CoronaVinyl Day 347 (I): Would You Like to Fly by Ingram

For an explanation of CoronaVinyl, click here.

Today's CoronaVinyl category is "I," and my last album by an "I" artist, at least for the time being, is Ingram's 1983 album Would You Like to Fly.

This is another album I acquired from my neighbor.  I assumed that this was somehow related to '80s R&B singer James Ingram -- especially given that there is someone in this group named James M. Ingram -- but apparently I was wrong.  Ingram was a family band, comprised of five brothers:  Butch, James, John, Robert, and William Ingram.  Everyone played multiple instruments and sang either lead or backing vocals, and their sister Barbara also provided backing vocals on the album.  Barbara had been a staple of the '70s Philadelphia soul scene, singing backing vocals for many of the big names, including on The Spinners' Top 5 hits "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love" and "Games People Play."

There's really not that much out there about Ingram.  It appears they released three albums between 1977 and 1984, with Would You Like to Fly being the middle album.  The album is kind of a soul, funk, jazz, and synth pop fusion, but certainly with an early '80s vibe.  Some songs are more funky or disco-y (the title track, "Smoothin' Groovin'," "We Like to Do It," "Groovin' on a Groove"), some songs are more straightforward soul ("Share a Dream," "No One"), one is just weird electrofunk ("D.J.'s Delight"), and the final track ("Spoken Words") is a slow, dreamy ballad.  All in all, it's a pretty good album.

Favorite Song on Side 1:  "D.J.'s Delight"
I went with this one because it's so early '80s weird.  There's a lot of synth, mixed with some electric drums and a funky ass bass.  It's mostly instrumental, aside from some occasional instances of the group singing the song's title and some "ohs" and some "yeahs."

Favorite Song on Side 2:  "Groovin' On a Groove"
This is probably the funkiest song on the album, with an infectious groove, which makes sense giving the title.