Soul Brother Records are pleased to announce Volume 2 of The Leroy Burgess Anthology. The CD & double vinyl will be available on 26th October 2002 from all outlets (but you can get it now from Soul Brother).

Volume 2 features tunes produced by Leroy.

Track Listing:

1. LET'S DO IT Convertion (6:36)
2. SWEET THING Convertion (9.44)
3. OVER LIKE A FAT RAT Fonda Rae(6.39)
4. MAINLINE Black Ivory (6:56)
5. HUSTLIN' (YOU GOTTA BE DANCING) Black Ivory (5:48)
6. YOU DAZZLE ME Dazzle (6:15)
7. SUMMERTIME High Frequency (6:30)
8. FLY GIRL Intrigue (6:25)
9. WEEKEND Class Action featuring Chris Wiltshire (8:12)
10. YOU CAN DO IT Dino Terrell (6:09)
11. 100% Caprice (5:36)

LB's LINER NOTES/VOLUME TWO

CONVERTION
My friendship and partnership with Greg Carmichael began with the formation of this group. Here's how it went down. James, Sonny and myself were called into Nola Recording Studios to play on one of Greg's tracks (I don't remember the title). We finished that so quickly, we ended up with an additional six hours of unused studio time. Greg, graciously, said that we could use the time for whatever we wanted. While James and Sonny went to grab something to eat, I went to the piano and began to bang out something. Upon their return, I had the chorus and verse of what was to become "LET'S DO IT" composed.
I let them hear it. The bacon cheeseburgers and fries went uneaten, as they rushed to their instruments to join in. Halfway through the jam, Greg came in dancing.. shouting excitedly, "That's it! That's it! Put it down!" After composing a further bridge, we did. After laying down the track, Sonny and James started banging out the lyrics. I get on the phone to my sister Renee and my friend Dorothy Terrell for background vocals. About three and half hours later, the tune was completed. Then, we remembered the food.

"SWEET THING", on the other hand, was quite another story. Years had passed. James was on the road with Evelyn King. Sonny was busy raising his family, as were Renee and Dottie. Both LOGG and CONVERTION (the same group essentially) had stopped performing. Everyone was scattered. The phone rings. It's Greg. " Let's do another Convertion record." I informed him of the current status of the group and my partners. It didn't matter… he wanted to do it anyway. So, we did. I'd already composed the music and I wrote the lyrics on the spot. It was really weird working without the team but I think I did all right. The live music feel of "Let's Do It" was replaced by a more synthetic flavor in "Sweet Thing" but the vocal and melodic work was patterned similarly. Of the two, I personally prefer "Let's Do It" but both are very close to my heart.

BLACK IVORY
In 1977, I left the group to pursue a new vibe in music. We parted friends and kept in touch with each other. I composed "MAINLINE" and "HUSTLING" for a new group I was developing which never came to fruition. In 1978, I was contacted by Black Ivory's manager Leonard Adams, asking if I had any new songs to submit to their forthcoming album on Buddah Records. I submitted these. Russell did the lead to "Mainline"; Stuart sang the lead to "Hustling". I was called in for rhythm and vocal arrangement, as well as background vocals, bringing the original group back together. James Calloway was called in to play bass (he'd been our bass player since 1971). I think the vibe speaks for itself. These are two of my favorite songs.

DAZZLE
I can never say too many good things about my friend, Stan Lucas. Sadly, we lost the great guitarist and songwriter last year. I consider my time with him one of my major blessings. A couple of things I'd like to clear up: On "You Dazzle Me", that's Stan on lead vocals… not me. I am singing background vocals and playing electric piano. Just thought you'd like to know the truth.

DINO TERRELL and INTRIGUE
Fred McFarlane (whom we met during his keyboard work on the LOGG album), was looking to develop a new group. In those days, a new group was started by simply having a couple of good producers, a good song and a good singer. Fred called Sonny and I to compose the song (James was on tour again with Evelyn). Just before the session, Fred and his partner Allen George brought the lead singer they had in mind to meet us and learn the song we'd written. ("FLY GIRL"), one Dino Terrell. After hearing him once, we were convinced. The evidence of his talent is clear on these performances. He remains one of our best singers ever. Shortly afterward, while Dino was still a free agent, we got together to do "YOU CAN DO IT (IT'S SO EASY) as an independent project. Sadly, we lost Dino to a brain tumor about a year later. I'm glad I had the opportunity to be touched by his spirit and to share in the joy of his talent, if but for a short while.

CAPRICE
Back in 1970, one of Black Ivory's first guitar players was a young man named Jackie Bradley. He and I remained friends even after my departure from the Ivory. In late 1983, Jackie approached Sonny and I to compose and produce a song for a new group he was founding called Caprice. We took on the project. The group was comprised of Jackie (guitar/vocals), Yvette Davis (lead vocals/keyboards), Glenn Norman ( background vocals/keyboards), Mattin and Brian Tuzo (bass and drums). The result was "100%", which is one of my favorite compositions. Although the group stay together for only one further song, they remain close to my heart.

HI-FREQUENCY
This is, essentially, the same group as ALEEM featuring LeROY BURGESS and was recorded at the same session as "HOOKED ON YOUR LOVE". Why the twins decided to create a second artist name is anybody's guess but it's all good. Check out the motif on the opening strings, which I gleaned from John Williams' "Jaws" score. I guess, to some degree, I equate summertime with a day at the beach and…. SHARKS!

FONDA RAE
James, Sonny and myself were called into Blank Tapes studios to do a few demos. One of them, "OVER LIKE A FAT RAT" came to the attention of Vanguard Records. The vocalist they wanted to try on it was Fonda Rae. After hearing just the first verse, we were hooked on her amazing voice. We completed the track with new background vocals and some additional percussion. The rest is dance floor history.

CLASS ACTION
Based closely upon the original Atlantic records/Phreek version and remixed by Larry Levan, this version also featured Christine Wiltshire on lead vocals. A dance floor classic