BT Express

Formed by Richard "Rick" Thompson (guitar), Bill Risbrook (tenor saxophone), Carlos Ward (alto saxophone), Louis Risbrook (bass), Dennis Rowe (percussion), Terrell Wood (drums), and Barbara Joyce Lomas (vocals) in Brooklyn, New York, B.T. Express aligned themselves with producer Jeff Lane and the independent Roadshow Records before ending up on the Scepter label as it sought to reinvent itself following marquee artist Dionne Warwick's departure.  Thanks to a Tom Moulton Mix, their catchy Scepter debut single "Do It ('Til You're Satisfied)" shot to the top of the U.S. R&B chart as well as No. 2 Pop and No. 8 Disco.  That set BT Express on track to record seven studio albums through 1982 on Roadshow as distributed by Scepter and, then, Columbia.  All of those LPs are sampled on Robinsongs' The Definitive Collection with its 4 CDs and 61 songs.  Though known for their funk workouts, BT Express' members were rooted in classic R&B; by melding melodic hooks to floor-filling rhythms, they hit upon a formula that served them well.  (The single versions of "Do It" and "Express" are also included here.)  The band weathered both the end of the disco era and some personnel changes as detailed in Lois Wilson's liner notes for this package; their music remains as punchy and danceable as ever.  The Definitive Collection, remastered by Alan Wilson, is an effective primer or introduction to this enduring group.​