Frank Zappa often complained by the Eighties that he found it difficult to find musicians who were familiar with the Doo-Wop and R&B records of the Fifties.
So his love of that music could not be featured in his later concerts as much as he would like.
Frank would occasionally mention that he had a sizable collection of 45s from the Fifties.
I now encounter young people who never even heard of this music, not even from their parents.
When I lived in New York City between 1993 and 2008, I would listen to WFUV, broadcasting from Fordham University in the Bronx, almost every Saturday night between midnight and 2am, and record Dan Romanello’s “GROUP HARMONY REVIEW”.
Romanello was one of the most knowledgeable DJs of the music from the Fifties and early Sixties in the world.
https://wfuv.org/content/thank-you-dan
https://wfuv.org/users/dan-romanello
We have now made 45 of his shows available – that’s approximately 90 hours of this incredible music!!!
His commentary throughout the shows is exemplary for its scholarship, including interviews with many of the musicians, who performed in those years on the street corners, since so many of them were still living in the New York City area.
This collection may not interest all Zappa enthusiasts but we are making it available to those who already enjoy this music as well as those who have never experienced it before. Frank showed me this collection occasionally and we would often listen to a few records.
Bob Dobbs
Tracks in episode:
0:00:00 – Cool Change – The Streets of the Bronx
0:03:00 – ?
0:03:15 – The Twilighters – Little Did I Dream
0:08:57 – The Chi-Lites – Have You Seen Her
0:14:57 – The Impressions – I’m So Proud
0:17:57 – The Mad Lads – I Want a Girl
0:23:00 – The Softones – Can’t Help Falling in Love
0:28:20 – The Larks – Whats The Matter
0:31:09 – The Flamingos – A Kiss From Your Lips
0:38:30 – The Skyliners – Lonely Way
0:40:27 – The Consorts – Time After Time
0:44:40 – The Dells – Darling I Know
0:47:50 – The El Rays – Christine
0:53:00 – The Valentines – Tonight Kathleen
0:56:00 – The Valentines – Hand Me Down Love
1:01:14 – The Olympics – Western Movies
1:03:40 – The Bonnevilles – Lorraine
1:06:10 – ?
1:08:20 – The Avalons – Chains Around My Heart
1:11:02 – The Cardinals – Shouldn’t I Know
1:17:55 – The Martells – Forgotten Spring
1:20:14 – Clyde McPhatter – Treasure of Love
1:22:28 – Clyde McPhatter – When You’re Sincere
1:25:13 – Bobby Day – Little Turtle Dove
1:27:38 – Johnny Ace – You Said You Loved Me
1:30:33 – Bobby Freeman – You Don’t Understand
1:35:55 – The Four Tunes – Old Fashioned Love
1:39:05 – The Four Tunes – You’re Heartless
1:41:57 – Sputniks – Johnny’s Little Lamb
1:44:43 – The Platters – My Prayer
1:47:10 – The Billy Dawn Quartet – You Will Always Find Me True
1:49:30 – The Rogues – If You Love Me
1:54:39 – Hank Ballard – Moon Rise
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