Don't Let Go
(1978)
This record is a direct follow up to Reach for It. After you've had a number one record, things begin to change. We had toured all of '77 and part of '78. We were the new young hot R&B/Funk/Jazz group. We were touring with all the major R&B acts of the time, but we were doing something different - a distinct progressive jazz flavor. With the singers I added, I was able to share the lead vocal responsibilities - and I liked that. These were real singers, and I needed them to expand my musical landscape.
I also added a young percussionist from Oakland named Sheila Escovedo, who had just turned eighteen. I had a meeting with her dad Pete, and promised him that I would take care of his beautiful and talented daughter. It's rare to find someone as talented as Sheila who looks as good as she does, as well. We used to wear our audiences out with music and beauty. We became family. This music could not have come to life without them.
One of the singers was an incredible young singer named Josie James. Her flexibility proved to be a huge plus to the way I wrote for vocalists. With her, I felt I had no limitations. In fact, the entire band was like that - totally multi-stylistic. I was also fortunate to enlist the services of Napoleon Murphy Brock who I met touring with Frank Zappa. He was a tour de force of a singer, stage performer and sax player. I called him instant energy, and he was funny!
"Dukey Stick" became the hit off this record. I felt I needed to solidify my new audience with another funk hit. This song gave me instant identifiability.
I must tell you a story of playing in the States right after "Reach For It" hit. We returned from a successful tour in Europe where we were told that we were now hot property. This was weird, because we sure didn't leave that way! Keep in mind, that except for Festivals, we played in nightclubs, 150 to 800 people at the most. When we returned from Europe, my manager had booked us in four thousand seater halls for mostly two sold out shows all over America.
We tried playing the same show, but found that it didn't work with our new largely black audience. We only had one hit, and that's what they wanted to hear. They didn't care about all that pseudo Brazilian, jazz/funk/rock. After the first leg of the tour, I had a meeting with the band, and told them we needed to change our image and alter the music somewhat.
So, I went home and hired the same clothes designer that LTD used, had my keyboards put in plexiglass, including my mini moog that for at least one number I could bear to wear around my neck during the hit songs. I knew I needed to stand and play, so I wouldn't have to remain sitting behind a wall of keyboards. My manager was intent on getting me to the front of the stage somehow. I began to realize that at least half of what my audience was hearing was directly related to what they were seeing! We had to become more visual if we were to remain viable in the R&B market.
In short, this record was a true follow up to its predecessor and did very well. It solidified, along with the tours, my position in the market place. It's really a nice record, still diverse, but more cohesive than most of my earlier efforts.
Many of my fans believe that the instrument I wear around my neck is The Dukey Stick. Well, it's not. The Dukey Stick was, and still is, a magic wand in the tradition of Star Wars, but with a finely tuned funk alignment. I should also mention that we had a huge globe that used to travel with us which housed my plexi mini moog (which also could light up). On tour, we'd stage a ceremony for the unveiling of the instrument. The Dukey Stick was the magic Wand that caused everything to happen. I won't go further into detail here, I'll save that for my book.
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