Julio 11, 2009 a 10:14 pm (Disco)
Journey To The Light [1978]
Brainstorm was well known in Southeast Michigan as a very hot club act formed in the early 70s by Chuck Overton(leader, tenor and alto sax, vocals, writing), Treaty Womack Treaty (congas, flute, vocals, and writing) and Belita Woods (vocals extraordinaire, and writing). Other members were Bob Ross (keyboards and writing), Larry Sims (trumpet and writing), Eugene Lamont Johnson (bass guitar, vocals and writing), Renell Gonsalves (drums and writing), and David Myles (guitar) Gerald Kent (lead & rhythm guitar). The band was discovered by industry icon Clarence Avant, and recorded a demo locally. This led to a contract with Clarence’s TABU label and recording sessions at Total Experience studios in Los Angeles, and later United Sound in Detroit, with Jerry Peters producing. Bob Ross left the band in 1976 and William Lloyd Wooten, of the Dramatics, joined the group.
Second LP Journey to the light was completed in 1977 and published in 1978. There was reason to believe that Brainstorm might go on to become huge, but regrettably, this sophomore effort, was a commercial disappointment. The LP didn’t provide any major hits, and the only people who bought it were Brainstorm’s hardcore followers. Regardless, Journey to the Light is generally excellent. Brainstorm had a gem of a lead singer in Belita Woods, who really soars on tunes that range from Stevie Wonder’s funky “Every Time I See You, I Go Wild!” to the quite storm pearl “If You Ever Need to Cry” and the jazzy, Roy Ayers-ish “Brand New Day.” Nor are the lead vocals of Trenita Womack (who is featured on the slow jam “Loving Just You”) and Deon Estus anything to complain about. One can speculate on the reasons why Journey to the Light wasn’t as commercially successful as Stormin’ — some would argue that none of the songs had as much disco and dancefloor appeal as “Lovin’ Is Really My Game.” At any rate, this is an album that should have done a lot better. Brainstorm went on tour with Marvin Gaye, the Isley’s , Johnny Guitar Watson , Rose Royce and many other artists. In early 1978, they shared stage in Washington DC with an up-and-comer named Peabo Bryson . Singers Delbert Nelson and Misty Love joined the tour, adding wonderful vocals.(www.discomusic.com)
Tracks:
1. We’re on Our Way Home, Pt. 1
2. Loving Just You
3. Every Time I See You, I Go Wild!
4. Brand New Day
5. Journey to the Light
6. If You Ever Need to Cry
7. We’re on Our Way Home, Pt. 2
8. Positive Thinking
Bonus
9. Journey To The Light (Disco Version)
**Listen**
Gracias a kunio por este album
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Julio 11, 2009 a 7:07 pm (Funky)
Orgasm: The Very Best of the Westbound Years [(1972-1973) 1993]
The majority of music fans are familiar with the legendary Ohio Players through such mid- to late-’70s pop-funk hits as “Love Rollercoaster,” “Fire,” and “Fopp.” What many don’t realize is that the band had been around since the ’60s, and released a trilogy of hard funk records from 1972-1973 on the Westbound label — Pain, Pleasure, and Ecstasy — that were easily comparable to the early-’70s classics by their rival Westbound labelmates, Funkadelic. And since the albums have been out-of-print for some time, the European import Orgasm: The Very Best of the Westbound Years is a solid collection of tracks from this era. Included is the 1972 novelty hit “Funky Worm,” as well as all the sizzling title tracks from the three albums. A pair of songs from outside the trilogy is added, “Climax” (one of the collection’s best tracks) and a cover of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On,” both from 1974. A previously unissued track, “Ain’t That Lovin’ You (For More Reasons Than One),” is tacked on the end, making Orgasm an excellent anthology of the Ohio Players’ early years, before they achieved mass mainstream success. (AMG)
Tracks
1. Pain
2. Pleasure
3. Ecstasy
4. Climax
5. Funky Worm
6. Player’s Balling (Players Doin’ Their Own Thing)
7. Varee Is Love
8. Sleep Talk
9. Walt’s First Trip
10. Laid It
11. What’s Going On
12. Singing in the Morning
13. Food Stamps Y’all
14. I Want to Hear (From You)
15. Ain’t That Loving You (For More Reasons Than One)
**Listen**
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Julio 11, 2009 a 6:14 pm (Funk, Funk Jazz)
Blackbyrds/Flying Start [ (1973 - 1974) - 1996]
2 incredible albums from The Blackbyrds — back to back on a single CD! First up is the self-titled Blackbyrds record — a funky jazz treasure, and the band’s landmark first album! The Blackbyrds were a legendary 70s combo that were discovered by Donald Byrd while he was teaching at Howard University — and they had a tight style that mixed raw funk influences with smoother jazz playing, creating a sound that was different from many of their contemporaries, and which pushed funk and soul into a whole new level. Byrd’s work with the band was as groundbreaking as Larry Mizell’s work on his own Blue Note albums — and coincidentally, Larry Mizzell’s Sky High Productions handles the studio chores for the set — but in a way that’s much more sharply funky than his albums with Byrd! Titles include the tight choppy funk tracks “Do It, Fluid” and “Funky Junkie”, plus other nice groovers like “Summer Love”, “Gut Level”, and “The Runaway”. Flying Start has a beautifully put-together feel — tight enough to crossover somewhat big with a larger audience than the group’s previous effort — but still filled with the kind of righteous energy that first got them going, a sublime mix of jazzy rhythms and soulful elements, all held together tightly by production from Donald Byrd. Tracks include the big hit “Walking In Rhythm”, which was an oft-spun 45 back in the day — plus some great funk moments, like the tasty “Spaced Out”, the choppy “The Baby”, and the captivating “Blackbyrds Theme”. Other cuts include “Future Children Future Hopes”, “I Need You”, and “April Showers”. (DGA, Inc)
Tracks:
1. Do It Fluid
2. Gut Level
3. Reggins
4. Runaway
5. Funkie Junkie
6. Summer Love
7. Life Styles
8. Hot Day Today
9. I Need You
10. Baby
11. Love Is Love
12. Blackbyrd’s Theme
13. Walking in Rhythm
14. Future Children Future Ho
15. April Showers
16. Spaced Out
**Listen**
4 comentarios
Journey To The Light [1978]
