The Players Association

Led by drummer and arranger Chris Hills, the Players Association operated as a little-known New York group whose late-1970s and early-1980s output centered on disco-funk laced with jazz elements. Its albums featured appearances by prominent jazz figures including Michael Brecker, David Sanborn, Joe Farrell, and Tom Harrell, yet the ensemble avoided any direct appeal to dedicated jazz listeners; instead it concentrated on disco-funk that carried jazz inflections while making occasional forays into instrumental jazz-pop and quiet storm/NAC territory. Commercial recognition remained elusive, and its releases garnered minimal radio exposure, though danceclub DJs sustained a modest cult following for the band. After signing to Vanguard in 1977, the Players Association issued five albums before disbanding in 1981: The Players Association (1977), Born to Dance (1978), Turn the Music Up! (1979), We Got the Groove (1980), and Let Your Body Go (1981).