By brianday (212.137.218.99 - 212.137.218.99) on Sunday, March 10, 2002 - 09:01 pm:

the classic sullivans sounded just like the impressions ,who was in the group ,who produced ,owned the label and what happened to this fantastic sounding group and please all you soul boffins ,who else was on this label

By phillysoulman (205.188.192.47 - 205.188.192.47) on Sunday, March 10, 2002 - 09:26 pm:

I had the distinction of having produced the very first Kwansa(it actually should be Kwanzaa according to it;s African deritive)
The record was by Terry Collins entitled I L.O.V.E. Y.O.U.He sas a discovery of mine that I found in Pittsburgh, during a show where he was with the Marcels as the lead singer replacement, albeit WAY younger. 26 at the time.
This was just after New tear's in 1972.
He had a Pendergrass/Edwin S. kind of voice and a commanding presence.
I recorded several songs on "spec"with him at Sigma and Stan Watson of Philly Groove liked them.
He was doing a deal with Warner bros. and they decided to start a joint venture and that became Kwansa( a Black American holiday celebrated around the Christmas season.
The joint venture was short lived and the classic Sullivans and the Black Ivory records were solely the property of W.B.records.

By brianday (212.137.227.136 - 212.137.227.136) on Sunday, March 10, 2002 - 10:42 pm:

wow bobby you do amaze me, whens the book coming out? thanks brian
any more info out there

By recordboyusa (208.61.5.193 - 208.61.5.193) on Monday, March 11, 2002 - 03:06 am:

Hi Bobby,
I have a record you did in 1975 with Terry Collins: "Oh, So Lonely" on Silver Blue 7301 (distributed by TK). Very nice tune!

Jeff Lemlich
http://www.limestonerecords.com

By phillysoulman (64.12.97.11 - 64.12.97.11) on Monday, March 11, 2002 - 02:50 pm:

I forgot to mention that Murray Schwartz who worked at Ruth Bowen's Queen Booking agency in NYC
was instrumental in putting the Kwansa thing together and had a vested interest in the label as well. Queen was named after Aretha, who Ruth managed for some time. When the first meeting took place with Terry, he almost blew it because of his erratic temper at that time . It has gotten him in trouble many times and has landed him in jail on ocasion and Sigma bailed him out. He seemed to fancy the company uf under age tarts!!
He was extremely talented though and could write a song about a "fart in a windstorm" and make it sound great.
He wrote many songs with me for other artistes as well, including would you believe Englebert(don't tell a soul, it would destroy my street cred)
The Joneses,Free Spirit, Albert King, Major Harris
among others.
Also, I think that Black Ivory may have had the only album ever released on Kwansa!!!!

By Ritchie (62.254.0.5 - 62.254.0.5) on Monday, March 11, 2002 - 04:59 pm:

Bobby

Too late! Engelbert's in your entry on AMG ;o)

By phillysoulman (152.163.207.201 - 152.163.207.201) on Monday, March 11, 2002 - 05:26 pm:

It was done on a whim, at Sigma, MFSB, the full monty!!!
I met him several years earlier on tour with the Three Degrees and when he came to philly I saw that he was at the music fair saw I rang up and got his manager and then was put on the phone to Enge himself. He asked what I was doing and told him of Love wont let me wait having just gone gold , and he just so happened to be adding it to his repertoire that very week, having just rehearsed with his band>
So I then said" so why don't we get together then" and I was in NYC two weeks later showing him some tunes and two weeks after that , in the studio. He is one of the nicest human beings that you can ever meet. He gave me a gold movado watch inscribed "Bobby, This is what you mean to me, Enge" That was the name of the first charted single. The album went on to sell 2and 1/2 million copies and is still a catalogue item!!

By soulsmith (194.42.250.98 - 194.42.250.98) on Wednesday, August 07, 2002 - 11:52 am:

Spyder Turner had a release on Kwanza in 73.Anyone know where this was cut ??

By Davie G (213.251.162.249 - 213.251.162.249) on Wednesday, August 07, 2002 - 03:13 pm:

Soulsmith,

I don't have the disc ( I take it you're talking
about "Since I Don't Have You" ? ) - I have the
producer listed as Joe Messina so it's probably
Detroit.

By MEL&THEN SOME (195.219.7.19 - 195.219.7.19) on Saturday, August 17, 2002 - 12:54 pm:

Hi Guys,I still have my Classic Sullivans on Kwanza,with Paint yourself in a corner.A nice item.Although Iam a sixties uptempo fan,apart from other tastes,Ive always liked it after hearing it played at a club.Around the mid-70s I think.You mention Major Harris,what a voice.What did you write for Major HARRIS?Can you remember.A class act.MEL.

By brianday@cwcom.net (212.137.151.173 - 212.137.151.173) on Sunday, August 18, 2002 - 11:57 am:

hi bobby been listning to that eng album ,loved it , you should have got the stylistics ,to cover
"i loved making love to you" is that the 3 degrees on backing? also while am at it on eli second coming ,is that you making the orgasm noices,sounds like you was in pain,you must have
fell about the studio laughing, also i loved hopscotch ,you should remix it for the line dancing and novelty market now days ,change the bass line and modify the vocals