The Rituals
Girl In Zanzibar / Guitarro
Arwin Records - MM120-45 (Jan. 1959)
Side A
Girl In Zanzibar
Side B
Guitarro
Personnel Include:
Arnie Ginsburg - vocals (Girl In Zanzibar)
Richard Podolor - lead guitar
Mike Deasy - guitar
Harper Cosby - bass
Bruce Johnston - piano
David Shostac - saxophone
Sandy Nelson - drums
Don Podolor - songwriter (Girl In Zanzibar)
Joe Lubin - songwriter (Guitarro)
Adam Ross - songwriter (Guitarro)
Notes:
In late 1958 or early 1959, 19 year old Arnie Ginsburg joined with a group called The Rituals at Gold Star Studios in Hollywood, California to lay down two songs, "Girl In Zanzibar" and the instrumental "Guitarro".
On some websites this session is often combined as happening in March of 1959 along with two other songs done by future Beach Boy Bruce Johnston but Johnston says that the four songs were listed together on an AFM union contract sheet so as to give the musicians credit and pay but that they were totally different sessions at different times with slightly different musicians.
What also muddies the water is that there were two totally different bands in California at that time using the name The Rituals. Slated to be released in January of 1959, it is unclear if Arwin Records actually issued this single to the general public. If not, there are several promotional copies that were pressed to vinyl in existence and the songs have shown up years later on compilation CDs.
Arnie Ginsburg performed and recorded briefly with Jan Berry as Jan and Arnie before he began a stint in the U.S. Navy and Dean Torrance joined together with Berry to form Jan and Dean.
