The Orientals (1) (Harlem, New York)

Personnel :

Ernesto "Tito" DeCoteau (Lead)

Hellen McBride

???

Discography :

1958 - Please Come Back Home / Get Yourself To School (Kayo 927)

Biography:

Ernesto "Tito" DeCoteau started street corner singing with some guys in the early 50's. They  formed a group named the Silvertones and was singing at parties and just having fun, they living in Brooklyn then and hung out on the boardwalk at Coney Island (bay 12 ). When they sang a crowd always gathered and people wanted them to record their music.

Three of the Orientals with two of their fans

In the mid 50's moved Tito from Brooklyn back to Harlem and met some guys at Manhattanville Community Center in West Harlem that was looking for a singer and to get a group together. The Orientals was born. The staff at the center gave the group full run to plan shows, dances and other events for the center. After a few weeks they found out their manager had handled a few groups that had made it big. He got the Orientals on a Dr Jive show (June 27,1958) but did not tell them it was a contest . They beat out 15 groups and took 1st place.

The Orientals - Dr Jive Radio Talent Show (June 27,1958)

One of the best show they did was about two months later, the groups manager got them a gig at this dance hall called The Chateau Gardens on Westchester Avenue in New York, not knowing they were an opening act for Celia Cruz and (El Rey) Tito Puente. After They sang, they had a table in front of the stage. When Celia Cruz  came on stage and started singing she came down and made them come on stage with her. When they finished, Tito Puente walked over and said They were great and he wanted to be their protege. At the end of the summer of 1958, the group recorded two songs in the studio; "Please Come Back Home" and "Get Yourself To School" released some time later on the small New York label, Kayo records.

Songs :

  
Please Come Back Home                   Get Yourself To School     

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