James nyx marvin gaye

Seeing Marv's post of Inner City Blues which was composed by Gaye and James Nyx, along with other tracks on the What's Going On album, I was reminded of these compositions by James on The Brewster Crew. Not surprisingly David Van DePitte did the arrangements.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1vXt9D37qs

And the A side which has the Marvin Gaye / Originals DNA..... great stuff by James who was also a janitor / elevator operator at Motown!!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Zum_eEVnk8

I wonder if Marvin recruited him because no one at Motown tended to him. Marvin always tended to go for the underdogs...

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Originally Posted by midnightman

I wonder if Marvin recruited him because no one at Motown tended to him. Marvin always tended to go for the underdogs...

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Mostly likely he did. Some of the folks on the "What's Goin' On?" album were personal friends of Marvin's as well as artists [[Obie Benson, Lem Barney, Mel Farr, Dave Bing, Bobby Rogers , etc, etc). The Detroit Symphony Orchestra also appear on the album, so Motown probably did lend some support.

^ Or Marvin and Dave van DePitte could've hired them. I don't think the DSO were on Motown's payroll???

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Originally Posted by midnightman

^ Or Marvin and Dave van DePitte could've hired them. I don't think the DSO were on Motown's payroll???

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I believe Motown had the standing relationship at that time with the DSO and could dispatch them for sessions for the artists but you are right, Marvin had to pay them.

James Nyx was the elevator operator in a conversation with Marvin one day expressing his frustration on a subject regarding the day to day shit you go through raising kids and dealing with trying to make ends meet. Life... He said something to the effect that " It just makes you wanna holler ,all the shit you got ta deal with". That's the story of how the song came about. Marvin at the time was dealing with a lot of shix also so he went on to write the lyrics and gave James co-writing credit.

Also ,on the WGO expanded edition ,credit is given to "members of the DSO". van De Pitte being the arranger was more than likely the contractor for the musicians [[like Val would do on A&S projects) , and his wife was credited with being the copyist.

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Originally Posted by daddyacey

James Nyx was the elevator operator in a conversation with Marvin one day expressing his frustration on a subject regarding the day to day shit you go through raising kids and dealing with trying to make ends meet. Life... He said something to the effect that " It just makes you wanna holler ,all the shit you got ta deal with". That's the story of how the song came about. Marvin at the time was dealing with a lot of shix also so he went on to write the lyrics and gave James co-writing credit.

Also ,on the WGO expanded edition ,credit is given to "members of the DSO". van De Pitte being the arranger was more than likely the contractor for the musicians [[like Val would do on A&S projects) , and his wife was credited with being the copyist.

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WOW! I never knew that! I guess that his how some of the best songs came into being. Smokey tells the story of how "I Second that Emotion" became an idea for a song in a similar way. Thanks Daddy!