Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band – Express Yourself (1970) Warner Bros. WS 1864
updated 10/18/2026
Warner Bros. Records 1970 WS 1864
description:
Released in 1970 on Warner Bros. Records, Express Yourself is a landmark
album by Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band,
capturing the raw energy, infectious grooves, and distinctive West
Coast sound of early 1970s funk and soul.
Led by singer, songwriter, guitarist, and pianist Charles Wright,
the group combined tight rhythm-section playing, punchy horn arrangements,
soulful vocals, and extended instrumental passages.
The result is a vibrant mixture of funk, rhythm and blues, and deep soul,
driven by powerful drumming, melodic bass lines,
expressive keyboards, and memorable vocal hooks.
The album's best-known track, “Express Yourself,” became the band's signature
song. Written and produced by Charles Wright, it celebrates individuality,
self-confidence, and the freedom to be yourself. Its irresistible groove and positive
message helped establish the song as a lasting classic of American funk.
The track later gained further recognition through its influence on hip-hop,
particularly N.W.A.'s 1988 song of the same name.
Beyond the hit single, the album offers a rich musical journey through tracks
such as “Road Without an End,” “I Got Love,” “High as Apple Pie,” and
“Tell Me What You Want Me to Do.” The band's arrangements balance tight,
danceable rhythms with expansive instrumental sections, revealing the
musicianship and creativity that made the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band
an important force in the Los Angeles funk scene.
Recorded at Gold Star Studios in Hollywood, the album features production
by Charles Wright and engineering by Doc Siegel and Stan Ross.
Arrangements by Wright, Ray Jackson, Gabe Flemings, and Yusuf Rahman
contribute to the record's varied instrumental textures and powerful ensemble sound.
For collectors of vintage funk vinyl, classic soul, early 1970s R&B,
and influential groove-based music, Express Yourself remains
an essential Warner Bros. Records release.
credits:
Charles Wright Lead vocals, guitar, piano
James Gadson Drums, vocals
Melvin Dunlap Bass, guitar
John Dukes Upright bass
Benorce Blackmon Guitar
Al McKay Guitar; associated with the band's earlier lineup
Gabe Flemings Trumpet, piano
Ray Jackson Piano, trombone
Bill Cannon Saxophone
John Rayford Saxophone, vocals
Yusuf Rahman Piano, trombone, arrangements
Carolyn Willis, Oma Drake, Sandra Peeler, Oren Waters,
Sentell Willis Jr. Background vocals
Arranged By Yusuf Rahman (tracks: A2, A3, B1, B2)
Engineer Doc Siegel, Stan Ross
Producer, Written-By, Arranged By Charles Wright
Recorded at Gold Star Recording Studios, Inc.
trackslist:
A1 Love Land
Arranged By – Ray Jackson
Written-By – Charles Wright, Don Trotter
3:04
A2 I Got Love
Written-By – Charles Wright
3:37
A3 High As Apple Pie - Slice I
Written-By – Charles Wright
6:03
A4 Express Yourself
Arranged By – Gabe Flemings, Ray Jackson
Written-By – Charles Wright
3:50
B1 I'm Aware
Arranged By – James Gadson
Written-By – Charles Wright, James Gadson
3:45
B2 High As Apple Pie - Slice II
Written-By – Charles Wright
17:43
album by Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band,
capturing the raw energy, infectious grooves, and distinctive West
Coast sound of early 1970s funk and soul.
Led by singer, songwriter, guitarist, and pianist Charles Wright,
the group combined tight rhythm-section playing, punchy horn arrangements,
soulful vocals, and extended instrumental passages.
The result is a vibrant mixture of funk, rhythm and blues, and deep soul,
driven by powerful drumming, melodic bass lines,
expressive keyboards, and memorable vocal hooks.
The album's best-known track, “Express Yourself,” became the band's signature
song. Written and produced by Charles Wright, it celebrates individuality,
self-confidence, and the freedom to be yourself. Its irresistible groove and positive
message helped establish the song as a lasting classic of American funk.
The track later gained further recognition through its influence on hip-hop,
particularly N.W.A.'s 1988 song of the same name.
Beyond the hit single, the album offers a rich musical journey through tracks
such as “Road Without an End,” “I Got Love,” “High as Apple Pie,” and
“Tell Me What You Want Me to Do.” The band's arrangements balance tight,
danceable rhythms with expansive instrumental sections, revealing the
musicianship and creativity that made the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band
an important force in the Los Angeles funk scene.
Recorded at Gold Star Studios in Hollywood, the album features production
by Charles Wright and engineering by Doc Siegel and Stan Ross.
Arrangements by Wright, Ray Jackson, Gabe Flemings, and Yusuf Rahman
contribute to the record's varied instrumental textures and powerful ensemble sound.
For collectors of vintage funk vinyl, classic soul, early 1970s R&B,
and influential groove-based music, Express Yourself remains
an essential Warner Bros. Records release.
credits:
Charles Wright Lead vocals, guitar, piano
James Gadson Drums, vocals
Melvin Dunlap Bass, guitar
John Dukes Upright bass
Benorce Blackmon Guitar
Al McKay Guitar; associated with the band's earlier lineup
Gabe Flemings Trumpet, piano
Ray Jackson Piano, trombone
Bill Cannon Saxophone
John Rayford Saxophone, vocals
Yusuf Rahman Piano, trombone, arrangements
Carolyn Willis, Oma Drake, Sandra Peeler, Oren Waters,
Sentell Willis Jr. Background vocals
Arranged By Yusuf Rahman (tracks: A2, A3, B1, B2)
Engineer Doc Siegel, Stan Ross
Producer, Written-By, Arranged By Charles Wright
Recorded at Gold Star Recording Studios, Inc.
trackslist:
A1 Love Land
Arranged By – Ray Jackson
Written-By – Charles Wright, Don Trotter
3:04
A2 I Got Love
Written-By – Charles Wright
3:37
A3 High As Apple Pie - Slice I
Written-By – Charles Wright
6:03
A4 Express Yourself
Arranged By – Gabe Flemings, Ray Jackson
Written-By – Charles Wright
3:50
B1 I'm Aware
Arranged By – James Gadson
Written-By – Charles Wright, James Gadson
3:45
B2 High As Apple Pie - Slice II
Written-By – Charles Wright
17:43
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