FOXY-GET OFF.

dereksmusicblog ♦ September 23, 2013 ♦ Leave a comment

FOXY-GET OFF.

Before Foxy’s recording career got underway, they honed their sound playing on a whole host of albums released on Henry Stone’s T.K. Records. Starting with Blowfly, then Timmy Thomas, Miami-based Foxy were T.K’s studio band. Foxy picked up where KC and The Sunshine Band left off. They were now T.K’s most successful signing. Their days of working as a studio band were long gone. The baton had passed to Foxy. By 1976, it was time for Foxy to release their debut album

Released in 1976, Foxy released the first of a quartet of albums they released for Henry Stone’s Dash Records. Their eponymous debut album Foxy, saw their career get off to an inauspicious start. It failed to chart. Part of the problem was Foxy couldn’t find their own sound. Instead, they sought inspiration from a number of sources. A small crumb of comfort was Get Off Your Aahh and Dance, which gave Foxy a minor hit single. Although it reached just number thirty-nine in the US R&B Charts, it reached number two in the US Dance Charts. While Foxy showcased the band’s talent and versatility, it gave no hint of what was about to happen the Miami-based sextet. Their sophomore album Get Off, which was recently rereleased by BBR Records, transformed Foxy fortunes.

For their sophomore album Get Off, three members of the band contributed the eight tracks Ish Ledesma penned Ready For Love, You and Lucky Me. He cowrote Get Off, Madamoiselle and It’s Happening with Carl Driggs. Ish and Charlie Murciano wrote Tena’s Song, while Charlie contributed Goin’ Back To You. These eight tracks became Get Off, which was produced by Cory Wade.

Recording of Get Off took place at Studio Center Sound Recording, Miami. That’s where the six members of Foxy headed. Foxy featured two lead vocalists, guitarists Carl Driggs and Ish Ledesma. The rhythm section consisted of Arnold Paseiro and drummer and percussionist Joe Galdo. Multi-instrumentalist Charlie Murciano played keyboards, woodwinds and vibes. The final member of Foxy was Richie Puente Jr, who played percussion and clavinet. He was the son of legendary bandleader Tito Puente. Along with the Bonaroo Horns, backing vocals courtesy of Wildflower and Peter Brown on synth bass, this was the lineup that featured on Get Off. Would it kickstart Foxy’s career?

Before the release of Get Off, the title-track was released as a single in May 1978. It reached number nine in the US Billboard 100, number one in the US R&B Charts and number eighteen in the US Disco Charts. Then when Get Off was released in June 1978, it reached number twelve in the US Billboard 200 and number twelve in the US R&B Charts. Foxy had been catapualted to disco Kings. Had they found their own sound, or was Get Off a genre-melting album?

Tena’s Song opens Get Off. It’s a joyous slice of dance-floor friendly music. Literally, it explodes into life. Hand claps and the pounding rhythm section set the scene for the a vocal. It’s makes you think of the jazz age. Instantly, you’re back to the twenties. Ish’s lead vocal is accompanied by punchy harmonies. Soon, it’s a scat with handclaps, piano and woodwind accompanying him. Pop, funk and jazz combine to create joyous, hook-laden track where the roaring twenties and seventies unite.

Ready For Love sees a synth, piano, pounding rhythm section and quivering strings take charge as the arrangement gallops along. Dramatic soulful and dance-floor friendly, the soul-baring vocal is accompanied by sweeping harmonies. As for the arrangement, it frames the interplay between the vocal and harmonies. Bursts of drums, flourishes of piano, dancing strings, growling horns and a bubbling bass. They provide the backdrop for an impassioned, needy plea on this dramatic, soulful paean.

Madamoiselle sees Foxy slow things down. Still they keep things soulful. Cooing harmonies, percussion and melancholy strings join rasping horns and a wistful bass. A drum roll signals the arrival of the vocal. At the start, it’s whispered and seductive, but becomes sassy and powerful. The same can be said of the arrangement. With the rhythm section providing the pulsating heartbeat, Santana-esque guitars and Latin percussion take charge. Later, cooing harmonies and lush strings provide a backdrop for the strutting vocal, on this genre-melting tracks. In less than five minutes, Foxy combine elements of disco, funk, Latin, rock and soul.

You explodes into life. A myriad of Latin percussion provides the backdrop to a sassy, strutting vocal. It’s accompanied by equally, sassy, feisty harmonies. Soon, disco strings and stabs of piano are joined by a powerhouse of a rhythm section. Bursts of braying horns, percussion and flourishes of piano combine. Ish’s vocal is feisty and dramatic, with harmonies matching his sass and confidence. During a breakdown, funk, disco and Latin melts into one. Then when the harmonies pick up the baton, they’re the finishing touch to this mesmeric mixture of musical genres. Pulsating and infectiously catchy, it’s akin to a call to dance. You’re dared not to. You can’t help but submit the charms of you. 

Get Off is the best known track on Get Off. It gave Foxy their only US R&B single. That doesn’t mean it’s the best track on Get Off. Whooping, cooing harmonies gives way to the vocoder as things get funky. There’s a tougher, P-Funk sound to the track. It’s as if Foxy have sought inspiration from Funkadelic. Other times, The Salsoul Orchestra are an influence, especially with the vocals. Driven along by that bubbling bass, Foxy lock into a groove and exploit it to its fullest. What unfolds is like a party in the studio. Whoops, hollers, handclaps and harmonies are combined. Foxy fuse funk, disco, soul and bubblegum pop to create an infectiously catchy track.

Bursts of thunderous drums open Lucky Me, which marks another change in direction. Swathes of strings, rasping horns and a sharp, deliberate vocal. It takes the track in the direction of Euro Disco. Suddenly, it’s a myriad of supposedly sensuous moans and groans. Then it’s all change. Foxy deploy a vocoder. It’s an instrument that can be overused. Here, Foxy tread a fine line. A guitar could prove just as effective. Later, as the track becomes a gloriously choppy slice of Euro Disco, it’s all change. During a breakdown the track takes on a Latin sound. Sadly, it never returns to the glorious slice of Euro Disco it once was. Although it’s a good track, without the vocoder and the Latin sounding breakdown, it could’ve been a great one.

Straight away, Goin’ Back To You reminds me of Earth, Wind and Fire. It’s the arrangement that leads to that comparison. With just a piano, drums and lush strings for company, Foxy showcase their soulful side. A heartfelt and emotive vocal and Earth, Wind and Fire-sque harmonies prove a potent combination. Gradually the emotion and drama grows as Foxy replicate the soulfulness of Ready For Love.

It’s Happening closes Get Off. Just a jaunty piano is joined by a bubbling bass and urgent vocal. Soon, strings are sweeping and swirling, while bursts of rasping horns punctuate the arrangement. As the vocal drops out disco string, searing guitar, cooing harmonies and growling horns take centre-stage. By now musical genres and influences have melted into one. Listen carefully, and you’ll hear everything from pop, disco, soul and funk, plus elements of Andrew Gold and The Doobie Brothers. Poppy, soulful and catchy it’s a compelling way to close Get Off.

Just like their debut album Foxy, Foxy haven’t quite found their own sound on Get Off. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. No. Get Off is best described as a fusion of musical genres and influences. Everything from disco, Euro Disco, funk, jazz, Latin, P-Funk, pop, rock and soul can be heard on the eight tracks. Tena’s Song is one of the highlights of Get Off. As the roaring twenties and the seventies unite, there’s no hint of what’s to come. Instead, Get Off is a magical mystery tour. Ready For Love and Goin’ Back To You allow Foxy to showcase their soulful side. Then during Get Off’s other five tracks musical genres melt into one. There was something for everyone on Get Off. Whether you liked your music funky, soulful or dance-floor friendly, Foxy had something for you. 

With seemingly Foxy covering all their bases, how would Dash Records market the band? Were they a disco, funk or soul band? The answer to that was neither. They were all things to all men and women. Maybe that was as a result of Foxy originally being a studio band? A studio band has to be able to accompany any type of artist. Foxy could do this. Seamlessly, they could switch from soul to funk and then disco. This was a bit like Earth, Wind and Fire, who Foxy occasionally sound like. Sadly, Foxy didn’t come close to replicating the commercial success and critical acclaim of Earth, Wind and Fire.

Instead, Foxy released just two more albums. 1979s Hot Numbers reached number twenty-nine in the US Billboard 200 and number ten US R&B Charts. Their final studio album was 1979s Party Boys. It failed to chart and Foxy split up in 1980. Their recording career lasted three years and numbered just four albums. Foxy’s finest hour was Get Off, which was recently rereleased by BBR Records. Seamlessly, Foxy fuse musical genres and influences on what was the most successful album of their career, Get Off. Standout Tracks: Tena’s Song, You, Get Off and Goin’ Back To You.

FOXY-GET OFF.