JAM & LEWIS - VOL. ONE

You may not immediately recognize the names of "Jimmy Jam" Harris and Terry Lewis but you definitely know their music:

"Saturday Love" by Cherrelle and Alexander O'Neal

"Human" by the Human League

"Just Be Good To Me" by the S.O.S. Band

"If It Isn't Love" by New Edition

"U Remind Me" by Usher

"Tender Love" by Force MD's

"Encore" by Cheryl Lynn

And almost the entire discography of Janet Jackson. This is just a very small number of songs this dynamic duo has co-written and produced since 1983. They have worked with a wildly diverse group of musicians during that time which includes Rod Stewart, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Bryan Adams, Chaka Khan, Boyz II Men, Sting, Yolanda Adams, Herb Alpert, Patti Austin, Earth Wind & Fire and The Spice Girls.

These long-time friends, who first met in college, would join as musicians with the Minneapolis-based funk band called Flyte Tyme. After connecting with Prince and Morris Day joining as lead singer, the group evolved in to the Time and released their self-titled debut album in 1981. This band enjoyed great success before the duo, who had begun to produce other acts on the side, missed a concert while stranded in Atlanta during a snow storm. Harris and Lewis would end up leaving the Time, after either quitting or were fired (depending on who you ask) in 1983. The song they had produced during that time for the S.O.S. Band, "Just Be Good To Me" would become a smash hit and helped launch the production careers of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.

Now after years of being in the background, Jam & Lewis have released their very first album under their own names. "Jam & Lewis Volume One" features an impressive line-up of artists that they have worked with previously (Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Usher) and for the first time (Toni Braxton, Babyface, Charlie Wilson, formerly of the Gap Band). And former Time members, Morris Day and Jerome Benton even show up along with The Roots on the track, "Babylove". This is a great collection of classic r&b by this influential team and I can't wait to hear the next volume.

KOOL & THE GANG 2017 TOUR

Just as much as audiences love new music, they also enjoy looking back at their old-school favorites. Those concert packages that puts together several vintage bands of the past are a rite of the summer and the latest features the slightly odd combo of Village People, Morris Day and The Time and the headliners, Kool & The Gang. I caught them on the first day of a two-night stand at the Hollywood Bowl on July 21st.

The Village People kicked off the night with a surprisingly brief twenty minute set although in hindsight it was plenty of time as it soon began to feel like they were doing slight variations of the same song. It's not really unexpected that most of the original members of these acts have departed in one form or another but this disco novelty act of gay male fantasy types features the most of their founding members. With the Indian (Felipe Rose), the GI (Alex Briley) and lead vocalist, the cop (Ray Simpson who replaced Victor Willis in their heyday) still around, the People did a fun, high-energy show that featured them doing their signature butch-dance moves while performing their greatest hits like "Macho Man", "In The Navy" and the enduring smash, "Y.M.C.A" which they did a detailed demonstration before the song on how to properly do the hand movements.

Before The Time came out, a tribute to Prince, who they were closely associated with, played on the video screens that featured his music and early pictures of him with Morris Day. Then the band arrived on stage to the sound of the Purple One's "1999" with Day checking out his look in a mirror carried by his "valet", Jerome Benton before launching in to their first hit, "Get It Up". They sounded great but seemed to have a hard time getting this crowd engaged. I think it may be for a lack of recognizable hits as The Time didn't have a major impact on the pop charts in their day as Prince did. The group fared better when they touched on his music with them doing a cover of "D.M.S.R". During the sentimental ballad, "Gigolos Get Lonely, Too", Day had his son, Derran come on stage to belt out a verse. While he has an impressive voice, it still came across like a shameless plug with the proud father advising the audience to find him on social media afterwards.

By the time Kool & The Gang arrived to close out the show, the crowd was warmed up and ready to party. Bass player and the namesake of this popular band, Robert "Kool" Bell (who is still on hand) started this group as a funk band in the late sixties before moving towards r&b and pop with the arrival of James "J.T." Taylor as lead singer in 1979. They got everybody on their feet with solid versions of their hits "Hollywood Swinging", "Ladies' Night", "Jungle Boogie" and "Get Down On It" enhanced by a fantastic horn section that features a couple of original players. Taylor has been long gone from the group but Lavell Evans does a serviceable job of filling in for the former vocalist yet not completely escaping moments that made them sound like a wedding band. Kool and company wanted everybody to know they are still in the game as they performed a new song, "Sexy (Where'd You Get Yours)". While it was perfectly keeping with their funky spirit, it was hardly anything noteworthy and just gave people a chance to head out for a beer run. With the sound of Kool & The Gang's biggest hit, "Celebration" signaling that the night is coming to a close, it was an enjoyable evening of music and memories.

PRINCE AND HIS EXTENDED "FAMILY"

When Prince signed with Warner Bros. Records, he had a clause in contract that allowed him to recruit and produce other artists for the label, so he quickly took advantage of that. He sought out musicians that he knew from his early days or simply people that he met that interested him and he would build an act around.

Since Prince wrote and produced almost all of the music for these artists, despite what was listed on the credits, this allowed him another creative outlet to get more of his music out in to the world. Some of these acts became somewhat successful while most only had a very brief moment in the spotlight.

Here are just a few of the artists that Prince helped introduce:

THE TIME

The Time was one of Prince's first and most successful acts as he assembled together a group of musicians from part of another Minneapolis funk band, Flyte Time that included Terry Lewis on bass, Jimmy Jam and Monte Moir on keyboards and drummer, "Jellybean" Johnson. He added Jesse Johnson on guitar and a childhood friend, Morris Day as the lead vocalist. Jerome Benton, a concert promoter was brought on board as part of a comic routine with Day during concerts.

Produced by Prince, "The Time", the group's self-titled debut was released in 1981 which featured rock-based r&b with a comedic edge and featured the hit songs, "Get It Up (Album Version)" "Girl" and "Cool".

By the second album, "What Time Is It?", due to a tense rivalry with Prince and his band during concert tours, a frustration with a lack of creative input and feeling underpaid for their contribution, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis and Monte Moir decided to leave The Time. They went on to work together writing and producing for other artists including, most famously, Janet Jackson.

Prince replaced them with Mark Cardenas and Paul Peterson on keyboards and Jerry Hubbard on bass and this new line-up was featured in the film, "Purple Rain" and recorded a third album "Ice Cream Castle" together.

Because of the success of the movie, Morris Day felt it was time to leave the group to pursue a solo career in 1984 and Jesse Johnson soon followed, taking with him Cardenas and Hubbard. This effectively brought an end to The Time and Prince placed the remaining members in to a new group called The Family in 1985.

The original members reassembled in 1990 for Prince's film, "Graffiti Bridge" and recorded another album together, "Pandemonium" but it became a short-lived reunion as The Time broke-up once again due to a clash of egos and in-fighting.

"Get It Up" - The Time

VANITY 6

Prince originally envisioned an all-female singing group that would perform in lingerie and he would call them, "The Hookers". He put together his personal assistant, Jamie Shoop, Brenda Bennett who was the wife of his set designer and Susan Moonsie who was his girlfriend at the time.

The trio recorded a few demos but then Prince met Denise Matthews, a Canadian nude model and B-movie actress. He was so captivated by her that he decided to build the group around her and Shoop was dismissed. Prince wanted to rename Denise, "Vagina" but to be pronounced va-GEE-na. She declined but came up with her own name, "Vanity".

The group became Vanity 6, with the "6" to apparently stand for the number of breasts amongst the ladies, and they released their self-titled album, "Vanity 6" in 1982. The biggest single from the album was "Nasty Girl" but due to the sexual lyrics, the song met resistance from pop radio but it managed to climb to the top ten of the r&b and dance charts.

Vanity was preparing to record the group's next album and do a part written for her in Prince's upcoming film, "Purple Rain" when she decided to leave Vanity 6. She went on to sign with Motown Records as well as perform in some feature films including "Action Jackson" and "The Last Dragon". After years of drug abuse, Vanity got sober, became born-again, renounced her sinful past and is currently a Christian preacher.

"Nasty Girl" - Vanity 6

Here is a music video of the ladies performing the song, "He's So Dull":




APOLLONIA 6

After Vanity abruptly left the singing group, Vanity 6, Prince was in search of a replacement. He found Patricia Kotero, an aspiring singer and actress.  He named her, "Apollonia" and the trio became known as Apollonia 6. She was given a role in the film, "Purple Rain" and sang a duet with Prince for the soundtrack on the song, "Take Me With U".

Apollonia 6  released their only album in 1984 to tie in with the film and the only notable song was "Sex Shooter" which was featured in "Purple Rain". The group soon disbanded with  Apollonia going on to record a solo album in 1988 and appeared on the television show, "Falcon Crest" and some low budget movies.

"Sex Shooter" - Apollonia 6


SHEILA E.

Sheila Escovedo is the daughter of famed percussionist, Pete and has followed in his footsteps but she also plays the tuba and guitar. Sheila met Prince in 1978 during one of her father's concerts and he told her that they should work together one day.

That didn't happen, however, until 1983 during the recording of the "Purple Rain" soundtrack where she added vocals to the song, "Erotic City". That lead to him writing and producing her first solo album, "The Glamorous Life" in 1984. The title song, which was originally intended for the aborted Apollonia 6 follow-up album, became a top ten hit for her and reaching number one on the dance charts. This was her biggest hit although she had a top twenty hit with "A Love Bizarre" from her second album, "Romance 1600" in 1985.

Sheila E. has released six albums to date but she is now best known as one of the best percussionists working today and she has worked with a wide spectrum of musical artists including Diana Ross, Ringo Starr, Gloria Estefan, Marvin Gaye, Carlos Santana and just recently with Marc Anthony on this past season finale of "American Idol".

"The Glamorous Life" - Sheila E.


THE FAMILY

After The Time disbanded, Prince created a new band called The Family. It consisted of former Time members, keyboardist, Paul Peterson who was renamed, St. Paul and became the lead singer, Jerome Benton and Jellybean Johnson still on drums. Prince added Eric Leeds, a member of his band, The Revolution, on saxophone and his girlfriend at the time, Susannah Melvoin, the twin sister of Wendy (of Wendy & Lisa) as a vocalist and keyboardist.

"The Family" was released in 1985 and much like The Time albums, Prince wrote, performed and produced all of the tracks and simply later added the vocals of St. Paul and Susannah. The song, "The Screams of Passion" became a modest hit for the band but the album also featured the first version of the song, "Nothing Compares 2 U" which would later become a worldwide smash for Sinead O'Connor in 1990.

Also like members of The Time, St. Paul left the group to pursue a solo career due to a lack of creative control and Prince lost interest in The Family without a vocalist and simply added them to his band, The Revolution except Jellybean Johnson who went on to work with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.

"The Screams Of Passion" - The Family