Bob Baldwin Presents A Tribute to Thom Bell

BOB BALDWIN PRESENTS

“BETCHA BY GOLLY WOW”: THE MUSIC OF THOM BELL

Featuring: Ragan Whiteside, Paul Brown, Paul Taylor, Marion Meadows,

Vivian Green, Toni Redd

Bio Written by John Widran

Celebrating the legacy of one of the most influential songwriter/producers of our time, Bob Baldwin Presents “Betcha By Golly Wow”: The Music of Thom Bell. A passionate homage to one of the architects of the classic “Sound of Philadelphia” that revolutionized the soul of R&B music, the 11-track collection on Peak Records (distributed by eOne Entertainment) also reflects the grooving, multi-cultural vibe the keyboardist, composer and musical innovator has trademarked as “NewUrbanJazz™.” Baldwin co-produced many of the tracks with famed songwriter and producer Preston Glass, whose extensive resume includes Whitney Houston, Kenny G, Stanley Jordan, George Benson and Aretha Franklin.

Over 35 years since the heyday of Philly soul, its sweet vibes, colorful textures and infectious grooves continue to enchant fans of many generations and artists and musicians from a multitude of genres. Bell left an indelible legacy of his own on the era via classic hits by The Spinners, The Stylistics, The Delfonics and others—many co-written with the late lyricist Linda Creed. Throughout his 18 previous recordings—which range from his 1990 major label debut Rejoice and a celebration of The American Spirit (2002) to Brazil Chill (2004) and two recent collections redefining urban instrumental music as “NewUrbanJazz”, which is an extension of his radio program—Baldwin has touched on a few gems from Bell’s rich catalog.

On Betcha By Golly Wow, he re-imagines “People Make The World Go Round” (originally recorded on Cool Breeze (1997) to reflect the unique production approach Baldwin takes to these nine Bell classics and two originals inspired by his vibe, the old school easy funk flavored “Gonna Be Sweeter” (written by Baldwin, Glass and Bell), and the lush, elegant tribute “Bell and Creed.” Baldwin’s most notable previous Bell reworking was “Break Up To Make Up,” a track from singer Will Downing’s 1993 collection Love’s The Place To Be featuring Baldwin and saxophonist Gerald Albright. The keyboardist felt that the original track was so in the spirit of Betcha By Golly Wow that he includes the 1993 recording untouched on the new collection.

As the “Quincy Jones” of the project, Baldwin features two artists from the Peak Records roster: guitarist Russ Freeman (who adds punch to a sensual, easy shuffling version of The Delfonics’ “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time)”; and Paul Taylor, whose whimsical soprano blends beautifully with Baldwin’s piano and Ragan Whiteside’s dreamy backing vocals on The Stylistics’ “You’re As Right As Rain”. Guitarist Paul Brown adds a crackling cool wah-wah touch to the ambient soul-jazz spin on The Spinners’ “The Rubberband Man” (a track that Baldwin calls “the most challenging on the album”), while saxman Marion Meadows takes the spotlight on an expansive rendition of “People Make The World Go Round” and a slightly bluesy romp through The Spinners’ “I’ll Be Around.” Renowned R&B singer Vivian Green brings her seductive magic to an eloquent take on The Delfonics’ “La-La Means I Love You.” Baldwin also introduces the world to the powerhouse voice of Atlanta based singer Toni Redd, whose intensely emotional delivery of “Betcha By Golly Wow” is patterned after the recording the late Phyllis Hyman did of the song with drummer Norman Connors in the mid-70s.

“I take on the Quincy Jones role on this project, more as the leader and facilitator than the main focal point,” says Baldwin. “I called it ‘Bob Baldwin Presents...’ to reflect my desire to be the producer and create arrangements that focus on other instruments besides my own voice, the piano. The original recordings of these songs never featured one person playing all the instruments. The tracks were created by a crew of guys in one room, under Thom Bell’s guidance, trading parts and sounds until the vibe was just right, and I wanted to re-create that flavor.”

“This project could not have been achieved on a musically intimate level without the blessing of Thom himself,” Baldwin adds. “Preston and I met at a concert in LA in September 2011 and it was there where we chatted up Thom. Preston told me he had worked with Thom over the years and that’s where the quest began to pursue this tribute. I had met Linda Creed’s husband, Steve Epstein, through Grover Washington, Jr. and had told him of my interest in doing a Bell/Creed tribute as far back as ten years ago. Preston’s multi-decade working relationship with Thom Bell gave us all the juice we needed.”

“NewUrbanJazz” is more than the name and spot-on description of the music on two of Baldwin’s most recent albums, NewUrbanJazz.com (2008) and NewUrbanJazz.com Re-Vibe (2011). The multi-talented keyboardist has extended the branding of that mix of old school soul, modern funk, traditional and smooth jazz and world rhythms to his syndicated two-hour weekly radio show, “The NewUrbanJazz Lounge.” The program currently airs on more than 22 terrestrial radio stations in nine states and is rapidly expanding via the internet (www.newurbanjazz.com).

Baldwin is continuously cultivating his concept, incorporating more and more world music into his platform all the time—including jazz from countries like Brazil, Dubai, the UK, Netherlands and South Africa. “There are no boundaries to this format,” he says. NewUrbanJazz is our own diverse brand of jazz, as diverse as the crowds we play for all over the world. While super-radio conglomerates are falling by the wayside, more than ever in these tough times, the universe is looking for something substantial from creative people, something we are all capable of delivering--that is, if we push the envelope just a little harder, deeper and further in some deeper media arenas, some of which we are clearly overlooked. We have our own vibe and we are here to stay. More importantly, several indie stations around the country are flipping to a funkier blend of contemporary jazz, which we are humbly honored to be a trend-setter in this arena.”

Bob Baldwin’s constantly evolving, ever expanding musical world grew out of his childhood in Mount Vernon, New York, where his father, Robert Baldwin, Sr., was an accomplished jazz pianist and upright bassist working with Keter Betts (Ella Fitzgerald’s main bassist) and Art Davis (the last bassist for John Coltrane). Baldwin went to his dad’s jam sessions around the country and studied the masters of the Westchester region, which included local stars like Lou Derry, Jimmy Hill, Fred Smith and Carmen Leggio. He began playing the piano at age four and as he grew up, his musical voicings began to incorporate a rich array of influences, from Herbie Hancock and Stevie Wonder to Earth, Wind & Fire, Chick Corea, Joe Sample, Patrice Rushen, Miles Davis and George Duke. Even after studying accounting, business and broadcasting in college, Baldwin never strayed far from his first love.

In 1986, he formed The Bob Baldwin/Al Orlo Project in New Rochelle, NY. The group’s performances at the legendary Bottom Line in New York City led to his first production with trumpeter Tom Browne—which ultimately led to a two album deal with Atlantic Jazz Records that included the releases Rejoice and Reflections Of Love. Prior to those, his first recording in 1989 was a concept record billed as The Dream featuring Bob Baldwin on the experimental Malaco Jazz label. Complementing his natural ability to weave his life experiences into music while creating inventive harmonies, Baldwin has invited many high caliber musical heroes and peers to join him on his recordings over the years. These include Roy Ayers, Gerald Albright, Jeff Kashiwa, Dave Mann, Chieli Minucci, Phil Perry, Kim Waters, Will Downing, Marion Meadows, Najee and Grover Washington, Jr.

Baldwin’s recent endeavors include the digital CD Never Out of Season, his first ever gospel-jazz recording featuring hymns, gospel classics and originals; and the book “You Better Ask Somebody,” a guide book for independent artists based on experiences that Baldwin has accumulated in his nearly 30 years in the music industry; it covers such topics as publishing and artist royalties, and he hopes to spread the knowledge of the music business in high schools and colleges.

In the liner notes that accompany Betcha By Golly Wow, Preston Glass writes, in an open letter to Thom Bell: “A song you and Linda Creed wrote contains the line “mere words cannot explain”…and that accurately paraphrases how I feel, when it comes to describing your impact on my career and my life.”

Adding his personal thoughts along those lines, Baldwin says, “The music of that era defined by The Stylistics, Delfonics, Spinners, along with Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin, was all a precious part of my childhood. They all sang great tunes with great deliveries that endure to this day. The songs of that time make anyone who grew up during those years reflect back on younger, lighter days. As an artist, I always thought it would be fun to tap into that era and create a feeling of youthfulness in people. Just like with Michael Jackson’s music in 2010 (“Never Can Say Goodbye”, a tribute to Michael Jackson), people listen to these versions and tell me where they were when they first heard them. Thom Bell was never considered a jazz guy, so it was fun to add a little of my NewUrbanJazz flair to his already great work, and I’m glad he really digs it.”

Thom Bell Project Bio

Masthead picture by Dee Freeman