ROTARY CONNECTION
''BLACK GOLD: THE BEST OF ROTARY CONNECTION, DISC ONE''
MARCH 14 2006
117:23
DISC ONE (63:28)
1 Magical World (Sidney Barnes) 4:18
2 Amen (Marshall Paul, Charles Stepney) 4:00
3 Rapid Transit (Marshall Paul, Charles Stepney) 0:37
4 Turn Me On (Sidney Barnes) 3:05
5 Respect (Otis Redding) 3:04
6 Pink Noise (Marshall Paul, Charles Stepney) 0:22
7 I Am the Black Gold of the Sun (Richard Rudolph, Charles Stephney) 5:45
8 A-Muse (John Stocklin) 3:58
9 Sunshine of Your Love (Pete Brown, Jack Bruce, Eric Clapton) 5:05
10 Sursum Mentes (Marshall Paul, Charles Stepney) 0:42
11 Memory Band (Charles Stepney) 3:19
12 Didn't Want to Have to Do It (John Sebastian) 3:12
13 May Our Amens Be True (Sidney Barnes, John Stocklin) 3:01
14 Tales of Brave Ulysses (Eric Clapton, Martin Sharp) 4:29
15 The Sea And She (Richard Rudolph, Charles Stepney) 3:28
16 Hey, Love (Richard Rudolph, Charles Stepney) 4:08
17 Song for Everyman (Terry Callier, Larry Wade) 5:30
18 Love Is (Richard Rudolph, Charles Stepney) 5:15
DISC TWO (53:55)
1 The Salt of the Earth (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards) 4:56
2 Love Has Fallen on Me (Charles Stepney, Lloyd Webber) 4:17
3 If I Sing My Song (Richard Rudolph, Charles Stepney) 3:38
4 The Weight (Robbie Robertson) 3:24
5 The Burning of the Midnight Lamp (Jimi Hendrix) 4:37
6 Living Alone (John Stocklin) 2:52
7 Love Me Now (Morris Dollison) 2:44
8 Want You to Know (John Stocklin) 3:01
9 I Got My Mojo Working (Preston Foster) 2:32
10 This Town (Stevie Wonder) 3:24
11 We're Going Wrong (Jack Bruce) 3:20
12 Life Could (Bobby Simms) 4:21
13 Teach Me How to Fly (Sidney Barnes) 3:16
14 V.I.P. (Bobby Simms) 3:05
15 Let Them Talk (Bobby Simms) 4:23
Bobby Simms/Vocals, Guitar
Jim Donlinger/Keyboards
Jim Nyeholt/Bass
Minnie Riperton/Vocals
Mitch Aliota/Vocals, Bass
Sidney Barnes/Vocals
Tom Donlinger/Drums
REVIEW
by Andy Kellman, AMG
Rotary Connection released a handful of albums. The one that had the most mainstream success was Christmas-themed. Only one song, "Want You to Know," dipped into the pop chart, rocketing all the way up to number 96. How necessary, then, is a 33-track, two-disc anthology? 100-percent necessary. Until this release, the group had one of the most neglected discographies in all of psychedelic soul, or chamber pop, or acid rock, or Midwest hippie folk. Ugly two-fer releases and other vanishing reissues have done their legacy, and no matter how many producers and DJs have sampled and talked about their music, Rotary Connection have always slipped through the cracks, admired mostly in retrospect by a select group of crate diggers and open-minded fans of Minnie Riperton's easier-to-categorize (and almost always misunderstood) solo career. Black Gold: The Best of Rotary Connection aptly scans through the strange and unexpected twists taken by the group from 1967 through 1971, and while their inability to be categorized played a significant part in their obscurity, it was one of their prime strengths. The remarkable scope is best exemplified by a three-song stretch on the first disc: a steamy, almost unrecognizable run through Otis Redding's "Respect," the soaring "I Am the Black Gold of the Sun," and the impossibly delicate and moving "A-Muse" (also as gorgeous as anything off Love's Forever Changes). The package covers a lot of ground, including the entirety of the all-covers Songs and most of the highlights from the remainder of the albums. "Hangin' Round the Bee Tree" is the only missing highlight; otherwise, this is as good as it could possibly get, short of obtaining the albums in full. In addition to being a long overdue look at a very underappreciated group, the set also covers major chapters in the careers of Charles Stepney and Minnie Riperton, two of Chicago's greatest gifts to music.
BIOGRAPHY
by Andy Kellman, AMG
Rotary Connection's psychedelic chamber soul continues to sound ambitious and progressive decades after the group's departure. Instantly recognizable from the dramatic string arrangements of Charles Stepney and the five-octave voice of Minnie Riperton, the group released six albums between 1967 and 1971 that combined rock, soul, and psychedelia to theatrical and occasionally transcendental heights. The racially mixed group never really broke out of the Midwest, a region in which they frequently played out. Their failure to become more than a regional cult act can be partly attributed to their management's decision to spurn a slot at Woodstock in order to play a more lucrative festival in Toronto. Despite some patchy albums and poor management decisions, Rotary Connection's status as an influential cult group has steadily risen since the '70s.
Marshall Chess, son of Leonard Chess, conceived Rotary Connection in 1967 for Cadet Concept -- an upstart subsidiary of his father's Chess label. Chess initially centered the instrumentalists around a trio of musicians from a rock group called the Proper Strangers: drummer Kenny Venegas, bassist Mitch Aliotta, and guitarist Bobby Simms. Sidney Barnes, Minnie Riperton, and Judy Hauf were added as the vocalists. Upon the group's formation, Barnes was already something of a vagabond; his resume as a songwriter, background vocalist, and solo artist was extensive. Riperton was a veteran of the Chess ranks; she worked as a receptionist in the label's Chicago office, had been a member of the Gems, and released material under the name Angela Davis. Chess musical supervisor Charles Stepney -- a legendary composer, arranger, and producer -- was brought in to direct the group. He would also implement the skills of studio musicians from the extended Chess family throughout the group's existence, such as drummer Morris Jennings and guitarists Phil Upchurch, Bobby Christian, and Pete Cosey.
Under Stepney's guidance, Rotary Connection recorded and released their self-titled debut album in late 1967. The group's spacious sound was leavened by Stepney's often gorgeous and lilting string arrangements. The album featured both originals (co-written by Stepney and a number of other songwriters, including Barnes and future Riperton spouse Richard Rudolph) and radical covers of the Rolling Stones' "Ruby Tuesday" and Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone." This became the blueprint for what would follow from the group and, as a stunning (if flawed) debut, the album falls into that old rock trap of being viewed as the only essential one the group made. That's an unfortunate fact, because the group's key factor -- the voice of Minnie Riperton -- wasn't truly given a chance to shine until the second album.
The albums Aladdin, Peace (a Christmas-themed LP), Songs, Dinner Music, and Hey Love were issued between 1968 and 1971. Though the albums include a fair amount of filler, each has some amazingly inspired moments. "Respect," for instance, was a radical reworking of Otis Redding's original; transformed into a duet between Riperton and Barnes, the song's infamous "r-e-s-p-e-c-t" call-out was left out, and the tempo was slowed down to a sultry crawl. Hey Love, bizarrely credited to the New Rotary Connection, would become the group's last record. By that time, Riperton already had a solo masterpiece under her belt -- 1970s Come to My Garden. After the group split, Riperton continued her solo career and became one of the most beloved soul vocalists of the '70s. Breast cancer took her life in 1979, when she was just 31-years-old. Stepney passed away three years prior, at the age of 43.
''BLACK GOLD: THE BEST OF ROTARY CONNECTION, DISC ONE''
MARCH 14 2006
117:23
DISC ONE (63:28)
1 Magical World (Sidney Barnes) 4:18
2 Amen (Marshall Paul, Charles Stepney) 4:00
3 Rapid Transit (Marshall Paul, Charles Stepney) 0:37
4 Turn Me On (Sidney Barnes) 3:05
5 Respect (Otis Redding) 3:04
6 Pink Noise (Marshall Paul, Charles Stepney) 0:22
7 I Am the Black Gold of the Sun (Richard Rudolph, Charles Stephney) 5:45
8 A-Muse (John Stocklin) 3:58
9 Sunshine of Your Love (Pete Brown, Jack Bruce, Eric Clapton) 5:05
10 Sursum Mentes (Marshall Paul, Charles Stepney) 0:42
11 Memory Band (Charles Stepney) 3:19
12 Didn't Want to Have to Do It (John Sebastian) 3:12
13 May Our Amens Be True (Sidney Barnes, John Stocklin) 3:01
14 Tales of Brave Ulysses (Eric Clapton, Martin Sharp) 4:29
15 The Sea And She (Richard Rudolph, Charles Stepney) 3:28
16 Hey, Love (Richard Rudolph, Charles Stepney) 4:08
17 Song for Everyman (Terry Callier, Larry Wade) 5:30
18 Love Is (Richard Rudolph, Charles Stepney) 5:15
DISC TWO (53:55)
1 The Salt of the Earth (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards) 4:56
2 Love Has Fallen on Me (Charles Stepney, Lloyd Webber) 4:17
3 If I Sing My Song (Richard Rudolph, Charles Stepney) 3:38
4 The Weight (Robbie Robertson) 3:24
5 The Burning of the Midnight Lamp (Jimi Hendrix) 4:37
6 Living Alone (John Stocklin) 2:52
7 Love Me Now (Morris Dollison) 2:44
8 Want You to Know (John Stocklin) 3:01
9 I Got My Mojo Working (Preston Foster) 2:32
10 This Town (Stevie Wonder) 3:24
11 We're Going Wrong (Jack Bruce) 3:20
12 Life Could (Bobby Simms) 4:21
13 Teach Me How to Fly (Sidney Barnes) 3:16
14 V.I.P. (Bobby Simms) 3:05
15 Let Them Talk (Bobby Simms) 4:23
Bobby Simms/Vocals, Guitar
Jim Donlinger/Keyboards
Jim Nyeholt/Bass
Minnie Riperton/Vocals
Mitch Aliota/Vocals, Bass
Sidney Barnes/Vocals
Tom Donlinger/Drums
REVIEW
by Andy Kellman, AMG
Rotary Connection released a handful of albums. The one that had the most mainstream success was Christmas-themed. Only one song, "Want You to Know," dipped into the pop chart, rocketing all the way up to number 96. How necessary, then, is a 33-track, two-disc anthology? 100-percent necessary. Until this release, the group had one of the most neglected discographies in all of psychedelic soul, or chamber pop, or acid rock, or Midwest hippie folk. Ugly two-fer releases and other vanishing reissues have done their legacy, and no matter how many producers and DJs have sampled and talked about their music, Rotary Connection have always slipped through the cracks, admired mostly in retrospect by a select group of crate diggers and open-minded fans of Minnie Riperton's easier-to-categorize (and almost always misunderstood) solo career. Black Gold: The Best of Rotary Connection aptly scans through the strange and unexpected twists taken by the group from 1967 through 1971, and while their inability to be categorized played a significant part in their obscurity, it was one of their prime strengths. The remarkable scope is best exemplified by a three-song stretch on the first disc: a steamy, almost unrecognizable run through Otis Redding's "Respect," the soaring "I Am the Black Gold of the Sun," and the impossibly delicate and moving "A-Muse" (also as gorgeous as anything off Love's Forever Changes). The package covers a lot of ground, including the entirety of the all-covers Songs and most of the highlights from the remainder of the albums. "Hangin' Round the Bee Tree" is the only missing highlight; otherwise, this is as good as it could possibly get, short of obtaining the albums in full. In addition to being a long overdue look at a very underappreciated group, the set also covers major chapters in the careers of Charles Stepney and Minnie Riperton, two of Chicago's greatest gifts to music.
BIOGRAPHY
by Andy Kellman, AMG
Rotary Connection's psychedelic chamber soul continues to sound ambitious and progressive decades after the group's departure. Instantly recognizable from the dramatic string arrangements of Charles Stepney and the five-octave voice of Minnie Riperton, the group released six albums between 1967 and 1971 that combined rock, soul, and psychedelia to theatrical and occasionally transcendental heights. The racially mixed group never really broke out of the Midwest, a region in which they frequently played out. Their failure to become more than a regional cult act can be partly attributed to their management's decision to spurn a slot at Woodstock in order to play a more lucrative festival in Toronto. Despite some patchy albums and poor management decisions, Rotary Connection's status as an influential cult group has steadily risen since the '70s.
Marshall Chess, son of Leonard Chess, conceived Rotary Connection in 1967 for Cadet Concept -- an upstart subsidiary of his father's Chess label. Chess initially centered the instrumentalists around a trio of musicians from a rock group called the Proper Strangers: drummer Kenny Venegas, bassist Mitch Aliotta, and guitarist Bobby Simms. Sidney Barnes, Minnie Riperton, and Judy Hauf were added as the vocalists. Upon the group's formation, Barnes was already something of a vagabond; his resume as a songwriter, background vocalist, and solo artist was extensive. Riperton was a veteran of the Chess ranks; she worked as a receptionist in the label's Chicago office, had been a member of the Gems, and released material under the name Angela Davis. Chess musical supervisor Charles Stepney -- a legendary composer, arranger, and producer -- was brought in to direct the group. He would also implement the skills of studio musicians from the extended Chess family throughout the group's existence, such as drummer Morris Jennings and guitarists Phil Upchurch, Bobby Christian, and Pete Cosey.
Under Stepney's guidance, Rotary Connection recorded and released their self-titled debut album in late 1967. The group's spacious sound was leavened by Stepney's often gorgeous and lilting string arrangements. The album featured both originals (co-written by Stepney and a number of other songwriters, including Barnes and future Riperton spouse Richard Rudolph) and radical covers of the Rolling Stones' "Ruby Tuesday" and Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone." This became the blueprint for what would follow from the group and, as a stunning (if flawed) debut, the album falls into that old rock trap of being viewed as the only essential one the group made. That's an unfortunate fact, because the group's key factor -- the voice of Minnie Riperton -- wasn't truly given a chance to shine until the second album.
The albums Aladdin, Peace (a Christmas-themed LP), Songs, Dinner Music, and Hey Love were issued between 1968 and 1971. Though the albums include a fair amount of filler, each has some amazingly inspired moments. "Respect," for instance, was a radical reworking of Otis Redding's original; transformed into a duet between Riperton and Barnes, the song's infamous "r-e-s-p-e-c-t" call-out was left out, and the tempo was slowed down to a sultry crawl. Hey Love, bizarrely credited to the New Rotary Connection, would become the group's last record. By that time, Riperton already had a solo masterpiece under her belt -- 1970s Come to My Garden. After the group split, Riperton continued her solo career and became one of the most beloved soul vocalists of the '70s. Breast cancer took her life in 1979, when she was just 31-years-old. Stepney passed away three years prior, at the age of 43.
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