SOUL JAZZ RECORDS PRESENTS VOGUING AND THE HOUSE BALLROOM SCENE 1976-1996.

dereksmusicblog ♦ February 10, 2012 ♦ Leave a comment

SOUL JAZZ RECORDS PRESENTS VOGUING AND THE HOUSE BALLROOM SCENE 1976-1996.

Recently, I’ve noticed that there have been some quality compilations being released by some of the smaller independent record labels. Many of these labels like BBE, Harmless and the Soul Jazz have a good record for releasing quality compilations. A couple of weeks ago, I noticed that Soul Jazz Records would be releasing a compilation on 6 February 2012 entitled Soul Jazz Records Presents Voguing and The House Ballroom Scene 1976-1996, compiled by Stuart Baker, with lengthy and informative sleeve notes by Tim Lawrence. Available as either a double album or the limited edition triple album that I’m reviewing, Soul Jazz Records Presents Voguing and The House Ballroom Scene 1976-1996, is a retrospective compilation of the voguing dance scene of the mid-eighties to mid-nineties. On the compilation is some of the music that the soundtrack to the voguing scene, with tracks by Inner Life, Cheryl Lynn, Loose Joints, Diana Ross and Masters At Work on Disc One, while Disc Two features M.F.S.B., First Choice, Salsoul Orchestra, Junior Vasquez and Nitro Deluxe. The triple album features a bonus disc featuring a Junior Vasquez mix which features every track on the album, plus a track by Ellis D. if you buy the triple album, it also includes a set of black and while postcards featuring photographs of the voguing scene. Personally, for all the extra cost of the triple album, it’s well worth spending the extra for Junior Vasquez’s mix and the postcards. So having briefly, told you about Soul Jazz Records Presents Voguing and The House Ballroom Scene  1976-1996, I’ll briefly tell you about the history of voguing, and then will review the majestic music on the compilation.

Voguing emerged from the Harlem ballroom scene of the sixties, first becoming popular during the seventies and eighties. Back in the early sixties, voguing was referred to as presentation, later being called performance. Originally, voguing or presentation was popular within the Latino American and African American community. After this, its popularity spread to the gay and transgender community, when it became popular in the gay ballroom scene, with the scene spreading across America. Like many music scenes, it eventually became much more mainstream, and by the mid-nineties, artists like Madonna and Malcolm McLaren were releasing tracks to vogue to. Often, when this happens, the scenesters and hip people have moved onto something new. However, back then, voguing was perceived as the something new, when it was actually thirty years old.

The inspiration for voguing came from Vogue magazine, where dancers copied the poses of models in the magazine. Typically, this meant dancers copying the rigid, angular and linear shapes of the models. Gradually, the moves became more intricate, fanciful and theatrical. Quickly, competitions were established, with teams of dancers called “houses” competing against other houses. Among the best know houses of performers and dancers were the House of Icon, House of McQueen and House of Ninja, founded by Willi Ninja, whose perceived as the godfather of voguing. House of Ninja was “serving” that is competing in the voguing scene for twenty years. To show their loyalty to their “house” the members of a house, often referred to as “children,” would legally change their names to show which house they were members of. This demonstrated how seriously people involved in the voguing scene took their scene. As well as having different houses, there were different styles of dancing.

The different styles of voguing can be separated into three styles, old way, which is the style of voguing before 1990, the new way which was the style after 1990 and vogue femme which was popular about 1995. Of course, older dancers refer to the way they danced as the old way, while they perceive the way the younger dancers danced as the new way. However, what’s the difference between the styles of voguing?

With the old way of voguing, it was distinguished by dancers forming line, with symmetry and precision in the way they carried out their formations. They’d to be carried out gracefully, with fluidity vital to the style. Inspiration for old way can be found in the fashion poses of Vogue models and Egyptian hieroglyphics. To win the contest, a dancer had to “pin” their opponent. This meant that their opponent couldn’t carry out any of their movements, whether this was carrying voguing movements with their hands or arms, referred to as “hand performance,” or doing “floor exercises,” which were executed against a wall. After the old way gave way to the new way, things changed quite considerably.

Post 1990, the new way featured rigid, geometric movements, with “clicks” added to this. Clicks were contorting limbs at the joints, with arms control added, where the hands and wrists illusions sometimes combined with tutting. Tutting was a style modern abstract interpretative street dance popular in hip hop and based around Egyptian hieroglyphics, where the body was moved in a synchronized robot movement. As well as incorporating tutting, mime was introduced during the new way style of voguing, with geometric shapes used and moved around the dancer’s body, demonstrating their agility, dexterity and memory. The new way was popular after 1990, but was rivaled by vogue femme, introduced around 1995.

Vogue femme was influenced by both modern dance and ballet, with fluidity really important. Everything was exaggerated, with five key ingredients to vogue femme. They’re hand performance, catwalk, duckwalk, floor performance and dips, while spins were the sixth and unofficial element. All of these elements were incorporated into dancers’ movements, and became the voguing style of late nineties, by which time voguing had moved from the underground to mainstream, with artists like Madonna and Malcolm McLaren releasing tracks specifically to vogue to. So what started off in sixties Harlem and was popular among the Latino American and African American communities, then became popular within the gay and transgender community from the seventies onwards, eventually became a mainstream phenomenon. This phenomenon voguing, had a wonderful soundtrack, some of which can be heard on Soul Jazz Records Presents Voguing and The House Ballroom Scene  1976-1996, which I’ll now tell you about.

DISC ONE.

Disc One of Soul Jazz Records Presents Voguing and The House Ballroom Scene  1976-1996, features eight ten tracks that feature music from between 1976 and 1996. On the compilation are some well known tracks, sitting comfortably with tracks that many people won’t be familiar with. Among the better known tracks are Inner Life’s Moment of My Life, Soul Jazz Records Presents Voguing and The House Ballroom Scene  1976-1996, Masters At Work’s The Ha Dance, First Choice’s classic Let No Man Put Asunder and Diana Ross’ Love Hangover. Apart from these tracks, tracks like Ellis D’s Just Like A Queen, 2 Body’s Body Drill and Raze’s Break 4 Love may not be so well know, although they’ve one thing in common….quality. So what are the highlights of Disc One of Soul Jazz Records Presents Voguing and The House Ballroom Scene  1976-1996?

My first choice is the track that opens the compilation Inner Life’s Moment of My Life, released on Salsoul Records in 1982. Arranged by Leroy Burgess, who co-produced the track with Greg Carmichael, it features a stunning, diva-esque vocal, full emotion and passion, delivered with power. This is delivered against a backdrop of crunchy drumbeats, percussion, keyboards and the funkiest of bass line, while gospel tinged backing vocalists augment the lead vocal. The tempo is 114 beats per minute and like so many of the Salsoul releases, is just a quality slice of disco, with elements of funk and soul featuring in the arrangement. Of all the tracks on the compilation, this has to be one of the best.

Like Inner Life’s Moment of My Life, First Choice’s Let No Man Put Asunder is another Salsoul Records release. Released in 1977 and produced by Ron Baker, Norman Harris and Earl Young, who were originally part of M.F.S.B. at Philadelphia International Records. They left to become the Salsoul Orchestra and played and produced numerous Salsoul classics. Let No Man Put Asunder is very definitely one of their very best productions. Against a backdrop of the brilliant Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section, percussion and handclaps Loleatta Holloway’s sassy vocal enters, full of bravado and confidence. While backing vocalists accompany her, Loleatta vamps her way through the track. Although the word classic is used far too easily, this track is worthy of being referred to as a classic. 

From one classic label in Salsoul, to another in West End Records, who released Loose Joints Is It All Over My Face in 1980? Produced by Arthur Russell and Steve D’Aquisto two giants of the club scene, the track incorporates crisp drumbeats, handclaps and a funk drenched bass line, while keyboards and percussion feature in the arrangement. After an prolonged and lengthy introduction lasting ninety-seconds where a funky rhythm section combine, the vocal enters. Unlike the two previous tracks, it’s not as joyous, having a much more thoughtful sound. However, this is made up for by the hypnotic yet catchy sound of the track. Throughout the track, the bass playing is fantastic, with stabs of keyboards and crunchy beats combining well with percussion during this seven minute voguing epic.

One track that I’m pleased to see feature on Soul Jazz Records Presents Voguing and The House Ballroom Scene  1976-1996, is Cheryl Lynn’s Got To Be Real, which has long been a favorite disco track of mine. This was from her self-titled 1978 album Cheryl Lynn, released on Columbia. Produced by Marty and David Paich, it marries an arrangement that’s funky and soulful, against Cheryl’s slow, sultry and soulful vocal. With lush strings, a loping bass, bursts of rasping horns and punchy drumbeats, Cheryl delivers the track slowly, her voice starting way down low, and like the arrangement, soaring high. To me, Cheryl’s voice is hugely underrated, and mixing passion and power in a soulful style, it’s one of Soul Jazz Records Presents Voguing and The House Ballroom Scene 1976-1996 highlights.

The final track from Disc One of Soul Jazz Records Presents Voguing and The House Ballroom Scene   1976-1996, I’ll mention is Junior Vasquez truly epic, near ten minute track Witch Doktor, with the Dark Ages Mix chosen for this compilation. Here, the tempo is quick, the music a frantic mix of pounding beats, percussion and howling, shrieking vocals. With sirens and haunting vocals interspersed throughout the track, it’s frenzied, repetitive and compelling. Although it’s far removed from the other tracks I’ve mentioned, its haunting, frenzied sound would sound spectacular on a giant PA in a club, and would make an intriguing soundtrack to vogue to.

Although I’ve mentioned just five of the ten tracks on Disco One of Soul Jazz Records Presents Voguing and The House Ballroom Scene   1976-1996, there’s nothing wrong with any of the other tracks. Of these tracks, The Ha Dance by Masters At Work was one of their earliest successes when they formed their partnership and has a similar frenzied, repetitive and compelling sound to the Junior Vasquez track. Ellis D’s Dress Like A Queen has a sultry, slightly moody sound, with the crunchy beats, percussion and synths providing a spacey backdrop for a sultry and impassioned vocal. One of the biggest artists on the album is Diana Ross. Her Hal Davis produced 1976 hit Love Hangover, has a similar tempo to Cheryl Lynn’s Got To Be Real, and has a lovely spacious arrangement with a sensuous, breathless vocal from Diana. Unlike other female vocalists on the album, Diana’s vocal is subtle, even understated and is a quality slice of lush soulful disco complete with a string laden arrangement. So overall, Disc One of Soul Jazz Records Presents Voguing and The House Ballroom Scene  1989-92, is full of quality dance music spanning various genres. However, will Disc Two of Soul Jazz Records Presents Voguing and The House Ballroom Scene   1976-1996, match this quality.

DISC TWO.

While Disc One of Soul Jazz Records Presents Voguing and The House Ballroom Scene   1976-1996, has ten tracks, Disc Two only has eight tracks, with an eclectic selection of music featuring on the disc. With artists that range from M.F.S.B.’s Love Is the Message, First Choice’s Love Thang and the Salsoul Orchestra’s Ooh I Love It, to Junior Vasquez’s X, Malcolm McLaren Deep In Vogue and Nitro Deluxe This Brutal House, it certainly is an eclectic selection of tracks. Of the eight tracks, only two are the original versions, with a variety of different mixes chosen. This allows the listener to hear another take on tracks you may already be familiar with. However, is the quality of music on Disc Two as good as Disc One of Soul Jazz Records Presents Voguing and The House Ballroom Scene   1976-1996.

As someone who loves the Philly Sound, my first choice is M.F.S.B.’s Love Is the Message. This mean that this is the another appearance from the Baker, Harris and Young rhythm section, who played on this track as well as many Salsoul classics. Love Is the Message was from M.F.S.B.’s album Love Is the Message, released in 1973. Written by Gamble and Huff and featuring the vocals of The Three Degrees, the track was used as the theme tune to Soul Train.On its release as a single, it reached number one in the US R&B and US Billboard 100 charts. The version on the compilation is the Tom Moulton mix, an eleven and a half minute epic. Featuring the rhythm section of Baker, Harris and Young, with strings swirling and sweeping, horns rasping and Lenny Pakula’s wailing atmospherics Hammond organ, the introduction is lengthened to over two glorious minutes. It’s only then that the beautiful sound of The Three Degrees enters, amidst Don Renaldo’s horns and strings. From there on, Tom Moulton demonstrates that you can improve on a truly classic track. He takes one of the biggest hits of the Philly Sound, and turns it into something quite stunning.

Having just mentioned the Salsoul Records label, it seems a fitting time to mention First Choice’s 1983 track Ooh I Love It (Love Break). The tempo is 118 beats per minute, the drumbeats crispy, with percussion, funky bass and sound effects combining while the track has a Latin sound and influence. When the vocals enter, they’re punchy, swathed in shrieks and yelps. Later, sweeping, swirling strings, keyboards and bursts of blazing horns punctuate the track, as the arrangement reveals its brilliant funk tinged sound.  Like First Choice’s Let No Man Put Asunder, this track demonstrates just how important and influential a label Salsoul was.

First Choice’s Love Thang, released in 1979 on Gold Mind Records is a lush sounding dance-floor classic. With lush strings sweeping, while rasping horns and a funky rhythm section combine with percussion, handclaps and keyboards, a sultry, diva-esque vocal soars above the arrangement. Accompanied by backing vocalists, crunchy beats and handclaps, the strings shiver as the vocal drops out, before rejoining. The track has a similar sound the tracks by First Choice and Inner Life. Like these tracks, they’ve something else in common….quality.

My final choice from Disc Two of Disc One of Soul Jazz Records Presents Voguing and The House Ballroom Scene   1976-1996, is Nitro Deluxe’s track This Brutal House. It has a very different sound to many of the tracks on the album. Released in 1987 on the Cooltempo label, stabs of squelchy synths open this deep house track. They’re followed by percussion and crisp beats. Add to this a vocal that’s almost rapped and a variety of scratches are added to the mix. Later a variety of squeaky synth sounds join the beats, before dropping out. While the arrangement has a catchy, somewhat hypnotic sound, it demonstrates just how music had changed by 1987, with drum machines and synths replacing the more fulsome arrangements on tracks on Salsoul, Philadelphia International and West End Records. 

Of the other four tracks on Disc Two of Soul Jazz Records Presents Voguing and The House Ballroom Scene   1976-1996, Junior Vasquez’s X is another ten minute epic from Junior. Released in 1994 the track opens with crunchy pounding beats and percussion dominating the arrangement before synths reverberate the track quickly takes on a repetitive, hypnotic sound. Later, a vocal soars way above the arrangement, before being replaced by another frustrated, punchy vocal. From there on, the track combines each of these elements, locking you into its mesmeric sound. Quite different is Din Daa Daa by George Kranz released in 1983, which has a frenzied, frantic sound. Breakneck vocals accompany by pounding drums, percussion, before later, synths join the arrangement. For four minutes this pounding frenetic sound drives along, with drums, synths and percussion building and building to the track’s dramatic crescendo.

Although the music on Disc Two of Soul Jazz Records Presents and The House Ballroom Scene   1976-1996, Voguing features a more contemporary selection of tracks, the music is both eclectic and of good quality. It’s an interesting demonstration of how music began to change from 1983 onwards. The music sees musicians and the almost lavish and lush arrangements of Salsoul, Philadelphia International and West End Records replaced by drum machines and synths. This meant the music sounded very different, and some people would say soulless. I would argue that this isn’t the case, as with this progress, came new genres of music, influenced by the older genres and labels. If you listen carefully to many house tracks you’ll hear the influences of the triumvirate of Salsoul, Philadelphia International and West End Records. On Disc Two of Soul Jazz Records Presents Voguing and The House Ballroom Scene 1976-1996, these three labels all feature, providing some of the best music on the album. Like Disc One of Soul Jazz Records Presents Voguing and The House Ballroom Scene   1976-1996, the music on Disc Two is both eclectic and of the highest quality. The same can be said of Disc Three, the bonus disc which sees Junior Vasquez weave his magic incorporating seventeen of the eighteen tracks on the album. During this mix, Junior displays his considerable talents as a DJ with his mixing skills amazing, leaving you spellbound for sixty-six minutes. To me, it’s well worth spending a little extra just to get the bonus disc just to hear Junior’s mix. With that you get a lovely set of evocative black and white post cards, which is a nice feature. So, having told you about Soul Jazz Records Presents Voguing should you buy the album? I say very definitely, it’s one of the finest compilations I’ve heard so far this year. With three discs of amazing music, lengthy and informative sleeve sleeve notes by Tim Lawrence and some beautiful black and white post cards Soul Jazz Records Presents Voguing and The House Ballroom Scene  1976-1996, is a lavish and quite brilliant compilation which is well worth buying. Standout Tracks: Inner Life’s Moment of My Life, First Choice’s Let No Man Put Asunder, Cheryl Lynn’s Got To Be Real and M.F.S.B.’s Love Is the Message.

SOUL JAZZ RECORDS PRESENTS VOGUING AND THE HOUSE BALLROOM SCENE  1976-1996.