The Drifters Album: “Magic Moments”

I like diverse styles of music (rock, jazz, country, and rock, and I'm getting some into classical and film scores), but I have been very fond of early rock 'n' roll and doo-wop. I've listened to many groups of the mid-1950s and early 1960s (The Platters, Bill Haley and the Comets, The Shirelles), and The Drifters is definitely among one of the best of this musical genre and I have always enjoyed the variety of styles and emotional wallop of their songs.

The Drifters orginated in the 1950s, emerging from the black vocal group tradition to become leaders in the doo-wop style of music. Their skills as singers was matched by an unusual resilience; as members came and went through the years, their popularity never waned, remaining on the pop music charts for 12 consecutive years, proving that even with the many changes of personnel The Drifters underwent (which can break a group apart) they were able to move in sync with the changes of popular music. Their versatility enabled them to acclimate the public to new musical appetites by including strings and Latin rhythms.

The Drifters: Magic Moments CD, produced by BCI Music of Canada in 1998, includes "Under The Boardwalk," "This Magic Moment," "Save The Last Dance For Me," and "There Goes My Baby." (My favorites, in order of preference, are: "Under The Boardwalk," "This Magic Moment," and "There Goes My Baby".)

If you, like me, are a doo-wop fan or early rock 'n' roll of the 1950's, this reasonably priced album is a must-get for your music library. I wholeheartedly recommend it.