Philly soul combo Anglo-Saxon Brown launched their recording career in Richmond, Virginia, where they originally operated as Ujima. The group coalesced in 1972 around bassist and frontman Carlton Robinson, guitarists Clemente Burneette and Anthony Ingram, keyboardist Dwight Smith, saxophonist Charles Manns, trumpeter Alvin Brown, and drummer Clemente Burneette. Ujima had grown out of the late-'60s Richmond soul ensemble Stacy Henry and the Majestics, which released multiple singles on the Flippin' label. After vocalist Debra Henry joined in 1973, Ujima secured a deal with Epic and put out several obscure singles such as "Hip to Your Ways," "I'm Not Ready," "A Shoulder to Lean On," and "Somebody Tell That Girl That I'm Gone."
Drawing motivation from the achievements of fellow Richmond native Major Harris—who had moved to Philadelphia and achieved chart prominence both with the Delfonics and on his own—Ujima relocated to the City of Brotherly Love. There, in 1976, they adopted the name Anglo-Saxon Brown; the revised roster included Henry, Robinson, Smith, Manns, Clemente Burneette, Alvin Brown, and incoming drummer Tyrone Durham. Teaming with the songwriting and production duo Joe Jefferson and Charles Simmons, Anglo-Saxon Brown cut their only Atlantic album, Songs for Evolution, that same year, a now highly-collectible document of mid-1970s Philly soul. The release failed to register commercially, prompting further changes: Robinson departed in favor of bassist Melvin Watson, and the band took the name Silk. Their sole album under that moniker, Midnight Dancer, surfaced on Philadelphia International in 1979 and contained the minor hit "I Can't Stop Turning You On."
