There is some confusion even among music experts if Johnny Paris® played also in the band The Craftsmen. According to John's own statements in several radio interviews, Johnny Paris® never played with The Craftsmen (which was confirmed by the real Craftsmen sax player Richard Malfitano), even though the sound was similar to Johnny and the Hurricanes®. Johnny Paris® explained that Morty Craft tried to make a success with The Craftsmen under the Warwick label in style of Johnny and the Hurricanes® with different musicians, after Johnny and the Hurricanes® changed from Warwick to the Bigtop label.
Former Craftsmen sax player Richard Malfitano in an email to Sonja Paris in October of 2008: "Hello Sonja, it was great to see this web. I'm Richard Malfitano: Sax player for the Craftsmen 1960 on Warwick Records. I met John on a few tours and he was a great cat. I was 15 years old at that time and we were chaperoned by Art Gottfried, who worked for Morty (Craft). Our first 45 was 'Goofus' in which I appeared for the first time on American Bandstand with Dick Clark. I LOVED JOHN'S TONE AND FEEL, HE COULD PLAY PRETTY FUNKY WHEN HE WANTED AND THAT'S WHAT I AM DOING TO THIS DAY, STILL 'WAILIN'.
"The Craftsmen were: Joe Avento (guitar), Ronnie Becker (piano), Al Santora (bass), Tom Scorcione (drums), Richard Malfitano (sax). Morty Craft put the Craftsmen band together to tour and get the $$$ from the market of the sound of Johnny and the Hurricanes. He was disappointed that Johnny left Warwick to go with another company and (Morty Craft) named the group after himself. He felt that he promoted John and took it personally that John would leave him, but you must know that John got a proper offer from a new record company. Eventually we went on to do our own stuff with a little success.
I remained a studio musician in New York and studied to be an arranger and orchestrator in the recording session scene - playing around Manhatten (Metropole Cafe, Peppermint Lounge etc).
Hope all is well with you and I'm glad to see this web. Would like to hear from you........Richard Malfitano/sax originally from Jersey City/ New Jersey and now in Florida - and still giggin and travelin'. ''
Some of the Craftsmen songs are according to Craftsmen sax player Malfitano:
"Goofus"
"Rockalong"
"Marty' Party"
"The Hucklebuck"
"Mcbongbong" (forgot spelling)
"What's the matter with grownups" (vocal - original by me and Morty Craft)
"Tweedle Lee Dee" (Remake of ''Baby Hueys'' )
"Don't you just know it" (vocal, instrumental)
Some demos of ''Polly Wolly'' ''and ''California here I come'' (Johnny may have done also)
Demo never released: ''St Louis Blues'' - so much other stuff I can't remember or find
"Down by the Riverside'' (Richard Malfitano on 12/2/2008 in an email to Sonja Paris)
Another email received from Brian Young (Del Shannon web master) on 12/4.2008:
"Hi Sonja, here are the discographies:
THE CRAFTSMEN:
WARWICK #538
Goofus / Rock A-long - 1960
WARWICK #572
The Hucklebuck / Marty's Party - 1960
WARWICK #586
Tweedle Dee / Walkin' With Mr. Lee - 1960
WARWICK #678
What's The Matter With Grownups / Mc Boing-Boing - 1962
Some bootlegged CD’s try to sell these above mentioned songs as Johnny and the Hurricanes® songs. But the truth is that neither Johnny and the Hurricanes® nor the musicians of Johnny and the Hurricanes® recorded any of these songs, not even under another name. Clearly the Craftsmen was a totally different band with totally different musicians.
