Wednesday 22 February 2017

label YOUNG in 1959


In Brasil everyone knows that the New Year starts after Carnaval... late February or early March which actually coincides with the Chinese lunar calendar anyway... 

So we could say 1959 started in a bad note for DJ journalist Miguel Vaccaro Netto who had a popular daily rock-show on Sao Paulo's Radio Panamericana from 3:00 to 5:00. For reasons unknown to any mortal Vaccaro started a campaign asserting that Brenda Lee, the diminutive native of Atlanta, Georgia who had been singing publicly since she was 6 years old in 1950 did not actully exist. 

By August, when Vaccaro had branched out into being a record producer, a theatre promoter besides being an 'agent provocateur' had to eat up his own words publicly. Paulinho Machado de Carvalho, his boss at TV Record had signed Brenda Lee to sing for a week at their Teatro Record on Rua da Consolação, 1992. 

2nd April 1959 - Thursday - Brenda Lee does not exist! - 'Ultima Hora' music columnist boldly declares that Brenda Lee whose record 'Jambalaya' released by Decca-Companhia Brasileira de Discos in March 1959 does not exist. Miguel Vaccaro asserts he read at 'Metronome' magazine that it was only a ploy devised by Decca Records who recorded a gravel voiced man with the same pitch as Louis Armstrong in 78 rpm and then turned the rotation to 45 rpm. Vaccaro goes on and add that North-Americans could record even the Devil himself as long as it sold records. 

10 August 1959 – Monday - Disc-jockey Miguel Vaccaro Netto launches a competition at his radio show 'Disque Disco' on Radio Panamericana to choose a pseudonym for Regina Celia Belochi who has just recorded 'To know him is to love him' backed with 'Fallin' her first single for the new label Young. 

The Avalons is a sextet made up of 3 instrumentalists: lead-guitarrist Dudu (Francisco Eduardo de Sousa Pereira) is the fair type (alemão); Dudu's brother Paulinho de Sousa Pereira is at the drums & Daniel at the bass; and 3 vocalists: Solano Ribeiro who can also write song, Nilton aka Passarinho and Bob a Chinese fellow from Hong Kong. All guys are not 21 years old yet. They rehearsed at a house on Rua Cristiano Viana, in Pinheiros and started playing on TV programmes when they were spotted by Vaccaro who made them an offer they could not refuse. They were the first act to have a record released by Young Records 'China rock' an instrumental number written by Dudu b/w 'Valentina, my Valentina'. Their 2nd record should be out soon 'Alphabet of love' b/w 'Rebel rouser' a cover of a Duane Eddy hit. 


18 August 1959 - Tuesday - Brenda Lee is for real and will be visiting Brazil soon - Miguel Vaccaro goes back on his words. Actually he had to eat up his words publicly. Later on he made up a story he had 'invented' this lie only to help Decca sell more 'Jambalaya' records. It doesn't make any sense at all. 


22nd August 1959 - Saturday - Mysterious singer has got a name: Regiane. After searching for an artistic name for singer Regina Celia Belocchi in a competition that took a few weeks. 'Disque Disco' listener Carlos Alberto Vallin de Oliveira came up with Regiane which won the competition. It's an easy name to pronounce and it's not too far removed from the singer's real name. Carlos has been awarded half a dozen albums for his choice.


29 August 1959 - The Avalons played at Colegio Eduardo Prado on Saturday night for more than 500 students. They played their songs recorded by Young plus Elvis Presley's 'Hound dog', The Crests' 'Sixteen candles' and The Bell Notes' 'I've had it'.


10 September 1959 - Thursday - Brenda Lee finally debuts at Teatro Record with the venue packed up to the rafters by mostly teenagers. The diminutive Georgian was accompanied by The Avalons who rocked the joint down. TV comedian Renato Corte-Real opened the night introducing Antonio Claudio who sang 'It's only make believe' accompanied by The Jester Tigers plus Regiane who rocked with Neil Sedaka's 'Fallin'. Brenda Lee was impressed by Regiane's performance. 


14 September 1959 - Monday - Brenda Lee and her manager Dub Allbritten pay a visit to Miguel Vaccaro's radio show 'Disque Disco' at the auditorium of Radio Panamericana that was packed with more than 400 young people. Brenda was the main focus of the programme from 3:30 to 5:00 PM. Brenda declared she started singing at 6 years old. She said she can't read music, but plays the piano by ear. Brenda said 'Pennies from heaven' and 'Jambalaya' are her favourite songs.


Miguel Vaccaro presents Brenda Lee, the girl-singer that never was... at his Radio Panamericana's 'Disque Disco'.

25 September 1959 - Friday - a 2-hour live music stravaganza straight from the stage of Teatro Record, on Rua da Consolação, 1992, started at 3:00 PM 'American Music Festival' MCed by Miguel Vaccaro Netto. The venue was packed to the rafters one hour before it started. These were the acts who performed at the microphones of Radio Panamericana:

1. Nick Savoia & the Scarletts covered Lloyd Price's 'Personality' (#2 on 11 May 1959); Elvis Presley's 'Lover doll', from the movie 'King Creole' and Nick's own 'Hiccup' (covered from a Jimmy Morrison record).

2. The Beverlys - a Black vocal quintet among the very best in the land (quinteto negro dos melhores que existe em nossa terra) covered Art & Dotty Todd's 'Chanson d'amour' (#6 on on 21st April 1958) and Jerome Kerns's 'Smoke gets in your eyes' which The Platters took to #1 on 1st December 1958.

3. The Teenagers, a vocal group formed at Brás' Yazigi English-Course doing their debut covering Dion & the Belmonts' 'A teenager in love' (#5 on 27 April 1959) and Paul Anka's 'Lonely boy' (#1 on 8 June 1959).

4. Antonio Claudio accompanied by The Jester Tigers covered Elvis Presley's 'Hard headed woman' (#1 on 30 June 1958); Lloyd Price's 'Where were you on our wedding day?' (#23 on 30 March 1959) and Bobby Darin's 'Dream lover' (#2 on 4 May 1959).

5. The Avalons were the most eaguerly waited by the crowd for the theatre exploded in wild cheering. They covered the Fleetwood's 'Come softly to me' (#1 on 16 March 1959); Ricky Nelson's 'Poor little fool' (#1 on 7 July 1958) crooned by Passarinho aka Nilton; Lee & Paul's 'Valentina, my Valentina', and Solano Ribeiro's own 'All the time'.

6. Regiane came last and did a brand-new song, a cover of The Shirelles' My love is a charm'; Neil Sedaka's 'Fallin' (#30 on 17 November 1958) and The Teddy Bears' 'To know him is to love him' (#1 on 13 October 1958).

The Avalons closed the programme with the instrumental 'China Rock' their greatest hit.

9 OUTUBRO 1959 - sábado - Estreia programa de Celly Campello na TV Record - 'Programa da Juventude' as 18:30 diretamente do Teatro Record, com público e rock'n'roll - Estrelado por Celly Campello, acompanhada pelo conjunto Ritmos Ok, de Taubaté. Participação de The Avalons, Regiane, The Jester Tigers e muitos outros. Apresentação de Randal Juliano. Ingressos à venda na bilheteria do teatro. 

12 October 1959 - Miguel Vaccaro Netto writes at his column at daily 'Ultima Hora' that The Avalons played at Colegio Des Oiseaux on Rua Caio Prado; The Jester Tigers (Tigres Brincalhões) led by guitarrist Jose Provetti recorded 'Dream lover' and 'Where were you on our wedding day?'; the singer is Antonio Claudio. The back-ground vocal was done by the remarkable Beverlys - the best in vocal harmonies. (O coro foi feito pelos notáveis Beverlys, o que de ótimo se possa querer em matéria de harmonia vocal).


22nd October 1959 - Miguel Vaccaro at his 'Discos' column at Ultima Hora that heart-throb Tuffy Jorge goes to Liceu Eduardo Prado, on Rua Jacurici, Itaim-Bibi; Carlos David goes to Colegio Piratininga, on Avenida Angelia, 381 & Hamilton Di Giorgio goes to Colegio Itaquera.

25 October 1959 - Sunday - students from the 8th grade (4a. serie) at Ginasio Saldanha Marinho on Avenida Celso Garcia organized an American Music Festival at Teatro Arthur de Azevedo on Avenida Paes de Barros, 955 at Mooca, featuring The Beverlys, High Teenagers, The Scarletts, The Rebels & The Jester Tigers.

26 October 1959 - Monday - Dolores Duran is buried - Brazilian music is in mourning with the death of Dolores Duran whose body was found at 10:00 PM on Saturday night at her flat in Copacabana. According to an autopsy performed by Murilo Caldas, Miss Duran died of a massive heart attack around 8:00 in the morning.

19 October 1959 - Cizinha Moura's latest single 'Brotinho Lili' written by Domingos Paulo Mamone is the opening title of a drama-series at Radio São Paulo 


31st October 1959 - Saturday - The Rebels, the newest rock combo discovered by 'Disque Disco' debuts at Celly Campello's 4th edition of 'Programa da Juventude' at Teatro Record. 

3rd November 1959 - Tuesday - First Great Festival of American Music - which was actually the 2nd rock extravaganza organized by Miguel Vaccaro at 2:30 PM at Teatro Record. This is the line up:

Carlos David with a great vocal performance covered Elvis Presley's 'That's all right', 'Ebb tide' and 'Be bop a lula'. David's voice is similar to that of Johnny Mathis and Roy Hamilton. 

Tuffy Jorge who has been discovered recently by 'Disque Disco' sang a few sentimental hits like 'Please, love me forever', 'The end' and 'Melodie d'amour'. 

The Rebels with Nenê, an incredible 12-year-old drummer boy did 'Miss Ann', 'Rock of lover' (?), 'Party doll' (Buddy Knox) and 'Hound dog'. 

The Beverlys sang 'There goes my baby', 'Little star' and 'Twilight time'. The Beverlys are José Pereira, José Mariano, Benedito Guido de Castro, Amelia de Paula Loureiro and her brother Vander Loureiro. 

The High Teenagers covered the funny Coasters hit 'Along came Jones', The Mystics' 'Hush a-bye' and Freddy Cannon's 'Tallahassee lassie'. 

Nick Savoia presented his first Young recordings 'Hiccups' and 'Since you've been gone'.

Hamilton Di Giorgio, the remarkable 17 year-old boy with a golden voice launched by 'Disque Disco' performed Ray Paterson's 'My heart is an open book', Sam Cooke's 'You send me' and late Buddy Holly's 'Peggy Sue'. 

The amazing The Avalons did not play due to both vocalists Bob and Solano Ribeiro being in bed with a bad flu. Regiane did not sing for her supporting band are the Avalons.

9 November 1959 - Monday - Neil Sedaka arrives in Sao Paulo - After Brenda Lee's sensational stint at TV Record in October, TV Tupi thought it was about time it also dealt in this new thing called rock'n'roll and signed singer-song-writer Neil Sedaka to a series of recitals at Cine Regencia, on Rua Augusta as TV Tupi didn't have an auditorium of its own except the one in Sumaré that was too far from the city. RCA Victor assigned Angela Maria and Carlos Gonzaga, the man who took a cover of Paul Anka's 'Diana' to the top of the charts - to welcome the writer of 'Stupid cupid' at the airport where a crowd of more than 1,000 teenagers were assembled to greet him. 

13 November 1959 - Friday - Alfredo Soares, Miguel Vaccaro's right-hand man (secretario de produções) met Neil Sedaka in person and told him Young Records' cast members Nick Savoia and Regiane had recorded Sedaka's 'Since you've been gone' plus 'Fallin' and 'Frankie' both recorded originally by Connie Francis.

21st November 1959 - Saturday - The Beverlys record 'There goes my baby' and 'Little star'. After the recording session The Beverlys prepared themselves to appear at TV Record's gala 'Astros do disco' where they sang 'Smoke gets in your eyes'. Antonio Claudio and The Jester Tigers presented 'Dream lover'. 
The Teenagers were college students who met at the Yazigi language-school in the Eastern suburb of Bras. CarlosWaltinhoHermesToninho & Prandini turned their passion for English and music into doo-wop harmony that made them popular in the Eastern Suburbs and further afield.

Later on, when Pradini left the group they changed their repertoire and their name to O Quarteto and became a fixture at 'O Fino da Bossa', Elis Regina's weekly TV programme which was strictly Bossa Nova (later known as MPB - Brazilian popular music).
They started their career as The High Teenagers... then they lopped off the 'high' and became pure and simply Teenagers.
All Young discs were recorded at this building at Largo da Misericordia in Sao Paulo. This is a 1931 photo of the place when it used to house Columbia that would change its name to Continental Records in 1943.
Columbia would soon change its name to Continental.

Actually the story is a little different. In 1928, industrialist Alberto Byington Jr. becomes the representative of Columbia Records in Brazil. As the phonographic market grew in the 1930s, Byington breaks up with Columbia and starts his own label called Discos Continental aka Continental Gravações Elétricas

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