African Queens

Last updated
African Queens
African queens album the ritchie family.jpg
Studio album by
Released1977
Recorded Sigma Sound, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Genre Disco
Label Marlin
Producer Jacques Morali
The Ritchie Family chronology
Life Is Music
(1977)
African Queens
(1977)
American Generation
(1978)

African Queens is the fourth studio album recorded by American female vocal trio the Ritchie Family, released in 1977 on the Marlin label.

Contents

History

The album features the track, "Quiet Village", which peaked at No. 1 on the Hot Dance/Disco chart along with songs "African Queens" and "Summer Dance". "Quiet Village" also peaked at No. 68 on the Hot Soul Singles chart.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]

The Bay State Banner wrote that "the music moves swiftly via massive string swoops and spurts of high hat drumming, jetting far away from present reality towards exotic distances only the world of fantasy can reckon." [2]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Jacques Morali, Henri Belolo and Phil Hurtt, except where noted

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."African Queens (Nefertiti, Cleopatra and the Queen of Sheba)"4:35
2."Theme of Nefertiti"1:30
3."Theme of Cleopatra"1:30
4."Theme of the Queen of Sheba"1:30
5."African Queens (reprise) (Nefertiti, Cleopatra and the Queen of Sheba)"3:40
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."Summer Dance" 5:28
7."Quiet Village" Les Baxter 5:45
8."Voodoo" 5:35

Personnel

Production

Charts

Chart (1977)Peak
[3]
Australia (Kent Music Report) [4] 66
U.S. Billboard Top LPs 164
U.S. Billboard Top Soul LPs 57
Singles
YearSinglePeak chart positions
US
R&B

[3]
US
Dan

[3]
1977"Quiet Village"681
"African Queens"
"Summer Dance"

Related Research Articles

Henri Belolo was a French music producer and songwriter active during the disco era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacques Morali</span> French musician

Jacques Morali was a French disco and dance music record producer and songwriter, known for creating acts like The Ritchie Family and Village People.

<i>Wild Orchid</i> (album) 1997 studio album by Wild Orchid

Wild Orchid is the self-titled debut album by American band Wild Orchid, released in March 1997. It is their most successful album. The album was nominated for two Lady of Soul Awards.

<i>Affairs of the Heart</i> (album) 1991 studio album by Jody Watley

Affairs of the Heart is the third studio album by American pop singer Jody Watley, released on December 3, 1991, by MCA Records.. Affairs of the Heart supplies a handful of energetic dance numbers and a plentiful selection of quiet storm ballads, the new material result is a set that's much thicker and deeper sound. Watley co-wrote nine of the album's 11 tracks, which delivers a good mixture flow of R&B-funk, to classy house, to inspirational dance pop and groovy melody Motown-inspired soul.

The Ritchie Family are an American vocal group based in Philadelphia that achieved several hits during the disco era. They have reunited and continue to perform. Their latest single "Whatcha Got" was released in 2021.

<i>Chris Rea</i> (album) 1981 studio album by Chris Rea

Chris Rea is the fourth studio album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 1981. It charted on the UK Albums Chart, peaking at number fifty-two. The single "Loving You" peaked at number 65 on the UK Singles Chart, and charted on the US Billboard Hot 100 at 88 and charted for three weeks.

<i>Macho Man</i> (album) 1978 studio album by Village People

Macho Man is the second studio album by Village People, released on February 27, 1978. The album gained success due to its hit singles, "Macho Man" and "Key West". Rolling Stone said of the album, "It seems certain to become the first out-and-out disco album without John Travolta on its cover ever to be certified platinum".

<i>Village People</i> (album) 1977 studio album by Village People

Village People is the debut album by Village People, released on July 18, 1977. Its hit song "San Francisco " reached the top 50 in the UK, peaking at #45. In Germany, the album was released as San Francisco .

<i>Starchild</i> (Teena Marie album) 1984 studio album by Teena Marie

Starchild is the sixth studio album by American R&B singer Teena Marie, released on November 11, 1984, by Epic Records. Following the relative commercial failure of her previous album, Robbery, Starchild became the highest-selling album of Marie's career. It peaked at #9 on the US Black Albums chart and #31 on the Billboard Albums chart. It was certified Gold by the RIAA on April 1, 1985.

Break Machine was an American rap act, fronted by Keith Rodgers and produced by Jacques Morali and Henri Belolo, the team behind the Village People.

<i>Catching the Sun</i> (album) 1980 studio album by Spyro Gyra

Catching the Sun is the third album by the American jazz group Spyro Gyra, released in 1980 on MCA Records. The album was given gold status by the RIAA on June 5, 1985.

<i>Stay in Love</i> 1977 studio album by Minnie Riperton

Stay in Love is the fourth studio album by American singer Minnie Riperton, released under Epic Records. The album features the hits "Young Willing and Able" and the Stevie Wonder collaboration "Stick Together". Unlike her previous works, the soft soul elements here tend to fade, replaced by a more upbeat disco sound which was the musical trend at the time. "Stick Together" peaked at no. 23 on Billboard's Hot Dance Play, an alternate version known as "Stick Together " reached no. 57 on the U.S. Hot Black Singles chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Village People</span> American disco group

Village People are an American disco group known for its on-stage costumes and suggestive lyrics in their music. The group was originally formed by French producers Jacques Morali, Henri Belolo and lead singer Victor Willis following the release of the debut album Village People, which targeted disco's large gay audience. The group's name refers to Manhattan's Greenwich Village, with its reputation as a gay village. The characters were a symbolic group of American masculinity and macho gay-fantasy personas. To date, Willis is the only original member still remaining with the group.

<i>Good to Be Back</i> 1989 studio album by Natalie Cole

Good to Be Back is the eleventh studio album by American singer Natalie Cole. Released in May 1989 by EMI USA, it contains the hit singles "Miss You Like Crazy" and "I Do".

<i>Brazil</i> (The Ritchie Family album) 1975 studio album by The Ritchie Family

Brazil is the debut studio album recorded by American female vocal trio The Ritchie Family, released in 1975 on the 20th Century label.

<i>Togetherness</i> (L.T.D. album) 1978 studio album by L.T.D.

Togetherness is the fifth studio album by Los Angeles, California -based band, L.T.D., released in 1978 on the A&M label.

<i>Arabian Nights</i> (album) 1976 studio album by The Ritchie Family

Arabian Nights is the second studio album recorded by American female vocal trio The Ritchie Family, released in 1976 on the Marlin label.

<i>Life Is Music</i> 1977 studio album by The Ritchie Family

Life Is Music is the third studio album recorded by American female vocal trio The Ritchie Family, released in 1977 on the Marlin label.

<i>Devotion</i> (L.T.D. album) 1979 studio album by L.T.D.

Devotion is the sixth studio album by American band, L.T.D., released in 1979 through A&M Records. The album peaked at No. 5 on the R&B albums chart. It also reached No. 29 on the Billboard 200. The album features the singles "Dance 'N' Sing 'N'", which peaked at No. 15 on the Hot Soul Singles chart, and "Stranger", which charted at No. 14 on the same chart.

Phil Hurtt is a musician, singer, songwriter and arranger who has written hits for The Detroit Spinners, The Ritchie Family and many others. His compositions have been recorded by many artists and he has worked as an arranger on recordings by well-known artists in the Soul genre.

References

  1. African Queens review at AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-06-28.
  2. Freedberg, Mike (25 Aug 1977). "Record Reviews". Bay State Banner. No. 97. p. 17.
  3. 1 2 3 The Ritchie Family > US Charts at AllMusic . Retrieved 2016-07-11.
  4. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 253. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.