Love To Infinity - Classic Paradise (1998)

Love To Infinity are well known remixers and producers, having remixed everyone from Celine Dion to Grace Jones to Madonna to Shania Twain to Michael Jackson, etc.  While their remix work hasn't been as prodigious as it was in their 1990s and 2000s heyday, they are still on the scene, most recently producing Camille's current Billboard Dance chart hit "Choose Hope". It was this song that made me seek out their only album, which I am sharing with you now.  Brothers Andy, Pete and Dave Lee formed the group in 1992.  Their work as remixers began soon after, with one of their first most notable remixes being Michael Jackson's "They Don't Care About Us". At the same time, they formed a musical act, bringing in soulful singer Louise Bailey. They released a couple of singles in 1993, "Somethin' Outta Nothin'" and "Saviour".  Both received little attention.  However, the next year their remix of Melanie Williams' "All Cried Out" became a hit, and they were in demand.  The following year they released "Keep Love Together", and it became a dance smash, as well as reaching #38 on the UK pop charts.  Their follow up singles "Someday" and "Pray For Love" also hit the UK charts at #75 and #69, respectively. An album was recorded, but the diminishing chart positions kept the label from releasing it, and by 1997 Bailey was no longer a part of the act.  The album did finally get a two CD release in Japan in 1998.  The boys then focused on remixing and producing full time, only releasing two more singles as Love To Infinity, "No Apology' with Loleatta Holloway in 1995 and a remake of CeCe Peniston's "Finally" featuring Charlotte Day in 2005.  Luckily we have this one amazing house album of their original work, very upbeat and of its time.

Video for Keep Love Together

Video for Pray For Love

Download Classic Paradise

1 Keep Love Together
2 No Apology
3 Pray For Love
4 Someday
5 Build Me Up
6 Love's Got A Hold
7 Burnin Up
8 Back To The Love
9 Somethin Outta Nothin
10 Surrender
11 Don't Turn Away
12 Let The Music Play
13 Keep Love Together '98
14 Early Warning
15 I Can't Hold Back
16 Pray For Love (Morales 12" Mix)
17 Someday (CJ Mackintosh Mix)
18 Keep Love Together (Red Leader Mix)
19 Someday (Johnny Vicious Mix)
20 Build Me Up (5th Circuit Mix)
21 No Apology (Blue Ikon Mix)
22 Keep Love Together (Classic Paradise Part 2)

L.A. Mix - On The Side (1989) & Coming Back For More (1990) DOUBLE POST!!

Time for another post, finally.  This time it's British house and soul group L.A. Mix.  Luckily Wikipedia has done most of the research for me, so I'm going to use mainly their entry here.  L.A. Mix (the L.A. stands for Les Adams) was comprised of husband-and-wife production team Les Adams & Emma Freilich, along with producer Mike Stevens.  Their first hit was "Don't Stop (Jammin')" in 1987, which was based on a simple 8-track demo that Adams had formed in his home studio, and it reached #47 on the UK Singles Chart. That record got L.A. Mix in trouble, as the bassline had been taken from the song "Love is the Message" by MFSB, resulting in group member Vincent Montana attempting to take an injunction out on the group.  But the single got them a record deal with A&M Records, though it was initially only for one single. But then Adams remixed Maurice Joshua's "This Is Acid" by taking the vocals, adding a synth lead from Black Riot's "A Day In The Life", using the rhythm synth from Inner City's "Big Fun", sirens from some of Todd Terry's records and some assorted sexual screams of unknown origin from his collection. The result was "Check This Out", which was a UK #6 in 1988 and was their biggest hit. That also raised legal ire, this time of the then-owner of Easy Street Records as the song included a short sample of "You Don't Know" by Serious Intention, and the owner of that label was one of New York's top lawyers. The matter was settled out of court for $15,000.  Next, in 1989, they released "Get Loose", which featured rapping by Jazzi P and charted at #25. A fourth single, also released in 1989, "Love Together" featuring Kevin Henry, charted at #66. These four singles appeared on the album On the Side, which was released in 1989.  The album featured vocals by Isle postee Juliet Roberts.  In 1990, the first of three singles from L.A. Mix's second album were released. The album departed from the hip house and R&B flavour of the first album, with a more soulful sound.  "Coming Back For More", also the title track of the new album, was released as a single. The song featured vocals from Franceso, and charted at #50. In 1991, "Mysteries of Love", featuring Beverlei Brown on lead vocals, D. Marcus C. on rap and co-production from Andy Whitmore, was released and made #46. Their final single, the ballad "We Shouldn't Hold Hands In The Dark", also featured vocals from Franceso but also from Juliet Roberts and charted at #69. Adams and Freilich also produced the track "Fools Paradise" for Isle postee Ruth Joy, as well as Jazzi P's hit and only single "Feel The Rhythm". They also produced two UK Top 40 hits (one of which was a top ten hit) for Dannii Minogue's 1991 album, Love and Kisses: "I Don't Wanna Take This Pain" and "Jump To The Beat".  Their output seems to have ended in the 1990s. Discogs indicates that Emma died in 2011, though I have not be able to find any more info regarding that, so who knows. Mike Stevens went on to produce a couple tracks from Juliet Roberts, as well as tracks for Ruby Turner, Fast Food Rockers, Sugababes, Annie Lennox and Take That, for whom he was also musical director, so clearly L.A. Mix was a stepping stone for his success.

Video for Check This Out

Video for Get Loose

Video for Love Together

Download On The Side

1 Get Loose
2 You Are The One
3 Breathe Deep
4 Don't Turn Away
5 Love Together
6 Just Waiting
7 Mellow Mellow (Right On)
8 Don't Stop ('89)
9 Check This Out
10 Get Loose (Definitely Def Remix)

Video for Coming Back For More

Download Coming Back For More

1 Coming Back For More
2 Miss My Love
3 Slap
4 One Love One Touch
5 We Shouldn't Hold Hands In The Dark
6 Mysteries Of Love
7 Love Thang
8 Live For Love
9 All Mine
10 Discover Reality
11 Breathe Deeper (Deeper Mix)

Kevin Aviance - Box Of Chocolates (1999) & Entity (2003) DOUBLE POST!!

Kevin Aviance was born Eric Snead in 1968 in Richmond, Virginia. With a love for music, theatre, fashion and drama, he moved into drag at a young age, with punk being a huge influence, as well as obvious influences like Grace Jones and Boy George.  He moved to Washington, D.C. to be a hairdresser and drag performer, but also developed a bad drug habit.  Luckily his life turned around when he was discovered by The House Of Aviance, a vogue-ball house based in New York City that was one of the premiere groups on the voguing scene. Changing his name to Kevin Aviance, he moved first to Miami and then to New York City where he became an acclaimed drag performer at the Sound Factory. In 1994 he made a cameo in Madonna's "Secret" video and soon made the natural progression to making music of his own.  His first single, "Cunty (The Feeling)", was released on Strictly Rhythm in 1996 as 'Rageous Projecting Kevin Aviance'.  It garnered enough notice to get him signed to legendary DJ François Kevorkian's Wave Music.  His next single was a remake of George Kranz's 1983 dance hit "Din Daa Daa".  It quickly went to the top of the Billboard Dance Chart in 1997, and also hit #65 on the UK singles chart in 1998.  It is likely his best remembered song.  His next single was a remake of "Join In The Chant", a 1987 dance hit by EBM group Nitzer Ebb.  Kevin's version managed to reach #8 on the Billboard Dance Chart. The success of the singles led to the album A Box Of Chocolates, released in 1999.  That same year he performed in the film Flawless. The first single "Rhythm Is My Bitch" climbed to #2 on the Billboard Dance Chart, though the next single, "Dance For Love", failed to chart. Interestingly, that was the first single that Kevin actually sang on, as his signature style was spoken word.  He signed to Centaur Entertainment a couple of years later and released "Alive" in 2002, which once again hit the top of the Billboard Dance Chart.  The album Entity soon followed, as did the single "Give It Up", another #1 hit and his biggest to date.  This album had Kevin singing on all of the tracks, and is much better than his first, IMO. After leaving Centaur, Kevin released another single, "Strut", which managed to reach #13 on the Billboard Dance Chart in 2006, a couple months after Kevin was robbed and gay-bashed by a group of up to seven men.  This resulted in his jaw being wired shut for a month, as well as a fractured knee.  He persevered and discussed the experience on The Tyra Show.  Since then he has returned to the stage and reamins a drag icon.  He has released a few singles including "Hold On Me" with Tom Stephan vs S-Man in 2007, a remake of Britney Spears' "Gimme More" in 2009, and most recently "Bang, DaBeat" with Samuri in 2017.  Obviously Kevin will not be going anywhere anytime soon, and the gay world wouldn't have it any other way.

Download Box Of Chocolates

Video for Cunty

Video for Din Da Da

Video for Join In The Chant

Video for Rhythm Is My Bitch

Video for Dance For Love

1 Fanfare
2 Din Da Da Da
3 The Need
4 Chocolates
5 Do You Know Me
6 Dance For Love
7 Everyday
8 The Beats
9 Cunty
10 Robots
11 Join In The Chant
12 Rhythm Is My Bitch
13 Tonight
14 Home

Download Entity

Video for Alive (Remix)

1 Aviancetro "Clap Your Hands"
2 Alive
3 You've Got The Groove
4 Give It Up
5 Interlube Chant "Love"
6 Freak It (Live Out Loud)
7 Power
8 Seattle
9 Twirl (Don't Bring Me Down)
10 Fire
11 Ready Set Go
12 Alive (Victor Calderone Vs. The Tribalist Remix)

Connie - Connie (1986), No Tears (1995), The Best Of Connie (2002) & Party Time 1 (2015) QUADRUPLE POST!!!!

So, I guess I have left you guys waiting for a new post for a very long time.  It has been an extremely difficult year, as you can imagine, and I thank you all for your words of sympathy and support. I am in a better state of mind, rest assured. Recently I was thinking about Connie's rare album No Tears for some reason and wanted to hear it again.  After an extensive search in my messy collection, I located it and, after realizing how good it was, I felt that I needed to share it.  My partner Mark was very supportive of my blogs (and loved Connie), and with that in mind, I thought I'd come back with a quadruple post to make up for lost time. :) I originally fell in love with Connie in 1986 after hearing her song "Experience" on the radio.  This was when freestyle music was beginning to explode, and I was addicted! I managed to track the single down, and on the other side was "Funky Little Beat", which would become her biggest hit. After that, however, I never heard anything more from Connie. She had a lower profile that some of her contemporaries, and it wasn't until I found her self-titled album many years later that I could indulge in more of her fab music. Born Consuelo Piriz on July 30, 1964, in Miami, Florida, Connie dreamed of performing as a child, and in her early 20s was introduced to music producer Henry Stone. Stone was the co-owner and president of R&B and disco label TK Records, and he executive produced Connie’s debut single “Funky Little Beat”, which became an instant club hit and almost hit the Billboard Dance top 40.  Amos Larkins II produced the self-titled album that followed, and the singles "Experience“, “I Can’t Stop”, and “Rock Me” followed, though not to the same level of success.  They were instant classics in freestyle clubs, however.  While touring, Connie managed to record three more singles - a remake of KC & The Sunshine Band's "Get Down Tonight" in 1987 (included here on her first album), and "Tonight's The Night" in 1988 and "Rockin, Rollin Weekend" in 1989, both produced by Amos Larkins II. After touring for several years, Connie got married and decided to focus on family. It wasn't until 1995 that she would release her next album, No Tears, along with the same-titled single, on obscure label Black Olive, this time with different producers. Though the sound was still very much freestyle and Connie, both the single and album failed to have any impact, as freestyle was past its prime. Nothing was heard from Connie for 7 more years, when Thump Records released The Best Of Connie in 2002. Produced once again by Amos Larkins II, it wasn't a true "Best Of" since it contained remakes of four past songs, as well as remixes of "Funky Little Beat", three new tracks, and remakes of Trinere's freestyle hits "How Can We Be Wrong" and "All Night", and Debbie Deb's "When I Hear Music" and "Look Out Weekend" (also originally produced by Amos Larkins II). While mostly a freestyle album, the three new tracks were decidedly euro-house. By then freestyle was no longer in vogue, except for in retro clubs. Luckily, the internet would soon change that, and the demand for retro music grew rapidly as the internet did.  As with several other artists featured on this site, the demand for Connie grew as well. In 2006 she recorded the Latin reggaeton album Let's Party (Estilo Reggaeton) (no, I do not have it as I am not a fan of reggaeton, sorry!) and also released The Best Of Connie - Funky Little Beat (which is basically just a remastered version of her first album). After this, Connie toured in retro freestyle shows with other legends.  Finally, in 2015, she released another album, Party Time 1, again working with Amos Larkins II and returning to the freestyle sound that she was known and loved for.  Clearly Connie is on a roll once again, touring extensively, and we can only hope she releases new music again soon.

Video for Funky Little Beat

Download Connie

1 Experience
2 Your Eyes
3 I Can't Stop
4 Fire In My Heart
5 Funky Little Beat
6 Laughter In The Rain
7 I'm In Love With You
8 Rock Me
9 Get Down Tonight

Download No Tears

1 No Tears
2 Dream On
3 Together Forever
4 La La (Means I Love You)
5 I Like It (Street Mix)
6 Round And Round
7 I'll Be Comin' Back
8 Burning Desire
9 I Like It
10 No Tears (Hip House Mix)

Download The Best Of Connie

1 The Power Of Love
2 Spinning
3 Feel The Beat
4 Funky Little Beat
5 How Can We Be Wrong
6 Rock Me
7 Experience
8 All Night
9 When I Hear Music
10 Your Eyes
11 Look Out Weekend
12 Funky Little Beat 2.0 (Club Mix)
13 Funky Little Beat 2.0 (Radio Mix)

Download Party Time 1

1 Call 911
2 Get Up
3 Don't Want You To Go
4 The Night Is Still Young
5 Must Be The Beat
6 No One
7 Rock This Party
8 Romance
9 Don't Be Jealous
10 A Boy And A Girl

Dee Fredrix - Grace (1993)

Thanks to a request from Marco, I located the one and only album from Britain's Dee Fredrix.  Though I didn't realize it until now, Dee more commonly went by name Dee Lewis (though her maiden name is actually Fredericks) and she was mentioned on the Isle previously thanks to a post on her sister Shirley Lewis. Like Shirley, Dee did a lot of background work until she joined her older sisters Shirley and soul/disco diva Linda to form Lewis (aka The Lewis Sisters), who released five non-charting pop singles in 1986/87. Linda originally changed her last name from Fredericks to Lewis in tribute to soul singer Barbara Lewis, and her sisters soon followed. Dee was also featured in 1986 on two singles by Stock Aitken Waterman's bizarre bossa nova collective Mondo Kané and the charity single "Give, Give, Give" by Dance Aid.  While continuing to perform backing vocals for a wide variety of artists like Kylie Minogue and Donna Summer (thanks to the SAW connection), she also managed to release several pop singles of her own on Mercury as Dee Lewis, including three top 100 UK Singles: "Stuck On Love" (#90 in 1987 and recharting in 1988 at #95), a remake of the Emotions' "Best Of My Love" (#47 in 1988) and "Double Standard" (#89 in 1989).  Having had minimal success on the charts, she returned to backing vocals and regrouped.  In 1993 she reemerged with a new name, taking her real last name and changing the spelling to something shorter and catchier.  She also had a new, much more soulful sound.  Her first single was the ballad "And So I Will Wait For You", which hit #56 on the UK charts.  The follow-up was a house track, "Dirty Money", which managed to reach #74 on the UK pop charts, but also become a club hit thanks to remixes by Satoshi Tomiie. I have this 12" single and always loved this song, but until now, this was the only song I had ever heard by Dee.  I am glad to be able to hear more, and there are a couple other housey tracks on the album.  A promo of remixes of "Whatever It Takes" was also released, and Dee released one other non-album single in 1994, "Live My Life", but neither were hits. With solo stardom just out of reach, Dee went back to session singing.  Her Twitter account indicates that she is still singing and songwriting, especially for film soundtracks.  Hit her up there or on Facebook should you wish to know more.  Perhaps you could also ask her if a Lewis Sisters reunion is in the cards (fingers crossed). :)

Video for Dirty Money

Download Grace

1 Dirty Money
2 And So I Will Wait For You
3 Whatever It Takes
4 Hold On To What We've Got
5 How Can This Be Wrong
6 There But For The Grace
7 If I Could Relive Your Love
8 Don't Get In My Way
9 Buried Treasure
10 Look My Way

Smart E's - Sesame's Treet (1992)

Surprise!!  Finally, a new post after forever.  Luckily I have a spare moment, and thought you all deserved a little Valentine's Day "treet".  While most of you likely remember the theme to the children's show Sesame Street, how many of you remember the rave remix by Smart E's? In 1992 their song "Sesame's Treet" hit #2 on the UK charts and managed to hit #60 on the Billboard Hot 100, staying in the charts for 16 weeks. The group was formed by DJs Christopher Howell (aka Luna-C) and Tom Orton (aka Mr. Tom) and producer Nick Arnold.  The three were heavily into breakbeat hardcore music, the music of choice at raves, which were huge at the time.  The boys decided to take samples from the film Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and put them over a breakbeat track, releasing "Bogus Adventure," backed with "Fuck The Law", which took samples from the film Nightbreed.  "Bogus Adventure" caught the attention of local DJs and this encouraged the trio to record another sampled novelty track, this time using the theme from Sesame Street.  This was one of the first "happy hardcore" tunes, which focused on upbeat and childlike themes and samples, which appealed to the drug fueled rave crowds.  The song quickly caught fire and ended up debuting at #2 on the British charts, which was a first at that time.  The boys were snatched up by Big Beat Records and quickly put together an album.  Most of the album maintained a similar vibe to their previous tracks, using fast techno beats and many samples.  They also enlisted vocalist Jayde to add diva vocals on some tracks, including the next single "Loo's Control". The album failed to capitalize on "Sesame's Treet"'s success, however, and it was largely panned by critics as garbage.  It also led to many copycat acts who used samples from various child-centric sources, and the influx of similar tracks is said to have hurt the rave scene as a whole.  They did release one other song from the album, "Love Is Blind," though this was released under the moniker Echora, likely to distance themselves from the Smart E's name.  Also, the track was quite different from the rest of the album, as it was a straight-forward house number featuring the soulful vocals of Jayde.  It was also given many R&B remixes to appeal to the urban market.  It didn't do well on the charts, however.  The group split after this and all went their separate ways, though they all continued to release their own spin on dance music.  Howell probably had the most success, both with his solo music as well as numerous releases under different aliases, and also ran his own record labels.  Arnold released music under several aliases as well, the most successful likely being the happy hardcore group Bang!, who released two albums.  Initially Orton assisted with Bang! and then also went on to release tracks under different aliases and as part of various groups.  But they will all likely best be remembered for "Sesame's Treet," for better or for worse.

Video for Sesame's Treet

Video for Loo's Control

Download Sesame's Treet

1 Apollo (Lunar Mix)
2 Magnificent
3 Make It Happen
4 Sesame's Treet
5 Love Is Blind
6 The Law
7 Charlie
8 Loo's Control
9 A Most Excellent Choon
10 Intruder Alert
11 Bizzarely Odd
12 Time Out
13 Beautiful Noises

Nu Civilization - Nu Civilization (1993)

Emerging from a very modest upbringing in Brooklyn, Glenn Toby began his career in music in the burgeoning genre of hip hop. Known as Mr. Sweety "G", in the early 1980's he released a couple of underground rap hits, "At The Place To Be" and "We Want To Get Down". By the mid-80's he'd moved on to house music, most notably doing featured vocals for producer Winston Jones, recording under the name Cultural Vibe. Though he had dabbled in hip hop production, Toby's first notable foray into house music production was on the 1987 song "I Can Tell" by MSG, for which he also performed lead vocals.  Over the next few years he released more house tracks under aliases like Private House, The Klub and Kustom Made.  But it was the 1990 release of "Wake Up (Shay-Ama)" under the moniker Nu Civilization that got the attention of the world.  Released on Toby's own label Permanent Records, it started as a local club hit but blew up over the next couple of years, especially here in Canada.  UK label Vinyl Solution signed Toby to an album deal, and the album was released in the UK three years later (and on SPG Music Productions in Canada).  The album featured Toby on vocals on most songs, though he also included several other vocalists, most notably club divas Tafuri, Channelle and Chandra Simmons. While "Wake Up" was a huge club hit in Canada, the follow up singles, "When Will I Be Free," "You Are" and "Destiny", met with less success in Canada and elsewhere.  Over the next couple of years Toby deserted the Nu Civilization name but produced and recorded a few more songs, and he also co-wrote songs with Sybil, including her minor 1993 hit "You're The Love Of My Life".  In 1998 he put music aside when he founded the Book Bank Foundation, which provides tutoring and education in order to encourage literacy in inner city youth.  He then formed Glenn Toby Enterprises, a marketing, management and business development company with a focus on the entertainment industry, which he still runs to this day. Now, instead of making music himself, he's helping others get their music out there.

Download Nu Civilization

1 When Will I Be Free?
2 I Need Someone
3 You Are (Featuring Tafuri)
4 Street Jazz (Featuring Dwayne D. Kerr)
5 New Breed (Featuring Disciples Of Sound)
6 Follow Me Now
7 The Way
8 Destiny (Featuring Chandra Simmons)
9 All Of Me
10 Life Still Goes On (Featuring Chanelle)
11 I Still Believe
12 Revelations
13 Wake Up (Shay-Ama)

David Morales & The Bad Yard Club - The Program (1993)

After I posted the Arthur Baker & The Backbeat Disciples post, I was reminded of another album from around the same era that was fronted by a legendary producer and featured several vocalists.  It was David Morales & The Bad Yard Club, but I only had it on cassette and hadn't listened to it in decades.  I immediately found the CD online, and here it is! David Morales was born and bred in a rough section of Brooklyn and frequented the New York club scene as a teen, becoming a DJ in the late 70s, most notably at Paradise Garage. His success as a DJ led to his being asked to remix several singles, his first being married synth-pop duo The Zummos' "An Obsession (Over You)" in 1985.  From there he was in demand as a remixer, remixing an endless stream of pop and R&B singles (including remixes for several Isle postees like Pam Russo, Sequel, Adventures Of Stevie V, Nerissa, Nayobe, Alison Limerick, Jamie J. Morgan, Slam Slam, Ana, Blue Pearl, Temper Temper, Ya Kid K, Malaika, Eve Gallagher, India, and, yes, even Arthur Baker & The Backbeat Disciples), with his first remix for a major artist being Whitney Houston's "Love Will Save The Day" in 1988. In 1987 he also began making his own music, joining up with other future remix and production legends Chep Nunez, Robert Clivilles and David Cole to form 2 Puerto Ricans, A Black Man And A Dominican, whose single "Do It Properly" was a huge underground club hit. But it wasn't until 1993 that he decided to use his own name to release original music.  Like Arthur Baker, he chose to add a group name after his name, branding his supporting players, producers and vocalists The Bad Yard Club. He signed to Mercury and released the single "Gimme Luv (Eenie Meenie Miny Mo)" featuring Jamaican ragga vocalist Papa San.  The song became a huge club hit, eventually hitting #1 on the Billboard Dance chart.  The album soon followed, and it maintained the ragga house sound introduced in the first single.  The title track, also featuring Papa San, was released next and hit the #1 spot on the Billboard Dance chart as well.  While the next single, "Sunshine", failed to chart, its follow-up, "In De Ghetto", hit #3 on the Billboard Dance chart in 1994 and is probably the best remembered single from the album.  (It was re-released in 1996 featuring the original vocalist, Delta Bennett, as well as house diva Crystal Waters.) It would be the last single from the album and from David Morales & The Bad Yard Club.  (Of particular interest to pop fans, the track "Forever Luv" is the first song to feature the vocals of future pop superstar (in Europe, at least) Anastacia.) Morales went on to even huger, superstar success in the following years as a producer, remixer and artist.  He was nominated for Grammys three years in a row - as a producer on Mariah Carey's Daydream in 1996, and for Remixer Of The Year in 1997 and 1998, the latter year for which he won.  This was helped by the success that same year of "Needin' U", a mostly instrumental house track that he released as David Morales Presents The Face, which hit #1 on the Billboard Dance chart and #8 on the UK Pop chart. He released it again in 2001, as "Needin' U II", this time featuring vocals by Isle postee Juliet Roberts, and it again hit #1 on the Billboard Dance chart and #11 on the UK Pop chart.  He has since released many successful singles using his own name and as part of various groups, the biggest being "Higher" by Moca in 2000, and also released two albums using just his own name, 2 Worlds Collide in 2004 and Changes in 2012.  He has produced, remixed and released a lot less since then, as he dedicates most of his time touring the world as a highly sought after DJ, thus returning to his first love.

Video for Gimme Luv (Eenie Meenie Miny Mo)

Download The Program

1	The Program (Reprise)
2	The Program (Featuring Papa San)
3	Sunshine (Featuring Stanryck)
4	In De Ghetto (Featuring Delta)
5	Games (Featuring Ce Ce Rogers)
6	Jazzy Mo
7	Gimme Luv (Eenie Meenie Miny Mo) (Featuring Papa San)
8	Beautiful Thing (Featuring Stanryck)
9	Forever Luv (Featuring Anastacia)
10	Work That Body (Featuring Natural E)
11	Gimme Luv (Eenie Meenie Miny Mo) (The Jackie 60 LP Experience) (Featuring Papa San)

Arthur Baker And The Backbeat Disciples - Merge (1989) & Give In To The Rhythm (1991) DOUBLE POST!!

Arthur Baker is a legendary producer and remixer.  He was born in Boston and began his career in music as a DJ, but soon tired of it and chose to pursue music production.  He produced several unsuccessful soul and electro tracks in the late 70s and early 80s, and thought a move to New York might help to elevate his career, which happened when he got a job with Tommy Boy Records.  As part of Northend, he had his first major success in 1981 with their second disco single "Happy Days". (The song would be heavily sampled in P.J. aka Paul Jacob's "Happy Days", which was a dance hit in both 1997 and 1999.) The following year he had even bigger success with the number one dance hit "Walkin' On Sunshine" by Rockers Revenge, which also featured his future wife and Isle postee Tina B..  That same year he became a hip hop and freestyle pioneer by producing Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force's seminal "Planet Rock".  From there his career exploded, and he was in demand as a producer and remixer, working on future hits with huge and diverse acts like New Edition, Diana Ross, Bruce Springsteen, Jennifer Holliday, Carly Simon, Bob Dylan, Suzanne Vega, New Order, Hall & Oates (with whom he'd have a close production relationship), and even Billy Crystal, as well as several Isle postees. He was also part of acts like Wally Jump Jr & The Criminal Element and Criminal Element Orchestra. But aside from the 1984 club hit "Breaker's Revenge", he didn't release anything under his own name. Until 1989, that is, when A&M Records gave him an album deal.  He recruited a band and dubbed them "The Backbeat Disciples", which consisted of John Warren, Tiny Valentine, Mac Quayle, Bobby Khozouri, Philip Damien and Cevin Fisher (Quayle, Fisher and Damien would go on to become huge producers and remixers themselves). The album consisted mostly of dance pop, with some more adult contemporary and hi-NRG tracks thrown in. Along with Warren and Valentine, he recruited several other vocalists, including legendary soul singer Al Green, ABC frontman Martin Fry, half of OMD, Andy McClusky, Jimmy Sommerville of Bronski Beat and The Communards, popular French singer Etienne Daho, future house legend Robert Owens, and Isle postee Shirley Lewis.  He released seven singles from the album, the biggest hit being "The Message Is Love" featuring Green, which made the UK top 40 and top 10 in several other countries.  "It's Your Time", featuring Lewis, made the UK top 100, but "Talk It Over," "2 x 1," "Mythical Girl," "Silly Games," and "Last Thing On My Mind" were far less successful, and his deal with A&M ended.  But he was soon snapped up by RCA, and his second album appeared two years later.  Though he kept the name, the Backbeat Disciples were no longer with him, and some releases of the album appeared under his name only.  Again he recruited a bevy of amazing singers, including Leee John of Imagination, diva Tata Vega, newcomers Nikeeta and Wanda Nash, Kate Ceberano, lead singer of Isle postees I'm Talking, fellow Isle postee Adele Bertei, and Green once again.  This time Baker explored the more club-ready genres of house and trance.  He also had greater success in the US, with "Let There Be Love" reaching the top 20 on the Billboard dance chart, "Kiss The Ground (You Walk On)" also hitting that chart, "Leave The Guns At Home" a minor Billboard R&B hit, and "I O U", a remake of the dance smash he wrote and produced for pop group Freeez in 1983, just squeaking into the Billboard Hot 100.  Since then, Baker has continued to release singles under his own name and also continues to produce and remix, and he is deservedly considered a legend by most of the new breed of producers and remixers, his influence obvious in their work.

Video for The Message Is Love

Video for It's Your Time

Download Merge

1	Talk It Over (Featuring John Warren)
2	Willin' To Be Chillin' (Featuring Tiny Valentine)
3	Last Thing On My Mind (Featuring John Warren)
4	Mythical Girl (Featuring Martin Fry)
5	I Believe In Love (Featuring Jimmy Sommerville)
6	The Message Is Love (Featuring Al Green)
7	Walk Away (Featuring Andy McCluskey)
8	It's Your Time (Featuring Shirley Lewis)
9	Count To Ten (Featuring John Warren)
10	2 x 1 (Featuring Tiny Valentine)
11	All I Ever Wanted (Featuring Mac Quayle)
12	Silly Games (Featuring Robert Owens)
13	Paris Sens Interdit (Featuring Ettienne Daho)

Video for Let There Be Love

Video for Leave The Guns At Home

Download Give In To The Rhythm

1	Let There Be Love (Featuring Leee John & Tata Vega)
2	Leave The Guns At Home (Featuring Al Green)
3	I.O.U. (Featuring Nikeeta)
4	(Rock Me) In The House Of Love (Featuring Wanda Nash)
5	Feels Like The First Time (Featuring Nikeeta)
6	Inspiration (Featuring Leee John & Tata Vega)
7	C'mon C'mon (Featuring Leee John)
8	If Love Had A Heart (Featuring Leee John)
9	2 Can Play This Game (Featuring Wanda Nash)
10	Let's Start From Scratch (Featuring Nikeeta)
11	Surrender (Trance Like Us) (Featuring Adele Bertei)
12	Kiss The Ground (You Walk On) (Featuring Adele Bertei)
13	Meaning Of Life (Featuring Kate Ceberano)

Alison Limerick - And Still I Rise (1992), With A Twist (1994) & Spirit Rising (1998) TRIPLE POST!!!

As it's been awhile since my last post, I'm hitting you with yet another triple post!  This time I'm featuring house diva Alison Limerick.  Alison was born in London and at first set out to be a dancer, even attending the London Contemporary School of Dance.  But her strong, soulful voice couldn't be denied and soon she was an in demand backing singer.  Her first major gig was backing vocals on Style Council's "Shout To The Top" in 1984.  Through the rest of the 80s and early 90s she made vocal appearances on songs by an eclectic array of alternative artists such as Peter Murphy, The Icicle Works, Ultravox and This Mortal Coil, on whose albums she took lead on several tracks like "Nature's Way" and "Drugs".  During this time she also began working with producer and songwriter Lati Kronlund.  Kronlund had written a house song that he thought Alison's voice would be perfect for, and "Where Love Lives" was born.  Released in 1990 on Arista, the song became a huge club hit, thanks in large part to the remix by Frankie Knuckles and David Morales.  In 1991, it reached #3 on the Billboard dance chart and #27 on the UK singles chart.  This led to an album deal with Arista, but the second single, "Come Back (For Real Love)", was less successful, only reaching #53 on the UK pop chart. She did almost make the top 40 again that year with a collaboration with Malcolm McLaren, "Magic's Back". And the next single from her album, "Make It On My Own", was another chart hit, reaching #6 on the Billboard dance chart and #16 on the UK chart.  But the album was not released in the US, and the follow-up singles "Hear My Call" and "Gettin' It Right" were only minor chart hits in the UK. Undaunted, Alison began to work on new music.  While her next single, "Time Of Our Lives", failed to chart, her remake of Evelyn "Champagne" King's "Love Come Down" managed to hit the UK top 40 at #36, and her second album was released in 1994, with Frankie Knuckles behind the production of most of it.  It wasn't successful enough for the label to keep her, alas. She kept busy over the following few years by contributing vocals and lyrics to acid jazz group Vibraphonic, and had another minor UK hit with the James Taylor Quartet, "Love Will Keep Us Together". Then, in 1996, "Where Love Lives" was re-released with new mixes, and became an even bigger hit, reaching #4 on the Billboard dance chart and #9 on the UK pop chart.  Then "Make It On My Own" was re-released and reached #30 on the UK chart.  This led to another album with an indie label in 1998, and the preceding single. "Put Your Faith In Me", just missed the top 40 in the UK.  None of the follow up singles - "Never Knew", "Let's Hold On (To Love)" and "Spirit Rising", managed to chart, however.  And though she has not released a proper album since, Alison has kept very busy with music, collaborating on singles with, among others, X-Press 2, And If, Ringleader and Ikon, as well as extensive touring.  And in 2003, "Where Love Lives" appeared on the charts yet again thanks to new remixes, reaching #16 on the Billboard dance charts and #44 on the UK pop chart, proving you can't keep a good song down.  Expect it to 'live' again on the charts in the near future.  You can keep up with Alison via her Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Video for Where Love Lives

Video for Make It On My Own

Video for Gettin' It Right

Video for Come Back (For Real Love)

Download And Still I Rise

1	Make It On My Own
2	Gettin' It Right
3	Where Love Lives (Come On In)
4	Hear My Call
5	Trouble
6	Come Back (For Real Love)
7	Tell Me What You Mean
8	Let's Make A Memory
9	You And I
10	The Difference Is You

Video for Time Of Our Lives

Video for Love Come Down

Download With A Twist

1	Time Of Our Lives
2	Love Come Down
3	Twisted
4	No Way Out
5	Crime To Be That Cool
6	So Long
7	Sentimental
8	Buck The System
9	Take It Back
10	Let's Just Pretend
11	Build Your Love
12	Unique
13	Come Home

Video for Put Your Faith In Me

Video for Let's Hold On (To Love)

Download Spirit Rising

1	Spirit Rising
2	Never Knew
3	Let's Hold On (To Love)
4	Put Your Faith In Me
5	How Happy
6	Stronger Love
7	So Far So Good
8	Dangerous Game
9	Take It Easy
10	It's Getting Better (This Could Be Good)
	Bonus Tracks
11	Never Knew (Joe T. Vanelli Classic Mix)
12	Put Your Faith In Me (Peppermint Jam Faith Club Mix)
13	Let's Hold On To Love (Metro Mix)
14	Where Love Lives (Ruff Driverz Full Vocal Mix)

Taja Sevelle - Taja Sevelle (1987), Fountains Free (1991) & Toys Of Vanity (1997) TRIPLE POST!!!

I have loved Taja Sevelle from the very start of her career and have enjoyed all of her musical explorations.  I've wanted to feature her here for years, but at one time Taja was offering her albums on her website so I resisted out of respect.  However, someone recently requested her work, and I checked her website and the albums are no longer available there, and they don't seem to be available digitally either, so I thought it was time to share her amazing music.  As her biography is available on her website, I'll give the condensed version.  She was born Nancy Richardson in Minneapolis.  While working in the health food industry and farming, she also pursued music, fronting several local jazz and R&B bands and also working as a radio producer and DJ.  She was accepted at the Berklee College Of Music, but passed when Minneapolis' most famous citizen, Prince, offered her a record deal with his vanity label, Paisley Park, which was distributed through Reprise Records. She had previously done background vocals on his track "The Ladder" in 1985, and obviously this impressed him enough to sign her to a solo deal.  Hooking up with Minneapolis musician Chico Bennett (aka George Bennette), she created an album that incorporated the red hot Minneapolis sound, but with her own folksy, hippiesque vibe. Her first single, the self-penned ballad "Love Is Contagious," became a huge hit in Europe, reaching #7 on the UK charts, and a modest hit in the US, reaching #62 on the Billboard Hot 100. It remains one of my favourite ballads ever.  She followed it up with the funky Prince-penned "Wouldn't You Love To Love Me," but it only managed to reach the middle of the UK Pop and Billboard R&B charts.  Follow-up singles "Popular" and "Take Me For A Ride" failed to chart.  Paisley Park's run would soon end, but Taja stuck with Reprise, and four years later released her second album, Fountains Free.  While Bennett still produced a few tracks (and would go on to work with superstars like Lady GaGa, Katy Perry and Justin Timberlake), she also worked with various other R&B and pop producers, most prominently pop producer du jour Ian Prince and the legendary Burt Bacharach.  As a result, the album was much more pop-oriented, but the direction didn't seem to work, as the only single, "Trouble Having You Near," did not chart.  For awhile it seemed that was the end of Taja's musical career, but six years later she surprised her fans by signing with 550 Music and releasing the album Toys Of Vanity.  This time she worked with producer R.J. Rice (of R.J.'s Latest Arrival fame) and she delved deeply into the trip hop sound that was hot at the time.  No doubt she didn't expect the album to become a huge pop hit, but she released the singles "I & I" and "A Lot Like You" to critical acclaim. Personally I was thrilled to discover the album a couple years later, as I was a huge trip hop fan.  During the recording of the album in Detroit, Taja was struck by all of the poverty there.  This led to her greatest passion, the founding of Urban Farming, which encourages people in cities to grow their own food on unused land, and the group helped to plant vegetable gardens around the world for those in need.  Though she has also written books, acted, and even patented her own invention, Urban Farming has remained her passion, and she has made more of a name for herself in this respect than from her music, having appeared on numerous television shows, including Ellen.  But she has still managed to release new music, including the underground house music hits "Never Givin' Up" in 2000 and a remake of The Rolling Stones' "Sympathy For The Devil" in 2003.  She also independently released the Good Times EP in 2004 and continues to occasionally independently release various singles on her e-store.  I have had the pleasure of corresponding with her on her blog and Facebook page, and I can tell you that her personality is as sweet as her voice and her conscience.

Urban Farming

Berklee College of Music

Berklee College of Music

Berklee College of Musi

Video for Love Is Contagious

Video for Wouldn't You Love To Love Me

Video for Popular

Download Taja Sevelle

1	Love Is Contagious
2	Wouldn't You Love To Love Me?
3	Popular
4	How Could You Do Me So Bad?
5	Take Me For A Ride
6	If I Could Get Your Attention
7	Infatuation
8	Baby's Got A Lover
9	Mama 16
10	Fly For Your Painted Rainbow

Download Fountains Free

1	Trouble Having You Near
2	Chase Temptation
3	I'm Givin' In
4	Even Odd You
5	Fountains Free
6	The Power Of Your Love (You And I)
7	Perpetual Motion
8	What A State Of Love
9	Fierce Desire
10	Forever In Love
11	Died Alive
12	Trouble Having You Near (Radio Mix)

   
Video for I & I

Download Toys Of Vanity

1	I & I
2	Us
3	Wake Before I Die
4	A Lot Like You
5	I Feel
6	Killing Time
7	Making Love To The Air
8	Fleet Of Angels
9	Toys Of Vanity
10	Sub-Conscious Me
11	Why?
12	Fleet Of Angels (No Drums)