Expansion Records

Webster Lewis – Give Me Some Emotion (The Epic Years 1976-1981)

Label: Expansion / Epic

Format: CD (Anthology)

Catalog Number: CDEXCL14 Release Year: 2017

The Musical Scope

This collection covers the three essential albums Webster recorded for Epic: On the Town (1976), Touch My Love (1978), and 8 for the 80's (1979). It showcases his unique ability to blend high-brow jazz arrangements with the "thump" of the Philadelphia and New York dancefloors.

Key Tracks & Highlights

• "Barbara Ann": A jazz-funk anthem that became a staple in the UK "Underground" and "Rare Groove" scenes. Its driving percussion and soaring flute are legendary.

• "Give Me Some Emotion": A mid-tempo masterpiece of sophisticated soul. It features a lush, rolling arrangement that defines the "Expansion" sound.

• "On the Town": A cinematic, uptempo floor-filler that captures the energy of late-70s nightlife.

• "The Love I See In You": A "Two-Step" classic. For many collectors, this is one of the most romantic, beautifully arranged soul ballads ever pressed to wax.

Fascinating Collector’s Facts & Figures

1. The "Musician’s Director"

Webster Lewis was famously the musical director for Barry White and later The Sylvers.

• The Fact: You can hear the influence of Barry White’s "Love Unlimited Orchestra" in Webster's work, but with a more complex, jazz-inflected harmonic structure.

• The Figure: Collectors prize his Epic years because the production budget was clearly massive—using full string sections and the finest session players of the era.

2. The "Rare Groove" Resurrection

In the 1980s, tracks like "Barbara Ann" were virtually impossible to find outside of expensive US imports.

• The Scarcity: Before Expansion released CDEXCL14, fans had to hunt down original Epic LPs which were often "cut-outs" or heavily played.

• The Impact: This anthology provided the first digitally remastered, high-fidelity versions of these tracks, revealing the intricate layers of Webster's arrangements that were lost on worn-out vinyl.

3. The 1979 "8 for the 80's" Transition

The later tracks on this anthology show Webster embracing the emerging "Boogie" sound.

• The Detail: Tracks from his 1979 album show a move toward synthesizers and tighter, electronic basslines, proving he could adapt his orchestral style to the new decade without losing his soul.

Technical Specs for Collectors

• Mastering: Remastered for CD with a focus on "Dynamic Range." This remaster ensures the brass stabs don't distort and the quiet string passages remain crystal clear.

• Value: This anthology effectively replaces the need to own the three original LPs, as it contains all the "essential" dancefloor and connoisseur cuts in one place.