The New York Community Choir began in the early 1970s as an offshoot of the Isaac Douglas Singers, initially including some 100 members under the direction of Benny Diggs. Definitely a gospel ensemble, NYCC developed a style that also gave secular R&B, soul, and pop songs a spiritual dimension; bridging Saturday night and Sunday morning, as it were. The choir came to the public's attention when it was featured on poet Nikki Giovanni's acclaimed 1971 album The Truth Is on Its Way. Signing to RCA Records in 1977, NYCC released a self-titled debut album, produced by Warren Schatz, that same year, which included the enduring dance hit "Express Yourself." A follow-up album, Make Every Day Count, again produced by Schatz, arrived in 1978. Featuring arrangements by Leon Pendarvis, and with a crack New York session band that included Paul Shaffer and Richard Tee on keyboards, Jeff Mironov and John Tropea on guitars, Errol Crusher Bennett on percussion, Will Lee on bass, and Steve Gadd on drums, the album's title track became a huge favorite in East Coast discos, and as a whole, the album become a treasured '70s gem for R&B and soul fans. Real Gone reissued the album on CD with bonus 12" single mixes of two tracks, including "Make Every Day Count," early in 2014. ~ Steve Leggett, Rovi