3+3 The Isley Brothers

• 1 That Lady, Pts. 1 & 2 05:34
• 2 Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight 03:59
• 3 If You Were There 03:23
• 4 You Walk Your Way 03:06
• 5 Listen to the Music 04:05
• 6 What It Comes Down To 03:53
• 7 Sunshine (Go Away Today) 04:22
• 8 Summer Breeze, Pts. 1 & 2 06:12
• 9 The Highways of My Life 04:17
• 10 That Lady, Pt. 1 03:09
• 11 Summer Breeze, Pt. 1 03:05
• 12 The Highways of My Life 03:17
• 13 Sunshine (Go Away Today) 04:32
• 14 Summer Breeze 06:17
• 15 That Lady (Interview, Pt. 1) 06:34
• 16 Listen to the Music (Interview, Pt. 2) 05:12
• 17 Summer Breeze (Interview, Pt. 3) 02:26
• 18 The Highways of My Life (Interview, Pt. 4) 03:26
• Total Runtime 01:16:49

Info for 3+3

Though the Isley Brothers recorded some excellent material in their original line-up as a trio, their sound and vision expanded when the group itself expanded to a sextet in the early '70s. 3+3 marks the inception of the Isleys' new incarnation, one that features, in addition to Ronald, O'Kelly, and Rudolph, younger brothers Ernie (guitar) and Marvin (bass), and cousin Chris Japser (keyboards). On 3+3 the band's slick, besuited Tamla/Motown soul was replaced by grittier, funkier stuff with some truly spectacular instrumental prowess.

The Isleys had always been given to performing reverent, stretched-out covers of songs they loved, and 3+3 has its share, with treatments of Seals & Crofts's 'Summer Breeze,' James Taylor's 'Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight,' and the Doobie Brothers' 'Listen to the Music.' The Isleys' 'That Lady Pts 1 & 2' and 'The Highways of My Life,' among other originals, showcase the pyrotechnics of funk monster Marvin and the Hendrix-inspired excursions of Ernie. The Isleys' mixture of rock, funk, soul, and R&B was at its peak here, and 3+3 stands as one of the best albums in the group's lengthy discography.

„Recorded in 1973, 3 + 3 was a major turning point for the Isley Brothers. With this album, the Isleys moved their T-Neck label from Buddah to Epic/CBS (which became Epic/Sony in the early '90s), and it was at Epic that they unveiled their new lineup. Lead singer Ronald Isley and his siblings O'Kelly and Rudolph remained, but the Isleys became a sextet instead of a trio when cousin Chris Jasper and younger brothers Ernie and Marvin were added. This new lineup was called 3 + 3, and the addition of Jasper on keyboards, Ernie on guitar, and Marvin on bass added exciting new elements to the Isleys' sound. One of finest R&B bassists of the 1970s, the ever-so-funky Marvin is in a class with heavyweights like Larry Graham and Louis Johnson -- and Ernie is a stunning guitarist who is heavily influenced by Jimi Hendrix but has a distinctive style of his own. the Isleys had always been lovers of rock, but with the addition of Ernie, their sound became even more overtly rock-influenced. Nonetheless, the rock and pop elements didn't alienate R&B audiences, which ate this album up. The single 'That Lady' (which is based on an Impressions-like gem they had recorded in 1964) was a major hit, and the Isleys are equally captivating on soul interpretations of Seals & Crofts' 'Summer Breeze,' James Taylor's 'Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight,' and the Doobie Brothers' 'Listen to the Music.' With this superb album, the Isley Brothers sounded better than ever -- and they gained a lot of new fans without sacrificing the old ones.“ (Alex Henderson, AMG)

Ronald Isley, vocals
Rudolph Isley, background vocals, lead vocals (on track 8)
O'Kelly Isley, Jr., background vocals, lead vocals (on track 8)
Ernie Isley, guitars
Chris Jasper, piano, electric piano, clavinet, ARP synthesizer
Truman Thomas, organ
Marvin Isley, bass
George Moreland, drums

Recorded 1973 at The Record Plant, Los Angeles, California
Engineered by Bob Margoleff, Malcolm Cecil, John Holbrook
Produced by Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley

Digitally remastered

No biography found.

This album contains no booklet.