Alta Moda

Last updated
Alta Moda
Origin Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Genres Funk rock
Years active1979-1988
Labels CBS Records, CBS Records
Members Molly Johnson
Norman Orenstein
Steven Gelineau,
Etric Lyons

Alta Moda was a Canadian funk rock band formed in 1979 in Toronto. [1] It originally consisted of singer Molly Johnson and guitarist Norman Orenstein. [2] Drummer Steven Gelineau and bassist Etric Lyons were added in 1982 and 1983 respectively. [3]

After performing for several years in Toronto and releasing the promotional single "Train" in 1986, [4] the band signed to CBS Records and released their debut album, Alta Moda, in 1987. [5]

The album received mixed reviews, with some critics saying it sounded too much like funk or disco; [6] the band even faced some assertions that they were "too black" for the Canadian market. [7] The album spawned the single "Julian", but the song was only a modest hit, peaking at #53 in the RPM Hot 100 chart the week of January 30, 1988. [8] The album's other singles, "Notown (In Particular)" and "Cool Love", did not chart.

Alta Moda contributed a non-album track, "American Chaser", to the soundtrack of the 1986 television film Popeye Doyle . [9]

The band declined a Juno Award nomination in the R&B category for "Julian", because they felt it was a miscategorization of the song. [10]

Although Alta Moda had originally signed a six-album deal with CBS, they were dropped from the label after the album's poor sales. [11] The band continued to perform live, on the lookout for another deal. Orenstein wrote and produced material for other artists, and Johnson performed jazz and blues with a backing band which later became Big Sugar. [12]

Johnson and Orenstein signed a new deal with IRS Records in 1990, [11] but changed the band's name to Infidels by the time of their 1991 album. [10]

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References

  1. ↑ Craig MacInnis, "Alta Moda fires up audience". Toronto Star , May 24, 1988.
  2. ↑ Jennifer Higgs, "Molly Johnson". The Canadian Encyclopedia , November 4, 2012.
  3. ↑ Mark Lepage, "Alta Moda: Dance beat with lots of style". Montreal Gazette , November 26, 1987.
  4. ↑ "Alta Moda – Train". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
  5. ↑ Craig MacInnis, "Molly gives Alta Moda the soul-pop push". Toronto Star , October 9, 1987.
  6. ↑ Greg Burliuk, "Alta Moda: Alta Moda". Kingston Whig-Standard , November 28, 1987.
  7. ↑ Mike Doherty, "Johnson goes to jazz hell and back: Canadian jazz singer 'rocks the flag' in France". National Post , November 22, 2006.
  8. ↑ "Top Singles - Volume 47, No. 15". RPM, January 30, 1988.
  9. ↑ Liam Lacey, "Little labels can make a big mark". The Globe and Mail , April 4, 1986.
  10. 1 2 Greg Barr, "Pair of musical renegades driving force with Infidels". Ottawa Citizen , October 3, 1991.
  11. 1 2 Greg Barr, "Good golly!; Toronto's Molly Johnson and Alta Moda band sign big U.S. record deal". Ottawa Citizen , July 27, 1990.
  12. ↑ "Johnson plays the infidel". Ottawa Citizen , August 15, 1991.
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