THE RITCHIE FAMILY-LIFE IS MUSIC.

dereksmusicblog ♦ January 28, 2013 ♦ Leave a comment

THE RITCHIE FAMILY-LIFE IS MUSIC.

Mention the words concept album, and it conjurs up a certain image. Music journalists of a certain vintage, sixth formers in the seventies and of course, bloated prog rock bands. Indeed, every home should have one of these albums. After all, it’s a great way to deal with unwanted guests. Picture the scene, you’ve had a party, it’s down to the people who you’d rather had left much earlier. Things are getting tedious, they’ve cleaned out your drinks cabinet, and getting to the stage where they’re either getting maudlin, boring or unruly. Now is the time to utter the words, “I’ve got this great concept album you must hear.” Abracacadabra, and just like waving a magic wand, you’re home is your own again. Suddenly, excuses are being made, taxis are being called and you can breath a sigh of relief. At last, it’s time for bed. However, not all seventies concept albums fall into the category I’ve described.

Indeed, back in the seventies, one of disco’s most innovative groups, The Ritchie Family, released four disco concept albums. Previously, I’ve reviewed two of The Ritchie Family’s albums, their 1975 debut album Brazil and their 1976 sophomore album Arabian Nights. By January 1977, The Ritchie Family were ready to release their third album, Life Is Music. For Life Is Music, Richie Rome, who was the brainchild behind the Philly based The Ritchie Family decided the concept would be the thirties, albeit with a disco twist.

The Ritchie Family’s two previous albums had been concept albums. Brazil was an album where Latin music and disco became one. Legendary Philly backing vocalists The Sweethearts of Sigma took charge of the lead vocals. Then for Arabian Nights, a new lineup of The Ritchie Family was put in place. They had a lot live up to. After all, the Sweethearts of Sigma, Carla Benson, Evette Benton and Barbara Ingram had set the bar high on Brazil. For Arabian Nights, The Ritchie Family’s three new vocalists included two former members of Honey and The Bees, Gwen Oliver and Cassandra Wooten. Joining them were Cheryl Jacks. Having made their Ritchie Family debut on Arabian Nights. Both of The Ritchie Family’s two previous albums had proved commercially successful. Could Life Is Music make it a trio of commercially successful concept albums?

For Life Is Music, Richie Rome, Jacques Morali, Henri Belolo and Phil Hurtt  penned four tracks, Lady Luck, Liberty, Super Lover and Disco Blues. They also penned Lady Luck with Max Gazzola. Long Distance Romance saw the French songwriting and production team of Henri Belolo and Jacques Morali join with Richie Rome and Phil Whitehead. These six tracks became Life Is Music, which like the first two Ritchie Family albums was arranged and produced by Richie Rome and Jacques Morali at Philly’s Sigma Sound Studios.

With Richie Rome and Jacques Morali producing Life Is Music, Gwen Oliver, Cassandra Wooten and Cheryl Jacks headed to Sigma Sound Studios to record their second album as The Ritchie Family. They were heading back to the thirties, with Richie and Jacques adding a disco twist. Adding that disco twist, were some of Philly’s best musicians, including many former or current members of M.F.S.B, including conga player Larry Washington. With Richie and Jacques arranging and producing Life Is Music, the album was released as the height of disco’s popularity in January 1977.

On the release of Life Is Music in January 1977, the album reached number 100 in the US R&B Charts. The title-track Life Is Music was released as a single but failed to chart. Life Is Music hadn’t quite matched the commercial success of Brazil or Arabian Nights. However, is the music on Life Is Music as good as the music on The Ritchie Family’s first two albums?

Life Is Music bursts into life with the title-track Life Is Music. The rhythm section create a pulsating heartbeat, while strings dance and percussion joins the mix. When the vocals enter, the drama continues. Each of The Ritchie Family take turns of the lead vocal, before combine to create delicious elegant, soaring harmonies. Driven along by the bass, with strings dancing in joy, The Ritchie Family demonstrate their vocal prowess. Delivered with confidence and joy, while spreading hooks aplenty, it’s no surprise this joyous and infectiously catchy track was chosen as the lead single.

When Lady Luck unfolds, instantly, you think of Donna Summer’s I Feel Love. There’s a real Euro Disco sound. The rhythm section drive the arrangement along, while strings cascade, sweeping and swirling. Vocals are delivered powerfully and sensually, while strings and the rhythm section take charge. By then, Euro Disco, Euro Pop and Philly Soul harmonies have united. With a pulsating heartbeat and hooks aplenty, The Ritchie Family pick up where they left off on Life Is Music. Eventually, a breakdown occurs. It gives The Ritchie Family a well deserved break. Bursts of percussion, chiming guitars and the rhythm section combine, before The Ritchie Family take the song to its dramatic crescendo.

Long Distance Romance has a real vintage jazz sound, albeit set to a pounding disco beat. It’s quite different to the previous track. Growling horns, rhythm section and swathes of the lushest strings set the scene for Cassandra’s vocal. Vince Montana Jr’s vibes join the quivering, shimming strings, chiming guitars and pounding disco beat. When a telephone rings, Cassandra answer is sensual and sultry, before being swept away above dancing strings, chiming guitars and rasping horns. For nearly seven minutes, two decades forty years apart unite. Richie Rome fuses thirties jazz with disco and the sweetest Philly Soul. Quite simply, this captivating and bewitching fusion closes Side One of Life Is Music with a jazz, tinged high.

Liberty, which opens Side Two of Life Is Music instantly grabs your attention. Flourishes of strings, a pounding disco beat ensure this is the case. Flamboyant is a perfect description of the track. Cassandra’s vocal is answered by punchy harmonies, while the bass marches the arrangement along. Layers of strings, pounding drums and growling horns see vintage jazz, Philly Soul and disco become one. Again, the thirties and seventies are one. Forty years makes no difference to Richie Rome, as innovator that he was, combines seamlessly musical genres.

Like other tracks on Life Is Music, Super Lover explodes into life. Rasping horns, swirling strings, bells chime and the rhythm section are like a disco juggernaut, driving down the freeway. When The Ritchie Family enter, there’s similarities to The Three Degrees. If you imagine they’d worked with Richie Rome not Giorgio Moroder, this could’ve been them. Strident, sassy, confident and soulful describes their vocals and harmonies. With layers of dancing strings and the bass and drums locked in the tightest of grooves Life Is Music’s best track unfolds. Growling, sultry horns add the finishing touch to this hidden gem of a disco track, that once heard, you’ll never forget.

Closing Life Is Music is Disco Blues, which takes a thirties boogie woogie sound and adds a disco beat. Like other tracks, it works seamlessly. Driven along by a boogie woogie piano and bass lead rhythm section, Richie Rome, ever the innovator, manages to combine  disco and boogie woogie jazz. Horns rasp and growl, taking on a sultry sound. Then there are the sassy vocals and whooping, hollering harmonies. Both The Ritchie Family and Philly finest musicians are in disco heaven, ensuring Life Is Music closes on a memorable and hook laden high.

While Life Is Music may not have matched the commercial success of their two previous albums, Brazil and Arabian Nights, there was nothing whatsoever wrong with the music. Indeed, Life Is Music sees The Ritchie Family come close to replicating the success of their debut album Brazil, which featured The Sweethearts of Sigma’s backing vocals. Life Is Music saw the new lineup of The Ritchie Family raise their game. It was as if they were more comfortable as a group and used to each other’s vocals than during Arabian Nights. With a band featuring some of the best musicians in Philly and Richie Rome and Jacques Morali producing Life Is Music, it’s no surprise this is such a good album. Maybe when people heard the words concept album, suddenly, Life Is Music didn’t sound as appealing. Possibly, they were still suffering flashbacks to the dreaded prog rock concept albums earlier in the seventies. What they missed was an absolutely delicious disco album, tinged with vintage thirties jazz, courtesy of The Ritchie Family and Richie Rome. Although just six tracks long, Life Is Music is one of disco’s real hidden gems. During the six tracks on Life Is Music, The Ritchie Family, guided by Richie Rome and Jacques Morali fuse disco, Euro Disco, thirties jazz, boogie woogie and Philly Soul, proving that not all concept albums are the stuff of nightmares. Life Is Music,  a delicious disco album from The Ritchie Family proves that. Standout Tracks: Lady Luck, Long Distance Romance, Super Lover and Disco Blues.

THE RITCHIE FAMILY-LIFE IS MUSIC.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOUBC3_xK2c