Fusion 45

While the Brill Building (at 1619 Broadway) is known worldwide as the place where 1960’s pop music was born (or least written down with pencil and paper), up the street at 1650 Broadway there was plenty of action to be found, as well. By some accounts, 1650 was more the epicenter of pop music than its famous cousin a few blocks south.

1650 was the location of Aldon Music, the music company founded by Don Kirschner and Al Nevins, the publishing home to many of the great “Brill Building” songwriters, including Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, Lieber and Stoller, Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield and Gerry Goffin and Carole King.

Also housed AT 1650 was Allegro Recording Studios, “a singles recording center for some of New York’s hottest independent songwriters” [Too Hot To Handle; Randy McNutt]. Jeff Katz and Jerry Kasenetz, whose Super K Productions turned out some serious sugar through the 1960’s, called Allegro home, as did Tommy James‘ main songwriters, Richie Cordell and  Bo Gentry.

But it wasn’t just the location that made Allegro popular. Technology-wise, it was the smooth echo you hear on Crystal Blue Persuasion, the roomy studios and the custom-made equipment designed by Allegro’s engineers that kept people coming back.

Though it’s a less than glamorous building today, it’s rich in history. Here’s Part One of a tasty research list of key tracks cut at Allegro before its demise in the 1970’s. On Abraham, Martin And John and Worst That Could Happen, especially, you can hear a trademark sound.

The Tradewinds - New York Is A Lonely Town
Dion - Abraham, Martin And John
Brooklyn Bridge - Worst That Could Happen
The Ohio Express - Yummy Yummy Yummy
The Ohio Express - Chewy Chewy
The Four Seasons - Rag Doll
Alive And Kickin’ - Tighter And Tighter
Tommy James And The Shondells - Crystal Blue Persuasion

BONUS ROUND: The singer of Yummy Yummy Yummy provided lead vocals for several other “bands” that recorded hit singles for Super K. Can you name one of the bands?