The Cadets & The Jacks - The Complete Releases 1955-57 (2015)

This is a welcome addition to Acrobats already extensive catalogue of 50s doowop and R&B vocal group recordings, featuring an ensemble that simultaneously wore two different recording hats, recording both as The Cadets and The Jacks. They were signed to the Modern label, owned by the Bihari brothers, who saw the potential of the group to fulfil two different functions, recording new original material as The Cadets for the Modern imprint, while also recording quick-fire cover versions of other artists R&B releases as The Jacks for their subsidiary label RPM. This great-value 52-track collection comprises every record they released in both of these guises in their relatively short, but very busy, recording career from their debut in 1955 through to 1957, when the Modern label ran into financial trouble and ceased operating, and the artists moved on to other things. With the customary range of vocal styles within the initial 5-piece line-up of Aaron Collins, Willie Davis, Austin Ted Taylor, Lloyd McCraw and Will Dub Jones, the group featured several different lead vocalists, making them highly versatile and able to handle a variety of repertoire with ease, making this a musically very interesting and entertaining collection. Its a must for any doowop fan, representing a definitive overview of the career of these two groups, and including bonus tracks in the form of their recordings backing up other artists on their labels, including Donna Hightower Young Jessie and Richard Berry.