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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