{{Short description|New York-based studio group}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2022}} {{not to be confused|Players' League}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = The Players Association | image = | caption = | image_size = | background = group_or_band | origin = New York City, U.S. | genre = Disco | years_active = 1977–1981 | label = | website = | current_members = }}
'''The Players Association''' was a New York-based studio group, put together by drummer/arranger Chris Hills and producer Danny Weiss in 1977 on Vanguard Records.<ref name="AMG">{{cite web|author=Alex Henderson|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-players-association-mn0000894485/biography|title=The Players Association | Biography|publisher=AllMusic|accessdate=2014-01-28}}</ref>
==Overview== The Players Association recordings brought in leading jazz session musicians such as Joe Farrell, David Sanborn, James Mtume, Bob Berg, Mike Mandel, synthesist Marcus Barone, and Lorraine Moore on vocals as well as others.<ref name="AMG"/> Whilst writing some of their own songs, the group mainly focused on covers.<ref name="AMG"/> Their two biggest hits were a cover of the Trammps tune "Disco Inferno" and their own composition "Turn the Music Up!" Both tracks were released on the Vanguard label and issued in the UK as 12-inch singles.
"Disco Inferno" was an underground club hit in the United States and the United Kingdom, and was most notable for the solos from trumpeter Jon Faddis, and Michael Brecker and David Sanborn on tenor and alto sax. The band proved more popular in the UK,<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Britain may be an ocean apart. But it's disco buyers aren't|page=49|date=July 14, 1979|volume=91|issue=28|issn=0006-2510|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc|magazine=Billboard}}</ref> where they scored three chart singles, including "Turn the Music Up!", which reached number 8 in the UK Singles Chart,<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/> and one chart album, which also prompted a British tour. Their other minor hit singles were "Ride the Groove" (released in the UK in 1979), which reached number 42 in the UK chart, and "We Got the Groove" (released in the UK in 1980), which peaked at number 61.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/> After the release of five albums between 1977 and 1981, the association ended.<ref name="AMG"/>
==Discography== ===Albums=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Album ! style="width:45px;"|<small>UK</small><br><ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book|first=David|last=Roberts|year=2006|title=British Hit Singles & Albums|edition=19th|publisher=Guinness World Records Limited|location=London|isbn=1-904994-10-5|page=429}}</ref><ref name="UK">{{cite web|title=PLAYERS ASSOCIATION - full Official Chart History|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/17502/players-association/|website=Official Charts Company|access-date=11 February 2022}}</ref> |- | rowspan="2"|1977 | ''The Players Association'' | align=center | — |- | ''Born to Dance'' | align=center | — |- | 1979 | ''Turn the Music Up'' | align=center | 54 |- | 1980 | ''We Got the Groove'' | align=center | — |- | 1981 | ''Let Your Body Go'' | align=center | — |- | colspan="4" style="text-align:center; font-size:9pt;"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. |}
===Singles=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! scope="col" rowspan="2"|Year ! scope="col" rowspan="2"|Single ! scope="col" colspan="3"|Peak chart positions |- ! style="width:45px;"|<small>US Dance</small><br><ref name="VF">{{cite web|title=The Players Association Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography|url=https://www.musicvf.com/The+Players+Association.art|website=Music VF|access-date=11 February 2022}}</ref> ! style="width:45px;"|<small>US R&B</small><br><ref name="VF"/> ! style="width:45px;"|<small>UK</small><br><ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/><ref name="UK"/> |- | rowspan="4"| 1977 | "Goin' to the Disco" | align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |- | "Disco Inferno" | align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |- | "Love Hangover" | align=center | 24 | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |- | "We Were Born to Dance" | align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |- | rowspan="2"| 1979 | "Turn the Music Up!" | align=center | 56 | align=center | ― | align=center | 8 |- | "Ride the Groove" | align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | 42 |- | rowspan="3"| 1980 | "We Got the Groove" | align=center | 18 | align=center | ― | align=center | 61 |- | "The Get-Down Mellow Sound" | align=center | ― | align=center | 59 | align=center | ― |- | "We're Almost There" | align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |- | rowspan="2"| 1981 | "Let Your Body Go!" | align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |- | "The Things You Get Me to Do" | align=center | ― | align=center | ― | align=center | ― |- | colspan="6" style="text-align:center; font-size:9pt;"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released. |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Discogs artist}}
{{Michael Brecker}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Players Association}} Category:American disco musicians Category:American funk musical groups Category:American soul musical groups Category:American dance music groups