Demensions, The - Over The Rainbow (CD)

(Relic) 16 tracks  ,- It was 1957-58 at Christopher Columbus High School in the Bronx where Lenny Del Giudice and Howie Margolin formed the nucleus of what was eventually to become the "Demensions." Under the guidance of one of their teachers, Jack Finestone, Lenny Dell (as he was soon called) sang lead and 2nd tenor, while Howie Margolin was the baritone and bass. The Bronx teens were members of the Melody Singers, the school choral group. They soon began to sing with two other school choral group members, Charlie Peterson (1st tenor) and Marisa Martell‘, soprano (how many doo-wop groups contain sopranos?) The quartet practiced at many school affairs and, by the time they graduated in 1960, Lenny‘s dad, Lou, became their manager. (Mr. Del Giudice was a professional musician and was in the movie, "The Eddie Duchin Story.") Howie Margolin coined the name "Demensions" because he thought his group was multi-dimensional or, as he said back then, "We had a lot of scope." The group spelled their name with an "e" rather than the customary"i" to catch the public‘s attention. In any case, they couldn‘t be confused with any other group as the "Demensions." Len‘s dad, Lou, had played the famed Copacabana Nightclub in Manhattan with bandleader and Mohawk label topper, Irving Spice. He invited Spice to his home to hear the young group. Spice, (who had issued the very first recordings by Dion on Mohawk), was immediately impressed and he signed the Demensions to a recording contract. Lenny had his original arrangement of the standard, "Over the Rainbow," and a new song he and Howie wrote called "Nursery Rhyme Rock." They were putting the finishing touches on the songs to be recorded when Charlie announced he was leaving the group to go to college. Lenny, dumfounded, told his parents over dinner. "How about your Uncle Phil?," Mom chimed in, and the rest is history. Although Phil Del Giudice was twice the age of the other group members, he brought leadership and maturity to the Demensions. "Over the Rainbow" was released on May 13, 1960 (reviewed in Cashbox forJune 4, 1960). It hit Billboard‘s national pop charts July 10, 1960, climbing to the #16 spot. It remained on the charts for 15 weeks, becoming the group‘s (and Mohawk Records) biggest hit. Ed Engel, January 1992