Lee Oskar My Road Our Road CD

It came as no surprise when Avenue reissued most of War's '70s albums on CD in the '90s -- many of those albums had been gold and platinum sellers as LPs, and the market for reissues of classic soul and funk was a healthy one. But because Lee Oskar's solo albums of 1976-1980 were far from the huge sellers that War's albums were, it came as a pleasant surprise when Avenue started reissuing them on CD in the '90s. First released on vinyl in 1980 and reissued on CD in 1995, My Road, Our Road was Oskar's third solo album. The highlights of this mostly instrumental pop-jazz/R&B date include the mellow "Up All Night" and the good-natured "Song for My Son" as well as the evocative "My Road" and the moody "Our Road," which features jazz saxophonist Pat Rizzo as well as Brazilian jazz singer Flora Purim. It's safe to say that the vast majority of War fans didn't buy this album; however, it's an enjoyable outing that did receive some attention in the quiet storm market. ~ Alex Henderson

Live Recording

Personnel: Lee Oskar (vocals, harmonica, percussion); Flora Purim, Julia Tilman, Joe Chambers, Maxine Willard Waters, Stephanie Spruill (vocals); Melvin Robinson, Paul Jackson, Jr. (guitar); Paula Hochhalter, Assa Drori, Don Palmer, Jerome Reisler, Ronald Folsom, Gloria Strassner, David Schwartz, Eugene Page, Erno Neufeld, Barbara Thomason, Myron Sandler, Jack Shulman, Armand Karpoff, Henry Roth, Harry Schultz, Stanley Plummer, William Hymanson, Robert Sushel, Mari Botnick, Raphael Kramer, David Frisina, Israel Baker, Marilyn Baker, Arnold Belnick, Bonnie Douglas, Arni Egilsson, Allan Harshman, Gayle Levant, Nathan Ross, Paul Shure, Harry Bluestone, Endre Granat (strings); Pat Rizzo (saxophone, horns); Gary Grant (trumpet); Dick Hyde, Arthur Maebe, David Wilczewski, Louise Dissman, Gary Herbig, Henry Sigismonti, Oscar Brashear, Vincent DeRosa, Gary Coleman, Earl Dumler, William Green (horns); Barnaby Finch (keyboards); Greg Errico (drums, congas, percussion); Harold Brown (drums); Airto Moreira, Laudir DeOliveira (congas, percussion); Moses Wheelock (congas); Lonnie Jordan (timbales); Papa Dee Allen (percussion); Diana Moreira, Niura Band (background vocals).

Audio Mixer: Ed Barton .

Recording information: Artisan; Capitol; Far Out Studios; Golden Sound; Houston; Record Plant; Village.

Director: Lee Oskar.

Unknown Contributor Roles: Keith Chambers; Jenifer Smith; Jamie Brown .

Arrangers: Eugene Page; Walter Hawkins.

Personnel includes: Lee Oskar (vocals, harmonica); Julia Tilman, Maxine Willard, Stephanie Spruill, Monalisa Young (vocals); Paul Jackson, Fred Onstead Tackett, Melvin Robinson (guitar); Pat Rizzo (saxophone, horn); Gary Grant (trumpet); Vincent N. De Rosa, Henry Sigismonti, Arthur N. Maebe, G. Bohanon, Dick Hude, Oscar Brashear, William Green, Gary Herbig, Earle D. Dumler, Louise D. Dissman, Gary Coleman (horns); Barnaby Finch (keyboards, synthesizer); Abraham Laboriel, Nathan East (bass); Greg Errico (drums, percussion); Moses Wheelock (congas); Laudir De Oliveira (percussion).

Engineers: Chris Huston, Norm Graichen, Wayne Neuendorf, Paul Ring, Tom Flye, Rick Houston.