This 2003 release from Britain's new mid-to-low priced Acrobat label covers a good part of the career of Steve Gibson & the Redcaps, even including three of the tracks they cut in 1944 as "the Toppers" for Herman Lubinsky's Savoy label, while still contracted to Joe Davis' Beacon label, which were not released until 1948.
Most of the Beacon/Davis sides can also be found on the Flyright CD, also reviewed on this site, and the RCA sides are covered in more depth in a Bear Family package.
The liner prominently advertises Damita Jo's participation, but her voice in barely perceptible on the five RCA tracks on which she appears.
This set is a bargain-priced way to acquire a good representation of the group's work. Considerable session details are included in the 8-page liner booklet, and we have reproduced them below for your information.
A worthwhile acquisition.
DISC 1
STEVE GIBSON AND THE REDCAPS -
Steve Gibson, guitar / bass vocals; Romaine Brown, piano / baritone vocals; Doles Dickens, bass / tenor vocals; Jimmy Springs, trumpet imitation / tenor vocals; David Patillo, tenor vocals.
1. Don't Fool With Me - Beacon 7116 - 1943
2. There's A Light On The Hill - Beacon 7116 - 1943
3. Tuscaloosa - Beacon 7117 - 1943
4. Mama Put Your Britches On - Beacon 7117 - 1943
5. No Fish Today - Beacon 7118 - 1943
6. Grand Central Station - Beacon 7118 - 1943
7. Just For You - Beacon 7119 - 1943
8. I've Learned A Lesson I'll Never Forget - Beacon 7120 - 1944
9. Lenox Avenue Jump - Beacon 7121 - 1944
10. Boogie Woogie Ball - Beacon 7121 - 1944
11. Strictly On The Safety - Side - Beacon 7122 - 1944
12. Somebody's Lyin' - Beacon 7123 - 1944
13. Was It You - Beacon 7123 - 1944
14. Gabriel's Band - Beacon 7124 - 1944
15. Sugar Lips - Beacon 7124 - 1944
16. It's So Good Good Good - Beacon 7129 - 1945
17. I'm Crazy About You - Beacon 7130 - 1945
18. Mary Had A Little Jam - Beacon 7132 - 1945
19. Boogie Woogie On A Saturday Night - Beacon 7133 - 1945
20. Atlanta G.A. - Davis 2102 - 1946
21. Get Off That Kick - Beacon 7220 - 1947
22. It's Got A Hole In It - Beacon 7220 - 1947
DISC 2
STEVE GIBSON AND THE REDCAPS -
Steve Gibson, guitar / bass vocals; Romaine Brown, piano / baritone vocals; Doles Dickens, bass / tenor vocals; Jimmy Springs, trumpet imitation/tenor vocals; David Patillo, tenor vocals.
1. Monkey And The Baboon - Beacon 7221 - 1947
STEVE GIBSON AND THE REDCAPS -
Jimmy Springs, lead tenor; David B. Patillo, tenor; Emmett Mathews, tenor; Romaine L. Brown, baritone; Steve Gibson, bass.
2. You Can't See The Sun When You're Crying - Mercury 5011 1947
3. Jack You're Dead - Mercury 8038 - 1948
4. Wedding Bells Are Breaking Up That Old Gang Of Mine - Mercury 8069 - 1948
THE TOPPERS -
Emmett Mathews, vocal / soprano sax; Romaine Brown, vocal / piano; Steve Gibson, vocal / guitar; David Patillo, vocal / bass; Jimmy Springs, vocal / drums. New York City 8th December 1944
5. If Money Grew On Trees - Savoy 559 - 1948
6. Palace Of Stone - Savoy 559 - 1948
7. I'm Living For You - Savoy 656 - 1948
STEVE GIBSON AND THE REDCAPS -
Jimmy Springs, lead tenor; David B. Patillo, tenor; Emmett Mathews, tenor; Romaine L. Brown, baritone; Steve Gibson, bass.
8. Scratch And You'll Find It - Mercury 8091 - 1948
9. Danny Boy - Mercury 8091 - 1948
STEVE GIBSON AND THE REDCAPS -
Earl Palmer, tenor; David B. Patillo, tenor; Emmett Mathews, tenor; Romaine L. Brown, baritone; Steve Gibson, bass.
10. Blueberry Hill - Mercury 8146 - 1949
STEVE GIBSON AND THE REDCAPS -
David B. Patillo, tenor; Emmett Mathews, tenor; Romaine L. Brown, baritone; Steve Gibson, bass.
11. I Want A Roof Over My Head - Mercury 5880 - 1950
STEVE GIBSON AND THE REDCAPS -
David B. Patillo, tenor vocal; Emmett Mathews, tenor vocal / sax; Romaine L. Brown, baritone / piano; Steve Gibson, bass vocal; Jimmy Springs, tenor; Ormondo Wilson, vocal; Herman 'Tiny' Mitchell, guitar; George 'Red' CaIlender, bass; Willard McDaniel, drums. Hollywood, California. 10th November 1950
12. The Thing - RCA 47-3986 - 1950
13. Am I To Blame - RCA 47-3986 - 1950
STEVE GIBSON AND THE REDCAPS -
Damita Jo Dublanc, vocal; Earl Plummer, vocal; David B. Patillo, vocal; A. Hawkins, vocal; Steve Gibson, vocal / guitar; Herman 'Tiny' Mitchell, guitar; Jack Lesberg, bass; Jimmy Crawford, drums; Romaine Brown, vocal / piano; Emmett Matthews, vocal / sax. New York City 16th April 1951
14. I'm To Blame - RCA 47-0127 - 1951
15. Sidewalk Shuffle - RCA 50-0127 - 1951
STEVE GIBSON AND THE REDCAPS -
Damita Jo Dublanc, vocal; David B. Patillo, vocal; Steve Gibson, vocal / guitar; F. Carroll, bass; Jimmy Crawford, drums; Romaine Brown, vocal / piano; Emmett Matthews, vocal / sax. New York City 15th June 1951
16. Would I Mind - RCA 50-0138 - 1951
17. When You Come Back To Me - RCA 50-0138 - 1951
18. Boogie Woogie On A Saturday Night - RCA 47-4294 - 1951
STEVE GIBSON AND THE REDCAPS -
David B. Patillo, tenor vocal; Emmett Mathews, tenor vocal/sax; Romaine L. Brown, baritone / piano; Steve Gibson, bass vocal; Jimmy Springs, tenor; Ormondo Wilson, vocal; Herman 'Tiny' Mitchell, guitar; George 'Red' Callender, bass; Preston 'Peppy' Prince, drums; Hubert 'Bumps' Myers, tenor sax; Earl Plummer, tenor sax; Frank Morgan, alto sax; William 'Buddy' Collette, alto sax ; C.Drayton, sax; Britt Woodman, trombone ; John H. Anderson Jr., trumpet. Hollywood, California. 1st February 1951
19. Shame - RCA 47-4294 - 1951
20. Three Dollars And Ninety Eight Cents - RCA 47-4076 -1951
21. D'Ya Eat Yet Joe - RCA 47-4076 - 1951
