Blaze

History

The group was formed by Josh Milan, Kevin Hedge and Chris Herbert, when Herbert introduced Milan, a member of his church choir, to Hedge, his childhood friend. Herbert was the one who left the group in 1991, leaving Milan and Hedge to carry on working together.

The group's output consists mainly of house music songs. When the group started, Herbert was the singer, with Milan playing the piano, and Hedge on production. After Herbert left, both Hedge and Milan started to share production duties, vocals, and playing most of the instruments of the group's tracks and albums. The group achieved fame with its remix of Lisa Stansfield's "People Hold On" in 1989, after signing with Motown/MCA Records.

Blaze released its debut album, 25 Years Later in 1990, after which Herbert decided to move to a more R&B-oriented career, while the two remaining members invested in the emerging house-music culture, opening a nightclub called Shelter. In 1994, the group scored its first big international production success with De'Lacy's "Hideaway", which was later remixed by Deep Dish.

Since then, Blaze released three more albums, alongside a few scattered compilations of earlier productions and works and countless singles. The group also began working with other well-known names such as "Little" Louie Vega, Barbara Tucker, Jody Watley, and Full Intention. The group is best known to modern audiences by its singles featuring Palmer Brown on vocals, the oft-remixed "My Beat", and the tribute anthem "I Remember House". Blaze's most recent album, released in 2005, is a mix compilation titled Found Love.

Discography

Albums

1990 25 Years Later

1994 6 Hubert St.

1997 Basic Blaze

1999 Productions

1999 The Many Colours of Blaze

1999 Pure Blaze

2001 Pure Blaze 2

2001 Natural Blaze (as James Toney Jr. Project)

2002 Best of Blaze

2002 Spiritually Speaking

2004 The Instrumentals Project

2004 Keep Hope Alive (as Underground Dance Artists United for Life)

2004 Spiritually Speaking – Then and Now

2007 The Best of Blaze Vol 1. (The Motown Years)

2007 The Best of Blaze Vol 2 (Hubert Street)

2007 The Best of Blaze Vol. 3 (Natural Blaze)

2011 House Masters—Blaze

Singles and EPs

Solo

2010 "Til You Go Home" (feat. ChinahBlac)

2011 "Your Body"

2011 "Stay with Me"

2011 "Be Your Freak"

2011 "Wish" (with Matthew Bandy)

Blaze

1985 "Yearnin'"

1986 "Whatcha Gonna Do" (with Colonel Abrams)

1987 "If You Should Need a Friend"

1988 "Can't Win for Losin'"

1990 "So Special" (with Timmy Regisford)

1990 "We All Must Live Together"

1993 "Why Can't We Live Together" (with Hunter Hayes)

1994 "#6 Hubert St."

1994 "Live a Happy Life" (with Billy Hope)

1994 "Just a Little Different" (with Charlé Bishop)

1995 "Happy Day" (with Alexander Hope)

1995 The Blaze Tracks EP

1995 "Fly Away" (with Alexander Hope)

1996 "Love Comes Around" (with Sheila Slappy)

1996 The Colour Funky EP (A Music Perspective)

Productions for other artists

1988: Michelle Ayers – "Another Lover"

1988: LaChandra – "Just Started"

1988: Heat – "You Can't Get Away"

1988: Anthony & the Camp – "Open (Up Your Heart)"

1989: ABC – "One Better World"

1989: Cynthia "Cookie" Abrams – "Best Part of Me"

1989: Jerry Edwards – "I Am Somebody"

1989: Chanelle – "One Man"

1989: Tawanna Curry – "Let Me Show You"

1989: Sense of Vision – "All My Love"

1989: Breed of Motion – "Gotta Dance"

1992: Cassio Ware – "Baby Love"

1993: Cassio – "Never Thought I'd See You Again"

1993: Sabrynaah Pope – "It Works for Me"

1993: Althea McQueen – "Changes"

1993: Kechia Jenkins – "Goin' Through the Motions"

1993: Alexander Hope – "Let the Music Take You"

1993: Alexander Hope – "Saturdays"

1994: Alexander Hope – "Share"

1994: Cassio Ware – "Fantasy", with Sajaeda

Appearances

2000 Louie Vega – "Elements of Life"

2002 Louie Vega – "Brand New Day"

2004 Louie Vega – "Love Is on the Way"

2004 Louie Vega – "Sunshine"

2006 Catalan FC & Sven Löve – "All About Love"

2006 Louie Vega – "Joshua's Jam"

2006 Studio Apartment – "The Rising Sun"

2006 Shuya Okino – "Love Is the Key" (produced by Phil Asher)

2007 Luisito Quintero – "Love Remains the Same" (produced by Louie Vega)

Remixes

2003: "The Only Thing Missin' (Blaze Vocal Mix)" – Aretha Franklin

2007: "Listen" – Dreamgirls soundtrack featuring Beyoncé Knowles

2007: "Force of Nature" – Sunshine Anderson

2007: "Family" – Dreamgirls soundtrack featuring Jennifer Hudson