First Class
Band members Related acts
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line up 1 (1972-77) - Harold Bell III -- lead vocals - Fred Marshall Brown -- vocals - Sylvester Redditt -- vocals - Tony Yarborough -- lead vocals
supporting musicians: - Roberts Banks --
guitar - Marc Horowitz -- steel guitar - Tommy Keith -- guitar - Sammy Lowe --
electric piano - Frank Prescod --
bass
line up 2 (1991-) - Reggie Bradshaw -- vocals - Van Dyke Curry -- vocals - Val Geron McCoy -- vocals - Sylvester Redditt -- vocals
line up 3 - Reggie Bradshaw -- vocals - Michael Lewis -- vocals - Val Geron McCoy -- vocals - Sylvester Redditt -- vocals
line up 4 - Berman Bennett -- vocals - Keith Matthews -- vocals - Sylvester Redditt -- vocals - Quinton Young -- vocals
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- The Mandells - The Optimists (Harold Bell III and Sylvester Redditt)
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Genre: soul Rating: 3 stars *** Title: Going First Class Company: All Platinum Catalog: AP
3018 Country/State: Baltimore, Maryland Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: small drill whole top right corner Available: 1 Catalog ID: 6176 Price: $25.00
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First off, don't confuse this Baltimore, Maryland-based soul quartet with the better known UK pop band of 'Beach Baby' fame (besides that other group actually went by the name 'The First Class').
Originally known as The Mandells, by the early 1970s Harold Bell III, Fred Brown, Gary Jones, Sylvester Redditt, and Tony Yarborough had begun to enjoy modest success on Baltimore's club circuit. Under the tutelage of managers Rod Armstrong and Ernie Donaldson they made their recording debut with a 1973 single on the small Washington, D.C.Thereway label:
- 1973's 'What Is Life (Part 1)' b/w 'What Is Life (Part 2)' (Thereway catalog number R13378A/B)
1974 found them signed to the nationally distributed Today label and the release of a sophomore 45:
- 1974's 'What About Me' b/w 'Outside Your World (Part 1)' (Today catalog number T-1528)
Next up were a pair of singles for Ebony Sounds:
- 1975's 'The Beginning of the End' b/w 'It's Never Too Late' (Ebony Sounds catalog ES 187-N) - 1975's 'You Don't Know What You're Doing' b/w 'You Come Up Always Wanting To Break Up' (Ebony Sounds catalog ES 188-N)
"Going
First Class" track listing: 1.) This Is It (Tommy Keith - Frank Prescod) - 6:27 rating: ** stars While I'd love to fawn over the opener 'This Is It', to my ears the song offered up a pedestrian and forgettable slice of mid-1970s dance music. The group's performance was rather faceless and uninspired. Even worse, stretched out over six minutes the first half of the song was devoted to the title track being repeated over and over and over, while the second half showcased an extended, highly orchestrated, and equally forgettable instrumental segment. Still, as a slice of mindless fun it was easy to see why the track was tapped as a single. The 'that's it' comment at the end of the song always makes me smile ...
1977's 'This Is It' b/w 'Filled with Desire' (All Platinum catalog number AP 2368)
2.) Filled with Desire (Tommy Keith - Al Goodman) - 3:46 rating: *** stars Showcasing Bell's likable lead vocals, the breezy 'Filled with Desire' was one of the album's most commercial tracks, though the killer hook was largely lost amidst Sammy Lowe and Mike Terry's overwhelming orchestration. The song would have worked much better with a stripped down backing arrangement. 3.) Me and My Gemini (Tommy Keith - Walter Morris) - 6:25 rating: ***** stars The goofy song title (talk 'bout '70s new age) wasn't very promising, nor was Fred Brown's campy baritone opening spoken word vamp ... and then 'Me and My Gemini' blossomed into an unexpected classic soul number. Showcasing a near perfect melody, an uplifting lyric on soldiering through tough times, and some glistening vocal harmonies, this one would have made The O'Jays proud. If anyone cared, Marc Horowitz's steel guitar (!) and Frank Prescod's hyperactive bass were the icing on the cake. My pick for standout performance. A wonderful single that should have been a massive seller !!!
- 1976's 'Me and My Gemini (Part 1)' b/w 'Me and My Gemini (Part 2) (All Platinum catalog number AP 2365)
(side
2) 'Lady of the Evening' started out as a heavily orchestrated mid-tempo number that unexpectedly took a turn into faceless, largely instrumental disco territory. Completely forgettable. - 2.) I've Got You (Tommy Keith) - 3:36 rating: *** stars 'I've Got You' was an up tempo, happy feet track showcasing some extremely cheesy Sammy Lowe synthesizers. 3.) Foxy Lady (Tommy Keith - Billy Brown) - 4:08 rating: *** stars A breezy mid-tempo number, 'Foxy Lady' (no it wasn't a cover of the Hendrix tune) was pleasant, if a bit shallow in the lyric department. Imagine a second tier Marvin Gaye song and you'd have a feel for this one. 4.) Let's Make Love (Tommy Keith) - 4:08 rating: *** stars Another ballad, 'Let's Make Love' saw Bell and Redditt sharing lead vocal duties, the slightly bluesy results being one of the better performances on the album.
I've never heard them, but there are at least three other First Class albums. Be warned that none are easy to track down and they're quite pricey.
- 1978's "Coming Back To You" All Platinum catalog number AP-3022 - 1978's "Together" (Park Way catalog ) - a collaboration with The Softones - 1980's "They Are First Class" Sugar Hill catalog number SH-255
"Together" track listing: (side 1) 1.) Just had To Dance 2.) Laying My Heart On the Line 3.) Love Minus One 4.) Can You Feel It
(side 2) 1.) Carla My Love 2.) Tell Me What You Want 3.) Candy
"They Are First Class" track listing: (side 1) 1.) Give Me, Lend Me 2.) Let's Make Love 3.) Coming Back To You 4.) No Room For Another
(side 2) 1.) I Wasn't There 2.) Lucky Me 3.) Going Out Of My Head 4.) Hypnotize
Redditt apparently reformed the group in the early 1990s and plays occasional dates around Baltimore. The group has a small, rather uninformative website at: http://www.1stclassrecordingartist.ws/Home
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BACK TO BADCAT PAYMENT INFORMATION
The
group's corporate wanderings continued and in 1977 they found themselves
signed to Sylvia Robinson's New Jersey-based All Platinum label where they
finally were given an opportunity to record an album. Produced by
Tommy Keith (who also wrote, or co-wrote all seven tracks), "Going
First Class"
had its moments. Vocally these guys were blessed with a first rate
pair of lead singers in Bell and Yarborough. Bell had one one of
soul's brightest tenors; to my ears he had one of those voices that just
sounded happy and upbeat. Yarborough was no slouch either.
Unfortunately, none of the members wrote material so like many other soul
groups First Class were totally dependent on outside material. That
lack of control was apparently on the album which included a
disproportionate number of throwaway dance tunes ('This Is It' and 'Lady of
the Evening'). The thing is, when they were given the right material
and the right arrangements, these guys were as good as any number of mega
sellers ... doubt that statement then I'd suggest you check out their single
'Me and My Gemini'. 
