Rhythm Heritage -

Rhythm Heritage was an American studio-based funk band, formed by conductor/keyboardist Michael Omartian to record the theme for the 1975 television crime-drama S.W.A.T. The success of that single prompted three albums of cover instrumentals between 1976 and 1978 on ABC Records and a fourth on MCA.

Members: Michael Omartian (keyboards), Scott Edwards (bass), Ed Greene (drums)

Background

The Rhythm Heritage formed as a Los Angeles studio unit around producer Steve Barri and keyboardist-arranger Michael Omartia for a funk-rock version of “Theme From S.W.A.T.,” recorded for the show itself by the Barry De Vorzon Orchestra.

Omartian was born on November 26, 1945, in Evanston, Illinois. He took up piano and drums as a child and studied percussion, composition, and theory before his 1970 relocation to California. Rhythm Heritage paired Omartian with bassist Scott Edwards and drummer Ed Greene.

Edwards came from Atlanta and graduated in 1966 from Booker T. Washington High School. He switched from trombone to bass in 1967 and backed Stevie Wonder on the 1972/73 albums Music of My Mind, Talking Book, and Innervisions. His recent credits included titles by Clarence Carter, Four Tops, Freda Payne, The Miracles, The Originals, and Popcorn Wylie. Greene worked Los Angeles sessions from 1968 with credits behind Donald Byrd, Eddie Kendricks, Friends of Distinction, Kim Carnes, The Temptations, and Willie Hutch.

Rhythm Heritage recorded “Theme From S.W.A.T.” to capitalize on the popularity of the S.W.A.T., a TV action-drama about a five-man LAPD swat team. The series ran for two seasons and 37 episodes between February 1975 and March 1976 on the ABC Network. ABC Records issued the single in 1975 and built the first Rhythm Heritage LP around the track.

Disco-Fied

Rhythm Heritage released their debut album, Disco-Fied, in 1976 on ABC. ABC built the nine-track LP around “Theme From S.W.A.T.” and other television and film material. The tracklist also includes “Caravan” and the Stevie Wonder hit “My Cherie Amour.”

“Disco-Fied” locks its title line into squared vocal blocks. “Caravan” cuts the Ellington theme into straight-eighth dance accents. “Baretta’s Theme (Keep Your Eye on the Sparrow)” lays the TV-theme refrain over bright studio backing. “Theme From S.W.A.T.” drives its main TV-theme phrase through clipped brass and rhythm-guitar punctuation. “Three Days of the Condor” reduces the Grusin film theme to a taut keyboard-and-rhythm arrangement.

A1. “Disco-Fied” (3:52) – Omartian–Price
A2. “Caravan” (3:20) – Ellington–Mills–Tizol
A3. “Baretta’s Theme (Keep Your Eye on the Sparrow)” (5:09) – Grusin
A4. “Theme From S.W.A.T.” (3:23) – De Vorzon

B1. “Blockbuster” (4:50) – Thomas
B2. “My Cherie Amour” (3:42) – Cosby–Wonder–Moy
B3. “(It’s Time To) Boogie Down” (3:31) – Omartian–Price
B4. “Three Days of the Condor” (3:13) – Grusin
B5. “Disco-Fied (Reprise)” (1:52) – Omartian–Price

Rhythm Heritage retained the Omartian–Edwards–Greene core and added percussionist Victor Feldman. They used four session guitarists: Ben Benay, Dean Parks, Ray Parker Jr., and Lee Ritenour. Horn players David Duke and Gale Robinson joined trombonist Lew McCreary and trumpeters Paul Hubinon and Tony Terran. Omartian added background vocals with Michael Price and The Waters.

Steve Barri and Michael Omartian produced Disco-Fied at ABC Recording Studios with recording engineer Phil Kaye and assistant Howard Gale. Omartian arranged the album with concertmaster Sidney Sharp.

Earl Klasky and Wilkes designed the package around a photography by Ken Marcus.

ABC issued “Theme From S.W.A.T.” in September 1975 (b/w “I Wouldn’t Treat a Dog (The Way You Treated Me)”). The single topped the Billboard Hot 100 and reached No. 6 on Billboard Adult Contemporary and No. 11 on Billboard R&B. Despite respectable ratings and the theme’s popularity, ABC cancelled S.W.A.T. in March 1976 due to complaints over the show’s depictions of violence.

“Baretta’s Theme (Keep Your Eye on the Sparrow)” followed in April 1976 (b/w “My Cherie Amour”) and reached No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Disco-Fied” appeared in July 1976 (b/w “(It’s Time To) Boogie Down”).

Disco-Fied reached No. 40 on the Billboard 200 album chart.

Last Night on Earth

Rhythm Heritage released their second album, Last Night on Earth, in 1977 on ABC. The eight-song album places the Rocky and Lipstick themes on side A, followed by a medley of Steely Dan and War songs. Side B carries the three-part title sequence.

“Theme From Rocky (Gonna Fly Now)” drives the brass fanfare into a compact four-four instrumental. “Dance the Night Away” clamps its title line to a mechanical beat. “Disco Queen” fixes its chorus around squared vocal cycles. “Medley: Do It Again / Cisco Kid” splices two song themes into a single dance-band sequence.

“Theme From Lipstick” turns the film theme into a clipped four-four arrangement. The three-part “Last Night on Earth” suite opens with the assertive “Angry World” section, then carries its troubled-world text through “Anytime, Any Place” and the title section.

A1. “Theme From Rocky (Gonna Fly Now)” (3:31) – Robbins–Conti–Connors
A2. “Dance the Night Away” (3:48) – Feldman
A3. “Disco Queen” (2:54) – Walsh–Omartian–Price
A4. “Do It Again, Cisco Kid (Medley)” (4:37) – Fagen–Becker–Dickerson–Miller–Brown–Scott–Oskar–Jordan–Allen
A5. “Theme From Lipstick” (3:35) – Kusik–Polnareff

B1. “Last Night on Earth (Part 1: Angry World)” (5:47) – Walsh–Omartian–Price
B2. “Last Night on Earth (Part 2: Anytime, Any Place)” (5:56) – Walsh–Omartian–Price
B3. “Last Night on Earth (Part 3: Last Night on Earth)” (5:17) – Walsh–Omartian–Price

Rhythm Heritage retained bassist Scott Edwards, drummer Ed Greene, keyboardist Michael Omartian, and guitarists Jay Graydon and Bob Walden. The group recorded with saxophonists Ernie Watts and Fred Selden and trumpeters Chuck Findley and Steve Madaio. Victor Feldman added percussion with Dan Walsh, Michael Price, Stephanie Spring, and Steve Barri. Omartian sang backing vocals with Luther Waters and Oren Waters.

Barri and Omartian produced Last Night on Earth at Producers Workshop and Kendun Recorders with engineers Bill Schnee and Phil Kaye. Omartian arranged and conducted the album with concertmaster Sidney Sharp.

Tim Ritchie designed the sleeve with illustrations by John David Moore.

ABC issued “Theme From Rocky (Gonna Fly Now)” in February 1977 (b/w “Last Night on Earth”), which reached No. 94 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 49 on Billboard Adult Contemporary, and No. 78 on Billboard R&B.

Last Night on Earth reached No. 138 on the Billboard 200 album chart.

Sky’s the Limit

Rhythm Heritage released their third album, Sky’s the Limit, in 1978 on ABC. The nine-track album uses “Theme From Starsky & Hutch” as its only television-derived title.

“Sail Away With Me” places a soft lead line inside a low-pressure vocal setting. “Float On By” glides through restrained backing and a relaxed lead. “Skippin’” rides a loose instrumental line with Victor Feldman’s synthesizer at the front. “Hedge Hog” tightens its instrumental writing around Ernie Watts’ saxophone line. “Theme From ‘Starsky & Hutch’” turns Tom Scott’s TV theme into a Moog-toned keyboard feature. “Sky’s The Limit” returns Feldman’s synthesizer to the front of the title instrumental.

A1. “Sail Away With Me” (4:57) – Walsh–Omartian–Price
A2. “Had to Fall in Love” (4:01) – Gallagher–Lyle
A3. “Skippin’” (3:43) – Feldman
A4. “Language of Love” (4:55) – Walsh–Omartian

B1. “Theme From Starsky & Hutch” (2:58) – Scott
B2. “Holdin’ Out (For Your Love)” (4:27) – Walsh–Omartian–Price
B3. “Hedge Hog” (2:43) – Omartian–Feldman
B4. “Float on By” (3:31) – Garfield–Graydon–Omartian
B5. “Sky’s the Limit” (4:18) – Price–Feldman

Rhythm Heritage narrowed the working band to bassist Edwards, drummer Greene, keyboardist Omartian, guitarist Graydon, and percussionist Feldman. Trumpeters Chuck Findley and Steve Madaio played with saxophonists Ernie Watts, Fred Selden, and Jim Horn. Vocalists Julia Tillman Waters and Maxine Willard Waters appeared on “Holdin’ Out (For Your Love).” Guitarist Ray Parker Jr. played on “Theme From Starsky & Hutch.”

Barri and Omartian produced Sky’s the Limit at Kendun Recorders with engineers Joe Laux and Phil Kaye. Omartian arranged the album, except for Feldman arrangements on “Skippin’” and “Sky’s the Limit” and a Graydon arrangement on “Float on By.”

Frank Mulvey designed the sleeve with photography by Olivier Ferrand and Melanie Nissen.

ABC issued “Theme From Starsky & Hutch” in September 1977 (b/w “Disco Queen”). “Holdin’ Out (For Your Love)” followed in February 1978 (b/w “Sky’s the Limit”). “Sail Away With Me” appeared in June 1978 (b/w “Language of Love”).

Disco Derby

Rhythm Heritage released their fourth album, Disco Derby, in 1979 on MCA. After three ABC albums, the group moved to MCA for a seven-track LP with Arno Lucas in the lead-vocal role.

“Disco House” opens the album with Arno Lucas at the front of a group-vocal arrangement. “Disco Derby (Take Me Dancin’)” drives the dance-command refrain through Victor Feldman’s arrangement. “Come On and Dance” repeats its imperative title line across Lucas and stacked backing voices. “Life Line” closes on Jay Graydon’s arrangement, with the vocal blend held above the rhythm section.

A1. “Disco House” (5:09) – Walsh–Omartian–Price
A2. “Face in the Crowd” (3:35) – Neigher–Cole
A3. “Disco Derby (Take Me Dancin’)” (4:02) – Omartian–Feldman
A4. “Frisco Discotheque” (4:25) – Walsh–Omartian–Price–Lelken

B1. “Do You Make Love Like You Dance” (5:30) – Garfield–Graydon–Omartian
B2. “Come On and Dance” (6:17) – Lucas–Chudacoff
B3. “Life Line” (5:04) – Walsh–Price

Barri and Omartian produced Disco Derby with lead vocalist Arno Lucas, bassist Rick Chudacoff, drummer Peter Bunetta, percussionist Victor Feldman, and guitarists Jay Graydon and Paul Jackson Jr. Omartian also arranged the album and played keyboards. Omartian and Lucas sang backing vocals with Dan Walsh, Kal David, Michael Price, Ryland Washington, Julia Tillman Waters, and Maxine Willard Waters.

The horn and reed lineup includes saxophonist Don Roberts, trombonists Dick Hyde and Lew McCreary, trumpeters Chuck Findley and Steve Madaio, and woodwind players Jackie Kelso, Jim Horn, and Quitman Dennis. Assa Drori served as concertmaster. John Guess engineered the album, and Bernie Grundman mastered it.

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