Johnny Maestro (bottom center) with the Crests

Listen/Download – Johnny Maestro and the Crests – Come See Me (I’m Your Man) MP3

Greetings all.

The F16C Summer of Soul has come to a close – thanks to all who donated – , and we return to business as usual here ye olde blogge-space.

What better way to get restarted than with a certified mind-blower.

If you grew up in the New York area listening to oldies radio (especially WCBS-FM) the name Johnny Maestro should be a very familiar one. He was one of the most prominent surviving pioneers of the doowop era – the Crests ’16 Candles’ is one of the best remembered records of that era – and he would go on to sing lead for the Brooklyn Bridge, who had a huge hit in 1968 with ‘The Worst That Could Happen’.

However, sandwiched in between those two landmarks is one of the most (for me, anyway) surprising records.

In 1966, Maestro and the Crests recorded what would be the first-release US version (in August of 1966) of J.J. Jackson’s ‘Come See Me’, which would be released a few months earlier (April 1966) in the UK by the Pretty Things (Jackson’s version wouldn’t come out in the US until 1968).

As much as I love the Pretty Things version, the take by Maestro and the Crests is an absolute killer.

Arranged by JJ Jackson, this version opens with a one-two punch of bass and drums and takes off like a shot. There’s a great vocal by Maestro and the band, with some groovy rhythm guitar and organ just flies along.

I love to pull this record out and play it at soul nights because it combines a familiar song, in an unfamiliar version with a monster arrangement. It never fails to turn heads.

Sadly, it went nowhere at the time of its release, charting (and just barely) at one Albany, NY radio station.

The flip side, ‘I Care About You’ is a brilliant blue-eyed soul ballad with a remarkable performance by Maestro.

These days the 45 is quite expensive, so if you see it, grab it.

Until next week.

Also, make sure to follow Funky16Corners on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Keep the faith

Larry

 

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