Al Johnson has to be one of the most respected artists in soul music, and the caliber of his work over the years has been of a very high standard indeed. I first became aware of his handiwork on Tata Vega's "Totally Tata" album from 1977 and from there discovered "Peaceful", this 1980 release and his work in the '90s with Paul Minor and C.J.'s Uptown crew through to his 1998 release "My Heart Is An Open Book". Of course, Y2K has seen his work with the likes of Desi and the Unifics. An illustrious career path then, and one that still has a long way to go. This brilliant album was overseen by the mammoth talent of Norman Connors, and the rare groove scene was buoyed by many a track, including many of Al's creations. "Back For More" with Jean Carne had to be the public face of rare groove, and why not? A popular song and has even been robbed - sorry, sampled - by the likes of P Diddy, or whatever he calls himself this week. Al's unique vocal signature is just right for Norman Connors' sympathetic production. "I've Got My Second Wind" simply glows. It is such a shining example of quality soul at a time when we were exiting a period of Disco overload, and an upbeat, percussive no-holes barred soulful stepper was exactly what we needed. Genius and brilliance together is unbeatable. The song is a joint effort between Al and original Unifics member Tom Fauntleroy. A long way from the style of "Court Of Love" and shows how great talent changes with the times. How some folks can't see past 1969 where soul is concerned has always been a wonder and amusement to me! Congas, flute and summery horns sashay us into the summertime groove of "Tonight's The Night For Love", a track which is the epitome of cool. The very popular self-penned track "Peaceful" is also on here. Great, then, that Sony reissued this album on CD in the 1990s. Thankfully, again, it is still available now.
Barry Towler
The Vibe Scribe
The Vibe Scribe
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