Ray Alexander Technique: My World and I Don’t Bite
From: Let’s Talk [Harlem Sound, 197?]
Sweet soulful funk in the house today with the rather superbly named Ray Alexander Technique. Info on this group appears to be minimal to say the least but I can pretty confidently state that the group were arranged by Raymond Jenkins, come from NYC and feature a Billy Gardner on organ who I’m going to assume is the same Billy Gardner of Sugar Billy Super Duper Love fame.
Considering Gardner’s involvement you would expect this album to offer up a) funk and b) funky organ and, while it doesn’t disappoint on either of these, the overall feel of the longplayer is of crossover soul with a funk tinged vibe.
My World is a nice example of the music the band deliver which, thanks in part to the organ, resonates with an extremely warm overall sound to the production. One of those slow burners that creeps up on you over the course of its three minutes playing time this is a great mid tempo soul funk tune.
I Don’t Bite is a far sweeter soul tune than the title would suggest. A slow number with falling chords and ratatat drums the track features the kind of falsetto backing vocals that win me over every single time (seriously, I’m struggling to think of any track where these don’t do it for me).
I’m still struggling to pinpoint a date for this release as, while the instrumentation sounds very early seventies, for some reason lead vocalist Chris Bartley’s voice always makes me feel like I’m listening to something recorded nearer the end of the decade. Any ideas?
Follow Us On Twitter 
Thanks for hilighting "I Dont Bite". sweetness.
Phenomenal and damn rare LP!
I WISH I owned a copy of this record. The song "Wiser & Deeper" on here is my jam. Was just listening to it earlier and now a see this.
iam one of the original members of this group my name is ron mack.i was the drummer for ray alexander technique…would love to find other members we all lost contact
hello iam the drummer from the group “the ray alexander technique”.mr gardner did record
the album with us,however he was not a member of the group..the group was comprised
of four members doug on bass ray on guitar,holly on congas and myself (ron mack) on drums.
our origin was on 131st street and lenox av. we played all the local clubs and and most of the
after hour spots in harlem… smalls paradise,the gold lounge. shallama,wells,baby grand.
we had our studio office on 125th street .
Dear Ron,
Is Chris Bartley really the lead singer on most of these tracks? He sounds so different than his song “Sweetest Thing This Side of Heaven” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teDzSMO1eXs
Can you help verify this because the vocals and every part of this album are magnificent. Thanks
NO,CHRIS BARTLEY WAS NOT THE LEAD ON ANY OF THE TRACKS.RAY ALEXANDER SANG ALL THE LEADS.
CHRIS AND WILLY SANG BACKROUND VOCALS ONLY
Hey Ronald
Thanks for the additional information, needless to say I couldn’t find anything out about the band through the usual channels. Would have absolutely loved to catch one of those shows back in the day….
Junior
hey junior our jam sessions in harlem were funky and deep. you would have really enjoyed.
iam trying to obtain a copy of our album or a cd recorded version.lost my copies over the
years multiple home changing.Would you be able to supply?
Hey Ron,
I want to thank you for clearing up some of those unanswered questions,and as the number 4 son of Raymond A. Jenkins,My Father a Great man to say the very least.We miss him dearly,I know you may not remember me as his son back in the days ,but your name is very well known in my family,and to Junior and all the others in cyberspace I say thank you for loving my father voice,now known as the late Bishop Raymond A. Jenkins.He was a great man of God,No man on this earth could fill his shoes in our eyes.He was a father to many,someone he never knew in his life.But yet he was a perfect one,and will be missed soooo much! I miss you daddy.As i listen to his music I cry,but i listen as if he’s talking to me,searching for a message.I hold on to word he speaks,every lick he plays.The world will never know my father like we did HE…… WAS……A…….KING!.
Would love to hear anything else your father recorded, his voice is truly one of a kind…is there any other output to be found?