Notes & Personnel Info |  | Sometimes lost in the wake of the disco tidal wave, it is easy to forget that people were still making soul records. Natural High combs the vaults of Atlantic, Elektra, and Warner Bros. and lays down 16 examples of smooth soul between the years 1975 and 1982. The sound is influenced by disco but also by funky jazz and the silky R&B flowing out of Philly. Some of the artists collected here were huge in the '60s: Ben E. King and Dionne Warwicke (yes, that is spelled correctly; her numerologist told her she needed to add the extra "e" at the end of her name). Some of the artists made great music in the '60s and early '70s, but weren't as well known: Terry Callier, Leroy Hutson, the Undisputed Truth. Even jazz great Donald Byrd shows up. Highlights of the disc include Leon Ware's funky ode to the Golden State, "That's Why I Came to California," featuring Janis Siegel of Manhattan Transfer; Faze-O (who were an alter-ego of the Ohio Players) and their blissed-out ballad "Riding High"; Patrice Rushen's sensual ballad "Remind Me"; and Eugene Record's "Overdose of Joy," which bubbles and pops like a classic Chi-Lites track (many of which Record wrote). From beginning to end, Natural High delivers nothing but high-quality smooth soul. If you think soul music just rolled over and died in the face of disco, you need to check this disc out. Though the sound had changed, soul was still alive. If you really don't care about the academic debate, this is still a great disc, perfect for late nights and mellow mornings. ~ Tim Sendra |
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