- Felix Cavaliere -- vocals, keyboards

  backing musicians:

- Wayne Andre -- trombone (1975)

- Tony Jiminez Arana -- percussion (1974-75)

- Ken Bichel -- synthesizers (1974-75)

- Mike Brecker -- sax (1975)

- Randy Brecker -- trumpet (1974, 79)

- Gail Boggs -- backing vocals (1975)

- Hiram Bullock -- guitar (1979)

- Raphael Cruz -- percussion (1979)

- Ronnie Cuber -- baritone sax (1979)

- VInnie Cusano -- guitar (1979)

- Dino Daneilli -- drums (1975)

- Hank Di Vito -- pedal steel guitar (1974)

- Mervin Bronson -- bass (1974-75)

- Kevin Ellman -- drums (1974)

- John Farrell -- sax (1975)

- Buzz Feiten -- lead guitar, sitar (1974-75, 79)

- Steve Ferrone -- syndrums (1979)

- Paul Fleisher -- sax (1974)

- Earl Ford Jr. -- sax (1975)

- John Hall -- guitar (1974)

- Neil Jason -- bass (1979)

- Jack Jeffers -- horn (1974)

- Steve Jordan -- drums (1979)

- Steve Khan -- lead guitar (1975, 79)

- Mike Lawrence -- trumpet (1979)

- Will Lee -- bass (1975, 79)

- Ed Logan -- trombone (1975)

- Tom Malone -- trumpet (1975)

- Rick Marotta -- drums (1975)

- Edgar Matthews -- trumpet (1975)

- Darcy Miller -- backing vocals (1975)

- Marcus Miller -- bass (1979)

- Laura Nyro (RIP) -- backing vocals (1975)

- Gualberto Garcia Perez -- acoustic guitar (1974)

- Roger Powell -- synthesizer (1974)

- Deldon Powell - tenor sax (1979)

- Rod Price -- lead guitar (1975)

- Elliott Randall -- lead guitar (1974-75)

- Eddie Rivera -- bass (1975)

- Barry Rogers -- trombone (1974, 79)

- Pablo Rosario -- percussion (1974)

- Alan Rubin -- trumpet (1974-75)

- Todd Rundgren -- lead guitar (1974)

- Dave Sanborn -- sax (1975)

- Gene Santini - bass (1979)

- Joey Scarangelle -- drums (1974-75)

- John Siegler -- bass (1974)

- Joe Southworth -- lead guitar, rhythm guitar (1975)

- Larry Spencer -- trumpet (1974)

- Luther Vandross -- backing vocals (1979)

- George Young -- sax (1975, 79)

- Ed Walsh - synthesizers (1979)

- Leslie West (RIP) -- lead guitar (1975)

- Steve Cropper and Felix Cavaliere

- Joey Dee and the Starlighters

- The Rascals

- Treasure

- The Young Rascals

Genre: pop

Rating: 2 stars **

Title:  Felix Cavaliere

Company: Bearsville

Catalog: BR 6958
Year: 1974

Country/State: US

Grade (cover/record): VG / VG

Comments: minor ring wear

Available: 2

GEMM catalog ID: 5605

Price: $8.00

Two years after The Rascals called it quits Felix Cavaliere struck out with a solo album.  Released by Todd Rundgren's Warner Brothers affiliated Bearsville label (Rundgren also co-produced the album with Cavaliere), 1974's cleverly-titled "Felix Cavaliere" certainly had it's moments.  Cavaliere's blue-eyed soul voice remained in fine form and as exemplified by 'Everlasting Love' and 'I'm a Gambling Man' the overall sound came off as a continuation of The Rascal's latter day catalog mixing Latin, pop-rock, and lite jazz influences.  Since I've been a longtime Rascals fan the combination appealed to my ears though given the set's poor sales that apparently wasn't the case for most folks (the butt ugly album cover certainly didn't kelp sales).  Certainly a reflection of my age and upbringing (I can remember buying Rascals 45s), I'd argue Cavaliere was at his best when he sounded the most like primetime Rascals.  That made tracks like 'Summer In El Barrio' (with a fantastic guitar solo) and the pretty horn-powered ballad 'Long Time Gone' the standout efforts.   Elsewhere 'I've Got a Solution' made it clear Cavaliere's future didn't lie in country music, while the Rundgren-influenced 'Funky Friday' and the freakout 'I Am Free' were little more than throwaways.  The album was also tapped for a pair of quickly overlooked singles:

- 1974's A High Price To Pay' b/w 'Mountain Man' (Bearsville catalog number BSS-0300)

- 1974's 'Everlasting Love' b/w 'Future Train' (Bearsville catalog number BSS-0302)

So when compared to most solo debuts the set actually came off as a pretty solid undertaking.  Worth checking out since you can still score a copy on the cheap.

"Felix Cavaliere" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) A High Price To Pay   (Felix Cavaliere - Carmen Moore) - 3:32

2.) I'm a Gambling Man   (Felix Cavaliere - Carmen Moore) - 3:18

3.) I've Got a Solution   (Felix Cavaliere - Carmen Moore) - 2:29

4.) Everlasting Love   (Felix Cavaliere - Carmen Moore) - 2:52

5.) Summer In El Barrio   (Felix Cavaliere - Carmen Moore) - 3:18

6.) Long Time Gone   (Felix Cavaliere - Carmen Moore) - 3:51

(side 2)

1.) Mountain Man   (Felix Cavaliere - Carmen Moore) - 3:01

2.) Funky Friday   (Felix Cavaliere - Carmen Moore) - 2:26

3.) Future Train   (Felix Cavaliere - Carmen Moore) - 3:21

4.) Been a Long Time   (Felix Cavaliere - Carmen Moore) - 2:49

5.) I Am Free   (Felix Cavaliere - Carmen Moore) - 6:29

For anyone interested, Cavaliere has a nice website at:

http://www.felixcavaliere.com/

Genre: pop

Rating: 2 stars **

Title:  Destiny

Company: Bearsville

Catalog: BR 6958
Year: 1975

Country/State: US

Grade (cover/record): VG / VG

Comments: minor ring wear

Available: 1

GEMM catalog ID: 5604

Price: $8.00

Felix Cavaliere's career is a major mystery to me.  As a founder and leading member of The Rascals/The Young Rascals, he literally ruled the airwaves during the mid-1960s.  With that kind of pedigree you would have thought that a solo career would have turned him into an instant superstar.  Didn't happen.

1975's self-produced "Destiny" marked Felix Cavaliere's second solo outing for Todd Rundgren's Bearsville label.  Backed by an extensive collection of sessions players (the liner notes listed over 25 names including Laura Nyro, former Rascal drummer Dino Danelli and late-inning Rascals guitarist Buzz Feiten and drummer Joey Scarangelle), the results were professional, if hardly awe inspiring. While Cavaliere's voice remained instantly recognizable his song choices left you with the feeling he was looking for a genre that would put him back in touch with a rapidly changing audience.  The unfortunate result saw Cavaliere's considerable talents largely wasted on a forgettable mixture of overly orchestrated pop (the title track and 'Never Felt Love Before'), mindless lightweight AOR jazz ('I Can Remember'), and throwaway disco ('Love Game'). Hardly a ringing endorsement, but to my ears only three of the ten tracks were really worth hearing:

- In contrast to most of the album 'Flip Flop' had at least three things going for it: 1.) some great guitar interplay from Feiten and Steve Kahn, 2.) former Rascal Dino Danelli on drums, and 3.) a funky beat that you could actually remember.

- 'Hit and Run' deserved a nod as the album's only true rock song and the best overall effort.  Most of the credit belonged to Leslie West and Rod Price for kicking the song along with some nice guitar work.  Shame the rest of the album wasn't as good.

- While the jazzy 'You Came and Set Me Free' wasn't a fantastic song, it came the closest to capturing Cavaliere's Rascals-era vibe; admittedly the comparison was to the late-1960s/early-1970s Columbia-era Rascal line up.  

Three out of ten didn't make for a very impressive batting average so it remained a major disappointment that didn't really get much better with repeated spins.

Bearsville tapped the album for a US single in the form of:

- 1975's 'Never Felt Love Before' b/w 'Love Game' (Bearsville catalog number BSS 0305)

While in England and throughout Europe the single was:

- 1975's 'Flip Flop' b/w 'Can't Stop Loving You' (Bearsville catalog number K 15520).

"Destiny" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Destiny   (Felix Cavaliere - Carmen Moore - Darcy Miller) - 4:00

2.) Flip Flop   (Felix Cavaliere) - 4:13

3.) Never Felt Love Before   (Felix Cavaliere) - 2:50

4.) I Can Remember   (Felix Cavaliere - Carmen Moore) - 3:07

5.) Light of My Life   (Felix Cavaliere - Carmen Moore - Darcy Miller) - 3:59

(side 2)
1.) Can't Stop Loving You   (Felix Cavaliere - Carmen Moore - Darcy Miller) - 2:57

2.) Try To Believe   (Felix Cavaliere - Carmen Moore - Darcy Miller) - 3:53

3.) You Came and Set Me Free   (Felix Cavaliere ) - 3:27

4.) Love Game   (Felix Cavaliere - Carmen Moore - Darcy Miller) - 4:10

5.) Hit and Run   (Felix Cavaliere - Carmen Moore - Darcy Miller) - 3:51

Genre: pop

Rating: 2 stars **

Title:  Castles In the Air

Company: Epic

Catalog: JE-35990-1
Year: 1979

Country/State: US

Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+

Comments: white label promo copy; promo stamp on back cover

Available: 1

GEMM catalog ID: 5606

Price: $10.00

Released after a one-shot effort as a member of the band Treasure, Felix Calvaliere returned to a solo career with 1979's "Castles In the Air". Signed by Epic, support from one of the major labels should have returned Cavaliere to the public eye, but it didn't happen.  Co-produced by Cavaliere and Gengiz Yaltkaya the collection found Cavaliere wandering through a series of MOR-ballads and fluffy pop pieces.  It was certainly nice to hear Cavaliere's voice and originals like the title track, 'Good To Have Love Back' and 'All or Nothing' were bight and commercial, but by the same token they weren't particularly original or memorable. Sporting mild disco rhythms isolated up tempo tracks like 'Don't Hold Back Your Love' and 'Dancin' the Night Away' (the latter complete with syndrums) didn't generate much more energy.  Maybe I'm being over critical, but to my ears the set was simply way too easy listening.  Even at their most commercial The Rascals had retained a certain gritty edge and none of that characteristics was apparent here. It almost sounded like the songs had been written to ensure airplay, giving the set a forced commercial sheen the expense of soul.  Never less than pleasant, it was one of those album you could put on while you were taking an afternoon nap.   Elsewhere the album was notable as a Rascals mini-reunion with David and Eddie Brigiatti providing backing vocals on three of the songs, including a needless remake of The Rascals classic 'People Got To Be Free'.  Probably the most listenable of the first three albums, but still another disappointment ...

Epic tapped the album for a pair of singles:

- 1979's 'Only a Lonely Heart Sees' b/w 'You Turned Me Around' (Epic catalog number 9-50829)  # 36 pop charts

- 1979's 'Good To Have Love Back' b/w 'Dancin' the Night Away' (Epic catalog number 9-50888)

"Castles In the Air" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Good To Have Love Back   (Felix Cavaliere) - 4:17
2.) Only a Lonely Heart Sees   (Felix Cavaliere - Jay Tran) - 3:41
3.) All or Nothing   (Felix Cavaliere) - 4:22
4.) Castles In the Air   (Felix Cavaliere) - 4:00
5.) People Got To Be Free   (Felix Cavaliere - Eddie Brigati) - 4:07

(side 2)
1.) Dancin' the Night Away   (Felix Cavaliere) - 4:08
2.) Love Is the First Day of Spring   (Eddie Brigati - Felix Cavaliere) -3:30
3.) Outside Your Window   (Felix Cavaliere - Dan Beck - Willie Young) - 5:00
4.) Don't Hold Back Your Love   (Felix Cavaliere) - 5:18
5.) You Turned Me Around   (Felix Cavaliere) - 4:00