THE RITCHIE FAMILY-AFRICAN QUEENS.
THE RITCHIE FAMILY-AFRICAN QUEENS.
Just like The Ritchie Family’s three previous albums, their fourth album, 1977s African Queens was a disco concept album. Their 1975 Latin-tinged debut album Brazil was The Ritchie Family’s most successful album. Brazil, which featured The Sweethearts of Sigma’s vocals set the bar high for The Ritchie Family’s future albums. Critically acclaimed and commercially successful, The Ritchie Family looked like becoming one of the biggest groups of the disco era.
Then in 1976, The Ritchie Family lineup changed. This was the first of five different lineups of The Ritchie Family. Gwen Oliver and Cassandra Wooten, who had been members of Honey and The Bees. Joining them were Cheryl Jacks. With this new lineup, Arabian Nights was released in 1976. While Arabian Nights was a commercial success, it didn’t match the success of Brazil. Having sought musical inspiration in two separate continents, The Ritchie Family decided to seek inspiration closes to home for their third album.
1977s The Best Disco In Town saw The Ritchie Family fuse a thirties theme with their trademark disco sound. The Best Disco In Town was only moderately successful. Indeed, of the three albums The Ritchie Family had released, The Best Disco In Town was the least successful. So, when The Ritchie Family returned to the studio later in 1977, to record their fourth album African Queens, they really needed a commercial success. What they really needed was for African Queens to replicate the success of Brazil. Would The Ritchie Family’s latest disco concept album Arabian Nights match the success of their first concept album Brazil?
For Arabian Nights, again, The Ritchie Family decided to follow in the footsteps of Gloria Gaynor’s Never Can Say Goodbye. Side One of Arabian Nights featured a suite of five tracks lasting fourteen minutes. Just like the three tracks on Side Two of African Queens, they were penned by Henri Belolo, Jacques Morali and Phil Hurtt. These seven tracks became African Queens, which was recorded at Philly’s Sigma Sound Studios.
When recording got underway, The Ritchie Family were accompanied by a band that included a rhythm section of bassist Alfonso Carey, drummer Russell Dabney and guitarist Rodger Lee, while Jimmy Lee played lead guitar. Adding the authentic African sound were Charles Payne on djembe, J.M. Diatta on n’goma and Babatunde Olatunji on n’goma, shekere and bongos. Nathaniel Wilke played electric piano and clavinet, Mario Grillo timbales and Raph McDonald added percussion. Gwen Oliver, Cassandra Wooten and Cheryl Jacks were responsible for The Ritchie Family’s vocals, while Jacques Morali produced African Queens. Once African Queens was recorded, it was released in 1977. Would Arabian Nights mark a change in fortune for The Ritchie Family?
On the release of African Queens in 1977, it stalled at number 164 in the US Billboard 200 and number fifty-seven in the US R&B Charts. While African Nights hadn’t matched the success of The Ritchie Family’s first two albums, it was still a commercial success. However, what does the music on African Queens sound like? That’s what I’ll now tell you.
SIde One of African Queens is a five track medley, opening with African Queens. A pounding beat, funky bass and dancing strings combine with a myriad of percussion and punchy harmonies. Then The Ritchie Family add tight, soaring and cascading harmonies and a strutting vocal. Dramatic, urgent backing vocals join blazing horns, percussion and thunderous drums. By now, you realize that this what The Ritchie Family do so well. This is disco, but with a twist. The twist is that it’s a concept album. Soon, you’re taken on a musical journey where you meet two African Queens. During Theme of Nefertiti, Theme of Cleopatra and Theme of The Queen of Sheba the music is variously soulful, dramatic, urgent and always, dance-floor friendly with a pulsating disco beat. Finally, on African Queens Reprise, you get the chance to revisit some of the highlights and delights of Side One of African Queens again. Although Side One lasts just under thirteen minutes, it’s thirteen magical, memorable and captivating minutes where disco is given an African twist, thanks to Jacques Morali and The Ritchie Family.
Side Two of African Queens opens with Summer Nights. The now familiar combination of hissing hi-hats, pounding beats and growling horns are joined by sweeping, swirling strings. Flourishes of harpsichord give way to a confident, sassy and joyous vocal. It marches along, with the bass leading the way. Harmonies cascade, strings dance and percussion punctuates the arrangement. The now fashionable clavinet adds a tougher sound, while a mass of strings and horns provide the backdrop for The Ritchie Family’s vocals. Sweet, soulful, sensuous and sometimes sassy, the vocals and harmonies are all these things and more. For his part, Jacques arrangement combines disco, funk, jazz and African music. It’s a glorious combination and with The Ritchie Family delivering their best vocals. The result is the best track on African Queens.
Quiet Village gradually reveals its secrets. Just thunderous drums, funky bass and wah-wah guitar enter. They’re joined by percussion, pensive vocals and shivering, quivering strings. The understated vocals play a secondary role to the arrangement. Soon, it grows in power and drama. Synths, growling horns, percussion and harpsichord add contrasting sounds. Sometimes, the dated synths dominates the arrangement. Other times, percussion and strings play important roles. Their sounds are timeless. When the vocal returns it’s needy, sassy and beckoning. From there, the vocals and arrangement take turns of grabbing your attention. Everything fits nicely together, like a musical jigsaw, which Jacques Morali has painstakingly put together. To do this, he’s sought inspiration from a variety of musical genres and influences.
Voodoo closes African Queens, The Ritchie Family’s fourth album. It’s as if everything has been building towards this track. From the opening bars, you’re spellbound. You wonder where the track is heading. Punchy horns, dramatic percussion and urgent, but soulful harmonies combine. Then the then arrangement becomes a musical juggernaut. It’s driven along by blazing horns, rhythm section and African percussion. Harmonies sweep in, they cascade and like the growling horns, sounds as if they’re giving thanks for the music that’s gone before. Hypnotic, and pulsating, disco, soul, funk, jazz and African music unite, as The Ritchie Family close African Queens with a captivating track.
While African Queens failed to replicate the success of The Ritchie Family’s first two albums, it was certainly an innovative and groundbreaking album. Here, The Ritchie Family had fused American disco with African music. To that fusion, they’d added elements of jazz, funk and Philly Soul. African Queens was a captivating and compelling album for The Ritchie Family. However, it was the end of an era, for two reasons.
African Queens was The Ritchie Family’s fourth disco concept album. It was also their final one disco concept album. For their next album, 1978s American Generation, The Ritchie Family’s music moved more towards Euro Disco and Euro Pop. The other reason African Queens marked the end of an era, was that it was the final album to feature Gwen Oliver, Cassandra Wooten and Cheryl Jacks. At least they’d finished their career with The Ritchie Family with such an innovative, groundbreaking album. However, this was just the first of five changes in The Ritchie Family’s lineup. Indeed, if you count The Sweethearts of Sigma as the original vocalists, then there were really six different lineups of The Ritchie Family. For many people, myself included, the first four The Ritchie Family albums were the best. Starting with 1975s Brazil, then 1976s Arabian Nights, 1977s The Best Disco In Town and African Queens, this four album period marked the best music of The Ritchie Family’s career. Standout Tracks: African Queens, Summer Nights, Quiet Village and Voodoo.
THE RITCHIE FAMILY-AFRICAN QUEENS.
DUKE WILLIAMS AND THE EXTREMES-MONKEY IN A SILK SUIT IS STILL A MONKEY.
DUKE WILLIAMS AND THE EXTREMES-MONKEY IN A SILK SUIT IS STILL A MONKEY.
Last September, New York based record label, SpinSpinNYC, released a six track compilation entitled Nutritious Presents Duke Williams and The Extremes. SpinSpinNYC had rediscovered the music of Duke Williams and The Extremes. They wanted to share their love and belief in this music with a much wider audience. For many people, this was the first time they’d heard Duke Williams and The Extremes’ music. Not everyone was a newcomer to Duke Williams and The Extremes’ music. For many people, Nutritious Presents Duke Williams and The Extremes was a welcome and timely reminder of two long forgotten soulful gems, including their brilliantly titled 1973 debut album Monkey In A Silk Suit Is Still A Monkey. This marked the start of Duke Williams and The Extremes recording career. What seemed like a long and successful career following the release of Monkey In A Silk Suit Is Still A Monkey, proved not to be the case.
When Duke Williams and The Extremes were looking for a record company, they must have thought they’d end up signing for a record company who’d made their name releasing Southern rock. That’s what happened. Duke Williams and The Extremes signed to Capricorn Records. Previously, they’d established a reputation with Southern rock bands. This included The Allman Brothers, Elvin Bishop and The Marshall Tucker Band. So, signing Duke Williams and The Extremes was something of a departure for Capricorn Records. It was also a risky move for Duke Williams and The Extremes. After all, marketing Southern rock and soul, took different skills and different personnel. Added to that, Duke Williams and The Extremes were no ordinary soul group.
The best way of describing Duke Williams and The Extremes’ music, is a fusion of Philly Soul, funk and Southern Soul. It would be this fusion of musical genres that would feature on their 1973 debut album Monkey In A Silk Suit Is Still A Monkey. It was the first of two albums Duke Williams and The Extremes would released on Capricorn Records, with Fantastic Fedora following in 1974. For their debut album Monkey In A Silk Suit Is Still A Monkey, Duke Williams and a Philly Soul legend would provide six of the album’s ten tracks.
For Monkey In A Silk Suit Is Still A Monkey, Duke Williams and Philly guitarist T.J. Tindall contributed six tracks. T.J. had made his name as a session player, and can be heard on many Philly Soul classics. He’s also a talented songwriter, penning I’m Ready For You and Clouds. With Duke, T.J. cowrote If Loving You Wasn’t So Easy (To Do), First High Of The Day and Ain’t No Ladies On The Street Tonight. They also cowrote Chinese Chicken with Bob Hortnagle. Duke cowrote Depend On Me with Bob Bradbury. Other tracks included Arlester Christian’s Funky Broadway and a cover of Otis Redding and Jerry Butler’s I’ve Been Loving You Too Long. Closing Monkey In A Silk Suit Is Still A Monkey, was Slippin’ and Slidin,’ which Albert Collins cowrote. These ten tracks became Monkey In A Silk Suit Is Still A Monkey. Accompanying Duke Williams and The Extremes, were an all-star band of Philly’s finest musicians.
When recording of Duke Williams and The Extremes’ debut album Monkey In A Silk Suit Is Still A Monkey, two sets of musician played on the album. This included two rhythm sections. One was the Ron Baker and Earl Young of the Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section. The other were drummer Andy Newmark, bassist T.J. Tindall and guitarist Bobby Hartnagle. T.J. Tindall also played guitar, while Duke Williams played organ. Among the other Philly musicians were Larry Washington on bongas and congas and Carlton Kent on clavinet. Skip Drinkwater added percussion and trumpeters Bowleg Miller and Wayne Jackson were part of the horn section. Vocals were split between T.J. and Duke. Producing Monkey In A Silk Suit Is Still A Monkey were T.J. Tindall and Skip Drinkwater, which was released in 1973.
On the release of Duke Williams and The Extremes’ debut album Monkey In A Silk Suit Is Still A Monkey, the album was well received by critics. However, it wasn’t a commercial success. Neither was the cover of Otis Redding’s I’ve Been Loving You Too Long, which was released as a single. It seemed that Duke Williams and The Extremes had stalled, before it had even begun. Why was that? That’s what I’ll tell you, once I’ve told you about Monkey In A Silk Suit Is Still A Monkey.
Opening Monkey In A Silk Suit Is Still A Monkey is the explosive Funky Broadway. Here, Ron Baker and Earl Young provide a funk-laden backdrop for Duke Williams’ powerful, vampish vocal. It’s full of yelps and hollers, delivered with power, passion and confidence. While Ron Baker and Earl Young provide the funkiest of backdrops, while screaming, riffing guitars, percussion and clavinet provide a tough, edgy sound. Soaring, dramatic testifying backing vocals, Hammond organ and growling horns provide the finishing touch to this explosive fusion of funk and soul.
Chinese Chicken picks up where the opening track left off. Describing this track as funky is an understatement. Chiming guitars join Ron Baker’s bass and Earl Young’s drums in creating a thunderous, pounding backdrop. With searing guitars, pounding drums, Hammond organs and clavinet combining, hollers are unleashed as funk, Southern rock and soul become one. At breakneck speed, this arrangement unfolds, revealing a hidden funky gem.
I’m Ready For You marks a change in style. T.J. Tindall takes charge of the lead vocal as soul and Southern Soul and rock combine. Crystalline guitars and the rhythm section set the scene for T.J. before delivers an impassioned vocal. Drums add drama, reinforcing the sincerity in his vocal. Making the track, are the dramatic, soaring gospel harmonies. Together with the guitar that weaves its way across the arrangement, and T.J’s heartfelt pleas, this fusion of musical genre results in one of the highlights of Monkey In A Silk Suit Is Still A Monkey.
Clouds has a pensive, melancholy sound. Waves of keyboards and slow, moody drums combine and T.J’s vocal is dreamy and melancholy. Guitars riff, Ron Baker’s bass buzzes and guitars chime. Soon, the arrangement references seventies rock and psychedelia. There’s even a hint of Pink Floyd, although there’s always a soulful quality to T.J’s vocal. Although very different from other tracks, it’s a wonderfully moody, wistful sounding track that you can’t help but lose yourself in. It demonstrates just how versatile and innovative a group Duke Williams and The Extremes were.
I’ve Been Loving You Too Long, which closes Side One of Monkey In A Silk Suit Is Still A Monkey, was the only single released from the album. Covering such a classic track isn’t easy. After all, you either risk blindly copying the original or end up with a cover version that brings nothing new to the track. Not here. This is much better. There’s a real injection of enthusiasm, passion and soulfulness. Duke throws himself into the track, delivering a growling, inspired vocal. Meanwhile, Ron Baker and Earl Young are at the heart of the stomping arrangement. They’re joined by tight, sweeping and deeply soulful harmonies, as Duke struts his way through the track, delivering one of the best covers of this track, as Southern Soul and gospel are fused seamlessly.
Side Two of Monkey In A Silk Suit Is Still A Monkey, opens with If Loving You Wasn’t So Easy (To Do). The rhythm section, blazing horns and chiming guitars join with percussion, before Duke’s gnarled vocal enters. Soon, the band are locked in the tightest of grooves. They’re mixing Southern Soul and funk with searing rocky guitars. It’s an impressive sound. Duke’s vocal plays a secondary role to the band, as they demonstrate their combined talents. Good as Duke’s vocal is, here his band steal the show.
From the opening bars of First High Of The Day you realize something special is unfolding. The arrangement literally bursts into life. Guitars drive the arrangement along, before thanks to the rhythm section, things get even better. They provide the track’s heartbeat. T.J. delivers a joyous vocal, that’s one of his best. Then when the horns enter, they provide the finishing touch. They rasp and cascade, adding a jazzy sound to this genre sprawling track. Joyful and uplifting sound, describes what proves one of the sweetest and soulful songs on Monkey In A Silk Suit Is Still A Monkey.
Depend On Me sees a real change in style and sound. Again, it allows Duke Williams and The Extremes to showcase their versatility. Guitars open a track that has a real Southern sound. Southern rock and soul are the reference points, with the guitars at the heart of the track’s success. Indeed, the guitars and Duke’s vocal are crucial to the track. Just when you think things can’t get any better, harmonies sweep in, adding the finishing touch to this fusion of Southern soul and rock.
Ain’t No Ladies On The Street Tonight has an understated, melancholy opening. Just subtle hi-hats give way to Duke Williams’ Hammond organ. Then as the arrangement starts to swing, Bruce Steinberg blows a bluesy harmonica. When it combines with the piano, Hammond organ and chiming guitars, the result is a jazzy track that swings along, showing yet another side to Duke Williams and The Extremes’ music.
Slippin’ and Siidin’ closes Monkey In A Silk Suit Is Still A Monkey on a bluesy high. Key to this is Ralph Schuckett’s piano which drives the arrangement. Horns kick, while Duke’s rasping vocal is reminiscent of Dr. John and Screamin’ Jay Hawkins in their prime. Later, Duke Williams and The Extremes’ kick loose. They unleash a myriad of growling horns, jangly piano and that gnarled vocal. With its combination of vintage jazz and blues, it’s a captivating and enthralling way to close the album.
Although Duke Williams and The Extremes’ debut album Monkey In A Silk Suit Is Still A Monkey showcases a tight, talented and versatile band, that’s may have been part of the problem. On Monkey In A Silk Suit Is Still A Monkey sees Duke Williams and The Extremes fuse everything from Southern Soul, Southern Rock, funk, jazz, Philly Soul and psychedelia. With such an eclectic range of influences, marketing Duke Williams and The Extremes couldn’t have been easy. After all, Duke Williams and The Extremes couldn’t be pigeonholed. It wasn’t as if they could be marketed as a soul or funk band. There was much more to their music. That meant people who loved Southern Soul or funk might not have bought Monkey In A Silk Suit Is Still A Monkey, because there music veered off into many other musical genres. This wasn’t the only reason for the commercial failure of Monkey In A Silk Suit Is Still A Monkey Another possible reason for the commercial failure of Monkey In A Silk Suit Is Still A Monkey was that Capricorn Records were the wrong label for Duke Williams and The Extremes. Given Capricorn Records had made their name with Southern Rock bands, then Duke Williams and The Extremes wasn’t their typical signing. Even if Duke Williams and The Extremes were a soul band, Capricorn weren’t used to marketing soul bands. So trying to market Duke Williams and The Extremes was even harder. After all, how do you define their music?
Despite struggling to define Duke Williams and The Extremes’ music, there was nothing wrong with the music on Monkey In A Silk Suit Is Still A Monkey. Nor was their anything wrong with Duke Williams and The Extremes’ sophomore album Fantastic Fedora. It too, was a commercial failure. Fantastic Fedora, like Monkey In A Silk Suit Is Still A Monkey demonstrated how talented and versatile a band Duke Williams and The Extremes were. Indeed, Duke Williams and The Extremes’ debut album Monkey In A Silk Suit Is Still A Monkey is something of hidden musical gem. It’s the best of the two albums Duke Williams and The Extremes released for Capricorn Records. Over the ten tracks on Monkey In A Silk Suit Is Still A Monkey, Duke Williams and The Extremes demonstrated that they were a tight, talented and versatile band. Unlike many bands, Duke Williams and The Extremes wrote many of their own songs. While other bands featured just one vocalist, Duke Williams and The Extremes featured two talented vocalists. T.J. Tindall and Duke Williams shared vocal duties on Monkey In A Silk Suit Is Still A Monkey. In many ways, Duke Williams and The Extremes had everything going for them. Despite this, Monkey In A Silk Suit Is Still A Monkey wasn’t a commercial success.
Although critics spotted just how talented Duke Williams and The Extremes were, Monkey In A Silk Suit Is Still A Monkey wasn’t a commercial success. Then in September 2012, somewhat belatedly, SpinSpinNYC rediscovered the music of Duke Williams and The Extremes. SpinSpinNYC wanted to share their love of this underrated and forgotten music. They released Nutritious Presents Duke Williams and The Extremes. That resulted in a resurgence of interest in Duke Williams and The Extremes’ music. Now forty years after the release of Duke Williams and The Extremes’ debut album Monkey In A Silk Suit Is Still A Monkey, it remains an underrated and almost forgotten reminder of a hugely talented, versatile band. Standout Tracks: Funky Broadway, I’m Ready For You, Clouds and Ain’t No Ladies On The Street Tonight.
DUKE WILLIAMS AND THE EXTREMES-MONKEY IN A SILK SUIT IS STILL A MONKEY.
WILSON PICKETT IN PHILADELPHIA.
WILSON PICKETT IN PHILADELPHIA.
By 1970, when Wilson Pickett released Wilson Pickett In Philadelphia, his recording career was eight years old. He’d released his debut single If You Need Me in 1962, and since then, had enjoyed four number one US R&B singles. The first of these was his 1965 classic In The Midnight Hour, with 634-5789 (Soulsville USA) and Land of The 1000 Dances following in 1966. Wilson’s last number one single in the US R&B charts was 1967s Funky Broadway. Since then, Wilson had enjoyed further chart success. This success was sporadic. His music was much more popular in the US R&B Charts, that the US Billboard 100. The same was the case with Wilson Pickett’s albums Indeed, his last three albums demonstrated this.
1968s The Midnight Mover reached just number ninety-one in the US Billboard 200 and number ten in the US R&B Charts.1969s Hey Jude reached number ninety-seven in the US Billboard 200 and number fifteen in the US R&B Charts. Wilson’s first album of the seventies was Right On, released in 1970. It stalled at number 197 in the US Billboard 200 and number thirty-six in the US R&B Charts. With music changing, and changing fast, Wilson Pickett looked like ending up being left behind and becoming yesterday’s soul man. What was needed was someone to rejuvenate his career. The men chosen to do this, were Philly-based songwriter and producers Gamble and Huff. By 1970, they were establishing a reputation as the hottest songwriting and production teams. So, they were the perfect choice to produce Wilson Pickett In Philadelphia, which was the followup to the disappointing Right On. Would the Gamble and Huff produced Wilson Pickett In Philadelphia see Wilson’s career rejuvenated?
For Wilson Pickett In Philadelphia, Gamble and Huff would contribute the tracks, Run Joey Run, Parts 1 and 2 of Get Me Back On Time, Engine Number 9 and Ain’t No Doubt About It. Bobby “Electronic” Eli and Carl Fisher cowrote Help The Needy, while Jerry Akines, Johnny Belmon, Reginald Turner and Victor Drayton penned Come Right Here and Don’t Let The Green Grass Fool You. They also wrote Bumble Bee (Sting Me) with Bunny Sigler who cowrote Days Go By with Eugene Dozier. With Bernard Broomer and Lee Phillips, Bunny and Eugene wrote International Playboy. These ten tracks became Wilson Pickett In Philadelphia, which was recorded in Joe Tarsia’s Sigma Sound Studios in Philly.
Accompanying Wilson Pickett for the recording session of Wilson Pickett In Philadelphia, were some of the members of what became M.F.S.B, Philadelphia International Records’ legendary house-band. This included the Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section and guitarists Bobby “Electronic” Eli and Roland Chambers. Vince Montana Jr. played vibes, Thom Bell organ, Eugene Dozier and Lenny Pakula played piano and Thom Bell organ. Providing the horns were Sam Reed and His Horn Section, while strings came courtesy of Don Renaldo and His String Section. Arrangers included Bobby Martin, Lenny Pakula and Roland Chambers, while Gamble and Huff produced Wilson Pickett In Philadelphia, which was released in 1970. Would Wilson Pickett In Philadelphia rejuvenate Wilson Pickett’s career?
On the release of Wilson Pickett In Philadelphia in 1970, it reached number sixty-four in the US Billboard 200 and number three in the US R&B Charts. Get Me Back On Time, Engine Number 9 reached number fourteen in the US Billboard 100 and number twelve in the US R&B Charts. Don’t Let The Green Grass Fool You then reached number seventeen in the US Billboard 100 and number two in the US R&B Charts in 1971. Then two years later in 1973, International Playboy reached number thirty in the US R&B Charts. Gamble and Huff hadn’t just rejuvenated Wilson Pickett’s career, but totally transformed it. In Philadelphia was his most successful album since 1967s The Sound of Wilson Pickett. However, why was Wilson Pickett In Philadelphia such a successful album? That’s what I’ll tell you, once I’ve told you about the music on Wilson Pickett In Philadelphia.
Wilson Pickett In Philadelphia opens with Run Joey Run. It was written by Gamble and Huff and arranged by Bobby Martin. Searing, riffing guitars, growling horns and a driving Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section join percussion in setting the scene for Wilson’s urgent, growling vocal. Testifying backing vocals sweep in, while Wilson delivers a powerful, vampish vocal. Delivered a dramatic backdrop where percussion, punchy horns a pounding beat unite, Southern Soul and Philly Soul become one, grabbing the listener’s attention.
Bobby “Electronic” Eli cowrote Help The Needy with Carl Fisher. This was just the start of Bobby’s songwriting career, but demonstrates what was to come. A much more understated, emotive backdrop with Norman Harris’ jazzy guitar, Vince Montana Jr’s and lush strings combining is perfect for Wilson’s hurt-filled pleas. Providing the heartbeat are Baker, Harris, Young. Soon, Wilson’s unleashing one of his best vocals, laying bare his soul. Emotion, heartbreak and desperation fill his voice, as the arrangement grows in power and drama, proving that although music was changing and changing fast, Wilson Pickett’s music was still relevant.
A flourish of piano opens Come Right Here before gradually, the arrangement reveals its hidden depths. The pensive piano proves to be a curveball. Soon, braying horns, percussion and Norman Harris’ guitar join Wilson in ensuring the song swings. His vocal is sassy and strident, with growling horns replying to his call. Fills of Hammond organ, percussion and guitar combine, while Earl Young’s drums add the track’s confident heartbeat. Catchy and delivered with a swagger, this track swings, and then some.
Norman Harris’ guitar opens Bumble Bee (Sting Me), before percussion and Baker, Harris, Young enter. When Wilson’s vocal enters, you realize the track is struggling. This isn’t his fault. The lyrics have a real bluesy influence and sound. Regardless of how much effort and passion he delivers the lyrics with, you can’t help but feel they’re lacking. Maybe it’s just they sound dated. Wilson throws himself into the song, mixing sass and showmanship. While you can’t fault his or M.F.S.B’s performance, they’re let down by the somewhat outdated lyrics.
Don’t Let The Green Grass Fool You closes Side One of Wilson Pickett In Philadelphia. It’s the second track arranged by organist Lenny Pakula, and has a jaunty, uptempo arrangement. Baker, Harris, Young provide the track’s heartbea. Norman Harris’ guitar chimes, and is joined by percussion, while Ron Baker’s bass drives the arrangement along. When Wilson’s vocal enters, it’s a powerful and impassioned. Waves of Hammond organ, soaring harmonies and piano combine. Soon, Wilson and M.F.S.B. are kicking loose, resulting in a delicious slice of soul.
Get Me Back On Time, Engine Number 9 opens Side Two of Wilson Pickett In Philadelphia. Written by Gamble and Huff, there are two parts to the track. Ron Baker’s bass, percussion and chiming guitars provide a moody, broody and dramatic backdrop for Wilson’s vocal. As soul, funk and rocky guitars combine, Wilson delivers a heartbroken, emotive vamp. Against waves of a funky arrangement, Wilson struts confidently through the song. Hollers, yelps and rock-tinged guitars accompany him. Sometimes, it’s reminiscent of James Brown, as Wilson seeks to prove that there’s more to his music than soul.
Stabs of guitar and dramatic bursts of drums open Days Go By. Then it’s all change. The arrangement becomes more understated, and Wilson delivers a vocal that’s filled with despair and loneliness. Strings sweep and horns growl, while piano and drums add to the drama. By now, the arrangement has grown in power and drama, matching the emotion and despair in Wilson’s vocal, which is one of his best on Wilson Pickett In Philadelphia.
International Playboy has a real sixties sound from the get-go. Stabs of piano, swathes of strings, growling horns and piano join Baker, Harris, Young in driving the arrangement along. Strings sweep and waves of Hammond organ play their part in providing the backdrop for Wilson’s vampish, sassy vocal. His vocal grows in power, confidence and passion joining his sass. Soon, this hooky, memorable track is swinging along, with Wilson and M.F.S.B. becoming one. They’re in the groove, and play their part, in this poppy slice of soul.
Ain’t No Doubt About It closes Wilson Pickett In Philadelphia. Just Ron Baker’s broody bass and growling horns set the stage for Wilson. When his heartfelt vocal takes centre-stage, it seems he’s determined to close the album on a high. Waves of horns and Hammond organ are at the heart of the arrangement. The horns dramatically kick, while Baker, Harris, Young and searing guitars provide the backdrop as Southern Soul and jazz combine seamlessly.
Wilson Pickett In Philadelphia saw Gamble and Huff rejuvenate Wilson Pickett’s career. While Wilson Pickett’s previous albums had proved successful in the US R&B Charts, Wilson Pickett In Philadelphia proved successful in both the US Billboard 200 and US R&B Charts. Indeed, Wilson Pickett In Philadelphia spawned two top five US R&B singles. It seemed that although music had changed and changed fast in the past few years, Gamble and Huff ensure that Wilson Pickett’s music was still relevant as a new decade dawned.
Gamble and Huff didn’t attempt to reinvent Wilson Pickett as an artist. What they did, was provide Wilson with quality material that suited his style. They then brought in some of the most talented musicians and arrangers in Philly. Their arrangements featured the trademark Philly horns and strings, but in a way that suited Wilson’s Southern Soul background. While Gamble and Huff gave other artists a Philly Soul makeover, this wasn’t the case with Wilson Pickett In Philadelphia. Instead, they realized that Wilson Pickett was an artist with a relatively successful track record. What he needed was the right material, where he was accompanied by a tight, talented band. M.F.S.B. were the perfect band for Wilson Pickett. They were versatile, and able to seamlessly switch between musical genres. On Wilson Pickett In Philadelphia, they fused elements of Southern Soul, Philly Soul, funk, R&B, jazz and rock.
Most of the tracks on Wilson Pickett In Philadelphia have stood the test of time, and marked a revival in Wilson Pickett’s career. One can only speculate what would’ve happened if Gamble and Huff hadn’t produced Wilson Pickett In Philadelphia? Would Wilson Pickett’s career have stalled? As it was, Wilson Pickett’s career stalled after Wilson Pickett In Philadelphia. His next three albums, Don’t Knock My Love, Mr. Magic Man and Miz Lena’s Boy failed to match the success of Wilson Pickett In Philadelphia. This was a recurring theme for much of the seventies for Wilson Pickett. Indeed, Wilson Pickett In Philadelphia proved to be Wilson Pickett’s last great album and marked the end of era for one of the legends of soul music. Standout Tracks: Help The Needy, Come Right Here, Don’t Let The Green Grass Fool You and Days Go By.
WILSON PICKETT IN PHILADELPHIA.
SOUL JAZZ RECORDS PRESENTS: DEUTSCHE ELECKTRONISCHE MUZIK 2.
SOUL JAZZ RECORDS PRESENTS: DEUTSCHE ELECKTRONISCHE MUZIK 2.
Sometimes, when it comes to compilations, sequels don’t quite live up the first volume in a series. Often, the first volume in a series has exhausted the supply of seminal music. So, when the eagerly awaited sequel is released, there’s often a sense of disappointment. Too often, the musical memory of the first volume ends up tainted by a disappointing sequel. The lesson to be learnt, is that once you’ve released one or two successful compilations, quit while you’re ahead. Sadly, often record companies realizing that there’s an audience for their compilation series, let greed and avarice get in the way of common sense. After all, with some musical genres, there’s often a limited supply of quality music. Conversely, other musical genres have a plentiful supply of quality music awaiting discovery by enthusiastic and knowledgeable compilers. This includes what’s become known as Krautrock, which has become musical shorthand for a fusion of musical genres. Mining this plentiful supply of music have been Soul Jazz Records, for their compilation Soul Jazz Records Presents: Deutsche Elektronische Muzik 2, which was released on 25th February 2013.
For those yet to discover Krautrock, this musical genre is a melting pot of influences. Indeed, there’s everything from rock, prog rock, jazz, psychedelia, folk and electronic music. While many people will have heard the music of Kraftwerk, Neu, Can and Faust, there’s much more to Krautrock than this. So, for anyone looking to discover Krautrock, then Soul Jazz Records’ latest release, Deutsche Elektronische Muzik 2, is the perfect starting point. On the two discs that comprise Deutsche Elektronische Muzik 2, there are twenty-seven tracks. They were released between 1971 and 1983, and are describes as “experimental German rock and electronic musik.” This is the perfect description of the Krautrock. Together with the 2010s Deutsche Elektronische Muzik, this is the perfect primer for the newcomer to Krautrock. Before I tell you about some of the highlights of Deutsche Elektronische Muzik 2, I’ll tell you about the background to Krautrock.
To make sense of what has become known as Krautrock, we’ve got to look at what was going on musically, just before, and during the period Deutsche Elektronische Muzik 2 covers. This compilation covers the period between 1971 and 1983. Much had happened in music just before this period. As the sixties ended, it was a very different musical landscape to when the sixties dawned. Indeed, music was almost unrecognizable.
Ever since The Beatles released Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band in June 1967, there had been an explosion in psychedelic music’s popularity. Jimi Hendrix had played his part, fusing psychedelia, rock, blues and jazz. Rock however, dominated the musical landscape. British bands like Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones and The Who been at the forefront of rock’s growth popularity, joining groups like The Doors. However, rock wasn’t the only musical show in town.
Folk, jazz and the avant garde, counterculture music of Frank Zappa offered alternatives. Frank Zappa, Jefferson Airplane and The Grateful Dead represented the counterculture movement and would influence Krautrock.
If psychedelia, rock and Frank Zappa influenced Krautrock, so would jazz music, including albums like Miles Davis’ 1970 album Bitches Brew, with its fusion of psychedelia, rock, electronic and jazz. So too, would groups like Weather Report and jazz rock music, especially Jean Luc Ponty, Chick Corea, Joe Zawinul and Tony Williams. Then there was a British musical movement whose popularity grew during the seventies.
By the early seventies, prog rock music was beginning to grow in popularity and would influence Krautrock. Genesis, Yes, E.L.P, Caravan and Van Der Graaf Generator were just a few of the British prog rock bands that would play their part in shaping Krautrock. One other influence was classical music, specifically the avant garde European classical music.
European avant garde classical music would influence Krautrock. Composers like Stockhausen and his hero, Edgard Varese, would play crucial roles in helping shaping the genre. Gradually, a melting pot of musical influences was takinh shape. Each of these would shape German music during the seventies and early eighties. This can be heard on Deutsche Elektronische Muzik 2, which I’ll tell you about.
DISC ONE-SOUL JAZZ RECORDS PRESENTS: DEUTSCHE ELECKTRONISCHE MUZIK 2.
On Disc One of Deutsche Elektronische Muzik 2, there are fifteen tracks. This included tracks from Can, Michael Rother, Michael Hoenig, D.A.F, Amon Düül II, Conrad Schnitzler and Wolf Sequenza, Eno, Moebius and Roedelius plus Wolfgang Riechmann. Quite simply put, this is an eclectic selection of tracks, which for the newcomer to Krautrock. It’s the perfect starting point. These tracks can act as an introduction and allow the listener to investigate artists that until now, they might not have come across. However, what are the highlights of Disc One of Soul Jazz Records Presents: Deutsche Elektronische Muzik 2?
One of the best known names on Disc One are Can. Their contribution is Halleluwah, a track from their 1971 album Tago Mago, released on United Artists. For newcomer to Can’s music, Tago Mago and Ege Bamyasi are their two best albums. However, with Halleluwah, it’s a case of caveat emptor. The original version of Halleluwah is over eighteen minutes long, whereas the version on Deutsche Elektronische Muzik 2 is just under five minutes long. This is slightly disappointing, but from a practical point of view, I can see why this has to be the case.
Michael Rother’s Karussell is one of the highlights of Disc One. Driven along by guitars and synths, this was a track from his 1977 debut album Flammende Herzen. Previously, Michael had been in the group Spirit of Sound and briefly, was a member of Kraftwerk. What this track does, is a dispel a myth, that Krautrock as a musical genre isn’t at all dark and gothic. It’s a fusion of rock, prog rock, jazz and electronic music, that as it drives along, is uplifting and catchy.
Harald Grosskopf is a German drummer and keyboard player. His contribution to Disc One is Emphasis, one of the later tracks on the compilation. It’s a track from Harold’s 1980 album Synthesist, released on Sky Records. Here, synth pop, ambient music and elements of rock are combined. Understated at the start, the track grows in drama and always, is captivating and compelling.
Conrad Schnitzler was one of the institutions of German music. He’d been an early member of Tangerine Dream, playing his part in transforming them into the innovative, influential band they became. His 1980 album Consequenz featured Fata Morgana, which features Wolf Sequenza. The best way to describe this moody and meandering track is experimental. Full of beeps and squeaks, tracks like this world provide inspiration during the Acid House era.
When discussing either experimental or electronic music, one name always comes up, Brian Eno. Fittingly, Brian Eno he features on Disc One with two other legends of electronic music. They are former member of Cluster, Dieter Moebius of Cluster and Hans-Joachim Roedelius. As Eno, Moebius and Roedelius, they released After The Heat in 1978 on Sky Records. It’s hard to believe that this downtempo, experimental ambient track, was released thirty-five years ago, given who moderne and timeless it sounds.
My final choice from Disc One of Deutsche Elektronische Muzik 2 is the elegant, symphonic sound of Wolfgang Riechmann’s Himmelblau. This is a track from Wolfgang’s 1978 album Wunderbar, released on Sky Records. Listening to the track, you can hear the influence of not only ambient composers, but European classical avant garde composers.
Apart from the six tracks I’ve mentioned, there’s much more to Disc One of Soul Jazz Records Presents: Deutsche Elektronische Muzik 2. These tracks are just a musical aperitif. Among the other tracks worth mentioning are the ambient beauty of Hans Joachim Roedelius’ Le Jardin. Then there’s Michael Hoenig’s moody, melancholy and dramatic Sun And Moon, which drives along. Quite different is Amon Düül II’s A Morning Excuse, which has a delicious psychedelic sound. Quite simply, the fifteen tracks are an eclectic selection of German music released between 1971 and 1983. Once you’ve heard these tracks, I’m sure a voyage of discover awaits. Before that comes Disc Two of Deutsche Elektronische Muzik 2.
DISC TWO-SOUL JAZZ RECORDS PRESENTS: DEUTSCHE ELECKTRONISCHE MUZIK 2.
While Disc One of Deutsche Elektronische Muzik 2 featured fifteen tracks, Disc Two only contains twelve tracks. Rather than quantity, it’s about quality. When it comes to quality, this isn’t lacking. Neu and Faust are the two best know names, and are joined by Niagara, You, Gila, Electric Sandwich and Pyrolator. So Disc Two sees us embark upon another musical voyage of discover, but what are the musical highlights?
Given Neu are one of the best known groups in the history of German music, it would almost be remiss of me not to mention Neu. Their contribution is Isi, a track from their 1975 album Neu ’75, released on Brain Records. Put simply, this is a classic slice of Krautrock. For anyone new to the music of Neu, Neu 2 and Neu ’75 are their three best albums.
Pyrolator released their debut album Inland in 1979, on the Ata Tak label. Danger Cruising was a track from what was one of six albums Kurt Dahlke released on Ata Tak. It’s best described as a fusion of experimental, electronic and industrial music. Having said that, it’s a track that’s compelling, dramatic, innovative and moderne.
Niagara released their 1972 sophomore album S.U.B. on United Artists. One of the tracks on S.U.B. was Gibli, which is a fusion of musical genres. Jazz, rock and a plethora of percussion and synths, create a track that’s moody, broody, atmospheric and laden in drama.
I was pleased to find Electric Sandwich’s China on Disc Two of Deutsche Elektronische Muzik 2. This is a track from their one and only album Electric Sandwich. Released in 1972, on Brain Records, rock, jazz-rock and prog rock are combined. It’s a track that defines what Krautrock sounds like, and for me, is a very welcome addition to the compilation.
The last track from Disc Two of Deutsche Elektronische Muzik 2 I’ve chosen, is from another giant of German music Faust. Entitled Krautrock, this was the track that opened Faust’s fourth album Faust IV. It was released in 1973, and was Faust’s second album for Virgin. It’s a twelve minute epic where prog rock and rock provide the basis for another Krautrock classic, which brings Disc Two to a fitting close
As I mentioned earlier, Deutsche Elektronische Muzik 2 is the perfect starting point for a newcomer to Krautrock. Not only does it feature tracks from some of the genres giants, including Can, Neu and Faust, but hidden gems like Niagara S.U.B’s and Electric Sandwich’s China. Having said that, there’s so much more to discover on Deutsche Elektronische Muzik 2. Indeed, there are twenty-seven tracks over two discs. These tracks are inspired by an eclectic variety of musical genres and influences. This includes rock, prog rock, jazz-rock, psychedelia, jazz and avant garde classical music. To that, I’d add electronic, industrial, ambient and funk. Krautrock was inspired by all these genres and was a musical melting pot. Since then, Krautrock has inspired a new generation of musicians and producers. Sadly, despite this, Krautrock is often portrayed negatively in the musical press. That’s quite unfair, given how much quality music is awaiting discovery. There’s much more to Krautrock than just the music of Kraftwerk, Can, Neu and Faust. Not only will Deutsche Elektronische Muzik 2 act as a primer to anyone looking to discover the delights of Krautrock, but will lead them on a voyage of musical discovery, which could last a lifetime. Standout Tracks: Can Halleluwah, Michael Rother Karussell, Neu Isi and Electric Sandwich China.
SOUL JAZZ RECORDS PRESENTS: DEUTSCHE ELECKTRONISCHE MUZIK 2.
FIRST CHOICE-SO LET US ENTERTAIN YOU.
FIRST CHOICE-SO LET US ENTERTAIN YOU.
Ever since First Choice signed Stan Watson’s Philly Groove Records, they’d enjoyed commercial success. Guiding their career had been songwriter, guitarist and producer Norman Harris. Stan Watson, owner of First Choice’s label Philly Groove Records, had also played an important part in First Choice’s career. Norman had produced First Choice’s first two albums, Armed and Extremely Dangerous and The Player. For First Choice’s third album, So Let Us Entertain You, Norman wouldn’t be in charge of production. Instead, Stan Watson, owner of Philly Groove Records, would produce So Let Us Entertain You, with Norman Harris’ “assistance.” This wasn’t Stan’s first production. Previously, Stan had produced The Delfonics and Ben Aitken. With hindsight, this might seem a risky move. Especially given First Choice’s reputation was in the ascendancy. First Choice had established themselves as Philly Soul’s premier female vocal group, and So Let Us Entertain You would be released by Warner Bros. With a change in producer and record label, things were changing for First Choice. More changes would follow. Indeed, after So Let Us Entertain You was released, there would be a change in First Choice’s lineup. Before that, First Choice had an album to record and release, which would see even more changes. So, would So Let Us Entertain You match the success and quality of their first two albums? That’s what I’ll tell you, once I’ve told you about So Let Us Entertain You.
For Armed and Extremely Dangerous and The Player, most of the songs had written by Norman Harris and his Philly friends. Not so, with So Let Us Entertain You. Instead, new songwriting teams were brought onboard. The album opener, First Choice Theme, was penned by Arnold Coley Jr, Harold Cephas and Stan Watson. James Dean and John Glover cowrote five tracks. Their contributions were Ain’t He Bad, I’ll Stay Right Here, Gotta Get Away (From You Baby), Let Him Go and If The Sun Shines. Buddy Turner, Jerry Akins, John Bellmon and Victor Drayton penned Yes, Maybe No, Are You Ready For Me and Don’t Fake It. The other track was I Got A Feeling, a cover a Carl Hampton and Homer Banks. These ten tracks comprised So Let Us Entertain You. Recording took place at the familiar surroundings of Joe Tarsia’s Sigma Sound Studios in Philly, where there would be more changes.
When recording of So Let Us Entertain You. began at Sigma Sound Studios, there were changes in the lineup of musicians accompanying First Choice. They were still all former members of M.F.S.B, who’d now left Philadelphia International Records to become The Salsoul Orchestra. However, rather than the Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section, bassist Michael Foreman and drummer Charles Collins accompanied Norman Harris. They were joined by guitarists Dennis Harris and Bobby “Electronic” Eli, Larry Washington on congas, vibes virtuoso Vince Montana Jr and Ron “Have Mercy” Kersey on clavinet, keyboards and piano. Strings came courtesy of Don Renaldo. Arrangers included Norman Harris, Vince Montana Jr, Bobby “Electronic” Eli and Ron “Have Mercy” Kersey. Newcomers included Arnold Coley, arranged the rhythm parts on three songs and Carl Helm who helped arrange the vocals. With Stan Watson producing So Let Us Entertain You, much had changed since First Choice’s sophomore album The Player. Would So Let Us Entertain You match the success of The Player, First Choice’s most successful album?
When So Let Us Entertain You was released in 1976, Stan Watson’s Philly Groove had licensed the album to Warner Bros. It reached number 203 in the US Billboard 200 and fifty-three in the US R&B Charts. This was a disappointment, as The Player had reached number 143 in the US Billboard 200 and thirty-six in the US R&B Charts. The singles proved more successful. Let Him Go stalled at number ninety-seven in the US R&B Charts. Things got better when Gotta Get Away (From You Baby) reached number sixty-four in the US R&B Charts and number five in the US Disco Charts. First Choice Theme then reached number five in the US Disco Charts, while Ain’t He Bad went one better, reaching number four in the US Disco Charts. First Choice’s music, it seemed, had proved a hit in American clubs and dance-floors. However, sales of So Let Us Entertain You had been disappointing. After this, there would be changes in First Choice’s personnel. After that, First Choice would leave Stan Watson’s First Groove Records. However, before I tell you about that, I’ll tell you about So Let Us Entertain You.
First Choice Theme opens Side One of So Let Us Entertain You, exploding joyously into life. It’s a mass of lush, dancing strings, growling horns, tough, edgy, keyboards, percussion and a pounding rhythm section. Scatted harmonies give way to the sweet, soulful vocals of First Choice. A sizzling saxophone solo, weaves its way across the arrangement, as First Choice ensure the arrangement swings along. They add punchy doo-wop style harmonies, as Philly Soul and disco become one. Having gotten your attention, can First Choice keep it?
Ain’t He Bad is the first of two tracks Norman Harris arranged. A pulsating beat, hissing hi-hats, cascading strings and wah-wah guitars signal the arrival of First Choice’s sassy, jokey half-spoken vocals. With swathes of swirling strings and punchy braying horns for company, Rochelle to deliver a strident, sassy vocal. Joyce Jones and Annette Guest add confident, sweeping harmonies. The arrangement fuses Philly Soul, funk and disco. Strings and horns add a Philly Soul sound, while the guitars and keyboards add a tough, funky twist. For their part, the rhythm section create a dance-floor friendly heartbeat, as First Choice deliver a sassy, assured vocal.
Bobby “Electronic” Eli takes over arranging duties on I’ll Stay Right Here. Straight away, you realize something special is unfolding. Keyboards are joined by dramatic drums, blazing horns and flourishes of strings. Harmonies sweep soulfully in, while Vince Montana Jr adds vibes and Bobby “Electronic” Eli wah-wah guitar. Then comes Rochelle’s heartfelt, emotive vocal. It’s her best so far on So Let Us Entertain You. Filled with defiance, and delivered against a dramatic backdrop, Rochelle’s at her soulful best. Harmonies sweep in, reflecting the hurt and emotion in her vocal, while The Salsoul Orchestra add to the drama and heartache, as Rochelle delivers a soul-baring vocal, full of defiance, bravado and emotion.
Yes, Maybe No allows First Choice to showcase their combined talents. The rhythm section set the scene, adding waves of drama. With a burst of thunderous drums, Rochelle takes centre-stage. She delivers a powerful, heartfelt vocal, accompanied by tight, sweeping, soulful harmonies. They fuse elements of jazz, doo wop and Philly Soul. Behind them, layers of the lushest strings dance, braying horns kick and the rhythm section provide this hook-laden track’s heartbeat. First Choice and The Salsoul Orchestra are as one. Both play their part in what is one of the catchiest tracks on So Let Us Entertain You.
Gotta Get Away (From You Baby) closes Side One of So Let Us Entertain You. Again, it’s a dramatic opening to the arrangement. Although the sound of a train whistle opens the track, The Salsoul Orchestra are like a musical juggernaut. The rhythm section dramatically drive the arrangement along. Bobby “Electronic” Eli adds wah-wah guitar and Norman Harris’ guitar has a jazzy feel. Strings sweep and swirl furiously, while Rochelle delivers a powerful, fearful and emotive vocal. She’s accompanied by punchy, then whispered harmonies, while the arrangement fuses funk, Philly Soul and disco, becoming a dramatic, emotive musical juggernaut.
Are You Ready For Me is arranged by Ron “Have Mercy” Kersey and opens Side Two of So Let Us Entertain You. Ron’s keyboards and Larry Washington’s congas are at the heart of the punchy, driving arrangement. It unfolds in waves. Soon, strings dance, horns growl and the rhythm section add a pulsating heartbeat. Having set the scene, First Choice make their entrance, adding tight, elegant harmonies. Rochelle’s vocal is needy, sassy and sensual. Harmonies sweep elegantly and soulfully. By now, you realize just how well First Choice compliment each other. The harmonies and Rochelle’s lead vocal are a perfect fit. So too, is the performance of The Salsoul Orchestra. Like First Choice, when they’re in full-flight, it’s a joy to behold.
Don’t Fake It sees the tempo drop, as Norman Harris takes charge of arranging duties. Horns rasp, strings quiver and shiver and the rhythm section add a slow, deliberate backdrop. Ron “Have Mercy” Kersey’s keyboards, Norman Harris’ guitar and Vince Montana Jr’s play important parts in the arrangement. Rochelle’s vocal is needy and emotive, her heartbroken pleas, accompanied by subtle harmonies, while a sultry male vocal. A sultry male vocal drifts in and out, as Rochelle decides “the thrill is gone” pleading “Don’t Fake It.” The result is one of the most moving tracks on So Let Us Entertain You.
Larry Washington’s congas open I Got A Feeling, a cover of Carl Hampton and Homer Bank’s track. Strings sweep in, while a hustle arrangement complete with Norman Harris’ chiming guitar unfolds. Rochelle’s vocal veers between tender and powerful, filled with hope and happiness. Drums add bursts of drama, while the harmonies match Rochelle for emotion and soulfulness. Later, Rochelle scats and the harmonies become punchy, powerful and overflow with emotion and hope.
Let Him Go is another of the slower tracks. Strings add an emotive backdrop, while the rhythm section is deliberate and dramatic. This is perfect for Rochelle’s pleading, hopeful vocal. Her vocal ranges from tender and understated, to powerful and filled with emotion. Harmonies match her every step of the way. Vince Montana Jr. sprinkles his vibes, while a prowling bass and deliberate drums help First Choice close the track on a dramatic high.
If The Sun Shines closes So Let Us Entertain You, and is arranged by Vince Montana Jr. Vince’s vibes, percussion and Norman Harris’ jazz guitar accompanies tender, cooing harmonies before Rochelle adds a tender, heartfelt vocal. The bass weaves its way across the arrangement, while strings sweep. Meanwhile, Rochelle unleashes an ethereal, elegant vocal with tight, tender and soulful harmonies. In doing so, First Choice demonstrate that whether dance-floor tracks, or beautiful ballads like this, they were equally comfortable.
In some ways, Stan Watson’s decision to produce So Let Us Entertain You didn’t pay off. It failed to match the success of The Player, their previous album. Indeed, it only reached number 203 in the US Billboard 200 and number fifty-three in the US R&B Charts. Granted the singles proved popular in the US Disco Charts, but album sales were what counted. What makes the commercial failure of So Let Us Entertain You even more disappointing, was that it was First Choice’s first album to be released on a major label. Philly Groove released the album through Warner Bros. However, why was So Let Us Entertain You not a bigger commercial success?
Part of the problem with So Let Us Entertain You was the standard of the songs. Although the standard of songs are good, they don’t quite match the standard of songs on Armed and Extremely Dangerous and The Player. They weren’t quite as memorable, hooky and timeless. Having said that, So Let Us Entertain You isn’t a bad album. Far from it. It’s all a matter of comparisons. After all, the songs on Armed and Extremely Dangerous and The Player were penned by some of the best songwriters of the time. Many of these songs were tailor made for First Choice. Having said that, there’s still much to commend So Let Us Entertain You. Indeed, So Let Us Entertain You contains a number of songs which are the perfect showcase for First Choice’s vocal talents. Sadly, after So Let Us Entertain You First Choice’s lineup would change.
So Let Us Entertain You was Joyce Jones last First Choice. She was replaced by Ursula Herring. That wasn’t the last change in the First Choice story. After So Let Us Entertain You, First Choice would sign to Norman Harris new label Gold Mind Records, which was a subsidiary of Salsoul Records. At Gold Mind, First Choice would release three further albums, Delusions, Hold Your Horses and Breakaway. For First Choice, So Let Us Entertain You marked the end of an era. Since then, So Let Us Entertain You, like their final album Breakaway, has remained something of a hidden gem in their back-catalogue. For anyone who loves Philly Soul, then So Let Us Entertain You with its fusion of Philly Soul, funk and disco, is well worth investigating and discovering. Standout Tracks: Ain’t He Bad, I’ll Stay Right Here, Don’t Fake It and Let Him Go.
FIRST CHOICE-SO LET US ENTERTAIN YOU.
ELLA FITZGERALD-DEARLY BELOVED.
ELLA FITZGERALD-DEARLY BELOVED.
born in April 1917, Ella Fitzgerald enjoyed a fifty-nine year career that saw her crowned The Queen of Jazz and The First Lady of Song. With a three-octave vocal range, Lady Ella became one of the most influential and revered singers in the history of jazz music. Ella Fitzgerald influenced, and continues to influence, a new generation of singers. Famed for delivery, with peerless diction, phrasing and intonation, it’s no surprise that, during her career, she won thirteen Grammy Awards. She recorded for some of the biggest record labels of the day. Decca, Verve, Capitol and Columbia were all home for The Queen of Jazz. Similarly, Lady Ella worked with some of the greatest songwriters in American music, includinh George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern and Johnny Mercer. Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Oscar Peterson and Billie Holliday all worked with The First Lady of Song.
After Ella’s death in 1996, she left behind one of the richest musical legacies behind, in the shape of her discography. For anyone yet to discover Lady Ella’s music, there’s a veritable treasure trove of music awaiting their discovery. All this choice can prove confusing. Newcomers to Ella’s music wonder where the best place to start? This choice has recently gotten a whole lot easier. Proper Records recently released Dearly Beloved, a four-disc box set, which whether you’re a newcomer to, Lady Ella’s music is a treasure trove of some of Ella’s greatest recordings. For veterans of Ella’s music, this lovingly compiled compilation, carefully remastered box set, contains some of the most in-depth, informative sleeve-notes I’ve come across recently. Joop Viser’s sleeve-notes to Dearly Beloved, are a true labor of love and are a fitting homage to Ella Fitzgerald, The First Lady of Song. So, without any further ado, I’ll tell you what’s in-store inside Dearly Beloved, Proper Records four-disc box set.
DISC ONE-IN A MELLOW MOOD.
Disc One of Dearly Beloved, is entitled In A Mellow Mood and features twenty-three features songs Ella recorded with Ellis Larkins. Their first collaboration was in 1954, on the Decca album Songs In A Mellow Mood. This includes I’m Glad There Is You, Hoagy Carmichael and Mitchell Parish’s Stardust, Cole Porter’s My Heart Belongs To Daddy, the sassy Makin’ Whoopee and What Is There To Say? Larkin and Ella’s next collaboration was in June 1954, which resulted in tracks like George Shearing’s Lullaby of Birdland, which became of Ella’s most popular songs. Another song cut was Later, penned by Tiny Bradshaw and Henry Glover. Later in 1954, Ella received an award from Decca commemorating record sales of twenty-two million. Among the other tracks on Disc One, are live rendition of Pete Kelly’s Blues, which is a tantalizing glimpse of what Ella’s live performances were like. At the ned of 1955, Ella left Decca, signing to Verve. Her first release for Verve saw her cover the work of Cole Porter.
In 1956, Verve released Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Cole Porter Songbook. With an orchestra conducted by Buddy Bregman, and an all-star orchestra, Ella recorded what would become one of her classic albums. On Disc One, I Love Paris, Every Time We Say Goodbye, Do I Love You and Why Can’t You Behave? One of the most poignant is Every Time We Say Goodbye, which Ella’s breathes meaning, beauty and emotion into. Quite simply, it’s one of the highlights of Disc One In A Mellow Mood.
DISC TWO-FROM THIS MOMENT ON.
After the musical delights on Disc One of Dearly Beloved, you’d think that matching, never mind surpassing the quality wouldn’t be easy? Well, for other artists it would be hard, but this is Lady Ella during her period at Verve. In February 1956, Ella recorded a trio of tracks. These were Easy To Love, Get Out of Town and one of Ella’s classics, Miss Otis Regrets. Good as these tracks were, they proved to be just a musical aperitif.
The following day, Ella returned to Capitol Studios to record another twelve tracks from the Cole Porter Songbook. Accompanying her were Buddy Bregman’s Orchestra. Things get even better with tracks like Anything Goes, You Do Something To Me, Begin The Beguine, I Love Paris, Night and Day. As if that’s not enough, there’s also What Is This Thing Called Love, You’re The Top, All Of You and I Concentrate On You. The tracks from Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Cole Porter Songbook demonstrate just why they called Ella The Queen of Jazz. Her secret weapon was that three-octave vocal range. She brings each song to life, delivering it with either emotion, passion or sadness or tenderness or power. Sass or swing, Ella’s equally comfortable. Mind you, she was helped no end by having songs from one of America’s greatest ever songwriters. A combination of Ella Fitzgerald and Cole Porter, music just doesn’t get much better. For the first two discs of Dearly Beloved, you’re getting much more than you’re money’s worth. Even better, there’s still two discs to come.
DISC THREE-CAN WE STILL BE FRIENDS?
Five words no-one wants to heard spoken in a relationship, Can We Still Be Friends? That’s the title of Disc Three of Dearly Beloved, which features ten tracks Ella recorded with Louis Armstrong. This wasn’t the first time the pair had recorded or worked together. Indeed, the day before recording began at Capitol’s Hollywood Studios, Ella joined Louis Armstrong’s All-Star Band at the Hollywood Bowl. Making this session happen hadn’t been easy. Both artists managers were tough negotiators. Eventually, negotiations were over and work began on what material the pair should record. Norman Granz, Ella’s manager wanted Louis to take Louis out of his comfort zone, as his song selections were sometimes perceived as predictable. So, ten tracks were chosen for what became Ella and Louis. This included Can’t We Be Friends, Irving Berlin’s Isn’t This A Lovely Day and Cheek To Cheek, Moonlight In Vermont, April In Paris and The Nearness Of You. Having taken Louis out of his perceived comfort zone, the results were critically acclaimed, and seen as one of the best albums of the decade. Following the Louis and Ella sessions, five days later, Ella was back in the studio, to visit the songbook of two legendary American songwriters, Rogers and Hart.
Recording of what became Ella Fitzgerald SIngs The Rogers and Hart Songbook started on 21st August 1956. Accompanied by a full swing band lead by Buddy Bregman, Ella worked her way through one Rogers and Hart classic after another. This Can’t Be Love, The Lady is a Tramp, There’s A Small Hotel, With A Song In My Heart and Bewitched. On The Lady is a Tramp, Ella and her band cut loose and swing, cutting an Ella Fitzgerald classic. Very different, but incredibly beautiful, tender and moving, is Ella’s reading of Bewitched. Remarkably, Ella and her band were cutting eight tracks a day. In just two days, they recorded sixteen tracks. Given the quality of this classic, timeless music, that’s quite remarkable. When the ten songs from Ella Fitzgerald SIngs The Rogers and Hart Songbook are combined with the eight from Ella and Louis, then Disc Three proves that the quality of music on Dearly Beloved is consistently of the highest quality. Will that be the case on Disc Four of Dearly Beloved?
DISC FOUR-I LET A SONG GET OUT OF MY HEART.
While Disc Three of Dearly Beloved featured eight tracks from Ella Fitzgerald SIngs The Rogers and Hart Songbook, Disc Four features Ella’s take on the music of another legendary American jazz musician and songwriter, Duke Ellington. Before that could begin, Ella had to finish the Rogers and Hart sessions. On 4th September 1956, Ella finished recording Ella Fitzgerald SIngs The Rogers and Hart Songbook. There was to be no rest for Ella. Instead, she would begin work on the Duke Ellington sessions. Accompanied by Buddy Bregman’s Orchestra. Work began immediately.
During the Rogers and Hart sessions, Ella twice cut eight songs in one day. She surpassed this during the Duke Ellington sessions, recording fourteen tracks. Ella chose some of the best music from Duke Ellington’s songbook. Among the tracks that feature on Disc Four are classics like Satin Doll, In A Sentimental Mood, It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing), Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me, Don’t Get Around Much Anymore, the aptly-titled Sophisticated Lady, I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart and Rocks In My Bed. Disc Four features fourteen tracks from what became Ella Fitzgerald SIngs The Duke Ellington Songbook. It became one of Ella’s seminal albums. So it’s no surprise that these tracks overshadow most of the other tracks on Disc Four. Only My Funny Valentine comes close. However, given the standard of music that’s chosen from Ella Fitzgerald SIngs The Duke Ellington Songbook that’s no surprise. Remarkably, the quality has remained consistent through the four discs that comprise Dearly Beloved. What better way to close Dearly beloved is there, than Ella Fitzgerald singing the music of Duke Ellington?
For anyone looking for an introduction to Ella Fitzgerald, look no further than Proper Records’ four-disc box set Dearly Beloved. It covers the end of her period at Decca and the beginning of her time at Verve. Staring with songs from Ella’s Decca album Songs In A Mellow Mood, we head into Ella’s time at Verve. There’s ten tracks from Ella’s collaboration with Louis Armstrong, a selection of tracks from four of the greatest American songwriters. Starting with songs from Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Cole Porter Songbook, through Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Cole Porter Songbook, Ella Fitzgerald SIngs The Rogers and Hart Songbook and then Ella Fitzgerald SIngs The Duke Ellington Songbook, this is the perfect introduction to Lady Ella. Granted there are tracks from other sessions, including a trio of live tracks that are a tantalizing taste of The Queen of Jazz live. Then there’s Joop Viser’s sleeve-notes to Dearly Beloved. Truly, when reading them, I was struck by how this has been a true labor of love for him. His sixteen-thousand word essay is a fitting homage to Ella Fitzgerald’s fifty-nine year career. Incredibly detailed and researched, this is an example of what sleeve-notes should be like. Together with the four discs that comprise Dearly Beloved, Proper Records have released the not just the perfect introduction to Ella Fitzgerald, The Queen of Jazz, but one veterans of Ella’s music will cherish too. Standout Tracks: Stardust, You Do Something To Me, Bewitched and In A Sentimental Mood.
ELLA FITZGERALD-DEARLY BELOVED.
BILAL-A LOVE SURREAL.
BILAL-A LOVE SURREAL.
Born in 1979, and raised in Philly, Bilal Oliver Sayeed’s career began when he was just twenty. Having left Philly, Bilal moved a hundred miles to New York, where he began to become a familiar face within the city’s music scene. Soon, he knew artists across the hip and Nu-Soul scene, including Common, Erykah Badu and The Roots. Then when he was taking part in an after-school jam session, Bilal was discovered by Aaron Comess of the Spin Doctors. Aaron arranged for Bilal to record a demo, which was shopped to record labels. Eventually, Bilal signed to Inerscope Records, where he released his debut album 1st Born Second in 2001. Since then, much has happened to Bilal. He’s released two further albums, 2006s Love For Sale and 2010s Airtight’s Revenge, and at one time, was considering quitting music. Now, three years after 2010s Airtight’s Revenge, comes his fourth album A Love Surreal, which will be released by BBE Records on 4th March 2013. Inspired by the art of legendary surrealist painter Salvador Dail, A Love Surreal is Bilal’s most ambitious and innovative project to date. Before I tell you about A Love Surreal, I’ll tell you about Bilal’s career so far.
Having signed to Interscope Records, Bilal began work on what became 1st Born Second. It featured contributions from the Soulquarians and saw Bilal work with producers Dr. Dre and J. Dilla.1st Born Second proved was critically acclaimed and commercially successful, reaching number thirty-one on the US Billboard 200 and number ten in the US R&B Charts. Eventually, 1st Born Second sold 319,000 copies. Then there’s the three singles which were released from 1st Born Second. They were Fast Lane, Love It and Soul Sista, which was the most successful single. It reached number eighteen in the US R&B Charts and number seventy-one in the US R&B Charts. Since then, 1st Born Second is perceived as one of the best R&B and hip hop debut albums of the past thirty years. Having established a reputation as one of the most innovative artists of the millennia, Bilal spent the next few years collaborating with other artists, before recording his sophomore album.
Following the success of 1st Born Second, Bilal was keen to broaden his musical horizons. This lead to him collaborating with Jorge Ben, Dead Prez and Talib Kwell on a reinterpretation of Fela Kuti’s Suffering and Smiling. This was released as part of Red Hot and Riot’s well received compilation, where each artist covered a Fel Kuti song. During this period, Bilal collaborated with an eclectic selection of artists. From hip hop through jazz, R&B and Nu-Soul, Bilal worled with numerous artists. Among them, were Common, John Legend, Guru, J. Dilla, Jermaine Dupri, Jaguar Wright, Robert Glasper and Beyonce. This would give Bilal the inspiration for his sophomore album. However, Bilal’s career took an unexpected twist, which resulted in him questioning his musical future.
Bilal’s sophomore album Love For Sale was due to be released in 2006. Unlike his debut album 1st Born Second, Bilal was producing Love For Sale. The exception was Something To Hold On To, which was produced by Grammy Award winning songwriter and producer Nottz. Once Love For Sale was completed, the entire album was leaked on the internet. This resulted in Interscope shelving the album. They thought there was little point releasing an album that was already freely available. For Bilal, this proved to be a double edged sword. Given how hard Bilal had worked on Love For Sale, Bilal was questioning his future as a musician. It got so bad for Bilal, that he almost quit music entirely. Luckily, fans and critics alike, loved Love For Sale. Soon, Bilal was touring Love For Sale. This encouraged Bilal to continue his musical career. Four years later, came Bilal’s third album, which was aptly titled.
After Love For Sale was shelved, Bilal left Interscope. Again, Bilal collaborated with other artists. Whether it was hip hop, Nu-Soul or free jazz, Bilal was the go-to-guy. He worked with everyone from Sun Ra, The Roots, Scarface, Jaz-Z, J-Dilla and 88 Keys. Then in 2010, Bilal was ready to release his third album, the aptly-titled Airtight’s Revenge. Rather than sign to another major, Bilal had signed to a smaller, independent label, Plug Research. It seemed that signing for a smaller label, with a lower profile allowed him the freedom to be slightly more experimental. While Bilal didn’t sacrifice his trademark brand of catchy Nu-Soul, he used effects to take detours into spacey jazz and funky jams. For Bilal, this seemed to reinvigorate his career, allowing his to forget the frustrations of Love For Sale. For Airtight’s Revenge, Bilal brought in many of the artists he’d previously collaborated with. Nottz, 88 Keys and Robert Glasper all worked on Airtight’s Revenge. The result was an album that was well received by critics and a commercial success. It reached number 101 in the US Billboard 200 and number twenty-one in the US R&B Charts. Nine years after his debut album 1st Born Second, Bilal was back, after the frustration of Love For Sale. Three years later, Bilal is back, with A Love Surreal, which I’ll now tell you about.
For Bilal’s fourth album A Love Surreal, he’s fused soul, funk and jazz over fourteen tracks and fifty-six minutes. This isn’t just soul, funk and jazz as we know and love it, but Bilal’s bold, innovative reinterpretation of it. Bilal refers to A Love Surreal as: “an audio art gallery or musical museum.” His inspiration was the work of surrealist painter Salvador Dali. So, Bilal decided to challenge himself to do two things. One was to come up with a suite of music that reflected Dali’s paintings. The other challenge was to create music that investigates the many nuances of love. This twofold challenge was completed, when Bilal finished A Love Surreal, which I’ll now tell you about.
Intro, which opens A Love Surreal has a warm, multilayered, experimental sound. It meanders dreamily into being, before chugging along, with percussion, keyboards drenched in effects. Experimental, fuzzy and even surreal describes this one-minute track which whets your musical appetite. You wonder what will follow?
West Side Girl sees crisp drums drenched in filters combine with guitars and bass, as Bilal scats. When his vocal enters, the similarity with Prince is uncanny. It’s not just his voice, but his delivery and the lyrics. He delivers a sassy rap, of lyrics that Prince would’ve penned in his prime. Meanwhile the arrangement mixes funk, Nu-Soul, pop and even elements of house. The result is a track laden with memorable poppy hooks.
The unmistakable sound of a Fender Rhodes opens Back To Love, which has a real jazzy sound. Here, Bilal delivers a heartfelt, impassioned vocal, filled with sadness. “How do we get Back To Love,” he asks, as the arrangement mixes jazz, soul, drama and emotion.
Winning Hand sees slow, moody and deliberate, drums pound, before a bass weaves its way across the arrangement. Bilal scats, before tenderly and gratefully delivers his vocal. Soon, riffing rocky guitars enter, adding a dramatic twist to the arrangement. It’s all change, as Bilal’s vocal changes, growing in power, as he and his band kick loose and demonstrate another side to his music. This change of style continues on Climbing. It’s a fusion of genres, influences and musical textures. Laden with drama and emotion, again, soul, jazz and rock combine. There’s a sense of urgency in Bilal’s vocal, reflected in the beats and searing guitars. Later, elements of free jazz and seventies West Coast rock can be heard, as Bilal continues to reinvent both his music and himself.
Longing and Waiting is one of the most atmospheric and evocative tracks on A Love Surreal. Slow, spacey beats and chiming guitars combine as the arrangement gradually reveals its secrets. Bilal’s vocal is swathed in filters, giving the track a sixties psychedelic feel, which reminds me of John Lennon. Later, crashing rock guitars punctuate the arrangement, before a Prince influence reveals itself. Bilal takes this fusion of influences, gives it a 21st century twist, to create a track that’s evocative, emotive and bathed in drama. Similarly evocative and emotive is Right At The Core. It features an understated piano-lead arrangement. This is perfect for Bilal’s tender, melancholy vocal. Soon, his vocal grows in power, passion and emotion, cooing harmonies accompanying him, as he delivers one of his most heartfelt, moving vocals on A Love Surreal.
Slipping Away sees Bilal delivering another hurt-filled vocal. Again, the arrangement is subtle, guitars reverberate and synths bubble as Bilal delivers a heartbroken vocal. His vocal has a similar quality to Jeff Buckley’s on Grace. It almost becomes an instrument in its own right. As his vocal grows in power, emotion and hurt, guitars scream and riff, a piano pound and the track takes on a symphonic quality. By the end of the track you’re spent, exhausted at this cathartic outpouring of despair, grief and heartbreak.
Slipping Away is a much more uptempo track. There’s a slight country influence, thanks to the guitar that reverberates, weaving its way across the arrangement. With drums providing the heartbeat, Bilal’s vocal is a mixture of hope and hurt. He delivers his vocal with tenderness tinged with hope, hope that one day he’ll “learn to love again” and “smile.” With its fusion of country, rock and soul, this reinforces how versatile an artist Bilal is, while delivering a soulful vocal filled with hope and longing.
Astray continues the fusion of influences, with rocky guitars, funk, pop and soul combining. Again, Bilal’s vocal is reminiscent of Prince in his prime. So is the arrangement, with its fusion of slow, spacious drums, riffing guitars and effects added to the cascading, melodic vocal and guitars. Like West Side Girl, Astray is a memorable, melodic track where Bilal hasn’t rationed poppy hooks.
Ethereal backing vocalists open Never Be The Same. They set the scene for a gentle, wistful vocal from Bilal. He’s accompanied by subtle, chiming guitars, with clever chord changes and understated drums. As Bilal decides: “it’s time to make a change,” his vocal is filled with emotion, fear and maybe, regret, as he lays bare his soul for all to hear. Quite simply, this is not only the most beautiful track on A Love Surreal, but the best track.
Butterfly sees Bilal joined by Robert Glasper, who Bilal has collaborated with previously. Robert featured on Bilal’s previous album Airtight’s Revenge. It’s another piano lead track, with a subtle arrangement. Bilal’s vocal soars elegantly above the arrangement. The piano adds a beautiful backdrop, while synths add a subtle and atmospheric hue. Later, Bilal scats jazz style, his vocal becoming an primal scream style outpouring of emotion and frustration. Meanwhile, the arrangement grows in drama, but neither overpowers nor dominates Bilal’s jazz-drenched vocal.
The Flow has a much more experimental sound as it starts to reveal its secrets. Then, when the arrangement unfolds, there’s everything from hip hop, jazz, rock, funk and soul. It’s a real fusion of influences. Hip hop beats, rocky guitars and stabs of keyboards accompany Bilal’s vocal, as it veers between hip hop, rock and soul. Always, Bilal’s vocal is emotive, mixing power and passion, during this genre sprawling track.
Bookending A Love Surreal is Outro, a track which is very similar to Intro. Like Intro, it’s a jaunty, fuzzy track, which meanders and chugs along. Experimental and atmospheric, it brings Bilal’s fourth album A Love Surreal, to a compelling and captivating close.
Three years after the release of Bilal’s previous album, Airtight’s Revenge, where he started reinventing himself and his music, this continues on A Love Surreal. During the fourteen tracks on A Love Surreal, Bilal fuses musical genres and influences. There’s everything from soul, funk and jazz, through hip hop, country, sixties psychedlia and rock, including West Coast rock on A Love Surreal. The result is an album that’s a genre-sprawling, innovative album, inspired by surrealism.
A Love Surreal, Bilal’s fourth album was inspired by the paintings of Salvador Dail. So, he set about creating his most ambitious album to date. He set about creating an album that was “an audio art gallery or musical museum.” This was A Love Surreal, a suite of music that reflected Dali’s paintings. The other side of A Love Surreal was to investigate the many nuances of love. This was quite an ambitious challenge, but one that Bilal succeeded in. He created his “audio art gallery or musical museum.” The fourteen tracks on A Love Surreal create the backdrop for a surrealist film that’s yet to be made. Instead, the music on A Love Surreal conjurs up images in your mind’s eye. A Love Surreal is an evocative, emotive and innovative album, where Bilal takes you on a surrealist journey via soul, funk and jazz, through hip hop, country, sixties psychedlia and rock. On 4th March 2013, BBE Music will release A Love Surreal, where Bilal continues to reinvent himself and his music, with an innovative, genre-sprawling album, inspired Salvador Daii. Standout Track: West Side Girl, Back To Love, Astray and Never Be The Same.
BILAL-A LOVE SURREAL.
MICHELLE-MAGIC LOVE.
MICHELLE-MAGIC LOVE.
ssk anyone who loves disco music, which were the most influential and innovative labels of the disco era, and certain labels will always crop up. At the top of list, is Salsoul Records, which released some of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful music, which was influential, innovative and cutting-edge. Then there’s label like SAM, Prelude, Casablanca and of course, West End Records, which Mel Cheren and Ed Kushkins founded in 1976. Soon, West End Records were releasing some of the most successful music of the disco era. This included music from Karen Young, Loose Joints, Taana Gardner, Betty Lavette and Michelle, who released just one albumson West End Records. That albums was Magic Love, was released in 1977, just a year after Mel and Ed founded their new label. Michelle’s 1977 album Magic Love, was one of the first albums West End Records released. Magic Love was collaboration between American and French musicians, which saw Philly Soul, Euro Disco and US Disco fused by French producer Pierre Jaubert and Tom Moulton, who mixed the album, to give it a dance-floor friendly sound. Before I tell you about the music on Magic Love, I’ll tell you about the background to the album.
Michelle’s story begins in Tunisia, where she was born Chantal Sitruk. Later, she moved to Paris and was known as Chantal Curtis. It was in Paris, that French producer Pierre Jaubert first discovered Chantal. Pierre came across as she was walking down a Paris street, talking to a friend. When Pierre heard her voice, he asked Chantal if she could sing. She said she could, and that she was looking for work as a singer. Disco was at the height of its popularity, and Pierre Jaubert had established a reputation as a songwriter and producer. So he set about transforming Chantal Curtis into a disco diva. To do this, Pierre had to put all his previous experience to good use.
Pierre had been working as a songwriter and producer since the mid-seventies. Previously, Pierre had worked with the Lafayette Afro Rock Band, who released two albums, 1974s Soul Makossa and 1975s Malik. After that, Lafayette Afro Rock Band became Pierre Jaubert’s studio band. Indeed, it was Pierre who convinced Ice to change their name from Ice to the Lafayette Afro Rock Band. Pierre produced two of Ice’s singles, Bobo Step and Passion. He also produced Captain Dax’s 1975 single Dr. Beezar. So, by the time Pierre met Chantal, he was an experienced songwriter and producer with a successful track record.
For Chantal Curtis’ debut album Magic Love, four songs were written. Donny Donable of the Lafayette Afro Rock Band contributed Can You Feel It. Dan Japlin and Jean Marc Willa-Roze cowrote Magic Love and Hold Me, Squeeze Me. The other track was Disco Love, written by Eddie Johns and Erma Reese. These four tracks became Magic Love, which was recorded in Paris and Philly.
Musicians on Philly and Paris would work on Magic Love. In Philly, the rhythm section icluded bassist Jimmy Williams, drummer Keith Benson and guitarists Ronnie James. Ron “Have Mercy” Kersey played piano, electric piano, synths, while Larry Washington played congas and The Sweethearts of Sigma, Barbara Ingram, Evette Benton and Carla Benson added backing vocals.
Among the musicians in Paris who worked on Magic Love, were members of the Lafayette Afro Rock Band. The rhythm section included bassist Lafayette Hudson, drummer Laurent and guitarists Etienne Dooh and Lance Quinn. Horns came courtesy of Ronnie Buttacavoli and Arthur Young, who played clavinet, Fender Rhodes and electric piano, and Frank Abel played Moog synth and piano. Tulli and Moto added percussion, and Phillippe Briche strings. Producing Magic Love were Pierre Jaubert and Tom Moulton, who mixed the album. Once recording was complete, Magic Love was released in 1978.
When Magic Love was released, Chantel Curtis’ name wasn’t on the album. Instead it was released as Michelle. By the time Magic Love was released, Chantel had become addicted to drugs. Her partner, Phillippe Briche was a talented pianist and arranger, but was also a drug addict. Chantel had also discovered drugs, and by the time Magic Love was released, was in prison. So, rather than use Chantel’s name, it was released under the pseudonym Michelle. In Paris, Epic Records released Magic Love, while West End Records released the album in America. Disco Dance gave the newly named Michelle, a massive hit single. The success of Magic Love helped establish West End Records as one of disco’s leading labels. Why was that? That’s what I’ll tell you, when I tell you about Michelle’s only album Magic Love.
Opening Side One of Magic Love is Can You Feel It. A funky bass line, wah-wah guitars, stabs of blazing horns and a pulsating disco beat sets the scene for Michelle’s tender breathy vocal. The Sweethearts of Sigma add cooing, sweeping harmonies as Michelle’s vocal grows in power, passion and sensuality. Meanwhile, the rhythm section create the pounding disco beat. Bursts of growling horns, percussion and the sweetest of harmonies envelop her vocal. Thunderous drums and a strident bass provide the heartbeat as Michelle takes on the roll of disco diva. Confidently and with just the right mix of sass and sensuality, she struts her way through this delicious slice of American disco.
Magic Love has a much more Euro Disco sound, as it explodes into life. Flourishes of cascading strings, tough keyboards and a thunderous Euro Disco beat accompany Michelle’s sassy vocal. She delivers a vocal that’s sensual, strident and assured, complete with soaring, sweeping soulful harmonies. Swathes of strings dance, before during a breakdown the funky rhythm section, percussion and chiming guitars take charge. The drama continues to builds. Then when strings sweep in, you realize that Michelle’s vocal is about to swept centre-stage. It does. Her tender, breathy and needy vocal is accompanied by cooing harmonies. Together, they ensure this pulsating Euro Disco track closes Side One of Magic Love on a memorable dance-floor friendly high.
Hold Me, Squeeze Me opens Side Two of Magic Love. There’s no let up in the tempo as American and Euro Disco combine head on. Handclaps, layers of dancing strings and the rhythm section combine with keyboards, before Michelle’s needy vocal enters. Her vocal veers between tender to powerful, but is always filled with emotion. Meanwhile, the band add a funky backdrop, with the rhythm section and chiming guitars at the heart of the action. Keyboards add a tougher, funkier sound, while harmonies provide a subtle contrast. Harmonies cascade, gliding elegantly above the arrangement, before passing the baton to Michelle. With handclaps accompanying her, she delivers a vocal that’s both needy and joyous. The finishing touch is a Hammond organ solo, which Michelle scats above. This brings this hook-laden and infectiously catchy.
Disco Dance closes Magic Love, and is a nine-minute epic that reminds me of Donna Summer’s I Love To Love and Donna McGhee’s Make It Last Forever. Michelle adds faux sensual moans and groans above an arrangement where disco and funk unite. Chiming guitars, lush sweeping, swirling strings, percussion and the rhythm section combine to dive the arrangement. Later, Michelle adds a punchy, dramatic, vampish vocal, while her band ensure this fusion of funk and disco swings along. Although it swings along, resulting in a funky, dance-floor friendly track, it’s not of the same quality as other tracks. Instead, it brings Magic Love to a disappointing end.
Magic Love proved to a good album rather than a great album. In the history of disco, Magic Love has long been forgotten about, apart from diehard disco lovers. This is a great shame, as three of the four tracks feature some great music. Can You Feel It, Magic Love and Hold Me, Squeeze Me are of the highest quality. US Disco, Euro Disco, funk and soulful harmonies are combined during these three tracks. Then Disco Dance, with its faux sensual moans and groans, proves to be something of a damp squid. Rather than end Magic Love on a high, it brings the album to a disappointing close. However, you’ve got to remember that Magic Love was Michelle or Chantel Curtis’ debut album. Given the quality of music on the first three tracks of Magic Love, you’d have though that Michelle had a big future ahead of her. Sadly, that wasn’t to be.
Following the release of Michelle’s Magic Love, Chantel Curtis next collaboration with Pierre Jaubert was Get Another Love. Released in 1978 on Keylock Records, Get Another Love was the last album Chantel Curtis released. What should’ve been a long and successful career was cut tragically short. Having become addicted to drugs, Chantel’s life spiraled out of control. She became addicted to drugs, served time in prison and in 1985, was murdered in Israel. It was a tragic case of mistaken identity. Chantel was shot, with the bullet thought to be intended for her boyfriend Phillippe Briche. So, what looked like a long and promising career after the release of Magic Love, was cut tragically short. Chantel Curtis’ story is a case of what might have been. She released just two albums, the best of these two albums was her debut album Magic Love. Standout Tracks: Can You Feel It, Magic Love and Hold Me, Squeeze Me.
MICHELLE-MAGIC LOVE.
SLICK-SLICK.
SLICK-SLICK.
The best way to describe Slick, who released their eponymous debut album Slick in 1979, on Fantasty WMOT Records, are a disco supergroup. Slick were a collaboration between legendary Philly backing vocalists The Sweethearts of Sigma, members of Ingram and Fat Larry’s Band. Between them, the members of Slick were no strangers to disco and funk, which they fused on their two albums Slick and 1980s Go For It. Indeed, Slick comprised vastly experienced musicians and backing vocalists. Given this all-star lineup, it’s no surprise that Slick’s fusion of disco and funk proved both commercially successful and popular, as you’ll discover when I tell you about Slick’s debut album Slick.
Slick was the latest in a long line of disco collaborations. It’s no exaggeration to call Slick a supergroup, with members of Fat Larry’s Band and Ingram joining The Sweethearts of Sigma, there was no shortage of talented musicians and vocalists.
Ingram were one of many groups that were formed in Philly during the seventies. Previously, Ingram previously been known as The Ingram Family, which was fitting as they were a family group. Before that, The Ingram Family had been called The Ecstasies. This family group, and had released two albums, 1976s The Ingram Kingdom and 1977s That’s All. Billy, Jimmy, Timmy, John and Norman Ingram were all members of Slick. So too, was Barbara Ingram.
Barbara Ingram had established her reputation with Evette Benton and Carla Benson. They were known as The Sweethearts of Sigma, Philly’s legendary backing vocals. The Sweethearts of Sigma had worked most of the Philly Soul sessions of the seventies. Whether it was Billy Paul, The O’Jays, The Stylistics, Blue Magic, Major Harris or Barbara Mason, The Sweethearts of Sigma’s inimitable backing vocals featured on these albums. Then in 1976, The Sweethearts of Sigma had become the voice of The Salsoul Orchestra. Completing the lineup of Slick, were three members of Fat Larry’s band.
Three members of Fat Larry’s Band featured in Slick. They were bassist Jimmy LaBes, guitarist Tony Middleton and percussionist Larry James. Fat Larry’s Band had enjoyed commercial success, releasing four albums between 1976 and 1980. Their debut was 1976s Feel It, with 1977s Off The Wall, 1978s Spacin’ Out and Lookin’ For Love released in 1979. Now they were joining forces with The Sweethearts of Sigma and members of Ingram. The result was Slick’s debut album Slick.
Five tracks became Slick. Larry and Doris James penned Space Bass with Len Barry. Billy and Jimmy Ingram penned Feelin’ Good, while Butch Ingram wrote Put Your Pants On. Butch and Len Barry penned The Whole World’s Dancin’ and Sexy Cream with Doris James and Len Barry. These five tracks became Slick and were recorded at Philly’s Alpha International Studios.
At Philly’s Alpha International Studios, Slick recorded the five tracks that became Slick. The rhythm section featured drummer John Ingram, bassist Jimmy Williams and Jimmy LaBes, plus Tony Middleton, Ronnie James and Billy Ingram. Jimmy Ingram played keyboards, synths and flute, while Larry James added percussion. Timmy Ingram contributed congas, percussion, timbales, trumpet and alto saxophone, John Mimms played trombone and Sylvester Middleton trumpet. The Sweethearts of Sigma sang backing vocals, while Barbara Ingram and Doris James sang lead vocals. Once Slick was completed, it was released in 1979.
1979 wasn’t the best year to release a disco album. Slick fared well in clubs, but failed to chart. Two singles were released, with Space Bass reaching number sixteen in the UK. Sexy Cream was then banned from UK radio. This didn’t help sales of the single or album. What didn’t help sales of Slick was disco fall in popularity. Maybe if Slick had been released a year earlier, it would’ve fared better. Instead, Slick remains a hidden gem in disco’s history, as you’ll realize when I tell you about the music on Slick.
Space Bass, a seven-minute epic opens Slick. Thunderous drums, a funk-laden bass, congas and percussion combine before guitars chime and strings dance in appreciation. They signal the arrival of The Sweethearts of Sigma’s sweet, tender harmonies. Their tenderness and subtly are a contrast to the rest of the arrangement which is pulsating, pounding and dramatic. Synths sweep in, adding a space-age sound to the arrangement. By now, the drama has grown, as Funk, disco and Latin music combine seamlessly. Musical genres unite, as the track takes on an experimental, innovative sound. It’s as if Slick are preparing for disco’s demise and planning for music post-disco. In doing so, they look to Europe for inspiration, mixing technology and a Euro Disco influence to their innovative fusion of disco, funk and Latin percussion.
Barbara Ingram takes charge of lead vocals on Feelin’ Good, which closes Side One of Slick. Again, the pounding beat has a Euro Disco influence. Melancholy woodwind, rasping horns and bubbling synths combine, before The Sweethearts of Sigma add their joyous harmonies. With a jazz piano and slapped bass for company, Barbara steps forward and delivers a confident, assured vocal. Carla and Evette add harmonies and handclaps, their sweet, jazzy vocals the perfect foil. When her vocal drops out, a percussion and a bass bound across the arrangement. Spurred on, Barbara delivers a strident, diva-esque vocal. She unleashes a powerful, heartfelt, soaring vocal. Harmonies soulfully, soar, while the arrangement pounds along. Jazz, funk, disco and Euro Disco are combined, as Barbara and the other Sweethearts of Sigma deliver a vocal and harmonic masterclass, on what is, the highlight of Slick.
Sexy Cream, which opens Side Two of Slick, was the second single from Slick, but was banned from UK radio in 1979. The rhythm section, buzzing synths and percussion combine elements of funk and Euro Disco with Latin percussion. Soon, strings dance centre-stage, as The Sweethearts of Sigma add punchy, sassy harmonies. Doris James delivers a sensual, teasing vocal. Meanwhile, horns growl and kick, strings sweep and swirl and the rhythm section create a pounding, pulsating beat. The thunderous bass is at the heart of the action, while Doris moans and groans her way through the track. Equally sassy and sensual harmonies prove the perfect foil for Doris, as funk, Euro Disco and soulful harmonies combine to create a timeless dance-floor track.
Put Your Pants On was written by Butch Ingram and produced by Billy Kennedy. Handclaps and tough, funky keyboards open the arrangement, before sassy, harmonies from The Sweethearts of Sigma enter. They’re joined by a pounding bass and growling horns as a hypnotic, uber funky track unfolds. A myriad of Latin percussion and then the best bass line on Slick unfolds. Sometimes, the track reminds me of Rolls Royce’s Car Wash or Donna Summer’s Bad Girls. Later, punchy harmonies, braying horns, handclaps and percussion join cascading strings, as a captivating, hypnotic and Latin-tinged track unfolds.
Closing Slick is The Whole World’s Dancin.’ Thunderous drums open a track which is a fusion of musical styles and influences. It’s a bit like Voyage’s Fly Away. While Voyage took a whole album to do this, Slick manage the same thing in five minutes. Listen carefully, and a melting pot of musical influences unfolds. Whether it’s Latin, Caribbean, Eastern European, African or Asian, all these influences are within this musical melting pot. To that, add disco, Euro Disco, funk and soul. Uplifting, joyous and infectiously catchy, never mind around the world in eighty days, Slick’s journey is quicker, joyous and laden with hooks.
Given that Slick were an all-star band, made up of members of Fat Larry’s Band and Ingram, with The Sweethearts of Sigma adding harmonies, it’s no surprise that Slick was such a good album. Unlike many albums released at this time, Slick has stood the test of time. Indeed, it’s no exaggeration to say that Slick is a timeless, hidden gem of an album. Slick was no ordinary disco album. Quite the opposite. Instead, Slick is an album that looks to the future.
It’s as if Slick are preparing for disco’s demise and planning for music post-disco. In doing so, they look to Europe for inspiration, mixing technology and a Euro Disco influence to their innovative fusion of disco, funk, Philly Soul, Euro Disco and Latin percussion. In doing so, they prolonged their career, proving there was life after disco’s demise. Like many other disco albums, Slick was a fusion of musical genres.
The crowning glory are The Sweethearts of Sigma’s harmonies. Their inimitable harmonies are the finishing touch to the album. While the band are tight and multi-talented, The Sweethearts of Sigma lifted Slick to the next level. From the opening bars of Space Bass right through to the closing notes of The Whole World’s Dancin,’ Slick have your attention. They take you an a journey through musical genres and influences. Hooks are in plentiful supply, as Slick’s all-star lineup of musicians and vocalists make their memorable debut on Slick, a real hidden gem of an album, where musical influences and genres are fused to create a hidden disco gem. Standout Tracks: Space Bass, Feelin’ Good, Sexy Cream and Put Your Pants On.
SLICK-SLICK.
MICHAELA MCCLAIN-THE STORY SO FAR.
MICHAELA MCCLAIN-THE STORY SO FAR.
Recently, I came across one of the most talented singer, songwriters and musicians I’ve heard in a long time. Her name is Michaela McClain, who released her debut single Needed More in March 2012, with her sophomore single Ur Love following later in March 2012. After that, Michaela headed to Dallas, Texas, in April 2012, where she recorded her first E.P. The Dallas Sessions, which feature seven original songs, written by Michaela. Having finished The Dallas Sessions, Michaela and her tight, talented band, were honing their live show. Whilst playing concerts each month, Michaela and her band were working on her second E.P. The Manhattan Sessions, which was released in December 2012. Before I tell you about Michaela McClain’s music, I’ll tell you more about Michaela and her career so far.
Ever since Michaela McClain has been four, she’s been singing. It’s as if she was born to sing. She and her five sisters, of which Michaela is the youngest, all love music. Their love of music stems from watching their father play guitar. Since then, music has been a constant in Michaela’s life. She has an eclectic taste in music, enjoying the music of Ella Fitzgerald, Carlos Joim, Jimi Hendrix and The Indigo Girls just as much as bossa nova, soulful jazz or vocal harmonies. While music provided a soundtrack to Michaela’s life, learning to play guitar was the first step in her musical career.
Having learnt to play three chords on her guitar, Michaela wrote her first song when she was just fourteen. For Michaela, this opened up a new world for her. She was able to express how she felt about the world and life. What she saw around her and what was going on in her life inspired her to write songs. It allowed her to express her feelings, and was what she enjoyed doing most. So, it’s no surprise that Michaela McClain would form a band.
It was in college that Michaela finally decided to form her own band. She’d been singing for a few years, but the next step was putting a band together. The first member of her band was the talented, multi-instrumentalist Meredith Foreman. Meredith plays drums, flute, saxophone and sings backing vocals. Next to join was bassist Raul Huaman, who temporarily, doubles up as guitarist. Raul is an MSU alum, and brings to the band a jazz and Peruvian influence. With her band in place, Meredith began playing live. Having honed their live sound, and established a set-list of songs written by Michaela, the next step was recording her debut single.
Michaela recorded and then released her debut single Needed More in March 2012. Her sophomore single Ur Love, was released later in March 2012. Then, just a month later, Michaela and her band headed on a cross country road trip. Their destination was Dallas, Texas.
At Michaela’s uncle’s studio in Texas, they recorded seven songs written by Michaela. These seven tracks became The Dallas Sessions, which were released in July 2012. Whilst in Dallas, Michaela and her band were honing their live sound and playing live. At the same time, Michaela was working on new songs. This meant another road trip.
From Dallas, they headed to New York. In New York, they recorded three new songs, and gave Somber Colors a makeover. These four new songs became The Manhattan Sessions, which were released in December 2012. Since then, Michaela and her band have been regularly performing live. Now Michaela has returned to teaching music, whilst waiting for her commercial breakthrough which hopefully, will come soon. Listening to her music, which I’ll tell now tell you about, that won’t be long.
Needed More was Michaela McClain’s debut single released, back in March 2012. It swings into life, with just Michaela accompanied by a tambourine. Her vocal is jazz-tinged, reminiscent of Ella Fitzgerald. When a piano enters, it’s the perfect accompaniment for Michaela’s tender, heartfelt vocal. Tinged with regret and hurt, backing vocalists accompany her, as she delivers the lyrics about a walking out on a relationship. Filled with meaning and emotion, it’s as if this song as personal. Later, Raul adds a searing, crystalline guitar solo. Then when Michaela’s rueful vocal returns, it’s softer, soaring soulfully and sweetly. It’s filled with emotion and maybe, regrets.
Ur Luv was Michaela’s second single, and has a very different sound. It’s a much more understated track. There’s a folk influence, with just an acoustic guitar strummed confidenly accompanying Michaela. Her vocal is tender, filled with sincerity and beauty. Although just short of two minutes long, they’re two beautiful and memorable minutes, and being in love and wanting to spend time with someone.
Having released two singles in March 2012, Michaela and her band embarked on a road trip to Dallas. In Dallas, seven songs Michaela wrote were recorded, then in July 2012, were released as The Dallas Sessions.
THE DALLAS SESSIONS.
When I first heard More Like Love, I heard similarities with Scottish singer-songwriter Carol Laula. Both have charismatic, voices and are versatile vocalists. Here, Michaela and her tight band mix elements of folk, jazz and rock. The upbeat, jaunty arrangement features piano, bass and drums. They set the scene for Michaela as her vocal grows in power and joy. Cooing harmonies sweep in, enveloping Michaela’s vocal, as she delivers the song with a swing, whilst bringing life and meaning to the lyrics.
Somber Colors is breakup song, where Michaela unleashes an urgent, punchy and angry vocal. The lyrics are delivered stridently and powerfully, showing another side to Michaela. Whereas other tracks were acoustic, Michaela and her band plug in and and kick loose. They demonstrate their versatility on this rockier track. Stabs of searing guitar reflect the frustration in Michaela’s vocal, while drums reflect her disappointment in her ex-boyfriend. Every step of the way, the band match Michaela for sheer passion. Raul unleashes another soaring solo, while guitars and drums accompany Michaela. Later, her voice a mixture of anger, frustration and disappointment, she sings: you had, your chance, to prove your love to me.” Not only does this track show how versatile Michaela is, but reinforces her talent as a singer-songwriter.
Fireworks sees a slow, moody bass, reverberating guitar and violin combine, setting the scene for Michaela. As the pensive, wistful arrangement unfolds, Michaela’s emotive, deliberate and needy vocal enters. She delivers each word with feeling and longing. Guitar chime, the bass prowls and backing vocalists sweep in. They unite as one with Michaela’s ethereal, tender vocal.
No Amount is an understated, acoustic song. It allows Michaela’s heartbroken vocal to take centre-stage. Her vocal becomes the focus of your attention as she sings “no amount of cigarettes, no amount of beer, no amount of tears, can bring you back here.” Her voice is wistful, filled with sadness and longing. Adding to the melancholy, wistful sound, are the acoustic guitar and piano that accompany Michaela. They play their part in a heartbreakingly sad, but very beautiful song, where Michaela reminds me of Joni Mitchell and Laura Nyro.
He Loves Me, is a love song where a combination of musical influences unite. There’s elements of folk, country and sometimes, jazz. Again, the acoustic arrangement has an understated sound. Michaela’s vocal is confident and joyous, sounding like someone whose deeply in love. Just An acoustic guitar, bass and keyboards accompany Michaela. Like Needed More, Michaela makes the song swing, injecting some of her hope and happiness into it. The result is a joyous, uplifting, love song with some great lyrics.
Sun On My Skin demonstrates how a talented songwriter can find beauty in even the most everyday, mundane thing. Perceptively, Michaela manages to make something everyone takes for granted into something quite beautiful. A shuffling bossa nova beat provides the backdrop for Michaela’s vocal. They’re joined by a strummed acoustic guitar, percussion and keyboards, which provide a subtle accompaniment for Michaela’s ethereal vocal. Gratitude, joy and wonderment fill her voice, as she delivers descriptive, perceptive and evocative describe the lyrics. She paints pictures before your eyes, while her delivery is heartfelt and tender, but filled with sincerity.
Too Bad sees Michaela and her band return to their rocky side. The rhythm section drive the arrangement along, before it’s all change, as the arrangement almost pauses. Then a piano and handclaps accompany Michaela’s punchy, vocal, while guitar fills and pounding drums enter. It seems the band are gaining their earlier momentum, and enjoying rocking out. By now, Michaela is scatting her way through the track, handclaps and harmonies punctuating the arrangement. Then when her vocal drops out, the guitar takes center-stage. When Michaela returns, it’s as if she’s been reenergized and finding her inner rock chick, kicks loose, to close The Dallas Sessions on rock-tinged high.
THE MANHATTAN SESSIONS.
Cold Hearts is a piano lead track, with a jaunty arrangement. Here, Micahaela lays bare her soul, delivering a hurt-filled vocal that’ss filled with emotion and pain. It’s another relationship song, where Michaela’s ethereal, heartbroken vocal is filled with heartache and hurt, at what seems like the inevitable end of her relationship. Cymbals crash adding to the drama, while a crystalline guitar wanders in and out of the arrangement. Keyboards provide the jaunty backdrop for the arrangement, while backing vocalists sweep in. It’s as if they empathize and sympathise with Michaela and her plight, as she lays bare her hurt and heartache for all to hear.
Better Than Fine has some of the best lyrics The Manhattan Session. Guitars and slow, deliberate drums accompany Michaela’s deliberate, frustrated vocal. She’s frustrated and angry at living with someone who has a destructive, addictive personality. Her delivery of the lyrics are like a woman who just can’t take any more. Regardless of what she does or has done, the situation never improves. Adding to the drama are an alto saxophone and searing, riffing guitar. Eventually, it’s as if Michaela is spent, exhausted physically and mentally at the situation and torment she’s lived with. Now having told her partner how she feels, this proves overwhelming and cathartic.
Singin’ is another track with an understated, acoustic arrangement This really suits the the lyrics and Michaela’s delivery of them. She delivers them with equal parts passion, emotion and joy. Accompanying her are just a confidently strummed acoustic guitar and percussion. When her vocal grows in power, Michaela’s voice veers between a warmth and ethereal quality. Backing vocalists accompany her, as she scats her way through the track. Her vocal grows in power and passion and conviction, as handclaps and backing vocalists accompany her, as this infectiously catchy, hook-laden tracks comes to a rousing close.
The other track on The Manhattan Sessions was Somber Colors, which featured on The Dallas Sessions. It’s delivered with the same emotion, frustration and anger as on The Dallas Sessions. Like other tracks, Somber Colors features some powerful lyrics, with a strong narrative. This demonstrates just how talented and songwriter and storyteller Michaela is. She’s a storyteller who can paint vivid pictures with music. Whether it’s songs about relationships, full of heartache and hurt, or songs about being in love Michaela breathes life and meaning into them. She sounds as if she’s lived and survived these songs. Then on Sun On My Skin, Michaela finds beauty and inspiration in a sunny day. Having written such meaningful, intelligent and poignant lyrics, Michaela and her band bring the lyrics to life.
On her two singles, The Dallas Sessions and then The Manhattan Session, Michaela and her band fuse musical influences and genres. Folk, jazz, country, rock and bossa nova can all be heard in Michaela’s music. Listen carefully, and Michaela’s voice and delivery is similar to Joni Mitchell, Laura Nyro, Carol Laula and Ella Fitzgerald. With a tight, multitalented band accompanying Michaela, seamlessly she can switch between folk, jazz, country and sometimes, when Michaela and her band kick loose, she finds her inner rock chic. Regardless of what style of music, Michaela McClain and her band play with passion, panache and style.
Listening to Michaela McClain’s music was refreshing for me. This is music old school. Indeed, nowadays when many independent musicians work with computer programs like Logic, Pro-Tools, Reason and Ableton Live, using loops rather musicians, Michaela has reversed this trend. Instead, Michaela headed to a recording studio with her band of tight, talented musicians. The result was music just like Joni Mitchell and Laura Nyro would produce. For me, this has been a really welcome departure. Instead of the usual Nu-Soul warbler, using a copy of Logic and loops, Michaela McClain’s music is old-school music, from an old-school singer, songwriter and musician. Michaela writes intelligent music, music that’s filled with emotion, heartbreak and joy. You won’t hear Michaela deliver anything mundane, trite or vacuous. Instead, Michaella writes intelligent lyrics, which vividly paint pictures. Michaela McClain has restored my faith in music. Music is in safe hands, with singers like Michaela McClain. Quite simply, they’re the future of music. That’s why, in the future, people will hear much, much more of Michaela McClain. Quite simply, Michaela McClain has a big future ahead of her in music. It won’t be long until record companies start to take an interest in Michaela McClain and her music. Her two singles, plus the music on The Dallas Sessions and The Manhattan Sessions, prove that the multitalented singer, songwriter and musician Michaela McClain has a big future ahead of her.
MICHAELA MCCLAIN-THE STORY SO FAR.
BEN E. KING-I HAD A LOVE.
BEN E. KING-I HAD A LOVE.
In 1975, Ben E. King had resigned to Atlantic Records. His first album for Atlantic Records was Supernatural, which was produced by Bert De Coteaux and Tony Silvester. Supernatural had proved a commercial success, reaching number thirty-nine in the US Billboard 200 and number thirteen in the US R&B Charts. While this had rejuvenated Ben’s career. However, music was changing, and changing quickly. While Bert De Coteaux and Tony Silvester were highly regarded and successful producers, it was decided that for the followup to Supernatural, 1976s I Had A Love, production would be spilt. Bert De Coteaux and Tony Silvester would produce four of the nine tracks. The other five tracks would be produced by one of the most successful and hottest producers of the time, Norman Harris.
By 1976, Norman Harris had established a career as a successful producer. Having worked with producers like Thom Bell and Gamble and Huff, Norman had a good grounding in production. He’d struck out on his own in the early seventies, and enjoyed commercial success and critical acclaim ever since. Previously, he’d been a member of M.F.S.B, Philadelphia International Records’ legendary house-band. Following a dispute with Gamble and Huff, Norman Harris and many of the founder members of M.F.S.B. had left Philadelphia International Records, becoming a member of The Salsoul Orchestra. At Salsoul, the Cayre brothers, who owned Salsoul, gave Norman his own label to run, Gold Mind Records. He ran Gold Mind from an office in Philly, bringing artists like First Choice, Double Exposure and Loleatta Holloway to Gold Mind Records. Still, Norman found time to produce other artists and would produce five tracks on I Had A Love. Would I Had A Love replicate the success of Supernatural?
After the success of Supernatural, Ben E. King was keen to build on its success. Since his days at Atco and later Atlantic, Ben’s career had stalled. He hadn’t replicated the success of the early sixties. It seemed musical fashions had overtaken Ben. So for I Had A Love, some of the best songwriters of the time contributed songs to I Had A Love. Among the songwriters contributing tracks to I Had A Love, wereAshford and Simpson. Ever since their Motown days, had established a reputation as talented songwriters and producers. Their contribution was the title-track I Had A Love. Sam Dees penned No Danger Ahead, and cowrote three other tracks. Fredrick Knight and Sam wrote I Betcha Didn’t Know That and Tower of Strength, while Sam and Clinton Moon penned Standing In The WIngs of Heartache. Patrick Grant and Gwen Guthrie contributed You’re Stepping On My Heart, while Everybody Plays The Fool was a Clark, Williams, Bailey composition. Norman Harris’ Philly friends wrote the other two tracks. Alan Felder and T.G. Conway cowrote Smooth Sailing and with Bruce Gray wrote We Got Love. These nine tracks became I Had A Love.
With two producers working on I Had A Love, this meant recording took place at different studios with different musicians. At Sigma Sound Studios, the musicians working with Norman Harris were former members of M.F.S.B. and now, members of The Salsoul Orchestra. Providing I Had A Love’s heartbeat, were the Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section. They were joined by Bobby “Electronic” Eli, percussionist Larry Washington and vibes virtuoso Vince Montana Jr, while Bruce Gray and T.G. Conway played keyboards. Strings and horns came courtesy of Don Renaldo. Providing backing vocals were The Sweethearts of Sigma, Barbara Ingram, Evette Benson and Carla Benson. Once I Had A Love was completed, it was released in 1976.
On the release of I Had A Love in 1976, rather than build on the success of Supernatural, it failed to chart. The Ashford and Simpson penned title-track I Had A Love was released in 1975, and reached number twenty-three in the US R&B Charts. When I Betcha Didn’t Know was released as a single, it failed to chart. That I Had A Love hadn’t charted wasn’t unusual. Ben E. King was no longer as popular. Indeed,1975s Supernatural had been Ben’s first album of the seventies to chart. It seemed Ben E. King’s music was no longer as fashionable. This was a long way since his time with The Drifters and the early years of his solo career. However, was the commercial failure of I Had A Love purely down to Ben E. King’s music no longer being as popular? That’s what I’ll tell you, when I tell you about I Had A Love.
The title-track I Had A Love opens I Had A Love. Produced by Norman Harris, the tempo is slow, with a real Philly Soul sound from the opening bars. A drum cracks, before a piano and Vince Montana Jr’s vibes combine. Then Earl Young’s drums dramatically signal the entrance of lush strings and The Sweethearts of Sigma’s cooing, sweeping, sweet harmonies. Having set the scene for Ben, he delivers a heartbroken vocal. Hurt, heartache and regret fill his voice. Baker, Harris, Young provide the heartbeat, harmonies and strings reflect the hurt in Ben’s vocal, while growling horns and pounding drums add drama. Together, this provides the perfect backdrop for Ben’s heartbroken, soul-baring vocal Magnus Opus.
I Betcha Didn’t Know is another Norman Harris production. He picks up, where he left off with the opening track. Baker, Harris, Young, percussion, rasping horns and cascading strings dramatically open the track. Ben’s vocal is powerful, filled with passion and joy. Providing the perfect foil are The Sweethearts of Sigma’s heartfelt, soaring harmonies. Meanwhile, Norman Harris lays down one of his trademark guitar lines, Vince Montana Jr’s adds vibes and Earl Young’s drums provide a thunderous, strident heartbeat. The horns which punctuate the arrangement at just the right time, have a Thom Bell influence. Ben and The Sweethearts of Sigma seem to drive each other to greater heights of emotion and soulfulness, as Ben rolls back the years, returning to his soulful best.
Smooth Sailing sees Norman Harris and Alan Felder who cowrote the track with T.G. Conway produce the track. Swathes of the lushest strings float in, quivering and shivering. Horns growl, hi-hats hiss and Baker, Harris, Young provide an understated heartbeat. Ben’s deliberate, emotive vocal grows in power, while tender harmonies and punchy, braying horns accompany him. The arrangement flows along, with percussion, piano and strings at its heart. Earl Young’s drums inject drama, as Ben’s vocal veers between tender and powerful, but is always impassioned and heartfelt.
Baker, Harris, Young produce No Danger Ahead which explodes joyously into life. They provide the pulsating, urgent heartbeat, as Philly Soul and funk combine. Ron Baker’s bass and Norman Harris’ guitar join growling horns and dancing strings. The Sweethearts of Sigma add sweet, cooing harmonies. All this seems to inspire Ben. His vocal is powerful, confident and assured. He literally struts his way through the arrangement. Horns blaze, strings swirl and woodwind get in on the act. With The Sweethearts of Sigma adding joyous, cascading harmonies. They’re the finishing touch, as Ben confidently and assuredly, soulfully struts his way through this Sam Dees song that closes Side One of I Had A Love.
Everybody Plays The Fool opens Side Two of I Had A Love. It’s the first of four Bert De Coteaux and Tony Silvester produced tracks. A piano, guitar, slow strings and gospel tinged harmonies combine, before Ben’s pensive, melancholy vocal enter. Straight away, you realize the production has a rawer sound. It lacks the polish of Side One, resulting in a good track failing to become a great track. You could argue, that given the gospel influence this is fitting. What are fitting are the gospel-tinged harmonies. Ben’s delivery is thoughtful, filled with emotion, which suits the track and the lyrics.
Standing In The WIngs of Heartache sees Ben and the band kick loose. From an understated opening, the rhythm section explode into life. They drive the arrangement along, fusing funk and soul. Drums pound, harmonies sweep in, soaring above the arrangement. Layers of strings sweep, while Ben’s vocal is a powerful vamp as his band fuse funk with soul.
We Got Love sees Norman Harris take charge of production duties. Straight away, there’s a much more polished sound. Baker, Harris, Young add a pulsating beat, as an uplifting, joyous track unfolds. Strings dance in appreciation and The Sweethearts of Sigma add tight, soulful harmonies. Ben seems to have found his sparkle, delivering the lyrics with power, passion and joy. Bobby “Electronic” Eli adds his trademark funky guitar, Vince Montana Jr adds vibes and Norman Harris adds a jazzy guitar solo. Strings dance, harmonies sweep in and and Ben and the band lock into a groove, where funk and Philly Soul unite seamlessly. This results in the best track on Side.
Tower of Strength was penned by Sam Dees and Fredrick Knight. It has a real Sam Dees sound. There are similarities in production to Everybody Plays The Fool. It’s the way the harmonies have a dramatic, soaring gospel sound. That’s no bad thing. This is a dramatic, soulful song with a gospel twist, where Sam literally rolls back the years. Helping him every step of the way are the harmonies. Swathes of strings, rasping horns and a dramatic, strident rhythm section, make this the best of the Bert De Coteaux and Tony Silvester productions.
You’re Stepping On My Heart (Tearing My World Apart) closes I Had A Love. After the drama of the previous track, this track has a much more understated sound. Ben’s vocal is tender, needy and filled with hurt. Just the rhythm section, growling horns and percussion combine before, a burst of drums signals the arrival of Ben’s vocal. Muted horns, subtle percussion and understated rhythm section are joined by melancholy horns as Ben lays bare his hurt and heartache for all to hear.
Listening to I Had A Love, it seems strange that production was split between Norman Harris and the production team of Bert De Coteaux and Tony Silvester? On Side One of I Had A Love, Norman Harris and his production partners rejuvenate Ben E. King. His music is given a Philly makeover. The four tracks on Side One of I Had A Love I Had A Love, are the best on the album. SIde Two, when the changeover in producer takes place, Ben’s vocals fall short of the quality on Side One. On Everybody Plays The Fool, the rawer sound stopping a good song becoming a great one. Similarly, on Standing In The WIngs of Heartache’s good as the production is, it falls short of the four tracks on Side One. Things improve on We Got Love, produced by Norman Harris, while Tower of Strength is the best of the four Bert De Coteaux and Tony Silvester productions. You’re Stepping On My Heart (Tearing My World Apart) brings I Had A Love to an understated, soul-baring close, as Ben E. King rolls back the years. I suppose, using two producers or production teams will always lead to comparisons.
The production team of Bert De Coteaux and Tony Silvester had a successful track record, and were talented producers. So too, did Norman Harman Harris. Indeed, since Norman Harris’ had struck out on his own as a producer, he’d enjoyed commercial success and critical acclaim with a variety of artists. He’d enjoyed commercial success with artists that included Major Harris, Blue Magic and First Choice. Ben E. King was the latest to enjoy a Philly Soul makeover from Norman and his Philly friends. While it’s a matter of opinion, I feel that it would’ve been best if Norman Harris produced all the tracks on I Had A Love. Norman seemed to get the best out of Ben E. King. Granted Bert and Tony had revitalized Ben’s career with Supernatural, but Ben E. King and Norman Harris seemed a dream team. WIth Norman Harris, came his colleagues in The Salsoul Orchestra and The Sweethearts of Sigma. The five tracks ons Ben E. King’s I Had A Love produced by Norman Harris and his Philly friends, are the highlights of the album. While I Had A Love is one of Ben E. King best albums of the seventies, it could’ve been an even better album, if Norman Harris had produced the whole album. Maybe then, Ben E. King’s second album for Atlantic Records I Had A Love, would’ve matched the commercial success of Supernatural? Standout Tracks: I Had A Love, I Betcha Didn’t Know, Smooth Sailing and No Danger Ahead.
BEN E. KING-I HAD A LOVE.
BARBARA MASON-TRANSITION.
BARBARA MASON-TRANSITION.
When Barbara Mason signed to Buddah Records in 1973, she was already an experienced artist. Indeed, Philly born Barbara, released her debut single Trouble Child in 1964, on Crusader Records. Then in 1965, aged just eighteen, Barbara enjoyed the biggest single of her career, the classic, Yes, I’m Ready, which reached number five in the US Billboard 100 and number two in the US R&B Charts. Later in 1965, Barbara released her debut album Yes, I’m Ready, on Arctic Records. It reached number 129 in the US Billboard 200. Her 1968 sophomore album Oh How It Hurts reached just number forty-two in the US R&B Charts. Having switched labels to National General, If You Knew Him released in 1970, failed to chart. Then in 1973, Barbara’s career received a boost, when she signed to Buddah Records, where she released four albums between 1973 and 1975.
1973s Give Me Your Love was Barbara Mason’s first album for Buddah Records. It saw Barbara hookup with M.F.S.B, Philadelphia International Records’ legendary house-band. They provided the backdrop for what was Barbara’s most successful album on Buddah Records. It reached number ninety-five in the US Billboard 200 and number seventeen in the US R&B Charts, and featured another classic track Bed and Board. A year later, and Barbara Mason returned with her second album for Buddah Records/
Lady Love followed in 1974. Again, M.F.S.B. accompanied Barbara, on an album that reached number twenty-nine in the US R&B Charts. This was slightly disappointing for Barbara. Maybe her third album for Buddah Records, 1974s Transition, would mark a change in fortune for Barbara Mason? Would that be the case, or would Transition mark a Transition in Barbara Mason’s career?
For what became Transition, Barbara wrote eight of the nine tracks. Just like her previous albums, Barbara’s lyrics were powerful, filled with social comment. The exception was Sunday Saint (Week Day Sinner), which Jerry Akines, Johnny Belmon, Reginald Turner and Victor Drayton penned. These nine tracks became Transition. Eight of the tracks were recorded at Philly’s Sigma Sound Studios, where Barbara recorded Give Me Your Love and Lady Love. Only Sunday Saint (Week Day Sinner) was recorded elsewhere, at Philly’s Future Gold Studio. Accompanying Barbara, were many of the same personnel that featured on Give Me Your Love and Lady Love. This meant Philadelphia International Records’ legendary house-band M.F.S.B.
Recording got underway at Sigma Sound Studios in 1974 with the cream of Philly’s musicians accompanying Babara on Transition. This included the Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section. They were joined by guitarist Bobby “Electronic” Eli, keyboardist Ron “Have Mercy” Kersey, percussionist Larry Washington and Vince Montana Jr, on vibes. Adding the trademark Philly Soul sound were familiar strains of Don Renaldo’s strings and horns grace Transition. The final piece in the jigsaw were the Sweethearts of Sigma, backing vocalists Carla Benson, Evette Benton and Barbara Ingram. This hugely talented group of musicians and singers would accompany Barbara on Transition. Arrangers included Norman Harris, Bobby “Electronic” Eli and Richard Rome. Once Transition was recorded, it was released later in 1974. Would Transition mark an improvement in Barbara Mason’s fortunes or prove to be a period of Transition in her career?
On the release of Transition in 1974, it proved to be Barbara’s least successful album on Buddah Records. It failed to chart. The three singles, World War Three, The Devil Is Busy and Half Sister, Half Brother all failed to chart. Considering Give Me Your Love and Lady Love had both proved popular, why did Transition fail to chart? That’s what I’ll tell you, after I’ve told you about the music on Transition.
Half Sister, Half Brother which opens Transition, was arranged by Norman Harris. Growling horns dramatically punctuate the arrangement while Baker, Harris, Young provide its heartbeat. Vince Montana Jr’s vibes, Norman Harris’ jazz-drenched guitar and Hammond organ combine. Then Barbara’s tender, breathy, sultry vocal enters. The Sweethearts of Sigma add sweeping harmonies, while Barbara’s vocal is filled with hurt and regret. Strings swirl and sweep, harmonies coo and a Hammond organ add to Norman Harris’ atmospheric, dramatic and emotive arrangement. It has Philly Soul written all over it. For her part, Barbara delivers a heartfelt, hurt-filled vocal, that demonstrates just why she was one of Philly Soul’s leading ladies.
Baker, Harris, Young and Bobby “Electronic” Eli’s wah-wah guitar open World In A Crisis. This is a track where Barbara soulfully and sincerely delivers lyrics filled with social comment. The Sweethearts of Sigma answer her call, their harmonies sweeping in urgently and soulfully, reflecting Barbara’s concerns at A World In A Crisis.” Meanwhile, horns growl, drums pound, strings cascade and Bobby delivers some uber funky guitar licks. Adding a contrast is Vince Montana Jr, who subtly sprinkles his vibes. By then, Barbara is at her soulful best, delivering one of her most impassioned pleas, that’s just as relevant nearly forty years later.
From the get-go, The Devil Is Busy has a moody, dramatic and pulsating sound. This is thanks to Bobby “Electronic” Eli’s arrangement. Larry Washington’s percussion, keyboards, Vince Montana Jr’s vibes and Baker, Harris, Young create a dramatic, moody arrangement. Funk, Philly Soul and Latin are fused. Barbara’s vocal is a mixture of power and passion, as she almost judgementally warns that: “The Devil Is Busy.” Meanwhile, Bobby “Electronic” Eli’ lays down some of his trademark wah-wah guitar, as Larry Washington and Vince Montana Jr, add a Latin influence. Urgent, soaring harmonies from The Sweethearts of Sigma and male backing vocalists reflect the urgency, concern and sincerity in Barbara’s vocal.
People Don’t Believe closes Side One of Transition. As it unfolds, it has a much more understated, melodic sound. That’s just a curveball. As the rhythm section, Hammond organ and braying horns combine with Vince Montana Jr’s vibes, Barbara delivers a deliberate, frustrated vocal. She’s unhappy: “People Don’t Believe enough in my god for me,” angered that they place more faith in astrology. While Barbara vents her frustration and anger, the arrangement takes on a tougher sound than other tracks. Although still soulful, there’s a funkier sound, with Bobby “Electronic” Eli’ wah-wah guitar at the heart of the action. Fittingly, The Sweethearts of Sigma add ethereal, gospel-tinged, soaring harmonies. They provide a fitting foil for Barbara’s frustrated, angry and disapproving vocal, as she emotively delivers her lyrics.
Trigger Happy People opens Side Two of Transition. Drama, Philly Soul and funk combine. Again, it’s a song with a message, penned by Barbara. Baker, Harris, Young provide the arrangement’s pulsating heartbeat, while Vince Montana Jr’s vibes, keyboards and funky guitars set the scene for Barbara. Her emotive, vocal delivers a warning, again almost judgementally about: “Trigger Happy People,” and the consequences of guns, gun crime and violence. She sings with passion, concern and sincerity. Her voice The Sweethearts of Sigma add cooing, sweeping harmonies, while pounding drums add to the the drama of this powerful, poignant and soulful song, with an important social message.
Time Is Running Out was arranged by Richard Rome, who masterminded The Ritchie Family. The arrangement has a tougher, edgier and funkier sound. Keyboards, clavinet and the rhythm section combine with bursts of blazing horns. Pounding drums accompany Barbara’s sassy, strident vocal. She struts her way through the track, confidently and assuredly. Vince Montana Jr’s vibes and Don Renaldo’s growling horns play important and contrasting roles, but it’s Barbara who takes centre-stage, delivering one of her most assured performances.
Miracle Man sees Philly Soul and funk combine peerlessly. At the heart of the action are Baker, Harris, Young who provide a dramatic, pounding beat. Bobby “Electronic” Eli’s wah-wah guitar adds the necessary funk. The Sweethearts of Sigma give a masterclass in soulful harmonies. Don Renaldo’s horns growl and kick, matching Earl Young’s drums note for note. Spurred on, Barbara delivers one of her best vocals. Soulful, heartfelt and sincere, it’s also beautiful and filled with emotion.
I Believe and Have Not Seen is the last of the eight songs on Transition Barbara wrote. It’s also one of the best. It sees the tempo drop and Barbara deliver one of her tenderest and most beautiful vocals. Soulful doesn’t even come close to describe it. The arrangement ebbs and flows, piano, rhythm section and swathes of the lushest strings uniting. Accompanying Barbara are The Sweethearts of Sigma, whose elegant, tender harmonies cascade. With lush strings, rasping horns, percussion and cooing harmonies, drama, beauty and emotion combine, as Barbara delivers a peerless vocal.
Sunday Saint (Week Day Sinner) closes Transition. It was the only song Barbara didn’t write. Having said that, there’s no drop in quality. This track has a gospel influence. The Sweethearts of Sigma add testifying harmonies, while Barbara delivers a powerful, punchy and assured vocal. A male vocalists gives thanks, hollering “amen.” Behind her, the band add a dramatic, pounding arrangement, as Barbara and The Sweethearts of Sigma fuse Philly Soul and gospel, to bring Transition to a stomping, rousing close.
Transition was aptly named. The music on Transition marked a change in Barbara Mason’s music. Granted Barbara’s music was still a fusion of Philly Soul and funk, filled with social comment. There was a shift towards gospel, on tracks like The Devil Is Busy, People Don’t Believe and Time Is Running Out. World In A Crisis and Trigger Happy People, are laden with social comment and see Barbara commenting on the world’s problems. Some of the tracks have a tougher sound, especially on, The Devil Is Busy and Time Is Running, which features a clavinet. One thing doesn’t change, Barbara’s delivery. She becomes Philly Soul’s conscience. Regardless of whether it’s gospel, Philly Soul or funk, Barbara delivers each song with either passion, emotion, sincerity and urgency. Always she’s soulful. Playing a vital role are The Sweethearts of Sigma. Their harmonies are a perfect foil for Barbara, and were ying to Barbara’s yang. With members of M.F.S.B. providing the backdrop for Barbara Mason’s vocals on Transition, it’s an album that should’ve been a commercial success. Sadly it wasn’t.
Transition was the least successful album of Barbara Mason’s career at Buddah Records. Not only did Transition fail to chart, but the three singles failed to chart. It seemed after a promising start to Barbara’s career at Buddah, her career had stalled. That was a great shame, as Transition is a truly underrated album. Elements of Philly Soul, funk, gospel and jazz unite, combine on Transition, where Philly’s finest musicians and backing vocalists accompany Barbara Mason. Sadly, despite the quality of this genre-meleting album, it failed to match the commercial success of Barbara Mason’s previous two albums.
Maybe record buyers were put off by Transition’s gospel influence? This is most prominent on Sunday Saint (Week Day Sinner). It’s is very different to much of the music on Barbara Mason’s previous two albums. However, the gospel influence can be heard throughout Transition. For many of Barbara Mason’s fans, this wasn’t what they wanted to hear. They weren’t comfortable with the gospel influence, and preferred the mixture of Philly Soul and R&B. This was a step too far on album that’s full of social comment. Meanwhile, fans of gospel music regarded Barbara Mason with suspicion. Wasn’t she a soul singer? Barbara Mason had not only alienated her fans, but failed to find an audience within the much smaller, gospel community. For Barbara Mason, this was a huge disappointment.
After all, 1973s Give Me Your Love had proved the most successful of Barbara’s career. It had reached number ninety-five in the US Billboard 200 and number seventeen in the US R&B Charts. 1974s Lady Love then reached number twenty-nine in the US R&B Charts. Following Transition, Barbara Mason’s career could end up going through a transitional phase. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case.
1975s Love’s The Thing saw Barbara Mason get her career back on track, reaching number 187 in the US Billboard 200 and number forty-two in the US R&B Charts. The title Transition describes what was happening to Barbara Mason’s career. Her music was changing, but like her two previous albums Give Me Your Love and Lady Love, Transition features Barbara Mason at her heartfelt, emotive and soulful best, as she becomes the conscience of Philly Soul.
BARBARA MASON-TRANSITION.
B.B. KING-TO KNOW YOU IS TO LOVE YOU.
B.B. KING-TO KNOW YOU IS TO LOVE YOU.
In 1973, B.B. King decided to head to Philadelphia, to work with some of the city’s greatest musicians on his album To Know You Is To Love You. Many of these musicians were members of M.F.S.B, Philadelphia International Records’ legendary house-band. Among the members of M.F.S.B. which would accompany B.B.King on To Know You Is To Love You, were the Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section, guitarist Bobby “Electronic” Eli, percussionist Larry Washington and vibes virtuoso Vince Montana Jr. M.F.S.B. had accompanied Philly Soul legends, helping to shape the Philly Sound. The Delfonics, The Stylistics, Billy Paul, Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes and The O’Jays had all worked with M.F.S.B. Other artists, realizing that M.F.S.B. could help transform an artist’s career, headed to Philly. Recently. Dusty Springfield and Laura Nyro had headed to Philly, to work with M.F.S.B. Both Dusty’s A Brand New Me and Laura’s Gonna Make A Miracle had proved successful albums. It seemed that M.F.S.B. had the magic touch. Now was B.B. King’s turn to work with M.F.S.B. Would M.F.S.B. work their magic with B.B. King on what would become To Know You Is To Love You.
B.B. King was born in 1925, and his career started in the forties. It wasn’t until 1957, when his recording career started, with the release of his debut album Singin’ The Blues, on Crown Records. He released eleven albums on Crown, but none of them charted. When he left Crown, he released thirteen further albums, for a variety of labels, before signing to ABC Records. It was at ABC Records that B.B. King enjoyed the most successful period of his career.
Although B.B. King had released Confessin’ The Blues in 1965, for ABC Records, it was a one-off. Completely Well, released in 1969, was B.B. King’s most successful album, and featured The Thrill Is Gone, which won him a Grammy Award. It reached number thirty-eight in the US Billboard 200 and number five in the US R&B Charts. This was just the start of the most successful period of B.B. King’s career.
1970s Indianola Mississippi Seeds reached number twenty-six in the US Billboard 200 and number eight in the US R&B Charts. B.B. King Live In London, released in 1971, then reached number fifty-seven in the US Billboard 200 and number fifteen in the US R&B Charts. For a live album, B.B. King Live In London was considered a commercial success. However, it marked a fall in B.B. King’s commercial success
During 1972, B.B. King released two albums. L.A. Midnight, reached just number fifty-three in the US Billboard 200 and number twenty-one in the US R&B Charts. Guess Who reached just number sixty-five in the US Billboard 200 and number fourteen in the US R&B Charts. These two albums proved disappointing for B.B. King. What he needed was a group of musicians who could help rejuvenate his career. So, the call went out to M.F.S.B. and B.B. King headed to Philly.
It made sense for M.F.S.B. and B.B. King to hookup. M.F.S.B. were enjoying success as Philadelphia International Records’ house-band and were releasing albums in their own right. They were also the go-to-guys for artists looking for a backing band. With M.F.S.B. ready to accompany B.B. King, B.B. and his producer got to work on the material for To Know You Is To Love You.
For To Know You Is To Love You, B.B. King penned Love and Thank You For Loving The Blues. Producer Dave Crawford wrote I Can’t Leave and Oh To Me. Dave cowrote I Like To Live The Love with Charles Mann and Who Are You with Horace Johnson. Luther Ingram and Mack Rice penned Respect Yourself, which gave The Staple Singers a huge hit single. The other track was a cover of To Know You Is To Love You, which Syreeta Wright and Stevie Wonder cowrote, These eight tracks became To Know You Is To Love You.
Recording of To Know You Is To Love You took place at Philly’s Sigma Sound Studios. The lineup of M.F.S.B. included the the Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section, plus guitarist Bobby “Electronic” Eli and Roland Chambers. Larry Washington played congas, Vince Montana Jr vibes and keyboards came courtesy of Ron “Have Mercy” Kersey, Charles Mann, Dave Crawford and Stevie Wonder. The Memphis Horns supplied the horns, while Charles Mann and producer Dave Crawford added backing vocals. Once To Know You Is To Love You was recorded, it was released in 1973.
On the release of To Know You Is To Love You in 1973, it reached number seventy-one in the US Billboard 200 and number thirteen in the US R&B Charts. This marked the end of an era for B.B. King. After this, it wouldn’t be until 1997s Deuces Wild that B.B. King would release an album that surpassed the success of To Know You Is To Love You. At least the singles fared better. To Know You Is To Love You reached number thirty-eight in the US Billboard 100 and number twelve in the US R&B Charts. I Like To Live The Love reached number twenty-eight in the US Billboard 100 and number six in the US R&B Charts. This became B.B. King’s most successful single since B.B. King’s Grammy Award winning single The Thrill Is Gone. Who Are You was the third and final single, released in 1974. It reached number seventy-eight in the US Billboard 100 and number twenty-seven in the US R&B Charts. While To Know You Is To Love You may not have matched the success of Completely Well and Indianola Mississippi Seeds, it’s certainly not because of the music, which I’ll now tell you about.
I Like To Live The Love opens Side One of To Know You Is To Love You. Written by Dave Crawford and Charles Mann, this was the lead single. Straight away, you realize something special is unfolding, as B.B. King and M.F.S.B. lock into a groove. Baker, Harris, Young provide the heartbeat, guitars chime and the growling Memphis Horns punctuate the arrangement. Norman Harris and B.B. King trade guitar licks, before B.B. adds a heartfelt, grateful vocal. Meanwhile, Vince Montana Jr, adds vibes, horns kick, drums pound and tender backing vocals sweep in. By now, M.F.S.B, The Memphis Horns and B.B. have created a beautiful and peerless, fusion of soulful blues.
Respect Yourself is a cover of a song made famous by The Staple Singers. Here, B.B. King gives the track a makeover, where soul, funk and blues unite. The song is slowed down, with M.F.S.B. providing a moody, broody and dramatic backdrop. Baker Harris, Young are at the heart of the action, before The Memphis Horn blaze in. B.B. King’s vocal veers between styles. It’s deliberate, vampish, soars high and later, becomes a powerful growl. Meanwhile he lays down some of his trademark bluesy guitar lines, as he brings new meaning to a classic track and its anthemic lyrics.
A jangling, bluesy piano combines with Baker, Harris, Young as Who Are You begins to reveal its secrets. As the arrangement drives along, B.B. adds his signature guitar sound, before unleashing a needy, hurt-filled vocal. Backing vocalists tenderly sweep in, adding a contrast, while The Memphis Horns growl and blaze dramatically. The longer the song progresses, the better things get. B.B’s vocal and weaving, chiming, crystalline guitar, plus the combination of M.F.S.B. and The Memphis Horns prove a potent combination.
Just B.B’s bluesy guitar opens Love. Then Baker, Harris, Young, Larry Washington’s congas and the blazing Memphis Horns accompany B.B. He expresses his happiness and gratitude. For their part, M.F.S.B. provide a slow, understated backdrop for B.B. as he unleashes another powerful, emotive and grateful vocal.
I Can’t Leave closes Side One of To Know You Is To Love You. The tempo drops, with B.B. King’s searing, crystalline guitar and Ron Baker’s moody, prowling bass accompany B.B’s heartbroken, frustrated vocal. His rasping, grizzled vocal has Vince Montana Jr’s vibes, braying horns, and Earl Young’s drums add a dramatic, bluesy backdrop, as B.B. lays bare his soul, hurt and betrayal for all to hear.
To Know You Is To Love You opens Side Two of To Know You Is To Love You. It’s an eight-minute epic, where Stevie Wonder and Syreeta Wright’s song is given bluesy makeover. Stevie Wonder plays keyboards, joining M.F.SB. and The Memphis Horns. The result is something of a musical dream team. Baker, Harris, Young provide the pulsating heartbeat, while horns growl and rasp as they dramatically punctuate the arrangement. B.B’s vocal is impassioned, powerful and emotive, while he lays down some of his best guitar lines. He’s helped no end by Norman Harris’ jazz tinged guitar playing and Stevie Wonder’s contribution on keyboards. With such a multitalented personnel accompanying B.B, it’s no wonder this is one of the best tracks.
Oh To Me sees a piano and B.B’s guitar set the scene for his vocal. What follows is B.B. delivering one of his most heartfelt vocals. He lays bare his feelings for the woman he loves. His vocal and guitar playing are at the heart of the track, while churning, growling horns accompany him. Ron Baker’s bass and a piano helps drive the arrangement along, as we hear a soulful side to B.B. King’s music.
Thank You For Loving The Blues closes Side Two of To Know You Is To Love You. It’s another epic track, lasting nearly seven-minutes. Mind you, it’s seven minutes where B.B, M.F.S.B. and The Memphis Horns showcase their talents. B.B’s guitar weaves its way across the arrangement. For company, he has Norman Harris’ guitar, Vince Montana Jr’s vibes, an atmospheric Hammond organ and Earl Young’s drums which pound dramatically. Here, B.B’s vocal is half-spoken, pensive and thoughtful. He takes the time to say Thank You For Loving The Blues, before he and the band kick-loose and showcase their considerable, combined talents. This seems a fitting way to close To Know You Is To Love You.
So, To Know You Is To Love You marked the end of an a short, commercially successful period B.B. King enjoyed at ABC Records. Between 1969 and 1973, he enjoyed the most successful period of his career so far. After this, his music was no longer as popular. Musical fashions overtook B.B. King. To Know You Is To Love You marked the end of an era for B.B. King. Blues music was no longer as popular. Its popularity had been overtaken by other musical genres, including Philly Soul.
This didn’t stop B.B. King releasing albums and constantly touring. His patience eventually paid off. Twenty-four years after the release of To Know You Is To Love You, B.B. King released an album that surpassed its success, Deuces Wild. By 1997, B.B. King’s music had become fashionable again. On 1997s Deuces Wild, he was joined by an “all-star” cast of recording artists, which included Van Morrison, the Rolling Stones, D’Angelo and Eric Clapton. Three years later, in 2000, B.B. and Eric Clapton released Riding With The King, which became B.B. King’s most successful album. These two albums marked the start of a new era for B.B. King. To Know You Is To Love You marked the end of an era for B.B. King with one of his most soulful albums. Standout Tracks: I Like To Live The Love, Respect Yourself, Who Are You and I Can’t Leave.
B.B. KING-TO KNOW YOU IS TO LOVE YOU.
BLACK SLATE-AMIGO.
BLACK SLATE-AMIGO.
Back in London in 1974, Black Slate became one of the first wave of British reggae bands. Indeed, Black Slate were the third major British reggae band to be formed. They were following in the footsteps of British reggae pioneers The Cimarons and Matumbi. These three bands were pioneers, leading the way for the next wave of reggae bands. Not only were Black Slate around when British reggae was born, but like The Cimarons and Matumbi, were one of the most successful British reggae groups. Between 1980 and 1982, Black Slate released seven albums. Black Slate’s 1980 debut album was 1979s Black Slate. It featured the hit single Amigo, which lead to Black Slate signing to Ensign Records. Released in 1980, Amigo, Black Slate’s sophomore album, will be rereleased by BBR Records on 25th February 2013. Before I tell you about the music on Black Slate’s album, Amigo, I’ll tell you about their six year journey from formation, to releasing their first album for a major label Amigo.
Ever since the early sixties, reggae had grown in popularity as a musical genre in Britain. The first wave of people who migrated from the Caribbean to Britain, had introduced reggae into Britain. Initially, it had been discovered by the Mods during the sixties. Since then, it had become part of Britain’s musical landscape. However, one thing Britain lacked, was their own reggae groups. That’s where groups like The Cimarons, Matumbi and Black Slate came in.
The Cimarons had been the first major British reggae band. They’d formed in 1969, in north London. While they were a tight, skilled, band, with a charismatic, talented lead singer in Winston Reed, their own songs lacked the depth of Jamaican reggae. Matumbi were formed two years after The Cimarons, in 1971. Bassist Dennis Bovell had founded Matumbi in 1971. Just like The Cimarons, much of their early work was working as a backing band. However, two years later, found themselves opening for Bob Marley and The Wailers. According to some reports, Matumbi managed to upstage the headliners. It seemed The Cimarons and Matumbi had a big future ahead of them. Dennis Bovell certainly did, becoming an important reggae producer. As the seventies progressed, the British reggae scene developed. Then in 1974, Black Slate were formed. Little did anyone realize the significance, but one of British reggae’s pioneering and most successful bands had been born.
Black Slate were founded by a combination of British and Jamaican born musicians. Bassist Elroy Bailey and keyboardist Anthony Brightly were born in Britain, to Jamaican parents, while drummer Desmond Mahoney, guitarist Chris Hanson and vocalist Keith Drummond were born in Jamaica. Rhythm guitarist Cledwyn Rodgers, the other member of Black Slate, hailed from Anguilla. The group were just teenagers when Black Slate formed. They would lead the way for groups like Aswad and Steel Pulse to follow. Like other British reggae groups, including The Cimarons and Matumbi, Black Slate started out backing other artists. Delroy Wilson, Ken Boothe and Dennis Brown used Black Slate as their backing band when touring Britain. Much as this allowed Black Slate to hone their sound and become a tight unit, what they really wanted, and needed, was to play and record their own music. Two years after forming, this would happen.
In 1976, two years after they’d formed, the time came for Black Slate to release their first singles. Forming their own record label Slate, Sticks Man was their debut single. It was heartfelt plea for Jamaican youths to change their ways. Clashes between police and Jamaican youths had lead, often unfairly, meant Jamaican youths were gaining a bad reputation in the press and media. Black Slate pleaded with them to change their ways. Having taken London by storm with Sticks Man, Piano Twist was their next single, released later in 1976. Then two years later, 1978 proved to another important year for Black Slate.
Not only did Black Slate embark on their first ever British tour, but formed another record label, TCD. On TCD, Black Slate released the single Mind Your Motion. This was another song with a message. Black Slate’s message was that Britain was heading for a breakdown within society. Later in 1979, Black Slate released their debut album on TCB, Black Slate. It featured the hit single Amigo, which lead to Black Slate signing to Ensign, who’d release their sophomore album Amigo.
Now signed to Ensign, Black Slate’s major label debut was a mixture of their previous singles and new tracks. Of the ten tracks, Amigo, Mind Your Motion, Reggae Music, Freedom Time (Black Star Liner), Losing Game, Romans and Legalize Collie Herb were written by the six members of Black Slate. They also received a credit on Boom Boom, which The Jamaicans had won the 1967 Jamaican Song Festival with. Elroy Bailey and Anthony Brightly cowrote Sticks Man ’80 and Thin Line Between Love and Hate was a cover of The Persuaders single.
Recording of Amigo took place at Gooseberry studios in London. Rather than bring in an outside producer, Black Slate produced and arranged the ten tracks on Amigo. Once Amigo was completed, it was released in October 1980.
On the release of Amigo in October 1980, the album failed to chart in the UK, bit proved successful in New Zealand, reaching number fourteen. The two singles proved more popular. Amigo reached number nine in the UK, number twenty in the Netherlands, number twenty-one in Belgium and number nine in New Zealand, when it was released in September 1980. Boom Boom was released in November 1980, reaching number fifty-one in the UK and number eleven in New Zealand. It seemed that following the release of Black Slate’s sophomore album Amigo, word was spreading of Britain’s reggae pioneers. Why was that? That’s what I’ll tell you, once I’ve told you about the music on Amigo.
Amigo was the single that lead to Black Slate signing to Ensign. Straight away, you realize how tight and talented a band Black Slate were. Demonstrating this, is the way they fuse percussion with pulsating rhythms and Hammond organ. Key to the sound are the rhythm section of bassist Elroy Bailey and drummer Desmond Mahoney. Add to this crystalline guitar. Keith Drummond’s vocal assures and soothes Rastafarian followers fears. They’ll neither be misled nor deserted. Backing vocalists further sooth these fears, as the stop, start nature of the arrangement adds to its effectiveness and potency.
Mind Your Motion is a dub-tinged track, where Black Slate’s hope is equality and justice. While the rhythm section play a crucial part in the track, laying down some pounding rhythms, it’s the horn section that steal the show. Trombonist Nicky Ridguard and Rudy Tynes tenor saxophone are at the heart of track’s success, while Keith’s vocal is heartfelt and sincere. Sadly, it’s questionable whether his hopes have come to fruition, thirty-three years later.
From the get-go, Reggae Music has an uplifting, joyous sound that grabs your attention. You’re swept along with braying horns, a churning rhythm section and Keith’s pleading vocal. Here, Black Slate want to share their love of Reggae Music, They’re spreading the word, preaching to the “unconverted,” Soon they won them over, including the people of Europe, Britain and New Zealand. No wonder they conquered three continents, with such a melodic, joyous and inspiring sound.
Sticks Man ’80 was a reworking of their 1976, debut single. Given the troubled times Britain faced in 1980, this song was just as relevant. It transgresses race, religion, borders and time. Keith’s vocal is filled with frustration and emotion, while Black Slate raise their game. They produce a bold, dramatic and equally emotive backdrop. Thunderous rhythms, angry stabs of horns and deliberate bursts of keyboards provide the backdrop for Keith impassioned, pleas, on a song that’s just as relevant in 2013, as 1980 or 1976.
Freedom Time (Black Star Liner) is a laid-back, melancholy and melodic sounding track. It deals with Marcus Garvey founding the Black Star Line African to help repatriate Africans to their homeland. When Keith sings of: “seven miles of Black Star Liners coming into the harbor,” it’s with a sense of pride and happiness. Similarly, when he sings: “It’s coming to me, sing hip-hip-hop hooray,” its with a sense of joy and hope at a new beginning and a sense of returning home. His vocal is also, melancholy and wistful, at the thought of what became of the Black Star Line. It fell victim to corruption and was infiltrated by the F.B.I. Accompanying Keith, is one of the best performances by the rest of Black Slate, especially the rhythm section, who provide the arrangement’s heartbeat. Of the ten tracks on Amigo, this is easily the best.
Boom Boom sees the tempo increase, as Black Slate reinterpret a track written by The Jamaicans in 1967. Again, it’s the rhythm section who play a starring role, adding pounding, pulsating rhythms, while percussion and punchy harmonies accompany Keith’s vocal on this anthemic track.
While many of Black Slate’s songs have a social message, Losing Game is a song about love lost. Bassist Elroy Bailey and keyboardist Anthony Brightly play leading roles in this track. Anthony adds Hammond organ above the choppy beat, which is driven along by Elroy’s pounding bass and percussion. Harmonies accompany Keith’s vocal, which is tinged with sadness and emotion, as Black Slate demonstrate another side to their music.
Romans is another spacey, dubby track. Here the rhythm and horn section join forces. They’re at the heart of everything that’s good about this slow, moody and pensive track. Bursts of blazing horns compliments a confident, meandering rhythm section. Keith’s vocal is deeper and deliberate as if to reinforce the lyric’s meaning. Harmonies accompany him, his voice persuasive, tender and thoughtful, complimented by, and complimenting the horn and rhythm section.
The only cover version on Amigo, is a cover of The Persuaders’ Thin Line Between Love and Hate. Given this is a minor soul classic, choosing to reinterpret such an iconic track is a big ask. Staying true to the original, an understated combination of broody bass and percussion combines. Crystalline guitars, washes of Hammond organ and stabs of keyboards set the scene for Keith’s vocal. Filled with emotion, he breaths new life and meaning to the track. The result is a track that’s far better than The Pretenders’ version.
Legalize Collie Herb closes Amigo. It’s not as defiant as Peter Tosh’s Legalize It, but Black Slate paean to the benefits of marijuana, sees them firmly in the Legalize It corner. While Keith’s vocal is heartfelt and impassioned, the rest of Black Slate lay down some of their finest reggae riddims, as they literally close Amigo on a high.
Black Slate’s sophomore album Amigo, features a group of tight, talented musicians who’d spent six years honing their craft as musicians and songwriters. This is something many groups fail to do now. These six years were well spent, backing other artists, touring and independently releasing singles and their debut album 1979 Black Slate. By the time Black Slate signed to Ensign, they were ready to make the next step. The next step was signing to a major label, with a successful track record, just like Ensign.
Maybe Ensign wasn’t the label for Black Slate? Possibly, if Black Slate had signed to Island Records, then success would’ve come their way. Regardless of whether Ensign was the correct label for Black Slate, Amigo was an album that was highly relevant in 1980. Given the economic and social problems that blighted Britain in 1980, it’s surprising, is that Amigo wasn’t a bigger commercial success. WIth its socially relevant lyrics, Amigo should have spoken to young people who were becoming disenfranchised and marginalized. Sadly, Amigo wasn’t a commercial success. This must have been disappointing for both Ensign and Black Slate. At least the two singles, Amigo and Boom, Boom gave Black Slate some chart success, across three continents. Following Amigo, was 1981s Sirens In the City, Black Slate’s second and final album for Ensign. Following SIrens In The City, Black Slate released three more albums, Rasta Festival, Ogima and SIx Plus one. That was all that was heard of Black Slate, until Black Slate Meets Soul Syndicate’s Moodie In Dub Volume 1, released in 2002. That is, until now, thirty-three years after Amigo’s release. On 25th February 2013, BBR Records will rerelease Black Slate’s sophomore album Amigo, complete with three bonus tracks. This will allow both a new old generation of music fans to discover the powerful music on Black Slate’s sophomore album Amigo. Standout Tracks: Sticks Man ’80, Freedom Time (Black Star Liner), Boom, Boom and Thin Line Between Love and Hate.
MUSIC FOR DANCEFLOORS-THE KPM MUSIC LIBRARY (DELUXE EDITION).
MUSIC FOR DANCEFLOORS-THE KPM MUSIC LIBRARY.
Ever since the dawn of hip hop, library music has proved a source of inspiration for sample-hungry hip hop producers and crate-digging DJs alike. Library music has also proven popular with music lovers with discerning musical tastes. Little did the founders of Chappell, Bosworth and KPM Music realize the lasting effects the music of mainly anonymous, young composers would have. Whether it’s children growing up in the seventies, weaned on cartoons like Dangermouse, viewers of TV quizzes or current affair, hip hop producers Jay-Z, Doom and Guilty Simpson, film producers including Quentin Tarantino or cutting-edge DJs, library music has influenced their lives. Given how wide library music’s influence is, you’d think everyone would have of this musical secret? Well, if you answered yes, you’re wrong. However, that’s about to change. On 2nd of April 2013, Strut Records will rerelease a deluxe edition of Music For Dancefloors-The KPM Music Library. This is the first installment of a series Strut Records successfully released back in 1999, but with the welcome addition of a bonus disc.
Unlike the 1999 edition of Music For Dancefloors-The KPM Music Library, the Deluxe Edition is a double album. Disc One features twenty classic tracks from KPM’s back-catalogue. On Disc Two, which is an exclusive bonus disc, where many of KPM’s original composers and musicians were reunited and London’s prestigious Jazz Cafe, for a one-off concert. Fittingly, they were billed as The KPM All-Stars. That concert was recorded, with The KPM All-Stars revisiting fourteen KPM classics. During fourteen tracks, musical memories come flooding back, courtesy of The KPM All-Stars. For the first time in over forty years, they were reunited and roll back the years, unleashing fourteen performances. Soul Thing, Swamp Fever, That’s What Friends Are For, Second Thump and Crash Course, musical memories are rekindled and not one track disappoints. For anyone with even a passing interest in library music, especially KPM Music, then this will bring memories flooding back. However, for anyone yet to discover the delights of library music, and join a discerning and growing band of producers, DJs and music lovers, I’ll tell you about the history of KPM Music and the twenty tracks on Disc One of Music For Dancefloors-The KPM Music Library.
The origins of KPM Music can be traced back over two centuries. Robert Keith founded a copmany in 1780, to make of musical instruments. Fifty years later, in 1830, he entered in a partnership with William Prowse, a music publisher. Their newly formed partnership was named Keith Prowse Music. Over the next hundred years, the company grew, and by the early twentieth century, included selling sheet music and concert tickets. The invention of the gramophone proved to be a game-changer. Demand for sheet music and concert tickets grew. However, in 1955, Keith Prowse Music was decided to diversify, into one of the most profitable areas of music, music publishing.
One of the reasons behind the decision to diversify into music publishing, was to feed the demand for soundtracks for radio, television and film. Previously, music libraries supplied classical music. That was what the demand was for. By the mid-fifties, and the birth of television, the world and music were changing, and changing fast.
Four years later, in 1959, Associated Rediffusion bought another music publisher Peter Maurice and merged it with Keith Prowse Music. The newly merged company became Keith Prowse Maurice, which became known as KPM Music. Now the newly named KPM Music was a much bigger player. Then in the mid-sixties, a new name took the helm at KPM Music, and transformed the company into one of the biggest names in library music.
When Robin Phillips joined KPM Music in the mid-sixties, he proved to be an astute and visionary businessman. Two decisions Robin Phillips made demonstrated this. His first decision was that KPM Music should switch from the old 78 records to the LP. This made sense, as LPs were now what people were buying. They were less prone to breakage, which meant less returns and more profit. LPs could contain more music, and be released in limited editions of 1,000. The other decision he made was to hire the best young British composers and arrangers.
Among the composers Robin Phillips hired were Keith Mansfield and Johnny Pearson. Robin spotted their potential, and hired them before they’d establish a reputation. Many were know within music publishing circles, but not as artists or producers. Later, Robin hired jazz musician John Cameron, Syd Clark, Alan Hawkshaw and Alan Parker. Their remit was to provide him with new music, which was referred to as production music. Many of their remits was to write music to match themes or moods. This isn’t easy, but they were able to do so. Almost seamlessly, they created themes for TV shows and films. For these composers and musicians, they were entering one of the most lucrative areas of music. EMI realizing that KPM Music had one of the best and most profitable music libraries, decided to buy KPM Music. While EMI spotted the profitability of library music and the consistency, quality and depth of KPM Music’s back catalogue, not everyone approved of library music.
Other songwriters looked down on writers of library music. Neither were the British Musician’s Union a fan of library music. They banned their members from working on recording sessions of library music. Somewhat shortsightedly, the Musician’s Union thought that eventually, there would come a time when there was no need for any further recordings. Their fear was that the sheer quantity of back-catalogue would mean no new recordings would be made, and their members would be without work. So, KPM Records would fly out composers, arrangers and musicians to Holland and Belgium, where local musicians would join them for recording sessions. This meant that often, the same musicians would play on tracks for several composers. It was only in the late seventies, that the Musician’s Union lifted their ban on new recordings of library music.
Once these tracks were recorded, KPM Music would release albums of library music. Again, KPM Music were innovators. They’d release limited editions of albums. Often, only 1,000 albums were released. By now, the interest in library music had grown. Music fans would buy each release. Now these albums have become rarities and copies change hands for huge sums of money. Little did the writers of the music and musicians that played on them, realize the effect they’d have in years to come.
During the hip hop era, producers would “borrow” from old KPM Music’s back-catalogue. These songs would provide the producers with their “inspiration.” For lovers of library music, a new game was born, spot the sample. During this period, interest in library music grew. DJs and discerning music lovers sampled the many delights of library music companies. The favorites were Chappell, Bosworth and KPM Music. Sadly, there was a problem. Many of these tracks were almost impossible to find, unless you had deep pockets or the time, patience and persistence to head out on crate-digging expeditions. Thankfully, in 1999, Strut Records came to the rescue, releasing the first of three compilations of library music. This was Music For Dancefloors-The KPM Music Library, which contained twenty trips into the back-catalogue of KPM Music. For lovers of library music, this was a lifeline. Now fourteen years later, Music For Dancefloors-The KPM Music Library has been rereleased, complete with a bonus disc, where The KPM All-Stars make their memorable live debut. Equally memorable is the music on Music For Dancefloors-The KPM Music Library, which I’ll tell you about.
Nineteen of the twenty tracks on Music For Dancefloors-The KPM Music Library are instrumentals. The exception is That’s What Friends Are For, which opens the compilation. It’s one of two tracks penned by Alan Parker, and featured onthe 1976 compilation Voice Of Soul, released on the Themes International imprint. What makes this one of the hidden-gems of KPM Music’s illustrious back-catalogue is a vocal masterclass from Madeline Bell, where she fuses soul and gospel. Alan Parker’s other contribution is the Unlimited Love, which was the theme for Top Of The Pops. Released in 1976, on the Pan-American Travelogue compilation on his Themes International imprint, this track has been inspired by Philly Soul, which in my book, is no bad thing.
Keith Mansfield is another composers who has two tracks on Music For Dancefloors-The KPM Music Library. They demonstrate two sides to Keith’s music. His first contribution is the slow, subtle and atmospheric, bass-driven, cool, cocktail jazz of Incidental Backcloth No. 3. It featured on the 1968 album Underscore, which contained the music of Johnny Pearson, David Lindup and Keith. This is one of my favorite tracks on Music For Dancefloors-The KPM Music Library. Crash Course, which featured on Vivid Underscores is quite different. While Incidental Backcloth No. 3 is understated, Crash Course is dramatic, as the music moves in the direction of fusion. Although just a few years separate both recordings, the Keith’s music is quite different, but the quality remains
Belgian pianist, Francis Coppieters’ two tracks on Music For Dancefloors-The KPM Music Library, explode into life. Both featured on the 1975 album Piano Vibrations. Cross Talk bursts into life. Upbeat and joyful, vibes and piano are at the heart of Francis’ arrangement. Things get even better on Piano In Transit. It’s an explosive musical gem. Francis’ piano drives the track along, with the vibes for company. Soon, a delicious swinging slice of jazz unfolds and an upright bass and percussion join the fun. These two tracks are a tantalizing introduction to one of Belgium’s best kept musical secrets.
Three tracks on Music For Dancefloors-The KPM Music Library have been reedited. One is Duncan Lamont’s Funky Express, which featured on the 1970 compilation Sound of The Times. It’s been reedited to just over three gloriously, funky minutes of music. A clavinet, wah-wah guitar and stabs of blazing horns, take you on an uber funky musical journey, reminiscent of Weather Report circa Headhunters. Another reedit is James Clarke’s Second Cut, a slice of jazz-funk is taken from the 1974 compilation The Trendsetters. The final reedit is Peter Xanten’s In Advance, from The Pierre Lavin Pop Band/The Motion Explosion. Although In Advance lasts just over two minutes, they’re two unforgettable minutes of hard-driving music, where funk and jazz collide head-on.
One of the moodiest, dramatic tracks on Music For Dancefloors-The KPM Music Library is Johnny Pearson’s Assault Course. It featured on the 1970 compilation Underscore Voume 2. Johnny Pearson’s music provided the theme to many a television show, including seventies cartoon Captain Pugwash. Here, he uses Lalo Schifrin as part of his inspiration, mixing Latin percussion, a prowling bass and stabs of blazing horns and a melancholy flute, to create a drama-laden track.
Several of the tracks on Music For Dancefloors-The KPM Music Library are a musical worldwide journey through KPM Music’s back-catalogue. First stop is Brazil, Barry Morgan and Ray Cooper’s uplifting and joyous Samba Street, was from the 1974 Percussion Spectrum compilation. Les Baxter’s Freeway To Rio continues the Latin flavour. Taken from 1970s Bugaloo In Brazil, this pulsating, Latin gem features a peerless piano riff that sample-hungry producers will adore. Just when you think things can’t get any better, along comes the percussive driven delights of Hans Ehrlinger’s Jungle Baby. Performed by Juan Erlando and His Latin Band and released on the Studio One imprint, a myriad of blazing horns, Latin percussion and woodwind create a celebratory call to dance.
From Latin America, next stop in the tour through KPM Music’s exotic back catalogue are Africa, India, Jamaica and Japan. First up and equally exotic is John Cameron’s Swamp Fever, from the 1973 album Afro Rock. It’s a funky introduction to the music of a British jazz musician and film composer, whose credits include Kes and A Touch Of Class, which saw John nominated for an Academy Award. Nascimbene’s Interlude Witchdoctor might only last eighty-seconds, but it’s a compelling and authentic field recording of chants and percussion. It’s taken from the Ethnic Songs and Dances/India-A Theme Set compilation. Next we climb onboard William Farley & Dennis Bovell’s Reggae Train, which featured on 1980s The Reggae Album. This dubby track was Dennis Bovell’s only composition for KPM Music. His other work included producing The Slits and Edwyn Collins‘ Orange Juice. What Reggae Train demonstrates, is just how eclectic KPM Music’s back catalogue is. The final destination on this musical journey is Japan, thanks to Alan Moorhouse’s Expo In Tokyo, which is taken from 1970s The Big Beat Volume 2. Slow, funky and atmospheric, featuring a meandering bass and Hammond organ, this is funk with an oriental influence.
Alan Hawkshaw is one of the most prolific British composers. What many people don’t know, is that he worked as a session musician. Dusty Springfield, Cerrone and Donna Summer are just a few of the artists he’s worked with. As a composer, he’s written the themes to many a British television show, including the quiz show Countdown. The mid-tempo Senior Thump, is one of Alan’s compositions. This blues infused track has a real sixties sound. So, it’s no surprise to discover that it featured on 1969 compilation, The Big Beat.
The reason I’ve not mentioned Klaus Weiss’ Morning 1 /Morning 2 is that I’m keeping the best to last. Four majestic minutes of pulsating, moody and dramatic music. Performed by Klaus Weiss Sounds and Percussion, which was the title of their 1975, jazz, funk and rock are fused, creating a Magnus Opus of a track, that’s the best on Music For Dancefloors-The KPM Music Library.
The twenty tracks that feature on Music For Dancefloors-The KPM Music Library, are a tantalizing taste of KPM Music’s illustrious back-catalogue. These tracks will take you on a voyage of discovery. Quite simply, after hearing these track, you’re bound to want to dig deeper into the KPM Music Library. What a treat is in store for the newcomer to KPM Musics’s back-catalogue. There’s so much music that is just awaiting discovery. Much of this music is from composers and musicians who many people won’t yet be aware of. Granted they’ll maybe have heard some of the music on television shows or sampled by hip hop producers. However, they may not be aware of John Cameron, Alan Hawkshaw, Keith Mansfield or Francis Coppieters. After hearing the twenty tracks on Music For Dancefloors-The KPM Music Library, you’ll want to hear more of the music. Regardless of what type of music you love, there will music that suits your tastes. Whether it’s jazz, funk, Latin, pop or something a bit more leftfield, there’s just so many hidden gems awaiting discovery. Discovering much of this music won’t be easy.
Back in the sixties and seventies, the original KPM Music compilations were released in limited quantities. Most people who own them, love, cherish and treasure them. Unless you’re really lucky, and strike gold in a second hand store, record shop or car boot sale, then your pursuit of musical treasure could be a long and fruitless. Often, when copies of the original albums change hands, it’s for large sums of money. Nowadays, in these recession hit times, not everyone has the budget to buy these albums. At least come 2nd of April 2013, you’ll be able to enjoy the Deluxe Edition of Music For Dancefloors-The KPM Music Library, complete with the bonus disc of The KPM All-Stars reunited at the Jazz Cafe. Standout Tracks: Madeline Bell and Alan Parker That’s What Friends Are For, Johnny Pearson Assault Course, John Cameron Swamp Fever and Klaus Weiss’ Morning 1 /Morning 2.
MUSIC FOR DANCEFLOORS-THE KPM MUSIC LIBRARY.
DONNA ALLEN-PERFECT TIMING.
DONNA ALLEN-PERFECT TIMING.
Donna Allen, whose 1986 debut album Perfect Timing will be rereleased by BBR Records on 25th February 2013, career started ten years before her debut album was released. However, Donna Allen’s career was almost accidental. She’d originally been a cheerleader for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and in 1976, as a favor to a friend, who was getting married, joined the Florida-based group Hi-Octane. After a year spent touring with Hi-Octane, Donna left the group, to join Trama.
Having joined Trama, they signed to Henry Stone’s T.K. Records, which was home to George McCrae, Betty Wright and K.C. and The Sunshine Band. Trama released just one album Trama, on T.K. Records’ Cat subsidiary. Produced by Saxton Kari, Trama provided the showcase for the raw, but soulful strains of Donna Allen on one of the funkiest albums T.K. Records ever released. Trama featured covers of The Bee Gees You Should Be Dancing and Betty Wright’s If I Ever Do Long. Following the release of Trama, After this, Donna decided it was time to form her own group.
After leaving Trama, Donna then formed Donna Allen and Company. They were a popular group, who performed throughout the Tampa Bay area. Eventually, Donna decided to pursue a solo career. Then when Donna started singing at the Forge Restaurant on Miami Beach, she would encounter a songwriter, arranger and producer who’d transform her career.
With Donna now a regular at the Forge Restaurant on Arthur Godfrey Road, which in previous years had enjoyed a colorful past. When Donna was singing at the Forge, it was one of the “in” places in Miami Beach. One night, Donna was approached by Lou Pace, who’d arranged the Miami Sound Machine’s worldwide hit Dr. Beat. Lou Pace was an arranger, producer and songwriter. He had numerous contacts within the music industry. However, back then, Lou didn’t know another Forge regular Fernando Pruna.
Fernando Pruna started visiting the Forge just to hear Donna Allen sing. Eventually, he approached her about producing her. Donna introduced Fernando to Lou. Straight away, they hit if off. Eventually, they’d become business partners. Deciding to join forces to further Donna’s career, they formed Triage Entertainment, which would introduce the world to Donna Allen. Given Fernando’s finances and Lou’s musical contacts, a distribution deal with Atlantic Records was secured. Having financed Triage, Fernando even owned a share in the recording studio, International Sound Recording. Soon, Triage was growing its roster. However, their first signing was Donna Allen. Work would begin on what would become her debut album Perfect Timing.
Now Triage Entertainment was formed, work began on what would become Donna Allen’s debut solo album Perfect Timing. Donna would cowrite four of the nine tracks. She cowrote Serious, Wild Nights and Bad Love with Lou Pace and Blitz. Lou and Donna also penned Satisfied with Will English. Ann Goodwin, Curtis Joseph and Robbie Kilgore contributed Sweet Somebody, while Emeridge Jones and Michelle Beaudry wrote Daydreams. Carl Sturken, Cindy Mizelle and Evan Rodgers cowrote Perfect Timing, and Bit By Bit was written by Peggy March and Steve Wittmack. Drummer Joe Galdo, Lawrence Dermer and Raphael Vigil cowrote the other track Another Affair. These nine tracks became Perfect Timing.
Recording of Perfect Timing took place at International Sound Recording, in North Miami Beach, Florida. Accompanying Donna were a rhythm section of bassist Reggie White, guitarist Gary King and drummers Harry King and Joe Galdo, who also programmed the drum machines. Keyboards and synths were played by Lawrence Dermer and Emeridge Jones, while Carlos Santos played percussion. Horns came courtesy of trumpeter Gary Concepcion and saxophonist Ed Galle. Backing vocalists included Betty Wright, Reggie White, Gary King, Emeridge Jones and Donna Allen. Lou Pace produced Perfect Timing, which was released in December 1986, ON 21 Records.
On the release of Perfect Timing in December 1986, it reached number 133 in the US Billboard 200 and number thirty-three in the US R&B Charts. Serious was released as the lead single in October 1986, reaching number twenty-one in the US Billboard 100, number five in the US R&B Charts and number seventeen in the US Dance Charts. In the UK, Serious reached number nine, while Satisfied reached number ninety-two in April 1987. It also reached number fourteen in the US R&B Charts and number thirty-three in the US Dance Charts. Sweet Somebody was the final single, released in August 1987, stalling at number fifty-five in the US R&B Charts and number forty-eight in the US Dance Charts. Not only had Donna Allen’s debut album Perfect Timing had proved a commercial success, but featured three hit singles. Donna’s meeting Lou Pace and Fernando Pruna had transformed her career. However, twenty-seven years after the release of Perfect Timing, how has Donna Allen’s debut album fared?
Opening Perfect Timing is the lead single Serious, which gave Donna her biggest single. Straight away, you hear an arrangement that has a real mid-eighties sound. Drums crack, and are joined by buzzing synths. It’s reminiscent of many artists of the time, including Madonna. Where things differ, is when Donna’s sassy, sultry vocal. It confidently struts centre-stage. Sweet, sweeping harmonies accompany and envelop Donna’s vocal. Then dramatic stabs of brassy horn and a vocoder are added. Thankfully, the vocoder isn’t overused. Later, a rapped vocal from Jimmy Magnoli adds to the tough, edgy and sassy sound, as Donna Allen opens her debut album Perfect Timing confidently and assuredly.
Keyboards tease and toy with you, as Sweet Somebody wonders whether to reveal its secrets. Synths buzz and beep, before Donna delivers a powerful, strident vocal. It’s not unlike Chaka Khan. Both deliver vocals with power and presence. One thing Donna doesn’t lack is confident. She’s self-assured and sassy, strutting confidently through the track. Soaring harmonies, bursts of rasping horns and the rhythm section accompany Donna, who unleashes a strident, sassy vocal.
Satisfied was the second single released from Perfect Timing. Washes of synths, deliberate, spacious drums and a moody, pounding bass accompany Donna’s sensual vocal. Soon, she’s unleashing another powerful, grizzled vocal. Donna demonstrates her wide vocal range. Tender, backing vocalists accompany her, while the arrangement fuses funk and eighties electronica. Dance-floor friendly, funk and sensuous, this track is all these things and more. It should’ve replicate the success of Serious.
Daydreams allows the soulful side of Donna Allen to shine through. The tempo drops, with the arrangement taking on a much more soulful, R&B sound. While there’s still an eighties electronica sound, this is downplayed, allowing Donna to deliver a heartfelt and emotive vocal, with backing vocalists for company. Donna delivers an inspired and impassioned vocal, demonstrating a side of Donna Allen that she should’ve concentrated more on. Especially given how powerful, soulful and emotive a vocal Donna has.
Wild Nights sees Donna change style again, as things get funky, sensual and steamy. Her band kick loose. Drums crash and reverberate, while horns growl and Reggie White lays down one of his trademark funk-laden bass line. Backing vocalists take charge, adding soaring, dramatic vocals. They give way to Donna’s powerful, vampish, sassy vocal. Soon, Donna and her backing vocalists sing call and response. They seem to feed off each other. One drives the other to greater heights, while the band lay down some funky licks. It sees whether it’s soul, funk and dance music, Donna Allen is just as home.
Perfect Timing sees a return to the soulful sound of Daydreams. The track has a lovely mellow, laid-back soulful sound. Her band provide a mid-tempo, understated arrangement, with keyboards, guitar and drums combining. Cascading harmonies sweep in, before Donna unleashes a tender, needy and impassioned vocal. Her vocal is filled with sincerity and hope, growing in power, pain and passion. Again, Donna proves that she’s at her best on soulful tracks like this.
Beeping, spacious, synths open Bit By Bit before chiming guitars, washes of synths and crispy drums combine. This marks a return to the electronic arrangement of earlier tracks. One thing doesn’t change…Donna’s powerful, soaring, soulful vocal. Assured, emotive and confident, she grabs the lyrics, injecting meaning into them. As if spurred on, the band up their game. The arrangement grows in power and drama, horns rasp, drums pound and harmonies soar, as they match Donna, a true diva every step of the way.
Percussion, synths and punchy vocals open Another Affair, which is very different to any other track on Perfect Timing. When Donna’s tender, wistful vocal enters, it’s filled with hurt and heartache. Drums pound and crash, while scatted harmonies add to the arrangement’s hypnotic sound. Later, Donna’s vocal veers between sensual, joyous and teasing, before the band take charge. When Donna’s vocal briefly returns, it drifts into the distance tinged with laughter at Another Affair.
Bad Love close Perfect Timing perfectly. It’s another dance track. Drums, keyboards, percussion and synths combine, before chiming guitars and Donna’s frustrated, angry vocal enters. She delivers the lyrics with her trademark power and soulfulness. Urgent harmonies add to the drama, as Donna unleashes another diva-esque vocal, closing Perfect Timing with another confident, assured vocal.
When you listen to Donna Allen’s debut solo album Perfect Timing, one thing strikes you, and that’s just how good a vocalist Donna is. The word diva describes Donna’s delivery perfectly on many of the songs on Perfect Timing. Powerful, sometimes sassy and sensual, other times emotive and impassioned, Donna’s vocal is always at the heart of a song’s success. Other times, Donna’s vocal is hugely soulful, especially on the two soulful cuts Daydreams and Perfect Timing. These are two of the best cuts on Perfect Timing. Maybe this soulful side is something Donna should have explored more after Perfect Timing. On the release of Perfect Timing, the fashion was for the electronic sounding arrangement. This wasn’t going to last forever. Musical tastes would change, whether sooner, or later.
So, when musical tastes changed, some artists had nowhere to go. For Donna Allen, she could easily have further explored her soulful side. After all, it’s on the soulful songs on Perfect Timing that Donna Allen was at her very best. Granted her vocals on other tracks allowed her to unleash some powerful diva-esque vocals. Unlike many vocalists, Donna Allen was a versatile singer. You’d expect that Donna Allen would go on to enjoy a long and successful career. That wasn’t the case. She only released one further solo album, Heaven On Earth in 1988. After her short solo career, Donna worked as a backing vocalist for many artists, including nine years singing backup for Gloria Estafan and The Miami Sound Machine. It seems that despite her talent, Donna Allen’s solo career was far too short, lasting just two albums. The best of Donna Allen’s two album solo career was Perfect Timing will be rereleased by BBR Records on 25th February 2013. Standout Tracks: Sweet Somebody, Satisfied, Daydreams and Perfect Timing.
DONNA ALLEN-PERFECT TIMING.
GEORGE MCCRAE-DIAMOND TOUCH.
GEORGE MCCRAE-DIAMOND TOUCH.
For George McCrae, Rock Your Baby, the single that transformed his career was something of a double-edged sword. Commercially, releasing a single that sold over eleven-million copies, reached number one in over eighty countries and was named Rolling Stone magazine’s song of the year in 1974 changed George McCrae’s life forevermore. The downside was, that how do you followup such an iconic song? George’s debut album Rock Your Baby, released in 1974, reached number thirty-eight in the US Billboard 200 and number thirteen in the US R&B Charts. After his debut album, his next two albums failed to match the success of Rock Your Baby.
The followup to Rock Your Baby, was George McCrae, released in 1974. It reached just number 152 in the US Billboard 200 and number fifty-four in the US R&B Charts. Together Again, released in 1975, reached just number thirty-three in the US R&B Charts. Rock Your Baby was proving to be a musical poisoned chalice. After all, songs like Rock Your Baby only come along once in an artist’s career, if they’re really lucky.George McCrae’s fourth album was 1976s Diamond Touch, which will be rereleased by BBR Records on 25th February 2013. T.K. Records, George’s label, decided a change in personnel was needed for Diamond Touch. Richard Finch and Harry Wayne Casey, who’d masterminded George’s first three albums, were replaced. Gregg Diamond was chosen as their replacement. Gregg Diamond help George McCrae regain his Midas touch with Diamond Touch?
Richard Finch and Harry Wayne Casey had written Rock Your Baby, the song that transformed George McCrae’s career. They’d also written much of George McCrae’s first three albums and produced them. By 1976, when George was about to record his fourth album, Diamond Touch, things were changing. T.K. Records, George’s label had been unprepared for the success that George would bring them. Ever since Rock Your Baby was released, the label had been growing from a small, almost unknown label, into one of the most successful labels of the time. Similarly, George’s life had been changing with the success he’d enjoyed.
Before George found fame with Rock Your Baby, he’d been married to Gwen McCrae. She’d been meant to record Rock Your Baby, but when she couldn’t make the session, George filled the void. Gwen was a successful singer in her own right, recording an album of duets Together with George. However, their marriage was almost over, and by 1976, George and Gwen were divorcing. So, when George prepared to record Diamond Touch, it was a challenging time, what with his marriage over and working with a new producer.
For Diamond Touch, Gregg Diamond hit the ground running. He wrote three tracks, Nothing But Love, Love Motion and Givin’ Back The Feeling, plus cowrote Dancin’ Through The Storm with George, Robert Geiger, Gene Heimlich and Steven Fineo. George and Robert Geiger penned Loved and Lost, while Chris Robinson contributed I’m Gonna Stay With My Baby Tonight. Robert Duarte and Stephen Argy cowrote Cut The Rug, while guitarist Hugh McCracken, Morgan Ames and Norman Mershon wrote Dance In A Circle. These eight tracks became Diamond Touch.
Another change for Diamond Touch was rather than recording taking place at T.K. Studios in Miami, recording took place at Big Apple Studios. A very different lineup of musicians accompanied George. This included a rhythm section of bassist Stephen Argy, drummer Marty Rodriguez and guitarists Steve Love, plus Dennis Sierra who also played sitar. George, Robert Duarte and Godfrey Diamond played percussion. Gregg played percussion, piano and backing vocals. Robert Geiger played clavinet, Hammond organ and piano, while Steve Fineo piano, electric piano and Fender Rhodes. Together with the Tony Pasch String Section, horns, woodwind and backing vocalists, the eight tracks that became Diamond Touch were produced by Gregg Diamond. Did Gregg Diamond have the Midas touch with Diamond Touch, George McCrae’s fourth album?
On the release of Diamond Touch in December 1976, it seemed Gregg Diamond didn’t quite have the Midas touch. Diamond Touch failed to chart. A small crumb of comfort was Love In Motion, released as a single in January 1977. It reached number four in the US Disco Charts. However, while Diamond Touch wasn’t a commercial success in 1976, is it one of these hidden gems that for too long, remain hidden? That’s what I’ll now tell you.
From the opening bars of Nothing But Love, which opens Diamond Touch, the track explodes into life. It’s a very different sound to George’s three previous albums. Quite simply, with a pulsating, funky, rhythm section joins guitars and keyboards. They accompany, George’s joyous, urgent vocal. It literally dances across the arrangement, which has Gregg Diamond’s trademark sound. Strings join the party, dancing with delight, horns rasp and harmonies add to the urgency, as a hook laden disco track unfolds. Producer Gregg Diamond has made a bold statement, bringing George right into the disco era, albeit with a funky twist.
Love Motion sees the tempo slow slightly, but Diamond Touch focus solely on the dance-floor. Tough, funky keyboards and the lushest of strings sweep and swirl. They provide contrasts, while the pounding disco beat is ever-present. Key to the disco beat is Stephen Argy’s Fender bass, which propels the arrangement along. George, spurred on, delivers a confident, strident vocal. Flourishes of piano add flamboyance, while the constant clavinet panned right is part of Gregg’s robotic boogie “sound.” Like the opening track, it’s dance-floor friendly, infectiously catchy and sees George with a new lease of life.
While the two previous tracks were penned by Gregg Diamond, Chris Robinson wrote the deeply soulful I’m Gonna Stay With My Baby Tonight. Chiming guitars announce the arrival of Southern Soul horns, cascading horns and the rhythm section. When George’s vocal enters, it’s heartfelt and filled with emotion and happiness. Handclaps and harmonies accompany George, as he tenderly delivers one of his most soulful, inspired vocals. The harmonies add the finishing touch to the song, as George demonstrates whether it’s soul or disco, he’s equally at home.
Givin’ Back The Feeling sees an other change in style. Tough and funky describes the arrangement. Horns blaze, the bass leads a funky rhythm section while keyboards, panned right add a tough, edgy sound. George’s vocal is vampish, sassy and fiery. Sometimes, it’s enveloped in delay, adding an air of mystery. Strings cascade, guitars chime as horns growl and kick, as George struts and vamps his way confidently through the track, reminding me somewhat of Sylvester, another giant of disco.
Just like the opening track, Cut The Rug explodes into life, grabbing your attention. A myriad of dancing strings, driving rhythm section and grizzled horns combine with percussion and keyboards. Having set the scene, George’s urgent falsetto soars in. Filled with emotion, and delivered with urgency, George is driven on by one of the band’s best performances. Their performance really lifts a song which is filled with poppy hooks, as disco, funk, jazz and Latin combine for four minutes.
Shimmering, quivering strings open Dance In A Circle, before Gregg Diamond’s bionic boogie sound unfolds. This is one of the highlights of Diamond Touch. Gregg’s production and George’s performance are peerless. George delivers his falsetto vocal, while the arrangement dances beneath him. Again, there are similarities with Sylvester. A pulsating, pounding disco beat, swirling, sweeping strings and keyboards are combined. The result is truly breathtaking. From start to finish, you’re swept along, hooks aplenty unfolding, as George unleashes an urgent, vampish vocal. Having found a new enthusiasm, George delivers a call to dance, where resistance is futile. Best just submit to the songs charms, and Dance In A Circle.
Dancin’ Through The Storm was the only track George cowrote on Diamond Touch. Coincidence or not, it’s one of the songs best suited for George. He seems comfortable, not forcing the vocal. Indeed, he delivers one of his most soulful vocals. The tempo slows, with the rhythm section, guitars and keyboards driving the arrangement along. George’s vocal veers between tender, needy and impassioned. Searing, riffing guitars and keyboards play an important part in the arrangement, as George rolls back the years, returning to the soulful side of his music.
Loved and Lost closes Diamond Touch on a high. Again, George’s soulful side is allowed to shine through. The slower tempo and vintage sounding arrangement suits the song. George’s heartbroken, needy vocal is accompanied by equally emotive harmonies. They’re the perfect foil for his pleas. Meanwhile the rhythm section, percussion and guitars provide an emotive, mid-tempo, backdrop for his vocal. Its roots are in the fifties and sixties, and thanks to producer Gregg Diamond, provides a quite beautiful backdrop to George’s hurt-filled and heartbroken vocal. This seems a fitting and quite beautiful way to close Diamond Touch.
After three albums with Richard Finch and Harry Wayne Casey masterminding George McCrae’s career, T.K. Records decided that, in an attempt to rejuvenate George’s career, a new producer was required. This is always risky. After all, many producers have a trademark sound. Their solution, to rejuvenate an artists career is to stamp that sound on an artists album. Sometimes this works, other times, it doesn’t. In the case of George McCrae’s fourth album Diamond Touch, producer Gregg Diamond didn’t have the Midas Touch.
Granted the eights songs that comprise Diamond Touch see George’s music moving in new directions. Out was the Miami sound of his three previous albums. Replacing it was disco, and Gregg’s bionic boogie sound. Opening with Nothing But Love and the single Love In Motion, Gregg grabs your attention. Then comes the deeply soulful sound of I’m Gonna Stay With My Baby Tonight. This wasn’t the only soulful cut on Diamond Touch, Dancin’ Through The Storm and Loved and Lost were two other soulful treats from George McCrae. The other tracks were disco and funk. Givin’ Back The Feeling has a tough, funky sound, while Cut The Rug is an explosive fusion of influences. Dance In A Circle is an irresistible track, where George McCrae becomes a disco shaman. Sadly, the change in producer for Diamond Touch didn’t help rebuild George McCrae’s career.
Not only was it a case that producer Gregg Diamond didn’t have the Midas touch on Diamond Touch, but it was the least successful album of George McCrae’s four album career. However, Gregg played his part in ensuring that Diamond Touch, which will be rereleased by BBR Records on 25th February 2013, moved George McCrae’s career in a new direction. Funk, soul, disco and bionic boogie are combined over the eight tracks that comprise Diamond Touch. Indeed, Diamond Touch features some hidden disco gems and deeply soulful cuts from George McCrae, and marked the opening in a new chapter of his career. Standout Tracks: Love In Motion, I’m Gonna Stay With My Baby Tonight, Dancin’ Through The Storm and Loved and Lost.
GEORGE MCCRAE-DIAMOND TOUCH.
DELEGATION-DEUCES HIGH.
DELEGATION-DEUCES HIGH.
By the time Delegation came to record their fourth album, 1982s Deuces High, which BBR Records will released on 25th February 2013, the group’s lineup had changed several times. It seemed Delegation’s lineup was constantly evolving. Members joined, then left. When Delegation came to record their fourth album, Deuces High, Ricky Bailey was the last man standing. Ricky was the last of the original lineup of Delegation. The lineup of Delegation that would record Deuces High, were just Ricky Bailey and Ray Patterson, who’d joined the group for the recording of Delegation’s sophomore album Eau De Vie. Deuces High would prove to be Delegation’s last album, until fourteen years later, when they reformed to release Encore. For Delegation, Deuces High was the end of an era. Would Delegation end this era on a high, with Deuces High?
Having formed in 1975, Delegation had released three previous albums. The Promise of Love, released in 1978, had been Delegation’s most successful album, reaching number eighty-four in the US Billboard 200 and number eight in the US R&B Charts. With a different lineup, including new member Ray Patterson, Delegation released their sophomore Eau De Vie, in 1979. It failed to chart and neither did 1981s Delegation II. In Europe, Delegation’s albums were successful, but success eluded them in the UK and US. Delegation did enjoy minor chart success in the UK and US R&B single’s charts. That was a small crumb of comfort. Maybe Deuces High would prove see Delegation’s fortunes improve?
For Deuces High Ricky Bailey and Ray Patterson cowrote three tracks, If You Were A Song, Gonna Bring The House Down, Dance Like Fred Astaire and Would You Like To Start A Thang With Me? Ken Gold, Delegation’s producer cowrote the other five tracks. With Michael Denne they penned What Took You So Long, I Figure I’m Out Of Your Life, Tell Her and No Words To Say. Dance Time-USA was a track Ken Gold and Nigel Hanson cowrote. These nine tracks became Deuces High.
Recording of Deuces High took place at London’s Sound Suite Studios. Many of the same personnel that played on Delegation’s three previous albums played on Deuces High.The band accompanying Delegation bassists Paul Westwood, Lenny Willis, Les Hurdle and Mark King and guitarists Robert J. Ahwai and Ray Patterson. Rather than a drummer, a Linn Drum machine was used. Lynton Naiff played synths and keyboards, plus arranged the horns. Ken Gold added percussion and produced Deuces High. Once Deuces High was recorded, it was released in 1982.
The release of Deuces High in 1982, didn’t see Delegation’s fortunes improve, when it failed to chart. Neither Gonna Bring The House Down, nor If You Were A Song charted when released as a single in 1982. Deuces High was a case of deja vu for Delegation. However, why did Deuces High not fare better commercially?
Opening Deuces High What Took You So Long. Straight away, you hear a very different side of Delegation. The poppy soul of previous albums is replaced by synths and drum machines. One thing stays the same, the soulful vocal, which is Delegation at their best. With synths, chiming guitars and drum machines providing the backdrop for Delegation, the vocal is heartfelt, emotive and deeply soulful. Harmonies sweep in. They glide elegantly above the arrangement, as a hooky slice dance-floor friendly poppy soul shows another side to Delegation’s music.
I Figure I’m Out Of sees a drop in tempo and the drama increase. Like the previous track, the new Delegation sound unfolds. A buzzing bass weaves across the arrangement with keyboards, synths and hissing hi-hats for company. It’s when the vocal enters, that Delegation grab your attention. Filled with emotion and tinged with sadness, it brings to life the lyrics. Heartfelt harmonies, percussion and stabs of keyboards add to the sadness and emotion. A rasping horn is added at the perfect moment, reinforcing the heartbreak and hurt in Ray’s vocal, as one of the saddest songs on Deuces High unfolds.
Pensive keyboards open If You Were A Song, before Ray’s melancholy vocal enters. His vocal is slow, deliberate and accompanied by a slow, wistful and understated arrangement. Just drums, washes of synths and percussion combine as his vocal wells up with emotion and hurt. Later, a searing, riffing guitar adds to the drama. It replaces the vocal as the drama grows and builds. From there, Ray delivers another emotive, hurt-filled vocal.
Gonna Bring The House Down has a James Brown influence when it explodes into life. Thunderous drums, chiming guitars and driving, blazing horns combine. They set the scene for powerful, urgent harmonies, with subtle synths and handclaps. Soon, Delegation have gotten into a funky groove, with the bass and guitars propelling the arrangement along, in a direction marked funk. This allows Delegation to demonstrate their versatility, marring funky, hooks an eighties electronica.
Tell Her is another of the slow songs on Deuces High. This is what Delegation do so well. Just a slow combination of synths, keyboards, guitars and funky bass accompany Ray’s impassioned vocal. He delivers the lyrics with feeling, tenderness and sincerity. It’s his vocal that’s the focus of your attention. You’re captivated by its beauty, tenderness and sheer soulfulness, Delegation prove to be masters of heartfelt ballads.
Blazing horns, pounding drums and synths open Dance Like Fred Astaire. Then an uber funky, slap bass weaves its way across the arrangement. When the joyous, soaring vocal enters, funk and dance music are combining seamlessly. With the growling horns helping drive the arrangement along, cascading harmonies sweep in. Lynton Naiff’s horn arrangement is crucial to the arrangement. Then during the breakdown, the band showcase their talents, with percussion, bass and guitars combining. Meanwhile, Delegation are almost desperate to deliver the rest of the lyrics on this infectiously catchy fusion of funk, dance and poppy soul.
No Words To Say has an early eighties sound, when the synths, bass and the drum machine combine. While synths and the drum machines add an electronic sound, the bass adds a funky heartbeat. Then when Ray’s impassioned vocal enters, he adds the necessary soul. His delivery is deliberate and sensuous, while harmonies soulfully sweep in. Later, a rasping horns is added, adding to the beauty and soulfulness of this ballad. Again, Delegation demonstrate that when it comes to ballads, they’re peerless in terms of British early eighties British soul.
Would You Like To Start A Thang With Me is a much more uptempo track. It’s funky and soulful, swinging along. Chic style chiming guitars, growling horns and a pounding bass help propel the arrangement along, helped by the drum machine and synths. This track is proof that the use of synths and drum machines don’t always lessen the soulfulness of a track. Granted often, this is the case. Not here. Used well, which they are by producer Ken Gold, they help, not hinder an arrangement. What also helps the track are Ricky Bailey and Ray Patterson partnership. Ray’s sassy, teasing vocal helps the song swing. Urgent harmonies reply to his call, as Ray and Ricky prove a potent and soulful partnership.
Dance-Time U.S.A. closes Delegation’s fourth album, Deuces High. There’s a tougher, funkier sound, that has a real American influence. The tempo drops, with just synths, dramatic, blazing horns and a pedestrian, deliberate rhythm section providing the heartbeat. Ray’s vocal is deliberate and sassy. When Ray and Ricky add harmonies, they’re tight, sweet and soulful, gliding elegantly above the arrangement. Later, the vocal becomes a rap, as soul, funk, eighties electronica and hip hop combine, as Delegation close Deuces High. It would be another fourteen years until their next and final album Encore. At least they closed Deuces High on a high.
Why Delegation’s fourth album, Deuces High wasn’t a commercial success wasn’t do with the quality of music. Instead, it was a case that other musical genres were much more fashionable. In the UK, during 1982, when Deuces High was released, British soul and funk wasn’t particularly popular. Instead, the dreaded New Romantic movement was blighting the musical landscape. Indie music, eighties electronica and hip hop were all popular. So too, was rock music, despite the propaganda spread by those who overstate punk’s importance and lasting effect. So for groups like Delegation, their only hope was breaking through in America. That didn’t happen for Delegation. Granted they were popular in mainland Europe, but in Britain and America, the only minor success they enjoyed was with singles. After their fourth albums, Deuces High, Delegation didn’t record another album, until 1996s Encore. Deuces High which BBR Records will released on 25th February 2013, marked the end of an era Delegation. Having released four albums between 1978s The Promise of Love and 1982s Deuces High, Delegation split up in 1984. Despite reforming in 1996, and releasing Encore, Delegation’s four albums, The Promise of Love, Delegation II, Eau De Vie and Deuces High feature one of the great hopes of British soul. Now, after an absence of seventeen years, these four albums, including Deuces High have been rereleased by BBR Records, allowing people to discover the soulful, funky delights of Delegation all over again. Standout Tracks: If You Were A Song, Tell Her, No Words To Say and Dance-Time U.S.A.
DELEGATION-DEUCES HIGH.
THE O’JAYS SHIP AHOY.
THE O’JAYS SHIP AHOY.
In August 1972, when The O’Jays’ released Back Stabbers, little did they realize how important an album it would become. Back Stabbers was certified gold, and fourteen years after The O’Jays were formed, were on their way to becoming one of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful groups in the history of Philly Soul. Between 1972s Back Stabbers and 1979s Identify Yourself, The O’Jays released eight studio albums. Three were certified gold and five platinum.
Back Stabbers helped launch Gamble and Huff and their newly founded label, Philadelphia International Records as one of soul music’s premier labels. In the process, it established Gamble and Huff’s reputation as one of the most innovative, influential and pioneering production and songwriting teams. Indeed, The O’Jays followup to Back Stabbers, Ship Ahoy, released in October 1973, cemented Gamble and Huff’s reputation not just innovators and pioneers, but with a social conscience. Ship Ahoy featured songs about slavery, racism, greed and pollution. Side-by-side on Ship Ahoy, sat love songs and songs with a social conscience. While The O’Jays may have sung sweetly about love, but they weren’t afraid to become the conscience of a nation, using their music to shame those who they thought were bringing their country to its knees, by their actions. Through the medium of music, politicians, corporate America and race, were all subjects that they dealt with in the music on Ship Ahoy, which will be rereleased by BBR Music on 25th February 2013. Before I tell you about some of the most powerful, potent and moving songs The O’Jays recorded, I’ll tell you about the background to Ship Ahoy.
By 1973, Philadelphia International Records had established its reputation as a pioneering label, who’d released critically acclaimed and commercially successful albums. During 1972, Philadelphia International Records had released Billy Paul’s 360 Degrees of Billy Paul, Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes’ I Miss You and The O’Jays’ Back Stabbers. Further success had come Philadelphia International Records’ way with Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes’ Black and Blue M.F.S.B’s sophomore album Love Is The Message and The Three Degrees’ eponymous album The Three Degrees. Gamble and Huff and Philadelphia International Records were on a roll by the time The O’Jays released Ship Ahoy.
Ship Ahoy featured four tracks penned by Gamble and Huff. They wrote Put Your Hands Together, Ship Ahoy and Now That We Found Love, while they cowrote the seven minute epic For The Love Of Money With Anthony Jackson. Kenny Gamble cowrote The Air That I Breathe and Don’t Call Me Brother with Bunny Sigler, who also contributed You Got Your Hooks Into Me. The songwriting team of Gene McFadden, John Whitehead and Victor Castarphen cowrote People Who Keep Tellin’ Me, which closes Ship Ahoy. Recording of Ship Ahoy took place at the familiar surroundings of Joe Tarsia’s Sigma Sound Studios.
At Philly’s Sigma Sound Studios, Gamble and Huff were joined by the classic lineup of M.F.S.B, Philadelphia International Records’ legendary house-band. This included the Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section, plus bassist Anthony Jackson and guitarist Bobby “Electronic” Eli. They were joined by organist Lenny Pakula, percussionist Larry Washington, vibes virtuoso Vince Montana Jr and violinist Don Renaldo, who was part of the trademark string and horn sound that featured on many Philadelphia International Records’ recordings. Arrangers who worked on Ship Ahoy included Norman Harris, Dennis Williams, Lenny Pakula and Bobby Martin. Producing Ship Ahoy were Gamble and Huff. Once Ship Ahoy was recorded, it was released in October 1973. Would Ship Ahoy match the success of 1972s Back Stabbers?
On the release of Ship Ahoy in October 1973, it surpassed the success of Back Stabbers, reaching number eleven in the US Billboard 200 and number one in the US R&B Charts, resulting in The O’Jays first platinum disc. Put Your Hands Together was the lead single, released in November 1973. It reached number ten in the US Billboard 100 and number two in the US R&B Charts. For The Love Of Money was released in March 1974, reaching number nine in the US Billboard 100 and number three in the US R&B Charts. In the UK, three singles were released, Put Your Hands in November 1973, For The Love Of Money in March 1974 and Now That We Found Love in August 1974. Unbelievably, they all failed to chart. However, Ship Ahoy had surpassed the success of Back Stabbers, and in the process, transformed The O’Jays’ career. Why was that? That’s what I’ll tell you, when I tell you about the music on Ship Ahoy.
Put Your Hands Together opens Ship Ahoy. It’s a paean to cooperation and optimism in the face of hard times. Forty years later, The O’Jays message is just as relevant. When the track reveals its secrets, the sound is dramatic, moody and funky. The Baker, Harris, Young the rhythm section, guitars and keyboards combine drive the arrangement along. Having set the scene, Eddie Levert’s growling, vampish vocal enters. It soars passionately and emotively. Urgent harmonies sweep, sweetly and soulfully in. Meanwhile, strings dance and growl, while Earl Young’s drums and stabs of keyboards and percussion add to the drama. A funky bass and wah-wah guitar accompany The O’Jays, as they spread their message of optimism, in the face of adversity. Emotive and impassioned, filled hope and optimism The O’Jays, helped no end by M.F.S.B. create an uptempo, hook-laden track with a social message.
The title track, Ship Ahoy deals with a shameful subject, slavery. It tells the story African people being taken captive, transported on a ship as part of the slave trade. Originally, Gamble and Huff had hoped the track would be part of the soundtrack for the film Shaft In Africa, but this never happened. Complete with the sound of crashing waves and whips cracking this powerful track unfolds. They’re joined by keyboards, a slow plodding bass and a guitar, before deliberate strings enter. When Eddie’s emotive vocal enters, The O’Jays sing tight harmonies. Their voices are tinged in anger, as the drama builds and grows. Stirring, dramatic and pounding drums join strings that sweep in loud and grand. Blazing horns add to the drama and emotion. Later, guitars soar, screaming and screeching, as if empathising with the pain suffered. It’s impossible not to be moved by the lyrics, and their delivery. Like Norman Harris’ arrangement, they bring the lyrics to life. Such is the power of the music, that by the end, you feel moved, angry and upset. To be able to achieve these emotions through the power of soul music, is testament to the talent of The O’Jays and Gamble and Huff.
The Air That I Breathe has a slightly Latin sound and feel. Norman Harris’ chiming guitar, percussion, piano and rasping horns uniting. The Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section provide the heartbeat, as this anthemic, hooky song with a message unfolds. When Eddie’s vocal enters, it’s laden with emotion. Almost with disbelief he powerfully rages at the pollution around him. Still there’s a joyous sound, as M.F.S.B. and The O’Jays kick loose. His vocal soars heavenwards, his vocal tinged anger and resentment. As if spurred on, the harmonies are tighter, sweeter and more soulful. M.F.S.B. are similarly spurred on. Braying horns, Baker, Harris, Young, percussion and piano provide the backdrop for Eddie’s moving, emotive and soulful masterclass. Like Put Your Hands Together, their message is one of optimism, hoping things will improve. By the end of the track, you can only salute The O’Jays for managing to get their message across in such a deeply soulful and melodic way.
Bunny Sigler and Kenny Gamble cowrote You Got the Hooks In Me, which Bobby Martin arranged. A piano slowly and subtly plays, before Eddie’s vocal enters. It’s accompanied by Earl Young’s drums and short sharp bursts of organ. The tempo is slow, the playing subtle. Soon, the arrangement reveals is soulful secrets. Eddie’s heartfelt, heartbroken vocal soars, and soothing, soulful harmonies sweep in. They’re enveloped by melancholy horns, lush strings and Lenny Pakula’s Hammond organ. By now, The O’Jays are at their soulful best, delivering a track that’s heartbreakingly sad, where Eddie lays bare his soul, hurt and heartbreak to hear.
For the Love Of Money is another protest song, this time against materialism, that was and is, contributing to the world’s problems. During the track, Anthony Jackson contributes one of the most famous bass lines in popular music. It was played through a phaser, then bathed in echo. Since then, it’s been sampled by many hip hop artists. Originally, the track was written around the bass line. Straight away, that bass line pounds, weaving its way across the arrangement. It’s fast and funky, surrounded by crisp crashing cymbals, pounding drums, angry horns and harmonies. They yell “money” over and over. When Eddie’s vocal enters, it’s strong, angry and filled with frustration. His ire is directed at people’s “Love Of Money. Bobby Martin’s arrangement mixes elements of soul and funk masterfully. A combination of searing, soaring guitars solos, loud, angry, drums, percussion and grizzled horns accompany a vocal that’s angry, frustrated and impassioned. Like other tracks on Ship Ahoy, the lyrics, are still relevant today. Oh and that bass line sounds just as good, forty years on.
Now That We’ve Found Love is a beautiful, heartfelt love song, arranged by Norman Harris. This is what many people think of when The O’Jays are mentioned, beautiful love songs. They aren’t aware of their socially aware protest songs. Keyboards, percussion and the Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section unite, before tight, tender harmonies enter. Eddie’s vocal takes centre-stage, with a heartfelt delivery of the lyrics, which preach forgiveness. His vocal is swathed in lush strings and rasping horns. Like other tracks, the arrangement veers between lush and dramatic, as The O’Jays deliver another beautiful, heartfelt and impassioned love song. Indeed, it’s one of the most beautiful love songs The O’Jays ever recorded.
Don’t Call Me Brother is a protest song, and finds The O’Jays at their angriest and fieriest. A jazz-tinged backdrop, complete with Norman Harris’ chiming, jazz guitar, wistful horns and the lushest of strings cascades along. Dramatic bursts of Earl Young’s drums signal The O’Jays to unleash their anger. They do this is style that’s part Philly Soul, part doo wop. Close, impassioned and angry harmonies sing about the false claims of racial harmony from people who would just as soon stab you in the back. Eddie’s angry vocal rails against the hypocrisy and lies of politicians and leaders. Bobby Martin’s arrangement, like the anger and frustration, builds up, reaching a dramatic musical crescendo. Thunderous drums, blazing horns, strings and guitars unite. Then as if spent, returns to a much more gentle and melodic sound. For nearly nine minutes, The O’Jays vent their anger and frustration, passionately and peerlessly. By the end of the track, it’s impossible to not be touched and moved by their powerful, deeply moving message, where doo-wop, Philly Soul, jazz and gospel unite.
People Keep Tellin’ Me closes Ship Ahoy is People Keep Tellin’ Me. It’s an upbeat and uplifting track, arranged by Norman Harris. Strings sweep and swirl, horns rasp and growl and Baker, Harris, Young provide the track’s heartbeat. Harmonies sweep in soaring soulfully and joyously. Even the, you sense something special is unfolding. Washes of Hammond organ and Vince Montana Jr’s vibes join forces, before Eddie’s heartfelt, impassioned vocal enters. He and the other O’Jays drive each other to greater heights. M.F.S.B. are enjoying the opportunity to kick loose. Something very special has unfolded. Joyous and emotive describes this irresistible slice of Philly Soul. It features The O’Jays and M.F.S.B. at their very best, as they bookend Ship Ahoy perfectly. As the song closes, you can’t help but Put Your Hands Together for The O’Jays, as they close Ship Ahoy in a way that’s not just sweet and soulful, but uplifting, melodic and memorable.
Following up an album as critically acclaimed and commercially successful as Back Stabbers, wasn’t going to be easy for The O’Jays. However, they were no ordinary group. Even by their second album for Philadelphia International Records, The O’Jays had earned a reputation as one of Philly Soul’s great groups. By 1973, The O’Jays were seasoned performers, the group having been formed in 1957. Over the previous fifteen years, they’d refined their sound. A combination of Eddie Levert’s lead vocal and sweet, tight vocal harmonies becoming huge polished and deeply soulful. It was as if all these years of experience were coming to fruition on Back Stabbers and then Ship Ahoy. While Back Stabbers was critically acclaimed and commercially successful, Ship Ahoy surpassed its success.
During the eight tracks on Ship Ahoy, The O’Jays mixed beautiful love songs with songs filled with social comment. Ship Ahoy featured songs about slavery, racism, greed, materialism and pollution. Social comment and protest songs stood side by side, and the emotion, anger and frustration wells up in The O’Jays’ voices. They were also preaching a message of optimism and togetherness on Ship Ahoy. Many of the songs on Ship Ahoy, their messages are just as relevant forty years after the album’s release in 2013. Still people are seduced by materialism, greedy for money and willing to do anything to gain even more. Sadly, racial discrimination, like many other forms of discrimination is prevalent, and the backstabbers mentioned in Don’t Call Me Brother, are still around, still causing trouble, when they claim to be a force for good and harmony. Ship Ahoy features The O’Jays sing emotionally and passionately. Just below the surface, tension, frustration and anger is palpable, at the various problems that faced society. Then when The O’Jays sing the love songs on Ship Ahoy, we hear the side of their music most people are aware of. Their delivery of these gorgeous love songs feature the peerless combination of Eddie Levert’s vocal, laden with emotion and passion and tight, sweet and soulful harmonies. These two sides of The O’Jays’ music come to the fore on Ship Ahoy.
Forty years after the release of The O’Jays sophomore album for Philadelphia International Records, the music Ship Ahoy is just as relevant in 2013, as it was in 1973. To celebrate the fortieth anniversary of one of The O’Jays’ classic albums Ship Ahoy, BBR Records will rerelease it on 25th February 2013. Ship Ahoy is a stonewall Philly Soul classic, where songs filled with social comment sit side-by-side with beautiful love songs. Indeed, the platinum certified Ship Ahoy is one of the best albums ever released, and is one of several classic albums The O’Jays released between 1972 and 1979. Standout Tracks: Put Your Hands Together, Ship Ahoy, Now That We’ve Found Love and Don’t Call Me Brother.
THE O’JAYS-SHIP AHOY.
DISCO LOVE VOLUME 3-EVEN MORE RARE DISCO AND SOUL UNCOVERED (COMPILED BY AL KENT)
DISCO LOVE VOLUME 3-EVEN MORE RARE DISCO AND SOUL UNCOVERED (COMPILED BY AL KENT).
Glasgow’s disco don Al Kent is back, and he’s been crate-digging again. Digging deep. Way deeper than he’s ever dug before. The result is his new compilation Disco Love 3, which will be released on BBE Music on 18th February 2013. Like the two previous volumes of Disco Love, Disco Love Volume 3 is a double-album. Disc One features a continuous mix from Al, featuring the fifteen tracks on Disc Two. So, for anyone who likes their disco soulful or funky, then Disco Love Volume 3 is for you.
Of the fifteen tracks on Disco Love Volume 3, five have been edited by Al Kent. Just like the two previous installments of Disco Love, some of the tracks on Disco Love Volume 3 are extremely rare tracks, that until now, most people will never have heard. To discover these tracks, Al’s been on another crate-digging expedition. Al has dug deep, dusty basements, warehouses and backstreet record shops have all been scoured. So too, has Al’s extensive record collection. He’s decided to share some of the soulful and funky disco delights, that, until now, have been tucked away in his arsenal of secret disco weapons. No wonder, many of the tracks on Disco Love Volume 3 are almost too good to share. Now after a two year wait since Disco Love Volume 2 was, Disco Love Volume 3 is about to be released, with fifteen more tracks from Glasgow’s very own disco don Al Kent. However, will Disco Love Volume 3 match the quality of 2010s Disco Love and 2011s Disco Love Volume 2? That’s what I’ll tell you, after I’ve explored the fifteen disco delights that comprise Disco Love Volume 3.
Opening Disc Two of Disco Love Volume 3, is the 1978 single from Mighty Gents, Mighty Gents. Written by Peter Link, who produced the track with Peter Dante, they released the single of The Mighty Gents Record Co. Cinematic, soulful and orchestral describes this instrumental track. Soul, disco and Latin percussion combine, while quivering, shivering strings and stabs of horns add to the drama that build and builds, helped by Al’s creative editing skills. This is a real hidden gem that Al has uncovered. Moody, broody, dramatic and cinematic. It’s all these things and more. You wonder what delights will follow?
North By Northeast’s Disco Unusual was released in 1976, on the Detroit label Red Line. This is another of the five Al Kent edits, where he transforms a song that was originally under four minutes long, into a five minute plus epic. While the previous track was soulful, this has a tougher, funkier sound, albeit with a Latin influence. It also has a sassy female vocal. Percussion and growling horns are almost ever-present, as Al takes Disco Love Volume 3 to the funky side of disco. In doing so, he demonstrates his considerable editing talents.
From Detroit, the musical journey that is Disco Love Volume 3 heads to Montgomery, Alabama. For it was on Top Records in 1981, that Bo Baligher T.S.B. Inc. released the single Oh Baby, with the instrumental Get On Down on the flip side. A heavy duty slice of driving, funky music unfolds, with blazing horns aplenty. The vampish, strutting vocal is soulful, while there’s a boogie influence to the keyboards. During six minutes, a real fusion of influences unfolds. Funk, soul and boogie combine to create a infectiously catchy, dance-floor friendly track.
It was on the Los Angeles label Smooth City Records, that Frank and James released How Long Is Forever. Released in 1982, Frank and James Monroe there was a seven year gap until their second single You Got The Love I Need. Listening to How Long Is Forever, they certainly were neither lacking in talent, nor soulfulness. Not only is it soulful, but with a tempo of 119 beats per minute, it’s perfect for the dance-floor. Lush, dancing strings are at the heart of the funky arrangement, while Frank and James deliver heartfelt, powerful vocals. Tender, cooing backing vocals are the finishing touch, as soul, funk, boogie and disco, combine to create one of the hook-laden highlights of Disco Love Volume 3.
Gregory Andre and The Two Plus Three’s contribution to Disco Love Volume 3 is I Want To Be With You, which Al has edited. This is a track with an interesting backstory. It was recorded in Kansas and released on the Sea Gate label. To generate publicity, sales and interest, producer George Chambers put his brother’s San Diego address on the label. It’s a slice of modern funk that’s guaranteed to grab your attention. An array of thunderous drums, bass breaks, banks of keyboards and effects are combined. Then when the vocal draws you in and soon, you’re hooked and swept along by captivating track.
Magnetic Post released their single Is It Wrong on Pickin’ Post in 1978. Arranged and produced by Patrick Higdon and Michael Heeney, this is one of the rarities that Al has uncovered for you. Copies of this track are becoming increasingly harder to find. If you could find one, it would cost you much more than a copy of Disco Love Volume 3. No wonder, it’s gloriously soulful, funky and dance-floor friendly. Key to the track’s success is the vocal, harmonies and swathes of strings. They’re combined with bursts of blazing horns and a pounding disco beat, as four of the best minutes on Disco Love Volume 3 unfold.
Released on Alaga Records, and produced by Roy C. and Bob Ericson Hustle On Down (Pt. 1) was released by Michael LeGrair and The Band That Played All Night in 1975. The B-side was Hustle on Down (Pt. 2). On Disco Love Volume 3, Al Kent reinvents both sides of Hustle On Down (Pt. 3). The result is a tough, funky horn driven hustle track, with a pulsating heartbeat, that is irresistible.
Al Kent has really dug deep in his latest quest for disco perfection. This has meant discovering hitherto, undiscovered B-sides, like Moses’ Something About You. Although Love To Live was released by Pure Silk Records in 1978, as a single, Al prefers the B-side, which is a delicious fusion of funk, jazz, disco and Latin percussion and Hammond organ. This is set against a hustle beat, with urgent harmonies. Combined, the result is a joyful, uplifting track that lifts your spirits and puts a smile firmly on your face. My only thought is, if the B-side is this good, what was Love To Live like?
Neo Experience released Human in 1975, on Philadelphia’s Sahara Records, was one of two singles they released. The other was Make My World. Formed by David Simmons, the lineup of Neo Experience also included future member of The Ritchie Family Vera Brown and former member of The Millionaires Vincent Paul Unto. Recorded at Joe Tarsia’s Sigma Sound Studios in Philly, and featuring Vince Montana Jr’s vibes, Philly Soul meets disco. With lush trademark Philly strings and growling horns, sweeping, cooing harmonies and a truly impassioned pleading vocal, Human is the best track on Disco Love Volume 3. Don’t just believe me, listen to this track once and you’ll be smitten by its beauty and emotion.
Rhond Duran released Disco Fever (Pt. 1) in 1979. It was arranged by Clive Waugh and produced by Sam Cummings, and released on April Records. The B-side was Disco Fever (Pt. 2). Just like Hustle on Down, Al’s edit features both versions, spliced seamlessly together. It’s a pulsating, funky reminder of the disco era. There’s everything from soul, funk, Latin and disco. Add to that sassy vocals and rocky guitars. Oh, and one of the best bass lines on Disco Love Volume 3. It’s slapped, pounded and uber funk. For any aspiring bass players, this is a joy to behold, as is Disco Fever (Pt. 3).
So far, in the musical journey that’s Disco Love Volume 3, Al Kent’s taken us to Philly, Detroit, Los Angeles, Kansas and Alabama. Next stop is Houston, where Encore Records were based. They released Marion Javius’ Waiting In The WIngs in 1978. Featuring Afro Fusion, who provide the rhythm section, what follows is a sweet, sassy vocal, combined with an arrangement where jazz, soul, funk and disco combine. Harmonies sweep in cascading, while strings shimmer and shiver. Then less than three minutes later, the soulful delights of Marion Javius is but a pleasant and irresistible memory. You can’t help yourself, but you do and press play again.
Ronnie April released her only album Ronnie April’s Positive Energy Volume 1, on Jude Records. It featured nine tracks, including Dancer’s Theme, written by James Wydeman. This is an uptempo, funk-laden disco track, that slowly, reveals its secrets and subtleties. Far from subtle is the bass line, which pounds it way across the arrangement. For company it has chiming guitars, sweeping, ethereal harmonies and a teasing, sassy vocal. An eight-minute epic unfolds, courtesy of Glasgow’s disco don and crate-digger extraordinaire, Al Kent.
Sandy’s Gang Hungry was written and arranged by Patrick Adams who produced the track with Arthur Aaron. Later Patrick founded Inner Life. Even by 1976, when New York based Sunrise Records released this track, Patrick was an experienced writer, arranger and producer, as this tracks shows. Dramatic describes the introduction, where swathes of strings dance, horns blaze and a thunderous rhythm section add the heartbeat. Urgent, soulful harmonies are added, as things get funky. Still things stay soulful, thanks to the harmonies and diva-esque vocal, which make this track.
The last Al Kent edit on Disco Love Volume 3 is Sil Austin Disco Lady. Released on Jerri Records in 1976, and produced by Tommy Stewart, there’s a real Miami sound to the track. Given it was distributed by T.K. Records, this is no surprise. Horn lead, with soaring, soulful harmonies, keyboards and rhythm section give the track a heavy funky sound, that drives along. With Al Kent’s editing skills, you sense Disco Love Volume 3 is building to a dramatic crescendo.
Closing Disco Love Volume 3 is Cherish’s For You. Released in 1979, on DT Records, Al Kent has built the tempo up, guaranteeing the compilation ends on a soulful high. The track literally bursts into life, the vocal and harmonies driving each other to greater heights of soulfulness. They literally dance, joyously along the arrangement, spreading their slice of sunshine soul and disco, as Disco Love Volume 3 comes to a sweet and soulful close.
So, after two previous volumes of Disco Love, where Al Kent had set the bar high, he’d two hard acts to follow. Somehow, he’s done it again, with Disco Love Volume 3 surpassing the standards of both 2010s Disco Love and 2011s Disco Love Volume 2. Now this isn’t easy, given how many disco compilations have been, and are being released. With the internet making crate-digging a whole lot easier, rarities and hidden gems are becoming easier to find.
Although surfing the net from the comfort of your armchair makes crate-digging somewhat easier, it’s real devotees of disco, like Al Kent, who continued to dig deep in dusty basements, warehouses and backstreet record shops. It’s these places where you can find these gems that no-one else has yet. While the temptation must be for DJs like Al Kent to keep them for DJ sets, he’s a generous guy.
During Disco Love Volume 3, Al Kent so has decided to share and let you in on his secret disco weapons, fifteen on them. These fifteen tracks feature on Disc Two of Disco Love Volume 3, while on Disc One, Al seamlessly weaves his way through the fifteen tracks. Next Monday, 18th February 2013, BBR Music will release Disco Love Volume 3, which feature fifteen more of Al Kent’s soulful and funky slices disco delights and hidden gems aplenty. So, if you love Disco, you’ll love Disco Love Volume 3, and Disco Love and Disco Love Volume 2, which BBE Music also released. Standout Tracks: Frank and James How Long Is Forever, Neo Experience Human, Ronnie April Dancer’s Theme and Cherish For You.
DISCO LOVE VOLUME 3-EVEN MORE RARE DISCO AND SOUL UNCOVERED (COMPILED BY AL KENT).
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