Formed in the late 60’s by Leroy Burgess, Russell Patterson and Stuart Bascombe, Black Ivory had a short but productive period at the top of the Soul Music charts. Teaming with writer/record executive Patrick Adams, the group had a series of attractive, falsetto-led ballads, including “Don’t Turn Around,” “I’ll Find A Way” and “You And I.”
The group’s popularity faded as musical tastes changed in the late 70s, and Burgess left the group after penning the more club-oriented “Mainline.” He ultimately became one of the busiest songwriters, producers and arrangers in the business, and one of the early developers of house music and a prolific disco music songwriter and musician.
Black Ivory continued without Burgess (and with much less success) into the 80s and Bascombe and Patterson have reunited from time to time for shows. Earlier in this decade, Burgess joined up with them for several dates, and the group has sporadically played together since then.
In 2007, Black Ivory, with all three original members in tow, began recording new music for what would become a reunion release, which was issued in November, 2011 as Continuum. It found the group in good vocal form but had trouble finding publicity and an audience.
By Chris Rizik
