Norman Connors

Norman Connors - The Buddah ⁄ Arista Anthology (2017)  Music

Posted by JET 1 at March 18, 2017
Norman Connors - The Buddah ⁄ Arista Anthology (2017)

Norman Connors - The Buddah ⁄ Arista Anthology (2017)
EAC Rip | FLAC (Tracks) +CUE, LOG | 1.37 GB | Covers Included
Genre: Soul | Label: Soul Music Records | Catalog Number: SMCR5152D

SoulMusic Records is very proud to present “Valentine Love – The Buddah/Arista Anthology,” a musically sumptuous 2-CD set by renowned musician and producer, the multi-talented Norman Connors.

Norman Connors - Romantic Journey (1977) {FunkyTown Grooves}  Music

Posted by tiburon at Dec. 4, 2017
Norman Connors - Romantic Journey (1977) {FunkyTown Grooves}

Norman Connors - Romantic Journey (1977) {FunkyTown Grooves}
EAC 1.3 | FLAC tracks level 8 | Cue+Log+M3u | Scans 300dpi | 339MB + 5% Recovery
MP3 CBR 320 Kbps | 117MB + 5% Recovery
Genre: Soul, Funk

When Norman Connors made the transition from jazz albums to commercially successful R&B-oriented dates, the drummer found himself being lambasted repeatedly in jazz press (something Roy Ayers, Patrice Rushen, George Duke and George Benson could also relate to). Myopic jazz critics trashed Romantic Journey simply because it contains so much R&B/pop, as opposed to judging its merits as an R&B/pop-oriented album. Though not as strong as its predecessor, You Are My Starship, this decent offering has its strong points, including Philip Mitchell's vocal on the haunting "Destination Moon" and Eleanore Mills' performance on a likable cover of the Stylistics' "You Are Everything."

Norman Connors - Take It To The Limit '80 Mr. C '81 (2010)  Music

Posted by JET 1 at March 28, 2020
Norman Connors - Take It To The Limit '80 Mr. C '81 (2010)

Norman Connors - Take It To The Limit '80 Mr. C '81 (2010)
EAC Rip | FLAC (Tracks) +CUE, LOG | 511 MB | Scans
Genre: R&B, Soul | Label: Expansion Records | Catalog Number: EXP2CD07

Norman Connors delivered some of the finest jazz fusion of the 1970s, often integrated with vocalists and soloists he would discover and send on their way to significant solo success. After touring as drummer with Pharaoh Sanders and featuring on five of his albums, Norman landed at Buddah Records in 1972 then after the acquisition of Buddah by Arista in the late 70s he arrived at the main Arista imprint in 1980 and delivered these two classic albums Take It To The Limit and Mr.C, the pinnacle of his work as a musician, co-ordinator, and producer of live music pre the dawn of programmed drumming and keyboard replicaters.
Norman Connors - Take It To The Limit (1980) & Mr. C (1981) [2010, Reissue]

Norman Connors - Take It To The Limit (1980) & Mr. C (1981) [2010, Reissue]
R&B, Soul/Funk, Quiet Storm, Disco | XLD Rip | FLAC, Tracks+CUE+LOG+Scans (JPEG) | 01:10:01 | 534,32 Mb
Label: Expansion Records (UK) | Cat.# EXP2CD 07 | Released: 2010-07-20 (1980/1981)

This Expansion release from 2010 combines "Take It to the Limit" (1980) and "Mr. C" (1981) on one compact disc. These were two of Norman Connors' star-studded Arista-era albums, built on dancefloor R&B and quiet storm, highlighted by "Take It to the Limit" (featuring Adaritha), "Melancholy Fire" (Glenn Jones), a cover of Lou Courtney's "I Don't Need Nobody Else" (Al Johnson), "She's Gone," and "Keep Doin' It." This is a straightforward reissue of the two albums. There are no bonus tracks.
Pharoah Sanders & Norman Connors - Beyond a Dream (1978) {Sony Japan}

Pharoah Sanders & Norman Connors - Beyond a Dream (1978) {Sony Japan}
EAC 1.0b6 | FLAC tracks level 8 | Cue+Log+M3U | Full Scans 100dpi | 289MB + 5% Recovery
MP3 CBR 320 Kbps | 103MB + 5% Recovery
Genre: Avant-Garde Jazz, Jazz-Funk

A dream of a record from this legendary spiritual jazz duo – drummer Norman Connors and reedman Pharoah Sanders – coming together in a freewheeling spiritual jazz style that's a lot more like Connors' earlier albums than the soulful fusion he was mostly recording in the late 70s! The album was recorded live at the Montreux Jazz Festival, and features long-spinning tracks that step out nicely in a way that takes us back to Norman's Cobblestone Records years – no vocals at all, and instead some nicely expressive work from Pharoah Sanders on tenor, Bobby Lyle on acoustic piano, and Buzzy Jones on tenor, soprano sax, and flute. Lyle and Sanders drop out for two of the album's five tracks, but there's still a very unified, jazzy vibe to the record throughout.
Norman Connors - Love From The Sun (1974) & Slew Foot (1974) [2013, Remastered Reissue]

Norman Connors - Love From The Sun (1974) & Slew Foot (1974) [2013, Remastered Reissue]
Jazz, Soul-Jazz, Jazz-Funk, Fusion | EAC Rip | FLAC, Img+CUE+LOG+Scans (PNG) | 75:44 Min | 558,63 Mb
Label: Funky Town Grooves (USA) | Cat.# CSS-004 | Released: 2013-10-22 (1974)

In 2013, Funky Town Grooves reissued a significant portion of Norman Connors' discography as a leader slash highly connected talent organizer. Along with straightforward Dance of Magic/Dark of Light and You Are My Starship/Aquarian Dream two-for-one releases, as well as individualized bonus-track-enhanced reissues of Invitation and Take It to the Limit, there was this - a pairing of Connors' 1974 Buddah dates. Among the highlights: a gorgeous eight-minute "Love from the Sun," a storming version of Carlos Garnett's "Mother of the Future" (with Jean Carn at full, jaw-dropping power), and Reggie Lucas' funky instrumental "Slew Foot."
Norman Connors - The Essential Norman Connors: The Buddah/Arista Years (2018)

Norman Connors - The Essential Norman Connors: The Buddah/Arista Years (2018)
WEB FLAC (Tracks) - 1.02 GB | Cover | MP3 CBR 320 kbps - 353 MB | 02:33:21
Soul, Funk, Jazz | Label: Buddah/Legacy

Like Roy Ayers, George Benson, and Patrice Rushen, Norman Connors is best known for his major R&B hits but started out as a jazz improviser. The drummer/composer was born and raised in Philadelphia, where he lived in the same neighborhood as Bill Cosby and became interested in jazz when he was only a child. As a kid in elementary school, Connors was exposed to jazz extensively thanks to such schoolmates as drummer Lex Humphries and the younger brother of bassist and Jazz Messenger-to-be Spanky De Brest. Connors was in junior high when he began sneaking into jazz clubs and sat in for Elvin Jones at a John Coltrane gig.
Norman Connors - Invitation (Expanded) (1979/2015) [Official Digital Download 24/96]

Norman Connors - Invitation (Expanded) (1979/2015)
FLAC (tracks) 24-bit/96 kHz | Time - 49:06 minutes | 1,07 GB
Studio Master, Official Digital Download | Artwork: Front cover

By the late '70s, Connors had gained a new audience that was perhaps unfamiliar with his earlier jazz efforts like Dark of Light and Love From the Sun. Later albums like Saturday Night Special, You Are My Starship, and Romantic Journey had Connors putting R&B in the mix. This 1979 album is the follow-up to the classic This Is Your Life. While that effort seemed to attain a good mix of intelligent R&B and jazz, Invitation finds the formula a little diluted. This does start off on a good foot. The first track "Your Love Is My Ecstasy" features spirited vocals by Al Johnson and great drumming. Ada Dyer, who's also known as Miss Adaritha, handles the rest of the lead vocals.
Norman Connors - Take It To The Limit (Expanded Edition) (1980/2015) [Official Digital Download 24/96]

Norman Connors - Take It To The Limit (Expanded Edition) (1980/2015)
FLAC (tracks) 24-bit/96 kHz | Time - 44:35 minutes | 992 MB
Studio Master, Official Digital Download | Artwork: Front Cover

Drummer and stellar lineup assembler Norman Connors landed on Arista for Take It to the Limit, an album that continued the man's embrace of smooth R&B and gradual abandonment of jazz. The roster here is extremely lengthy; not only is there a group numbering at about a dozen that's dubbed the Starship Orchestra, but there's well over 30 other (!) guests who pop in and out of the mix in various capacities.
Norman Connors - Saturday Night Special (Expanded Edition) (1976/2015) [Official Digital Download 24/96]

Norman Connors - Saturday Night Special (Expanded Edition) (1976/2015)
FLAC (tracks) 24-bit/96 kHz | Time - 43:06 minutes | 961 MB
Studio Master, Official Digital Download | Artwork: Front Cover

Connors' strong Saturday Night Special is most notable for "Valentine Love," a Top Ten black singles hit. The romantic ballad, a duet between Michael Henderson and Jean Carn, arrived in time for February 14 and also peaked on the Top 100 of the pop chart. One can't help but feel that the whole LP is truly Carn's show, as she contributes her rich voice to a number of stylistically varied numbers.