Master drummer/producer Norman Connors has been away from the recording scene for almost six years now but out of studio doesn't mean out work. The man who first brought the likes of Phyllis Hyman, Michael Henderson and Glenn Jones to public attention vai his mid-Seventies albums for Arista and Buddah is quick to point out that he's been performing pretty consistently throughout that time.

This week I saw a nice interview with Teddy Riley in a music magazine of 1992.  He talks about  Michael Jackson, Guy, {safm}Bobby Brown{/safm} and the keyboards, drum computers he used in various New Jack Swing productions. A nice interview to read. Especially if you like Teddy Riley.

 Mark

MUSIC was far from Mary Davis' mind when we sat down to mega-chat just recently. The remainder of the SOS Band were off doing their own thing leaving The Two Davises to chat over sandwiches and coffee.
Mary is a freindly, charming lady and, despite the relatively early hour, she looked as if she had just stepped out of a photo session. My sweatshirt was no match for her silk! With Mary and the band spending so much time touring, it wasn't surprising to learn that London was one of her favourite places.

"AFTER a series of near misses during his Arista years, 35-year-old {safm}Jeff  Lorber{/safm} has attained that elusive crossover hit first time out on Warner Brothers. "Facts Of Love" is the record and it not only provides Jeff with a slab of gold, it also welcomes two exciting new vocal talents to an unsuspecting world ? Karyn White and Michael Jeffries.

IN THE music industry it seems that new forms of music are competiting against old. Take Hip Hop for example. R&B artists dis hip hoppers, jazz vocalists poke fun at rhymes and drum machines. Nobody seems to like each other .. .or do they?

One producer who has made the successful crossover from Hip Hop into R&B is Teddy Riley, a soft spoken young man in his early twenties who got his start producing rappers from B-Fats to Kool Moe Dee and Heavy D & the Boyz.  Riley suddenly became a household name by working on Keith Sweat's "I Want Her", followed by a hit by Johnny Kemp. It's hard to find a day when he's not in the studio planning future projects with Stephanie Mills, Billy Ocean and the Jacksons. Riley also sings and plays music in his own soul group, Guy, and has been utilising singer and songwriter Aaron Hall to write lyrics for the song Michael might be singing with his brothers.

"I Must Not Be Kinky" is the intriguing title of a new four track mini album from Tina Harris, a white R&B singer who has been working in and around the Los Angeles area for a few years. The mini album is released on Shanachie Records and includes one song produced by Lenny White and another two written by Bus Boys leader Kevin O'Neal.

It is safe to say that, if sheer talent and vocal ability, was ever the true yardstick of an artist?s popularity someone like David Sea would be massive, a worldwide musical phenomenon.

However, as I?m sure you know, the world of soul music is littered with talented figures who have not had the recognition their special gifts merited and, without indulging oneself in that age old myth about suffering and ?paying ones dues?. The life of David Sea is one of the definitive soul survivor, a remarkable vocalist, remaining faithful to his roots despite any setbacks or negatives that the world could throw out.

In many circles, Bernie Worrell needs no introduction. From his work as a founding member and Musical Director of Parliament-Funkadelic to his contributions to the Talking Heads, Worrell has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Indeed, songs such as “Burning Down the House” and “Flashlight” wouldn’t have been the same without him, and Worrell’s keyboard prowess has only grown since those classic recordings. As one of the most sampled musicians in history, Worrell’s funky licks have graced hit songs by Dr. Dre, Snoop Dog, Ice Cube, En Vogue and more. “One generation needs to segue to the next generation. So now I work with the sons and daughters, and we coincide.”


Interview by Scott Preston read more on Cincy Groove

I 'm a totally nutty person. I even laugh  at my own jokes" giggled one of our newest chart singers, Vesta Williams. The lady may wound oh-so-serious on record, but when it comes to interviews she's a different person entirely.

The phone rings at exactly 2:30pm on a sunny L.A. afternoon, and for any interview to begin precisely on time is, to say the least, unusual. On the other end of the line is Reginald McArthur, lead singer of The Controllers, the Alabama-based group whose recording career began in 1975 with the ever-soulful "Somebody's Gotta Win, Somebody's Gotta Lose".
Minutes later, we're joined by baritone Lenard Brown for a three-way conversation centred around the release of the quartet's first album for Capitol Records, appropriately entitled, "Just In Time".

HOW time flies! Do you realise that it's been two years since the last Mtume album, "You, Me And He"? On the other hand it probably has taken the gifted one that amount of time to really create his just-released "Theater Of The Mind" concept album ? a veritable musical masterpiece! "Not quite," he smiles. "But it took more than seven months of working fifteen-sixteen hours a day, seven days a week. In fact, it got to the point where I built myself a little apartment above the studio!

When B&S last spoke to Lanier & Co back in February of last year (was it really that long ago?!), the group were hoping that their third single for Willie Mitchell's Waylo label would be the one. While "Dancing In The Night" can't really be regarded as a hit in terms of the small U.K. market (having peaked outside of the Top 75 at No.78) it has at least brought them to the attention of a major label in EMI. Hopefully the single is selling sufficiently well to convince EMI to go with a follow-up, and maybe their now-completed album as well.