Category Archives: Funk
DOUBLE EXPOSURE-TEN PERCENT.
DOUBLE EXPOSURE-TEN PERCENT. December 11th 1975 is a significant date in the history Salsoul Records. It was the date that Double Exposure started recording their debut album Ten Percent, which would become their most successful album, and one of Salsoul’s biggest selling albums. Ten Percent which will be released on 17th September 2012 by BBR …
LIPPS INC-MOUTH TO MOUTH.
LIPPS INC-MOUTH TO MOUTH. When Minneapolis based producer Steven Greenberg and the former Miss Black Minneapolis Cynthia Johnson entered the studio to record a single Rock It as Lipps Inc in 1979, little did they realize the commercial success that was about to come their way. Once Rock It was recorded, it was then released …
FIRST CHOICE-DELUSIONS.
FIRST CHOICE-DELUSIONS. Three men played a huge part in the success of two of the most important and successful record companies of the seventies, but despite doing so, don’t get the credit they so richly deserve. These three men are bassist Ron Baker, guitarist Norman Harris and drummer Earl Young. Together, were known as the …
THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA-THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA.
THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA-THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA. Sometimes, fate plays an important part in the success of an artist, album or in the case of Saloul Records, a record label. This was the case when Ken Cayre met vibes virtuoso Vince Montana Jr. Ken Cayre wanted to import the Philly Sound to his nascent record label, Salsoul, …
THE SALSOUL STRINGS-HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE.
THE SALSOUL STRINGS-HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE. Recently, I’ve been reviewing many of Salsoul Records’ releases, and during these reviews, explaining how Salsoul Records started to change around 1978. This change came about when several of Salsoul’s key personnel started to leave the label or play less of a role in the label’s releases. This …
THE ORIGINAL MASTERS-DISCO VOLUME 8.
THE ORIGINAL MASTERS-DISCO VOLUME 8. As many regular readers of this blog will realize, I’m constantly on the lookout for new music to tell you about. With the lack of new releases from both the major and independent record companies, I’m having to dig even deeper looking for new music. That’s meant I’ve been checking …
M.F.S.B.-THE GAMBLE AND HUFF ORCHESTRA.
M.F.S.B.-THE GAMBLE AND HUFF ORCHESTRA. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been charting the rise of Salsoul Records and then the changes in personnel that ensued from 1978 onwards. The story of Salsoul Records wouldn’t have happened without Philadelphia International Records and Gamble and Huff. M.F.S.B. were Philadelphia International Records legendary house-band, and in 1975 …
INNER LIFE-INNER LIFE I.
INNER LIFE-INNER LIFE I. In the last few articles I’ve written about Salsoul Records, I’ve mentioned how from 1978 onwards, things were changing at Salsoul. The Salsoul Orchestra played a huge part in Salsoul’s success. They were much more than musicians, with many of its members songwriters, arrangers and producers. This included the Baker, Harris, …
DOUBLE EXPOSURE-FOURPLAY.
DOUBLE EXPOSURE-FOURPLAY. Before changing their name to Double Exposure, the Philadelphia quartet of James Williams, Joseph Harris, Charles Whittington and Leonard “Butch” Davis were known as United Image. The group had formed back in the sixties, whilst the four members of United Image were still in high school. Through their lifelong friendship with legendary Philadelphia …
FIRST CHOICE-HOLD YOUR HORSES.
FIRST CHOICE-HOLD YOUR HORSES. By the time First Choice signed to Gold Mind Records in 1976, they’d already released three albums since forming in Philadelphia 1972. First Choice would go on to release three albums for Gold Mind Records, a subsidiary of Salsoul Records. Their first release was 1977s Delusions, which contained two tracks that …
LUTHER VANDROSS-GIVE ME THE REASON.
LUTHER VANDROSS-GIVE ME THE REASON. There aren’t many singers that go from singing backing vocals to releasing a string of gold and platinum albums. While that might sound like the stuff of fiction, that’s what happened to Luther Vandross. During the late seventies, Luther was singing backing vocals for Chic, while no doubt studying Niles …
DEXTER WANSEL-VOYAGER.
DEXTER WANSEL-VOYAGER. For any label, losing many members of their house-band, plus some of their best songwriters, arrangers and producers could’ve proved fatal. This is what happened at Philadelphia International Records in 1975. Many of M.F.S.B. were locked in a dispute with Gamble and Huff over money. When the dispute couldn’t be resolved many of …
M.F.S.B.-PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM.
M.F.S.B.-PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM. Often, when I’m either writing about Philadelphia International Records or Salsoul Records, I mention M.F.S.B. Philadelphia International Records’ legendary house-band. M.F.S.B.’s role in the Philly Sound can’t be underestimated. They played on literally every album the influenced and shaped what became known as the Philly Sound. Whether it was working with Thom Bell …
GO GO GET DOWN-COMPILED BY JOEY NEGRO.
GO GO GET DOWN-COMPILED BY JOEY NEGRO. Usually, at this time of year, the compilation market is at its most buoyant, with record labels releasing some of their best compilations of the year. This year things have been unusually quiet, with quality compilations being the exception rather than the rule. Apart from a few independent …
BILLY PAUL-360 DEGREES OF BILLY PAUL.
BILLY PAUL-360 DEGREES OF BILLY PAUL. Sometimes, an artist releases a single that becomes a huge commercial success and regardless of whatever else they release, they’re forever be known as the artist that recorded “that single.” For Billy Paul, ever since he released Me and Mrs Jones as a single back in October 1972, he’s …
TAVARES-LOVE UPRISING.
TAVARES-LOVE UPRISING. As a new decade dawned for Tavares, they set about recording what would prove to be their ninth and penultimate album for Capitol Records Love Uprising. This was Tavares’ second album of 1980, the followup to Supercharged. Love Uprising, which will be released on 20th August 2012 by SoulMusic Records, would be produced …
THE SOULJAZZ ORCHESTRA-SOLIDARITY.
THE SOULJAZZ ORCHESTRA-SOLIDARITY. When The Souljazz Orchestra released their acoustic album Rising Sun in 2101, it was to widespread critical acclaim. Now two years later, The Souljazz Orchestra are celebrating their tenth anniversary with the release of their fifth album Solidarity, which will be released by Strut Records on 17th September 2012. During the last …
MYSTIC MERLIN-FULL MOON.
MYSTIC MERLIN-FULL MOON. When Mystic Merlin started their musical adventure, here was a group of talented musicians looking to fill their considerable potential. They were the latest in a line of New York funk bands looking to hit the big time. Parliament, Funkadelic, Brass Construction, B.T. Express were funk royalty, but Mystic Merlin were looking …
THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA-NICE ‘N’ NASTY.
THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA-NICE ‘N’ NASTY. When I realized that this would my 500th review, I decided that to mark the occasion, by reviewing a really special album, one of my favorite albums. Now with the best part of two-thousand albums to choose from, I’ve plenty of choice. Regular readers of this blog will have realized …
LIGHT OF THE WORLD-LIGHT OF THE WORLD.
LIGHT OF THE WORLD-LIGHT OF THE WORLD. One of the bands who were at the forefront of the UK’s jazz funk movement during the late-seventies were Light of The World, whose name pays homage to Kool and The Gang’s 1974 album Light of the Worlds. They went on to release five albums between 1979 and …
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