JAKATA - Light The Night (1984)

Note: NEW file added, some glitches on tracks 4 and 8 fixed

Requested in "Request & Fill Corner" section...

Nice request.
Searching the net for a current price of this rare vinyl on auction sites (U$S 40), found this review on GloryDaze website that accurately describes this goodie:

" Jakata's one-off LP for Tamla Motown offshoot Morocco Records is an album I've been playing for a few weeks now. Annoyed that I couldn't find a half decent rip of it out there in Blogspot land, I resorted to buying a pristine LP copy from Ebay instead, and boy was I glad I did, as this is a very special little album.
These boys hail from south Los Angeles, and deliver a sound that is Hi-tech, WestCoast and AOR all rolled into one.
The band had a number of different members pass through their ranks, and it seems these guys were regulars on the club circuit based around the Long Beach locale. Keyboardist Jimmy Felber was actually on Tamla Motown's books as a songwriter, no dobut that is how Jakata managed to land a deal.
Most of the songs are sung by Steve Kragan, of the ten he sings six, Chuck Coffey sings two, and Jimmy Felber sings one. There is one instrumental as well.
For this album, Jakata employed the talents of Robbie Nevil, a successful solo artist in his own right (remember his hit songs 'C'est La Vie' and 'Dominoes'). Robbie plays all the electric guitars on 'Light The Night'.

The light and poppy "Living Like There's No Tomorrow" is the LP's first track, some nice keys and smooth sax lines keeps things breezy, but for me it's the great voice that Steve Kragan that holds it altogether. "Hell Is On The Run" sounds as classic aorsters Dakota. Check it out for yourself. "Golden Girl" is primetime westcoast, smooth to the touch and easy on the ear.
Coffey handles the lead vocal on the Toto like "Can't Take Your Games Anymore", while Jimmy Felber's keyboard work takes the dominant position of side one closer "Tell Him You're Leaving". This one has some unusual characteristics, including the power-pop tempo changer through the middle. Kinda Jekyll and Hyde like, with The Tubes or Donnie Iris jumping into the song for a bit of fun!

Side two starts out with the instrumental "Racing For The Dawn", a very pomp laden affair which shows that these guys could lift it up a notch or two.
"Light At The End Of The Tunnel" is a groovy westcoast/smooth tune, imagine a white man's Al Jarreau hamming it up but without the scat vocals. Felber steps out front on the very funky and slightly bizarre "Jean Such A Scene". It's well suited to 1984, and perhaps best left there.. lol!
Jakata provide their first ballad 'Don't Ever Let Go' deep into the LP (nine tracks in) and it's a purist AOR sounding tune sung by Chuck Coffey, with Kragan delivering a sax solo for good measure.
The album finale 'Shadows Of The Night' is high on percussion and synth fills, the song itself moving along at a decent clip.

All in all, an enjoyable album, and I am highly surprised at just how obscure this album is... until now that is! It's a pity they never kicked on with a second album.
Criminally ignored, "Light The Night" should be sought out by all lovers of hi-tech AOR and West Coast.
Yes, it's that good! "
www.glorydazemusic.com/articles.php?article_id=4267

Well, now you can find 'a half decent rip of it out there in Blogspot land' here.
Vinyl rip cleaned and de-clicked by me. Artwork included.


01 - Living Like There's No Tomorrow
02 - Hell Is On The Run
03 - Golden Girl
04 - Can't Take Your Games Anymore
05 - Tell Him You're Leaving
06 - Racing For The Dawn
07 - Light At The End Of The Tunnel
08 - Jean Such A Scene
09 - Don't Ever Let Go
10 - Shadows Of The Night

Jimmy Felber - vocals, keyboards
Steve Kragan - vocals, horns
Chuck Coffey - vocals, bass
Chris Myers - drums, percussion, acoustic guitar
Robbie Nevil - guitars






JAKATA - Light The Night NEW FILE