Just revising a post from a few months back...

anyone else a fan of these Jamaica, New York Kats?

Tom Browne, Marcus Miller, Bernard Wright,Lenny White, Don Blackman, Omar Hakim, Al "Wink" Flythe, Denzil Miller, Eddie Martinez(Guitarist on Run DMC's "Rock Box" and "King Of Rock"), Bobby Broom , Nick Moroch, Barry "Sonjohn" Johnson...

These guys were based in Jamaica Queens,NY, and came up under the tutelage of the late Weldon Irvine (Jazz Keyboardist, composer, and writer of the anthem "To Be Young, Gifted and Black")...they would meet at Jam sessions and perform at clubs together( at 12 years old, keyboardist Bernard Wright was the kitten of the "Kats")...their influences were not only Miles and Coltrane, but also Stevie Wonder, P-funk, EWF, Kool and The Gang, George Duke, Ohio Payers, etc...,
Gradually, they all began to enter the Professional stage, playing with musicians like jazz flautist Bobbi Humphrey. Lenny White became the drummer for the legendary fusion group Return To Forever and eventually embarked on a solo career, employing several of the neighborhood " Kats" to play(eventually they formed the group "Twennynine" and recorded for Elektra records, scoring with the Funk hit "Peanut Butter"... Soon, Dave Gruisin and Larry Rosen signed Tom Browne to their GRP/Arista label. Tom's first album, Browne Sugar, was a hit on Jazz stations, but it was his second album, Love Approach, That yielded the hit Tune, "Funkin' for Jamaica( N.Y.)" , and hipped the world to the "Jamaica NY Scene"... (his third album offered up the Hit tune, " Thighs High(Grip Your Hips and Move))...



and other acts, like keyboardists Bernard Wright and Don Blackman were signed, with Dave Gruisin, and occasionally Earth Wind and Fire's Larry Dunn producing and adding their arranging skills as well as additional keyboard work...and, of course Marcus Miller, in addition to becoming one of the most in demand bassists on the planet, went on to become the producer extrordinaire for Luther Vandross, Miles Davis, and others...

in addition to their solo work, They've played with: Miles Davis, Chick Corea, Luther Vandross, Dizzy Gillespie, Wayne Shorter, Sting, Angela Bofill, Al Jarreau, Michal Urbaniak, David Sanborn, Joe Sample, Run DMC, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Spyro Gyra, EU, Lalah Hathaway, etc. on and on....

incidentally, the inluence of their mentor, Weldon Irvine, Lives on... He is also considered a mentor by Mos Def, Common and Q-tip. Tribe Called Quest would regularly use samples from his work, he played on Mos Def's recordings, and, prior to his death, he was giving both Q-tip and Common piano lessons...the Jamaica, NY legacy continues...
[Edited 9/14/04 14:55pm]

Hell yeah, man. All these cats can fuck it up on their instruments. If u can't slang on your respective axe, don't even walk on the same street these cats are on.

Paligap, do you live in a wrecak stow??? I'm ever impressed with how deep you get with us here, it's a new leson everyday. I've heard bits & pieces of just about everyone here, if not on their own than definetly on the works of others. I gonna have to start shoppin' at your store.

UncleGrandpa said:

Shoot, I wish I did!! I'm thinkin 'bout all the money I would save!!

paligap said:

My homies.

Another one...

Jamaica Boys

Nice one paligap

tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...rmusic.htm

Oh yes, I love Tom Browne for "Funkin' For Jamaica" and "Thighs High". I love Lenny White and Twennynine for "Peanut Butter".

theAudience said:

Thanks! ( I was tryin' to find a picture of that CD!! )

owheeee... that's some funky shit we talking here just own about half of the albums you showed, but yeah... hey I'm young... still have lots of time to pick up the rest paligap, I'd like to get my hands on your record collection 4 sure!! be afraid... be VERY afraid

dayum... those cats rawk!

Dancelot said:

another good example of their work is theSylvia St. James album, Magic(Elektra, 1980). Produced by Larry Dunn and Lenny White( and the Jamaica NY gang's all here), it contains the Weldon Irvine ballad, Ghetto Lament, and it's one of the strongest pieces they've ever done...a great arrangement!

ahhhh.... 165th st... my spot of spots u know i "Funkin foe Jamaica" they talk about "165th past that mall?.... there is a mall there wit this big ass silver statue in the middle of it lol


but those cats... all hot ta death farealz....

TheRealFiness said:

Aha! I always wondered what they were talkin about...

BTW, Tonni Smith is the vocalist singing the Chaka Khan-like lines on Funkin' For Jamaica....