The Augmented Seven of Yale

Here's a favorite album purchased at the late, great Mammoth Music Mart in Skokie Illinois. It's from the Augmented Seven of Yale, and given the variety of Calypso stylings heard here, including a few Harry Belafonte favorites, I'm guessing this is from not long after the 1957 release of Belafonte's "Calypso" album - perhaps this is from 1958.

It's great to hear these young northerners, no doubt mostly sons of privilege, wrap their voices around the music of the poor in Trinidad and Jamaica, among other locales, and they do so far better than I would have expected, while still missing that special something by a country mile.

My favorite here, though, is "I'm in the Jailhouse Now", which curiously never contains that specific phrase in the lyrics. I'm also quite partial to the increadibly nasal performances of one Mr. Spofford, the lead vocalist on "Jailhouse".

The name of the group, aside from being a musical reference, appears to have no bearing on the actual makeup of the ensemble. Even if you subtract the three instrumentalists, you don't end up with three vocalists, and regardless of that, if I read the notes correctly, at least some of the instrumentalists are among the singers.

Be sure to open and/or download the back cover - the photos are half the fun. And the liner notes, which make special mention of some of the dullest tracks on the album, are also a good read.

1.) The Augmented Seven - Man, Man Is For the Woman Made (MP3)
2.) The Augmented Seven - Jamaica Farewell (MP3)
3.) The Augmented Seven - I Wanna Get Married (MP3)
4.) The Augmented Seven - My Funny Valentine (MP3)
5.) The Augmented Seven - Kisses Sweeter Than Wine (MP3)
6.) The Augmented Seven - We’ll Be Together Again (MP3)
7.) The Augmented Seven - Man Smart Woman Smarter (MP3)
8.) The Augmented Seven - I’ll Close My Eyes (MP3)
9.) The Augmented Seven - Little Brown Jug (MP3)
10.) The Augmented Seven - Out de Fire (MP3)
11.) The Augmented Seven - I Married an Angel (MP3)
12.) The Augmented Seven - That’s All (MP3)
13.) The Augmented Seven - You Can Go (MP3)
14.) The Augmented Seven - Gamblin’ Man (MP3)
15.) The Augmented Seven - Nora (MP3)
16.) The Augmented Seven - I’m In The Jailhouse Now (MP3)
17.) The Augmented Seven - Peanut Vendor (MP3)
18.) The Augmented Seven - Swingin On a Star (MP3)
19.) The Augmented Seven - Chocolate Whiskey (MP3)
20.) The Augmented Seven - Yes Yes Yes (MP3)
21.) The Augmented Seven - Linstead Market (MP3)
22.) The Augmented Seven - Lord Got Tomatoes (MP3)
23.) The Augmented Seven - Adios (MP3)
Front Cover (JPG)
Back Cover (JPG)

Comments

[Stu]

I've never seen the song referred to as "I'm in the Jailhouse Now"; it's always been simply "In the Jailhouse Now."

This is pretty, er, um, different...

[Adam]

I dunno, I'm kind of enjoying this.

[My Pussin]

If you love calypso,and deeply understand the history of it,you either passionately hate the lame whiteboy stuff of the 50s,or are perversely fascinated by it,like I am.Robert Mitchum aside,it can run from the sleep inducing,to stuff so trashy and cheesy,as to take bad music to hilarious new heights.One such example is a Columbia Lp called "The Calypso Carnival",from about 1956-'57.Go through the FMU archives,and pull up Irwin's show of March 21,2007,and take a listen to what he played from it.I have seen it twice since on eBay,it was $50.00 each time,someone must have gotten the idea.If Irwin still has it,maybe someone could convince him to upload it to the blog.In the meantime,you can hear more no-budget bad calypso by white guys at:
http://baikinange.blogspot.com/2009/03/lord-russells-bongo-percussionists.html

[Koko]

Thank You for posting this up! This was floating around my dad's collection when I was a kid. Unfortunately, It had a big chunk taken out of the first two tracks (Literally a chunk!) But it didn't stop me from playing it to death with pennies on the tone-arm. Album care priorities were different at age 7! I can't wait to share this with the old man!

[J Harper]

I have the original LP albums ... belonged to my Yalie father, who would take us to their concerts when we were tiny, and we loved them so! My LPs are signed on the back photos with the boys' names (including Mr. Spofford) along with their graduation years which are indeed late-50s to early-60s. Wonder where they are now ...

What nostalgia ... simply incredible to find them again, and so glad there are others who continue to enjoy! My boundless thanks to you for putting these priceless gems online!