Tag: 1984

Adrian J. Pratt ‎- Jester Before The Throne – 1984

This is another one of those albums that escaped us in the North American market. It actually missed a lot of people in the European market too due to it being on a small label. This is also another one of those albums that the minute I heard it I was so disappointed that I didn’t get to hear this one back in 1984 when it was released. Adrian had been performing in his local market area since the 70’s but an opportunity came up for him to record an album while he was in theological college. He put thought into the album and with the exception of one track he chose songs that people had told him were a blessing to them. This was an excellent strategy to pick tracks. Remember he didn’t have some big dollar producer to guide him on what tracks to record so he chose this route and it worked. As for the album it’s a fun 80’s folk pop album with shades of Ishmael here and there. The title track alone is worth the price of admission and I can only imagine how great this track would have been with some top notch studio musicians and production. Which brings me to my only criticism. The production is not that great but let’s remember this was a small label and no one was throwing money at this album. With some good production I truly believe this is one that could have sold well and I know I would have loved it in 1984. Actually I love it now but I’m stuck in the 80’s. Adrian continues his musical journey today and he directed me to his website which you may want to head over to to hear even more from him or perhaps listen to one of his sermons. I enjoyed both over at his website and his YouTube channel.

https://music4mrg.weebly.com

Tracklist
1 – Psalm 150 – 4:16
2 – Song – 3:28
3 – Cleaning – 1:59
4 – Tired Song – 3:01
5 – Now – 4:56
6 – Will You Listen (Or Will You Mock) – 5:28
7 – Angry – 4:09
8 – God Is Moving On – 3:54
9 – Message – 3:10
10 – Where Is The Love – 3:36
11 – He Knows You Know – 4:49
12 – Jester Before The Throne – 4:23

Joseph Lamm – Watching The Coming Storm – 1984

You may remember that I just very recently discovered Joseph Lamm. He was suggested to me in our Facebook group and I subsequently got my hands on his second album which I absolutely loved. This is his first album and again I am impressed. This album, as was his second album, is a self release but don’t think of self release as a bad thing. I’ll be honest many self funded albums leave me wanting for production quality but not here. This album was actually produced by Steve Millikan, who also played keyboards. Steve was a pretty accomplished producer and he did another great job on this album. The album s rock oriented and I think the vocals are the real standout as Lamm is a great vocalist. I really wish I had found this artist in the 80’s but a U.S. self release was never gonna find it’s way to rural Canada where I lived. Joseph continues to make great music today and you can catch up with him on his webpage

https://josephlamm.com

Tracklist
1 – Remembrance – 5:24
2 – Call His Name – 2:13
3 – High Plains Drifter – 5:15
4 – In Winter – 6:18
5 – Still Waiting – 3:53
6 – Same Old Cliché – 4:12
7 – Safe Lodging – 2:09
8 – I’m Not Alone – 3:24
9 – The Great I Am – 8:48

Credits
Arranged By – Lamm, Millikan
Artwork By [Sleeve Painting] – Robert Blass
Backing Vocals – Rod Robison
Backing Vocals, Keyboards – Steve Keller
Bass, Double Bass – Steve Dokken
Cello – Marjorie Hanna, Nancy Smith, Polina Umansky
Drums – Dane Clark
Engineer – Darrell Powell
Engineer [Additional Engineering] – James Green
Engineer [Additional Engineering], Mixed By – John Bolt
Flute, Saxophone – James Farrelly
Guitar – Geoffrey Walker (2), Rex Thomas, Sandy Williams
Painting [Courtesy Of] – Cleveland Museum of Art
Photography By, Executive-Producer – Janet Lamm
Producer, Backing Band, Keyboards, Percussion – Steve Millikan
Viola – Donna Clark
Violin – Corrine Imboden, David Collins, Dick Dennis, Jennifer Peck, Sherban Lupu
Vocals, Backing Vocals, Keyboards, Percussion – Joseph Lamm

Companies, etc.
Copyright © – Dancing Angel’s Music
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Dancing Angel’s Music
Recorded At – The Barn
Recorded At – Pinebrook Recording Studio
Recorded At – OmniSound Studios
Mixed At – Pinebrook Recording Studio
Mixed At – The Barn

Dana – Let There Be Love – 1984

Dana had 30 albums through here career most of which were gospel. This was her 9th album but only her second album with Word records. I listened to this album to see if I recognized anything because I couldn’t recall her name. I don’t recognize anything on the album but it’s a pretty easy listening album and I doubt I would have listened to it back in the day. Still I was wondering why I don’t know about an artist with 30 albums. On doing some research into Dana I discovered why. She was a Catholic artist and while Word was always happy to sign Catholic artists they didn’t really promote them outside of the Catholic community. This Catholic detail also meant she was unlikely to find her way onto a CCM chart and she never did. ANYWAY, all that aside this is a great easy listening gospel album that people who like this style should listen to. Dana was a great artist that deserved more exposure in the CCM genre.

Tracklist
1 – Let There Be Love – 3:04
2 – I Saw My Lord This Morning – 4:00
3 – Oh Lord – 4:15
4 – Christ Is My Light – 2:49
5 – Ag Criost An Siol – 4:17
6 – Run That Race – 3:25
7 – Hosanna – 3:14
8 – Diamond In The Rough – 3:33
9 – Portrait Of Jesus – 3:25
10 – Hallelujah – 3:42

Credits
Arranged By, Keyboards, Guitar – Peter Moss
Bass Guitar – Bill Walker
Design – 2D
Drums – Will Hill
Engineer – Alan Jakoby, Nicholas Froome
Engineer [Assistant] – John Canham
Guitar – Derek Griffiths, Mitch Dalton
Keyboards – David Firman
Leader [String Section] – Gavin Wright
Photography By – Brian Aris
Piano – Brian Miller
Producer – Kurt Kaiser
Tenor Saxophone – Geoff Driscoll
Trombone – Pete Thoms
Trumpet – Steve Sidwell

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Word, Inc.
Copyright © – Word, Inc.
Recorded At – Regents Park Studios
Mixed At – Utopia Village, London

Ketty Lester – I Saw Love – 1984

60’s crooner Ketty Lester actually retired from the music industry in the early 70’s after a pretty successful career including 5 charting singles with “Love Letters” making it to #2 on the R & B charts. She actually quit music to concentrate on her acting career where many remember her as Hester-Sue Terhune on Little House on the Prairie. She did however return to the studio to produce this gospel album in 1984. While this is a pretty run of the mill 80’s soul gospel album with excellent vocals it is actually a very important album in the CCM industry. Hidden in the soul tracks is the track “Let’s Talk About Jesus” which is the first female gospel rap song. Now admittedly she is not a rap artist and this is not a rap album but this one track is unlike anything on this album and unlike anything she had ever done before. It is my firm belief that of this album had been released on a CCM label and not a soul label we would all know this track as it is an excellent example of early rap that was not being done in the CCM industry. So if your listening to this album as a whole you’re going to be a bit surprised when you get to track 10.

Tracklist
1 – One Day At A Time – 3:49
2 – Jesus Laid His Hands On Me – 2:33
3 – The Children – 3:09
4 – Jesus, You Touched Me – 3:20
5 – She’d Never Heard Of Anyone Called Jesus – 3:17
6 – I Saw Love – 3:19
7 – Have You Heard – 2:10
8 – When I Saw Jesus – 3:32
9 – Jesus Here I Am Again – 2:42
10 – Let’s Talk About Jesus – 3:40

Trilojē – Trilojē – 1984

What if I told you there was an album with Joe English on drums, Dann Huff on guitar, and Steve Camp on Keyboards you would be very interested right? Well believe it or not this is that album but don’t get too excited because this album features three pretty well unknown artists. As near as I can figure out vocalists Kevin Thiel, Diane Thiel, and Joan Anderson were background vocalists for Steve Camp and Steve decided to produce an album for them. Most of the crew for this album were from Steve’s crew and I can only imagine this was all envisioned by Steve. All that said regardless of this recipe for success this was a one off album that didn’t really sell all that well. First of all the name they chose was pretty poor. I assume it was some sort of play on there being 3 members in the “band”. The album is very strongly Easy Listening and is nothing remarkable. I don’t deny they are great vocalists but the album just doesn’t have a hook to keep you listening. It is a fairly good album but nothing remarkable.

Tracklist
1 – In All Your Ways – 3:28
2 – Break Away – 3:04
3 – Lead Me To Life – 3:43
4 – Stolen Love – 3:12
5 – One Heart – 2:45
6 – Light Your Candle – 4:10
7 – Faith By Faith – 3:02
8 – Strong Love – 3:10
9 – Capture My Heart – 3:28
10 – Down The Road – 2:36

Credits
Basses – Tim Smith
Drums & Percussion – Joe English
Engineered by – Hank Newberger, Wally Grant, Peter Braden & Paul Klingberg
Executive Producer – Steve Wyer
Guitars – Dann Huff, Jeff Oliver, George Cocchini & Paul Brannon
Produced by – Steve Camp
Sax Solo – Dennis Solee
String Arrangements – John Rosasco
Synthesizers – Rhett Lawrence, John Rosasco & Steve Camp
Vocals & Vocal Arrangements by Kevin Thiel, Diane Thiel & Joan Anderson

Companies, etc.
Recorded at The Gold Mine, Nashville, TN & Chicago Recording Co., Chicago, IL.
Additional Recording at Weddington Studio, North Hollywood, CA
Mixed at Chicago Recording Co., Chicago, IL.
Mastered by Steve Hall at Future Disc, North Hollywood, CA

Scott Smith – Face To Face – 1984

To say I was surprised by this album is an understatement. This is a funk-jazz album which is most definitely not my preferred genre but I love this album. The production on this album is one of the best I have heard from this era which is why I think the album appeals to me so much. Scott is an all around musician but he really stands out on trumpet on this album. This is one of those odd albums where the titled artist doesn’t provide vocals. All the vocalists are guest performers and I think every one of them nailed it. Even though Scott would appear on over 100 albums this is his only personal album. This is such a great album I am amazed they didn’t try it again but I don’t know how well it sold so maybe low sales were the problem. Too bad because I for one would like more.

Tracklist
1 – Leave It Up To Him – 4:59
2 – You’re Too Late – 3:54
3 – The Vision – 4:07
4 – Face To Face – 4:58
5 – What Happened – 4:08
6 – Give Him Thanks – 3:45
7 – Set Free – 4:16
8 – The Prince Of The Dark – 4:20
9 – What You Mean To Me – 4:58

Credits
Acoustic Guitar – James Harrah
Background Vocals – Alfie Silas, Carvin Winans, Debbie McClendon, Edith Lyons, Howard McCrary, Howard Smith, Ivory Stone, Linda McCrary, Ronald Winans, Shari Larson
Bass – Abraham Laboriel Sr, Leon Gaer
Drums – Bill Maxwell, Lynn Coulter, Willie Ornelas
Drums (programming) – Scott V Smith
Guitar James Harrah, Snuffy Walden
Keyboards – Kevin Bassinson, Michael Ruff, Scott V Smith
Percussion – Alex Acuna, Bill Maxwell, Lynn Coulter
Programming – Rhett Lawrence
Sax – Eric Marienthal
Synthesizer – Rhett Lawrence
Trombone – Alan Kaplan, Andy Martin
Trumpet – Charles Davis, Larry Hall, Scott Smith
Vocals – Benjamin Winans, Howard Smith, Marvin Winans, Michael Ruff, Stephen Tavani, Vonda Shepard
Woodwinds – Kim Hutchcroft

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Lexicon Music, Inc.
Published By – Lexicon Music, Inc.
Published By – Libris Music

Morris Chapman – Lately – 1984

This is Morris’s 4th album and his last with Myrhh before heading to Maranatha! Music. While his albums aren’t my preferred style I really thought this one was pretty good. It has a very easy listening feel with a dash of soul. This album also had his first charting CCM single with “No More Night” making it to #33. Not a stunning result but hey, this guy was a 40 year old janitor in Las Vegas just a few years previous. Pretty good result if you ask me. Anyway I quite enjoyed this album even if there is no screaming electric guitar.

Tracklist
1 – Lord I Surrender – 3:57
2 – It Feels So Good To Be Free – 3:48
3 – Worthy Is The Lamb – 4:17
4 – I’m So Thankful – 3:44
5 – No More Night – 4:30
6 – I Feel The Rain – 3:23
7 – Be Bold Be Strong – 4:08
8 – I May Not Always Be There – 3:43
9 – Broken Things – 3:41
10 – Lately – 3:49

Credits
Hank Williams – Mastering Engineer
Jim Baird – Engineer
Mike Poston – Remastering Engineer
Morris Chapman – Composer, Primary Artist
Neal Joseph – Producer
Niles Borop – Composer
Randy Hammel – Producer
Randy Holland – Engineer
Stephanie Boosahda – Composer
Walt Harrah – Composer

Billy Crockett – Carrier – 1984

Billy went to University of Miami in Florida to study audio engineering and that was the role he would make his first exposure in the CCM industry. He was actually doing well as a producer and engineer when he decided to step to the other side of the board and record this his first album. At some point Billy joined publisher Word Music as a staff writer before moving to the recording side. The album is pretty easy listening affair but I can hear some rock & roll begging to creep out. I haven’t listened to Billy’s subsequent albums so we will see if he’s turns it up on one of his several subsequent albums. At some point Billy joined publisher Word Music as a staff writer before moving to the recording side.

Tracklist
1 – Love Waiting – 2:54
2 – Stand And Fight – 4:03
3 – Time To Begin Again – 4:18
4 – Carrier – 3:26
5 – Say Hello – 5:36
6 – Like A Thief – 4:14
7 – You’re So Special To Him – 3:17
8 – The Way – 4:44
9 – Rhythm Of God – 2:57
10 – He Is The Wind – 4:49

Credits
Billy Crockett – Songwriter, Electric and Acoustic Guitars, Lead and Background Vocals
Reed Arvin – Kurweil Strings Arranger, Keyboards, Lead Acoustic Piano, Kurzweil, DX-7, Prophet V
Niles Borop – Songwriter
Mike Brignardello – Bass, Mini-Moog
Claire Cloninger – Songwriter
Andy deGanahl – Assistant Engineer
Phil Dihel – Assistant Engineer
Dave Durham – Background Vocals
Kim Fleming – Background Vocals
Lynn Fuston – Assistant Engineer
Randy Garmon – Assistant Engineer
Jon Goin – Electric Guitars
Chris Hammond – Assistant Engineer
Mark Hammond – Acoustic and Simmons Drums
Dennis Holt – Drums
David Huntsinger – Acoustic Piano, DX-7
JB Baird – Engineer, Mixed
Neal Joseph – Producer
Patti Leatherwood – Background Vocals
Terry McMillan – Percussion
Farrell Morris – Percussion
Gary Pigg – Background Vocals
Bill Vermillion – Assistant Engineer
Hank Williams – Mastered
Kenny Wood – Songwriter

Jump The Nile – Like The Cruel Sea – 1984

This was the only release we got from Jump The Nile. This band showed up on a compilation album called Strait Tracks so I hunted down their 7″. The band was Annie McCaig from Nutshell, Simon Humphrey from Dance People, Nick Battle from Sporting Life/After The Fire, and Jeff Hammer from The Teardrop Explodes. This is a rather eclectic group but they actually really work well together. Unfortunately this self released 45 was it from them but I bet there is a demo out there somewhere that they shopped around. I hope we are able to get our hands on it.

Tracklist
A – Like The Cruel Sea – 4:00
B – Wire – 3:43

Credits
Backing Vocals – Annie McCaig
Programmed By [Programming], Percussion, Producer – Simon Humphrey
Vocals, Bass, Guitar [Guitars] – Nick Battle
Vocals, Keyboards, Programmed By [Programming] – Jeff Hammer

Companies, etc.
Marketed By – Precision Records & Tapes Limited

Zion – Joyful Noiz – 1984

Awhile ago we uploaded the second Zion album but today we’ve got our hands on the first one. Just a reminder that there are a few “Zions” out there and this is the one out of Oregon. This is their first self released album and it’s even better than their second album in my opinion. I do apologize for the quality but the album was only released on cassette and copies are rare. Now back to the album. This album easily should have been on a label. There are hints here of early Rez and or Barnabas and it is a great Rock & Roll album. Easily the best track is Dragon Slayer and the sampling of Puff The Magic Dragon is absolutely spot on.

Update – Dave Day (Vocals & Guitar) contacted us and let us know there is actually a previous album called “Eternal Horizons” that we were unaware of. We’re trying to get a copy to upload. Dave & Linda continue to make music and they upload it to their YouTube channel

https://www.youtube.com/@blindguava

Tracklist
1 – New Creation – 1:35
2 – Joyful Noise – 4:00
3 – Dragon Slayer – 3:45
4 – Hold Tight – 5:15
5 – It Is Finished – 7:00
6 – Matter Of Time – 4:15
7 – Carry On – 4:10
8 – Joy Of The Lord – 6:25
9 – On That Day – 4:25

Credits
Bass, Vocals, Guitar – Cory Graper
Drums, Percussion – Don Blenkush
Guitar, Lead Vocals – Dave Day
Keyboards, Guitar, Vocals, Producer – Jeff Bates
Lead Vocals – Linda Holt