Average White Band - Cut The Cake (1975)

“Cut The Cake” by Average White Band (1975)

Release Date: June 1975
Produced by Arif Mardin
Label: Atlantic

Chart Positions: #4 (US), #28 (UK), #21 (New Zealand)
Certifications: Gold (US)

Singles: “Cut The Cake” #10 (US), #31 (UK), “If I Ever Lose This Heaven” #39 (US), “School Boy Crush” #33 (US)

Cut the Cake is the third album released by Average White Band, released in 1975. This album included the hit single "Cut the Cake", the title track, which reached #10 on the US singles chart. Average White Band (also AWB) are a Scottish funk and R&B band that had a series of soul and disco hits between 1974 and 1980. They are best known for their million-selling instrumental track "Pick Up the Pieces" and the 1975 hit “Cut The Cake.

“Cut The Cake” by Average White Band (Click Here) 

The follow-up album to the immensely successful AWB in 1974, recording was plagued by creative and artistic differences, with several members of the band walking out of the studio on three occasions. One point of conflict was the band's mourning for original drummer, Robbie McIntosh, who died of a heroin overdose in 1974. Producer Arif Mardin considered pulling the plug on the project due to this tension but ultimately persevered and oversaw its completion.

"Cut The Cake"

In the informative liner notes that he wrote for Rhino's early-'90s reissue of Cut the Cake, writer A. Scott Galloway explains that this excellent album was recorded under less-than-ideal circumstances. The Average White Band's original drummer, Robbie McIntosh, died of a heroin overdose in 1974, and the surviving members were still in mourning when they started working on their third album, Cut the Cake (which originally came out on LP in 1975). Steve Ferrone, a black drummer from London, England, was hired as a replacement -- ironically, he became the first black member of a Scottish soul/funk band that had a very African-American sound and a largely African-American following. Despite the fact that AWB's members still had McIntosh's death on their minds when they were writing and recording Cut the Cake, this isn't a depressing or consistently melancholy album; far from it. In fact, parts of the album are downright fun, especially up-tempo funk gems like "School Boy Crush," "Groovin' the Night Away" and the hit title song (which made it to number seven on Billboard's R&B singles chart). Cut the Cake is also the album that gave us the ballad "Cloudy" (one of the more melancholy tracks) and AWB's version of "If I Ever Lose This Heaven," a smooth soul classic that was originally recorded by Quincy Jones in 1973. The song wasn't a chart-buster -- it peaked at number 25 on Billboard's R&B singles chart -- but it did become a favorite amongst AWB fans and enjoyed a lot of exposure on quiet storm formats. AWB's members certainly don't sound like they're in mourning on Cut the Cake. If anything, they honor McIntosh's memory by showing their resilience and delivering one of their finest and most engaging albums.

Average White Band (1975)

Link to “Cut The Cake” (Click Here)

AVERAGE WHITE BAND

Brothers Johnson - Right On Time (1977)

“Right On Time" by Brothers Johnson (1977)

Only two years earlier (1975) the Brothers Johnson, a funk duo comprised of brothers George and Louis Johnson, were discovered by the master Quincy Jones. On his 1975 album “Mellow Madness,” Jones included “Is It Love That We’re Missing?” a ballad co-written by George Johnson and performed by the Brothers Johnson. The song garnered enough radio play to catapult the Brothers Johnson into a recording contract with A&M Records. The brothers were a smash right from the start with their 1976 single “I’ll Be Good To You.” Their first album “Looking Out For #1” and reached #9 on the US album chart including #1 on the US R&B chart. 1977 brought more success with the release of their second album, produced by Quincy Jones, “Right On Time.” The album zoomed to US #13 (#2 US R&B), Canada #36 and Australia #43. The album was certified Platinum for sales of more than one million copies. The track “Q” won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Instrumental Performance.

"Right On Time" by Brothers Johnson (Click Here)

The album features the smash hit “Strawberry Letter 23,” a song written and composed by Shuggie Otis (son of Johnny Otis), Otis recorded it for his 1971 album Freedom Flight.

George Johnson, of the Brothers Johnson, was dating one of Otis's cousins when he came across the album Freedom Flight. Brothers Johnson recorded the song in a funkier, more dance-oriented vein than the original Otis version. Their rendition hit the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at US #5 (and reached #1 on the US R&B/Soul Singles chart in 1977) Canada #8, Australia #25 and UK #35. Studio guitar player Lee Ritenour recreated Otis's original guitar solo for the Brothers Johnson version. The 12" single was pressed on red strawberry-scented vinyl.

"Strawberry Letter 23"

Brothers Johnson 1977

Amazon link to “Right On Time” (Click Here) 

BROTHERS JOHNSON

Quincy Jones - Body Heat (1974)

“Body Heat” (album) by Quincy Jones (1974)

"Body Heat" by Quincy Jones (Click Here)

After a music career of twenty years Quincy Jones finally made it on the map as a solo musician. Previously he had enjoyed big success producing and composing arrangements for Leslie Gore, Count Basie, Ray Charles, Sarah Vaughan, Dizzy Gillespie and countless others. But it wasn’t until 1974 that he finally made it into the top ten with one of his own albums. “Body Heat,” his 24th studio album made it up to #6 on the US album charts as well as #1 on the Jazz charts and his first to reach #1 on the R&B charts. His highest charting album before that was 1969’s “Walking In Space” and 1971’s “Smackwater Jack” each reaching #56 on the US album chart.

"Boogie Joe The Grinder"

What was it that made “Body Heat” more successful than it’s preceding albums? Could it have been Quincy’s decided embrace of a more urban sound? Maybe it was the inclusion of Minnie Riperton and Al Jarreau performing “If I Ever Lose This Heaven.” Could it have been the momentum Q had been working up beginning in 1969 with his album “Walking In Space”? Whatever it was “Body Heat” struck a chord with the music listening public and rallied Q to that day when he joined with Michael Jackson to produce the super mega-hit “Thriller.”

Quincy Jones (1974)

QUINCY JONES