[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]
[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