Nappy: Music Man - Soul-Pop-Disco-Funk-Crossover from Trinidad, 1975-1981

by Richard Mayers

Overview

Soca developed in Trinidad and Tobago, and while it's a music that has been documented, there are many areas in its history that are relatively murky. Bear Family's 2015 compilation Nappy: Music Man shines a spotlight on Richard "Nappy" Mayers, a singer, guitarist, producer, and arranger who began his career with a band called Embryo and had some solo singles in addition to working with other artists. Bear Family's disc -- which is exceptionally well-annotated by Dave Elcock -- contains 19 of these sides, all recorded between 1975 and 1981, drawing heavily from Embryo's discography and containing a fair share of singles from Nadie La Fond, in addition to singles by Ceasar, Sound Revolution, and Nappy himself. There's a wide variety of artists and the sounds are diverse, too, more than a soca novice might expect: it's Caribbean but it often plays like exceptionally lithe disco or smooth gossamer soul, dipping into perhaps expected funk and reggae, but there's also a bit of country-rock/soft rock on the closing "Let Me in Your Life." This wide range of sounds underscores how Nappy was indeed a music man but it also winds up sounding like an album of the greatest soulful ideas of the late '70s. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	11/06/2015
Label:	Bear Family Records / Cree Records
UPC:	5397102120916
Rank:	90044

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Wajang Woman  - Terrence De Castro  -  Embryo  - Richard Mayers
2. Soca (It's Soul Calypso)  -  Embryo  - Richard Mayers
3. Light the Light  -  Embryo  - Richard Mayers
4. 3 Way Situation  - Nadie La Fond  - Richard Mayers
5. Nothing Is Impossible  -  Embryo  - Richard Mayers
6. You're Too Easy  -  Embryo  - Richard Mayers
7. Wanna Make Love to You  - Nadie La Fond  - Richard Mayers
8. Ebony Girl  - Richard Mayers
9. Poor Man Son  - Richard Mayers  -  Sound Revolution
10. Music Man  - Richard Mayers

Disc 2

11. Wanna Believe in Love  - Nadie La Fond  - Richard Mayers
12. I Like to Make Love  -  Embryo  - Richard Mayers
13. Easy Breezy  -  Embryo  - Richard Mayers
14. Let Yourself Go  - Richard Mayers
15. Makin' Bacchanal  -  Ceasar  - Felix Ceasar
16. Go Down Dancin'  -  Embryo  - Richard Mayers

Disc 3

17. Hot for Your Love  - Nadie La Fond  - Richard Mayers
18. Love Is New  - Terrence De Castro  -  Embryo  - Richard Mayers

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Richard Mayers   Primary Artist
Nadie La Fond   Primary Artist
Son Sound Revolution   Primary Artist
Ceasar   Primary Artist,Primary Artist
Sound Revolution   Primary Artist
Felix Ceasar   Primary Artist
Embryo   Primary Artist
Richard "Nappy" Myers   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Dave Elcock   Liner Notes
Terrence De Castro   Composer
Richard Mayers   Composer
Felix Ceasar   Composer
Richard "Nappy" Myers   Composer