Dave Baby Cortez • Organ Shindig

 

Born David Cortez Clowney, 13 August 1938, Detroit, Michigan

Pianist / organist / vocalist / songwriter.

Nowadays, Dave "Baby" Cortez (Clowney) is almost solely remembered for his # 1 record "The Happy Organ" (1959), but he had a long and, at times, successful recording career both before and after this hit. Growing up in Detroit, Dave showed musical aptitude at an early age and was guided toward the piano by his father, who also played the instrument. His musical career took off when he joined the Five Pearls in 1954 as second tenor and pianist, and he moved with them to New York the next year. The group, which became better known as the Pearls, recorded for Aladdin, Atco and Onyx. Clowney then had a short tenure with the group The Valentines, led by Richard Barrett, and recorded two singles with them for Rama. In the autumn of 1956 he recorded two piano instrumentals, "Movin' 'n' Groovin'" and "Soft Lights" (Ember 1010), which were credited to The David Clowney Band and got a good review in Billboard. This was followed by another great unknown R&B instrumental single, "Hoot Owl"/"Shakin'" (Paris 513) in early 1958, with King Curtis on tenor sax, Jimmy Spruill on guitar and Dave himself on pounding piano. A few months later, he cut a Little Richard-styled vocal single, "Honey Baby" and "You Give Me Heebie Jeebies" (Okeh 7102) as Baby Cortez. None of these records registered, good was they were. Meanwhile he did work as a session musician behind such artists as The Chantels, The Isley Brothers, The Aquatones ("She's the One For Me") and Little Anthony and the Imperials.

In 1958, his previous association with Ember Records brought Dave to Clock Records, a brand new label, which was run by veteran English-born EMI record man Wally Moody and his son Doug, and initially distributed by Ember. Now billed as Dave "Baby" Cortez, the young pianist/singer had his first Clock single released in August 1958, "You're the Girl"/"Eenie Meeny Miny Mo", which did nothing at all. But then came "The Happy Organ".

It was a Saturday morning in the fall of 1958 at Allegro Recording Studio in the basement of 1650 Broadway in New York City. Dave was supposed to cut a few vocal numbers, but he lost his voice during the session and said, "Let me try an instrumental". They had a huge Hammond B-3 organ in the corner, and though Dave had never played the organ before, he started doing a tune based on "Shortnin' Bread". The backing musicians (who included Jimmy Spruill on guitar, Buddy Lucas on sax and Panama Francis on drums) started picking up the rhythm. The end of the take was rough, it went on and on and was full of wrong notes, reason why it was faded out on the record after 1:58. The resulting single was called "The Happy Organ", a # 1 pop smash in the spring of 1959 (also # 5 R&B). It did much to popularise the Hammond organ amongst the huge teen market and soon Johnny and the Hurricanes and Bill Black's Combo would score chart hits with organ-led instrumentals.

The follow-up, "The Whistling Organ" was a poor record by comparison and went only to # 61. No further hits on Clock followed, despite strong 45s such as "Piano Shuffle", "Cat Nip" and "Dave's Special". After Clock's distribution deal with Ember ended, RCA Victor stepped in and the album "Dave 'Baby' Cortez And His Happy Organ" came out on RCA in September 1959. Clock later issued the LP on its own label, but not before RCA sold thousands of copies. In 1962, Dave was back in the Top 10 with "Rinky Dink" on Chess (picked up from Julia Records, which was probably Dave's own label), followed by some minor hits on Chess. The mid-sixties saw him recording for the Roulette label and, keeping in tune with the times, Cortez soon moved into funky soul music. In 1973, he had his last chart entry with "Someone Has Taken Your Place" on All Platinum (# 45 R&B). His final single was also released in that year, "Hell Street Junction", which was an imitation of Sly and the Family Stone's "Life". By the 1980s he had turned his back on the music business and was living in Jamaica, New York, with a day-time job. Since then he has always refused to be interviewed about his career as a musician.

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David David Cortez Clowney, 13 de agosto de 1938, Detroit, Michigan

Pianist / organist / vocalist / compositor.

(1959), pero he tenido un largo y, a la vez, exitosa grabación de carrera antes y después de este éxito. Y en el caso de que se trate de una película de ficción. En el año 1954 el segundo tenor y pianist, y fue movido con ellos a Nueva York el próximo año. El grupo, que se conoce mejor a los Pearls, fue escrito para Aladdin, Atco y Onyx. Y en el caso de que se trate de una película de ficción. En el otoño de 1956 he grabado dos instrumentos instrumentales, "Movin '' n 'Groovin'" y "Soft Lights" (Ember 1010), que fueron creativos para The David Clowney Band y tuvieron una buena revisión en Billboard. Esto fue seguido por otro gran R & B desconocida decisivo sencillo, "búho de pitido" / "Shakin '" (París 513) a principios de 1958, con el Rey Curtis en el saxofón tenor, Jimmy Spruill en la guitarra y el propio David en golpear el piano. A los pocos meses, he escogido a Little Richard-styled vocal single, "Honey Baby" y "You Give Me Heebie Jeebies" (Okeh 7102) las Baby Cortez. Ninguno de estos registros registrados. Mientras tanto, él hizo el trabajo como músico de sesión detrás de estos artistas los Las Chantels, los Isley Brothers, El Aquatones ( "Ella es única para mí") y Little Anthony y los imperiales.

En 1958, su anterior asociación con Ember Records produjo a Dave to Clock Records, la marca de nueva etiqueta, que fue ejecutada por veterano English-born EMI record man Wally Moody y su son Doug, y se distribuyó por Ember. , Que se estrenará en agosto de 1958, "You're the Girl" / "Eenie Meeny Miny Mo", que did nada at all. A continuación, le llevaron "The Happy Organ.".

En el centro de la ciudad de Nueva York, en el centro de la ciudad de Nueva York. "Dave fue supuestamente a cortar unos cuantos números de voz, pero he perdido su voz durante la sesión y dijo," me he intentado un instrumental ". En el caso de que no se le ocurrió a la lista de los miembros de la banda, Los músicos de apoyo (que incluye a Jimmy Spruill en la guitarra, Buddy Lucas en el saxofón y Panamá Francis en la batería) comenzaron a recoger el ritmo. El final de la toma fue grande, que se encendió y se trataba de las notas erróneas, debido a que fue cargado en el registro después de las 1:58. El único single fue llamado "The Happy Organ", el # 1 pop smash en la primavera de 1959 (también # 5 R & B). En el caso de que se trate de una de las más grandes de la historia,

El seguimiento, "The Whistling Organismo" fue un pobre record por comparación y sólo fue para el 61. En los últimos hits en el reloj seguido, a pesar de los 45s como "Piano Shuffle", "Cat Nip" y "Dave's Special". En el caso de que se produzca un cambio en la calidad de vida de la población, el número de personas que viven en el país, de copias. En 1962, Dave fue back en el Top 10 con "Rinky Dink" en Chess (recogido desde Julia Records, que era probablemente Dave's own label), seguido por algunos minoristas en Chess. La mitad de los seis años de edad se grabó para la etiqueta de la ruleta y, manteniendo en consonancia con los tiempos, cortez pronto movido en funky soul music. En 1973, he had his last chart entry con "Someone Has Taken Your Place" en All Platinum (# 45 R & B). Su último single también fue lanzado en ese año, "Hell Street Junction", que fue una imitación de Sly y la familia de los Stone's "Life". En la década de los 80, en la década de los ochenta, en los últimos años, Por cierto, he hablado siempre de ser entrevistado sobre su carrera a la musician.

A1 Shake 2:30
A2 Watermelon Man 2:05
A3 The Boy From New York City 2:32
A4 Can't Buy Me Love 2:15
A5 How Sweet It Is 2:25
A6 Twine Time 2:25
B1 Stagger Lee 2:15
B2 Yeh, Yeh 2:26
B3 Searchin' 2:30
B4 Come See About Me 2:23
B5 Where Did Our Love Go 2:35
B6 Paper Tiger 2:25

Dave "Baby" Cortez Organ Shindig
Étiquette:Roulette Records SR 25298
Released:1965
Genre:Funk / Soul, Jazz
Style:Soul-Jazz, Rhythm & Blues, Soul

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