Hotspot

Digitally remastered and expanded edition of this 1985 album including five bonus tracks. By the mid-`80s, the Dazz Band had delivered seven albums for the mighty Motown, had scored gold status selling singles, had picked up a Grammy Award and were widely regarded as the next generation of hit acts to take the label forward with their unique blend of synth-funk that had become one of the hallmarks of the first-half the decade. By 1985, Marlon McClain (who had previously played in the Fantasy Records disco acts Pleasure, Taxxi and Shock) and Keith Harrison (formerly of Heatwave and Faze-O) had been drafted in to replace the departed Fearman and Frederick for the recording of the Dazz Band's seventh, and final Motown album, Hot Spot; Steve Cox (keyboards) was also added to the line-up. Fusion keyboard maestro Jeff Lorber featured on the melodic "Slow Rap", while acclaimed songwriter Gary Taylor (Anita Baker, Jennifer Holliday, Michael Wycoff) penned the set's opener, "If Only You Were In My Shoes", on the album that was recorded at Sound Castle and Motown/Hitsville Recording Studios in Hollywood, California.