| Felton
Pilate, long-time lead vox for Mercury/PolyGram's ConFunkShun, steps
out with a fantastic solo LP entitled, "Nothing But Love Spoken
Here". With his flair for the pop/AC-flavored bump and grind
goodies, Pilate really lets loose with this 10-song set of slow
to mid-tempo love anthems. Unlike many R&B ballad offerings,
it is more about love than simply lust. The album title cut is a
riveting soul scorcher, a true-love tale of sensuous melodic power.
His signature lush arrangements are consistent song after song,
but "In Time" has a patient chorus of flowing grandeur.
"Different Lives", a melancholy story about forlorn regrets,
has movie-theme quality. Pilate's silky falsetto is given free reign
and soars throughout - with a delightful showing in "Keepin'
You To Your Promise" - originally penned by Pilate for The
Stylistics; they recorded it as a Pilate/Preston Glass co-production,
but Pilate proves very capable in his rendition as well. A Taste
Of Honey's Janice-Marie Johnson duets with him on "Only For
You" about that elusive quality, devotion. Providing all the
production, songwriting, most of the vocals and instrumental tracks,
Pilate exquisitely demonstrates his many talents in the recording
booth and at the mixing console, too. On the whole, this LP is truly
a confession of love on many gone good - gone mad levels - all intimate
- Nothing But...Love Spoken Here.
Originally, Pilate exploded
into the national spotlight with ConFunkShun with a formidable run
of ten huge records including one Platinum and four consecutive
Gold albums. Their 20 hit singles included 8 Top Ten R&B Hits
and one #1 R&B smash. Alongside blistering dance workouts like
"Chase Me", "Ms. Got-The-Body", and "Ffun"
are their quiet storm slow jams for which Pilate is noted. Classic
faves such as, "Straight From The Heart", "(Let Me
Put) Love On Your Mind", "All Up To You", and "Baby
I'm Hooked (Right Into Your Love)" whet the appetite for this
new LP. These Pilate vocal hits remain on radio play lists while
ConFunkShun continues to churn out concert dates year after year.
Pilate and ConFunkShun really sparkle on TV events like "Sinbad's
HBO Soul Music Special," "Motown Live" and "Vibe."
Recent LP releases include "The Best Of Con Funk Shun Vol.
1 & 2", "Live For Ya A**" - the live LP, "The
Ballads Collection", and the re-release of the Gold LP, "Secrets"
on CD, and “Greatest Hits” among others.
Pilate
is just as well known for his production/writing with rap phenom
M.C. Hammer. The Hammer-Pilate joint effort staggers the imagination
with sales from '89 to '92 alone of 30 million, including "Please
Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em", the #2 all-time selling R&B LP.
The awards, such as Grammys, M-TV, American Music, Billboard, and
Soul Train, among others, lauded on his mix magic with Hammer are
too numerous to mention. He also doubled as Musical Director for
Hammer's record breaking 250-date world tour which included the
Earth, Wind and Fire horn section, and over 40 musicians, singers,
dancers, & rappers. Other landmarks in Pilate's Capitol Records
days include his film and TV soundtrack work, such as his Oscar-nominated
"Addams Groove" (Addams Family Movie theme) and "Hammerman"
(Hammerman cartoon show). Pilate also has production/writing credits
with the California State Lottery radio and TV campaign slogan "I
Feel Like The Lucky One". His influence reverbs on countless
samples like the D-Shot/Jive Records single, "Huckleberry",
featured on the GOLD Columbia Pictures soundtrack, "Booty Call"
and the DOUBLE PLATINUM "Gang Related" soundtrack cut
"A Change Is Gonna Come", by J. Flexx. The recent eponymous
PLATINUM debut LP, Dru Hill, with Pilate's re-vibed Con Funk Shun
classic, “Love's Train”, produced by Keith Sweat demonstrates
how his music has crossed over to Generation Next. "Love Therapy",
is the title track he produced/wrote on the new Lenny Williams LP.
Most recently, he produced a cut, "Tell Me" on Evander
Hollyfield's Real Deal Records new male vocal act, Four Shades.
True to his calling, Pilate emotes love's many facets, song after
song, whether as producer, writer or artist. "Nothing But Love
Spoken Here" fits in the Pilate mold and keeps on proving that
his style and message are, indeed, universal and timeless...
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