Radiance | Pick-n-Choose
Album Review: Radiance | Pick-n-Choose
By Charles F. Sherard
For some of you players searching deep for a funk anthem from the 80's - look for this:
The group that landed on Quincy Jones Qwest Record label back in 1985, Radiance & the master jammin' wonder "Pick-n-Choose". This scratch-less vinyl spun around my turntable before the Super Bowl & made my fellas before the game rub their cheeks. With hands on their faces, the questions "Who is that Charles", "Hey Dawg, What's that bumpin in the background", & "Hey Brahtha, hook me up a copy, will ya'?
It all sounds too familiar huh? Well I don't blame them.
Radiance came straight to the front line in 1985 with enough electro-R&B, synthesizer programming energy that many folks may instantly compare them to Midnight Star, Atlantic Starr, & all electro R&B funk bands that kept us movin' at the NCO Club on Thursday & Saturday Nights.
The members straight from Oakland, Cali.: Kenneth Taylor, Leonard Polk, Frank Funchess, Eric Young, Byron Gibson, Tyrone Triggs, & Kenneth Mitchell all came together & magnified the power of R&B on a stage front not much appreciated these days. In todays' realm of R&B music, there's not many R&B bands or groups still remaining. Well except Mint Condition. I mean lets face it: When you need a grooveline to stick to your brain cells, these guys came with the package. After all of these years, 25 & going, its STILL stickin' to my brain cells.
By now, the volume control to "Electra-Fine Lady" may be turned up in your office. Maybe in your house. Then, its backed up with "Fresshh". Ok, guess what - we are on to something huh? Follow me...
The jams continue. You got the album title track, "Pick-N-Choose", which will find its way into your boombox, you got the vocal streaming vocoder in "Snake It/Break it"...where it sounds a whole lot like 'freak-a-zoid from Midnight Star....You got "Where Da Freaks At?", which reminded me of the same question I had in mind when I wanted to get my mack on near the dancefloor with a honey & finally, you got "All Night", which I have a very strong feeling you'll be doing, playing this record back once I get done with this review.
They tapered off the slacks with a slow jam in "Can't Keep My Hands To Myself", which found its way to one of my mixtapes.
Hurry up. Snatch this record somewhere made available. You are gonna appreciate my request. Randy & Marvin you too. I called T up & he said he already had it. The funk lives right here, so please help keep the funk alive.
Peace,
Charles F. Sherard
The Urban Music Scene
Posted by Administration at 2/7/2010 1:55 PM 
Categories: Funk, Rhythm and Blues, Old School Soul, Videos, Perspectives
Tags: 80s Music Music Videos
Categories: Funk, Rhythm and Blues, Old School Soul, Videos, Perspectives
Tags: 80s Music Music Videos
Charles,
As much as I love my East Coast & Midwest Funk, the West Coast Funk was well represented during my mid '80's cassette purchasing days ! Radiance held it down.
For a minute there when I saw the cover and title, I thought it was Maryland's own, System produced, Radiant ! 'Member dem ?!
Speaking of West Coastal Funk, were you up on Dreamboy on Qwest ? It's a shame record companies don't sign bands like that anymore, but now days, who needs them.
Good Pick Dawg !!
Randy
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Ran,
The West Coast rocked just as hard as the East. Man, This group was beyond the timezone. Hopefully they are still alive & can read my appreciation for the album.
Yeah I remember Dreamboy. Didnt they come out with a lot of slow jsms though? I got 2 records by them and they had a slow jam classic.
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1984's "Don't Go" was the slow jam you're referring to, but yeah, they leaned more towards the ballad side.
Hey man, can I suggest tracking those brothers in Radiance down ? Ya neva know.
R.M.
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Nah, I'll leave that up to Terrill. He got this thing poppin'.
Actually Dreamboy had several slow jams on the radar.
Remember Marc Sedane?
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I hear you man ! .... Oh yeah, I had both those Sadane album son cassette. Unfortunately I lost them both, bummer
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I'm still playing Radiance. Its a very good album.
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Fellas,
After playing it back myself, the record label or the forces that be needs to re-release this digitally. The album was straight up sound & strong.
JaS
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good documentary about them, made by RaDIaNCE-keyboardist Frank Funchess :
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2872623461516374269&q=Radiance+are+you+ready+for+showtime
Live in '85 :
http://www.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoId=2410649&searchid=b143e621-0fc3-412c-b993-4eb7cb1920fc
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Great flashback pix on their myspace : http://www.myspace.com/radiancethelegends
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Tell me how to contact the author of this article?
Thanks in advance!
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