Creed Taylor was an American record producer and trumpeter known for two things. First, for bringing bossa nova to the United States and secondly, for his work in smooth jazz.
Prompted by Taylor’s death, I’ve been listening to “Bloop Bleep” (1965) by Gary McFarland and, to a lesser extent, to “Nautilus” (1974) by Bob James.
Taylor released Shock Music In Hi-Fi (1958) and Panic – Son Of Shock (1960) as The Creed Taylor Orchestra.
Lamont Dozier was an American composer and record producer best known for being part of the Holland–Dozier–Holland team and for writing “Going Back to My Roots” (1977).
Michael Henderson was an American bass guitarist who is known for his work with Miles Davis. As a vocalist he is chiefly remembered for “You Are My Starship” (1976).
Bernard Belle was an American composer, producer, and musician known for writing and co-writing such songs as “Remember the Time” (1992).
He was, with Teddy Riley, a pioneer of the new jack swing era of music which erupted in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Patrick Adams was an American composer and record producer.
Adams is known for his 1970s and 1980s production, songwriting and engineering work on labels such as Salsoul, Prelude Records and P&P; his associations with recording artists such as Black Ivory, Inner Life, Jocelyn Brown, Loleatta Holloway and Leroy Burgess; and studio projects such as Cloud One, The Universal Robot Band, Logg Phreek, and Musique. He owned and operated PAPMUS (Patrick Adams Productions Music) in New York City.
“Love Bug” (1976), “Atmosphere Strut” (1976), “My Baby’s Got E.S.P.” (1976), “Making Love” (1977), “Keep On Jumpin'” (1978), “In the Bush” (1978), “Make It Last Forever” (1978), “Weekend (Tonight Is Party Time)” (1978), “I’m A Big Freak (R•U•1•2)” (1978), “I’m Caught Up (In a One Night Love Affair)” (1979), “Till You Surrender” (1981) and “Touch Me (All Night Long)” (1984).
Patrick Adams and Gregory Carmichael wrote and produced at least fifty composition which transcend disco as genre. Adams and Carmichael, and maybe August Darnell too, were in many ways the auteurs of disco, more so than Larry Levan, Walter Gibbons or Tom Moulton, who were primarily involved in post-production. The only one to rival Adams, Carmichael and Darnell was Arthur Russell, but his story is different altogether.
Although well-known for writing and producing his own material, one of his biggest successes was his 1981 reinterpretation of Ashford & Simpson’s “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” (1966) as Inner Life, with vocals by Jocelyn Brown and a remix by Larry Levan.
Continue readingJulee Cruise was an American musician, singer, songwriter and actress, best known for her interpretation of “Falling” (1989), a musical composition by Angelo Badalamenti and David Lynch.
Jim Seals was an American musician known for his work with Seals and Crofts and The Champs.
As a songwriter he is best-known for the composition “Summer Breeze” (1972), famously covered by Jackie Mittoo. “Summer Breeze” is in the Jahsonic 1000.
Bob Neuwirth was an American singer-songwriter best-known for co-writing “Mercedes Benz” (1971).
Bernard Wright was an American musician working in funk and jazz, known for such compositions as “Haboglabotribin” (1981) and “Who Do You Love” (1985).
Allen Blairman was an American jazz drummer best known for his recording with Albert Ayler and Mal Waldron known. He is known for such recordings as Nuits de la Fondation Maeght (1970) with Albert Ayler.