Legacy Recordings

Ace remix artists David Cole and Robert Clivilles surged up from the underground clubs of New York City as C&C Music Factory. Their monster MTV hit dropped on a dance-hungry nation with a pre-fab floor plan for the ’90s: men rap and women sing between buffed bodies. The meaty, drill sergeant’s voice belonged to Martha Wash of the fleshy Two Tons O-Fun, but Zelma Davis was the telegenic stand-in for a sweat-happy public. Too rabid for a small room, “Everybody Dance Now” opened the velvet rope for backstreet boys, spicy girls and other guilty pleasures.

(R. Clivilles/F.B. Williams); Produced by Robert Clivilles and David Cole; keyboard arrangement by Robert Clivilles; Freedom Williams, lead and background vocals; Robert Clivilles, drums, percussion, background vocal; David Cole, keyboards, background vocal; Ricky Crespo, keyboards; Alan Friedman, additional drums, programming; Zelma Davis, Deborah Cooper, Martha Wash, Craig Derry, Norma Jean Wright, Duran Ramos, Victoria Clamp and/or Yolanda Lee, background vocals; Rec. New York, August 1990. From Gonna Make You Sweat, Columbia 47093; P 1990 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.

By the mid-’80s, disco was a stiff with few tearful observers at its wake. In the boogie down Bronx, the new sound of rap was taking shape with style and attitude. Nursed on the great soul confessors and pop radio, the ambitious George brothers fell under the spell of “Rapper’s Delight.” Bright, aware and techno savvy, they kicked it Full Force with Lisa Velez, a sultry Latina from Hell’s Kitchen. On this teen drama, set to sparse, syncopated street beats and electrified R&B, the soul-bred brothers staked an early claim to the gold mine of urban radio.

(Full Force); Produced by Full Force; Lisa Lisa, lead and background vocals; Mike Hughes, raps; Alex (Spanador) Moseley, keyboards; Brian (B-Fine) George, drum programming; Paul (Anthony) George, (Bow-Legged) Lou George, background vocals; (Baby) Gerry Charles, Curt Bedeau, keyboards; with Junior (Shy Shy) Clarke; Rec. New York, 1984. Columbia single 04886; P 1984 Personal Records Inc.

California blonde Mary Christine Brockert was always fiercely independent. Piercing her nose and losing her name, she chased her rock ‘n’ roll dreams out of suntanned Santa Monica and met superfreak Rick James. With electronic drums, ferocious guitars, wiggling synths, layered vocals and aggressively funky beats, the new Teena Marie blasted stereos and stereotypes. Composer, arranger and producer of her own sound, she gave soul to metalheads and brought soul machismo to its knees. The lovergirl’s legacy: music isn’t about the color of your skin-it’s about hugging you skin tight.

(T. Marie); Produced by Teena Marie; rhythm and vocal arrangements by Teena Marie; synthesizer arrangement by Teena Marie and Fred Mirza; Teena Marie, lead and background vocals, guitar, synthesizer, drums, percussion, programming; Rec. Los Angeles, 1984. Epic single 04619; P 1984 Sony Music Entertainment Inc. Lovergirl by Teena Marie

Michael Jackson was the rubber-limbed Scarecrow in search of a home when he found Quincy Jones on the set of The Wiz. Together they forged heart, courage and brains with tough rhythms to create “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough.” Playing his husky, carnal lead off a boy-soprano chorus, Michael grew a backbone of sex and sizzle and landed on center stage as his own man. Following the breakthrough single, Michael and “Q” eased on down the platinum road for three monster albums, leaving Michael to walk on the moon and the Emerald Planet of MTV.

(M. Jackson/G. Phillinganes); Produced by Quincy Jones; co-produced by Michael Jackson; rhythm arrangement by Greg Phillinganes and Michael Jackson; vocal and percussion arrangements by Michael Jackson; strings arranged by Ben Wright; horns arranged by Jerry Hey; Michael Jackson, lead and background vocals; Louis Johnson, bass; John Robinson, drums; Greg Phillinganes, electric piano; David Williams, Marlo Henderson, guitars; Randy Jackson, Paulinho da Costa, Richard Heath, percussion; The Seawind Horns: Jerry Hey, trumpet, flugelhorn; Larry Williams, tenor and alto sax, flute; Kim Hutchcroft, baritone and tenor sax, flute; William Reichenbach, trombone; Gary Grant, trumpet; Jim Gilstrap, Augie Johnson, Mortonette Jenkins, Paulette McWilliams, Zedric Williams, background vocals; Gerald Vinci, concertmaster; Rec. Los Angeles, November 1978. From Off The Wall, Epic 35745; P 1979 MJJ Productions, Inc
Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough by Michael Jackson

A phenomenon of popular culture, TV’s Gong Show produced at least one memorable talent. L.A. lady Cheryl Lynn walked off-stage with a record deal and cut the triumphant “Got To Be Real.” Liberating, unapologetic, the song was symbolic of the New Woman’s demand to be treated truthfully. She may have been swallowed when the disco channel changed, but by encouraging people to come out with their own truths, she left an anthem for every small town outcast in the television audience.

(C. Lynn/D. Paich/D. Foster); Produced and arranged by David and Marty Paich; Cheryl Lynn, lead and background vocals; Ray Parker, Jr., guitar; David Paich, keyboards; David Shields, bass; James Gadson, drums; Rec. Los Angeles, 1978. Columbia single 33386; P 1978 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Got To Be Real by Cheryl Lynn

Growing up in Chicago, the Hutchinson sisters sang with their daddy and made church folks like Mahalia cry. When they were old enough to know their first heartache, The Emotions were born. Pervis Staples guided them to Stax where the righteous Staple family was mixing soul and salvation. When Stax crumbled, the skies opened for Earth, Wind & Fire’s Maurice White. Launching Jeanette, Sheila and Wanda into orbit with “Best Of My Love,” the Maestro pushed their gospel squall over tight grooves, turning the church girls into high-strutting powerhouses. Disco balls would spin for years to come.

(M. White/A. McKay); Produced by Maurice White; co-produced by Clarence McDonald; arranged by Tom Tom 84; Sheila Hutchinson, lead vocal; Wanda Hutchinson, Jeanette Hutchinson, background vocals; Clarence McDonald, clavinet; Al McKay, guitar; Verdine White, bass; Fred White, drums; Maurice White, timbales; Paulhino da Costa, percussion; Larry Dunn, Fender Rhodes electric piano; Oscar Brashear, Steve Madaio, Chuck Findley, trumpets; George Bohannon, trombone; Donald Myrick, saxophone; Vince De Rosa, Sidney Muldrow, Richard Perissi, Alan Robinson, Marilyn Robinson, French horns; Charles Veal, strings concertmaster; Rec. Los Angeles, 1977. From Rejoice, Columbia 34762; P 1977 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.

Best Of My Love by The Emotions

Boy-child soprano crackling, Michael Jackson wasn’t a skinny stick of dynamite anymore. Motown had split to L.A., leaving its heart in the Motor City and Michael’s brothers free to grow. Standing at the edge of manhood and a career frontier, they chose the solidly black Philly Sound. Dancing machines in pastel tuxes and superfly Afros, Gamble and Huff unleashed the brothers’ curiosity and individuality as Michael sowed the seeds that sprouted the album Off The Wall.

(K. Gamble/L. Huff); Produced by Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff; arranged by Bobby Martin; Michael Jackson, lead and background vocals; Randy Jackson, Tito Jackson, Jermaine Jackson, Marlon Jackson, Jackie Jackson, background vocals; Ronnie Baker, bass; Earl Young, drums; Roland Chambers, Bobby Eli and/or Norman Harris, guitars; Lenny Pakula, organ; Leon Huff, piano; Larry Washington, percussion; with Don Renaldo and his strings and horns; Rec. Philadelphia, 1976. From The Jacksons, Philadelphia International/Epic 34229; P 1976 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Enjoy Yourself by The Jackson 5

Soul Stirrer Johnnie Taylor went to charm school with Sam Cooke and majored in hit-making at the University of Stax in Memphis. Stax perished, but like good church people, J.T. rose again. Hitting below the Bible and every other belt, “Disco Lady” was the recording industry’s first official platinum-certified single. Most of the Southern soul gods were thumped across the Mason-Dixon line when disco hit, but this lady moved untold thousands from the dance floor to the boudoir. With tinkling bells, Bootsy’s wah-wah shimmies and that sexy, gritty vocal, shaking up, shaking down…it was the last thing heard before the hangover.

(H. Scales/A. Vance/D. Davis); Produced by Don Davis; arranged by George (Bernie) Worrell, Don Davis, David Van De Pitte; background vocals arranged by Robert (Bobby) Eaton; Johnnie Taylor, lead vocal; George (Bernie) Worrell, keyboards; William (Bootsy) Collins, bass; Glen Goines, guitar; Zachary Slater, drums; Donna Davis, Pamela Vincent, Telma Hopkins, background vocals; horns by The Detroit Horns; Rec. Detroit, November 1975. From Eargasm, Columbia 33951; P 1976 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.

Disco Lady by Johnnie Taylor

Piloted by producer-writer-drummer Maurice White, Earth, Wind & Fire brought the spectacle of arena-rock to their invariably catchy pop soul (“Sing A Song,” “September,” “Saturday Night”), and became one of the ’70s’ major crossover success stories. Their music was a stylistic grab-bag, shrewdly concocted and uplifting, jazzy and danceable. Like such contemporaries as Parliament and the Ohio Players, they understood the theatrics of funk; like Blood, Sweat & Tears and Chicago, they doled out bursts of brass in a cheerful, melodic context. And they returned the embrace of their audience with a typically generous benediction: you’re a shining star, no matter who you are.

Shining Star by Earth, Wind & Fire
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Despite critics’ cheerleading, breakthroughs for U.K.-based funk acts in America have been few and far between. Such heroes of the British Empire as Soul II Soul and Brand New Heavies came and went in a hurry in the country that invented soul music, thank you. Jamiroquai, representing what acid jazz might have sounded like in Stevie Wonder’s house circa 1976, operated true to form—big noise at home, cult item in America—until a track from 1996’s Travelling Without Moving became an MTV staple. “Virtual Insanity” featured a killer groove, clever lyrics and nimble, goofy-hatted sprite Jason Kay prancing about a shape-shifting house. Who could resist?
Virtual Insanity by Jamiroquai
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