Jack & The Mods [2022] - One Is Enough for One [Numero Group #NUM5807]

Jack & The Mods consisted of three Townsend brothers Jack, Ricky, and Jake and their two cousins from Chuckatuck, VA. They were discovered by Alvin Mount who overheard them practicing in a run down shack after his car had broken down nearby. The eldest brother Jack took the lead billing but it was young Jake on lead vocals (some sources claim 9 and another 11 years old which would seem more plausible). 

Blount got them into the studio and were joined by two more brothers (James Lawrence Jr. (trumpet) and Bobby Elford (drums), there were eleven siblings in total, six brothers and five sisters) to cut their first record which was this song "One Is Enough for One" credited to Al Blount, along with a sped up cover of The Isley Brothers "It's Your Thing" which was the official A side. The label was called Hamtown which I believe is a nickname for the nearby town of Smithfield which is famed for the curing and production of Smithfield ham.

Curiously, their only other listed recording is on Bamtown and has the same catalogue no. (i.e. 50115) and is also listed for 1972 "The Jack Mod Kick" / "Don't Wake Me Up". It was reissued by Germany's Tramp label in 2019. However, it is a 1972 recording (the label states Recorded at Brockington & Guess Studio, Norfolk, VA, 1972) but was first released in 2006, which may explain the similarities to the Hamtown label. 

The A side is an early 70s funk tune with the B side sounding very familiar which I'm pretty sure is a retitled cover of Bart Jackson's (aka George Jackson) 1968 outing on Decca, "Wonderful Dream", which I've included below for you to decide. The song was also recorded in 1972 by Art Gentry on Abet which even got a UK release on Mojo.

Story has it that Blount arranged performances in the region and also one at Harlem's famous  Apollo Theatre but the group got lost on their way and missed that opportunity. Blount, who was in the military, was posted outside of Virginia and the group were then managed by a friend who then passed them onto another friend who died. When Blount returned three years later the group had disintegrated.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Sweet Soul / Reissue
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Numero Group
Cat No:	NUM5807
Date:	13/12/2022
Key/BPM:	7A/85
Price:	£1

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