Hey! We’ve put together another mix for you this month via our Mixcloud channel. This month, Jed’s been the DJ and has gone for some quite bass-driven, rhythmical jams, moving into early deep/vocal house influenced tracks, before settling on some classic boogie bangers to finish.
1. Chanelle – One Man – Profile Records, 1989
2. Omni – Body Groove (Dub) – Mercury Records, 1983
3. Peewee In The Newz – Keep Dancin’ (Instrumental) – N.A.M.E. Brand Record Company, 1983
4. Tom Noble – Malaco – Future Times, 2011
5. Andras Fox feat. Oscar S. Thorn – What They Say – Dopeness Galore, 2013
6. Michael Watford – Holdin’ On (Original Shelter Mix) – EastWest, 1991
7. Bas Nor – I’m Glad You Came To Me – Nu Groove/10 Records, 1989
8. Lee Prentiss – Love This Way – MSB Records, 1983
9. Mtume – Tie Me Up (Extended Version) – Epic Records, 1984
10. Hot Cuisine – One Night Stand (Dub) – Vinyl Mania, 1986
11. The Whispers – Tonight – Solar, 1983
12. Dayton – Out Tonight – Capitol, 1983
13. Deco – Fresh Idea – Qwest Records, 1983
14. Powerline – Journey – Prelude Records, 1981
Some interesting points on the above:
Chanelle’s classic ‘One Man’ was produced by a surprisingly large team, including Bob Blank, Frankie Knuckles and David Morales (later to have huge success in the 90s with ‘Needin’ U’). Chanelle herself is a native of New Jersey and still releases house tracks. She remains a powerful house vocalist.
Omni were also known as Unfinished Business and scored a big hit in 1987 on the garage house scene with ‘Out Of My Hands (Love’s Taken Over)’, produced by Frankie Knuckles, which was a cover of their song released as Omni in 1981.
Michael Watford was also in a group produced by Roger Sanchez known as Brotherhood of Soul, and featured fellow soul/house singers Colonel Abrams (Morris Abrams) and Jay Williams. Strictly Rhythm put out ‘I’ll Be Right There’ in 1995. Watford’s career has spanned at least 25 years, and ‘Holdin On’ was his first release, originally on EastWest, before being picked up by Atlantic.
Bas Noir‘s name means “black stocking” and is pronounced “bah-nwah”.
Lee Prentiss‘s ‘Love This Way’ was written by Michael Garvin, who has also written for Sister Sledge, Tammy Wynette and George Benson among many others. This track was mastered by Herb Powers Jr, who worked on our own release ‘Personal Disco Component’ in 2013.
Hot Cuisine was producer Kevin Roberts, who also worked with 80s acts Netwerk and Linda Lewis.
Produced by Quincy Jones, Deco’s ‘Fresh Idea’ is super-tight and contains all the musical wizardry you’d expect from arguably the world’s best producer. Keyboard player Phillip Ingram is now a session musician and has worked with Janet Jackson, The Commodores and provided backing vocals on a bizarre album by Bruce Willis (yes, Bruce Willis) in 1987 called ‘The Return of Bruno’.
Enjoy!