Club Nouveau were formed by record producer/performer Jay King in Sacramento, California, subsequent to the break up of the Timex Social Club. The group included Jay King, Grady Samuelle Prater, Denzil Foster, Thomas McElroy & Valerie Watson. They turned out a 'Go-Go' style (who remembers Go-Go) cover of the Bill Withers classic, Lean On Me in 1986 which was quite successful. It was catchy (and very mainstream) but they didn't manage to repeat that success again. Foster & McElroy soon left to form their own projects and focus on producing other acts. They would, of course, soon score big with The Tonies and En Vogue. Prater also left for a solo attempt.
So the 80's ground to a halt and in the UK we had half the dancefloors shouting "Acieeeed!" while the other half done the bump & grind to SIIS beats or New Jack Swing. Prater released his debut album, Living In Black Paradise as Samuelle in 1990, co-written, produced and arranged by his old friends Foster & McElroy under the umbrella of 2 Tuff-E-Nuff Productions (nothing to do with the UK's Tuff Jam's Matt & Karl).
So You Like What You See was the lead off single from the album. The Extended LP Mix is mixed by Ken Kessie who was on the recent Sinclair post. Teddy Riley got involved in the remixes adding his New Jack Swing Production to the mix and Wrecks N Effect added a rap to the 12" Remix. It slammed the dancefloors and made an impact on the specialist charts in the summer of 1990.
The follow up single, title track Black Paradise, was criminally ignored and no more was heard of Samuelle. In 1996 he released All That Matters To Me which didn't make the charts at all. He resurfaced in 2005 and recorded with his brother as Samuelle & D'Lynn. The release, Don't Worry, There's Love In the Ghetto, is inspired by classic 60's and 70's soul and was released on an independent label.
- Extended LP Mix
- 12" Remix
- Club Remix
Filename: Samuelle.rar Filesize: 39.95 MB
Just wanted to say Hi to Grady... This is Debra Phillips who lived up the street from you! Hope you make more CD's soon. I remember how awesome your voice is.
ReplyDeletei can re up this
ReplyDeleteHell yeah, Ned!
DeleteI'd kill for a nice 320 version of this!