Doo Wop - Rhythm & Blues

The Five Secrets aka The Secrets (1) aka The Loungers

Posted on February 4 2008 by dion1

The Five Secrets (Staten Island, New-York)
aka The Secrets (1) aka The Loungers - ref :The Uniques (6)

Personnel :

Dave Concepcion (Lead)

Pat Russo (First Tenor)

Vinnie Santorelli (Second tenor)

Steve Murphy (Baritone)

Franck Del Cavo (Bass)

Discography :

The Five Secrets
1957 - Queen Bee / See You Next Year (Decca 30350)

The Secrets (1)
1957 - Queen Bee / See You Next Year (Decca 30350)

The Loungers
1958 - Remenber The Night / / Dizzy Spell (Herald 534)
1991 - Wedding Bells / Teenage Bells (Park Ave.5)

The Uniques (6)
1962 - Do You Remember / Come Marry Me (Flippin 202)

Biography :

The group formed on Staten Island in 1955, initially singing for fun. In 1956 they decided to get serious about their talent. They soon got themselves a manager and shortly thereafter signed with Decca. Their first release with Decca came in 1957. The recording received little promotion, but it nevertheless afforded them many appearances. Early copies show "Secrets" on the label. Several weeks following the release of this first disc, the Five Secrets signed with Herald.

As a legal precaution, they changed their name to the Loungers. Because of Herald/Ember's preoccupation with the Mellokings and The Five Satins, the Loungers received little or no attention.At Herald the material was written by the group, whereas at Decca Management gave them the material to record. This is most probably why they sounded so different on the two labels. Additionally, Decca had told the group that they wanted to sound pop. Shortly before the group broke up, Murphy Left and was replaced by Pat Russo's brother, Bernie. The group broke up at the end of 1958, and it was three years later that Vinnie Santorelli and Bernie Russo decided to form a new group "the Uniques". In 1962, the Uniques recorded "Do You Remember" b / w "Come Marry Me" released by Flippin Records.
Encyclopedia of Rhythm and Blues and Doo-Wop Vocal Groups by Mitch Rosalsky

Songs :

The Five Secrets

See You Next Year Queen Bee

The Loungers

Teenage Bells Remenber The Night Dizzy Spell

Wedding Bells

The Uniques (6)

Do You Remember Come Marry Me

...

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Posted on February 4 2008 by dion1

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Marty & the Symbols (1) aka The Devotions (2)

Posted on February 4 2008 by dion1

The Devotions (2) aka Marty & The Symbols (1)

Marty & The Symbols (1) (Astoria, Queens, New York)
aka The Devotions (2)

Personnel :

Ray Sanchez

Bob Weibrod

Bob Havorka

Joe Pardo

Frank Pardo

Discography :

The Devotions (2)

Singles :
1961 - Rip Van Winkle / For Sentimental Reasons (Delta 1001/Roulette 4406/4541)
1964 - Sunday Kind Of Love / Tears From A Broken Heart (Roulette 4556)
1964 - Zindy Lou / Snow White (Roulette 4580)
1972 - How Do You Speak To An Angel / Teardrops Follow Me (Kape 701)

Unreleased :
1964 - Practice What You Preach
1965 - Looking For My Baby

Acapella :
Seceret Love
Soft And Sweet
Sunday Kind Of Love
Rip Van Winkle
Little Girl Of Mine
Stormy Weather
Who Can She Be
Teardrops From A Broken Heart
Sincerely
Three Wishes

Marty & The Symbols (1) / Mr Bassman & The Symbols (1)
1963 - You're The One / Rip Van Winkle (Graphic arts 1000)

Biography :

The Devotions were formed in 1960, in Astoria (a borough of Queens, New York City), originally as a sextet. Soon they were pared down to a quintet, consisting of Ray Sanchez (bass vocalist), Bob Hovorka, Bob Weinbrod and the brothers Frank and Joe Pardo. After six months of practicing virtually seven days a week, they met record promoter Joe Petralia, who lived down the street from Frank and Joe. Petralia introduced them to Bernie Zimming, owner of the small Delta label in NYC.

The Devotions (2) aka Marty & The Symbols (1)

Top : Bob Weibrod , Joe Pardo - Bottom : Bob Havorka, Ray Sanchez & Frank Pardo

The Devotions auditioned with doo-wop classics like "Sunday Kind Of Love", "Life Is But A Dream" and "For Sentimental Reasons". Zimming liked the group, but he wanted something more gimmicky that would sell to teens. Ray Sanchez then wrote a novelty song in keeping with the kind that was popular around 1960. The result was "Rip Van Winkle", based on the classic tale of a man who slept for twenty years.

The Devotions (2) aka Marty & The Symbols (1)

Zimming liked the song so much that he took the group into the studio on the very day he first heard it. For the B-side the Devotions recorded "For Sentimental Reasons". The group would give out copies on the street and leave signs in record shops that they would be giving away autographed copies. Despite these efforts, "Rip Van Winkle" (Delta 1001) slipped into obscurity almost immediately. In 1962, Times Square, a New York oldies store that specialized in vocal group records, began promoting "Rip Van Winkle" on a local radio show hosted by the store's owner, Slim Rose. Roulette Records heard of its popularity among Times Square's customers, bought the Delta masters, and reissued the record on Roulette 4406.

The Devotions (2) aka Marty & The Symbols (1)

It still didn't chart, but gave the group a chance to appear on Slim Rose's rock and roll show in September 1962 at Palisades Park (New Jersey), one of the first oldies shows and years ahead of Richard Nader's late '60s successes. In late 1963, Roulette released an "oldies but goodies" compilation called "Golden Goodies". Why a flop like "Rip Van Winkle" was included among all those Top 20 hits is a mystery. A disc jockey in Pittsburgh, Porky Chadwick, started plugging "Rip Van Winkle" and the request phone lines started lighting up.

The Devotions (2) aka Marty & The Symbols (1)

Porky Chadwick The Devotions

This prompted the folks at Roulette to reissue the record once again in January 1964, this time on Roulette 4541. Within a week of its release, "Rip Van Winkle" had sold 15,000 copies in Pittsburgh alone. Three years after its initial release, the song finally became a hit, peaking at # 36 in Billboard, in the midst of Beatlemania.

The Devotions (2) aka Marty & The Symbols (1)

Top : Joe Pardo, Ray Sanchez - Bottom : Frank Pardo, Andy Sanchez & Bob Havorka

It turned out that two of the original Devotions were in the armed forces, so a new group was formed with Louis DeCarlo replacing Ray Sanchez on lead and Larry Frank as a replacement for Bob Weisbrod. The group went on the road, had two further releases on Roulette, but received no radio attention and Roulette soon lost interest, after which the group disbanded. The Devotions reformed in the 1970s with Andy Sanchez (Ray's brother) on lead, and ironically they performed more in that decade than when they had their only hit.
American singing groups: a history from 1940s to today‬ by Jay Warner

Songs :

The Devotions (2)

Rip Van Winkle             For Sentimental Reasons    Sunday Kind Of Love


Tears From A Broken Heart             Zindy Lou                          Snow White


How Do You Speak To An Angel         Soft And Sweet                   Teardrops Follow Me

Looking For My Baby Practice What You Preach

Marty & The Symbols (1) / Mr Bassman & The Symbols (1)

You're The One Rip Van Winkle

....

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The Excellents (1) aka Excellons

Posted on February 1 2008 by dion1

The Excellents (1) (Bronx, New York)
aka The Excellons

Personnel :

John Kuse (Lead / Second Tenor)

George Kuse (First Tenor)

Phil Sanchez (Falsetto)

Joel Feldman (Baritone)

Denis Kestenbaum (Lead / Baritone)

Chuck Epstein (Bass)

Discography :

The Excellents (1)
Singles:
1961 - Love No One But You / When The Red Red Robin... (Mermaid 106)
1962 - Coney Island Baby / You Baby You (Blast 205)

The Excellents (2) aka The Ultimates (Second group)
1963 - I Hear a Rhapsody / Why Did You Laugh (Blast 207)

Unreleased :
1961 - Geraldine (Blast)
1961 - Gloria (Blast)
1961 - White Cliffs of Dover (Blast)
1963 - Lorraine (Cousins)
1963 - She's Not Coming Home (Cousins)
1963 - Biggest Mistake of My Life (Cousins)

The Excellons
1964 - Sunday Kind of Love / Helene (Your Wish Came True) (Old Timer/Bobby 601)

Biography :

Starting out as "The Premiers","The Excellents" were first formed in early 1960. The members consisted of John Kuse-Lead and Second Tenor; George Kuse-First Tenor; Phil Sanchez-Falsetto; Joel Feldman-Baritone; Denis Kestenbaum-Lead/Baritone and Chuck Epstein-Bass. All members came from The Bronx, New York. In June 1961, they recorded "Red Red Robin" and "Love No One But You" for the Sinclair Record Corporation.

Denis Kestenbaum, George Kuse, Joe Feldman, Phil Sanchez, Chuck Epstein, John Kuse

These two sides were released on Mermaid Records(a division of Sinclair Record Corp..) in late June 1961. The record received no promotion and was aired by DJ Slim Rose on his Time Square radio show heard only in the New York area. "The Excellents" signature song, "Coney Island Baby" was arranged at the time thought to be the flipside of their next release.

They had already planned on their own uptempo cover of "The Cleftones" smash hit "You Baby You" to be the 'A' side. "You Baby You" and "Coney Island Baby" were recorded in February 1962 for Blast Records (a division of Sinclair Record Corp.) and released in April 1962.

Denis Kestenbaum,George Kuse, John Kuse, Joel Feldman, Phil Sanchez and Chuck Epstein.

Sinclair Records started promoting "Coney Island Baby" and, it won DJ, Murray the K's 'Boss Record of the Week' contest. With prominent local concerts and a rising reputation, the Excellents looked set for a promising career until record business skulduggery intervened. Booked for an appearance on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand television programme, their record company refused to pay their travelling fees.

The Ultimates

When they learned that the group simply could not afford to travel to Philadelphia, the label instead sent a Brooklyn group, The Ultimates ( Envoy Records )who recorded "I Hear a Rhapsody" / "Why Did You Laugh"under the name of the Excellents .

Justifiably devastated at this turn of events, the Excellents never recorded again. In 1964, Bobby Miller, owner of Bobby and Oldtimer Record Labels, purchased and released demos "Sunday Kind of Love" and "Helene" as the Excellons.
http://www.JohnKuseandTheExcellents.com

Songs :

The Excellents (1)


Love No One But You           When The Red Red Robin...        Coney Island Baby


You Baby You                           Geraldine                           Lorraine


She's Not Coming Home      Biggest Mistake of My Life

The Excellons

Sunday Kind of Love / Helene...

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The Excellons aka Excellents (1)

Posted on February 1 2008 by dion1

The Excellents (1) (Bronx, New York)
aka The Excellons

Personnel :

John Kuse (Lead / Second Tenor)

George Kuse (First Tenor)

Phil Sanchez (Falsetto)

Joel Feldman (Baritone)

Denis Kestenbaum (Lead / Baritone)

Chuck Epstein (Bass)

Discography :

The Excellents (1)
Singles:
1961 - Love No One But You / When The Red Red Robin... (Mermaid 106)
1962 - Coney Island Baby / You Baby You (Blast 205)

The Excellents (2) aka The Ultimates (Second group)
1963 - I Hear a Rhapsody / Why Did You Laugh (Blast 207)

Unreleased :
1961 - Geraldine (Blast)
1961 - Gloria (Blast)
1961 - White Cliffs of Dover (Blast)
1963 - Lorraine (Cousins)
1963 - She's Not Coming Home (Cousins)
1963 - Biggest Mistake of My Life (Cousins)

The Excellons
1964 - Sunday Kind of Love / Helene (Your Wish Came True) (Old Timer/Bobby 601)

Biography :

Starting out as "The Premiers","The Excellents" were first formed in early 1960. The members consisted of John Kuse-Lead and Second Tenor; George Kuse-First Tenor; Phil Sanchez-Falsetto; Joel Feldman-Baritone; Denis Kestenbaum-Lead/Baritone and Chuck Epstein-Bass. All members came from The Bronx, New York. In June 1961, they recorded "Red Red Robin" and "Love No One But You" for the Sinclair Record Corporation.

Denis Kestenbaum, George Kuse, Joe Feldman, Phil Sanchez, Chuck Epstein, John Kuse

These two sides were released on Mermaid Records(a division of Sinclair Record Corp..) in late June 1961. The record received no promotion and was aired by DJ Slim Rose on his Time Square radio show heard only in the New York area. "The Excellents" signature song, "Coney Island Baby" was arranged at the time thought to be the flipside of their next release.

They had already planned on their own uptempo cover of "The Cleftones" smash hit "You Baby You" to be the 'A' side. "You Baby You" and "Coney Island Baby" were recorded in February 1962 for Blast Records (a division of Sinclair Record Corp.) and released in April 1962.

Denis Kestenbaum,George Kuse, John Kuse, Joel Feldman, Phil Sanchez and Chuck Epstein.

Sinclair Records started promoting "Coney Island Baby" and, it won DJ, Murray the K's 'Boss Record of the Week' contest. With prominent local concerts and a rising reputation, the Excellents looked set for a promising career until record business skulduggery intervened. Booked for an appearance on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand television programme, their record company refused to pay their travelling fees.

The Ultimates

When they learned that the group simply could not afford to travel to Philadelphia, the label instead sent a Brooklyn group, The Ultimates ( Envoy Records )who recorded "I Hear a Rhapsody" / "Why Did You Laugh"under the name of the Excellents .

Justifiably devastated at this turn of events, the Excellents never recorded again. In 1964, Bobby Miller, owner of Bobby and Oldtimer Record Labels, purchased and released demos "Sunday Kind of Love" and "Helene" as the Excellons.
http://www.JohnKuseandTheExcellents.com

Songs :

The Excellents (1)


Love No One But You           When The Red Red Robin...        Coney Island Baby


You Baby You                           Geraldine                           Lorraine


She's Not Coming Home      Biggest Mistake of My Life

The Excellons

Sunday Kind of Love / Helene...