Haz - My True Love (You Are To Me) / Prelude to Paradise. 1983 USA-Colorado

Cool find here. The A) side is whiny soul balladry and is not for me. It's the B) side that you're after (presuming you're not into whiny soul balladry that is...). Interesting mix of synthesizer driven boogie funk, late era disco, and jazz fusion. Plenty of saxophone, a little flute, and some tight horn charts. A wonderful groove throughout. Mainly instrumental with whispered vocals. Closes with sounds of the ocean.

I found this among a large drop of both soul and country (?!) 45s that obviously came from a radio station (that would be a weird playlist format). This was the only private obscurity in the batch, at least that I found (it's very possible I wasn't first). As you can see, it doesn't have any info on the label.

According to Discogs it comes with a picture sleeve, though this copy didn't have it. The Discogs entry doesn't show the back which might contain information (though it could be blank too). The band is led by Al Hazard (hence the name Haz) though nothing reliable turned up for him. The pic sleeve lists the two singers from the A) side. A little sleuthing shows that Heidie White performed on an album from Denver. Lyndon Copeland, on the other hand, has a biography and guess what? He's from here in Colorado Springs! Which explains why this station probably had the 45 in their possession. Some influencer put it up on YouTube which has lead to it having huge demand. I'm keeping it though.

Own. Thrift shop find from a month ago (2024).

1/4/25 (new entry)

Lightkraft - Now Or Never / Take Me. 1984 USA-Colorado

I never really wrote a review, but I described the genres as thus: A-side = Modern Soul Boogie sound; B-side = AOR / New Wave sound.

We eventually learned that the band is local to us here in Colorado Springs! Released in the spring of 1984 in fact. Elk Bugles says the band were from Indiana and Minnesota. But there was another poster in her collection that showed the band playing here. 

Even though it doesn't appear Tiny Barge was a performer on the 45, his name is listed as the publisher. Here's a page for him, as he's still performing it appears.

Sadly we found lead singer Ric Wright's obituary.

Own. Found at a record store in Denver (2022). No pic sleeve.

After updating the Discogs entry, I received three unsolicited - and generous - offers for it, which tells me there's a huge market for this. I usually keep rare items like this and the music is good for the collection.

7/18/22 (first listen / review); 1/1/25 (new entry)

The Whale and Flea – Ridin' On / Dawn Song. 1986 USA-Oklahoma

This is a heavy hitter in the field of 80s boogie soul or really just simply boogie. Has a heavy funk vibe on A) that I dig, especially some of the guitar work. B side is a bit too much balladry, but still some fine guitar work at the end. Apparently they were from Norman, Oklahoma (where Univ. of Oklahoma sits).

Own. Found at a record store in Denver (2022).

12/18/22 (first listen / review); 1/1/25 (new entry)