Bridge
Bridge was a soul group from Oakland/Berkeley, California, known for their unreleased 1981 album Crying For Love, which finally surfaced in 1999 due to internal group conflicts.
Formed in the early 1980s from the remnants of the Oakland soul band Vitamin E, Bridge hailed from the Bay Area's vibrant soul scene. They spent four weeks in Boulder, Colorado, recording the album for the Bang label, but it remained shelved for nearly two decades amid disputes.
The lineup featured a male/female vocal duo of David Gardner and Lady Bianca upfront. Oakland soul veteran Freddie Hughes contributed, adding local flavor. Drummer and songwriter Paul Tillman Smith (who penned tracks for Cold Blood, Norman Connors, Pharoah Sanders, Jean Carne, and Webster Lewis) shaped much of the material, co-writing the title track with Michael Robinson.
Produced by Norman Connors, Crying For Love blends smooth modern soul with jazzy undertones across 16 tracks, including "Stella," "Fire Burning," "Sweet & Wonderful," and "Rivers Of Love." Standouts like the title track highlight pristine production, heartfelt lyrics, and the group's chemistry. It was reissued by High Jazz Records in later years.
Despite the delay, the album earned cult status as a "lost modern soul classic" for its emotional depth and Bay Area roots.
Crying For Love
Written-By – Michael Robinson, Paul Tillman Smith
4:15
2 Stella
Written-By – Norman Connors
3:33
3 From The Darkness To The Light
Written-By – Lonnie Hewitt, Paul Tillman Smith
4:16
4 Fire Burning
Written-By – Paul Tillman Smith
3:31
5 Waiting Patiently
Written-By – Paul Tillman Smith
3:46
6 He Say, She Say Game
Written-By – Paul Tillman Smith, Ray Obiedo
3:12
7 Sweet & Wonderful
Written-By – Debravon Lewis, Derrick Hughes, Michael Robinson
3:56
8 Out There In Space
Written-By – Paul Tillman Smith
4:02
9 No Where Love Affair
Written-By – Paul Tillman Smith
4:34
10 Rivers Of Love
Written-By – Paul Tillman Smith
3:08
11 Turn To Love
Written-By – Paul Tillman Smith
3:47
12 Next To Me
Written-By – Paul Tillman Smith
4:04
13 Reach Out
Written-By – Jon Bendich, Paul Tillman Smith
4:28
14 Listen
Written-By – Paul Tillman Smith
4:02
15 Summer Sky
Written-By – Paul Tillman Smith
3:44
16 Loves In Your Corner
Written-By – Michael Robinson, Paul Tillman Smith
3:32
Label: First Experience Records – FER-LP1
Format: 2 x Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: UK
Released: 2000
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Modern Soul
Bridge's Crying For Love is a highly acclaimed, "lost" 1981 Modern Soul masterpiece recorded in Boulder, Colorado for the Bang label, finally released as a double LP in 1999/2000. Featuring 16 tracks of polished soul, jazz, funk, and boogie, it is considered a premier, "no-filler" album driven by stellar, emotive vocals from Debravon Lewis and Derick Hughes.
Produced by Paul Tillman Smith and Jon Bendich, the album blends sophisticated soul with jazz-funk and, at times, Latin influences, drawing comparisons to Earth, Wind & Fire.
Debravon Lewis provides vulnerable, emotional performances, while Derick Hughes is noted for a vocal style reminiscent of Donny Hathaway.
Though recorded for a major label (Bang/CBS), it was never officially released at the time due to corporate interference and band dissolution, making it a legendary, rare discovery.
The album has gained a massive cult following, leading to reissues by First Experience Records and High Jazz Records, which have been praised for their high-quality mastering of the original demos.
While often associated with the early 80s scene, the recordings date to 1981 rather than 1980, and it is a collection of demos that constitutes the album,
Reviews on Discogs and Norman Records consistently describe the 16-track collection as having "no weak moments," praising its balance of breezy uptempo tracks and impassioned ballads.