THE DELLS
A trajetória do grupo teve início em 1953 como sexteto de "doo - wop", formado na escola secundária na sua cidade natal, Harvey Illinois (um subúrbio Chicago). Cantavam nos "streetcorners" ou em estações de metrô para aperfeiçoar os seus vocais com o nome de "El-Rays."
Depois, como quinteto e já com o nome The Dells, o grupo era formado por: tenor Johnny Funches, segundo tenor Verne Allison, barítono Junior Marvin, barítono Michael "Mickey" Mc Gill e baixo Chuck Barksdale - mudou apenas quando Johnny Carter substituiu Funches em 1960.
The Dells fazem parte da grande linhagem de grupos vocais negros daquela época - incluindo o Stylistics e o Delfonics, entre outros.
A única mudança ocorreu em 1958 depois de um acidente de carro que feriu gravemente McGill e o afastou da banda, que suspendeu suas atividades por dois anos.
Reagrupados em 1960, Johnny Funches optou por não regressar e Johnny Carter ( que depois cantou nos Flamingos) o substituiu.
O acidente, além da mudança entre os membros, ocasionou a referida parada temporária nas atividades do grupo e os Dells só voltaram a engrenar como "backing vocals" de Dinah Washington's, que lhes proporcionou o retorno à música em tempo integral.
Eles excursionaram com Dinah Washington de 1961 a 1962.
"Ela nos colocou de pé", disse Barksdale," e nós começamos a compreender que tinhamos que funcionar como uma empresa,
administrando nossas carreiras profissionalmente. The Dells, em seguida, mudaram o estilo, adotando uma linha de que poderia ser chamada de "mellow-jazz-pop" com harmonias direcionadas para o estilo dos Four Freshmen e do Hi - Lo's.
Mas o grande momento dos Dells só veio a acontecer com a entrada em cena do produtor Bobby Miller e do arranJador Charles Stepney, (que merece um capítulo à parte). O grupo começou fixou um sólido estilo , calcado numa combinação única de "R&B"
harmonias "doo - wop" dos anos 50 e "Soul" dos anos 60.
E aí se deu - na minha opinião - o grande momento da carreira, do ponto de vista artístico, com a gravação desse extraordinário
álbum THE DELLS SING DIONNE WARWICK'S GREATEST HITS, que considero um dos melhores -(para o meu gosto pessoal é o melhor)- álbuns do gênero "R&B+Soul+Doo Wop", de todos os tempos.
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THE DELLS
The Dells grew up in Harvey, Illinois and began singing together while attending Thornton Township High School. Forming in 1952 under the name the El-Rays, the members of the group were Marvin Junior, Michael McGill, Lucius McGill, Verne Allison , Chuck Barksdale and Johnny Funches. Two years later, the pared down quintet - Lucius left in 1954 - signed under the Chess label and released the doo-wop single, "Darling I Know" that flopped. In 1956, the group renamed themselves the Dells and signing with Vee-Jay Records, they recorded their first hit, "Oh What a Night", which peaked at the top five of the R&B singles chart. Follow-ups to the hit failed to make a similar impact. In 1958, a tragic car accident threatened to derail the group with McGill suffering a serious injury nearly losing his leg in the accident. The group agreed to split up to bide time as McGill recovered. Barksdale would join a new version of the legendary doo-wop group The Moonglows with a young Marvin Gaye as a lead singer. McGill eventually successfully recovered from his injury with Barksdale returning to Illinois to rejoin the Dells in 1960 but not before Johnny Funches, frustrated with the group's slow progress, left permanently. He was replaced quickly by Johnny Carter, formerly of The Flamingos. It would be the final lineup change for the group as they went on to sing background for the likes of Dinah Washington and Ray Charles. The group was also being vocally fine-tuned by the likes of Quincy Jones and began to include jazz and Broadway-styled show tunes as part of their live and recording acts.
In 1966, the Dells returned to Chess under the label's Cadet Subsidiary working with Bobby Miller and future Earth, Wind &
Fire arranger Charles Stepney. In 1967, the Dells issued the album, There Is, which included their first R&B chart-topper in years with the title track, which showcased the sharp baritone of Marvin Junior and the fine harmonies with the four other Dells. The song was also their first top 20 Pop smash. Subsequent R&B hits included "Please Don't Change Me", "Love is So Simple" and their first number-one R&B hit and first top ten pop hit, 1968's "Stay in My Corner", which showcased both Carter and Marvin in lead vocals. It wasn't until 1969, however, that the group suddenly became R&B superstars with their revival of their first hit, "Oh What a Night", re-produced under a classic soul format. The song became their second number-one hit on the R&B charts and became their second top ten single peaking at number ten becoming their signature song.
Subsequent hits included "Wear It On Your Face", "Love Is Blue/I Can See a Rainbow" and "Open My Heart".
In 1971, the Dells' "The Love We Had Stays on My Mind" became another top ten hit on the R&B charts.
By 1973's "Give Your Baby a Standing Ovation", the Dells were now a top-selling recording act and headlining group. Leaving Cadet in the end of 1974, the group would continue recording under the Mercury, ABC, 20th Century Fox and Virgin labels finding some hits including 1980's "I Touched a Dream", which returned the group to the top forty on the R&B charts.
The Dells were confined mostly to the oldies market afterwards until they were asked to be creative consultants to Robert
Townsend's acclaimed 1991 musical, The Five Heartbeats, which was loosely based on the lives of the Dells. The group recorded a George Duke composition titled "A Heart is a House for Love". The success of the song, issued on the movie's soundtrack, as it reached number thirteen on the R&B singles chart gave the Dells a jolt and helped to make them just the second group to chart singles in four consecutive decades after The Isley Brothers. The success resulted in the group being signed to the Philadelphia International label where they recorded the album I Salute You. In recent years, the Dells have kept a constant touring schedule still occasionally releasing albums including their latest, 2003's HOTT. In 2004, the group was inducted to both the Vocal Group Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Original member Johnny Funches died of cancer in 1998. As of 2007, the Dells have continued to perform together.
Current members
Marvin Junior (1952-58; 1960- ): baritone, lead vocals
Verne Allison (1952-58; 1960- ): second tenor, background vocals
Michael McGill (1952-58; 1960- ): baritone, background vocals
Chuck Barksdale (1952-58; 1960- ): bass, background vocals
Johnny Carter (1960- ): first tenor/falsetto, lead vocals
Former members
Johnny Funches (1952-60): first tenor, lead vocals
Lucius McGill (1952-54): second tenor, background vocals
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COMMENTS
Forget Dionne Warwick, and think Burt Bacharach - because on this sublime little set, The Dells are singing some of Burt's
greatest tunes ever - all set to impeccable arrangements by the legendary Charles Stepney! The album's more wonderful than you might even expect - a true high point in the career of all parties involved - and a tremendous recasting of Bacharach's original brilliance - taking his key compositions into the most sophisticated styles of the Chicago soul scene in the 70s! There's
a sense of timing and phrasing here that's quite unique - hardly simple covers of Dionne Warwick's approach to these hits - and Stepney's backings feature his own Fender Rhodes, guitar from Phil Upchurch, percussion from members of The Pharoahs, and some fuller horns, harp, and strings. The Dells are equally great too - and serve up some of the best vocals of their career - really magnificent harmonies, and soaring solo parts that seem to even go beyond their best-known hits. Titles include "Walk On By", "Trains & Boats & Planes", "I Say A Little Prayer", "Wives & lovers", "Close To You", "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself", "This Guy's In Love With You", "Raindrops Keep Fallin On My Head", and "A House Is Not A Home".
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MINHA OPINIÃO : assino, reconheço a firma e avalizo o comentário aí de cima...
(*) Só tenho a acrescentar que o mentor intelectual dessa obra de Arte, o arranjador, pianista e maestro Charles Stepney deu vazão ao seu talento incomensurável, que veio a se confirmar depois, quando assinou arranjos e dirigiu nada menos que os fantásticos EARTH, WIND & FIRE.!
Quem ouve este album postado e depois o compara com qualquer outro dos DELLS, não imagina que seja o mesmo conjunto, tamanha a diferença de concepção e performance entre este e os demais discos do grupo.
O arranjador Charles Stepney foi quem fez toda a diferença, com o arrojo, talento, desafio, criatividade e coragem, tanto nos
arranjos vocais quanto instrumentais.
Claro que o repertório extra-classe, com as músicas de Bacharach & David ajudaria a qualquer cantor mas, até nisso o mérito vai para a escolha dos produtores.
Na verdade, QUALQUER CONJUNTO VOCAL NEGRO da mesma estirpe dos The Dells, produziria resultado idêntico.
Então, mesmo reconhecendo o enorme talento do conjunto, este álbum poderia se chamar CHARLES STEPNEY & 5 vocalistas que, por acaso eram os Dells, mas poderiam muito bem ser os Stylistics ou ....whatever.
(**)Se alguém ainda tem dúvidas sobre o que um arranjador representa para um conjunto vocal, aí está um dos exemplos mais
esclarecedores que conheço.
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THE DELLS SING DIONNE WARWICK'S GREATEST HITS
1972
Cadet CA-50017
THE DELLS
Marvin Junior : baritone, lead vocals
Verne Allison: second tenor, background vocals
Michael McGill : baritone, background vocals
Chuck Barksdale: bass, background vocals
Johnny Carter : first tenor/falsetto, lead vocals
ARRANJOS VOCAIS, INSTRUMENTAIS E REGÊNCIA: Charles Stepney
COMPOSIÇÕES: Burt Bacharach & Hal David
TRACKS/FAIXAS:
I'll Never Fall In Love Again
Walk On By
This Guy's In Love With You
Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head
I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself/
Close To You/
Trains And Boats And Planes
A House Is Not A Home
I Say A Little Prayer
Alfie/
Wives And Lovers
DOWNLOAD: NOVO LINK - AQUI
