Bloodstone - Natural High (1973)

Bloodstone is a American soul, and funk group, most popular in the 1970s and early 1980s.

Bloodstone is a former American R&B, soul, and funk group, most popular in the 1970s and early 1980s. The band charted thirteen songs between 1973 and 1984.Bloodstone became known for their funk/soul tracks that blended Jimi Hendrix-styled rock music with doo-wop and gospel music undertones. Formed in 1962, in Kansas City, Missouri, the group was a high school doo-wop group called The Sinceres. In 1967-68 they were backed by and toured with a large Kansas City horn band known as the Smokin' Emeralds and performed their version of a Motown-style review which drew large crowds at a venue called the Place in the Westport district of KC. By 1971, the band consisted of Melvin Webb on drums, Roger Durham on percussion, Charles Love on guitar and vocals, Charles McCormick on bass, Harry Williams on percussion, and Willis Draffen on guitar. After learning to play their respective musical instruments, moved to Los Angeles, California. After arriving in Los Angeles, the group met their prospective managers George Braunstein and Ron Hamady. They also replaced their drummer Melvin Webb with Eddie Summers, a resident of Los Angeles, California. The managers decided to change their name from The Sinceres to Bloodstone. Later the group traveled to London, England where they achieved a recording contract with Decca Records. The original members were Charles McCormick, Willis Draffen, Jr., Charles Love, Harry Williams, Roger Durham and Eddie Summers. The first album was entitled Bloodstone, whereas there were two singles released simultaneously called, "That's The Way We Make Our Music", and "Girl (You Look So Fine)", written and arranged by Eddie Summers the newest member. Their second album, "Natural High" reached the US R&B Top 10, with their single, "Natural High" reaching number 10 on the Pop chart. The album was written by various members of the group Bloodstone.

 

01.  "You Know We've Learned"  (Willis Draffen Jr.)  - 4:12

02.  "Who Has the Last Laugh Now"  (Charles McCormick)  - 5:36

03.  "Peter's Jones"  (Larry Durham, Roger Durham)  - 4:12

04.  "That's the Way We Make Our Music"  (Eddie Summers)  - 3:15

05.  "Bo Diddley/Diddley Daddy"  (Ellis McDaniel)  - 3:37

06.  "Natural High"  (McCormick)  - 4:53

07.  "I Need Your Love"  (McCormick)  - 1:10

08.  "Tell It to My Face"  (Charles Love)  - 3:15

09.  "Ran It in the Ground"  (Love)  - 4:52

10.  "Never Let You Go"  (Harry Williams)  - 5:37

Released:  1973

Recorded at:  The Village Recorder, Los Angeles

Genre:  Soul, funk

Length:  40:50

Label:  London Records

Producer:  Mike Vernon

Arranger, Conductor:  Pip Williams

Credits

Charles McCormick - Bass, Vocals

Charles Love, Willis Draffen Jr. - Guitar, Vocals

Melvin Webb - Drums, Congas, Timbales

Roger Durham, Harry Williams - Percussion, Vocals

Hense Powell - Piano, Electric Piano, Organ

Eddie Summers - Drums, Vibraphone, Piano, Congas, Vocals

Gordon Dewitte - Organ

Mike Vernon - Glockenspiel, Castanets, Bells (Tubular Bells)

Richard L. Mackey, Arthur N. Maebe - French Horn

Jacqueline Lustgarten, Raymond L. Kelley - Cello

Gene Cipriano - Cor Anglais

Dan Neufeld, Nathan Kaproff - Viola

Carla Spencer, Erno Neufeld, Paul C. Shure, Samuel Boghossian - Violin