New York twins Rheji and Ronald Burrell, self-taught
musicians with an extensive gospel background, joined the group Inner
Spirit as 13-year-olds. They won first place for four consecutive years
in the New Jersey Teen Arts Festival and developed their technical and
playing skills on a four-track recorder. The duo earned a recording
deal with Virgin in the late '80s and recorded "I'll Wait For You (Take
Your Time)" and "I really like", but it faltered in the lower reaches
of the R&B charts in 1988. Burrell soon disappeared. On his own, Ronald
Burrell created Bas Noir, wrote songs, and produced the group, and Rheji
did various sessions for Nu Groove Records. |