Luther (Vandross' group before going solo) on AVCO?

[Kees Smallegange]

Dear Folks,

I just heard about Luther recording for AVCO before the Cotillion releases. 

Anybody ever heard any of it?

Ciao, Kees

[Mark Tatts]

I have Luther singing with a group called mascara see you in la is a cracker if not heard it 

[Chalky]

He did sing lead vocals for Mascara but the group he was in before going solo was Change. He was also in Luther of course 

Edited October 24, 2018 by chalky

[Tomangoes]

This could well have come straight from his own album... 

 

Ed

Edited October 24, 2018 by tomangoes
Spello

[Chalky]

https://luthervandrossearlyyears.wordpress.com/2011/07/06/luther-1976-cotillion-records/

Quote

But a couple of years later Luther was getting it together in the recording studios. “In the summer of ’73, we signed with Avco Embassy  and worked with Paul Riser and we were there for a year. But we didn’t have any product out whilst we were there, there were problems  over the budget, to be honest.”

 

[Daved]

All the the pre-solo work is fantastic including tracks with The New York City Band and Charme

[Guest Spain pete]

Use to be some talk about him recording jingle's for McDonald's in his early years ? 

[Rhino]

Mascara - it's cool used to get a spin in the early modern days great song. 

[Rick Scott]

Here You GO.... N-Joy

 

 

 

 

Edited October 24, 2018 by RICK SCOTT

[The Yank]

Luther also did the lead on "Hot Butterfly (aka "Papillon" by Chaka Khan) 

for Bionic Boogie

 

Edited October 24, 2018 by the yank

[Guest Polyvelts]

7 hours ago, rhino said:

Mascara - it's cool used to get a spin in the early modern days great song. 

Great track !!!

[The Yank]

14 hours ago, Spain pete said:

Use to be some talk about him recording jingle's for McDonald's in his early years ? 

From the bio sheet that came with promo copies of the "Never Too Much" album - 

[The Yank]

Here's an ad for Juicy Fruit gum -

 

[Steve G]

Mascara produced by Chris Hill when he was at Ensign Records. 

[Daved]

Since we have a thread about the great man, this is one of the best tracks of the year

 

 

[Kees Smallegange]

Yes, and there's another tracks as yet unreleased. It is called My Body, reworked by Louie Vega. It's the opening track on this DJ session:  https://facebook.com/rushhourrecordstore/videos/281017222745745/

 

 

Edited October 27, 2018 by Kees Smallegange

[Kees Smallegange]

And the full version of the released Louie Vega tracks is here: 

 

[Benji]

On 25/10/2018 at 21:24, Steve G said:

Mascara produced by Chris Hill when he was at Ensign Records. 

I thought Chris Hill wasn't involved and Mascara was a german production but I stand corrected now it seems.

 

14 hours ago, daved said:

Since we have a thread about the great man, this is one of the best tracks of the year

 

 

 

As you already started hijacking this thread to post some of Luther's finest recordings in the last decade how about this soulful house classic? I remember when I played it the first time at a dance here in Munich the dancefloor went mental:

 

[Richard]

Ignore the first 26 seconds but to me one of the best tracks by Luther

 

[Richard]

 

On 24/10/2018 at 08:36, daved said:

All the the pre-solo work is fantastic including tracks with The New York City Band and Charme

Charme’s great version of Toto’s Georgy Porgy 

Edited October 27, 2018 by richard

[Steve G]

9 hours ago, Benji said:

I thought Chris Hill wasn't involved and Mascara was a german production but I stand corrected now it seems.

Indeed Benji, your homework is to write a 1,000 word essay on the musical productions of Chris Hill. 

[Colnago]

3 hours ago, richard said:

Ignore the first 26 seconds but to me one of the best tracks by Luther

 

That’s a long 26 seconds!

[Kjw]

He was a backing singer before his two albums on Cotillion and featured heavily on David Bowie's Young Americans LP in 1975

His track Funky Music on the Luther LP was a reworking of Fascination from the Young Americans LP which he co-wrote with Bowie

 

[Johndelve]

Stuart Cosgrove’s Harlem 69 says he - Vandross - was part of the group Listen My Brother who recorded Only Love Can Make A Better World on Maxwell but it sure doesnt sound like him singing.

[Blackpoolsoul]

4 hours ago, kjw said:

He was a backing singer before his two albums on Cotillion and featured heavily on David Bowie's Young Americans LP in 1975

His track Funky Music on the Luther LP was a reworking of Fascination from the Young Americans LP which he co-wrote with Bowie

 

 

Technically the band was "Luther" not him as an individual

[The Yank]

Going way back- here's Luther as a teen on the U.S. children's show 

"Sesame Street". That's him in the red and white striped shirt.

t- 

Edited October 28, 2018 by the yank

[Blackpoolsoul]

On 25/10/2018 at 00:41, the yank said:

From the bio sheet that came with promo copies of the "Never Too Much" album - 

 

One of Luther's adverts

 

[Blackpoolsoul]

On 25/10/2018 at 00:51, the yank said:

Here's an ad for Juicy Fruit gum -

 

 

[Joesoap]

I'd always assumed he got the deal for the 'Luther' album (1976) off the back of his work with Bowie on his 'Young Americans' LP?

Great clip of the session here and always had a soft spot for this one:

 

 

[Steveh73]

Really like this thread and it reinforces (for me, at least) what a great vocalist Luther Vandross was, particularly his first 4 albums with Epic. I think he lost his way from the mid 80s but started to get his act together again towards the tail-end of his career and, sadly, his life.