line up 1 (1975)

- Kenneth Burke (aka Keni Burke) -- vocals, bass, gutar

- Clarence Burke Jr. (RIP 2013) -- vocals, guitar, percussion

- Dennis Burke -- vocals, guitar

- James Burke -- guitar

  supporting musicians: (1976)

- Steve Beckmeier -- lead guitar

- Ivory Davis - -backing vocals

- Ricardo Marrero -- percussion, horns

- Billy Preston -- keyboards, synthesizers

- Stomach -- sax

- Alvin Taylor -- drums, percussion

- Keni Burke (solo efforts)

- The Five Stairsteps

- The Invisbile Man's Band (Clarence Jr. Burke, Dennis Burke, 

   Keni Burke, Dean Gant, and James Burke)

Genre: soul

Rating: 4 stars ****

Title:  2nd Resurrection

Company: Dark Horse

Catalog: SP 22004
Year: 1976

Country/State: Chicago, Illinois

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: --

Available: 1

Catalog ID:  2554

Price: $20.00

Through /Beatles side-kick/keyboardist Billy Preston, in 1975 The Stairsteps were signed  to George Harrison's newly formed Dark Horse Records.   With Preston, Robert Margouleff and The Stairsteps producing, the group subsequently made their label debut with 1976's "2nd Resurrection".   

Maybe because it was so out of step with mid-'70s marketing and musical norms, I've always loved this album.  It's been in my collection since it was released (I bought it at a PX in Chevres, Belgium) and over the years I've played it countless times - talk about an easy way to see 34 minutes cruise by   With brothers Clarence and Keni responsible for the majority of the ten tunes, the result was an album that effortlessly flowed from start to finish.  It's one of those rarities - an album without a bad tune in the bunch.   Admittedly, it may have been a bit heavy on ballads, but the combination of the brothers' silky voices and their knack for crafting killer melodies more than compensated for that fact.  Where do you even start with the highlights ?   The bouncy opener 'From Us To You'?  The Latin-tinged ballad 'Pasado'?  'Throwin' Stones Atcha'?  Beats me.   So here's the funny thing about the album.  With Dark Horse being distributed by A&M Records, the group should have had plenty of marketing muscle behind them.  Unfortunately in an era when soul acts were mindless jumping into the disco cesspool, The Stairsteps resolutely refused to follow the trend.  As a result neither label had a clue what to do with the group, or this fantastic soul album.  

This is about as close to a lost classic as you'll find under the $20 tripwire.  Well worth checking out !!!

"Stairsteps" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) From Us To You  (Kenneth Burke - Clarence  Burke Jr.) - 3:39   rating: **** stars

To my ears 'From Us To You' always bore a resemblance to Graham Central Station (Kenneth Burke sounded like he'd been studying Larry Graham's bass moves on this one). Sweet, silky, and soulful, it was easily one of the best things the group ever did.  Dark Horse tapped it as a single:

- 1975's 'From Us To You' b/w 'Time' (Dark Horse catalog number DH 10005 S)  #102 pop; # 10 R&B

2.) Pasado   (James Burke - Clarence Burke Jr.) - 3:09    rating: **** stars 

Sweet, Latin flavored ballad that has one of those slinky melodies that you can't shake when it gets in your head.   Gosh these guys had some amazing harmonies.   (The Pockets also recorded a nice version of the tune - their cover didn't stray too far from the original.)  The song was tapped as a single in the UK.

- 1975's 'Pasado' b/w 'Throwin' Stones Atcha'   (Dark Horse catalog number AMS 5507)

3.) Theme of Angels (instrumental)   (James Burke) - 3:19     rating: **** stars

'Theme of Angels' was an interesting and totally unexpected new age instrumental.  I'm usually not a big fan of the genre, but this one was so warm, pastoral and calming that it quickly won be over.   Nice introduction toThe Original New Timbral Orchestra (T.O.N.T.O.) synthesizer - one of the first multi-timbral, polyphonic analog synthesizers (Billy Preston at the keys).  

4.) Lifting 2nd Resurrection   (Dennis Burke - Clarence Burke Jr.) -  3:45    rating: **** stars

Smooth, Gospel-tinged soul ballad with Clarence and Dennis sharing lead vocals.  With a killer rhythm section (Kenneth on bass and Alvin Taylor on drums), what wasn't too like on this one?

5.) Time   (Clarence Burke Jr. - Syreeta Wright) - 3:48    rating: **** stars

Co-written with Stevie Wonder's first wife, 'Time' was easily the album's best ballad - silky sweet melody, sexy delivery, and also surprisingly thought provoking.   Should have been a massive hit for the group.

(side 2)
1.) Throwin' Stones Atcha   (Clarence Burke Jr.) - 3:04    rating: **** stars

Wonder how many times Taylor's opening drum segment has been sampled ...  The Jacksons could only dream of recording something as slinky as 'Throwin' Stones Atcha'.  And it even had an uplifting message to it.  Maybe my favorite performance on the album and another tune that should have been a single.

2.) Far East (instrumental)   (Clarence Burke Jr.) -1:06   rating: *** stars

Jazzy instrumental with what sounded like a bit of bossa nova soul.  Steve Beckmeier on lead guitar.

3.) In the Beginning   (Clarence Burke Jr.)  - 2:53    rating: **** stars

Clarence on lead vocals, Billy Preston on keyboards with the song serving as a nice showcase for the brothers' sweet harmony vocals.    Another album highlight.

4.) Tell Me Why  (Kenneth Burke) - 4:31

'Tell Me Why' was a showcase for Keni - he wrote it, handled lead vocals, lead guitar, and the dazzling bass.   The Brothers Johnson must have gotten some of their inspiration from this one.   It was tapped as the album's second and and final US single:

- 1976's 'Tell Me Why' b/w 'Salaam' (Dark Horse catalog number DH 10009 S)

5.) Salaam (instrumental)  (Kenneth Burke) - 4:34

The prototype for "Quiet Storm" radio shows everywhere.  Dennis Brurke on lead guitar and Preston on synthesizer.   Curiously this one was tapped as a Spanish single:

- 1976's 'Salaam' b/w 'Pasado' (Dark Horse catalog number 6910 A) 

Unfortunately the band's biography gets a little fuzzy at this point.  The album did little commercially and the group apparently split up again.  Keni Burke continued recording, releasing a 1977 solo album on Dark Horse.  The solo album did nothing and after regrouping with his brothers in The Invisible Man's Band, Burke became an in-demand sessions player, releasing a couple more solo sides over the years.