Noir - We Had To Let You Have It (Full Album)
The "Noir" are a group about whom very little is known; it seems they formed between the end of '69 and the beginning of '70. They began performing live in the summer of '70, and in September of that year, they decided to record an album for "Dawn Records." However, the recording did not see the light of day until the following year, by which time the band had already split up after only a few months of activity.
The album liner notes explained that the label had lost contact with the group, but decided to release their material anyway as they considered it truly extraordinary, hence the title of their only record, "We Had To Let You Have It."
This album has become something of a "must" for collectors, with prices ranging between 100 and 500 $$$. All its tracks, except for "Beggar Man," are completely original. It's not a timeless masterpiece, but it is an excellent, relaxing album with truly fantastic sound, an intriguing fusion of progressive rock, psychedelia & soul.
Groups composed entirely of black musicians are particularly rare in the "progressive rock" genre, and that's a pity. Take "Osibisa," a highly regarded group, though "Noir's" sound is very different. We have Barry Ford on vocals and drums, who later achieved some success as a "reggae" drummer, while Gordon Hunte (on vocals and guitar) continued making music both solo and with a group called "Gonzalez." As for Roy Williams (on bass) and keyboardist Tony Cole, little or nothing is known, and that's the end of the "Noir" story.
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