Category Archives: Disco
ODYSSEY-HANG TOGETHER.
ODYSSEY-HANG TOGETHER. Not only was Odyssey’s 1977 eponymous debut album Odyssey, the group’s most successful album, it featured their biggest hit single, Native New Yorker. This was a song that would forever become synonymous with Odyssey, reaching number twelve in the US Billboard 100 and number six in the US R&B Charts. Spurred on by …
LEROY BURGESS-ANTHOLOGY VOLUME 1: THE VOICE.
LEROY BURGESS-ANTHOLOGY VOLUME 1: THE VOICE. Starting as the lead vocalist in Black Ivory during the early seventies, Leroy Burgess would go on to become one of the most successful men in music. Leroy wasn’t just a singer, he was a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, arranger and producer. His career started as lead vocalist of Black Ivory, …
LEROY BURGESS-ANTHOLOGY VOLUME 2: THE PRODUCER.
LEROY BURGESS-ANTHOLOGY VOLUME 2: THE PRODUCER. Having reviewed Leroy Burgess-Anthology Volume 1: The Voice, I decided that I’d review the follow-up or companion compilation Leroy Burgess-Anthology Volume 2: The Producer. Given the title, you’d expect this compilation to feature some of the many artists who’ve benefited from Leroy Burgess’ production skills. Not quite. Instead, the compilation …
DISCO DISCHARGE-EUROPA.
DISCO DISCHARGE-EUROPA. Disco Discharge-Europa released on 23rd April 2012, sees Harmless Records’ Disco Discharge compilation series celebrate its fifteenth birthday. This is the fifteenth Disco Discharge compilation since the series started in 2009, and following in the footsteps of Disco Discharge-American Hot and Disco Discharge-Disco Exotica, is the third compilation of 2012. It’s also the …
RENE AND ANGELA-RISE.
RENE AND ANGELA-RISE. By 1983 Rene and Angela were about to release their third, and what would become their most successful album, Rise. This was Rene Moore and Angela Winbush’s follow-up to their 1981 album Wall To Wall. Their had started with their 1980 eponymous album Rene and Angela. Like their second album, Wall To …
DONNA MCGHEE-MAKE IT LAST FOREVER.
DONNA MCGHEE-MAKE IT LAST FOREVER. Before embarking on her solo career, Donna McGhee got her first break singing with The Fatback Band. Later, she found herself touring with Chaka Khan, Crown Heights Affair and Teddy Pendergrass. By 1977, Donna found herself signed to the disco label Red Greg Records, releasing Make It Last Forever in …
SYLVESTER-STEP II.
SYLVESTER-STEP II. A year after signing a record contract with Fantasy Records in 1977, and releasing his debut solo album Sylvester, produced by legendary Motown producer Harvey Fuqua, Sylvester would release his second album Step II. On Step II was a track that would forever be synonymous with Sylvester, You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real). …
MATHIAS STUBO-MATHIAS STUBO.
MATHIAS STUBO-MATHIAS STUBO. During the first few months of 2012, BBE Music have been on a roll, releasing a mixture of compilations and artists albums, which have included some great releases. Among the compilations, there’s been the release of Al Kent’s five disc disco Magnus Opus The Best of Disco Demands, Henry Street Records’ founder …
THE DELLS-LOVE CONNECTION.
THE DELLS-LOVE CONNECTION. After the release of The Harris Machine produced They Said It Couldn’t Be Done, But We Did It! in 1977 The Dells regrouped to record the follow-up album Love Connection which will be rereleased on SoulMusic.com on 16th April 2012. They Said It Couldn’t Be Done, But We Did It! had reached …
DISCO DISCHARGE-DISCO EXOTICA.
DISCO DISCHARGE-DISCO EXOTICA. Disco Discharge-Disco Exotica is the second installment of Harmless Records’ Disco Discharge compilation series of 2012. This is the fourth year of the highly successful and critically acclaimed compilation series, that first hit the shops back in 2009. After four compilations in 2009, another four followed in 2010, and then 2011. So, …
PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL RECORDS-THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY BOX SET.
PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL RECORDS-THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY BOX SET. One of the most eagerly awaited and much anticipated box sets finally hits the shops on 21st May 2012. In case anyone doesn’t realize what I’m talking about, this is the Philadelphia International Records-The 40th Anniversary Box Set, a mammoth ten disc box set, released by Harmless Records …
PETER JACQUES BAND-FIRE NIGHT DANCE.
PETER JACQUES BAND-FIRE NIGHT DANCE. Between 1979 and 1985, the Peter Jacques Band released a trio of albums, starting with Fire Night Dance, which was rereleased by BBR Records in November 2011. After this followed 1980s Welcome Back and then, five years later, the group’s final album Dancing In the Street. Of these three albums, Fire …
NONA HENDRYX-NONA.
NONA HENDRYX-NONA. After recently reviewing the ZE Records Story 1979-2009, which featured Bustin’ Out by Material featuring Nona Hendryx, one of the highlights of the compilation, I decided that I’d review Nona’s 1983 album Nona, released on RCA. This was Nona’s second album since leaving Labelle, an all-girl group which featured Patti La Belle, Sarah …
JUMPIN.’
JUMPIN.’ Since 1995, Harmless Records have been releasing an eclectic selection of compilations. This has ranged from their highly successful funk, soul and jazz compilations Pulp Fusion to compilations, to compilations of breakbeats and Latin music. However, over the past few years, Harmless Records have also released a number of quality disco compilations, including their …
ZE RECORDS STORY 1979-2009.
ZE RECORDS STORY 1979-2009. Back in New York in 1978, Michael Zikha and Michael Esteban decided to set up their own record label, ZE Records. Using the initials of their surnames, to name of their new and nascent label, an innovative and influential label was born. During the label’s short lifetime, they released an eclectic …
LINDA LEWIS-A TEAR AND A SMILE.
LINDA LEWIS-A TEAR AND A SMILE. Twelve years after the release of her debut album Say No More released on Reprise in 1971, Linda Lewis was preparing to record her eighth studio album A Tear and A Smile, which will be rereleased on 2nd April 2012 by BBR Records. This would be Linda’s first album …
CHERYL LYNN-IN THE NIGHT.
CHERYL LYNN-IN THE NIGHT. Although many people will remember Cheryl Lynn for her debut single Got To Be Real, a real disco classic, which reached number one in the US R&B Charts in 1978, there’s much more to Cheryl’s career than just one song. Quite the opposite, Cheryl’s career has spanned five decades, releasing nine …
THE DEFINITIVE SALSOUL MIXES.
THE DEFINITIVE SALSOUL MIXES. For some time, I’ve been meaning to write about one of my favorite, and without doubt, one of the greatest labels of the disco era, Salsoul Records. They were one of the most influential and innovative disco labels, releasing over three-hundred tracks between 1974 and 1985. Along with Casablanca, SAM, Prelude, …
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