Help me to identify this '79 or '80 soul-ballad, complete sample included

[bonais]

Please friends,
Help me to identify the title and the artist of this soul-ballad of 1979 or 1980, I have a tape recorded of the complete song (4:08 min.)
Can you downloaded that to:

YouSendIt: The Leader in File Delivery.

[K-Bee]

This is abolutely annoying. I have this track on some LP but I can't remember who it is. The worst thing is, it was on the turntable just a few weeks ago. where to start :lol:

[K-Bee]

Thinking hard now...I'm pretty sure it's an instrumentalist (jazz-funk) release with either a guest vocalist or the artist himself singing.

[eddie]

Could it be Les McCan, Arthur Prysock, Gene Dunlap, Bunny Sigler, Instant Funk, or Webster Lewis.

It's definitely not Walter Jackson or Robert Winters and Fall despite sounding like them.

It sound like a Chi-sound record.

[K-Bee]

None of the above I'm afraid eddie. I've checked most of what I have from them and there's nothing remotely like this song. This is one tuff nut to crack. I know I have the LP within 20 feet of where I sit right now, unfortunately that's not helping much right now.

[eddie]

How about a jazz artist featuring Grady Tate but it doesn't sound anything like the tracks he did with Grover Washington Jr. How about something obscure from Brainstorm, Futures, Joneses, Ebonies (later Lp), Jerry Butler, Harold Melvin post Teddy Pendergrass, David Ebo, ect. I think its out of Chicago or Philly and not a jazz artist despite hearing the sax. There's too much orchestration.

[K-Bee]

No Grady Tate was more of a baryton singer and the instrumentation is way too lush to fit into Grover Washington's usual style. This singer here sounds more like a cross of Billy Paul and the leadsinger from Heatwave.

[eddie]

I thought Billy Paul as well but its not because his voice is very distinct and I can't find anyting from his late 70's that sounds like it.

To me, it sounds like Brainstorm or quite possibly a group with different lead singers or one that changed personel. You're right, its too lush for most jazz artists.

[K-Bee]

I'm still thinking more of a solo artists than a group. I've been considering many of the classic 70s vocal groups but I don't think the background vocals are distinct enough to fit into the usual vocal group setting. Apparantly I'm gonna have to force myself to sit through all my 70s soul LP's in order to find this cut :lol: - it could take years, but I'm still certain we're gonna find out what this is sooner or later.

[eddie]

Most people on this site are knowledgable about this era. I'm thinking it might not be a soul singer but possibly an Italian singer in an opera vein who is singing something more contemporary. Some of his phrasings are atypical for soul. Very reminiscent of Robert Winters and Fall.

[K-Bee]

Originally Posted by eddie

Most people on this site are knowledgable about this era. I'm thinking it might not be a soul singer but possibly an Italian singer in an opera vein who is singing something more contemporary. Some of his phrasings are atypical for soul. Very reminiscent of Robert Winters and Fall.

If that's the case (the operette stuff= I'm kinda lost for clues. I was starting to think a bit about Lenny Williams since the singer sounds slightly similar to him. The soulful phrasing is not really there though, he's a bit nasal at the same time.

[eddie]

It's soulful like Billy Paul but quite possibly not American soul or even a Black artist. It's a very solid track and I'd love to buy to it. It's funny that we both think we heard it before and you even think that you have it. It just sounds familiar yet original. If I had heard it, I would've either bought it or wrote it down in my blue book. Bonais could this be an Italian opera singer as his phrasing is abit odd for American soul or pop? If you know any opera sites, could you post the sample and someone may know it from the opera's sphere?

[bonais]

It's A Just Soul Ballad !!!