The Mizzel's

LaserWolf · August 2005

I just got a copy of the Moments on Hog from about 1966. Larry and Fonz Mizzell and Freddie Perren did the record.Best I can tell they were never heard from again until 1970 when Larry and Freddie became 2/3s of the Corporation at Motown and Fonce started working with Donald Byrd. I found only one web site with any info on the brothers, and the discography had only the most obvious Blue Note releases.So does anyone know about their early carrers? Discographys? I beleive they came out of Washington DC, so DC strutters stand up.

DeeRock · August 2005

I can tell you that Fonce lives in Seattle and his son writes the hip hop column for the Stranger news paper!

volumen · August 2005

I can tell you that Fonce lives in Seattle and his son writes the hip hop column for the Stranger news paper!

DAMMMMM! I said to several people I wonder if he's related. It's not a common name.....Thanks D.

LaserWolf · August 2005

I can tell you that Fonce lives in Seattle and his son writes the hip hop column for the Stranger news paper!

Very cool, thanks.

LaserWolf · August 2005

Now that we are talking records again; does anyone know anything more about the Mizzel brothers?

pickwick33 · August 2005

Now that we are talking records again; does anyone know anything more about the Mizzel brothers?

If you don't mind, I'd like to know more about these Moments!

Is this soul, jazz or what? (I'm assuming this isn't the group on Stang that later did "Sexy Mama," "Love On A Two-Way Street," etc..)

anasarcasm · August 2005

I have a feeling that maybe the pertinent hits didn't come up in your search because their last name is spelled "Mizell". Google "mizell brothers" and alot of informative hits come up. I like this site, but it's not updated very often.

Sky High

I am a big fan of their collabs with Donald Byrd and beyond...great thread!

LaserWolf · August 2005

I have a feeling that maybe the pertinent hits didn't come up in your search because their last name is spelled "Mizell". Google "mizell brothers" and alot of informative hits come up. I like this site, but it's not updated very often.

Sky High

I am a big fan of their collabs with Donald Byrd and beyond...great thread!

Nothing like spelling the name right!

There are some nice records here .

Larry and Fonce (Alphonso) Mizell, without no doubt the hottest songwriters and producers of the 1970's, gave us with their Sky High Productions some of the finest jazz-funk and R&B records ever produced. Born and raised in Englewood, New Jersey, Larry and Fonce both graduated with Masters in music from Howard University in Washington DC. Among their teachers was Dr. Donald Byrd, who recognized their talent and played an instrumental part in the inception of their careers.

Fonce Mizell (pictured above) started off as a member of Motown's famous production team The Corporation. Together with Freddie Perren, Deke Richards and Berry Gordy Jr., Fonce helped writing and producing many of the Jackson Five's early hits, such as 'I Want You Back' and 'ABC.' Some years later Fonce and Freddie Perren wrote and produced Edwin Starr's soundtrack to the blaxploitation movie 'Hell Up In Harlem' (Motown 1974), on which brother Larry appears on Arp synthesizer.

Before that, Larry had worked with Donald Byrd on his 'Black Byrd' album, which became a Blue Note best-seller. From then on, having moved to California, the brothers worked together and produced a string of fantastic records with their Sky High Productions. Most of them were released on Blue Note, Fantasy and CTI. They include classic jazz-funk like Donald Byrd's 'Street Lady,' Bobbi Humphrey's 'Blacks And Blues' and Johnny Hammond's 'Gears,' deep soul-funk and R&B like Gary Bartz's 'The Shadow Do,' L.T.D.'s 'Love To The World' and Rance Allen's 'Say My Friend,' and huge disco hits like A Taste Of Honey's 'Boogie, Oogie, Oogie.'

But the Mizell brothers did not confine themselves to songwriting and producing. They often accompanied individual artists like Byrd, Humphrey, Hammond and Bartz. While Fonce plays clavinet and trumpet, Larry can be heard on piano and synth. In addition, Larry and Fonce often provide the background vocals and vocal arrangements, which are a distinctive feature of many Sky High Productions recordings.

Some other members of the Mizell family also deserve to be mentioned. Younger brother Rodney Mizell was a top-notch drummer and bass player. He joined his brothers in songwriting on L.T.D.'s 'Love To The World,' Rance Allen's 'Say My Friend' and Donald Byrd's 'Caricatures.' Cousin Cindy Mizelle is a popular background vocalist. She has worked with Chaka Khan, The Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, Luther Vandross, and others. Don Mizell, another relative, was head of the jazz division at Elektra Records back in the days. He was the producer of Terry Callier's late 70's records.

By the end of the decade and after some A&R work with Elektra, the Mizell brothers disappeared from the scene. The reason why they quit so suddenly remains unknown. It is also not clear what they've been doing since. However, Larry still owns his publishing company Alruby Music (named after his parents Al and Ruby) and is working out of Pasadena, California, where he's living today.

At any rate, the Mizell brothers' music will stay forever in our (h)ear(t)s. Their 70's productions have become popular sampling objects for today's kleptomanic DJ's. But there's no doubt: The originals just can't be beat! So look out for the Sky High Productions label and get into the groove! You're gonna love it!

At this point I think this little DC 45 from, their Howard years no doubt, is their earliest work.

Dan

LaserWolf · August 2005

Now that we are talking records again; does anyone know anything more about the Mizzel brothers?

If you don't mind, I'd like to know more about these Moments!

Is this soul, jazz or what? (I'm assuming this isn't the group on Stang that later did "Sexy Mama," "Love On A Two-Way Street," etc..)

These are most likely different Moments from Washington DC. There are a few
other early Moments Northern Soul 45s that I also think are not the Stang
Moments.

This is from the classified section:

I'm going to be selling a copy of:
Moments Baby I Want You / Pray For Me Hog 1000

Vinyl is clean and glossy with no scratches. Plays with background noise.

This is of intrest to Northern Soul guys because Keb Darge played it once.
It is always on lists of the rarest Northern 45s.

This is of intrest to soulstruters because it is the earliest Larry Mizzel / Freddie Perren / Fonce Mizell production. The record is said to be from 1966, Larry wrote both sides, Freddie produces the A, Fonce the B. Their names
do not show up again until Freddie and Larry show up at Motown records
and Fonce teams up with Donald Byrd in the 1970s.

Listen Listen

Dan

Okem · August 2005

They are about to drop a NEW album!!
Yes you heard right.

You can hear their re-working of 'think twice' on Benji B's show on 1xtra (its about 12 mins. in)

check it!
click on the Benji B listern again option.

kilogram · August 2005

You can hear their re-working of 'think twice' on Benji B's show on 1xtra (its about 12 mins. in)

guessing it's this one:

http://s37.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1379GJIPCJK9O29SOTPCMEQLEF

from this mizell comp coming out on blue note.

by no means a definitive mizell look or anything, but still good. wind parade, blacks and blues...

plus it's got rance allen - reason to survive.

it's got a couple of unreleased things too.

LaserWolf · August 2005

You can hear their re-working of 'think twice' on Benji B's show on 1xtra (its about 12 mins. in)

guessing it's this one:
http://s37.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1379GJIPCJK9O29SOTPCMEQLEF

from this mizell comp coming out on blue note.

by no means a definitive mizell look or anything, but still good. wind parade, blacks and blues...

plus it's got rance allen - struggle to survive.

it's got a few unreleased things too.

What year was that Rance Allen? It's the one on Capitol right? I'm thinking that was their next project.

Dan

On_the_Red_Clay · August 2005

Tracklist new comp on Giant Step

Donald Byrd - Wind Parade

Rance Allen - Reason To Survive

Donald Byrd - Change

Bobbi Humphrey - Uno Esta

Donald Byrd - Design A Nation

Donald Byrd - Lansana's Priestess

Donald Byrd - (Fallin Like) Dominoes

Bobbi Humphrey - Blacks And Blues

Gary Bartz - Funked Up

MizellStory - N R Time

Donald Byrd - Think Twice (Mizell 2005 Remix)

Tracklist "Sky High" comp on Blue Note from 1998:

1. Peace Of Mind
Rance Allen (5:08) (L.Mizell)
2. Street Lady
Donald Byrd (5:40) (L.Mizell)
3. Shifting Gears
Johnny Hammond (5:18) (L.Mizell - F.Mizell)
4. Think Twice
Donald Byrd (6:12) (Sigidi - L.Mizell - Mbaji)
5. New York Times
Bobbi Humphrey (6:52) (L.Mizell)
6. Starborne
Johnny Hammond (8:10) (L.Mizell)
7. Love's So Far Away
Donald Byrd(6:02) (L.Mizell)
8. Music Is My Sanctuary
Gary Bartz (6:19) (Bartz - Sigidi)
9. Uno Esta
Bobbi Humphrey(6:43) (L.Mizell)
10. Truth Is Marching On
Rance Allen (3:55) (L.Mizell - F.Mizell - R.Mizell)
11. Change (Makes You Want To Hustle)
Donald Byrd (5:08) (L.Mizell)
12. Boogie, Oogie, Oogie
A Taste Of Honey (3:40) (Johnson - Perry)

Much better, but still not definitive imho.. where is "Waterfalls" by Margie Evans (45 only on Buddah from 1974)? One of their best productions

kilogram · August 2005

What year was that Rance Allen? It's the one on Capitol right? I'm thinking that was their next project.

Dan

i don't have the original album or 45 but yeah, i think it's on capitol from late 70s. really feelin it.

On_the_Red_Clay · August 2005

Rance Allen "Say My Friend" Capitol ST-11613 (1977). Got a spare 45 off the album here

Jazzsucka · August 2005

Mizell??s produced some stuff for Marvin Gaye in the 70??s as well. I think these are otherwise unreleased but can be found on Marvin??s "Let??s get it on" 2CD along side other amazing and unreleased tracks.

kilogram · August 2005

Mizell??s produced some stuff for Marvin Gaye in the 70??s as well. I think these are otherwise unreleased but can be found on Marvin??s "Let??s get it on" 2CD along side other amazing and unreleased tracks.

yeah, the marvin version of "where are we going?" is incredible.
the funk inc version is pretty good too but the marvin one is just gut wrenching.

LaserWolf · August 2005

Rance Allen "Say My Friend" Capitol ST-11613 (1977). Got a spare 45 off the album here

Thanks, I love that lp. I've got it in my data base. I'm still waiting for the DC strutters to stand up with all their Mizell and Fonze 45s.

So if you were at Howard U in the late 60s you would have seen the Mizell brothers, Carla Thomas, Roberta Flack, Donny Hathaway, Donald Byrd, Bernice Regan (of Sweet Honey In The Rock) and perhaps Freddie Perren.

Dan

day · August 2005

You can hear their re-working of 'think twice' on Benji B's show on 1xtra (its about 12 mins. in)

guessing it's this one:
http://s37.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1379GJIPCJK9O29SOTPCMEQLEF

from this mizell comp coming out on blue note.

by no means a definitive mizell look or anything, but still good. wind parade, blacks and blues...

plus it's got rance allen - reason to survive.

it's got a couple of unreleased things too.

thank you for this - any word on when this is coming out/what label etc.?

I am a fan.

shouts to Cosmo cause I know he is too

GNZ · August 2005

I thought I read something on the stonesthrow page about madlib doing a project w/the mizells....

also working w/david axelrod on a different project....

can anyone verify this?

anasarcasm · August 2005

Mizell??s produced some stuff for Marvin Gaye in the 70??s as well. I think these are otherwise unreleased but can be found on Marvin??s "Let??s get it on" 2CD along side other amazing and unreleased tracks.

yeah, the marvin version of "where are we going?" is incredible.
the funk inc version is pretty good too but the marvin one is just gut wrenching.

speaking of the marvin gaye track....which i love

here it is:
http://s11.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2EFNSL4GL0W120CVCB0BZI8L31

m_dejean · August 2005

Mizell??s produced some stuff for Marvin Gaye in the 70??s as well. I think these are otherwise unreleased but can be found on Marvin??s "Let??s get it on" 2CD along side other amazing and unreleased tracks.

yeah, the marvin version of "where are we going?" is incredible.
the funk inc version is pretty good too but the marvin one is just gut wrenching.

speaking of the marvin gaye track....which i love

here it is:
http://s11.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2EFNSL4GL0W120CVCB0BZI8L31

Whoa! Strut ESP in full effect. I was reading jazzsuckaz' post yesterday thinking "I'd like to hear that". I Return to the thread the next day, and the shit is right in front of me. Definetely a good look, anasarcasm. Danke sehr. Marvin & Mizell is a killer combo. Gotta get that double CD.

drewnice · August 2005

I am a fan.

shouts to Cosmo cause I know he is too

Wasn't homie working on a sorta *hush* project involving those dudes?

DeeRock · August 2005

Ok it's Larry's son not Fonce that writes for the paper. We talked yesterday and I have a cdr of the new Mizzell bros. album on the way to me as we speak!

davesrecords · August 2005

Mizell??s produced some stuff for Marvin Gaye in the 70??s as well. I think these are otherwise unreleased but can be found on Marvin??s "Let??s get it on" 2CD along side other amazing and unreleased tracks.

yeah, the marvin version of "where are we going?" is incredible.
the funk inc version is pretty good too but the marvin one is just gut wrenching.

speaking of the marvin gaye track....which i love

here it is:
http://s11.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2EFNSL4GL0W120CVCB0BZI8L31

damn that's like classic mizell brothers with classic marvin gaye!

m_dejean · August 2005

Ok it's Larry's son not Fonce that writes for the paper. We talked yesterday and I have a cdr of the new Mizzell bros. album on the way to me as we speak!

Nice one. Let the people know what's up, if and when. I'd like to hear what the Mizell brothers are doing today.

DrWu · August 2005

Ok it's Larry's son not Fonce that writes for the paper. We talked yesterday and I have a cdr of the new Mizzell bros. album on the way to me as we speak!

Nice one. Let the people know what's up, if and when. I'd like to hear what the Mizell brothers are doing today.

Good lord just hit up the new arrivals at JUMPJUMP and saw this piece is selling for three knocks. Dan, did you have a heart attack when you found out how much this one goes for. Here's looking at you, brotha. Mizell raers is strictly for the

s

LaserWolf · August 2005

Good lord just hit up the new arrivals at JUMPJUMP and saw this piece is selling for three knocks. Dan, did you have a heart attack when you found out how much this one goes for. Here's looking at you, brotha. Mizell raers is strictly for the s

I was pleasantly suprised. I don't pay much attention to the Northern scene, though I should have all the lists memorized. I saw the names, but was disappointed to hear that it was a what I call sweet group vocals. I like sweet group vocals, but I was hoping for funk. Still I knew it would be raer, and did give her a few dollars. I think I will send her a nice gift certificate, or an ipod or something now.

Dan

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