Invitation

In the early 1970s, Oscar Peterson gave a demo tape to his friend and MPS label head Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer. It contained a recording of a vocal quartet from Chicago, Singers Unlimited. Enthralled, the MPS chief spontaneously booked the group. For the three-man, one-woman choir, it was the beginning of a successful international career. In the following years, MPS produced no less than 15 albums for the vocal virtuosos. In June 1973, MPS engaged accordion virtuoso Art van Damme (1920-2010) for a session with SU. Seldom mentioned in todays jazz literature, he brought the accordion into jazz. For Invitation, van Damme wrote instrumental arrangements for a combo (with MPS house bassist Eberhard Weber and Swiss drummer Charly Antolini). Singers Unlimited were recorded using the then revolutionary multitrack technology; their production was one of the most expensive MPS recordings. On the other hand, with its swinging easy-listening sound, the album was also one of the companys best selling efforts.