October 17, 2006
DISCO SPECIAL
DISCO SPECIAL: PART ONE | 68M44S | 97.1MB | NOW iTUNES READY!
01. Fred Wesley - House Party
02. The Detroit Emeralds - Feel The Need In Me
03. Double Exposure - My Love Is Free
04. Silvetti - Spring Rain
05. Bunny Sigler - By The Way You Dance (I Knew It Was You)
06. Universal Robot Band - Barely Breaking Even
07. Suzy Q - Get On Up And Do It Again
08. Tamiko Jones - Can't Live Without Your Love
09. Donna Summer - Love To Love You Baby
Disco. What a fucking genre. Why was it burned at the stake by the general population? I don't recall there ever being public record burnings of smooth jazz and that probably deserved it more. What people seem to forget is that disco is one of the most musically intelligent and adaptive of genres. There is no Disco Duck here. Disco has fast become one of my favorite musical genres and I am always surprised by what I find. So I'd like to share.
This is the first of a two part series. (possibly three.) It is the more traditional disco mix of the two. (or three.) You might want to call it "A Tom Moulton Mix" since he mixed quite a few of these tracks. I would also recommend you check out the new Soul Jazz Records compilation by the same name. Track 02 is on it. My jam of the year. There is plenty on the web on Mr. Moulton but two quick points is that he is a founding father or the extended mix and consequently the 12". A very important man.
I am vaguely trying to give a balls out overview of the massive nature of disco but that will be impossible to do. Nothing incredibly rare here, but it would still all sound as good in the clubs today as it did then. This mix starts with more Philly/Northern Soul and Funk type Disco and proceeds to the more Orchestral side of things and then hangs out in Miami and I end it with what some consider the best Disco track ever: the epic, Love To Love You Baby. Everyone should hear it at least it once in their lives. Stay tuned to part deux. It will be pure mayhem. Space, Dub, Italo, Electro and other indescribable sorts of Disco. And don't even get me started with Arthur Russell and nor the de-constructionists. Trust me, it will be fun, fun, fun.
Posted by Fran at October 17, 2006 11:00 PM
Comments
i downloaded your kompakt mix earlier in the year (which was great )and i've come back for this! i used to have a cd full of detroit emerald and fatback band tracks but i lost it ot an ex girlfriend. if you do part three you might want to put some eddie kendricks on there esp date with the rain. best.stefan
Posted by: stefan at December 28, 2006 12:55 PM
Thanks for the comment Stefan! Indeed, date with the rain is an excellent track. I am about 3/4 of the way through the third disco comp but things like the holidays and year end lists have gotten in the way. Thanks for checking my little site out!
Posted by: fran at December 28, 2006 07:05 PM