Seawind

Description

The self-titled debut album by the American jazz fusion group Seawind fronted by Pauline Wilson, was released on the mainstream label CTI Records in late 1976. The album was recorded July-September 1976 at Record Plant and Chateau Recorders (“We Got A Way” only) in Los Angeles, California; with Harvey Mason producing. Mixed September 1976 by Phil Schier at Record Plant.

The album track «The Devil Is a Liar» earned the group a Grammy Award Nomination for Best Arrangement Accompanying a Vocalist and caused the whole music industry to take notice of Seawind and the Seawind Horns (Jerry Hey, Kim Hutchcroft and Larry Williams). The Seawind Horns became legendary, writing charts for every pop and R&B artist under the sun, including Michael Jackson’s classic effort Thriller (the world’s biggest selling album of all time). All Music Guide has described Seawind as “an influential pop/jazz outfit boasted in-the-pocket grooves, clever horn charts, and Pauline Wilson’s signature vocals set to lyrics that (more often than not) clearly communicated a Christian world view.”

The Bob Wilson penned track “The Devil Is A Liar” has later been covered by Sandi Patti on her 1978 album, For My Friends, and by Bob Baily on his 1980 album, Looking Forward

Produced by drummer Harvey Wilson in 1976, Seawind is a superb, highly imaginative debut that thrives on diversity. Singer Pauline Wilson excels on sweaty funk gems like «Make Up Your Mind», «We Got a Way», and «You Gotta Be Willing to Lose», and she is equally expressive on more jazz-oriented offerings such as «The Devil Is a Liar» and «He Loves You» (both of which underscore her Christian beliefs). Meanwhile, Wilson doesn’t do any singing at all on the jazz fusion instrumentals «Roadways» and «Praise»… But even if Seawind was, from a commercial standpoint, too eclectic for its own good, this LP never sounds unfocused – the band knew exactly what it was doing in 1976. All of Seawind’s albums are worth owning, but this one is arguably its most essential. [Alex Henderson, AMG]

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LP tracklist:

Side One
A1. “We Got A Way” – 3:35
A2. “You Gotta Be Willin’ To Lose (Part II)” – 3:41
A3. “He Loves You” – 4:57
A4. “The Devil Is A Liar” – 4:35
A5. “A Love Song/Seawind” – 5:45

Side Two
B1. “Make Up Your Mind” – 4:14
B2. “Praise (Part I)” – 6:08
B3. “Roadways (Parts I & II)” – 9:01

Note: Simultaneously released on 8-track tape, cassette, and 12-inch vinyl LP by CTI Records, with the vinyl edition housed in a gatefold sleeve. Later re-issued on CD.

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Seawind (Hawaii, 1972)

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CREDITS. Produced by Harvey Mason and associate producer Bob Wirtz. (This was the first LP on CTI produced by someone other than Creed Taylor.) Recorded at Record Plant and Chateau Recorders in California (“We Got A Way”), July, August, September, 1976. Mixed at Record Plant, September, 1976.

Seawind: Pauline Wilson (Lead Vocals, Percussion), Jerry Hey (Trumpet, Flugelhorn, French Horn, Vocals), Larry Williams (Keyboards, Saxophone, Flute, Vocals), Kim Hutchcroft (Saxophones, Vocals), Bud Nuanez (Guitars, Vocals), Ken Wild (Bass, Vocals), Bob Wilson (Drums, Percussion). Guest musician: Paulinho Da Costa (Percussion).