Music Review: Royal Jesters: English Oldies

By Melissa Bratcher

Chicago-based Numero Group wants to fill your summer with eclectic songs you’ve never heard: songs to watch submarine races by, songs to fill your tear ducts, songs to catch that first kiss on the dance floor, songs that make you need to get up and shake that thing. Their latest carefully curated reissue is a 28-track collection by San Antonio’s the Royal Jesters. Active in the 1960s and ‘70s, the Royal Jesters never had that big breakthrough hit, but their marriage of doo wop harmonies and mariachi horn sensibilities, as well as some fine, sometimes wildly experimental organ playing makes this compilation, Royal Jesters: English Oldies, well worth a listen.

In listening to Royal Jesters: English Oldies in chronological order, you can hear the band becoming tighter. On early tracks, their harmonies sound a bit ramshackle, and the vocalist has a curious relationship with singing in the right key all of the time, but the exuberance and passion carries the day. Sometimes, feeling is the most important thing, and that is clear on these tracks.

The organist—Luvine Elias, Jr.—is incredibly important to the sounds of the Royal Jesters. His impressionistic turns at the Lowrey color the songs, for example, his church-like playing on “I’m So Sorry,” and the driving “Meet Me Down In Soulsville.”

Some tracks are perfect sock hop tunes, like the slow stroll of “We Go Together,” which boasts impressively woozy horns, or “Let’s Kiss And Make Up,” with it’s bubbling guitar line that was made for twisting the night away. “I Will Never Forget” is straight-up, perky doo wop.

But that’s not all. “Afro-Lypso” is a live wire, party-starting jam with blistering horns. “Spanish Grease” is a flat-out funky ear worm with a crisp trumpet solo that is evenly matched by a solo sax showcase. The horns shine again on the swinging “Manning Ave.” along with fantastic harmonies.

Also included are solo tracks by members of the band. Dimas Garcia’s Dimas III tracks are wonderful; “Just A Friend” is a bright, swinging ‘60s number, and “I Won’t Love You Again” sets up a slow groove to go with the unusual descending melody. “So Funny,” also from Dimas III, is soulful and experimental, and just a little off kilter. Joe Jama’s “Sleep Late My Lady Friend” just wins everything, though. With its great title, sexy flute, and a sly groove, it’s just as delightful as the title suggests.

In listening to Royal Jesters: English Oldies, it’s surprising that they didn’t break big in the way that other San Antonio bands did nationally. They had it: the songwriting, the style, the horns, the harmonies. . . the important things. Thanks to Numero Group, now you can hear just how delightful they were. It’s definitely worth a listen.

Royal Jesters: English Oldies was released by Numero Group on June 23.