WALTER GIBBONS-JUNGLE MUSIC.

dereksmusicblog ♦ March 6, 2012 ♦ 2 Comments

WALTER GIBBONS-JUNGLE MUSIC.

If you were to ask most lovers of all things disco, who the most important, influential and innovative DJs of the seventies were, Walter Gibbons’ name wouldn’t be far from most people’s lips. Walter’s role in the history of DJ-ing can’t be underestimated. He was one of the most technically brilliant DJs, a pioneer of beat-matching, while other DJs were still blending. So good a DJ was Walter Gibbons, that other DJs would go to watch him play, almost as if hoping some of his magic would run off on them. However, Walter Gibbons was much more than just a DJ, he was also a talented remixer, responsible for classic remixes like Double Exposure’s Ten Percent, on the Salsoul label. This was a label Walter had a long and fruitful working relationship with. While Double Exposure’s Ten Percent was one of Walter’s most commercially successful remixes, his remix of Loleatta Holloway’s Hit and Run also proved commercially successful, giving Loleatta a surprise hit. There are so many great remixes of tracks on the Salsoul label, that in 2004, Salsoul released a triple-album, Mixed With Love (Walter Gibbons’ Salsoul Anthology). However, it wasn’t just for Salsoul Walter Gibbons remixed tracks for. He remixed tracks for a variety of labels, with an eclectic selection of artists given the Walter Gibbons’ remix treatment. Fourteen of these tracks feature on Walter Gibbons-Jungle Music, a double album of his remixes and edits, released on Strut in 2010. On Walter Gibbons-Jungle Music, an eclectic selection of his remixes are featured, with artists ranging from Betty Lavette, Gladys Knight, Sandy Mercer and Jakki to the Salsoul Orchestra, Arthur Russell, Arts and Craft and Dinosaur L. Over the two discs of, Walter Gibbons-Jungle Music, you’re able to hear some of Walter’s classic mixes, from a DJ who was not just an innovative and influential DJ, but a true artist. I’ll now tell you about the highlights of Walter Gibbons-Jungle Music.

DISC ONE.

Disc One of Walter Gibbons-Jungle Music features seven of Walter’s remixes and edits. This ranges from the soulful strains of Gladys Knight and Betty Lavette to the classic disco sound of the Salsoul Orchestra and Double Exposure and not forgetting Sandy Mercer’s You Are My Love. Overall, it’s an interesting and eclectic selection of remixes, which demonstrate the wide range of music that Walter remixes during his career. I’ll now pick some of the best tracks from Disc One of Walter Gibbons-Jungle Music and tell you about these tracks.

My first choice from Disc One of Walter Gibbons-Jungle Music Sandy Mercer’s You Are My Love, with the version chosen the Original 12” edit. Originally released in 1978 on H & L Records, from her album Hey Love, Come and Get It. This track was originally the B-side of Play With Me, released in 1978. Originally mixed by Walter Gibbons and Steve D’Acquisto, the track opens with crispy drums, before giving way to a funky bass line and then chiming guitars. Punchy, rasping horns and lush, cascading strings precede Sandy’s powerful, emotive vocal. This is accompanied by gospel tinged backing vocals. After that, a gorgeous track unfolds, with a tempo of120 beats per minute. What makes this such a stunning track, is the way the vocal and arrangement fuse perfectly, giving the track an uplifting, joyful sound that’s absolutely irresistible. Of the seven tracks on Disc One, this is one of the best tracks.

Gladys Knight’s It’s a Better Than Good Time is a Walter Gibbons Mix that transforms the original track six minute track into a twelve and a half minute epic. Originally released in 1978 on Buddah Records, Tony MacAulay wrote and produced the original track, which was from the Miss Gladys Knight album. This is very different from Gladys’ Motown and early Buddah Records’ music. Keyboards, crispy drumbeats and hi-hats combine as the track begins. For ninety-seconds the track meanders along at 118 beats per minute, while the drums and keyboards dominate the arrangement giving it an understated sound. Then, a burst of blazing horns and swirling strings join the mix, as gradually the track reveals its hidden charms. When Gladys’ vocal enters her vocal is confident and sassy. As the arrangement fills out, a funk laden bass and percussion join the horns, strings and rhythm section. By now the track has developed a real feel-good sound, with the glorious arrangement and Gladys’ strutting, sassy vocal driving the track along. For over twelve minutes, the tracks gradually reveals its subtleties and hidden charms, resulting in a classy disco track with the help of Walter Gibbons’ remixing skills.

Probably Walter Gibbons’ best known and most successful remix in Double Exposure’s Ten Per Cent. Released on Salsoul, and produced by the legendary Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section, formerly of M.F.S.B. and then The Salsoul Orchestra this is a genuine disco classic. Percussion, rhythm section and handclaps open the track, before strings cascade and join the arrangement. Straight away, this is a track that could only have been released on one label Salsoul. This is The Salsoul Orchestra at their finest, with the Baker, Harris, Young rhythm section providing the track’s heartbeats. It takes nearly three minutes before punchy backing vocals enter. When they do, they briefly soar above the arrangement. Flourishes of piano enter, joining the frenzied guitars, pounding drums and percussion. Add in the lush strings and dramatic, punchy blazing horns, and you’ve the recipe for what was required for a classic disco track. Later, when the vocal enters it’s impassioned and emotive, perfect for the arrangement. With a tempo of 124 beats per minutes, this is just a stunning slice of delicious disco, one that deserves to be called a classic.

Bettye LaVette’s Doin’ The Best That I Can is another 12” mix by Walter, and again, he takes the original track and transforms it into something it was never envisaged as. Released in 1978, on West End Records, this is very different from Bettye’s sixties soul sound. Percussion, braying horns and drums combine with sweeping strings, as the track gets underway. There’s a sense of anticipation when the arrangement starts to build with keyboards and bass entering that something special is about to unfold. With the strings and horns accompanying those crunchy beats Bettye is transformed into a disco diva. Her voice is soulful, accompanied by equally soulful backing vocals, while the driving arrangement provides the perfect arrangement for Bettye. Disco strings, blazing horns, a plentiful supply of percussion and the rhythm section combine brilliantly with Bettye LaVette during this eleven minute epic track, resulting in a hook laden, uplifting and soulful disco track.

The last track from Disc One of Walter Gibbons-Jungle Music I’ve chosen is The Salsoul Orchestra’s Magic Bird of Fire (Fire Bird Suite). Released in 1977, the album Magic Journey, the track is arranged, conducted and produced by Vince Montana Jr., another former alumni of M.F.S.B. and Philadelphia International Records. While it’s just crunchy drumbeats that open the track, it gives way to a dramatic, almost grandiose combination of strings and percussion. It reminds me of something you’d hear in the soundtrack to a movie, at the point where they were trying to create an element of suspense. Joining this is fast, funky bass line and then piano and punchy blazing horns. Although set to a disco beat, with the tempo 128 beats per minute, this could’ve worked well on a movie soundtrack. Flourishes of harpsichord and woodwind are just the latest in a hugely eclectic selection of instruments to join the arrangement. Together, they combine to produce something very different from what you’d expect of The Salsoul Orchestra, but something full of suspense and drama, where you never know what will happen next.

While I’ve only mentioned five of the seven tracks from Disc One of Walter Gibbons-Jungle Music, there’s nothing whatsoever wrong with the other two tracks. Both Jakki and TC James and The Fist O Funk Orchestra’s tracks are of the highest quality. Trying to choose just a few to mention was really difficult. That demonstrates the high standard of music on Disc One of Walter Gibbons-Jungle Music. With a trio of tracks from two of the greatest disco labels of the seventies and eighties, Salsoul and West End Records there’s some seminal disco music on Disc One of Disc One of Walter Gibbons-Jungle Music. Will the standard of music be as good on Disc Two of Walter Gibbons-Jungle Music?

DISC TWO.

The music on Disc Two of Walter Gibbons-Jungle Music is quite different from the music on Disc One. It features more music from the eighties than the seventies. By this time, disco had suffered at the hands of the Disco Sucks music. This lead to a decline in disco’s popularity, especially in the mainstream. Different genres of dance music being developed, and although disco never died, there isn’t much disco on Disc Two. Instead, there are tracks from Dinosaur L, Arthur Russell, Strafe, Arts and Crafts and Harlequin Fours. However, given the different styles of music on Disc Two of Walter Gibbons-Jungle Music, will that mean the quality isn’t as good?

My first track is Arts and Craft’s I’ve Been Searching, released on the Jus Born label, co-owned by Walter. It’s a track that marries a disco with elements of funk and soul. Live percussion, keyboards, crispy drumbeats, lush strings and really soulful vocals provide the basis for the arrangement. Synths reverberate, while overall, there’s a minimalist sound to the arrangement. There’s a feeling of space within the track, with Walter concentrating on the low and high-end frequencies. This is quite deceiving and is a sound that would be copied on many deep house tracks. Later, a funk drenched bass combines with the strings and synths, before the vocal changes hands from a female to male vocalist. Of all the tracks on Disc Two of Walter Gibbons-Jungle Music this is my favorite, due to an arrangement which takes disco to a new level, marrying elements of funk and soul majestically.

Luv You Madly Orchestra’s Moon Maiden was released in 1978, on their Luv You Madly Orchestra on Salsoul. The project paid tribute to Duke Ellington, with disco tracks composed by the Duke. Here, strings cascade, sweep and swirl, while punchy drums and percussion combine with beautiful, soulful soaring female vocals. It’s quite different from the other Salsoul tracks on the compilation, but still has the trademark quality of a track featuring the famous Salsoul label. Halfway through the track, a bass joins the arrangement, providing a contrast to the strings and percussion. Occasionally, filters are used on the vocal, while synths briefly sweep in and out of the track. Overall, it’s an intriguing and compelling track, one that has a lush, sweet sound, that would still sound great played through the PA in a cavernous club.

Harlequin Fours’ Set it Off is my final choice from Disc Two of Walter Gibbons-Jungle Music. Released in 1986 on the Champion label, this is a very different track from my other choices. It’s a track that combines electro and hip hop, featuring synths, crunching beats and percussion, while Willie Daniels almost raps the vocal. Again, there’s a minimalist sound to the arrangement, with just the drums, squelchy synths and percussion augmenting the vocal. This is the slowest track on the compilation, just 74 beats per minute. Not only that, but it demonstrates how attitudes to arrangements had changed. Here, there’s no lush strings, blazing horns or bigger, fuller arrangements. Instead, the track has a much more minimalist sound, demonstrating how with the advent of new technology, it was much easier for artists to produce a track, one that mixes elements of electro in the arrangement, with a hip hop vocal. Although very different from the other tracks on Walter Gibbons-Jungle Music, it still features the quality you’d expect from a Walter Gibbons remix.

Although the music on Disc Two of Walter Gibbons-Jungle Music is quite different from that on Disc One, it’s still music of the highest quality. It shows Walter moving on to different styles of music and collaborating with different producers, like Arthur Russell. This demonstrates his versatility as a remixer, It wasn’t just the case the Walter thrived during the disco era, no he thrived in the post disco era, happy to work with electro and hip hop artists. What this did, was give his career longevity, allowing him to work through three decades, where he became one of the most celebrated and in-demand remixers. On Walter Gibbons-Jungle Music is a celebration of some of his best remixes, fourteen in total, which demonstrate his talent and versatility. Some of these remixes influenced later house producers, while his DJ-ing style and ability to beat-match was hugely influential to early Acid House DJs, as well as garage and house DJs. So, if you’re interested in hearing some wonderful remixes from one of the the most innovative and influential remixers and DJs, then Walter Gibbons-Jungle Music, is album that’s very definitely one for you. Standout Tracks: Sandy Mercer You Are My Love, Double Exposure Ten Per Cent, Bettye LaVette Doin’ The Best That I Can and The Salsoul Orchestra Magic Bird of Fire (Fire Bird Suite).

WALTER GIBBONS-JUNGLE MUSIC.