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Monday, January 21, 2013

FIVE STAIRSTEPS - CHANGE OF PACE

While The Jackson Five may have been the group that started the kid soul explosion en masse, Chicago's teenage brother/ sister outfit The Five Stairsteps began their recording career a year before the nearby Jackson brothers '67 vinyl debut.

The Burke kids father, Clarence Sr (Clarence Jr was the lead singer), was a Chicago cop who moonlighted as the groups' manager and bass player. After cleaning up at local talent shows (including the tough crowd at Chicago's Regal) neighbor and impression Fred Cash introduced the family to Curtis Mayfield, who quickly took them under his production and A&R wing.

This track (their seventh and final release for Mayfield's Windy C label), shows a sophisticated edge to the songwriting (written by Clarences senior and junior) and an arrangement that shows off some of the psychedelic influences of the time (and shows them off quite well).

After many valiant attempts, it took until 1971 for the group to strike with a massive (and well deserved) hit: the classic "Ooh Child".

from 1967...

FIVE STAIRSTEPS - CHANGE OF PACE
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