"Feel Like Makin' Love"
[song written by Eugene McDaniels]
This time around our Smooth Soul Survivor is the McDaniels composition ‘Feel Like Makin' Love'. It is best remembered as a 1974 stateside chart topper for Roberta Flack when, in that same year, it also spent seven weeks on the UK charts where it reached #34. In addition it featured on the 1975 Roberta Flack long player of the same name on which Bob James played keyboards. James used the same players from this recording for his own version which was released at the same time as the Flack original and was included on his album ‘One'. As a consequence, the recording career of Bob James was given a massive boost as both the Roberta Flack smash and his own version were often played back to back on the radio.
"Feel Like Makin' Love"
[song written by Eugene McDaniels]
This time around our Smooth Soul Survivor is the McDaniels composition ‘Feel Like Makin' Love'. It is best remembered as a 1974 stateside chart topper for Roberta Flack when, in that same year, it also spent seven weeks on the UK charts where it reached #34. In addition it featured on the 1975 Roberta Flack long player of the same name on which Bob James played keyboards. James used the same players from this recording for his own version which was released at the same time as the Flack original and was included on his album ‘One'. As a consequence, the recording career of Bob James was given a massive boost as both the Roberta Flack smash and his own version were often played back to back on the radio.
‘Feel Like Makin' Love' was written by Kansas City born Eugene McDaniels. McDaniels had released a solo album on Atlantic in 1970 titled ‘Outlaw' and also composed for artists such as George Benson and Bo Diddley. He provided backing vocals for Roberta Flack on her 1970 release ‘Chapter Two' and her 1971 recording ‘Quiet Fire' He went on to produce her 1977 long player ‘Blue Lights In The Basement' on which he again shared background vocals. This album contains another Smooth Soul Survivor in this series, ‘The Closer I Get To You', a duet with Donny Hathaway.
In addition to his work with Flack, McDaniels produced with the Supremes as well as collaborating with The Floaters for whom he produced their 1979 album ‘Into The Future'.
The credentials of ‘Feel Like Makin' Love' as a Smooth Soul Survivor steadily built over the years that followed. One of the first artists to recognize the potential of the tune was Johnny Mathis who included it on his 1975 ‘Heart Of A Woman' while, in that same year, jazz vocalist Marlena Shaw made it part of her tastefully named ‘Who Is This Bitch Anyway'. Also, in 1975, Gladys Knight and the Pips used the tune on their ‘2nd Anniversary' album which, incidentally, contained three other McDaniels compositions. It became a hit for Heatwave and can be found on their 1995 hits release ‘The Best Of Heatwave'. Jeffrey Osborne featured the track on his 1991 release ‘Only Human', a recording on which Grover Washington Junior also played. Isaac Hayes served up his own flavour of the song on the 1998 compilation ‘Soul Classics'.
Evidently there is something about ‘Feel Like Makin' Love' that has enduring appeal to jazz related artists. Rock and jazz guitarist Larry Coryell first included it on his 1996 ‘Sketches Of Coryell', a track that can also be found on the 1998 compilation, ‘The Very Best Of Smooth Jazz'. Jazz trumpeters Rick Braun, ‘The Best Of Braun' 1999, and Tom Browne, ‘Rockin Radio' 1983, have both made it part of their respective catalogues and it can also be found on guitarist Lee Ritenour's 1977 release ‘Gentle Thoughts'. This latter LP is notable for featuring both Patrice Rushen and Dave Grusin on keyboards as well as Harvey Mason on drums.
Almost every imaginable instrument has been featured on recordings of ‘Feel Like Makin' Love' Jazz keyboard player Bobby Lyle included the track on his ‘Power Of Touch' in 1997, flautist Hubert Laws made it the bonus track of his 1990 ‘San Francisco Concert' and acid jazz vibraphone master Roy Ayers took time out to cover it on his 2002 ‘Paradise Volume 4'. Not to be left out, harp player Calvin Styles had it on his 1999 release ‘Free'.
Enough, enough I hear you crying and so it is except also to mention the versions by George Benson and by Jocelyn Brown in 1996 with ‘Diva'.
Thirty years old, still going strong and still sounding great. Just another Smooth Soul Survivor
By Denis Poole