Jun 24, 2017

RhoDeo 1725 Grooves

Hello,

Today's artist for the fifth and final time a three-time Grammy Award–winner known for his distinctive bass-baritone voice and romantic image, his greatest success came in the 1970s as a solo singer and with The Love Unlimited Orchestra, crafting many enduring soul, funk, and disco songs such as his two biggest hits, "You're the First, the Last, My Everything" and "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe". During the course of his career in the music business, he achieved 106 gold albums worldwide, 41 of which also attained platinum status. He is one of the world's best-selling artists of all time. He was at home appearing on Soul Train, guesting with a full band on The Today Show, and appearing in cartoon form in various episodes of The Simpsons. . ..... N'joy

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

Born in Galveston, TX, Barry White grew up singing gospel songs with his mother and taught himself to play piano. Shortly after moving from Texas to South Central Los Angeles, White made his recording debut at the tender age of 11, playing piano on Jesse Belvin's "Goodnight My Love." He made his first record when he was 16 with a group called the Upfronts. The song was called "Little Girl" on a local L.A. label called Lummtone Records. Later he worked for various independent labels around Los Angeles, landing an A&R position with Bob Keane, the man responsible for the first pop recordings by Sam Cooke. One of his labels, Mustang, was hot at the time with a group called the Bobby Fuller Four in 1966. White was hired for 40 dollars a week to do A&R for Keane's family of labels: Del-Fi, Mustang and Bronco. During this time, White flirted with the idea of being a recording artist, making a record for Bronco called "All in the Run of a Day." But he chose to stick with his A&R duties. One of the first groups he worked with was the Versatiles who later changed their name to the 5th Dimension. White's first big hit came from an artist familiar to dancefloor denizens -- Viola Wills, whose "Lost Without the Love of My Guy" went Top 20 R&B. His salary went up to 60 dollars a week. White started working with the Bobby Fuller Four. Bob Keene and Larry Nunes -- who later became White's spiritual advisor and true friend -- wanted to cut a female act. White had heard about a singer named Felice Taylor. They had three hit records, "It May Be Winter Outside," "I'm Under the Influence of Love," and "I Feel Love Coming On." They were huge hits in England. White started making 400 dollars a week.

When Bronco went out of business, White began doing independent production. Those were some lean times for White. Veteran arranger Gene Page, who would later arrange or co-arrange White's hits, helped him out, giving him work and non-repayable loans. Then three years later, Paul Politti, who also worked at Bronco, contacted him to tell him that Larry Nunes was interested in starting a business with him. Nunes had started cutting tracks for a concept album he was working on. Meanwhile, White had started working with this girl group who hadn't done any singing professionally. They rehearsed for almost a year. White wrote "Walkin' in the Rain (With the One I Love)" with lyrics that were inspired by conversations with one of the singers, Glodean James (who would later become White's second wife). White christened the group Love Unlimited.

Larry Nunes took the record to Russ Regan, who was the head of the Uni label owned by MCA. Love Unlimited's From a Girl's Point of View became a million-seller. Soon after, Regan left Uni for 20th Century Records. Without Regan, White's relationship with Uni soured. With his relationship with Uni in chaos and Love Unlimited contract-bound with the label, White decided he needed to work with another act. He wanted to work with a male artist. He made three song demos of himself singing and playing the piano. Nunes heard them and insisted that he re-record and release them as a recording artist. They argued for days about it. Then he somehow convinced White to do it. White was still hesitating up to the time the label copy was made. He was going to use the name "White Heat," but the record became the first Barry White album. That first album was 1973's I've Got So Much to Give on 20th Century Records. It included the title track and "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby."

White got a release from Uni for Love Unlimited and they joined him over at 20th Century Records. Then he had a brainstorm for another concept album. He told Regan he wanted to do an instrumental album. Regan thought he had lost it. White wanted to call it the Love Unlimited Orchestra. The single, "Love's Theme," went to number one pop, was a million-seller, and was a smash all over the world. The song earned him a BMI award for over three million covers.

For the next five years, from 1974 to 1979, there was no stopping the Barry White Hit Train -- his own Stone Gon, Barry White Sings Love Songs for the One You Love ("It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me," "Playing Your Game Baby"), Let the Music Play (title track, "You See the Trouble with Me"), Just Another Way to Say I Love You ("I'll Do for You Anything You Want Me To," "Love Serenade"), The Man ("Your Sweetness Is My Weakness," "Sha La La Means I Love You," "September When We Met," a splendid cover of Billy Joel's "Just the Way You Are"), and Love Unlimited's In Heat ("I Belong to You," "Move Me No Mountain," "Share a Little Love in Your Heart," and "Love's Theme," with lyrics). He also scored a soundtrack for the 20th Century Fox film The Together Brothers, enjoying a resurgence on home video.

His studio band included such luminaries as guitarists Ray Parker, Jr. (pre-Raydio, co-writer with White on "You See the Trouble With Me"), bassist Nathan East, Wah Wah Watson, David T. Walker, Dean Parks, Don Peake, bassist Wilton Felder of the Crusaders, Lee Ritenour, drummer Ed Greene, percussionist Gary Coleman, and later keyboardist Rahn Coleman. His hit streak seemed, well, unlimited. Then it all derailed. Russ Regan and another ally, Hosea Wilson, left 20th Century Records and White was left with management that he thought of in less than glowing terms.

White left after fulfilling his contract with two more album releases, Love Unlimited Orchestra's My Musical Bouquet and his own I Love to Sing the Songs I Sing. White signed a custom label deal with CBS Records. At the time it was touted as one of the biggest deals ever. He started a label called Unlimited Gold. The roster included White, Love Unlimited, the Love Unlimited Orchestra, Jack Perry, and a teenaged singer named Danny Pearson who charted with a song called "What's Your Sign Girl." He also did a duet album with Glodean James called Barry & Glodean. Aside from the gold album The Message Is Love, most of the albums weren't huge sellers. After eight Barry White albums, four Love Unlimited albums, four Love Unlimited Orchestra albums, constant touring, and dealing with the rigors of the music industry, White decided to take a break.

Then in 1992, White signed with A&M, releasing the albums The Man Is Back, The Right Night & Barry White, and Put Me in Your Mix (which contains a duet with Issac Hayes, "Dark and Lovely"). The Icon Is Love became his biggest-selling album since the '70s releases, going multi-platinum. It includes the platinum single "Practice What You Preach." The production lineup includes Gerald Levert and Tony Nicholas, his godson Chuckii Booker, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and White and his longtime friend Jack Perry. While some later efforts buried his vocals in whiz-bang electronic effects, on The Icon Is Love, White's deep steam engine baritone pipes are upfront in the mix. Staying Power followed in 1999, showcased in the best tradition of soul music where the focus is the singer and the song. The album earned White two Grammys. White's career took him from the ghetto to international success with 106 gold and 41 platinum albums, 20 gold and ten platinum singles, with worldwide sales in excess of 100 million.

White, who suffered from hypertension and chronic high blood pressure, was hospitalized for kidney failure in September of 2002. He was undergoing dialysis treatment, but the combination of illnesses proved too much and he died July 4, 2003 at a West Hollywood hospital. By the time of his death, Barry White had achieved a near-universal acclaim and popularity that few artists achieve and even fewer within their own lifetime.

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

Although Barry White's sales had long since decreased by the time he recorded The Man Is Back, the influential soul veteran continued making worthwhile albums. Man isn't in a class with either his classic albums of the '70s or his superb comeback album of 1994, The Icon Is Love, but is a likeable and decent (though not outstanding) effort demonstrating that he hadn't lost his touch as a vocalist, composer or producer. With the black music charts dominated by rap and new jack swing in 1989, White remained artistically viable not by emulating the aggression of younger artists (many of whom were sampling his '70s hits left and right), but by being true to himself. Though White goes for a more high-tech, urban-contemporary-influenced production style that's indeed a departure from his lavish orchestral approach of the '70s, noteworthy cuts like the addictive "L.A. My Kinda Place," the plea for unity "Follow That and See (Where It Leads Y'all)" and an inspired remake of the doo-wop classic "Goodnight My Love" are essentially the type of smooth, classy and sophisticated "uptown soul music" that put him on the map.



Barry White - The Man Is Back !    (flac  314mb)

01 Responsible 4:41
02 Super Lover 4:52
03 L.A. My Kinda Place 4:50
04 Follow That And See (Where It Leads Y'All) 5:04
05 When Will I See You Again 5:51
06 I Wanna Do It Good To Ya 6:00
07 It's Getting Harder All The Time 5:09
08 Don't Let Go 9:08
09 Loves Interlude / Good Night My Love 7:46

Barry White - The Man Is Back !  (ogg    126mb)

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

Surprisingly, Put Me In Your Mix should have been the one that catapulted White back into the forefront of R & B. However, that honor would be bestowed, to the follow-up release "The Icon is Love."
Regardless, though, "Put Me in Your Mix" is characteristically Barry: heavy on the sexual connotations and heavy background orchestral arrangements featuring the patented sultry strings that so permeate his music. The first cut "Let's Get Busy" sets the tone for the delights to follow. And there are many!! From the throbbing "For Real Chill" to the reworking of the classic "Volare'" to the title cut with its classic line "I can make your toenails curl," White captivates like no other vocalist. A double pleasure is the pairing of White with fellow bass Isaac Hayes on the ten-minute plus "Dark and Lovely (You Over There)", it puts the exclamation put on the album. Prepare for lift off....



Barry White - Put Me In Your Mix    (flac 488mb)

01 Let's Get Busy 4:43
02 Love Is Good With You 6:10
03 For Real Chill 5:49
04 Break It Down With You 6:24
05 Volare 5:45
06 Put Me In Your Mix 7:35
07 Who You Giving Your Love To 5:26
08 Love Will Find Us 7:07
09 We're Gonna Have It All 5:55
10 Dark And Lovely (You Over There) 10:05
11 Sho' You Right (Remix) 8:01

Barry White - Put Me In Your Mix  (ogg  167mb)

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

Barry White has been to the top of the charts an admirable number of times, but only one of his hits was a ballad (a studio effort for the Quincy Jones album Back on the Block that included El DeBarge, James Ingram and Al B. Sure!). However, as a solo artist, White has never had a ballad usurp the number one spot on the Billboard charts. The Icon Is Love's featured release fills that void. "Practice What You Preach," which unites the maestro with producers Gerald LeVert and Edwin Nicholas, has a simmering arrangement, evocative lyric, and White's brawn delivery. The catchy melody and sensuous female backing vocals enhance this already stellar single. It stayed on the Billboard R&B charts for 30 weeks and had a consecutive three-week run at number one. White showcases his seductive, bassy baritone with romantic rap introductions on most of the selections. There is a balance of uptempo and balladic songs. The other two featured releases were "Come On" and "There It Is." The former is reminiscent of his days as the king of disco-swing, and the latter is a contemporary funky ballad. Respectively, they tipped in at 12 and 54. White, who is credited as producer and writer on every selection, embraces the savvy writing talents of industry veterans Barry Eastmond and Michael Lovesmith, and the keen production skills of Chuckii Booker (his godson), Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, and Jack Perry.



Barry White - The Icon Is Love     (flac 396mb)

01 Practice What You Preach 5:59
02 There It Is 7:03
03 I Only Want To Be With You 5:01
04 The Time Is Right 5:46
05 Baby's Home 8:17
06 Come On 5:50
07 Love Is The Icon 4:38
08 Sexy Undercover 4:51
09 Don't You Want To Know? 6:51
10 Whatever We Had, We Had 10:41

.Barry White - The Icon Is Love  (ogg  147mb)

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

By the late '90s, Barry White was primarily known as an icon. His music was well-known, but his voice was known better, as it stood for the epitome of sultry, sexy soul. And, befitting his icon status, he could still support a large audience in concerts, which led to new recordings -- recordings that were minor hits upon their release, but never eclipsing his classic hits. Staying Power, his first album since 1994's The Icon Is Love, fits neatly into that category. It certainly is an enjoyable album, since White's voice is aging remarkably well and the production is uniformly appealing, but it's never a memorable one. Like most contemporary albums by veterans, it's littered with cameos that are designed to broaden his audience and increase chances of airplay. With the exception of the Bone Thugs N Harmony duet "Thank You" -- which is the worst track on the album -- they all work pretty well, and the Chaka Khan & Lisa Stansfield showcase "The Longer We Make Love" is very good indeed. However, the record sounds the best when the spotlight is on White. Nevertheless, once the album is completed, it's hard to remember any of it, even if it was enjoyable as it spun. Which means Staying Power is a standard-issue iconic release -- it's classy and entertaining, and it would be his last album.



Barry White - Staying Power  (flac 427mb)

01 Staying Power 6:10
02 Don't Play Games 7:24
03 The Longer We Make Love 5:48
04 I Get Off On You 6:30
05 Which Way Is Up 5:42
06 Get Up 6:11
07 Sometimes 6:55
08 Low Ride 5:17
09 Thank You 5:46
10 Slow Your Roll 5:46
Bonus
11 The Longer We Make Love 6:27

 Barry White - Staying Power (ogg  160mb)

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

No comments: