The Music Of The 80s - Favorites, Classics And Rarities

[hitman531ph]

GEORGE DUKE

 

George Duke showed a great deal of promise early in his career as a jazz pianist and keyboardist, but has forsaken that form to be a pop producer. Inspired early on by Les McCann, he worked with a trio in San Francisco during the mid-'60s. In 1969, Duke accompanied Jean-Luc Ponty, recording with the violinist. After eight months with Don Ellis' Orchestra, he joined Frank Zappa for much of 1970. Duke spent 1971-1972 with Cannonball Adderley and then returned to Zappa for 1973-1975. In 1975, he worked with Sonny Rollins, co-led a group with Billy Cobham, and then formed a funk band (the Clarke-Duke Project) with Stanley Clarke. By the late '70s, he was completely outside of jazz, playing R&B and producing projects for pop artists. Although he has since expressed interest in returning to active playing, little of George Duke's post-1976 work is relevant to jazz.

 

In 1981, the Clarke-Duke Project scored a big hit called "Sweet Baby"

[hitman531ph]

STANLEY CLARKE

 

A brilliant player on both acoustic and electric basses, Stanley Clarke has spent much of his career outside of jazz, although he has the ability to play jazz with the very best. He played accordion as a youth, switching to violin and cello before settling on bass. He worked with R&B and rock bands in high school, but after moving to New York, he worked with Pharoah Sanders in the early '70s. Other early gigs were with Gil Evans, Mel Lewis, Horace Silver, Stan Getz, Dexter Gordon, and Art Blakey; everyone was impressed by his talents. However, Clarke really hit the big time when he started teaming up with Chick Corea in Return to Forever. When the group became a rock-oriented fusion quartet, Clarke mostly emphasized electric bass and became an influential force, preceding Jaco Pastorius. But, starting with his School Days album (1976), and continuing through his funk group with George Duke (the Clarke/Duke Project), up to his projects writing movie scores, Stanley Clarke largely moved beyond the jazz world into commercial music; his 1988 Portrait album If This Bass Could Only Talk, and his 1995 collaboration with Jean Luc Ponty and Al DiMeola on the acoustic The Rite of Strings, are two of his few jazz recordings since the '70s.

[hitman531ph]

GEORGE BENSON

 

George Benson is simply one of the greatest guitarists in jazz history, but he is also an amazingly versatile musician; and that frustrates critics to no end who would paint him into a narrow bop box. He can play in just about any style -- from swing to bop to R&B to pop -- with supreme taste, a beautiful rounded tone, terrific speed, a marvelous sense of logic in building solos, and, always, an unquenchable urge to swing. His inspirations may have been Charlie Christian and Wes Montgomery -- and he can do dead-on impressions of both -- but his style is completely his own. Not only can he play lead brilliantly, he is also one of the best rhythm guitarists around, supportive to soloists and a dangerous swinger, particularly in a soul-jazz format. Yet Benson can also sing in a lush soulful tenor with mannerisms similar to those of Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathaway; and it is his voice that has proved to be more marketable to the public than his guitar. Benson is the guitar-playing equivalent of Nat "King" Cole -- a fantastic pianist whose smooth way with a pop vocal eventually eclipsed his instrumental prowess in the marketplace -- but unlike Cole, Benson has been granted enough time after his fling with the pop charts to reaffirm his jazz guitar credentials, which he still does at his concerts.

 

Benson actually started out professionally as a singer, performing in nightclubs at eight, recording four sides for RCA's X label in 1954, forming a rock band at 17 while using a guitar that his stepfather made for him. Exposure to records by Christian, Montgomery, and Charlie Parker got him interested in jazz, and by 1962, the teenaged Benson was playing in Brother Jack McDuff's band. After forming his own group in 1965, Benson became another of talent scout John Hammond's major discoveries, recording two highly regarded albums of soul-jazz and hard bop for Columbia and turning up on several records by others, including Miles Davis' Miles in the Sky. He switched to Verve in 1967, and, shortly after the death of Montgomery in June 1968, producer Creed Taylor began recording Benson with larger ensembles on A&M (1968-1969) and big groups and all-star combos on CTI (1971-1976).

 

While the A&M and CTI albums certainly earned their keep and made Benson a guitar star in the jazz world, the mass market didn't catch on until he began to emphasize vocals after signing with Warner Bros. in 1976. His first album for Warner Bros., Breezin', became a Top Ten hit on the strength of its sole vocal track, "This Masquerade," and this led to a string of hit albums in an R&B-flavored pop mode, culminating with the Quincy Jones-produced Give Me the Night. As the '80s wore on, though, Benson's albums became riddled with commercial formulas and inferior material, with his guitar almost entirely relegated to the background. Perhaps aware of the futility of chasing the charts (after all, "This Masquerade" was a lucky accident), Benson reversed his field late in the '80s to record a fine album of standards, Tenderly, and another with the Basie band, his guitar now featured more prominently. His pop-flavored work also improved noticeably in the '90s. Benson retains the ability to spring surprises on his fans and critics, like his dazzlingly idiomatic TV appearance and subsequent record date with Benny Goodman in 1975 in honor of John Hammond, and his awesome command of the moment at several Playboy Jazz Festivals in the 1980s. His latter-day recordings include the 1998 effort Standing Together and 2000's Absolute Benson. All Blues appeared in spring 2001 followed by Irreplaceable in 2004.

[hitman531ph]

DAVID BENOIT

 

One of the more popular performers in the idiom somewhat inaccurately called "contemporary jazz," David Benoit has mostly performed light melodic background music, what critic Alex Henderson has dubbed "new age with a beat." Benoit has done a few fine jazz projects (including a tribute to Bill Evans and a collaboration with Emily Remler) but most of his output for GRP has been aimed clearly at the charts. He studied composition and piano at El Camino College and, in 1975, played on the soundtrack of the film Nashville. After recording with Alphonse Mouzon and accompanying singer Gloria Lynne, he was signed to the AVI label when he was 24, recording sets that paved the way toward his later output. Benoit has been been a solo artist for GRP since 1986. Albums like 1989's Waiting for Spring and 1999's Professional Dreamer showcase his smooth, lyrical style, while projects like his 2000 tribute to Vince Guaraldi's Peanuts scores, Here's to You, Charlie Brown: 50 Great Years, demonstrate where his own tastes lie. A decade after their first joint venture, Benoit and Russ Freeman collaborated on Benoit/Freeman Project II, released by Peak in 2004.

[hitman531ph]

THE DEELE

 

The Deele are best-known as the group that brought Babyface (b. Kenny Edmonds) and L.A. Reid (b. Mark Rooney) to prominence. Based in Indianapolis, IN, Bobby G. Summers and L.A. Reid formed the Deele in the early '80s with lead vocalist Carlos "Satin" Greene, Darnell "Dee" Bristol, Stanley Burke, and Kevin Roberson. Prior to joining the Deele Babyface had been a member of Manchild, who had a minor R&B hit with "Especially for You" in 1977.

 

The Deele had their first hit in late 1983, when "Body Talk" began climbing the R&B charts. Though the song only reached 77 on the pop charts, it reached number three on the R&B charts, helping the group's debut album Street Beat crack the Top 100. Two subsequent singles from the record, "Just My Luck," and "Surrender," dented the R&B charts, but the group's second album Material Thangz, was a disappointment, launching only one hit R&B single with the number 14 title track.

 

Between the release of Material Thangz and 1988's Eyes of a Stranger, Babyface and L.A. Reid began making a name for themselves as urban producers and songwriters, with their work for Pebbles ("Girlfriend") and the Whispers ("Rock Steady") becoming hits. In the wake of Babyface and Reid's new-found success, Eyes of a Stranger became a hit, going gold and launching the Top Ten pop and R&B hit, "Two Occasions," as well as the number ten R&B hit "Shoot 'Em Up Movies." Following the release of Eyes of a Stranger, the group went on hiatus, with Babyface and L.A. Reid continuing their successful production and songwriting work.

 

The Deele reunited without Babyface and Reid in 1993 to release Invitation to Love, which failed to earn much attention.

[hitman531ph]

SALT N PEPA

 

By the late '80s, hip-hop was on its way to becoming a male-dominated art form, which is what made the emergence of Salt-n-Pepa so significant. As the first all-female rap crew (even their DJs were women) of importance, the group broke down a number of doors for women in hip-hop. They were also one of the first rap artists to cross over into the pop mainstream, laying the groundwork for the music's widespread acceptance in the early '90s. Salt-n-Pepa were more pop-oriented than many of their contemporaries, since their songs were primarily party and love anthems, driven by big beats and interlaced with vaguely pro-feminist lyrics that seemed more powerful when delivered by the charismatic and sexy trio. While songs like "Push It" and "Shake Your Thang" made the group appear to be a one-hit pop group during the late '80s, Salt-n-Pepa defied expectations and became one of the few hip-hop artists to develop a long-term career. Along with LL Cool J, the trio had major hits in both the '80s and '90s, and, if anything, they hit the height of their popularity in 1994, when "Shoop" and "Whatta Man" drove their third album, Very Necessary, into the Top Ten.

 

Cheryl "Salt" James and Sandy "Pepa" Denton were working at a Sears store in Queens, New York, when their co-worker, and Salt's boyfriend, Hurby "Luv Bug" Azor asked the duo to rap on a song he was producing for his audio production class at New York City's Center for Media Arts. The trio wrote an answer to Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick's "The Show," entitling it "The Show Stopper." The song was released as a single under the name Super Nature in the summer of 1985, and it became an underground hit, peaking at number 46 on the national R&B charts. Based on its success, the duo, who were now named Salt-n-Pepa after a line in "The Show Stopper," signed with the national indie label Next Plateau. Azor, who had become their manager, produced their 1986 debut Hot, Cool & Vicious, which also featured DJ Pamela Green. He also took songwriting credit for the album, despite the duo's claims that they wrote many of its lyrics.

 

Three singles from Hot, Cool & Vicious -- "My Mike Sounds Nice," "Tramp," "Chick on the Side" -- became moderate hits in 1987 before Cameron Paul, a DJ at a San Francisco radio station, remixed "Push It," the B-side of "Tramp," and it became a local hit. "Push It" was soon released nationally and it became a massive hit, climbing to number 19 on the pop charts; the single became one of the first rap records to be nominated for a Grammy. Salt-n-Pepa jettisoned Greene and added rapper and DJ Spinderella (born Deidre "Dee Dee" Roper) before recording their second album, A Salt With a Deadly Pepa. Though the album featured the Top Ten R&B hit "Shake Your Thang," which was recorded with the go-go band E.U., it received mixed reviews and was only a minor hit.

 

The remix album A Blitz of Salt-n-Pepa Hits was released in 1989 as the group prepared their third album, Blacks' Magic. Upon its spring release, Blacks' Magic was greeted with strong reviews and sales. The album was embraced strongly by the hip-hop community, whose more strident members accused the band of trying too hard to crossover to the pop market. "Expression" spent eight weeks at the top of the rap charts and went gold before it was even cracked the pop charts, where it would later peak at 26. Another single from the album, "Let's Talk About Sex," became their biggest pop hit to date, climbing to number 13. They later re-recorded the song as a safe-sex rap, "Let's Talk About AIDS."

 

Before they recorded their fourth album, Salt-n-Pepa separated from Azor, who had already stopped seeing Salt several years ago. Signing with London/Polygram, the group released Very Necessary in 1993. The album was catchy and sexy without being a sellout, and the group's new, sophisticated sound quickly became a monster hit. "Shoop" reached number four on the pop charts, which led the album to the same position as well. "Whatta Man," a duet with the vocal group En Vogue, reached number three on both the pop and R&B charts in 1994. A final single from the album, "None of Your Business," was a lesser hit, but it won the Grammy for Best Rap Performance in 1995. Since the release of Very Necessary, Salt-n-Pepa have been quiet, spending some time on beginning acting careers. Both had already appeared in the 1993 comedy Who's the Man?

[Notebook]

Wow thanks a lot hitman! Yung the Deele ba funky yung music kaya? Para rin bang mala kool n d gang, whispers, jacksons or george duke?

[hitman531ph]

The Deele was not known for funk R&B. Their best known hit is Two Occasions when Babyface was still with the group

[Ghost_Rider]

Always Something there to remind me

and

Take my Breath Away by Berlin from the movie Top Gun

[doha_babe]

if u leave by OMD

[hitman531ph]

TERENCE TRENT D'ARBY

 

Terence Trent d'Arby emerged in 1987 amid a storm of publicity. Claiming his debut record was the best since Sgt. Pepper, his brash arrogance captured headlines throughout the U.K., eventually winding their way back to America -- which, ironically, is the exact opposite of how d'Arby conducted his career.

During the early '80s, d'Arby was a soldier for the United States Army. While posted in Germany, he joined a funk band called Touch, which marked the beginning of his musical career. After leaving the Army, he moved to London, where he recorded the demo tape that led to his record contract with CBS. D'Arby's first single, "If You Let Me Stay," rocketed into the U.K. Top Ten upon its release. Its accompanying album, Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent d'Arby, was also a massive success, hitting number one and spending over a year in the top half of the chart.

 

D'Arby didn't have a major hit in the U.S. until 1988, when the sparse funk of "Wishing Well" hit number one. The ballad "Sign Your Name" followed it into the Top Five and Introducing ended up selling over two million copies.

 

All of the success -- both commercial and critical -- had d'Arby poised as a major act, artistically and popularly. D'Arby's mix of soul, rock, pop, and R&B recalled Prince in its scope and sound, yet his sensibility was grittier and earthier. At least they were at first. By the time of his second album, 1989's Neither Fish nor Flesh, his ambitions were more nakedly pretentious. The record carried the weighty subtitle "A Soundtrack of Love, Faith, Hope & Destruction" and attacked many self-consciously important themes, including homophobia and environmental destruction. In addition to the self import of the lyrics, the music added a variety of new textures, from Indian drones to straight-ahead '50s R&B.

 

All of the added baggage was too much for his audience and Neither Fish nor Flesh dropped off the charts quickly, without so much as one hit single. It took d'Arby a full four years to record a new album. When Terence Trent d'Arby's Symphony or Damn -- an album containing many of the same ideas as Neither Fish nor Flesh, only better executed -- was released in 1993, it received favorable reviews, as well as some airplay on modern rock radio stations and MTV. It was enough for d'Arby to regain some credibility, yet it wasn't enough to make the album a hit. Two years later, he released TTD's Vibrator, which received the same fate as Symphony or Damn.

 

Though d'Arby didn't make his commercial return until the early 2000s with Wildcard!, he remained active during the intervening years. He extracted himself from Sony and signed on with Glen Ballard's Java; an album titled Terence Trent d'Arby's Soular Return was recorded but never released. In 1999, he fronted INXS for the group's performance at the opening of Sydney's Olympic Stadium; later that year, he could be seen on TV as Jackie Wilson in the mini-series Shake, Rattle and Roll. After obtaining the rights to his Java album, he went about starting his Sananda label and eventually issued Wildcard! through the Internet. D'Arby had his name legally changed to Sananda Maitreya and, by the end of 2003, Wildcard! had received official release in most territories

[hitman531ph]

LIVING COLOUR

 

During the 1980s, rock had become completely segregated and predictable; the opposite of the late '60s/early '70s, when such musically and ethnically varied artists as Jimi Hendrix, Sly & the Family Stone, and Santana ruled the Earth. But bands such as New York's Living Colour helped break down the doors by the end of the '80s, leading to a much more open-minded musical landscape that would eventually pave the way for future bands (Rage Against the Machine, Sevendust, etc.). The group (singer Corey Glover, guitarist Vernon Reid, bassist Muzz Skillings, and drummer Will Calhoun) first formed in the mid-'80s, with Reid being the only member with real prior band experience; he was a member of Ronald Shannon Jackson's experimental jazz outfit, and had recorded with Defunkt, Public Enemy, as well as issuing a solo album with Bill Frisell, 1984's Smash & Scatteration.

 

It took the fledgling band a few years for their sound to gel, as they honed their act at N.Y.C.'s famed CBGB's. But the group found an unlikely supporter in Mick Jagger, who took the band under his wing, produced a demo for the quartet, and helped them secure a record deal with Epic (just prior, Glover had to take a brief leave of absence from the band, as he landed a role in Oliver Stone's Vietnam War epic movie, Platoon). Living Colour's debut album, Vivid, was issued in the summer of 1988, yet it would take a few months for momentum to build. By the winter, the band's striking video for their anthem "Cult of Personality" was all over MTV, pushing Vivid to the upper reaches of the charts and to platinum certification. Living Colour also took home their first of several Grammy Awards, as "Cult" won Best Hard Rock Performance at the 1989 ceremony, and the band supported the release with a string of dates opening stadiums for the Rolling Stones' first U.S. tour in eight years that autumn.

 

Starting with Vivid and continuing on future albums, the band showed that rock could still convey a message (as evidenced by such tracks as "Open Letter to a Landlord," "Funny Vibe," among others). The quartet regrouped a year later for their sophomore effort, Time's Up, an album that performed respectfully on the charts but failed to live up to the expectations of their smash debut. An appearance at the inaugural Lollapalooza tour in the summer of 1991 kept the group in the public's eye, as did an EP of outtakes, Biscuits. Skillings left the group shortly thereafter (replaced by studio vet Doug Wimbish), as their darkest and most challenging release yet, Stain, was issued in 1993. Although it failed to sell as well as its predecessors, it retained the band's large and dedicated following, as Living Colour appeared to be entering an interesting and groundbreaking new musical phase of their career. The band began writing the following year for what would be their fourth full-length, but an inability to settle on a single musical direction caused friction between the members, leading to Living Colour's demise in early 1995.

 

In the wake of Living Colour's split, all of its former members pursued other projects. Reid issued a solo album, 1996's Mistaken Identity (as well as guesting on other artist's recordings), while Glover attempted to launch a career as a solo artist, issuing the overlooked Hymns in 1998 and finding time to appear as a VJ on VH1 and acting in the 1996 movie Loose Women. Calhoun and Wimbish remained together and launched a new outfit, the drum'n'bass-inspired Jungle Funk, who issued a self-titled debut release in 1997 (Wimbish also issued a solo album, Trippy Notes for Bass, in 1999). With Living Colour out of commission for several years by the early 21st century, Calhoun and Wimbish teamed up once more with Glover in a new outfit, Headfake, playing often in the New York City area. A few days before Christmas in 2000, Headfake played a show at CBGB's, and were joined on stage by Reid, which led to rumors of an impending Living Colour reunion. The rumors proved to be true, as Living Colour launched their first tour together in six years during the summer of 2001. Two years later, Living Colour returned with a deal with Sanctuary and their most experimental release to date. CollideØscope was slated for an October release date

[hitman531ph]

SOCIAL DISTORTION (the punk band, not the famous mobile sounds & lights crew)

 

The enduring L.A. punk band Social Distortion has overcome numerous personnel shifts, the demise of the Los Angeles hardcore scene that spawned them, and the heroin addiction of singer/guitarist/bandleader Mike Ness to achieve a measure mainstream acceptance for their rootsy, hard-hitting punk without compromise. Inspired by the fertile L.A. punk scene, Ness formed the group in 1978 with drummer Casey Royer and brothers Frank (bass) and Rikk Agnew (guitar). When the brothers left to join the Adolescents, Ness' schoolmate Dennis Danell joined on bass; the next few years saw a revolving-door membership. When the group finally recorded its debut album, Mommy's Little Monster in 1983, the band consisted of Ness, Danell (now on guitar), bassist Brent Liles, and drummer Derek O'Brien. Their music was often described as a punk version of the Rolling Stones, and "Another State of Mind" was one of the few punk videos to air on MTV in 1984. However, the band took four years to record a follow-up, as Ness descended into heroin addiction and self-consciously rebellious behavior. Liles and O'Brien left, and Ness, after straightening himself out, finally regrouped in 1988 with John Maurer on bass and Chris Reece on drums. This lineup recorded Prison Bound, a mature album broadening Social Distortion's roots rock influences with a country feel. Their self-titled 1990 effort included a cover of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" and returned the group to MTV via "Ball and Chain." Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell became their most popular album to date, producing a minor radio hit in "Bad Luck" and keeping with their now-established blend of punk, blues, country, and rockabilly.

 

Social Distortion took an extended hiatus following the release of Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell, returning in 1996 with White Light, White Heat, White Trash, which proved to be a moderate hit on MTV and modern-rock radio; former Black Flag and D.O.A. drummer Chuck Biscuits made his debut on the album, following the departure of Reece. Live at the Roxy followed in 1998, and a year later Ness issued a pair of solo albums, Cheating at Solitaire and the covers collection Under the Influences. Danell died February 29, 2000 of an apparent brain aneurysm; the guitarist was just 38-years-old. In the fall of 2000, Jonny Wickersham signed on as the group's new guitarist, and Charlie Quintana took over on drums from the often busy Biscuits. After extensive touring, the band went back into the studio in 2004 to record Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll.

[hitman531ph]

80s Norwegian band Fra Lippo Lippi returns to the Philippines for a concert on May 13 at the Araneta Coliseum.

 

Tickets available at Ticketnet outlets

[hitman531ph]

WXB 102 RESURRECTED!!!

 

Tune in to WXB 102 by clicking on the link below:

 

WXB 102 Forever

[willow_boy]

Change, Shout, and Sowing the Seeds of Love - Tears for Fears

Hungry Like the Wolf, New Moon on Monday, Save a Prayer - Duran Duran

Boys Don't Cry - The Cure

Heaven - Bryan Adams

Someday - Glass Tiger

[BlackWizard]

I'll Fly For You - Spandau Ballet

[hitman531ph]

KENNY G.

 

Kenny G. has long been the musician many jazz listeners love to hate. A phenomenally successful instrumentalist whose recordings make the pop charts, G.'s sound has been a staple on adult contemporary and smooth jazz radio stations since the mid-'80s, making him a household name. Kenny G. is a fine player with an attractive sound (influenced a bit by Grover Washington Jr.) who often caresses melodies, putting a lot of emotion into his solos. Because he does not improvise much (sticking mostly to predictable melody statements), his music largely falls outside of jazz. However, because he is listed at the top of "contemporary jazz" charts and is identified with jazz in the minds of the mass public, he belongs in this book.

 

Kenny Gorelick started playing professionally with Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra in 1976. He recorded with Cold, Bold & Together (a Seattle-based funk group) and freelanced locally. After graduating from the University of Washington, G. worked with Jeff Lorber Fusion, making two albums with the group. Soon he was signed to Arista, recording his debut as a leader in 1982. His fourth album, Duotones (which included the very popular "Songbird"), made him into a star. He followed this up with an even more successful "Silhouette" that brought him back to the pop charts in 1989. A San Miguel Beer commercial popularized this in the Philippines. Kenny G had a love for performing around his concert audiences as he did in his Kenny G Live video. The Kenny G Live recording also did well in sales and relaunched Michael Bolton back to superstardom. Soon, Kenny G was in demand for guest appearances on recordings of such famous singers as Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston and Natalie Cole. Kenny G.'s own records have sold remarkably well, particularly Breathless, which has easily topped eight million copies in the U.S.; his total album sales top 30 million copies. 1994's holiday album Miracles, and 1996's Moment continued the momentum of his massive commercial success. He also recorded his own version of the Celine Dion/Titanic smash "My Heart Will Go On" in 1998, but the following year he released Classics in the Key of G, a collection of jazz standards like "Round Midnight" and "Body & Soul," possibly to reclaim some jazz credibility. Regardless, he has made the soprano sax sound appealing to millions of fans, while simultaneously annoying many jazz purists.

Edited May 2, 2006 by hitman531ph

[hitman531ph]

YUTAKA YOKOKURA

 

A fine keyboardist who also plays koto, Yutaka Yokokura has often mixed in his Japanese heritage with his love for Brazilian music. He took classical piano lessons from the age of four, listened to pop music of the era and at the age of 15 in the mid-1960's he became attracted to Brazilian music. Soon Yokohura was leading his own group, mostly playing Brazilian material that was influenced by Sergio Mendes. In 1972 Yokohura moved to the U.S. to attend Cal State Long Beach. He performed with Hiroshima during 1975-78 which served ironically as an opportunity for the keyboardist to be introduced to his own Japanese culture. In 1978 he recorded his debut album (Lovelight) for a Japanese label; his producers were Dave Grusin and Larry Rosen. The title track was a duet with Patti Austin. After years of studio work, he recorded Yutaka for GRP in 1988 and by then he was doubling on koto. That project was followed up by Brazasia, a CD that in its title definitively sums up Yutaka Yokohura's music.

 

Yutaka was also credited for vocals, arrangement and engineering for other jazz artists as well.

[hitman531ph]

HIROSHIMA

 

Hiroshima, a group whose music falls between R&B, pop, world music, and jazz, has long had its own niche. The band integrates traditional Japanese instruments into their musical blend and has generally been both commercial and creative within its genre. Hiroshima's founding members are keyboardist Dan Kuramoto (who also played shakuhachi), June Okida Kuramoto on koto (a key part of the group's sound), Johnny Mori on taiko drums, and Danny Yamamoto on drums, percussion, and taiko. Other additions include keyboardist Kimo Cornwell, bassist Dean Cortez, and singer Teri Koide (who was later succeeded by Kimaya Seward). Some of the musicians were descendants of Japanese Americans held in U.S. detention camps during World War II. Hiroshima has recorded a series of best-selling albums for Arista, Epic, and Qwest and, although they have evolved over time (moving further away from jazz), they have managed to not only retain but increase their popularity.

[hitman531ph]

RONNIE LAWS

 

The younger brother of Hubert Laws, Ronnie Laws has a nice soulful sound on tenor, but has never seriously pursued playing jazz. Throughout his career, which includes early-'70s gigs with Quincy Jones, his brother, Ramsey Lewis, and Earth, Wind & Fire, Laws has essentially been an R&B player. He has led his own albums since 1975, but recorded very little of interest to the jazz world, although he is often listed on Billboard's contemporary jazz chart.

 

In 1980, Ronnie Laws scored two hits in the jazz fusion genre. "Stay Awake" and "Every Generation" off the album "Every Generation." A subsequent album followed in 1986 but went largely unnoticed. Ronnie Laws continued recording and did not cross over to the pop charts again.

Edited May 2, 2006 by hitman531ph

[misbyutiful]

i was at friend's bar sa el pueblo last thurs. 80's and 90's night. saya.

 

buy one take one pa un beer.

 

anyway, i love " i touch myself" by the divinyls

[noelboc]

I'll Fly For You - Spandau Ballet

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

right on, I can relate

[noelboc]

because there's nothing else that i can do

[hitman531ph]

BUCKS FIZZ

 

Bucks Fizz consists of four members- they are Bobby G, Heidi, Tammy and Wayne.

 

Bobby is only the original member of Bucks Fizz. The only remaining founder vocalist, he has remained loyal to the group since 1981, for the same reasons that first brought him into show-business: "I never wanted to be a big pop star, that just came along with our success. What I like is the huge buzz I get entertaining a live audience." Before joining Bucks Fizz ,Bobby tried his luck in Building Construction Company. Later he joined to a club as an entertainer in cabaret shows. He was starring in the London stage version of 'Jesus Christ Superstar' when he join Bucks Fizz. The group was formed after his successful audition.

 

Bobby was the lead vocalist on the majority of Bucks Fizz singles, including 'One Of Those Nights', 'Land Of Make Believe', and 'Talking In Your Sleep'. He composed many of the group's own tracks, in addition to producing for other artistes. Several television themes were written by Bobby. He scored hits with two releases of his theme song to 'Big Deal'. The next is Heidi. She was trained in singing, dance and drama at London's leading stage school, 'Laine Theatre Arts', for three years.She became Laines Student Of The Year, as well as winning an award for 'Most Outstanding Student'. She started her carrer in Butlin as as an Entertainer Redcoat at age 19.Within two weeks of joining, she was promoted to her own cabaret spot, and presented numerous television programmes. Her talents were employed further when she was asked to produce all of the redcoat shows. She was also producer to headline names such as Bernie Cliftdon and Grotbags. She was spotted by Bucks Fizz when one of the Buck Fizz's member was quiting. Bobby told ‘Hello’ magazine, “We were looking for someone who was attractive, a good singer and a quick learner. Above all she had to be a friendly person who would fit in. Heidi was so right that we offered here the job on the spot.” It is ten years since Heidi is a member of Bucks Fizz for a longer period than her predecessors Jay Aston and Shelley Preston combined, and is the group’s manager.

 

Three years ago, Heidi became Mrs. Bobby G - the happy couple tied the knot in Florida. She told ‘Hello’ magazine, “I felt like Cinderella. I was excited and so nervous, my legs turned to jelly. As I reached Bobby in the gazebo, I could see tears well in his eyes. ’You look beautiful,’ he said, and I though I was going to cry.” Tammy started her professional career at the tender age of 5 when she began her training in all aspects of dance.She worked as child actor in many TV Commercials, Royal Command Performances, Pantomimes at the Dominion Theatre and the London Palladium and a number of TV appearances on The Bill and Blue Peter.

 

At the age of 18, Tammy became a World Famous Bluecoat before leaving for a career as a solo vocalist working clubs and venues in the South West & Wales. Tammy then joined an illusion act called Abraxas and embarked on a grueling contract of several summer seasons and stints on cruise ships. A national Diploma Holder in performing Arts,Wayne went to Butlins starring as a redcoat, he stayed there 3 years progressing into choreographer and set design. Wayne then decided to fulfill a dream and take time out to travel the world visiting places like Bali. Singapore, New Zealand, Vienna, LA & Australia. In 1997 as a principal cast member in Butlins, he stayed another year until he joined a new pop band called ‘KRAVE’ as one of its five members (Nikki Winters was one of the other members). Things progressed well for the group and in 1999 work came in fast and furious. During this time came a chance meeting with 80’s queen of pop Hazel Dean. Hazel became the bands new agent and manager. Wayne feels very excited to work with Bucks Fizz and he is looking forward for better performance this year.