January 20
Funk
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1. Get Your Lover Back
2. Funky Beat, Part I
3. Video Generation
4. Won’t You Let Me Love You
5. Mr. Clean
6. Move Your Body
7. Joy Spring
8. Keep Doing That Right Thing
9. Funky Beat, Part II
January 20
Funk
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1. Haboglabotribin’
2. Firebolt Hustle
3. Music Is The Key
4. Spinnin’
5. Just Chillin’ Out
6. Bread Sandwiches
7. Master Rocker
8. We’re Just The Band
9. Solar
January 20
Funk/Soul
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1. It’s You
2. Wrap It Up
3. I Thank Heaven
4. Have You Seen Her
5. Ladies Of The 80’s
6. Me, Myself & I
7. Wanna Fill You Up
8. Once Is Not Enough
After Bach that obviously liked Bach was a group under the wings of the mighty Maurice White from Earth, Wind & Fire. White was the executive producer and his brother Verdine together with Beloyd Taylor produced the set that was recorded at the Massenburg’s studios in Los Angeles. Well-known Paulinho da Costa contributed to the album on percussions besides more or less known musicians. Five of the eight tracks was written by Bernard Taylor which all had a danceable theme. The rest was penned by various songwriters and almost entirely contained slow jams.
After Bach included the two highly talented teen brothers of Michael Brookins (guitar) and Robert Brookins (lead vocalist, keyboards and drums) from Sacramento, CA. Multi-instrumentalist Robert, that was only sixteen at the time, was the lead vocalist on all tracks. He had a distinguish music background. Robert was already singing at four and improving his voice skills in a band at 11 that even managed to win Motown’s 1974 Soul Search Contest. No wonder why White saw something in the youngsters!
After Bach cut “Matinee” on ARC records (American Recording Company) in 1981 and came out strong with “It’s you”, an infectious and intensive song with a touching and passionately burning vocal by Robert Brookins’. It’s hard to resist the energy and power in this track that with out any question is the most hit like song on the album that also featured a single release both on 7″ and 12″. The following tracks on side A includes the descent dance oriented tracks of “Wrap it up”, with a quirky synth loop, and “Have you seen here”, a more funky and messy tune without losing the main focus on soul. That track, like a few others, has some vague resemblance with Ray Parker Jr and Raydio’s classic 1980 album “Two places at the same time”. A love song, “I thank heaven”, wraps it up on side A representing the slow jam section but has difficulties to reach up to the level of average. The flip side continues in the same style with a tribute to the 80s in the mildly funky flavoured “The ladies of the 80’s”. Two strong tunes comes next in the classically arranged ballad “Me, myself & I, a well-performed and appealing tune, and the paced up groove gem of “Wanna fill you up” that together with “It’s you” are the two top scorers. The final track of the album “Once is not enough” manages to touch strongly with a simple melody that gets better for each minute.
The two brothers got their big dream fulfilled on Matinee, a chance they took and managed well. Even though the album had a strong financial back up and attracted good reviews that weren’t enough when it came to sales. Consequently a second release never came and they disappeared. Even so their music lived on to see another day. After Bach’s sound was a dance-oriented soul music mixed with elements from the funk and pop genres. They delivered easy listening and appealing music. Even though they hardly invented anything fresh and new the sound was nonetheless pleasant, back then, as well as today. The focus was clearly towards the dance floor with several catchy tunes. Any connoisseur of soul music should miss After Bach.
As a writer and / or producer he has worked with The Reddings, Bobby Brown (‘Seventeen’), Jackie Jackson, Stephanie Mills, Deniece Williams (‘Blind Dating’), Jeffrey Osborne (‘All Because Of You’) and The Whispers (‘Innocent’).
Robert has also recorded keyboards with artists including the late George Howard (‘A Nice Place To Be’), Ramsey Lewis and Nancy Wilson (‘The Two of Us’), Stanley Clarke (‘Find Out’) and Roy Ayers.
Robert kept a low artistic profile throughout the Nineties.
Robert Brookins passed away from a heart attack on the 15th of April 2009. He was 46.
A review by Patrik Andersson
Read More
1. Keep On Rockin’
2. Cold Blooded Lover
3. I Never Thought I’d Love Again
4. Coo Coo Kachu
5. Give Me Your love
6. Bottom Line
7. Rise Up
8. My Sunshine
January 19
R&B
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01. Love Changes (Duet With Meli’sa Morgan)
02. Loving You Only
03. It All Begins Again
04. Love Me All Over
05. Midnight Mood
06. Fifty Ways (To Fall In Love)
07. Somebody
08. Who’s Getting Serious
09. Reservations For Two
10. Vacant Heart
1. I Wanna Have Love With You
2. Dancing In The Dark (Heart To Heart)
3. Condition Of The Heart
4. Say You Love Me
5. Movie Song (Instrumental)
6. Stay The Night
7. Weakness
8. Botha Botha (Anti-Apartheid Song)
January 19
Soul/R&B
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1. Baby Don’t Break Your Baby’s Heart
2. Ooh Love
3. Are You The Woman
4. Love Has No End
5. Call Me Tonight (Instrumental)
6. Send Me Your Love
7. I’ve Been Missing You
8. Edgartown Groove
9. That’s How It Goes
January 19
Funk/R&B
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1. I Just Gotta Have You (Lover Turn Me On)
2. Stone Love
3. Say Something Love
4. All
5. Help Yourself To My Love
6. The Mood
7. Don’t Stop My Love
8. Rumors
January 19
Smooth Jazz
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01. Cross My Heart
02. Promises, Promises
03. Dreamwalkin’
04. Keep It Alive
05. A Fantasy
06. Tied Up
07. Voices
08. On The Boardwalk
09. Road Runner
10. Malibu
January 19
Smooth Jazz
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01. Mr. Briefcase
02. (Just) Tell Me Pretty Lies
03. No Sympathy
04. Is it You?
05. Dreamwalk
06. Countdown (Capitain Fingers)
07. Good Question
08. (You Caught Me) Smilin’
09. On the Slow Glide
10. No Sympathy (reprise)
