CAROL JIANI
Nigerian born Uchenna Ikejiani found singing came naturally at an early age. Growing up in oppressive Nigeria was nothing that Uchenna cared to talk about. As a young adult she found her way to Canada in the mid 1970's as a college student. While in Montreal as a student she came in contact with another student that would change her life forever.
Joe LaGreca found the tiny Uchenna to posess a voice that could wail or whimper. She audtioned for the upstart producer in the fall of 1977. Joe was preparing to work on his first full length production. Immediately he fell in love with her voice and she landed the one-time gig. Tracks were laid down in early 1978 at Marko Studios in Montreal. The cast and crew were comprised of mostly fellow students.The result was "Montreal featuring Uchenna Ikejiani."
The first thing of note about the album is that it is NOT Uchenna on the cover, rather some nameless model. The second thing of note is that the featured track and the most played was an instrumental that did NOT have Uchenna on it. So Uchenna's first break into the recording world was really not her's at all. The album featured three tracks. Uchenna's vocals are on the tracks: "If You Believe in Me" and "Higher And Higher." The instrumental favorite was "Under the Lights Of Montreal." Released on Star Disc in Canada and picked up for American release by Salsoul Records. Salsoul hired star jock Bobby "D.J." Guttadaro to remix it for it's U.S. release and initial sales were minimal at best. It was this collaboration that cemented a friendship between Uchenna and Joe that would last many years and take both to the top of the charts and into disco history. It was Joe that convinced Uchenna to anglicize her name and shorten her surname. Thus Carol Jiani was born sometime around 1979-1980. During 1979 Joe and Carol worked on several formulas trying to perfect disco magic.
Information credited to discomuseum.com
Montreal feat Uchenna Ikejiani (Carol Jiani) - If You Believe In Me
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