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Stairsteps circa '76 - Clarence Burke, Dennis Burke, James Burke, and Keni Burke...



At the beginning of the 70's, the Burke family, aka the Five Stairsteps...shortened their name to Stairsteps, and released their biggest hit, Ooh Child...

Stairsteps - Ooh Child




In a few years, Billy Preston would introduce them to former Beatle George Harrison, who signed them to his Dark Horse label--There, they released one of the unsung Funk albums of the 70's, entitled Stairsteps -2nd Resurrection(Q magazine recently voted the album one of their "Must- Have Funk Albums")... they scored an R&B hit with their tune "From Us To You"...



Stairsteps - Pasado(1976)



One of the album's cuts, "Pasado", would later become a bigger hit when it was covered by the group Pockets in 1977...


Flash forward to 1979--The Burkes sign to a new label, but because of contractual obligations they can't reveal their names, so they record under the title, "The Invisible Man's Band"--this time, they score big with the dance hit "All Night Thing"--they made two albums under this name before disbanding...



Invisible Man's Band - All Night Thing




After the breakup, Keni Burke started up a solo career and simultaneously became an in-demand Bassist, playing on records by Sly Stone, Natalie Cole, Billy Preston, Les McCann, the Emotions,the Four Tops, Terry Callier, Stargard, Curtis Mayfield, Bill Withers, D.J. Rogers, Linda Clifford, Silk, Narada Michael Walden, Ramsey Lewis, Dusty Springfield, Diana Ross, and Gladys Knight...in 1982, from the album, "Changes", Keni scored big with the hit, "Rising To The Top"....



Keni Burke - Rising To The Top












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[Edited 4/12/08 16:26pm]

From an underrated soul vocal group in the sixties to an underrated funk band of the seventies, nice post.

I love Pasado.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

Ndeed! Kool tune! I like Pocket's version, too, wish I could find a video for that...



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"All Night Thing"


Man,that's a JAM!!

Appreciate all the knowledge.

I know and love some of the Five Stairsteps music, but knew little of the rest of the story outside of "Ooh Child".

Great thread! Never heard Pasado before today. I've got the 5 stairsteps greatest Hits, but apparently there is a lot of 70's stuff that isnt included.

'preciate it

SoulAlive said:

Yessir!

unkemptpueblo said:

Ndeed! and Keni Burke is an Unsung Bass Thumper!!





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this is a wonderful thread. I wonder why that bassist listed never did anything past rising to the top, or, play some jazz or something. yeah this is good. good to see yall talking about the vintage years.

I did a thread on here awhile back on "Ooh Child". I have the 45 from when I was a lil'kid. Can't say I'm hip to the rest of their stuff.

blackguitaristz said:

I remember that post, we were talking about future P-funk drummer Jerome Brailey layin' down the groove, for both the Stairsteps and the Chambers Brothers.....








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[Edited 4/14/08 18:08pm]

paligap said:

yep....