Rhythm 'n' Blues, Rock 'n' Roll and Vocal Group THE CADETS [aka The Jacks]
And Their Rare 1957 US Debut LP on Crown Records in Mono
Best Audio Available in Two Ace Records CD Compilations from 1994 and 1995
"...Hands Across The Table..."
Some reissue LPs stay with you and you love them to distraction -
Rockstar's 1985 Eddie Cochran Compilation "Portrait Of A Legend"
(with Stereo Takes), Big Joe Turner's "Rhythm & Blues Years"
double album on Atlantic from 1986 and this cracker from Ace Records of the UK
covering two great R 'n' B Vocal Groups from the mid Fifties...The Cadets and
The Jacks...
It was first issued as a 16-track VINYL LP in the UK called
"The Cadets Meet The Jacks" on Ace Records CH 196 in January 1987.
The September 1994 UK-released CD upgrade called "The Cadets Meet The
Jacks: Stranded In The Jungle" on Ace Records CDCHD 523 (Barcode
029667153423) expands that initial count of 16 and adds 9 more to make it 25
tracks in all (65:22 minutes total playing time). The CD also replaces Ted
Carroll's liner notes with those of Chicago Rhythm 'n' Blues expert JIM DAWSON.
Although THE CADETS released 14 singles and THE JACKS managed 6 on
Modern - each of these intertwined R 'n' B Vocal Group incarnations charted big
just once. THE JACKS got there first in July 1955 with "Why Don't You
Write Me?" on RPM Records 428 - while THE CADETS made it with the novelty
hit "Stranded In The Jungle" on Modern 944 in July 1956 (itself a cover
of a JAYHAWKS song on Flash Records 109 also in 1956).
This first volume CD concentrates mainly on THE CADETS between
1955 and 1957 and along with a second Ace CD compilation called "The Jacks
Meet The Cadets Vol.2: Why Don't You Write Me?" released on CD in May 1995
(CDCHD 535) will allow fans to sequence all of their singles on Modern as
follows:
SINGLES:
[7/1] = Track number 7 on Volume 1 while [7/2] = Track 7 on Volume
2
(You will need both CDs):
1. Don't Be Angry [7/1] b/w I Cried [7/2] (Modern 956, April
1955)
2. Rollin' Stone [6/1] b/w Fine Lookin' Baby [10/2] (Modern 960,
June 1955)
3. I Cried [7/2] b/w Fine Lookin' Baby [10/2] (Modern 963, July
1955)
4. Annie Met Henry [5/1] b/w So Will I [24/2] (Modern 969, 1955)
5. Do You Wanna Rock [4/2] b/w If It Is Wrong [15/2] (Modern 971,
November 1955)
6. Heartbreak Hotel [18/1] b/w Church Bells May Ring [15/1]
(Modern 985, February 1956)
7. Stranded In The Jungle [1/1] b/w I Want You [19/2] (Modern 994,
June 1956)
8. I Got Loaded [22/1] b/w Dancin' Dan [22/2] (Modern 1000,
September 1956)
9. I'll Be Spinning [23/1] b/w Fools Rush In [3/1] (Modern 1006,
Nov 1956)
10. Love Bandit [13/1] b/w Heaven Help Me [3/2] (Modern 1012,
December 1956)
11. Wiggle Waggle Woo [12/2] b/w You Belong To Me [20/2] (Modern
1017, 1957)
12. Pretty Evey [10/1] b/w Rum, Jamaica Rum [20/1] (Modern 1019,
May 1957, credited as Aaron Collins & The Cadets)
13. Hands Across The Table [8/1] b/w Love Can Do Most Anything
[11/1] (Modern 1024, August 1957 credited as Will Jones & The Cadets)
14. Ring Chimes [17/1] b/w Baby Ya Know [12/1] (Modern 1026,
December 1957)
This CD has 4 PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED - Tracks 5, 14, 19 are
'Alternate Takes' of Annie Met Henry, Why Did I Fall In Love and Dancin' Dan -
while Track 25 is an 'Undubbed Version' of Stranded In The Jungle (without the
overdubbed Jungle sounds). The much-revered LITTLE WALTER DE VENNE researched
and compiled the set and the hugely informative 12-page booklet by JIM DAWSON
gives a virtual track-by-track history - even reproducing tiny Cashbox Adverts
in between the text. But the big news (as it was with the LP) is the stunning
audio quality. The greatly missed 'BOPPIN' BOB JONES mastered the tracks
initially for the 1987 LP - whilst this set boasts 1994 Post Production work
done by DAVID YOUNG at Sound Mastering in London. The sonic clarity is fabulous
- clear, full of life, great presence and sounding like they were recorded
yesterday and not a half-a-century ago.
The handsome quartet on the cover shot (from left to right) are
Will "Dub" Jones, Willie Davis, Thomas "Pete" Fox and Aaron
Collins. Sporting two world-class frontmen - Will Jones had the most
extraordinary low-low-low Bass voice while Aaron Collins was the other Lead
Tenor (he also co-wrote "Car Crash" and "Don't"). Collins
and Jones handled the leads on The Cadets sides while Tenor Willie Davis
fronted The Jacks. Not featured on the glorious album cover are the other three
integral parts of the group - Ted Taylor (Tenor), Glendon Kingsby (who left to
pursue Gospel) and Lloyd McCraw (Baritone).
The Cadets specialized in doing cover versions of other people's
hits. Their debut single is a version of Nappy Brown's "Don't Be
Angry", "Do You Wanna Rock" is a re-working of Clyde McPhatter
& The Drifter's Atlantic hit "Whatcha Gonna Do" and they even had
an unsuccessful stab at Elvis Presley on the A and The Willows on the B for
Modern 985 in the heat of Rock 'n' Roll in February 1956. Whilst this almost
total reliance on covers doesn't sound promising - one of the reasons I love
these CD compilations so much is that their versions are actually ace in my
books.
The group could effortlessly switch between Slow Vocal Group
Crooner tunes and outright Rocking R'n'B - having the lead tenor vocalists able
to slay both. I adore "Hands Across The Table" (a song stretching all
they way back to 1934) with Dub Jones' voice literally startling the neighbours
- while the Johnny Mercer/Glenn Miller perennial "Fools Rush In" is
gorgeous. They take the wonderful crossover hit "Sixty Minute Man" by
Billy Ward & The Dominoes and turn it into an equally cool dancer -
"Dancin' Dan". And the drinking song "I Got Loaded" made it
onto many of my Shop Play CDs when I was at Reckless.
ALBUM:
Crown also issued a lone 12-Track
Mono CADETS LP in 1957 called "Rockin' N' Reelin' With The Cadets" on
Crown Records CLP 5015 – a sought after Rhythm and Blues dancing rarity.
Like the singles, with nine track on Volume 1 and three tracks on Volume 2 (the
last of which is technically The Jacks – Smack Dab), again you will need both CDs to sequence all of it as
follows:
Side 1
1. Stranded In The Jungle [1/1]
2. I Want You [19/2]
3. So Will I [19/2]
4. I'll Be Spinning [24/1]
5. Fools Rush In [3/1]
6. Annie Met Henry [5/1]
Side 2
1. Heartbreak Hotel
[18/1]
2. Dancin' Dan [22/2]
3. Church Bells May Ring
[15/1]
4. I Got Loaded [22/1]
5. Rollin' Stone [6/1]
6. Smack Dab In The
Middle [9/1]
Ted Taylor enjoyed a great solo career - both Collins and Davis
would join The Flairs in 1961 - while Betty and Rosie Collins (his sisters)
recorded as The Teen Queens. Will "Dub" Jones later went with The
Coasters as their Bass Vocalist - staying with them for over 10 years.
Cool, classy and crack-a-lackin' - I love these CADETS and JACKS
CDs and I urge you to do the finger-clickin' same...
