Step on Step

Step on Step

Step on Step
Compilation album by
Charles Stepney
ReleasedSeptember 9, 2022 (2022-09-09)
Length77:46
LabelInternational Anthem
Producers
  • Eibur Stepney
  • Charlene Stepney
  • Chanté Stepney
Charles Stepney chronology
Step on Step
(2022) 		Eternal Journey
(2026)
Singles from Step on Step
  1. "Step on Step"
    Released: March 23, 2022[1]
  2. "Daddy's Diddies"
    Released: May 11, 2022[2]

Step on Step is a compilation album by American musician Charles Stepney. It was released posthumously on September 9, 2022, through International Anthem Recording Company.

Background

Charles Stepney was an American arranger, record producer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter from Chicago.[3] Step on Step is a compilation of previously unreleased Stepney demos, consisting of 23 tracks.[4] It serves as the official debut for him as a solo artist.[5]

Stepney died in 1976 at the age of 45.[6] Before his death, he intended to release a solo album.[6] He left behind 90 reels of unreleased solo material.[7] They were recorded in his Chicago home studio, as four-track demos.[8] After his death, his daughters Eibur, Charlene, and Chanté uncovered the tapes.[8]

Step on Step was released on September 9, 2022, through International Anthem Recording Company.[9]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarStarHalf star[10]
MojoStarStarStar[11]
Pitchfork8.0/10[4]
Record CollectorStarStarStarStar[12]
Spectrum Culture80%[13]

Andrew Male of Mojo commented that "It's the music equivalent of finding a great author's journals or an artist's sketchbook."[11] He added, "It feels vital, personal, vulnerable but also incomplete."[11] Paul Bowler of Record Collector wrote, "Accompanied by spoken word reminiscences from his daughters, it makes for an illuminating insight into the working methods of a musical genius."[12]

Accolades

Year-end lists for Step on Step
Publication List Rank Ref.
AllMusic Favorite Archival Releases
—
[14]
Bandcamp Daily The Best Albums of 2022
—
[15]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Charles Stepney, except where noted.

Step on Step track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Roll Tape"—0:19
2."Gimme Some Sugar" 2:33
3."Daddy's Diddies" 2:00
4."Gotta Dig It to Dig It" 3:31
5."No Credit for This" 3:29
6."Roadtrip" 5:18
7."On Your Face"
2:39
8."That's the Way of the World"
  • Stepney
  • White
4:22
9."Imagination"
  • Stepney
  • White
  • Bailey
5:52
10."In the Basement" 5:12
11."Business" 1:24
12."Look B4U Leap" 5:58
13."Around the House" 4:14
14."Funky Sci Fi" 4:10
15."Mini Mugg" 2:26
16."Chicago Independent" 1:31
17."Surround Stereo"—0:46
18."Black Gold" 2:56
19."Denim Groove" 4:13
20."Notes from Dad" 4:40
21."Rubie & Charles" 4:42
22."Greatness" 1:29
23."Step on Step" 4:02
Total length:77:46

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes.[16]

  • Charles Stepney – performance, recording
  • Eibur Stepney – production, narration
  • Charlene Stepney – production, narration
  • Chanté Stepney – production, narration
  • Scott McNiece – editing, sequencing
  • Dave Vettraino – additional recording, treatment, mixing
  • David Allen – mastering
  • Rubie Stepney – photography
  • Ayana Contreras – liner notes
  • Craig Hansen – design, layout

Charts

Chart performance for Step on Step
Chart (2022) Peak
position
UK Album Downloads (Official Charts)[17] 25
UK Independent Albums (Official Charts)[18] 19

References

  1. ^ "Step on Step | Charles Stepney". Bandcamp. Archived from the original on April 24, 2022. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
  2. ^ "Daddy's Diddies | Charles Stepney". Bandcamp. Archived from the original on May 14, 2022. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
  3. ^ Collar, Matt. "Charles Stepney". AllMusic. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
  4. ^ a b Hermes, Will (September 10, 2022). "Charles Stepney: Step on Step". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on September 24, 2022. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
  5. ^ Julious, Britt (August 15, 2022). "Charles Stepney's daughters celebrate his music with the 'Summer of Stepney,' featuring a new record 'Step on Step'". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on January 23, 2025. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
  6. ^ a b Contreras, Ayana (August 16, 2022). "Charles Stepney built lasting cathedrals inside Black music". Chicago Reader. Archived from the original on September 11, 2022. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
  7. ^ Moore, Marcus J. (September 14, 2022). "46 Years After His Death, the Producer Charles Stepney Shines Again". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 24, 2022. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
  8. ^ a b Thomas, Andy (September 8, 2022). "A New Collection of Home Recordings Reveals the Genius of Charles Stepney". Bandcamp Daily. Archived from the original on September 22, 2022. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
  9. ^ Petridis, Alexis (September 1, 2022). "'What he was doing was like nothing else': the secret recordings of genius producer Charles Stepney". The Guardian. Archived from the original on October 20, 2022. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
  10. ^ Collar, Matt. "Step on Step - Charles Stepney". AllMusic. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
  11. ^ a b c Male, Andrew (October 2022). "Mojo Filter". Mojo. No. 347. p. 97.
  12. ^ a b Bowler, Paul (September 2022). "Reviews". Record Collector. No. 535. p. 99.
  13. ^ Padua, Pat (September 25, 2022). "Charles Stepney: Step on Step". Spectrum Culture. Archived from the original on September 26, 2022. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
  14. ^ "Favorite Archival Releases | AllMusic 2022 in Review". AllMusic. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
  15. ^ "The Best Albums of 2022: R – Z". Bandcamp Daily. December 8, 2022. Archived from the original on December 20, 2022. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
  16. ^ "Step on Step | Charles Stepney". Bandcamp. Archived from the original on December 15, 2022. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
  17. ^ "Official Album Downloads Chart on 16/9/2022 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
  18. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart on 16/9/2022 – Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 16, 2026.

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