The ‎Choice Four – The Finger Pointers

Formed by Charles Blagmon of The Stridells, Bobby Hamilton of The Love Tones, Pete Marshall, and Ted Maduro, Choice Four is a premier soul vocal group from Washington, DC. Their debut album The Finger Pointers was released in 1974.

Produced by Van McCoy, one might expect it to have a disco sound, but instead, it offers a classic, authentic sweet soul. Personally, I would nominate this album as one of the top 20 sweet soul masterpieces, and the musicians involved further support that claim. Richard Tee plays piano, John Tropea and David Spinozza play guitar, and Arthur Jenkins Jr. contributes percussion, all adding to the album's richness.

Kicking off with the high-quality Philly dancer title track, the album showcases the group’s exceptional vocal harmonies. Highlights include A4 "I Need Your Love To Keep Me Warm", B1 "Ready, Willing And Able", which appeals to Northern Soul fans, and their cover of Bobby Reed's "If I Don't Love You on B4, famously sampled in Vanilla's "Lies". The album contains a total of nine fantastic tracks!

Stridellsのチャールズ・ブラグモン、Love Tonesのボビー・ハミルトン、ピート・マーシャル、テッド・マデュロによって結成された、文字どおり4人の精鋭から成るワシントンDC発SOULコーラス・グループ、チョイス・フォーの1974年リリースデビューアルバム「ザ・フィンガー・ポインターズ」
プロデューサーはヴァン・マッコイ。てことはデスコ・サウンドか?と思いきや、実に正統派の所謂甘茶ソウル。ていうか、個人的には甘茶ソウル名盤20選にノミネートするくらい素晴らしい内容で、それを裏付けるミュージシャンとしてピアノでリチャード・ティー、ギターでジョン・トロペアとデヴィッド・スピノザ、パーカスでアーサー・ジェンキンスJr.等が参加。

良質なフィリー・ダンサーのタイトル曲を筆頭に、彼らの素晴らしいコーラス・ワークが堪能できるA4「I Need Your Love To Keep Me Warm」, ノーザンファンにもアプローチするB1「Ready, Willing And Able」, Bobby Reed「If I Don't Love You」カヴァーでVanilla「Lies」でサンプリングされたB4等、素晴らしい全9曲を収録！

The ‎Choice Four – The Finger Pointers　'74 RCA
A1. The Finger Pointers (Part I)
A2. Can't Get Used To Sleeping Alone
A3. The Woman I'm Being True To
A4. I Need Your Love To Keep Me Warm
A5. I Can't Make You Love Me
B1. Ready, Willing And Able
B2. You're So Right For Me
B3. If I Don't Love You
B4. The Finger Pointers (Part II)

Credits;
Art Direction – Joe Stelmach
Bass – Gordon Edwards
Design [Liner] – Craig DeCamps
Drums – Rick Marroto
Electric Piano, Clavinet – Richard Tee
Engineer [Recording, Mixing] – Jim Crotty
Engineer [Recording] – Dick Baxter
Guitar – David Spinozza
Guitar, Sitar – John Tropea
Horn, Strings – Alfred V. Brown, Emanuel Green, Gene Orloff,
Gloria Agostini, Guy Lumia, Harold Kohon, Harry Lookofsky,
Joe Milan, Julien C. Barber, Kathryn Kienke, Kermit Moore,
Phil Bodner, Theodore Israel
Percussion [Kabasa], Triangle, Bells – Arthur Jenkins, Jr.
Producer, Arranged By, Conductor, Piano – Van McCoy
Vibraphone [Vibes], Bells – George Devens

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