B. B. & Q. Band
| Company type | Musical ensemble |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1979 in New York City, United States |
| Founder | Jacques Fred Petrus |
| Defunct | 1987 |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
B. B. & Q. Band—standing for Brooklyn, Bronx, and Queens Band—was an American post-disco ensemble originating in New York City in 1979, remaining active until 1987.
Origins
The B. B. & Q. Band began as a studio-based project initiated in 1979 by entrepreneur Jacques Fred Petrus. Building on prior achievements with groups such as Change, Macho, and the Peter Jacques Band, Petrus collaborated with Italian producer Mauro Malavasi to develop this act, naming it after the New York boroughs represented by its members. Petrus brought together musicians including bassist Paris Ford (also known as Peewee Ford) to form the lineup.
Breakthrough debut
Their inaugural album, self-titled and released through Capitol Records, featured songs primarily composed by Malavasi. The lead track "On the Beat" attained the No. 8 position on the US Billboard Black Singles chart, while "Time for Love," led vocally by Ike Floyd, reached No. 72.
Subsequently, Petrus enlisted guitarist Kevin Robinson to front the group and added Chielli Minucci, Kevin Nance, and Tony Bridges to solidify the band's distinct identity.
Follow-up releases
The 1982 album All Night Long achieved a peak of No. 32 on Billboard's Black Albums chart and included singles such as "All Night Long (She's Got the Moves I Like)" which climbed to No. 32 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart, and "Imagination," reaching No. 21 on the Black Singles chart.
In 1983, they released Six Million Times, an album influenced stylistically by The Time and Prince. Due to financial constraints, Petrus produced this record within five weeks in Bologna on a tight budget. The album did not perform well commercially, resulting in Capitol Records dropping the band.
Final phase
By 1985, Petrus secured a deal with Elektra Records, relaunching B. B. & Q. Band with their last album Genie. This release contained modest hits such as the title track and "Dreamer." Kae Williams, formerly of Breakwater and brought in by Petrus, wrote all songs and co-produced the album alongside him. The record also marked early vocal contributions from Curtis Hairston, who was invited to serve as lead singer. While it found commercial success particularly in Europe, the band dissolved in 1987 following Petrus's untimely death.
In the United States, "Dreamer" appeared as a B-side on Your Face Records—a subsidiary of Pretty Pearl Records—while Genie along with singles "Dreamer" and "Genie" were issued under Pretty Pearl/Elektra Records with Elektra catalogue numbering. European distribution was managed by Cooltempo (UK), Break (Netherlands), and ZYX (Germany), each employing distinct cover artwork.
Moreover, the US LP featured a remix of "Dreamer" by Shep Pettibone, whereas European versions included the album rendition of the song. The Pettibone remix corresponded with the Elektra/Pretty Pearl 12" release; conversely, the European version matched the B-side of the Your Face Records 12" single "On the Shelf."
The Legacy
Kevin Robinson, original lead vocalist, released The Legacy under Brooklyn, Bronx & Queens, which included a collaboration with Davide Romani on the track "Gotta Keep Movin' On." This song was initially launched as a solo single in January 2021. Romani had been an essential contributor to their classic productions during the 1980s.
Studio albums
- The B. B. & Q. Band (1981)
- All Night Long (1982)
- Six Million Times (1983)
- Genie (1985)
- The Legacy (2022)
Compilation albums
- The Best of the B.B. & Q. Band (1988), Streetheat
- Album Collection (5-CD box set, 2006) (featuring B.B.& Q. Band and High Fashion), Fonte Records
- Greatest Hits & Essential Tracks (2-CD, 2009), Smith & Co
Singles
1986| Year | Single | Highest chart positions | Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US R&B | US Dance | UK | NL | BE | |||
| 1981 | "On the Beat" | 8 | 3 | 41 | 16 | 10 | B.B. & Q. Band |
| "Starlette" (Europe) / "I'll Cut You Loose" (UK) | — | — | — | 76 | — | ||
| "Time for Love" (US only) | 72 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1982 | "Imagination" | 21 | 69 | — | — | — | All Night Long |
| "All Night Long (She's Got the Moves I Like)" | — | 32 | — | — | — | ||
| 1983 | "Keep It Hot" | — | — | — | — | — | Six Million Times |
| "She's a Woman" | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1985 | "Genie" | — | — | 40 | 32 | — | Genie |
| "Minutes Away" | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "On the Shelf" | 72 | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Main Attraction" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | ||
| "Dreamer" | "—" | "—" | "35" | "—" | "—" | ||
| "Ricochet" | "—" | "—" | "71" | "—" | "—" | ||