The African Beavers

Around 1980, while attending a late night record listening party at the house of Dave and Phil Alvin of The Blasters, a record by The African Beavers was played.  At the time it was suggested that the record was recorded by The Isley Brothers with Jimi Hendrix playing guitar under an assumed name—and, indeed, this is what the record sounds like.  The lead singer hits high falsetto notes that sound a lot like the singing of Ronald Isley.  For a soul record, the production is sparse.  There are no horns, only guitar bass and drums—much like a rock group.  The playing of the guitarist, however, is sufficiently forward-looking to sound not unlike the work of Jimi Hendrix during this period, 1964-1965.

This was a revelation.

For years, I thought that this was certainly an Isley/Hendrix collaboration; one that no one was talking about as it appeared in no books about Jimi Hendrix (unfortunately, there are no books about The Isley Brothers—a shame, considering that the group had a LOT more longevity and success than Hendrix).

Anyway, I duly went out and found copies of both records by The African Beavers:  Jungle Fever/Find My Baby (RCA 47-8530) and Night Time is the Right Time/You Got Something (RCA 47-8639).  The more I listened to them, the more I thought that these are Isley/Hendrix recordings.

During the nineties, I met a fellow who had access to the RCA vaults.  I asked him if he could find information on these records.  All he found out was that the tracks were licensed from an independent record label/production company called Gwen Records out of New Jersey (blues singer Buster Brown cut a single for Gwen in 1963).

Further research turned up this:  Buster Brown’s real name is Wayman Glasco, who is credited to have written the two original African Beavers songs.  Glasco must have been in the band, or acted as a producer/Svengali of some sort.  Perhaps he was an owner of Gwen Records, but he seems to have been involved somehow.  Buster Brown, who had a Number One R&B hit with “Fannie Mae” in 1960, was a fine blues harmonica player, yet there is no harmonica playing on the records by The African Beavers.

Nothing else.

In 2001, I had the opportunity to interview Ronald and Ernie Isley.  By the end of the interview I mustered up enough courage to ask them about The African Beavers.  They denied any knowledge of the records.  At this late date, they have no reason to lie about such a session, if it really took place, so I believe them.

So that was all we knew about The African Beavers—until last month, when a picture sleeve for the first single surfaced at a record show in Wayne, NJ.  The dealer wanted a little bit of change for it, so, even though I held it in my hands and slobbered on it, I didn’t buy it.  For a month I regretted that decision.  When it came time for the August Wayne, NJ record show, I went and bought it!

Here it is, a photo of the legendary African Beavers….

If you have solid information regarding The African Beavers, please let us know in the “Comments” section.  Thanks.

NEW INFO! Thanks to our pal Mr. Fine Wine, who has pointed out that the Sir Shambling’s Deep Soul Heaven website states that the lead singer of The African Beavers was a singer who recorded under several names, but most popularly as Tony Fox.

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“Find My Baby” was written by Wayman Glasco.

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“Jungle Fever” is a cover of a 1958 song by Roy Hamilton.

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“Night Time Is the Right Time” is a cover of “The Right Time” by Nappy Brown (1957) that was later made famous by Ray Charles as “Night Time Is the Right Time” (1959).

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“You Got Something” is another Wayman Glasco song.