Bernard Wright -

Bernard Wright (November 16, 1963 — May 19, 2022) was an American jazz-funk keyboardist from Queens who cut the 1981–83 Arista albums ‘Nard and Funky Beat, followed by the 1985 Manhattan Records release Mr. Wright.

Background

Bernard Wright was born on November 16, 1963, in Jamaica, Queens, New York, to Lessie Mae Brewington and Charles Bernard Matthews, but raised by his grandmother, Ola Mae Crawford. His godmother was singer Roberta Flack. Wright took up keyboards as a child and attended New York’s High School of Performing Arts, where his classmates included writer Carl Hancock Rux and gospel singer Desiree Coleman Jackson.

RTF drummer Lenny White made a professional offer to the teenage Wright, who also courted interest from Tom Browne. Wright played on the trumpeter’s 1979 album Browne Sugar and wrote the track “Antoinette Like.” He continued on the 1980 Browne release Love Approach, which features the seventeen-year-old on upright/e-piano and Prophet Polyphonic synthesizer. His early keyboard credits also include 1979/80 albums by Charles Earland, Taana Gardner, and the Crown Height Affair.

‘Nard

Bernard Wright released his debut album, ‘Nard, in July 1981 on GRP Records, with Arista Records distribution.

The album presents keyboard-led jazz-funk and R&B material performed by a large New York session cast that includes guitarist Bobby Broom, pianist Don Blackman, bassist Marcus Miller, drummer Dennis Chambers, vocalist Luther Vandross, and horn arrangements by Jimmy Owens.

‘Nard pairs Wright-associated material with songs by Blackman, Al Flythe, Hanky Grate, Weldon Irvine, Tommy Smith, and Miles Davis.

“Haboglabotribin’” chants absurdist vocal phrases over a measured four-count. “Firebolt Hustle” snaps through chunky guitar figures and sudden contoured replies. “Spinnin’” turns through brisk instrumental replies over the same hard backing. “Just Chillin’ Out” flickers with spiky synth punctuation over a brisk stride.

“Bread Sandwiches” opens on a steep piano scale, then darts through percussive right-hand figures, chorded harmony, a stride-like bridge, and a short marching-band drum solo. “Music Is the Key” settles into ballad register and places Wright’s vocal near the front of the arrangement. “We’re Just the Band” leans on synth punctuation inside a quick, clipped pattern.

A1. “Master Rocker” (3:16) – Wright, Irvine, Ronnie Miller
A2. “Firebolt Hustle” (4:11) – Harold Grate, Henry Grate
A3. “Haboglabotribin'” (4:19) – Blackman
A4. “Spinnin'” (5:34) – Al Flythe

B1. “Just Chillin’ Out” (4:35) – Wright, Marcus Miller, Barry Johnson, Al Flythe
B2. “Bread Sandwiches” (3:52) – Wright, Steve Teele, Denzil Miller
B3. “Music Is the Key” (4:55) – Irvine, Smith
B4. “We’re Just the Band” (3:03) – Henry Grate
B5. “Solar” (7:18) – Miles Davis

Sessions occurred in 1980 at A & R Studios in New York City with co-producers Dave Grusin and Larry Rosen.

‘Nard features a front-cover portrait of Wright in a black-and-pink jacket over a gray shirt, with magenta title lettering positioned at the upper right.

Arista GRP lifted “Just Chillin’ Out” as a 1981 single, which reached No. 33 on Billboard Hot Soul Singles and No. 85 on Billboard Dance/Club Play. In July 1981, “Haboglabotribin'” followed as a single (b/w “We’re Just the Band”) and reached No. 78 on Billboard Hot Soul Singles.

‘Nard reached No. 116 on the Billboard 200, No. 23 on Billboard Top Soul Albums, and No. 7 on Billboard Top Jazz Albums. Between albums, Wright played on 1982 titles by Harvey Mason and Rick James.

Funky Beat

Bernard Wright released his second studio album, Funky Beat, in January 1983 on Arista Records.

Funky Beat places Wright in a modern electro-funk setting built around keyboards, programmed accents, clipped vocal phrases, and short-form chorus patterns. Wright and Lenny White take recurring producer and songwriter roles across the album. The tracklist intermixes Wright and White material with songs by Weldon Irvine, Hanky Grate, and Clifford Brown.

“Get Your Lover Back” jabs a clavinet figure against a low-end synthesizer pattern and steady tom-tom accents. “Funky Beat” raps over sparse electric piano, programmed handclaps, deep synth low end, vocoder shade, and an improvised acoustic-piano break. “Won’t You Let Me Love You” lingers at a slow-shuffle crawl with strings, bells, laid-back background voices, and a soft beat. “Mr. Clean” plants its lead on bending guitar notes, acoustic-piano figures, and rapid synthesizer runs. “Keep Doing That Right Thing” recites a dense lyric over a programmed low-end pattern and a bright refrain.

A1. “Get Your Lover Back” (4:45) – Wright, White
A2. “Funky Beat” (5:39) – Wright, Kevin Osborne, White
A3. “Video Generation” (5:26) – Wright, White
A4. “Won’t You Let Me Love You” (3:56) – Wright, Irvine

B1. “Mr. Clean” (5:28) – Irvine
B2. “Move Your Body” (4:44) – Henry Grate
B3. “Joy Spring” (3:27) – Clifford Brown
B4. “Keep Doing That Right Thing” (4:09) – Wright, Irvine

Funky Beat appeared in a sleeve art-directed by Donn Davenport and Howard Fritzson, with photography by Vincent Frye. The front cover arranges breakdancer photographs in a gridded city-street montage, with red title lettering across the center.

Arista GRP issued “Won’t You Let Me Love You” in June 1982 (b/w “Keep On Doing That Right Thing”), which reached No. 88 on Billboard Hot Black Singles. “Funky Beat” followed in July 1983 (b/w “Keep On Doing That Right Thing”) and reached No. 39 on Billboard Hot Black Singles. In January 1984, “Video Generation” appeared as a single (b/w “Get Your Lover Back”).

Funky Beat reached No. 58 on Billboard R&B Albums.

Mr. Wright

Bernard Wright released his third studio album, Mr. Wright, in 1985 on Manhattan Records.

Mr. Wright presents contemporary R&B and electro-funk performed with Lenny White and drummer Flare Funston, bassist-guitarist Marcus Miller, and guitarist Nick Moroch. Wright plays the guitar solo on “Too Damn Hot.” The background-vocal cast includes Yvonne Lewis, Marla Adler, Lester Bell, Sybil Thomas, Dennis Collins, Anita Wright, and Kevin Osborne.

“After You” skims uptempo with Wright’s youthful lead above the backing voices. “Who Do You Love” glides slowly with laid-back low end, satin-toned keys, and Marla Adler answering Wright across the refrain. “Love You So” rests near the same tempo and concentrates its chorus on layered harmony. “Yo Nard” chants a title tag over mechanized programming. “Killin’ Me” grinds moderato with vocoder shade beneath the main vocal and Alec Head’s bridge rap. “Just When I Thought You Were Mine” settles into ballad-shaped phrasing over a moderate grid. “Brown Shoes” races with mechanical programming and Old Man Mose’s vocalization.

A1. “After You” (5:42) – Wright, White, Miller
A2. “Who Do You Love” (4:12) – Wright, White
A3. “Love You So” (4:18) – Wright, White, Kevin Osborne
A4. “Yo ‘Nard” (4:46) – Wright, White

B1. “Too Damn Hot” (4:28) – White, Steve Teele
B2. “Killin’ Me” (4:21) – Wright, White, Miller
B3. “Just When You Thought You Were Mine” (4:35) – Wright, Miller
B4. “Brown Shoes” (5:10) – Wright

Lenny White and Marcus Miller produced Mr. Wright for Bernard Wright Productions. Ray Bardani mixed the album.

Mr. Wright features a front-cover portrait of Wright in a dark suit, yellow shirt, and loosened tie against a cream-and-black geometric backdrop.

In April 1985, Manhattan circulated “Yo ‘Nard” as a one-sided twelve-inch acetate on Manhattan Records. Manhattan issued “Who Do You Love” in September 1985 (b/w “Who Do You Love (Instrumental)”), which reached No. 6 on Billboard Hot Black Singles and No. 44 on Billboard Dance/Club Play. “After You” became the second single in January 1986 (b/w “After You (Instrumental)”) and reached No. 23 on Billboard Hot Black Singles.

Mr. Wright reached No. 25 on Billboard R&B Albums.

Discography: