Skin Tight

Performer: The Ohio Players
Engineer: Barry Mraz
Producer: Ohio Players
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Ohio Players: Leroy "Sugar" Bonner (vocals, guitar, harmonica, percussion); Clarence "Satch" Satchell (vocals, saxophone, flute); Billy Beck (vocals, keyboards); Jimmy "Diamond" Williams (vocals, drums, percussion); Marvin Pierce (trumpet, trombone, percussion); Ralph "Pee-Wee" Middlebrooks (trumpet); Marshall Jones (bass). Recorded at Paragon Studios, Chicago, Illinois. Along with George Clinton's Parliament/Funkadelic mob, The Ohio Players were the epitome of '70s funk. SKIN TIGHT was the band's breakthrough release (followed by two even more successful albums, FIRE and HONEY), and a scan through the track listing takes one back to the glorious mack-daddy days of afros and fringe jackets. Burbling, elastic bass lines, punchy horn arrangements, a thick tapestry of percussion, plenty of wah-wah guitar, and soulful, often theatrical vocals flesh out the Players' down and dirty sound. The syncopated rhythms and ascending horn part of title track give way to the sly, snaky groove of "Streakin' Cheek To Cheek." Such lights-low ballads as "It's Your Night/Words of Love" and "Heaven Must Be Like This" contrast the warped, slo-jam of "Jive Turkey" (arguably the best track here). While SKIN TIGHT may not be as well known as FIRE and HONEY, it is still one of the Players' great efforts and a classic early '70s funk album.

One of the most important and successful funk bands of the '70s, the Ohio Players made effective use of aggressive horns and big, butt-shakin' bass lines. The group produced a wide variety of great, sex-savvy soul music, many of their biggest hits were sex-related novelties. Unfortunately, the Ohio Players are now remembered almost as much for their erotic cover art as for their music.

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