Bunny Sigler & Narada Michael Walden

[Leanmean]

Can anyone tell me about Bunny Sigler? I know he wrote and arranged loads of songs for other musicians. But, I'm fairly sure that he did his own disco-type stuff in late 1979 or so that we danced to. I recall a friend of mine going on about him back in the day, but I can't remember which song. Any ideas?

There was also a popular disco tune out around 1978 or so by a Michael Walden, later named Narada. Can anyone tell me about this arranger/producer and what songs he contributed to disco?

[Blaxman]

Hi Leanmean,

For coincidence yesterday Zeca Azevedo who occasionally posts here in this forum gave me a Bunny Sigler's CD!! It's a compilation and I especially loved two funky tracks:

- Shake Your Booty - super thumpin-funky track!! :grin:

- Jingle Bell Pt1- another funk track!!

The others are slow jams or Philly! And are pretty cool too!!

About Bunny, he was the mastermind behind the group called Instant Funk. They had a huge hit called "I Got My Mind Made Up" on Salsoul Records in the 70's. Do you remember that?

Peace

[sammyperez]

Leanmean:

Regarding Narada Michael Walden, in '77 or'78 he had a record called 'I don't want nobody else to dance with you' then in '79 he released an LP which featured 'I shoulda loved ya' and 'Tonight I'm alright'. He's also a succesful producer who's worked with numerous artists, most notably my favorite female singer Angela Bofill.

Easy,

Sam "ALL JAM"

[BrunoRepublic]

Hey Lean,

I've picked up two or three Bunny Sigler LPs in the last few months. One is titled "I've always wanted to sing... not just write songs". Another one is -- I think -- "Let It Snow" (or some sort of snow theme). I seem to recall having a third one as well... all were on Salsoul. I'll check when I get home.

Sorry I'm sketchy on details... I have bought about 200 records in the last two weeks alone, and I'm starting to lose track!

[BrunoRepublic]

Oh and...

Michael Walden Narada ("pronounce it like Florida") continued to make R&B albums well into the 80s. I have one called Victory. He also produced other groups, such as Sister Sledge's "All-American Girls" LP.

_________________
Or, as they say in the classics:
"I've never seen a man eat so many chicken wings!"

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Graham Start on 2002-09-04 13:19 ]</font>

[Jeff H]

I always thought Bunny Sigler's biggest hit was "By the Way You Danced"...?

And NMW had a hit (?) with "High Above [or maybe Beyond] the Clouds."

[markydefad]

Narada Michael Walden produced a shitload of stuff by....Miss Whitney Houston, let's not forget.

"High Above The Clouds" is my fave 12" by him...BUT he did a cover of the Four Tops' "Reach Out" circa 1982/3 that I liked a lot also.

[BrunoRepublic]

Okay, here's what I got for Bunny Sigler:

Let Me Party With You - Gold Mind/Salsoul 1977
I've Always Wanted To Sing... - Gold Mind/Salsoul 1979
Let It Snow - Salsoul 1980

There are probably others...

[keefelc]

Bunny Sigler was my least favorite of the Philadelphia based producers that primarily worked with artists on Salsoul/Gold Mind and Philadelphia International Records. I think one of his bigger hits was Loleatta Holloway's "I May Not Be There When You Want Me". He also produced Pattie Brooks on her "Party Girls" album. Something about his sound that was just seemed a little too "frantic," especially when compared to Gamble and Huff and Vince Montana Jr.

Narada Michael Walden is a Bay Area producer, well actually Marin County. He gained much of his fame by working with the divas - Phyllis Hyman (Side One of "The Goddess Of Love" album, Patti Austin ("Rhythm Of The Street"), Whitney Houston's first couple of Arista albums, Stacy Lattisaw.

[jazz_pilgrim]

Regarding Bunny Sigler, I am sure that I have seen his name come up on early 70's soul records from the Northern Soul scene ....

[nrgbeat]

Wow, Keefe you are just a fountain of knowledge.

[california mike]

narada michael walden was originally involved with john mclaughlin's mahavishnu orchectra. but it was his second solo album that caught my attention "i cry, i smile" was the kind of album i had always hoped stevie wonder would make.
he was also involved with aretha's "freeway of love", diana ross' "take me higher" stacy lattisaw's "jump to the beat" and "let me be your angel" and patti austin too.

[DanceMan]

Narada Michael Walden is solid class in writing, performing and producing....

Bunny Sigler should have stayed in the background and is a best forgotten splash in the annals of disco history.....I still want to regurgitate when I think of him in that gold lame attire that Salsoul so unwisely chose to outfit and photograph him in.

[markydefad]

Here are the singles that Bunny Sigler hit the R&B Top 100 with:

1) LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL & FEEL SO GOOD (67)
2) TOSSIN' & TURNIN' (73)
3) LOVE TRAIN (PART ONE) (74)
4) KEEP SMILIN' (74)
5) MY MUSIC (76)
6) LET ME PARTY WITH YOU (PARTY, PARTY, PARTY) (78) His only Top 10 song peaking at #8
7) I GOT WHAT YOU NEED (78)
ONLY YOU (W/LOLEATTA HOLLOWAY) (78)
9) DON'T EVEN TRY (GIVE IT UP) (78)
10) BY THE WAY YOU DANCE (I KNEW IT WAS YOU) (79)
(I recently found a 12" of the latter and one of "Glad To Be Your Lover" also 1979.

Narada Michael Walden:
1) DELIGHTFUL (77)
2) I DON'T WANT NOBODY ELSE (TO DANCE WITH YOU) (79)
3) GIVE YOUR LOVE A CHANCE (79)
4) I SHOULDA LOVED YA (79)
5) TONIGHT I'M ALRIGHT (80)
6) THE REAL THANG (80)
7) I WANT YOU (80)
YOU'RE #1 (82)
9) SUMMER LADY (82)
10) REACH OUT (83)
11) GIMME, GIMME, GIMME (w/PATTI AUSTIN)(85)
12) THE NATURE OF THINGS (85)
13) DIVINE EMOTIONS (88)
14) WILD THING (88)

Strangely, "High Above The Clouds" didn't chart--didn't John Ceglia use this on one of his tapes that Bernie played earlier this year? I think so.



_________________
Make My Feet Wanna Dance!

Markydefad

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: markydefad on 2002-09-05 00:53 ]</font>

[SandraDee]

Narada M.W. regularly used Sylvester on backing vocals & produced Jermaine Stewart's 'We Dont have to take Our Clothes Off' pop hit from '86.
The guy's a total genius IMO with the rare ability to produce class music of almost any genre - pop,rock,disco,funk,jazz fusion,the list goes on. So many of my records are written or prodused by him.
I have his 'best of' CD & I read in the notes that he worked with the great Patrick Adams on 'I Dont Want Nobody Else to dance With you' which I didnt know prviously.

[Giovanni]

Two more albums by BUNNY SIGLER that I have:

BUNNY SIGLER: My music (PIR 1976)
BUNNY SIGLER & BARBARA MASON: Locked in this position (Curtom 1977)

[Nano]

Narada also produced Aretha's "Who's zooming who" album in the Eighties, probably her most popular in Arista. Includes "Freeway of love", the excellent title track and her famous duet (not produced by Narada) with Annie Lennox "Sisters are doin' it for themselves".
I also had "Victory" (1980), was a very good album. In fact right now I will start a topic about this.

[NickNack]

On 2002-09-05 00:49, markydefad wrote:
Strangely, "High Above The Clouds" didn't chart--didn't John Ceglia use this on one of his tapes that Bernie played earlier this year? I think so.

I don't know about the West Coast, but out here in New York City, "High Above The Clouds" was an instant gay-club classic. You had to have it in your crate. People wouldn't ask me to play it but they would say, "Are you gonna play that song tonight?", knowing you had to place it at the right time. Beautiful piece of music.