Worldwide Exclusive - Gene Van Buren - What's Your Pleasure 1982 Album on CD for the first time ever.

This is the 2nd release via FTG Records USA & Universal USA, the album is again very much in demand and has also been expanded with the addition of 1 bonus track,
The bonus track is the 1984 track you Excite Me, this was from the planned 1984 album Love Never Dies which never got released.
the sound will be from the original master tapes and this is the 2nd of many titles that FTG Records USA will be releasing in conjunction with Universal USA.

Bonus Track

1 Bonus Track = You Excite Me (from the unreleased 1984 album Love Never dies)

Tracklist
1   Action  4:18 
2   Enjoy Yourself  4:20 
3   When Is It My Turn  3:34 
4   You've Got Me Where I Want You  4:11 
5   What's Your Pleasure  3:30 
6   I Give Good Love  3:16 
7   I Love You More (Than I Hate What You Do)  4:07 
8   Rock The House  4:48 
9   One  3:43 
  Bonus Track
10   You Excite Me  3:48 

Credits
Producer - Gene Van Buren
Producer [Re-issue] - Matt Murphy (4) , Tony Calvert 




Gene van Buren's is one of the best kept secrets in black music with his one and only album "What's your pleasure" from 1982. Not very much is known about him or his career. Even though he didn't produce any innovative music it was catchy soul funk of best quality but it never got that attention that it deserves. PSFS is about to change that!

Buren's earlier career before his debut album is totally unknown. He is surely a mystery man in that sense. Even his musical career after the album is very much held in the dark even though a few projects are known.

An impressive line-up!

Sometime in 82 Gene van Buren, or Eugene that was his birth name got a fine contract with the Motown owned Tamla label. The Tamla label was well established at the time with great acts like The Commodores, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson. In December 82 van Buren finally released his debut. One of the most impressive facts was that he wrote all the nine tracks and all the lyrics with just a few exceptions by himself. All the tracks were published by Jobete Music Co.

The vocal arrangements were taken care of by van Buren. When it came to the rhythm arrangements van Buren was assisted by Benjamin F. Wright Jr. that is one of the best in the field. Wright had plenty of knowledge and experience after been working as an arranger with artists like The Gap band, Michael Jackson and Aretha Franklin. Wright did also handle all the string arrangements. The horn arrangements though were taken care of no one less than funk band Ozone!

Except the vocal parts Van Buren also played Acoustic piano. The fellow musicians that worked with the album featured the highly accomplished and prominent session musicians of Michael Boddicker on Jupiter & Synthesizer (had worked with George Benson, Lenny White and The Brothers Johnson among others), Frank "Rusty" Hamilton III on Acoustic piano, Synthesizers, Prophet & Mini Mog and Fender Rhodes, L. Marlo Henderson, Dwight Carol and Charles W. Fearing on Guitars (member of Ray Parker & Raydio), Victor "Wide track" Hill and James Jamerson on bass Guitar (left; legendary Motown bassist that had played with highly regarded names like Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones and Marvin Gaye that sadly passed away just one year after van Buren's release), Michael White (a quite new at the name later to work with acts like Teene Marie, Marcus Miller and Diana Ross) and Leon "Ndugu" Chancler on Drums (had worked with Herbie Hancock, George Duke and Norman Connors) and "Boots" Grey on Percussion. And if that wasn't enough Mr Berry Gordy himself was the executive producer. With this highly impressive line-up of musicians and financial support from the big "dragon" of Motown the playground was set, but was it to produce anything great?

The album

With a voice similar to Glenn Jones, intensive and passionate, van Buren delivered a very strong debut with a mix of soul and funk. Among the fast tracks two fantastic smokers exceeds the rest by a far margin in "Enjoy yourself" and "Rock the house". Two fantastic songs with so much joy presented in a outstanding mix of soul and funk with the main weight laying on the latter. Buren stretches his voice to the very limit of his ability but it never get out of hand. Buren always keeps the harmony in place and he does it in an excellent way. It's just sweet, tasty and indisputably awesome soul funk music that will make anyone happy and filled with a spiritual experience! The rest of the LP also includes dens and funky "Action" and likewise funky "I give you good love" with a touching song effort. Buren also manage to deliver three excellent ballads in "When is my turn" (with a short and blissful Toots Thieleman inspired passage), "I love you more (than I hate what you do)" and "One", all performed with sensitivity and finesse.

Courtesy of Patriks Soul Funk Special