INFO | CLIENT | MATRIX | LABEL | DATE | ARTIST | TITLE |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
94 | 101 | Ace 606 | Little Jerry & The Chants | The Shape You Left Me In | ||
94 | 102 | Ace 606 | Little Jerry & The Chants | Ooh Wee Baby | ||
94 | 105 | Ace 605 | 10/24/60 billboard | Big Boy Myles with Mac Rebennack's Orchestra | New Orleans | |
94 | 106 | Ace 605 | 10/22/60 cashbox | Big Boy Myles with Mac Rebennack's Orchestra | Gray Bonnet | |
111 | Vin 1025 | 11/14/60 billboard | Danny Ray | Love Me | ||
112 | Vin 1025 | Danny Ray | Gone | |||
84 | 113 | Rustone 1404 | Emmet & The Jades | Hit The Road | ||
84 | 114 | Rustone 1404 | Emmett & The Jades | They Tell Me | ||
150 | 115 | Nix 100 | 11/21/60 billboard | The Melody Mates | Enchantment | |
150 | 116 | Nix 100 | The Melody Mates | Promenade | ||
94 | 117 | Ace 615 | 1/21/61 cashbox | Harry Lee | Are You For Real | |
94 | 118 | Ace 615 | 1/23/61 billboard | Harry Lee | Looking, Seeking, Searching | |
7 | 120 | Coaster 800 | Dee Thomas & The Versatiles | In The Garden Of Love | ||
7 | 121 | Coaster 800 | Dee Thomas & The Versatiles | Don't Know Where I'm Going | ||
21 | 124 | drew-Blan 1002 | 2/20/61 billboard | Charles Leman | Bye Bye Baby | |
21 | 125 | drew-Blan 1002 | Charles Leman | Believe In Me | ||
21 | 126 | drew-Blan 1003 | Jimmie Dale | My Pride And Joy | ||
21 | 127 | drew-Blan 1003 | Jimmie Dale | Emma Lee | ||
9 | 128 | Merit 1002 | Joe Valentine | I Still Love You | ||
9 | 129 | Merit 1002 | Joe Valentine | Young Lover | ||
11 | 134 | Valiant 3376 | Johnny Davis | Send Me Someone To Love | ||
11 | 135 | Valiant 3376 | Johnny Davis | My Kind Of Baby | ||
11 | 136 | Valiant 3378 | Errol Dee | This Is The End | ||
11 | 137 | Valiant 3378 | Errol Dee | Let Me Give You My Love | ||
11 | 138 | Valiant 3338 | Joel Moore | Seeking | ||
11 | 139 | Valiant 3338 | Joel Moore | Rhumatiz | ||
12 | 144 | Rex 1016 | 1/9/61 billboard | Van Broussard | I Can't Complain | |
12 | 145 | Rex 1016 | 1/7/61 cashbox | Van Broussard | Winter Wind | |
94 | 149 | Ace 607 | 12/5/60 billboard | Jimmy Clanton | What Am I Gonna Do | |
94 | 150 | Ace 607 | 11/26/60 cashbox | Jimmy Clanton | If I | |
96 | 151 | Ric 975 | recorded 11/3/60 | Martha Nelson | I Don't Talk Too Much | |
96 | 152 | Ric 975 | 12/3/60 cashbox | Martha Nelson | Bless You Darling |
During 1959, Cosimo Matassa was running the Rex label in conjunction with his studios at 523-25 Gov. Nicholls Street in the heart of New Orleans' French Quarter. However, he admitted he was distracted from his studios and label by managing national teen idol Jimmy Clanton, who recorded for Johnny Vincent's Ace label of Jackson, Mississippi.
At the time the independent record business was reeling from the Congressional payola hearings. Many of the pioneering independent labels withdrew from New Orleans, including Aladdin, Chess, Modern and Specialty; even Lew Chudd's Imperial, under Dave Bartholomew, cut back considerably on its local sessions.
In 1960 Imperial resumes a busy recording schedule at the Cosimo studios led by Fats Domino. His Top 10 pop hit with Walking To New Orleans brings welcome fresh attention to Matassa's facility. In the fall, Joe Jones has an even bigger hit with You Talk Too Much (Roulette, originally Ric) at No. 3 pop; and session keyboardist James Booker has a Top 50 hit with the organ-instrumental Gonzo (Peacock) produced by Edward Frank, a former member of the Cosimo Studio Band. To cope with the extra business, Matassa brings in young engineers Skip Godwin and Bert Frilot as assistants. A new 3-track recording machine is acquired, giving the potential for basic stereo sessions.
In October, Matassa introduces a new sequential master series starting at 100 with record company clients allocated individual prefixes. The principal client in the last quarter of the year is Ace... and The Cosimo Code is launched!
- John Broven