RHYTHMANDBLUES a Society of Communicators TOP 75 LBUMS Organizes and Sets Goals

RHYTHMANDBLUES A Society Of Communicators TOP 75 LBUMS Organizes And Sets Goals

by Carita Spencer Weaver is part owner of Photo Carrier, a Weeks Weeks of graphic complete black and white photo service On On LOS ANGELES -A group ar- 1/21 Chart 1/21 Chart tists, photographers, illustrators and geared to local advertising agencies, art

I 1 ALL 'N' ALL 38 TURNIN' ON professionals in related fields have joined services and illustrators. After four years in EARTH, WIND & FIRE HIGH INERGY forces to openly address the dilemma of business he has seen a number of black en- (Columbia JC 34905) 1 9 (Gordy/Motown G6 -978S1) 35 16 talented artists who are unable to fully terprises experience heavy losses and SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER 39 IN CONTROL BEE GEES AND VARIOUS ARTISTS THE CONTROLLERS (Juana X698) 38 10 utilize their talents within the recording and some even fold "not because of the lack of (RSO RS 4001) 5 5 other industries because of "unfair, ex- skills, but because they weren't getting any 40 SEND IT 3 FUNKENTELECHY VS. THE ASHFORD & SIMPSON cessive and illegal actions." business." PLACEBO SYNDROME (Warner Brothers BS 3088) 41 17 The Society of Black Communicators in Case History NBLP 7084) 3 8 PARLIAMENT (Casablanca ONCE UPON A DREAM Media (SBCM) was formed in August 1977 A prime example of this is Polymedia, In- 4 LIVE! ENCHANTMENT as a non-profit organization whose primary corporated, which closed its doors two THE COMMODORES (Roadshow/UA RS-LA811-G) 56 3 2 12 focus is securing employment for the 50 - months ago because "major corporations (Motown M9 -894A2) WITH US 42 COME GO refused to look at us as an advertising THANKFUL POCKETS (Columbia PC 34879) 33 18 plus experienced and qualified individuals NATALIE COLE (Capitol SW 11708) 7 8 who comprise the organization. Of tan- agency," according to Robert Dochery, for- 43 BRASS CONSTRUCTION III mer president of Polymedia and presently a 6 GALAXY (United Artists UA-LA755-H) 44 12 tamount concern is the ability of black WAR (MCA 3030) 6 10 marketing con- 44 SOMETHING TO LOVE businesses to survive as a result of being free-lance advertising and 7 MENAGERIE L.T.D. (A&M SP 4646) 42 27 subjected to inconsistencies including em- sultant. 4 16 BILL WITHERS (Columbia JC 34903) 45 HEAR TO TEMPT YOU ployment opportunities. The society is "We were an agency with expertise in the 8 IN FULL BLOOM THE TEMPTATIONS directing action towards the record in- general as well as the ethnic market," said (Atlantic SD 19143) 40 9 ROSE ROYCE (Whitfield/WB WH3074) 9 24 dustry because they feel that this is an in- Dochery, "but the corporations never gave 9 REACH FOR IT 46 THE FORCE dustry in which blacks are responsible, in us the opportunity to work within the GEORGE DUKE (Epic JE 34883) 8 18 KOOL & THE GANG (De -Lite DSR-9501) 58 3 one way or another, for at least 48% of the general market. The only way we could get 10 FLYING HIGH ON YOUR 47 SUPERNATURE annual gross revenue. business was to get an ethnic budget from LOVE CERRONE (Cotillion SD 5202) 50 8 "Blacks are involved in the music in- someone." THE BAR-KAYS (Mercury SRM-1-1181) 11 12 48 ELOISE dustry as talent, record buyers and concert Cut -Backs 11 SECRETS ELOISE LAWS (ABC AB 1022) 51 5 CON FUNK SHUN ticket buyers, but then we have very little During its four year existence, the com- (Mercury SRM-1-1180) 12 21 49 LE SPANK part in preparing advertisements for the pany was able to establish clientele through PAMPLEMOUSSE (AVI 6032) 53 8 12 ONCE UPON A TIME ... LE record companies and this is what we want this method but more often than not lost DONNA SUMMER 50 COLLECTOR'S ITEMS to address immediately," explained Pren- business because of cut-backs in the ethnic (Casablanca NBLP 7078-2) 10 11 O'JAYS (Phila. Intl. PZG 35024) 47 7 tice Weaver, businessman and president of budgets of corporations it served. The CHIC 51 ONLY THE STRONG SBCM. Minority Vendors Conference was es- (Atlantic SD 5202) 16 8 SURVIVE "There is really no reason why we don't tablished a few years ago in order to give YOU HEAR LOU, BILLY PAUL (Phila. Intl. PZ 34923) 49 10 14 WHEN have stronger participation in handling the minorities an opportunity to present them- YOU'VE HEARD IT ALL LOU RAWLS (Phila. Intl./CBS JZ 35036) 14 9 52 ON FIRE advertising that is sent into our com- selves to large corporations and display T -CONNECTION (Dash 30008) 57 6 of records," 15 MR. MEAN munities to promote the sales their services. Dochery contends that these OHIO PLAYERS (Mercury SRM-1-3707) 15 7 ENCOUNTERS OF EVERY he continued. "We are more geared to conferences usually consisted of a lot of KIND things that stimulate blacks in the way of talk, nothing more. He emphasized that 16 DON'T LET ME BE MECO (Millennium 8004) 64 4 MISUNDERSTOOD advertisements, interpreting album covers record companies, specifically, SANTA ESMERALDA/LEROY GOMEZ 54 NOW IS THE TIME and point of purchase ads. We understand demonstrated their "callous disregard" for (Casablanca NBLP 7080) 13 10 HAROLD MELVIN AND THE BLUE NOTES (ABC AA 1041) 55 8 the black market better than whites do." (continued on page 52) 17 FEELIN' BITCHY MILLIE JACKSON 18 21 55 WINDOW OF A CHILD (Spring/Polydor SP -1-6715) SEAWIND (CTI 7-5007) 59 6 18 THE TRAMMPS III (Atlantic SD 19148) 17 9 56 PLAYER (RSO/Polydor RS -1-3026) 62 2 19 SUNSHINE EMOTIONS (Stax STX-4100) 20 10 57 BIONIC BOOGIE (Polydor PD -1-6123) 60 2 20 THE HARDNESS OF THE 58 HAVANA CANDY WORLD 48 SLAVE (Cotillion SD 5201) 21 7 PATTI AUSTIN (CTI 7-5006) 11 LIVE AT THE BIJOU 59 PATTI LaBELLE GROVER WASHINGTON JR. (Epic PE -34847) 45 22 (Kudu KUX-3637 MZ) 25 7 60 MAXIMUM STIMULATION 22 TOO HOT TO HANDLE THE JIMMY CASTOR BUNCH HEATWAVE (Epic 34761) 22 27 (Atlantic SD 19111) 52 9 FOR 23 BARRY WHITE SINGS EDDIE KENDRICKS AT HIS SOMEONE YOU LOVE 61 (20th Century T-543) 24 21 BEST (Tamla T7 -354R1) - 1 24 SONG BIRD DENIECE WILLIAMS 62 VILLAGE PEOPLE (Columbia JC 34911) 23 12 (Casablanca NBLP 7064) 61 17 BLUE LIGHTS IN THE 63 BORN TO DANCE BASEMENT PLAYERS ASSOCIATION 65 4 ROBERTA FLACK (Atlantic SD 19149) 31 5 (Vanguard VSD 79398) 26 ODYSSEY 64 WE ARE ONE FFUN, FFUN, FFUN - The Memphis office of Phonogram, Inc./Mercury Records recently (RCA APL 1-2204) 19 21 MANDRILL (Arista AB 4144) 46 13 hosted a party for its Memphis/Atlanta based acts. Shown (l-r) are: William Bell, Hamilton 27 NEW HORIZON CONNECTION Bohannon, Charles Allen of the Bar -Kays, Charlie Fach, executive vice president/general 28 10 65 LOVE ISAAC HAYES (Polydor PD -1-6120) THE DELLS (Mercury SRM-1-3711) 70 2 manager of Phonogram/Mercury, Lloyd Smith of the Bar -Kays and Karl Fuller of Con Funk 28 THE BELLE ALBUM BITCH IS BAD Shun. AL GREEN (HI/Cream HLP 6004) 30 7 66 THE DENISE LaSALLE (ABC AB 1027) 67 2 29 ACTION THE BLACKBYRDS (Fantasy F-9535) 26 17 67 TWO HOT FOR LOVE THP ORCHESTRA (Butterfly FLY 005) 68 3 30 SPINNERS/8 THE RHYTHM SECTION (Atlantic SD 19146) 29 8 68 KING ALBERT ALBERT KING (Tomato TOM -6002) 73 2 Comedian BIII Cosby, whose latest album is "Disco Bill" on Capitol records, will produce 31 TRUE TO LIFE and star in "Sitting Pretty," a comedy based on the novel by Al Young. The film will be han- RAY CHARLES (Atlantic SC 19142) 27 14 69 BEHOLD THE MIGHTY dled by First Artists Production Company which Sidney Pottier helped found in 1969. 32 FUNK BEYOND THE CALL ARMY NEW BIRTH (Warner Bros. BS 3071) 71 15 Since then Cosby has starred in three Poitier films. OF DUTY will Caesars Palace, now through February 1. The multi- JOHNNY GUITAR WATSON 70 LOVE Sammy Davis, Jr. entertain at 32 9 MAGIC (DJM DJLPA-8714) MICHELE (West End WE 103) 69 6 talented performer will also star as "Littlechap" in the upcoming Broadway production of 33 BRICK "Stop The World." (Bang BLP-409) 34 22 71 BABY IT'S ME DIANA ROSS (Motown M7 -890R1) 66 17 United Artists records has released a single by the Universal Futuristic Orchestra 34 COCOMOTION (U.F.O.) entitled "Theme From Close Encounters Of The Third Kind." The recording was EL COCO (AVI 6012) 36 16 72 RIDING HIGH FAZE -O (She SH740) 75 2 produced by Teddy Randazzo for Guardian Productions. 35 GOIN' BANANAS Tel Mahal has a new LP on Warner Brothers in which he ventures into the reggae mood. SIDE EFFECT (Fantasy F-9537) 37 8 YOU 73 LET ME PARTY WITH "Evolution (The Most Recent)" will be released this month. BUNNY SIGLER (Gold Mind GZS 7502) - 1 DO YOU WANNA GET Raymond Simpson, younger brother to Valerle of Ashford And Simpson fame, is also at WITH ME? 74 AT LAST THE PIPS FUNKY ... released He sings backup PETER BROWN (Drive 104) 43 5 (Casablanca NBLP 7081) - 1 Warners working on his first solo album to be soon. currently vocals for Nick and Val. 37 LOOKING BACK 75 CLAUDJA STEVIE WONDER (Motown M-804LP3) 39 5 CLAUDJA BARRY (Salsoul SA 5525) 1 "Star Booty" is the new album for Roy Ayers' Ubiquity. The group recently signed with

4E Cash Box/January 28, 1978