Ray, Goodman & Brown - Intimate Moments (2003)

 

Ray,Goodman & Brown - A Moment With Friends (2002)

 

Ray, Goodman & Brown - Mood for Lovin' (1988)

Mood For Lovin' is an unusual Ray, Goodman & Brown LP. An unknown singer, Greg Willis, is credited on the cover -- specifically "Ray, Goodman & Brown introducing Greg Willis." This appears to be a Greg Willis solo effort that went bad; some RGB tracks were added and a little creative packaging took place. Willis sings three tracks, and Harry, Al, or Billy can't be heard of any of them. "Where Did You Get That Body" is Willis' best effort, a girl-watching song that charted R&B. Willis sang in a rough tenor that needed seasoning. "Next Time I'll Now," led by Harry Ray, is a tear-jerker; listen to this after losing someone and you'll bawl like a baby. Jazzman Najee plays a tight, crying sax. Harry forsakes his falsetto and sings natural on "Never Stop Lovin' You," only resorting to his upper register at the end/fadeout. Brown closes the song like Phillipe Wynne did with the Spinners, testifying like a Baptist preacher. Billy Brown leads "Electrified," an uptempo harmonizer that works his versatile tenor. Ex-Labelle Sarah Dash and Harry Ray duet on "Don't Make Me Wait"; their voices are similar, and Harry's falsetto is actually higher than Dash's throaty vocals.
 

Ray, Goodman & Brown (1986) Take It To The Limit

 Arguably, the sweet singing trio's best LP, other than their best-of compilations, buttery smooth from beginning to end, with no embarrassing tracks interrupting the flow of non-stop love songs emanating from Harry Ray, Al Goodman, and Billy Brown. The exquisite title cut "Take It to the Limit," is a quiet storm favorite that features all three voices; the contrast, lyrics, and smooth session musicians including Najee combined for an outstanding performance. They croon about love from all angles "Celebrate Our Love" is positive and happy, while "Someone's Missing Your Love," will have you weeping. Harry Ray's lead gets the most play and he doesn't get any better than on "Waiting for Dawn"; his light falsetto delivers the sensitive lyrics of loneliness so tenderly you'd think he was trying to lullaby a baby to sleep. Billy Brown's churchy tenor is outstanding on "We've Got Tonight."

Ray, Goodman & Brown - All About Love, Who's Gonna Make the First Move (1984)

 

Ray, Goodman & Brown – Open Up (1982)

 

Ray, Goodman & Brown (1981) Stay

 Ray, Goodman & Brown pay homage to doo wop on a very nostalgic-sounding LP. Billy Brown leads "Only You," originally done by the Platters; the backing vocals by Al Goodman and Harry Ray are straight from the '50s. "Good Ole Days" parodies doo wop; the amusing song contains all the elements of street-corner harmony, including hokey bass parts and escalating falsettos runs. Two of their most beautiful songs, the whimsical "Heaven In the Rain" and "Pool of Bad Luck," with its clever lyrics, are simply delicious. The title cut, "Stay," is a new composition with rudimentary roots; it sets the tone for the album. The concept strays at times, but this still rates as one of their best.

Ray, Goodman & Brown II / 1980

 Ray, Goodman & Brown's second Polydor LP is as refreshing as the first. The rapping among the group to introduce and end songs harkens back to '50s doo wop; groups singing under street lamps and in hallways would employ the technique to get everybody on the same page. On "Happy Anniversary," a romantic, sentimental ballad, the technique enhances the song. Likewise on the underrated "Shoe Strings," a regretful love refrain with a sweet chorus. The late Harry Ray shines on both with his mesmerizing, buttery falsetto. Billy Brown does "My Prayer," the old Platters tune, in straight '50s style. RG&B do more with three voices than most can accomplish with four or five, but they do utilize a fourth voice; Walter Morris rounds out the harmonies on most of their recordings. A different technique is employed on "You," where each member spits out lines on the chorus. The shuffling, reggae beat of "Each Time Is Like the First Time" is irresistible, and shows their versatility. Ray lays his sweet tenor on the romantic "A Part of You," a ballad made for quiet storm formats. An excellent piece of work produced by Vinnie Castellano.

Ray, Goodman & Brown 1979

 Ray, Goodman & Brown is the eponymous studio album by American R&B/soul vocal trio Ray, Goodman & Brown, released in 1979 through Polydor Records. Recording sessions took place at H & L Sound Studios in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey with record producer Vincent Castellano. The album peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart and number 2 on the Soul LPs chart in the United States, and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on April 2, 1980.^[3] It spawned the hit singles: "Special Lady" and "Inside of You", which charted on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart at No. 5 and No. 76, respectively.^[4] Its lead single, "Special Lady", became number-one R&B single in the U.S. and was certified gold by the RIAA on May 13, 1980.

Force of Nature - Unemployment Blues 1976

 

Force of Nature - Force Of Nature 1974

 

The Moments - Sharp (1978)

The Moments and Stang/All Platinum Records parted after this release. Some of the cuts sound like experiments and rejects from other sessions that had been collecting dust. "Dolly My Love" sounds like it was originally designated for someone else, as the sound is different from what Moments fans expect; it bombed in the States, but flourished in the United Kingdom. The Spinners' "I'll Be Around" has a totally different arrangement than the original; Al Goodman's bass sweetens the chorus. Lush is the word for "I Could Have Loved You," one of Harry Ray's better leads. On "Rain In My Backyard," the Moments employ Thom Bell's technique of closing the song with a gospel-inspired, improvising lead, which Billy Brown does well. Nothing else compels you to listen too intently. "Jack-in-the-Box," like "Dolly," enjoyed some popularity in Europe.
 

The Moments – Moments With You (1976)

"Look at Me (I'm in Love)" did so well (number one R&B) that the Moments continued the soft, lush, soulful sound on Moments with You. Side two consists of generic fodder written by Al Goodman, Harry Ray, and keyboardist Walter Morris. But side one contains three downtempo compositions' courtesy of Carole Bayer Sager and friends, eloquently led by Harry Ray's whispery falsetto. The waltz paced "With You," became a substantial seller; the hurt factor alone should have pushed "I Could Have Love You," up the charts, and the overwhelming harmonies of "I Don't Want to Go," will leave you breathless. Billy Brown leads the tension-building "Don't Cry out Loud" (also written by Bayer Sager) in his strong gospel-trained tenor.
 

The Moments - Look At Me (1975)

The Moments Look at Me spawned two hits. The lush "Look at Me (I'm in Love)," arranged by Sammy Lowe, became their second biggest seller (as the Moments), reaching number one on the R&B charts in June of 1975 for one week; "Love on a Two Way Street" also reached number one on the R&B charts but held the spot for five weeks in May of 1970, and climbed to number three on the Pop charts. "Look at Me," lovely backing vocals and all, only managed a number 39 Pop showing. The carousing "Girls" sparked some confusion. Label credits listed the Moments and the Whatnauts, but few knew who the Whatnauts were, their vocals are minimal, and most assumed they were the Moments' band. Their French version of "Girls" is just as satisfying as the English version. "Dolly My Love," has an upbeat, poppy rhythm that hit in the United Kingdom but did absolutely nothing in the States. The haunting "Come Away with Me" featured an exotic harp and a flute; while the lulling ballad, "Dolly," was too drastic a change for Moments' fans to feel, and went unnoticed when released in May of 1975.
 

O'Jays Meet The Moments (1974)

 

The Moments – Those Sexy Moments (1974)

 Throughout the late '60s to the late '70s, the Moments were one of the premier and loved groups in R&B. Tracks like "Love on a Two Way Street" and "What's Your Name" may be preferred to other songs from more successful acts of the time. This 1974 album finds the group successfully changing with the times and exuding more confidence with their production and singing. That's the good news. The bad news is that the Moments were signed to a small label with one of the worst studios in the business. That fact makes most of this skilled but not sonically sound. That being said, Those Sexy Moments is a good mix of dance tracks and the ballads they were famous for. The breezy, "You've Come a Long Way" tells the tale of childhood through adulthood romance as Harry Ray sings the potentially unsettling "I wanted you then/but you were only five." The slow songs, "How Can I Love You" and "Look at Me" (not to be confused with their hit, "Look at Me (I'm in Love)"), both employ the guitar as sitar trick and have the groups' trademark harmonies. The best songs here are basically solo spots for Ray. The big hit here, the steamy "Sexy Mama," has him singing great lines like, "This afternoon I know you like me/By tonight you're gonna love me." The innovative and melodic "Next Time That I See You" puts the spotlight on his underrated falsetto/tenor. For a group that never seemed to make undeniable albums, this effort has enough individual songs to make this worth looking for.

The Moments – My Thing + 2 (1973)

 The smooth voices of Harry Ray, Billy Brown, and Al Goodman ring true on ten hit and miss sides. The misses are the filler that comprise half the ten songs; they aren't irritating or ingratiating, just bland tunes with apathetic arrangements. Every artist at All Platinum/Stang Records must have recorded "My Thing"; there are versions by Sylvia, the Whatnauts, and the Moments, at the very least. The song is all right, but did it merit the countless remakes? It flopped as a single, but the flip "Girl I'm Gonna Miss You" is much better -- a sad ballad sung in clear falsetto by Billy Brown. Surprisingly, it gets omitted from the many Moments compilation CDs, though it's one compelling number. Harry Ray's reading of "Baby I'm a-Want You" is magical, his light falsetto sparkling on David Gates' classic. Complete with airport ambience, "I Gotta Find a Way" is a charmer; Harry waits and contemplates at the airport about getting his baby back as a female announcer announces flights over a loudspeaker. I like the close, syncopated harmonies on "Look What You've Done," another tasty ballad. Eight of the ten songs are ballads except for "My Thing" and the twee-sounding "Life and Breath."

The Moments - On Top 1971

On Top is a perfect example of the subjectivity of musical taste. Among collectors, this is considered the most valuable of all the albums recorded by the Moments on Stang Records. It's alright, but it's not all that, and it doesn't come close to being a favorite by the three guys who later became Ray, Goodman & Brown. An original copy of this LP starts at around $50, others by the Moments go for between $10 and $20. Two minor R&B hits, "Lucky Me," a song that Billy Brown claims to hate, and "All I Have," are the most recognizable. Both are George Kerr compositions/productions, and each features Brown's ice-melting falsetto. Also included are two singles that are different from anything the group had ever done, "I Can't Help It" and "That's How It Feels." Sylvia Robinson also recorded "I Can't Help It," and to be honest, the song suited her better. It was the A-side of "To You with Love," a lovely floating ballad sung by Harry Ray that featured the groups' patented handclaps. "That's How It Feels was a two-parter wherein Brown's voice rode atop a bed of rhythms on a tune more aptly define as a love suite than a song. Neither impressed the jocks nor the buying public. A charming but sorrow-filled "I Lost One Bird in the Hand" is an impressive, slow lamenter crooned by Ray. The only uptempo number, other than the herky-jerky "I Can't Help It," is "Sweeter as the Days Go By," led by Brown in his natural, gospel-inspired tenor.
 

The Moments – A Moment With The Moments 1970 & The Other Side Of The Moments 1972

 Though it's bookended by two of the sweet soul trio's biggest hits, A Moment With the Moments reflects the overall weaknesses in the trio's songs, performances, and most tragically, the sound of any release associated with parent company All Platinum. Harry Ray, a newcomer to the Moments, hits all the high notes on the opener, a cover of the Ink Spots' vocal standard that hit the R&B Top Ten. "Key to My Happiness" is a great buried treasure, firmly in the Motown sound, and "Love on a Two-Way Street" is as exquisite a soul ballad as ever made it to the top of the pop charts. Still, "Lovely Way She Loves" and "So This Is Our Goodbye" are weak filler material, the group straining to get the same pleading in their voice as more popular acts like the Delfonics. The arrangements are effective, and the backing by Willie & the Mighty Magnificents is fresh and inventive, but alas, the sound is sub-standard (par for the course for All Platinum) and even a 2000 CD revamping of the album by Sequel (packaged with The Other Side of the Moments) can't help the weak sound. 

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 The Other Side of the Moments displays the New Jersey soul trio as a supper-club act, just as a few top soul acts (the Four Tops, the Impressions, the Supremes) had flirted with during the '60s. Why the Moments were attempting to court a more traditional audience during the early '70s is a mystery. The trio doesn't have much trouble with the material, but the arrangements and recording are period curiosities; a nimble electric bass attempts to update the trad strings, but fails every time. The quick pace and intimate delivery for "In the Still of the Night" make for an album highlight, but the group's performances of "What's New?" and "Angel Eyes" sound overripe and tossed-off. This "other side" of the Moments certainly wasn't fooling any Nat King Cole fans out there, and unsurprisingly bombed with soul audiences too, making it one of the group's most uninspired works.

The Moments - Not On The Outside, But On The Inside, Strong! +1 (1969)

An asterisk should be placed on the Moments' first LP release for Stang Records, as the label was seeking to capitalize on the success of "Not on the Outside." Billy Brown, Al Goodman, and Johnny Morgan are pictured on the cover as the Moments, and this trio does perform the bulk of the tunes, but the guys who sang on "Not on the Outside" and "Understanding" were a completely different group. For years, many thought Billy Brown led the song; Mark Greene, a Baltimorean, actually sang lead, accompanied by Johnny Moore and Richie Horsely, the original Moments. Some swear there were four members on the recording. However, when released, only three members were around, and two of them -- Horsely and Greene -- were fired as the song ran up the R&B chart, stopping at number 13; it reached the 57th position on the pop chart. The original Moments only did one gig, a week-long Apollo Theater engagement. Johnny Morgan leads on "Understanding," a rather dull song, and Al Goodman fronts "Pocketful of Heartbreak" -- better, but still nondescript. Billy Brown handles the rest and shines on "Sunday" and "I'm So Lost," two ballads done in Brown's innocent-sounding falsetto. Brown displays restrained emotion on the supercharged ballad "Somebody Loves You Baby"; one of their most underrated recordings which was released as the B-side of "Sunday." "I Won't Do Anything," pretty but lame, was covered by labelmate Lezlie Valentine. And what became their biggest recording wasn't released immediately. Listening to "Love on a Two Way Street" critically, it's understandable as to why Sylvia held it back and viewed it as an album cut. It sounds incomplete, with an off-key clanging guitar note played during the song becoming irritating after repeated plays.
 

Gladys Knight & The Pips - The Rare Gems (Unreleased material) (2CD) (2026)

 

Gladys Knight & The Pips - 2nd Anniversary 1975 (Expanded Edition)

 This album spawned two Billboard R&B Top Ten singles with "Money" and "Part Time Love." The former is a midtempo cut with a polished texture but contrasted by Gladys Knight's ardent vocals. The latter is a rather short but sweet-tempered ballad. Both peaked at number four with the latter surviving three weeks longer on the charts at 14. "Street Brother" is a blues number featuring an impressive Bubba Knight on lead vocals. The rendition of the Roberta Flack classic "Feel Like Makin' Love" has an urban, blues ambience complemented by the cohesive touch of the Pips. Eugene McDaniels, who produced much of the album, also wrote this vintage number. The songs shine with eloquence and are seasoned with an inviting Southern aura.

Gladys Knight & The Pips - Still Together 1977

 When producer/songwriter Van McCoy worked with Gladys Knight & the Pips, he usually did well by the group. It was McCoy who wrote "Giving Up" and "Lovers Always Forgive," two of their best pre-Motown singles of the early 1960s -- and he also proved to be an asset to Gladys Knight & the Pips when he co-produced their 1977 LP, Still Together. To his credit, he knew how to change with the times. His roots were doo wop and early soul, but by the mid-1970s, people associated him with disco thanks to the 1975 smash "The Hustle." So when McCoy was hired to produce Still Together, Knight didn't have to worry about sounding retro. But at the same time, no one would mistake this album for McCoy's club-oriented Disco Baby. Even though he gave the single "Baby Don't Change Your Mind" a certain amount of disco gloss, this is a soul LP first and foremost. Five of the eight songs on Still Together were co-produced (with Charles Kipps), arranged, and written or co-written by McCoy, including "Baby Don't Change Your Mind," the ballad "Walk Softly," and the sentimental "Home Is Where the Heart Is." A few of the selections are excellent, and the rest are at least decent. Still Together isn't among Knight's essential albums, but it's an enjoyable, if mildly uneven, effort that has more plusses than minuses.

Gladys Knight & The Pips - The One And Only 1978 (Expanded Edition)

 In 1978, Gladys Knight & the Pips recorded one album as a group in addition to doing some recording separately. That year, Knight provided her first solo album, Miss Gladys Knight, for Buddah/Arista, while the Pips recorded Callin' (their second album without her) for Casablanca. And together, they recorded The One and Only, which didn't go down in history as one of their all-time classics but is a generally pleasant, if unspectacular, soul-pop outing. This LP finds the quartet working with various producers, including Michael Masser, Richie Wise, Tony Camillo, and the Van McCoy/Charles Kipps team. The album's best-known offering is the disco-flavored single "It's a Better Than Good Time," which Knight also recorded as a solo artist in 1978. Other decent tracks range from the vibrant "Come Back and Finish What You Started" (written by McCoy/Kipps) to the ballad "What If I Should Ever Need You" and the exuberant, gospel-minded "Saved By the Grace of Your Love." Nothing on The One and Only is in a class with "Midnight Train to Georgia" or "I Feel a Song (In My Heart)," but none of the material is bad either. Although not essential and not recommended to casual listeners, The One and Only is worth hearing if you're among Gladys Knight & the Pips' die-hard fans.

Gladys Knight & The Pips - Touch 1981

Reunited with Ashford & Simpson, this is a strong production.
 

Gladys Knight & The Pips - All Our Love 1987

All Our Love marked the end of an era, for this 1988 release was Gladys Knight's final album with the Pips -- in 1990, she officially became a full-time solo artist and the Pips retired from music. No one can say that they didn't have a long run; Knight was only eight when the group was formed in 1952, and she was 46 when it finally broke up after 38 years. Nor can anyone say that Gladys Knight & the Pips' final album together was commercially unsuccessful -- thanks to major hits like "Love Overboard" and "Lovin' on Next to Nothin'," All Our Love went gold. In various interviews, Knight was quoted as saying that she was surprised the album did so well; she really didn't think she would ever see the top of the charts again. But then, MCA gave All Our Love a very aggressive promotional push and made sure that it was relevant to 1988s urban contemporary scene, hiring such producers as Reggie and Vincent Calloway, Nick Martinelli, and Sam Dees. Tracks like "Complete Recovery," "Thief in Paradise," and the above mentioned singles are pure urban contemporary -- synthesizers and drum machines are prominent, and no one's going to mistake All Our Love for a retro soul effort. Nonetheless, the group usually manages to be true to itself; most of the time, All Our Love sounds fairly organic rather than forced or contrived. Sometimes excellent and sometimes merely decent, the album falls short of essential. But because it was Knight's final album with the Pips, it has historic value -- and it was a pleasing, respectable way for the group to end its very long run.
 

Gladys Knight & The Pips - Life 1985 (Expanded Edition)

 The final album on Columbia for Gladys Knight & The Pips did reasonably well, getting them three chart hits, but it didn't include any of the anthemic R&B or pop crossover songs they had been landing in the '80s. It was a well-produced effort, and Knight sang with her usual vigor, spirit, and intensity, but nothing seemed to click on the level that Knight And The Pips expected.

Gladys Knight & The Pips - Visions 1983 (Expanded Edition)

 Leon Sylvers produced one of the finest uptempo hits Gladys Knight & the Pips ever made in "Save the Overtime for Me." It was the kind of jubilant, celebratory, rousing performance that had marked their best Motown singles, and it put some fresh life into what had become a stagnant group. The rest of this album wasn't that good, but it hardly mattered. They got a follow-up number five single, another chart hit with a third release, and were back in the game.

Bob Marley & The Wailers - The Rasta Groove Anthology , Remixes & Rarities

Bob Marley and the Wailers (previously known as the Wailers and prior to that the Wailing Rudeboys, the Wailing Wailers and the Teenagers) were a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae band. The founding members, in 1963, were Bob Marley (Robert Nesta Marley), Peter Tosh (Winston Hubert McIntosh), and Bunny Wailer (Neville Livingston).

During 1970 and 1971, Wailer, Marley and Tosh worked with renowned reggae producers Leslie Kong and Lee "Scratch" Perry.

Before signing to Island Records in 1972, the band released four albums. Two additional albums were produced before Tosh and Wailer departed from the band in 1974, citing dissatisfaction with their treatment by the label and ideological disagreements. Marley continued with a new lineup, which included the I-Threes, and went on to release seven more albums. Marley died from cancer in 1981, at which point the group disbanded.

The Wailers were a groundbreaking ska and reggae group, noted for songs such as "Simmer Down", "Trenchtown Rock", "Nice Time", "War", "Stir It Up", "Get Up, Stand Up" and "I Shot the Sheriff".

 

Regina Belle - The Belle Anthology

 Regina Belle (born July 17, 1963) is an American singer-songwriter who started her career in the mid-1980s. Known for her singles "Baby Come to Me" (1989) and "Make It Like It Was" (1990), Belle is most notable for three hit duets, all with Peabo Bryson: "Without You", the love theme from the comedy film Leonard Part 6, recorded in 1987; "A Whole New World", the main theme of the Disney's animated feature film Aladdin recorded in 1992, with which Belle and Bryson won a Grammy Award; and "I Just Can't Imagine". The theme song "Far Longer than Forever" from the animated movie The Swan Princess, performed with Jeffrey Osborne, was nominated for a Golden Globe in 1995 for Best Original Song.

The System - History (Box set Deluxe Edition)

 

O'Bryan - Breakin Together (The Anthology)

 

Miki Howard - The Complete Albums Collection

 

25% Off Selected CDs and Vinyl

 

Heaven and Earth (1978) Heaven and Earth (PTG 2012)

 

Soul on The Real Side 18 (2026)

 

GSF Free Soul (2025)

 

Chapter 8 - Collection

1970s-1980s soul group from Detroit, Michigan.

Best known as the band that helped launch the career of Anita Baker.
Released three albums in ten years at three different record labels.
 

Gerald Alston - Collection

Gerald Alston (born November 8, 1951) is an American soul/R&B singer,^[1] and the lead singer of the Manhattans. Between late 1970 and 1988, the group had 25 top 40 R&B and 12 Hot 100 hit singles.^[2][3] Alston was lead singer on their most successful 1976 platinum^[4] song "Kiss and Say Goodbye", which topped the U.S. Pop and R&B charts and was number one in four countries. Alston left the group in 1988 to pursue a solo career and recorded five albums and ten singles, including the hit singles "Take Me Where You Want To", "Slow Motion" and "Getting Back into Love". He also recorded a remake of Atlantic Starr's "Send for Me", most of which was for Motown Records.
 

The Deele - The Studio Anthology & More....

The Deele (pronounced like "deal") is an American band from Cincinnati, Ohio that achieved success in the 1980s with such hit singles as "Body Talk" and "Two Occasions". When the group began recording in the early 1980s, the lineup consisted of Indianapolis native Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds along with Cincinnati musicians Antonio "L.A." Reid, Carlos "Satin" Greene, Darnell "Dee" Bristol, Stanley "Stick" Burke, and Kevin "Kayo" Roberson.^[1] In 2007, Bristol, Greene, Roberson, and Burke reformed the group with several new members.

A March 2016 BET Honors performance, featuring Babyface and Reid reuniting with their former bandmates on stage, led to a more permanent reunion of the classic Deele lineup that has continued to the present.