The Temprees was a top r&b/soul vocal trio comprised of three Memphis natives: its leader Jasper “Jabo” Phillips, Harold “Scotty” Scott, and Deljuan “Del” Calvin. The singers met in junior high, went to high school together, and were singing as teenagers.
Officially formed in 1970, the Temprees were signed to We Produce, a Stax subsidiary, and recorded several notable recordings during the first half of the 1970s. Phillips’s falsetto was usually in the lead during the performances and the Temprees were at their best singing emotional love ballads, backed occasionally by horns and strings.
Their first album, Love Men, has been reissued with additional selections as Dedicated to the One I Love. The title cut was their biggest hit, a remake of the Five Royales/Shirelles standard which was on the r&b charts in 1972. Other highlights of this CD include “If I Could Say What’s on My Mind,” “I Love You, You Love Me,” “I Love, I Love,” “You Make Me Feel So Good Baby,” and “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight.” This is a well-paced set that demonstrates why the Temprees were quite popular. Due to the success of their vocals, the Temprees were nicknamed “Love Men.”
The Temprees’ next recording, Love Maze includes the emotional title cut, remakes of some popular tunes (including “At Last,” “People Make the World Go Round,” and “It’s Christmas Time Again”) and “Let Me Be the One.” Also available in the Concord/Fantasy catalog is The Best of the Temprees, which has selections from both of their We Produce projects.
