KGMJ - MAY 28, 2013

Hey folks! Thanks for checking out this new edition of the KGMJ as we roll from spring into summer. Can’t believe this year has gone by so quick so far!  We’ve got three great audio interviews posted here with Harry Elston from the Friends of Distinction, singer Beverly Bremers and producer/arranger/Chicago soul legend Willie Henderson.  But first, we remember this music great who has left us recently….

TRIBUTE TO A STAIRSTEP - CLARENCE BURKE, JR.

Saturday, May 25th should have been a joyous day for this soul/pop legend who turned 64 years old that day.  Sadly, the following morning, word came from his younger brother, Keni Burke, that this great music man had passed away.

CLARENCE BURKE, JR. of the Five Stairsteps, died on Sunday, May 26th. He was the group’s chief songwriter, lead vocalist and guitarist during their reign on the soul and pop charts.  

While millions of fans remember the Stairsteps for the classic, “Ooh-Child”, their Top 10 platinum pop smash from 1970, what gets obscured by the mainstream media is the songwriting and production prowess of big brother, Clarence, Jr.  For those who have already read and know about his great gifts, forgive the didactic “history lesson” that’s about to take place.

The second oldest of the Burke family from Chicago, Illinois, Clarence, Jr. showed his skills quite early on.  With his school chum Greg Fowler, Clarence penned several tunes that became big R&B hits for the Five Stairsteps between 1966 and 1968.  “World Of Fantasy”, “Come Back”, “You Don’t Love Me”, “You Waited Too Long”, “The Girl I Love” and the moody favorite, “Danger! She’s A Stranger”.  What made these songs so intriguing is that Clarence’s and Greg’s writing reflected a maturity that was not common in many teen-oriented tunes of that time.  Their approach to love and romance with its ups and downs went beyond the “ooh-baby-I-love-you” theme to discuss things such as taking a chance with someone you may not know (“Danger! She’s A Stranger”) to the pull-no-punches “You Don’t Love Me”.   Mind you, Clarence had composed these gems before he graduated from the prestigious Harlan High School in the Windy City.


In regards to Clarence’s vocal delivery, check out the clip of the Stairsteps on Dick Clark’s “Where The Action Is” from the summer of 1966 (where they performed their hits while rocking on a pontoon near a lake).  Yeah, they were lip-syncing but forget that for a minute and see how Clarence delivers his performance.  Talk about smooth! He was definitely channeling the greats while expressing himself in song.  Think Jerry Butler, Smokey Robinson and Sam Cooke all rolled up into one.

Finally, there was Clarence, Jr. the producer. The group’s underrated (and criminally unreissued) 1977 album, “2nd Resurrection” wasn’t the first time he was behind the studio console manning the boards. Clarence did that back in 1968 for the Stairsteps’ second album, “Our Family Portrait” (released on Buddah Records).  He worked closely with veteran arranger Johnny Pate as well as the family patriarch, Clarence, Sr. (a/k/a “Papa Stairstep”), to create a great record.  “Our Family Portrait” was indeed the shape of things to come from Clarence, Aloha, Dennis, James and Kenneth (“Keni”). The guidance he received from Pate, Papa and the late Curtis Mayfield served Clarence well when he went on to produce “2nd Resurrection” as well as the recordings with the Invisible Man’s Band (which, fortunately, are available on CD and for download).

For those who haven’t heard of these works from the mid-late 1960‘s, I highly suggest you pick up the CD collection, “The First Family Of Soul - The Best Of The Five Stairsteps”, that was issued via BMG/Buddha Records over ten years ago.  Another one is “The Complete Curtis Mayfield Years” from the folks at Outta Sight Records, which covers the Stairsteps’ debut album on the Windy C label as well as 1969’s release, “Love’s Happening” (first released on Curtom Records). Songs from “Our Family Portrait” (“Something’s Missing”, “A Million To One”, “Under The Spell Of Your Love”) can be found on various compilations and iTunes.

Here’s the clip of the Stairsteps performing “World Of Fantasy” from 1966.  Farewell, Clarence - and thank you for the music. 

IN THE GROOVE WITH KEVIN GOINS

A couple of weeks ago, I launched a new Internet radio program devoted to R&B, jazz, soul, pop, dance and Latin sounds for “grown folks” called IN THE GROOVE.  How best to describe it? Simple - music that’s not too fast or slow, just down the middle and all good!  The show is available via Mixcloud and it will be a bi-weekly program.  Check out this recent IN THE GROOVE where I paid tribute to Clarence Burke, Jr., the Five Stairsteps as well as other great acts that I call the groups of “teen soul." Click the link and enjoy! http://www.mixcloud.com/musicmankevin/in-the-groove-tribute-to-clarence-burke-jr5-stairstepsteen-soul/

A SOULFUL CONVERSATION WITH HARRY ELSTON (FRIENDS OF DISTINCTION)

Forty-five years ago, Harry Elston, Jessica Cleaves, Barbara Love and the late Floyd Butler formed one of pop/soul’s enduring vocal groups of the era - the Friends of Distinction.  From the get-go, they scored a hit with their classic version of “Grazing In The Grass” (a #1 pop/soul instrumental for Hugh Masekela).  Other smashes followed - “Going In Circles”, “Love Or Let Me Be Lonely”, “Time Waits For No One” - as well as great album cuts such as “I Really Hope You Do” (Grazin’) and “Lady Mae” (Real Friends).  Actor Will Ferrell included the Friends’ “Grazing In The Grass” in the 2004 hit movie, “Anchorman - The Legend Of Ron Burgundy” and the tune makes another appearance in the trailer for the upcoming “Anchorman 2”.  Harry joined us for this SOULFUL CONVERSATION about the group’s career and successes. http://www.mixcloud.com/musicmankevin/a-soulful-conversation-with-harry-elston-friends-of-distinction/

THE KGMJ REPORT - POP TALK WITH BEVERLY BREMERS

In 1971,while starring in the Broadway smash musical, "The Me Nobody Knows," BEVERLY BREMERS scored a Top 20 hit with “Don’t Say You Don’t Remember”, a tune that was reminiscent of the girl-group sound from the early 1960’S.  While she did score two more smashes after “Remember” hit, Beverly was signed to Scepter/Wand Records, which had just lost two hit makers - Dionne Warwick and B.J. Thomas - to major labels and the company was on the verge of closing their doors for good.  From there, Beverly went to Columbia Records with little to no success but was able to create a new career doing voice-overs and composing.  She hit pay dirt when the music she wrote for Disney’s “Mousercise” album helped the record sell over a million copies.  We caught up with Beverly at her home in L.A. for a POP TALK to discuss her work.
http://www.mixcloud.com/musicmankevin/kevin-goins-music-report-beverly-bremers/


A SOULFUL CONVERSATION WITH WILLIE HENDERSON

Producer/arranger/session leader/sax man WILLIE HENDERSON joins us for a SOULFUL CONVERSATION about his career and work.  The hits he produced for Tyrone Davis ("Turn Back The Hands Of Time", "Can I Change My Mind"), the many sessions that utilized his talents (too numerous to mention here), the Brunswick/Playboy recordings he made and his near-move to Motown Records (yes, Mr. Henderson came mighty close to joining the Sound of Young America in the early 1960’S!) - all covered in one great interview.  Tune in and enjoy!  http://www.mixcloud.com/musicmankevin/a-soulful-conversation-with-willie-henderson/

FINALLY…
One year ago this month (May), I made my transition back to New York City after living in the Northwest Wisconsin/Minnesota area for several years.  It was a move that was needed and not at all regretted.  After some bumps in the road (many moves before settling here in Brooklyn, health issues and a witch of storm named Sandy), things have definitely been on the upswing.  I’d like to thank you all for bearing with me as I finally settled into a groove that is working well. Here’s to the rest of 2013 and tune in next month for another edition of the KGMJ!