March 27, 2025

B. Baker Chocolate Co. - B. Baker Chocolate Co. (1979)

B. Baker Chocolate Co. were an American jazz-funk supergroup that released a self-titled album on the Lester Radio Corporation label in 1979.
Main arranger Brad Baker conceived this project in 1979 featuring performers include Jimmy Ponder on guitar, Lonnie Smith and Jimmy McGriff on organs, Eddie Daniels and George Young on saxophones and Sherry Winston on flute.
It contains the jazz-funk monster 'Snow Blower', and the rest of the album kind of flounders around between soul ballad and smooth keyboard jazz, but mostly dance floor influenced late '70 blandness. 



Track listing

A1. Snow Blower - 6:45
       Written-By – Baker, Quinn
A2. Carousel - 5:35
       Arranged By – Del Gatto
       Written-By – Baker, Quinn
A3. Dreamer - 4:57
       Arranged By – Christianson, Lonnie Smith
       Organ – Jimmy McGriff
       Vocals – Gene Scott
       Written-By – Lonnie Smith

B1. Spirit Level - 6:14
       Written-By – Baker, Quinn
B2. Higher And Higher / The High And The Mighty - 5:35
       Alto Saxophone – Eddie Daniels
       Written-By – Smith, Jackson, Miner
B3. It's Where You're Coming From - 5:14
       Organ – Jimmy McGriff
       Vocals – Lew Kirton
       Written-By – Baker, Oriolo, Friedman


Solo Vocal Performances :

Gene Scott on "Dreamer"
Lew Kirton on "It's Where You're Coming From"
Vocalists : Jocelyn Brown, Lonnie Groves, Diva Gray, Gordon Grody


Companies, etc.

Credits

Notes
Released: 1979 
Genre:  Jazz-Funk 
Length: 34:55

Label - Lester Radio Corporation 

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March 26, 2025

Johnny Hallyday - Rough Town (1994)

Rough Town is a 1994 album recorded by French singer Johnny Hallyday. 
It is entirely written in English to win over the anglophone countries, with the title track written by Bryan Adams. 
It was released in September 1994 and achieved success in France, where it debuted at the top of the charts on 2 October 1994, but dropped just after and stayed for nine weeks on the top 50 chart. 
It provided two singles in France, "I Wanna Make Love To You" (#18) and "Love Affair" (#35), a duet with Kathy Mattea. 
The album was also released in Germany, but was unsuccessful in this country. The video for "Love Affair" was directed by Dani Jacobs, filmed in Nashville and features Johnny and Kathy Mattea who duets on this track. 
Very directed towards blues-rock, Johnny Hallyday delivers a homogeneous and convincing album of a man who looks calm, at least at this time. 
He avoids dubious collaborations; there is still the presence for the title song of Bryan Adams, a notorious fake Springsteen and Jim Vallance, who was the fmiser (gravedigger!) for Aerosmith, Joe Cocker, Tina Turner... but good. 
We are happy to notice the company of half the musicians of Little Feat: Richard Hayward on drums, the piano of Bill Payne and Sam Clayton on percussion... and especially the second Star on the record guitarist Robin Le Mesurier - we wonder if he doesn't steal the star from our Jojo - whose spicy and lively roots play does good to his ears.
Rough Town is Johnny Hallyday's ever last album in foreign language. 


 Track listing

1. Fool for the Blues - 4:34
    Written-By – Paul Rafferty, Robin Le Mesurier
2. (I Wanna) Make Love to You - 4:30
    Written-By – Jerry Lynn Williams
3. Love Affair - 5:12
    Featuring – Kathy Mattea
    Written-By – Jerry Lynn Williams
4. Hurricane - 5:14
    Written-By – Steve Diamond
5. Can't Stop Wanting You - 4:31
    Written-By – Paul Brady
6. Are the Chances Gone - 5:10
    Written-By – Robin Le Mesurier, Sheppard Solomon
7. Rough Town - 4:26
    Written-By – Brian Adams, Jim Vallance
8. Lightnin' - 5:06
    Written-By – Richard Guy Bailey, Simon Carman
9. Dry Spell - 7:56
    Written-By – Colin James, Daryl Burgess
10. You're Mine - 4:53
      Written-By – Kevin Dukes, Paul Rafferty 
11. Before You Change Your Mind - 4:07
      Written-By – Daryl Burgess
12. It's a Long Way Home - 4:08
      Written-By – Franke Miller, Will Jennings


Companies, etc.
Credits

Notes
Released:  September 1994
Recorded: 1994
Genre:  Pop, rock
Length:  59:35
Producer:  Chris Kimsey

Label - Universal Music
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Norman Connors - Mr. C (1981)

Mr. C saw Norman Connors descend from chart action a little too soon, as it boasts a handful of cuts that should've performed well. 
Only "She's Gone," the leadoff number featuring Connors on vocals, registered on the black singles chart. 
Like the remainder of the record's first side, "She's Gone" sees Connors moving into synthesized sounds and rhythm programming -- if he hadn't lost the jazz purists through his jazz-funk and fusion cuts of the mid- to late '70s, they were surely completely gone after hearing this material. 
Suffice to say, this album has more in common with Cameo and D Train than Sam Rivers and John Coltrane. 
The first half is a straight-up party record, full of brisk arrangements and tugging melodic hooks. 
Despite the heavy use of electronics, this record employed another laundry list of guest musicians, including Marion Meadows, Pee Wee Ford, and Paulinho Da Costa. 
Most of these people are present on the album's second side, which moves back into the jazzy, smooth R&B favored by Connors on albums like This Is Your Life and Take It to the Limit. Lovers of both electrified and lush early-'80s R&B should not overlook this one.  [Mr. C Review by Andy Kellman]

Track listing

1. She's Gone - 4:54
    Written-By – Nigel Martinez
2. Party Town - 5:00
3. Keep Doin' It - 5:22
    Written-By – Nigel Martinez
4. Stay With Me - 3:20
    Written-By – Nigel Martinez
5. Anyway You Want - 3:25
    Written-By – Sandy Torano
6. Sing A Love Song - 3:16
    Written-By – Jacques Burvick, Marion Meadows
7. Love's In Your Corner - 4:34
    Written-By – Paul Smith
8. Mr. C - 4:23
    Written-By – The Starship Orchestra


Personnel
*  Norman Connors - Drums, Percussion, Vocals, Background vocals
*  Jean Carn - Vocal Duet with Derrick Hughes on "Love's In Your Corner"
*  Glenn Jones - Lead vocal on "Sing A Love Song"
*  Vocal Contractor - Phyllis St. James & Norman Connors
*  Background vocals - Phyllis St. James, Norman Connors, Maxi Anderson, Mortonette Jenkins, 
    Lillian Tang Tymes, Darlene Coleman, Jean Carn, Lisa Roberts, Howard McQuary

Production
*  Produced by Norman Connors for Norman Connors Productions, Inc.
*  New Directions in Music by Norman Connors
*  Vocal Production by Norman Connors
*  Arranged & Conducted by Norman Connors, McKinley Jackson, Ben Wright, Onaje Allen Gumbs
*  "She's Gone", "Keep Doin' It", "Stay With Me", "Anyway You Want" Arranged & Conducted by Ben Wright
*  "Party Town" & "Love's In Your Corner" Arranged & Conducted by McKinley Jackson
*  "Mr. C" & "Sing A Love Song" Arranged & Conducted by Norman Connors, Jacques Burvick
*  Horn & Synthesizer Arrangement on "Sing A Love Song" by Onaje Allen Gumbs
*  Horns on "Mr. C" Arranged by Duke Jones & Marion Meadows
*  Recorded at Kendun Recorders, Burbank, California
*  Recording & Mixing Engineer by Mallory Earl
*  Assistant Engineers by Bob Winnard, Mark Sacket, Vicky Milgrom, Tom Cummings  
*  Mastered at Artisan Sound Recorders, Hollywood, California by Gregg Fulginiti
*  Additional Recording at Sound Mixers, New York, N.Y. by Darroll Gustamachio & Chris Howard

Starship Orchestra 
*  Jacques Burvick - Keyboards
*  Duke Jones - Trumpet & Flugelhorn
*  Marion Meadows - Tenor & Soprano Sax (Played All Sax Solo's)
*  Nate Winfield - Guitar
*  Pee Wee Ford - Bass
*  Dave Spann - Drums
*  Kenny Hudson - Percussion

L.A. Studio Musicians
*  Horn & Rhythm Contractor - Ben Barrett
*  Keyboards - Dean Gant
*  Guitars - Marlo Henderson, Mitch Holder, George Doering
*  Bass - Nathan East
*  Drums - Dennis Davis, Leon Chancler on "Party Town" & "Love's In Your Corner"
*  Percussion - Paulinho Da Costa, Gary Coleman
*  Woodwinds - Gary Herbig, Bill Green
*  Trumpets - Chuck Findley, Walter Johnson, Gary Grant
*  Trombones - Allen L. Kaplan, Garnett Brown, Bill Reichenbach
*  String Contractor - Ben Barrett
*  Concert Master - Harry Bluestone


Notes
Released: 1981
Genre: Funk / Soul
Style: Soul, Disco
Length: 36:27

Label - Arista 
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March 24, 2025

Silent Windfall - And We Have Our Dreams (1986)

Danish mid 80's new wave duo, Members: Bo Vess, Lars Ranek
Here we have the electronica soundscapes of Silent Windfall, a duo that originated and played in Denmark. 
This was their one and only effort and is quite scarce these days. 
The album starts with moody groaning background howls coupled with a female vocal treatment. 
The set picks up on “She’ll Be My Doom” and then there is the enveloping electronic sounds of the title track which ends side A. “White Room” is a shimmering mid-tempo song with a male vocal. 
The last two songs are slower paced long winded songs with piano that don’t hit the mark very well in my opinion. This is worth a listen or two as there are some good moments tucked inside this Danish obscurity
And We Have Our Dreams was released in 1986 via Skylight Records, and is the lone LP by Danish project Silent Windfall, who was primarily composed of bassist Lars Ranek and singer/multi-instrumentalist Bo Vess. 
Pernille Bøcker provides vocals on the first and the last track as well, adding a nice bit of feminine energy to this otherwise gorgeous LP, which is a mix of minimal new wave, post-punk, and ethereal. 
Some touchstones include early Black Tape for a Blue Girl, Tangerine Dream/Popul Vuh, Felt, This Mortal Coil, and maybe even a little of the mellower, folkier Pink Floyd tracks from the early 70s. 
There are two tracks with percussion on the first side that lean more post-punk, while the second side is a gentler affair, with expansive piano passages and ambient suites.


Track listing

1.  Here I Come - 4:21
     Lead Vocals – Pernille Bøcker
2.  She’ll Be My Doom - 3:55
3.  Clouds Are Forever - 5:16
4.  And We Have Our Dreams - 5:56
5.  White Room - 6:12
6.  Float Like A Boat - 6:17
7.  Lifeline - 9:13
     Backing Vocals – Pernille Bøcker


Companies, etc.

Credits

Notes
Released: 1986
Recorded: in "Hookfarm Studio" Kbh. Denmark, november/december 1985.
Genre:  Electronic
Style:  New Wave, Minimal
Length:  41:19

Label - Skylight Records 

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March 23, 2025

Lara Saint Paul - Saffo Music (1978)

Silvana Savorelli (30 April 1945 – 8 May 2018), professionally known as Lara Saint Paul and also known as Tanya, was an Italian Eritrean singer, entertainer, impresario and record producer.

Lara Saint Paul has worked with many notable talents in the music industry. 
Her songs Non preoccuparti and Adesso ricomincerei were produced and arranged by American producer Quincy Jones and recorded by an orchestra of Italian musicians, including Pino Presti on electric bass, Angel Pocho Gatti and Victor Bacchetta at the piano, and Tullio De Piscopo on drums, in 1973. 
In the same year she released an Italian cover version of Killing Me Softly with His Song, originally composed by Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel, titled Mi fa morir cantando. Lara Saint Paul has worked and performed with notables such as Ray Charles, Lionel Hampton, Louis Armstrong, Roberta Flack, Frank Sinatra and Stevie Wonder. 
Her popular 1977 album Saffo Music, recorded in Los Angeles and produced by Leon Ware, featured The Pointer Sisters on backing vocals, guitar by Ray Parker Jr., bass by Chuck Rainey and was mixed by Bill Conti. One of her 1970s tracks, So, is featured on several current popular lounge music compilations.
This album has been recorded in Los Angeles, Kendun Recorders, in 1977. Including "The Voodoo Lady".


Track listing

1.  Come L’Amore - 4:35
     Written-By – Bob Hilliard, Leon Ware
2.  I Love Loving You - 2:56
     Written-By – Lara Saint Paul, Leon Ware
3.  So Good - 3:51
     Written-By – Lara Saint Paul, Leon Ware
4.  Give Me All Of You - 5:36
     Written-By – Leon Ware
5.  Thank You - 3:59
     Written-By – Lara Saint Paul, Leon Ware
6.  The Voodoo Lady - 5:13
     Written-By – Lara Saint Paul, Leon Ware, Shelby Conti
7.  You Know That I Love You - 2:48
     Written-By – Lara Saint Paul, Leon Ware
8.  Come L’Amore - 4:35
     Written-By – Bob Hilliard, Leon Ware


Companies, etc.

Credits

Notes
Released: 1978
Genre:  Funk / Soul 
Style:  Afrobeat, Soul, Disco 
Length: 

Label - Lasapa 

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March 21, 2025

Dizzy Gillespie - Free Ride (1977)

Free Ride is an album by trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie that was composed, arranged and conducted by Lalo Schifrin, recorded in 1977 and released on the Pablo label. 
The album represents the first collaboration between the two since The New Continent in 1962. 

Although Lalo Schifrin is justifiably praised for his soundtrack work, many jazz purists turn up their noses at his jazz dates, such as his '60s work with Jimmy Smith and Wes Montgomery. 
The things that make Schifrin an anathema to the diehards -- the huge orchestras, the pop and soul riffs, the general air of over the top theatricality -- are all over 1977's Free Ride, his reunion date with Dizzy Gillespie. 
(Schifrin had been Gillespie's arranger in the late '50s.) In fact, Free Ride is so painfully dated that it's transformed into cockeyed cool, just the sort of record ironic hipsters should listen to while they're reading the novelizations of '70s cop shows that they bought for a bundle off of eBay. 
Gillespie plays with his usual wit and panache, but most of the time, he sounds like a sideman on his own album; the real focus of Schifrin's arrangements is the funky wah-wah guitars and ARP synthesizer solos that take center stage on tracks like "Fire Dance" (which sounds exactly like it should be the theme for a Charlie's Angels spinoff) and the mellow disco of the closing "Last Stroke of Midnight." 
Occasionally, Gillespie gets to break out on his own album, with the lovely solo on "Love Poem for Donna" his particular standout. 
For what it is, Free Ride is really quite good (guests include Lee Ritenour and future star Ray Parker, Jr.), but it's very much a record of and for its time.   [Free Ride Review by Stewart Mason]

Track listing

  1. "Unicorn" - 6:48
  2. "Fire Dance" - 4:25
  3. "Incantation" - 6:40
  4. "Wrong Number" - 4:36
  5. "Free Ride" - 5:22
  6. "Ozone Madness" - 6:34
  7. "Love Poem for Donna" - 4:33
  8. "The Last Stroke of Midnight" - 4:29
All compositions by Lalo Schifrin
 


Companies, etc.

Credits

Notes
Released: 1977
Recorded: January 31 and February 1 & 2, 1977 Studio Wally Heider Recording Studios, Hollywood, California
Genre: Jazz Funk, Fusion
Length: 43:27
Producer: Lalo Schifrin

Label - Pablo
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March 19, 2025

Koffee Brown - Mars / Venus (2001)

Koffee Brown are an American R&B and neo-soul duo consisting of male singer Ryan Lane and female singer Vernell "Vee" Sales. 
Originally consisted of Falonte "Fonz" Moore alongside Vee, they were discovered by music producer Kay Gee and RL of Next, and were signed to Arista Records. They are best known for their songs "After Party", and "Weekend Thing".
Mars/Venus is the only studio album by American contemporary R&B duo Koffee Brown. 
It was released on March 6, 2001 through Arista Records. Recording sessions took place at Battery Studios in New York and at Da Mill Studios and Head Up Recording in New Jersey. 
Production was handled by DJ Kay Gee, Falonte Moore, Eddie Berkeley, Chris Liggio, Darren Lighty, Rob Fusari, Aarian Pope, AllStar, Barry Salter, muMs and The Bankers. 
It features guest appearances from Duganz Shanlont, Brandon "B-12" Daniel, Lady Luck, Balewa Muhammad, Lil' Mo, Mr. Deyo, Next and Que.

Male/female duo Koffee Brown's vibe is reminiscent of the catchy '80s music of Slave spin-off Aurra ("In the Mood to Groove"). Their debut album, Mars/Venus, is full of cool hip-hop dance tracks and very funny skit-based interludes. 
As the title implies, the basis of most of the songs is the difference of the sexes. Their mid-tempo breakout single, "After Party," zoomed up the charts in early spring 2001. 
A worthy follow-up would be the similar "Weekend Thing," which sports a percolating riff like the one found on Herb Alpert's "Rotation." A propulsive bass boosts "Quickie" that's good for both dancing and bedroom bopping. 
The "B" word is the subject of "I Got Love (Scars)." Other standouts are the "who's foolin' who" themed "Fingerpointing" and "Blackout." 
In spite of the conflict heard on earlier tracks, one of Mars/Venus' final tracks is the gentle, hopeful, and conciliatory "Do U See."

The album was a moderate success, reaching number 32 on the US Billboard 200.


Track listing

1.  Intro - 0:25
     Producer – Falonte Moore, Kay Gee, Rob Fusari
2.  Weekend Thing - 3:23
     Featuring – B-12
     Producer – Darren Lighty, Kay Gee
3.  After Party - 3:34
     Backing Vocals – Next, Que
     Producer – Allstar
4.  Didn't Mean To Turn You On - 4:13
     Featuring – Du-Ganz
     Producer – Kay Gee, The Bankers
5.  Chick On Da Side - 3:56
     Backing Vocals – Balewa Muhammed
     Producer – Falonte Moore, Kay Gee
6.  Fingerpointing - 4:24
     Producer – Falonte Moore, Rob Fusari
7.  Blackout - 4:02
     Featuring – Lady Luck
     Producer – Eddie Berkeley, Kay Gee
8.  All I Need (Bonnie & Clyde) - 3:36
     Backing Vocals – Balewa Muhammed
     Featuring – Du-Ganz
     Producer – Eddie Berkeley, Kay Gee
9.  All Those Fancy Things - 3:34
     Backing Vocals – Lil' Mo
     Co-producer – Jules Bartholomew
     Producer – Barry Salter
10.  Quickie - 3:54
       Backing Vocals – Balewa Muhammed
       Producer – Chris Liggio, Kay Gee
11.  The View (Interlude) - 1:46
      Producer – Kay Gee
12.  I Got Love (Scars) - 3:07
       Backing Vocals – Mr. Deyo
       Producer – Chris Liggio
13.  Hater's Disease - 4:13
      Producer – Falonte Moore, Kay Gee
14.  Qualified - 3:52
       Producer – Eddie Berkeley, Kay Gee
15.  Mars / Venus (Interlude) - 1:12
       Producer – Aarian Pope, Kay Gee, Mums
16.  Do U See - 3:48
       Producer – Darren Lighty, Kay Gee


Personnel
  • Vernell "Vee" Sales – vocals
  • Falonte "Fonz" Moore – vocals, producer (tracks: 1, 5, 6, 13)
  • Brandon "B-12" Daniel – vocals (track 2)
  • Next – additional backing vocals (track 3)
  • Que – additional backing vocals (track 3)
  • Duganz Shanlont – vocals (tracks: 4, 8)
  • Balewa Muhammad – backing vocals (tracks: 5, 8, 10)
  • Shanell "Lady Luck" Jones – vocals (track 7)
  • Cynthia "Lil' Mo" Loving – backing vocals (track 9)
  • Cliff Lighty – backing vocals (track 10)
  • Andre Deyo – backing vocals (track 12)
  • Frank Romano – guitar (track 10)
  • Eddie Kuri – additional guitar (track 12)
  • Keir "DJ KayGee" Gist – producer (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13-16)
  • Rob Fusari – producer (tracks: 1, 6)
  • Darren Lighty – producer (tracks: 2, 16)
  • Allen "Allstar" Gordon – producer (track 3)
  • The Bankers – producers (track 4)
  • Eddie Berkeley – producer (tracks: 7, 8, 14)
  • Barry Salter – producer (track 9)
  • Chris Liggio – producer (tracks: 10, 12)
  • muMs – producer (track 15)
  • Aarian Pope – producer (track 15)
  • Teron Beal – vocal producer (track 3)
  • Jules Bartholomew – co-producer (track 9)
  • Andy Blakelock – engineering, mixing
  • Adam Kudzin – engineering, mixing
  • Angelo Quaglia – engineering
  • Eric Schlotzer – engineering
  • Shane Stoneback – engineering
  • Dave Kutch – mastering
  • Christopher Stern – art direction

Companies, etc.

Notes
Released:  March 6, 2001
Recorded:  1999–2000 Studio Battery Studios (New York) / Da Mill Studios (New Jersey) / Head Up Recording (New Jersey)
Genre:  R&B, Neo Soul
Length:  52:59

Label - Arista

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