Circumstantial Evidence

Performer: Shalamar
Distributor: (Independently by Label)

Notes: Now facing forward with a new lineup that included longtime member Micki Free, Delissa Davis, and new addition Sidney Justin, a revitalized Shalamar released Circumstantial Evidence in 1987. It would prove their penultimate effort, and their last for longtime label Solar. Produced by late-'80s wunderkind Babyface, who also appeared as backing vocalist and an esoterically inclined musician, the still sassy Shalamar slammed two singles straight into the charts. The punchy title track revolved around a sparse cyclic beat, featured an awkward rap written and performed by Free, and managed to break the Top 30. "Games," meanwhile, fared better, nearly dipping into the Top Ten and benefiting from ballsier instrumentation and interesting backing vocals. R&B up and comer Pebbles, meanwhile, added backing vocals to the emotive and lighthearted mid-tempo dance number "Playthang." Elsewhere, "Female" emerged an odd, slightly menaced, off-kilter beat basher. One of the few bands of its ilk to survive both a heavy rotation of members and the departure of its figurehead vocalist, Shalamar spent more time in than out of the spotlight through the 1980s. Circumstantial Evidence proved no different. Although the band doesn't break any new ground and the formula feels a little stilted this late in the decade, this slick set shimmered, ultimately giving Shalamar a sophisticated outro, and its fans a delicious nightcap. ~ Amy Hanson

When R&B impresario Dick Griffey, owner of the S.O.L.A.R. label and booking agent of the classic TV dance-party SOUL TRAIN, wanted to put together a singing group to capitalize on the growing disco trend, he didn't need to look any further than show regulars and dance partners Jody Watley and Jeffrey Daniel. (The third member of Shalamar, Howard Hewett, was married to a SOUL TRAIN dancer.) The good-looking trio had strong, soulful voices and great dance moves--it's been said that Daniel created the "Moonwalk"--and had several high-charting hits between 1978 and 1984, after which both Watley and Daniel left for solo careers. Hewett defected for a successful solo run in '86. Although the latter-day group, with vocalists Delisa Davis and Micki Free, won a Grammy, Shalamar never quite recovered the popularity or hit-making power of their disco heyday, and the band folded in 1990.

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