Fascinated: Freestyle Trio Company B's Debut Reissued by Stereo Sonic

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Cuban-born American producer Ish Ledesma made a big splash on the Miami music scene, becoming a fixture at Henry Stone's TK Records. Best known for his band Foxy's top ten Pop hit and R&B chart-topper "Get Off," Ledesma was also a prolific session player - Foxy was even enlisted by ABBA on the track for "Voulez-Vous," the Swedish quartet's only studio recording made outside of Sweden - and the creative force behind dance-rock outfit OXO ("Whirly Girl"). In 1986, Ledesma put together the Latin freestyle trio Company B. Their self-titled debut album on Atlantic Records yielded four Hot Dance Club Play chart entries including the No. 1 hit "Fascinated." Company B has recently returned to CD in an expanded edition, the first release from new label Stereo Sonic.

Blending freestyle and Hi-NRG sounds, the gleaming Company B found Ledesma in a glossy, contemporary vein. Lori L. (a.k.a. Lori Ledesma, Ish's wife), Charlotte McKinnon, and Susan Gonzalez Johnson comprised the original trio, but Charlotte departed before the group's first album was completed. She was replaced by Lori's sister Lezlee Livrano, with Charlotte ultimately being credited for additional vocals on the LP despite her having cut the lead vocal for "Fascinated." (Additional personnel changes would strike Company B prior to the trio's second album, leaving Lori as the only original member to appear on that record.)

The album included two singles originally released on Henry Stone's independent The Summer Records, "Jam on Me" and "Fascinated." The latter, with its up-to-the-minute keyboard riff, strong hook, dance rhythm, and ethereal vocals, skyrocketed to No. 1 on the Club and Dance charts in its re-release as well as peaking just out of the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100; international success was also to greet Company B in the U.K. and the Netherlands. Atlantic would next release the first original single off the album, the throbbing "Full Circle," and follow-ups "Perfect Lover" (which introduced Lezlee on lead vocals) and "Signed in Your Book of Love." Lori sang lead on both "Full Circle" and "Signed..." Though none would cross over to Pop, all three songs scored on the Dance chart, with "Full Circle" reaching No. 5, "Perfect Lover" peaking at No. 12, and "Signed..." making No. 9. Ledesma wrote or co-wrote, produced, and arranged every track on Company B, capturing the fresh and vibrant Miami sound of the period in full blossom.

The white wigs worn by the trio on the cover of Company B became a trademark for the trio as its members promoted the album on stage and television, with notable appearances on Showtime at the Apollo and Club MTV. Ultimately, five albums would bear the Company B name through 1998; in 2006, the group was re-formed by Charlotte and Susan. Eight years later, Susan took the reins and she still leads a new lineup today. "Fascinated" has had a long life, recently appearing on such television programs as American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace and RuPaul's Drag Race.

Stereo Sonic's reissue (remastered an uncredited engineer at WEA Studios in Burbank) includes five of the album's numerous extended remixes as bonus tracks: the Club Mix of "Fascinated," the Vocal Club Mix of "Perfect Lover," the Sax and Dog House Mix and Club Mix of "Full Circle," and the Street Mix of "Signed in Your Book of Love." The 12-page full-color booklet has new liner notes drawing on commentary from Ish, Charlotte, Lezlee, and Lori as well as later member Sheena B plus copious photos and memorabilia.

The expanded Company B is available now from Stereo Sonic, and can be ordered at the links below. Please note that as an Amazon associate, The Second Disc earns a small percentage of sales through the below links.

Company B, Company B (Atlantic LP 7 81763-2, 1987 - reissued Stereo Sonic SS01, 2023) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Fascinated
Spin Me Around
Signed in Your Book of Love
I'm Satisfied
Perfect Lover
Full Circle
Jam on Me
Infatuate Me
Fascinated (Club Mix) (Atlantic 12-inch single 0-86731, 1986)
Perfect Lover (Vocal Club Mix) (Atlantic 12-inch single 0-86619, 1987)
Full Circle (Sax and Dog House Mix) (Atlantic 12-inch single 0-86646, 1987)
Full Circle (Club Mix) (Source TBD)
Signed in Your Book of Love (The Street Mix) (Source TBD)

Joe Marchese

JOE MARCHESE (Editor) joined The Second Disc shortly after its launch in early 2010, and has since penned daily news and reviews about classic music of all genres. In 2015, Joe formed the Second Disc Records label. Celebrating the great songwriters, producers and artists who created the sound of American popular song, Second Disc Records, in conjunction with Real Gone Music, has released newly-curated collections produced by Joe from iconic artists such as Johnny Mathis, Bobby Darin, Laura Nyro, Melissa Manchester, Chet Atkins, and many others. He has contributed liner notes to reissues from a diverse array of artists, among them Nat "King" Cole, Paul Williams, Lesley Gore, Dusty Springfield, B.J. Thomas, The 5th Dimension, Burt Bacharach, The Mamas and the Papas, Carpenters, Perry Como, Rod McKuen, Doris Day, Jackie DeShannon, and Andy Williams, and has compiled releases for talents including Robert Goulet and Keith Allison of Paul Revere and the Raiders. Over the past two decades, Joe has also worked in a variety of capacities on and off Broadway as well as at some of the premier theatres in the U.S., including Lincoln Center Theater, George Street Playhouse, Paper Mill Playhouse, Long Wharf Theatre, and the York Theatre Company. He has felt privileged to work on productions alongside artists such as the late Jack Klugman, Eli Wallach, Arthur Laurents, Betty Comden and Adolph Green. In 2009, Joe began contributing theatre and music reviews to the print publication The Sondheim Review, and in 2012, he joined the staff of The Digital Bits as a regular contributor writing about film and television on DVD and Blu-ray. Joe currently resides in the suburbs of New York City.