TORE UP the Jefferson Beach Park Ballroom in The Motor City’s close suburb of St. Clair Shores, MI…
Jefferson Beach Dance Hall and Bath House on Lake St. Claire
Ever wonder how we got to be where we are now? This is the stuff our folks were listenin’ to! This blog is dedicated to my very goode friend’s dad, RALPH GOODE...
RALPH GOODE on the bass in Detroit in the 40s
who was playin’ these same venues back in the 1940’s…
Ya thought that Roth cat did the tune? Well he did, but Louis Prima did it first…
Did these cats swing or what!?!
To be honest, I don’t know if Keely Smith was on this date, but dig Louis & Keely rockin’—Oui’ Oui, WELL ALRIGHT!!!
Rock ‘n Roll?
Our folks were ROCKIN’ at the JEFFERSON BEACH BALLROOM!!!
WELL, ALMOST...
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May 19 1962 Hank Ballard (Born John Henry Kendricks in Detroit, Michigan November 18, 1927)
and the Midnighters play the sixth of fourteen nights at the Roundtable Club, New York City, USA and was supported by Dale Hawkins…
Assuredly The Midnighters did the classic: WORK WITH ME ANNIE…
Hank surely did HIS ORIGINAL:
THE TWIST
And, being the originator of the dance AND the song, he most likely asked the question:
DO YOU KNOW HOW TO TWIST(?)
Dale Hawkins
Dale was still getting’ mileage out of Suzie Q…
FOURTEEN NIGHTS
AT THE ROUNDTABLE CLUB
—PHEW!!!
THE USE OF ANY COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL IS USED UNDER THE GUIDELINES OF "FAIR USE" IN TITLE 17 & 107 OF THE UNITED STATES CODE. SUCH MATERIAL REMAINS THE COPYRIGHT OF THE ORIGINAL HOLDER AND IS USED HERE FOR THE PURPOSES OF EDUCATION, COMPARISON, AND CRITICISM ONLY. NO INFRINGEMENT OF COPYRIGHT IS INTENDED
January 14, 1955 The Five Pearls play the first of three nights at The Madison Ballroom, Detroit, Michigan.
The Five Pearls, from Detroit, consisted of Howard Guyton (lead), David Clowney (tenor), Derek Martin (tenor), George Torrence (baritone), and Coley Washington (bass). The Five Pearls was discovered at an Apollo Theatre talent contest by Eddie Mesner....
Trade Magazine Article (January 1955):
Aladdin's Leo Mesner hoping that his Five Pearls disking of "Please Let Me Know" has what it takes to break pop. Meanwhile the Aladdin group will appear at the Madison Ballroom, Detroit, from Jan. 14 to 16. While in Detroit the Pearls will make a guest TV appearance on Ed McKenzie's show....
The Mocambo was a nightclub in West Hollywood, California, at 8588 Sunset Boulevard on the Sunset Strip.
It was opened on January 3, 1941, and the Mocambo became an immediate success. $100,000 had been spent on the decor of the club with a Latin American theme. Along the walls were glass cages holding live cockatoos, macaws and other parrots. With big band music, the club became one of the most popular dance-till-dawn spots in town. On any given night, one might find the room filled with the leading men and women of the motion picture industry.
Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner
In 1943, when Frank Sinatra became a solo act,
he made his Los Angeles debut at Mocambo.
Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland
The mid 1950s saw Ella Fitzgerald become the first African-American to perform at the Mocambo, after Marilyn Monroe had lobbied the owner for the booking.
I owe Marilyn Monroe a real debt. It was because of her that I played theMocambo, a very popular nightclub (Ella Fitzgerald)
The booking was instrumental in Fitzgerald's career. The incident was turned into a play by Bonnie Greer in 2005.
Among the celebrities who frequented the much talked about Mocambo were Gable and Lombard, Bogart and Bacall…
Bogart and Bacall were regulars at The Macombo
Errol Flynn, Judy Garland, Janet Leigh and Louis B. Mayer. Myrna Loy and Arthur Hornblow celebrated their divorce there.
The club was featured on the TV series I Love Lucy, and Ricky Ricardo and his orchestra can still be seen there in reruns.
Desi Arnez a/k/a Ricky Ricardo
The Mocambo was also parodied mercilessly in a Bugs Bunny cartoon, Slick Hare.
According to a commentary track on the DVD with this cartoon, the man who came up with the visuals of the restaurant managed to get into the kitchen and drew the kitchen exactly as he saw it - complete with dripping grease on the refrigerator and vegetables lying around the ground!
Billy Ward And His Dominoes played at The Mocambo, Los Angeles on January 4, 1955
The Mocambo closed in 1959. The site is now a parking lot
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 РDecember 4, 1993) was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concr̬te works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed album covers. Zappa produced almost all of the more than 60 albums he released with the band The Mothers of Invention and as a solo artist.(Wikipedia)
As a kid, I was DJ’ing, mostly R&B, Blues, and Soul, as well as what was known as “The Pittsburgh Sound” when I moved from Pennsylvania to Detroit. That was 1966. One night I decided to quit racing up and down Woodward and caught a Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention show at the Motor City Roller Rink. The cat (Zappa) was up front putting down an incredibe show—and doing it through a megaphone! But, it was the music that knocked my Argyles off—I’ve been a dedicated Zappa fan ever since, and I miss the cat to the max…
Dig a few (a very few!) of my favorite Zappa tunes:
Frank Zappa was an incredible, talented, eclectic man. These few tunes are just a few of my favorites. Go to YouTube and search out the VAST body of work by Mr. Zappa--He produced and/or wrote and/or played on no less that 91 album releases in his short lifetime. R.I.P. Brother Frank Zappa--You da Man!!!
On December 4, 1993, 52-year-old Frank Zappa died of pancreatic cancer at his Los Angeles home, surrounded by his wife and children. At a private ceremony the following day, Zappa was interred in an unmarked grave at the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Westwood, Los Angeles. The next day, his family publicly announced: "Composer Frank Zappa left for his final tour just before 6:00 pm on Saturday".
THE USE OF ANY COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL IS USED UNDER THE GUIDELINES OF "FAIR USE" IN TITLE 17 & 107 OF THE UNITED STATES CODE. SUCH MATERIAL REMAINS THE COPYRIGHT OF THE ORIGINAL HOLDER AND IS USED HERE FOR THE PURPOSES OF EDUCATION, COMPARISON, AND CRITICISM ONLY. NO INFRINGEMENT OF COPYRIGHT IS INTENDED…
What Happened!?!? The years have gone by and the building is gone and replaced by, well, you can see for yourself. But THE ODYSSEY lives on in the hearts and minds of all who survived it (and, I can only imagine, by those who didn't...) ROCK ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In June 2011 my good friend Yvette Beausoleil sent me some old ODYSSEY photos which I forwarded to Kim "Retro Kimmer" Maki.: Retro Kimmer's ODYSSEY link
!
ODYSSEY ALUMNI (The Bands):
MICHAEL ERLEWINE
CARNAL KITCHEN
Steve Mackay (Sax) The Stooges, The Mojo Boogie
Band, The Moonlighters
*Steve Mackay (Sax) Billy C. & The Sunshine
*Robert Sheff (K) The Prime Movers
FLOATING OPERA Gary Munce (Bass), Artie Campbell (Drums)... \
WOLFGANG
Larry Mandeville (guitar, vox)
BLACK ENSEMBLE
I-94
Loughlan (Louck) Campbell Drums, Bob Webb bass, Pete Stanger guitar, and Bill Schostak keys. This was essentially the same touring band that backed up "Chairmen of the Board"--NOTE: Louck did not play drums in the touring band of Chairmen of the Board, that was KC Black (Thanks Dennis Allen for background info)
GEYDA
A fine rock+roll unit (my first rock band gig) Lead by FRANK LOWENBERG drums,ROBIN MILLER guitar, JOEL SHANKAR guitar, THAD JONES bass or JOHN something bass, MARCUS lead vocal, MARTIN SIMMONS on keys (Thanks to Martin Simmons for the background info and R.I.P. Brother)
MANCHILD
John "Ozzie" Nelson on keys,
THE RABBITS Martin Simmons and Company
SRC
Top Row: Glenn Quackenbush (Organ) & Scott Richardson (Vox)
Bottom Row: Richard Michael (bass),
E.G. Clawson (drums) and Gary Quackenbush (lead guitar)
Jim Tate on vox/guitar/harp, Bill Lynn on rhythm/lead guitar, Steve MacKay sax, Dough Stoughton on bass, Donnie Backus on keyboards, Jerry Myers, drums (J.C. Crawford was also a drummer with Mojo)
NEW HEAVENLY BLUE
Dave Mason, Steve Dudash, Peter Bonnisteel
Madcat Ruth, Chris Brubeck, Chris Brown
In the early 70's Peter Madcat Ruth moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan where he was a key presence in two of Ann Arbor's finest progressive rock bands: New Heavenly Blue and Sky King (http://www.madcatmusic.net/about.html)
Chris Brubeck, bass, trombone, piano, guitar and sings, composer; b. Los Angeles, CA, 19 March 1952. Chris attended High School at the Interlochen Arts Academy where he was in orchestra 2 hours a day,
Big Band Jazz rehearsals three times a week, Concert Band, Small Brass Ensembles and led various student rock-n-roll groups. During his days as a bass trombone performance major at The University of Michigan, Chris led, toured and recorded with his innovative "rock" bands, New Heavenly Blue (with releases on R.C.A. and Atlantic Records) and in 1975 Sky King on Columbia. (Encyclopedia of Jazz Musicians)
SKY KING Madcat Ruth (vox/HARP!), Rick Jacobi, Chris Brubeck
TNT
Flood's, Free Concerts and the ODYSSEY showcased a lot of the same bands...
WALRUS
Bill Etten (singer), Mike Mckelvey (guitar), and Jim Bowers (keys guy with the beard), Randy Tessier (bass) and Donnie Kuhli on drums...
LIGHTNIN' I
Mark Gougeon - bass, lead vocals, Jeff Jones - lead guitar,
Tim McCoy - keyboards, vocals, Dave Morgan - drums
Lightnin', as well as playing at THE ODYSSEY, toured extensively in the south and opened for Wet Willie, Guess Who, Black Oak Arkansas and so many others. BTW: Their 4 song EP sold for $60 recently! (Thanks for this info goesto Al Jaquez)
GUARDIAN ANGEL
Jeff Jones- lead guitar
AL Jacquez - lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Dave Morgan - drums
Scott Morgan - lead vocals, rhythm guitar, harmonica
Terry Trabandt - bass, vocalls
BOB ROSENTHAL BLUES BAND
Bob Rosenthal (harp & vox), George Bedard (lead)
BAD LUCK & TROUBLE
LUTHER ALLISON
WILLIE DIXON
CHIP STEVENS GROUP
The final lineup for THE Chip Stevens Group was Frank Leto vocals & percussion, Dave Leonhard guitars, Tom Berd piano, Clark Pardee drums and either Andy Brucker or Peter Persechino on bass.(Thanks Clark Pardee for info)
STONEFRONT
This was THE Detroit jam band of the 1970s. Heavily influenced by the California scene, they were fairly unique in the Motor City. Their home was the GAR WOOD MANSION (a whole story in itself!). With their nutty "road manager Stanley," they brought a lot of great music and musicians to play at THE ODYSSEY...
Stonefront at home at the GAR WOOD MANSION
(Early Stonefront 1970)
Vocals : Rick Stockwell, Larry Merryman (and an extraordinary "cast of characters")
(1974-75)
Guitar: Larry Merryman
Guitar: Harry Bourlier
Drums & Conga Drums: Eddie Saenz
Bass Guitar: Mark Swanberg
Vocals: Larry Merryman, Natalie Morgan,
Guitar : Harry Bourlier
Guitar : Larry Merryman
Guitar : Gary Markley
Saxophone : Robin Welch
Conga Drums : Darryl Bradley
Drums : John Bredeau
Bass Guitar : Mark Swanberg
Vocals : Gary Markley, Mark Swanberg, Larry Merryman.
Guitar : Chuck Mahoian
Guitar : Larry Merryman
Bass Guitar : Mark Swanberg
Drums : Eddie Saenz
Vocals : Larry Merryman, Mark Swanberg
Gary Rasmussen on bass, Bob Rasmussen on lead guitar, Scott Bailey on drums and Frank Bach on vox--Hiawatha Bailey on equipment! NOTE: Although originally managed by David Sinclair (R.I.P.), by the time these shows were happening Sister Anne LaVasseur, one time MC for the UP, was actually managing the band--The FIRST female manager in R'n;R history (or so I've been told). Anne still ROCKS as a gemologist in Hawaii!!!
UPRISING
(Poster by Gary Grimshaw)
Uprising 1972-1973
"Little" Leon Mills (V) Brat
*Bob Rasmussen (G) The Up
*Don Benson (G) Brat
*Gary Rasmussen (B) The Up
*Wilson Owens (D) Brat
…we (The UP) had been playing gigs with this band Brat from Mount Clemens. Really, we called up Leon [Mills], he was the singer, and we told him, “This is what we want to do. We want to have a band. We’ve got me and my brother, and what we need is you and your drummer and your guitar player. Let’s do it.” We moved ‘em up to Ann Arbor and put ‘em in the carriage house between the two houses and started the band from there. It turned right from Up to Uprising, and that band was managed by John Sinclair and Peter Andrews. John was out of jail by then and he was managing Mitch Ryder and the Rockets--Gary Rasmussen
Uprising 1973
*"Little" Leon Mills (V)
*Bob Rasmussen (G)
*Don Benson (G)
*Nate Peterson (V, B)
*Wilson Owens (D)
...a lot of stuff pissed off Leon (Mills) and what they decided they'd do is get Nate Peterson, who's a good singer and bass player. So basically, they fired me and got Nate Peterson--Gary Rasmussen
NOTE: Leon passed away in 2013. R.I.P. Little Leon. You never really got your props, but those who know REALLY know...
MARCUS Marcus on vocals (just Marcus, one name), Jeff? on guitar and K.C. Black on drums (K.C. also was the drummer for Chairman of the Board) (Thanks to Wayne Dabney for jogging my memory on this one!)
DETROIT (WITH RUSTY DAY)
Rusty Day on vox, Wilson Owens on drums. Nate Petersen on bass
RADIO KING & HIS COURT OF RHYTHM
Richard Dishman on drums, Lowell? on congas, Crispin Cioe on Sax, BuzzThrelkeld on trumpet, Richard Lehfeldt on keys, ?? Guitar, Steve Chall on Bass, Rita, Pat & Jodie on vocals and others. ALSO Wayne Dabney and David G on equipment.
(Thanks Wayne Dabney for some input)
Left to Right: Buzz Threlkeld, Richard Lehfeldt, Crispin Cio, Richard Dishman
The four members of Radio King shown above were more or less the "core group" but this act was a true R&B Revue. As many as a dozen performers would be on that ODYSSEY stage putting on a real SHOW!!! (I need some help on this one y'all--There were a LOT of performers in this revue! I apologize to those whose names I can't pull up right now, but I KNOW we'll get all of this act on this page sooner or later--Jon Campbell, ODYSSEY)
The Rockets as they appeared at THE ODYSSEY, Red Carpet, Rainbow Room, etc...
The Rockets a few years later...
THE THE ROCKETS came to THE ODYSSEY when they were associated with Peter Andrews and The Rainbow People (Rainbow Productions). The ODYSSEY was the hottest venue and THE ROCKETS--with Bee, McCarty, Marc Marcano and Fraga the only four in the line-up--were the hottest act in town at the time They split their time between THE ODYSSEY, Red Carpet and the Rock & Roll Farm, but they were Ann Arbor cats for awhile. Fraga (R.I.P.) spent a lot of time at our (ODYSSEY staff) houses on Miner Street and Brooks Street on the westside of A2. Later on, Donnie Backus of THE MOJO BOOGIE BAND (pretty much the house band at the ODYSSEY for awhile) replaced Marc while they were still playing the ODYSSEY on a regular basis. One of the COOLEST shows the ROCKETS did at THE ODYSSEY was the night that Jerry LeCroix sat in with the band--But EVERY night (usually weekly) that THE ROCKETS played this club was INCREDIBLE!!! Unfortunately Dave Gilbert (R.I.P.) never played the ODYSSEY with the ROCKETS, he came on after the ODYSSEY's demise... THE LEOPARDS
BROOKLYN BLUES BUSTERS
Johnny Ace on bass and vox, John (Nuzzo) Leslie harp & vox, Howard Levine, guitar and Frannie Kristina on drums--Tino Gross (Howling Diablos) was also off and on with the band)
One of my first Odyssey memories - Cheryl Kaiser & me standing at the bar in front of a freshly made Tequila Sunrise; Cheryl - "Grab a straw!" and we'd race to the bottom ...Joanne Shumeyko Johnson 6-15-11
That's where I met Mike Gould one night in 1973 leading to the formation of the Martian Entropy Band .--Hugh Hitchcock 6-19-11 (Check 'em out by following the link below, JC/ODYSSEY) http://martianentropyband.com/YouTubeMovie.aspx?movieurl=http://youtube.com/v/WQ_pq7WlZyc&title=Pandemonium%20Ballet%20Pt.%201
We called it 208 Odyssey because of the neon # in the window. I remember seeing the Rockets there before they hired Dave Gilbert. Johnny B was doing the lead singing. -- T. Kinks Heiss 1-12-11
THE ODYSSEY!!!!!...YEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! --Johnny Ace 1-12-11 (Check out 2011 Johnny Ace in San Francisco JC/ODYSSEY) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBJ8woBVKq4)
I remember dancing my ass off during and in between sets.Then everynight i would order 3 double vodka collins sour. No wonder i'm a recovering alcoholic! Alot of good and crazy memeories there! --Robin Scott 1-18-11
Actually, during that period I was so busy & broke trying to cobble together my own bands, I didn't make it to the Odyssey as much as I wanted
--Jeff Alder 6-18-11
It's so complicated to put together in writing, how one thing led to another, landing me on Bowie's Ziggy Stardust Tour and back to the Odyssey - and all because of the Odyssey... --Billy Goodson 6-18-11 (NOTE: Check out more about Billy Goodson) --Jon Campbell/ODYSSEY
THE ODYSSEY!!! OH GOD....I'M HAVIN' A FLASHBACK!!!..... ......we came,we played,we left.....--Martin Simmons 6-19-11
Hi Jon, Thank you so much for the picture from 1972. That was the year I graduated from high school and moved to A2. I turned 18 at The Odyssey and Angie Bowie was there. What a trip. Those were definitely the days!!!!! Good to see you are healthy and happy. Take care and thanks again!! Cordi. --Cordi Cole Frei 6-19-11
Hi Jon--I was the drummer in the last incarnation of the Chip Stevens Group and we played a few times at the Odyssey back in the day... I write this as I'm getting ready for a gig this evening @ The Grove in Anaheim with one of the two bands I'm currently in - still at it after all these years .--Clark Pardee 6-25-11
I was pretty young. Between the Fourth Ave people in the day to the fabulous bookings at night, I took it all for granted. Now they are all some of my best memories. --Patty O'Rorke 8-31-11 (Patty was on the staff at THE ODYSSEY pretty much at the beginning. She remembers those "Fourth Avenue People"--Cool...)
