Jimmy Ricks, "I Wonder" c/w "Let Me Down Easy," Fury 1070 (rel. 11/1962)

 

Easy winner in the "how low can you go?" vocal contest, Jimmy Ricks was a master of blues' nether regions throughout a long career that saw him sing in pioneering vocal group The Ravens, cutting a torrid duet with Lavern Baker and the featured singer with a later incarnation of Count Basie's big band. 

Ricks was born in rural Georgia in 1924 but spent much of his formative years in Jacksonville, Florida. Post-war, Ricks went to New York, intent on a career in music. It took a few years for the pieces to fit together. A chance meeting with a brother of The Ink Spots' Bill Kenny led to Ricks' first professional gig; when that folded, he met two other singers who formed the nucleus of The Ravens, whose early hits kicked off the vocal group phenomenon in rhythm and blues. 

From the moment the group first recorded in 1946, they got attention via Ricks' commanding lead vocals. Ricks could sing in the bass clef with feeling and a good ear. Though the standard lead voice in r&b groups would prove to be a high tenor, like Clyde McPhatter's with The Drifters, in the late 1940s, Ricks' leads made for hit single after hit single.

They were one of the first, if not the first, Black vocal group to appear on Ed Sullivan's TV variety show in 1949. From 1950, The Ravens' story becomes clouded and confusing. Members came and went and their fortunes rose and fell. Ricks sang for a spell with Benny Goodman's swing band; signed to Columbia Records, The Ravens reunited and had a temporary flash of new popularity. Ricks sang with The Ravens into 1955, when he embarked on a less-successful solo career. A diversity of material--some ill-suited for his voice--marked Ricks' early solo efforts. A highlight was his aforementioned duet with Lavern Baker, "You're the Boss," an excellent song by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller that charted pop and r&b in 1961 on Atlantic Records.

Ricks had recorded an album and a few singles for Signature Records prior to signing with Atlantic. He violated his contract with Atlantic by making an on-the-sly single for Festival Records. As a result, he was dropped from both labels, which is where we find him with today's record. Bobby Robinson's Fury Records welcomed performers in limbo in the hope that their past success would lead to a modern-day comeback hit. 

Ricks co-wrote both sides of this single, which was arranged by Horace Ott--a key figure in the Chicago soul world. This suggests the single was recorded in the Windy City. "I Wonder" is a bluesy mid-tempo mover with a jazzy backing by the studio band. There's one lazy rhyme in the song's lyrics--you'll spot it--but Ricks glosses past his own haste with his laid-back cool and Ott's arrangement brings a touch of class.

"An interesting unbeat blues approach?" Say what?

                                                                              

"Let Me Down Easy" is a country-r&b item in the style of Joe Henderson, a younger low-voiced Black vocalist who had hits for Todd Records. Perhaps Ricks wanted to remind the young star of his musical roots. The band touches on a New Orleans feel--an asset to this side. 

Rick's low-down croon is seductive here, and his performance gives an idea of how he must have come across in his live club performances. Again, a touch of class graces this side.

Ricks recorded as Mr. Bass and Ricky Ricks, perhaps to avoid an obvious violation of recording contracts. He made his final soul recordings for Chicago's Sure-Shot label and for Jubilee in New York. He made his second solo LP for Jubilee while with the label.

After 1969, he focused on LPs and live performance work, where he always went down well with audiences. He passed on in 1974 and remains one of Black music's most fascinating performers.

Tomorrow: Annisteen Allen is back with her final single for Decca Records from the summer of 1957. Two great songs given a solid r&b treatment with standout guitar by the great Mickey Baker!