Brass Construction

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American funk group

title: "Brass Construction" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["american-funk-musical-groups", "american-dance-music-groups", "american-soul-musical-groups", "stateside-records-artists"] description: "American funk group" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brass_Construction" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American funk group ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox musical artist"]

Field	Value
name	Brass Construction
origin	Brooklyn, New York, United States
genre	Funk, disco
years_active	1968–1985
label	United Artists Records, Capitol Records, Epic Records
past_members	Wade Williamston
Sandy Billups
Morris Price
Larry Payton (deceased)
Jesse Ward Jr. (deceased)
Michael "Micky" Grudge
Wayne Parris
Alvin Haskin
Duane Cahill
Joseph Arthur-Wong (deceased)
Randy Muller
website
::

| name = Brass Construction | origin = Brooklyn, New York, United States | genre = Funk, disco | years_active = 1968–1985 | label = United Artists Records, Capitol Records, Epic Records | past_members = Wade Williamston Sandy Billups Morris Price Larry Payton (deceased) Jesse Ward Jr. (deceased) Michael "Micky" Grudge Wayne Parris Alvin Haskin Duane Cahill Joseph Arthur-Wong (deceased) Randy Muller | website =

Brass Construction was an American funk group formed in Brooklyn, New York, United States, in 1968. They were originally known as Dynamic Soul, and went on to record a string of hit singles and albums through 1985.

Career

Signed in 1975 by Sid Maurer, and former United Artists Records promotion man Fred Frank, they scored two US Billboard Hot 100 entries in 1976, the most successful being "Movin'," which hit No. 14. They had much more success on the US Hot Dance Club Play chart, with nine chart entries, including "Movin, which reached No. 1. Singer, pianist, flautist and arranger Randy Muller went on to score a number of R&B hits with Skyy and B. T. Express.

Over the years, Brass Construction members have included Wade Williamston (bass), Sandy Billups (percussion), Morris Price (trumpet), Larry Payton (drums), Jesse Ward Jr. (saxophone), Michael "Micky" Grudge (saxophone), Wayne Parris (trumpet), Alvin Haskin (original trombone player on "Movin), Duane Cahill (trombone), Joseph Arthur-Wong (guitar), and Randy Muller (lead vocals), later joined by Lee Evans on keyboards.

Brass Construction reunited for a concert on November 28, 2005, at the Bataclan Arena in Paris, France.

Joseph Arthur-Wong died in 1998. Jesse Ward Jr. died in 2016. Drummer Larry Payton died on March 21, 2016.

Discography

Studio albums

::data[format=table] | Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Record label | US | US R&B | CAN | UK | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | 1975 | Brass Construction | 10 | 1 | 55 | 9 | | United Artists | | | 1976 | Brass Construction II | 26 | 3 | — | — | | | | | 1977 | Brass Construction III | 66 | 16 | — | — | | | | | 1978 | Brass Construction IV | 174 | 24 | — | — | | | | | 1979 | Brass Construction 5 | 89 | 18 | — | — | | | | | 1980 | Brass Construction 6 | 121 | 32 | — | — | | | | | 1982 | Attitudes | 114 | 21 | — | — | | Liberty | | | 1983 | Conversations | 176 | 29 | — | — | | Capitol | | | 1984 | Renegades | — | 31 | — | 94 | | | | | 1985 | Conquest | — | — | — | — | | | | | "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | | | | | | | | | ::

Compilation albums

Golden Classics (1991, Collectables)
The Best of Brass Construction: Movin' & Changin (1993, EMI)
Get Up to Get Down: Brass Construction's Funky Feeling (1997, Capitol)
Classic Masters (2002, EMI/Capitol)
Something for the Weekend: 10 Extended Soul Weekender Classics (2006, Stateside)

Singles

::data[format=table] | Year | Title | Peak chart positions | US | US R&B | US Dan | BEL | CAN | NLD | NZ | UK | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | 1970 | "Two Timin' Lady" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | 1976 | "Movin' | 14 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 47 | 10 | — | 23 | | | "Changin | — | 24 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | | | | "Ha Cha Cha (Funktion)" | 51 | 8 | 14 | — | — | — | — | 37 | | | | 1977 | "The Message (Inspirational)" | — | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | "What's on Your Mind (Expression)" | — | 69 | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | | "We" / "Celebrate" | — | — | 37 | — | — | — | — | — | | | | 1978 | "L-O-V-E-U" | 104 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | "Celebrate" | — | 77 | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | | "Help Yourself" | — | 58 | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | | "Get Up" | — | 56 | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | | 1979 | "Right Place" | — | 41 | 74 | — | — | — | — | — | | | 1980 | "Music Makes You Feel Like Dancing" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 39 | | | "I'm Not Gonna Stop" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | | "How Do You Do (What You Do to Me)" | — | 71 | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | | 1982 | "Can You See the Light" | — | 23 | 64 | — | — | — | — | — | | | "Attitude" | — | 59 | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | | 1983 | "Walkin' the Line" | — | 28 | 17 | — | — | — | — | 47 | | | "We Can Work It Out" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 70 | | | | 1984 | "Never Had a Girl" | — | 38 | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | "Partyline" | — | 53 | — | — | — | — | — | 56 | | | | "International" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 70 | | | | 1985 | "Give and Take" | — | 76 | 28 | — | — | — | — | 62 | | | 1988 | "Movin' 1988" | — | — | 50 | — | — | — | 41 | 24 | | | "Ha Cha Cha" (re-release) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 94 | | | | "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | | | | | | | | | | | ::

Band members

Randy Muller – Keyboards/ Lead vocals
Wade Williamston – Bass
Joseph Arthur-Wong (d.1998) – Guitar
Larry Payton (1955 – March 21, 2016) – Drums
Jesse Ward Jr. (d.2016) – Saxophone
Michael "Micky" Grudge – Saxophone
Wayne Parris – Trumpet
Morris Price – Trumpet
Sandy Billups – Percussion

References

"Brass Construction Page".
(1997). "[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music". [[Virgin Books]].
"Brass Construction - Platinum Recording - Grammy Nominated Band".
[https://musicindustryquarterly.com/2016-an-unprecedented-year-for-farewells-to-musical-greatness-by-a-scott-galloway/ A. Scott Galloway, "2016: An Unprecedented Year For Farewells To Musical Greatness", ''Soultracks.com'']. Retrieved 19 April 2020
(March 30, 2016). "R.I.P. Brass Construction's amazing drummer, Larry Payton".
"LARRY PAYTON DIES.....".
"US Charts > Brass Construction".
"CAN Charts > Brass Construction".
"UK Charts > Brass Construction". [[Official Charts Company]].
"US Certifications > Brass Construction". [[Recording Industry Association of America]].
"Brass Construction: Brass Construction". [[British Phonographic Industry]].
"BEL Charts > Brass Construction". [[Top 30]].
"NLD Charts > Brass Construction". [[MegaCharts]].
"NZ Charts > Brass Construction". [[Recording Industry Association of New Zealand]].

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