History:
The Teachers were a vocal group / pop rock / lounge group from West Chester, Pennsylvania. The group originally met as students at West Chester University. The band originally made a few singles on their own label, PTA Records. Their first single appears to be "Bye Bye Blues" with "Somewhere" on the flip. It was released in 1965. Their next single, issued on PTA in the same year, featured the standards "Sound Of Music" / "Love Walked In".
After these singles and some performances, the group was signed to a recording contract with ABC Paramount. They released two promo singles on the label in 1968. Both are in the doo wop / pop rock territory. They were dropped from the label by 1969 and inked a record deal with United Artists.
During this same period the group was performing in clubs all around the US and Canada. They recorded a "live" album titled "In Concert" around 1968/1969. The album features mostly cover material of various styles, including some rock ("I Wanna Go Home"), pop ("Up, Up, And Away"), and jazz ("Rhapsody In Blue"). The album is not live, rather a studio effort with fake applause between tracks.
The lounge album was privately pressed on Emcee and released and sold at gigs. Two songs from the album were lifted and issued as a promo on UA to no chart effects.
It is unclear when the group broke up. Oddly, the basic track from "Summer Blue" written by the group's Frank Martin was released in the early 70's by a Dave Little. The track from "In Concert" was copied, slightly slowed down, and a new vocal added. A flute section was also added.
The Teachers (Emcee, 1968?)
Rating: 5/10
Half of this album is straight up swing jazz / traditional pop. The rest is at least interesting lounge. "Goin' Out Of My Head" is a nice soulful rendition with a lot of hammond organ and trumpet soloing. "Summer Blue" is a strange folk pop tune with a great vocal, ukuleles (I think?), and a nice bopping bass line. Cute ditty that perfectly encapsulates a nice summer day. "I Wanna Go Home" was the group's stab at a "psychodillic mood". It's pretty much straight pop rock ala The Young Rascals / Bee Gees but I still like it. Their version of "Somewhere" is a nice rawer take with organ and upfront electric guitar.