Tony Camillo (August 11, 1928 – August 28, 2018) – The Year Of The Child (1979)

This disco-funk masterpiece was written, arranged and co-produced for The Givens Family by the legendary composer and producer.

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Tony Camillo was a multi-talented producer, arranger, composer, and songwriter best known for co-producing and arranging the all-time classic “Midnight Train To Georgia” by Gladys Knight & the Pips.

Born in Somerville, New Jersey, he moved to Detroit in the sixties. There he worked at Motown and later, the Invictus and Hot Wax labels set up by famed producers and songwriters Holland-Dozier-Holland.

After Gladys Knight & the Pips left Motown in early 1973, they signed with Buddah Records. See our earlier post on Gladys Knight for the back story behind her chart-topping and Grammy-winning hit “Midnight Train To Georgia” which Camillo co-produced (with her and the Pips) and arranged.

Following that song’s massive success, Camillo assembled his own studio group, Tony Camillo’s Bazuka. They released their self-titled debut album on A&M Records in 1975, which turned out to be their only LP. Its lead single “Dynomite” was written, arranged and produced by Camillo, and went to #6 on dance charts, #29 R&B and #10 on the Hot 100. The track was inspired by Jimmie Walker’s signature catchphrase in his role as J.J. Evans on the hit TV show Good Times, then in its second season.

The follow up single to “Dynomite” was the superb disco-funk jam “Love Explosion,” which sounded a little like a disco-fied version of the Commodores’ funk bomb “Machine Gun,” but in a good way. Regardless of its funky merits, “Love Explosion” barely charted, only reaching #92 R&B.

The members of Bazuka included several superstar session musicians, like master drummer Steve Gadd, Michael and Randy Brecker on sax and trumpet, and bassist Bob Babbitt.

In 1978, Camillo launched his own record label, Venture Records, in partnership with Brooklyn-born businessman Cecile Barker. The following year, they co-produced the phenomenal disco-funk jam “The Year Of The Child” (1979) for The Givens Family.

A family group from Philadelphia, The Givens Family got their start in gospel. They are mostly remembered for their mid-70s guest appearance on the TV show What’s Happening, when they were billed as the Givens Kids and performed a song called “Bubbling Brown Sugar.”

In 2019, group member Derrick Givens described Camillo to Jointz Of The Day as “one of the most beautiful souls I’ve ever met and had the pleasure of his mentorship. Something I will carry with me until my last breath.”

“The Year Of The Child” was written and arranged by Camillo, and remains one of his most epic yet little known tracks.

#soul #funk #disco #GivensFamily #TonyCamillo