The Blue Jays (4) aka The Castlemen

The Blue Jays (4) (New York)
aka The Castlemen

Personnel :

Mark Bennett Gartman (Lead)

Elliot Rothpearl

Ronnie Kalman

Martha ...

Discography :

The Blue Jays (4)
1959 - Practical Joker / Barbara (Roulette 4169)
1960 - Kum Ba Yah / Cave Man Love (Roulette 4264)

The Castlemen   
1961 - Tom Doolavitch / Driving On Bald Mountain (VCB 100-3

Biography :

Vocal group from New York composed by Mark Bennett Gartman, Elliot Rothpearl, Ronnie Kalman and a girl named Martha. The group signed a recording contract with Morris Levy. Levy was co-founder and owner of Roulette Records. In mid-1959, The Blue Jays recorded "Practical Joker" b/w "Barbara" followed by "Kum Ba Yah" b/w "Cave Man Love".

 
The Castlemen : Mark, Elliot & Jerry

“Barbara” is enjoying some success and the group performs regularly but Roulette records took advantage of many artists who never got paid for their work. The Blue Jay's are one of them!  In early 1961 With Martha and Ronnie Kalman departure replaced by Jerry Trevor, the group now as a Trio turned to another label: VCB records from New York City. In 1961, the group will record two new songs, "Tom Doolavitch" b/w "Driving On Bald Mountain" released by VCB with a new group name: the

The Castlemen

Castlemen. A 1979 Castlemen Reunion also included Mike Ferrigno on Bass. Performance at the Teacher Union Award Luncheon of the United Federation of Teachers at the Waldorf Astoria December 17th 1979 where there played Labor Songs and Folk Songs .

Songs :

The Blue Jays (4)

(updated by Hans-Joachim) 

  
   Barbara                                         Practical Joker

  
Cave Man Love                                      Kum Ba Yah  

...