LEON WARE

MUSICAL MASSAGE[76]LEON WARE

GORDY[MOTOWN] (FIRST PRESS ORIGINAL)

[RARE！Trading At A Higher Price！/It does not come out rarely！/It is Amazing Sound Pressure！]

一般的な知名度はそれほどではないが、1970年代で都会的なMellow Soundの第一人者をあげろと言われれば、Leon Wareの名は必ずあがるだろう。 Leon Wareと言えば、Mr. Mellow Nessと呼ばれるほど、Mellow GrooveのSoulを作らせたら天下一品のProducer/Songwriterだ。そのMellow Sound/正統派Soul Fan/AOR Fan/Free Soul Fanなど多くのlistenerが魅了される。
(Leon Ware-1972)/(Musical Massage-1976)/(Inside Is Love-1979)/(Rockin' You Eternally-1981)/Leon Ware-1982)といったAlbumはどれも必聴！(Leon Ware)1940年、Detroit生まれ幼い頃から教会の聖歌隊で歌っており(＊9歳で初めて曲を書く-The Girl Of My Dreams)、11歳の頃にはThe RomeosなるDoo Wop Group に参加する(＊このGroupにはMotown Recordsの作曲家として有名なLamont Dozierなども在籍していた）目の事故で(Michigan School/Blind＊後にStevie Wonderも通った)に在籍、10代の終わりまで、(ABC Records)で、Arranger/Song Writerを務めた。1960頃から自分自身の為のAlbumの曲を書き始める。Ike & Tina-Nuff Said71(United Artists Records)etcなどでSong Writerし、やがてMotownの専属のSong Writerとして、The Isley Brothers(Soul on the Rocks67-Tamla/Motown-Got to Have You Back)をIvy Hunter/Steve BowdenとCollaboration/Michael Jackson(I Wanna Be Where You Are 72)を[Arthur "T-Boy" Ross]とCollaboration、etc...を、書き名を高めていった。その資質はQuincy Jonesの目にもとまり、(Body Heat74)に大きく関与した。最も知られるところではMarvin GayeのAlbum[I Want YouU]の提供である。これは元々Leon Ware自身のAlbumとして発表する予定でRecordingしていたものを、Marvin Gayeがいたく気に入り、共同制作となったものであった。Leon WareのProduceで制作された名盤(I Want You)、その代償としてMotownがLeon WareのSolo AlbumのReleaseを許可、(I Want You)とほぼ同時進行で録音されたのが本作[Musical Massage](Musical Massage)はLeon WareにとってUnited ArtistsからReleaseした、Debut Album[Leon Ware 72＊Leon WarenのAlbumで最も、Trading At A Higher Price！/It does not come out rarely！]次にReleaseした、Second　Albumで、裏方として築いた豊富な人脈が生かされている。Guest VocalsにはMarvin Gaye/Minnie Riperton/Bobby Womackも参加している。 この時期のLeon Ware才能は尽きることがなかったようだ。駄曲がひとつもない。StringsのArrangeはどこまでも甘美/Chuck RaineyのBassもMelodious/James GadsonのDrumとTightなGrooveを生み出す。James Gadsonは元Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm BandのMemberで、Bill Withersの(Still Bill-1972)の録音にも参加している。制作の経緯からして(I Want You)とは双子の関係にある(＊裏I Want You)Composer/Producerはもちろん、James Gadson/David T. Walker/Ray Parker Jr./Chuck Rainey/Jerry Peters/John Barnes, Sonny Burkeら演奏陣も共通する部分が多い。この2枚のAlbumに共通する独特のMoodも似通っている。1970年代中期以降はQuincy Jones/Syreeta(Stevie Wonderの元妻)/The Miracles/Minnie Riperton/Melissa Manchester/Marvin Gaye/Norman Connors/Vesta Williams/The Main Ingredient/Average White Band/Con Funk Shun/Donny Hathaway/Bobby Womack/Rufusらの作品にMusician/Song Writer/Producer/Singer/Arrangerとしても関わるようになる。

Learning How To Love You
Written-By Leon Ware

Instant Love
Vocals Minnie Riperton
Written-By Jackie Hillard/Leon Ware

Body Heat
Written-By Bruce Fisher/Leon Ware/Quincy Jones/Stan Richardson

Share Your Love
Backing Vocals Felicia Griner/Jessie Smith/Merry Clayton
Written-By T-Boy Ross/Leon Ware/Pam Sawyer

Holiday
Vocals Bobby Womack/Marvin Gaye
Written-By Leon Ware

Phantom Lover
Written-By Jackie Hillard/Leon Ware

Journey Into You
Written-By Leon Ware/Terri McFaddin

Musical Massage
Vocals Bobby Womack
Written-By Leon Ware

French Waltz
Written-By Leon Ware

Turn Out The Light
Written-By Leon Ware/Minnie Riperton/Richard Rudolph

Arranged By Coleridge T. Perkinson/David Blumberg
Art Direction Frank Mulvey
Backing Vocals Felicia Griner/Jessie Smith/Merry Clayton/Minnie Riperton
Bass Chuck Rainey
Congas Eddie "Bongo" Brown
Drums James Gadson
Engineer [Recording] Cal Harris
Engineer [Recording], Engineer [Re-Mix] Art Stewart
Guitar David T. Walker/Ray Parker Jr.
Keyboards Jerry Peters/John Barnes, Sonny Burke
Other [Model] Azizi Johari
Percussion Bobbye Hall/Gary Coleman
Photography By Sam Emerson
Producer Hal Davis
Producer/Vocals Leon Ware
Vocals [Vocal Accompaniment] Marvin Gaye
Written-By T-Boy Ross/Bruce Fisher/Jackie Hilliard/Leon Ware/Minnie Riperton/Pam Sawyer/Quincy Jones/Richard Rudolph/Stan Richardson/Terri McFaddin

Mixed At Motown Recording Studios
Mastered At Motown Recording Studios


＊I Want You (Marvin Gaye)76
I Want You (Vocal)
Arthur "T-Boy" Ross, Leon Ware
Producer [Associate] T-Boy Ross

Come Live With Me Angel
Jacqueline Hilliard, Ware
Producer [Associate] Hal Davis

After The Dance (Instrumental)
Marvin Gaye, Ware

Feel All My Love Inside
Gaye, Ware

I Wanna Be Where You Are
Ross, Ware

I Want You (Intro Jam)
Ross, Ware
Producer [Associate] T-Boy Ross

All The Way Around
Ross, Ware
Producer [Associate] T-Boy Ross

Since I Had You
Gaye, Ware

Soon I'll Be Loving You Again
Gaye, Ross, Ware
Producer [Associate] T-Boy Ross

I Want You (Intro Jam)
Ross, Ware

After The Dance (Vocal)
Gaye, Ware

Personnel
Artwork by: Ernie Barnes, Frank Mulvey
Arranged by (Strings, Horns): Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson
Bass: Chuck Rainey, Henry Davis, Ron Brown, Wilton Felder
Bongos, Congas: Bobbye Hall Porter, Eddie "Bongo" Brown
Drums: James Gadson
Electric Piano (Fender Rhodes), Piano: Jerry Peters, John Barnes, Sonny Burke
Engineer: Fred Ross, Art Stewart
Executive Producer: Berry Gordy, Marvin Gaye
Guitar: David T. Walker, Dennis Coffey, Jay Graydon, Melvin "Wah Wah" Watson, Ray Parker, Jr.
Percussion: Gary Coleman, Jack Arnold
Producer: Leon Ware, Marvin Gaye, Arthur "T-Boy" Ross
Vocals: Marvin Gaye


＊Michael Jacksonに書き下ろした(I Wanna Be Where You Are/Leon Ware/Arthur "T-Boy" Ross)72/Quincy JonesのAlbumに参加した(If I Ever Lose This Heaven/Pamela Joan/Leon Ware)74/Marvin Gayeの(I want you/Arthur "T-Boy" Ross/Leon Ware)76

＊I Want You:Diana Rossの弟として70年代初頭からMotownの専属のSong Writerとして頭角を現していた[Arthur(T-Boy)Ross]、Michael Jackson(I Wanna Be Where You Are)もやはりLeon Wareとの共作でメキメキと評価を上げていた彼がLeon WareのAlbum用に書いていたのが(I Want You＊Arthur "T-Boy" Ross/Leon Ware)、Leon Wareが自身の作品としてRecording済みであったが、、Marvin Gayeが気に入り、制作進行中だったLeon Wareの他曲と併せて完成させたのがAlbum[I WANT YOU]

＊Arthur(T-Boy)Ross:Diana Rossの弟として70年代初頭からMotownの専属のSong Writerとして活躍。唯一のAlbum(CHANGES-79/Motown)

＊Merry Clayton:The Rolling Stonesとの共演で広く知られ、他にも様々なArtistsの作品でBacking chorusを担当し、Solo活動も行う。1980年代以降は女優としても活動。Little FeatのMemberとして知られるSam Claytonの実姉

[Leon Ware]
Leon Ware (United Artists, 1972)＊所有
Musical Massage (Motown, 1976)＊所有
Inside Is Love (Fabulous, 1979)＊所有
Rockin' You Eternally (Elektra, 1981)
Leon Ware (邦題：『夜の恋人たち』) (Elektra, 1982)
Undercover (Sling Shot 1987)
Taste the Love (Expansion, 199x)
Musical Massage (with Additional Unreleased Material) (Expansion, 2001)
Candlelight (Expansion, 2001)
Love's Drippin' (Kitchen Records, 2003)
Deeper (Blues Interaction Inc Japan, 2003)
A Kiss in the Sand (Kitchen Records, 2004)
Moon Ride (Stax Records, 2008)

[Merry Clayton]
Gimme Shelter（1970）＊所有
Merry Clayton（1971）＊所有

[Minnie Riperton]
COME TO MY GARDEN 70
PERFECT ANGEL 74 ＊所有
ADVENTURES IN PARADISE 75
STAY IN LOVE 77 ＊所有
MINNIE 79
LOVE LIVES FOREVER 80

[Bobby Womack]
Fly Me to the Moon (1969)＊所有
My Prescription (1970)
Communication (1971)＊所有
Understanding (1972)＊所有
Across 110th Street ＊所有
Facts of Life (1973) ＊所有
Lookin' for a Love Again (1974)＊所有
I Don't Know What the World Is Coming To (1975)＊所有
Safety Zone (1975)
BW Goes C&W (1976)
Home Is Where the Heart Is (1976)
Pieces (1978)
Roads of Life (1979)
The Poet (1981)＊所有
The Poet II (1984)
So Many Rivers (1985)＊所有
Someday We'll All Be Free (1985)
Womagic (1986)
The Last Soul Man (1987)
Save the Children (1989)
Resurrection (1994)
Back to My Roots (1999)
Traditions (1999)
The Bravest Man in the Universe (2012)

[Charles Wright&the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band]
Hot Heat & Sweet Groove (1967)
Together (1968) ＊所有
In The Jungle, Babe (1969) ＊所有
Express Yourself 　70
You're So Beautiful 71＊所有

＊Charles Wright - vocals, guitar, piano
Al McKay - guitar
Benorce Blackmon - guitar (replaced Al McKay)
Gabe Flemings - piano, trumpet
Melvin Dunlap - bass
James Gadson - drums
Big John Rayford - saxophone
Bill Cannon - saxophone
Ray Jackson - trombone
Leslie Milton, Sr. - drums (replaced James Gadson)
Yusuf Rahman - horns


https://youtu.be/TLWeXwZczsc
 
 
Leon Ware - Wikipedia