MORE BOUNCE: ZAPP

Also known as the Zapp Band, this soul and funk band was formed by brothers Roger Troutman, Larry Troutman, Lester Troutman, Tony Troutman and Terry "Zapp" Troutman in 1978. They are known for such hits as "More Bounce to the Ounce", "Doo Wa Ditty", "Be Alright", and "Computer Love". Signed by the godfather of funk himself, George Clinton, the Zapp Band enjoyed much success during the 1980s with their seminal self-titled debut album earning platinum success and peaking at the top twenty of the Billboard Top 200 due to the success of their leading single, the Roger composition, "More Bounce to the Ounce", which reached number two on the Hot Soul Singles chart.

Tragically, two of the band members Roger and Larry Troutman passed away April 25, 1999 from a murder-suicide. Although the band was defunct for some time, they are now active with brother, Terry serving as band leader.

Roger was known for using his trademark vocoder.

The group has been influential to West Coast hip-hop and Chicano rap.

Here are some artists that sampled Zapp:

*2-Pac - "Keep Your Head Up" samples "Be Alright"
*2-Pac featuring Dr. Dre - "California Love" samples Roger Troutman's "So Ruff, So Tuff"
*EMPD - "You Gots To Chill" samples "More Bounce to the Ounce"
*Sounds of Blackness - "Hold On (A Change Is Coming)" samples "Doo Wa Ditty"
*Das EFX - "Straight from da Sewer" samples "I Can Make You Dance"

Now this music is gonna make you bounce all over the place!

ZAPP - "MORE BOUNCE TO THE OUNCE"

ZAPP & ROGER - "BE ALRIGHT"

ZAPP & ROGER - "COMPUTER LOVE"

ZAPP - "DOO WA DITTY"

THIS WOMAN'S WORK

This cover version of the Kate Bush song by Maxwell was featured in the great film, Love and Basketball (2000). This song made girls everywhere melt and let guys know exactly the type of song to get a girl in the mood. I absolutely love both versions of the song. Check them out!

MAXWELL - "THIS WOMAN'S WORK" (song: 1997, video: 2002)


KATE BUSH - "THIS WOMAN'S WORK" (1989)

SADE

Helen Folasade Adu, (born January 16, 1959) better known as Sade is a Nigerian-born English singer-songwriter, composer, and record producer, noted for her soulful, smoky contralto voice. She has achieved success in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s as the front-woman and lead vocalist of the popular Grammy Award-winning group Sade. "Smooth Operator," released in 1984. The best year ever! And I say that because that was the year I was born :) Smooth Operator was Sade's first US hit.

The lead single from the English group Sade's fifth studio album, Lovers Rock (2000) produced the 2002 Grammy nominated track, "By Your Side" for "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance".

SADE - "BY YOUR SIDE"

SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE

Released on Motown on September 28, 1976, this classic album became the best-selling and most critically acclaimed album of Stevie Wonder's career.

Track Listing:

Side One

1. "Love's in Need of Love Today" (Wonder) – 7:05
2. "Have a Talk with God" (Hardaway/Wonder) – 2:42
3. "Village Ghetto Land" (Byrd/Wonder) – 3:25
4. "Contusion" (Wonder) – 3:45
5. "Sir Duke" (Wonder) – 3:54

Side Two

1. "I Wish" (Wonder) – 4:12
2. "Knocks Me Off My Feet" (Wonder) – 3:36
3. "Pastime Paradise" (Wonder) – 3:27
4. "Summer Soft" (Wonder) – 4:14
5. "Ordinary Pain" (Wonder) – 6:23

Side Three

1. "Isn't She Lovely" (Wonder) – 6:34
2. "Joy Inside My Tears" (Wonder) – 6:29
3. "Black Man" (Byrd/Wonder) – 8:29

Side Four

1. "Ngiculela - Es Una Historia - I Am Singing" (Wonder) – 3:48
2. "If It's Magic" (Wonder) – 3:12
3. "As" (Wonder) – 7:08

Two of my favorite tracks from the album, "As" and "Isn't She Lovely". You may remember that "As" was featured in the 1999 film The Best Man

STEVIE WONDER - "AS"

STEVIE WONDER - "ISN'T SHE LOVELY"

WILSON PICKETT

Wilson Pickett (March 18, 1941 – January 19, 2006) fused R&B, Rock and Roll and Soul music into his singing and songwriting throughout his career. Known for his raw and raspy style of delivery, Pickett recorded 50 singles that made the R&B and pop charts. He is known for such songs as "Mustang Sally" and "In The Midnight Hour"

Pickett was heavily influenced by church music. As a young kid, he sang in the choir of the Baptist church in his hometown of Prattville, Alabama. In 1955, Pickett went to live with his father in Detroit, the home of countless soul music legends. Detroit helped him to develop his sound.

"In The Midnight Hour," recorded in a Memphis, Tennessee studio was his first major hit under Atlantic Records. The song, released in 1965, peaked at #1 on the R&B charts, #21 on the U.S. pop charts and was #12 UK hit. The song was composed in the historic Lorraine Motel in Memphis, TN where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr was killed.

Look at everybody just getting down. Classic.

WILSON PICKETT - LIVE PERFORMANCE "IN THE MIDNIGHT HOUR" (Africa, circa 1970)

ALL THE RIGHT ELEMENTS

Earth, Wind & Fire has blessed the world with such great tunes as "Let's Groove," "September" and "Reasons". I have to say that Phillip Bailey's voice is out of this world. He hits those high notes effortlessly. Check out the video for the song "Let's Groove," released in 1977.

EARTH, WIND & FIRE - "LET'S GROOVE"

L&B: LUTHER AND BARRY

In 2003 and 2005 we lost two of the greatest voices of any generation. Luther Vandross and Barry White brought a male sensitivity to music, where a man wasn't afraid to let his woman know how much he loved and adored her. And there is nothing punkish about that at all. Every time I hear this live performance at the 1988 NAACP Awards of "A House Is Not A Home" by Luther, I get chills. I think everyone in the audience did too. Hands down one of the best, if not the best live performance ever!

LUTHER VANDROSS - 'A HOUSE IS NOT A HOME'



I can't get enough of this joint right here!

BARRY WHITE - 'CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF YOUR LOVE BABE'