Rotary Connection was an American psychedelic soul band, formed in Chicago in 1966.

After the band's 1967 debut album Rotary Connection, session musicians who played with the band also backed Muddy Waters on his 1968 psychedelic blues album Electric Mud. The band's members included Minnie Riperton, who would later emerge as a solo artist.

Career

Foundation and debut album

The highly experimental band was the idea of Marshall Chess, son of Chess Records founder Leonard Chess. Marshall was the director behind a start-up label, Cadet Concept Records, and wanted to focus on music outside of the blues and rock genres, which had made the Chess label popular.

Rotary Connection released their self-titled debut album in late 1967. Chess hoped the new albums would sell well among fans of psychedelic rock bands influenced by Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf. In place of Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf's regular musicians were Gene Barge, Pete Cosey, Roland Faulkner, Morris Jennings, Louis Satterfield, Charles Stepney and Phil Upchurch. Cosey, Upchurch and Jennings joked about calling the group "The Electric Niggers".

  • 1968: Aladdin (U.S. No. 176)
  • 1968: Peace (U.S. No. 24)
  • 1969: Songs
  • 1970: Dinner Music
  • 1971: Hey, Love (as The New Rotary Connection)

Compilations

  • 2006: Black Gold: The Very Best of Rotary Connection

Further reading

  • Move On Up: Chicago Soul Music and Black Cultural Power by Aaron Cohen; chapter four: "Psychedelic Soul"; published by University of Chicago Press; September 25, 2019 ()

References

  • Rotary Connection biography by Andy Kellman, discography, album reviews, credits and releases at AllMusic.com
  • Rotary Connection discography, album releases & credits at Discogs.com
  • Rotary Connection songs to be listened as music stream at Play.Spotify.com
  • List of artists who have sampled Rotary Connection