Ack, I didn't intend for it to be so long between posts again. Sorry it worked out that way. I hope that everyone's week has gone well. Today, I have four more records from my trip to St. Louis that are all getting spun on a regular basis.
Freddy Cannon - "Everybody Monkey" Freddy Cannon recorded a slew of 45's for the Swan label between 1959 and 1964. He hit it big with "Tallahassee Lassie", "Way Down Yonder In New Orleans" and "Palisades Park", all top 10 smashes. "Everybody Monkey" is one of his later releases for the imprint, from the summer of '63. As you might expect, it's an upbeat dance number, using The Marathons' "Peanut Butter" as a blueprint. Here, the word "monkey" is repeated about 100 times, while Freddy tells us that he can do the step. Heck, everyone can do it, hence the title. There's some cool organ work and a nice sax break. Just when you think the tune is over, he yells "one more time" and you're treated to another verse. A good, fun disc.
Garnell Cooper & the Kinfolks - "Green Monkey"/"Long Distance" Continuing with our monkey theme, here we have a nice, medium tempo instrumental that reminds me of "Green Onions". I guess that's why the title is "Green Monkey". Bass guitar is a prominent feature, along with some honkin' sax and a lead guitar gets it's chance to jump up front about half-way through. There's also an organ but it stays in the background. It's a nice groover. "Long Distance" might be even better. The tempo is similar and the bass is even heavier, almost overdriven. The sax and guitar are back, both getting some time up front. This time, the Hammond B3 makes a surprise entry and gets equal time. Hooray!
Little Walter - "Diggin' My Potatoes"/"Shake Dancer" Another twin spin here, with both sides in regular rotation. "Diggin' My Potatoes" is a vocal number that starts with an elongated guitar intro. The tune is upbeat and in the blues tradition, the vocal slurred and sometimes shouted. There's a guitar break and the whole thing is a great one to dance to. "Shake Dancer" is an instrumental, with lots of good guitar, plenty of harmonica and a strong beat. It's taken a bit slower but, as the title implies, is still a good mover. Nice record and highly recommended, especially if the price is right.
Jim Doval and the Gauchos - "Love Me (1) More Time" I'd been hoping to run across a Jim Doval single for ages. His records don't seem to appear that often, so I snapped up this one when given the chance. Not sure of the year here, probably 1963 or '64. "Love Me (1) More Time" has a call and response gospel feel, with female backing vocals. It's predominately a frat rocker, with horns, guitar, a tad of organ and added crowd noises. The flipside is part two and more of the same. I can see this being a crowd pleaser at some keg party. Now if I can only find a few more of the Gauchos' records to add to my collection.
Freddy Cannon - "Everybody Monkey" Freddy Cannon recorded a slew of 45's for the Swan label between 1959 and 1964. He hit it big with "Tallahassee Lassie", "Way Down Yonder In New Orleans" and "Palisades Park", all top 10 smashes. "Everybody Monkey" is one of his later releases for the imprint, from the summer of '63. As you might expect, it's an upbeat dance number, using The Marathons' "Peanut Butter" as a blueprint. Here, the word "monkey" is repeated about 100 times, while Freddy tells us that he can do the step. Heck, everyone can do it, hence the title. There's some cool organ work and a nice sax break. Just when you think the tune is over, he yells "one more time" and you're treated to another verse. A good, fun disc.
Garnell Cooper & the Kinfolks - "Green Monkey"/"Long Distance" Continuing with our monkey theme, here we have a nice, medium tempo instrumental that reminds me of "Green Onions". I guess that's why the title is "Green Monkey". Bass guitar is a prominent feature, along with some honkin' sax and a lead guitar gets it's chance to jump up front about half-way through. There's also an organ but it stays in the background. It's a nice groover. "Long Distance" might be even better. The tempo is similar and the bass is even heavier, almost overdriven. The sax and guitar are back, both getting some time up front. This time, the Hammond B3 makes a surprise entry and gets equal time. Hooray!
Little Walter - "Diggin' My Potatoes"/"Shake Dancer" Another twin spin here, with both sides in regular rotation. "Diggin' My Potatoes" is a vocal number that starts with an elongated guitar intro. The tune is upbeat and in the blues tradition, the vocal slurred and sometimes shouted. There's a guitar break and the whole thing is a great one to dance to. "Shake Dancer" is an instrumental, with lots of good guitar, plenty of harmonica and a strong beat. It's taken a bit slower but, as the title implies, is still a good mover. Nice record and highly recommended, especially if the price is right.
Jim Doval and the Gauchos - "Love Me (1) More Time" I'd been hoping to run across a Jim Doval single for ages. His records don't seem to appear that often, so I snapped up this one when given the chance. Not sure of the year here, probably 1963 or '64. "Love Me (1) More Time" has a call and response gospel feel, with female backing vocals. It's predominately a frat rocker, with horns, guitar, a tad of organ and added crowd noises. The flipside is part two and more of the same. I can see this being a crowd pleaser at some keg party. Now if I can only find a few more of the Gauchos' records to add to my collection.
6 comments:
Todd.
I was the engineer on "Love Me One More Time" by Jim Doval and the Gauchos. Formally known as Jay and the Gents, Jimmy Sandoval was his actual name. The record was recorded at Gold Bell Recording in Visalia, California in late 1962. The band was appearing at The Crow's Nest in Visalia. This was their second single for Dot Records, their first was "Good and Bad" (also recorded at Gold Bell earlier that year). The only band member I can remember is Marty Murillo (spelling?), we took music classes together at College of the Sequoias in Visalia in 1962/63. I was 17 at the time. This was the first chart (#88 I think) record I engineered. It was recorded on an Ampex 254 stereo tape recorder. This was in 1962, stereo was just beginning. I recorded the original track in mono on the left channel and "ping-ponged" it with the overdubbed vocal to the right channel, resulting in the finished product.
Could you please send me a mp3 of the record? I will name my first born after you.
Stan Agol stannats@hotmail.com
Stan, thanks for taking the time to comment. Great info on the Jim Doval record.
I ACTUALLY WORKED FOR JIM, AS ONE OF HIS "GAUCHOS"! I PLAYED BASS IN HIS GROUP IN 1969 ALONG WITH FRESNO "SAX-MONSTER" BOBBY LOPEZ (HIS BROTHER, "AL", WAS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL "GAUCHOS"). TOO BAD JIMMY DOESN'T HAVE A WEB SITE...I'D LIKE TO REACH HIM. JIM DOVAL IS ONE OF THE LAST ENTERTAINMENT "PIONEERS"; IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO CATCH A SHOW SIMILAR TO HIS, YOU'LL HAVE TO GO TO LAS VEGAS. JIM DOVAL WAS JUST TOO MUCH AHEAD OF HIS TIME AND SO (OTHER THAN THE "SHINDIG" TOUR) WAS NEVER GIVEN THE EXPOSURE AND LUCRATIVE RECORDING DEALS AFFORDED TO "NON-LATINOS"; THE SAD THING IS THAT AFTER THE 1960'S, THE "TRUE", GOOD-LOOKING ENTERTAINERS ALL BUT DISAPPEARED. TAKE NAT KING COLE AND CROSS HIM WITH WAYNE NEWTON AND JUILIO IGELESIAS...AND YOU'VE GOT JIM DOVAL. AS FAR AS THE ORIGINAL "GAUCHOS"...WELL, THEY WERE A "FLUKE" TO BEGIN WITH, BECAUSE YOU'D HAVE TO CROSS "PAUL REVERE AND THE 'RAIDERS'" WITH "EARTH, WIND, AND FIRE" TO DUPLICATE 'EM (TODAY?..THAT'D COST ABOUT $2 MILLION BUCKS, ALONE) THANX! FRANK "APACHE" CORRAL - STOCKTON, CA.
Hi - thought you'd like to know that despite the label credit Diggin' My Potatoes isn't actually by Little Walter at all. It's by Washboard Sam, who had recorded for Chess/Checker a good 10 years before this single was released. Why they put it out again under Walter's name is a mystery. Shake Dancer is Walter, but not (IMHO) one of his finest moments. It was also recorded a few years earlier.
Thanks to Frank, who's message I somehow missed before. Great to hear from one of the Gauchos.
Also thanks to annonymous for the info regarding the Little Walter single. "Diggin' My Potatoes" is a favorite. Interesting to find out that it's actually Washboard Sam.
Todd
Stan:
I took advance drum lessons from Marty Murillo in Visalia around 1966/67. We were at some music store where he taught lessons,and I remember going across the street and buying their album and he signed it for me. I had gone on to the College of the Sequoias in 1969 where I became friends with Tommy Johnston who founded the Doobie Brothers, and Steve Perry who later founded Journey. I can remember Tommy playing at the Crow's nest, as that was the place.In 1970 after I had moved away, I came into a club in Visalia named the Traders also on Mooney Blvd., and Marty was with his band. He let me sit in and play a few tunes. I thought the Gouchos we so cool and at the time of Shindig quite controversal as they all had these long ponytails. Their manager had a son that had a band in Tulare at that time and I remember being in a car and spotting Jim Doval walking down the street in a Goucho outfit with the Beatle boots, and his long hair wrapped in a bun at the back of his head. It was quite a sight for those days.
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