Blaze (band)

, USA.

Career

It 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. Ironically, Herbert was the one who left the band in 1991, leaving Milan and Hedge to keep working together.

Their output consists mainly of house music tracks with heavy gospel, soul and afrobeat influences (sometimes referred to as Gospel house). When the band started, Herbert was the singer, with Milan playing the piano and Hedge working production. After Herbert left, both Hedge and Milan started to share production duties, vocals and playing most of the instruments in their tracks and albums. They achieved notoriety with their remix of Lisa Stansfield's "People Hold On" in 1989, after signing for the Motown label.

Blaze released their first LP, "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 their own nightclub, Shelter. In 1995, they scored their first big international production success, with De'Lacy's "Hideaway", which was remixed by Deep Dish.

Since then, Blaze has 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, Jody Watley and Full Intention. They're best known to modern audiences by their 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 title, "Found Love" featuring the hit title track, "Found Love" by Blaze.

Discography

ingles

Blaze

*1985 "Yearnin'"
*1986 "Whatcha Gonna Do", with Colonel Abrams
*1987 "If You Should Need A Friend"
*1988 "Can't Win For Losin'"
*1990 "So Special", with Timmy Regisford
*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"

Underground Dance Artists United For Life

*2003 "Be Yourself", with Joi Cardwell
*2003 "We Are One"
*2004 "Most Precious Love", with Barbara Tucker
*2005 "Be Yourself (Remixes)", with Joi Cardwell
*2005 "Keep Hope Alive (Remixes)", with Dawn Tallman
*2005 "Most Precious Love (Remixes)", with Barbara Tucker
*2005 "Spread Love", with Byron Stingily
*2005 "Wonderful Place", with Ultra Naté
*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
*1996 "Lift Him Up", with Talipharaoh and Su Su Bobien
*1999 "Funky People (Remixes), with Cassio Ware and Sabrina Johnston

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 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 and Loleatta Holloway

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"

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 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 - "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 De'Lacy - "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 - "Happy People"
*2001 Nicci - "Count On Me"
*2001 Nicci - "When You're Free"
*2004 Alexander Hope - "Big Mistake"
*2005 Stephanie Cooke - "Love Will"
*2005 Stephanie Cooke - "Lovers' Holiday"

Appears on

*2000 Louie Vega - "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)

ources

* [http://www.discogs.com/artist/Blaze Blaze page on Discogs]
* [http://www.mawrecords.com/bios2/pages/blazebio.html Blaze biography on MAW Records]
* [http://www.westendrecords.com/artists/blaze.php3 Blaze biography on West End Records]

ee also

*List of Number 1 Dance Hits (United States)
*List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart