Zappa’s early influences: R&B – Doo-wop Vol. 33

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

0:00:00 – The Miracles – Ooo Baby Baby
0:05:42 – Nolan Strong & the Diablos – Since You’re Gone
0:08:50 – Nolan Strong & the Diablos – Whatcha Gonna Do
0:11:49 – Nolan Strong & the Diablos – A Teardrop From Heaven
0:14:25 – Nolan Strong & the Diablos – Be Mine
0:19:26 – Rivileers – A Thousand Stars
0:22:31 – Rivileers – Don’t Ever Leave Me
0:25:48 – Rivileers – Little Girl
0:28:50 – Nat King Cole (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons
0:32:13 – Rivileers – Hey Chiquita
0:39:17 – The Platters – I’ll Cry When You’re Gone
0:42:25 – Savannah Churchill – I Don’t Believe in Tomorrow
0:44:50 – The Ink Spots – Command Me
0:48:00 – The Four Knights – The Glory Of Love
0:51:10 – The Ink Spots – Ebb Tide
0:55:57 – The Halliquins – Confession of Love
1:00:36 – The Five Keys – Love My Loving
1:03:50 – Carmen Taylor – Freddie
1:07:53 – The Bon Aires – At Night
1:10:47 – Frankie Beverly & The Butlers – Loveable Girl
1:13:20 – The Castle Tones – We Met At A Dance
1:16:30 – Malcolm Dodds – Your Voice
1:23:12 – Gladys Knight – Every Beat of My Heart
1:25:10 – The Five Satins – Kiss Me
1:28:27 – The Scarlets Dear One
1:31:32 – The Vocaleers – Be True
1:36:45 – The Hamilton Sisters – Lonely Cabin
1:39:44 – The Cadets – I Want You
1:44:00 – The Capris – There’s a Moon Out Tonight
1:46:20 – The Vocaleers Love and Devotion
1:49:10 – The Vocaleers – The Night is Quiet
1:51:45 – The Capris – Where I Fell in Love
1:55:22 – The Heartbeats – One Million Years