Chic Take It Off CD

In 1981, a lot of rock & rollers were claiming that the disco era was officially over. Disco, of course, never really died -- a lot of the dance-pop, house music, Hi-NRG, and Latin freestyle that was recorded in the '80s and '90s was essentially disco -- but as far as many of the radio stations and record company A&R men of 1981 were concerned, disco was dead. And that was bad news for Chic, a group closely identified with the disco era. Even though a lot of Chic's work had as much to do with funk and soul as it did with the Euro-disco sound, Chic was unable to live down its reputation as a disco group. But Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards gave it a try with 1981's Take It Off, an admirable, if uneven, project that finds the group downplaying the Euro-disco elements. With R&B and funk as the foundation, Chic tries to branch out by incorporating elements of pop-rock on "Your Love Is Canceled," and jazz on "Flash Back" and "So Fine" (which shouldn't be confused with the "So Fine" that Kashif produced for R&B singer Howard Johnson in 1982). In fact, a few of Rogers' guitar solos give the impression that he'd been listening to a lot of Wes Montgomery. But as likable as the LP is, it didn't contain a major hit -- the single "Stage Fright" only made it to #34 on Billboard's R&B singles chart. And for a group that had enjoyed #1 pop and R&B smashes only two and three years earlier, that was certainly disappointing. ~ Alex Henderson

All songs written by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers.

Recorded at The Power Station, New York.

Personnel: Nile Rodgers (vocals, guitar); Bernard Edwards (vocals, keyboards); Fonzi Thornton, Luci Martin, Alfa Anderson Barfield, Jacelyn Brown, Jocelyn Brown, Alfa Anderson, Michelle Cobbs (vocals); Lenny Pickett (alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone); Vinny de la Rocca, Michael Brecker (tenor saxophone); Ronnie Cuber (baritone saxophone); Raymond Maldonado (trumpet, flugelhorn, percussion); Randy Brecker (trumpet, flugelhorn); Ray Jones, Raymond Jones , Robert Sabino (keyboards); Tony Thompson (drums); Roger Squitero, Manolo Badrena, Sammy Figueroa (percussion).

Audio Mixer: W.G. Scheniman.

Recording information: Power Station Studios, New York, NY.

Arrangers: Nile Rodgers; Bernard Edwards.

Chic: Alfa Anderson, Luci Martin (vocals); Nile Rodgers (guitar, vocals); Bernard Edwards (bass, vocals); Tony Thompson (drums).

Additional personnel: Jocelyn Brown, Fonzi Thornton, Michelle Cobbs (vocals); Ray Maldonado, Randy Brecker (trumpet, flugelhorn); Michael Brecker, Lenny Pickett, Vinny Della Rocca (tenor saxophone); Ronnie Cuber (baritone saxophone); Ray Jones, Rob Sabino (keyboards); Sammy Figueroa, Manolo Badrena, Roger Squitero (percussion).