When Summers embarked on a career as a leader, he was already well known in the scene as a member of Herbie Hancock’s best-selling fusion quintet, The Headhunters (also featuring Harvey Mason Sr., Paul Jackson, and Bennie Maupin), as well as a sideman on many of Hancock’s solo releases. By the time his debut, Feel the Heat, was released, Summers had also collaborated with producer Quincy Jones on the Emmy®-winning score for Roots and appeared on projects by Sonny Rollins, Johnny Hammond, The Pointer Sisters, and Patrice Rushen, among others. “There was an electric energy in the Bay Area in the late ’70s music scene,” recalls Summers. “We were able to harness the excitement from The Headhunters’ huge exposure thanks to Herbie.” Summers’ talents, meanwhile, caught the eye of legendary jazz producer Orrin Keepnews, who signed the artist and mentored him as he transitioned into the role of bandleader.
Feel the Heat offered a bold introduction to Summers’ breadth of work. Produced by Skip Scarborough (Earth, Wind & Fire, Anita Baker, Patti LaBelle), the album boasts a joyful and diverse collection of grooves, ranging from sultry and soulful (“Come Into My Life”) to high-energy Latin jams (“Brazilian Skies”). Backing Summers was his newly assembled band, Summers Heat (although they were not listed as the artist), which featured keyboardist Mark Soskin, guitarist Ray Obiedo, bassist Paul Jackson, and drummer Alphonse Mouzon. Joining the core group were horn and string sections, as well as several guest vocalists, including Dianne Reeves – who shines on the deeply funky “Just a Matter of Time (Before the Beat Gets Your Mind)” – and Pete Escovedo, who lends his voice to “Que Sabroso.” Released in July 1977, Feel the Heat peaked at No.84 on the Billboard 200, while “Come Into My Life” was a hit on the R&B chart.
With the momentum of his debut, Summers jumped straight back into the studio – this time with producer and fellow percussionist Leon “Ndugu” Chancler (best known for his work in Santana’s band, as well as for his iconic drumming on Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean”). While Feel the Heat leaned into Summers’ Latin percussion background, Cayenne (released later that same year) focused on intricate and soulful horn parts, performed by such jazz legends as Hadley Caliman, Pepe Mtoto, and George Spencer.
Summers Heat, meanwhile, transformed into a collective of the era’s most exciting talents — including the aforementioned horn players, plus keyboardist Rodney Franklin and bassist Fred Washington. Singer Carla Vaughn – who later performed with Roy Ayers, Rick James, and Billie Preston – made her debut as a lead vocalist on Cayenne, shining on tracks like “What’s the Mess” and a cover of Otis Redding’s “Try a Little Tenderness.” Other highlights include the chilled-out funk of “Magic” and the dynamic, percussion-heavy closer, “Flying.”
Summers continued to expand his repertoire with 1978’s Straight to the Bank. Produced alongside Chancler, the album was recorded at the peak of disco and found Summers leaning into irresistible dance floor beats. Straight to the Bank incorporated synthesizers, as played by the great Bob Robitaille (Leonard Cohen, Michael Jackson, The Supremes), as well as a full horns orchestra arranged by Charles Mims, Willie Mullings, and Reggie Andrews. Adding additional flavor was pianist John Barnes (famous for his instantly recognizable intro to Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive”), while vocalist Virginia Ayers offered standout performances on tracks like “It’s on My Mind” and “Love, Not My Life.” Other highlights include the airy “Your Love,” as well as the classic title track. One of Bill Summers & Summers Heat’s biggest singles, “Straight to the Bank” was a Top 40 Dance hit in 1979 and peaked at No.45 on Billboard’s R&B chart.
The group closed out the ’70s with On Sunshine – an album that solidified the core production band of Summers Heat, including Lori Ham (vocals), guitarist Ray Obiedo, bassist Bo Freeman, drummer Paul Van Wageningen, percussionist Scott Roberts, and horn player Tom Poole, plus the celebrated multi-instrumentalists Larry Batiste (trombone, piano, vocals) and Claytoven Richardson (saxophone, piano, vocals). Produced by Summers and Phil Kaffel (Bar-Kays, Pleasure, Carmine Appice), On Sunshine blended funk, soul, disco, and reggae, as the band delivered red-hot renditions of Eddy Grant’s “Walking on Sunshine” and Hall & Oates’ “She’s Gone,” among originals like “Dancing Lady” and “Learn to Live as One.”
Looking back on his ’70s output, Summers says, “These albums were nothing short of a musical renaissance that shined a spotlight on some of the most famous musicians alive as well as discovered some of the brightest new stars. This really was a golden era for me as a solo artist and paved the way for my Los Angeles years in the 1980s when I worked closely with Quincy Jones and Herbie at the height of their careers.”
Summers adds, “It was the greatest opportunity of my life. To get a record deal as a percussionist was nearly impossible. I would not be where I am today without Orrin’s belief in me.”
In the decades since the release of these foundational titles, Summers has thrived as a solo artist as well as an in-demand collaborator. In addition to working with Herbie Hancock on a variety of projects, Summers reunited with Quincy Jones for the Academy Award®-nominated soundtrack to The Color Purple. The New Orleans-based musician also found success as a founding member of Los Hombres Calientes and has performed on scores of albums over the years, including those by Stevie Wonder, Allen Toussaint, Sting, and George Benson. Additionally, Summers continues to record and tour with The Headhunters.
No comments:
Post a Comment