Cognac on Salsoul

[discodjinn]

I've belatedly come across Cognac's track "How High." I like this cut, how it pushes the Salsoul Orchestra into a funkier vibe. Does anyone know what year it was released? Who the lead singer was? Who produced?

[markydefad]

Hmmmm...I always presumed the singer was Cognac. Never heard of "her" or "them" again. I think it's from 1979. I have it at home...if no one else gives the 411, I'll take a look tonight.

This was a great track....played a lot at Trocadero.

"How high...can we gooooooo --ohhhh-ohhhh, oh-oh-ohhhhh,...... how high can we gooooo?"

Pretty damn high, if I remember correctly.

[Giovanni]

The 12" is from 1978 (Salsoul SG 305) and the album from 1979 (SA 8528)

[markydefad]

I looked at the 12" last night. It is from 1978, but it charted in the fall (Oct.) of 1979 (at least on the R&B chart).
It was produced by Steve O'Donnell & Colin Horton Jennings (whoever they are).

The label says: The Salsoul Orchestra featuring Cognac.

[Giovanni]

Thank you Marky,

when I read the year 78 on the label I felt confused and thought that my memory is beginning to fail.

I perfectly remember spinning "How high" in autumn. Now you confirm it was 1979, even if the label says 78.

If I am not wrong the 12" came out in two releases, one simply as COGNAC, and the other as SALSOUL ORCH fet. COGNAC.
Anyone here to confirm?

[QUINNY]

Personal history is always the best.
Colin Horton Jennings was a member of the very first band I ever booked (for the college dance) in 1970. He was a trumpet or sax player and singer in The Greatest Show On Earth
who had a modicum of success on the Harvest record label. They were a prog rock/fusion type of band, but were extremely funky too. 2 other members of the band to note were Garth Watt Roy and his brother Norman. I think it was Norman who later formed Glencoe and then ended up in the Blockheads of Ian Dury fame. The other band on the bill that night was Consortium who'd only been in the UK charts about 18 months before. Although not an entire success financially, the bands were the best 2 ever seen at the college up to that point and a great time was had by all (with me doing the MCing, DJing, and organizing the whole bash). I remember we were still into Motown and Stax records in those days. Reach Out I'll Be There never sounded so sweet as it did that night through (what was for those days) a wopping great big P.A system.
One of my many memories of that gig was stupidly asking "what does J H EXP stand for" on a couple of the amps and stacks. Apparently they were some cast offs of one Jimi Hendrix (only my all time hero). What a plonker I felt!!!