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Where to begin?
Disco is a wonderfully diverse beast. It ranges from early afro-beat type stuff like Joe Bataan and Manu Dibango through the rough funk stylings of People's Choice to the smooth orchestral dramatics of Meco. Taking in on the way screaming high camp, latin influences, electronic experimentation, soulful vocals and jazzy improvisation.
Really, in a good disco collection you want a bit of everything, and there are good examples of all the styles.
The roots of disco are in Philly soul and latin and African music. I'd recommend some kind of Philly compilation for starters - everyone should have one anyway. 'The Philadelphia Story' has all the essentials: TSOP, Love TKO, Let's clean up the ghetto etc. There is also a comp out of rare Philly records with gems like The Sweetest Pain on it which is well worth getting.
The essential disco funk record is the People's Choice LP 'We got the rhythm'. Also worth getting in this vein are the Johnny Guitar Watson singles "Booty Ooty" and "Nobody wants to be a lone ranger" (the latter isn't really disco funk but is a great record). Also Magic Disco Machine's "Scratchin" on Motown which is easily available on 7" from any second hand record dealer.
The soulful/jazzy side of disco is well covered by the excellent Loft compilations which go the whole range from commercial artists like Patti Labelle through to obscurities like Resonance's "Yellow Train", a gorgeous drum-driven latin curiosity.
The orchestral dramatic side of disco is the hardest stuff to get on compilation. Good selections would be Giorgio Moroder and Donna Summer's "Love Symphony" and Meco's "Star Wars". This stuff really isn't to everyone's taste, and to modern ears can sound really tacky. But played on a good system at the right moment in a night they are devastatingly good.
Electronic disco records are relatively easy to procure as it is relentlessly uncool. Key tunes are the immortal "I feel love" (which everyone has anyway), Laura Lee's "S.A.T.I.S.F.A.C.T.I.O.N.", New York City Peech Boys' "Don't make me wait" and Sylvester's "Do you wanna funk".
Now I'm a disco fanatic, so these are insiders' picks. Accessible, popular quality disco records are also plentiful. A list of ten to start with would be:
Jimmy Bo Horne - "Spank"
First Choice - "Let no man put asunder"
Loose Joints - "Is it all over my face"
Instant Funk - "Got my mind made up"
Loleatta Holloway - "Love sensation"
Patti Labelle - "Music is my way of life"
Blackbyrds - "It's music"
Chic - "Good times"
Candi Staton - "Young hearts run free"
Anita Ward - "Ring my bell" |
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