Black Ivory
Encyclopedia
Black Ivory was a R&B
group from Harlem
, which had a number of hits in the 1970s, including "Don't Turn Around", "You and I" (both of which featured Larry Blackmon
from Cameo
on drums), "I'll Find a Way (The Loneliest Man in Town)", "Spinning Around", "What Goes Around (Comes Around)", "Will We Ever Come Together", and "Mainline."
, Stuart Bascombe, and Russell Patterson. They were managed by Patrick Adams, an executive at the Today/Perception record company. Burgess was the lead voice of the majority of their hits in the early '70s. With Today/Perception being a small label, the promotion of Black Ivory's singles scarcely got beyond the East Coast. This lack of exposure, coupled with the rise of disco and the fact Adams was beginning to branch out into other projects, caused Black Ivory to lose steam.
Early in their career, Black Ivory's songs were covered by other artists on Today/Perception, a common practice with the label. Label-mates J.J. Barnes, The Eight Minutes, Debbie Taylor
, and Lucky Peterson
all covered Black Ivory tunes.
The group recorded several uptempo songs in the disco vein, such as "Big Apple Rock," "Walking Downtown (On A Saturday Night)", "What Goes Around (Comes Around)" and, later, "Mainline" but, not being known for the style, they were unable to compete when disco became the dominant music style. While he was with Black Ivory, Burgess frequently collaborated with Adams in writing songs. He also wrote the groups' final hit, "Mainline," which was recorded after he left the group.
In the last few years, the group has returned to the stage on the Oldies circuit, featuring all three original members.
sampled 'I Keep Asking You Questions' on his acclaimed 1994 album, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx. In 2005, Omarion
sampled "Don't Turn Around" on the remix of his song "I'm Gonna Try (Pt. 2)". 9th Wonder
sampled "Love Won't You Stay" on Kaze's "For The Record". Brother Ali
sampled "It's Time To Say Goodbye" on his track "Love On Display". Brand Nubian
also sampled the introduction from "Wishful Thinking" for their song "Where are you now?". In his 2006 Beat Konducta Vol.1-2: Movie Scenes, Madlib
sampled "You and I" in his beat titled "The Understanding (Comprehension)". Later on, in 2008; Q-Tip also sampled "You and I" for his single "Gettin Up".
In addition, poet Wanda Robinson, on her album Black Ivory, used the instrumental track of "Don't Turn Around" as the background for her poem "The Final Hour" and "I Keep Asking You Questions" for her poem "Instant Replay."
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
group from Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
, which had a number of hits in the 1970s, including "Don't Turn Around", "You and I" (both of which featured Larry Blackmon
Larry Blackmon
Larry Ernest Blackmon is the lead singer and frontman for the funk and R&B band, Cameo. He came to Cameo from the band, Black Ivory....
from Cameo
Cameo (band)
Cameo is an American soul-influenced funk group that formed in the early 1970s. Cameo was initially a 13-member group known as the New York City Players; this name was later changed to Cameo to avoid a lawsuit from Ohio Players, another group from that era. Since then, Cameo has recorded several...
on drums), "I'll Find a Way (The Loneliest Man in Town)", "Spinning Around", "What Goes Around (Comes Around)", "Will We Ever Come Together", and "Mainline."
Career
The group features songwriter and prolific disco producer Leroy BurgessLeroy Burgess
Leroy Burgess is a prolific singer/recording artist, songwriter, keyboard player and producer. He is related to Thom Bell and Kool & The Gang members Robert "Kool" Bell, Ronald Bell and Amir Bayyan of the Kay-Gees....
, Stuart Bascombe, and Russell Patterson. They were managed by Patrick Adams, an executive at the Today/Perception record company. Burgess was the lead voice of the majority of their hits in the early '70s. With Today/Perception being a small label, the promotion of Black Ivory's singles scarcely got beyond the East Coast. This lack of exposure, coupled with the rise of disco and the fact Adams was beginning to branch out into other projects, caused Black Ivory to lose steam.
Early in their career, Black Ivory's songs were covered by other artists on Today/Perception, a common practice with the label. Label-mates J.J. Barnes, The Eight Minutes, Debbie Taylor
Debbie Taylor
Debbie Taylor was an American singer. Her recording career between 1968 and 1975 saw her produce some of the most impassioned vocal performances ever committed to vinyl...
, and Lucky Peterson
Lucky Peterson
Lucky Peterson is an American musician who plays contemporary blues, fusing soul, R&B, gospel and rock and roll. He plays guitar and keyboards...
all covered Black Ivory tunes.
The group recorded several uptempo songs in the disco vein, such as "Big Apple Rock," "Walking Downtown (On A Saturday Night)", "What Goes Around (Comes Around)" and, later, "Mainline" but, not being known for the style, they were unable to compete when disco became the dominant music style. While he was with Black Ivory, Burgess frequently collaborated with Adams in writing songs. He also wrote the groups' final hit, "Mainline," which was recorded after he left the group.
In the last few years, the group has returned to the stage on the Oldies circuit, featuring all three original members.
Legacy
In recent years, some of Black Ivory's work has been sampled by a number of artists. RaekwonRaekwon
Corey Woods , better known by the stage name Raekwon, is an American rapper and a member of the Wu-Tang Clan. He released his solo debut, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... in 1995, and has since recorded four solo albums, as well as work with Wu-Tang and an extensive amount of guest contributions with...
sampled 'I Keep Asking You Questions' on his acclaimed 1994 album, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx. In 2005, Omarion
Omarion
Omari Ishmael Grandberry better known as Omarion, is an American R&B singer, actor, songwriter, record producer, dancer, and former lead singer of the R&B group, B2K. Omarion was spotted at a young age by a manager, Christopher B. Stokes, who took a liking to his vocal abilities...
sampled "Don't Turn Around" on the remix of his song "I'm Gonna Try (Pt. 2)". 9th Wonder
9th Wonder
Patrick Douthit , better known as 9th Wonder is a hip hop record producer, record executive, DJ, professor, and lyricist from Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S.A. He began his career as the main producer for the hip hop group Little Brother, and has also worked with Mary J...
sampled "Love Won't You Stay" on Kaze's "For The Record". Brother Ali
Brother Ali
Ali Newman , better known by the stage name Brother Ali, is an American hip hop artist signed to Rhymesayers Entertainment.-Personal life:...
sampled "It's Time To Say Goodbye" on his track "Love On Display". Brand Nubian
Brand Nubian
Brand Nubian is an American hip hop group from New Rochelle, New York, consisting of three MC's: Grand Puba , Sadat X and Lord Jamar , and two DJs: DJ Alamo and DJ Sincere...
also sampled the introduction from "Wishful Thinking" for their song "Where are you now?". In his 2006 Beat Konducta Vol.1-2: Movie Scenes, Madlib
Madlib
Otis Jackson Jr. in Oxnard, California, known professionally as Madlib, is a Los Angeles-based DJ, multi-instrumentalist, rapper, and music producer...
sampled "You and I" in his beat titled "The Understanding (Comprehension)". Later on, in 2008; Q-Tip also sampled "You and I" for his single "Gettin Up".
In addition, poet Wanda Robinson, on her album Black Ivory, used the instrumental track of "Don't Turn Around" as the background for her poem "The Final Hour" and "I Keep Asking You Questions" for her poem "Instant Replay."
Albums
- Don't Turn Around (1972) (Today Records)
- Baby, Won't You Change Your Mind (1972) (Today Records)
- Feel It (1975) (Buddah Records)
- Black Ivory (1976) (Buddah Records)
- Hangin' Heavy (1979) (Buddah Records/Arista RecordsArista RecordsArista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
) - Then and Now (1984) (Panoramic Records)
Singles
- "Don't Turn Around" (1970)
- "You and I" (1971)
- "I'll Find a Way (The Loneliest Man In Town)"
- "Time Is Love"/"Got to Be There" (1972)
- "Spinning Around"
- "What Goes Around (Comes Around)" (1974)
- "Will We Ever Come Together"
- "Daily News"
- "You Mean Everything to Me"
- "Walking Downtown (Saturday Night)" (1976)
- "You Turned My Whole World Around" (1978)
- "Mainline"/"Dance" (1979)
- "You Are My Lover" (1984)
- "I've Got My Eye On You" (1985)