My opinion is that they, together, created the California Sound. Or maybe I'll expand a little. Brian created the California Sound and Jan refined it.
The Beach Boys are the alltime greatest band in my opinion. Hands now. No one has ever, or will ever, equal them. But I do think The Beach Boys and Jan & Dean played an equal role in developing what we know as the California SOUND. Not lyrical content (surf, cars, girls, etc) but SOUND. Jan had been cutting records with Wrecking Crew, falsetto leads, and thick harmonies for years. Not saying that Brian copied Jan. But I think Brian took Four Freshman, Chuck Berry, Phil Spector, AND JAN BERRY/JAN&DEAN, when developing his own sound. Some more than others obviously. The Four Freshman would be the most impact influence I think.
Nice thread.
1.
"My opinion is that they, together, created the California Sound. Or maybe I'll expand a little. Brian created the California Sound and Jan refined it." Aren't the building blocks of the so described California Sound as created by Brian the result of the blending together of Four Freshmen type vocal arrangements (Brian), Chuck Berry (Carl), Fender instruments (initially) (Carl & Dave), Do-wop vocal arrangements (Mike), and Phil Spector productions (Brian)...? - I would think that would be Do-wop records generally, not only specifically those recorded by J&A and J&D? (Just look at the Party LP outtakes...)
In what way did Jan 'refine' it?
2.
"Jan had been cutting records with Wrecking Crew, falsetto leads, and thick harmonies for years" , - yes, and so had many other people...
Where did this J&D style actually come from? It's origins are surely in Do-Wop, wasn't that what J&D were doing initially... (Although personally I would certainly hesitate to describe their Dore material as possessing 'thick harmonies'.) Jan did not invent Do-Wop, he adopted the style from other popular records, just like Brian via Mike did...
Listen to Heart & Soul, the vocal arrangement is just a knock-off of I Wonder Why by Dion & The Belmonts... Especially the falsetto at the end.
The arrangement for Linda has been considered by some to be inspired by Sherry by The Four Seasons...
3. Regarding the claims of what Brian actually learnt from Jan with respect to the 'business' and studio techniques and so on, where does Brian's time spent with Usher sit with this...?