52 black WB Aims For Reverse Crossover Rock, Pop Acts Finding Increasing Black Acceptance By SAM SUTHERLAND tion and marketing lieutenants. Indeed, given urban contempo- "Since perhaps a year and a half rary formats' role in experimenting LOS ANGELES -For Warner ago, we've noticed emerging trends, with rock since the late '70s, the Bros. Records, the success of urban particularly among younger listen- Warner team agrees with peers who contemporary radio coupled with ers, from sub -teens on up," explains now see AOR, once deemed a bell- the coexistence of both new rock and Draper. wether for pop trends, as usually the black dance product at the club level "There has been a heavy percent- last holdout. "That's not overstating is making a reverse crossover the age of white pop product they've the case at all," agrees trade liaison new priority. been listening to, which has made it Marylou Badeaux when considering In contrast to the once clear clear we need to work more of those whether black and club exposure boundaries separating pop, rock and records, especially from the urban now represents the first major break- black product at the radio level, and contemporary end. And, as a result through, "especially when you look the typically one -way thrust for of dance music being handled at a progressive market like Detroit, breaking black acts on white for- through this department, we've nat- where a band like Tom Tom Club mats, Warner's core promotion and urally been able to work off that in- will break first, it seems to be the marketing staff in black music and put, too." case." dance increasingly finds itself on the As a result, Warner national and In fact, adds Cortez Thompson, FUN TIME -Kool & the Gang shoot a promotional video in support of their initial line of attack for new rock and regional reps find themselves typi- the label's national director of black De-Lite single, "Big Fun," at Adventureland amusement park in Long Island. pop product, too. To its now sizeable cally pushing new rock acts like promotion, Detroit is one of several Pictured from left are Transcontinental Entertainment Group's Dennis De roster of funk and r &b artists, label Tom Tom Club, Kraftwerk, Soft markets that now stand out in a Valiance, director; producer Beth Broady; group member Robert Bell; Poly - staffers handling black retail and ra- Cell and, more recently, Yaz, as well (Continued on page 54) Gram's Ken Reynolds; the group's James Taylor; and De- Lite's Martin Felg. dio as well as the still evolving dance as pop releases by Michael club market now routinely work a McDonald, a nominal Broadway wide spectrum of acts. cast project with a natural hook in That's the overview provided by "Dreamgirls," an AOR stalwart like Tom Draper, vice president and di- Peter Gabriel and other artists not The Rhythm & The Blues rector of the black music depart- immediately identified with black ment, as well as by his key promo- audiences. Quincy Jones Gets Extra -Terrestrial By NELSON GEORGE order albums are recommended. costs.... Reggie Andrews, who pro- Federal Judge Dismisses "Africa Dances" is an anthology of duced the Dazz Band's "Let It Whip," The Quincy Jones -Steven Speil- contemporary African music from is going to be quite busy. In coming berg connection previously men- 11 nations with liner notes that ex- months, he'll be working with Plati- Invictus Records Lawsuit tioned here (Billboard, May 22) is plain their musical and historic num Hook, the Dazz Band, and By ROMAN KOZAK beginning to bear fruit through an- background. John Storm Roberts' Rockie Robbins. ... The host of NEW YORK -A long- running ants" consisting of ABC companies other friend of this talented pair, Mi- book "Black Music Of Two Worlds" Westwood One's "Telling It Like It lawsuit brought by Invictus Records and executives; six were "Dozier de- chael Jackson. Jones and Jackson (William Morrow, 282 pages) dis- Was" history program, Lee Bailey, and Holland- Dozier-Holland Pro- fendants" including Dozier himself, are putting together a recording for cusses the relationship between Afri- his branched out on his own. He has ductions against 27 defendants-in- his publishing company, business children based on Speilberg's block- can music and black music from the sold "Radio Scope," a black enter- cluding ABC, GRT, Lamont Dozier agent and assistants; five were buster film "E.T.," which will be dis- Caribbean and all the Americas. tainment magazine of the air, to 27 and the law firms of Kitch & Suh- "Kitch" and "Krasilovsky defend- tributed by MCA. Jackson will read The book is accompanied by a three - stations and is currently negotiating rheinrich and Feinman & Kras- ants," representing the law firms; a special condensed record set that illustrates what the with several national advertisers. ilovky -has been summarily dis- and six were "others" including treatment of the ex- book describes. Both "Africa Bailey, who owns a recording studio missed by U.S.District Judge Avem Dozier's manager, brother, and tra- terrestrial's ad- Dances" ($10.98) and the combina- in Los Angeles, says the program Cohn for the Eastern District of other attorneys. ventures on earth tion of Roberts' book and the triple will run two and a half to five min- Michigan, Southern Division. The defendants were charged and perform a song album ($25) are available through utes and will cover all aspects of written "It may seem strange that a case with conspiracy to restrain trade, especially Original Music, 123 Congress Street, black entertainment, though music that has lingered for over seven conspiracy to monopolize, substan- for the album. Brooklyn, N.Y. 11201. will definitely play the largest role. Jones has years, generated 500 pleadings and tial lessening of competition, intent been edit- * * * * * over 500 potential trial exhibits by to misrepresent articles in com- ing and remixing Short Stuff: The veteran self-con- PolyGram's plaintiffs, and consumed so much merce, and the violation of Mich- parts of John Williams' "E.T." score black music market- as the tained band Mandrill has a new al- ing department recently time and effort can boil down to so igan conspiracy, unfair competition, musical background for Jack- held its son's reading. bum, "Energize," due out on Mon- fourth little," says Judge Cohn in his deci- and negligence laws. Sources close to the annual "dealer awareness" tage Records.... Bootsy's single meetings sion. "Why this case has taken seven trio say this album is a prelude to a best with small black retailers years to is cinematic collaboration between in years, "Body Slam," is available and one -stops. The meetings were "When closely analyzed, plain- unravel still a mystery to me," writes Judge Cohn. "All par- Jackson, Jones and Spielberg in the on a Warner Bros. 12 -inch single. In- held in 10 markets (New York, Chi- tiffs have thrown a 'dragnet' around ties, including defendants, often lost near future. stead of the languid tempos and gar- cago, New Orleans, Baltimore, everyone they believe was associated Meanwhile, back on earth, Jack- bled vocals of his recent efforts, Washington, Houston, Phila- with their falling out with Lamont sight of the forest for the trees, pur- suing lateral by -ways rather than son's new Jones -produced album "Body Slam" is a high energy dance delphia, San Francisco, Detroit, At- Dozier in 1973 -his companies, asso- seeking to move "Thriller" is due out in mid- Novem- record with a pretty acoustic piano lanta) by representatives of the com- ciates, fellow artists, manager, busi- the case to resolu- tion. Whether these were tactical de- ber. The album isn't finished yet, de- solo by Kae Williams Jr. The B side pany's regional and national staffs. ness agent, attorneys, and new em- is Bootsy cisions is not for me to say; I observe spite reports to the contrary, and the standard "I'd Rather Recent and upcoming releases by ployer. Plaintiffs seek to rest the even the Jackson -Paul McCartney Be With You" from "Stretchin' Out Kool & the Gang, Con Funk Shun, downfall of their business, however only that they consumed large amounts of legal single "The Girl Is Mine" is still hav- In Boosty's Rubber Band." ... De- Yarbrough & Peoples, the Bar -Kays, caused, with these defendants," he and judicial time to very little end." ing strings and other sweetening niece Williams and Jeffrey Osborne Leon Haywood, Robert Winter & continues. added. will be touring together soon, a Fall, Millie Jackson, Level 42, and The judge says that though the * * Originally, there were 32 defend- plaintiffs used "conclusory `buzz' package that should do well with Ray, Goodman & Brown were spot- ants in the case, but five were dis- words" in their various complaints, For those interested in African older fans. The two are going to use lighted through a slide and video missed in 1980. Of the remaining 27 they had "virtually no documentary music (Billboard, Sept. 18), two mail the same band, cutting down on presentation. defendants, 10 were "ABC defend- evidence." AFTER 13 YEARS WITH JOBETE Sawyer Starts Her Own Firms LOS ANGELES -Pam Sawyer, But Sawyer emphasizes that she songs with Ron Miller and wrote who left Jobete Music last year after remains on good terms with the "Last Time I Saw Him" with Mi- a 13 -year association, has launched people at Motown. In fact, she co- chael Masser and "If I Ever Lose her own companies, Pam Sawyer wrote Jermaine Jackson's current This Heaven" with Leon Ware. Productions and Barley Lane Music. top 20 hit, "Let Me Tickle Your Sawyer has spent the past year, The writer first /artist to be signed is Fancy," which was co- produced by since leaving Jobete, traveling and Greg Watson, with whom she wrote Berry Gordy. readjusting. She has little enthusi- and produced new - a song, "Sure Sawyer collaborated on that song asm for the administrative, legal and youreright," for the group Steptoe with Marilyn McLeod, with whom business aspects of running her own on Fantasy. she's written a hits, in- number of company, but says that after 13 years Sawyer says she left Jobete so cluding High Inergy's 1977 smash it was time to try her own wings. But she'd be more available to write "You Can't Turn Me Off." She she doesn't preclude the possibility main themes for motion pictures wrote "If I Were Your Woman" with of returning someday to Jobete and and also because some of her favor- Gloria Jones and teamed on her first says the door was left open. ite artists had left the Motown fam- hit, the Rascals' "I Ain't Gonna Eat ily, including Diana Ross and Gladys Out My Heart Anymore," with Lori Though she's lived in Los Angeles Billboard photo by Pat Rainer Knight. Ross scored No. 1 hits with Burton. since 1970, Sawyer was born and MEMPHIS MUSIC -B.B. King, left, jams with Jerry Lee Lewis at Memphis Sawyer's "Love Child" (1968) and Sawyer says she's generally more reared outside London. In fact, she State Univ.'s fourth annual Salute To Memphis Music banquet. King was this "Love Hangover" (1976). Knight hit comfortable writing with women, took the name of her music com- year's recipient of the organization's Distinguished Achievement award for the top 10 with Sawyer's "If I Were though she's also collaborated often pany, Barley Lane, from a `lunatic creative or performing arts; Lewis received the honor in 1980. Your Woman" in 1971. with men. She's written numerous asylum" there. PAUL GREIN www.americanradiohistory.com