Editing Rotary Connection (section)

===Foundation and debut album===
The highly experimental band was the idea of [[Marshall Chess]], son of [[Chess Records]] founder [[Leonard Chess]].<ref name="LarkinSM">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Guinness Who's Who of Soul Music]]|editor=[[Colin Larkin (writer)|Colin Larkin]]|publisher=[[Guinness Publishing]]|date=1993|edition=First|isbn=0-85112-733-9|page=222}}</ref> Marshall was the director behind a start-up label, Cadet Concept Records, and wanted to focus on music outside of the [[blues]] and [[rock and roll|rock]] genres, which had made the Chess label popular.<ref name="LarkinSM"/> This led Marshall to turn his attention to the burgeoning psychedelic movement. He recruited [[Charles Stepney]], a [[vibraphonist]] and classically trained [[arranger]] and [[Record producer|producer]]. Marshall then recruited members of a little-known white rock band, the Proper Strangers: Bobby Simms, [[Mitch Aliotta]], and Ken Venegas. Sidney Barnes, a songwriter within the Chess organization, also joined, as did Judy Hauff and a Chess receptionist named [[Minnie Riperton]], who would later be successful in her own solo career.<ref name="LarkinSM"/> Marshall also called up prominent [[session musician]]s associated with the Chess label, including guitarist [[Phil Upchurch]] and drummer [[Morris Jennings]].<ref name="LarkinSM"/> Chess described the band's members as "the hottest, most [[avant-garde music|avant garde]] [[rock music|rock]] guys in [[Chicago]]".<ref name="Shannon">{{cite web |url=http://www.furious.com/Perfect/muddywaterselectricmud.html |title=''Muddy Waters: His most hated, misunderstood album'' |access-date=2009-03-18 |last=Shannon |first=Tim |date=December 2006 |publisher=[[Perfect Sound Forever (magazine)|Perfect Sound Forever]]}}</ref>

The band released their [[Rotary Connection (album)|self-titled debut album]] in late 1967.<ref name="LarkinSM"/> It had various styles, borrowing heavily from pop, rock, and soul, but was not radio friendly. The album also boasted an Eastern influence through its use of the [[sitar]] on the tracks "Turn Me On" and "Memory Band". Stepney's arrangements, brought to life by the [[Chicago Symphony Orchestra]], imbued the album with a certain dreamlike quality; this would become a trademark of both the arranger and the mouthpiece.