Two Places at the Same Time [Bonus Tracks]

by Ray Parker, Jr., Ray Parker, Jr. & Raydio, Raydio

Overview

The first album billed to Ray Parker, Jr. & Raydio, Two Places at the Same Time -- like Raydio and Rock On -- reached the Top Ten of Billboard's Soul LPs chart and went gold. It's formatted the same way, too. There are eight snappy songs, ranging from candy-coated ballads to light pop-funk, which concern partying, romance, and sex. Three singles charted. The title track, not as fully developed as the following year's bigger ballad "A Woman Needs Love," has Parker swapping verses with Arnell Carmichael over pleasant, functional backing. Despite lifting liberally from past hits "Jack and Jill" and "You Can't Change That," "Can't Keep Crying" entered the Top 60. The funk instrumental "For Those Who Like to Groove" -- basically a variation on Funkadelic's "One Nation Under a Groove" with a little foreshadowing to Parker's Cheryl Lynn collaboration "In the Night" -- peaked at number 14. A pair of front-loaded knockouts, along with the slow groove "Tonight's the Night" (co-written with Herbie Hancock and redone for his 1981 album Magic Windows), eclipse the charting singles. They help make Two Places, as unassuming and derivative as it is, one of 1980's better R&B albums. Throughout the same year, Parker's name could be seen on several new releases -- including Hancock's Monster, Michael Henderson's Wide Receiver, LaToya Jackson's self-titled album, and Boz Scaggs' Middle Man -- as a songwriter, producer, and musician. [Funky Town Grooves' 2012 reissue adds the 12" mix of "It's Time to Party Now."] ~ Andy Kellman

Product Details

Release Date:	04/25/2017
Label:	Funky Town Grooves
UPC:	0851903003366

Tracks

1. It's Time to Party Now
2. Until the Morning Comes
3. Two Places at the Same Time
4. Tonight's the Night
5. A Little Bit of You
6. Everybody Makes Mistakes
7. Can't Keep from Crying
8. For Those Who Like to Groove
9. It's Time to Party Now [12" Version]

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Ray Parker, Jr. & Raydio   Primary Artist
Ray Parker, Jr.   Primary Artist
Raydio   Primary Artist
Deborah Thomas   Vocals (Background)
Ollie E. Brown   Drums,Percussion,Special Effects
Gary Coleman   Vibraphone
Jack Ashford   Tambourine
Herbie Hancock   Piano
Horatio Gordon   Flute
Sylvester Rivers   String Ensemble
Ken Peterson   Trumpet,Flugelhorn

Technical Credits

Ray Parker, Jr.   Mixing,Composer,Engineer,Producer
Herbie Hancock   Composer
Gary Regester   Photography
Arnell Carmichael   Composer
Roger Williams   Package Design
Ria Lewerke Shapiro   Design,Art Direction
Tony Calvert   Reissue Producer
Randy Mahon   Liner Notes,Reissue Producer
Sean Brennan   Remastering
Matt Murphy   Production Manager
Bernie Grundman   Mastering