Born in the Bronx, New York, John Morales made his name as an editor, remixer and producer, and as a DJ at clubs such as Studio 54, Limelight and Stardust Ballroom.
For a large part of his early career Morales worked alongside Sergio Munzibai, and utilising their heritage (Morales is of Puerto Rican descent) they distinguished themselves with their Latin percussion-heavy arrangements and remixes, known collectively as the M&M Mixes.
Here we present 10 of our favourite Morales remixes and productions. Enjoy.
1. Barely Breaking Even – UNIVERSAL ROBOT BAND (Moonglow Records 1982)
Where else to begin than with a song many regard as Morales’ masterpiece. It’s hard to disagree with that opinion because it’s just so damn good, from the outrageous bass guitar (pushed right up front in the mix) to the way the instrumentation and orchestration weave in and out, building and dropping. Add to that an incredible vocal from Leroy Burgess and jaw-dropping musicianship from his fellow LOGG band members, it’s a collaboration made in heaven.
Before I heard this song I wouldn’t have thought it possible that an 11-minute jam with a drummer playing barely anything more than a kick drum could be so funky and satisfying.
2. Nice and Soft (Uptown Version) – WISH ft. LA-RITA GASKIN (Perspective 1981)
Another post-disco Morales gem that is just New York through and through, from the sultry keys at the beginning to that squelching synth bass line. There are a few versions of this and being a drummer I do generally prefer the ‘drummier’ version with it’s crazy fills and syncopated snare hits, but this Morales mix is certainly no slouch and does include some of those busier drum parts in the breakdown.
New York producer and songwriter Greg Carmichael (famed for his collaborations with Patrick Adams and Leroy Burgess) also appears here on arranging duties.
3. Saturday Night, Sunday Morning – THELMA HOUSTON (Universal UMC 2014)
It’s a shame this remix was a CD-only release as I hate CDs and would pretty much kill to have this on a 12. Hey ho. One of Morales’ recent treatments in which he really ramps up the kick sound and polishes the production so it shimmers with a really clarity and crispness. Aside from the technical elements it’s just such a soulful song and a super-tasteful treatment, and quite frankly once it’s kicked in I never want it to end.
One of Morales’ great talents is the way he considers the space and uses everything in the composition to get the maximum impact out of the orchestration and the individual parts. Listen to the way he allows the string section to sing on its own for parts of the song, maximising the emotional effect. Stunning.
4. I’m Caught Up (In A One Night Love Affair) – INNER LIFE (Prelude 1979)
Where to start. Difficult to accurately describe my feelings for this song in a couple of paragraphs but I’ll give it a shot.
People often talk about disco being dead by 1979. Not so. Disco simply went back underground where it nurtured its roots once more, to give us incredible songs such as this. From the heart-wrenching vocal by Jocelyn Brown (and those “ah-ah-ah-ah, caught up!” backing voices) to the lush strings and sweet chord changes, it really is a thing of beauty and there’s always plenty of whistling and hollering from the dance floor whenever I play it out. Morales also produced the full album of the same name.
5. Do You Wanna Lover (Club Mix) – HOT BOX (Polydor 1983)
Dodgy name aside, this banger from 1983 displays all the percussive hallmarks of a Morales production: layers of agogo bells and cowbells over drum machine beats and a seriously wicked breakdown where you hear nothing except drums and percussion. I’m a sucker for live acoustic percussion over sequenced classic drum machine sounds, particularly the Linn Drum kick and snare.
This one has a vibe reminiscent of The System’s ‘You Are In My System’ and is a great example of the early electro / proto-house sound that got kids breakdancing all over the damn place.
6. Breakin Down (Sugar Samba) (JM After-Session M&M Mix) – JULIA & COMPANY (Columbia 1983)
Staying with 1983 here’s a somewhat lighter but no less potent jam with a really swinging Latin vibe and some great drum programming (those triplet tom rolls!). One of the things I love about this is that even though it’s a really busy arrangement at times it’s never not funky. It has a fun and joyful air but it still feels raw somehow. Sits nicely in a DJ set next to Teena Marie, too.
7. Lay It On The Line (After-Session M&M Mix) – LOGG (Salsoul 1981)
I could probably make a favourite list of Morales mixes that feature Leroy Burgess and his LOGG compadres as there’s so many great ones.
This one is a strong contender for numero uno, because it actually improves on the original (sorry, Leroy!) in two ways. Firstly, it absolutely rejoices in all the individual voices and elements of the composition, and I don’t know about you but I want to hear those elements, one by one, until everything is pumping away. It’s just so satisfying. Secondly, it takes a more polite original version and bumps the rhythm and bass guitars right up to maximum effect, making it twice as funky. It’s a bonafide boogie bomb.
8. Down For Double (After-Session M&M Mix) – CUBIE BURKE (Rissa Chrissa 1983)
This was Cubie’s only solo effort (he spent most of his career as a professional dancer) but it’s made the cut here simply because it’s a fine example of boogie and of Morales clean, tight remixing approach. It’s a low-key affair for sure, and not quite as developed as some of his reworks but it has a classy vibe and great groove, especially in the brilliantly-phrased bass guitar part. Recorded at Blank Studios by the legendary Bob Blank.
9. Once Is Not Enough (Dub Mix) – LEON LOVE (Still Rising 1984)
1984 was a good year in the post-disco, pre-house club landscape. Take Rocker’s Revenge’ dub/electro/proto-house masterpiece ‘Walking On Sunshine’ which for me embodies the experimental nature and musical joy of that period. When you listen to it you hear disco, garage, electro, house, all in one song. This Morales dub mix from the same year shares some of the same characteristics and I think I prefer it to the a-side.
10. You And I Together – BRENDA GOOCH (Salsoul 1981)
A new discovery for me and while it isn’t in the league of Morales’ well-known classic mixes I wanted to include something slightly more obscure because we’ve all heard ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’ and ‘Hooked On Your Love’ a hundred times, right? Of course there’s a reason why those remixes are so highly regarded, but just for the sake of curiosity and interest I thought I’d end on this one.
Really feeling the intro here, in particular the repeating ‘flats in Dagenham’ snare drum and tom fill, the descending piano motif, and the unexpected but altogether soulful chord changes.