Celi Bee

Short and sweet, this 1977 debut offering from Miami-based Celi Bee & the Buzzy Bunch (basically her backing musicians) doesn't offer anything particularly timeless among its six selections; rather, it serves a pleasant pate of disco trinkets, suave mid-tempo numbers, and one sullen ballad. Celi Bee has a naturally light tone, yet she is capable of sounding either cool -- as evidenced by "Hurt Me, Hurt Me" -- or fiery ("Smile"). The classic is, of course, "Superman," a simple-but-contagious disco number later covered by Herbie Mann. Though the production dates itself, it's still quite hard to resist the song's chugging groove and Celi Bee's evocative cooing and pleading. The material overall is more fleeting than some of the solid grooves gracing the subsequent Fly Me on the Wings of Love; but for disco stalwarts with a knack for a slightly alternative groove, this set is a worthy investment. ~ Justin M. Kantor, All Music Guide