Doc Powell - Love Is Where It's At 1983

Doc Powell

Given Doc's reputation for musical excellence it's no surprise the guitarist was able to assemble an all-star lineup for his album "Laid Back". Laid Back features performances by bassists Stanley Clarke and Marcus Miller, percussionist Sheila E., flutist/saxophonist Najee, soprano saxophonist Boney James, keyboardist Patrice Rushen, pianist Bobby Lyle and tenor saxophonists Gerald Albright and Kirk Whalum. "Its just a perfect example of reaping what you sow," the guitarist says, explaining how he was able to pool such stellar talent for his album. "My reputation speaks for itself."
On his Discovery Records album Laid Back, guitarist/producer/arranger Doc Powell creates luxuriant contemporary jazz with a cool R&B underpinning. Produced by "The Doctor" himself the album features 11 tracks ranging from satiny fusion to soul-kissed balladry and sensitively rendered interpretations. These various musical settings provide Doc with a forum for his unique guitar technique - a warm sound accented with occasional bursts of virtuosi flash.
Doc's ability to bring out the best in a song has not gone unnoticed by the music industry. A revered session musician Doc Powell rose to renown as a fixture of Luther Vandross's recording and touring band. During a career spanning 15 years Doc has performed with such heavyweights as Aretha Franklin, Quincy Jones, George Benson, Dionne Warwick, Al Jarreau, Teddy Pendergrass, Vanessa Williams, McCoy Tyner and the late Phyllis Hyman. His distinct guitar sound has been heard in popular commercials, hit movies and Emmy Award-winning soap operas. But Doc is more than just a supporting player. A compelling solo artist in his own right, he received a Grammy nomination for his 1987 interpretation of the Marvin Gaye classic, "What's Goin' On."
The result of this musical summit is a contemporary jazz masterwork. Avoiding the indulgent improvisations that marr some modern jazz recordings, Doc plays memorable melodic passages over insinuating grooves. It's a considerate approach that makes Laid Back a richly satisfying listening experience.
"It's a very melodic record without being too aggressive or showy," Doc says. "When I play I don't think about trying to impress people with how fast I can play. I concentrate more on playing from the heart. That makes it more of a spiritual experience for me. It's that emotion that excites me."

-give it up
-love is where it's at
-what's going on
-bad times
-what I like
-love finds a way
-don't waste my time
-let you know
-M&M

Deniece Williams - I'm So Proud 1983

Deniece Williams

Deniece Williams came to the attention of Soul fans towards the tail end of 1976, with the release of her excellent album, 'This Is Niecy'.
During her childhood, Deniece sang in a Pentecostal Gospel Choir.
By the late 1960's she was recording for the Chicago based Toddlin' Town label under the name of Deniece Chandler.
'I Don't Wanna Cry'
Her debut 45 was 'Love Is Tears' b/w 'Walking Away', others included the ballad, 'I Don't Wanna Cry' b/w 'Good Bye, Cruel World' (Toddlin Town 118) in 1969.
She also recorded for the Lock imprint at that time.
In addition to her musical activities, Deniece trained for the medical profession as a nurse at Baltimore's Morgan State College.
Spotted by Stevie Wonder she was hired by him, in 1972, joining his Wonderlove vocal backing group.
Deniece added her vocal input to four of the man's albums before departing that stable in order to pursue a solo career.
Signing to Columbia, she released, the aforementioned, 'This Is Niecy', an album produced by Maurice White of Earth, Wind and Fire, for his Kalimba imprint.
The album included the U.K. hits 'That's What Friends Are For' and the number 1 song 'Free' (part penned by ex Supreme Susaye Green) which was later revived in 1990 by British group BEF for their 'Music Of Quality & Distinction Vol II' album of cover versions.
In 1977, the album 'Song Bird' was released, and featured the number 13 single 'Baby, Baby My Love's All for You.'
The following year, Deniece teamed up with Johnny Mathis for the ballad 'Too Much, Too Little, Too Late'.
This was followed by an album of duets by the couple entitled, 'That's What Friends Are For'.
Deniece then relocated to Maurice White's own label, ARC, for two releases.
In 1981, 'My Melody' contained the ballad 'Silly' and 'It's Your Conscience', which were highly popular amongst Soul fans.
She then recorded her own version of the 1965 song 'It's Gonna Take A Miracle', produced by Thom Bell, returning her to the U.S. Top 10 in 1982 (taken from the album 'Niecy' on CBS).
1983 saw the release of the album 'I'm So Proud', the set being produced by the Fusion artist George Duke.
Deniece then recorded the song, 'Let's Hear It For The Boy', a track originally made for the soundtrack of the 1984 film 'Footloose', the song topping the charts that year.
Deniece left secular music from time to time, appealing mainly to the R & B audience's.

Tracklisting:

A1 Do What You Feel (4:24)
A2 I'm So Proud (3:55)
A3 So Deep In Love (4:22) Featuring - Johnny Mathis
A4 I'm Glad It's You (3:28)
B1 Heaven In Your Eyes (4:54)
B2 They Say (7:10)
B3 Love, Peace And Unity (5:36)
B4 It's Okay (5:26)

Lou Rawls - Love All Your Blues Away 1986

Lou Rawls

Lou’s voice is as distinctive and instantly recognizable as any in music. It all began on December 1, 1933, in Chicago with the birth of a boy, who would become the legendary Lou Rawls. From Lou’s early days in gospel, his collaborations with Sam Cooke, “The Dick Clark Show” at the Hollywood Bowl in 1959, the opening for The Beatles in 1966 at Crosley Field in Cincinnati, his monologues in the 1970s that presaged rap music to becoming a “crossover” artist before the term was invented, there has been one constant in Lou Rawls’ career––a voice that one critic proclaimed was “sweet as sugar, soft as velvet, strong as steel, smooth as butter.”
Lou’s 52 years in entertainment as a recording artist, included an astonishing 60-plus albums, three Grammy wins, 13 Grammy nominations, one platinum album, five gold albums and a gold single and a Star on the Hollywood Hall of Fame. Lou has epitomized the ultimate song stylist. "I've gone the full spectrum--from gospel to blues to jazz to soul to pop--and the public has accepted what I've done through it all. I think it means I've been doing something right at the right time."
Not surprisingly, Lou began his career singing gospel. He was raised on the South Side of Chicago by his grandmother and became a member of his Baptist church choir when his was seven-years-old. As a teenager, Lou's horizons expanded with trips to The Regal Theatre to see Billy Eckstine, Arthur Prysock and Joe Williams. "I loved the way they could lift the spirit of the audience," Lou often stated. Influenced, as well, by doo-wop, Lou would harmonize with high school classmate Cooke and together they joined groups including The Teenage Kings Of Harmony.

1) Change Your Mind
2) Are You With Me
3) Love All Your Blues Away
4) Stop Me From Starting This Feeling
5) Learn To Love Again
6) Willow Weep For Me
7) We'll Be Together Again
8) The Way You Look Tonight
9) It Never Entered My Mind

Stevie Woods - ATTITUDE 1983

Stevie Woods

Had a pretty brief moment in the sun. The guitarist signed with Cotillion Records and released Take Me To Your Heaven in 1981. It's actually a bit of a stretch to label Take Me as Soul music. It was actually one of the early "Brown Eyed Pop" releases that would rise in popularity the 80s from artists such as Lionel Richie and Atlantic Starr. Take Me boasted an A-Team of backing musicians, including Ray Parker, Toto's Steve Lukather and Chicago's Bill Champlin, with international producer Jack White at the helm. White had a talent for gathering great songs from around the world and working to be the first to release them in America with one of his proteges, such as Woods and Laura Branigan. And Take Me was so doggone melodic and hooky front to back that the White formula actually worked pretty well, despite rather bland production. Woods, sounding like a young, hip Johnny Mathis, breezed through the material beautifully. The album's first single, "Steal the Night," was a crossover smash, hitting the top 30 on the Pop charts and slightly lower on the Black Charts.

1 - Make Up Break Up.mp30

2 - Ain't That Peculiar.mp30

3 - Outside Myself.mp30

4 - State Of Our Affair.mp30

5 - Lovin' You.mp30

6 - Heart (Stop Beatin' In Time).mp30

7 - Outrageous.mp30

8 - You Blow Me Away.mp30

9 - A Love So Right.mp3

Rufus - Seal in red 1983

Rufus

Grammy Award winning R&B Super Group
Best known for their Gold & Platinum chart topping hits �Ain�t Nobody,� �Tell Me Something Good,� and �Sweet Thing� with vocalist / diva, CHAKA KHAN, is touring with original Founding Musicians and Grammy Award Winners; Andre Fischer & Bobby Watson. Also included are Niki Haris, Jeff Leib Lee Curreri, Fred Jenkins, Donna Taylor, Kandace Lindsay and Romeo Johnson who continue the RUFUS musical legacy of original Neo Soul, bridging old school with hip-hip, jazz, pop, and funky rock.
Andre Fischer: Natalie Cole, Brenda Russell and Michael Franks
Bobby Watson: Michael Jackson, Rene Moore and Angela Winbush

Tracks :

1. Take It to the Top - 4:15

2. Time Is Right - 4:22

3. When I Get over You - 4:28

4. You Turn Me All Around - 3:11

5. You the night and the music - 3:53

5. Blinded by the Boogie - 3:27

6. I'm Saving This Love Song - 4:01

7. You're Really Out of Line - 3:43

8. Distant Lovers - 3:31

9. No Regrets - 4:01

Patti Austin - Patti Austin 1984

Patti Austin

Classy soul from Patti Austin -- working here with some great help from Quincy Jones, Narada Michael Walden, and others -- all of whom help her find just the right space to groove nicely! Patti's one of those soul singers who always sparkles best in a smoother setting -- and the polished mid 80s style of this one helps her hit a new level of maturity -- one that shines out strongly, even amidst some of the more electric backings -- with enough jazzy inflections to remind us of Patti's roots, and her long association with Quincy Jones over the years. Titles include "It's Gonna Be Special", "Shoot The Moon", "Rhythm Of The Street", "Fine Fine Fella", "Starstruck", "Any Way You Can", and "Change Your Attitude".

Tracks:

1. It´s gonna be special

2. Rhythm of the heat

3. All behind us now

4. Hot: In the flames of love

5. Change your attitude

6. Shoot the moon

7. I´ve got my heart set on you

8. Fine fine fella (Got to have you)

9. Starstruck

10. Any way you can

Kenny Pore - YOU DON'T KNOW ME 1985

Kenny Pore

Finding the source of his musical ideas
Kenny Pore's uniquely American musical journey takes another large step toward his goal of personal maturity with this collection of CDs. His journey has been rough-edged at times and it has been filled with elements familiar to generations of restless young people in both literature and reality: a gritty path through life chosen by an eager and hungry high school drop-out, searching urgently for something he hardly understood himself. The search encompassed far more than merely a quest for his musical vision; it led Kenny to his appreciation today of the value of family ties and friendships, to the fundamentals of a balanced life. But in another sense, Kenny came to see eventually that the search itself was in part the prize, a rich source of his musical ideas. Such an experience has been shared by many artists —— prose writers, painters, poets, sculptors —— all of them gaining strength from the good and bad times. In Kenny's case, it provided him, and the rest of us who relish his work, with the basis for a musical legacy that is gaining in reputation. This CD collection is certain to increase the pace of the recognition his work deserves.
The journey starts
Kenny Pore was born into a musical family on a cold mid-winter's day in Chicago, Illinois, in 1952. His grandfather was one of the original craftsmen making Gibson guitars in Kalamazoo, Michigan. His stepfather, Jimmy Zitano, was a jazz drummer in Al Hirt's band and had worked at various times with Cannonball Adderley, Billie Holiday and Miles Davis. The family stereo was always spinning swing jazz, Coltrane and the like. To hear his rock records, Kenny had to retreat to his room to play them on a cheap player with pennies taped to the arm so that the needle wouldn't skip. Your stuff will distort the speakers on the stereo, his stepfather told him. With his stepfather playing in clubs and his mother working late as a cocktail waitress, Kenny's house attracted a lot of his buddies who brought their instruments over to jam. It also attracted the police —— because neighbors complained about the noise.

YOU DON'T KNOW ME
WALKING WITH YOU
MY HEART KNOWS
LIFE WITHIN
THOUGHTS OF YOU
KNOW THAT YOUR HEART IS RIGHT
DIANNA

Jeff Redd - Down Low 1994

Jeff Redd

Tracks List:

01 - Show You (5:26)

02 - You Called and Told Me (5:24)

03 - Dreamer (4:31)

04 - I Still Do Care (5:16)

05 - Sex Ain't the Only Thing (4:35)

06 - Why (My Guilt) (4:46)

07 - Hard Soft, Slow Fast (5:19)

08 - Down Low (5:48)

09 - Let's Spend the Night (6:04)

10 - Take It Off!!! (5:02)

Casino Lights - Live At Montreux 1982

Casino Lights - Live At Montreux

01) Your precious love (Al Jarreau & Randy Crawford)

02) Who's right, who's wrong (Al Jarreau & Randy Crawford)

03) Sure enough (Al Jarreau & Randy Crawford)

04) Imagine (Randy Crawford & Yellowjackets)

05) Monmouth college fight song (Yellowjackets)

06) Theme from "Love is not enough" (David Sanborn)

07) Hideaway (David Sanborn)

08) Casino lights (Neil Larsen & Buzz Feiten)

09) Tee time for Eric (Yellowjackets)

10) Last night (Larry Carlton & Yellowjackets)

11) E minor song (Neil Larsen & Buzz Feiten)

12) Sara's touch (Mike Mainieri)

Joe Bruce & 2nd Avenue 1987

Joe Bruce & 2nd Avenue

Okay guys, here’s probably the best kept secret of the whole wide AOR community, hands down. This is the original CD release of „Joe Bruce & 2nd Avenue“ and it’s one of the rarest CDs released by a major record company. It was released in 1987 in very limited quantities, it’s long out of print and very hard to find. Even most top-collectors don’t have this gem - well, they don’t even know about it! The music is perfect 80‘s AOR/Westcoast with great harmony vocals, top-notch musicianship, a crystal clear production and fantastic songs (I promise you that there’s NO bad song among them)! Be prepared for fanastic vocal arrangements, breath taking guitar solos by Dann Huff and swirling AOR-keyboards by mastermind Michael Omartian who also was responsible for the crystal clear production on here. Songs like the catchy opener „Gotta Have It All“ ( in the style of Feehans „Where’s The Fire“), the great AOR-track „Powerful Girl“ (what a chorus - could be a Stan Bush song) or the awesome „The Terms Of Love“ with its urgent Dut-Dut keys will leave you breathless - promised! If you like stuff like Tim Feehan, David Roberts, Think Out Loud, Peter Beckett, Bridge To Far or Maxus you just can't go wrong here! By the way there's a reason why this one's so hard to find. Try google for proof - you won't find a single hint for the existance of this album. Also there doesn't seem to exist a vinyI version which is quite unusual for the time (remember it was 1987 and most records didn't get a CD release at all!). I first got the chance to listen to this baby in the late 80's and have since been trying to track down a copy for myself. Well it finally took me 8 years to find it and I ended up paying a fortune - but it was worth every damn buck I can tell you! Why is it so rare you might ask? Okay, it was released on a major company (EMI-America) but after all my experiences with this CD I'm assuming it never got an official release in the US or anywhere else in the world. It probably was withdrawn by the record company right after its initial release back in 1987 and only the first pressings came over to Germany which is, as far as I know, the only place worldwide where the Joe Bruce CD has been found so far. Make no mistake, this is so rare you should grab it all costs if you ever happen to find a copy!

Tracklisting:

1 We Can Have It All (4:09)
2 Something Tells Me (Into Something Good) (4:18)
3 No Way To Win (4:33)
4 Save The Love (4:24)
5 Some Things Never Change (5:03)
6 The Terms Of Love (4:09)
7 The Message Is Clear (5:30)
8 Powerful Girl (5:17)
9 America (What's The Price You Pay) (4:00)
10 I Found Love (4:14)

Dayton - Feel The Music 1982

Dayton

A great one from Dayton -- their third album, and probably their best! The album's got a sparkling modern soul feel that's very much in the Capitol Rare groove -- bits of jazz in the mix, a bit of 80s groove, and some sweetly produced vocals that come off with a nice smooth soul sound. Includes the group's great cut "The Sound Of Music" -- not the theme from the Broadway show, but a great two-stepper that's instantly infectious. Other tracks include "Caught In The Middle", "It Must Be Love", "Promise Me", and "Lookin Up".

1)The Sound Of Music
2)It Must Be Love
3)Out Tonight
4)So What
5)Love You Anyway
6)Caught In The Middle
7)Eyes
8)Promise Me
9)Lookin' Up

PM - PM 1988

PM

Guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter, Peter Mayer has been quietly and steadily building a fervent following around the globe, stepping out of the shadow of his boss, Jimmy Buffett, into his own with a fresh songwriting and performing style.
Accompanied by bassist John Eatmon from Ft. Lauderdale; drummer Roger "Scotch" Guth; and guitarist Vince Varvel from St. Louis, Missouri, Peter delivers honest revealing music that blends originality with accessibility, bound together by a virtuoso ensemble sound that makes it all seem easy.
While Peter Mayer is a portent of music for the coming millennium, he and his band are hardly fresh faced newcomers. The foursome boast between them an extensive performing and songwriting portfolio with experience in any number of styles from jazz to country, rock to classical.
Recording under the name PM, Peter released an eponymous debut album for Warner Bros. in 1988 with Elliot Scheiner (Steely Dan, Aretha Franklin, Bruce Hornsby) produced single "Piece of Paradise" reaching #8 on the Billboard chart. Despite the top ten single, major tours with both "Moody Blues" and "Chicago", and rave national media reviews, Peter and his band got lost in the Warner Brothers bureaucracy.... perhaps a blessing in disguise.When Scheiner was hired to produce Buffett's "Off to See the Lizard" album, he suggested that Jimmy use PM for the recording sessions. Buffett was so impressed with their unique versatility as musicians and performers that he quickly hired them as part of his own "Coral Reefer Band", a successful relationship that continues to date.
"I had no idea what to expect or what I was getting into," said Mayer. "I'm not sure if it was me whobrought Roger and Jim, or the other way around, but we thought it would be a fun thing to do while we shopped for a new record deal. I remember sitting in my hotel room before the session thinking, 'I should really listen to this guy before the session,' and put on Jimmy's 'Floridays' album. 'Creola' came on and I thought, 'Hey, that's really nice.' We went on over to the Hit Factory recording studio, and the first thing Jimmy said was, 'So this is my new band.'
Since that first meeting, Peter has become a favorite to watch and listen to. In addition to the busy schedule with JB, Peter still manages to write and record his own band materials, made evident by such great CD's as "Street of Dreams", "Red Wine and Lemonade", and the very popular "Green Eyed Radio".Peter is currently working on his soon to be released "Romeo's Garage". "It's hard on my family ... my being gone, but this is what I do," said Mayer who tours with Buffett half the year and several months as PM. "I do the best to be there for my family. I'm out sometimes four weeks at a time. We talk a minimum of once a day."
Peter hails from Tamilnadu, the far southern region of India, where his parents served as missionaries for seventeen years before returning to their Missouri roots. Musical influences from that period of his life can be heard in his playing. Peter recalls, "I can remember Indian musicians giving Christmas concerts in my parent's house; wildly playing drums and flutes, shakers and bells.... they would go onfor hours and hours." Peter currently resides in St. Louis with his wife Patricia, and children Brendan and India.

The Tracks are:

Piece Of Paradise,

Say It Again,

Moonlight Over Paris,

Nothing,

Somebody´s Gonna Cry,

Grown Men,

The Wanting,

On The Corner,

When First We Were Lovers,

Boy Meets Girl,

Love Is A Stranger

I Live In A Hole.

Musicians on the PM album: Peter Mayer, Jim Mayer, Roger Guth, Jay Oliver, Sheryl Crow & Lynn Fiddmont.Available from Warner Bros./Original release year: 1988

Marilyn Scott - Without Warning 1983

Marilyn Scott

Marilyn Scott appeared with her debut single "God Only Knows c/w Lay Back Daddy" in 1977 from Big Tree label under Atlantic Records supported by David Paich and Jeff Porcaro. "God Only Knows" is originally performed by Beach Boys and her disco version was ranked No. 61 on Billboard Chart. Then, she released two albums of her own in United States; "Dreams Of Tomorrow" (ATCO) in 1979 and "Without Warning" (PolyGram) in 1983 which was produced by Michael Sembello.

She was also featred on several movie soundtrack albums such as "I Only Have Eyes For You" on the movie "Twins" starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. And you can find out her name as a guest vocalist on many albums such as Bobby Caldwell's album "Solid Ground" (1991). Among her several albums, I believe that her 2nd album "Without Warning" deserves one of Masterpiece albums.

Label: Polygram Records (reissued CD: Polydor Japan POCP-2041 out of print)
Release Year: 1983
Producer: Michael Sembello , Russell Ferrante and herself
Musicians:
Drums: Art Rodriguez, Ricky Lawson, John Robinson, James Stroud
Bass: Dean Cortez, Nathan East, Jimmy Haslip, Michael Sembello, Don Barrett
Guitars: Michael Sembello, Tom Fowle, Robben Ford
Keyboards and Synthesizer: Russell Ferrante, Dan Sembello, Jimmy Haslip, Ian Underwood, Chris Pagem, Craig Harris
Percussion: Paulinho Da Costa
Marinba: Frank Marsico
Bacjground Vocals: Michael Sembello, Cruz Sembello, Sheree Brown, Pepper Watkins
Horns: Greg Adams, Mic Gillette, Steve Kupkam, Emilio Castillo, Marc Russo (Tower Of Power Horns)

Tracks:
Only You
First Time
Where Is The Sky
You Can Do It
Say Goodbye
10 X 10
If You Let Me Love You
This Side Of The Rainbow
Hold On
I'll Be Lovin' You

Masaki Matsubara -Painted Woman 1985

Masaki Matsubara

"Japanese west coast music release"

The Tracks are: To be updated.

Musicians on the Painted Woman album: Masaki Matsubuta, Jesse Barish, Eric Tagg and others. Available from © xxxx Japan/Original release year: 1985

Michael Ruff - Michael Ruff 1986

Michael Ruff

is the kind of musical artist whom everyone likes to "discover" and turn their friends onto. A consumate singer, songwriter and keyboardist, Ruff shows off his finely-honed skills on his second American album, the appropriately-titled Speaking in Melodies on the Sheffield Lab label.Michael Ruff's talent has during the past decade serving as the concert music director for Chaka Kahn, David Sanborn and Rickie Lee Jones; as band member with Lionel Ritchie, Brenda Russell, Karla Bonoff, Jose Feliciano, James Cotton, John Lee Hooker, Randy Vanwarmer, The Wynans, The Beckmeir Brothers and members of Rufus; and performer on-stage with Al Jarreau, Kal David, Gerald Albright and Michael Paulo.Ruff also is known as a hot songwriter for artists such as Bonnie Raitt ("Cry On My Shoulder" on" her multi-Platinum Nick of Time album), Huey Lewis ("That's Not Me"), Roberta Flack ("More Than You'll Ever Know' and "Thought I Knew It All"), Vonda Shepard ("A New Marilyn"), Karla Bonoff ("All Walk Alone"), David Sanborn, Carl Anderson, Kal David and Chaka Kahn.Michael was born in Salt Lake City, but spent his school years growing up in Boston and Manchester, Connecticut. He began playing piano at three and was considered a prodigy by his teachers.In high school, Michael played in various groups that performed either blues, Top 40 or R&B. At 17, he was touring the east coast behind James Cotton, John Lee Hooker and other blues acts.A year later he joined Don Moore and backed this singer-songwriter in New York City clubs and Catskill Mountains resorts. "He encouraged me to start writing songs " Michael spent a couple of years living in Woodstock where he played with artists like Orleans, Paul Butterfield and David Sanborn.Ruff moved to New York City, met Randy Vanwarmer, toured with him and played on his album with musicians such as Tony Levin and Shane Fontaine.Ruff moved to Los Angeles where he recorded two albums with The Beckmeir Brothers and began doing session work with other artists.

The Tracks are:

That´s Not Me,

Love´s Got A Hold On Me,

Poor Boy,

More Than Ever,

Think About You,

More Than You´ll Ever Know

I´d Still Be Loving You.

Musicians on the Michael Ruff album: Michael Ruff, Snuffy Walden, Jimmy Haun, Peter Framton, David Williams, James Harrah, Buzzy Feiten, Jimmy Johnson, Cliff Hugo, Ralph Humpfrey, Armond Grimaldi, Per Lindvall, Leslie Smith, Joe Turano, Vonda Shepard, Mark Lennon, Kip Lennon, Brandon Fields, Nils Landgren & Paulinho Da Costa.

Available from LA Califusa Records/Original release year: 1988

Marc Jordan - A Hole In The Wall 1983

Marc Jordan

Born in Brooklyn, and raised in Toronto, Marc grew up in a household that abounded with music. Classically-trained Charles Jordan, a singer and radio personality, exposed Marc to everything from Woody Guthrie to Grieg, and to all of the jazz greats.Marc studied filmmaking in university but soon slipped back into music and songwriting. Marc focused mainly on pop throughout his career, writing for a spectrum of artists including Cher, Joe Cocker, Chicago, Kenny Loggins, Natalie Cole, Manhatten Transfer, Holly Cole and Amanda Marshall. In 1992, he gave Rod Stewart a worldwide #1 hit with "Rhythm Of My Heart", as well as "This" which went Top 10. And 1999 has proven to be another stellar year for Marc. Cher recorded a second Marc Jordan composition ("Taxi Taxi") for her blockbuster album Believe, predicted to hit sales of 10 million by Christmas. Back for more, Rod Stewart has once again mined Marc's portfolio, finding two songs for his new CD due out in January 2000. When all is said and done, though, timing is everything.Having recorded eight albums of his own and satisfied with his reputation as a songwriter, Marc confidently ambled up the path that was mapped out in his childhood. Fates colliding, as he himself would say, along came EMI Canada and the legendary jazz label, Blue Note Records. Rigid definitions of what is jazz and what is not jazz are rapidly blurring as we approach the end of the century. Marc is one of the many who simply defy traditional categorization. Coming full circle with the release of This Is How Men Cry, he is finally able to delve into his love of jazz, fusing traditional elements of the genre with his own contemporary musical viewpoint.Listening to This Is How Men Cry, you can hear the sounds of the city. This music, these emotions, hang in the air that we breathe as we trip along the streets at midnight. It's the kind of air that makes you heady, all smoky and close on you. The pores of your skin absorb it; osmosis feeds itstraight to your brain. Listen. Now it's breathing you.

The Tracks are:

Slipping Away,

Margarita,

She Used To Be My World,

A Hole In The Wall,

Where Did We Go Wrong,

It´s Only Love,

Love Like A Wheel,

Thieves,

Dance With Me

Hold On.

Musicians on the A Hole In The Wall album: Marc Jordan, Robben Ford, David Foster, Michael Baird, Michael Boddicker, David Boruff, Robbie Buchanan, Lenny Castro, Brian Eno, Steve George, Jay Graydon, Jerry Hey, Michael Landau, Steve Lukather, Richard Page, Mike Porcaro, Neil Stubenhaus, Ian Underwood & Ernie Watts.

Available from Sound Design/Original release year: 1983

Marc Jordan - Blue Desert 1979

Marc Jordan

Born in Brooklyn, and raised in Toronto, Marc grew up in a household that abounded with music. Classically-trained Charles Jordan, a singer and radio personality, exposed Marc to everything from Woody Guthrie to Grieg, and to all of the jazz greats.Marc studied filmmaking in university but soon slipped back into music and songwriting. Marc focused mainly on pop throughout his career, writing for a spectrum of artists including Cher, Joe Cocker, Chicago, Kenny Loggins, Natalie Cole, Manhatten Transfer, Holly Cole and Amanda Marshall. In 1992, he gave Rod Stewart a worldwide #1 hit with "Rhythm Of My Heart", as well as "This" which went Top 10. And 1999 has proven to be another stellar year for Marc. Cher recorded a second Marc Jordan composition ("Taxi Taxi") for her blockbuster album Believe, predicted to hit sales of 10 million by Christmas. Back for more, Rod Stewart has once again mined Marc's portfolio, finding two songs for his new CD due out in January 2000. When all is said and done, though, timing is everything.Having recorded eight albums of his own and satisfied with his reputation as a songwriter, Marc confidently ambled up the path that was mapped out in his childhood. Fates colliding, as he himself would say, along came EMI Canada and the legendary jazz label, Blue Note Records. Rigid definitions of what is jazz and what is not jazz are rapidly blurring as we approach the end of the century. Marc is one of the many who simply defy traditional categorization. Coming full circle with the release of This Is How Men Cry, he is finally able to delve into his love of jazz, fusing traditional elements of the genre with his own contemporary musical viewpoint.Listening to This Is How Men Cry, you can hear the sounds of the city. This music, these emotions, hang in the air that we breathe as we trip along the streets at midnight. It's the kind of air that makes you heady, all smoky and close on you. The pores of your skin absorb it; osmosis feeds itstraight to your brain. Listen. Now it's breathing you.

The Tracks are:

Generalities,

I'm a Camera,

Twilight,

From Nowhere to This Town,

Beautiful People,

Lost in the Hurah,

Release Yourself,

Tattooed Lady

Exile

Musicians on the Blue Desert album: Marc Jordan, Jay Graydon, Michael Omartian, Ray Parker Jr., Dean Parks, Abraham Laboriel, Ralph Humphreys, Ernie Watts, Greg Mathieson, Jeff Porcaro, Venette Gloud, Jim Keltner, Bill Champlin, Marcy Levy, Steve Lukather, Bobby Kimball, Tom Kelly, Steve Porcaro, Buzz Ramar, Carmen Twillie, Chuck Findley, Pete Christlieb, Dave McMorrow & Ben Benay.

Available from Warner Bros./Original release year: 1979

Robbie Dupree - Street Corner Heroes 1981

Robbie Dupree

was born Robert Dupuis in 1947. The Brooklyn-native has been along way around in his musical career. It began in the street corners of Brooklyn were he was singing in different a cappella groups.
After a stay in New York were Robbie Dupree tried to be settled as a musicians, but it was more the musical writing that became the strong side of his career at that time. After the stay in New York, Robbie moved to Woodstock in 1973. Over a long period Robbie Dupree played in a lot of band, did all the touring, and became an important part of the musical enviroment in that area.
Robbie Dupree were focused on a solo career, and in 1978 this brought him to the city of music Los Angeles. Here he teamed up with his old friends Rick Chudacoff and Peter Bunetta. Robbie Dupree signed with Elektra Records, and with Rick and Peter as producers the first album "Robbie Dupree" in 1980. It was a great debut for Robbie Dupree and the album gave him two Top 10 singles, 'Steal Away' and 'Hot Rod Hearts', a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. One of the highlights from the album, the song "Steal Away" has to date been played on American radio almost three million times, so you can say that is is a true pop classic.The first album was followed up the year after with the release "Street Corner Heroes", a title that reminds of Robbie´s beginning back in Brooklyn, and you can really hear that on the song "All Night Long", another classic from this period. Robbie did establish himself as a big star these years.
Then suddenly a lot of thing changes. Robbie Dupree stopped his contract with Elektra Records, he didn´t like the direction that the record label wanted him to, so he decides to "sit the contract out". After that he took a long break from recording, and first after 8 years he recorded the 3rd album "Carried Away". It was a beatiful comeback, and you could hear that he still is a great songwriter. This album had a lot of highlights and the opening tune "This Is Life" is saying everything.
After "Carried Away" Robbie Dupree has been very active, he has released 4 albums (Walking On Water - 1993, Smoke & Mirrors - 1995, Vintage Vol 1. - 1997, All Night Long Live - 1998), and the next "Vintage Vol. 2" is being released in June 2001.
Beside working with his on own material, he has also produced albums for his longtime friends John Hall and Bill LaBounty, and co-writing materials with others etc.
Robbie Dupree is also still active "live on stage" and if you would like to check that out, you should listen to the livealbum "All Night Long, Live" that he released in 1998.

The Tracks are:

Street Corner Heroes,

Desperation,

Brooklyn Girls,

All Night Long, Free Fallin´,

I´ll Be THe Fool Again,

Are You Ready For Love?,

Saturday Night,

Missin´ You

The Long Goodbye.

Musicians on the Street Corner Heroes album: Robbie Dupree, Dennis Herring, Michael Boddicker, Bill Elliot, Joe Lala, Leslie Smith, Arno Lucas, David Anderson, Bill LaBounty, Matthew Weiner, Joe Turano, Jerry Peterson, Kal David, Brian Ray, Rick Chudacoff, Peter Bunetta, David Woodford, Lee Thornburg, Darrel Leonard, Bill Armstrong & George McWhirter.

Available from Elektra/Original release year: 1981

Bill Champlin - Single 1978

Bill Champlin

Singer / songwriter / keyboard player / guitarist Bill Champlin has been a rock journeyman in a career dating back to the 1960s. Starting in 1966, Champlin was the pivotal figure in a San Francisco - based group called the Sons of Champlin that existed and made records off and on for over a decade without gaining a great deal of notice.
In 1981, Champlin became a member of Chicago, with whom he has recorded and toured ever since, while releasing the occasional solo album, sometimes only in Japan. He scored two singles chart entries in 1982 with "Tonight Tonight" and "Sara," duetted with Patti LaBelle on "The Last Unbroken Heart" from the soundtrack to the TV series Miami Vice in 1987, and sang with Brenda Russell on jazz saxophonist Tom Scott's Keep This Love Alive album in 1991.

The Tracks are:

What Good Is Love,

I Don´t Want You Anymore,

We Both Tried,

Yo´ Mama,

Fly With Me,

Love Is Forever,

Careless, Elayne

Keys To The Kingdom.

Musicians on the Single album: Bill Champlin, David Foster, David Paich, Ray Parker Jr, Jay Graydon, Steve Lukather, David Shields, David Hungate, Larry Tolbert, Jeff Porcaro, Duris Maxwell, Paulinho Da Costa, Carmen Twillie, Venette Gloud, Bobby Kimball, Michael McDonald, Daryl Hall, Steve Porcaro, Jerry Hey, Gary Grant, Oscar Brashear, Larry Williams, Bruce Paulsen, George Bohannon & Marty Paich.

Available from Epic/Sony Records/Original release year: 1978

Eric Tagg - Dreamwalkin 1982

Eric Tagg

The voice from the classic Rit albums ....
He is most knowned as the vocalist on the classic "Rit" albums from Lee Ritenour. But Eric Tagg is more than that. He started his career as a vocalist in Netherland in Europe where he released two albums, before he went back to US. After his 3rd album "Dreamwalkin´", Eric Tagg has been away from the music scene, but in 1997 he got a comeback with the brilliant album "Through My Eyes".

The Tracks are:

No One There,

Marianne (I Was Only Joking),

Promises Promises,

Dreamwalkin´,

In The Way,

A Bigger Love,

Crybaby,

Just Another Dream,

Marzipan

Maos De Afeto.

Musicians on the Dreamwalkin´ album: Eric Tagg, Lee Ritenour, John Robinson, Alex Acuna, Rich Shlosser, David Hungate, Abraham Laboriel, Nathan East, David Foster, Don Grusin, Greg Mathieson, Tom Scott & Jerry Hey.

Available from Agharta Records/Original release year: 1982

Kimoko Kasai -New Pastel 1985

Kimoko Kasai

The Tracks are:

To be updated.

Musicians on the New Pastel album: Kimoko Kasai, Nathan East, Paul Jackson Jr, Ricky Lawson, Eve, Takeshi Itoh and others.

Available from © xxxx Japan/Original release year: 1984

Peter Allen - Bi-Coastal 1980

Peter Allen

In the 1970s, Peter Allen gained recognition both as a composer of romantic ballads such as "I Honestly Love You" and "Don't Cry Out Loud" and, contrastingly, as a flamboyant stage performer. He learned to play the piano and began entertaining people at the pub in his small Australian hometown when he was still a child. By 1959, he was in Sydney, where he became a last-minute replacement in a duo appearing on the television show Australian Bandstand with guitarist and singer Chris Bell. The act was successful and the two became known as the Allen Brothers. In the early 1960s, they had an Australian hit with "My Secret" and toured the Far East. They were appearing at a hotel in Hong Kong in the spring of 1964 when Judy Garland saw them and was impressed. She got them bookings and brought them to London, where they were her opening act. She also introduced Allen to her daughter, Liza Minnelli, and the two became engaged. The Allen Brothers made their American debut at the Diplomat Hotel in Miami in December 1964, then moved to New York. For the rest of the 1960s, they appeared in clubs around the U.S., notably at the various Playboy Clubs. After a lengthy engagement, Allen and Minnelli married on March 3, 1967.
During the late 1960s, Allen became involved in the Greenwich Village music and theater scene, and grew disenchanted with the more conventional show business world represented by his professional partner and his wife. He and Minnelli separated during the holiday season of 1969 (though they were not divorced until July 24, 1974), and the Allen Brothers broke up in the spring of 1970. On June 24, 1970, Allen played his first show as a solo act at the Bitter End nightclub in Greenwich Village. He wrote songs for the Off-Off-Broadway La Mama Theatre Company, and made his Broadway debut on January 12, 1971, in Soon, a rock opera that played only three performances.
Allen became interested in the trend toward introspective singer-songwriters in the early 1970s, and in writing more commercial music. Employed as a staff writer at Metromedia Records, he co-wrote "Jennifer" with Carole Bayer Sager. The song was sung in the TV movie Getting Together by Bobby Sherman, who recorded it for Metromedia, and it became a Top 40 hit in the fall of 1971. Metromedia then commissioned Allen to record his own album, and he released Peter Allen in 1971, followed in 1972 by Tenterfield Saddler. Performers on New York's club circuit began to sing songs from his albums, and he returned to performing himself with an appearance at the popular nightspot Reno Sweeney's in 1973. In 1974, he and Jeff Barry wrote "I Honestly Love You," a sad ballad that was recorded by Olivia Newton-John and became a #1 hit in October. With that, Allen was signed to A&M Records, releasing his third album, Continental American. In 1976 came Taught by Experts, which featured "The More I See You," an easy listening chart entry.

The Tracks are:

One Step over the Borderline,

Fly Away,

Bi-Coastal,

I Don't Go Shopping,

Hit in the Heart,

I Could Really Show You Around,

Somebody's Angel,

Simon,

Pass This Time

When This Love Affair Is Over.

Musicians on the Bi-Coastal album: Peter Allen, David Foster, Paulinho Da Costa, Jeff Porcaro, Gary Grant, Larry Hall, Bill Reichenbach, Lew McCreary & Louis Corteltezzi.

Available from A&M Records/Original release year: 1980