Blaze is an American

house music House is a genre of electronic dance music characterized by a repetitive Four on the floor (music), four-on-the-floor beat and a typical tempo of 115–130 beats per minute. It was created by DJs and music producers from Chicago's underground ...

group formed in

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

in 1984.

History

The group was formed by Josh Milan, Kevin Hedge and Chris Herbert, when Herbert introduced Milan, a member of his church choir, to Hedge, his childhood friend. Herbert was the one who left the group in 1991, leaving Milan and Hedge to carry on working together.IMO Records
"Blaze Biography"
''

IMO Records IMO Records is an online retailer of vinyl and electronic dubstep, drum and bass, and hardcore dance music. The firm also sells clothing, DJ equipment and ancillary products. IMO Records was established in 1998 as a mail order business and record ...

'', London, Retrieved on January 25, 2012. The group's output consists mainly of house music songs. When the group started, Herbert was the singer, with Milan playing the piano, and Hedge on production. After Herbert left, both Hedge and Milan started to share production duties, vocals, and playing most of the instruments of the group's tracks and albums. The group achieved notoriety with its remix of

Lisa Stansfield Lisa Jane Stansfield (born 11 April 1966) is an English singer, songwriter, and actress. Her career began in 1980 when she won the singing competition ''Search for a Star''. After appearances in various television shows and releasing her first ...

's "

People Hold On "People Hold On" is a song by British band Coldcut and singer-songwriter Lisa Stansfield, released as the first single from the band's debut album, '' What's That Noise?'' (1989). It was written by Matt Black, Jonathan More and Stansfield, an ...

" in 1989, after signing with

Motown Motown is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. Founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on January 12, 1959, it was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau ...

MCA Records MCA Records was an American record label owned by MCA Inc. established in 1972, though MCA had released recordings under that name in the UK from the 1960s. The label achieved success in the 1970s through the 1980s, often by acquiring other ...

. Blaze released their debut album, ''25 Years Later'' in 1990, after which Herbert decided to move to a more R&B-oriented career, while the two remaining members invested in the emerging club culture, opening a

nightclub A nightclub or dance club is a club that is open at night, usually for drinking, dancing and other entertainment. Nightclubs often have a Bar (establishment), bar and discotheque (usually simply known as disco) with a dance floor, laser lighti ...

called Shelter. In 1994, the group scored its first big international production success with De'Lacy's " Hideaway", which was later remixed by Deep Dish. Since then, Blaze released three more albums, alongside a few scattered compilations of earlier productions and works and countless singles. They also began working with other well-known names such as

"Little" Louie Vega Luis Ferdinand Vega Jr. (born June 12, 1965), as known as "Little Louie" Vega, is an American DJ, record producer and remixer of Puerto Ricans in the United States, Puerto Rican ancestry. He is one half of the Masters at Work musical production ...

Barbara Tucker Barbara Tucker (born March 19, 1967), is an American house and soul singer, songwriter and choreographer born in Brooklyn, New York, US. Tucker had six No. 1 hits on the US Hot Dance Club Songs chart in the 1990s and into the 2000s, and severa ...

Jody Watley Jody Vanessa Watley (born January 30, 1959) is an American singer, songwriter and producer whose music crosses genres including pop, R&B, jazz, dance and electronic soul.Paoletta, Michael (February 22, 2003) "Watley Relaxes In The Setting of The ...

and

Full Intention Full Intention are an English house music duo consisting of Michael Gray and Jon Pearn. They are best known as prolific producers and remixers. They have reworked songs for varied artists such as the Sugababes, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey a ...

. The group are best known to modern audiences by its singles featuring Palmer Brown on vocals, the oft-remixed "My Beat", and the tribute anthem "I Remember House". Blaze's most recent album, released in 2005, is a mix compilation titled ''Found Love''.

Discography

Albums

*1990 ''25 Years Later'' *1994 ''6 Hubert St.'' *1997 ''Basic Blaze'' *1999 ''Productions'' *1999 ''The Many Colours of Blaze'' *1999 ''Pure Blaze'' *2001 ''Pure Blaze 2'' *2001 ''Natural Blaze'' (as James Toney Jr. Project) *2002 ''Best of Blaze'' *2002 ''Spiritually Speaking'' *2004 ''The Instrumentals Project'' *2004 ''Keep Hope Alive'' (as Underground Dance Artists United for Life) *2004 ''Spiritually Speaking – Then and Now'' *2007 ''The Best of Blaze Vol 1. (The Motown Years)'' *2007 ''The Best of Blaze Vol 2 (Hubert Street)'' *2007 ''The Best of Blaze Vol. 3 (Natural Blaze)'' *2011 ''House Masters—Blaze''

Singles and EPs

;Solo *2010 "Til You Go Home" (feat. ChinahBlac) *2011 "Your Body" *2011 "Stay with Me" *2011 "Be Your Freak" *2011 "Wish" (with Matthew Bandy) ;Blaze *1985 "Yearnin'" *1986 "Whatcha Gonna Do" (with

Colonel Abrams Colonel Abrams (May 25, 1949 – November 24, 2016) was an American musician, singer, and songwriter. Early life Colonel Abrams was born in Detroit, Michigan. His family later moved to East 13 Street, in Manhattan's East Village, Manhattan, East ...

) *1987 "If You Should Need a Friend" *1988 "Can't Win for Losin'" *1990 "So Special" (with

Timmy Regisford Timmy Regisford is an American DJ and producer. After working at WBLS radio in New York and as an A&R Director at Atlantic Records and MCA Records, he became Vice President of A&R at Motown Records, then Vice President of A&R at Dreamworks Recor ...

) *1990 "We All Must Live Together" *1993 "Why Can't We Live Together" (with Hunter Hayes) *1994 "#6 Hubert St." *1994 "Live a Happy Life" (with Billy Hope) *1994 "Just a Little Different" (with Charlé Bishop) *1995 "Happy Day" (with Alexander Hope) *1995 ''The Blaze Tracks EP'' *1995 "Fly Away" (with Alexander Hope) *1996 "Love Comes Around" (with Sheila Slappy) *1996 ''The Colour Funky EP (A Music Perspective)'' *1996 ''Trans-Jazz EP'' *1996 "What Can You Do" (with Alexander Hope) *1997 "Feel the Music" (with Alexander Hope) *1997 "Lovelee Dae" *1998 "Directions" (with Joe Claussell) *1998 "Seasons of Love" *1998 "My Beat" (with Palmer Brown) *1999 "More Than Gold" (with Palmer Brown) *1999 "Wishing You Were Here" *1999 "Funky People" (with Cassio Ware) *2000 "Home Is Where the Heart Is" *2000 "My Beat" (re-release) (with Palmer Brown) *2001 "Jump 4 Love" (with Palmer Brown) *2001 "Shine" (with Palmer Brown) *2001 "Paradise" (with Cassio Ware) *2002 "A Moment in Time" (with Alexander Hope) *2002 "Wonderland" (with Alexander Hope) *2002 "When I Fall in Love" (with Tee Alford and Sybil Lynch) *2002 "Breathe" *2002 "I Remember House" (with Palmer Brown) *2002 "How Deep Is Your Love" (with Alexander Hope and Timmy Regisford) *2003 "I Think of You" (with Amira) *2004 "A Song for Nina (Keep the Faith)" *2004 "Found Love" *2004 "My Beat (Remixes)" (with Palmer Brown) *2004 "I Remember House (Remixes)" (with Palmer Brown) *2004 "When I Fall in Love (Remixes)" (with Sybil Lynch) *2005 "Gloria's Muse (The Yoga Song)" *2005 "Dancing" (with Alexander Hope) *2005 "Here with Me" *2007 "Lovelee Dae" (OM Remixes) *2007 "Listen" *2007 "Family" *2007 "Force of Nature" *2009 "We Are One" (Ian Friday Remixes) *2010 "Sacred Sex" *2010 "We Are One" (Incl. Kiko Navarro & Ian Friday Mixes) *2010 "Cult of Soul" *2011 "Lovelee Dae" (Remix Re-Release) ;Underground Dance Artists United for Life *2003 "Be Yourself" (with

Joi Cardwell Joi Cardwell (born October 8, 1967) is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she performed in various singing competitions as a child and rose to fame in the early 1990s as a guest vocalist for Lil Louis on the num ...

) *2003 "We Are One" *2004 "Most Precious Love" (with

) *2005 "Be Yourself (Remixes)" (with Joi Cardwell) *2005 "Keep Hope Alive (Remixes)" (with

Dawn Tallman Dawn Tallman is an American Soul music, soul, R&B and Gospel music, gospel singer. Early life She was born and raised in Danbury, Connecticut, and started singing in church and later on was featured in a great number of R&B and dance recording ...

) *2005 "Most Precious Love (Remixes)" (with Barbara Tucker) *2005 "Spread Love" (with

Byron Stingily Byron Stingily is an American R&B and house-music singer born in Chicago, Illinois, known for his falsetto voice. He is now a part-time principal at a school in Chicago while still performing. Career Stingily had several hit records in the 1 ...

) *2005 "Wonderful Place" (with

Ultra Naté Ultra Naté (born March 20, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, DJ, and promoter who has achieved success on the pop charts with songs such as "Free (Ultra Naté song), Free", "If You Could Read My Mind" (as part of Stars o ...

) *2006 "Most Precious Love 2006" (with Barbara Tucker) ;Black Rascals *1993 "The Piano" *1993 "Sympathy" *1993 "Keeping My Mind" (with Roger Harris) *1993 "So in Love" (with Cassio Ware) *1996 "For the Next Time" ;Funky People *1995 ''The Blaze Tracks EP'' (with Cassio Ware, Tee Alford and Allen Jeffrey) *1995 "Funky People" (with Cassio Ware and

Sabrina Johnston Sabrina Johnston is an American singer, best known for her 1991 club anthem, "Peace", which reached the Top 10 in the UK Singles Chart. Career Johnston grew up in the United States attending summer music camps, dance and voice classes before en ...

) *1996 "Lift Him Up" (with Talipharaoh and

Su Su Bobien Su Su Bobien, (born Suzette Montgomery on November 4, 1970) is an American gospel and house music vocalist. She lives in Newark, New Jersey Newark ( , ) is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, most populous City (New Jersey), city i ...

) *1999 "Funky People (Remixes)" (with Cassio Ware and Sabrina Johnston) ;The Colour Funky *1996 "Peach Melba" *1999 "Our Spirit" *1999 "Journey" ;James Toney Jr. Project *2000 "Elevation" *2001 "Afro-Groove" *2001 "Lovely Ones" *2002 "Better Days" ;Other aliases *1987 "Let's Work It Out" (as Exit) *1987 "Sometimes Love" (as In-Sync) (with Jerry Edwards) *1988 "Mystery" (as Phase II) (with Jerry Edwards and Vincent Herbert) *1988 "Reachin'" (as Phase II) (with Jerry Edwards and Vincent Herbert) *1989 "Love Will Find a Way/Blazin'" (as Stardust) *1991 "One Kiss" (as Pacha) (with

Joey Negro David Russell Lee (born 18 June 1964) is an English DJ and music producer, formerly known by the stage name Joey Negro, which he retired in July 2020 following the George Floyd protests. He has released music under a variety of pseudonyms ...

and Debbie French) *1993 "Underground" (as System VIII) (with Otis Vick) *1995 ''Klubhead EP'' (as Klubhead) (with Alexander Hope and Otis Vick) *1997 "Heaven (When U Smile)" (as The Walls & Company) (with Simone Jay) *1997 "Superstar" (as Project MSC) (with Ce Ce Rogers) *1998 ''Artful Noyz EP'' (as Blaze Team) (with Tee Alford) *1998 ''Mixed Dimensions EP'' (as Urban Art Trio) (with Tee Alford) *1998 "When I Fall in Love" (as The Klub Family) (with Tee Alford and Sybil Lynch) *2000 "When I Fall in Love (Remixes)" (as The Klub Family) (with Tee Alford and Sybil Lynch) *2003 "A Better World" (as AgeHa) (with Satoshi Hidaka,

Jocelyn Brown Jocelyn Lorette Brown (born November 25, 1950), sometimes credited as Jocelyn Shaw, is an American Rhythm and blues, R&B and dance music, dance singer. She has a Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart entry solely in her name. Brown sang ...

and

Loleatta Holloway Loleatta Holloway (, ; November 5, 1946 – March 21, 2011) was an American singer known for disco songs such as "Hit and Run" and " Love Sensation". In December 2016, ''Billboard'' named her the 95th-most successful dance artist of all time. Acc ...

)

Productions for other artists

*1988:

Michelle Ayers Michelle may refer to: People *Michelle (name), a given name and surname, the feminine form of Michael * Michelle Courtens, Dutch singer, performing as "Michelle" * Michelle (German singer) * Michelle (Scottish singer) (born 1980), Scottish ...

– "Another Lover" *1988: LaChandra – "Just Started" *1988: Heat – "You Can't Get Away" *1988: Anthony & the Camp – "Open (Up Your Heart)" *1989:

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting * Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...

– "

One Better World "One Better World" is a song by the English band ABC, released as the first single from their fifth studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, ...

" *1989: Cynthia "Cookie" Abrams – "Best Part of Me" *1989: Jerry Edwards – "I Am Somebody" *1989: Chanelle – "One Man" *1989: Tawanna Curry – "Let Me Show You" *1989: Sense of Vision – "All My Love" *1989: Breed of Motion – "Gotta Dance" *1992: Cassio Ware – "Baby Love" *1993: Cassio – "Never Thought I'd See You Again" *1993:

Sabrynaah Pope Sabrynaah Pope (October 6, 1959 - September 24, 2005) was a female house-music vocalist from Brooklyn, New York. She was well known for her work with house acts 95 North, DJ Pierre, and as part of U.D.A.U.F.L., which scored a number-one track ...

– "It Works for Me" *1993: Althea McQueen – "Changes" *1993: Kechia Jenkins – "Goin' Through the Motions" *1993: Alexander Hope – "Let the Music Take You" *1993: Alexander Hope – "Saturdays" *1994: Alexander Hope – "Share" *1994: Cassio Ware – "Fantasy", with Sajaeda *1994: De'Lacy – " Hideaway" *1994: Cookie – "Choose Me" *1994: Cookie – "Best Part of Me" *1995: Cassio – "Paradise" *1995: Alex & Rai – "For the Love of You" *1995: Alexander Hope – "Brothers & Sisters" *1996: Alexander Hope – "Happy Days" *1996: De'Lacy – " That Look" *1996: Amira – "Getaway" *1996: Amira – "Walk", with Alexander O'Neal *1997: Amira – "My Desire" *1997: De'Lacy – "All I Need Is Love" *1997: Debbie Pender – "Movin' On" *1997: Alexander Hope – "Never Can Get Away" *1998: De'Lacy – "More" *1999:

Kathy Brown Kathy Brown (born July 12, 1960) is an American dance and house singer from South Carolina. Her credits include vocals on the songs "Turn Me Out (Turn to Sugar)" and "Strings of Life (Stronger on My Own)". Career Brown began singing in her ...

– "Happy People" *2001: Nicci – "Count on Me" *2001: Nicci – "When You're Free" *2004: Alexander Hope – "Big Mistake" *2005:

Stephanie Cooke Stephanie S. Cooke is a journalist who began her reporting career in 1977 at the Associated Press. In 1980 she moved to McGraw-Hill as a reporter for '' Nucleonics Week'', ''NuclearFuel'' and ''Inside N.R.C''. In 1984 she transferred to London, an ...

– "Love Will" *2005: Stephanie Cooke – "Lovers' Holiday"

Appearances

*2000

Louie Vega Luis Ferdinand Vega Jr. (born June 12, 1965), as known as "Little Louie" Vega, is an American DJ, record producer and remixer of Puerto Rican ancestry. He is one half of the Masters at Work musical production team. Biography He was born to a ...

– "Elements of Life" *2002 Louie Vega – "Brand New Day" *2004 Louie Vega – "Love Is on the Way" *2004 Louie Vega – "Sunshine" *2006 Catalan FC & Sven Löve – "All About Love" *2006 Louie Vega – "Joshua's Jam" *2006 Studio Apartment – "The Rising Sun" *2006 Shuya Okino – "Love Is the Key" (produced by Phil Asher) *2007 Luisito Quintero – "Love Remains the Same" (produced by Louie Vega)

Remixes

*2003: "The Only Thing Missin' (Blaze Vocal Mix)" –

Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Honored as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Soul", she was twice named by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine as the Roll ...

*2007: "Listen" – ''Dreamgirls'' soundtrack featuring

Beyoncé Knowles Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. With a career spanning over three decades, she has established herself as one of the most culturally significant figu ...

*2007: "Force of Nature" –

Sunshine Anderson Sunshine Jocelyn Sian Anderson (born June 7, 1974) is an American R&B and soul singer from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She is best known for her 2001 single " Heard It All Before", which peaked within the top 20 of the ''Billboard'' Hot 10 ...

*2007: "Family" – ''Dreamgirls'' soundtrack featuring

Jennifer Hudson Jennifer Kate Hudson (born September 12, 1981), also known by her nickname J.Hud, is an American singer, actress, producer, and talk show host. Having received List of awards and nominations received by Jennifer Hudson, numerous accolades for ...

References

Sources

Blaze page on DiscogsBlaze - The early years (1985-89) incl. productionsBlaze biography on West End RecordsJosh Milan 2012 Audio Interview at Soulinterviews.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blaze American garage house musicians American house music groups American musical trios Musical groups established in 1984 Electronic music groups from New Jersey Electronic dance music duos Motown artists MCA Records artists