This film is a sequel in name only to Valley of the Dolls (1967). Hollywood goes all the way, in Russ Meyer's outrageous chronicle of an all-girl rock group's rise to fame and their eventual seduction by sex, drugs and rock and roll. Dolly Reed, Cynthia Myers and Marcia McBroom star, playing the members of the “Carrie Nations” band. This hip and happening group head to LA to claim lead-singer Kelly's inheritance and make it big in Hollywood. They immediately fall under the spell of rock'n'roll Svengali, 'Z-Man' (portrayed by John Lazar), and other rapacious Hollywood party types. The girls find success, but sink into a cesspool of decadence; a morass of drugs and deceit, as their recording success soars. It takes several tragedies to make them stop and think... but is it too late?

 

Meyer’s and film critic Roger Ebert wrote this cult classic. (They had become friends after Ebert had written favorable reviews of several of Meyers’ films.) The X-rated “Beyond the Valley of the Dolls”, put the “B” in b-movies, and has gained a huge cult following over the years for its unique mix of pop music, high camp, and pathos. Marcia McBroom portraits the band's drummer Petronella Danforth.

 

 

 

 

 

Based on a concept album project written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, and the subsequent long-running Broadway performance, this film tells the story of the final 6 days in the life of Jesus Christ through the troubled eyes of Judas Iscariot. Too often mis-labeled a musical, this film is a "rock opera." There are no spoken lines, everything is sung.

Ted Neeley portraits Jesus in this Norman Jewison screen adaptation of the Broadway "rock opera," which was a smash on stage in the early '70s. Jewison (Other People's Money) adds some good exterior settings in the desert, but Lloyd Webber and Rice's dialogue-free story,  with its quasi-profundities about the inner demons of principal figures in the life of Christ, is the real hook. Yvonne Elliman sings the show's best-known song, "I Don't Know How to Love Him." Marcia McBroom is one of the film's featured dancers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This enjoyable 1976 film by John Badham (Saturday Night Fever) concerns the efforts of a barnstorming baseball team of African American players to work around the dominance of the Negro National League. Set in 1939, the swift, impressive, and entertaining troupe of personality-rich athletes easily make the viewer wistful for this level of spiritedness on a green field. While the story is a bit halting, the script intelligently reflects some of the difficulties and requirements of black players at that time to find success in the game. The excellent cast includes Billy Dee Williams, whose character is based on Satchel Paige, and James Earl Jones, whose part is suggestive of the tragic Josh Gibson, as well as Richard Pryor, Ted Ross, DeWayne Jessie, and Stan Shaw. Produced by Motown's old film division, the musical score, not surprisingly, is highly memorable.

Steven Spielberg was initially very interesting in directing, but the massive success of Jaws (1975) meant that he was able to get any project of his own off the ground, and decided to make Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)instead.

Director John Badham made this is a great tribute to the "Negro League" players. Overcoming racism and hustling owners, forced them to defend themselves from both worlds and still achieve their goals. James Earl Jones and Billy Dee Williams each give great performances, but Richard Pryor with his Ricky Ricardo take, steals the show. A great look into the history of the Negro Leagues and makes a very uplifting fact based portrayal.

 

 

From the Dana (McBroom) Manno collection

Dana Manno is another of the McBroom sisters with diverse and varied talents. She wrote the Grace Jones hit "Pull Up To The Bumper" and producer Chris Blackwell paired her unique take on New York's 42nd Street "night life" with Jamaica's infamous Sly and Robbie, to come up with this classic club gem!

 

From the Lorelei McBroom collection

In the tradition of Shaft, Super Fly and Scareface, it takes a street soldier to run the streets. Max Julien gives a brilliant performance as "The Mack". This movie definitely makes the blaxploitation Top Five! Not only is this film one you can chuckle at in the postmodern, ironic mode, it is also a window into the world of today's Rap superstars, many of whom have sampled, invoked, or quoted lines from this gaudy paean to pimping. "The Mack" is a kind of "Godfather" to a future generation looking back on this 70's take on life on the streets.  It poses the question is "street hustling" the best way to independence, or should you step away from the hooking, pimping and drug dealing, and actualize the "uplift your community out of oppression" message of the Black Panthers. Max Julien's Goldie (is  the pimp) being questioned in this way by his brother Olinga, played by co-star Roger E. Mosley. Dig into this piece for it's urban costume design with a greasy/funky score by R&B genius Willie Hutch. This Platinum Series DVD has great interviews  offered in it's special features section, with composer Willie Hutch, star Max Julien, several other actors from the film, producers, the director, writer and information about the film's inspiration real life pimp, Frank Ward. It features an amazing supporting turn by Richard Pryor, who, playing Tonto to Julien's Lone Ranger. Such brilliance is a direct comedy-organ transplant from Pryor's stand-up act  (he was performing his "Pimp on Blow" routine at about the same time The Mack was filmed.) Seventy percent of this piece is over the top, but the other 30 is the apex of urban surrealism.

Lorelei's "Tribute to Willie Hutch featuring The Mack" DVD presentation takes excerpts from this film and it's interviews and sets them to the soundtrack's soulful theme music, edited and co-produced  by OHM Music and Film Works by founder DJ Don Welch.  

 

From the Durga McBroom collection

Blue Pearl were the UK based dance act comprised of Pink Floyd backing vocalist Durga McBroom and Killing Joke bassist Youth. The duo quickly found success when their debut single "Naked in the Rain" topped the UK charts in the top 5. The group released several more singles, "Alive", "Little Brother" and "Can you Feel the Passion"  before fading away into the musical abyss.

Their only album contains a good blend of  90's dance rhythms and British styled soul music. Tracks like "Little Brother", "Without Love" and the hit "Naked in the Rain" explore the club sounds of early 90s Britain. Durga's delivery on the songs really helps them from becoming generic club tunes. "Chemical Thing" is an interesting and psychedelic soundscape mixed with guitar riffs and ambient keyboards. The group does a cover of Kate Bush's "running up that hill" and go for deep US soul on the track "Rollover". Fans of Pink Floyd might be interested to know that Dave Gilmour plays on 2 tracks.

 

NEW RELEASE! from the collection of Lorelei McBroom

This is the latest release from hit makers Sister Sledge. The collection includes Lorelei's first published cover, "Dancing On The Jagged Edge" (Track 15 disc 2). The songs on this two disc set include their greatest hits like "We Are Family", and "He's The Greatest Dancer".

Formed in '70s Philadelphia by siblings Debbie, Joni, Kim, and Kathy, Sister Sledge hit their peak at the height of the disco era."

Spanning 1973-1985, this two-disc collection also features such classic tracks as "All American Girls," "Got To Love Somebody," and "My Guy."

Super Producer Nile Rodgers was given two of my songs by Joni Sledge ( a neighbor of mine at the time) in Marina Del Rey California. He flipped over "Jagged Edge" and still talks about the song to this day.

 The sisters have such a great natural sense of harmony, and Kathy's lead vocal is always easy to recognize! She's a great vocalist and a gem of a person.

Sister Sledge today, and yesterday, pictured with producers Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers.

 

From the Paul Litteral collection.

It's instrumental Hip Hop/Jazz. These CDs revisit some of Hip Hop's biggest smashes, giving "Jazz" a hard contemporary edge.  Paul's trumpet playing and horn arrangements are featured throughout both of these innovative hit CDs produced by Darryl Ross and Tony Joseph.

 

From the collection of Durga McBroom

Durga McBroom made her professional acting debut in this 80's classic film. Her character "Heels", while chatting in the gym with the girls, uttered the unforgettable line "Just Call The Dude!" Audiences were struck by her bold presence and  statement, which many found memorable. Check it out.