Dr. Buzzard´s Original Savannah Band - Dr. Buzzard´s Original Savannah Band (1976) LP - €10,00

Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band was a big band- and swing-influenced disco band that was formed in the Bronx, New York. 

The band is best known for its number-one US dance hit "Cherchez La Femme/C'est si bon", from its self-titled debut album. 

In 1975, legendary manager Tommy Mottola was fresh off signing Hall and Oates to RCA. 

His next big thing was supposed to be fellow Bronx brothers Stony Browder and August Darnell who, along with Browder's girlfriend, Cory Daye, were the core of Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band. 

Mottola, who is name-checked in the first verse of "Cherchez la Femme / Se Si Bonne", the biggest hit off this self-titled debut, got the band an unheard of nine months and half a million dollars to produce this record. 

It sounds like a million bucks. Horns, layered strings, a children's chorus; while sold as a disco album this is in fact a big band album in the style of Cab Calloway, flavoured with tropical Carribean beats.

Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band went on to make two more albums of decreasing quality (and sales) before breaking up in 1980. Lyricist Darnell and vibraphonist Andy Hernandez went on to become Kid Creole and the Coconuts, who had considerably more success as a new wave band in Europe.

Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band is the debut studio album by Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band. It was released in 1976 by RCA. 

It peaked at number 22 on the Billboard 200 chart and number 31 on the Top R&B Albums chart.

Unlike most dance albums, "Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band" is a listening experience. 

The A-side contains all of the band's hits; "I'll Play the Fool", "Hard Times", "Sunshowers" and the aforementioned "Cherchez la Femme". 

The latter two songs will be recognizable to hip-hop fans as the base of similarly titled songs by M.I.A. and Ghostface Killah, respectively.

 On the second side we see the band really shine with an improvisation on Cole Porter's "Night and Day" and my favourite track, the closer "Sour and Sweet".

The Secret History of Disco, music writer Peter Shapiro described the album as "one of the most fully realized, dazzling artifacts from the black bohemian intelligentsia".

Side A
A1.  I’ll Play The Fool - 4:47
A2.  Hard Times - 4:12
A3.  Whispering / Cherchez La Femme / Se Si Bon - 5:44
A4.  Sunshower - 4:04

Side B
B1.  We Got It Made - 3:46
B2.  You Got Somethin’ / Betcha’ The Love Bug Bitcha’ - 5:40
B3.  Sour And Sweet / Lemon In The Honey - 6:03

All tracks are written by August Darnell and Stony Browder Jr., except "Night and Day" written by Cole Porter.


Companies, etc.

• Manufactured By – RCA B.V.
• Phonographic Copyright ℗ – RCA Records
• Recorded At – House Of Music, West Orange, NJ
• Lacquer Cut At – Bovema / EMI Studios – 32181
• Lacquer Cut At – Bovema / EMI Studios – 32182

Credits

• Arranged By [Horns, Strings], Arranged By [Arrangements] – Stony Browder Jr.
• Arranged By [Horns, Strings], Orchestrated By [Orchestrations] – Charlie Calello
• Bass, Vocals, Lyrics By – August Darnell
• Contractor [Casting Director] – Susandra Minsky
• Drums – Mickey Sevilla
• Effects [Special Effects] – Larry Fast
• Engineer [Associate Engineer] – Jim Bonnefond
• Engineer [Sound Engineer] – Jeffrey Kawalek
• Executive-Producer [Capo De Capo] – Tommy Mottola
• Guitar, Piano, Vocals, Arranged By, Music By – Stony Browder Jr.
• Lacquer Cut By – L
• Percussion – Don Armando Bonilla
• Producer – Sandy Linzer
• Vibraphone [Vibes] – "Sugar Coated" Andy Hernandez
• Vocals – Cory Daye

Notes
Release:  1976

Format:  LP, Vinyl
Genre:  Soul, Big Band Disco
Label:  RCA Records
Catalog#  APL1 1504

Vinyl: Goed (VG)
Hoes: Goed (VG)

Prijs: €10,00