When I hear the name Evelyn “Champagne” King, sapid memories are immediately conjured of a homegirl from the Bronx, NYC; a consummate player for the past score of years who is respected for her dynamic performances in-studio and on-stage and heavy airplay on the biggest stations back in the day like the Frankie Crocker-programmed WBLS in New York City and WUSL (Power 99) in Philadelphia. In fact mi amigo, Fred "BUGSY" Buggs relates, “I was in Philly at Power 99FM [where] I used to do a Friday Nightclub [gig]; on this night we had THE FORCE M.D. with their first performance in Philly. After I brought the group on stage my DJ Craig Davis says someone wants to say hello to you. It was EVELYN, in the spot regular. What a Lady.” To say “she’s back” is inaccurate as she has never left us. Maybe she took a page from the Stevie Wonder book as this is the first album she has released in a decade! So her legacy continues here and now with the latest release, “Open Book” [RNB Entertainment Group/Jaggo Records].
Ever since Evelyn was discovered while working with her Mom cleaning the legendary Gamble & Huff’s Philadelphia International Records studios, she has been persistent in the pocket of Dance, Disco and R& B music. Following-up those times, brother “Bugsy” (of 98.7 KISS FM, NYC these days) recalls, “Hey I remember when I was playing “SHAME” on NJR in NEWARK, my friend’s little brother DIVINE was the drummer, and her sister was on the road with her at the time. Her performance was impeccable. I mean for a young entertainer she understood how to work the stage & keep the audience happy.” And she still does, returning from an around the world gig as I write this review. Strangely enough, “Shame” is the one song that I never got, except for the 45rpm, into my collection; I used to have to mix two of them together over and over at gigs to prolong the mix – doing original “remix” versions I guess, in retrospect. I still play “I Don’t Know If Its Right”, “I’m In Love”, “Love Come Down”, and one of my personal hall of fame cuts, “Betcha He Don’t Love You” from 1982 whenever I get the chance. “Just For The Night” makes me strongly reminisce my days on WBLS, NYC whenever I hear it.
“The Dance (Remix)” is solid and party-ready, but on the next and title track “Open Book” she slow it down inside a successful formula a la “Till Midnight” from the “So Romantic” 1984 LP; our parents’ generation would describe it as “a touch song”.
“Standing On The Rock Of Love” is a firm mid-tempo tune that is Urban radio-ready, as is song number eight, “Paradise”. “Nobody Knows” really takes us to Dip City (a ‘70s term we used for the Grind slow dance) in classic style! I love “Creepin” because of the use of contemporary phases such as “e-mail” and “IM”; keepin’ it current to paint the musical word-picture of infidelity.
On the entire “Open Book” album, Evelyn is supported by a daedal family contingent of rhythmically correct writers and arrangements we have come to love and expect; getting her lyrics to perform without becoming trite. It is a clear, nonpareil, and intransigent musical formula that will continue to please for years to come.
She may not have been “gone” from the scene, but that must have been the perception here in the U.S., for whenever I have mentioned penning this review to friends, the comments seem to have vivified her career with her many fans. Evelyn has stayed true to all of us “boos”, and I can happily bless her with five Dom P. bubbly stars!
