New direction for Jaye P Morgan
A music fan | 01/16/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"At the start of the 1970s, singer Jaye P Morgan completely reivented herself. In an effort to stay contemporary and appeal to a younger audience, she discarded her conservative image and updated her repertoire. Sporting a hip new look and attitude, she would be almost unrecognizable from the persona that she projected during the previous two decades. You won't find any trace of her big band/supper club sound in this self titled album from 1976. The light disco rhythm heard in the opening track is pervasive throughout several others. Her style here is obviously more funky. She's even backed by the ubiquitous black female soul group. Produced by a young David Foster, the album includes songs by composers Stevie Wonder and Valerie Simpson. It was originally released on a small west coast label. At the time, Jaye P's celebrity was largely generated as a game show panelist, where she gained notoriety for her risque commentary, especially on "The Gong Show." Unfortunately, the career move may have diminished her reputation as a singer. With scant promotion and limited distribution, the LP sold poorly. I am surprised that it has been reissued on CD. Then again, the Japanese have a talent for rescuing obscure albums from oblivion. Although some fans may not quickly embrace this new style, Jaye P, to her credit, was never one to remain a nostaglia act. She always continued to evolve as an artist in order to survive in show business. If you are thinking of buying this CD, don't hesitate. It will likely go out of print as quickly as the LP did."
