Tag Archives: Mark Davis

The Undisputed Truth: Cosmic Truth

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In June 1975, “Gordy” label released “Cosmic Truth”, the fifth Undisputed Truth (The) studio album. It was recorded 1974 – 1975, at “Motown / Hitsville U.S.A. Recording Studios” in Hollywood, and was produced by Norman Whitfield.

Personnel:

  • Joe “Pep” Harris – lead vocals
  • Billie Rae Calvin – co-lead and backing vocals
  • Brenda Joyce Evans – co-lead and backing vocals
  • Dennis Coffey, Eddie Willis, Johnny McGhee, Melvin “Wah Wah” Ragin, Paul Warren – guitar
  • Mark Davis – keyboards
  • Henry Davis – bass
  • Eddie Green, Eddie Fisher, James Gadson, Zachary Slatter – drums
  • Eddie “Bongo” Brown – congas
  • Bob Zimitte – timpani
  • Angel Balestier, Bob Robitaille, Glenn Jordan – engineer
  • Art Stewart – engineer, mastering
  • Norman Whitfield – mastering
  • Katarina Pettersson – art direction
  • Bob Gleason – illustration
  • Jim Britt – photography

Track listing:

  1. Earthquake Shake – Joe Harris, Norman Whitfield
  2. Down by the River – Neil Young
  3. UFO’s – Norman Whitfield
  4. Lil’ Red Ridin Hood – Norman Whitfield
  5. Squeeze Me, Tease Me – Norman Whitfield
  6. Spaced Out – Norman Whitfield
  7. Got To Get My Hands on Some Lovin’ – Norman Whitfield
  8. 1990 – Norman Whitfield
  9. I Know I’m Losing You – Cornelius Grant, Eddie Holland, Norman Whitfield

David Ruffin: Me ‘n Rock ‘n Roll Are Here to Stay

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In December 1974, “Motown” label released “Me ‘n Rock ‘n Roll Are Here to Stay”, the fifth David Ruffin album. It was recorded 1973 – 1974, at “Motown Recording Studios” in Hollywood, and was produced by Norman Whitfield and Mark Davis.

Personnel:

  • David Ruffin – vocals
  • Dennis Coffey, Eddie Willis, Johnny McGhee, Melvin Ragin – guitar
  • Earl Van Dyke, Mark Davis – keyboards
  • Henry Davis, Ron Brown – bass
  • Aaron Smith, Ed Greene, James Gadson – drums
  • Eddie “Bongo” Brown, Stephanie Spruill – percussion
  • Mykal Moore – saxophone
  • Freddy Dunn, Kenny Copeland – trumpet
  • Carolyn Willis, Jessie Kirkland, Joe Greene, Julia Waters, Lisa Roberts, Luther Waters, Maxine Waters, Oren Waters – backing vocals

Track listing:

  1. I Saw You When You Met Her – Norman Whitfield
  2. Take Me Clear from Here – Vincent DiMirco
  3. Smiling Faces Sometimes – Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong
  4. Me ‘n Rock ‘n Roll Are Here to Stay – Norman Whitfield
  5. Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are) – Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong
  6. No Matter Where – Clarence Drayton, Tamy Smith
  7. City Stars – Charles Higgins Jr, Dobie Gray
  8. I Just Want to Celebrate – Dino Fekaris, Nick Zesses

Doug Sahm: Texas Tornado

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In December 1973, “Atlantic” label released “Texas Tornado”, the second Doug Sahm studio album. It was recorded in October 1972, at “Atlantic Studios” and “Wally Heider Studios” in San Francisco, and was produced by Jerry Wexler, Arif Mardin and Doug Sahm.

Personnel:

  • Doug Sahm – vocals, guitar, bajo sexto, fiddle, electric piano, arrangements
  • Atwood Allen – acoustic guitar, harmony
  • Frank Paredes – vocals, rhythm guitar
  • Luis Ortéga – vocals, rhythm guitar
  • Charlie Owens – steel guitar
  • Andy Statman – mandolin
  • Mike Nock – electric piano
  • George Stubbs – electric piano
  • Flaco Jiménez – accordion
  • Augie Meyers – Vox Continental
  • Dr. John – piano, organ
  • Jack Barber – bass
  • Steve Vargas – bass
  • George Rains – drums
  • Pancho Morales – percussion
  • Warren Chiasson – vibraphone
  • David Bromberg – dobro
  • Kenny Kosek – fiddle
  • Rocky Morales – tenor saxophone
  • David “Fathead” Newman – tenor saxophone, flute
  • Martin Fierro – tenor saxophone
  • Mel Martin – tenor and baritone saxophone
  • Wayne Jackson – trumpet
  • Jack Wilmoth – trumpet
  • Charley MacBirney – trumpet
  • Neil Rosengarden – flugelhorn
  • Jimmy Douglass – engineer
  • Ken Hopkins – engineer, mixing
  • Dan Healy – mixing
  • Lew Hahn – mixing

Track listing:

All tracks by Doug Sahm.

  1. San Francisco FM Blues
  2. Someday
  3. Blue Horizon
  4. Tennessee Blues
  5. Ain’t That Loving You
  6. Texas Tornado
  7. Jaun Mendoza
  8. Chicano
  9. I’ll Be There
  10. Hard Way
  11. Nitty Gritty

Rose Royce: Strikes Again

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In August 1978, “Warner Bros” label released “Strikes Again”, the third Rose Royce album. It was recorded in 1978, at “Sound Factory West”, “One Step Up Recording Studio”, “Westlake Studios”, “Fort Knox Recording Studio”, and was produced by Norman Whitfield.

Personnel:

  • Gwen Dickey – lead vocals
  • Kenji Brown – lead vocals, guitar
  • Cornelius Grant – guitar
  • Melvin “Wah Wah” Watson – guitar
  • Mark Davis – keyboards
  • Michael Nash – keyboards
  • Walter Downing – organ
  • Lequeint “Duke” Jobe – vocals, bass
  • Mark Kenoly – bass
  • Henry Garner – vocals, drums
  • Jimi Valdezm – drums
  • Jack Ashford – percussion
  • Terral Santiel – congas
  • Michael Moore – saxophone
  • Kenny Copeland – lead vocals, trumpet
  • Freddie Dunn – trumpet
  • Gene Page – orchestration
  • Norman Whitfield – arranger, engineer 
  • Steve Smith – engineer
  • Leanard Jackson – recording
  • Steve Smith – recording
  • Pamela Clare – cover illustration
  • Eleven Twenty-Four Design, A.S. – art direction, design
  • Andy Engel – lettering
  • Bobby Holland, Jeffrey Mayer, Rainbow Photography- photography
  • Bill Whitfield – album coordinator

Track listing:

All tracks by Norman Whitfield, except where noted.

  1. Get Up off Your Fat
  2. Do It, Do It
  3. I’m in Love (And I Love the Feeling)
  4. First Come, First Serve
  5. Love Don’t Live Here Anymore – Miles Gregory
  6. Angel in the Sky – Billie Calvin
  7. Help – Robert Daniels
  8. Let Me Be the First To Know – Miles Gregory
  9. That’s What’s Wrong with Me

Gino Vannelli: A Pauper in Paradise

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On November 7, 1977, “A&M” label released “A Pauper in Paradise”, the fifth Gino Vannelli studio album. It was recorded in 1977, at “AIR Studios”, and “Abbey Road Studios” in London, and was produced by Gino Vanelli, and Joe Vanelli.

Personnel:

  • Gino Vannelli – lead vocals, arranger
  • Joe Vannelli – Fender Rhodes, synthesizers, acoustic piano, synthesizer programming, backing vocals; synthesizer, arstring and brass arrangements
  • Bill Meyers – acoustic piano, synthesizers, synth bass, backing vocals
  • Chris Rhyne – keyboards, synth bass
  • Mark Davis – bass guitar
  • Casey Scheuerell – drums
  • John J. Mandel – timpani, percussion
  • Dido Morris – congas, bongos
  • Dick Morrissey – tenor saxophone
  • Don Sebesky – orchestration, conductor
  • Barry Griffiths – orchestra leader
  • The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra – orchestra
  • Joanie Bartels – backing vocals
  • Joanne Jayde – backing vocals
  • Jay Stone – backing vocals
  • The John McCarthy Choir – choir
  • Norm Kinney; John Kurlander – engineer
  • Steve Prestage – engineer assistant
  • Jon Kelly – remixi
  • Bernie Grundman – mastering
  • Fabio Nicola, Roland Young – art direction
  • Joanne Jayde – design
  • Beth Kelly – poster photography
  • Paul McCreath – back cover photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Gino Vannelli.

  1. Mardi Gras
  2. Valleys of Valhalla
  3. The Surest Things Can Change
  4. One Night with You
  5. A Song and Dance
  6. Black and Blue
  7. A Pauper in Paradise (In Four Movements)

Sly & the Family Stone: Back on the Right Track

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On November 3, 1979, “Warner Bros” label released “Back on the Right Track”, the ninth Sly and the Family Stone album. It was recorded in 1979, and was produced by Mark Davis.

Personnel:

  • Sly Stone (Sylvester Stewart) – vocals, keyboards, harmonica
  • Hamp Banks – guitar
  • Joseph Baker – guitar
  • Roscoe Peterson – guitar
  • Mark Davis – keyboards
  • Walter Downing – keyboards
  • Keni Burke – bass
  • Alvin Taylor – drums
  • Ollie E. Brown – percussion
  • Pat Rizzo – saxophone
  • Cynthia Robinson – trumpet
  • Tom DeCourcey – trombone
  • Steve Madaio, Gary Herbig, Fred Smith – horns
  • Rose Banks, Lisa Banks, Joe Baker, Freddie Stewart – backing vocals
  • Karat Faye – engineer

Track listing:

All tracks by Sly Stone except where noted.

  1. Remember Who You Are – Sly Stone, Hamp Banks
  2. Back On The Right Track
  3. If It’s Not Addin’ Up…
  4. The Same Thing (Makes You Laugh, Makes You Cry)
  5. Shine It On
  6. It Takes All Kinds
  7. Who’s To Say
  8. Sheer Energy

Rose Royce: Car Wash

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rose-royce-car-wash

On September 13, 1976, “MCA” label released “Car Wash”, the debut Rose Royce album. It was film score to the 1976 movie “Car Wash” and was produced by Norman Whitfield.  The “Car Wash” soundtrack won a 1977 “Grammy Award” for “Best Score Soundtrack Album”.

Personnel:

  • Gwen “Rose” Dickey – vocals
  • Richard Pryor– dialogue on “Richard Pryor Dialogue”
  • The Pointer Sisters– vocals
  • Melvin “Wah-Wah Watson” Ragin– guitar
  • Kenji Brown – guitar
  • Victor Nix – keyboards
  • Mark Davis, Ben Wilber – keyboards
  • Lequeint “Duke” Jobe – bass
  • Henry Garner – drums
  • Terry Santiel – congas
  • Michael Moore – saxophone
  • Kenny Copeland, Freddie Dunn – trumpet
  • Paul Riser– orchestra direction
  • Norman Whitfield– recording
  • Baker Bigsby, Cal Harris, Leanard Jackson – recording
  • Clay McMurray – recording, album coordinator

Track listing:

  1. Car Wash – Norman Whitfield
  2. 6 O’Clock DJ (Let’s Rock) – Norman Whitfield
  3. I Wanna Get Next to You – Norman Whitfield
  4. Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is – Norman Whitfield
  5. Zig Zag – Rose Royse
  6. You’re on My Mind – Lequeint Jobe, Henry Garner
  7. Mid Day DJ Theme – Norman Whitfield
  8. Born to Love You – Rose Royce
  9. Daddy Rich – Norman Whitfield
  10. Richard PryorDialogue – Norman Whitfield
  11. You Gotta Believe – Norman Whitfield
  12. I’m Going Down – Norman Whitfield
  13. Yo Yo – Rose Royce
  14. Sunrise – Norman Whitfield
  15. Righteous Rhythm – Norman Whitfield
  16. Water – Norman Whitfield
  17. Crying – Norman Whitfield
  18. Doin’ What Comes Naturally – Norman Whitfield
  19. Keep on Keepin’ On – Norman Whitfield