The 'Concrete Funk' Interview...

'Concrete Funk' was an A5 black & white fanzine that appeared in late 1990 and early 1991. It was distributed free in London and the home counties in specialist record shops and at record fairs etc.

My interview with Leroy Burgess appeared in Issue 2, and was a telephone interview arranged by the London DJs Bobbi & Steve (who had Leroy signed to their label at the time).

When the issue was published, I sent a copy to Leroy, and was absolutely gobsmacked when he rang me say how much he had enjoyed the piece.

Thanks to Simon Locke, the founder of 'Concrete Funk'.

Anyway, here's the interview.....

ARTIST PROFILE - LEROY BURGESS - by Jason Thain

Leroy Burgess has been on the scene for a long time now (21 years to be exact). He's had his share of ups (many classic tracks) and downs including a little known drink and drugs problem and is now about to release some new material upon a market starved of quality dance music in recent times. So, we at Concrete Funk thought now was the time to run a piece on the man and his music. With the help of our very own Leroy Burgess fanatic.....me, and Leroy Burgess himself, we detail his work to date and ask him about his plans for the future......

Leroy's first vinyl outing came via the Black Ivory album "Don't Turn Around" issued in 1970 on Today records (whose sister label, Perception was responsible for many of the early Fatback Band releases).At the time he was just 16 and still in school. His partners in Black Ivory (Russell Patterson and Stuart Bascombe) were equally youthful, and this is apparent from the vocal. on the albums, which are falsetto to the extreme. When I express my surprise to Leroy that the lead voice was his he responds reasonably enough.

"Well, you sort of sing and talk differently when you're 16." Black Ivory recorded two albums for Today, the second being 1972's "Baby, Won't You Change Your Mind". While both these albums are predominantly street-corner harmony Soul ballads, they do feature the occasional Funky outburst's. For ex-ample "Surrender" and "Our Future" from "Don't...",and the brilliant "Just Leave Me Some" from "Baby..".

The band split with Today, due to royalty problems, and the fact that the label were more interested in quantity rather than quality. While Black Ivory were without an album deal they headed for Philly where. they recorded the single "What Goes Around Comes Around" with it's Funky flute solo and marvellous Wukka-Wukka guitars. This track was arranged by the legendary Vince Montana, and was enough to earn our intrepid heroes a deal with the mighty Buddah label.

1975 saw the re-lease of "Feel It" which is worth buying, if only to see the suits on the front cover. Group member Russell Patterson used to design Black Ivory's clothes, and on the strength of these, it's no wonder he keeps a fairly low profile these days.

The second album release on Buddah was the eponymously titled "Black Ivory" in 1976.The stand-out track here being the anti-drug "White Wind" .This album also features a medley of two Barry Manilow songs, "Mandy" and "Could This Be Magic", but don't let that put you off.

Leroy Burgess left Black Ivory in 1978, although he does appear on the album "Hangin' Heavy" which appeared the next year. This was the album that spawned the disco classic "Mainline" which has been much bootlegged in order to satisfy demand.

Documenting Leroy's work since 1978 is mammoth task, as he's worked with a huge array of artists since then. For reasons of space we will concern ourselves with the Boomier Tunes, and a few rarities Anyone requiring a full listing, please drop a line to our mailing address.

If you see the name 'Leroy Burgess' on a record, chances are one of the following names won't be far away. Sonny Davenport, James Calloway, Greg Carmichael and Patrick Adams have prolifically produced killer dance tracks.

Apart from his 7 year stint with The Aleems, resulting in the Electro classics "Release Yourself", "Get Loose" and "Confusion", and lesser known tracks like "Hooked On Your Love" and "Summertime"(As High Frequency), his name has appeared on the following ,as either vocalist ,writer, producer, arranger or musician:

• -CONVERTION: "Let's So It" :1980,Sam 12"
• -CONVERTION : "Sweet Thing" : 1982,Vanguard 12"
• -LOGG : "Logg" : 1981, Salsoul LP
• -DAZZLE :"Dazzle":1979,Delite LP
• -PHREEK :"Patrick Adams Presents Phreek": 1978,Atlantic LP
• -INNER LIFE : "Moment Of My Life":1982, Salsoul 12"
• -UNIVERSAL ROBOT BAND : "Barely Breaking Even" : 1984,Moonglow 12"
• -FONDA RAE : "Over Like A Fat Rat"' 1982,Vanguard 12"
• -PERSONAL TOUCH : "It Ain't No Big Thing":1976 ,P.A.P. 7"
• -MIKE GEE : "Rapper's Revenge" : 1984, Streetwise 12"

....and many, many more! Many Burgess records will identify themselves to you once you've heard his unique vocal style and his instantly recognisable keyboard riffs.

After several unsuccessful attempts, we managed to reach Leroy Burgess at his newly moved into New York apartment. So what's he been up to of late?

"I've been in the process of putting together an album (His first solo LP) since 1988. We're being very, very careful about it. I write anywhere between 2 and 5 compositions a week. We're dealing with something like close to 18 or 19 tunes, so what we're trying to do is weed-out what we'd like to come out, and what we wouldn't. Secondarily, we're dealing with labels. I have two offers on my desk now. One is with an independent ,and one is with a large company. I'd rather not mention names. Ironically, the large company's offer has come from your country".

We heard you were starting off a production company, Lee Rock Productions?

"That's correct. Lee Rock Productions is currently in existence. I run all the artists outside of my own artistry situation through Lee Rock, in addition to my own. I produce my own stuff through my own production company".

So, who are you working with at the moment at Lee Rock?

"We're working with Fonda Rae, and talking about getting an album happening with her. Besides that, a lot of new artists that I'm developing".

Are you still working with Tyrone Williams?

"Tyrone has moved from New York down to South Carolina. It makes it very difficult for me to work with him, it's the whole situation of commuting, and how expensive that can be. I'd like to offer his as much work as I can".

How about James Calloway?

"James is very close to me, he's a good friend and a close collaborator. We grew up together, and while we're not biologically linked, we consider each other brothers. I am still working with him."

And Greg Carmichael?

"Greg has offered me several things, I'm waiting for one of the offers to be what I could consider viable, I have no qualms about working with him in the future".

Sonny Davenport?

"Sonny is my cousin, and we've worked together a great deal in the past, but unfortunately we're no longer working together. I have to be frank and honest about it. I'm a recovering alcoholic, and I used to do drugs and stuff like that, but I'm 3 years in recovery now. I'm working on my fourth year, and unfortunately Sonny was involved with that as well. As he's still sort of caught up with that, it makes it difficult for me to work with his". Leroy adds, "I'm very proud of my status as a recovering addict/alcoholic. I know that it's encouraging for other people to look at someone who has recovered. I think there's a very positive aspect to that". (Indeed, and let's hope Sonny can follow Leroy's example, he's too great a talent to lose).

Is Leroy still working with Patrick Adams (discoverer of Black Ivory. and regular collaborator since)?

"I've not had any close personal contact with Mr. Adams in sometime, but I understand that he is still working and doing several things".

Leroy also reveals that he's been working with two friends from way back, Russell Patterson, and, perhaps more surprisingly, Alyson Williams. Of Alyson he says:

"She's working on her album as we speak. I did some background vocal work with her last week. Also, we just did a performance at Sweetwaters, just she and I together, a little impromptu thing. She and I are very good friends from way back, the early to mid-seventies. We used to touch bases a lot".

So, will any Leroy Burgess penned tracks grace her album?

"I would say that that's extremely possible".

One of the big mysteries about Burgess is why be has released so little material under his own name (one single, "Heartbreaker" on Salsoul in 1983) in 21 years?

"I thought it was being cautious, using several different group names until I had found a situation of solidity. After Black Ivory there was a lot of independent labels asking me to do lead vocals or be an integral part of the record. Because of their status as independents, and my aspirations for a larger deal, I thought it would be best not to lend my own personal name to these companies. So, it was necessary to create names like Dazzle, Convertion, Logg and Phreek, and pretty much creating studio albums."

With hindsight, do you think your name would be more widely known if you had released more under it?

"I believe so, but it was a gamble, and as it turns out, a lot of people do know my name, based on looking at the credits and so forth."

We also chat about Leroy's plans to visit England after the album is released.

It's been a dream of mine to open in London. I have an extremely big following in London."

So when will we hear something new?

Leroy says he has two singles ready, and they may come out together in March/April. The first is entitled "Heaven" (slated for release on the major label), which he describes thus; "it's a house music/sampling sort of pot-pourri of all the things I've done."

The second (due for release on the Aleems' new label, Concrete), is; "More progressive. It's a slower tempo and a slightly different beat."

U.K. wise, Zoo Experience are arranging the release of remixed songs, recorded back in 1988 by El Bee 'N' Tee (Leroy and his protégé, Tyrone Williams), "Over Like A Fat Rat" and "Big Time" were originally recorded as part of an album of new versions of classic Burgess tunes. The album never saw the light of day.

In closing, Leroy says:

"I am enormously grateful for the large following of people who appreciate my music. I would just love to continue to do music that people can enjoy."

Sounds good to me!

Many Thanks to Bobbi & Steve (Zoo Experience) for making this interview possible, and, of course, Leroy Burgess for being so helpful and forthcoming.