Weldon Irvine -

Weldon Irvine (Oct. 27, 1943 — April 9, 2002) was an American pianist and composer from Hampton, Va., who released two albums on self-press Nodlew Music in 1972 and 1973, followed by three albums on RCA Victor between 1974 and 1976.

He studied music at Amherst College and entered professional circles as a pianist, arranger, and musical director. His early credits included work with Nina Simone, who recorded his civil-rights composition “To Be Young, Gifted and Black.” Irvine’s own albums linked electric-keyboard writing, horn arrangements, vocal text, and extended rhythm-section patterns. After his RCA run, he continued to record, compose, and mentor younger musicians in New York.

Background

Weldon Irvine was born in Hampton, Virginia, on October 27, 1943, and grew up in New York City. As a child, he heard church music and listened to rhythm-and-blues broadcasts. He first studied piano through family lessons. During his teens, he added organ and wrote songs. In high school, Irvine played keyboards in school ensembles, neighborhood groups, and small clubs, where he worked through gospel changes, blues turnarounds, and popular song forms.

Irvine entered the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the early 1960s and studied music theory and composition alongside liberal-arts coursework. At Amherst, he played campus and regional dates as a keyboardist. After graduation, he returned to New York for arranging and copyist work. Across Manhattan and the outer boroughs, Irvine continued to play piano and organ in clubs and rehearsal rooms.

Irvine met Nina Simone in 1965 and entered her organization as musical director, pianist, and arranger. He wrote “To Be Young, Gifted and Black,” which Simone introduced in her 1969 set.

Outside Simone’s group, Irvine worked with New York jazz and soul players. He played electric piano and organ on New York studio dates, including projects connected to Quincy Jones. Irvine also assembled his own material in local studios with small rhythm sections and horn players. By 1970, he built a dual path as bandleader and sideman.

Liberated Brother

Weldon Irvine released his debut album, Liberated Brother, in 1972 on Nodlew Music.

Liberated Brother features an all-originals set framed around electric keyboards. The credited lineup places Irvine on piano, RMI e-piano, and Moog synthesizer, with bassist Roland Wilson, guitarist Tommy Smith, flugelhornist Preston Williams, tenor saxophonist James Stroud, and percussionists Chipper Lyles and Napoleon Revels.

A1. “Liberated Brother” (6:25)
A2. “Here’s Where I Came In” (6:35)
A3. “Blues Wel-Don” (8:25)

B1. “Mr. Clean” (5:25)
B2. “Gloria” (4:00)
B3. “Homey” (4:30)
B4. “Juggah Buggah” (4:35)
B5. “Sister Sanctified” (3:15)

Irvine produced, recorded, and mixed Liberated Brother at Sound Ideas Studios in New York.

Time Capsule

Weldon Irvine released his second album, Time Capsule, in 1973 on Nodlew Music.

The album continued his self-produced label phase and paired vocal pieces with extended electric-keyboard instrumentals. Irvine credits himself with electric piano, organ, melodica, and vocals.

Time Capsule retains two Liberated Brother players (Williams, Revels), joined by drummer Lenny White, trumpeter Jimmy Owens, guitarist John King, percussionist Tony Wiles (congas, percussion), keyboardist George Cables (electric piano), bassists Alex Blake and Clint Houston, and vocalists Charlette Cook, Emerson Cain, Willa Vaughn, and John King.

A1. “Time Capsule” (1:24) — Weldon Irvine
A2. “Feelin’ Mellow” (3:40) — John King, Weldon Irvine
A3. “Soul Sisters” (7:30) — Irvine
A4. “Déjà Vu” (9:20) — Irvine

B1. “Watergate—Don’t Bug Me!” (7:03) — Irvine
B2. “Spontaneous Interaction” (5:50) — Irvine
B3. “I Am” (1:24) — Irvine, Charlette Cook
B4. “Bananas” (2:40) — Irvine

Irvine produced, recorded, and remixed Time Capsule on May 17, 1973, at Sound Ideas Studios with engineer George Klabin. Collis H. Davis Jr. handled photography.

Cosmic Vortex (Justice Divine)

Weldon Irvine released his third album, Cosmic Vortex (Justice Divine), in 1974 on RCA Victor.

The album was his first RCA release after the Nodlew albums. Irvine performs eight keyboard-based originals with three guitarists (Henry Grate Jr., Cornell Dupree, Joe Caro), bassists (Bob Cranshaw, Gordon Edwards, George Murray), and drummers (Wesley “Gator” Watson, Jimmy Young, Chipper Lyles).

Cosmic Vortex (Justice Divine) also retains three Time Capsule players (Owens, White, Revels), joined by flutist Bill Barnwell, tenor saxophonist Gene Jefferson, percussionist Bud Johnson Jr. (congas, bongos), trumpeters Roy Roman and Everett “Blood” Hollins, and vocalists Nalo and Ojuleba. Irvine himself adds vocals and soprano saxophone.

A1. “Love Your Brother” (5:15)
A2. “Walk That Walk; Talk That Talk” (7:50)
A3. “Love Jones” (4:11)
A4. “I’ll Name It Tomorrow” (2:50)

B1. “Cosmic Vortex (Justice Divine)” (8:45)
B2. “Quiet (In Memory of Duke Ellington)” (5:06)
B3. “Let Yourself Be Free” (4:30)
B4. “Love Your Brother (Sanctified Version)” (1:30)

Irvine produced and recorded Cosmic Vortex (Justice Divine) at RCA Studio D in New York City. Bob Brenner photographed the cover.

In Harmony

Weldon Irvine released his fourth album, In Harmony, in 1974 on Strata-East.

Irvine sets the album around piano-led ensemble arrangements and includes six Irvine compositions, one Irvine–Tommy Smith co-write, and two outside pieces.

The credited lineup places Irvine with bassist Alex Blake, drummer Ronald Jackson, percussionist Tony Wiles (congas), and percussionist Darnell Mitchell.

A1. “Fat Mouth” (7:13) — Weldon Irvine
A2. “Turkish Bath” (6:56) — Irvine
A3. “Pleasure, Pain & Me” (2:28) — Irvine
A4. “Down Home” (5:50) — Irvine

B1. “Marjorie Moon” (5:51) — Irvine
B2. “Sweet Georgia Brown” (3:47) — Ben Bernie, Maceo Pinkard, Kenneth Casey
B3. “What Are You Doing for the Rest of Your Life” (8:22) — Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman, Michel Legrand
B4. “Gemini Mood” (5:35) — Weldon Irvine, Tommy Smith

Irvine recorded In Harmony on February 19, 1974, with engineer George Klabin. Designer Ted Plair handled the cover layout.

Spirit Man

Weldon Irvine released his fifth album, Spirit Man, in 1975 on RCA. Irvine performs eight originals on piano, electric piano, clavinet, and synthesizer.

Spirit Man brings back five Cosmic Vortex players (Grate, Watson, Johnson, Revels, Hollins), joined by bassist Cleveland Freeman, trumpeter Charles Sullivan, alto saxophonist Sonny Fortune, and background vocalists Floyd Butler and Harry Elston.

A1. “We Gettin’ Down” (5:50)
A2. “Softly” (0:37)
A3. “Pogo Stick” (6:45)
A4. “Blast Off” (4:17)

B1. “Jungle Juice” (8:10)
B2. “Yasmin” (4:37)
B3. “The Power and the Glory” (5:44)
B4. “Softly” (1:26)

Irvine produced and recorded Spirit Man in 1975 at RCA Studio D in New York. RCA issued “Jungle Juice” as a single in 1975 (b/w “Yasmin”).

Sinbad

Weldon Irvine released his sixth album, Sinbad, in 1976 on RCA. Irvine sets the album around keyboards, synthesizer, and a larger studio rhythm section with horn charts by the Brecker Brothers.

Sinbad retains percussionist Napoleon Revels-Bey from Spirit Man and returns two Cosmic Vortex players (Dupree, Edwards), joined by guitarist Eric Gale; keyboardists Don Blackman (acoustic piano, lead vocals) and Richard Tee (acoustic piano); drummers Chris Parker and Steve Gadd; and background vocalists Adrienne Albert, Bunny McCullough, and Deborah McDuffie.

The horn section places trumpeter Randy Brecker amid three saxophonists—Michael Brecker (tenor), Phil Bodner (baritone), George Young (alto)—and trombonists Wayne Andre and Alan Raph (bass).

A1. “Sinbad” (6:21) — Weldon Irvine
A2. “Don’t You Worry ’Bout a Thing” (5:51) — Stevie Wonder
A3. “What’s Going On” (4:38) — Al Cleveland, Marvin Gaye, Renaldo Benson
A4. “I Love You” (3:03) — Don Blackman

B1. “Do Something for Yourself” (4:45) — Irvine
B2. “Music Is the Key” (7:36) — Weldon Irvine, Tommy Smith
B3. “Here’s Where I Came In” (3:36) — Irvine
B4. “Gospel Feeling” (4:16) — Irvine

Irvine recorded Sinbad at RCA Studios B and E in New York with co-producer Mike Lipskin. Ted CoConis supplied the artwork.

The Sisters

Weldon Irvine released the archival album The Sisters in 1998. The set compiles late-1970s recordings with Don Blackman, Marcus Miller, and other New York players. P-Vine later reissued the album with remastering and obi packaging.

Irvine sets piano and electric-keyboard parts against compact bass lines, horn accents, percussion, and alternating vocal features. “The Sisters” uses Marcus Miller’s bass and Tom Browne’s trumpet over a short opening form. “Think I’ll Stay a While” places Toni Smith’s lead vocal over the main ensemble. “Morning Sunrise” centers Don Blackman’s lead vocal and electric piano within the album’s softest vocal arrangement. “Blue in Green” closes the set with organ, alto saxophone, guitar, percussion, bass, and drums.

A1. “The Sisters” (2:02)
A2. “Nursery Rhyme Song” (5:07)
A3. “Think I’ll Stay a While” (4:16)
A4. “Misty Dawn” (0:58)
A5. “Morning Sunrise” (3:18)

B1. “Shopping” (0:43)
B2. “It’s Funky” (4:37)
B3. “Sexy Eyes” (5:50)
B4. “Egypt” (0:41)
B5. “Heard It All Before” (4:12)
B6. “Blue in Green” (5:53)

Young, Gifted and Broke

Weldon Irvine released the archival album Young, Gifted and Broke in 2012. The material comes from his 1977 musical of the same name, for which Irvine wrote the script, lyrics, and music.

Irvine built the work as a vocal-stage sequence with short dialogue pieces, ensemble songs, and two instrumental interludes. “No! Now? Never! None!” opens with a clipped rhythm figure. “Comin’ Home” gives the first half its longest song form. “Musical Interlude” and “Karate Dancer” separate the vocal material with compact instrumental sections. “Only Yesterday,” “Ghetto Lament,” and “I Count It Joy” close the second half around slower text placement and plain ensemble support.

1. “No! Now? Never! None!” (2:58) — Weldon Irvine Jr.
2. “We Got a Deal” (1:39) — Irvine
3. “Just Take One Step; He’ll Take Two” (3:34) — Irvine
4. “Sermon – Dialogue” (2:09) — Irvine
5. “Comin’ Home” (4:52) — Irvine
6. “Benediction” (0:37) — Irvine
7. “Singing for God in the City” (5:04) — Irvine
8. “Musical Interlude (instrumental)” (2:01) — Irvine
9. “Black Lightnings’ Song” (3:26) — Irvine
10. “Pity for the Man” (2:24) — Irvine
11. “Karate Dancer (instrumental)” (2:45) — Irvine
12. “Ego” (2:44) — Irvine
13. “Only Yesterday” (3:49) — Irvine
14. “Ghetto Lament” (2:52) — Irvine
15. “Again” (1:24) — Irvine
16. “Tight Rope” (3:02) — Irvine
17. “I Count It Joy” (4:14) — Irvine