Artiste: Aquarian Dream
Album: Fantasy
Spotlight Track: Do You Realise
Label: Elektra
Catalog: 6E-152
Produced by Norman Connors (Except for “Friends” produced by Aquarian Dream, Don Mizell and Elzy White)
Executive producer: Don Mizell
Norman Connors is IMHO one of the top five best producers of 70’s black music. Hailing from Philadelphia, Norman, having met many legends early in his youth, such as Miles Davis, is deeply rooted in jazz. After several gigs with greats like Archie Shepp and Pharoah Sanders, Norman was signed to Buddah’s Cobblestone label and quickly put out his own material. The first three albums are die die must buy: Dark Of Light, Dance of Magic and Love From the Sun.
His sound grew ever more commercial and disco, but there’s no stopping him from creating absolute slammers with every album. His strength was definitely in production, and it’s wonderful how he can piece different musicians together and discover mindblowing vocals consistently. Aquarian Dream is one such act. The band was formed in 1976, when Norman brought them to Buddah and produced their debut album, Norman Connors Presents Aquarian Dream (with the highly collectible track Phoenix).
The spotlight today is for the super-trooper hot “Do You Realise” on 1978’s Fantasy LP, on the group’s second album. The headz know what time it is with this!!! Lead vocals are by Slyvia Striplin (who later went on to Roy Ayer’s Uno Melodic label), and with hardcore sessionists James Godson, David T Walker and Ray Parker alongside the tenor champ, Gary Bartz.
Do You Realise is definitive Norman Connors’ sound of the 70s, with its two-step groove, staccato horn stabs and stop/start choruses. I really cannot tahan whenever I hear it, I always find myself pressing the back button on my iPod to loop the intro, MF Doom Styleee. Beyond beyond!
Fantasy also includes another disco-boogie favourite You’re A Star, mid-tempo groover Yesterday and a brilliant cover of Herbie Hancock’s Gentle Thoughts. Please feel free to email me for more Norman Connors goodies or you can go here and buy the whole album cheap.
Tangkap This!!!
-Kenny
