Fusion 45

Atlantic Recording Studios, New York City

The breadth of influence Atlantic Studios has had during the years since it was founded in the late 1940’s carries enough weight to warrant an entire book. Originally located at 234 West 56th, above Patsy’s Restaurant, it was the place where Ray Charles cut What’d I Say and Big Joe Turner made history with Shake Rattle and Roll. It was the place where, after hours, performers would simply ‘drop in,’ push back the furniture and start making recordings, often under the eye of the future rock and roll legend, Tom Dowd.

In the 1958, Atlantic was one of two studios in the country to have an eight-track recorder, a machine that wasn’t commercially available for another 10 years. Though independent producers became more instrumental during the 1960’s, tons of hits kept pouring from Atlantic all through the 1970’s.

Having moved about many times over the years, Atlantic is still in operation (as Atlantic Sound, Inc.) at 15 West 45th.

Big Joe Turner - Shake, Rattle And Roll

Ray Charles - What’d I Say

Bobby Darin - Splish Splash

Foreigner - Urgent

Four Seasons - Dawn (Go Away) Oopsie Daisy: Looks like Dawn went away a little too soon. Will try to fix it ASAP. MJ. 11/1/08)

Roberta Flack - The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

Artwork: Hot Jazz Jive by Julie Borden

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?

According to All Music Guide, this original version of Silence Is Golden from the 4 Seasons album Born To Wander was a hit, saying “these [pop-rock tunes] actually are the best songs on the record: the hit “Silence Is Golden,” for instance, and “No Surfin’ Today,” which owes more to the Beach Boys’ ballads than it does to the Weavers”.

But, according the place where the hits go to live (and die) — Billboard magazine — it wasn’t a hit until the Tremeloes did a better version in 1967. Either way, this is another little slice of pop rock cheesecake from those famous songwriting Bobs (Gaudio and Crewe) who made barrel loads with the Seasons and so many others.

This version, which is on the flip side of the Philips release of Rag Doll (PHW-32690) must be a reissue, since Rag Doll and Silence Is Golden appeared on different albums. Another curiosity: it’s credited to “the 4 Seasons featuring The “Sound” Of Frankie Valli,” likely because Valli was also pursuing a solo career at the time.

The 4 Seasons - Silence Is Golden

Born in suburban Chicago in 1966 as Gary and The Nite-Lites, the American Breed were best known for their 1968 Top 10 single, Bend Me, Shape Me. Written by Scott English and Larry Weiss (who later wrote Rhinestone Cowboy), Bend Me was actually a new version of the song, originally released by the Outsiders the year before. It was also a hit for a UK band called Amen Corner, famous for having been the temporary home of Brit session boffin Andy Fairweather-Low.

On the flipside of Bend Me is this little nugget, a c’mon-get-happy number with lots of sunny vocals and happy horns, sounding a little like The First Edition combined with the Partridge Family and a touch of the Four Seasons. Arguably as fun as Bend Me, this tune is now out of print, though you can find the vinyl all over the internet (including Amazon).

American Breed - Mindrocker

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