The Jacks/The Cadets

You have to go to Marv's Jacks-Cadets Page for the full story, but here is the lowdown, as promised.

They signed with the Bihari Brothers' Modern Records in April 1955 and their first single (as the Cadets) was Don't Be Angry. A cover of Nappy Brown's Savoy hit. You know the one ... L'L L'L L'L L'L L'L L'L Don'ta Be Angry ...

Almost straight away a group called The Feathers released a song called Why Don't You Write Me and Joe Bihari got that feeling in his back pocket. He brought The Cadets in to record it and sneaked it past the Music Press by releasing it under the name The Jacks on brother Saul's RPM label. It's a great record and blew The Feathers away (groan), reaching number 3 in the R'n'B charts.

The two groups continued rack up hits, but will always be remembered in R'n'R history books for covering The Jayhawks' Stranded In The Jungle where (thanks to Dub Jones and Prentice Moreland) they sounded more like a Coasters record than anybody before or since. This record lifted them up into the Pop charts and kept them touring all year, including a week long residency at the New York Apollo Theatre.

Prentice Moreland just happened to be in the studio that day, and only released two singles himself (according to Marv, who ought to know). Does anyone know anything else about him (he asked lazily)?

In 1957 Modern started releasing LPs and of course there were two by our heroes. Today's tracks are from the Jacks' "Jumpin With The Jacks" (and mine is the $1.98 Crown version, apparently released a few weeks later, at that). Oo Wee Baby from that LP was also released as Fine Lookin Baby - The Cadets 2nd single.

When the group (and the label) broke up in late '57 Aaron Collins joined The Flairs/Flares and Dub Jones went where he belonged, joining The Coasters in time to record Yakety Yak and Three Cool Cats.



Let's Make Up MP3

Why Don't You Write Me MP3

Oo Wee Baby MP3