I bought this one mostly for “Shake” and “Stand Up” (very strong start to Side B) but there’s a few more tracks on here worth a listen too. Pretty classic combination of stuff in terms of what I like: simple drums, squiggly synths, synth bass (sometimes with bit of real bass darting around on top of it) and vocals that are only as good as they need to be. Greg Phillinganes is in there on keys too.
Cool bit of stripped back boogie semi-rap written and produced by Red Greg Carmichael.
The eagle-eyed will note that the Sun Trek Records centre label looks the same as on Transrecords, Catch Records and In Groove Records releases. Whether these are all different ventures in the Red Greg Production Universe or just the result of one hustling 80s NYC designer/typesetter – I don’t know.
Welcome to the workout. Tony Humphries does everyone a massive favour and zooms in on the drums and the bass for most of the 7-and-a-half minutes here. If you start dissecting even deeper you find that the core magic here is in the hi-hats. Don’t overthink it though, just have a good time.
Side 2 Track 4 of Just For You and what a way to finish an album. Tasteful. Restrained. Sultry. Juicy.
When you think Gwen Guthrie you probably (and quite rightfully) think Sly & Robbie but this one is a Eumir Deodato production, arranged and co-written by Phillip Field (Mtume, Aurra). Some rock solid personnel there.
I got on to this one via Dâm-Funk’s generous and endless sharing of the knowledge via Twitter and Instagram.
Another big and splashy snare/clap(/burst of white noise) here along with an always welcome squiggly synth. Brenda Watts’ lead vocal (and the lyrical content) against the pretty slappin’ instrumental leave you in this kind of emotional Bermuda Triangle where you’re not sure if you’re happy for her realising where she’s at, sad for her because of how she got there or happy for yourself because you’re getting down to this track.
Elliot Roscoff Executive Produced it, along with Charisma’s “Love Treatment” (also ft. Brenda Watts) and Raven’s “So In Love” (ft. Jocelyn Brown) – both since reissued by Omaggio. My copy of the “So In Love” reissue just arrived in the post, here’s what Omaggio have got to say about the man:
I’ve stuck the instrumental here for you too. Probably about three In Flagranti songs worth of samples in there ready to go.
Lastly, RIP Windows Movie Maker, the Movie Maker Magic is gone.