John Davis And The Monster Orchestra - Ain't That Enough For You
Mike And Brenda Sutton - Don't Let Go Of Me
John Davis And The Monster Orchestra - I Can't Stop
Rhyze - Just How Sweet Is Your Love
Gary's Gang - Keep On Dancing
Gary's Gang - Let's Lovedance Tonight
Convertion - Let's Do It
John Davis And The Monster Orchestra - Love Magic
Vicky "D" - This Beat Is Mine
KID - You Don't Like My Music

As most of you 80's nerds know the picture above is of TC's helicopter from one of my favorite childhood Television programs, Magnum PI. Initially I was going to use a shot from the film Blue Thunder as the helicopter in the movie was actually a souped-up LAPD ghetto bird, but I love the paint job on this one. Of course TC's helicopter was an island tour hopper that would get entangled in the occasional skirmish while assisting his pal Thomas Magnum. Come to think of it TC's character in the show fills a parallel role as Black Shag being BT Magnum's sidekick in the Beat Electric universe.

This is the 1983 instrumental B-Side of The Ghetto Bird, an LA private press boogie-rap homage to the those infernal police choppers that constantly light up the LA skyline.  Ironically, as I was recording this song one of those pesky buggers flew over my house as a constant reminder of the awesome police state we live in here in the good old US of A. If only it was still 1980 and Shag, LeBaron (Rick) and myself spent our days cruising around the Hawaiian skies in our own ghetto bird. That would be the life.

The Plainwrap Band - The Ghetto Bird (Instrumental)

Harvey Mason was a jazz funk drummer extraordinaire and and continues to work in the contemporary jazz group Fourplay. He was featured on most of the Mizell produced jazz funk works of the 70's and 80's and he kept the beat on the seminal Herbie Hancock album Headhunters.

This track comes off the 1981 record M.V.P. Albums made by jazz drummers usually feature way too many drum solos and awkward fills all over the place. The drum work on this record is in good taste and super tight albeit a bit too loud in the mix. The whole record has a groovy boogie sound and is great, minus the obligatory smooth jamz. The album artwork features Harvey doing just about every sport you can imagine, from SCUBA to horse stadium jumping; a renaissance man indeed.

Harvey Mason - On And On

Advance - Take Me to The Top
Unique - You Make Me Feel So Good (Instrumental)
Arlana - You Can't Keep Breaking My Heat

 Here is some top shelf electro funk, although for a few years this one never left my bag, and so the drop beat at the beginning of the vocal side is a little fuzzy from me rocking back and forth on it with overweighted club needles. A shame, but then this music was meant to be played and danced to, not reside forever in some sad beardo's vault, and this was always the electro jam for ladies that managed to keep that infectious edge and as such needed rinsing out. 

 Zest's Hot Tasty Love was a very early 1983 project but the then young duo of keyboardist Fred McFarlane and producer Allen George, both of whom wrote and produced independently and together as a duo well in to the nineties house era, when they were particularly prolific in the new york garage scene. This effort was indicative of the quality that was found on pretty much every record I have come across since with either guy's name on, I only wish I knew who the singer was.

Zest - Hot Tasty Love (Vocal)

Zest - Hot Tasty Love (Instrumental)

I grabbed this record whilst digging in Sacramento with my buddy from lazerfunk over the weekend. This record, still sealed was in a pile of MC Hammer 12"s and $10 Switched On Bach LPs on a lower shelf. I also got a couple of mint Aurra 12"s, some good jazz funk, and some Chi house heat. While I was down there I was crop dusted by some middle aged weirdo who was looking for a soundtrack to a movie that he couldn't remember. It was a nice and productive four day weekend that refused to be marred by all the wine and beer that went down my gullet. Not only did I get a grip of records for Beat Electric, I finally finished restoring my 1976 Bozak and it is sounding so smooth and punchy. I am going to have to put a booth together and record a mix!

This record seems to be pretty a rare 1984 release on Beverly Glen. This track mates this famous old gospel crooner's voice to disco strings and a sweet boogie bassline.

Johnnie Taylor - Seconds Of Your Love