Vinyl Wednesday: BERNARD EDWARDS - GLAD TO BE HERE
This week's vinyl album is "Glad to be here" by bass player Bernard Edwards, one half of the producers duo "Chic". The other half is of course guitar player Nile Rodgers. Together with drummer Tony Thompson and singer Norma Jean Wright they founded "Chic in 1976. Wikipedia: With Chic (active 1976–1983), Edwards created era-defining hits such as "Dance, Dance, Dance", "Everybody Dance", "Le Freak", "I Want Your Love" and "Good Times". Edwards also worked with Nile Rodgers to produce and write for other artists, using Chic to perform everything musically and vocally except lead vocals. Those productions with Norma Jean Wright, Sister Sledge, Sheila and B. Devotion, Diana Ross, Johnny Mathis, Debbie Harry and Fonzi Thornton led to more hits such as "Saturday", "He's The Greatest Dancer", "We Are Family", "Spacer", "Upside Down", "I'm Coming Out" and "Backfired". In the song "We Are Family," Kathy Sledge gives Edwards a brief shout-out, singing "Yeah, come on Bernard, play...play your funky bass, boy!". As a lone songwriter/producer, he gave Diana Ross her Top 15 hit, "Telephone" off of her 1985 platinum "Swept Away" album released on RCA and Ross' international label, Capitol-EMI. Edwards released a solo album in 1983, and in 1985 he was instrumental in the formation of the supergroup Power Station. The band's first album was produced by Edwards and featured Chic drummer Tony Thompson, and Duran Duran members John and Andy Taylor as well as singer Robert Palmer. Edwards followed this by producing Robert Palmer's hit album Riptide. He continued to produce artists throughout the 1980s and 90s. Among others, he worked with Diana Ross, Adam Ant, Rod Stewart, Grayson Hugh, Air Supply, ABC and Duran Duran. Edwards was the father of multi-platinum record producer Bernard "Focus..." Edwards, Jr. who has produced songs for Jennifer Lopez, Beyoncé Knowles, Busta Rhymes, Bishop Lamont, Tony Yayo and more. Edwards teamed up with Nile Rodgers again for the Chic reunion in the early 1990s and released the album Chic-Ism in 1992."
Unfortunately he did in 1996, only 43 years old after a concert in Japan.
Before we start with all adventures around the new album DARK HORSE, let's stand still for a second and look back to the events of 2025...For me it was a busy and buzzing year with lots of different & exciting stuff going on and more that I could wish for. I am truly grateful and humbled. Thank you, dear people and agencies who continue to want to work with me, thank you, dear concert audiences, music lovers, dear friends&family, new acquaintances, and also extra thanks to my own body who lets me do all this! I decided to put a reel together with some of the activities on stage to give you an impression. If your activity together with me is not there, it doesn't mean I didn't like it but maybe there was no video evidence. There were even more off stage activities, therefore multiple shoutouts to: ArtEZ in Arnhem where I am teaching with a lot of joy, and these organisations/boards I am involved with and who contribute to our arts/music/jazz eco system: De Creatieve Coalitie, Bimpro.nl, VCTN, Kunstenbond Platformacct, Concertzender, BumaStemra, Stichting Brein. I wish you a happy and healthy new year and hope to see you again soon! P.s. Let's meet on 16th of January at Bimhuis! We will play the premiere of my new album DARK HORSE and there are still some tickets left. - This week's vinyl album is Glad to be here by bass player Bernard Edwards, one half of the producers duo Chic. The other half is of course guitar player Nile Rodgers. Together with drummer Tony Thompson and singer Norma Jean Wright they founded Chic in 1976. Wikipedia: With Chic (active 1976–1983), Edwards created era-defining hits such as Dance, Dance, Dance, Everybody Dance, Le Freak, I Want Your Love and Good Times. Edwards also worked with Nile Rodgers to produce and write for other artists, using Chic to perform everything musically and vocally except lead vocals. Those productions with Norma Jean Wright, Sister Sledge, Sheila and B. Devotion, Diana Ross, Johnny Mathis, Debbie Harry and Fonzi Thornton led to more hits such as Saturday, He's The Greatest Dancer, We Are Family, Spacer, Upside Down, I'm Coming Out and Backfired. In the song We Are Family, Kathy Sledge gives Edwards a brief shout-out, singing Yeah, come on Bernard, play...play your funky bass, boy!. As a lone songwriter/producer, he gave Diana Ross her Top 15 hit, Telephone off of her 1985 platinum Swept Away album released on RCA and Ross' international label, Capitol-EMI.Edwards released a solo album in 1983, and in 1985 he was instrumental in the formation of the supergroup Power Station. The band's first album was produced by Edwards and featured Chic drummer Tony Thompson, and Duran Duran members John and Andy Taylor as well as singer Robert Palmer. Edwards followed this by producing Robert Palmer's hit album Riptide. He continued to produce artists throughout the 1980s and 90s. Among others, he worked with Diana Ross, Adam Ant, Rod Stewart, Grayson Hugh, Air Supply, ABC and Duran Duran.Edwards was the father of multi-platinum record producer Bernard Focus... Edwards, Jr. who has produced songs for Jennifer Lopez, Beyoncé Knowles, Busta Rhymes, Bishop Lamont, Tony Yayo and more.Edwards teamed up with Nile Rodgers again for the Chic reunion in the early 1990s and released the album Chic-Ism in 1992.Unfortunately he did in 1996, only 43 years old after a concert in Japan.The title track of Glad to be here.
