Josephine Superstar

[Videoskooter]

Or better known as Phylicia Allan and Phylicia Rashad and Claire Huxtable from the "Cosby Show".

I know she was married to Victor Willis of the Village People but I didn't know she released an album under the name of Phylicia Allen that was produced by Belolo and Morali.

Does anybody here know what that album was like? Was it the standard B&M sound? Is it worth to search for?
http://www.discomusic.com/records-more/3802_0_2_0_C/

[K-Bee]

I heard a cut from that LP a long time ago, but apparantly it hasn't really made a lasting impression on me. Still, it's definetely an LP I would buy if I'd come buy it for a reasonable price. If not for anything else, then for the fun value at least

[Charlie Windle]

I think the album is excellent, but know a lot who don't. The album tells the story of Josephine Baker, the tracks are linked by Phylicia telling her story. Starting with Saint Loius where she was born,which is a fab track and going on to her becoming a star, first on Broadway and then Paris.Ending with her losing everything and in debt -Don't cry mommy. :cry:

FIND IT AND BUY-WELL WORTH IT. :lol:

[neonlights]

I haven't pulled out the album in a while, but the sound is pure, vintage Belolo/Morali. If you like their sound, I'm pretty sure you'd enjoy the LP. I confess to enjoying the side one medley occasionally :oops:. It's probably one of the campiest things they've ever done, and that's saying a lot..

[BrunoRepublic]

It is pure, hardcore camp, even by Morali's standards... and as neonlights said, that is really saying something. The cover alone is priceless. Incidentally, Jussi told me that Phylicia now denies ever having done this LP.

[Videoskooter]

Graham, Jussi is always right :D but she just can't deny it. The album clearly shows Claire Huxtable. It's her, it's her!

http://www.discomusic.com/records-more/3802_0_2_0_C/

[JussiK]

Always right - really:-)?
Well, journalist Alan Jones went to interview ms rashad some 10 years ago with the album in his bag, in hopes of getting it autographed. She second she saw it the interview was over - she simply denied doing it and walked away. Back then, before the disco revival was yet pronounced offical, even Giorgio Moroder claimed he did not rememeber what "From Here To Eternity" was. Donna Summer claimed she was not famed for old disco records, she was a recording artist of contemporary r&b. Times sure have changed. Would be interesting to know what Ms Rashad thinks of her album now, wherever she is these days.

[Disco Funk]

I knew about the LP, but I didn't know it was produced by Jacques Morali and Henri Belolo. I gotta look for that one.

Disco Funk

[darrens]

I posted the original review of this LP on this site (I didn't buy it, it belongs to a friend of mine and I was borrowing it). So I knew this LP was about Josephine Baker, but didn't know who Josephine Baker was.

Last week, BBC4 (UK TV channel) showed an hour long documentary about the life of Josephine Baker, which I chose to watch because of the association with the disco LP.

It was actually very interesting. Josephine was first made famous in Paris in the 1920s, and was most famous for the "banana dance" which she did, wearing a skirt made of bananas pointing outwards. This is the photo on the front of the LP, and is a very accurate depiction of how Josephine used to look!

She went on to have many setbacks in her life, was perhaps one of the first people to stand up for rights for blacks in the US, and even joined the French Resistance in WW2.

The documentary featured Josephine singing/performing "J'ai deux amours, mon pays et Paris" on more than one occasion. All the more poignant as her country (United States) had rejected her on more than one occasion, whereas Paris always welcomed her.

[Blooeyz2001]

Graham, Jussi is always right :D but she just can't deny it. The album clearly shows Claire Huxtable. It's her, it's her!

For her to deny it is ridiculous. Does she really think anyone cares that a 1980's sitcom second bananna recorded a disco LP over twenty years ago? :roll:

[Videoskooter]

OMG, 2day I finally heard it and it ain't not so bad at all, in fact it's rather good! She doesn't need to be ashamed for this stuff!!!!

[JussiK]

She's now back on stage, starring in Tennessee Williams' "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof". Somebody in New York, go to the stage door of that theatre tonight, armed with a copy of Josephine Superstar and demand the Diva autograph it!

[Videoskooter]

[Discoimperium]

Here's some very rare 'Phylicia Allen' videofootage from 1978 i posted on YouTube.

(for the Hi-Quality version of this video just click on the video (when it is playing) and that will link you to
the original YouTube page of this video where you can watch it 'Full screen' in HQ).



Enjoy!.

[Chap2Power]

Here's some very rare 'Phylicia Allen' videofootage from 1978 i posted on YouTube.

(for the Hi-Quality version of this video just click on the video (when it is playing) and that will link you to
the original YouTube page of this video where you can watch it 'Full screen' in HQ).



Enjoy!.

Where the album is concerned, the first listen of "Saint Louis" gave us all the impression we were about to let loose the next "San Francisco", but at 3:48 and almost no way to mix out of the song, the impact of it kind of came and went. The lead track cried out for a remix and it just never came. It's my opinion that this lead to the quick dismissal of it by DJ's.

Because of the posted clip, it reminded me that this record was a hell of a lot better than it was...

As for Phylicia, known as Phylicia Allen, (sister of Debbie Allen), Phylicia Ayers-Allen and later Phylicia Rashad, perhaps it was that she did partake in her ex husband Victor's rather legendary 'party favour' habit, and in the end, a big part of their divorce. Perhaps that part of her life was such a haze and most likely a bit of what she'd like to forget and has essentially chosen to. An estimate would be that she was in her early 20's when the album was recorded.

At least when she sings "Broadway....I want to be a Star on Broadway...", it's become fact and not fiction...

And thank you DiscoEmporium....I have no idea where you find some of the amazing videos on your site and you tube page, so keep it coming !

Vince

[kdavid13]

I think Vince is right.
Any mention of the album would inevitably bring up questions about Victor Willis' troubled past,his lifestyle and their life together.

As far as I'm concerned ; I quite enjoy the Lp.It's pure camp and anyone who ever got into Jacques Morali's productions is gonna dig this album.

[Cdnbob]

I noticed when watching the video that her lip-syncing is rather bad, unless the video is at fault. I managed to pick up a copy of the LP for $8 US but haven't listened to it yet.

[Videoskooter]

Rick, thx for posting this vid. Very rare indeed and I've never seen it before.

This particular album is on my decks a lot lately. Very enjoyable!

[remicks]

Rick, thx for posting this vid. Very rare indeed and I've never seen it before.

This particular album is on my decks a lot lately. Very enjoyable!

It really is ....very enjoyable ....

One of the advantages of working at a record store back then was being able to play LPs like this in their entirety and not worry about maintaining a dancefloor .....

I think Vince has it right when he says it failed at the time because it just wasn't dj/club friendly in its format . Great to listen to now though.

I regard AROUND THE WORLD as sort of a secret Village People number ....written by Victor Willis in part and with the VP 's ever present vocals chanting the title , while Phylicia does a lot of gabbing throughout ... its The Villagers that carry the song and its their distinctive and familiar voices that stand out .........

When I think of this tune ...
I hear their voices in my head more than Phylicia's .....


*****

[Discoimperium]

I noticed when watching the video that her lip-syncing is rather bad, unless the video is at fault. I managed to pick up a copy of the LP for $8 US but haven't listened to it yet.

Her lip-syncing is perfect in the original video .. but i remasterd the sound of this video with the mp3 because there was a lot of clapping from the audience :icon_eek:. I could also post the original version with the audience noise, but for me this is better :icon_razz:

I never thought myself that i would see videofootage of this Josephine medley by Phylicia, but it really is surprising what videofootage pops-up when your a trader in discovideo footage (like i am, and very passionate about it).
Cheers.

[Cdnbob]

Her lip-syncing is perfect in the original video .. but i remasterd the sound of this video with the mp3 because there was a lot of clapping from the audience :icon_eek:. I could also post the original version with the audience noise, but for me this is better :icon_razz:

I never thought myself that i would see videofootage of this Josephine medley by Phylicia, but it really is surprising what videofootage pops-up when your a trader in discovideo footage (like i am, and very passionate about it).
Cheers.

That explains it. Cheers.

[remicks]

*****

Well, journalist Alan Jones went to interview ms rashad some 10 years ago with the album in his bag, in hopes of getting it autographed. She second she saw it the interview was over - she simply denied doing it and walked away.
.

funny how when disco was the vehicle to perhaps make her a career - judging from her convincing performance seen here, she didn't mind doing dirty disco at the time .... ... (oh wait someone can be seen pointing a gun at her from the wings ....is that Victor Willis???)





*****

[Chap2Power]

Saint Louis could have been a massive hit. No extended mix, and it faded away too quickly. It was another San Francisco...too bad !

[tyree_kevin]

This album is out on CD. I found it at "Medium-Rare Records" in SF. I remember Jussi talking about it in his book and I went looking for it a few years back. It was all right.

[BrunoRepublic]

That, like most of the disco CDs sold at Medium Rare, was not a legit release but a bootleg.