Alta Moda

Alta Moda was a Canadian funk rock band formed in 1979 in Toronto.<ref>Craig MacInnis, "Alta Moda fires up audience". Toronto Star, May 24, 1988.</ref> It originally consisted of singer Molly Johnson and guitarist Norman Orenstein.<ref name=canenc>Jennifer Higgs, "Molly Johnson". The Canadian Encyclopedia, November 4, 2012.</ref> Drummer Steven Gelineau and bassist Etric Lyons were added in 1982 and 1983 respectively.<ref>Mark Lepage, "Alta Moda: Dance beat with lots of style". Montreal Gazette, November 26, 1987.</ref>

After performing for several years in Toronto and releasing the promotional single "Train" in 1986,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> the band signed to CBS Records and released their debut album, Alta Moda, in 1987.<ref>Craig MacInnis, "Molly gives Alta Moda the soul-pop push". Toronto Star, October 9, 1987.</ref>

The album received mixed reviews, with some critics saying it sounded too much like funk or disco;<ref>Greg Burliuk, "Alta Moda: Alta Moda". Kingston Whig-Standard, November 28, 1987.</ref> the band even faced some assertions that they were "too black" for the Canadian market.<ref>Mike Doherty, "Johnson goes to jazz hell and back: Canadian jazz singer 'rocks the flag' in France". National Post, November 22, 2006.</ref> The album spawned the single "Julian", but the song was only a modest hit, peaking at #53 in the RPM Hot 100 chart the week of January 30, 1988.<ref>"Top Singles - Volume 47, No. 15". RPM, January 30, 1988.</ref> The album's other singles, "Notown (In Particular)" and "Cool Love", did not chart.

Alta Moda contributed a non-album track, "American Chaser", to the soundtrack of the 1986 television film Popeye Doyle.<ref>Liam Lacey, "Little labels can make a big mark". The Globe and Mail, April 4, 1986.</ref>

The band declined a Juno Award nomination in the R&B category for "Julian", because they felt it was a miscategorization of the song.<ref name=barr>Greg Barr, "Pair of musical renegades driving force with Infidels". Ottawa Citizen, October 3, 1991.</ref>

Although Alta Moda had originally signed a six-album deal with CBS, they were dropped from the label after the album's poor sales.<ref name=goodgolly>Greg Barr, "Good golly!; Toronto's Molly Johnson and Alta Moda band sign big U.S. record deal". Ottawa Citizen, July 27, 1990.</ref> The band continued to perform live, on the lookout for another deal. Orenstein wrote and produced material for other artists, and Johnson performed jazz and blues with a backing band which later became Big Sugar.<ref>"Johnson plays the infidel". Ottawa Citizen, August 15, 1991.</ref>

Johnson and Orenstein signed a new deal with IRS Records in 1990,<ref name=goodgolly/> but changed the band's name to Infidels by the time of their 1991 album.<ref name=barr/>