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REVIEW
 Bridge: Crying For Love |
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This CD should sell like hotcakes. We all know the group - their mixture of soul, funk, disco and Latin elements made this marvellous grouping a really talented band with the versatility and option to change tempo, the direction and beat at the drop of a hat. Something not many artists can do today. Still, this CD is a collection of the demo cuts that won them a recording deal with the CBS owned Bang label. These songs were recorded in 1981 and were intended to become their album for the label. Sadly this was not to pass, and these songs were to sit and gather dust. As one quick spin off of this CD will show this was a criminal act. Still, First Experience has done the decent thing and has rectified this very sorry situation. 1981 as I have said before, was a vintage year for soul music and this is reflected in every song on this CD. I cannot really pull out any clear favourites on this CD but please, if I may, direct you to a few particular songs, which I think should be given special listening treatment. Vocalists Debravon Lewis and Derick Hughes are superb; the latter is very reminiscent of the sadly missed and masterful Donny Hathaway. Both "Stella" and "Listen" are excellent readings of the 1977 Norman Connors versions, and are here performed by the writers themselves in their own right. "From The Darkness To The Light" is a superb ballad complete with flute and summary percussion background which really does the honours. Continuing the trend is "Fire Burning" which underlines how criminal it was not to have had the material released years ago. The vocals on this song are stunning, with Derick Hughes really laying out the red carpet. Surprisingly, for me, was the "Next To Me" cut that was covered by drummer Kenneth Nash. On his 1986 "Mr Ears" album. These tracks are but a few of the highlights from many gems on here. Please do not overlook this album. Reviewed by Glenn Hoskins & Barry Towler - Record Corner |
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The cut-throat, often Machiavellian shenanigans of the record industry
have a lot to answer for. Myopic A&R people, avaricious managers and unsympathetic
record producers have ruined many musical careers. Sometimes, as in the
case of this particular record, casualties can occur even before a note
has been released! Thankfully, justice has finally been done in relation
to seven victims of the music business. I'm referring to the Californian
septet, Bridge (not the same-named act that cut "Baby Don't Hold Back
Your Love" for Atlantic). The masters to this album lay forgotten in a
band member's garage for years before the UK's own First Experience Records
acquired them and wisely decided to release them. Unfortunately due to
music industry politics and internal squabbles, Bridge (a multi-racial
band headed by drummer Paul Tilman Smith and including LA session stalwart,
Claytoven Richardson) were doomed to failure when they signed to Bang
Records in 1981. Bang wanted to bring in outside producers and session
musicians, which resulted in the band imploding and the record being aborted.
This album is the original band demos that prompted Bang's interest. It's
no exaggeration to describe "Crying For Love" as a lost 80's masterpiece.
The mid-paced title track with its insistent hook is a bona fide classic.
It features the sweetly soulful voice of Debravon Lewis who shares vocal
duties with the expressive soulman, Derick Hughes, creating a smouldering
soul chemistry, particularly on "Sweet and Wonderful" (also famously recorded
by Jean Carne), the latinesque "No Where Love Affair" and a searing version
of "Stella" recorded by Norman Connors (But actually written by Bridge's
drummer). From beginning to end, this album, with its balance of breezy
uptempo tracks, jazz-tinctured grooves and impassioned ballads, oozes
class and quality. This is already proving to be one of my favourite albums
of the year. Mature, sophisticated soul music for 80's connoisseurs. Reviewed by Charles Waring - Blues & Soul |
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Everything you have heard or read about this CD is true. Believe me.
I would have seriously considered bestowing this award for this set
on the strength of only half the tracks on offer - but there is not
a duffer to be found, and that's a rare occurrence with albums from
any era. The history for the uninitiated, is that the group evolved
out of the remnants of VITAMIN E, who cut one album for Buddah back
in 1977, It was produced by Norma Connors, and featured none other than
Freddie Hughes - already a familiar name with collectors. It failed
to make a commercial impact though, so the band underwent several changes
in personnel, whilst continuing to play live dates in the Oakland area,
before negotiating a deal with Bang Records in 1981. Problems arising
during the recording of this proposed album, resulted in the set remaining
"in the can", and the group eventually disbanding. The material here
comprises of the demos Bridge recorded for that album, and it is unclear
as to whether they were actually 'finished' recordings as some of the
tracks sound like they are unfinished mixes. That actually lends something
of a 'live' feel to some tracks, and is no way detrimental. The track
that did it for me is "Reach Out". If ever the ghost of Donny Hathaway
was going to come back to give us one final masterpiece, It is through
this track. The voice of Derick Hughes (son of the afore-mentioned Freddie),
bares an uncanny resemblance to our main man; the phrasing and emotion
are pure Hathaway, and if you dig the man, you will experience that
you can dance to it too! The mid-tempo, jazz tingled rhythm creates
one of those gorgeous summery-type grooves, and even has a short Latin-type
break towards the end. Hughes' vocal does get lost in the mix on one
or two occasions, but as I mentioned before, this gives it a 'live'
feel. I cannot stop playing it. Of the remaining thirteen tracks (now
there's value), standouts are "Crying For Love", featuring Debravon
Lewis on another extremely catchy mid-tempo dancer; "Listen" a gorgeous
ballad featuring Freddie Hughes and a fine sax solo courtesy of Sonny
Lewis, and a song later recorded by Norman Connors, as was "Stella",
a big favourite with the Jazz-Funk crowd. "Out There In Space", with
its synthesized strings echoes the type of ethereal slowie Lonnie Listen
Smith used to record with brother Donald, while "Next To Me" is a fine
mid-tempo ballad with a particularly sultry guitar intro. More uptempo
highlights for the fleet of foot include "Sweet and Wonderful" (yes
- the Jean Carn favourite):"Waiting Patiently", "No Where Love Affair"
and a stomping "Turn To Love". Quite honestly, this is one CD you can
put on, either let it run its normal course or put on random play, and
you won't be disappointed. A lot of the tracks do have an undeniable
Jazz-Funk tinge to them, but there's more than enough soul too. An important
find without doubt, and an essential purchase that appeals to lovers
of Modern Soul, Rare Groove, Jazz-Funk and Real Soul.
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