Here is a 1984 house classic in its 1985 special longer remix form. "You Don't Know" was produced by Paul Simpson and still sounds excellent today. As a bonus I'll throw in this garage flavored extended Shep Pettibone mix from Instant Funk.

If you are in the Sacramento area tonight I'll be playing records at The Press Club for a new weekly party, "FFFreak". Come hang out and dance to '80s music!


Serious Intention - You Don't Know (special remix)
Instant Funk - (Just Because) You'll Be Mine (Extended Club Mix)

I am playing in Oakland tomorrow night For Tha Funk Of It, come out if you are in the area. Maybe we can do a sideshow in my Jetta afterward.

Here are a couple of mid-week dance floor bangers for you. The first track by Gary L. was featureed in Black Shag's epic Chicago House post that has been taken down because at least 40 music blogs had to move to a middle eastern contemporary jazz folk format out of fear of getting clowned again. Gary L. aka Gary Little, put out a few records in the late 80's to mid 90's. This one came outon Sensations Records out of Newark NJ in around 1987. This mix was done by the kings of Garage house: Timmy Regisford and Boyd Jarvis.

This next one is a funky house bootleg based on a 1979 track, I Zimbra by the Talking Heads. This cut came out on came out on Di Sisco Recordings sometime between then and now.

Gary L. - Time (Time To Party) (Timmy Regisford and Boyd Jarvis Mix)
Unknown Artist - Zimbra

This groovy track has a lot going on. It is pure synth boogie mixed with proto garage flavor. It came out on Salsoul records in 1984 and it was produced by Randy Muller from Brass Construction and Skyy. I like that this vocal version has starts out giving you the woman's perspective in a deva-esque delivery and then the man gives his rebuttal in a well executed rap.

Funk Deluxe - This Time

This is a great 1983 track that came out on Mango records in 1983. It has a proto garage sound with a dark synth bass and cosmic synth sounds. It also has a really long janky keyboard solo up front that I love. Sorry my copy(s) are so jacked, I tried my best to remove the pops.

Affinity - Don't Go Away (Runaway Dub)

This track makes me imagine a mid day street party in New York with people getting down everywhere. People thowin' down with fire hydrants splashing everywhere. Let's thow that party one of these days.

The Paul Simpson connection put out a couple of records in the early 80's. This one, from 1982 on Streetwise Records is about as proto-garage as you can get.

Paul Simpson Connection - Use Me, Lose Me

Here is an interesting track by Funktion Freeks on Purple Reign Records, released in 1986. Wet dreams make for bizarre songwriting material, but maybe his bedroom looks like the one pictured above with 1937 Altec /Lansing/RCA horn system powered by a Marantz 8B. Lots of drum machine clatter in there and lots of jankeyness. It is definitely halfway between garage house and freestyle. It catches its stride in the final third.

Funktion Freeks - So Hard Up For Your Love

This is a self produced track by Miami artist Michael Sterling. It was released by Success Records in 1983. This track combines a pop lock'n beat, great modern soul vocals, and a little garage house flavor to create a really unique sound. The cop sirens would become a theme later in his career as he played bass in Inner Circle, who is responsible for the pseudo reggae track Bad Boys (What Cha Gonna Do). Sterling is still making music, but his output seems to be strictly limited to smooth jamz.

I have been interested in the pre-Miami Bass sound from this region for a while, and this track makes me to dive deeper to see what else is out there. Also, a portion of this cut sounds pretty good as a ringtone.

Michael Sterling - Desperate
Ringtone

This was Fresh Band's only release. It came out on Are N Be Records out of New York in 1984. Are N Be Records only put out three releases between 1982 and 1984 and they are all pretty sought after. This track has a lot of elements that do it for me. It has an early garage house sound with a slammin' bassline, and well executed vocals. This track was mixed by legendary Zanzibar DJ Tony Humphries who was a pioneer in the garage house sound. This tracks was produced by The Strikers' producer and Crown Heights Affair member Darryl Gibbs.

Fresh Band - Come Back Lover (Remix)

Ta'Boo was a one off synth pop project that was produced by Madonna producer Mark Kamins in 1983. This Dub version of the track has a great early garage house sound that meets nowave pop. The track features the Shriekback rhythm section and keyboard player, along with Change vocalist Tanyaette Willoughby.

Ta'Boo - Over The Ledge (Rub Dub)

Here is a mix of some of my favorite jams. They are plenty good for shaking down the house, but just as good for making the commute a little easier. It seems that I live in my car these days and I can only handle so much NPR.

Tracklist:

David Joseph - You Can't Hide (12" Version)
Thelma Houston - You Used To Hold Me So Tight (12" Version)
Unlimited Touch - Searching To Find The One
Lenny White - My Turn To Love You (Special Mix)
Sharon Redd - Beat The Street (Special 12" Instrumental)
Kano - She's A Star (LP Version)
Chocolate (Chocolette) - It's That East Street Beat (Club Mix)
Touch - Love Fixation (Dub)
Patrick Cowley - Thank God For Music (Disconet Extended Remix)
Connie Case - Get Down

Download Mix Here

Touch was an act that released a few records in 1987 for the Brooklyn label Supertronics. This garage house track has the bassline and handclaps of Chicago house but has layers and layers of melodic horns and synthesizers on top. The record was mixed by Shelter DJ Timmy Regisford. Timmy Regisford also worked with Boyd Jarvis to create the previously covered The Music Got Me by Visual.

mp3: Touch - Love Fixation