Norman Connors 'Mr. C'

Norman Connors, the Philadelphia-born drummer and producer, may be best known for his jazz credentials, but this 1981 gem is a full-bodied plunge into post-disco boogie and slick street-funk. It opens with the radiant thump of 'She's Gone'-a Beau Williams-fronted burner driven by lush strings, sparkling Rhodes and a fat bassline built for roller rinks and basement parties alike. 'Party Town' brings synth-led bounce and slap-happy horns, while 'Keep Doin' It' floats in with satin groove and a vocal glide as effortless as its hook. Connors' use of drum machines and bright, tropical percussion on tracks like 'Stay With Me' shows a producer fully dialled into the era's shifting dancefloor codes. Side B leans in with the sultry 'Sing A Love Song' and the elevational 'Love's In Your Corner', featuring a show-stopping vocal from Jean Carn. The title cut is pure glide: a jazz-funk instrumental wrapped in understated class. This remastered reissue finds Connors' boogie-funk detour sounding sharper than ever-mature, playful, and deeply groovy.