Stuart D. Bascombe (born January 20, 1954) is an American singer, songwriter,
musician, and record producer. Bascombe is an original member of the
R&B/
soul
In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being".
Etymology
The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...
vocal group
Black Ivory
Black Ivory is an American R&B group from Harlem, which had a number of hits in the 1970s, including "Don't Turn Around", " You and I", " Time Is Love", and "Will We Ever Come Together".
History Early days
The group was originally known as th ...
who recorded a number of R&B hits in the 1970s, including "
Don't Turn Around
"Don't Turn Around" is a popular song written by Albert Hammond and Diane Warren. It was originally recorded by Tina Turner as the B-side to the single " Typical Male" in 1986. It has since been included on the rarities disc of the 1994 compil ...
", "
You and I", "
Time Is Love", "
I'll Find a Way (The Loneliest Man in Town)", and their disco hit "Mainline".
Early life
Bascombe was born in
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street (Manhattan), 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and 110th Street (Manhattan), ...
, New York City, and was raised in Harlem and in
the Bronx
The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...
.
History
Career
Bascombe, along with songwriter and prolific disco producer
Leroy Burgess
Leroy O'Neil Jackson Jr. (born August 20, 1953), known by his stage name Leroy Burgess, is an American singer, songwriter, keyboard player, recording artist, arranger and record producer.
Burgess was a member of Black Ivory and lead vocalist o ...
, and
Russell Patterson
Russell Patterson (December 26, 1893 – March 17, 1977) was an American cartoonist, illustrator and scenic designer. Patterson's art deco magazine illustrations helped develop and promote the idea of the 1920s and 1930s fashion style known as t ...
released their debut album while still attending High School. Black Ivory was first signed to the East Coast
label
A label (as distinct from signage) is a piece of paper, plastic film, cloth, metal, or other material affixed to a container or product, on which is written or printed information or symbols about the product or item. Information printed dir ...
Today/
Perception Records
Perception Records was an American jazz/R&B record label.
What originally began as a production company in 1967 for pop and progressive rock acts, singer/songwriter/producer Jimmy Curtiss transitioned into Perception Ventures in 1969. Eventually e ...
, which was run by record producer,
Patrick Adams, who was also the group's manager.
![Black Ivory first promo picture](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/Black_Ivory_first_promo_picture.jpg)
Bascombe with his group scored 3 top 40
R&B hits in 1972, including "Don't Turn Around" No. 38, and "You And I" No. 32
from their hit debut album, "Don't Turn Around", which peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard R&B Album Chart in May 1972.
Bascombe is credited as co-writer on four songs from that album. Another single from that album, "I'll Find A Way (The Loneliest Man In Town)" peaked at No. 46 on Billboard R&B Chart.
Their single, "Time Is Love" was the third top 40 hit peaking at No. 37. Other charting singles included, "Spinning Around" #45, "What Goes Around (Comes Around)" #44, and "Will We Ever Come Together" #40. Although they recorded several uptempo tracks, such as "Big Apple Rock", "Walking Downtown (On A Saturday Night)", "What Goes Around (Comes Around)" and later, "Mainline" with Russell Patterson as lead singer (written by Burgess, but recorded after he left the group in 1977), they were primarily known for sweet soul ballads.
On June 1, 1974, Bascombe appeared on season three of
Soul train
''Soul Train'' is an American musical variety television show. It aired in syndication from October 2, 1971, to March 25, 2006. Across its 35-year history the show primarily featured performances by R&B, soul, and hip hop artists. The series w ...
and on PBS television show,
SOUL!
''Soul!'' (also stylized in uppercaseC. Gerald Fraser January 30, 1991, ''New York Times''. Accessed online 21 April 2008.) is a performance/variety television program that showcased African American music, dance and literature in the late 1960s ...
March 1, 1972, with his group Black Ivory.
In 1976, Bascombe scored the lead role as Moses in a made for TV children's film "Turkey Treasure" which aired on WABC 7. In 1983, Bascombe again reprising the lead role as Moses in the WABC-TV Children's Special, "To Be A Man" which was produced by
Neema Barnette
Neema Barnette is an American film director and producer, and the first African-American woman to direct a primetime sitcom. Barnette was the first African-American woman to get a three-picture deal with Sony. Since then, she accumulated a numbe ...
and Cliff Frazier. The production won an Emmy for Best Children's Programming on April 23, 1983. Bascombe received a contributing Emmy plaque.
In 1995, the group reunited and returned to the stage on the Classic Soul circuit, featuring all three original members, with Stuart Bascombe doing most of the leads. They have been performing together ever since.
Bascombe is a contributing writer on
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop group formed in Staten Island, New York City, in 1992. Its original members include RZA, GZA, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Masta Killa. Close affili ...
rapper,
Raekwon
Corey Woods (born January 12, 1970), better known by his stage name Raekwon The Chef, or simply Raekwon (), is an American rapper. He rose to prominence as a founding member of the hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan, which achieved mainstream success ...
's single,
Criminology
Criminology (from Latin , "accusation", and Ancient Greek , ''-logia'', from λόγος ''logos'' meaning: "word, reason") is the study of crime and deviant behaviour. Criminology is an interdisciplinary field in both the behavioural and so ...
off of his 1995 hit album "
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...". On October 2, 1995, the album was certified Gold by the
RIAA
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
.
Recent years
Bascombe is a contributing writer on the single, "
Gettin' Up
'Gettin' Up' is a song by American hip hop recording artist Q-Tip, released as the lead single from his album ''The Renaissance''.
The music video was directed by Ben Dickinson, produced by Karen Lin and edited by D.J Sing. It was the free mus ...
"
on Rapper and Musician
Q-Tip's album,
The Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...
, which was nominated for Best Rap Album at the
52nd Annual Grammy Awards
The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards took place on January 31, 2010, at Staples Center in Los Angeles honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning October 1, 2008 through September 30, 2009. Neil Young was honored as the 2010 MusiCares Pe ...
in 2010.
![Bascombe Awards](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/Bascombe_Awards.jpg)
In 2011, Bascombe with his group released a Christmas single entitled "Snow", and a CD/album (which Bascombe co-produced and co-wrote three of the songs) entitled Continuum on their own label, SLR Records LLC.
Bascombe is a featured guest and performer in the award-winning 2018 documentary, Mr. Soul!. Bascombe and the cast of the film received Peabody Awards for Best Documentary in 2021. The film is based on the host and executive producer of ''SOUL!'',
Ellis Haizlip
Ellis B. Haizlip (September 21, 1929 – January 25, 1991) was an American television and theatrical producer, broadcaster and promoter of African American culture. Haizlip is best known as the creator, producer and host of the television var ...
, the first "black Tonight Show." In 1968, SOUL! was launched as a local, New York broadcast. In 1969 the series rolled out nationwide on PBS, on WNET Channel 13. Haizlip had produced over 130 hour-long shows featuring a dazzling array of A-list guests. Actor
Blair Underwood
Blair Erwin Underwood (born August 25, 1964) is an American actor. He made his debut in the 1985 musical film ''Krush Groove'' and from 1987 to 1994 starred as attorney Jonathan Rollins in the NBC legal drama series ''L.A. Law''.
Underwood has a ...
is the Executive Director and narrator of the film.
In October 2019, Bascombe along with Black Ivory's band-mate, Russell Patterson traveled to the UK and joined
Leroy Burgess
Leroy O'Neil Jackson Jr. (born August 20, 1953), known by his stage name Leroy Burgess, is an American singer, songwriter, keyboard player, recording artist, arranger and record producer.
Burgess was a member of Black Ivory and lead vocalist o ...
on stage at the famous
London's Jazz Cafe. It was the first time that Black Ivory performed in London together. They were honored with awards to commemorate their 50th Anniversary. In addition, Black Ivory was featured in a 13-page article in the London magazine, The Soul Survivors.
As of 2020, Bascombe is still writing and performing with his group Black Ivory, which are one of the only classic Soul/R&B groups from the 1970s, who are still performing with all of the original members from their first recordings.
Discography
With Black Ivory
Albums
*''
Don't Turn Around
"Don't Turn Around" is a popular song written by Albert Hammond and Diane Warren. It was originally recorded by Tina Turner as the B-side to the single " Typical Male" in 1986. It has since been included on the rarities disc of the 1994 compil ...
'' (1972) (Today Records) No.13 Billboard R&B Chart
*'
'Baby, Won't You Change Your Mind'' (1972) (Today Records) No.26 Billboard R&B Chart
*
''Feel It'' (1975) (Buddah Records)
*''Black Ivory'' (1976) (Buddah Records)
*''Hangin' Heavy'' (1979) (Buddah Records/
Arista Records
Arista Records () is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. The label was previously handled by BMG Entertainmen ...
)
*''Continuum'' (2011) (SLR Records)
Singles
*"
Don't Turn Around
"Don't Turn Around" is a popular song written by Albert Hammond and Diane Warren. It was originally recorded by Tina Turner as the B-side to the single " Typical Male" in 1986. It has since been included on the rarities disc of the 1994 compil ...
" (1971) No.38 Billboard R&B Chart
*"
You and I" (1972) No.32 Billboard R&B Chart
*
"I'll Find a Way (The Loneliest Man In Town)" (1972) No.46 Billboard R&B Chart
*"Time Is Love"/"Got to Be There" (1972) No.37 Billboard R&B Chart
*"Spinning Around" (1973) No.45 Billboard R&B Chart
*"What Goes Around (Comes Around)" (1974) No.44 Billboard R&B Chart
*"Will We Ever Come Together" (1975) No.40 Billboard R&B Chart
*"Daily News"
*"You Mean Everything to Me"
*"Walking Downtown (Saturday Night)" (1976)
*"You Turned My Whole World Around" (1978)
*"Mainline"/"Dance" (1979) No.57 Billboard Dance Club Chart
*"I've Got My Eye On You" (1985) No.18 Billboard Dance Club Chart
References
External links
*
Stuart Bascombe DiscogsStuart Bascombe All Music Credits
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bascombe, Stuart
1954 births
Living people
American male singer-songwriters
Record producers from New York (state)
American male film actors