- This article is about the record label. For SalSoul the Puerto Rican
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is a self-governing unincorporated territory of the United States located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of the Virgin Islands...
SalsaSalsa music is a diverse and predominantly Cuban Caribbean genre that is popular across Latin America and among Latinos abroad that was brought to international fame by Cuban and Puerto Rican musicians. Salsa incorporates multiple styles and variations; the term has been used to describe most any...
radio station see Cadena SalsoulCadena Salsoul, an entertainment-based salsa radio station, is the leader in Puerto Rico one of Arbitron's most competitive market ....
.
Salsoul Records is a
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is among the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment...
based
record labelIn the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
founded by brothers Joe Cayre, Ken Cayre, and Stanley Cayre. From
1974-Events:*January - The Ramones form.*January - Joni Mitchell releases her monumental album Court and Spark, supported by the single "Help Me" reaching the highest moment of commercial success....
to
1985-January-March:*January 28 - Various artists, under the group name USA For Africa, including Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Billy Joel, Cyndi Lauper, Steve Perry, Kenny Loggins, Willie Nelson, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, Kenny Rogers, Diana Ross, Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, Huey...
, Salsoul released about 300
discoDisco is a genre of dance music that that had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, psychedelic and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and early 1970s...
12-inch singleThe 12-inch single gramophone record came into existence with the advent of disco music in the 1970s. The first 12" single was actually a 10" acetate used by a mix engineer in need of a Friday night test copy for famed disco mixer Tom Moulton. As no 7" acetates could be found, a 10" blank was...
s, and a string of albums. Artists such as
Instant FunkInstant Funk were a 1970sdisco band, best known for their disco classic, "I Got My Mind Made Up".-History:Instant Funk came out of New Jersey consisting of Raymond Earl, Scotty Miller and guitarist Kim Miller. The group was then called The Music Machine and they were very successful as a back-up...
,
Loleatta HollowayLoleatta Holloway is an American singer, mainly known for disco songs such as "Hit and Run" and "Love Sensation" .-Early career:...
, Carol Williams,
Jocelyn BrownJocelyn Brown — sometimes credited as Jocelyn Shaw — is an R&B and dance music singer...
,
Double ExposureDouble exposure may refer to:* Multiple exposure, a photographic technique* A double patterning technique for improving the resolution of patterning semiconductors* Double Exposure , a Canadian radio and TV show...
,
First ChoiceFirst Choice was an American girl group vocal music trio from Philadelphia. The group produced the disco hits "Armed and Extremely Dangerous", "The Player", "Love Thang", "Let No Man Put Asunder" and "Dr...
,
Joe BataanJoe Bataan is a Filipino-American Latin R&B musician from New York. He was born Bataan Nitollano and grew up in the 103rd and Lexington part of East Harlem where he briefly lead the Dragons, a local Puerto Rican street gang before being sent to the Coxsackie Correctional Facility to serve time...
, the
Salsoul OrchestraThe Salsoul Orchestra was the backing band for acts on Salsoul Records. It was formed 1974 in New York., U.S. and disbanded in 1982. Their music featured elements of Philly Soul, Funk, Latin Music and disco. The Salsoul Orchestra included up to 50 members with instrumental section, arrangers and...
(led by Vincent Montana Jr),
Inner LifeInner Life was an American Rhythm and blues studio project of the disco era that enjoyed success with "I'm Caught Up " and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" . Both tracks featured the vocals of Jocelyn Brown and Leroy Burgess...
,
SkyySkyy was a R&B/funk/disco band based in New York.-Career:The seeds for Skyy were sown in Brooklyn, New York in 1973, when sisters Denise, Delores, and Bonne Dunning first met musician Solomon Roberts, Jr.. Noted record producer/keyboardist Randy Muller soon became involved with the project...
, and
CharoMaría Rosario Pilar Martínez Molina Moquiere de les Esperades Santa Ana Romanguera y de la Najosa Rasten , better known as Charo, is a Spanish-American actress best known for her flamboyant stage presence, her provocative outfits, and her trademark phrase .-Date of birth:Official documents in...
were at one time part of their roster.
Salsoul released the first commercially available
12-inch singleThe 12-inch single gramophone record came into existence with the advent of disco music in the 1970s. The first 12" single was actually a 10" acetate used by a mix engineer in need of a Friday night test copy for famed disco mixer Tom Moulton. As no 7" acetates could be found, a 10" blank was...
,
Double ExposureDouble Exposure was an American disco era band hailing from Philadelphia, USABand members were Leonard Davis, Joe Harris, Chuck Whittington, and Jimmy Williams and they recorded for the Salsoul record label....
's
Ten PercentIn 1976, Salsoul Records released their eighth release, Walter Gibbons' remix of Double Exposure's disco song "Ten Percent". "Ten Percent" was the first commercially-available 12-inch single....
, in 1976.
- This article is about the record label. For SalSoul the Puerto Rican
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is a self-governing unincorporated territory of the United States located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of the Virgin Islands...
SalsaSalsa music is a diverse and predominantly Cuban Caribbean genre that is popular across Latin America and among Latinos abroad that was brought to international fame by Cuban and Puerto Rican musicians. Salsa incorporates multiple styles and variations; the term has been used to describe most any...
radio station see Cadena SalsoulCadena Salsoul, an entertainment-based salsa radio station, is the leader in Puerto Rico one of Arbitron's most competitive market ....
.
Salsoul Records is a
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is among the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment...
based
record labelIn the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
founded by brothers Joe Cayre, Ken Cayre, and Stanley Cayre. From
1974-Events:*January - The Ramones form.*January - Joni Mitchell releases her monumental album Court and Spark, supported by the single "Help Me" reaching the highest moment of commercial success....
to
1985-January-March:*January 28 - Various artists, under the group name USA For Africa, including Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Billy Joel, Cyndi Lauper, Steve Perry, Kenny Loggins, Willie Nelson, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, Kenny Rogers, Diana Ross, Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, Huey...
, Salsoul released about 300
discoDisco is a genre of dance music that that had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, psychedelic and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and early 1970s...
12-inch singleThe 12-inch single gramophone record came into existence with the advent of disco music in the 1970s. The first 12" single was actually a 10" acetate used by a mix engineer in need of a Friday night test copy for famed disco mixer Tom Moulton. As no 7" acetates could be found, a 10" blank was...
s, and a string of albums. Artists such as
Instant FunkInstant Funk were a 1970sdisco band, best known for their disco classic, "I Got My Mind Made Up".-History:Instant Funk came out of New Jersey consisting of Raymond Earl, Scotty Miller and guitarist Kim Miller. The group was then called The Music Machine and they were very successful as a back-up...
,
Loleatta HollowayLoleatta Holloway is an American singer, mainly known for disco songs such as "Hit and Run" and "Love Sensation" .-Early career:...
, Carol Williams,
Jocelyn BrownJocelyn Brown — sometimes credited as Jocelyn Shaw — is an R&B and dance music singer...
,
Double ExposureDouble exposure may refer to:* Multiple exposure, a photographic technique* A double patterning technique for improving the resolution of patterning semiconductors* Double Exposure , a Canadian radio and TV show...
,
First ChoiceFirst Choice was an American girl group vocal music trio from Philadelphia. The group produced the disco hits "Armed and Extremely Dangerous", "The Player", "Love Thang", "Let No Man Put Asunder" and "Dr...
,
Joe BataanJoe Bataan is a Filipino-American Latin R&B musician from New York. He was born Bataan Nitollano and grew up in the 103rd and Lexington part of East Harlem where he briefly lead the Dragons, a local Puerto Rican street gang before being sent to the Coxsackie Correctional Facility to serve time...
, the
Salsoul OrchestraThe Salsoul Orchestra was the backing band for acts on Salsoul Records. It was formed 1974 in New York., U.S. and disbanded in 1982. Their music featured elements of Philly Soul, Funk, Latin Music and disco. The Salsoul Orchestra included up to 50 members with instrumental section, arrangers and...
(led by Vincent Montana Jr),
Inner LifeInner Life was an American Rhythm and blues studio project of the disco era that enjoyed success with "I'm Caught Up " and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" . Both tracks featured the vocals of Jocelyn Brown and Leroy Burgess...
,
SkyySkyy was a R&B/funk/disco band based in New York.-Career:The seeds for Skyy were sown in Brooklyn, New York in 1973, when sisters Denise, Delores, and Bonne Dunning first met musician Solomon Roberts, Jr.. Noted record producer/keyboardist Randy Muller soon became involved with the project...
, and
CharoMaría Rosario Pilar Martínez Molina Moquiere de les Esperades Santa Ana Romanguera y de la Najosa Rasten , better known as Charo, is a Spanish-American actress best known for her flamboyant stage presence, her provocative outfits, and her trademark phrase .-Date of birth:Official documents in...
were at one time part of their roster.
Salsoul released the first commercially available
12-inch singleThe 12-inch single gramophone record came into existence with the advent of disco music in the 1970s. The first 12" single was actually a 10" acetate used by a mix engineer in need of a Friday night test copy for famed disco mixer Tom Moulton. As no 7" acetates could be found, a 10" blank was...
,
Double ExposureDouble Exposure was an American disco era band hailing from Philadelphia, USABand members were Leonard Davis, Joe Harris, Chuck Whittington, and Jimmy Williams and they recorded for the Salsoul record label....
's
Ten PercentIn 1976, Salsoul Records released their eighth release, Walter Gibbons' remix of Double Exposure's disco song "Ten Percent". "Ten Percent" was the first commercially-available 12-inch single....
, in 1976. Salsoul Records also manufactured and distributed
Gold Mind RecordsGold Mind Records was the record label of guitarist Norman Harris, distributed via Salsoul Records.Many of the early Gold Mind tracks were amalgamated by DJ Walter Gibbons. These tracks date from the late 1970's; a couple of years later, Salsoul would revive some of the Gold Mind tracks like "Let...
' output. Because of the resurgent interest prompted by
Marky MarkMarky Mark may refer to:* Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, Hip-Hop group** Mark Wahlberg, the rapper-turned-actor who led said group* Marky Mark , professional wrestler for Stampede Wrestling* The old nickname of DJ Marky....
and
Black BoxBlack Box was a house music group popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The members of the group included a trio made up of a club DJ , a classically trained clarinet teacher , and a keyboard and electronic music "wiz"...
recordings in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the label's catalogue has been digitally remastered. It is notably more popular in
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
and the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
than in the United States.
History
The Cayre family had been involved in many entrepreneurial ventures before they stumbled upon manufacturing and distribution of 8-track tapes in the early 1970s, under the Caytronics label. They had purchased some catalogs of Mexican music (mostly in the Mericana genre) to distribute, and inadvertently infringed the copyrights of
CBS RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label founded in 1888.Columbia is the oldest surviving brand name in pre-recorded sound, being the first record company to produce pre-recorded records as opposed to blank cylinders. Columbia Records went on to release records by an array of notable singers,...
and
RCA RecordsRCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1983 and a partner from 1983 to 1986.-The RCA family of labels:RCA is the name of three different co-owned record...
by selling them in the United States. They mended fences with the major labels, and even acquired a sole license for North American distribution for some of CBS Latino catalog. This led to recording sessions that involved Bataan that were distributed by CBS. When the major label was unable to further market the music profitably, the rights reverted back to the Cayres and they were up and running in the record business proper. According to Ken Cayre, it was his exposure to the blossoming of early
discothèqueA discothèque, , is an entertainment venue or club with recorded music played by Disc jockeys through a PA system, rather than an on-stage band.Prior to the discothèque, most bars and nightclubs used live bands as entertainment.- Etymology :...
s which gave him the idea to record music specifically for the dance market.
The Name Salsoul
The label's name was conceived by artist
Joe BataanJoe Bataan is a Filipino-American Latin R&B musician from New York. He was born Bataan Nitollano and grew up in the 103rd and Lexington part of East Harlem where he briefly lead the Dragons, a local Puerto Rican street gang before being sent to the Coxsackie Correctional Facility to serve time...
, who recorded some of the earliest sessions for the Cayre brothers (predating the label's formation). "Salsoul" was street lingo for the musical culture of urban
LatinoThe demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American or Spanish-speaking descent."* "A Latin American."...
s who were absorbing African-American popular music and infusing into their own culture, as well as vice-versa. Bataan had chosen the name for an
LPLong-playing record albums are 33⅓ rpm vinyl gramophone records , generally either 10 or 12 inches in diameter. They were first introduced in 1948, and served as a primary release format for recorded music until the compact disc began to significantly displace them by 1988...
he made for the Cayre brothers.
The Philly Soul sound
As he admired the sound of the
rhythm and bluesRhythm and blues is the name given to a wide-ranging genre of popular music created by African Americans in the late 1940s and early 1950s...
that would come to be known as Philly soul, Ken Cayre hunted down the genre's best
session musicianSession musicians are instrumental performers or vocalists who are available for hire for live performances or recording sessions, as opposed to musicians who are either permanent members of a musical ensemble or who have acquired fame in their own right as bandleaders...
s. In particular, he started working with the key players behind Gamble and Huff's
Philadelphia International RecordsPhiladelphia International Records is a record label founded by Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff in 1971. It was famous for showcasing the subgenre of Philadelphia soul, and had a distribution deal with CBS Records until 1984, when distribution of the catalog from 1976 to the present was taken over by...
label and its predecessor/creative core: Gamble and Huff productions.
Gamble and HuffKenneth Gamble and Leon Huff are an American songwriting and record production team that have written and produced over 170 gold and platinum records. They were pioneers of Philadelphia soul and the in-house creative team for the Philadelphia International record label...
were in dispute with their key musicians over business matters, and Salsoul quickly put them under contract. Among these Philly soul artists tapped for Salsoul were Vince Montana (orchestral arrangements and vibes),
Norman HarrisNorman Harris was an American guitarist, producer, arranger and songwriter associated with Philly soul. He was a founding member of MFSB and one-third of the production trio of Baker-Harris-Young...
(lead and rhythm guitar, arrangements, songwriting and production), Ronnie Baker (bass guitar, arrangement and production),
Earl YoungEarl Verdelle Young is a former American athlete, winner of gold medal in 4x400 m relay at the 1960 Summer Olympics....
(drums and percussion),
Bunny SiglerBunny Sigler is a pop and R&B songwriter and record producer who has done extensive work with the team of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, and who was instrumental in creating the "Philly Sound" in the early 1970s. He is nicknamed "Mr...
and others. Baker and Young are now widely credited with crystallizing the sound and structure of a
discoDisco is a genre of dance music that that had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, psychedelic and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and early 1970s...
record.
Young's insistent use of the Hihat
cymbalCymbals are a common percussion instrument. Cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys; see cymbal making for a discussion of their manufacture. The greater majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs sound a...
made it easy for
DJsA disc jockey is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, dis
k referred to phonograph records, while dis
c referred to the Compact Disc, and has become the more common spelling...
to mix records in noisy clubs, as the high frequency of the cymbal stood out over the background noise and could be easily heard in the headphones of the DJ. Baker would plant his key bass notes on top of the kick drum of Young, making for a solid and thunderous bass sound. His widely-imitated signature style is best heard on the record
Love is the MessageLove Is the Message is Misia's second studio album, released on January 1, 2000. It sold 1,349,650 copies in its first week, making it the 23rd highest debut in Japanese history, and peaked at #1 for two consecutive weeks...
by
MFSBMFSB was a pool of more than thirty studio musicians based at Philadelphia’s famed Sigma Sound Studios...
.
The Cayres also chose to record at the top-notch Sigma Sound studios in Philadelphia (one of the earliest facilities to install 24-track equipment and in possession of one of the most admired "live rooms" for accommodating small orchestras). This is why it is virtually impossible for the untrained ear to tell an MFSB recording from a Salsoul Orchestra recording (the key players, arrangers, and recording facility were the same).
First Choice
Baker, Harris and Young had the
girl groupA girl group is a popular music act featuring several young female singers who generally harmonize together.Girl groups emerged in the late 1950s as groups of young singers teamed up with behind-the-scenes songwriters and music producers to create hit singles, often featuring glossy production...
First ChoiceFirst Choice was an American girl group vocal music trio from Philadelphia. The group produced the disco hits "Armed and Extremely Dangerous", "The Player", "Love Thang", "Let No Man Put Asunder" and "Dr...
under contract, and brought them along to Salsoul. Led by Rochelle Fleming, the group had moderate success on the Philly Groove label with
Armed and Extremely Dangerous (which Salsoul acquired and would re-release amongst its classic catalogue in the 1990s - leading to the misconception that it was a Salsoul recording). For Salsoul, First Choice would record a string of classic disco anthems, most notably "Dr. Love" and "Let No Man Put Asunder", which still remains fashionable with urban DJs even twenty years after it was issued as a dance remix.
"Love Sensation" and Salsoul's Revival
Loleatta Holloway's "
Love Sensation"Love Sensation" is the title of a 1980 song performed by American R&B singer Loleatta Holloway, taken from her album of the same name. The song was produced and written by Dan Hartman, arranged by Norman Harris, and mixed by Tom Moulton. It was a hit on the U.S...
", was produced by the late
Dan HartmanDaniel Earl "Dan" Hartman was an American singer, songwriter and record producer best known for the songs "I Can Dream About You" and "Instant Replay".-Career:...
and later sampled into "
Good Vibrations"Good Vibrations" is a 1991 dance song by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch from the album Music for the People, and was released at the end of 1991...
" by
Marky Mark and the Funky BunchMarky Mark and the Funky Bunch was a hip-hop group led by Mark Wahlberg . The Funky Bunch consisted of Scott Ross , Hector Barros , Duffy Culligan , Terry Yancey and Anthony Thomas...
as well as "
Ride On Time"Ride on Time" is a 1989 song recorded by band Black Box. It was later released on their debut LP Dreamland. The song was a chart success in many countries and a number-one hit in the UK and Ireland.-Music and lyrics:...
" by Italo-House pioneers Black Box. Black Box at first were reviled by fans of vintage Salsoul and Ms. Holloway herself, but after legal matters were settled, many lauded the Italian DJ group for exposing an entire new generation to the Salsoul Sound. It is doubtful the "second coming of Salsoul" in the 1990s would have ever occurred if not for Black Box's initial "borrowing" of Ms. Holloway's studio
vampIn music, a vamp is a repeating musical figure, section, or accompaniment used in jazz, gospel, soul, and musical theater. Vamps are also found in rock, funk, reggae, R&B, pop, country, and post-sixties jazz. Vamps are usually harmonically spare: A vamp may consist of a single chord or a sequence...
. After an initial "
white labelWhite label records are vinyl records with adhesive plain white labels affixed. Test pressings, usually with Test Pressing written on the label, with catalogue number, artist and recording time or date, are produced in small quantities to evaluate the quality of the disc production...
" period (a now-common "trial release" for a dance recording that is often unhindered by legal clearance for any samples it contains), Black Box had legally acquired the license to Mr. Hartman's composition and the use of the Salsoul recording. Ms. Holloway's work has since been sampled frequently, and the ownership of
publishing rightsLiterally, the right to publish a work.In the music industry, "publishing" is used as a catch-all shorthand for the administration of matters relating to the songwriter's and composer's share of income from a musical composition or recorded work....
for other recordings, most notably "Dreaming", has also been disputed.
Disco music received little in the way of serious historical study and documentation until the mid 1990s, when those studying the explosion of
house musicHouse is a style of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American and Latino American communities, first in Chicago, then in New York City, New Jersey, Detroit and Miami...
began to seriously documents its roots. An early champion for the elevation of Salsoul's reputation was English DJ, producer, artist, and label executive Dave Lee (aka
Joey NegroDave Lee is a British DJ and house music producer, also known by the stage name Joey Negro. Lee was born on the Isle of Wight. He has released music under a variety of pseudonyms, including the name Jakatta.-Career:...
), who himself had released several "borrowed" compositions under the moniker MDEMM (an ecstasy reference) beginning in late 1988: well ahead of Marky Mark and Black Box (late 1989 and 1990 respectively). He has since acquired the reputation of "chief historian of Salsoul" (though this title officially belongs to
Tom MoultonTom Moulton is an American record producer and originator of the remix, the breakdown section, and the 12-inch single vinyl format. He has humbly maintained that the last two innovations were pure accidents...
, who has the equivalent corporate position at Salsoul). Joey Negro has since remixed and contributed to the production of several re-issues from their back catalog.
Bethlehem Jazz
Early-on, the Cayre Brothers purchased the Bethlehem Jazz catalog for their 8-track tape company, and Salsoul and Bethlehem are now under the same corporate umbrella. Bethlehem's catalog is relatively small, but respected for its unique content of jazz recordings. Interestingly, Bethlehem Music Company seems solely focused on releasing Salsoul, with Bethlehem Jazz recordings being distributed by larger companies such as Rhino Records.