Extraordinary Strings and Horns Arrangers Pt.2

Gene Page

“African American ‘Gene’ Page Jr., Is one of the most influential classically trained conductor, arranger and record producer in contemporary music”.
(Extract from the Independence Newspaper dated 20^th September 1998)

The contribution of arrangers to popular music recordings is often ignored, George Martin and Quincy Jones being the exception to the rule. Gene Page, the American orchestrator and producer who died last month in Los Angeles, was "session call number one" for any artist needing lush strings to heighten the appeal of a ballad.

As the guitarist Ray Parker Jr. (of Ghostbusters fame) said in tribute to his long-time friend and colleague:

“Take any romantic record of the last 25-30 years, be it by the Righteous Brothers, Michael Jackson, Barry White, Marvin Gaye, Johnny Mathis, Barbra Streisand, Lionel Richie, Kenny Rogers or Whitney Houston, and you've heard Gene Page's work. He was a spectacular arranger; no one could put together cellos, French horns and violins like him”.

“When I was a kid, still in diapers, Gene was already happening. I was a big fan of his. He had the same effect on me as Stevie Wonder. When you have this level of talent around in the studio, you get a little more humble”.

Born in Los Angeles in 1940, Eugene Page Jnr was taught piano by his father. Something of a child prodigy, he won a scholarship to the Brooklyn Conservatory and seemed destined for a career as a concert pianist. However, to earn extra cash, he started to help he started to help various acts polish their demo tapes. In the early Sixties, his work caught the ear of Reprise Records who hired him as their in-house arranger.

During that period in the 1970s Page still found time to conduct string arrangements for Aretha Franklin, the Four Tops, Deniece Williams, Natalie Cole, Dionne Warwick, Crystal Gayle, Julio Iglesias, Leo Sayer and even Elton John, an early Barry White convert, who used Page to great effect on the Philly-Sound-influenced single "Philadelphia Freedom" and the album Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (1975).

1980s Recording Sessions

Prior to his death Gene Page had conducted strings on many 1980s recordings that were just as successful as those of the previous decade, which included such recordings as "Endless Love" by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie, that actually peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart week-ending 15^th August 1981 (9 weeks), followed by the duet "Tonight I Celebrate My Love" by Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack, taken from the “Born To Love” album, gold-certified in America.

 "The Greatest Love of All" performed by Whitney Houston was another gold-certified hit single in America, with multi-platinum certification for Houston’s self-titled solo album. He went on to arrange strings for Atlantic Starr on their gold-certified album “All In The Name Of Love”, which featured the single "Always" that reached the number one position week-ending 13^th June 1987 (1 week). Anita Baker benefited from Page’s brilliant arrangements on her second solo multi-platinum album “You’re the Best That I Got” that reached number one on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart week-ending 24^th December 1988 (4 weeks). Many of these artists had number one albums on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart that featured a credit for Gene Page during a prolific decade that represents a crowning achievement for a great icon. In all, his name appeared on more than 200 gold and platinum records. He also conducted string arrangements on Teddy Pendergrass’ first post-accident studio album “Love Language”, that was certified platinum in 1984 for over one million copies sold in North America.

At Page’s funeral the Rev. William Minson Jnr. who officiated at the service remembers Page as "a man who always cared and shared with other people. More than his 35 year-career in popular music, I believe that this is Gene Page's biggest legacy."

Extraordinary Strings and Horns Arrangers Pt.1

Paul Riser

Paul riser is one of the most prolific classically-trained string and horn arrangers to emerge in America. Originally from the city of Detroit, he became a significant mastermind of and contributor to Motown Records definitive signature sound, known as “The Sound of Young America”.

Among Riser's biggest hits as an arranger are "My Girl" (The Temptations),
"Papa Was A Rollin' Stone" (The Temptations), for which he won a Grammy
Award, both versions of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" (Marvin
Gaye and Gladys Knight & The Pips), "My Cherie Amour," (Stevie Wonder),
both versions of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" (Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye &Tammy Terrell), "If I Were Your Woman" (Gladys Knight & The Pips) and "Tears of A Clown" (Smokey Robinson & The Miracles). He is also the composer of "What Becomes of The Brokenhearted" (Jimmy Ruffin).

Away from Motown, from the 1970s Riser’s string and horn arrangements have graced recordings for The Carpenters, Carly Simon, Quincy Jones, The Doobie Brothers, Tom Jones, Natalie Cole, Pharoah Sanders, Kiki Dee, Johnny Mathis, Patti LaBelle, Stephanie Mills, Anita Baker, Roberta Flack, Michael McDonald, Aretha Franklin and a host of others. During the 1980s he conducted and arranged strings on hits which include "Never Too Much" (Luther Vandross), "Two Hearts" (Phil Collins) and "I Believe I Can Fly" (R. Kelly). Paul Riser's work in film and television include "Mad About You," "Car Wash," "Bamboozled," "Space Jam," "Standing In The Shadows Of Motown", " Four Brothers," "Which Way Is Up" and "Mother, Jugs and Speed."

In the 21^st Century he went on arrange an R&B and Soul classic for Hip/Hop artist R.Kelly, his signature song “Step in the Name of Love”. The song was a dance "anthem" at social and corporate events in the UK and America. Taken from the 2003 album “Chocolate Factory”, the track was a multi-platinum single in America and gold-certified in the UK. “Step in the Name of Love” peaked at number one on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Singles Chart week-ending 6^th December 2003 (1 week). The album “Chocolate Factory” was number one on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart week-ending 2^nd March 2003 (1 week).

Paul Riser is one of the few former Motown arrangers who is still active as a musician, continuing his outstanding contribution to major hit recordings globally.

For his great work over the decades he was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2009.

Marvin Gaye’s Landmark Studio Album Pt.1

A defining moment for Marvin Gaye and the Motown origination.

Marvin Gaye's landmark album

This was first time in the history of Motown that The Funk Brothers and the other musicians who were members of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra were given full credit on the album notes, including the sound engineer. The album was a defining moment in Motown’s history, a landmark album, a Jazz-oriented recording project that allowed The Funk Brothers to shine as trained Jazz musicians, mixed with the best classically-trained musicians from the Detroit Symphony Orchestra under the leadership of Gordon Staples.

What's Going On was the first album on which Motown Records' main studio band, the group of session musicians known as the Funk Brothers, received an official credit.

The first Marvin Gaye album credited as being produced by the artist himself, “What's Going On” is a unified concept album consisting of nine songs, most of which lead into the next. It has also been categorized as a song cycle; the album ends on a reprise of the album's opening theme. The album is told from the point of view of a Vietnam War veteran returning to the country he had been fighting for, and seeing only hatred, suffering, and injustice. Gaye's introspective lyrics discuss themes of drug abuse, poverty, and the Vietnam War. He has also been credited with criticizing global warming before the public outcry against it had become prominent. It (the studio album) has become masterpiece of tremendous impact and influence across generations and it content is still relevant today with the social and political situations occurring in America and around the world. The recording project pushed Marvin Gaye to icon status internationally and made him a house whole name in the same breath as the late Otis Redding and Jimmy Hendricks.

According to Van DePitte: “Marvin wanted somebody other than the normal drummers who worked at Motown. Chet was coming from a little different place. He was a white guy, and he had done a great deal of studying in the classical vein. He was also one of the best jazz drummers I ever worked with. When this guy locked into a groove, you couldn’t shift him.”

Golden World Studios in Detroit, Studio B, was used to record the strings and horns section, led by concert master Gordon Staples, whilst the rhythm section was recorded at Motown’s old Studio A on West Grand Boulevard. Marvin Gaye’s creative instincts were certainly validated by the middle of 1971 when “What’s Going On” was racing up the charts, becoming a best-seller for Motown.

Picture of Van De Pitte conducting a recording with the late Bob Babbitt playing guitar at the session.

 
   




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

              

  

                                      

Diana Ross & The Supremes Pt.2

             “Record-breaking Success in the Guinness Book of Records”

The group's final UK Pop number one album
and certified recording project.

The vocal group’s final compilation number one was the greatest hits album “Diana Ross

and the Supremes 20 Golden Greats”, at the top week-ending 17^th September 1977 (7 weeks). The label received a gold disc from the BPI for over 100,000 copies sold in the UK.

They are also the recording act with the most number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart in America (with 12) and on the Cash Box Pop Singles Chart (with 14)! The Supremes only managed to have 8 singles at number one on the Billboard Hot R&B and Soul Singles Chart from 1964 to 1970, with “Stoned Love” the last of these, week-ending 26^th December 1970 (1 week).

Gold certified greatest hits compilation
in the UK

They are also the recording act with the most number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart in America (with 12) and on the Cash Box Pop Singles Chart (with 14)! The Supremes only managed to have 8 singles at number one on the Billboard Hot R&B and Soul Singles Chart from 1964 to 1970, with “Stoned Love” the last of these, week-ending 26^th December 1970 (1 week).

“Diana Ross’ Greatest Hits”, consisting of ten of Ross' greatest hits as a solo artist, became her second album in 1976 to hit the Top Five in the UK. It was certified gold in the UK for sales in excess of 100,000 copies on 1^st January 1976.                  

Platinum certified album
 for over 300,000 copies in the UK
according BPI.

Miss Ross has managed to achieve the number one position on the Official UK Pop Albums and Singles Charts from the 1960s into the 1990s for a duration of 18 weeks in total!          














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Diana Ross & The Supremes Pt.1

Diana Ross and the Supremes

“Record-breaking Success in the Guinness Book of Records”

  

The group's first number one album
on the UK Official Pop Albums Chart

Did you know that Diana Ross and the Supremes are the only Motown Records recording act to have three number one compilation and greatest hits albums on the Official UK Pop Albums Chart? They were also the first act to have a number one single for the label in the UK with “Baby Love”, week-ending 19^th November 1964 (2 weeks). The single achieved similar success by reaching the number one positions on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart, week-ending 31^st October 1964 (4 weeks) and on the Cash Box Pop Singles Chart, week-ending 14^th November 1964 (2 weeks).The group’s first “Greatest Hits” compilation album peaked at number one, week-ending ^11th February 1968 (3 weeks) on the UK Official Pop Albums Chart and again on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart, week-ending 28^th October 1967 (5 weeks). 

The group's  second UK compilation album at
 number one in the UK Official
Pop Albums Chart

The group’s second greatest hits package or compilation album “Diana Ross and the Supremes Join The Temptations” reached the number one position on the Official UK Pop Albums Chart week-ending 9^th February 1969 (4 weeks). The album made it to number one on the Billboard R&B and Soul Albums Chart week-ending 21^st December 1968 (4 weeks).

The group's second compilation became tremendous success in collaboration with The Temptations 

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Norman Whitfield Musical Legacy Lives On Pt.3

Rose Royce first successful studio album
produced by Norman Whitfield

Whitfield's record company achieved 
several gold and platinum 
records with Rose Royce while they were signed to his label, in the process generating millions in gross earnings between the USA and the UK in which  he produced the "In Full Bloom" (1977) and "Strikes Again" (1978). The first album studio features the legendary Jack Ashford former member of The Funk Brothers and Paul Riser conducting strings arrangements.  Former Motown studio musicians Melvin "Wah Wah" Watson, Cornelius Grant with legendary Gene Page on

Rose Royce second most successful studio
album also produced Norman Whitfield

 strings arrangements (also famous  for working with the late Barry white). are featured on the second studio album. The single "Love Don't Live Anymore" from the second studio album managed to achieve gold certification in the UK for over half-a-million copies on the 1st October 1978 and peaked at number two on the UK Official Pop Singles Chart week-ending 16th September 1978 (1week) .The album "In Full Bloom"also  peaked at number one on the Billboard Soul and R&B Albums Chart week-ending 1st October 1977 (3 non-consecutive weeks). Further success was achieved by the band's greatest hit album "Rose Royce Greatest Hits" which obtained platinum certification in the UK from BPI and topped the Official UK Pop Albums Chart week-ending 1st March 1980 (2 weeks). 

The band's UK certified platinum album

 A single sampled version of “Car Wash” was released in 2004 from the soundtrack album entitled “Shark Tale” The version was number 4 on the official UK Pop Chart in 2004 and achieved gold certification according to the BPI (British Phonograph Industry) for 100,000 copies sold in the UK. The soundtrack was also certified gold in Australia with 35,000 copies and New Zealand with 7,500 copies. In 2011,  The X Finalists re-recorded "Wish Upon A Star." The song debuted at number one week-ending 10th December 2011 (1 week) on the Official UK Pop Singles Chart and also Scottish Singles Chart the same week. The single sold in excess of 98,000 plus copies in its first week. The single also received a silver disc for units sold in excess of quarter- a-million copies in the UK, which was awarded on 1st February 1978 by  BPI. 

The royalties he has earned over the last ten years averaged approximately half a million dollars per year. This gives you an idea of the income potential and how the music industry benefited from Norman’s creative ability by generating vast earnings across the globe through advertisements, films soundtracks and new recordings.  This legendary and formidable brand shows every sign of impacting generations to come. The late Norman Whitfield is one of the top ten best record producers of the old school. Long live the Norman Whitfield sound.

                              
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Norman Whitfield Musical Legacy Lives On Pt.1

The mastermind Norman Whitfield

Norman Whitfield was born on 12^th May1940 in Harlem, New York and passed away on 16^th September 2008 in Los Angeles at the age of 68. He founded Whitfield Records in Los Angeles after his departure from Motown Records. He was known as the father of the “Psychedelic Funk” sound. Longer songs, heavy bass line, distorted guitars, multi-tracked drums and inventive vocal arrangements became the trademarks of Norman’s production outputs, mainly with The Temptations.

The Grammy Award studio project and
first for Motown Records and
Norman Whitfield

He developed the sound with the help of the Motown studio band “The Funk Brothers”, with the assistance of the legendary Paul Riser as conductor and strings and horns arranger. His innovative music production concentrated more on instrumentation and put less focus on vocals, which was a major departure from the Motown signature sound, the “Sound of Young America”, that made production and song-writing team Holland, Dozier and Holland famous.

Prior to Norman Whitfield’s departure from Motown Records, he produced and co-wrote with Barrett Strong the majority of The Temptations’ recording projects during the first ten years of the label’s operation into the early 1970s, with such songs as “Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)”, “Ball Confusion”, “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” and “I Can’t Get Next to You”. All these singles achieved platinum certification in America for selling over two million plus copies each. "Cloud Nine" won Motown Records its first Grammy Award, for Best R&B Vocal Group Performance of 1969. The Temptations’ recording projects produced by Norman featured the funky psychedelic sound which eventually created a large body of gold, platinum and multi-platinum certifications that still continue in the UK and America into the 21^st Century, making The Temptations the most certified black male vocal group in music history. He also produced the last major single at the old Studio A recording studio before it was turned into  museum.The single was "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" which received platinum award by RIAA for over two million copies sold in America and peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart week-ending 2nd December 1972 (1 week).

The gold certified album "All Directions"
that features "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone"

This demonstrates the excellent production ability of Whitfield and the sound engineer at the time, the legendary Russ Terrana (a white man who was responsible for the sound engineering and mixing of over 89 number one records for Motown Records from the mid 1960s to early 1970s) and the brilliance of The Funk Brothers studio band. The musical compositions of Norman and Barrett reflected the social unrest and violent disturbances that took place across America’s inner cities after the death of Martin Luther King and also America’s involvement in the Vietnam War during the late 1960s. Musically they were totally in tune with the current events of that time.     


                                         



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Significant Achievements in the Detroit Sound Pt.5

The original Temptations

Both Norman Whitfield and Smokey Robinson helped The Temptations became one of most popular vocal groups of the 20^th Century. The group has received over thirty RIAA certifications, including a multi-platinum certification for their 1996 release “The Temptations Greatest Hits.” 

Two more albums during the mid-1990s received platinum certification for the group, “All The Million-Sellers” and “The Temptations Give Love At Christmas.” They also collected platinum certifications for their singles “I Can’t Get Next To You”, recorded during the late 1960s and produced by Norman Whitfield, and “My Girl”, also recorded during the early 1960s and written and produced by Smokey Robinson. Both singles sold over two million copies each. According to the RIAA, The Temptations are now the second most certified group behind the Beatles. The Beatles have twenty four gold singles while the Temptations have sixteen gold singles to their credit. All The Temptations records features dynamic studio performance of The Funk Brothers and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra strings section and vocal support of The Andantes.

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Significant Achievements in the Detroit Sound Pt.4

"TCB"
Diana Ross & The Supremes with
The Temptations

Did know that Motown Records became the first label in America music history to have a soundtrack TV special album at number one on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart week-ending 8 ^th February 1969 (1 week) which temporarily dislodged self-title album "The Beatles" from the top position! The album "TCB" features Diana Ross & the Supremes with The Temptations"

First album released  performed 
by both groups

Also in 1969, the album "Diana Ross and the Supremes Join the Temptations, which showcased the combined forces ot the groups, climbed to number two on 11th January 1969, but was denied the top position by the The Beatles.

The  album also topped the Billboard Hot Soul and R&B Albums Chart the following week after  an album performed by Smokey Robinson and The Miracles entitled “Special Occasion”, which stayed at number one for two weeks, week-ending December 7^th 1968 and was followed by Diana Ross & the Supremes’ album “Diana Ross and The Supremes Join The Temptations” week-ending 21^st December 1968 (2 weeks). 

                               



                                                                            

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Significant Achievements in the Detroit Sound Pt.3

Motown Records first compilation
gold certified album in the UK. 

In addition Motown had tremendous success with two more compilation albums starting in 1969 and also 1970 following their previous success on the UK Official Pop Albums Chart in 1968 with new titles starting with “Motown Chartbusters Volume 3” at number one week-ending 25^th October 1969 (1 week). The compilation album was on the chart for a total of 93 weeks! The album obtained gold certification for the label according to BPI for 100,000 copies sold in the UK. This was followed in 1970 with “Motown Chartbuster Volume 4” that peaked at number one week-ending 24^th October 1970 (1 week).

Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
first UK Pop number one hit.

The next monster single to return to the top was originally recorded in Detroit in Studio A in 1966 entitled “The Tears of a Clown” performed by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles. It was released in 1967 on the studio album “Make It Happen.” It re-released in the United Kingdom as single during September 1970 and raced up the UK Official Pop Singles Chart to peak at number one week-ending 12^th September 1970 (1 week) It became a major trans-Atlantic hit since Marvin Gaye’s classic hit “I Heard Through The Grapevine” reaching top of the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart week-ending 12^th December 1970 (2 weeks); Billboard Best Selling Soul Singles Chart week-ending 5^th December 1970 (3 weeks) at number one; Cash Box Pop Singles Chart week-ending 12^th December 1970 (1 week). The single potential was discovered by a staff member at EMI Records UK operation by the name of Karen Spreadbury who John Reid a manager at EMI Records UK operations responsible for marketing Motown Tamla recording projects, took her advice and released the single in the UK and within two weeks it was number one on the UK Official Pop Singles Chart.

Freda Payne only Pop
number one hit in the UK and
Trans-Atlantic million seller.

At the same time that “Ball Of Confusion (That’s What World Is Today)” was in the Top Five on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles week-ending 11^th July 1970, they was another single produced in Detroit and performed by Freda Payne entitled “Band of Gold” at number five. The song eventually peaked at number three week-ending 25^th July 1970 (1 week). The song became the first Trans-Atlantic hit to go to number one on the UK Official Pop Singles Chart for the then newly established Invictus Records label founded by Holland-Dozier-Holland in 1968 in Detroit after the they departure form Motown. The single peaked at number one week-ending 19^th September 1970 (6 weeks). The instrumentation on the track were provided by members of The Funk Brothers: Bob Babbitt (bass), Dennis Coffey, Eddie Willis, Ray Monette and Ray Parker, Jr. (guitars), Johnny Griffith (keyboards), Uriel Jones (drums), Jack Ashford (percussion) with backing vocals by Scherrie Payne, Telma Hopkins, Joyce Vincent Wilson and Pamela Vincent.

Another single came out of Invictus Records during the same period which was gold certified single in America called “Give Me Just A Little More Time” performed by the Chairmen Of The Board. The track peaked at number eight on the Billboard Best Selling Soul Singles Chart in 1970; Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart at number three; UK Official Pop Singles Chart at number three the same year.  Both these first two gold certified singles obtained by the label were recorded at the Holland Sound Studios, Inc by Chief engineer Lawrence Horn and mastered by Bob Dennis.




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