Biography by Andy Kellman Rotary Connection’s psychedelic chamber music continues to sound progressive and ambitious decades after their departure. The group was instantly identifiable by the dramatic string arrangements of Charles Stepney, and the five-octave voice and vocals of Minnie Riperton. Six albums were released between 1967 and 1971, which combined rock, soul and psychedelia to transcendental and theatrical heights. They never made it beyond the Midwest, where they were often seen. Their inability to be more than a regional cult band can partly be attributed to the decision of their management to cancel a Woodstock slot in favor of a more lucrative festival at Toronto. Although they have had some poor albums and management decisions, Rotary Connection has been an influential cult band since the 1970s. Marshall Chess (son of Leonard Chess) created Rotary Connection in 1967 as Cadet Concept, an upstart subsidiary of his father’s Chess label. Chess originally centered the instrumentalists around three musicians from the rock band The Proper Strangers: guitarist Bobby Simms, bassist Mitch Aliotta and drummer Kenny Venegas. As vocalists, Judy Hauf, Minnie Riperton and Sidney Barnes were added. Barnes was already a wanderer when the group was formed. His resume included songwriters, background singers, and solo artists. Riperton was an old Chess veteran. She worked in the Chicago office as a receptionist and had previously been a member the Gems. Her material was released under the name Angela Davis. Charles Stepney, Chess’ musical supervisor, was appointed to lead the group. He is a legendary arranger, composer, and producer. He would also use the talents of the extended Chess family’s studio musicians, including drummer Morris Jennings, Bobby Christian and Pete Cosey. Rotary Connection released their debut album, entitled “Rotary Connection”, in late 1967 under Stepney’s direction. Stepney’s beautiful and often lilting string arrangements added to the group’s spacious sound. Stepney, along with a few other songwriters including Barnes and Richard Rudolph (the future Riperton wife), co-wrote the album. The album also featured originals and covers of “Ruby Tuesday” by Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones. This album was the foundation for the rest of the group’s work. It is a remarkable (if flawed) debut that falls into the old rock trap. It’s a shame, as Minnie Riperton’s voice was not given the chance to shine on the group’s second album. Between 1968 and 1971, the albums Aladdin, Peace, Songs, Dinner Music, Hey Love, and Peace were all released. Although the albums contain a lot of filler, they each have some truly inspiring moments. For example, “Respect” was a radical reworking Otis Redding’s original. It was transformed into a duet by Riperton and Barnes. The song’s famous “r-es-p-ec-t” call-out was removed and the tempo slowed to a slow crawl. The group’s final record would be Hey Love, which was bizarrely credited as the New Rotary Connection. Riperton had already recorded 1970’s Come to My Garden, a solo masterpiece. Riperton went on with her solo career, becoming one of the most loved soul singers of the 1970s. In 1979, at just 31 years old, Riperton was diagnosed with breast cancer. Stepney died three years earlier, at the age 43.
