Ravens - The Ravens Collection 1946-59 (2021)

The Ravens were among the pioneers of the R&B doowop genre during the 1940s and ‘50s, starting to record in 1946 and having all their hits between 1948 and 1952 – along with the The Orioles, they were also one of the early R&B vocal groups to name themselves after birds, later followed by The Larks, The Crows, The Penguins, The Cardinals, The Wrens and others. They were unique in that while most groups had a tenor lead voice, their lead vocalist was the hugely influential and respected bass Jimmy Ricks, who was the group’s prime mover throughout their career, inspiring many bass singers in doowop and beyond. This great-value 103-track 4-CD set comprises the A & B sides of just about all their releases during these years on the Hub, National, Columbia, Okeh, Mercury, Jubilee, Argo and Top Rank labels, although there was not space for the Jimmy Ricks solo singles from this time. It features all their eleven R&B chart entries, of which all but two made the Top 10, including their Top 5 hits “Send For Me If You Need Me”, “Write Me A Letter” and “Rock Me All Night Long”. It’s a substantial and comprehensive overview of their career, and a thoroughly enjoyable showcase for their highly distinctive talents and vocal styling.