Delores Lynn (Baltimore Jazz Singer)

[Roburt]

When is a soul singer not a soul singer ….. well, the answer is when she's Delores Lynn.

Delores was born & brought up in Baltimore (entering this world in 1937). She made her start as a singer at the Metropolitan Methodist Church in Baltimore, where she still sang with the choir in 1991. In her younger years, she founded the group Delores Lynn and The Playboys, which became the house band at the Surf Club and the Biltmore Lounge. The Surf Club (a nightclub on Pulaski Highway at Highland Avenue in East Baltimore) was owned by Amedio Lorenzo Snr, who had purchased it in 1951. During the rock & roll era he booked the likes of Count Basie, Woody Herman, Bill Haley and the Comets, Fats Domino and Louis Prima to play the venue. Sunday jam sessions were also popular at the club. They were hosted by Al "Mad Man" Baitch, a saxophone player whose trio was a regular at the club. Another Sunday feature back then was the 'Battle of the Bands' at which 3 bands would play starting at 2 p.m. and end five hours later. The big name acts played the club on Mondays and during the rest of the week local bands and singers entertained the audiences (the Romanos, the Swingtones, the Crystals, Teddy Bell, Mickey Fields & his All-Stars and the Versatiles plus Delores Lynn). Mr Lorenzo sold the club in 1962 as he could no longer meet the fee's demanded by popular acts. The Biltmore Lounge, which had opened back in 1945, was on the junction of West Fayette & Paca Street in Baltimore. It was still going strong in the mid 50's when Delores played there. Delores went on to perform with the Coasters at the Royal Theatre and at the Cadillac Club with Bobby "Blue" Bland and Nina Simone. In July 1965, she played on a bill at Carr's Beach that also included Nella Dodds, the Ascots and the Uptowns.

 

Gifted with a natural voice, Delores had no formal training and so sang in unpolished fashion. She always preferred jazz and soon became a big draw at local clubs such as the Club Les Gals, Bamboo Lounge, Red Fox and North End Lounge (which was owned by Gary Bartz father). At these clubs, she played in conjunction with the likes of the Al Gross Quintette, the Claude Hubbard Trio and the Donald Criss Trio. The only record release she ever enjoyed was the double sided gem put out on Philly based Junior Records around 1964. With much input from up & coming Philly soul genius Bobby Martin, her single coupled the deep soul styled ballad “Just Tell It Like It Is” with a Northern style cut of great class, “The Big Search Is On”. No doubt she would have preferred to cut some jazz styled songs but back then, an aspiring singer did as she was told when given the opportunity to visit the recording studio. It is likely that more recordings of her vocal efforts exist as she undertook many concerts for the Baltimore based Left Bank Jazz Society. This organisation put on jazz concerts that featured most of the top artists from the early 1960's through into the late 70's. Many of those shows were recorded with the tapes being stored for many years at the Morgan State University library. Delores and DC tenor sax player Buck Hill were among those who played for the Left Bank at the Al-Ho Club up to the end of 1964. Early in 1965 the organisation moved it's shows to the Madison Club (Madison & Chester Street in East Baltimore).

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHEsVRi9n-M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3gvI1n_mow

 

Eventually Delores tired of a performer's life, she settled down & had 4 children. She took numerous jobs and by the 1990's was a security guard at the National Aquarium. She performed volunteer work, designed clothes, moonlighted at Harrison's at Pier 5, upholstered furniture, tended to the needs of her 4 children and 8 grandchildren, her stepmother, father and 89-year-old aunt (who had raised her). Up to the mid 1980's she had no thoughts about singing professionally again but made a return then singing jazz (& some blues) with the Abdu-Raschid Yahya Trio. In 1991, on a dare from co-workers, she took the stage at an Aquarium party with the Peabody Ragtime Ensemble. Ensemble leader Ed Goldstein (the group's tuba player) was amazed at how much she sounded like the legendary Billie Holiday and talked her into acting as vocalist with his group. She then started taking part in shows that honoured 'Lady Day'. Delores went on to sing with the septet at subsequent concerts, including a tribute staged at the Maryland Historical Society to four Baltimore musical greats, Billie Holiday, Eubie Blake, Cab Calloway, and Chick Webb. She also fronted the Ensemble (along with Mel Spears & Ellis Larkins) on a jazz concert celebrating Black History Month. She enjoyed her return to performing jazz and took part in a number of concerts through 1991 / 92.

Edited July 2, 2013 by Roburt

[Roburt]

More gigs that Delores undertook in the 60's ................

Incidentally, her shows at Club Les Gals (West Mt Royal Ave, Baltimore) must have seemed a bit strange to a church goer like her.

The club's clientèle came to watch the sexy exotic dancers  more than the featured singer.

Edited July 2, 2013 by Roburt

[Guest Gogs]

Love "The big search is on" , been in my box for years.