Numbers (Rufus album)
Encyclopedia
Numbers is the seventh studio album by funk
band Rufus
, released on the ABC Records
label in 1978. It was the band's first album without Chaka Khan
on lead vocals. The album reached #15 on Billboard
s R&B Albums chart, #81 on Pop and included the single release "Keep It Together (Declaration of Love)" (US R&B #16).
Khan returned to the band for the recording of the following album Masterjam, produced by Quincy Jones
.
Numbers would be Rufus' final album on ABC Records
. The label would be purchased and subsequently dissolved by MCA Records
, and the band transferred to its roster.
Numbers also marked the debut of drummer John "J.R." Robinson
to the lineup. He would remain Rufus's drummer for the rest of their run.
Singles
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
band Rufus
Rufus (band)
Rufus was an American funk band from Chicago, Illinois best known for launching the career of lead singer Chaka Khan. They had several hits throughout their career, including "Tell Me Something Good," "Sweet Thing," and "Ain't Nobody."-Origins:...
, released on the ABC Records
ABC Records
ABC Records was an American record label, founded in New York City in 1955 as ABC-Paramount Records. It originated as the main popular music label operated the Am-Par Record Corporation, the music subsidiary of the American Broadcasting Company . ABC-Paramount Records' first president was Samuel H....
label in 1978. It was the band's first album without Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan , frequently known as the Queen of Funk, is a 10-time Grammy Award winning American singer-songwriter who gained fame in the 1970s as the frontwoman and focal point of the funk band Rufus. While still a member of the group in 1978, Khan embarked on a successful solo career...
on lead vocals. The album reached #15 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s R&B Albums chart, #81 on Pop and included the single release "Keep It Together (Declaration of Love)" (US R&B #16).
Khan returned to the band for the recording of the following album Masterjam, produced by Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones
Quincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...
.
Numbers would be Rufus' final album on ABC Records
ABC Records
ABC Records was an American record label, founded in New York City in 1955 as ABC-Paramount Records. It originated as the main popular music label operated the Am-Par Record Corporation, the music subsidiary of the American Broadcasting Company . ABC-Paramount Records' first president was Samuel H....
. The label would be purchased and subsequently dissolved by MCA Records
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
, and the band transferred to its roster.
Numbers also marked the debut of drummer John "J.R." Robinson
John Robinson (drummer)
John Robinson is an American drummer and session musician...
to the lineup. He would remain Rufus's drummer for the rest of their run.
Track listing
Personnel
- Tony Maiden – guitar, lead vocals on "Ain't Nobody Like You", "Keep It Together (Declaration of Love)", "Bet My Dreams", "Pleasure Dome", and "Life in the City", background vocals, clavinet
- Kevin MurphyKevin Murphy (musician)Kevin Murphy is an American keyboardist. He has played with The American Breed and was a founder of Rufus .-References:...
– keyboards - Bobby Watson – bass, guitar, clavinet
- John "J.R." RobinsonJohn Robinson (drummer)John Robinson is an American drummer and session musician...
– drums, percussion - David "Hawk" WolinskiHawk WolinskiDavid J. "Hawk" Wolinski is an American keyboardist, songwriter and record producer probably best known for his work with the funk band Rufus and their lead singer Chaka Khan....
– keyboards, lead vocals on "You're to Blame", "Don't You Sit Alone" and "Are We?", background vocals, guitar - Rufus – lead vocals on "Dancin' Mood"
- Everett Bryson – percussion
- Richard Mikuls – guitar
- Truman Thomas – piano on "Keep It Together (Declaration of Love)"
- Chuck "The German" Brooke – tenor sax, flute
- John "Iron Lips" Erwin – trombone
- Bob "The Professor" Greve – baritone sax, flute
- Dave Grover – trumpet, slide trumpet, trombone
- Bill Lamb – trumpet, slide trumpet, trombone, bass trombone
- Helen Lowe – lead vocals on "Ain't Nobody Like You", background vocals
- Lalomie Washburn – background vocals
- Maxayne – lead vocals on "Are We?", background vocals
- Freddie HubbardFreddie HubbardFrederick Dewayne "Freddie" Hubbard was an American jazz trumpeter. He was known primarily for playing in the bebop, hard bop and post bop styles from the early 1960s and on...
– trumpet on "Bet My Dreams" - Harvey MasonHarvey MasonHarvey William Mason is an American jazz drummer. He has worked with many jazz and fusion artists such as Bob James, The Brecker Brothers, Lee Ritenour, Herbie Hancock's Headhunters and almost all the Mizell Brothers productions with Donald Byrd, Johnny Hammond, Bobbi Humphrey and Gary Bartz...
– drums on "Pleasure Dome"
Production
- Rufus – producer, mixing
- Roy HaleeRoy HaleeRoy Halee is an American record producer and engineer, best known for working with Simon and Garfunkel.Halee grew up on Long Island, New York. His father, also named Roy Halee, provided the singing voice for Mighty Mouse in late 1940s Terrytoons cartoons, as well as the voices of Heckle and Jeckle...
– producer, engineer, mixing - Thom WilsonThom Wilson-Thom Wilson:Thom Wilson is a now-retired American punk rock record producer and engineer.-Career:Wilson began his musical career in the mid-1970s, engineering recordings by soft rock artits Burton Cummings and Seals & Crofts. He began working on punk rock albums in the early 1980s while producing...
– engineer - Allen Zentz – audio mastering
- Ernie FreemanErnie FreemanErnie Freeman was an American pianist, organist and arranger.In 1935 he began playing in local Cleveland area nightclubs, and also formed a classical music trio for local social functions with his father and his sister Evelyn...
– string arrangements and conductor
Charts
Album| Year | Album | Chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
US R&B Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
||
| 1979 | Numbers | 14 | 1 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US R&B Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
||
| 1979 | "Keep It Together (Declaration of Love)" | 109 | 16 |
| "Ain't Nobody Like You" | — | — | |