Post by erik on Feb 13, 2021 18:21:21 GMT -5
Besides being a vocalist of quite a bit of standing, Barry White also knew how to arrange quasi-classical disco instrumentals, such as the one in this week's Pop Music Spotlight that features his Love Unlimited Orchestra
RHAPSODY IN WHITE (Barry White and the Love Unlimited Orchestra; 20th Century; 1973)—While Barry White may be remembered by many 1970’s pop and R&B music fans for a smooth brand of R&B music and a plush vocal style that extended what Isaac Hayes had begun in Memphis with the 1969 album Hot Buttered Soul, he was also known as quite an instrumental arranger. When he formed the female R&B trio Love Unlimited, what he also went ahead and did was conceive what became known as the Love Unlimited Orchestra as well. This orchestra backed both Love Unlimited on their records, which White arranged and produced for them, and also White himself when he began his own solo career in 1973. He also found the time to conduct the orchestra for its own recording purposes, resulting in the late 1973 album release Rhapsody In White, which may have seemed like a fairly self-serving title to some, but which appealed to a whole lot of other listeners. With string arrangements that bordered sometimes on the classical, the Love Unlimited Orchestra included many future superstar musicians in its line-up, including future “Ghostbusters” hit maker Ray Parker Jr., jazz guitarist Lee Ritenhour, and TV music composer Don Peake among others. The album yielded one of the biggest instrumental hits of the 1970’s in the neo-classical dance hit “Love’s Theme”, which not only hit #1 on the Hot 100 in February 1974, but also reached #1 on the Adult Cotemporary chart, #8 on the R&B chart, and #10 in England. The album’s title track, the equally neo-classical “Rhapsody In White”, though a lesser hit, charting at #63 on the Hot 100 in April 1974, remained a staple of smooth R&B and jazz radio well into the 1980’s, evoking memories of a number of Johann Strauss waltzes and even parts of the Third Symphony of Johannes Brahms. The orchestra, besides recording albums under their name and White’s direction, also continued to back White up on his records, until his passing at the age of 58 on July 4, 2003.
RHAPSODY IN WHITE (Barry White and the Love Unlimited Orchestra; 20th Century; 1973)—While Barry White may be remembered by many 1970’s pop and R&B music fans for a smooth brand of R&B music and a plush vocal style that extended what Isaac Hayes had begun in Memphis with the 1969 album Hot Buttered Soul, he was also known as quite an instrumental arranger. When he formed the female R&B trio Love Unlimited, what he also went ahead and did was conceive what became known as the Love Unlimited Orchestra as well. This orchestra backed both Love Unlimited on their records, which White arranged and produced for them, and also White himself when he began his own solo career in 1973. He also found the time to conduct the orchestra for its own recording purposes, resulting in the late 1973 album release Rhapsody In White, which may have seemed like a fairly self-serving title to some, but which appealed to a whole lot of other listeners. With string arrangements that bordered sometimes on the classical, the Love Unlimited Orchestra included many future superstar musicians in its line-up, including future “Ghostbusters” hit maker Ray Parker Jr., jazz guitarist Lee Ritenhour, and TV music composer Don Peake among others. The album yielded one of the biggest instrumental hits of the 1970’s in the neo-classical dance hit “Love’s Theme”, which not only hit #1 on the Hot 100 in February 1974, but also reached #1 on the Adult Cotemporary chart, #8 on the R&B chart, and #10 in England. The album’s title track, the equally neo-classical “Rhapsody In White”, though a lesser hit, charting at #63 on the Hot 100 in April 1974, remained a staple of smooth R&B and jazz radio well into the 1980’s, evoking memories of a number of Johann Strauss waltzes and even parts of the Third Symphony of Johannes Brahms. The orchestra, besides recording albums under their name and White’s direction, also continued to back White up on his records, until his passing at the age of 58 on July 4, 2003.