Under The Influence Of Love (RSD 2023)

Karin Jones (born and raised in Philadelphia) took her first musical steps singing in church. She was gifted with an extremely talented ear, and an accomplished pianist, percussionist and drummer,mostly developed without formal training. In her pre-teens Karin and her two older sisters formed a soul group called The Jonesettes that was managed by their father. They released a single titled "Once I HadLove / Stop, Look & listen" on Cougar Records in 1971 and participated on the gospel classic "After While" by "Rev. Arvetra Jones And The Jonesettes" released on HSE Records in 1975. In 1976 a friend of Stevie Wonder told her that Marvin Gaye was looking for backing singers for his new record and subsequent tour. Karin auditioned for Marvin and was instantly hired. They recorded the "Got To Give It Up" EP and she hit the road for Marvin Gaye's London Palladium tour (late rreleased as a double live album on Motown in 1977). Soon after Karin Jones started doing session work for the renowned label Jobete Records where Teddy Pendergrass got really impressed with her unique musical style. She signed with him for management in 1979, but with Teddy's own frantic schedule, the arrangement dissolved a year later. At a convention of the Black Music Association in Philadelphia, Karin met with Jim Tyrrell, who at the time was establishing his own label, T-Electric. Karin signed with T-Electric Records and recorded analbum in 1980. However, the album was shelved because the label run out of money. After collecting dust for two years producer Jim Tyrrell brought it under the attention of industryveteran Ron Alexenburg who was president of Handshake Records. Alexenburg heard the album and very much liked it. He got Karin Jones to sign with his label and "Under The Influence Of love" finally got its well-deserved release in 1982. "Under The Influence Of Love"is a monster of an album arranged by Dunn Pearson Jr (known for hiswork with Roy Ayers, Lou Ragland, Mary J. Blige, D'Angelo)...