Tomorrow's Edition -

Tomorrow’s Edition was an American soul-funk band that cut a pair of 1975/76 singles for Gang Records, followed by the 1982 Atlantic/RFC album A Song for Everyone.

Members: Wesley Thomas, Aaron Mathis, William Jones, Jerome Gourdine

Background

Tomorrow’s Edition emerged in 1973 as a vocal group with singers Jerome Gourdine, Aaron Mathis, and Wesley Thomas. Kool & the Gang used the trio for backing vocals on “This Is You, This Is Me,” a Wild and Peaceful track recorded at Mediasound Studios in New York.

Kool drummer George Brown wrote and produced the trio’s debut single, “Say It Again” (3:20), a 1975 mono/stereo 7″ on Gang Records, a De-Lite subsidiary established for K&tG-related projects. In 1976, Kool saxophonist Ronald Bell (aka Khalis Bayyan) produced and arranged Tomorrow’s second Gang single, “Be Real” (3:21), co-written with K&tG auxiliary singer Donna Johnson.

The same version of “Be Real” appeared concurrently on Find a Friend, the second album by Gang labelmates The Kay-Gee’s, who employed Tomorrow’s Edition on five additional tracks — “I Believe In Music,” “Thank You Dear Lord,” “Mr. Nothin’,” “S.T.P (Singing, Teaching & Preaching),” and “Find a Friend (Conclusion)” — along with the female vocal combo Something Sweet. By now, Tomorrow’s Edition contained a fourth member, Stanley Johnson, a former Billy Paul sideman.

In 1982, Tomorrow’s Edition surfaced as a reconfigured quartet on RFC Records, an Atlantic-distributed label with assorted post-disco acts (Attitude, Change, Rocket). Johnson cleared for Heatwave vocalist William Jones.

A Song for Everyone

Tomorrow’s Edition released their only album, A Song for Everyone, in 1982 on RFC/Atlantic. They cut the album as a four-singer vocal unit with Wesley Thomas, Aaron Mathis, William Jones, and Jerome Gourdine.

A Song for Everyone contains seven original songs and a cover of the Lou Reed song “Walk on the Wild Side.” Tomorrow’s Edition recorded tracks with drummer Adil Bayyan, bassist Greg Radford, keyboardist Glen Griffin, guitarist Royal Bayyan, percussionist Isidro “Cosa” Ross, horn-arrangement team CHOPS, and Horns of Plenty members Ronald Bell, Curtis Williams, Michael Ray, Robert Mickens, and Clifford Adams.

“A Song for Everyone” glides through a bright dance pace with William Jones at the lead and added group backing. “U Turn Me On” snaps through polished vocal effects, group answers, and a late breakdown. “In the Grooves” rides a tighter synth-and-piano track under William Jones, with added Melvin Odoms backing vocals. “Believe in Yourself” claps behind Aaron Mathis and Jerome Gourdine as the arrangement locks lead tradeoffs to short horn punctuation. “Part Time Love” sets Wesley Thomas and William Jones against horn lines and a sax break, then “Everybody Smiles” closes the album with Aaron Mathis over a lighter keyboard-led layout.

A1. “A Song for Everyone” (5:37) – Odoms, Radford, Tomorrow’s Edition
A2. “Believe in Yourself” (4:30) – Bayyan, A. Richardson, Tomorrow’s Edition
A3. “In the Grooves” (5:47) – Bayyan, Phillips, Odoms, Mathis
A4. “Walk on the Wild Side” (3:32) – Reed

B1. “U Turn Me On” (4:34) – Thomas, Radford, Tomorrow’s Edition
B2. “Have a Good Time” (5:18) – Mathis, Bayyan, Odoms
B3. “Part Time Love” (5:23) – Odoms, Radford, Mathis
B4. “Everybody Smiles” (4:09) – Meekaaeel Muhammad

Tomorrow’s Edition recorded most of A Song for Everyone at Eras Recording in New York and cut “In the Grooves” at Unique Studios in New York. Amir Bayyan produced the album for Mel-O Productions and played bass, guitar, piano, and synthesizers across multiple tracks. Eras engineers Ray Volpe, Questar Welsh, Ben Wich, Godfrey Diamond, Marco Utano, and Dimitri Rizer worked on the main sessions. Peter Robbins and Oscar Gerardo engineered the Unique Studios session.

“U Turn Me On” charted in January 1982 and reached No. 48 on Billboard R&B and No. 10 on US Dance. “In the Grooves” charted in August 1982 and reached No. 70 on Billboard R&B and No. 23 on US Dance.

Album discography: