Dayton -

Dayton was an American soul-funk band from Dayton, Ohio, that debuted with a self-titled album on United Artists in 1980, followed by a pair of albums on Liberty and another two on Capitol between 1981 and 1985.

Members: David Shawn Sandridge (vocals, guitar), Chris Jones (vocals, keyboards, trumpet), Dean Hummons (keyboards), Derrick Armstrong (vocals), Jenny Douglas (vocals), Kevin Hurt (drums, percussion), Rachel Beavers (backing vocals), Elaine Terry (backing vocals), Rahni P. Harris (vocals, piano, synthesizers), Karen Harris Chappel (vocals)

Background

Dayton formed in late 1979 as an outgrowth of Sun, the local funk sensation that included guitarist David Shawn Sandridge and keyboardists Chris Jones and Dean Hummons. After the 1976–77 Capitol albums Wanna Make Love and Sun Power, the three musicians left Sun over management disputes. They assembled the first Dayton lineup with bassist Derrick Armstrong, drummer John Hardin, and singer Jenny Douglas. Their name emphasized the concentration of big-name funk acts from the Dayton area (Sun, Faze-O, Heatwave, Lakeside, Ohio Players, Slave, Zapp).

Dayton

Dayton released its self-titled debut album in 1980 on United Artists.

The album features bassist Derrick Armstrong, drummer John Hardin, vocalist Jenny Douglas, keyboardist Chris Jones (Fender Rhodes, percussion, trumpet), keyboardist Dean Hummons (acoustic piano, ARP, clavinet, Hammond B-3, Micro Moog, Mini Moog, Oberheim, percussion, Prophet-5), and guitarist-vocalist Shawn Sandridge (Heil Talkbox, lead guitar, percussion, rhythm guitar). Guy Remonko adds percussion on “Let Go,” Vini DiMartino plays the trumpet solo on “Dank,” and Vincent Andrews plays alto saxophone on “Eyes on You.” Rich Goldman and Sandridge shaped the larger horn-and-string setting with concertmaster Steve Hoskins and an expanded brass and string section.

Dayton contains eight songs jointly written by Chris Jones, Shawn Sandridge, and Dean Hummons.

A1. “Dank” (3:48)
A2. “Eyes on You” (6:44)
A3. “Let Go” (5:18)
A4. “Tonight” (4:34)

B1. “Dayton (Jam)” (5:35)
B2. “Livin’ for Today” (5:15)
B3. “So Glad” (4:48)
B4. “Daytime Friend” (4:24)

David Shawn Sandridge produced the record with Rich Goldman, who also handled the string and horn arrangements and shared the mixing credit. The album introduced the group on LP with a full-band studio lineup expanded by arranged horns and strings.

Gary Platt recorded and mixed the album at Fifth Floor Recording Studios in Cincinnati, with Tom Robinson assisting. Larry Bodin mastered the record at MCA/Whitney Studios. Bill Burks handled the art direction, Jeff Lancaster designed the sleeve, Ron Croci supplied the illustration, and Francois Robert took the photography.

United Artists lifted “Dank” as a 1980 single backed with “Livin’ for Today,” followed in August with “Eyes on You” backed with “Dayton (Jam).”

Cutie Pie

Dayton released their second album, Cutie Pie, in 1981 on Liberty.

The album follows the band’s debut with a reduced core of Chris Jones, Dean Hummons, Shawn Sandridge, Jenny Douglas, and Derrick Armstrong, while drawing added instrumental support from Clarence “Chet” Willis, Willy “Billy” Beck, James “Diamond” Williams, C.R. Parker, Vincent Andrews, Wes Boatman, Keith Harrison, Mike Sharfe, and C.B. Bowman. Chris Jones and Dean Hummons co-wrote six of the album’s eight songs.

A1. “Cutie Pie” (4:48)
A2. “One Day or Another” (5:07)
A3. “You Lift Me Up” (4:13) – Willy Beck, Clarence Willis, James Williams
A4. “Wanna Be Your Man” (3:58)

B1. “Body Shaker” (5:10)
B2. “Fool Was He” (4:47)
B3. “Let Me Know” (5:25)
B4. “Piece of the Rock” (2:19) – Willy Beck, Chris Jones, Clarence Willis, James Williams

David Shawn Sandridge produced the album with Richard Goldman as co-producer. Dean Hummons handles keyboards, percussion, synthesizer, and rhythm arrangements, Chris Jones adds lead and backing vocals, percussion, synthesizer, and vocal arrangements, and Sandridge covers guitar, synthesizer, backing vocals, lead vocals, rhythm arrangements on selected tracks, and mixing. Gary Platt and Robin Jenney recorded the album at Fifth Floor Recording Studios in Cincinnati, with Greg McNeiley assisting, and Jenney shared the mixing credit with Sandridge and Goldman. Wally Traugott mastered the record at Capitol Studios.

Bill Burks handled the art direction, Roy Guzman designed the sleeve, and Gordon Baer supplied the photography.

Liberty issued “Body Shaker” backed with “Fool Was He” and “Cutie Pie” backed with “Wanna Be Your Man” from the album. “Cutie Pie” reached No. 62 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Hot Fun

Dayton released their third album, Hot Fun, on June 28, 1982, on Liberty.

The album features drummer Kevin Hurt, vocalists Evan Rogers and Jennifer Matthews, backing vocalist Rachel Beavers, keyboardist Justin Gresham (Fender Rhodes), guitarist-vocalist Craig E. Robinson (percussion, rhythm guitar), guitarist-keyboardist-vocalist Shawn Sandridge (clavinet, lead guitar, Moog, Oberheim, special effects, talkbox), and multi-instrumentalist-vocalist Rahni Harris Jr. (acoustic piano, ARP Pro Soloist, clavinet, Fender Rhodes, lead vocals, marimba, Mini Moog, Oberheim, percussion, Prophet, synthesizer). Vince Andrews and Mike Andres handle saxophone parts, with additional brass on “Movin’ Up,” and William “Bootsy” Collins appears as a special guest on “Krackity-Krack.” Chris Jones remains in the lineup on lead and backing vocals, percussion, and clavinet.

A1. “Hot Fun in the Summertime” (5:21) – originated as a July 1969 single by Sly & The Family Stone, whose version reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
A2. “We Can’t Miss” (4:46)
A3. “Patiently” (5:31)
A4. “Krackity-Krack” (5:33)

B1. “Meet the Man” (5:51)
B2. “Gunch” (5:18)
B3. “Never Repay Your Love” (4:39)
B4. “Movin’ Up” (5:59)
B5. “Movin’ Up Reprise” (0:40)

Rahni Harris Jr. and Shawn Sandridge produced most of the album; Ted Currier co-produced “Krackity-Krack” and “Gunch.” Sessions occurred at Counterpart Creative Studios in Cincinnati with additional recording at A&R Recording Studio in New York. Wes Boatman handled synth programming. Jonathan Louie designed the album and logo, and Bill Reiser supplied the illustration.

Capitol issued “We Can’t Miss” backed with “Conversation,” and Liberty issued “Hot Fun in the Summertime” backed with an instrumental version in June 1982. “Krackity Krack” and “Meet the Man” also followed from the album. “Hot Fun in the Summertime” became the group’s biggest crossover single, reaching No. 17 R&B and No. 58 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Hot Fun reached No. 21 on the R&B albums chart.

Feel the Music

Dayton released their fourth album, Feel the Music, on August 26, 1983 on Capitol. Rahni Harris Jr. produced the album for Force Productions with David Shawn Sandridge as associate producer and Debbie Sandridge as production coordinator.

The album features drummer Kevin Hurt, vocalist-percussionist Chris Jones, backing vocalist Rachel Beavers, guitarist-vocalist Shawn Sandridge (Moog, OB-X), and multi-instrumentalist-vocalist Rahni Harris Jr. (ARP Omni, clavinet, Fender Rhodes, Hammond B-3, Korg PolySix, Mini Moog, OB-Xa, Prophet-5, steel drums, vibraphone, vocoder, wind chimes). Karen Harris Chappell joins on backing vocals and sings lead on two tracks, and the sessions add Doug Wimbish on bass, Otha Stokes on saxophone, Wes Boatman on Prophet-5, Doug Simon on guitar, and the Troutman family on “Love You Anyway,” where Roger Troutman also produced.

Rahni Harris Jr. wrote or co-wrote eight of the album’s nine songs.

A1. “The Sound of Music” (5:38) – Shawn Sandridge, Rahni P. Harris II
A2. “It Must Be Love” (4:04) – Debbie Sandridge, Rahni P. Harris II
A3. “Out Tonight” (4:56) – Shawn Sandridge, Debbie Sandridge, Rahni P. Harris II
A4. “So What” (4:57) – Rahni P. Harris II

B1. “Love You Anyway” (4:25) – Roger Troutman, Larry Troutman
B2. “Caught in the Middle” (4:40) – Debbie Sandridge, Rahni P. Harris II
B3. “Eyes” (4:11) – Rahni P. Harris II
B4. “Promise Me” (4:02) – Karen Harris Chappell, Cecil Powell, Rachel Beavers, Rahni P. Harris II
B5. “Lookin’ Up” (3:54) – Karen Harris Chappell, Rahni P. Harris II

The album was recorded at Counterpart Studios in Cincinnati, Golden Sound Studios and Baby’O Recorders in Hollywood, and The Nineteen Recording Studios in South Glastonbury, Connecticut. Dale Smith, Jimmy Souther Lehmberg, Robert Biles, and Ron Scalise handled the recording, Mike Barbiero mixed the album at Mediasound in New York, and Wally Traugott mastered it at Capitol. Rahni Harris Jr. arranged the music and vocals.

Peter Shea and Roy Kohara handled the art direction. Mike Hashimoto supplied the photography, Larry Dupont handled the photo coloring, and Design Galleries with Gary Michael Tackett supplied the group photograph.

Capitol issued “It Must Be Love” backed with “Conversation” in August 1983. “Out Tonight,” backed with “Fast Lane,” followed in January 1984, and “The Sound of Music,” also backed with “Fast Lane,” followed that same month. “The Sound of Music” reached No. 69 on the R&B chart and No. 75 on the dance chart, while “It Must Be Love” reached No. 54 R&B.

This Time

Dayton released This Time in 1985 on Capitol. Rahni P. Harris Jr. produced and arranged the album for Force Productions, with David Shawn Sandridge and David Cole as co-producers.

The album features drummer-percussionist Kevin Hurt, vocalist-percussionist Chris Jones, backing vocalists Elaine Terri and Rachel Beavers, guitarist-vocalist David Shawn Sandridge, and multi-instrumentalist-vocalist Rahni P. Harris Jr. (acoustic piano, Fairlight CMI, LinnDrum, synthesizer). Wes Boatman handles synthesizer programming, Billy Holloman adds alto saxophone on “Nobody Else,” and Gary Malaber and Zackery Harris supply additional drum overdubs on selected tracks.

Rahni P. Harris Jr. wrote or co-wrote all eight songs on the album.

A1. “Ordinary Girl” (4:56) – D.S. Sandridge, R.P. Harris Jr.
A2. “I’ve Got Me (Somebody to Love)” (4:07) – P. Thompson, R.P. Harris Jr.
A3. “This Love Will Last” (4:09) – R.P. Harris Jr.
A4. “Nobody Else” (4:49) – M. Harris, R.P. Harris Jr.

B1. “Hang Out” (4:45) – J. Williams, D.S. Sandridge, R.P. Harris Jr.
B2. “This Time” (4:57) – R.P. Harris Jr., Z.R. Harris
B3. “Coming to Get My Love” (4:58) – D.S. Sandridge, R.P. Harris Jr.
B4. “You Should Be Dancin’” (3:58) – Chris Jones, R.P. Harris Jr.

The album was recorded at Counterpart Creative Studios in Cincinnati, The Nineteen Recording Studios in South Glastonbury, Capitol Studios, and Eric Matthew Studios. Dale “Smitty” Smith, David Cole, Eric Matthew, Jonathan Freed, and Ron Scalise handled the recording. David Cole mixed the album at Capitol Studios and Eldorado Recording Studios with assistance from Carmen Rizzo and Gary Hollis, and Wally Traugott mastered it at Capitol.

Roy Kohara handled the art direction, Roland Young designed the sleeve, Tim Alt supplied the digital art, and Brian Hagiwara took the group photograph.

Capitol issued the title track as a single in June 1985 backed with “Fast Lane,” and it reached No. 81 on the R&B chart.

Discography: