarrassing name of the Watusi Warriors): "Wa-Chi-Bam-Ba," backed with "Kalahari.

Then, a new label (Alan Abel's Abel Records) and a couple of new tunes: "The Thought Of Losing You" with Ed and "That Love Affair" with Champ.  Once again there was no action, but this time they hung in there. In 1961 they changed the group's name to the Mood Makers and had a single release on the Bambi label in May. "Dolores" (the Bachelors' tune) is led by Ed Jordan and "Dream A Dream" is a duet between Ed and Champ.
http://www.uncamarvy.com/WaldoChampen/waldochampen.html


Songs :

The Five Delights

    
There'll Be No Goodbye                  The Thought Of Losing You

    
That Love Affair                              Okey Dokey Mama

The Mood Makers

    
Dolores                                  Dream A Dream

 The Watusi Warriors

   
Wa-Chi-Bam-Ba                      Kalahari

...

The Visuals (L to R) : Rob Farrow, Stuart Magness , Melvin Maron, Anthony Galante 

The Visuals (1) (Brooklyn, New York)



Personnel :

Robbie Joel Farrow (Lead)

Anthony "Rocky" Galante (Second Tenor)

Stuart Magness (First Tenor)

Melvin Maron (Bass)


Discography :


Singles :
1962 - The Submarine Race / Maybe You (Poplar 115)
1963 - My Juanita / A Boy A Girl And A Dream (Poplar 117)
1963 - Please Don't Be Mad At Me / Blue (Enough To Cry) (Poplar 121/Jason Scott 11)

Unreleased :
N/A - Darling We're In Love (Poplar)
N/A - Devil (Poplar)
N/A - Just For Tonight (Poplar)
N/A - Look At The Moon (Poplar)
N/A - One Little Kiss (Poplar)


Biography :

Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, The Visuals were Robbie Joel Farrow (lead), Anthony "Rocky" Galante (second tenor), Stuart Magness  (first tenor) and Melvin Maron (bass). For a 1963 Poplar, Jay Rose was added.) Before he formed the Visuals Robbie Joel Farrow was part of the Corsairs, an unrecorded vocal group composed by Howie Farrow (1st Tenor),Brian Farrow (2nd Tenor),Kenny McLinick (Bass) and Johnny Turco (Lead) and himself (Baritone & Falsetto)

The Visuals

The Visuals had 3 singles, all on Poplar between 1962 and 1964. Poplar, founded in New York City in 1962 by Stan Seifer, generally featured doo wop-styled groups, but backed them with often surprisingly sharp early rock arrangements that avoided being derivative by adding in little percussion touches, unusual basslines, and touches of horns.

The Corsairs (Top) Howie, Brian & Robbie (Bottom) Kenny & Johnny

Rocky Galante was born Anthony Galante, on January 5th, 1948, in Brooklyn, New York and with the Visuals earning his first record contract at age 14. Later, he sang vocals for the folk group The Braid. When Rocky came to San Francisco he had not only changed his name but also started his solo career and recorded several albums.


Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim)

     
The Submarine Race                    Maybe You                              My Juanita         

     
A Boy A Girl And A Dream             Blue (Enough To Cry)       Please Don't Be Mad At Me

     
Darling We're In Love                 Just For Tonight                    Look At The Moon    

     
       One Little Kiss                          The Devil                      Submarine Race (demo)



…

Fred Parris

The Cherokees (4) (New Haven, Connecticut)


Personnel :

Marshall Lassiter (Lead)

Bobby Bowdon

Dickie Arnold

Count Hopkins

Fred Parris


Discography :

1961 - My Heavenly Angel / Bed Bug (United Artists 367)


Biography :

In 1961, the Five Satins jumped at the opportunity to record for some larger labels such as Chancellor, MGM's Cub subsidiary, United Artists, and Warner Brothers. Despite great material, these large record companies never did return the Five Satins to the spotlight. While with United Artists, Fred Parris co-wrote two songs “My Heavenly Angel” and "Bed Bug." The Two songs were recorded by The Cherokees with Fred Parris  playing the chimes in the background. The single will be released in November 1961 by United Artists. The Cherokees hailed from New Haven, Connecticut. Group members were Marshall Lassiter (lead), Bobby Bowdon, Dickie Arnold, Count Hopkins and Fred Parris for their only single.



Songs :

  
My Heavenly Angel                                  Bed Bug        

...

Gary, Roy & Hal

The Hall Brothers (Staten Island)
 

Personnel :

Gary Hall

Roy Hall

Albert Hall

Discography :

1958 - My White Convertible / Now You Say We Are Thru (Arc 4444)

Biography :

After graduating in 1957 from Broadcasting school in NYC. Tom DeCillis took a job as a staff announcer at a small station in Havre de Grace, Md. Soon after that, he returned to NJ to start his own radio show on a Newark station playing rock and roll music. He was able to meet recording artists and record labels as a result of being prompted to play their records on his show.

   
Tom DeCillis                                                                                                               

During that time a recording engineer from Newark contacted him and showed interest in making records. He was introduced to the Hollywood Playboys appearing at a lounge in Newark, NJ. The group included Nick Massi, soon to be a part of the 4 Seasons. He arranged to record them and released a record on the Rita label which never went anywhere. But the friendship with Nick Massi did. It lasted until his death in 2000.

  
Gary, Roy & Hal

In the years 1958 to 1960 he continued playing records and started to manage artists. A group from Staten Island, NY called the Hall Brothers was contacted by DeCillis. They wrote and recorded a song about my 1957 white convertible car. The song “My white Convertible” was a mild success on a small label and the boys appeared on Also Freed’s TV show and others.

http://www.jerseygirlssing.com/DeCillis.html

Songs :

    
My White Convertible                        Now You Say We're Thru

...

 Brenda Harris, Carol Hawkins, Cheryl Lynn Brown and Rhonda Kirby  

The Shondelles (East Shrewsbury, NJ)


Personnel :

Carol Hawkins (Lead)

Cheryl Lynn Brown

Rhonda Kirby

Brenda Harris


Discography :

The Shondelles
1964 - Why Do Fools Fall In Love / Upsetter Of Her Heart (Selsom 102)

Tony Maples & the Naturals (bb The Shondelles)   
1964 - Pretty Girls Everywhere / I’m Your Lover Man (Selsom 103)


Biography :

In 1964, Norman Seldin  start a record label to record his talent. The Selsom label name grew out of a combination of names of Seldin and an early business partner but also was a play on words – SEL(l) SOM(e). The Same Years, he signed a young female quartet from East Shrewsbury, NJ, called the Shondelles.

  
Brenda Harris, Carol Hawkins, Cheryl Lynn Brown and Rhonda Kirby          Brenda Harris, Rhonda Kirby and Cheryl Lynn Brown  

Carol Hawkins, Rhonda Kirby, Cheryl Lynn Brown and Brenda Harris attended Monmouth Regional High School in Tinton Falls, NJ, when discovered by Seldin. The girls cut one single for Selsom record. Later, Tony Maples from The V-Eights recorded the Eugene Church song, “Pretty Girls Everywhere” with unaccredited backup voices by the Shondelles.
http://www.classicurbanharmony.net


Songs :

The Shondelles

 Why Do Fools Fall In Love

Tony Maples & the Naturals (bb The Shondelles) 

Pretty Girls Everywhere

...