Gene Page - Hot City (Atlantic 1974) 24-bit/96kHz Vinyl Rip

The first of two albums arranger/conductor Gene Page (1939-98) waxed for Atlantic Records, Hot City dates from 1974 and was made at the height of Barry White and Love Unlimited Orchestra’s success. Page, who had already scored the funky Blacula (1971) and helmed many Motown sessions as well as any number of others for The Everly Brothers, The Righteous Brothers (You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling), Barbra Streisand, The Mamas and the Papas and Dionne Warwick, was providing the ultra-lush arrangements for White and his various groups at the time, when they were scoring their biggest hits. White repays the favour by providing Page with half an album’s worth of songs – including a slightly rougher edged take on Love Unlimited Orchestra’s “Satin Soul” – and front-page production (“Gene Page Produced by Barry White”). Hot City features much of what makes so much of the composer and arranger’s work so interesting. While Page could get unnecessarily syrupy – particularly on soulful ballads – his arrangements, more often than not, spring forth with dynamic ideas, inventive counterpoints and some of the most deliciously jazzed-up flourishes heard in popular music. It’s a majestic combination of everything from R&B and jazz to orchestral soul and classically-influenced easy listening – something Page was doing before those folks in Philadelphia got famous for the same thing.

On board here are many of the same musicians who played on Stanley Turrentine’s Pieces of Dreams (Fantasy, 1974), which was produced the same year by Gene and Billy Page, and include Ernie Watts on flute and sax solos; Clarence McDonald, Gene Page and Barry White on keyboards; Ray Parker Jr., Dean Parks, Melvin (Wah Wah) Ragin and David T. Walker on guitar; Wilton Felder (of The Crusaders) on bass; Ed Greene on drums; Joe Clayton on congas; Gary Coleman on percussion; and strings arranged and conducted by Gene Page. Doug Payne, Sound Insights.

Track listing:

A1. All Our Dreams Are Coming True
A2. Jungle Eyes
A3. She’s My Main Squeeze
A4. Gene’s Dream
A5. I’m Living In a World of Gloom

B1. Don’t Play That Song
B2. Satin Soul
B3. Cream Corner (Get What You Want)
B4. To The Bone

Personnel:

Drums: Ed Greene
Bass: Wilton Felder
Guitars: Ray Parker Jr., Dean Parks, Melvin (Wah Wah) Ragin, David T. Walker
Percussion: Gary Coleman
Keyboards: Clarence McDonald, Gene Page, Barry White
Congas: Joe Clayton
Flute & Sax Solos: Ernie Watts
Concert Master: Jack Shulman
Recorded at Whitney Studios, Glendale, CA
Conducted by Gene Page
Produced by Barry White