Gap Band I

Gap Band | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 6, 1993)
• Original Release Date: 1979
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Polygram Records
• ASIN: B000001FB8
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #509,868 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

24-bit remastered reissue of 1977 funk classic, that'sunavailable domestically, packaged in a digipak with original artwork, rare photos, & new sleevenotes. 2003. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars The Gap Band 1, June 10, 2011

By 

Manic Obsession Music (ANAHEIM, CA. United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gap Band I (Audio Cassette)

1979 Mercury Records - Songs Include : Shake / You Can Count On Me / Open Up Your Mind Wide / Messin' With My Mind / Baby Baba Boogie / I'm In Love / Got To Get Away / I Can Sing

5.0 out of 5 stars "First Mercury label debut from the Wilson brothers", February 6, 2007

By 

M. Spencer "soul brother #1" (Stockbridge, GA by way of D.C.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gap Band I (Audio CD)

In early 1979 the Gap now reduced down to a trio hooked up with L.A. producer/labelowner and came out with their self titled debut on Mercury Records. This was their second self titled after and third album overall after being signed to fellow Tulsa native Leon Russell's Shelter Records. The first two album featured a different lineup and consisted of eleven other members, but the albums sold poorly therefore they had to come up with another plan for group. After hooking up with Lonnie Simmons they knew they found the right producer to start them off with a classic album. The first single "Shake" was very diso-ish and found a home in discos across the country along with "Baby Baby Boogie" with it's four on the floor drum beat and female background singers basically repeating the same chant throughout the song. But this album is also filled with some great ballads such as "You Can Count On Me" and "I'm In Love" which is my favorite song off this album and is also cover beautifully by Mary J. Blige twenty years later on her Mary album (although I do love the Gap Bands version much better). There's really no hardcore funk tunes on here unless you include "Shake" and "Open Up Your Mind (Wide)" with the latter being more on the midtempo side with it's great bass work played by Robert Wilson. Label owner Lonnie Simmon displays some great production throughout the album with the great Charlie Wilson handling keyboards,drums, and all lead vocals with brother Ronnie on piano,trumpet,fluglehorn, and trumpet. This album also has some superb horn and string work and excellent session musicians such as sax player Don Myrick who's also known for playing with Earth Wind & Fire. But to sum it up great way to comeback with an awesome major label debut and just the beginning of a marvelous body of work while at Mercury/Total Experience Records.

3.0 out of 5 stars pretty good debut from the Gappers, June 27, 2004

By 

A customer "mistermaxxx" (usa) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Gap Band I (Audio CD)

you can tell from this Set that the Gap Band had a direction of where they were going musically.you could tell early on that Charlie Wilson was gonna be a Voice that was gonna be a force for a long time to come.the Grooves had a P-FUNk,Influence amongest a few other Bands of the Era but yet you could tell the Gap Band were gonna have there own Bag&way of sounding in the years to come.