Still in the 80s vibe. A superb deep soul ballad from the underrated and overlooked Windy City. I'm not able to find any information on the group except the names of the 5 members Carl Winbush, Darryl Butler, Morris Butler, Raymond Bennett, Samuel Beasley. They don't even have a Wiki page!
No doubt (and no prizes for guessing) they originate from Chicago and released a solitary album 'Let Me Ride' on Chi Sound in 1977. The album was recorded at Chicago Record Company and produced by Carl Davis and Otis Leavill with music director Sonny Sanders and arrangers James Mack and Tom Tom 84. It has just been repressed on vinyl (2020) in UK by Demon and is also been reissued (for the 4th time!) on Japanese CD by P-Vine - an original on vinyl could set you back as much as £80.
They released 2 45s prior to the album. Their first in 1974 on Innovation II / Warner Brothers If By Chance (Ballad that features on the album) / Hey It's Over (mid tempo modern soul 45 only) which is quite an in demand item selling for anything up to £75.
The next outing in 1975 on Innovation II was a superb Sam Dees song Good Guys Don't Always Win c/w We Party Heavy Up In Heah (45 only) an uptempo modern soul number. This one also currently sells for between £40-£60.
This was followed in 1977 with 2 45s on Chi Sound. The first contained tracks taken from the album, Fool Or Your Man a pleasant, Sam Dees penned, modern soul dancer backed with the funky Gimme Some written by band member Raymond Bennett. This is a cheapie (£5-£10) but well worth it for the Sam Dees track.
The next 45 consisted of funky number Spank (45 only) and the title track from the album Let It Ride a smooth soulful ballad.
Then in 1980 comes the featured side 'I Still Love You' which was issued twice on Kelli-Arts, the first time with Let Me Ride on the flip and on the second issue it was the flip to Just For You. The letter is in demand owing to it being a great double-sider as 'Just For You' is a nice mellow stepper and you'll have to shell out around £40-£50 for a copy as neither side is on the album (although I Still Love You is a bonus track on a digital reissue of the album). You need to make sure you get an issue and not promo as promo has Just For You on both sides.
It was 8 years later before another release materialised on a Chi Sound 12" 'Can You Feel It' (Vocal/Inst.) - a jazz flavoured stepper.
For completeness here's a track list for the album with links to album only tracks (not linked above).
Introduction: Windy City Theme (Modern Soul)
(So You Think) Somethin's Missin' (Funky Modern Soul)
Win Or Lose (Soulful Ballad/Stepper)
Gimme Some
Feeling Like I Don't Belong (Ballad)
Let Me Ride
Learnin' (Funky Modern Soul)
Good Guys Don't Always Win
Fool Or Your Man
I've Got Mine (Uptempo ModernSoul)
If By Chance
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