RICKY MASON

OTHER 1964 - 1966 Recordings
What follows is a discography of all the original 1960s Ricky Mason releases that I am aware of, there may be more out there. None of these feature Hendrix on guitar.

Released in Canada
Title: Ace Of Diamonds / There's No Love In The World - 7" single
Composers:
Ace Of Diamonds - (Bobby Scott - Jay Scott)
There's No Love In The World - (Tony Caticchio - Denis Pantis)
Producer:
Ace Of Diamonds - Ed. Chalpin
There's No Love In The World - Ed. Chalpin
Arranged by:
Ace Of Diamonds - Teacho Wiltshire
There's No Love In The World - Teacho Wiltshire
Release date: November 1964
Label: Trans Canada
Catalog number: 76940

The single is mentioned in Cash Box issue 14 November 1964:
"Another good new release with that "Canadian" sound is the latest by newcomer Ricky Mason. The song is on Trans Canada, and Canadian artist notwithstanding, reportedly was cut in Great Britain. "Ace Of Diamonds" is the title of the plug side and it could easily be a real winner." 1

And in the Canadian R.P.M. magazine`s 7 December 1964 issue:
"Mike Reed of Apex besides pushing a hundred thousand other records dropped off the new release of Canadian Ricky Mason called "Ace Of Diamonds". We understand this was recorded in England." 2

It seems strange that the single would have been recorded in Great Britain. With Ed Chalpin (who was based in New York, see Curtis Knight) producing and Teacho Wiltshire (who arranged a lot of songs for American artists in the 60s, including the Isley Brothers) arranging one would think that the tracks would have been recorded in the USA. A 1967 Billboard article detailed Chalpin`s way of working when producing cover versions: "Chalpin spends about four months a year doing overseas recording dates. Material that can be recorded in English is done in PPX`s 10-track studio here."  So, though it seems unlikely that the single would have been recorded in the UK it is possible that the claim is correct, Chalpin did do overseas recording sessions.

The single is again mentioned in Cash Box, 2 January 1965:
"Meanwhile, the outstanding bluesie outing by Ricky Mason on Trans Canada has made its CKGM, Montreal chart debut, and the side, "Ace Of Diamonds" on Trans Canada is coming in for gobs of air time on the Dave Boxer show over CFCF, same city. If other Canadian jocks get on this side it`ll make enough noise to follow the Terry Black example and make those all important charts stateside." 3

And yet again in the 23 January 1965 issue:
"It shares the spotlight with another strong, and very commercial outing by Montrealer Ricky Mason, "Ace Of Diamonds." The latter is very much in the current blues idiom that is making itself so apparent in the trade these days, the world over. Mason, incidently, is managed by ex-pro wrestler and owner of Montreal`s Mocambo night spot, Johnny Rougeau. Johnny will happily supply copies of the good blues outing by this young fellow who really wails. It`s on Trans Canada. If you are without a copy get in touch with Rougeau in care of Mocambo in Montreal." 4



Released in Canada

Title: Ace Of Diamonds / There's No Love In The World - 7" single
Composers:
Ace Of Diamonds - (Bobby Scott - Jay Scott)
There's No Love In The World - (Tony Caticchio - Denis Pantis)
Producer:
Ace Of Diamonds - Ed. Chalpin
There's No Love In The World - Ed. Chalpin
Arranged by:
Ace Of Diamonds - Teacho Wiltshire
There's No Love In The World - Teacho Wiltshire
Release date: 1964?
Label: Trans Canada
Catalog number: TC-3109

A  2nd issue of this 45 on the Trans Canada label but with a different catalog number, "TC-3109" instead of "76940". 5


Released in USA
Title: Ace Of Diamonds / I Wanna Come Home - 7" single
Composers:
Ace Of Diamonds - (Bobby Scott - Jay Scott)
I Wanna Come Home - (M. March)
Producer:
Ace Of Diamonds - Ed. Chalpin
There's No Love In The World - Ed. Chalpin
Arranged by:
Ace Of Diamonds - Teacho Wiltshire
I Wanna Come Home - Frank Metis
Release date: July 1965
Label: Mercury
Catalog number: 72448

The Mercury single release is mentioned in the Cash Box 31 July 1965 issue 6
"Interesting to note in this week`s batch of new singles from Mercury in the U.S., the good r&b side by Montreal`s Ricky Mason, "Ace Of Diamonds". This was a big winner for Mason in and around Montreal last fall when it came out on Trans Canada. It now remains to be seen what help the American affiliation will give him and manager Johnny Rougeau to make this the major smash it deserves to be. No word yet from London, Mercury`s newly appointed Canadian distributor, as to whether they will distribute the Mason side in Canada."

The credits on the 45 label state "Produced by Ed Chalpin, P.P.X. ENTERPRISES" and "Recorded In Studio 76". However, the only image of the single label that I have seen states "FOR BROADCAST ONLY NOT FOR SALE" and copies of the single are nowhere to be found. www.45cat.com does not list the single, the catalog number 72448 is completely missing from the Mercury label listing, but the release dates listed for the preceding and following catalog numbers suggest a June / July 1965 release date. It`s very likely that the single wasn`t commercially released and only promotional copies were circulated in July 1965.


Released in Canada
Title: Jamais / Je Ne Peux Rester Seul (My World Is Empty Without You) - 7" single 
Composers:
Je Ne Peux Rester Seul (My World Is Empty Without You) - (Holland - Dozier - Brien)
Jamais - ?
Arranged by:
Jamais - Pierre Nolés
Je Ne Peux Rester Seul (My World Is Empty Without You) - Paul Baillargeon
Orchestra:
Jamais -  Pierre Nolés
Je Ne Peux Rester Seul (My World Is Empty Without You) - Paul Baillargeon
Release date: April? 1966 8
Label: Trans Canada
Catalog number: TC-3159

There is no mention of Ed Chalpin or PPX on the single label even though Mason and Chalpin worked together until at least 1967. Either he wasn`t credited or the French language single releases were a completely separate enterprise from the English language PPX recordings.  Listen to "Je Ne Peux Rester Seul (My World Is Empty Without You)" on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DB5rEQP56s


Released in Canada
Title: Amour Perdu / Tu Pretends Que Tu L'aimes (When A Man Loves A Woman) - 7" single 
Composers:
Amour Perdu - (J. Robinson - M. Baker-Bou-Lau)
Tu Pretends Que Tu L'Aimes (When A Man Loves A Woman) - (Lewis - Wright - P. Laurendeau)
Arranged by:
Amour Perdu - Pierre Nolés
Tu Pretends Que Tu L'Aimes (When A Man Loves A Woman) - Pierre Nolés
Orchestra:
Amour Perdu - Pierre Nolés
Tu Pretends Que Tu L'Aimes (When A Man Loves A Woman) - Pierre Nolés
Release date: October? 1966 7
Label: Trans Canada
Catalog number: TC-3178

There is no producer listed on the label but as the following Mason release on the label, "Ouvre Ta Porte / Avant Le Jour" (Trans Canada TC-3201), lists P. Nolés as producer he may have produced this single as well.
Listen to "Tu Pretends Que Tu L'Aimes (When A Man Loves A Woman)" on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6g6qpVZ27uk


Released in Canada
Title: Ouvre Ta Porte / Avant Le Jour
Composers:
Ouvre Ta Porte - (Shaw - Keen - Nolés)
Avant Le Jour - ?
Producer:
Ouvre Ta Porte - Pierre Nolés
Avant Le Jour - ?
Arranged by:
Ouvre Ta Porte - Pierre Nolés
Avant Le Jour - ?
Release date: 196?
Label: Trans Canada
Catalog number: TC-3201






SOURCES
1 Cash Box issue 14 November 1964, under the section "Cash Box Canada"

2 "Canada`s Only Music Industry Weekly" R.P.M. magazine Week of December 7th, 1964

3 Cash Box issue 2 January 1965, under the section "Cash Box Canada"

4 Cash Box issue 23 January 1965, under the section "Cash Box Canada"

5 the song credits are identical as are the matrix numbers listed on the label. What I believe happened: the distributor and manufacturer of the Trans Canada releases was changed and the single re-issued. For the first issue the catalog number, "76940", was one in a series used by the distributor The Compo Co. Limited for releases that they distributed. After the single was first released Trans Canada switched disc manufacture to Franco Disque Inc. and started their own distribution under Trans-Canada Records Inc. This is reflected in the fact that the new releases that followed used a new numbering system starting with the letters "TC" and matrix numbers starting with "FD". The 2nd issue of "Ace Of Diamonds" probably used the same plates as the 1st as the matrix numbers remained the same unlike the later Ricky Mason discs that followed which used the new matrix numbering system.

6 Cash Box issue 31 July 1965, under the section "Cash Box Canada"

7 the single is listed at number 42 in a singles chart in the 5 November 1966 issue of Tele Radio Monde for "Semaine Du 31 October" which translates roughly as "Week Of 31 October"

8 the single is listed in the 16 April 1966 issue of Tele Radio Monde in the section "Predictions De La Semaine" which translates roughly as "predictions of the week"