Category Funk/R&B

Finis Henderson – Finis (1983)

01. Skip To My Lou
02. Making Love
03. Lovers
04. You Owe It All To Love
05. Blame It On The Night
06. Percussion Intro
07. Call Me
08. Vina Del Mar
09. Crush On You
10. I’d Rather Be Gone
11. School Girl

Album info @Discogs

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Deon Estus – Spell (1988)

Deon Estus - Spell (1988)

01. Me Or The Rumors (The Jellybean Remix)
02. Spell
03. Love Me Over
04. You’re The Only One
05. False Start
06. Heaven Help Me (Feat. George Michael)
07. Blue Envelope
08. Love Can’t Wait
09. Solid Ground
10. Me Or The Rumors (The George Michael Mix)

Album info @Discogs

Deon Estus (born Jeffery Deon Estus, 1956, Detroit, Michigan) is an American bassist and singer, best known as the bass player of Wham! and as George Michael’s bassist on the latter’s first two subsequent solo projects.

Estus was born in Detroit and graduated from Northwestern High School in 1974. He sang second tenor in the choir at Northwestern under the direction of Brazel Dennard. His bass (guitar) teacher was the late James Jamerson of Motown’s The Funk Brothers.

Estus joined the R&B band Brainstorm as a teenager, recording two albums with them and scoring a hit with “Popcorn”. During the early 1980s, he appeared as a session bassist on several mainstream albums, including Marvin Gaye’s 1982 comeback album, Midnight Love.[1] After his bass talents were recognized, he was invited to join the UK pop group, Wham!. He went on to tour China with Wham! and later backed Wham! frontman George Michael on his ‘Faith’ tour. He also participated in the late-1980s collective, Boogie Box High, which was spearheaded by George Michael’s cousin, Andros Georgiou, and featured Michael along with other high-profile musicians; Estus appears on the group’s only album, Outrageous, released in 1989. Estus later performed with Michael at Rock in Rio and has continued to play bass as part of Michael’s backing band.

In 1989, Estus released a solo album entitled Spell, produced by Colin Campsie & George McFarlane, with several tracks produced by George Michael. Released before the album, the single “Me or the Rumours” reached #15 on Billboard’s Hot Dance Music/Club Play charts in 1988. In 1989, the album’s title track hit #11 on the Adult Contemporary charts. However, the album’s biggest hit was the #5 Billboard Hot 100 single “Heaven Help Me,” for which Michael supplied backing vocals. It also peaked at #3 on both the Adult Contemporary and Hot R&B charts. The album itself ultimately reached #89 on the Billboard 200 and #44 on the Top R&B Albums charts.

He has also played with Marvin Gaye, Tina Turner, Frank Zappa, George Clinton, Annie Lennox, Edgar Winter, Aaron Neville, and Elton John. He most recently produced and co-wrote songs for aspiring singer Julie Anne, who boasts a five-octave range.

Estus was in a domestic partnership with Brenda Kaye Pearce for four years until his death. He died on October 11, 2021 at the age of 65

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Al Jarreau – This Time (1980)

Al Jarreau - This Time (1980)

1. Never Givin’ Up
2. Gimme What You Got
3. Love Is Real
4. Alonzo
5. (If I Could Only) Change Your Mind
6. Spain (I Can Recall)
7. Distracted
8. Your Sweet Love
9. (A Rhyme) This Time

Album info @Discogs

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George Benson – While The City Sleeps (1986)

George Benson - While The City Sleeps (1986)

1. While The City Sleeps
2. Kisses In The Moonlight
3. Shiver
4. Love Is Here Tonight
5. Teaser
6. Secrets In The Night
7. Too Many Times
8. Did You Hear Thunder

Album info @Discogs

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Collage – Get In Touch (1983)

Collage - Get In Touch (1983)

1. Get In Touch With Me
2. Love Is For Everyone
3. Simple
4. Near To Me
5. Young Girls
6. Love In Time
7. Alien ZZZ

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Philip Bailey – Continuation (1983)

Philip Bailey - Continuation (1983)

1. I Know
2. Trapped
3. It’s Our Time
4. Desire
5. I’m Waiting For Your Love
6. Vaya (Go With Love)
7. The Good Guy’s Supposed To Get The Girls
8. Your Boyfriend’s Back

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Bernard Wright – Mr. Wright (1985)

Bernard Wright - Mr. Wright (1985)

1. After You
2. Who Do You Love
3. Love You So
4. Yo Nard
5. Too Damn Hot
6. Killin’ Me
7. Just When I Thought You Were Mine
8. Brown Shoes

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Kashif – Kashif (1983)

Kashif - Kashif (1983)

1. I Just Gotta Have You (Lover Turn Me On)
2. Stone Love
3. Say Something Love
4. All
5. Help Yourself To My Love
6. The Mood
7. Don’t Stop My Love
8. Rumors

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