Ollie Baba -

Ollie Baba was an American soul-funk band that released a 1978 self-titled album on Polydor.

Members: Deborah Thomas, Michael McGloiry, Ollie Brown, René Moore

Background

Ollie Baba assembled around drummer Ollie E. Brown, singer Deborah Thomas, guitarist-singer Michael McGloiry, and keyboardist-singer René Moore.

Brown was born Ollie Eugene Brown on April 20, 1953, in Detroit, Michigan. He amassed credits on 1974/75 albums by Billy Preston, Chris Rainbow, Clarence Carter, Joe Cocker, Minnie Riperton, The Originals, Popcorn Wylie, Syreeta, The Temptations, and ZZ Hill. In 1976 alone, Brown played on albums by Candi Staton, The Impressions, Leon Haywood, Margie Joseph, The Miracles, Rolling Stones, and Wah Wah Watson; followed by 1977 credits behind The Blackbyrds, Diana Ross, Lenny Williams, Linda Lewis, Michael Henderson, Michael Quatro, and Van Morrison.

McGloiry came from Oakland and played on 1975/76 albums by D.J. Rogers and Harvey Mason. He first interacted with Brown on the 1977 Billy Preston album A Whole New Thing.

Moore was born Ivan René Moore on May 19, 1959, in Los Angeles. He played electric piano, melodica, and organ for the Henry Jackson Company on their 1975 Myrrh release Just Being Alive, another early Brown credit.

Deborah Thomas emerged as a backing vocalist on 1977/78 albums by Bill Summers, George Duke, Raul de Souza, and Ronnie Laws.

Ollie Baba recorded their album with bassist Nathan Watts, a recent sideman for Art Webb, Deniece Williams, Freda Payne, Phyllis Hyman, Stevie Wonder, and Vernon Burch. Aside from the core quartet, the record lineup counted two secondary players: ex-American Eagle guitarist Greg Beck and serial drummer Alvin Taylor, a recent sessionist for Aalon, Bill Withers, Bob Welch, Danny O’Keefe, Enchantment, Five Stairsteps, Gene Harris, and recurrent-Animals singer Eric Burdon.

Ollie Baba

Ollie Baba released their self-titled album in 1978 on Polydor.

Ollie E. Brown wrote six tracks and co-wrote “Something Special” with René Moore and Greg Beck and “Don’t Wanna Be No Plaything” with veteran Funk Brother James Jamerson.

“Stomp Your Feet” opens on immediate vocal entry, then drives through handclaps, horn punctuation, and smooth female lead lines. “Give Me a Break” and “Do It Good” sit with “Stomp Your Feet” as the album’s club-side selections, grouped together in contemporary disco-page coverage. “Something Special” served as the other single and points the set toward polished vocal-band pacing.

Ollie Baba features fifteen auxiliary players, including keyboardist Billy Preston (organ, ARP synthesizer), guitarists Wah Wah Watson and Ray Parker Jr., and a five-piece horn section with trombonist-contractor George Bohannon. Newcomer Angela Winbush appears as a backing vocalist.

A1. “Give Me a Break” (5:08) – Brown
A2. “Do It Good” (4:15) – Brown
A3. “Wrapped Around Your Finger” (4:35) – Brown
A4. “Ollie Baba” (3:45) – Brown

B1. “Something Special” (4:20) – Brown, Moore, Beck
B2. “Don’t Wanna Be No Plaything” (4:15) – Brown, Jamerson
B3. “Love Fly” (3:05) – Brown
B4. “Stomp Your Feet” (4:24) – Brown

Ollie Brown produced, arranged, and engineered Baba at his home facility as well as studios in Burbank (Kendon) and Los Angeles (Record Plant).

Brown also designed the group logo, which appears in bold serif gold above imagery of the members as genies by illustrator Shusei Nagaoka, whose sci-fi/fantasy visuals grace 1976–78 sleeves for Caldera, Earth Wind & Fire, Electric Light Orchestra, Flight, Jefferson Starship, Mandre, Maze, Parlet, Shalamar, and Space.

Polydor lifted “Something Special” as a standard single (b/w “Ollie Baba”) and “Stomp Your Feet” as a two-sided promo 12-inch.

Postlude

Ollie Brown played on 1978–80 albums by Blondie, Commodores, The Jacksons, Johnny Bristol, Leo Sayer, Maxine Nightingale, Patti LaBelle, and Raydio. Michael McGloiry did likewise with Billy Cobham, Cheryl Lynn, Michael White, Ramsey Lewis, and Switch.

Brown teamed with Raydio’s Jerry Knight as Ollie & Jerry, a funk production team that issued the 1984 Polydor boogie singles “Breakin'” and “Electric Boogaloo.”

René Moore appeared on 1979/80 albums by Edmund Sylvers and Alton McClain & Destiny. He made four albums between 1980 and 1985 as one-half of René & Angela, a soul-pop duo with Angela Winbush.

Discography: