Dayton
Dayton
has to be considered as one of the better funk bands during
the first half of the 80s. The band was from Dayton, Ohio,
and wasn't in any way the only player on the funk scene in
the area. The state was in fact the "Funk state"
number one during the 70s and early 80s in the US. Great acts
like the Ohio Players, Bootsy's Rubber Band, the Dazz Band,
Slave, Lakeside, Switch and Zapp had already a substantial
grip on the audience. In the midst of that five men and one
lady decided to take a chance getting a bite of that funk
cake. The complete line-up included Dean Hummons, Chris Jones,
Shawn Sandridge, Derrick Armstrong, Jenny Douglas and John
Hardin. John was strangely enough not depicted on the first
album and was most likely a very late addition to the band.
The first three, already friends and the basic fundament of
the new band, had already a genuine experience of funk, as
they were former members of the obscure funk band Sun with
some minor hits during the late 70s.
The
scene was now set for creating the music, but was the brand
new band to succeed?
The
first adventure
In
1980 the band was created taking the name of "Dayton"
after the members home town. Their first album with the same
name was released on the Liberty/United artists records label,
a trading name used under license from United artists corporation
in Los Angeles. The
cover design showed a fine picture with a retro feeling depicting
an imaginary bar, probably in the town of Dayton itself. The
backside featured several b/w photos of the members at a football
stadium, all in all nicely presented. So, what about the music?
First of all one can easily say that Dayton's sound was more
polished and softer with a disco influence compared to most
of their strongest competitors, but without loosing the fundamental
funk feeling. The over all impression was also that the debut
got a strong 70s feeling rather than taking in the new waves
that started to affect the music as the 70s turned to the
80s. The album was a mix of equally many more traditionally
funk tracks and more disco boogie ones with the standard strings
and horns. The opening track "Dank", the best track
on this side, was a quirky funk tune with some tasty guitar
riffs that set the mark for the funkier section. It was followed
up by the more dance oriented "Eyes on you" and
two more funkier ones, all good, but nothing sensational.
The b-side started up with the mediocre funk tune "Dayton
(jam)" but was showing a much stronger piece in the following
"Livin' for today", a well crafted disco funk track
with an harmonic combo of horns, strings and a fat bass. The
two last tracks included the average ballad "So glad"
and the fairly competent "Daytime friend".
Notable
was that the old guard from Sun in Jones (left) and
Sandridge wrote all the tracks and the lyrics on Dayton's
first set. Their importance in writing and producing Dayton's
early productions was indisputably and solidly strong. This
role was very different from their old one in Sun where master
writer Byron Byrd almost entirely took care of that part,
with just minor writing jobs for Jones and Sandridge. Their
strong role in Dayton went on for one more record until the
newly added mastermind member Rahni P. Harris Jr. completely
took over that part in 1982. All
together, Dayton's first album didn't show any major hits.
It presented a rather equally levelled material that all in
all managed to create an average debut but was unable to lift
it self over that.
Still
wont take off
After
a minor and more local success with the first album Dayton
gave it another try in 1981 on the same label. The outside
was promising all right, with a classy blue filter photo of
the band taken in a fashionable building somewhere. The back
side of the cover showed an equally nice photo, this time
with a red filter (below)
John Hardin, that probably joined late on Dayton's
debut, was now gone but otherwise the lineup included the
same players. "Cutie pie", as they called the second
album included eight tracks and all of them were once again
written by Jones and Sandridge. Compared to the first album
that couldn't lift it self over the average recognition level
this one did score a hit in the catchy and sing-a-long "Cutie
pie" that reached a more nation wide audience and even
beyond that as well. But the rest of the album didn't show
any greater difference compared with the first one despite
the decent punchy bass guitar track "One day or another"
and deep funky "Body shaker". It simply sounded
the same, that to say is not bad in any way, but not beyond
"all right" either. Nonetheless, the band still
showed some really good potential and their efforts were to
give much more fruit the following year.
Dayton
finally reaches the sky...
In
1982 the band had two mediocre albums behind them and their
biggest hit so far was "Cutie pie" from their last
effort. This year however was going to change the band's success
in a major way when they released "Hot fun". Once
again the release was dropped on Liberty records and the cover
featured a foxy lady taking out a hot pie from the oven. Very
much of the big turnover was explained by Dayton's specially
invited additional musician, multi-instrumentalist Rahni P.
Harris Jr. (below) that didn't become a member until
next year. He did however play a tremendously important role
nonetheless. Dayton wasn't Harris only project this year as
he also played on Bootsy Collins' album "The one giveth,
the count taketh away". Harris first more well-known
achievments could though be found already back in 1978 when
he released one 12" that was a popular tune at underground
danceclub scenes, especially in the UK. Except that he was
much of a shadowman, but that was to be changed from now on.
The
line-up was very different from 1981 and Harris wasn't the
only new addition. In fact the band was almost built from
scratch again except the hard core of Jones and Sandridge.
Dean Hummons, Derrick Armstrong and Jenny Douglas had all
left. Harris took care of much of Hummons' and Armstrong's
instruments and the two new added vocalists Jennifer Matthews
and Rachel Beavers took care of Douglas part. Dayton also
added Kevin Hurt on drums, percussion and as background vocalist,
Craig E. Robinson on rhythm guitar, bass guitar, percussion
and as lead and background vocalist, Justin Gresham as background
vocalist and fender rhodes player, Michael Dunlop on bass
guitar and Evan Rodgers as lead and background vocalist. Rodgers
that was a son of Italian immigrants had one year before released
the hit "Secret love" on 12".
Harris
wrote or co-wrote together with Jones and Sandridge five of
the good nine tracks and co-produced the set together with
Sandridge and Ted Currier. Interestingly to note is that the
talented Kool and the gang member and uprising hot songwriter/producer
Amir Bayyan co-wrote one track. He had this year produced
the monsterhit "Love you madly" with Candela among
a few other medium successful projects in the early 80s and
was to write and produce La Toya Jackson's amazing hit "Hot
potato" two years later.
The
album started up with the warm sing-a-long "Hot fun in
the summertime" but it is the second track "We can't
miss" that is the real thing on side A. With a tough
and stonehard funk intro this is a fantastically catchy discofunk
track with a punchy bass, great hooks, awesome refrain and
an overall tough and attractive musical style. Also the tastefully
and funky "Krackity krack" on which no one less
than Bootsy Collins appears rounds up side A. Side B begins
with the passionately singed dace track "Meet the man"
featuring some interesting stuff. Also funny "Gunch"
(co-written by Bayyan) is a rhythmically good track. The album
has also a few descent ballads.
On
a whole this album did offer a rather noticeable different
from the two earlier ones both in musical style, that was
much more up-to date and more listener friendly pop-funk like,
and when it comes to real commercial success. Harris role
in all this was with out a doubt very important. He was the
force they needed to lift the band to higher ground. The material
wasn't sensational though Dayton's music could be found in
various other groups at the time as well.
...and
beyond!
After
Dayton's relatively success with "Hot fun" Dayton
headed for just another release one more later. The musical
climate had changed even more since 1982 and rock, pop and
synth music had taken over more and more of the black music.
This didn't stop Dayton from producing yet another album with
a pop funk style though, this time with almost a perfect result!
Dayton
left Liberty records for a deal with Capitol, one of the biggest
players on the field, and aimed even higher than the last
time. Four members had left the band; Craig E. Robinson, Jennifer
Matthews, Justin Gresham, Michael Dunlop and Evan Rodgers,
and one had joined in Karen Harris Chappell as lead vocalist.
Rahni P. Harris III had strengthened his position and was
by now a full time member.
When
the "Feel the music" album hit the shelves in 1983
the first that the buyers saw was that sober black background
with water drops in straight lines with a classy Dayton logo
in white. The back showed the same background, except for
the logo, with the tracknames in red and the credits in white.
All in all this was a very luxurious feeling at a first glance.

Dayton
in 1983 featuring from left to right: Rahni P. Harris III,
Shawn Sandridge, Chris Jones, Rachel Beavers (?) and Kevin
Hurt
As
already been said Harris played a crucial role writing and
producing the music in 1982 and his role on this new set became
even stronger. In fact he wrote or co-wrote all tracks except
one. That single one he didn't wrote was a quirky funk piece
by fellow Ohio funker Roger Troutman from Zapp. That typically
Zapp influenced song was also the less interesting one and
it was instead the rest of Dayton's fourth album that walked
straight in the hall of fame.
Out
as number one on Dayton's first Capitol release was "The
sound of music", that became an all time classic and
by far Dayton's biggest hit. With a unbelievably catchy intro
followed by a vocoder talk box song the whole track is nicely
produced in every second and certainly earns a place in anyone's
"best of collection" CD. The rest of the tracks
on side A were not bad either. After the first immense experience
of "The sound of music" Dayton presented "It
must be love", a brilliant and sensitively singed mid-tempo
that reached the no 54 spot on Billboards Hot R&B/Hip
hop singles & tracks as well as black singles. As if this
wasn't enough on one single side Dayton launched "Out
tonight" as track three. With lyrics about the perfect
date "Out tonight" got a lovely and catchy melody
that makes anyone happy. The first side ended up with the
positive minded and slightly rock influenced "So what"
with quite a nice chorus but nothing sensational.
Side
B started with the already mentioned highly average and bubbly
Roger Troutman track "Love you anyway" with lyrics
by his brother Larry Troutman. Track two had gladly more to
offer and "Caught in the middle" showed some potential
that just missed out that last little bit though. Dayton now
turned to more rock beats again in "Eyes". Despite
having a quite good and catchy melody it didn't managed to
lift it self over the average. But with the fourth track the
sun fully shined again in the masterfully and sensitively
singed "Promise me", including a sensually played
sax intro. Clearly this is the most memorably track on side
B. Dayton's 1983 release was ended with the fill-out mid-tempo
Jamaica style track "Lookin' up" that wasn't close
to most of the other tracks.
The
roller blind down - The end
Dayton
had made it to the top step-by-step and "Feel the music"
was the crown jewel among their albums. In 1984 Dayton took
a break and waited to 1985 until their next and final album.
Meanwhile the genius Harris had worked as a producer with
a new band called Colorblind (see Colorblind's full biography
here)
in 1984. Their album "Crazy" was a nice mix of fast
popfunk tracks that showed some great potential but the band
ended up as so many else with just this classic and rather
rare album.
So,
could Dayton achieve something spectacular to match the great
1983 success? It turned out to be an immensely hard nut to
crack. One reason was that Harris unfortunately didn't spare
that sparkle and glow from Colorblind's album for Dayton ditto.
Perhaps this was a noble move but still a major mistake in
Dayton's point of view. Another reason to the difficulties
was that the musical changes around them were even more revolutionary
now than in 83. Capitol's influences on he final result played
an important role too in an ever-going merry-go-round to catch
market shares. With this in mind the band decided to try to
adapt their self to those new waves by adding pop and rock
but the result became, if not a disaster, a result with out
groove, depth and musical touch as they had before. The result
was simply way to watered-down. Their fellow Ohio funkers
Dazz Band, Slave, Lakeside and Switch couldn't coop with the
changes either and made very poor and watered-down albums
at this time too as most of the black soul, funk and R&B
groups did for that matter. Dayton therefore wasn't in anyway
alone, but that is no excuse.
Before
their last release, that got the ironic name "This time",
lead vocalist Karen Harris Chappell had left for Elaine Terri.
The changes were otherwise none. The album cover was very
colourful and much different from their earlier once though
with a somewhat free interpretation of the cubist art form.
The
set was once again released on Capitol and Harris once again
got the mission to write almost all the tracks, this time
seven of eight. He wasn't to succeed on this album though
and the result became as said, despite that promising colourful
cover, unfortunately only a pale and unimaginative copy of
their earlier works.
Although
the hash words about the album it do shows a few lighter moments
that includes the happy and pure pop pieces "I've got
me (somebody to love)" and "Nobody else" on
side A of which the latter is the most enjoyable.
On
side B you'll find at first two boring tracks that are followed
up by yet another a decent pop track in "Coming to get
my love". The last track is a bit funny as Dayton borrowed
that typical "tjiba tjiba" chorus from "The
sound of music" but in quite an average mid-tempo track.
By
this effort Dayton's musical life ended and as for many other
black artist in a less impressive way. They didn't manage
to get a deal with Capitol and obviously didn't find anything
else either and were disbanded.
After
math
After
the fall of Dayton the members were scattered for the wind.
Harris worked with Melba Moore in 1987 and Hummons was among
others involved in the group Soul influence in year 2000.
Bass guitar player Derick Armstrong appeared on Aalacho's
elektro album as late as 2004. Debbie Sandridge was later
on the executive producer of Stacy Lattisaw's hit "Call
me" in 1989. Vocalist Jenny Douglas later became a respected
and well-used part on albums with Keith Sweat and great acts
like Toto. Rachel Beavers turned on to artist development
and helped Rebecca St. James on her album in 2004. Evan Rodgers
became during the 90s a succesful producer and songwriter
for artists like Christina Auguliera and Brand new heavies.
Even though we don't know the work of all these former members,
Dayton's name lives on in many people's hearts.
Summary
During
the years they acted as a band they experienced both highs
and lows. Dayton started from the bottom and managed to reach
the top by hard work and a bit of luck. Together with the
hard-core members from Sun in Sandridge and Jones the highly
talented Rahni P. Harris III was the key figure in Dayton
and a really lucky strike to catch. On the inside Dayton had
some problems getting that perfect mix and balance within
the closest members and did often change members. This instability
had naturally impact on the result but they did nonetheless
manage to do a pretty fine job to level out this lack of balance.
Dayton
has to be remembered as a fine popfunk that evolved from discofunk
via sophisticated (pop) funk to pop. Despite this quite wide
range of styles Dayton should have had more acknowledgement
and recognition back then and today than they actually did
get. This is especially obvious for the two very competent
albums in 82 and 83 of which the latter is a true classic.
So let us simply "Feel the music" once again!
Reissues
A
few reissues have been made of some of Dayton's albums. The
first came on the 9th of February 1999 when the trustworthy
Japanese label Vivid sound released the two most successful
albums of "Hot fun" and "Feel the music".
They were both superbly remastered, although way to expensive
as they were imported. Despite the price they are worth any
cent.
On
the 23rd of August 2004 EMI Holland released both the "Hot
fun" as well as the self titled debut as a part of their
"Master of soul & funk" series. Both are sold
for under 10€, so it's a real bargain.
You
can find the Japanese releases on Amazon
US and the Dutch releases on Amazon
UK, Amazon
Germany (best price) or Amazon
France. The EMI releases can even be found at www.vinyl-masterpiece.com
Patrik
Andersson
Discography
of Dayton
Please click on the images below to see a complete list of
the songs from each album.
Album
cover
(if available)
|
Title,
year & format
(if
available)
|
Dayton
|
|
1980
(LP & CD)
|
Cutie
pie
|
|
1981
(LP)
|
Hot
fun
|
|
1982
(LP & CD)
|
Feel
the music
|
|
1983
(LP & CD)
|
This
time
|
|
1985
(LP)
|
All original release years
|
Sources:
Funky collector volume no 10. Copyright © 1999-2025
Thanks to Steve Sloan for use of some scanned covers.
|
|