Howards, "Mimi Girl" c/w "Lola," ABC-Paramount 45-9897 (rel. 4/1958)

Sometimes the best records show up with no fanfare. This appeared in the wares of a store on the outer edge of the Portland Metro area. Said neighborhood has a goofy gigantic statue of Paul Bunyan that greets me as I step off the light rail. Never fails to elicit a chuckle.
        I almost passed this one up, despite my instincts. I know that ABC-Paramount is a label full of regional recordings that they picked up in hope of a national hit. Most of the time, these acquisitions went nowhere, but hope remained eternal that these nobodies from the hinterlands would break through the massive barrier of indifference and deliver the goods. I'm glad ABC-Paramount was diligent in this practice; they plucked hundreds of regional platters out of obscurity. Though they never got far in this second life, they were made more available, for those of us who dig deep and embrace the unknown.

Who were The Howards? Why were they named The Howards? It's a proper name, and an H. Frazier is one of the credited songwriters on this release. Perhaps his name is Howard. It appears this group came from Baltimore, Maryland--a hotbed of intense Black music in the 1950s and '60s.

        On the week of April 5, 1958, as seen here, "Lola" was the #1 record on Baltimore station WITH. This being the only information about the record, aside from the usual Cash Box review, it suggests that was The Howards' home turf.

        In another curious twist, this single also had a Jamaican release on a label called Downbeat. That single, a bootleg sourced from the American 45, has terrible sound and the primitive hand-stamped labels one expects from that crude cottage industry. Comments on YouTube videos confirm they were Maryland-based. So that's settled. But that's all we know about this group.

        They appear to be self-contained like other Baltimore vocal groups, with a solid band. The lo-fi sound quality suggests a small studio in the area was the source for this single. Jack Gale, it turns out, had industry connections and tipped ABC-Paramount to the group. Was there a first pressing on a local label? If so, no copies are known to exist. 

       As with many one-record-wonders (who are profiled in my under-achieving book One Record Wonders: One Shot Was all They Got (RedwingBlackbird Books; available on Amazon), one hits a wall, info-wise, pretty quick. Bam! That's all we know about this fine group. So: let's hear the record!
        "Mimi Girl" is a record so great it's startling. Swaggering beat from a solid show band, seasoned via live performance and recorded in a sheen of midnight murk that enhances its appeal. Harmonized lead vocals exalt the titular lass a la any number of Black spirituals. Bootin' sax, forceful piano and over-miked drums that sound like trucks going over a bad patch in a well-worn service road. Wow! Where has this record been hiding? 
        I can see this record's appeal to Jamaican musicians. They also liked duet  Gene and Eunice, heard here a few days back; both artists seem to have influenced that small musical community's overall vibe. The lo-fi sound echoes that of Jamaican recordings of this time: a whole lot of heart minus the fancy trappings of a big-city studio.

Cash Box offers a clear-headed description of a winning single. Big on their home turf, The Howards failed to make a coast-to-coast impression.

"Lola" was the just-as-good flipside. Same crudball sound; same intensity. A Latin beat distinguishes this song, and the drummer offers a spectacular performance clouded by the lo-fi recording. The twin lead vocal is mesmerizing; "Low-lah," they sing the title to fine effect. The sludge-sound produces a dreamy atmosphere, as if this was a record heard from the subconscious rather than in real life. Astral projection for the kids!

It's our loss that these are all we have of The Howards. In another universe, this single became a major hit, and the group recorded several albums' worth of material. Alas, it ain't this mortal coil. I may have to add this to my book; so few have read it that a change here and there wouldn't matter!

Tomorrow: a holiday treat from us to you!