JOHN DAVIS MONSTER ORCHESTRA-UP JUMPED THE DEVIL.
JOHN DAVIS MONSTER ORCHESTRA-UP JUMPED THE DEVIL.
By 1977, disco was at the peak of its popularity. Salsoul Records, owned by the Cayre brothers had established itself as disco’s premier label. Soon, other labels looked enviously at Salsoul’s success. They wanted to hitch a ride on the disco bandwagon. One thing many labels hadn’t worked out, was that what made Salsoul such a successful label, was personnel. The Salsoul Orchestra weren’t just musicians, they were also songwriter, arrangers and producers. Many of these musicians were pioneers, innovators and visionaries, including Vince Montana Jr, and Norman Harris of the Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section. Over at the newly founded SAM Records, Sam Weiss had big plans for his nascent label. He had plans to build SAM into a label that would rival the success of Salsoul. Eventually, SAM would become one of the biggest and best known disco labels. One thing that Sam Weiss realized he needed to make his dream a reality, was SAM Records’ very own musical innovator. This innovator was John Davis, who had just founded his own disco orchestra, John Davis and The Monster Orchestra. It was John Davis and The Monster Orchestra that gave SAM Records their first hit single Night and Day. John Davis and The Monster Orchestra then released their debut album, Night and Day in 1976. Then a year later in 1977, John Davis and The Monster Orchestra released their sophomore album Up Jumped The Devil.
For John Davis and The Monster Orchestra’s sophomore album, Up Jumped The Devil, John decided to change tack from their debut album Night and Day. While Night and Day had been six cover versions of Cole Porter songs and two original tracks, Up Jumped The Devil featured original songs. John wrote five of the seven songs and cowrote You Gotta Give It Time and Once Upon A Time with guitarist Craig Synder. These seven songs became Up Jumped The Devil, John Davis and The Monster Orchestra’s sophomore album.
Many of the personnel that played on Up Jumped The Devil would also feature on albums by The Salsoul Orchestra. This includes the rhythm section of bassist Michael “Sugar Bear” Foreman, drummer Charles Collins and guitarist Dennis Harris. Larry Washington played percussion, while strings and horns came courtesy of Don Renaldo and backing vocals from The Sweethearts of Sigma, Carla Benson, Evette Benton and Barbara Ingram. Only guitarist Craig Snyder, bassist Vince Fay and drummer Jimmy Young hadn’t played with The Salsoul Orchestra. John Davis, played keyboards, flute and saxophone and sang the lead vocals. He conducted the orchestra and produced Up Jumped The Devil, which was released in 1977.
On the release of Up Jumped The Devil in 1977, John Davis and The Monster Orchestra’s sophomore album wasn’t a commercial success. Only the title-track Up Jumped The Devil was released as a single, but it wasn’t a commercial either. However, John Davis and The Monster Orchestra’s third album Ain’t That Enough For You would see commercial success come John Davis and The Monster Orchestra’s way. However, should success have come John Davis and The Monster Orchestra’s way earlier, with Up Jumped The Devil? That’s what I’ll tell you, when I tell you about the music on Up Jumped The Devil.
Up Jumped The Devil opens with the title-track and single Up Jumped The Devil. A pounding, uber funky, rhythm section, growling horns and percussion before John takes charge of the lead vocal. With The Sweethearts of Sigma, shakers, riffing, searing guitars and blazing horns for company, a dramatic slice of funk-tinged disco unfolds. Thunderous drums, sizzling guitars and grizzled, riffing horns prove the finishing touch and the perfect accompaniment to John and The Sweethearts of Sigma dramatic vocals. Having gotten your attention, you sense John Davis and The Monster Orchestra won’t let go.
We Can Fly sees disco combined with Philly Soul. Key to this, is his orchestra’s background. Many members of the orchestra and The Sweethearts of Sigma are from Philly. So, it’s no surprise the track’s Philly Sound, as the arrangement unfolds. The rhythm section and lush strings accompany John’s tender, soulful vocal. The Sweethearts of Sigma’s equally tender, soulful harmonies provide a perfect foil. Then chiming guitars, dancing strings, flourishes of keyboards and a pulsating rhythm section take charge, sweeping the arrangement along. Later, acoustic guitars weave their way across the arrangement. From there, the vocal drops in and out, teasing and tantalizing, as disco and Philly Soul are combine seamlessly.
A thunderous, funky rhythm section opens You Gotta It Up. Then blazing horns, searing guitars and slap bass combine to create funk-laden backdrop. Urgent, sassy vocals from John and The Sweethearts of Sigma add to the tough, funky arrangement. Hollers, whoops and handclaps punctuating the arrangement. Then chiming guitars, percussion, high, kicking grizzled horns and the funkiest of rhythm section are unleashed. An added bonus is a searing, riffing guitar solo that dances across the funk laden arrangement, as John Davis and The Monster Orchestra demonstrate another side to the their music, one I’d love to hear much more of.
Once Upon A Time soulfully and dramatically, closes Side One of Up Jumped The Devil. The arrangement is driven along by a funky, thunderous rhythm section, dancing strings and rasping horns. A flourish of keyboards signals the soulful entrance of John and The Sweethearts of Sigma. When they exit stage left, this is the signal for the drama to build. Blazing horns and the rhythm section take charge. Having taken the arrangement to a dramatic crescendo, the vocal returns. Then during a breakdown, percussion, horns and the rhythm section combine with breathy harmonies, before the arrangement bursts back into life, bringing the track to a soulful, dramatic close.
Side Two of Up Jumped The Devil is a three part disco medley. These medleys were hugely popular during the disco era. The Magic Is You (Main Theme) is the first movement of three. Hissing hi-hats, sharp, dramatic bursts of horns and flourishes of strings unite with percussion. Driving the arrangement along is the funky rhythm section and sizzling guitars. John’s vocal is powerful and joyous, with swathes of lush strings, growling horns and later, pizzicato strings for company. Providing the pulsating, uber funky heartbeat is a Philly rhythm section. They build the drama as a dance-floor classic unfolds. Adding to the drama are testifying harmonies from The Sweethearts of Sigma, sweeping, swirling strings and glorious riffing horns. What makes this medley even better, is there are two more parts to enjoy.
You’re The One picks up where the previous track left off. Percussion, congas, keyboards and the rhythm section combine. Choppy, wha-wah guitars and layers of strings join the fun, before the unmistakably, sweet and soulful sound of The Sweethearts of Sigma enters. They add urgent, then cooing harmonies, before John Davis vocal enters. He’s quite happy to play second fiddle to The Sweethearts of Sigma, given their sheer soulfulness. They play a crucial role in the track, making this pulsating tracks one of the most soulful on Up Jumped The Devil.
Closing Up Jumped The Devil is Recapitulation, the last track in the three part medley. This is one of the five tracks penned by the orchestra’s innovative leader. Horns growl, lush strings sway, sweep and swirl and the rhythm section provide a thunderous, pounding and pulsating beat. It’s as if John Davis and The Monster Orchestra are determined to close the album on a high. This they do. The Sweethearts of Sigma add their soulful, joyous contribution. Their harmonies soar and quiver, as they accompany John’s vocal. Again he seems content to let The Sweethearts of Sigma take centre-stage. So too do his orchestra. They provide a dramatic, funky and dance-floor friendly arrangement. Urgent bursts of horns, wah-wah guitars, flourishes of dancing strings and the pulsating arrangement combine to create a soulful, funky and dance-floor friendly dramatic high to Up Jumped The Devil.
That Up Jumped The Devil wasn’t a huge commercial success seems almost unjust. After all, here was John Davis and The Monster Orchestra, one of the greatest disco orchestra’s in full flight. It’s a joy to behold. Only The Salsoul Orchestra bettered the sound of John Davis and The Monster Orchestra in full flight. What made John Davis and The Monster Orchestra such a success was that John was a musical innovator and pioneer, just like Vince Montana Jr, who’d founded The Salsoul Orchestra and Norman Harris. Another part of John’s success was that he surrounded himself with hugely talented musicians and backing vocalists.
Many of these musicians and backing vocalists were from Philly, and played an important part in the success of Philadelphia International Records and later, Salsoul Records. They’d also feature on albums by The Salsoul Orchestra. Crucial to the success of John Davis and The Monster Orchestra musicians like the rhythm section of bassist Michael “Sugar Bear” Foreman, drummer Charles Collins and guitarist Dennis Harris. Then there’s percussionist Larry Washington, Don Renaldo and The Sweethearts of Sigma.
It was The Sweethearts of Sigma who transformed a great album into a minor disco classic. The Sweethearts of Sigma were the voice of The Salsoul Orchestra and The Salsoul Strings. Their backing vocals feature on every great album of the Philly Soul era. So, their contribution was crucial. Indeed, they were the perfect foil for John Davis, who wasn’t the greatest vocalist. He was a good, but not great vocalist. However, with The Sweethearts of Sigma accompanying him, his deficiencies were well hidden. They took charge, adding The Sweethearts of Sigma provided the finishing touch to Up Jumped The Devil. Not only did The Sweethearts of Sigma play an important part in the success of Up Jumped The Devil, but made it one of John Davis and The Monster Orchestra’s greatest albums and indeed, a real hidden gem and timeless classic of the disco era. Standout Tracks: We Can Fly, Once Upon A Time, Magic Is You (Main Theme) and You’re The One.
JOHN DAVIS MONSTER ORCHESTRA-UP JUMPED THE DEVIL.
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