Disco | Boogie Vinyl 269 Items

After 2 giant 7" alongside fellow UK STAR CREATURE collaborator, OURRA, ANDRE ESPEUT returns to the Chicago boogie mecca with another brit funk masterpiece backed by fellow Brits, SITUATION. The original mix has all the mass appeal qualities along with an array of remixes.

For the 7th release on his label,Temi Kogbe compiles Willy Nfor's greatest songs from his solo works. The session player (bass) was involved heavily in the African boogie / funk scene with a impressive credits list.
Willy is little-known master bass player who left his country for Nigeria at 20, formed the Mighty Flames with made a name for himself as a session player played with Bongos' The Groovies, William Onyeabor (Crashes in Love), Odion Iruoje at Phonodisk where he played on several releases, left for Paris, became a sought-after session player, formed Ghetto formed Ghetto Blaster
(with Fela Kuti's Egypt 80 alumni), joined Mory Kante band toured the world on the back of the Global Hit record, unfortunately, he died before the world could really know him.
This compilation (from three rare Nigeria-produced LPs; Mighty Flames' Willie Nfor, Feel So Fine, My Turn) capture Willy's vision of a free world where love, music and breaks migrate freely. His afro-boogie nods to Bootsy Collins and Louis Johnson (The Brothers Johnson) but it invariably afro and inalienably Willy's music, a space funk with deeply rooted rhythmic grooves that has made these LPs highly sought-after by music aficionados and selectors worldwide.

In 1982, a group of friends deep into post-punk, jazz and dub got together in Mad Professor's studio and lay down their youthful interpretation of a NYC disco cut. Their unique take included trombone, vibraphone, piano, and an ital dose of tape delay. They called the song Trouble and released two versions (vocal and dub) on their friend Tony McDermott's !Drum! label with artwork inspired by Russian Constructivism. TIP!
The group, comprised of Justin Langlands, Chrysta Jones, John Schofield, Tom Dixon, and Dave Killen, decided to call themselves A-Team, having no idea that Mr.T and Co. would make them almost totally ungoogle-able 30 years later. The result of their adolescent studio idealism sounds akin to otherdisco misfits like Arthur Russell, Maximum Joy, Talking Drums and wouldn't sound out of place on legendary NYC label 99 Records. Remastered with an extended Club Dub formaximum dance-floor action.

Here four classic studio experimentations conceived by Harry Thumann former owner and main engineer of Country Lane Studios based in Munich, Germany: the home of the glorious munich-sound during the disco era. Many strong songs where produced here, so this EP represents the evolution in sound during that era mid-seventies early eighties.

The career of Patience Africa Spanned over 40 years. After almost a decade of success on a major label with her Zulu Disco sound, and a few years in the early 80s experimenting with a more soulful sound, the funky synths of the 80's would force her to stay relevant in the quick changing times. It would be in 1987 that she would sign to the independent Ream Music which with the help of their tight knit in house production team had released hits for upcoming disco artists Makwerhu, Ntombi Ndaba, Sunset, Athena, Percy Kay and more. The label's success in the traditional market made Patience a perfect fit and could have been their first crossover artist.
With the help of owner's Danny Antill and Clive Risko they would cut a 4 track EP that like many others of the time ended up being lost in to the hyper saturated market of the emerging Bubblegum demand. Two tracks would be written by Patience, including the title "Wozani La" Musically these were more aligned with her sound of the 70's accompanied by a purely digital production, but it's the two songs written by label boss Danny Antill that appear on this release. These two songs are unlike anything heard at the time. Embracing full commitment to the digital studio and some extensive and risky experimenting the trio managed to slide heavy house bordering electro pop and a haunting swing beat groove alongside the compositions of Patience to complete this EP for both markets. Although the album had great potential, poor promotion and low sales led Patience to feel cheated and after not earning a cent for the record left the label and took her first break from music since the early 70's. She would later return to her original sound recording up to til 2006 when she released what would be her final album before her death the following year. Still loved by her fans and those who knew her, she is remembered through the Patience Africa Foundation. Founded by her son Mangaliso in 2017 to help create a better South Africa in our lifetime.

Official limited edition reissue of Asso's Italo masterpiece from 1983. Featuring "Do It Again", a killer Balearic disco-style cover of the Steely Dan classic. On the flip side you get the wonderful boogie jazz-funker "Don't Stop", a track which is pure blissed-out dancefloor heaven and deservedly became a Loft and Garage classic as well as receiving heavy rotation on both the cosmic and Balearic scenes. With the coolest of laid-back jazzy piano grooves underpinned with driving funky squelching bass and superb syncopated drums.

We’ve watched the movies, seen the photos, heard the stories. As in all of New York City, crime was as
rampant in the subway as it was on the streets. Thefts, robberies, shootings and killings were a frequent reality
throughout the 1970s. In 1979, a group of angered residents led by Curtis Sliwa began taking crime prevention
into their own hands, donning red berets – looking very much like a gang and calling themselves the Guardian
Angels. This funky track produced by the Legendary Patrick Adams and uptown empresario Peter Brown is
an ode to what was hapenning at the time. Like many of the P&P records of the time, this wasn’t dance music
for flashy downtown clubs, it was the real uptown funk!
“With bass as heavy as rolling stock, and field recordings from the subway tannoy echoing along almost
empty train carriages late at night, Margo Williams's vocals supply the inner city funk menace with some
almost ethereal soul.” At a crossroads between funk, soul and an emerging Hip Hop culture this track apealled
to both the disco crowd and the bravado of the uptown b-boys.

We really are excited by our new release. Taken again from the vaults of Mr Stu Gardner we have the next instalment of the Twinn Konnexion story. We released the single SDE17 way back in 2016, a double sided 45 of "dont fight the love", a blistering slab of modern boogie soul that sold out very quickly upon release. The single was first championed by Dj Jeremy Underground at many of his dj nights. Move on a few years and we have discovered the original studio reels from that session. And it doesn't disappoint!
Pulled from those reels are another 3 amazing compositions where no doubt Mr Gardener called on his long list of musical associates.
The information of the players and singers has never been divulged with us, not sure why the secrecy & frankly we don't care. What we do know is each song oozes class from start to finish and there is something for everyones taste.
A "Sunshine of you day" has an almost gospel feel to its rhythm, with the singer telling how his women lights up his day. And to be honest its lite up our HQ since we had it. Just ripe for the dancefloor!
Moving on to the B side we have two incredible ballads/2 step songs for that connoisseur amongst you B1 "love side facing up" Well as soon as you hear the opening guitar and horn section with the male singers sultry voice you just know this is taking you down that classic 2 step sound that was big on the London and rare groove scene We know this is going to a be a big fave for years to come. B2 "Memories dont fade away" its pretty much as above. More 2 step action that you can fail to love!

Limited repress of 250 copies!

Official limited edition reissue of one of the rarest italian cosmic disco release from 1977. Previously available only as a 7" with short vocal and instrumental cuts for radio play. Now reissued as 12" including for the first time the extended disco version remastered from the original master tapes directly from the archives of the italian radio 101 that produced this song during mid seventies.

Chances are if you are reading this, you are probably already familiar with Dinosaur L's “Go
Bang” and danced countless times to Loose Joints' ""It's All Over My Face"". A prolific musician,
Arthur Russell produced an abundant amount of recordings over the course of his career.
Although a classically trained cellist, he released a number of successful underground dance
hits under various monikers and collaborations. As a solo artist however, his inability to
complete projects resulted in a limited amount of official releases; World of Echo (1986) being
his only full-length solo effort to see release in his lifetime. After releasing a number of
Club singles on labels like West End & Sire, Russell went on to form Sleeping Bag Records with
Will Socolov as an outlet for a sound not as restrictive as his ""disco"" material.
The initial concept was that Russell would provide the musical direction while Socolov handled
the business side. The label had huge success early on with Class Action’s “Weekend” remixed
by Larry Levan, and Russell’s seminal “Go Bang,” credited to Dinosaur L and remixed by Francois
Kevorkian. Although Russell and Socolov shared a lot of musical common ground, the difference
in vision began to show. Russell’s avant-garde sensibilities and perfectionism were not
compatible with an industry standard to release singles in quick succession, and his ""work in
progress"" approach began to be financially draining, ultimately resulting in the dissolution
of their partnership around 1983. With Arthur's departure, Sleeping Bag moved away from the
experimental and towards a successful hip-hop route with the growing involvement of Kurtis
Mantronik and leading to propel the careers of artists like Todd Terry, Just-Ice
and EPMD.
By the mid-80s, Russell’s health began to deteriorate after contracting HIV. Although the
business partnership did not work out, Socolov and Russell maintained their friendship. Aware
of the time he had left, Russell reached out to Socolov to record what was to become Indian
Ocean, his last release on Sleeping Bag and the last great collaboration between Arthur and
his old friend Walter Gibbons.
Unlike the rest of Russell's Dance collaborations, “School Bell/Treehouse” is very intimate
composition, putting to the forefront all the elements that defined him musically; with his
own voice and cello as the anchors to a piece that keeps growing in intensity, melding the
tribal rhythms of Mustafa Ahmed’s conga with percussions that sound like distorted drum
machines. There is a lot of beauty in this piece, with Peter Zummo's melancholic trombone lines
and Arthur's keyboard playing. Adequately ""mixed with love"" by Walter Gibbons, ""School
Bell/Treehouse"" really synthesizes the energy and soundscapes of Arthur's dancefloor.

A true Holy Grail from the Cloud One catalog, “Don’t Let My Rainbow Pass Me By” is the third of a string of titles on Golden Flamingo produced by the P&P duo of Patrick Adams and Peter Brown and featuring vocals from “Guardian Angel” singer Margot Williams.

Similar to previous Cloud One’s productions, this record had all the elements of a Patrick Adams classic, but with vocal arrangements that foreshadowed the work he would do with Inner Life and Jocelyn Brown at Salsoul. Perhaps not so much of a coincidence then that Margot Williams would provide backing vocals on Inner Life’s Second and final album.

Even though it was originally released in 1981, “Don’t Let My Rainbow Pass Me By” is still championed by high-profile deejays today. Over the years, it’s been notably sampled in Basement Jaxx’s Romeo and covered by Todd Terje and Prins Thomas in “Reinbagan"" as a Dub-Disco cut. Available for the first time since it’s original release, our only piece of advise is to don’t let this classic pass you by.

A bonafide dancefloor invitation, this classic cut by Chain Reaction was originally released in 1980 on the P&P affiliate label, Sound Of New York. A project between keyboardist Dwight Brewster (of The Imperials) and percussionist Harold Sargent (of Wood, Brass & Steel fame) Dance Freak provides one finest moments in the entire catalog. A funky disco track with all the elements of a party anthem, it’s no surprise it’s been a favorite of veteran Deejays like Kenny Dope and Danny Krivit. There are many reasons why this track is a must-have for Disco DJs. Outstanding percussions; check. Funky Guitar & Bass lines; check. Catchy chorus; check. Brass accents; very welcomed. Using a synth as a percussive instrument; incredible and most likely lifted from the Patrick Adams Handbook “How to make a hit record”.

Vinylmania: As classic disco came bounding through the late ’70s and into the electronically orientated sounds of the ’80s, New York was one of the undisputed frontiers for the latest developments in dance music culture, nightclubs and the art of DJ-ing. At the center of this seminal time for vinyl culture was a store called Vinylmania, set up by Charlie Grappone in the heart of Greenwich Village, Manhattan, just as the culture of 12-inch singles and promo copies was taking hold. From supplying Levan, Tony Humphries and many more with the latest imports to championing the emergence of house music in the mid-’80s, Grappone and his staff played a significant role in New York’s own dance music story. Through the ’90s and up until closing in 2007, Vinylmania was a store that catered to DJs from across the complex mixture of racial, social and sexual demographics that made up New York and its legendary nightlife. Man Friday: As the NYC Peech Boys came to an end, Man Friday became Larry Levan’s newest production project. Fronted by Kofi Morny and Brodie Williams, their debut single “Love Honey, Love heartache” was released by Vinyl Mania in 1986 with Larry Levan at the helm of the mix. Love Money: In the spirit of most dance music borrowing elements from other sources,
“Love Honey” was heavily inspired by another Paradise Garage & Loft classic from 1980 and its remix in 1981 by UK Outfit Funk Masters / TW Funkmasters. A dubbed out track big in the Jazz-Funk scene in the UK, it became a hit among underground Deejays in Both NYC & Chicago. Love Honey: No matter what list you look at. ‘Love Honey’ is always attached to Larry Levan’s tenure at the Paradise Garage. All the elements of a Garage Track are here; Dub Echoes, Synth Basslines, Percussions that linger, FX -that one can only dream of hearing on a Richard Long System- and an Organ, because after all, they say the Garage was like going to Church.

Dig This Way Records is proud to announce his new MAXI 12" Serie!
Side A Featured Soki Ohale with his I.S.C.A.C. Band project , the track is call Igbo Nwe Egwu and is a mix of Highlife , Boogie and Electronic sound from 1986. It was pressed on a limited and raw LP sponsored by
Imo State Council for Art And Culture , the audio have been restored and remastered by our friend Bassi maestro @Press Rewind Studio
Side B Featured La Bruno - Instant Reaction + Instant Rap , the original LP is litterally impossible to be found , we have been lucky to Locate a clean copy in our 2nd trip to Nigeria and even more lucky to meet La Bruno himself just walking around Owerri in the east side of Nigeria!

Record Store Day 2020 Release.
Limitation: 1000 copies.

Soul Brother Records present two rare Scepter / Wand disco classics on one limited edition 12” single for Record Store Day RSD 2020 Limited Edition 1,000 Copies. Bobby Moore was a singer, musician and bandleader from New Orleans. He worked as a writer and arranger from the 1960s to 1980s, (Call Me Your) Anything Man one of only a handful of solo 7” single releases. The 12” version has never been commercially released before, it’s prior existence in this format has only been on acetate. Sweet Music were the vocal trio who sang background vocals with KC and The Sunshine Band. Never before on 12”

Rarely does an artist pay homage to the classics like Dimitri From Paris. The Grammy nominated producer, remixer, composer and DJ has made every one of his repertoire of reworks sound effortless; no mean feat when the original tracks are by the likes of Disco’s greatest musicians. In 2018 he released his “lifetime achievement” on Glitterbox, with the strictly limited pressing of the ‘Dimitri From Paris presents Le Chic Remix’ boxset. Now the 12’s have their own separate outings, bringing greater focus onto the individual productions, as each vinyl features two of the incredible Dimitri remixes, along with their respective instrumentals on the B-Side. On this record, Dimitri continues to get to the heart of why CHIC’s music remains so universally relevant, underlining the enduring cultural significance of dance music in its most unabashed form with his careful remixing of CHIC classics ‘My Forbidden Lover’ and ‘I Feel You Love Comin’ On’.

An extremely rare and in-demand record from the disco-funk group has been unearthed and restored. The Movers enjoyed huge success in the 1970s, releasing album after album of ground-breaking sounds, including fusions of South African marabi jazz, funk, disco and jive. The line up of the band shifted throughout its existence - however this particular album produced by David Thekwane features musicians Jabu Sibumbe, L Rhikoti, Lloyd Lelosa and Sankie Chounyane.

"Bologna born Italo Disco legend Celso Valli’s ‘Tantra’ project had one aim; to push the boundaries of disco! Released in 1979 in the vein of Cerrone and Giorgio Moroder, ‘Hills of Katmandu’ is a unique, progressive slice of classic Italo Disco. The pulsating ‘Moroder-on-steroids bassline’, menacing female vocal and warbling synths take you on a trippy disco journey. The track became a huge dancefloor anthem at legendary clubs such as The Loft and The Saint in New York and Baia Degli Angeli in Rimini.

Originally available on vinyl in 1982 on San Francisco’s “Hot Classics” DJ Service”, Patrick Cowley’s “Original Underground Mix” is a work of pure genius that unleashes his skills on the synths and somehow manages to surpass the original.

High Fashion Music have enrolled Ben Liebrand to restore all the original remix-tapes, managing to re-edit and adjust each and every nuance to perfection, taking away any and all flaws which appeared in the original and it’s acetates, so that it is now steady preserving the original Hi NRG sound.

This is the first time this restored and upgraded version has been released.

On the flip-side, there is the original 16’20 minutes version of the Jurgen Koppers mix, an extended re-edit of the original Celso Valli version, which appeared first on Disconet in 1979, and in the following year on the US (Importe/12) release of the “Tantra – the Double Album” longplayer."

James Mason is mostly known for his late 70's album 'Rhythm Of Life', which is a soul-jazz classic. Soon after music trends shifted to (electronic) disco and James' music became out of fashion, leaving 'Rhythm Of Life' to be the only album he released to date. The early early 80′s saw him have a few studio sessions from which more electronic output like Wuf Ticket’s ‘The Key (Prelude Records) resulted. James also produced various disco acts like Disco 3, Earl Flint and Brenda Bayton.

Two all-time George Duke greats, ‘I Want You for Myself’ & ‘Brazilian Love Affair’, get the official remastered, reissue treatment. First up, ‘I Want You For Myself’ Duke’s 1979 jazz funk, R&B tinged gem has got all the ingredients of classic from his illustrious catalogue. A funked up guitar and exuberant percussion, compliment Lynn Davis’ fabulously soulful vocals perfectly to make this a love song that’s sweeter than most. A Duke classic wouldn’t be complete without a killer, keys solo and ‘I Want You For Myself’ shows off his talents in abundance. The infamous Tom Moulton takes on edit duties splicing it into a 10-minute exploration of this fusion powerhouse, extending and enhancing elements in the mix, alongside adding an epic breakdown in a way that only he knows how. On the B side, the stone-cold killer ‘Brazilian Love Affair’ is a Latin American, jazz funk classic. Recorded in Rio de Janeiro, Duke drafted in a host of greats to guest on the track, each bringing something unique to the table. From Airto Moreira’s expert latin drumming, to Byron Miller’s heavyweight bass and Roland Bautista’s overdriven guitar. Duke supplements this to a tee with his blissful vocals and an otherworldly Rhodes solo. Much sampled, much loved, this is a masterpiece that needs a place in the collection.

The first in a new collaborative series between Theo Parrish & Prime Direct Distribution unearthing some of Theo’s most sought-after edits, backed with the fully licensed original, both remastered and cut loud on either side of a 12 inch. Kicking things off we have one of Theo’s most treasured cuts, his ‘Ugly Edit’ of Made In USA - Never Gonna Let You Go, bootlegged endlessly in the past and racking up prices of up to £144 on Discogs it’s a high time an official reissue came around.
As iconic an edit as they get, ‘Never Gonna Let You Go’ encompasses everything great about Theo’s energy behind the decks - extending grooves for longer than anyone else even dare, working the EQ’s like a god and throwing in a bit of that raw magic that only he knows how. Taking the original’s sumptuous breakdown, Theo works it into a spirited, high energy disco workout looped into a near 10-minute stomper, big on the bass and brass fire whilst leaving the vocals at the door.
On the B side the original ’77 Made In USA version is laid out in all it’s glory. Funk powered, horn-laden disco goodness with breath-taking vocals from the Stateside troupe.

The masterful, supergroup of Phreek lead by Patrick Adams, sees three of its sought-after masterpieces, two of which have never been on a 12 inch, officially reissued and remastered on a label that’s fast becoming a go-to for in demand reissues, South Street Disco.
A pure classic, ‘Weekend’, was born back in ‘78 written by Leroy Burgess and James Calloway and produced by Patrick Adams and Burgess, they lead an expertly curated troupe for this massive Paradise Garage staple and Larry Levan favourite. That late ‘70s sound where synthesisers rose to prominence, sees a combination of cosmic keys, freakish strings and power-play funk guitars, tied together with tight percussion, bold basslines and Christie Shire’s lead vocals, that whole heartedly captures the spirit of disco. Famously remade into a house anthem 10 years later by Todd Terry, ‘Weekend’ is a timeless slice of celestial magic.
In a similar fashion ‘Everybody Loves A Good Thing’ does another blast around the cosmos - a Universal Robot Band feel emanating from the buzzing synths and awe-inspiring vocal prowess of Leroy Burgess, coupled with ‘Shining’ star, Venus Dodson. As uplifting as it gets, complete with a killer piano breakdown to draw out every ounce of anticipation.
Flip it over and a whole side is devoted to the greatness of ‘I'm a Big Freak [R*U*1*2]’. A mesmerising, fast-paced, disco workout with sensuous groans, sleazed up, supernatural keys and a heavy bass that just goes and goes and goes! Favoured by the biggest and best out there, from Ron Hardy to Theo Parrish, it’s got the power and energy to light up even the most demanding of dancefloors.

A trio of Harvey Mason classics reissued on 12 inch - 'Groovin' You' and 'Till You Take My Love' capturing the heyday of the New York discotheque, alongside the emotive, blissed-out 'Modaji' which features Hubert Laws' flute melodies that power it's jazz dreaminess.
Remastered for 12" audio power.

Crown Ruler Records returns with a slab of unreleased disco-funk from Miami musician, Aaron Broomfield. HEAVY tune, in two mixes.. TIP.
“Boomerang” was first recorded in 1979, when the Broomfield Corporate Jam leader was attempting to plot a solo career. It was the first cut Aaron Broomfield recorded under his own name – Initially, at the family band’s home studio, Kilimanjaro, and later at professional studios in L.A and Miami – but it was never released.
“I always wanted to be able to share ‘Boomerang’ with my fans some day – I didn’t release it back then because I thought the time wasn’t right,” Broomfield explains. “It was so different to what was considered commercial then and felt ahead of its time.”
Before deciding against releasing it, Broomfield had two test pressings made. It was the accidental discovery of the one remaining record by digger Arun Brown (the other perished when Broomfield’s Kilimanjaro studio was damaged by a fire in 1996) that set in motion the chain of events that finally led to its release.
The jacket boasts a written essay by Broomfield himself, telling the remarkable story behind the song. The wax features the two versions of Boomerang, of which both were meticulously restored and re-mastered by celebrated Australian sound engineer, Dan Elleson.
Head to side A for the “test press” version, a cosmic, starry-eyed chunk of elastic Miami disco-funk where the Broomfield family’s killer instrumentation – all rubbery bass, deep space synths and crunchy Clavinet motifs – arcs around the sound space like a boomerang in flight. The vocal arrangement, in which Aaron Broomfield’s conscious lyrics come through loud and clear, brings it home. On the flipside, you’ll hear how dynamic the band was through the “Demo Version” - a relaxed, loose and spacey groover that sounds as ahead of its time in 2018 as it would have when it was recorded in 1979.

Keni Burke’s signature hit ‘Risin’ To The Top’ gets an official remastered, reissue alongside the 12 inch mix of his ’81 killer jam ‘You’re The Best’.

They don’t get much more anthemic than Idris Muhammad’s ‘Could Heaven Ever Be Like This’ and who better to rework it than edit royalty, Late Nite Tuff Guy. Subtle in his touches yet incorporating a more DJ friendly, dancefloor orientated beat and tension building intro which teases elements of this classic before that instantly recognizable bass riff and staccato guitar chords come into play.
That subtlety is key when it comes to handling a record as epic as this, elements are accentuated and looped, delicate effects are woven in but the soul and feeling of Idris’ music is lovingly maintained by LNTG.
And for the purists out there, the flip houses the original mix so you’ve got two paths to heaven to choose from.

Limited Edition for Record Store Day 2018! Two of Jean Carn's seminal hits combined. “Was That All It Was” is a big hitting disco exploration with hints of Jean’s gospel choir background coming to the fore.
The flip houses the classic “Don’t Let It Go To Your Head” – covered on many an occasion since it’s release back in '78.
Pressed on 180g vinyl.

Limited Edition for Record Store Day 2018! 40 year anniversary release of Cheryl Lynn's much in-demand and RARE 12" mix of "You Saved My Day" backed with all-time feel-good anthem "Got To Be Real".
RSD exclusive pressed on 180g vinyl

Limited edition remastered reissue of an obsure Italian Balearic Disco song produced and arranged by Victorio Pezzolla the same man behind the project “ASSO - Don't Stop” that was a big hit during early 80s in the N.Y.C. underground clubs, regularly played by Larry Levan at Paradise Garage and by David Mancuso at Loft. The plus on this limited edition reissue is that the production is directly handled by the former producer to obtain a more accurate sound compared from the first release.

Taken from his 'You Might Be Surprised' album from 1985 and produced by James Mtume with additional help from Tawatha & Philip Fields (of Aurra & Mtume) as well as David Frank (of The System), this 12 inch has long been sought after by Roy Ayers fans with the release changing hands for over £100 regularly on Discogs.

This mid-tempo joint with forward thinking lyrics, a great 808 beat and beautiful chords is sophisticated, yet hood. Reissued for the first time, don't miss this
opportunity to own this slice of mid 80's Roy Ayers.

Gorgeous electro boogie, nothing less then you would expect from PPU!

Finally available on single LP format! All 5 parts of Dam-Funks magnum opus!

IZIPHO SOUL is extremely proud to present super smooth soul singer MARC STAGGERS.
KEY TO MY HEART is one of his best loved songs, now receiving the Tom Moulton mix treatment which elevates it to new heights and is rounded off beautifully with a Kirk Whalum sax solo! For the B Side the Staggers brothers Marc & Reginald delved deep into their musical archive and pulled out the never heard before jazzy soul winner SOFT WORDS.

The story of Change goes back to the 1980 and our introduction to Luther Vandross on their hits “Searching” and “The Glow Of Love”. Next there was the amazing James Robinson with them on “The Very Best In You” and “Miracles” before they joined forces with writers/producers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis for “Change Of Heart”, “You Are My Melody” and so many more. You know this already! But here in 2019 Expansion are thrilled to bring you two tracks from their new album with extraordinary remixes by Joey Negro and Opolopo. What could go wrong? Both tracks are astonishing, brilliant on the dance floor and presented here on vinyl exclusively for the first time.

Out of the social unrest and revolutionary times of the early 1970s a new musical art form emerged on the streets of Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago. A group of young guys started to combine poetry with drumming and created the musical art form that is known today as Rapso.
Poets known as much for their fiery verses as they were for leading protests were at the vanguard of the 1970s Black Power revolution. There was a new consciousness building in the Trinidad and Tobago arts scene. The two most influential characters were Cheryl Byron and Lancelot Layne.
Lutalo ‘Brother Resistance’ Masimba and others would play basketball during the day and come back out at night, ‘liming’ and playing drums. Other people from the block would join with instruments and Brother Resistance would perform his poetry on the rhythms. The prestigious boys school that Resistance attended refused to acknowledge his attempts at creating verses that reflected the rhythm of the Trinidad and Tobago creole. ''They said it wasn't poetry. They didn't want to put it in the school magazine.''
Resistance and his friends toyed with other words to describe their style. They came up with 'rapsody' but one night during a show in Santa Cruz somebody in the audience shouted out ''How you could rap so!'' And the rest is history.
They recorded their first album ‘Bustin Out’ in 1980. More albums followed and they started to work as producers. In 1986 the band performed at ‘Caribbean Focus’ festival in London and toured the U.K. which helped to lift their reputation internationally. The same year Brother Resistance decided to produce his first solo album and went to England to record ‘Rapso Take Over’. This album contains the highly acclaimed tracks Ring De Bell, Dancing Shoes Rapso and Star Wars Rapso. An unreleased take of Wars In Rapso is featured on this Cree Records 12''.
The band wasn’t too impressed with the ‘English’ production and they decided to record a new version of the song. Junior Wharwood recorded the guitar tracks. Resistance came up with the idea of Tonight Is De Night. The more or less improvised song became a big carnival hit in Trinidad and he went to perform it live with bands like Sound Revolution, Shandileer and Charlie’s Roots.
At the time, these tracks received little airplay in Trinidad and Tobago, but they're undeniable hits that continue to be in demand dancefloor bangers. For this 12'' we have selected four of Brother Resistance's most in demand tracks. Long live Kaiso – Rapso take over!

Endlessly sampled across the board, for those dreamy guitar licks, killer Rhodes keys and luscious strings, Goody Goody ‘It Looks Like Love / Super Jock’ is a 1978 masterpiece of disco gold. Original copies of the Atlantic Promo 12” sell for upwards of £65 so it’s about time a remastered, officially reissue landed.
Produced by Vince Montana of MFSB and The Salsoul Orchestra fame, ‘It Looks Like Love’ was a Larry Levan / Paradise Garage classic and still commands dancefloors the world over. Flowing flutes, sultry vocals and xylophone twinkles open up proceedings, as those iconic, funk-flavoured staccato guitars and rising strings step up to the plate. Combined they produce a glistening groove that captures the feel-good factor of NYC’s disco apogee.
Delectable disco, fuelled by an undeniable funk that continues to be harnessed, chopped and sampled by some of house music’s biggest players from Nick Holder and Armando, to Tom Trago and Glenn Underground.
On the B side, soul-searching cosmic fluctuations via ‘Super Jock’, with interplanetary vocal refrains stretching out above a full-bodied bass, tight drumming and spacey Rhodes. Montana’s world class arrangement sees bongo-led percussive interludes and dancing keys solos take listeners to a mesmerising galaxy, far far away.
A double dose of that good stuff!

Following on from the standout D.J. Rogers release, South Street Disco turn their sights to reissuing two seminal and much sought after ‘70s jazz funk Loft classics. One side houses Miroslav Vitouš’ cosmic disco delight ‘New York City’, the other uncovers the Latin infused whirlwind ‘Whistle Bump’ from Eumir Deodato.
First up the Czech jazz bassist and founding member of Weather Report, Miroslav Vitouš, supplies the infectious vibrations of ‘New York City’. Harnessing the spirit of the bubbling NYC underground club scene of the mid ‘70s, Vitous lays down a proto Arthur Russell flavoured jam, that blends whirling new-wave-esque vocals and brazen basslines over trademark cosmic keys from the master, Herbie Hancock. Combined with tight drumming and fiery, overdriven riffs it paved the way for this to become a dancefloor hit and a clear precursor to the early house scene. With originals trading hands for £120+ it’s high time ‘New York City’ got an official remastered reissue.
On the flip side, a timeless Brazilian instrumental jazz-funk gem from Eumir Deodato that likewise became a certified classic through heavy rotations on New York’s revered dancefloors, most notably via David Mancuso at The Loft. Feel good feelings amplified by spirited Rhodes, psychedelic strumming and that sure-fire Latin infused bongo / whistle carnival combo. Carefree, unbridled energy that sees Pops Popwell’s funk bass perfectly accompanying blazing guitar solos and a horn section from heaven, it’s impossible not to get down to. Pure South American sunshine bottled up and ready to be supplied at will.

An instantly recognisable intro that Daft Punk turned into one of their most well-known anthems, ‘Harder Better Faster Stronger’ - Edwin Birdsong’s ‘Cola Bottle Baby’ is straight up insatiable, late ‘70s funk fire.

We thought turning five this year would be a good reason to ask some friendly DJs and producers to go through our catalogue and select their favorite track to do an edit or remix on.
The first selection by DJ Nomad from Berlin is Barbara Hernandez' 'All Nite Tonight', written and produced by Leston Paul from Trinidad. Nomad's edit drives the song's dance floor ambition even further beyond the top. As a DJ Nomad does not necessarily put a label on his style, but always expresses love for Polyrythms, Soulful harmonies and the African drums and Percussion. He's notorious for finding fresh world music dance tracks all around the globe, before they become hits, and a massive collector of Tropical Soul, Funk and Disco.
His energetic and surprising , always fresh DJ set's earned him a residency in Paris's infamous ‚Tropical Discoteq’ Parties among the best Dj's of the genre. He is the founder of ‚Vulkandance’ Parties, Blog and Label in Berlin .. He's together with Edna Martinez cofounder of ’El Volcan’ - The first continental European Colombian Pico Soundsystem. As a Producer he's breaking ground and travelling the world together with Dirk Leyers and the transcultural Project Africaine 808, besides working as a master Editor for other artists around the globe. Keshav Singh who is part of Trinidadian/British production duo Jus Now put his hands on Trinidad's Mansa Musa's ’Beat The Drum’.
Being a percussionist in his own right he transformed the song into a housy Soca track and pure dance floor fiah! With his partner Sam Interface, he has produced soca music with EDM influence for Bunji Garlin, Machel Montano and 3Canal. Keshav commutes between Trinidad and the U.K.
The next two tracks are taken from our upcoming compilation ’Gotta Nice Buzz - The Funky Sound of Semp Studios Trinidad, W.I.’. French DJ & record collector Waxist gives Zodiac's ’I Believe’ a proper treatment. ’I Believe’, written by Francis Escayg, is an uptempo Caribbean Disco tune with a strong Giorgio Moroder influence with Denise Plummer on vocals.
Waxist, based in Lyon, France, started his love story with records as a teenager when he bought his first reggae 7 inches. If his love for Jamaican music has survived through the years, the DJ has progressively extended his interests to different, more dancefloororiented music genres like Disco, Modern Soul, Boogie or even a touch of House when needed... Being careful with the technique, as well as with the coherency of his selection, his sets are an invite to a dancing musical journey taking the audience from Disco to Modern Soul, through more Caribbean or Brazilian sounds.

Limited edition vinyl!
Unknown studio session that was obtained from Stu Gardner. Must say it’s of the highest order without doubt some of the great session musicians of the time playing on this. We got the original reels transferred and with this great quality thought it the right opportunity to get Boston’s finest, DJ Kon to do one of his famous reworks. We weren’t disappointed.

Another much welcomed reissue of the late 70's funk laden, disco two tracker from Splendor. The A side 'Take Me To Your Disco' is emblematic of disco records from that golden era where big bands and big budgets were rife. Yet there's an interplanetary twist to this one, with the mysterious, eerie, spacecraft sounding intro paving the way for a tale of extraterrestrials wanting to get down at one of planet earths discos. You can tell this came from an era were disco really was taking over
Flip it over and you've got the mighty Special Lady. With Philip Bailey, of Earth, Wind and Fire fame, on production his style comes through strong in the vocal arrangement with the level of feeling and power he squeezes out of each voice.
A chance to add these two anthems to the collection!

A much welcomed reissue of the 1978 Idris Muhammad gem 'Boogie To The Top'. Released a year after, arguably, Idris' most well-known anthem, 'Could Heaven Ever Be Like This' the similarities in style and composition are clear. Expertly produced, rich instrumentation, expansive drum fills, gospel tinged full-bodied vocals, all the while epic and life affirming in it's nature - what more could you want?
Young Pulse steps up on the b-side, to add his own subtle touches and tweaks to the original. Looping the guitar and echoing out the vocals whilst working in more of the synth lines. The addition of a crisp clap and extra percussion add an element more vibrancy into this mix, keeping the original feel intact whilst revitalising it for 2018.

Two incredible 70’s soul cuts from The O’Jays get the reissue treatment for 2018. The A side contains the mighty ‘For The Love Of Money’ a near 7 minute cautionary tale to the dangers of greed and exploitation. "For the love of money. People will lie, Lord, they will cheat. For the love of money. People don't care who they hurt or beat." As pertinent now as it was in the 70’s if not more so considering current affairs. A much sampled record, loved by many!
On the flip, ‘Darlin' Darlin' Baby (Sweet, Tender, Love)’, the second hit single off the O’Jay’s album ‘Message In The Music’, is a romantic soul serenade with that killer Gamble and Huff production – Philly’s finest!

A classic slice of Philadelphia funk from People's Choice, officially remastered and reissued for 2018.
‘Here We Go Again' is a definitive, feel-good disco stomper combining a full frontal bassline, infectious keys and staccato guitar licks that effortlessly build and build throughout the track. Cries of 'Here We Go Again' ring out at it's peak epitomising the feeling that this groove could last forever.
Keeping up that perpetual good time groove the B side houses the mighty 'Jam, Jam, Jam (All Night Long)'. A track doused in the funk, from the rugged vocals to the addictive hooks, it'll worm it's way into your head for weeks.

The original 12” version of this badboy will set you back near on £150, so it’s a much welcomed official, remastered reissue. A favourite from the likes of Sadar Bahar and Mr Scruff you’ll be hearing this one a lot come summertime.

American soulstress Phyllis Hyman gets two of her much loved anthems officially reissued on 180g vinyl.
"You Know How To Love Me" is a 7 and a half minute lesson in love. It's got that full bodied production of this golden era - layering strings seamlessly with a busty brass section and a flute line that even the most hardened can't help but smile at. Couple this with Phyllis' sultry yet powerful vocals bolstered by a backing group containing, amongst others, the mighty Gwen Guthrie.
On the flip, "Living Inside Your Love" hits you with a soul jam, heavy on the funk - complete with hands in the air chorus. Just as perfect to close out a set, as it is to warm up the floor.
Two essential tracks for any soul & disco aficionado!