Sister Sledge, May 17th, Mezzanine, SF

Its time for another Paradise party. This time me and BT Magnum will be playing after Holy Ghost (DFA records), our friends from the Gemini crew and a live show from Sister Sledge. If you happened to come by for the last Paradise with Escort then you will remember what a great time it was, it was easily my DJ highlight of the year and I cannot wait for this one.

Saturday, May 17th, at the Mezzanine on Jesse street.

Above is the flyer, and below is my blog haus remix of Sister Sledge's He's The Greatest Dancer.

See! now Beat Electric is just like every other blog, shameless self promotion plus choppy nu disco remix mashup laptop edits. If this bums you out I do understand, all I can do is apologize and reassure you that its all for a good cause..

Sister Sledge - He's The Greatest Dancer (Black Shag's Greatest Bloghauser remix)

Spring Fever

Fever was a SF Bay Area group that centered around Dale Reed, Joseph "Joe" Bomback and Dennis Wadlington. The group got together in 1978 and put out a 12" that was a cover of the Motown hit Standing In The Shadows Of Love. Their LP that followed is owned by at least 75% of your Beat Electric hosts and features the late, great Patrick Cowley on synthesizers. These posted tracks are from their last 12" on Fantasy Records from 1980. The guitar line in Dreams And Desire is so familiar but I can't think of where I have hear it before. There is a lot of Bay Area talent present on these records and this particular one is signed by the record's producer and Bay Area DJ legend John Hedges. I apologize for the recording of The One Tonight, I gave up after digging the groove 7 times. Tim apparently loved the track!

mp3: Fever - The One Tonight
mp3: Fever - Dreams And Desire (Jim Burgess Mix)

Eargasm

There is Eurofunk and then there is Euro Funk and they are the same group but they do not quite share the same sound. Hailing from Miami and fronted by Louie Shameea, Euro Funk released two 12 inches in 1981 on their own Eargasm Records. Besides the ridiculously amazing sleeves (unfortunately only the sleeve for "Everybody's Dancing" is pictured here) the tracks are pure boogie gold.

Everybody's Dancing is a raw and funky rewrite of Jimmy Ross's "First True Love affair" complete with the same guitar and basslines, but layered with a new vocal melody and lyrics. "Dynomite" is my personal jam. Check the hypnotic guitar and synth melodies as well as the dubbed out bomb drop effects.

In 1983 Euro Funk became the one word Eurofunk and finally lived up to their moniker releasing the somewhat cheesey Italo track "Manshortage" on Pantera Records. Reissued as part of Morgan Geist's "Unclassics" series, "Manshortage" is much more ubiquitous, but doesn't hold a candle to the earlier releases on Eargasm.

Euro Funk - Everybody's Dancing
Euro Funk - Dynomite

She Can't Love You

Chemise released this track, "She Can't Love You" on Emergency Records in 1982. This track was mastered by the notable Herb Powers Jr and was written and produced by Rickie and Ron Muldrow. For the year it was made, this track has a very contemporary feel.

mp3: Chemise - She Can't Love You

All Of My Lovin'

This is a boogie monster.

Jimmy Williams was from Philadelphia, lead singer of Double Exposure and bass player with the O'Jays, as well as session bass man on countless big disco era records. Jimmy is no longer with us, passing away in 1995.

'All Of My Lovin' is his most well known solo single and harks from the beginning of the boogie era, it is one of my all time favorite modern soul records and it is an absolute dancefloor smasher. Its a little rare to find, although it has seen CD re release by salsoul a few years ago, this mp3 is recorded from my virgin ramshorn release. If you can find it pick it up as the instrumental on the flip is also a useful tool for making other DJ's cry.

Jimmy Williams - All Of My Lovin

Let's Be Free

The French group Voyage has been covered here before when we featured their 1980 tune I Love You Dancer. Souvenirs is from 1978 and is a glamorous pure disco dance floor burner. This rare Hot Tracks remix from 1983 on Power Records attempts to put a modern spin on the sound and removes the vocals. While it is at a more gentle tempo, they removed a lot of what made the original track so great. On the end of the track it seems they added a bit of a Muzak version for good measure.

mp3: Voyage - Souvenirs (12" Version)
mp3: Voyage - Souvenirs (Hot Tracks Mix)

Tiempos Buenos!

Many attempts by Latin artists were made to cover American Disco tracks pretty much from the inception of the genre. Charanga 76 were probably the most successful of the lot. I would stop short of saying that their covers were better than the original versions, but when you are up against an artist as influential and important as Chic, you better do a damn good interpretation. I would venture to say that Charanga pulled it off quite nicely. The slowed down, laid back groove and the dubbed out production sit very nicely with this cut. "Good Times - Comos Vamos A Gozar" was the first single from their 1979 LP No Nos Pararan. The album also included Charanga's fantastic cover of Mcfadden and Whiteheads "Ain't No Stopping us Now" which was featured on Dimitri from Paris's Disco Forever compilation released on BBE Records in 2000.

Charanga 79 - Good Times
Charanga 76 - Ain't No Stopping Us Now

Big Apple Productions

This is a record, but also a mix, its a mix on a record. Big Apple Productions #1 came out in 1982 and was a bootleg, tightly edited mix of the current dance smashed of the time. It is consistently cited by DJ's of the era as being influential is inspiring a progression in their mixing style, I think its fun, although too fast paced for my liking to be used as a DJ tool albeit for the run of hi nrg breaks toward the end.

Although uncredited the mix was actually put together by 80's New York scene DJ Mikey D'Merola, one of the few DJ's of the time who still actively spins modern and older dance cuts to this day (I havent heard any of his current mixes but I would very much like to if you have any).

Now here is a contest for you, who can spot every one of the tracks played in this mix? Anyone who posts a complete listing will get a special Beat Electric prize. I'll draw the url of the blog onto an american apparel size small ringer t-shirt using a crayon or something, or give up my last and only bottle of LeBaron's limited edition vinyl cleaning solution.

As an added bonus track I'm also putting up the instrumental version of Mr Flagio's Take A Chance, because nobody else has and I'm nice like that.

Big Apple Productions - Vol. 1

Mr Flagio - Take A Chance (Instrumental Version)

Tokyo...Tokyo...Tokyo

Yellow Magic Orchestra was a Japanese electro band that got together in 1978. They are acknowledged as being forerunners in the synthpop, technopop and electropop genres. This track is from 1979 and it was way ahead of it's time. If you lust after giant Moog modular synths, check out this video.

mp3: Yellow Magic Orchestra - Technopolis

Come On And Do It, Do It!

I had been wanting this record for a long time, it is some of the finest work by Patrick Adams. Not the LP pictured, but the 12". There it was sitting without a sleeve, getting pretty scratched up in a pile of heat that I picked up at a flea market in San Francisco. I had just bought the Keep On Jumpin' LP on ebay a couple of days before, and was happy to have a great 12" by Musique for 50 cents; even though it doesn't have the artwork. In the Bush, from a Disco Heat compilation was played at my wedding by one of my friends, so the song holds a lot of sentimental value for my wife and the guests. I was really excited to hear the B side, Keep On Jumpin' because it is a track that is on the amazing free download record Juiced by The Cansecos. Enjoy!

mp3: Musique - In The Bush
mp3: Musique - Keep On Jumpin'

Give Me The Dance

This is the one and only release by Kym. "Give Me The Dance" came out on Award Records in 1983. There isn't much information about Kym as an artist, but if you are only going to release one track this is the way to do it.

mp3: Kym - Give Me The Dance

Cash Dollars

Alvin Cash was a soul singer and dancer that hailed from St. Louis, Missouri. Shortly after moving to Chicago in search of a record deal, former Motown producer Andrew Williams discovered Cash and helped him record his 1963 debut hit R & B Single "Twine Time". Cash went on to have a few more minor hits and supporting roles in several 70's blaxploitation films including Petey Wheatstraw and Black Jack.

Released as a 7 inch single in 1982 on St. Louis based private label, Gateway Records "Cash Dollars" is a raw soul number with a throwback funky vibe filtered through the more modern prism of early 80's boogie groove. Remaining on the fringes of popularity, Cash continued to make music and performed in the Chicago area regularly until his death from an ulcer in 1999.

Alvin Cash - Cash Dollars

Take It, It's All Yours!

Starpoint was one of the greatest lazer soul bands to grace the 80's with their jams. They were originally called Licyndiana, which is not pronounceable because it is a acronym of the band member's names. They have a similar sound to that of Aurra and hail from Maryland. With the late Renee Diggs' amazing voice and Ernesto and George Phillips' thick pipes, their songs are filled with emotion. Kayode Adeyemo and Ernesto Philips co-wrote much of the songs. The funky synth work and disco guitar are standard fare. They put out records from 1980 till 1990. Kayode went on to write Milli Vanilli's hit, Girl You Know It's True.

I recently found Kayode online and he says, "This is the song that got it all started back in 1980!"



mp3: Starpoint - Wanting You
mp3: Starpoint - It's All Yours

Master Of His Game

George Duke wore many hats during his long, diverse career and this was his easily his best. Featuring a fantastic lead vocal by Lynn Davis, "I Want You For Myself" is a flawless disco tune composed and produced by a musician more well regarded for his jazz/fusion work. 'Nuff Said.

George Duke - I Want You For Myself

Madmen's Discotheque

Aaah the things we do for pure disco pleasure. I had to run my precious Grado stylus over this record two times to dig out the groove before I could get a good recording of this fine and rare record. Beat Electric plans on building a pair of record washers in the near future; I have just the decks to make it happen and I have just the right record cleaner to do it. For more details on how to buy our highly specified high grade record cleaner, email us.
Ok, this is a Disconet mix of Madmen's Discotheque by The Chaplin Band by Casey Jones. Disconet records are prized possessions by record collectors and DJs because they feature unique extended mixes and edits by the top DJs from back in the day. DJs like Bobby Guttardo and Tom Savarese were regular remixers. Disconet was a record pool and their releases were not available to the public.

mp3: The Chaplin Band - Madmen's Discotheque Part II (Disconet mix)

Walking Into Sunshine

"Walking Into Sunshine" by Central Line is by far their biggest hit. This mix done by Larry Levan has reserved use of synths, perfectly catchy vocals and a lackadaisical beat all of which create a super balanced mix. Not rare, hard to find or even expensive, just a nice solid anti-nine to five tune.

mp3: Central Line - Walking Into Sunshine

Samson & Delilah

'I Can Feel Your Love Slipping Away' has a long title and a lovely vocal line, but for some reason the instrumental version is far more sublime, with hints of the vocal chorus used sparingly throughout on top of the hook heavey and unique synthlines.

Recorded in 1984, there is not much to tell you about the artists other than that they were probably a collective of Detroit area session musicians, brought together as a side project by Michigan area producer and gun for hire Bruce Nazarian (his 80's Detroit disco credits include Was Not Was), who is no doubt responsible for the great synth work. Bruce still works today, writing popular books on DVD production techniques.

Daniel Wang sampled the track to great effect in his 1995 classic 'Not Feeling It', and Black Shag puts it in his all time boogie top 10, so it must be ace..

Samson & Delilah - 'I Can Feel Your Love Slipping Away'

Beats On The Run

I don't think I have heard a disco record with a more pronounced four on the floor. The mix is virtually buried under the stomp of the bass drum. This club classic from 1979 by Colleen Heather means business and is a good example of a record that was made for a dance club and would not work on the radio. I wonder what this would have sounded like on an RLA system back in the day. I recently got a DBX boombox, and have seen this record shake the house first hand. Colleen is backed by The Rubber Rock Band and the track was mixed by Walter Gibbons on West End Records. Walter Gibbons was the first DJ to sit at a mixing desk when he lent his ear and mixed Ten Percent by Double Exposure in 1976 on Salsoul records as the first 12" single to ever be sold.

mp3: Colleen Heather - On The Run (Long Version)

Everybody Get Down

Alphonse Mouzon has had a long and storied career in the music industry. He got his start as a jazz drummer and at some point has played with just about everyone including Roy Ayers, Larry Coryell, and Stevie Wonder. By the late 70's, he had evolved into a successful composer and producer. Like so many other soul and jazz musicians Alphonse caught the fever and started two excellent disco projects. The first being the female fronted Poussez (more on them in a later post) as well as Mouzon's Electric Band which was fronted by a male vocalist. The Electric Band cut one LP in 1979 which featured the 12 inch single "Everybody Get Down". This track is a total dancefloor banger thanks to the incredible production value and the driving, hypnotic bassline. Admittedly, I am a total a sucker for the dirty, semi-cheesy sax solo that kicks in half way through the song.

Mouzon still performs with a jazz trio to this day, as well as dabbles in acting. He also runs a massage therapy clinic for the ladies called Mr Magic Hands Therapeutic Massage. His rather incredible biography can be found here.

Mouzon's Electric Band- Everybody Get Down

Sea Level

Sea Level was formed by Allman Brothers band members Lamar Williams, Jaimoe, and Chuck Leavell in 1976. After the release of the first album, Cats on the Coast, the band added musicians Davis Causey, George Weaver and Randall Bramblett. In 1979 they released this 12" on Capricorn, "Sneakers (Fifty-Four)", a smooth, jazzy, midtempo track with excellent guitar, sax and piano playing.

mp3: Sea Level - Sneakers (Fifty-Four)

You Are The One

Sunday 4:07 PM EST. Sitting in a Miami roach motel with a killer hangover. Brutal trance remixes creeping in from the mega hotel next store. DJ Fucknuts 5000 on the decks 24 hours a day. Must cleanse the soul with some quality boogie. AM-FM to the rescue.


AM-FM - You Are The One

Starflight - Dancer

So everybody knows Gino Soccio's 'Dancer', part of the standard cannon, and for good reason. It has been covered several times, most recently I heard Escort do it live and no doubt over the years there have been versions I have yet to hear, but of those I do know (including the original) Starflight's is my favorite.

Most people sweat this record because the other side Contains 'Dance To The Beat', a track that appears on mixes all over the place and got an Automan bootleg re-release, but few mention the Gino Soccio cover version. It keeps the original's driving disco edge but with an 808 breakdown and subtle turbtable scratch bridge that indicates that it is now 1983 and things have moved on four years since Gino first penned the track.

Starflight - Dancer

Latin Spice

This is a funky boogie jam that was produced in 1983 by Gregg Carmichael and Mitch Brathwaite. This all star team also produced other jams together along with Patrick Adams. Together they produced several one offs, including: Ya Dog by Clair, I Can't Stop Dancin' by Conversion, and one of my favorites: Push (In The Bush) by Clair Hicks and Love Exchange. With its proto house piano and sparse arrangement it makes me think it would have gone down well at the Garage. A stripped down tune like this can do a good job of giving the hard working Beat Electric crowd a chance to stretch out and relax to prepare for BT Magnum to dish out Fall Into A Trance; when they will have to dance their asses off again. 

mp3: Spice - You' re So Nice (Latin Spice) Extended Version

Infatuation

Infatuation came out on New York's small Silver Cloud Records in 1983. Look out for anything on Silver Cloud, its all boogie gold, and although the label and their number of releases were small they seemed to have enough distribution that their output will now run you between $7 and $70 for the rarer cuts.

This is perhaps their best known release, alongside the highly sought after Heavy Hitter by Barbara Norris that came out on parent label United Performers, which has been turning up on trendy italo/electro disco bootleg comps over the past couple of years. Both tracks share production by Edward Colon, who I believe still had house music credits dating up until the late nineties.

Up Front - Infatuation

Kubuki Disco!

Not much to say other than that I am glad this exists. This is a very campy and very driving disco tune that was produced by cheesemeister Michael Lloyd. Lifted from the internet:
"*(Mitsuyo "Mie" Nemoto, Keko "Kei" Masuda) Known as "Pink Lady", these two female Japanese rock singers were introduced to American television via this comedy variety hour [Pink Lady and Jeff]. Mie & Kei may have been popular in Japan, but their U.S. debut quickly fizzled out. One reason the series disappeared: the stars spoke very little English and had to be guided through the program sketches by American comedian Jeff Altman."

mp3: Pink lady - Kiss In The Dark

Ecstasy

Barry White really needs no introduction.
This track is a sultry, slow disco tune that kicks back behind his vocals quite nicely.
Released in 1977 as a single on 20th Century Records from the album "Barry White Sings For Someone You Love".

mp3: Barry White - It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me

Rock The House

I feel like just about every post I write these days is about a one-off artist and Elite are no exception to that rule. Released in 1980, "Rock The House" fell into that nice roller-disco sound that Vaughan Mason and Crew helped pioneer just a year earlier on Dakar's parent label, Brunswick Records. By no means a rare gem, "Rock The House" is a fine party jam with a sort of heavy, yet minimal groove.

I would love to brag that this track lights up the dancefloor whenever it gets dropped at one of our epic Beat Electric DJ sets. It is probably safer to say that almost every time without fail someone dressed straight out of an Old Navy catalog circa 1997 comes up and requests that I play something from the '80's instead. In fact a smoking hot babe sporting a tube top and true religion jeans once asked our guy LeBaron to "play some Michael Jackson" while he was in the middle of spinning "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough". I can definitely respect that.

Fuck Yeah!

Elite - Rock The House (Part 1)
Elite - Rock The House (Part 2)

Powerline

Powerline is a collaborative effort between Andy Sojka and Jerry Pike. This track, "Double Journey", is a 13+ minute musical endeavor released on both Elite and Prelude Records in 1981, then again by Françios K.'s label Wave Music in 1998. The bassline in this track is perfectly laid back yet driving. The track was mastered by famed Herb Powers Jr. and it is a true pleasure to listen to. There is a rather hard to find promo release of "Double Journey" on Prelude which is what is posted here.

My apologies for such a poor photo, I am clearly not a strong swimmer when it comes to the photographic arts.

mp3: Powerline - Double Journey

Ai No Corrida

Ai No Corrida was the name of a racy and controversial 1976 Japanese film (the US title is In The Realm Of the Senses) from 1976. Corrida means "bullfight" in Spanish and Ai No means "of love" in Japanese. This track was written by Chas (Chaz) Jankel and was featured on his debut album in 1980. This 1981 version by Quincy Jones is a boogie masterpiece which benefits from wonderful production, a great horn section and Herbie Hancock on the Rhodes.

mp3: Quincy Jones - Ai No Corrida

Come Let Me Love You

Jeanette "Lady" Day burst onto the scene in 1981 with this killer entry on the excellent Prelude label. The track is laced with raw sexed-up vocals, a super tight arrangement and some stellar percussion breaks as well as a fine mix by the one and only Francois Kevorkian. Once again we have another one hit wonder soul diva here. She dropped this gem of a cut and disappeared quickly into the disco nether, never to be heard from again. Damn.

Jeanette "Lady" Day- Come Let Me Love You

Void Vision

Driving drums with a lot of reverb, check; electronic toms, check; simple well executed melody, check; incredible vocoded vocals, check. This is an italo electro track that does everything that Chris Menace and Fred Falke want to do, but did it in 1985. Produced by Italian dudes A. Zanni (who was also in Faxe) and S. Cundari (who produced Hipnosis, Koto, and a Ken Laszlo track which was previously posted here.) This must have blown people's minds when it came out.

mp3: Cyber People - Void Vision (Slow Version)
Get a sped up version at The Red Room here

Such A Feeling!

Aurra was a modern soul group from Ohio that got together in 1979. The project was a spin off of Slave and it allowed the talented songwriter/producer/arranger Steve Washington to bring twice the heat (and make twice as much scrilla) to two separate labels. The singers, Starleana Young and Curt Jones have a playful and conversational way of singing the songs which really make the songs special. It is almost like you are listening to an argument between a married couple sometimes. Aurra disbanded 1986 due to a legal dispute, after which Young and Jones went on as Déjà.

mp3: Aurra - Nasty Disposition
mp3: Aurra - Checking You Out
mp3: Aurra - Such A Feeling (LeBaron Edit)

Dazzle

Dazzle is the collaboration of Leroy Burgess and Stan Lucas. There wasn't too much in terms of releases from these guys, one LP, one promo 12" and a 7", but what they did release is pretty fantastic. "You Dazzle Me" is the B side to "Walk Before You Run" on the 12" promo release on De-Lite Records in 1979, and is far and away the hit. This is a very upbeat track and the production is spot on.

mp3: Dazzle - You Dazzle Me

Super Dud

Some tracks only work within a very certain context when playing out to a crowd, other s may have a slightly more universal appeal. I'm no genius selector, but I thought Jimmy Bo Horne's 'Is It In' was always a safe bet, I guess I was proven wrong a couple of Thursdays ago when I played it to a small but packed dancefloor at the end of my set, leaving behind only a wasteland for the next DJ to take over.

"That track you just played left me in bad shape. Its a dud!" "AARGH"



Then again it could have been the fact that a big group of girls on a 21st birthday party had decided to move on, I don't think Jimmy Bo Horne need take all the blame, but either way I stand by 'Is It In'. Its too funky and if it didn't work its only because I didn't apply it correctly.

mp3: Jimmy Bo Horne - Is It In

Why Leave Us Alone

Five Special formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1978 and disbanded circa 1981. Their only hit "Why Leave Us Alone" reached #9 on the Billboard R & B charts in 1979. This very soulful, epic disco number was a favorite of Larry Levan's and is featured on 2006's Journey Into Paradise compilation (NOT the Levan mix) on Rhino Records. The only 12 inch version listed on discogs is a mix by Rick Gianatos. I happen to have an Elektra red label copy with a 10:17 Larry Levan and Billy Kessler mix. I couln't seem to find any information online about this particular pressing or mix. I would have put a photo of the label up here but my digital camera is on its last leg and I couldn't get a proper shot. My guess is that this pressing is a complete rarity. Nonetheless, "Why Leave Us Alone" takes it to the next level.

mp3: Five Special - Why Leave Us Alone (Larry Levan + Billy Kessler Mix)

Spirit

The beginning of this record is simply perfection.
Patti LaBelle released this powerhouse track, "The Spirit's In It", in 1981 on Philadelphia International Records as part of the same named LP. Philadelphia International also released an extended version of the track as a reasonably elusive white label promo 12". The backing band delivers an epic performance with guitars, sax and a horn section that further lifts her vocals.
From start to finish this track is full force.

mp3: Patti LaBelle - The Spirit's In It

Move Away, You'll Never Be The Same!

This is a really heavy italo boogie track that is a powerhouse of soul. The positively iconic horns and Chic like guitar make this a track a secret weapon. This tune is loaded with charm while having none of the cheesiness that is rampant in much of the italo tunes from this era. I am 90% sure the singer doesn't speak a word of English.

mp3: Ose' Jang - Shake Me (Extended Version)

Girl You Groove Me

Rather ironic due to their moniker, very little is known about Legacy. The band released two private label 12"s and the "Word Up" single on the more ubiquitous Brunswick label in 1982. "Word Up" is a classic Boogie track featuring killer synth-bass, an awesome staccato guitar line and driving cowbell. This heavily sampled cut is probably best known as the blueprint for "Peter Piper" by Run DMC. The track also probably has one of the best lyrical/vocal arrangements of the era. Just listen for the "Raawwwr" or "Say What??" lines. Classic!

Legacy- "Word Up"

Party Music Can You Feel It?

Easily the most satisfying moment in my years as a music promoter came in the fall of 2006 when I had the opportunity to bring legendary band ESG to perform in San Francisco for the very first time. It is still unbelievable to me that it took this extremely influential band almost 30 years to make it out to SF. It was quite inspiring to see three ladies well into their 50's deliver a completely stellar performance.

One of the things that amazes me about this band is that they never tinkered with their sound. They survived through so many different trends and musical shifts over the years and never pulled away from the punk/funk/disco sound that they so well helped to define. Just listen to the bands recent release "Keep on Moving" on the fantastic UK label Soul Jazz Records. You cannot tell if those tracks were produced in the year 1980 or 2006.

Released on the Popular Records imprint in 1988, the 12 inch single "Party Music" seemingly came out of nowhere during a fairly inactive period for the band. "Party Music" is my favorite ESG track and showcased a band throwing down super hard 10 years into their career and deep in the mist of strange and different musical climates. This cut is a disco tour de force years after the genres decline. This is my kind of party!

mp3: E.S.G. - Party Music (Party Mix)