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Biography
BLP sources|date=August 2011Peacock|date=August 2011Infobox musical artist| name = Norman Connors| image =| caption =| image_size =| background = non_vocal_instrumentalist| birth_name = Norman Connors| alias =| birth_date = Birth date|1947|3|01|mf=yes| birth_place = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | death_date =| death_place =| origin = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | genre = Jazz music|Jazz Jazz fusion Smooth jazz | instrument = Drums | occupation = Musician Composer Arranger Producer| years_active = 1967–Present| label = Buddah Records Arista Records Capitol Records Motown Records Shanachie Records | associated_acts =| website =| current_members =| past_members =| notable_instruments = Drums Norman Connors cite web|url= http://allmusic.com/artist/norman-connors-p66055 |title=All Music - Norman Connors Bio |publisher=All Music |date= |accessdate=2011-09-21 is an American jazz drummer, composer, arranger, producer, and headliner, who has led some influential jazz and R& B groups. He also achieved several big R& B hits of the day, especially with love ballads.
Biography
Connors became interested in jazz as a child when he began to play drums, once sitting in for Elvin Jones at a John Coltrane performance he attended while in middle school . Connors studied music at Temple University and Juilliard .
His first recording was on Archie Shepp 's 1967 release, Magic of JuJu . He played with Pharaoh Sanders for the next few years until signing with Cobblestone Records in 1972 and releasing his first record as a bandleader. He went on to front some great jazz recordings with Carlos Garnett , Gary Bartz , Dee Dee Bridgewater and Herbie Hancock such as "Love From the Sun" on Buddah records..
Connors began to focus more on R& B material in the mid 1970s after signing with Buddah Records. He scored several US hits with songs featuring guest vocalists such as Michael Henderson , Jean Carn , and Phyllis Hyman . The most successful of these was "You Are My Starship" (#4 R& B, #27 Pop), featuring Henderson in 1976, while "Valentine Love", his first chart success, made #10 R& B in 1975, with vocals from Henderson and Jean Carn. Dee Dee Bridgewater also performed with him on the jazz album "Love from the Sun". He has also produced recordings for various artists, including collaborators like Jean Carn, Phyllis Hyman, Al Johnson (musician)|Al Johnson , Norman Brown (guitarist)|Norman Brown , and saxophonist Marion Meadows .
Connors' crossover to the disco scene was in 1980 when he had the hit 'Take it to the Limit' recorded on Arista Records which was released on 12" single. The B side called 'Black Cow' (an instrumental) was written by Steely Dan 's Walter Becker and Donald Fagen .
His recent work, "Star Power", has seen him operating more in the vein of smooth jazz and urban crossover music, featuring Howard Hewett , Bobby Lyle , Ray Parker, Jr. , Peabo Bryson , Michael Henderson , and Antoinette (rapper)|Antoinette .
Trivia
Lived in the same Philadelphia neighborhood as comedian Bill Cosby as a child.
Discography
As leader
Dance of Magic ( Cobblestone Records , 1973)
Dark of Light ( Buddah Records , 1973)
Love from the Sun (Buddah, 1974)
Slewfoot (Buddah, 1974)
Live at Nemu Jazz Inn - 1 ( Nippon Columbia /Cobblestone, 1975)
Saturday Night Special (Norman Connors album)|Saturday Night Special (Buddah, 1975)
http://www.discogs.com/artist/Norman+Connors Norman Connors Discography at Discogs
http://allmusic.com/artist/norman-connors-p66055 Norman Connors at All Music
http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/norman%20connors.html Norman Connors at Soulwalking
References
Reflist Persondata| name = Connors, Norman | alternative names = | short description = | date of birth = March 1, 1947 | place of birth = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | date of death = | place of death = DEFAULTSORT:Connors, Norman Category:1947 births Category:Living people Category:American jazz drummers Category:Musicians from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Category:Cobblestone Records artists Category:Buddah Records artists Category:Arista Records artists Category:Capitol Records artists Category:Motown artists
