RHYZE

Country:
USA
Genre:
Funk / Soul
Style:
Soul, Funk, Disco


Members:
Roscoe Taylor - Lead Vocals, Trumpet
Elisworth 'EI-T' Anderson - Bass, Lead Vocals
Vince Jackson - Guitar, Lead Vocals
Charles Holmes - Drums
Joseph 'Jo Jo' McKnight - Congas, Percussion
Kevin Barbee - Keyboards
Richard Menter - Trumpet
Kenneth Hicks - Sax

JUST HOW SWEET IS YOUR LOVE (1980)

Credits:
Arranged By, Conductor, Mixed By, Producer - Paul L. Kyser*
Artwork By [Cover Design] - Cyd Kilbey (http://www.linkedin.com/in/cydkilbeygorman)
Backing Vocals - Dudley Birch ( http://www.myspace.com/iankayandtheaccents), Leon Stuckey Bass, Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals - Ellsworth Anderson
Drums, Backing Vocals - Charles Holmes
Engineer [Assistant] - Julian Shapiro , Paul Stevens
Engineer, Mixed By - David Stone
Guitar [Lead], Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals - Vince Jackson
Mastered By - José Rodriguez (http://www.discogs.com/artist/Jos%C3%A9+Rodriguez)
Mixed By - David Stone ,Jim Burgess (http://www.disco-disco.com/djs/jim.shtml) (track 01)
(Paul Kyser about Jeffrey Burgess:"Jeffery Burges was my friend. We went to the same high school together.(http://www.soultracks.com/soul_generation.htm))
Other [Fashion By] - Dantes Formals
Percussion, Congas - "Jojo" McKnight
Photography - Chris Callis (http://www.chriscallis.com/)
Saxophone [Tenor], Trombone, Backing Vocals - Kenneth Hicks
Synthesizer, Keyboards, Backing Vocals - Kevin Barbee
Trumpet, Backing Vocals - Richard Menter
Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals - Roscoe Taylor
Written-By - Leon Stuckey , Paul L. Kyser (tracks 01-03,05,06)
Written-By - E. Anderson* , K. Barbee* , Rhyze , R. Taylor (tracks 04.07)

VIDEO:
"Just How Sweet Is Your Love"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlQpW4baZp8&feature=related

Tracklist:

01 Free (4:50)
02 Just How Sweet Is Your Love (6:13)
03 Home (4:50)
04 Do Your Dance (4:40)
05 I Found Love On You (5:47)
06 Relax And Enjoy (3:07)
07 Singing And Dancing (4:30)

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/234691299/rhyhoswe.rar

"Wonderful work from Rhyze -- a group who were always a cut above some of their dancefloor contemporaries! Most numbers here have a great sort of bounce and boogie-heavy feel -- but there's also an equally thoughtful ear for the vocals, which are often delivered with the depth of an older-style soul group -- no surprise, given the earlier work done on the scene by the album's producer Paul Kyser! There's a nice balance here with a few key mellow cuts mixed in with the groovers -- creating a depth that goes way past some of the simpler dancefloor sounds usually found on the Sam label, with a quality that easily makes Rhyze one of the classiest groups to record for the company."
(http://www.dustygroove.com/item.php?id=ffy8h7rn8g&ref=browse.php&refQ=kwfilter%3DRhyze%26amp%3Bincl_oos%3D1%26amp%3Bincl_cs%3D1%26amp%3Bformat%3Dall)

RHYZE TO THE TOP (1981)

Credits:
Arranged By - Paul L. Kyser*
Conductor - Paul L. Kyser*
Engineer - Roddy Hui (http://rodhui.com/ and http://clivedavisdept.tisch.nyu.edu/object/HuiR.html), Roger Keay (now works for http://mixonline.com/mag/audio_industry_notes_6/)
Engineer [Assistant] - Frank Scilingo (now works for http://www.seefactor.com/), Jim Doherty
Mastered By - José Rodriguez
Producer - Paul L. Kyser

VIDEO:
"Give It Up (Give Me Your Love)"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFhmAi2iC9M&feature=related

Tracklist:

01 Rhyze To The Top (6:15)
02 Give It Up (5:50)
03 What Can I Do About This Feeling (4:19)
04 Bizzaar (4:30)
05 Tonight's Gonna Be My Night (5:10)
06 Having Fun (4:28)
07 Overtime (4:47)
08 Party Of Parties (4:34)

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/234692169/rhytoto.rar

"An excellent album of modern soul from the early 80s -- with a smooth sweet style that should have made these guys a huge act at the time! The overall groove reminds us of some of the most successful 70s vocal groups -- especially some of the Philly groups, like The O'Jays or the Spinners after they started working in the City Of Brotherly Love -- but there's also plenty of 80s elements too, especially in the keyboards, basslines, and rhythms of the set. Yet none of these elements has the colder feel of the 80s groove generation -- and the whole thing comes across with a great sense of warmth that really matches the vocals, but still knows how to find a groove!"
(http://www.dustygroove.com/item.php?id=t4zcy25gdt&ref=browse.php&refQ=incl_cs%3D1%26amp%3Bincl_oos%3D1%26amp%3Bkwfilter%3Dbassline%26amp%3Bx%3D1%26amp%3Bpage%3D1%26amp%3Bformat%3Dcd)

"Rhyze were founded in the late 70’s and made two albums. ‘Just How Sweet Is Your Love’ for Sam Records in 1980 featured their best known (title) track, whilst a year late ‘Rhyze To The Top’ was on 20th Century.

‘Bizzaar’ is taken from the second and hardest to find of these, and has been popular in the UK for many years. It features a hook line not dissimilar to the Spinners ‘I’ll Be Around’ which may explain some of its appeal. "
(http://www.soulbrother.co.uk/groove_on_down_volume_2.html)



Biography:
As Paul Kyser added, everything started The NuSounds (early 70's) latter name was changed to Rhyze. Rhyze is the NuSound express. Vince Jackson was their singer. The Nu Sound Express recorded two 45s for the local Silver Dollar label. (Paul Kyser)

Rhyze debut release 'Just How Sweet Is Your Love' was issued by the Sam label in 1980 before they signed to 20th Century. Here their album 'Rhyze To The Top' (1981) featured 'Bizarre', popular with the UK soul fraternity and sounding not too dis-similar to the Detroit Spinners 'I'll Be Around'. The band split up shortly afterwards. (http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/Rhyze.html)

If you know more please message me!

!!!NEWS from 2009!!!
"me and Rhyze after all these years are now working on a new album" (Paul Kyser)


Roscoe's daughter added:

"A few tidbits about Rhyze. They were formed in Jersey City, NJ. Prior to being "Rhyze", they were known locally as "The Undefeated Movement". They never recorded under that name, however. They did record "One more time y'all" as the Nu Sound Express in the early 70s. Take a listen to this snippet of the sound I found on youtube...."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzxcGMN3Jqg


ALBUMS:
Just How Sweet Is Your Love (Sam 1980)
Rhyze To The Top (20th Century Records 1981)
!!New album in 2010!!

!!!NEWS!!!
"The new Rhyze album is due to be released this June 2010. Produce By Paul Kyser and some cuts co- Produced by Kyser and Rhyze. Look out for the cut called " The La La Song" It is dynomite!!" (Paul Kyser)


JOSEPH 'Jo Jo' MCKNIGHT
appeared on Secrett Weapon's 1983 album. The only other place he -or somebody with the same name-was mentioned:
he was in South Laurel High School Marching Cardinal Band 1998-1999
(http://www.angelfire.com/ky/slhsmarchingcards/seniors.html)

Perhaps i found KEVIN BARBEE
who works for Universal Studios now: "Kevin was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, and attended Arizona State University"
(http://orlando.bizjournals.com/gen/executive.html?excode=E2EDEFD936DF418D974A21667C6E2EDA&market=louisville)

ROSCOE TAYLOR
"Roscoe Taylor. And he's pop star abundant -- slender hips, lady-killer grins, mighty hairline and spindly Marvin Gaye charm."

He plays mainly in Phoenix clubs in different names like Roscoe Taylor Band /Roscoe Taylor's Motown Mania/Roscoe Taylor and Company and also as guest musician.
Also works with Tim Forces Experiance (http://www.cheznouscentral.com/tfb.html)

He guested on Carvin Jones "I'm What You Need (2007).

A great interview with lot of info on his carreer here:
http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/2000-02-10/music/pop-whiz/

(Photos of Paul Kyser)

BONUS FOR PAUL KYSER FANS:


SUPER DISCO BAND - The Super Disco Band (1976)

Credits:
Written-By, Arranged By, Conductor, Producer - Paul L. Kyser

Credits for bonus songs:

Calender - Hypertension (1976) (from It's A Monster Lp)
Conductor, Producer - Paul L. Kyser/ Written By Leon Stuckey , Paul L. Kyser/Engineer - Jose Rodriguez/Drums - John Barbee/Flute, Saxophone, Vocals - Michael Barbee

Jimmy Briscoe And The Beavers - Into The Milky Way (1979)
Producer, Arranged By, Conductor - Paul L. Kyser/Written-By - Leon Stuckey , Paul Kyser

Breeze - Just In The Nick Of Time / Everybody Loves Music (12") (1980)
Arranged By, Conductor - Paul L. Kyser/Written-By - Leon Stuckey , Paul L. Kyser

UDM - To Please You (1983)
Arranged By - Leon Stuckey , Roscoe Taylor/Producer - Leon Stuckey /Written by Roscoe Taylor, Ellsworth Anderson and Leon Stuckey

Tracklist:

01 A Song For You
02 Private Party
03 Fire And passion
04 Hot Grease
05 Beside Manners
06 Disco Symphony
07 Clear water
08 Super Disco
Bonus:
09 Calender - Hypertension (1976)
10 Jimmy Briscoe And The Beavers - Into The Milky Way (12") (1979)
11 Breeze - Just In The Nick Of Time (1980)
12 Breeze - Everybody Loves Music (1980)
13 UDM - To Please You (1983)

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/234694045/sudiba.rar


Paul Kyser and Leon Stuckey worked together on some brilliant albums since the '70s. I added some songs as bonus. The last one UDM is more intersesting due to it was a pseudonym of Rhyze with almost the same members!

"Paul Kyser developed an interest in music as a young man - writing his first succesful song in 1968 - while still a senior in high school and getting it recorded by a New Jersey group called "The Superlatives": the song, "I Still Love You", did well locally and gave Kyser the incentive to persue his musical interests. He became an arranger and conductor, worked on a lot of records and decided to do some producing and writing himself. Kyser has worked with everyone from S.Wonder to Three Degrees and the Chi-Lites, but when he got an idea for a different kind of disco album he decided to do it all himself, not involving any "name" artists. In few words Kyser used all his experience to build a disco project as tribute for that "new" kind of music and did this involving all the best musicians he met in his career as arranger. The all-star line-up reached the number of 50 components and numbered, among the others, Billy Nichols who wrote "Do It..." for the B.T. Express. The album was a master and had real success with singles like "HOT GREASE" and "A SONG FOR YOU", even if didn't make an impact in the discos. All the songs are written by Kyser and are all good, but my choice is for "SUPER DISCO"....very danceable! Pip was a Buddah sub-label." (http://www.salernitana.net/goodgroove/archives/feb-03.asp)

"The arranger and conductor Paul Kyser, after working for many artists (such as Stevie Wonder, Three Degrees and Chi-Lites), decided to do some producing and writing himself.
Kyser used all his experience to build a disco project as a tribute for that "new" kind of music and did this involving all the best musicians he met in his career as an arranger. The all-star line-up (that's the reason of the group name) reached the number of 50 components and numbered, among the others, Billy Nichols." (http://www.discomusic.com/records-more/1186_0_2_0_C/)


PAUL "Papabear" KYSER
"My name is Paul Kyser. In My music career I produced over 30 hit records. From Robby Lawson, to the Superlatives, Jimmy Briscoe and the Little Beavers, Rhyze, The Superbs, The Soul Generation, Calendar, The Super Disco Band, Terry Tate, Eleanor Goodman, The Big Show DVD set Volumes one and two with Jerry Butler, Ray Goodman and Brown, The Chi-Lites, the Manhattans, The Stylistics, The Delfonics, The Soul Generation, Bloodstone, Barbara, Mason, The Main Ingrediant, Tavaras, Skip Mahony and the Casuals, Heatwave, The Temprees, Enchantment, The Winstons, The Ebonys, Eddie Holman, The Intruders, Just to name a few live on my DVD set."
(http://www.soultracks.com/soul_generation.htm)

Paul Kyser, founder of Urbanland Music (http://www.urbanlandmusic.com/).
Urbanland Music and it’s subsidiaries was founded in 1999 by Paul Kyser, a world known songwriter, arranger, conductor, producer and record company owner. Kyser worked and built relationships with just about all of the artists from the late 60s and 70s era. Kyser wrote over 30 hits in his career as a record producer. During the 90s Kyser decided to bring back the 70s Sweet Soul sound to the stage.Kyser bought back groups like Black Ivory who hadn’t sung in years.That’s when Urbanland was founded. To promote 70s music entertainment in a big way. (http://web.archive.org/web/20070423165902/http://www.urbanlandmusic.com/)

Also check these for further info on Paul Kyser:
http://www.soul-source.co.uk/forum/I-m-Member-t93596.html

http://www.youtube.com/user/Paulkyser

http://www.blackplanet.com/TEAMSTARR/

http://www.soulandfunkmusic.com/producer/paul_kyser


More info (Rhyze):
http://www.funk4ever.com/titreresu.php?select=Rhyze

http://counterpointfm.com/artist_done.php?lang=afrikaans&artist=Rhyze