Zulema Cusseaux (January 3, 1947 – Sept 30, 2013) - Giving Up (1973)
An early disco funk masterpiece by an unsung genius singer/songwriter, co-arranged by the legendary Gene Page and producer Bobby Taylor.
The late great singer/songwriter Zulema Cusseaux was one of the original members of Faith, Hope and Charity who later sang backup for Aretha Franklin.
Originally from Tampa, Florida, after high school Zulema sang with a trio called the Lovelles. They were discovered by producer Van McCoy, who was responsible for changing their name to Faith, Hope and Charity. She left the group in 1971 to pursue a solo career and opened for headliners like Bill Withers.
In 1972, she appeared in concert alongside Earth, Wind & Fire, Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Sly and the Family Stone, and Roberta Flack at the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s PUSH Expo in Chicago, a performance that was filmed for a documentary released the following year. Her powerful song “This Child of Mine” was included on the double album soundtrack issued by Motown.
Zulema’s album Ms. Z (1973) was her second solo LP. It opened with the early disco funk masterpiece “Giving Up,” credited to the unknown songwriter “D. Wolfe,” and published by the equally unknown Greg Mark Music Publishing.
In reality, “Giving Up” was written by Van McCoy and recorded by Gladys Knight & the Pips, released in 1964. The original went to #6 R&B and #38 on the Billboard Hot 100, and its success was one of the reasons Berry Gordy wanted to sign them to Motown, which they eventually did in 1966.
Zulema’s phenomenal cover version was co-arranged by Gene Page with producer Bobby Taylor, who discovered the Jackson 5 and was Tommy Chong’s former bandmate in the 1960s.
Ms. Z featured Joe Sample on clavinet, guitarists Melvin (Wah Wah) Ragin and Funk Brother Robert White. On backing vocals were former Honey Cone member Carolyn Willis and sisters Julia Tillman Waters and Maxine Willard Waters, two of the most prolific background vocalists of 70s and 80s soul. Except for “Giving Up” and a cover of “Love Train” by The O’Jays, Zulema wrote or co-wrote the rest of the album, including its phenomenal closing cut “Telling the World Good-Bye.”
She signed with RCA Records and released three more albums during the mid 70s, but none of them yielded hit singles.
In 1978, Zulema reunited with Van McCoy. Together they co-produced the album Z-licious, which featured the stunning disco hit “Change” (1978). It was one of McCoy’s final productions before his death the following year at age 39.
McCoy also brought Zulema along when he produced La Diva (1979), Aretha Franklin’s disco LP. She wrote one of the LP’s songs and contributed backing vocals to the whole album, along with the other two former members of Faith, Hope & Charity.
#disco #funk #soul #VanMcCoy #ZulemaCusseaux
Another stellar feature. Sharing!!
Omg the intro alone. Never heard this version before! Thank you!