The Sha-Weez

 (Back L-R)  A. Woodard, E.Warner, E. Myles, N. Blackwell, I. Bannister  (Front) J. Crawford and W. Myles.

The Sha-Weez (New Orleans) 



Personnel :



James “Sugar Boy” Crawford (Piano & Vocals)



Edgar “Big Boy” Myles (Trombone & Vocals)



Irving “Cat” Bannister (Guitar & Vocals)


Warren “Jake Myles” (Piano & Vocals)

Nolan “Sha-Wee” Blackwell (Alto Sax)


Alfred “Hot Lips” Woodard (Trumpet)


Eric “Skee-za” Warner (Drums)


Alfred Bernard (Tenor Sax)


David Lastie (Tenor Sax)



Discography :


Single :

1952 - No One To Love Me / Early Sunday Morning (Aladdin 3170)

Unreleased:
1952 - You Made Me Love You (Aladdin) 

1952 - Feeling Sad (Aladdin)

Biography :

New Orleans R&B outfit the Sha-Weez formed on the campus of Booker T. Washington High School in 1950. According to Marv Goldberg's profile in the September 1977 issue of Yesterday's Memories, the founding lineup featured Edgar "Big Boy" Myles, James "Sugarboy" Crawford , Irving "Cat" Bannister, Alfred "Hot Lips" Woodard , Eric "Skee-za" Warner, Nolan "Sha-Wee" Blackwell , Warren "Jake" Myles , and the nickname-free Alfred Bernard and David Lastie . The group's odd name derived from their theme song, Blackwell's instrumental "Cha-Paka-Sha-Wees," which roughly translates from the Creole "We are not raccoons." During an appearance on local radio, they were introduced as the "'Cha-Paka-Sha-Wees' musicians," and the moniker stuck.

Cosimo Matassa                                                                                        

Producer Dave Bartholomew signed the Sha-Weez to New Orleans imprint Aladdin Records in late 1952, helming their debut session at Cosimo Matassa's legendary J&M Studios. Crawford was slated to sing lead vocal, but a previous live performance left his voice so strained that "Big Boy" Myles stepped to the fore instead; "No One to Love Me" appeared at year's end, becoming a local hit and earning the group live appearances throughout the Gulf Coast region.

Still, Aladdin resisted releasing the remaining material from the Sha-Weez's J&M session, nor did the label book another studio date. The group nevertheless remained under contract to the label, but in late 1953 Crawford and Myles began recording for Chess, recruiting guitarist Billy Tate, bassist Frank Fields, tenor saxophonist Leroy "Batman" Rankins, and drummer Chester Jones to form Sugar Boy & His Cane Cutters.
http://www.uncamarvy.com/Shaweez/shaweez.html



Songs :


No One To Love Me / Early Sunday Morning

  
You Made Me Love You                           Feeling Sad




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