Jazz / Urban, Crossover Jazz, Quiet Storm
Norman Connors - Consultant, Vocals, Vocal Contractor, Producer, Arranger, Vocal Arrangement, Drums, Vocal Producer, Vocals (Background), Percussion, Conductor
Art Webb Flute
Ben Barrett Strings Contractor, Rhythm Coordination, Horn Conductor
Ben Wright Arranger, Conductor
Bob "Zyggy" Winnard Assistant Engineer
Charles Finley Trumpet
Chris Howard Engineer
Darlene Coleman Vocals (Background)
Darroll Gustamachio Engineer
Dean Gant Keyboards
Dennis Davis Drums
Duke Jones Horn Arrangements, Flugelhorn, Trumpet
Garnett Brown Trombone
Gary Coleman Percussion
Gary Grant Trumpet
Gary Herbig Woodwind
George Barrow Flute
George Dearing Guitar
Harry Bluestone Concert Master
Howard McQuary Arranger, Keyboards, Conductor, Vocal Arrangement
Jean Carn Vocals, Duet, Vocals (Background)
Kenny Hudson Percussion
Leon "Ndugu" Chancler Drums
Lisa Roberts Vocals (Background)
Mallory Earl Engineer, Mixing
Marion Meadows Sax (Soprano), Horn Arrangements, Saxophone, Sax (Tenor)
Marlo Henderson Guitar
Maxi Anderson Vocals (Background)
McKinley Jackson Conductor, Arranger
Mitch Holder Guitar
Mortonette Jenkins Vocals (Background)
Nathan East Bass
Onaje Allan Gumbs Synthesizer, Synthesizer Arrangements, Horn Arrangements
Paulinho Da Costa Percussion
Pee Wee Ford Bass
Pete Cannarozzi Synthesizer Programming
Phyllis St. James Vocal Arrangement, Vocals (Background), Vocal Contractor
Robin Eubanks Trombone
Seldon Powell Contractor, Flute
Tom Cummings Assistant Engineer
Victor Paz Flugelhorn
Walt Johnson Trumpet
William Green Woodwind
William Reichenbach Trombone
Japanese exclusive K2 24-bit remastered reissue of 1981 album from the crossover jazz artist compared to Roy Ayers George Benson. Eight tracks including, ' She's Gone', 'Party Town' 'Keep Doin' It'.
Mr. C saw Norman Connors descend from chart action a little too soon, as it boasts a handful of cuts that should've performed well. Only "She's Gone," the leadoff number featuring Connors on vocals, registered on the black singles chart. Like the remainder of the record's first side, "She's Gone" sees Connors moving into synthesized sounds and rhythm programming -- if he hadn't lost the jazz purists through his jazz-funk and fusion cuts of the mid- to late '70s, they were surely completely gone after hearing this material. Suffice to say, this album has more in common with Cameo and D Train than Sam Rivers and John Coltrane. The first half is a straight-up party record, full of brisk arrangements and tugging melodic hooks. Despite the heavy use of electronics, this record employed another laundry list of guest musicians, including Marion Meadows, Pee Wee Ford, and Paulinho Da Costa. Most of these people are present on the album's second side, which moves back into the jazzy, smooth R&B favored by Connors on albums like This Is Your Life and Take It to the Limit. Lovers of both electrified and lush early-'80s r&b should not overlook this one. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide
Norman Connors
Active Decades: '70s, '80s, '90s and '00s
Born: Mar 01, 1947 in Philadelphia, PA
Genre: Jazz
Styles: Soul, Urban, Jazz-Funk, Fusion, Post-Bop, Crossover Jazz, Quiet Storm, Smooth Jazz
Like Roy Ayers, George Benson, and Patrice Rushen, Norman Connors is best known for his major R&B hits but started out as a jazz improviser. The drummer/composer was born and raised in Philadelphia, where he lived in the same neighborhood as Bill Cosby and became interested in jazz when he was only a child. As a kid in elementary school, Connors was exposed to jazz extensively thanks to such schoolmates as drummer Lex Humphries and the younger brother of bassist and Jazz Messenger-to-be Spanky De Brest. Connors was in junior high when he began sneaking into jazz clubs and sat in for Elvin Jones at a John Coltrane gig. At 13, he first got to meet his idol, Miles Davis, and started expressing his admiration for the famous trumpeter by dressing like him. Connors went on to study music at Philly's Temple University and the Juilliard School of Music in New York. Gigs with Jackie McLean, Jack McDuff, and Sam Rivers followed, and he was first recorded as a sideman when Archie Shepp employed him on his 1967 Impulse! session Magic of Ju-Ju.
After touring with Pharoah Sanders and playing on several of his albums, Connors signed with Buddah's Cobblestone label in 1972 and recorded his first album as a leader, Dance of Magic and its follow-up, Dark of Light. A few more jazz-oriented Cobblestone and Buddah dates followed, and it was in 1975 that Connors made R&B his main priority with Saturday Night Special (which included the number ten soul hit "Valentine Love"). The rest of the 1970s found Connors featuring R&B singers prominently (including Michael Henderson, Jean Carn, and the late Phyllis Hyman) and scoring such R&B hits as "We Both Need Each Other," "Once I've Been There," and the lovely "You Are My Starship." Connors, who signed with Arista in 1977, wasn't as popular or as visible in the 1980s, although he would make a comeback in the 1990s by signing with Motown's MoJazz label and focusing on both urban contemporary and crossover. The 21st century found him moving along similar lines, releasing Eternity on Starship Records in 2000 and Star Power in 2009 on Shanachie Records.
---Alex Henderson, All Music Guide |
