The Jesters
An R&B vocal group from Harlem, New York City, New York, USA. The Jesters represented the classic New York style of doo-wop characterized as 'greasy', in which the vocal harmony is rock ‘n’ rollish, extremely expressive, loaded with exotic flourishes, and usually supports a falsetto lead. Members of the Jesters were Lenny McKay (lead), Adam Jackson (lead), Anthony ‘Jimmy’ Smith (second tenor), Leo Vincent (baritone), and Noel Grant (bass). The group came together in 1955, and was signed by Paul Winley for his Winley label in 1957. Their first release, So Strange/Love No One But You, was a double-sided hit in the New York area in the summer of 1957. In the autumn they hit again locally with Please Let Me Love You. The Plea, a remake of the Chantels' hit, made it to number 74 of the Billboard pop chart in 1958, but like the other records it mainly sold in New York. I Laughed/Now That You're Gone from the summer of 1958 was the last record to feature the original group. In 1960 a new line-up of Jackson, Smith, Melvin Lewis, and Don Lewis recorded the Jesters' most successful song, The Wind, a remake of the 1954 Diablos hit.