THE COANJOS, "DANCE THE BOOMERANG" C/W "SPEAKING OF LOVE" DAPT D-208 (REL. 9/1961)

Before Lou Johnson became a solo singer—and an early darling of the Northern Soul movement—he made a powerful one-off single with another r&b-act-to-be—the two members of The Soul Sisters, Tresia Cleveland and Ann Gissendammer. They made a series of gospel-tinged r&b singles for Sue Records and they must be the two female voices heard on today’s record. So: who was Melzie Coleman? He or she was part of the group’s name and co-wrote both sides of this record. Are they present in a non-vocal part? Such questions have no answers but must be asked in vain.

This appears to be Lou Johnson’s earliest commercial recording. Within several months, he was signed as a solo artist with Bigtop Records, where he worked with Burt Bacharach and recorded a series of well-regarded singles that were chart failures—catnip for the UK soul scene. Issued by Dapt, a small independent label, it was one of its only releases to pass unnoticed by the music industry magazines.

The group’s clever name—Co (for Coleman) and Jo (for Johnson)s—was subject to a misspelling on the first issue of the single as ‘Canjoes,’ but the correction was of no avail. It was just another Black record in 1961: a dime a dozen.

Those who bothered to hear the record might disagree. Prepare yourself for the sonic assault (of the good kind) that is “Dance the Boomerang!”

It begins with a fast minor-key piano riff (by Johnson) reminiscent of "Money" by Barrett Strong. It leads into a high-voltage attempt at a new dance craze, sung with fervor by Cleveland, Gissendammer and Johnson. Lou Johnson's voice is instantly recognizable, and his interplay with The Soul Sisters is fantastic. I love his pronunciation of the dance as “boom-a-lang.”

Under-produced and raw, this is utter nonsense of the best kind, and I'm sure any modern-day soul DJ would get a strong positive reaction with this side. How this has remained so unknown for over six decades is a mystery to me.

Hear it >>>>> HERE. <<<<<

On the B, “Speaking of Love” has a gospel flavor, with the Sisters and Johnson in church-choir mode as a harmony trio for the choruses. Johnson has a brief, soulful solo interlude on this upbeat delighter that’s over before you are in any way prepared for it to be so. And the coda—the lone appearance of a saxophone—is an utter surprise. It was just the flip-side, but man! This show-boater could have gone on for another minute. 92 seconds is not enough of this wonderful sound!

Hear it >>>>> HERE. <<<<<

Nothing came of this non-promoted record on a small label, and its performers went their separate ways. Melzie Coleman remains a mystery.

Tomorrow: UK beat-group The Epics deliver appealing songs by Sloan and Barri and The Rolling Stones on a US issue by Hanna-Barbera Records. 1965 is the date.