PRIVATE WAX.

dereksmusicblog ♦ August 6, 2012 ♦ Leave a comment

PRIVATE WAX.

When the Disco Sucks movement tried to kill disco back on 12th July 1979 at Comiskey Park, Chicago, disco never died, and take it from me, never, ever will die. Instead, disco went underground. Out of disco came boogie, before disco went on to play a huge part in the development of house music. Since then, there’s been several resurgences in disco’s popularity, including during the past few years. Recently, there’s been a resurgence in interest not just in disco, but boogie too. With disco and boogie’s popularity on the rise, many UK labels have released compilations of disco and boogie. This has been to the delight of disco lovers everywhere. Literally, dozens of disco compilations have been released. Each celebrate the music that made disco great. One label in particular, BBE Music, has released several peerless disco compilations over the past couple of years. During that time, BBE Music have released two volumes of Al Kent’s Disco Love series and Al’s five disc Magnus Opus The Best of Disco Demands. Then there’s Dimitri From Paris’ Get Down With the Philly Sound, John Morales The M&M Mixes Volumes 1 and 2 and Johnny D Presents Disco Jamms Volume 1. These releases have sated and satisfied disco lover’s hunger for more of the music that filled dance-floors during disco’s glory days. Now, BBE Music have a new addition to their canon of disco compilations, Private Wax. Private Wax is a sixteen track compilation of deep disco and boogie, compiled by crate-digger and record collector extraordinaire, Zaf. Before I tell you about some of the music on Private Wax, which will be released by BBE Music on 27th August 2012, I’ll tell you more about the compilation and the compiler, Zaf.

Private Wax is a sixteen track compilation of extremely rare and collectable deep disco and boogie. These sixteen tracks have been privately pressed and produced. The sixteen tracks were either privately pressed by the artists involved, or by small, unknown record companies. These tracks weren’t hits. Instead, they disappeared without trace. After that, these tracks languished unloved, lying in dusty basements awaiting discovery. That’s where Zaf, of Zaf Music, the compiler of Private Wax comes in.  

Zaf who compiled Private Wax, has been collecting records since the mid-seventies and dealing in rare records since 1998. Up until 2007. Zaf worked at Reckless Records in London. At Reckless Records, Zaf must have been in element, working with lots and lots of lovely vinyl day in, day out. The reason for this is that Zaf is a crate digger and record collector extraordinaire. His mission in life is to seek out rarities and hidden gems aplenty. He journeys into dusty basements, scouring piles of long-forgotten and unloved music, seeking, and often securing, hidden gems. Often, these hidden gems have escaped other crate-diggers’ attention. This appears to be Zaf’s mission in life. Among record collectors, Zaf’s a bit like a secret agent among crate-diggers, a 007 among collectors of old 45s. Collecting and dealing in rare records are just two strings to Zaf’s bow. Another is compiling compilations, including Deep Disco Culture Volume Two back in 2007. So, Zaf makes a living out of collecting, selling and compiling compilations. For anyone who loves music, this is musical nirvana. Does life get any better than this? Well, it does. Much, much better. When you put that gleaming silver disc marked Private Wax into your CD player, life gets so much better, as you’ll realize when I pick my highlights from Private Wax.

My first choice from Private Eye is the track that opens the compilation, Ashanti’s Dance. Ashanti’s only single Dance was recorded in Michigan and released on the Jabner label. The track was written, arranged and produced by Johnny Jordan, who plays alto saxophone and electric guitar. A dramatic driving rhythm section, keyboards, piano and guitar get the track underway. Lush strings cascade, dance above the arrangement, while handclaps and bursts of synths compete for your attention. Then comes Roland Hamilton’s powerful, emotive vocal enters. Later, Johnny Jordan steps forward, unleashing a blazing alto saxophone solo, then jazz-tinged guitar solo. His contributions and Roland’s vocal play vital parts in this real gem that Zaf’s chosen to open Private Wax. 

Christian Gaubert was a French bandleader who released four albums between 1969 and 1979. The last of these was 1979s Last Exit released on RCA Polydor. Last Exit contained Sweet Maryline, which features on Private Wax. Blazing horns, a funky rhythm section, guitars and lush, sweeping, swirling strings give way to an impassioned female vocal. Punchy, growling horns, percussion and the rhythm section create a funky backdrop for the dramatic, soaring diva-esque vocal. By now, a gloriously funky slice of boogie has unfolded, and you’re wondering where this track has been all your life. You’re tempted not just press play, but replay and revel in this sumptuous song all over again,

Mr. Fox’s Party Track is one of the rarest tracks on Private Wax. If you’re fortunate to own a copy, you could be sitting on a goldmine. Not always does scarcity translate to quality music, but this is the case here. Released in 1980 on Golden Flamingo Records, Party Track was the B-side of Smooth Talk. Produced by Peter Brown, this is joyous, good-time music, that just happens to funky with a capital F. It’s a like a party in studio with a funk band playing. That funky sound is present from the get-go. It’s just the rhythm section, guitars, percussion and keyboards that combine. While the rhythm section create the track’s pounding, funky heartbeat, bursts of confident, synths, sassy hollers and whoops punctuate the arrangement. After you’ve heard the track, you’ll want Mr. Fox’s Party Track to be the soundtrack to your next party. Of the sixteen tracks on Private Wax, this is one of the funkiest, without doubt.

Since I first heard Private Wax, one of my favorites has been Pure Love’s D.I.S.C.O. Spells Love. Truly, this is just like an injection of happiness and sunshine. Released on Mississippi’s Sun Belt Records, this was just the B-Side to I Knew Our Love Would Last. Given how good a track D.I.S.C.O. Spells Love is, I Knew Our Love Would Last must have been some track? From the opening bars, you’re smitten. Rhythm section, keyboards, guitars and a soaring vocal combine. When the lead vocal struts centre-stage, It’s a mixture of sass, power and drama, with sensual, whispering backing vocalists accompany it. Bursts of blazing horns, a pounding, funky rhythm section, percussion and keyboards fuse funk, soul and disco, as an irresistible, hook-laden, joyous track unfolds. Resistance is futile and impossible, just remember D.I.S.C.O. Spells Love.

Gregory Jolly’s What ‘Em Doing Is My Business is another track that shows that it’s always worth listening to the B-side of a single. This track was the B-side to his 1979 single I Want To Clap My Hands For Power, released on G-K Production. Again, Zaf has dug really deep to unearth this three minute funky treasure. A pulsating, funky beat is combined with guitars, percussion and keyboards before Gregory’s powerful, confident and sassy vocal enters. As Gregory struts his way through the track, bursts of Hammond organ and wah wah guitars drift in and out. By now the track sounds not unlike something from a seventies Blaxploitation movie, albeit one with the funkiest of soundtracks.

Back in 1977, Philadelphia was producing some of the best music of the seventies. This included Philadelphia International Records and of course, Salsoul, with many of Salsoul’s albums being recorded at Sigma Sound Studios in Philly. A label seemingly inspired by Philadelphia International was Spector Records International. They released Philadelphia Brite’s Never Leave Me and I’ll Never Leave Me. Given that this is a track inspired by the Philly Sound, it’s no surprise that it’s the best track on Private Wax. It’s a glorious slice of disco, with lush strings, growling horns, percussion and a rhythm section creating a track that’s obviously inspired by Gamble and Huff. Sweet sounding female backing vocalists float in atop the swathes of strings, while rasping horns, keyboards and percussion punctuate the arrangement. Meanwhile, the rhythm section create the track’s beautiful heartbeat. For six enchanting, bewitching minutes, a gloriously, beautiful homage to the Philly Sound unfolds.

For anyone just glancing at the sleeve and seeing the name Aura, they’d immediately think that this was a track from Salsoul Records. They’d be wrong. That was Aurra, whereas Aura released Freex in 1978, on the Canadian label Starbase Sounds. The track literally explodes into life, frenzied vocals, driving rhythm section, organ, handclaps and percussion. Now Aura have your attention, they don’t let go. Backing vocalists encourage you to “dance, dance, dance,” as the track reaches 135 beats per minutes. Soul and funk combine, with the rhythm section, guitars, keyboards and percussion at the heart of the action. They create a blistering backdrop, while the half-spoken vocal drifts in and out. five frantic, funky minutes later, Aura leave you mesmerized and spellbound. You’re on your feet and to quote Candido are a dancin‘ and prancin’.”  

The last of the sixteen tracks on Private Wax I’ve chosen to tell you about is Chuck Strong’s Doin’ It Cause It Feels Good. Released in 1983 on Invasion Records, Chuck went on to release three albums between 1986 and 1991. Written by Willie Hutch, this boogie track became famous when Gwen McCrae covered it. Growling horns, a driving, funky rhythm section, guitars and keyboards combine with Chuck’s vocal lilting vocal. Percussion and blasts of whistles join the rhythm section, guitars and horns, combine elements of funk and Latin music, as Chuck creates a memorable slice of boogie, that would later be made famous by Gwen McCrae.

Listening to, and reviewing Private Wax has been a real pleasure. It’s another peerless compilation of boogie and disco from BBE Music, compiled by Zaf. He’s dug deep, seeking out some of the rarest hidden gems in boogie and disco’s history. This includes discovering some real golden nuggets tucked on the B-side of singles. Among them are Mr. Fox’s Party Track, Pure Love’s D.I.S.C.O. Spells Love and Gregory Jolly’s What ‘Em Doing Is My Business. So good are this trio of tracks, that you wonder why they were only released as B-sides? After all, the A-side of these singles were hardly roaring successes? Not only has is his new compilation in Private Wax one of the best compilations this summer, but buying it saves you a small fortune. Buying each of the sixteen tracks individually would not only be prohibitively expensive, but would probably prove impossible, given how rare many of these tracks are. Private Wax isn’t just a compilation that anyone who loves either boogie or disco will adore, but so will anyone who likes their music funky or soulful. From the opening bars of Ashanti’s only single Dance right until the closing beats of Soseme Makonde’s fusion of funk, soul and Afrobeat you never once lose interest, never once reach for the remote control and skip a track. Instead, you’re spellbound, swept away by sixteen slices of boogie and disco. For a compilation as good as Private Wax, the compiler deserves our thanks. Zaf is a man with not just with impeccable taste, and a determination to find the best in boogie and disco. Hopefully, after Private Wax is released by BBE Music on 27th August 2012, Zaf will embark on many more crate-digging expeditions, discovering many more hidden gems for further volumes of Private Wax. Standout Tracks: Christian Gaubert Sweet Maryline, Pure Love D.I.S.C.O. Spells Love, Philadelphia Brite Never Leave Me and I’ll Never Leave Me and Aura Freex.

PRIVATE WAX.