Change were a force to be reckoned with through their short, but productive, recording span in the 1980s. Released on RFC / Atlantic in 1982 this album benefited, again, from the production genius of the late Jacques Fred Petrus and Mauro Malavasi. The crème of US talent were also in effect: Kashif and Barry J Eastmond on keyboards, Hiram Bullock and Ira Siegal on guitars, Vincent Henry on Sax, and on backing vocals none other than Jocelyn Brown, Fonzi Thornton, Phil Ballou, Norma Jean Wright, Leroy Burgess, Johnny Kemp, Timmy Allen and Ethel Beatty! What a star-studded line up! For my money you cannot go wrong. When you consider Norman Connors protegé James Robinson and future Craig T. Cooper Project singer Debra Cooper take the lead as far as vocals go, you should already be heading to iTunes or wherever to get a copy of this album! I love all the group's albums – so all will appear here in time, but I'll start here as this set contains my favourite track of theirs! “The Very Best In You” is the epitome of Saturday Night Cool. Slightly Chic in feeling – as is a lot of their earlier material by design rather than chance I venture, the song ought to be pumped up big time in the quality clubs to great effect. “You're My Number 1” is another Chic-ish effort of style and grace and the ballads here really do seal the set's fate as one of the highest quality. If you want to close your eyes and imagine warm breezes, hot clear sun filled skies and sandy beaches then start with “Promise Your Love”, “Sharing Your Love” and the spine-tingling and differently melodic “You're My Girl. All these tracks are reason enough to celebrate the short career of Change as a unit, and say thank you to a great talent in Jacques Fred Petrus who was taken from us in a very cruel fashion and far too soon.
Barry Towler
The Vibe Scribe
