I've had a bit of an exhausting and busy day, so I'm going to keep this post short and sweet with Louie Ramirez's funky "Do It Any Way You Wanna" cut off the excellent Soul Jazz compilation New York Latin Hustle. This is just one of the many tracks I enjoy off this two-part doulbe album series. The original was featured on Ramirez's 1976 album A Different Shade Of Black, which has a number of solid latin disco flavoured cuts. I've been listening to this record a lot lately, especially as the weather continues to warm-up. Enjoy the hustle!
As the world continues to mourn the loss of Michael Jackson, I thought I would do at least one more post dedicated to the legendary artist. Over the weekend, I'm sure you heard a lot of "Thriller", "Billie Jean", "Man in the Mirror", "Rock With You", and many other popular hits on either the radio, television, or inside a night club or bar somewhere. Everyone has their favorite MJ songs, as many of the ones I just mentioned were favorites of mine growing up as young kid and still are. That being said, as I've gotten older and I've had more of a chance to digest a lot of MJ's music, I've found that some of his 70's era music with The Jacksons is what I find I've been listening to more as of late. Two songs specifically come to mind, the 1973 The Jackson 5 loft classic "Hum Along and Dance" and The Jacksons' 1976 album cut "Living Together". The two tracks, which don't receive enough praise in my opinion, showcase the diversity in the group. "Living Together" is more of a Philadelphia-style soul track, while "Hum Along and Dance" is a harder edged funk track that could of easily been written by a group like Barrabas (Rare Earth actually did do a version of this song). Both I find work well in a disco set, as does many of Michael Jackson's other songs. With as many chart topping songs as "The King of Pop" has had throughout the years it's easy to focus on those classics, however I think we can't forget about some of the lesser known, but brilliant, tracks that helped round out the music legend's amazing and influential career. Michael Jackson...you will be missed by many!
(Post written before Thursday's news of Michael Jackson's passing)
It's Friday and there's definitely better things to do than stare at a computer screen, so I'm going to keep this short and very sweet with a solid Raul Rodriguez extended mix of Tantra's disco gem "Get Happy". This track along with an extended mix of another classic Tantra cut "Top Shot" are featured on the group's 1980 twelve-inch single entitled The Double Remix. I was excited to find a copy of this record about 6 months ago, especially because "Get Happy" is a personal all-time favorite of mine. Plus if your a huge Tantra fan, like myself, collecting any and all of their records is definitely an enjoyable process. With that being said, get out and go enjoy the weekend!
I'm on my way to the airport to fly back to Northern California for my Grandmother's memorial service and I just heard that Michael Jackson has suddenly died. I must admit that I'm completely shocked by this unfortunate and very very sad news. I don't have any time right now to do a dedication post to the legendary singer and performer. However, I will say this is probably the saddest news about a person, not related to me, passing. In the mainstream world he might be known as the "King of Pop", however his musical influence goes far beyond that of the mainstream world, he has arguably been one of the most influencial musicians of all music. There will never be another Michael Jackson, he will be truly missed. By the way, Please no more deaths for awhile...living is a good thing.
Do you need an introduction to Disco? Probably not if you read this blog. And even if you are looking for one I don't know if Discothèque's "Intro Disco" is the best choice. However if your looking for one of the better disco medley's then the 1979 funky cut might be right up your alley. This track features short excerpts of popular disco songs like "Y.M.C.A.", "Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)", "I Want Your Love", "Daddy Cool ", and many others performed by Discothèque themselves. The group's funky "Disco Special" seems to get a bit more attention (rightfully so), especially with it recently being included on Morgan Geist's amazing Unclassics compilation. Overall, "Intro Disco" might not be the best introduction to disco, nor the most amazing song disco fans have ever heard, however the track does makes for a fun and entertaining disco medley.
70's icon and "Charlie's Angels" star Farrah Fawcett sadly lost her battle with cancer and passed away today. I'm a little young to have witnessed her during the actresses glory years, however I've enjoyed the re-runs that I have been able to watch throughout the past few years. And even though it might be a stretch to reference this passing in a disco blog, I think someone could argue that there might not have been a more popular female star during the actual years that the music genre existed. So this blog pays tribute to another fallen angel. Farrah you will be missed.
Here is another "Africa-themed" disco classic, simply titled Africa by the JKD Band. This funky gem is included on the group's 1979 album Dragon Power. The record was produced by both Henry Hadaway and Paul Jenkins. Even though the title track "Dragon Power", as well as the cover art of the album pays tribute to Bruce Lee, the whole record doesn't necessarily focus on the martial arts icon. Other great track include "Let Your Body Do The Talking", "Dream Machine", "Hooked On The Boogie", and of course "Dragon Power". Overall, this album is a disco gem and a nice find for anyone who is lucky enough to find a copy...Never turn your back on Africa!
Here is an all-time disco classic in Sam-Jam's 1979 "Dance and Chant". This song, which is a favorite of not only mine but many that I know, was released as a twelve-inch single and produced by Yves Ladouceur. Todd Terje re-edited and released the funky classic a few years back, and really helped re-introduce the song to many new people. Overall, a true disco classic that never seems to get old. Enjoy!
Norma Jean's 1978 version of "Having a Party" wasn't necessarily the song I was going to share today, however I need a little cheering up with my Grandmother passing away this morning and I couldn't think of another song (outside of an Arthur Russell track) that put's me in a better mood. I haven't been close to my grandmother for quite sometime, however I definitely have a wealth of great memories, especially the times when I was a kid and she used to take me and my sister to Bodega Bay to play in the sand or the time we drove up the Oregon coast. It's safe to say, she will definitely be missed by all of those that loved her. And so here's to you Grandma, today we celebrate you, your life, and those lasting good memories.
Tonight will be my debut as a resident deejay at Capitol Club's Taster's Choice. Once a month I(aka Pat Les Stache) will be hosting the night, sharing the decks with some special guests and many friends. This week I will be joined by Capitol Club veteran and one of my favorite Seattle deejays, DJ Edis. Together we will be spinning rare 70's disco, italo, cosmic gems, and dirtiest mustache grooves. Join me for this exciting new WEEKEND night of disco delights, drinking, and of course dancin'!
Taster's Choice: Les Stache Version Friday, June 19th w/ Pat Les Stache + Special Guest DJ Edis Capitol Club 414 E. Pine St Seattle, WA 10pm - 2am No Cover!
I think I'll end the week by continuing with the funky "tropical treats", as I like to do during the warmer summertime months, with The Beginning Of The End's early 1970's gem "Come Down" off the group's debut record Funky Nassau. Now this song definitely doesn't match-up to the group's most notable break-through titled track "Funky Nassau", however "Come Down" makes for a nice complimentary album cut that can still definitely stand all on it's own. With that being said, a lot of the same elements that make "Funky Nassau" an all-time classic, musically exist in the follow-up single. I definitely enjoy playing both tracks, sometimes even in the same set. I will go out on a limb and say that if the Nassau native group never wrote "Funky Nassau", the "Come Down" track would have recieved much more praise and attention.
Lord Rhaburn Combo's funky "Disco Connection" is one of the many standout tracks from the Numero Group's excellent compilation Cult Cargo: Belize City Boil Up. This compilation focuses on the hard-to-find music produced by musicians of Belize, both in their native country and in the States, between 1967 and 1980. This record explores many different genres of music including early disco, funk, latin soul, boogaloo, dub, and many others. Personal favorites on the record include Jesus Acosta & The Professionals' latin-jazz flavoured "Guajida", Lord Rhaburn's "Boogaloo A La Chuck", and The Professionals' dubbed out version of "Theme From The Godfather". Overall, the record showcases a pretty impressive and diverse collection of music from this small, yet sprawling metropolis country within Central American.
When it comes to some of the best Latin-flavoured disco cuts of all-time, Elkin & Nelson's release of "Jibaro" has to be near the top. This seven-plus minute classic was released as a twelve-inch single back in 1979 and saw immediate success in Spain and throughout Latin America. The first versions of the song showed up back in 1974 on the groups Angeles Y Demonios LP. Regardless, this amazing track is by far one of the best Latin disco songs I've ever come across.
I don't have much time to blog today, so I think I will keep it short with this funky classic, entitled "Ashiko" from one of my favorite African jazz horn players Hugh Masekela. This nine-plus-minute cut is featured on Masekela's 1975 The Boy's Doin' It LP, which I happened to pick-up in New York for about two bucks! Not bad at all, especially for one of Masekela's more funkier records. Enjoy!
To start the week off right, here is a tripped-out afro-flavoured cosmic gem, entitled "Grass", by African Suite. This funky track was released on the group's only album in 1980 and was produced by Richie Rome, who is better known for his production work with the Ritchie Family. This is one of those cuts that I can see going off well in one of David Mancuso's acid-influenced Loft deejay sets. Regardless, this record was re-issued about a year ago I believe, however the original pressing remains to be hard-to-find. Enjoy the Grass!
Another Friday, another Pat Les Stache edit! This time it's my take on John Ozila's rare 1979 disco gem "Funky Boogie". This will be one of the two B-side tracks included on the upcoming twelve-inch release of Cabana Disco Vol.03. The new record, which will feature three new re-edits, is tenatively scheduled to be released the first week in September. This record will include Stache flavoured edits of D-R-U-M's "Lalabye", Kabbala's "Ashewo Ara", as well as the Ozila track featured on today's post. I would love to hear some feedback. Hope you enjoy it!
For the six months I've slowly been adding to my growing Manu Dibango collection. The saxophonist that brought us "Soul Makossa", in time, has become one of my all-time favorite artists. With that being said, I was very excited to pick-up a copy of his 1973 Makossa Man album during my recent trip to New York. When it comes to a Manu Dibango record, you really can't go wrong, especially if your into that afro-jazz funk groove that Dibango mastered so well during the early 1970's. With his solid follow-up to the Soul Makossa record, Dibango basically begins where he left off by putting down some funky cuts like "Pepe Soul", "Mwasa Makossa", and "Senga". For those that fell in love with Soul Makossa, this is the perfect follow-up record, providing the same kind of "Makossa" punch from start to finish. Overall, it was a nice find to add to my ever-growing Manu Dibango collection.
I'm back from New York! It was a great trip to say the least. I picked up many records, some for very very cheap I might add, that had been on my wish list for quite sometime. The best record store I had gone to, by far, was A-1 Records in the East Village. They had an amazing selection of rare disco LP's and twelves, along with a great selection of funky African/Latin records. I highly recommend checking this record shop out whenever your visiting New York and have sometime to dig. I want to give a special thanks to James Mulry who was very helpful by providing me a list of NY record stores to check out. He definitely helped make this trip very enjoyable. That being said, I'm very disappointed that I didn't get much other helpful tips from my other New York readers. I generally don't ask for much on this blog, however it would be nice in the future if those that could provide helpful information, would do so out of kindness...Enough said on that. Overall, I had a wonderful time in the "Big Apple", walking around East Village, Greenwich Village, Central Park, Soho, etc., attending Monday's taping of The Late Show w/ David Letterman, and spending too much money on records, drinking, and food. I definitely look forward to getting back there sometime soon, however I might need to pick-up a second job just to afford all the records I left behind.
List of Records I bought While I was in NY ------------------------------------------- Don Armando's 2nd Ave. Rhumba Band - s/t LP Universal Robot Band - Freak In The Light Of The Moon LP Chocolat's - African Choco LP Manu Dibango - Makossa Man LP Addrisi Brothers - Ghost Dancer 12" Rice & Beans Orchestra - s/t LP Doobie Brothers - What a Fool Believes 12" Tony Valor Sounds Orchestra - Gotta Get It 12" Hugh Masekela - The Boy's Doin' It LP Sassy - Theme From Disco '77 12" Gayle Adams - s/t LP NYCC - Express Yourself 12" Shaft in Africa OST Carolyne Bernier - Hold Me, Touch Me 12" -------------------------------------------
Here is a track, "African Choco" by Chocolat's, from one of the many records I picked-up while I was in New York.
For the next three posts I will actually be in New York. Due to the fact that there's a lot I need to do before my flight leaves tomorrow, I'm going to simplify my posts to the song title, artist, and artwork. They are going to consists of some reader favorites from some of my past posts. So enjoy the limited song posts while I'm in New York. I'll be back in Seattle on Wednesday and back to the usual blog posts style. Enjoy!
I'm excited to share this new re-edit I recently did of D-R-U-M's 1977 tropical disco gem "Lalabye". This will actually one of the featured tracks on the next Cabana Disco record, which I'm hoping to get out by the end of this summer. I've always enjoyed this Tom Moulton mixed classic, however I thought it would be a fun track to play with, adding a bit more nature and sexual behavior to the overall mix. I hope everyone enjoys it!
From Friday June 5th to Tuesday June 9th, I will be visiting New York. This will actually be only my second trip to the Big Apple. That being said, I'm looking for places to go, disco nights to check out, cool bars, great record stores, and the interesting places that I must see while I'm there. Last time I did the tourist thing (Empire State Building, Ground Zero, etc.), now I want to go to all the interesting and hidden spots that everyone who reads this blog knows of when it comes to New York, Brooklyn, etc. I'm already deejaying LUSTR on Saturday night, and I'm definitely up to deejay any and all the other nights I'm there, if anyone has anything going on (club night, bar night, house party, etc). Please, please let me know!
And because we are talking about New York, here is a track by Joey Negro & The Sunburst Band, entitled "New York City Woman", that I've been meaning to post for some time that nicely blurs the lines between disco and house music. The song features Debbie French on vocals and can be found on the 1998 Here Come The Sunburst Band LP. I can't say that I'm a huge house music lover, however this is one of those rare tracks that crosses over nicely in a disco mix. Hope you enjoy!
Here is a funky 1978 disco classic, entitled "Disco Explosion", from a later version of The Blue Notes (of Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes). This version of The Blue Notes doesn't feature either Teddy Pendergrass nor Harold Melvin and the twelve-inch single wasn't released on Philadelphia International Records, however on Fantasy. I don't really know what the story was with this short-lived version of the group, however it's safe to say that this twelve-inch release is pretty solid. Hopefully someone out there can shed some light on the subject, until then, as always ENJOY!
This Saturday, June 6th, I will be in New York and spinning a special guest set at this month's LUSTR at the Label Lounge. I will be joined by resident deejays Sushi Steve and Chris Alker of Subtrak. I hope to see all the New York readers of this blog out there, as I'll be spinning many of the disco classics that I feature on this site. Should be an amazing night of dancing, drinking, and disco music! Please stop by the booth and say hello!
LUSTR @ Label Lounge w/ Sushi Steve & Chris Alker + Special Guest Pat Les Stache 174 Rivington, New York 9pm - 4am No Cover! www.going.com/lustr
Just a friendly reminder that the Cabana Disco Vol.02 twelve-inch is now out in stores and moving fast! There isn't going to be any repressings, so you have to swipe up the last remaning copies that are left. Cabana Disco Vol.02 consists of four "tropical disco" edits including John Davis & The Monster Orchestra's funky disco classic "Ain't That Enough For You", Shîtan's erotic disco gem "Disco Shîtan part I & II", Nightlife Unlimited's cocktail delight "Love is in You", and a afro-flavoured reworking of The Michael Zager Band's "Soul to Soul". There's a little something for all disco lovers. Get them while you can!
Believe it or not, living close to the Canadian border here in Seattle, I made my very first trip to Canada this past weekend. That being said I've only lived in Seattle for about four years, but still the two and a half hour northern journey was long over due. While I was in Vancouver, I stopped in at a couple great record stores in Vinyl Records and Beat Street and came away some disco gems. One of the best finds was King Sporty & The Root Rockers' 1979 twelve-inch single Fire Keep On Burning/ Get On Down. Both tracks are very very good making very interested in hearing the entire Fire Keep On Burning album. I highly recommend tracking down a copy of this classic, however from the little bit of searching on the web, it seems like this record isn't the easiest to find.
Overall, it was a great, yet short, Canadian visit. I look forward to sharing the many great finds from this trip, over the next few weeks.
I've had a bit of an exhausting and busy day, so I'm going to keep this post short and sweet with Louie Ramirez's funky "Do It Any Way You Wanna" cut off the excellent Soul Jazz compilation New York Latin Hustle. This is just one of the many tracks I enjoy off this two-part doulbe album series. The original was featured on Ramirez's 1976 album A Different Shade Of Black, which has a number of solid latin disco flavoured cuts. I've been listening to this record a lot lately, especially as the weather continues to warm-up. Enjoy the hustle!
