QUAZAR QUAZAR

TFS Release Date:09/06/2005 LABEL: ARISTA COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA Lps : 1 CONDITION: NEW STOCK STATUS : INSTOCK

Arista, 1978 Now here’s another golden nugget of Plainfield, N.J. fonk from the golden age of the Pee. Some more ‘archaeological’ grooves, if you will, dug up by the FunkStore. By 1977, George Clinton’s Parliament were making there creative peak. However, on the business side there began an era of much dissatisfaction from within. Some of the core members began to question about how George was running thangs on the business end, as in, where’s the dollahs!!. At the same time, those creative juices were flowing elsewhere ,as a whole new wave of bands sharing the P-Funk aesthetic and influence were beginning to spread there funky wings. One of those funky incarnations was a group called Praxis, which would later lead to the birth of Quazar (named for a starlike ,celestial object emitting strong radio or light waves). The group’s origins head right back to Plainfield (birthplace of both the original Parliaments and Funkadelic). A young Kevin Goins had formed a funk band out of a strong influence of Gospel and P-Funk. Indeed, mentor and musical guide/older brother Glen Goins describes the group as getting inspiration from the ‘key of life’ itself. Glen, arguably the greatest vocal presence that ever walked the planet had been on the road and in the studio with Clinton since the mid-70s, tearing up such anthems as Smokey,Bop Gun, Funkin for Fun, Big Footin’ and several others (check Parliament’s Clones of Funkenstein LP for a complete indoctrination into Glen’s powerhouse vocal sound). In his downtime, he’d head back to Plainfield and help Kevin hone Quazar’s chops. Glen left P-Funk around the time the "Funkentelechy Vs. The Placebo Syndrome" album came out I think. He was soon followed by master funk & roll drummer Jerome "Bigfoot" Brailey. Quazar at that time had begun to make some serious noise around the New York area and provided the duo the perfect ‘funk lab’ to experiment with new sounds and further develop and push the creative envelope. And on this self-titled debut they churn up a melange of raw and gritty funk& roll that makes the booty rock. Blaring horns (lead by saxman Darryl Dixon, who played the saxophone solo on Parliament’s massive ‘FlashLight’ hit), throbbing, heavy bass, and bigfoot drumming. The group apparently also put on a monstrous live set, as they were signed to Arista following a concert some label reps caught one night. Although Quazar was a very cohesive, polished unit, the sound kept its improvisational street-jam feel and rawness throughout all of the wicked, heavy grooves on this album. With Glen and Brailey at the studio controls it seemed there was no stopping this group from conquering the R&B world. The lead off single "Funk ‘N Roll" not only described the group’s sound perfectly but peaked at #11 on the Black Singles chart in the fall of ‘78. Then tragedy struck, Glen passed on from this world after a bout with Hodgkins disease and it seemed to put somewhat of a damper on the group’s existence. I don’t know exactly why they failed to continue but that seems like it contributed to it. Kevin Goins, a powerhouse vocalist in his own right went on to star with Bernie Worrell in the short-lived funk/new wave act Space Cadets. Jerome Brailey went on to pull a "Mutiny on the Mamaship". Master keyboardist Greg Fitz went on to various session work(a lot of it within the P-Funk camp) and can be heard today with Bernie’s Woo Warriors. One of the truly creative ,progressive bands on the late 70s R&B scene, this was definitely a group who’s "Quazar" went out too soon.

Reviewed For TheFunkStore.com..By Funk Journalist&Atlanta Radio Personality~"Bustin'"Bob Mitchell

Compiled For TheFunkStore.com..By:Tylard Tatt II

**USUALLY SHIPS WITHIN 2 To 3 DAYS

TRACK LISTING 1.Funk Wit A Big Foot ~ListenNow 2.Funk With A Capitol G ~ListenNow 3.Funk n' Roll ~ListenNow 4.Workin On The Building ~ListenNow 5.Your Lovin Is Easy ~ListenNow 6.Love Me Baby ~ListenNow 7.Saving My Love For A Rainy Day ~ListenNow 8.StarLight Circus ~ListenNow 9.Shades Of Quaze ~ListenNow

/// TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK ///

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