His professional career has spanned three decades and with the birth of a new decade, Norman Connors continues to share his stellar musicianship, his renowned skills as a producer and songwriter and his unquestionable ability to marry great material with great artists.  

Proof positive is his latest, exceptional work ETERNITY, the debut album on his own Starship Records, manufactured and distributed through Capitol/EMI's The Right Stuff imprint. For this special occasion, the Philadelphia-born native has assembled a truly spectacular cast of top musicians and vocalists:  ETERNITY includes special guest appearances by Peabo Bryson, Angela Bofill, Gerald Albright, Norman Brown, Lisa Fischer, Bobby Lyle, Ray Parker Jr.,  Paul Jackson Jr., and longtime Connors musical associates Michael Henderson, Gary Bartz, Marian Meadows, Herman Jackson  and Denise Stewart.   Featuring his renowned Starship Orchestra, Connors will use the album to introduce vocalist Donald Tavie. 

"My concept for the album is to bring together great musical friends while also incorporating new sounds and new people," says Connors.  "I am particularly excited that this is the record that will launch my label. That's a dream I've had for many years now and I'm looking forward to providing a recording home for many of my longtime friends and the exciting new artists I've been discovering."

 

In true Connors tradition, the first single from the album is a soulfulremake of The Delfonics' 1970 classic, the Thom Bell-Linda Creed - William Hart composition, "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind)" featuring Grammy-winning vocalist Lisa Fischer.  Referring to a legendary artist who he first brought to the attention of international audiences in 1975 with her recording of "Betcha By Golly Wow," another Bell-Creed tune, Norman says, "Before she passed, Phyllis Hyman and I talked about doing the song.  A number of people suggested Lisa and she does a great job.  Two of the musicians who worked on "Betcha By Golly Wow" are featured on this track, Gary Bartz on sax and Onaje Allen Gumbs, who did the arrangement ."

 

Norman also chose to revisit his own groundbreaking 1976 Top 5 R&B and Top30 pop hit "You Are My Starship" with vocals courtesy multi-Grammy Award-winning vocalist Peabo Bryson: "I always wanted to do the song again and I couldn't think of anyone since (singer/bassist) Michael Henderson did such a great job the first time.  I started thinking about my own personal favorite singers and Peabo came to mind.  When I asked him about doing the song, he said he'd been thinking about doing it himself.  The track features The Starship Orchestra, with Jean Carn (another longtime Connors musical friend) and Denise Stewart on background vocals while Michael (Henderson) ended up playing on it and doing the arrangement on it with me."

 

In addition to covers of Toni Braxton's "You're Makin' Me High" (featuringguitarist Larry McGee) and Donny Hathway's "We're Still Friends" (with special guest guitarist Paul Jackson Jr.,)  Norman's latest project includes a number of tantalizing originals.  There's the mellow quiet storm gem, "So Hard To Say Goodbye," written for the album by award-winning saxophonist Gerald Albright and featuring acclaimed keyboardist Bobby Lyle.  Known for his own work and for accompanying such artists as Anita Baker, George Benson, Bette Midler and Al Jarreau, Lyle also contributed the sensuous "River Of Love" and the melodically smooth title cut, which features Ray Parker Jr. on guitar: "Bobby and I have spent a lot of time together over the years," notes Norman, "and the kind of songs he wrote are like signature tunes for me, mixing that whole Philly vibe with a late '90s smooth jazz flavor."

 

With its all star line-up, ETERNITY includes the guitar virtuosity of Norman Brown (the talented musician who Connors first introduced in 1992) on the finger snappin' instrumental "Cobra" and the easy flowing "Conditions Of The Heart"; while much-loved songstress Angela Bofill  - with whom Connors has toured extensively in the last few years - adds her special passion-filled vocal magic to "You Can't Hurt Me Anymore," co-penned by songwriter/producer Preston Glass.  Making it a family affair, Norman's new album introduces his son Kwasi on the track "KC" and the legendary artist is justifiably proud as he states, "My son is just starting out as a producer and he's into the whole hip-hop movement. This track was one where we could both connect musically."

 

In addition to his own long-admired skills as a drummer, ETERNITY provides Norman with an opportunity to demonstrate once again his aptitude for bringing together a whole range of talented individuals:  the rhythmic "Feel the Heat" includes sax player Marian Meadows and keyboardist/arranger Jacques Burvick, both of whom have worked as members of The Starship Orchestra for a number of years.  "I'm always looking for new talent," says Connors, referring to vocalists Denise Stewart (featured on "Can't Say No") and Donald Tavie (who can be heard on "We're Still Friends" and "Not Just Another Love Song"). "It's something I've been doing for many years and my motto has always been to give people a chance.  That's how I felt about Phyllis Hyman when I first heard her in 1976 and it's been true for all the other talented artists I've introduced over the years.  It's like seeing the diamond in someone and giving it a chance to shine..."

 

Norman Connors has been bringing exceptional artists like Glenn Jones, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Juanita Dailey, Prince Philip Mitchell, Ada Dyer, Hyman, Carn, Henderson, Brown and Meadows to international audiences through over a dozen albums over the past twenty-five years, while showcasing his own artistry as a multi-talented musician.   Attracted to playing drums at an early age, Norman's first 'break' came when he sat in for Elvin Jones at a John Coltrane gig.  Early influences included such luminaries as Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock and Norman went on to study music at Philadelphia's Temple University and the Juilliard School Of Music in New York.   His earliest performances were with Jackie McLean, Jack McDuff, Sam Rivers, Charles Earland and Billy Paul and he recorded  for the first time in 1967 on an Archie Shepp session. Norman spent some time working with Pharaoh Sanders and in 1972, he began his own recording career with "Dance Of Music," cut for Cobblestone Records. In 1973, he moved to Buddah Records to record "Dark Of Light" which was followed by 1974's "Love From The Sun" and "Slewfoot."  Norman's breakthrough into mainstream recognition began in 1975 with "Saturday Night Special" when the single "Valentine Love" featuring Michael Henderson and Jean Carn became a Top 10 R&B hit.

 

However it was the 1976 gold album "You Are My Starship" that propelled Norman to chart heights thanks to a trio of hits: "We Both Need Each Other," a duet with Henderson and Connors' then-new discovery Phyllis Hyman; the title cut featuring Henderson; and a remake of The Stylistics' "Betcha By Golly Wow" which launched Hyman's illustrious recording career.

 

Touring extensively both at home and abroad, Norman continued making best-selling albums for Buddah and then for Arista including "Romantic Journey" (which included the hit single "Once I've Been There" with Prince Philip Mitchell);"This Is Your Life" (with Eleanor Mills on the title cut); "Invitation" with Ada Dyer ; "Take It To The Limit" also with Dyer (and featuring Glenn Jones on the Top 20 R&B hit "Melancholy Fire") and "Mr. C".   In addition to working on his own albums, Norman took time to produce sessions on a number of other artists including Hyman, Carn, Sanders, Al Johnson, Aquarian Dream and his own Starship Orchestra.

 

After a brief hiatus from recording, Norman re-surfaced in 1988 with the Capitol album "Passion" which featured the Top 15 R&B hit "I Am Your Melody," also producing Angela Bofill's "Intuition" album for the label. In 1993, he became one of the first signings to Motown's then-newly formed MoJazz label: "Remember Who You Are," his debut for the imprint, featured Phyllis Hyman on the title cut with special guests that included Bofill and Stanley Clarke.   In addition to bringing guitarist Norman Brown to MoJazz, Connors cut a second album for the label, "Easy Living" which served as a way of introducing vocalists Avis Nixon, Jheryl Lockhart and pianist/composer Herman Jackson (who has worked with Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston and Gladys Knight among others).

 

Spending most of the last four years on the road, Norman finally began working on ETERNITY in early 1999.  "I got offers from a couple of different labels but I was ready to start my own label.  Not only will it be the place for me to make records but I want it to be the recording home for both new and established artists."

 

Talking about his music, Connors reflects, "I started out with straight ahead jazz and I had a great run with it and then I began mixing R&B with jazz influences.  That's where my sound really came from, like a musical meeting in the middle.  We kept going with the quiet storm style and now people are calling it 'smooth jazz.'  Whatever people want to call my music, I feel good that people still love it.   I've always loved music with a passion and I have energy, creativity and lots of ideas!"   That's more than obvious: in the tradition of assembling superb artists and playing, writing and producing great music, Norman Connors offers ETERNITY, a dazzling kaleidoscope, a reminder of his role as a much-respected musical trailblazer.