Another favorite:

FROM ME TO YOU
(1977)

My first record for Epic. I tried to do a lot on this record! For me, the best tunes on this LP are the instrumental tracks. This was the first time I had a decent budget to do a record, so I went a little overboard - but I had grand plans! I wanted to demonstrate that I could orchestrate, write, sing, arrange, play keyboards and be funky, jazzy and heavy, all at the same time.

This was the first time Dianne Reeves and I worked together. We sang a duet on You And Me. Zappa's influence is still felt quite heavily on tracks like "From Me To You" and "What Do They Really Fear."

Because they were giving me so much money (at least it was a lot back then), I felt a lot of pressure to sell records.In order to be perfectly clear, let me say that they never once requested that I record anything other than what I wanted; the pressure was internal Δ it came from me!!

I was signed because Bruce Lundvall took a liking to me and told Ron Alexemburg at Epic about me. Bruce was and still is a great record man. He gave me my first real break at the big time, as a solo artist in this country. He was a VIP at Columbia Records, which was in the same building as Epic. They were sister companies so to speak.

I was still in the same key of making very diverse sounding records, so, this is one of those.

Earth, Wind & Fire also had an influence on me. I thought that a lot of singing was necessary to have a hit. Needless to say, this record was not a hit. That is not to say that there was no good material herein. Quite to the contrary, there are some very special moments here, but the album, as a whole does not make a cohesive statement musically. Anyway, I guess I had to go through this to find where my next level would be.

Stanley Clarke is also featured on several cuts. We had begun working a lot together. He is a special bass player. We were in sync about what music should be, and were willing to take chances. We would change tempo and vibes in a second. As fate would have it, Stanley and I have had a long musical relationship. He is truly the brother I never had. Ndugu is my other brother.

Byron Miller and Ndugu are back with me, and Mike Sembello played guitar. Besides being a great singer and composer, Mike is a fantastic guitarist.

As an aside, I hated the album cover. I tried to change it, but was told it would hold up my release date, and I needed the album to be out because of my touring plans. So, I gave in. Big mistake!! I wouldn't do that now. I learned my lesson.

I'll read it later and get back to you.

Here's one of my favorite albums of his (I still play Malibu alot at sets):

THE AURA WILL PREVAIL
(1974)

This is my personal favorite from my days at MPS Records. I again see a lot of growth in myself as a musician. It's quite obvious to me that I had become more confident in my synthesizer playing. I took more chances. I liked to start a solo with one texture and end with another. I didn't hear any musicians doing that, and still don't. I was trying to take the listener on a sonoric adventure. Once again Ndugu was behind the drums; but I enlisted the help of a young bass player named Alphonzo "Slim" Johnson who had just got the gig with Weather Report. Airto was back on percussion, and I used some background singers. This was unheard of in Fusion at this time, but I saw possibilities down the line!

"Dawn" was written at The Caribou Ranch Recording Studio, in my room, after a session with Zappa. We recorded there for a week or so, and I guess the snow and altitude had an affect on my creativity. I've always loved this tune.

I re-recorded an old tune of mine, "Foosh," with a funkier approach. I had already recorded it with Jean-Luc Ponty, but had a different idea for this LP.

My love affair with Brazilian and Latin music began many years before this LP, but my real love wasn't felt on record until now. Malibu, became a hit jazz radio cut. There were vocals, but no lyric. I had everyone in the band sing, and added a couple of professionals so we wouldn't sound so bad. Actually, I wanted the vocals to sound like everyday average people singing the melody. I got my wish - it's kinda rough! The tune is really an instrumental with a vocal singing along.

"Echidnas Arf" was written by Zappa. I loved playing this tune with Frank, and decided to record it on this album with a different vibe. I also recorded "Uncle Remus," an original song of mine that Frank wrote lyrics for, and was first released on his album Apostrophe.

"Fools" became my first attempt at singing an R&B flavored tune. I always felt that I had more vibe singing in falsetto than my natural voice. I still do! It wasn't a great vocal, but one sure can tell how I wound up singing the way I do now. This was the beginning! The year was 1975, and I was still touring with Zappa's band.

Really :)
He's inspiring indeed !

He is one of my inspirations..