Charles Stepney
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Charles Stepney (1931 – 1976) was an American musician, producer, arranger, songwriter and musician known for compositions such as "Les Fleurs" (1970) and his orchestral, psychedelic soul with Chicago's Cadet/Chess records in the 1960s and 1970s and afterwards with Earth, Wind & Fire.
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Production history
Charles and Marshall Chess (son of Chess Records co-founder Leonard Chess) in the mid ’60’s created the band Rotary Connection for the new experimental Cadet Concept label and between 1967 and 1971 produced six innovative studio albums for Rotary Connection (receiving a Grammy nomination in 1968):
- Rotary Connection (album) (1967)
- Aladdin (1968)
- Peace (1968)
- Songs (1969)
- Dinner Music (1970)
- Hey Love (1971) (as the New Rotary Connection)
Between the creation of the Rotary Connection albums, Charles also produced, arranged & co-wrote with Rotary Connection singer Minnie Riperton’s 1970 debut album Come to My Garden.
Commenting on Minnie at the time he said that she"has a soprano range of about four octaves, a whole lot of soul, she's good-looking and she's got the experience of Rotary behind her."
During this time Charles wrote, produced and conducted a Classical Jazz Symphony in 5 parts entitled Cohesion. Cohesion was performed in Minneapolis, MN by the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, the Ramsey Lewis Trio and Minnie Riperton. It was his first opportunity to Conduct live before an audience.
Stepney is also credited as a musician/producer on the following albums:
- The Soulful Strings – Paint It, Black (1966) & Groovin' with the Soulful Strings (1967)
- Muddy Waters – Electric Mud (1968) & After the Rain (1969)
- Howlin' Wolf – The Howlin' Wolf Album (1969)
- Marlena Shaw – The Spice of Life (1969)
- Terry Callier – Occasional Rain (1972), What Color Is Love (1973) & I Just Can't Help Myself (1974)
- Ramsey Lewis – Maiden Voyage 1968, Mother Nature's Son (1968), The Piano Player (1969), Sun Goddess (album) (1974), Don't It Feel Good (1975) & Salongo (1976)
- Phil Upchurch – Upchurch (album) (1968)
- The Dells – There Is (album) (1968), Love is Blue (1969) Like It Is, Like It Was (1971), & Freedom Means (1971)
- The Emotions – Flowers(1976)
- Deniece Williams – This Is Niecy (1976)
In the mid 1970s Charles teamed up again with Maurice White and produced a number of Ramsey Lewis Trio albums in which Maurice drummed.
Before he died he co-produced with Maurice the platinum selling Earth, Wind & Fire albums Open Our Eyes (1974), That's the Way of the World, Gratitude both released in 1975 and Spirit released in 1976.
His favorite book was The Schillinger System of Musical Composition by Joseph Schillinger.
Death
The song Spirit was intended to uplift Stepney's spirit, and to show all the gratitude that Earth, Wind & Fire had towards him. Sadly, Stepney never got to hear the song. Maurice White spoke to Stepney on the afternoon of May 17, 1976, but later that day, Earth, Wind & Fire keyboardist Larry Dunn received a phone call informing him that Charles Stepney had died of a heart attack. The song Spirit then became a tribute to Stepney's life. Although Stepney never got the credit he deserved, his spirit remained a staple in Earth, Wind & Fire's legendary sound.
Influence
Artists such as Ramsey Lewis, Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, 4hero, Jean-Paul 'Bluey' Maunick, Zero 7, Elton John, Gilles Peterson & Terry Callier have been influenced by Stepney.
Legacy
Stepney is survived by his wife Rubie and his three daughters Eibur, Charlene and Chante.
Discography
As sideman
With Eddie Harris
- Jazz for "Breakfast at Tiffany's" (Vee-Jay, 1961)
- For Bird and Bags (Exodus, 1963)
With Ramsey Lewis
- Back to the Roots (Cadet, 1971)
- Sun Goddess (Columbia, 1974)
As arranger
With Ramsey Lewis
- Maiden Voyage (Cadet, 1968)
- Mother Nature's Son (Cadet, 1968)
With Minnie Ripperton
- Come to My Garden (GRT, 1970)
See also
