Norman Connors

𝘾𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙮-‘80𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙜𝙞𝙚-𝙛𝙪𝙣𝙠 𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙜𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙟𝙖𝙯𝙯-𝙛𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙨𝙢𝙤𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨, Mr. C 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙉𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙧𝙨 𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙪𝙣𝙠𝙮—𝙖 𝙨𝙡𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙧 𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙘 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙨𝙖𝙡.

Released in 1981, Mr. C captures Connors embracing the slick, street-savvy sounds of boogie, synth-funk and quiet storm without losing the soulful elegance and jazz-rooted touch that had defined his earlier work. With contributions from Beau Williams, Jean Carn, and Glenn Jones, the album blurs genre lines effortlessly—balancing punchy electro-funk workouts with lush ballads and island-tinged grooves.

Standout tracks like “She’s Gone”, “Party Town” and “Keep Doin’ It” bring thick slap bass, warm Rhodes, sharp horn stabs and Connors’ unmistakable rhythmic feel to the fore. Elsewhere, cuts like “Sing a Love Song” and “Love’s In Your Corner” deliver plush, soulful heat that hits just as hard today.

Long overdue for a proper reissue, Mr. C now arrives fully remastered, cut by Cicely Balston at Abbey Road and pressed in Holland with audiophile care. An essential deep-dive for fans of Roy Ayers, Keni Burke, Mtume, or the crossover era where jazz musicians went full funk with style and precision.