101 North - 101 North - 1988 - Valley Vue

This was the first of two albums from this loose combo whose ranks later, in the 90s, boasted Everette Harp on sax and Angel Rogers on vocals. This jazzy album was released on the short-lived but brilliant Valley Vue label in 1988, and was soon snapped up by Capitol later in the year who released it on CD. This CD is very rare, but Amazon do have limited copies! The majority of the album is instrumental, and some quite cinematic and avant-garde. Of these songs I really love two tracks and will get onto those in a moment. The supremo at the production helm was George Duke and it is his handiwork that created one of my all-time favourite songs of the late 1980s - "So Easy" (check soundbite below.) "So Easy is a masterclass in soulful vocal interplay from Josie James and Carl Carwell with a jazzy undercurrent a la George Duke style. I can easily recommend this if you are a huge fan of Chapter 8 (review of "Forever" coming soon!) and the 80s work of Michael J. Powell.

The instrumentals of note really are atmospheric and haunting. Typical Duke creations, really. "Lady Of The Night" is a chilled affair and was originally put together for Miles Davis, and one listen will easily exemplify how Miles Davis could and would have taken it to another level. Leon "Ndugu" Chancler on drums, Byron Miller on bass, John Robinson on drums and the ever-cheerful Paulinho Da Costa on percussion stand shoulder to shoulder with Duke at the keyboards doing a grand job of aping a muted trumpet on his synth. A brilliant and haunting track. My second choice is, to me, breathtaking. Imagine sat out as I have done in the Midwestern scrub, sat watching the sun set and the stars appear. All you can hear is the wind blowing through the sagebrush and the call of coyote and - if you're lucky as I was - Elk. This song invokes such memories and takes me instantly back to those happy times. If you know Bob James "Far From Turtle" from his 1990 album "Grand Piano Canyon" then you may get some idea of what this track is like. Beautiful. No wonder the CD is worth a few pennies!

Barry Towler
The Vibe Scribe

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Roberta Flack - Oasis - 1988 - Atlantic

"Oasis" remains my favourite Roberta Flack album to date. This 1988 album, for me was the last decent album this wonderful lady recorded, and in my opinion it's about time we had a new album of new material from her! There, that's her told! Lol. Joking aside, check the sound samples blow and see what you thing, because the best judge of anything is yourself and not me! I was so impressed by this album and, released in December 1988 became part and parcel of my memories of that Christmas. Marcus Miller, Jerry Hey, Michael Omartian and Quincy Jones pooled their considerable talents here and the result, I think you will strongly agree, is magical. "Oasis", a Marcus Miller song is a song of such gaiety and fitting for this Lady's vocal talents. The fact this shot to no. 1 on the R&B charts at the time shows you how much this song was loved. Can you imagine a song like that achieving success now? No, me neither, sadly.

Track two is a song that is apart of my very fabric. Such a deep, beautiful song and Michael Omartian is to be thanked for the spine-tingling nature of this song. "All Caught Up In Love" wells me up every time - beyond compare and one of the Lady's finest ever moments. Ashford and Simpson are two talents of some magnitude, and their song "Uh-Uh Ooh-Ooh Look Out (Here It Comes)" is yet another highlight and is typical of the high watermark RnB of the day. Atlantic were perverse enough to issue this as a 12" with a house remix from Steve "Silk" Hurley. How inappropriate! I'm starting to turn into Angry of Mayfair aren't I?! "You Know What It's Like" is beautiful - Jerry Hey of Seawind's horn section overseeing this. I can't help thinking how well George Benson would sound on this track. My final choice is Andy Goldmark's atmospheric and sultry "His Name) Brazil". Roberta simply takes flight on here and the song, no, the whole album is warmer and sensitive thanks to it. I love this and it never fails to get the lump in the throat going. Such a quality album, and readily available on CD.

Barry Towler
The Vibe Scribe

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Gary Taylor - Compassion - 1988 - Virgin

We had a 5 year wait from Gary's A+M set, "G.T.", and the summer of 1988 delivered, on Virgin Records, the brilliant "Compassion" album. Gary Taylor is one of those artists, like Chris Jasper - recently reviewed - who is immediately recognisable and, as importantly, equally dependable. As writer Steven Ivory states, Gary Taylor has the luxury of creating music on his own terms. And he is much stronger for it, even though Virgin Records could not see that at the time, stating something along the lines of his music not being "black enough". Whatever that means. Stylistically, "Compassion" was totally different to "G.T.", but akin to his productions. Take a listen to Carl Anderson's "Let's Talk" and you will here the roots of "Compassion" and in "Compassion" the roots of Gary's finest ever work, "Take Control". This is a seriously essential album, and it was one of those albums to trigger my conversion to CD.

The B-Side of the "Compassion" 12" was a devastatingly haunting track called "Follow", which did not appear on the LP. It was, however, on the CD! It was a no-brainer for me and so the conversion process started. This simple, beautiful and timeless piece of music renders the CD essential and thankfully the latest version of the CD, available on CD Baby contains ANOTHER bonus track, "My Heart, Your Heart", which you will already be familiar with from the Whispers' 1990 Capitol set, "More Of The Night". If you don't have this wonderful Gary Taylor version then you really do need it to complete your collection! "Compassion" itself is a toothsome brew of dancers and ballads and all essential. The KILLER title track, as you can hear below, is still a monster today, and "Lonely Heart" and "Love You To The Limit" are also top-draw. As you will see in my 90s reviews, The Mac Band resurfaced with a mighty Taylor-produced version of "Love You To The Limit" and floored me totally. "Tease Me" was part of my soundtrack to the summer; a relaxing, cool number with an unbeatable arrangement as only the Great man can provide. "I Won't Stop" is great but, I fear, pales into insignificance by his very own handiwork a year later on the Manhattans who covered this and totally steal the song (see previous review.) Albums like this are a real joy and make life well worth living, especially when the world seems so glum and downbeat. We need the likes of Gary Taylor more today than ever before.

Barry Towler
The Vibe Scribe

from CD Baby

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Pia Zadora - When The Lights Go Out - 1988 - Epic

I bet you're sat there thinking that this doddery old goat has finally lost the plot? Well, in some respects that's perfectly true but as far as the old choonage goes strap yourself in and get ready for one hell of an album crammed with Jam & Lewis magic. Pia - a big star as you know - was dying to work with the Flyte Tyme gang and so commissioned them to work on this album for her. What they produced is nothing short of 80s soul heaven BUT Pia was not at all impressed and requested that the album be scrapped. So, in America, this was the case. However the album was afforded a UK release and thank God for it. If you love the best material of Cherelle, Alexander O'Neal and the SOS Band, then this album is a real must-have. One side of the album was as dodgy as hell with some questionable dance material, but the second side...well, that's a different matter entirely.

I get a feeling every time I hear this that Jam and Lewis were creating something they really and truly loved. I think this album rates as some of their best ever ballad works. Starting with the goosebump-making "Pia's Interlude" - a very short but sweet intro to the delicious and uber-quiet storm cut, "I Really Like You, Not Him". This is serious soul heaven and I defy and doubters to listen to this and not be swept up and away by it. The track ends in such a haunting and "wow!" fashion that today I have to sit here with eyes closed, soaking it all in. Beautiful. If I have to close my eyes to a song then I know it's something really special. It doesn't end here though. "Silence" is amazing and would, in hindsight, have benefited from the use of real - and not synth - strings. Dreamy and atmospheric is all I can say about this. "Since I've Been Loving You" is as good as any Cherelle ballad from the time, and the KILLER "Pia's Theme" is a longer version of the intro and based on "Silence". Instrumental and haunting, this song will blow you away. This acts as a prelude to a really spine-tingling track called "It's Always The Same". My God! 21 years on and I am reduced to a gibbering wreck at the sheer beauty of this song. Please cast doubts aside and grab a hold of this - especially on CD if you can find it. Lovers of Jam and Lewis' quiet storm cuts need to own this.

Barry Towler
The Vibe Scribe

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Leata Galloway - The Naked Truth - 1988 - Columbia

The late 80s was party to some serious, classy, adult soul music which today still sounds as fresh as a daisy. Defying trends and demanding nothing but quality from all who participate, when soul is at it's peak then nothing in the world can dent or scratch it. Leata Galloway is a classicly trained singer who had previously worked with the London Philarmonic Orchestra. So you know what caliber of singer we are dealing with here. Her vocal range is simply stunning, awesome and sets her high above many female vocalists then and today. God, she certainly takes most of today's 'talents' and knocks them into a cocked hat. That is no understatement. The album, I have to say, was not given a warm reception as it was ballad orientated and - let's not beat about the bush - too classy for those who cannot see past thelatest fad. Production was handled expertley by Nick Martinelli, Preston Glass and Allan Roy Scott and I would argue that this comprises their best ever work - it really is a classy statement of what the right producer, the right singer and a label run by grown-ups can deliver!

I adore seven tracks on here - the first being the haunting and atmospheric "Fascination". The jaw-dropping opening and Leata's stellar vocal range should be enough to catapult her into the league of greats. But where is she today??? Similarly, the track ends on such a note that my chills get chills! If cold chills are your bag then the KILLER "One Of These Nights" will have yopu changing your underwear, the french horns and strings plus Randy Bowland's guitar work make this a cut to die for. "Shades Of Blue" should ring your bell if you are a fan of Regina Belle, and Ron Kerber's sax is great as are backing vocalists Cynthia Biggs and James King! "Heartache (Don't Discriminate)" is a top Preston Glass cut which, I feel, could easily be taken up by the Stylistics. Such is the melody and phrasing that Russell Thompkins, Jr could work well here. Two covers of note too - "You'll Never Get To Heaven" and "Cry Me A River", both superb and the latter favoured by DJ Andy Peebles on his Soul Train show. "I'm Scared Of You" and "The Naked Truth" are awesome slow jams courtesy of messrs Martinelli and Glass. One of the 80s hidden gems, if you are into the finest of the finest in quiet storm soul then this album is a real must.

Barry Towler,
The Vibe Scribe.

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Galloway - Hideaway / Our Love (Rainbow In The Sky) - 1988 - Awe-Some Records

Roy Galloway released this extremely scarce 12” just before Christmas, 1988, and it came and went without fanfare and has now become a sought after single – though it can be picked up. Released on the independent Awe-Some Records label this has a sound with really major label clout. Roy was, at time, closely associated with the lovely Patrice Rushen and both songs on this release were co-written with Patrice, and co-production comes courtesy of long-time Rushen associate, Cornelius Mims! Apart from this single, and a vocal cut on Joey Negro's excellent “Universe Of Love” CD from 1993 I am ignorant to anything else released by this man.

The A Side, “Hide Away”, is a tropical cut with plenty of percussion and is dreamy with a great Sheree Brown feel to the guitar work. Patrice Rushen's hand in this is unmistakeable and she adds her vocals in for good measure. In the right circles this should have been big and I would love to see this appear on a compilation. Maybe if I make enough noise someone will give in and shut me up?! I love this, but am always more drawn to the flip-side, “Our Love (Rainbow In The Sky)”. I was floored by this song. It's so strong, soulful and has never ever become dull or passé. The keyboard work is so much akin to Patrice's work on her “Now” album. If you used to shy away from indie soul in the 80s then please re-evaluate that by listening to this. Pure class.

Barry Towler,
The Vibe Scribe

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Ray, Goodman and Brown - Mood For Lovin' - 1988 - Manhattan Records

This album was the final set that Harry Ray recorded prior to his untimely passing in 1991. His voice was unique and angelic and can be heard in all his glory on this excellent album, released on LP and CD on EMI-Manhattan close to Christmas 1988. The set introduced a new talent to us too – that being Greg Willis who adds his ample vocal skills on a number of songs. Greg went on to record the superb “Give Her What She Wants” 12” single for Warlock Records in 1990, and then went through a name change to Willis Dempo to record two further sets in the 90s – the highlight of both being “What’s Your name”. Greg’s assistance on the bright and breezy title track song is excellent. The guys add some superb backing vocals and production was from the late, great Gene McFadden. As I have said before, Garry Glenn is one of my all-time favourite writers / singers, and prior to his untimely passing in 1991 of liver failure wrote the excellent dancer, “Electrified” for the album. Although Billy Brown sings lead on this track I can really hear Garry himself singing this. This would not have been out of place on his “Feels Good To Feel Good” set for Motown the previous year.

Harry Ray duets with Labelle’s Sarah Dash on the superb ballad “Don’t Make Me Wait” – an essential cut that was also included on her own album released on Emi-Manhattan earlier the same year. My favourite cut of all is the opening song, “Where Did You Get That Body…Baby?” This song features lead vocals by Greg Willis and the arrangement and production courtesy of James McKenny and William Rhinehart is simply awesome. Ray, Goodman & Brown adopt a higher register for backing vocals and sound excellent. My final choice on here is the jaw-dropping “Next Time I’ll Know” on which Harry Ray delivers a magnificent vocal performance. What a crying shame to have lost this great man so early. This album is a perfectly crafted example of classy, adult R&B at a time when new styles were emerging, soon to swamp and force out quality acts in favour of youthful, sample-driven material. If you don’t own this, please remedy it by securing a copy ASAP. You will not regret it.

Barry Towler

The Vibe Scribe

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