It’s time again for the sixth instalment of Disco! This time we’ve ten choice cuts from the 70’s featuring the brilliance of Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers’ Chic, SOLAR’s Shalamar and the Omni presence at many a party and club for many a decade: Cheryl Lynn. There’s also Norman Connors’ Aquarian Dream, Motown’s Magic Disco Machine, EWF’s influenced Pockets, SAM’s Gary’s Gang, the hugely talented Patrice Rushen and the percussive brilliance of Candido. Special mention though must go to Andrea True of Andrea True Connection fame. A one time porn actress, she decided that Microphones were a safer bet to be holding and in 1976 produced one of the most recognisable tunes of the 70’s. Not the best it’s fair to say, but we’re here to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Amen to that.

In this volume we carry on the relentless pace of the Vol.1.

On Salsoul Records first, you’ll find the glorious boogie of Love Committee, then it’s the classic Mainline from Black Ivory, followed by the always entertaining and often soulful Love Unlimited. Rose Royce and Sister Sledge then provide tracks that are often played but never truly considered. We’re here to put that right. Celi Bee? Possibly not an obvious candidate for S&J but this is a great track from 1979. From the same year Sergio Mendes with Brasil ’88 and the thumping I’ll Tell You. Mass Production and Funkadelic get funky in a 120 BPM type of way and then it’s across the water for some euro disco from Voyage to finish off this edition. At our age we’ll need to take a breather, but we’ll be back with Vol.3 shortly.

It’s time to throw on a large collared shirt, some flared strides and a generous splash of less-than expensive after shave and head back into the days of disco. All jokes apart, we take a moment to consider some of the great music that played such an important part in shaping the music we hear to this day.

Featured here you’ll find the wonderfully percussive sound of T-Connection, the debut single from a young and enthusiastic Teena Marie, the underated and continually excellent GQ, the superbly funky Con Funk Shun, one of the great percussionists Bill Summers & The Summers Heat, prior to his UK’s 118 resurrection, Ray Parker Jr & Raydio with a great instrumental groove, the party favourite from A Taste Of Honey, the evergreen vibes man Roy Ayers and a track from Diana Ross’ excellent Ashford & Simpson produced set, The Boss.

Disco! Vol.1
24th May 2010

Artist – Track – Album – Year

T-Connection   Do What You Wanna Do   Magic   1978
Teena Marie   I’m Just A Sucker For Your Love   Wild and Peaceful   1979
GQ   Disco Nights   Disco Nights   1979
Con Funk Shun   Got To Be Enough   Spirit Of Love   1980
Instant Funk   Got My Mind Made Up   Instant Funk   1979
Bill Summers & The Summers Heat   Straight To The Bank   Straight To The Bank   1978
Ray Parker Jr & Raydio   For Those Who Like To Groove   Two Places At The Same Time   1980
A Taste Of Honey   Boogie Oogie Oogie   A Taste Of Honey   1978
Roy Ayers   Get On Up, Get On Down   You Send Me   1978
Diana Ross   The Boss   Origianl 12″ Remix   1979

So, back to the Disco for some further exhilaration and it’s a 10 track selection to take you back to the halcyon days of gleaming disco balls and unrequited love. Actually, from personal experience I think it might have been something to do with the way I danced that led to lonely walks home but the passion for music was never in doubt.

Musique, Sheila B. Devotion, Bombers and Metropolis are the perfect exponents here of great disco music whilst more soulful offerings come from the late Teddy Pendergrass and another Philly veteran, Archie Bell with his Drells and a track from his ‘Dance Your Troubles Away’ album. The Salsoul label provides two tracks from 1979 with First Choice and also the percussive genius of Candido. There’s the evergreen Melba Moore, who’s still making great soul music, and Chantal Curtis, who provides one of my favourite disco tracks ever: ‘Get Another Love’. It’s all good! BH

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It’s that time again, time indeed for the fourth installment of all things Disco! We kick off with the brassy sound of Crown Heights Affair with the amazing ‘Galaxy Of Love’, followed seamlessly by Don Downing’s wonderful ‘Dreamworld’. Lee Moore shows what a proper 12” should feel like with the relentless groove of Reachin’ Out and is then followed by Trussel, B.T. Express, SOLAR’s Dynasty, The Boppers, Tavares and a cult classic from Crème d’Cocoa ‘Doin’ The Dog’ . Jimmy Ross finalises this particular edition with the seemingly European groove of ‘First True Love Affair’ from 1981.

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Disco! Vol.4 Playlist

We will always endevour to create an affiliate link to the original album , whether you are buying a CD or downloading. However, if a digital copy does not exist from the original source we will look for an alternative which uses the full length original version i.e. from a ‘Best of…’ or compilation.

On this edition we check out ten, full-length versions of some classic dance grooves from the late 70’s and early 80’s. First off, there’s music from the late Isaac Hayes in his Polydor phase, the SOLAR sound of Dynasty and the unmistakable early Edward/Rodgers production work with Chic. Other tracks come from Change, the wonderful vocal talent that is Bobby Thurston and Prelude’s The Strikers with the legendary ‘Body Music’. B.T. Express groove as ever, Brunswick’s Young & Co. provide the 1980 classic ‘I Like What You’re Doing To Me’ and the Hutchinson sisters, better known as The Emotions, provide the classic ‘Best Of My Love’. Finally, The Players Association provide their second track of this series with ‘Ride The Groove’. We then take a drink from the bar, get a rest for a moment and get to work on Volume 4: onwards and upwards!

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Disco! Vol.3 Playlist

We will always endevour to create an affiliate link to the original album , whether you are buying a CD or downloading. However, if a digital copy does not exist from the original source we will look for an alternative which uses the full length original version i.e. from a ‘Best of…’ or compilation.