297:
wrote: "Producer-manager Jerry Brandt has done a pretty good job of recording this untransportable troupe of twenty or so black adolescents. Except for an unnecessary 'Proud Mary' and an embarrassing 'Let It Be Me' (a/k/a 'Let It Be Us'), it shouts and almost jumps, just like church, or a basketball
168:, in 1969. Charles "Chuck" Griffin, founder of the East Harlem Federation Youth Association (EHFYA), and his wife Anna Quick Griffin, set up the ensemble, initially to perform in colleges and at local benefits. Their first major performance was at a benefit for
364:
tours. Other singers included
Bernard Graham, Wayne Garfield, Jerome Mack, Elaine Clark, Cynthia Sessions, Kevin Griffin and Claudia Moore. The album yielded a minor hit single, "Giving Love" produced by Mayfield, which reached no.57 on the
244:
style, but with secular lyrics emphasising "the power of the people", and a "soulful feel". Several of the tracks, including the title track "Right On, Be Free", were written by Chuck
Griffin. Lead vocals on
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175:, after which they attracted music director Bernice Cole (5 November 1921–19 November 2006), who had been a member of the
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17:
360:, and Rich Tufo. By this time, their lead vocalists were Gerri Griffin and Monica Burruss (later to be featured in various
325:). Eighteen months later, the same track was filmed under their own name for the prime time ABC-TV special of the project.
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of up to 20 singers, aged between 12 and 21. Founded as a community initiative in 1969, the group performed with top
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Monica
Burruss (aka Monica Pege) later recorded and performed as a session and backing singer before joining
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were by Cole, Anna
Griffin, Gerri Griffin, and Cynthia Sessions. The backing musicians included
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The Voices of East Harlem - Right On, Be Free - Live at Sing Sing Prison - 11/22/1972
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Fleamarket Funk, "Monica – I Don’t Know
Nothing Else To Tell You, But I Love You"
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in 1973. The single "Wanted Dead or Alive" was later reissued as a 12"
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In
January 1970, they performed at the "Winter Festival for Peace" at
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226:(who abandoned his performance after two numbers), and the cast of
187:
and who persuaded the ensemble to update their material and style.
240:, released in 1970. The album focused on ensemble singing in a
232:. They made regular TV appearances, and recorded an album for
152:
musicians and recorded four albums in the early and mid-1970s.
149:
54:
434:"No! No! No!" (East Harlem Federation Youth Association, 1970)
375:
278:
179:, to which she later returned. They also gained a manager,
510:, "NY 'Peace Festival' Pays Bills", 29 January 1970, p.22
302:
Award: Kevin
Griffin on the 6:45-minute 'Shaker Life.'"
160:
The group originated in an inner city action project in
547:
Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the
Seventies
290:
Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the
Seventies
328:Subsequently, they also performed in a concert at
305:In 1972 they released a second album on Elektra,
681:
378:and the group released its final album in 1974,
269:. The group received a standing ovation at the
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486:
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452:"Wanted Dead or Alive" (Just Sunshine, 1974)
630:Voices Of East Harlem at SoulWalking.co.uk
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610:
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474:Old Soul Part V: The Voices of East Harlem
536:
389:and as a solo performer known by Monica.
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491:Sheila Smith Hobson, "The Living Arts",
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14:
682:
647:Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-1995
615:Biography by Ron Wynn at Allmusic.com
467:
465:
446:"Giving Love" (Just Sunshine, 1973)
24:
462:
449:"Cashin' In" (Just Sunshine, 1973)
437:"Right On Be Free" (Elektra, 1970)
25:
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668:
530:
183:, who had previously worked with
571:– via robertchristgau.com.
313:. They also lent a track to the
265:, and the album was produced by
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649:. Record Research. p. 463.
309:, with some tracks produced by
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348:, and released a third album,
13:
1:
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440:"Oxford Town" (Elektra, 1971)
287:concert. Reviewing the LP in
695:American soul musical groups
662:. Retrieved 29 November 2013
632:. Retrieved 29 November 2013
617:. Retrieved 29 November 2013
602:. Retrieved 29 November 2013
587:. Retrieved 29 November 2013
527:. Retrieved 29 November 2013
512:. Retrieved 29 November 2013
497:. Retrieved 29 November 2013
478:. Retrieved 29 November 2013
7:
321:(where they were billed as
273:in the UK, appeared at the
271:1970 Isle of Wight Festival
10:
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428:
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598:The Voices of East Harlem
416:The Voices Of East Harlem
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350:The Voices of East Harlem
135:The Voices of East Harlem
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74:
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31:The Voices of East Harlem
29:
542:"Consumer Guide '70s: V"
344:label owned by promoter
315:Free to Be... You and Me
281:in February 1971 at the
242:traditional black gospel
212:Blood, Sweat & Tears
443:"Angry" (Elektra, 1972)
382:, produced by Hutson.
508:Waterloo Daily Courier
410:Brothers & Sisters
177:Angelic Gospel Singers
690:American vocal groups
424:(Just Sunshine, 1974)
418:(Just Sunshine, 1973)
192:Madison Square Garden
18:Voices of East Harlem
552:Ticknor & Fields
493:St. Petersburg Times
323:Brothers and Sisters
317:project produced by
307:Brothers and Sisters
216:Peter, Paul and Mary
495:, 20 July 1971, p.9
277:, and performed in
538:Christgau, Robert
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16:(Redirected from
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404:Right On Be Free
295:Robert Christgau
247:Right On Be Free
238:Right On Be Free
139:African-American
112:Cynthia Sessions
107:(music director)
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422:Can You Feel It
412:(Elektra, 1972)
406:(Elektra, 1970)
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380:Can You Feel It
354:Curtis Mayfield
300:Michael Jackson
263:Ralph MacDonald
234:Elektra Records
196:Harry Belafonte
194:on a bill with
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81:, Just Sunshine
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669:External links
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665:
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643:Whitburn, Joel
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600:at Discogs.com
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525:at Discogs.com
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352:, produced by
311:Donny Hathaway
275:Apollo Theater
267:David Rubinson
255:Cornell Dupree
157:
154:
142:vocal ensemble
130:
129:
118:Wayne Garfield
116:Bernard Graham
114:Monica Burruss
95:Chuck Griffin
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372:R&B chart
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362:Barry Manilow
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342:Just Sunshine
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200:Richie Havens
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166:New York City
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126:Claudia Moore
124:Kevin Griffin
110:Gerri Griffin
105:Bernice Cole
100:Anna Griffin
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45:New York City
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565:. Retrieved
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409:
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384:
379:
366:
358:Leroy Hutson
349:
346:Michael Lang
332:prison with
327:
322:
319:Marlo Thomas
306:
304:
298:tournament.
288:
284:Soul To Soul
282:
259:Chuck Rainey
246:
237:
227:
224:Jimi Hendrix
208:Dave Brubeck
204:Judy Collins
189:
181:Jerry Brandt
173:John Lindsay
159:
134:
133:
122:Elaine Clark
102:(co-founder)
91:Past members
66:Years active
700:East Harlem
675:Discography
472:Deb Cohen,
393:Discography
251:Richard Tee
220:The Rascals
162:East Harlem
120:Jerome Mack
41:East Harlem
684:Categories
582:Opinears,
561:089919026X
457:References
387:Lady Flash
128:Debra Raby
567:March 21,
368:Billboard
338:Joan Baez
334:B.B. King
330:Sing Sing
185:Sam Cooke
97:(founder)
70:1969–1974
645:(1996).
540:(1981).
293:(1981),
429:Singles
156:History
150:R&B
137:was an
79:Elektra
55:R&B
558:
398:Albums
261:, and
75:Labels
51:Genres
37:Origin
376:remix
279:Ghana
170:Mayor
569:2019
556:ISBN
336:and
229:Hair
148:and
146:soul
59:soul
686::
622:^
607:^
554:.
550:.
544:.
483:^
464:^
356:,
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20:)
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