You Should Be Dancin'

Upon Shinypouch's request (see previous comments), today I will feature a song I love to start my DJ sets with, Todd Terje's edit of The Bee Gee's 1976 single "You Should Be Dancing". This dubbed out re-edit which was released through Ballroom Records in 2004, also consists of Terje's edit of a Carlos Santana track, entitled "Golden Hours". With most of Ballroom Records releases, information about the original artists, song credits, and the person doing the re-edit, isn't generally listed. Regardless, this 12" single of Terje's work is definitely one of his finest, and I highly recommend picking up a copy.

Speaking of Todd Terje, I was just notified that he will be in San Francisco on Sunday August 26th doing a 2+ hour DJ set. Everybody on the West Coast, mark your calendars. I also heard that Prins Thomas will be in town that weekend playing at the The Gun Club.

The Bee Gees - You Should Be Dancin' (Todd Terje Re-edit)

Last Night's Circus,Next Week's Cabana

If you missed last night's first edition of Circus, which was a great night of amazing classic disco, italo, rare edits, - you definitely missed out. However, you'll have another opportunity next month when we host the second edition of Circus. Info on that coming soon.

Also if you couldn't make it to Circus, you will have an opportunity next Friday, August 3rd, to check out another new disco night, Club Cabana at The Solo Bar in Queen Anne (Seattle, Wa.), which will basically be a tropical version of Circus- classic disco, italo, salsoul classics, re-edits, everything you basically find on this blog. There's no cover, and the party starts around 9pm. Let's turn The Solo Bar into a 1970's Disco Paradise.

Here is my playlist from last night (a bit out of order):

• The Bee Gees - You Should Be Dancin' (Tangoterje edit)
  
• Bunny Sigler - By The Way You Dance (Larry Levan Edit)
  
• Salsoul Orchestra - How High
  
• Chicago - Street Player
  
• O' Jays - I Love Music (Damn Edit)
  
• First Choice - Double Cross
  
• Tangoterje - Get It On
  
• Don Ray - Standing in the Rain
  
• The Popular People's Front - I Don't Know
  
• George McCrae - I Get Lifted (Tangoterje edit)
  
• Dinosaur - Kiss Me Again
  
• Cafe Society - Somebody To Love
  
• Sparkle - Handsome Man (Larry Levan Edit)
  
• Rune Lindbaek - Soper Star
  
• Ferrara - Love Attacks Again
  
• Tangoterje - Dance N Chant
  

Maneating Paradise

Have you ever wanted to hear what a Larry Levan edit of a Hall & Oates song would sound like? Well I've been asking myself that ever since becoming a fan of both (Yes, I like Hall & Oates). So you can imagine my excitement when I came across this unreleased (as far as I know) Levan mix of Hall & Oates 1982 pop classic "Maneater". I don't know when this edit exactly took place, fill free to fill me in if it has gotten an official release. Larry Levan did a solid job of slowing down the tempo a bit and really pushing the bass groove while extending the saxophone bridge. It sounds alot like what Rune Lindbaek might do if he was editing the track. Larry Levan tends to not dissapoint with his mixes, and here is a prime example of how he can take the song to new heights.

Hall & Oates - Maneater (Larry Levan Extended Mix)

Ride The Circus Pony Tonight!

If you live in Seattle, WA., don't miss the first night of Circus!, tonight at Pony (Formerly the Cha Cha Lounge). El Toro, H.M.A., and I will be turning this bar into a 1970's nightclub, spinning classic '70's disco and italo all night long. Everything that you enjoy on this blog brought to the dancefloor. Come out, dance, and look to get very hot and sweaty!

Circus!
at Pony (Formerly Cha Cha Lounge)
1013 E Pike St, Seattle, Washington 98122
9PM $3

See you there!

The Popular People's Music

The Popular People's Front has been releasing great re-edits for the past few years. Some of these edit's include Chaka Khan & Rufus' "Stop on By", The Undisputed Truth's "Showtime", along with re-edits of classic songs by Evelyn King, Carly Simon etc. These self-released re-edit records are much like the releases on Noid Records, with information of the original track is extremely hard-to-find. Here's an edit titled, "I Love Only You" off of The Popular People's Front EP Sample Pleasures Part 1. I can't figure out who did the original, however it does sound really familiar - feel free to let me know. If you love disco re-edits like I do, I highly reccommend checking out The Popular People's Front.

The Popular People's Front - I Love Only You

Balearica Baja

Balearica Records has really found some classic gems to include in their Balearica: The Original Sound Of The White Island Series. This instrumental dub version of Mascara's "Baja" appears on the Second Volume of that series. "Baja" was released by both Personal Records and Oh My! Records in 1984 as a 12-inch single. This classic balearica-disco track was written and produced by Jürgen S. Korduletsch, whom also produced songs for classic disco artists Gaz and Claudja Barry. This much hard-to-find rare classic has now resurfaced, thanks, once again to Balearica Records.

Mascara - Baja (Instrumental Dub mix)

SPECIAL NOTICE

The server that I use, which is now very very lame, has decided to delete all "linked - copyright mp3's" from their servers once a month, so that's why most of the files on this blog were deleted while I was on vacation. As you can imagine, I'm very upset and plan on finding other ways in getting these files to stay up on the internet longer. So basically the songs on this site will stay up for about a month (we'll see?). I will be spending the next couple of days putting up the songs that I had posted for the past month and looking for a new hosting service. If anybody knows of a hosting service or a 3rd party service that I won't have these issues with, please comment or email me at dwr_media@yahoo.com and let me know. If you see a previously posted song that has a broken link, I most likely have a back-up stored on my computer and I can send to individuals through private email. I apoligize for this "low ball" action by my soon-to-be former hosting company. I will get these issues worked out.

Look for new post tomorrow!

Thanks.
-American Athlete

Let's Make Love In Public Places

We'll I'm leaving town to visit some relatives on the east coast for the rest of the week, so this might be the last post until next Tuesday (07/24).

Anyways, in 1978 The Love Symphony Orchestra, which is produced by Mitch Farber released the 12-inch, "Let Me Be Your Fantasy". This ten-plus minute disco classic originally was released on the Penthouse Presents The Love Symphony Orchestra LP. The song features vocals by Farber and Diva Gray. This song reminds me of a Prins Thomas edit mixed with a touch of classic Cerrone production. Definitely a classic disco masterpiece.

Love Symphony Orchestra - Let Me Be Your Fantasy

Love Attack

In 1979, Ferrara released the album Wuthering Heights off the small New York label, Midsong International Records. This was a solid disco record that showcased a hint of italo while featuring the standout track "Love Attack". This song was later released as the B-side to Ferrara’s debut 12-inch single that year, Shake It Baby Love. The single also saw it’s own spotlight around the same year, with the single being released by italo disco label JDC Records. I was lucky to find this record recently for two dollars in a budget bin. After one listen, I knew I found a gem. It’s always worth looking through records all day to find such a classic.

Ferrara - Love Attack

Lofting in the Rain

In 1978, Don Ray of Kongas and Sphinx fame collaborated with Cerrone to write the amazing disco gem, "Standing in the Rain". Originally released as a 12" Promo by the Polydor imprint label Malligator, this song became a staple of David Mancuso's legendary New York club, The Loft. This rare classic has been reissued a number of times, including being featured on the Loft Classics bootleg series (Volume 11 to be exact) that came out in 1995. This isn't the only time Don Ray and Cerrone have collaborated. Cerrone produced Ray's debut solo album Garden of Love in 1978, along with the two collaborating together in the classic afro-disco group, Kongas. This is just another example of the amazing music these two produced when they came together.


Don Ray - Standing in the Rain

Give Me a Little Part of You

If you haven't been over to Bumrocks.com yet, then your really missing out. I have found some incredible mixes over there including this amazing Lee Douglas' edit of Nanette Workman's "Save Me" off of her 1976 debut LP. Mr.Lee Douglas does such a nice job in bringing the funk in soul when it comes to his mixes, and there's no change here. I find myself listening to this song over and over again.

Right now you should definately head over to Bumrocks.com and get your hands on some really amazing Prins Thomas edits while they still last.

Nanette Workman - Save Me (Lee Douglas Edit)

Pick Me Up, I'll Dance

Summertime is definitely a time for feel good disco songs. One song that I can't seem to get out of my head is the 1978 disco classic "Pick Me Up, I'll Dance" by Melba Moore. This single released by Epic, definately makes me want to sing along as much as it makes me want to dance. The original version was released later that year on the full length LP entitled, Melba, which is also worth getting your hands on.

This is a short edited version of the song that appeared on the amazing live mix compilation Larry Levan Live At The Paradise Garage. This mix was actually recorded live in 1979 at the legendary Paradise Garage. Alot of great disco gems on that live LP, also worth picking up.

Melba Moore - Pick Me Up, I'll Dance (Larry levan Edit)

Tits & Assets

Last month, the Bearfunk Gold label released a solid 12-inch titled, Love Sprinkle by Kotey & Mammarella, aka Steve Kotey of Chicken Lips and Fabrizio Mammarella. This disco house single contains two solid tracks, "Love Spinkle" and "Tits & Assets". The two tracks were written by Kotey and Chas Jankel from Ian Dury And The Blockheads. The two tracks were then reworked and re-edited by Kotey and Mammarella. Both tracks are solid funky disco house jams that feature a solid dose of guitars, synths, bass, percussion, and anything else that sounds funky. Even though the B-side track "Tits & Assets" is my personal favorite of the two songs, it's safe to say both are solid productions worth owning. Chalk up another solid release from the Bear Funk camp.

Kotey & Mammarella - Tits & Assets

Disco in C Minor

French producer Jean-Marc Cerrone, better known as Cerrone, is credited by many as one of Europe's most important contributors to the disco-sound of the late 1970's. He released some disco's finest LP's and 12-inches, including Love in C Minor, Cerrone 3 - Supernature and Cerrone's Paradise, just to name a few. One of my favorite songs from Cerrone is "Black is Black" from 1977's classic LP Love in C Minor. "Black is Black" is a classic disco gem that was well ahead of it's time by helping to define the early italo-disco sound. Even though "classic Cerrone productions" don't nearly stop with this amazing cut, this song does however serve as a great insight to one of disco's greatest producers.

Cerrone - Black is Black

Cosmo Galactic Prism

This past month, Oslo's Prins Thomas released a compilation mix entitled, Cosmo Galactic Prism. This Eskimo records release consists of over 30 tracks that fall more on the laid back listening side, rather than the dancefloor side. With first listen, the album might even come off a bit slow, however, with a few more listens, I find myself feeling like I'm absorbed within a cosmic galactic trance, which is what I think Mr. Thomas was going for. I would recommend listening to this album using headphones, and pay close attention to the detailed panning from song to song. On this comp, there seems to be a mix of new and rare cosmic gems, for example he has some new disco classics like Lindstrom's "Another Station" and Bjorn Torske's "Soloppgang Over Yukigaya" along with old classics like The Paper Dolls 1977 cut "Get Down Boy" and Can's Holger Czukay 1979 funky "Cool in the Pool". Another nice element of the album is the solid mixing from one song to another, for example, I really like the moodswing from the slow space grooving "Sapphire" by Zombi, to the more upbeat percussion heavy "African Nightclub" by The Now Generation. Eskimo didn't leave out the "Vinyl Lover's" (Like myself), some of the tracks best and more upbeat cuts where released on two seperate 12-inches. Even though this release is a little bit of Prins Thomas's slower cosmic side, which might not be for everyone, it still showcases solid production and a nice collection of rarities that really give you a "Cosmic Experience".

Here is an excerpt of the album, mixing Zombi's "Saphire" into The Now Generation's "African Nightclub", along with my favorite track on the album, The Paper Dolls' "Get Down Boy".

Zombi/The Now Generation - Saphire/African Nightclub
(Prins Thomas mix)

The Paper Dolls - Get Down Boy
(Prins Thomas Mix w/Additional Edits By Love On The Run)

Original Sound Of The White Island

In the summer of 2006, Balearica Records started a compilation series entitled, "The Original Sound Of The White Island". These double LP comps focused on classic, however rare "balearica" releases. Now on volume 3 of this series, these compilations have been a nice grouping of hard-to-find disco classics that would generally cause a person to go broke if they had to round up the individual 12-inches. One of my favorite songs off this compilation is "The White Shadow" by Prism, which appears on volume 2 of the series. This 1980 rare classic is actually a re-edit of Risco Connection's Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now, renamed by Prism producer John Mc Connors. It's a great re-edit that I think really defines the series and the "balearica" sound. Anyway you look at it, this is a great compilation series that we can only hope keeps growing.


Prism - The White Shadow

Disco Citizen

New York's Citizen Kane, aka Dennis Kane, put out the first 12" in a series of upcoming releases from the Disques Sinthomme label. The 12-inch features two full length tracks along with a couple of shorter bonus edits. The first track "Tight!" features a helping hand from Metro Area's Darshan Jesrani to create a nice slow disco-funk jam, while the B-side sports a solid disco production, "Run!", that showcases some nice percussion. I'm looking forward to hearing more in the future from both Citizen Kane and Disques Sinthomme.

Citizen Kane - Run!
Citizen Kane - Tight!