Product Description
FIND OUT FUSION!: The Legendary Fusion Works of Versatile Records Edition Ten works from Versatile, a legendary New York-based crossover/fusion label established in 1977 and active for only three years until 1980, are now available on CD, including the first-ever CD release in Japan! This collector's item features the "embodiment of groove," a super-heavyweight organist who uses keyboards to add a funky touch to popular movie soundtracks from the time, such as "Star Wars," "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," and "Rocky." Also noteworthy are the arrangements by Mario Sprouse, who later served as music assistant to Gordon Parks (director of "Shaft"). Features 2020 digital remastering, liner notes by Kazunori Harada, bonus tracks, and original jacket artwork. Richard "Groove" Holmes (organ, mini korg), Mario E. Sprouse (accoustic piano, Fender Rhodes, mini korg, cowbell, tinkerbell) Karen Joseph (flute, alto flute, piccolo), Wayne Morrison (12-string acoustic, guitar, electric guitar), Uhuru (electric bass), Earl Gardner, Lou Soloff (trumpet), Laurie Bienenfeld, Charles Stephens (trombone), Ray Alonge, Jim Buffington (french horn), Philip Mason (percussion). Recorded in NY in November 1977. Versatile Records was founded in 1977 by Michael Gusick, with Vic Chilmboro as the main producer. Chirumbolo was in charge. Vic was a shrewd businessman who, after working at Warner Bros., Verve, Prestige, etc., became vice president of CTI, founded by Creed Taylor. John Faddis against Freddie Hubbard, Grant Green against George Benson, Cornell Dupree against Eric Gale, Buster Williams against Ron Carter, Groove Holmes against Johnny Hammond... he certainly managed to assemble quite a lineup of formidable rivals. He hired Crawford before and after she left Kudu, and invited Hubert Laws, who had been under contract with Columbia since 1976 after being a big success at CTI, as a special guest. With the addition of strings and horn sections, he must have been strongly aware of the need to defeat them, if not outright defeat them. Tracklist 1. Star Wars/Close Encounters of the Third Kind 2. Carry on Wayward Son 3. You Light Up My Life 4. Rocky Theme 5. 007/The Spy Who Loved Me 6. Debbie in Love (You Light Up My Life) (Unreleased Version) Bonus Track
