The Miracles - The Miracles (1978)

The Miracles is a 1978 studio album by American soul vocal group The Miracles. 

It is their last of two albums released during their stint on Columbia Records. 

Lead vocalist Billy Griffin left the group to pursue his solo career and Pete Moore retired from touring, which led to their initial disbandment.

The album was largely driven by Billy Griffin and his brother Donald Griffin. 

It also featured top-tier guest musicians, including Stevie Wonder on keyboards, David Foster on rhythm arrangements, and Nathan Watts on bass

Following their departure from Motown, the band pivoted slightly toward an Isley Brothers-style funk/rock sound complete with heavy siren sound effects and searing guitar solos, particularly on tracks like "Freeway".

While their 1976 hit "Love Machine" set an impossible standard—and the album's lead single "Mean Machine" only reached #55 on the R&B charts—standout moments like "The Magic of Your Eyes" highlight the band's continued knack for lush, relaxing harmonies.

Tracklist

I.  Can’t Stand It  - 3:12

2.  Love Doctor - 3:48

3.  The Magic Of Your Eyes (Laura’s Eyes) - 4:03

4.  Freeway - 4:14

5.  Hot Dance - 2:56

6.  Mean Machine - 3:05

7.  Sad Rain - 4:11

8.  Reach For The Sky - 3:39

All the songs are written-By Billy Griffin; Donald Griffin; Warren Moore

The Band

Donald Griffin - Lead Vocals, Guitar

Billy Griffin - Guitar, Vocals

Pete Moore - Vocals

Bobby Rogers - Vocals

Ronnie White - Vocals

Other Musicians

Nathan Watts - Bass

Raymond Pounds - Drums

David Foster - Keyboards

Larry Nash - Keyboards

Michael Boddicker - Keyboards

Stevie Wonder - Keyboards

Dorothy Ashby - Harp

Liner Notes

Producer – Pete Moore

Co-Produced By – Billy Griffin, John Barnes, Wade Marcus, Kevin Beamish (The Whizz Kids)

Arranged By (Rhythm) – David Foster

Arranged By (Vocals) – Billy Griffin, Pete Moore

Arranged By (Horns, Strings) – Wade Marcus

Mixed By – Kevin Beamish

Recorded By – Kevin Beamish

Recorded By (Assistant) – James Hill

Mastered By – Jeff Sanders

Artwork, Photography – Robert Banach

Recorded at Crystal Sound Studios, Hollywood, CA

Mixed at Crystal Sound Studios, Hollywood, CA

Mastered at Crystal Sound Studios, Hollywood, CA

Notes

Released: 1978

Genre: Funk / Soul

Style: Soul, Disco, Funk

Runtime:  29:48

Label: CBS

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Soul Children - Open Door Policy (1978)

Open Door Policy announces the return of The Soul Children to Stax, and effectively summarizes the group’s attitude towards music in general and their career. 

“If you don’t keep that ‘open door policy,’ then you’ll be blind to different opportunities that will naturally come your way. 

You won’t hear the good things other people are doing.”

Open Door Policy was produced by David Porter and his longtime musical associate (and current Stax executive), Lester Snell, who not so incidentally plays a mean piano and composes as well. 

The first single from the LP, “Can’t Give Up a Good Thing”, is galloping up the soul charts as Open Door Policy is being released. 

Other highlights of the LP are O.B. 

McClinton’s “Butt La Rose”, “Strangers” written by Porter and Snell; and a real cooker, “Stir Up the Boogie”.

Fantasy Records out of California decided to revive the Stax label in 1977 and asked David Porter to not only run the new Stax office in Memphis and issue old material, but also sign new artists.  

One of the first ones David signed and recorded was the Soul Children.  

The ensuing album, Open Door Policy (Stax 4105; ’78), was produced by David Porter and Lester Snell and arranged by Lester.  

Norman: “Sessions were very good, and it was good again working with David, because David was our beginning.  

He used Lester as the musical consultant.  

In the past Lester had worked with Isaac as an arranger, so he was perfect.”

The most significant difference in music is the number of disco cuts.  

There are actually only three ballads this time and they are more simple and straightforward than deep and inspirational.  

Believing is the prettiest of them.  

Can’t Give up a Good Thing – written by Joe Shamwell – is one of the disco dancers, and this particular track became quite popular as a single (Stax 3206; # 19-soul; ’78).  

Interestingly, the b-side was a slowed-down, swaying version of Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m yours (not on the album).  Jay: “We did it part 1 and part 2.  We did it slow, and then we picked it up and did it fast.  

That version is somewhere in the catalogue.”

The follow-ups – Summer in the Shade and Who You Used to Be – follow the same disco pattern but missed the charts.  

On the opening track, Stir up the Boogie (penned by Henderson Thigpen, James Banks and David Witherspoon), the title says all.  Norman: “the disco type of songs were the songs of that era.” 

Jay: “That’s what was going on at the time.  

They didn’t put the company together to really make money.  I think that the company was put together just to have a write-off.  

They didn’t care if it happened or not.  

So there you go again… Can’t Give up a Good Thing wasn’t a hit for us, as far as I’m concerned, because they didn’t want it to be a hit.  

If they’d wanted it to be a hit, they would have got behind it all across the country.  They did not do that.  They really didn’t want the company to happen any way, for some reason or another.  

Only they know the reason.”

After eleven years and some of the best music of the era, the group decided to call it a day.  

Jay: “Anita became a pretty big wheel at Federal Express.  

She’s retired from there and went to Time-Warner.  She doesn’t want this any more, and I can understand that” (laughing).  

These days Anita is also engaged in professional business training and coaching.

Tracklist

A1. Stir Up The Boogie, Part II - 3:40

A2. Who You Used To Be - 3:39

A3. Strangers - 3:47

A4. Summer In The Shade - 4:48

B1. Can’t Give Up A Good Thing - 3:46

B2. Butt La Rose - 5:05

B3. Hard Living With A Man - 4:32

B4. Believing - 3:49

Companies, etc.

• Published By – Swelka Music
• Published By – Benfel Music
• Published By – Robosac Music
• Published By – Groovesville Music
• Published By – Cross Keys Publishing
• Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Stax Records
• Distributed By – Fantasy Records
• Recorded At – Ardent Studios
• Recorded At – Shoe Productions
• Recorded At – North American Recording Studio, Jackson, MS
• Remixed At – Ardent Studios

Credits

• Arranged By [Strings And Horns] – Lester Snell
• Bass – George Journigan, Ray Griffin
• Copyist – Emerson Able
• Drums – Blair Cunningham, Bruce Means, Tim Dancy
• Engineer [Recording] – Mike Daniels, Robert Jackson, Warren Wagner, William C. Brown III
• Guitar – Greg McIntosh, Jimmy McGhee, Michael Toles
• Keyboards – Lester Snell, Swain Schaeffer
• Mastered By – Bo Bohannon, Larry Nix
• Mixed By [Remix] – David Porter, Lester Snell, Robert Jackson, William C. Brown III
• Percussion – Walter V. Person
• Producer – David Porter, Lester Snell
• Saxophone – Andrew Love, Bill Easley, Lewis Collins
• Strings – Memphis Symphony Strings
• Trombone – Bill Flores, Jack Hale
• Trumpet – Ben Cauley, Paul Hill

Notes

Released:  1978 

Genre:  Funk, Soul, Disco 

Runtime: 33:08

Label: Stax

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Edwin Birdsong - Funtaztik (1981)

Tracklist

A1.  Win Tonight - 7:22

A2.  Fortune & Fame - 4:57

A3.  Funtaztik - 6:20

B1.  Two Faced Lover - 7:07

B2.  Good Lovin’ Brings An Encore - 6:04

B3.  Rapper Dapper Snapper - 6:38

Companies, etc.

• Produced For – Edwin Birdsong Productions
• Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Salsoul Record Corp.
• Copyright © – Salsoul Record Corp.
• Manufactured By – RCA Records
• Distributed By – RCA Records
• Published By – Edwin Birdsong Music
• Published By – Salsoul Music Publishing Corporation
• Recorded At – The Platinum Factory
• Mixed At – The Platinum Factory
• Recorded At – Quadrasonic Studio
• Mixed At – Quadrasonic Studio
• Recorded At – Sigma Sound Studios, New York
• Mixed At – Sigma Sound Studios, New York
• Recorded At – Queen Village Recording Studios
• Mixed At – Queen Village Recording Studios
• Recorded At – A&R Studios
• Mixed At – A&R Studios
• Recorded At – Blank Tape Studios
• Mixed At – Blank Tape Studios
• Mastered At – Frankford/Wayne Mastering Labs
• Pressed By – RCA Records Pressing Plant, Indianapolis
• Manufactured By – Salsoul Records

Credits

• Arranged By, Producer, Written-By, Keyboards, Vocals, Backing Vocals – Edwin Birdsong
• Bass – Marcus Miller, Shine Soloman
• Drums – Kenee Wilson, Steve Bray, Trevor Gale
• Drums [Conga Drums] – Asedeen Weston, Darnell Buree
• Engineer [Recording & Mixing] – Akili Walker, Bob Blank, Carla Bandini, Charles "Chas" Clifton, Mike Hutchinson, Pete Lewis, Phillip Robinson, Rock, Tom Weber
• Guitar – Chuck Anthony, Ronald Drayton
• Horns – Glynn Wallas, Jasper Damanti, Robin Corley
• Mastered By – Herb Powers
• Violin – Tanyayette Willoughby

Notes

Release: 1981

Genre: Funk, Soul

Style: Funk, Disco, Boogie

Runtime: 38:28

Label: Salsoul Records 

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Roy Ayers Ubiquity - Red Black & Green (1973)

Tracklist

A1. Ain't No Sunshine - 6:20

       Written-By – Bill Withers

A2. Henceforth - 3:53

       Written-By – Roy Ayers

         Written-By, Co-producer – Myrnaleah Williams

A3. Day Dreaming - 5:32

       Written-By – Aretha Franklin

B1. Red Black & Green - 4:43

       Written-By – Edwin Birdsong, Roselle Weaver, Roy Ayers

B2. Cocoa Butter - 4:50

       Written-By – Roy Ayers

B3. Rhythms Of Your Mind - 3:08

       Co-producer – Myrnaleah Williams

         Written-By – Dennis Davis

B4. Papa Was A Rolling Stone - 5:32

       Written-By – Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield

Companies, etc.

• Manufactured By – Polydor
• Recorded At – Electric Lady Studios
• Mastered At – Sterling Sound
• Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Polydor
• Pressed By – Rainbo Records – S 36930
• Pressed By – Rainbo Records – S 36931
• Lacquer Cut At – Better Quality Sound

Credits

• Arranged By – Dennis Davis, Roy Ayers
• Arranged By [Strings] – William S. Fischer
• Art Direction – Kats Abe
• Artwork – Kinji Nakamura
• Backing Vocals – Carol Smiley, Claudia Moore, Laverne Seabrook, Tamara Richardson, Victoria Haspedale, Wayne Garfield
• Bass – Clint Houston, Emir Ksasan
• Conductor [Strings] – William S. Fischer
• Congas – Billy King, Daniel Benzebulon
• Drums – Dennis Davis
• Electric Piano – Harry Whitaker
• Engineer – Buzz Richmond
• Engineer [Remix] – Eddie Kramer
• Guitar – Billy Nichols, Bob Fusco, David Baron
• Lacquer Cut By – David Cheppa
• Organ – Roy Ayers
• Percussion – Billy King, Daniel Benzebulon
• Photography By – Minoru Aoki
• Piano – Harry Whitaker, Roy Ayers
• Producer – Jerry Schoenbaum
• Soprano Saxophone – Sonny Fortune
• Strings – Alfred Brown, Charlie McCracken, Emanuel Brown, Gene Orloff, Kermit Moore, Selwart Clarke
• Trombone – Garnett Brown
• Trumpet – Charles Tolliver
• Vibraphone – Roy Ayers
• Vocals – Dennis Davis, Roy Ayers

Notes

Released: Jan 1973

Recorded at:  Electric Lady Studio N.Y.C.

Genre:  Jazz-Soul, Jazz-Funk

Runtime:  34:05

Label:  Polydor 

Roy Ayers Ubiquity [1973] Red Black & Green.rar ~ pixeldrain

Doug Carn & Jean Carn - Higher Ground (1976)

Tracklist

1.  Western Sunrise - 5:04

2.  The Messenger - 4:09

3.  Revelation - 3:45

4.  Infant Eyes - 10:00

5.  Higher Ground - 5:06

6.  Naima - 4:30

7.  Little B's Poem - 3:48

8.  Blue And Green - 5:18

9.  Mighty Mighty - 5:48

Companies, etc.

• Manufactured By – Ovation Incorporated
• Distributed By – Ovation Incorporated
• Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Zichron Ltd.
• Copyright © – Zichron Ltd.
• Published By – Jihad Music
• Published By – Miyako Music
• Published By – Jowcol Music
• Published By – Blue Horizon Music Co.
• Published By – Musical Frontiers Pub. Co.
• Published By – Sagfire
• Pressed By – PRC Recording Company, Richmond, IN

Credits

• Acoustic Bass – Gerald Brown
• Arranged By [Arrangements] – Doug Carn
• Artwork [Graphic Production] – Bob Dorobiala
• Congas, Bongos, Percussion – Big Black
• Design [Cover] – Jerry Napier
• Drums – Harold Mason
• Electric Bass [Fender] – Darrell Clayborn
• Guitar – Calvin Keys, Nathan Page
• Lacquer Cut By – BB
• Leader, Keyboards, Vocals – Doug Carn
• Producer [Produced By] – Dick Schory, Gene Russell
• Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Ronnie Laws
• Trombone – Thurman Green
• Vocals – Jean Carn, John Conner, Joyce Green

Notes

Released:  1976

Genre:  Soul-Jazz, Hard Bop, Jazz-Funk

Runtime:  47:31

Label:  Ovation Records

https://shareplace.org/n2zQ/Doug_Carn_&_Jean_Carn_-_Higher_Ground_(1976).zip

War ‎- Why Can't We Be Friends? (1975)

A1.  Don't Let No One Get You Down - 4:04
A2.  Lotus Blossom - 4:02
A3.  Heartbeat - 7:24
A4.  Leroy's Latin Lament (Medley) - 6:45
       (1) Lonnie Dreams
       (2) The Way We Feel
       (3) La Fiesta
       (4) Lament

B1.  Smile Happy - 7:25
B2.  So - 5:00
B3.  Low Rider - 3:10
B4.  In Mazatlan - 2:49
B5.  Why Can't We Be Friends? - 3:50

Label - LAX Records

https://ulozto.net/hledej?q=war-why-can-t-we-be-friends-zip

Marvin Gaye - Marvin Gaye Live (1974)

A1. The Beginning
       (a) Introduction - 0:34
       (b) Overture - 2:24
A2. Trouble Man - 6:33
A3. Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) - 3:23
A4. Distant Lover - 6:20
A5. Jan - 3:14

B1. Fossil Medley: - 11:31
      (a) I'll Be Doggone
      (b) Try It Baby
      (c) Can I Get A Witness
      (d) You're A Wonderful One
      (e) Stubborn Kind Of Fellow
      (f) How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
B2. Now - 4:49
      (a) Let's Get It On
      (b) What's Going On

Label - Tamla Motown

https://d2.flipdrive.com/e6xB8D.zip