Soft Soul Transition - Soft Soul Transition (1970)

The core of SST, also known as Soft Soul Transition were based in Los Angeles, California and consisted of Chet Demilo (keyboards-rhythm guitar-vibraphone-bass-tambourine-vocals) from Sydney Australia, Arnie Marcus (lead electric guitar-vocals) from Los Angeles California, and Ray Hames (vocals) from Kansas City Missouri. They were joined by Mike Mills (drums), Chuck Piscitello (conga), Arnie Marcus (bongos) and Judy Mesibov and Lila Selik (vocal harmonies).
A very groovy group with a Sunshine Pop sort of sound! The trio has some wonderful harmonies in their music echoes of more familiar pop of the late 60s, but presented here in a cool, stripped-down sort of way with a quality that's similar to some of the best work by Roger Nichols & The Small Circle Of Friends intimate enough to get past some of the more commercial modes of the time. Many cuts are originals by the group and singer Chris Demilo plays a lot of great keyboards on the grooves creating a wicked sound that would have been right at home in the A&M scene of the late 60s. Titles include "Gotta Move Along", "Soft Soul Transition", "Put Love First", "Don't Turn On Me", "It's Love", "Happy With You Girl", and "Lights Of Freedom".
The album has been described as “jazzy sunshine pop” featuring all original material from the trio of Demilo, Marcus, and Hames with the one exception being a “bossa nova” style cover of “I’m A Believer” the Neil Diamond song made famous by the Monkees.
The album has for a long time been a favorite of collectors and up until lately, very rare.

Track listing

01.  "Soft Soul Transition"  (Demilo-Hames-Marcus)  - 4:15 
02.  "Put Love First"  (Chet Demilo)  - 2:50 
03.  "Don't Turn On Me"  (Marcus-Demilo-Hames)  - 3:17 
04.  "Brother Wind"  (Chet Demilo)  - 3:15 
05.  "Gotta Move Along"  (Chet Demilo)  - 2:55 
06.  "It's Love"  (Demilo-Marcus-Hames)  - 3:20 
07.  "I'm A Believer"  (Neil Diamond)  - 3:35 
08.  "She Came Back"  (Chet Demilo)  - 3:05 
09.  "I'm Coming Home"  (Chet Demilo)  - 2:20 
10.  "Move It On Down"  (Hames-Demilo)  - 3:40 
11.  "Happy With You Girl"  (Demilo-Hames)  - 2:25 
12.  "Lights Of Freedom"  (Marcus-Demilo)  - 3:22 

Credits
Chet Demilo - keyboards-rhythm guitar-vibraphone-bass-tambourine-vocals
Arnie Marcus - lead electric guitar-vocals
Ray Hames - vocals
Mike Mills - drums
Chuck Piscitello - conga
Arnie Marcus - bongos
Judy Mesibov, Lila Selik - vocal harmonies
Design – Mike Mills
Engineer – Frank Kejmer, Randy Houck
Photography By – Alan Del Rey

Notes
Genre: Soft Rock
Length: 38:20
Label: Beatball/Transistion Records

© 1970