I'll Be Around

"I'll Be Around"

[song written by Thom Bell and Phil Hurtt]

For a recording to be classed as a Smooth Soul Survivor it must be a much loved track fwith its origins deep in the soul music of the 60's and 70's.  The intention is to encourage you, the reader, to search the racks of your favourite record store for such items of buried treasure.

This latest offering is the Bell and Hurtt composition ˜I'll Be Around'.  Thom Bell started out his musical career as a keyboard player and, while working as a session man with Cameo records, first played with local soul band The Delfonics.  When the Philly Groove label was formed in 1968 Bell came on board as a producer.  His continuing work with the same Delfonics did much to give them their immediately recognisable sound with its qualities of shimmering beauty and exquisite sweetness.  It was here with Philly, developing the many chartmakers of the mid seventies, that Bell, and his co writer on "I'll Be Around', producer, singer and arranger Phil Hurtt, gained most fame.

The highly produced so called ˜Philadelphia' sound paved the way for the studio constructions of disco and urban contemporary R & B in the years to come.  Bell, along with the producing and writing partnership of Gamble and Huff were the principal architects of this particular bi-product of soul and disco to which modern day smooth jazz owes so much.  It was Thom Bell who was influential in developing the distinctive lush and seductive sound of the group that went on to make "I'll Be Around' a massive hit on both sides of the Atlantic.  That group was the Spinners.  In the UK they were known as the Detroit Spinners in order to avoid confusion with another band of the same name who came from Liverpool, England and who were popular around the same period for a brand of folk oriented music.

The (Detroit) Spinners, in common with the Isley Brothers, had started out in the fifties before signing to Motown in the mid sixties.  However, also in common with the Isley's, they went on to have their greatest success with another label, this time Atlantic.  It was there, between 1972 and 1977, that they enjoyed their most productive period with a string of hits that included "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love', "Mighty Love', "Then Came You," "The Rubberband Man" and, of course, "I'll Be Around'.

The original Spinners version comes from their superb album "The Spinners'.  This recording, thought by some as their best ever, marked the period when the group teamed up with Bell and, in the process, made Motown look stupid for having ever let them go.  This 1973 recording is packed full of glorious anthems and the tracks found on it, such as "I'll Be Around'.

An interesting spin off in this comparison of Spinners lead vocalists is the fact that G C Cameron features the track on his 1996 release "The Best of G C Cameron'.  It is Cameron's voice that can be heard on the Spinners 1970 hit for Motown "It's A Shame'.  However, he left the band when they made the switch to Atlantic preferring to stay in Detroit with the Motown stable.  Consequently he was long gone by the time the Spinners charted with "I'll Be Around'.

The great Spinners original can be found on numerous compilations.  Among these are "The Golden Age Of Black Music' (1988), "Atlantic Rhythm And Blues 1947 - 1974' (an incredible eight CD set), and the "Very Best Of The Spinners - Rebound' (1995).  Find it also on "MVP Classic Mellow' (1996), Blues Summit' and "Jazz Sax Classics' (1998) plus "Lets Stay Together' (1999).

Two further Spinners best of's that contain the track are worthy of note.  Brought out in 1978 to bridge the gap between the departure of Philippe Wynne and the assimilation of his replacement John Edwards we find "The Best of the Spinners'.  In addition, thought by many as the best of the Spinners collections, 1991 brought us "One Kind Of Love Affair'.

Covers, as one would expect, are many.  The Terri Wells version can be found on her own "Just Like Dreamin' plus two compilations in 1996, "The Best Of Philly World Records' and the interestingly titled "Gay Classics Volume 2'.

Rap versions have also been aired.  The first of these being in 1991 by Kid Panic and The Adventures of Dean on their "Don't Be Alarmed' album, with the second in 1994 by west coast rap outfit World Class Wreckin Cru.

Although a recent release by rock artist Ritchie Kotzen brings yet another twist to the variety of covers that the tune has experienced, always the most memorable have been those that keep faith with the numbers smooth soul roots.  There can be no better examples of this than two notable covers from 1995.  That prolific and constantly engaging vocalist of the urban contemporary scene, Regina Belle, includes it on her release "Reachin Back', a collection of eleven covers of classic R & B and soul songs.  Also, from the same year, it can be found on the album "Naked And True' by smooth soul and jazz diva Randy Crawford.

"I'll Be Around' has also made it to the movies.  The Hughes Brothers tribute to early 70's blaxploitation, "Dead Presidents', has a soundtrack that includes the number and gets the sound of the era just right.

Like many of the best Smooth Soul Survivors "I'll Be Around' has a direct link to the smooth jazz scene.  It is featured on the 1994 GRP release by Russ Freeman and The Rippingtons, "Sahara'.  With a trademark RFR illustration on the cover this release is also distinctive for the array of artists featured on it.  On the track in question can be found Jeffrey Osborne on lead vocals, Phil Perry and James Gilstrap among the backing singers and, of course, Kirk Whalum on tenor sax.  This stand out track is also contained in the 1998 compilation from the Shanachie label "Cool Covers'.

All in all "I'll Be Around' is a great, great Smooth Soul Survivor.

By Denis Poole

See other Smooth Soul Survivors