Barbara Blake & The Uniques -

Barbara Blake & The Uniques were an American soul group from Chicago that released a self-titled album on 20th Century Records in 1975. They were originally a female trio but consisted of Barbara and three men by the time of the album.

Background

Barbara Blake & The Uniques evolved from sister act Barbara & Gwen, formed by sisters Barbara Livsey and Gwen Livsey.

Barbara Blake was born Barbara Livsey on May 27, 1946, in Atlanta, Georgia. Her family relocated to Chicago when she was twelve, and she took music classes during high school. Livsey formed her first vocal group with cousin Mary-Francis Hayes as the Du-Ettes. The duo entered the George Leaner label network in Chicago and cut M-Pac! singles during 1963, including “Mister Steel” and “Move On Down the Line.” Andre Williams and Otis Hayes produced “Mister Steel,” and Hayes produced “Move On Down the Line” with an arrangement by Milt Bland. The Du-Ettes continued through mid-sixties sides on One-Derful! and Mar-V-Lus before Livsey married and relocated to Detroit.

Livsey returned to Chicago by the end of the decade and recorded with sister Gwen Livsey as Barbara & Gwen for New Chicago Sound. The sisters issued “Just the Two of Us” backed with “I Love My Man,” then followed with “Right On (To the Street Called Love),” a song Livsey wrote with V. McCullough and producer Bill Parker. Singer Doris Lindsey joined Barbara and Gwen at New Chicago Sound, and the trio recorded as Barbara and the Uniques. Eugene Record wrote “There It Goes Again,” which New Chicago Sound issued in November 1970 before Arden carried the single on a wider release. The record reached No. 16 on the R&B chart and became the trio’s only Hot 100 entry.

Barbara and the Uniques issued two Arden singles during 1971 and an Abbott single, “He’s Gone,” in January 1973. The 20th Century phase began in April 1974 with “It’s Not That Easy” backed with “Prize Possession.” Blake used her married name on the September 1974 single “Teach Me” backed with “Everlasting Thrill,” while the act’s billing shifted to Barbara Blake and the Uniques. She worked with Chicago producer James Vanleer and a male harmony trio under the Uniques name for the self-titled album. The 1974 20th Century singles preceded the group’s 1975 album for the label.

Barbara Blake & The Uniques

Barbara Blake & The Uniques released their self-titled debut album in 1975 on 20th Century Records.

The album presents Chicago vocal soul with string-lined ballads and clipped rhythm tracks, performed by singer Barbara Blake with male harmony voices under producer Jimmy Vanleer. Blake places lead phrases above ensemble answers, with short cadence turns and close backing parts around mid-tempo backbeats. Vanleer wrote three titles and co-wrote “Teach Me” with B. Harris. The remaining titles credit Mogol, Donida, Leiber and Stoller; Willie John; Bunny Sigler; H. Sheppard and H. Hawkins; Simtec Simmons; and M. Stubbs.

“Teach Me” pleads through a ballad shape, with the lead held close against restrained responses. “Everlasting Thrill” clips into a firmer dancer, its accents pushing the vocal line forward without crowding the refrain. “You Got Your Hooks in Me” swells on Blake’s wailing lead and gospel-lined harmonies, with the group set behind her in call-and-response placement. “Let Me Down Easy” keeps the same pleading axis, while “I Need Your Love So Bad” stretches the hurt line through a slower, more sustained vocal cadence.

A1. “Let Me Down Easy” (3:15) – Vanleer
A2. “Teach Me” (3:33) – B. Harris, Vanleer
A3. “I (Who Have Nothing)” (2:24) – Donida, Leiber, Stoller, Mogol
A4. “Everlasting Thrill” (2:59) – Vanleer
A5. “I Need Your Love So Bad” (3:55) – Willie John

B1. “What Would You Give” (2:42) – Vanleer
B2. “You Got Your Hooks In Me” (3:07) – Sigler
B3. “Can’t Get Away (It’s Not That Easy)” (2:48) – Sheppard, Hawkins
B4. “Patching Up The Wound” (2:56) – Simmons
B5. “Superman” (2:16) – Stubbs

Jimmy Vanleer produced Barbara Blake & The Uniques for Vanleer Productions. Benjamin Wright and Vanleer arranged the album. Eddie Douglas designed the package. Warren Lanier wrote the liner notes.

20th Century issued “Teach Me” in September 1974 (b/w “Everlasting Thrill”). During 1975, the label pressed “I Need Your Love So Bad” as a promo single with mono and stereo sides. In June 1975, 20th Century issued the title as a stock single (b/w “Let Me Down Easy”).

Discography: