Burning The Ground Exclusive
Debuting on Club Nouveau leader Jay King’s RCA-distributed label, King Jay Records, Theresa was a Sacramento, California–based duo made up of singer Theresa King and keyboardist Victor Porter. Their sound blended smooth mid-80s R&B with the polished production and melodic sensibilities that defined Jay King’s musical circle.
In 1987, the duo released their debut album Broken Puzzle, which reached #62 on Billboard’s R&B Albums Chart. The LP’s production roster read like a who’s who of late-’80s R&B: Jay King, along with Thomas McElroy and Denzil Foster—the powerhouse production team that would soon make waves as part of Foster & McElroy, crafting hits for artists like Tony! Toni! Toné! and En Vogue.
The album’s standout single, “Last Time,” became Theresa’s breakthrough moment. Peaking at #18 on Billboard’s Hot Black Singles Chart, it spent an impressive 17 weeks on the chart—marking the duo’s highest and only major chart success. The song’s sleek grooves, soulful vocals, and synth-driven production perfectly captured the late-’80s R&B radio sound—refined, heartfelt, and dancefloor-ready.
Though Theresa never followed up with another album, Broken Puzzle remains a hidden gem from a fertile era of West Coast R&B, when Jay King’s creative network helped shape the sound of modern soul.
SIDE A:
Last Time (Radio Version) 4:22
Last Time (Dub Mix) 2:49
SIDE B:
Last Time (Club Mix) 5:43
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
| Chart | Peak Position | Date |
|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot Black Singles | #18 | 1987 |
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: RCA Victor – 6489-1-RDX, King Jay Records – 6489-1-RDX
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Single
Country: US
Released: 1987
Genre: Electronic, Funk / Soul
Style: RnB/Swing, Electro, Funk
CREDITS:
- Baritone Vocals [Additional] – Valerie Watson
- Co-producer [Associate Producer], Executive Producer – Jay King
- Edited By – James Reese
- Engineer [Remix Engineer] – Norman Whitfield Jr.
- Photography By, Design – Darius Anthony
- Producer – Denzil Foster & Thomas McElroy*
- Remix – E. Nuri*
- Written-By – Denzil Foster-Thomas McElroy*, Jay King
NOTES:
“Theresa” is Theresa King & Victor Porter
Produced for 2-Tuff-E-Nuff Productions
From the forthcoming album, “Broken Puzzle”
Made in U.S.A.
Nuy the 12″ at DISCOGS
VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for BURNING THE GROUND
THE GEAR:
Turntable: Technics SL-1200MK7
Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon Concorde Music Black
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro Spin Acrylic Mat
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp: Pro-Jec Tube Box DS2
Tubes: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7 ECC83/B759 Gold Pins Vacuum Tube – Matched Pair
DAC: Alpha Design Labs GT40a USB DAC
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner
SOFTWARE:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 25 (Recording)
Down Sampling/Dither: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator
RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi
**24bit FLAC Only Available For Seven Days!
Password: burningtheground
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