Lost In Tyme Blog

Zulema - 1976 - Suddenly There Was You
(RCA Victor / APL1-1423)

Tracks :
1 All I Need Is You (5:22)
2 Here's Where Love Begins (4:19)
3 Suddenly There Was You (3:49)
4 I Love You Baby (4:29)
5 Remember (5:03)
6 New Day Is Coming (3:20)
7 Pity for the Children (3:16)
8 Hungry for Your Love (3:23)
9 Takes Time (3:37)

Review :
RCA LP "Suddenly There Was You” includes the best Disco-ish cut is "All I need is you” very nice soulful vocals here, this LP is great for Zulema’s fans..

Zulema - 1978 - Z-Licious
(Le Joint (London) Records / LEJ-17000)

Tracks :
1 Prologue (2:23)
2 Higher Plane (4:45)
3 Change (4:14)
4 I'm Not Dreaming (4:17)
5 See (4:04)
6 Hanging on to a Memory (3:59)
7 You've Got Something for Me (4:20)
8 Praying for a Miracle (4:25)
9 What Do I Do Now? (4:17)
10 Gotta Find a Way (2:55)
11 Epilogue (1:27)

Review :
Producer Van McCoy never was able to get Zulema past first base. On this, her last known LP, the former original member of Faith, Hope & Charity shares production credits with McCoy on nine jams, 11 if you include the "Prologue" and "Epilogue." This has plenty of disco, but the ballads "I'm Not Dreaming" and "What Do I Do Now" are the most arresting. None of the singles, including "Change," a mild disco offering, did anything. Other pleasant items include "Higher Plane," "See," and "You've Got Something for Me."
~by Andrew Hamilton -All Music Guide

Zalmac - 1982 - Whatcha Gonna Do
(TSOB (The Sound of Brooklyn) Records / TS - 5004)

Tracks :
1 What's In It For Me (5:15)
2 Dreamin' (4:22)
3 See What Your Love Has Done (5:44)
4 Friends (3:12)
5 Whatcha Gonna Do About It (4:03)
6 I Get Down (5:24)
7 Happy Feelings (3:59)
8 What Am I Doing (5:06)

Reviews :

Zalmac was a one-off project of bassist Al McDowell and singer/writer Zulema. Their 1982 album is a highlight of boogie-styled soul, featuring such numbers like "What’s In It For Me” and "Whatcha Gonna Do.” Unfortunately it was released on a small independent label and has since become quite rare, but it is well worth seeking.

TSOB released a lot of quality boogie records in their heyday of the early 80s, perhaps none of them as well-regarded as this album. Grooving, tight rhythms and strong vocals present the usually strident Zulema in a totally different light. Nice to hear her in a relaxed atmosphere.

~All Things Deep.com

A great later project from Zulema -- one done in the years after her fame on bigger labels, but still pretty darn great overall! The groove here is quite different than the records she did back in the 70s -- much more in the street soul mode you'd expect from the TSOB label -- with lots of tightly popping basslines, sweet-stepping keyboards, and a set of rhythms that runs mostly in the boogie and 80s groove side of the spectrum! Turns out, Zulema's vocals are a perfect fit for the style -- and where she might have overdone some tunes at points in the 70s, she's really fitting right in with the stronger backings here -- kicking things very nicely with group co-member Al MacDowell. (Zalmac = Z + Al Mac).
~Dusty Groove America

Bio :
Born Zulema Cusseaux in Tampa, Florida, U.S.A., she was a member of the Lovelles in the late '60's and early '70s.
A Van McCoy-produced Lovelles single ('So Much Love') became a Top 20 R & B hit in 1971, but Zulema went solo shortly afterwards, recording a couple of albums for Sussex. She assumed her highest profile with a series of LPs for RCA in the mid-'70's, reaching the middle of the R & B charts in 1975 with 'Wanna Be Where You Are.' Her recording career ended after an album for LeJoint in the late '70's.

Zulema was a pioneer of sorts in that she was a '70s Black R & B singer who wrote much of her own material, and was able to assume some of her own production chores.

The records themselves were forerunners of urban contemporary music, occasionally reaching the lower parts of the R & B charts, Zulema's vocals betraying a strong Aretha Franklin influence.

source : http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/Zulema.html

Albums:

Zulema (Sussex 1972)

Ms. Z (Sussex 1974)
Zulema (RCA 1974)
R S V P (RCA 1975)

Suddenly There Was You (RCA 1976)

Z-Licious (Le Joint 1978)