Here are a couple of dozen tracks, almost wholly instrumental, by the band that gave Legrand Records, and particularly Gary U.S. Bonds and Jimmy Soul, its house sound in the early '60s. The Church Street Five, however, were more valuable as the bedrock of a sound than as a band playing on their own. They play happy, even merry, gritty sax-driven rockers that stick to predictable early-'60s chord changes and melodies. That makes this another in an army of single-artist instrumental rock comps that get boring for non-fanatics of the genre. Although the CD is billed to the Church Street Five, only two tracks (their two-part debut single "A Night with Daddy "G"") were actually released as simply by the Church Street Five. The others were usually credited to Daddy "G" & the Church Street Five, Daddy "G" being tenor saxophonist Gene Barge. There are also songs credited to King Coney & the Hot Dogs, "Baby" Earl & the Trini-Dads, Earl Swanson Plus Six, and the South Street Six, although the liner notes do not explain who was in those groups. Presumably, these were all or part of the Church Street Five playing under different names; certainly "Baby" Earl is probably tenor saxophonist Earl Swanson, who played in the Church Street Five. At any rate, the sound is pretty consistent throughout, although the "Baby" Earl tracks have an unusual (for 1964) ska influence, and there's actually a vocal on "Sing a Song Children." Certainly the most historically valuable item is "A Night with Daddy "G"," as its structure was expanded and changed, with the addition of lyrics, into Gary U.S. Bonds' "Quarter to Three." A few of these tracks were previously unreleased, and a few others didn't make their appearance on disc until the 1980s and 1990s, although all were recorded in the 1960s. ~ Richie Unterberger
The Church Streetm Band Is The House Band That Provides The Explosive Backing To All Those Classic Gary Us Bonds Hits On The Legrand Label. Featured Here With A Set Of Their Own Red Hot R&B Instrumentals.
Additional personnel includes: Daddy G, King Coney & The Hot Dogs, Baby Earl & The Trinidads, Earl Swanson Plus Six, Nab Shields, South Street Six & The Rhondels.
Includes liner notes by Brian Walsh.
The Church Street Five includes: Gene Barge (saxophone).
Church Street Five - A Night With Daddy G Album Track Listing
Trk
Song
1
Night With Daddy "G", Pt. 1
2
Night With Daddy "G", Pt. 2
3
Norfolk Country USA (Country)
4
Fallen Arches
5
I'll Be Home Next Year
6
Everybody's Happy
7
Ten, Two and Four
8
Church Street Walk
9
Back Slop
10
It's a Dream Groove
11
When I'm With You
12
Look Alive
13
Hey Now
14
D.C. Shuffle
15
Frankie's Serenade
16
Everybody Do the Ska
17
Daddy "G" Rides Again
18
Ba-Pa-Da
19
Church Street Battle
20
Monkey USA
21
Tiger Rock, Pt. 2
22
Back Slap
23
Sing a Song Children
24
Take Me to Virginia Beach
A Night With Daddy G Music Review
Customer A Night With Daddy G Reviews
Average Rating: (5 out of 5 stars)
Great CD I grow up in Norfolk about a few Blocks from Frank Guida's Studio on Church Street. I remember the Wonderful Sounds coming from his Record Store. Later I became a Musician, met and played with some of these Guys.
What a great Album about an Exciting sound, during the Late Fiftie's into the Sixties. Submitted by tfoy (Richmond VA) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Have you heard this album?
Purchase A Night With Daddy G CD
Customers Who Buy A Night With Daddy G CD Purchase:
Share this Product