Brass Construction Biography & Awards

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Artist Info

Formed

1968 Brooklyn, NY

Disbanded

1985

Members

Jesse Ward, Sandy Billups, Mickey Grudge, Randy Muller, Morris Price, Wayne Parris, Larry Payton, Wade Williamston, Joseph Arthur Wong

Biography

Vocalist/instrumentalist Randy Muller was at the helm of two pivotal East Coast funk and disco aggregations in the '70s and '80s. One was Brass Construction; the other was Skyy. Muller, a vocalist and instrumentalist who doubled on keyboards and flute, organized the band with drummer Larry Payton, trumpeters Wayne Parris and Morris Price, lead guitarist Joe Arthur, vocalist/conga player Sandy Billups, saxophonists Michael Grudge and Jesse Ward, and bassist Wade Williamston. Their 1975 debut, produced by Jeff Lane, went platinum and contained two dancefloor anthems in "Moving" and "Changin." Brass Construction II, III, IV, and V mined the same territory, though only the single "Ha Cha Cha (Funktion)" in 1977 and "L-O-V-E-U" in 1978 came close to attaining similar commercial heights. They recorded for United Artists until 1980, then moved to Liberty and recorded for them until 1983. Muller became their producer in the early '80s, and he shifted their emphasis into a heavily synthesized direction. They continued on Capitol from 1983 to 1985, but couldn't regain their past momentum. The group's vintage hits were remixed and reissued internationally by EMI's Syncopate label in the late '80s, and Brass Construction reappeared on England's charts in 1988. ~ Ron Wynn, All Music Guide