The Bottom Line was a disco project that late songwriter and bassist, Jack Conrad (1948-2017), recorded around 1974 with the collaboration of a group of young and gifted LA session players. Conrad’s impressive resume included stints with The Doors and Three Dog Night. 

Conrad produced The Bottom Line’s Crazy Dancin’ album that showcased the blooming talents of David Foster and Jay Graydon. The future Airplay guys were the driving force of the project. Foster and Graydon co-wrote songs and helped out with the arrangements.  Foster’s and Graydon’s superior instrumental performances were stamped all over the record. Past reviews of songs from Crazy Dancin’ were already presented on Fozfan and can be rediscovered in the archives. Especially check out the catchy single, “That’s The Way To Go,” co-written by Foster, Graydon and Conrad that became a minor hit on the 1976 R&B charts at #85.

In 1998, Crazy Dancin’ was re-released, on cd for the first time, in Japan with the addition of bonus tracks including Foster’s breezy mid-tempo, “Take A Chance.” Although obviously dated by its disco arrangement, “Take A Chance” offers the first signs of the sophisticated sound that Foster and Graydon will perfect in just a few years on their spectacular productions. The melody here was pure ear candy delivered by Chuck Findley’s smooth flugelhorn while Graydon embellished the backing track with his unmistakable guitar licks and Foster’s masterful playing on the electric piano. After the positive response received with The Bottom Line, Conrad, again with the assistance of Foster and Graydon, released another album in 1977 titled Pegasus. The new album followed the same lines as its predecessor with a string of sophisticated soul/disco instrumentals.

Around the end of the decade, Conrad concentrated on his songwriting for other artists including The Babys, Kiki Dee, Yvonne Elliman and Ray Kennedy. Kennedy’s 1981 self-titled album included some of Conrad’s best co-writes. Ray Kennedy would also reconnect Conrad with Foster, who produced that record.

Listen

• Keyboards: David Foster
• Guitars: Jay Graydon
• Drums: Mike Baird
• Bass: Jack Conrad
• Flugelhorn: Chuck Findley
• Percussion: Steve Forman
• Saxophone: Quitman Dennis
• Vocals: Trish Turner & Chas Higgens
• Produced by Jack Conrad

Lyrics

No Lyrics