Blaze is an American

house music House is a music genre characterized by a repetitive Four on the floor (music), four-on-the-floor beat and a typical tempo of 120 beats per minute. It was created by Disc jockey, DJs and music producers from Chicago metropolitan area, Chicago' ...

group formed in

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

in 1984.

History

The group was formed by Josh Milan, Kevin Hedge and Chris Herbert, when Herbert introduced Milan, a member of his church choir, to Hedge, his childhood friend. Herbert was the one who left the group in 1991, leaving Milan and Hedge to carry on working together.IMO Records
"Blaze Biography"
''

IMO Records IMO Records is a specialist online retailer of vinyl and electronic dubstep, drum and bass, and hardcore dance music. The firm also sells clothing, DJ equipment and ancillary products. IMO Records was established in 1998 as a mail order business a ...

'', London, Retrieved on January 25, 2012. The group's output consists mainly of house music songs. When the group started, Herbert was the singer, with Milan playing the piano, and Hedge on production. After Herbert left, both Hedge and Milan started to share production duties, vocals, and playing most of the instruments of the group's tracks and albums. The group achieved notoriety with its remix of

Lisa Stansfield Lisa Jane Stansfield (born 11 April 1966) is an English singer, songwriter, and actress. Her career began in 1980 when she won the singing competition ''Search for a Star''. After appearances in various television shows and releasing her first ...

's "

People Hold On "People Hold On" is a song by British band Coldcut and singer-songwriter Lisa Stansfield, released as the first single from the band's debut album, '' What's That Noise?'' (1989). It was written by Matt Black, Jonathan More and Stansfield, an ...

" in 1989, after signing with

Motown Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''moto ...

MCA Records MCA Records was an American record label owned by MCA Inc., which later became part of Universal Music Group. Pre-history MCA Inc., a powerful talent agency and a television production company, entered the recorded music business in 1962 wit ...

. Blaze released their debut album, ''25 Years Later'' in 1990, after which Herbert decided to move to a more R&B-oriented career, while the two remaining members invested in the emerging club culture, opening a

nightclub A nightclub (music club, discothèque, disco club, or simply club) is an entertainment venue during nighttime comprising a dance floor, lightshow, and a stage for live music or a disc jockey (DJ) who plays recorded music. Nightclubs gener ...

called Shelter. In 1994, the group scored its first big international production success with

De'Lacy De'Lacy was an American 1990s House music, house-music group that was most famous for its single "Hideaway (De'Lacy song), Hideaway." Overview Initially, the group consisted of De'Lacy Davis—percussionist and ex-Police Officer in New Jersey, ...

's " Hideaway", which was later remixed by Deep Dish. Since then, Blaze released three more albums, alongside a few scattered compilations of earlier productions and works and countless singles. They also began working with other well-known names such as "Little" Louie Vega,

Barbara Tucker Barbara Tucker (born March 19, 1967), is an American house and soul singer, songwriter and choreographer born in Brooklyn, New York, US. Tucker had six No. 1 hits on the US Hot Dance Club Songs chart in the 1990s and into the 2000s, and seve ...

Jody Watley Jody Vanessa Watley (born January 30, 1959) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and artist,USA Today (February 16, 1996), Best Bets: Albums Jody Watley Greatest Hits, "Few singers fired up the disco like Jody Watley who set trends ...

and

Full Intention Full Intention is an English house music duo consisting of Michael Gray and Jon Pearn. They are best known as prolific producers and remixers. They have reworked songs for varied artists such as the Sugababes, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and ...

. The group are best known to modern audiences by its singles featuring Palmer Brown on vocals, the oft-remixed "My Beat", and the tribute anthem "I Remember House". Blaze's most recent album, released in 2005, is a mix compilation titled ''Found Love''.

Discography

Albums

*1990 ''25 Years Later'' *1994 ''6 Hubert St.'' *1997 ''Basic Blaze'' *1999 ''Productions'' *1999 ''The Many Colours of Blaze'' *1999 ''Pure Blaze'' *2001 ''Pure Blaze 2'' *2001 ''Natural Blaze'' (as James Toney Jr. Project) *2002 ''Best of Blaze'' *2002 ''Spiritually Speaking'' *2004 ''The Instrumentals Project'' *2004 ''Keep Hope Alive'' (as Underground Dance Artists United for Life) *2004 ''Spiritually Speaking – Then and Now'' *2007 ''The Best of Blaze Vol 1. (The Motown Years)'' *2007 ''The Best of Blaze Vol 2 (Hubert Street)'' *2007 ''The Best of Blaze Vol. 3 (Natural Blaze)'' *2011 ''House Masters—Blaze''

Singles and EPs

;Solo *2010 "Til You Go Home" (feat. ChinahBlac) *2011 "Your Body" *2011 "Stay with Me" *2011 "Be Your Freak" *2011 "Wish" (with Matthew Bandy) ;Blaze *1985 "Yearnin'" *1986 "Whatcha Gonna Do" (with

Colonel Abrams Colonel Abrams (May 25, 1949 – November 24, 2016) was an American musician, singer, songwriter, dancer and actor. Early life Colonel Abrams (his real name) was born in Detroit, Michigan. His family later moved to East 13 Street, in Manhattan's ...

) *1987 "If You Should Need a Friend" *1988 "Can't Win for Losin'" *1990 "So Special" (with

Timmy Regisford DJ Timmy Regisford is an American DJ and producer. After working at the WBLS radio station in New York and as an A&R Director at Atlantic Records and MCA Records, he became Vice President of A&R at Motown Records, then Vice President of A&R at ...

) *1990 "We All Must Live Together" *1993 "Why Can't We Live Together" (with Hunter Hayes) *1994 "#6 Hubert St." *1994 "Live a Happy Life" (with Billy Hope) *1994 "Just a Little Different" (with Charlé Bishop) *1995 "Happy Day" (with Alexander Hope) *1995 ''The Blaze Tracks EP'' *1995 "Fly Away" (with Alexander Hope) *1996 "Love Comes Around" (with Sheila Slappy) *1996 ''The Colour Funky EP (A Music Perspective)'' *1996 ''Trans-Jazz EP'' *1996 "What Can You Do" (with Alexander Hope) *1997 "Feel the Music" (with Alexander Hope) *1997 "Lovelee Dae" *1998 "Directions" (with Joe Claussell) *1998 "Seasons of Love" *1998 "My Beat" (with Palmer Brown) *1999 "More Than Gold" (with Palmer Brown) *1999 "Wishing You Were Here" *1999 "Funky People" (with Cassio Ware) *2000 "Home Is Where the Heart Is" *2000 "My Beat" (re-release) (with Palmer Brown) *2001 "Jump 4 Love" (with Palmer Brown) *2001 "Shine" (with Palmer Brown) *2001 "Paradise" (with Cassio Ware) *2002 "A Moment in Time" (with Alexander Hope) *2002 "Wonderland" (with Alexander Hope) *2002 "When I Fall in Love" (with Tee Alford and Sybil Lynch) *2002 "Breathe" *2002 "I Remember House" (with Palmer Brown) *2002 "How Deep Is Your Love" (with Alexander Hope and Timmy Regisford) *2003 "I Think of You" (with Amira) *2004 "A Song for Nina (Keep the Faith)" *2004 "Found Love" *2004 "My Beat (Remixes)" (with Palmer Brown) *2004 "I Remember House (Remixes)" (with Palmer Brown) *2004 "When I Fall in Love (Remixes)" (with Sybil Lynch) *2005 "Gloria's Muse (The Yoga Song)" *2005 "Dancing" (with Alexander Hope) *2005 "Here with Me" *2007 "Lovelee Dae" (OM Remixes) *2007 "Listen" *2007 "Family" *2007 "Force of Nature" *2009 "We Are One" (Ian Friday Remixes) *2010 "Sacred Sex" *2010 "We Are One" (Incl. Kiko Navarro & Ian Friday Mixes) *2010 "Cult of Soul" *2011 "Lovelee Dae" (Remix Re-Release) ;Underground Dance Artists United for Life *2003 "Be Yourself" (with

Joi Cardwell Joi Cardwell (born October 8, 1967) is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she performed in various singing competitions as a child and rose to fame in the early 1990s as a guest vocalist for Lil Louis on the num ...

) *2003 "We Are One" *2004 "Most Precious Love" (with

) *2005 "Be Yourself (Remixes)" (with Joi Cardwell) *2005 "Keep Hope Alive (Remixes)" (with

Dawn Tallman Dawn Tallman is an American soul, R&B and gospel singer. Biography She is marketed as "The Queen of Gospel Energy" by her record company. She was born and raised in Danbury, Connecticut, and started singing in church and later on was featured in ...

) *2005 "Most Precious Love (Remixes)" (with Barbara Tucker) *2005 "Spread Love" (with

Byron Stingily Byron Stingily is an American R&B and house-music singer born in Chicago, Illinois, known for his falsetto voice. He is now a part-time principal at a school in Chicago while still performing. Career Stingily had several hit records in the 1 ...

) *2005 "Wonderful Place" (with

Ultra Naté Ultra Naté Wyche (born March 20, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, DJ and promoter who has achieved success on the pop charts with songs such as " Free", "If You Could Read My Mind" (as part of Stars on 54), and "Autom ...

) *2006 "Most Precious Love 2006" (with Barbara Tucker) ;Black Rascals *1993 "The Piano" *1993 "Sympathy" *1993 "Keeping My Mind" (with Roger Harris) *1993 "So in Love" (with Cassio Ware) *1996 "For the Next Time" ;Funky People *1995 ''The Blaze Tracks EP'' (with Cassio Ware, Tee Alford and Allen Jeffrey) *1995 "Funky People" (with Cassio Ware and

Sabrina Johnston Sabrina Johnston is an American singer, best known for her 1991 club anthem, "Peace", which reached the Top 10 in the UK Singles Chart. Career Johnston grew up in the United States attending summer music camps, dance and voice classes before enr ...

) *1996 "Lift Him Up" (with Talipharaoh and Su Su Bobien) *1999 "Funky People (Remixes)" (with Cassio Ware and Sabrina Johnston) ;The Colour Funky *1996 "Peach Melba" *1999 "Our Spirit" *1999 "Journey" ;James Toney Jr. Project *2000 "Elevation" *2001 "Afro-Groove" *2001 "Lovely Ones" *2002 "Better Days" ;Other aliases *1987 "Let's Work It Out" (as Exit) *1987 "Sometimes Love" (as In-Sync) (with Jerry Edwards) *1988 "Mystery" (as Phase II) (with Jerry Edwards and Vincent Herbert) *1988 "Reachin'" (as Phase II) (with Jerry Edwards and Vincent Herbert) *1989 "Love Will Find a Way/Blazin'" (as Stardust) *1991 "One Kiss" (as Pacha) (with

Joey Negro David Russell Lee (born 18 June 1964) is an English DJ and house music producer, formerly known by the stage name Joey Negro, which he retired in July 2020 following the George Floyd protests. He has released music under a variety of pseudo ...

and Debbie French) *1993 "Underground" (as System VIII) (with Otis Vick) *1995 ''Klubhead EP'' (as Klubhead) (with Alexander Hope and Otis Vick) *1997 "Heaven (When U Smile)" (as The Walls & Company) (with Simone Jay) *1997 "Superstar" (as Project MSC) (with Ce Ce Rogers) *1998 ''Artful Noyz EP'' (as Blaze Team) (with Tee Alford) *1998 ''Mixed Dimensions EP'' (as Urban Art Trio) (with Tee Alford) *1998 "When I Fall in Love" (as The Klub Family) (with Tee Alford and Sybil Lynch) *2000 "When I Fall in Love (Remixes)" (as The Klub Family) (with Tee Alford and Sybil Lynch) *2003 "A Better World" (as AgeHa) (with Satoshi Hidaka,

Jocelyn Brown Jocelyn Lorette Brown (born November 25, 1950), sometimes credited as Jocelyn Shaw, is an American R&B and dance singer. Although she has only one ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart entry solely in her name, she has an extensive background in the musi ...

and

Loleatta Holloway Loleatta Holloway (, ; November 5, 1946 – March 21, 2011) was an American singer known for disco songs such as "Hit and Run" and "Love Sensation". In December 2016, ''Billboard'' named her the 95th most successful dance artist of all time. Acco ...

)

Productions for other artists

*1988: Michelle Ayers – "Another Lover" *1988: LaChandra – "Just Started" *1988: Heat – "You Can't Get Away" *1988: Anthony & the Camp – "Open (Up Your Heart)" *1989:

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

– "

One Better World "One Better World" is a song by English band ABC, released as the first single from their fifth studio album, '' Up'' (1989). The song, sung with accompanying children's chorus, concerned love, peace and tolerance ("one better world"), and peak ...

" *1989: Cynthia "Cookie" Abrams – "Best Part of Me" *1989: Jerry Edwards – "I Am Somebody" *1989: Chanelle – "One Man" *1989: Tawanna Curry – "Let Me Show You" *1989: Sense of Vision – "All My Love" *1989: Breed of Motion – "Gotta Dance" *1992: Cassio Ware – "Baby Love" *1993: Cassio – "Never Thought I'd See You Again" *1993:

Sabrynaah Pope Sabrynaah Pope (October 6, 1959 - September 24, 2005) was a female house-music vocalist from Brooklyn, New York. She was well known for her work with house acts 95 North, DJ Pierre, and as part of U.D.A.U.F.L., which scored a number-one track o ...

– "It Works for Me" *1993: Althea McQueen – "Changes" *1993: Kechia Jenkins – "Goin' Through the Motions" *1993: Alexander Hope – "Let the Music Take You" *1993: Alexander Hope – "Saturdays" *1994: Alexander Hope – "Share" *1994: Cassio Ware – "Fantasy", with Sajaeda *1994:

– " Hideaway" *1994: Cookie – "Choose Me" *1994: Cookie – "Best Part of Me" *1995: Cassio – "Paradise" *1995: Alex & Rai – "For the Love of You" *1995: Alexander Hope – "Brothers & Sisters" *1996: Alexander Hope – "Happy Days" *1996: De'Lacy – " That Look" *1996: Amira – "Getaway" *1996: Amira – "Walk", with Alexander O'Neal *1997: Amira – "My Desire" *1997: De'Lacy – "All I Need Is Love" *1997: Debbie Pender – "Movin' On" *1997: Alexander Hope – "Never Can Get Away" *1998: De'Lacy – "More" *1999:

Kathy Brown Kathy Brown (born July 12, 1960) is an American dance and house singer from South Carolina. Her credits include vocals on the songs "Turn Me Out (Turn to Sugar)" and "Strings of Life (Stronger on My Own)". Career Brown began singing in her ...

– "Happy People" *2001: Nicci – "Count on Me" *2001: Nicci – "When You're Free" *2004: Alexander Hope – "Big Mistake" *2005:

Stephanie Cooke Stephanie S. Cooke is a journalist who began her reporting career in 1977 at the Associated Press. In 1980 she moved to McGraw-Hill in New York as a reporter for Nucleonics Week, NuclearFuel and Inside N.R.C. In 1984 she transferred to London a ...

– "Love Will" *2005: Stephanie Cooke – "Lovers' Holiday"

Appearances

*2000

Louie Vega Luis Ferdinand Vega Jr. (born June 12, 1965), as known as "Little Louie" Vega, is an American DJ, record producer and Grammy Award winner remixer of Puerto Rican ancestry. He is one half of the Masters at Work musical production team. Biograph ...

– "Elements of Life" *2002 Louie Vega – "Brand New Day" *2004 Louie Vega – "Love Is on the Way" *2004 Louie Vega – "Sunshine" *2006 Catalan FC & Sven Löve – "All About Love" *2006 Louie Vega – "Joshua's Jam" *2006 Studio Apartment – "The Rising Sun" *2006 Shuya Okino – "Love Is the Key" (produced by Phil Asher) *2007 Luisito Quintero – "Love Remains the Same" (produced by Louie Vega)

Remixes

*2003: "The Only Thing Missin' (Blaze Vocal Mix)" –

Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Referred to as the " Queen of Soul", she has twice been placed ninth in ''Rolling Stone''s "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". With ...

*2007: "Listen" – ''Dreamgirls'' soundtrack featuring

Beyoncé Knowles Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...

*2007: "Force of Nature" –

Sunshine Anderson Sunshine Jocelyn Sian Anderson (born June 7, 1974) is an American R&B and soul singer and songwriter. Early life Beginnings Anderson was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and later moved to Charlotte. Wallace Sellars, a friend of a pro ...

*2007: "Family" – ''Dreamgirls'' soundtrack featuring

Jennifer Hudson Jennifer Kate Hudson (born September 12, 1981), also known by her nickname J.Hud, is an American singer, actress, and talk show host. Throughout her career, she has received various accolades for her works in recorded music, film, televisio ...

References

Sources

Blaze page on DiscogsBlaze biography on West End RecordsJosh Milan 2012 Audio Interview at Soulinterviews.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blaze American garage house musicians American house music groups American musical trios Musical groups established in 1984 Electronic music groups from New Jersey Electronic dance music duos Motown artists MCA Records artists