Search - Various Artists :: The Chancellor Records Story, Volume 1

Superior label retrospective

Zub | Forks Twp., PA | 03/13/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Alongside two other powerhouse labels, Cameo-Parkway and Swan, Bob Marcucci's Chancellor label put Philadelphia on the pop record-making map during the pre-British invasion-era golden age of American rock and roll. In this compilation from the small independent producer of superb quality CD reissues, Taragon Records, we are offered an sampling of the output of this dynamic label from the late 50's and early 60's. Two of Chancellor's flagship artists, Frankie Avalon and Fabian, are well represented here but much of the disc is devoted to lesser-known artists who had some chart success and a number of obscure tracks virtually lost to time. Big hits anchoring the set include Avalon's "Just Ask Your Heart" and "Venus" along with Fabian's "Hound Dog Man" and "Turn Me Loose". Rarely found charting tunes include Chancellor's first success, "I Love My Girl" by Cozy Morley and "With All My Heart" from Jodie Sands. Among the remaining tracks are commercially unsuccessful efforts by the likes of Claudine Clark and Johnny Burnette sounding much like his hits done at Liberty with the Barry Mann-penned "I Wanna Thank Your Folks". All in all, this is an intruguing mix of hits and misses, done in Taragon's usual high-quality fashion with the emphasis on the best sound quality. Source material is the best available for these tracks and several have been taken from session masters as evidenced by the studio chatter and clarity and fullness of the sound itself. This is the first in a two-volume set and if there is a criticism to be leveled here, it is that the liner notes, interesting and different in that they are in the form of an interview with Bob Marcucci, co-founder of the label, just get interesting with the story of Fabian's history when you hit upon a "continued in volume 2..." note. This makes sense in that volume two does continue the presentation of the label's music, but having the accompanying story cut off in mid-stream is nevertheless frustrating. While Avalon's and Fabian's recordings are well anthologized elsewhere, this, and its companion piece, do offer a wider spectrum of the music put out by this powerhouse Philadelphia label during its relatively short life in the limelight. A superb quality piece of interest to the avid and casual collector alike."