Disco Delivery #45: Midnight Wind (1980, AVI)

Midnight Wind - Rocket
Midnight Wind - Shoplifting My Love
Midnight Wind - Can't Hide It (I Came Here To Dance)

I recently obtained this awesome little Rinder & Lewis (well, mostly) production from 1980, and after hearing it for myself, I just knew I had to put it up on here. Before buying I had heard some samples of the music, but still, I was a little unsure about how this album would sound, largely due to the fact that I've read, shall we say, mixed reviews of their hard-to-find early 80's material on AVI. Apparently much of it was either experimental (see the Rinder & Lewis Cataclysm LP) or just sub par stuff they put out to fulfill remaining contractual obligations. One that has been cited as the latter was a curious 1981 LP they did under the guise Cheetah, which I have yet to find, but which is, I suppose, a rather appropriate name, considering all the tracks were apparently recycled El Coco tracks, put to new vocals and lyrics.. In this particular case, I shouldn't have worried. Clocking in close to 20 minutes, it's a very short album, even by disco standards; which likely explains why it's denoted as a Mini LP on the label (same thing as an EP, I suppose). Regardless of that, it's quality stuff all the way through. Although I later found out one of the tracks was recycled - "Can't Hide It (I Came Here To Dance)," which originally appeared under a different mix on a Le Pamplemousse LP, even that doesn't take away from the excellence of all three cuts on here..

To recap, for those who may not be familiar: Laurin Rinder and W. Michael Lewis would have to have been one of the most prolific, and even influential production duos in disco music. Based out of the Producer's Workshop studios in Hollywood, they were originally drafted by AVI to go to a nightclub and see about this 'new disco stuff' in case they would be able to do it. Despite having done so on record label suggestion, they would end up with what would have to one of the the more successful, highly regarded (and thus highly sampled) catalogues in disco. Working mostly with the AVI and Butterfly labels, much of their best known productions were drafted under guises such like El Coco, Le Pamplemousse, Rinder & Lewis (for AVI) along with Saint Tropez and Tuxedo Junction (for Butterfly). Aside from those, there were also some under lesser-known guises, like this record - Midnight Wind, Discognosis, Rinlew All-stars and the In Search Of.. Orchestra, to name just a few of the ones I know about. With their all-night coke-fuelled recording sessions (Laurin Rinder's infamous year-old Discopia interview quote about having to put inserts in his nose in order to keep doing coke still blows my mind) they managed to crank out some of the most exquisite disco music ever released (look no further than El Coco's "Dancing In Paradise"). If you factor in some of the scores they did (see the listing at the end of Laurin Rinder's discomusic.com interview) in addition to all of their disco work, it's enough to make your sinuses hurt.

Curiously though, the opening track of the record, "Shopliftin' My Love" is actually not a Rinder & Lewis production, but written and produced instead by frequent Rinder & Lewis collaborator Merria Ross and Troy Laws.. An elegant disco track that opens slow and sultry, but gently escalates into a piano driven groove, it's fronted by a great vocal (Merria Ross?) that's smooth, urgent and elegant all at the same time.. Despite not being produced by Rinder & Lewis, this track blends well with the others on the record, incorporating some of their elegant styling, albeit with more lyrics than the other two tracks combined and an engaging musical point with those piano chords, giving it a slightly more melodic feel..

The last track on the A-side is the remixed version of "Can't Hide It (I Came Here To Dance)," which originally appeared on the Le Pamplemousse "Sweet Magic" (1978, AVI) LP. Written by a one Ruben Banuelos (whose also a contributor on a few other Le Pamplemousse LPs), the remix on this record takes the track down about a minute from 4.28, to 3.28, keeping the original vocals but scissoring out some verses ("..thought I lost my inspiration..'til I made my destination..," "...don't want no idle conversation, following up by explanations..") from the original. Overall, I actually prefer the remixed version on this record. In a way it takes the song's own advice, cutting down on the explanations, getting to the destination - focusing more on the groove, with the emphasis that bass and excellent brass section making up for the 'lost' lyrics. With the big, horn-driven arrangements and lyrics like: "..make believe I'm Fred Astaire..dancing in a world of splendor, music only takes you there.. ", and "...doin' things like John Travolta, and a little bit more..," evidently Chic weren't the only disco act to connect swing era references to images of the freewheeling champagne-and-cocaine heights of disco decadence..

However, as good as the tracks are on Side A, the ultimate track on this record has got to be the one on Side B, the Merria Ross track "Rocket" (less about rockets and more about rocking, so to speak).. Propelled by a little killer bass riff, a driving beat and a lively chorus of vocals which manage to turn cute elementary wordplay into the stuff of irresistible disco charm; this one's right up there with some of the most infectious Rinder & Lewis stuff that I've heard. With W. Michael Lewis' signature warm, jazzy, and spacey synth stylings (anyone know what type of synthesizers those might be?) layered on top of the robotic beat, along with an exciting sax solo on the break, it's got enough musical variety to keep things interesting and arresting without taking away from the groove.. Goes on for some eight or so minutes; just long enough to keep one moving and listening, without wearing out it's welcome. Top-tier stuff, as far as I'm concerned..

As far as some of the other aspects of this 'Mini-LP' are concerned, when Laurin Rinder once said in an interview that AVI were a pretty "low-end label," he wasn't kidding.. The low quality paper glued over the cardboard makes the album look at least two decades older than it actually is. AVI had to have been one of the few remaining companies doing their LP jackets like that in 1980. Curiously, there aren't even any musician credits on the sleeve, which perhaps might have something to do with the Mini-LP/promo-only status of the record. And while on that note; so far, I have yet to find any evidence of a commercial release of this record or anything under the Midnight Wind name. Given that all records of this on the internet (the few that are available), like the entries on discomusic.com and Discogs happen to be promos as well, I'd venture to guess that this most likely never even went beyond promo-only (unless someone out there knows otherwise?). Not sure why it would have been, perhaps the promo didn't generate enough interest to warrant a commercial release of these and perhaps other Midnight Wind tracks at the time? Who knows?

Into the 1980's, while Rinder & Lewis would continue for a little while with releases under the El Coco, Saint Tropez guises among others, the two eventually settled more into movie scoring. So far the last thing I've seen them both credited together on was a score for a little 1987 movie called "Hot Child In The City" (some sources credit both Rinder & Lewis for the score, some only Lewis - which ones are right?). While Laurin Rinder has moved on from the music business into photography, he's done a couple of interviews about his disco work in recent years, little has been heard from W. Michael Lewis on the same subject. Recently, some later Google search results and a couple of posts on the discomusic.com forums (courtesy of users Paulo and FunkyChris) revealed a couple of things.. One of them being an interesting late '90s interview with W. Michael Lewis. Although he doesn't go in to much detail about his disco work, it's an interesting look at his immense musical background and one of the few interviews with him that have been published on the 'net. Another one was a link to a little record company called SnailWorx. Founded in 2003 by Lewis and AVI Records' co-founder Ray Harris, it seems Lewis is still quite active in the music business..

One of the Rinder & Lewis collaborators that I'd like to know more about would be Merria Ross, who seems to appear or otherwise contribute to a great deal of their disco work.. Outside of her work with Rinder & Lewis, she would also be the writer behind one of Donna Summer's biggest post-disco hits, the Quincy Jones produced "Love Is In Control (Finger On The Trigger)." She's also been described as a "traveling singer/actress," yet somehow IMDB lists no credits for a Merria Ross.. There is, however, a listing for a Merrie Lynn Ross (sometimes listed as Merrie Ross). Although nothing on Merrie Lynn Ross' credits lists songwriting, one website lists some outside projects, hinting at a versatility that could possibly include some musical involvement. That said, I'm not even sure if Merria and Merrie are one in the same, but I can't help but wonder if the similar names are more than coincidental.. Update (12/06/07): I recently got a nice email from Merria Ross herself, wherein she confirmed that she and Merrie Lynn Ross are not one in the same. She also shed some insight into her contributions to Rinder & Lewis' work and on the partnership itself, which was greatly appreciated. Thanks again to Merria for her kind contributions..

Anyway, all things considered; although not nearly as well-known as some of their other work, this record remains an enjoyable little sleeper from one of the most prolific studio teams in disco. Despite it's length, those who enjoy Rinder & Lewis' sophisticated disco style would especially enjoy this one. That said, anyone who comes across this in a record dig would be especially fortunate, since one should be prepared to pay, shall we say, somewhat more usual for this on eBay..

PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
DANCING, DANCING IN PARADISE (MONDAY DECEMBER 18, 2006)
DISCO DELIVERY #25: RINDER & LEWIS - WARRIORS (1979, AVI/QUALITY) (SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 19, 2006)

LINKS:
MIDNIGHT WIND MINI LP @ DISCOMUSIC.COM
MIDNIGHT WIND MINI LP @ DISCOGS
W. MICHAEL LEWIS INTERVIEW (c. 1998)
LAURIN RINDER INTERVIEW (DISCOPIA #8)
LAURIN RINDER INTERVIEW @ DISCOMUSIC.COM
RINDER & LEWIS @ DISCOMUSEUM
W. MICHAEL LEWIS @ ALL MUSIC GUIDE
LAURIN RINDER @ ALL MUSIC GUIDE
MERRIA ROSS @ DISCOGS

CATEGORIES: DISCO DELIVERIES, WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO..

Twiggy does disco.. (with a little help from Donna)

This is just too fabulous.. Via the discomusic.com forums and the excellent Donna Summer Tribute site, comes news that supermodel Twiggy's 1979 disco album (entitled "Heaven In My Eyes") will soon be released. Shelved for nearly thirty years, word about this project has circulated among Donna die-hards, though until now, I had absolutely no clue about the existence of this project. If the fact that Twiggy did a disco album weren't notable enough, the fact that the record was produced by none other than Donna Summer herself along with Moroder associate/sound engineer, Jürgen Koppers (with contributions from Pete Bellotte, and Donna's husband, Bruce Sudano of Brooklyn Dreams), makes it that much more interesting.

Whether the one released track ("My Baby Understands" off "Bad Girls") from the Summer/Koppers partnership will reflect the sound on here is a little unclear, since apparently much of the work they produced together has gone unreleased thus far. Aside from the Twiggy album, another one of Summer/Koppers unreleased projects was a 1978 album (or at least most of one) called "Watchin' Daddy Dance" for Sunshine, a group made up of Donna Summer's sisters.. Hopefully Jürgen Koppers' own production efforts for the likes of Linda Clifford, Pattie Brooks and the group Persia to name a few, will provide a better glimpse into the possible sound of this record.

So far, the general release has been set for November 7th, via Sepia Records of the UK. From the looks of the label's website and the titles they specialize in, it looks like this might be their most contemporary release to date..Through Twiggy's official site, there's already a special microsite set up to promote it's release.. Although the general release is set for November, if you order through the official website, apparently those will ship on September 24th.. Elsewhere, CD Universe is so far the only retailer offering it for pre-order.

Unfortunately though, aside from the track list (the eight original album tracks plus some 2007 remixes) and cover art (I'm not so hot on that 'Confessions on a Dancefloor' lettering), there are no sound samples or details about the album on the official site yet.. The only details that have come out so far are from one of Twiggy's webmasters, who posted the following on the Donna Summer fan forum:

It's been great reading everyone's feedback on the forthcoming Twiggy release produced by Donna and Juergen Koppers. Also its great to feel the general enthusiasm in the messages. I thought maybe I'd provide a few more factual details about the recording.

Back in 1979 Twiggy had just moved to LA after living in London for the majority of the 1970s. Now in LA Twiggy became friendly with Donna and Bruce Sudano and now relinquished of her UK recording contract with Phonogram they decided to collaborate on a possible new album.

The sessions took place in autumn 1979 at Rusk Studios, Hollywood. Donna co-produced the tracks with Juergen Koppers. Donna and Juergen enlisted some of the finest session musicians to play on the tracks - most of whom played on Donna's tracks. This included Keith Forsey and Harold Faltermeyer. The sessions were engineered by Elton Ahi. Also if you listen closely on the opening track 'You've Been Lying' you'll hear that the backing vocals are provided by none other than Michael Bolton! Apparently Bolton was a popular session singer back in the late 70s.

The sessions produced eight new songs. Twiggy brought a few country songs to the session - 'Dorothy' and 'Carries On' (she had already had two hit albums in the UK with country material) the rest of the material was more up tempo disco orientated tracks. Bruce Sudano penned two songs specially for Twiggy - these are 'Lover Boy' - a real rock track with heavy guitar riffs and a soft ballad 'Sugar Daddy'.

The final and probably the stand out track of the set is 'My Baby Don't Call Me Baby' written by Pete Bellotte and Thor Baldursson for Twiggy. Donna probably would have done a super job if she had recorded the track as a solo. Twiggy duets with un an unknown male vocalist at the end of the track - it is presumed the singer is Bruce Sudano.

The title track 'Heaven In My Eyes' is a quite explicit song about promiscuity - in the style of 'Bad Girls' which was a clear depature from anything Twiggy had recorded before or really since!

Sadly the album was never released as Twiggy returned to the UK to work on a film of 'Pygmalion' before returning to the US to star in 'My One And Only' on Broadway.

The album is then accompanied by four 2007 dance remixes of the uptempo tracks. The remixes have been produced by the OUTpsiDER - a popular Australian DJ who had a radio hit with a 2004 remix of Petula Clark's 'Downtown' that was used in a New York advertising campaign.

We really hope Donna's fans enjoy this release, the songs are fantastic and thank you for all the positive feedback and support for this album.

Tim

Given the time when it was recorded, I can only speculate that this record might have been one of the many casualties of the whole disco crash. Hopefully they'll include some detailed liner notes with the CD to tell the story behind the album and give it a little context.

Although I probably shouldn't get too excited about a release which doesn't even have any sound samples up yet, I'm hopeful that even if the album itself isn't that good, with the choice players and personnel involved, hopefully there'd be at least something worthwhile on it.. Hell, even I thought the much maligned Elton John album Pete Bellotte produced had a bright moment or two (just my opinion, mind you), so I've got my fingers crossed for this one..

PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
DISCO DELIVERY #40: MUNICH MACHINE - A WHITER SHADE OF PALE (1978, CASABLANCA) (SUNDAY APRIL 29, 2007)
NEW DEAL FOR DONNA (THURSDAY AUGUST 3, 2006)
DISCO DELIVERY #14: SUZI LANE - OOH LA LA (1979, ELEKTRA) (SATURDAY APRIL 8, 2006)
DISCO DELIVERY #5: GIORGIO MORODER - FROM HERE TO ETERNITY (1977, OASIS/CASABLANCA) (FRIDAY FEBRUARY 3, 2006)
DONNA SUMMER - I GOT YOUR LOVE (MONDAY JANUARY 16, 2006)

PURCHASE:
TWIGGY - HEAVEN IN MY EYES - DISCOTHEQUE CD
OFFICIAL WEBSITE | CD UNIVERSE

LINKS:
TWIGGY - "HEAVEN IN MY EYES" THE OFFICIAL SITE
THE DONNA SUMMER TRIBUTE SITE
ENDLESS SUMMER FORUM - TWIGGY (AND DONNA)
TWIGGY @ ALL MUSIC GUIDE
TWIGGY @ DISCOGS
TWIGGY @ IMDB
TWIGGY @ WIKIPEDIA
JÜRGEN KOPPERS @ DISCOGS

CATEGORIES: REISSUES & RELEASES, DISCO NEWS

Disco Delivery #44: Cook County - Pinball Playboy (Playboy Theme) (1979, Motown)

Cook County - Pinball Playboy (Playboy Theme)
Cook County - Comin' To Getcha
Cook County - Olympiad '84
Cook County - Funky Get It
Cook County - State Street Samba
Cook County - Little Girls & Ladies

First of all, I have to thank Disco Delivery reader Enrique (Happy Birthday!) for tipping me off on to this record.. I found it a few months ago on eBay, and finally received it last month. It took a little bit of prodding on my part to get the seller to send it to me, but thankfully it's finally here. Anyway, eBay issues notwithstanding; so far, this is one of the more odd and obscure Motown releases that I've found. Looking at the credits, it's quite possibly the only record to thank both Berry Gordy and Hugh Hefner in the same sentence. With the album credited to an anonymous studio group complete with blatant promotional-tie in; on the surface, it might come across as a fairly insubstantial disco novelty. Getting down to the grooves, however, the record doesn't disappoint. If anything, certainly more musically satisfying than it's appearances might suggest..

Vic Caesar, the producer behind Cook County was himself a rather unlikely Motown alumnus. A singer, actor, music producer, and it seems, all-around renaissance man, Caesar was something of a lounge legend.. A friend of Hugh Hefner's (which perhaps partly explains this project), he had apparently lived in the Playboy Mansion at one point (staying for some ten years) and had also, among other things, wrote the theme to Richard Nixon's 1968 presidential campaign, "Nixon's The One." Although there isn't a whole lot on him on the internet, from what I have read, Vic Caesar sounded like one of those interesting old Hollywood characters who, despite not achieving the same sort recognition that many of his contemporaries did, apparently had a million entertaining "done it all," "seen it all" stories to tell from all the notables he rubbed elbows with. A 1997 article from the Phoenix New Times has a brief tribute:

How about Mr. Vic Caesar, king of the lounge singers? Vic had stories about every celebrity that has walked the face of the Earth since talkies were introduced. I'll refresh your memory: Vic played piano for Marilyn Monroe. Vic said he smoked dope with Bobby Kennedy and Sammy Davis Jr. Vic lived at the Playboy Mansion. Vic hugged Dick Nixon. Vic! My man! Phoenix doesn't deserve you, baby!

Peter Gilstrap, the same writer who wrote the above quote wrote an affectionate bio/tribute article on Caesar the year before entitled "Hail, Caesar," which not only traces his life story but also many of his interesting, entertaining encounters.. Well worth reading if you want to know more..

In a nutshell though, Vic Caesar, born Vittorio Cesario in Chicago would have a childhood immersed in music. During the Korean War, Caesar would end up serving with the US Army as a Dental Technologist. While in the army, his musical abilities would lead to a chance encounter with Marilyn Monroe, who while performing for the troops, needed someone to back her up. Coming home, the encounter would leave enough of an impression that he ended up leaving his Army profession behind to continue in music. Playing drums and piano professionally, another chance encounter with Frank Sinatra in Las Vegas would eventually led him into singing:

"He says, 'Are you Italian?' I said, 'Yes, sir.' He says, 'You don't have to call me sir. You sing good; get the fuck off the drums, and get yourself a little group, and get out there.'"

Caesar would go on to release at least one or two albums under his name, one of them called "Vic Caesar Sings." Along with that, he would also be involved in a club in Phoenix, Arizona; an apparently swinging joint in it's time called "Caesar's Forum." Around that time, in 1968, Caesar would be approached to perform at an event for Richard Nixon. Although as time went on, he, like many others, would sour on the Nixon Administration, that gig nonetheless led to one of his best remembered works:

"Setting aside his staunch Democratic loyalties, Vic wrote the simple, seven-word tune in 20 minutes, and when Nixon heard it at the rally (after some idiot came on before Vic and sang "The Impossible Dream"), he loved it. Life went on, Nixon won, and just days before the Inaugural, Vic got a telegram demanding his performing presence at an Inaugural ball. A Nehru-jacketed Vic and band made the scene, drove the crowd wild with "Nixon's The One."

Caesar's Nixon theme was most recently used in one of Lasse Hallstrom's latest films, "The Hoax." About his encounter with Nixon, Caesar would later say this:

"When you become president," the composer urged, "please do for the young men in Vietnam what you and the General did for me in Korea, end it!" You'll never guess how Nixon answered. "He looked me straight in the eyes," Caesar remembers, "and without as much as one blink said in a flash, 'I will do the very best I can to end it Vic, I believe it to be an unjust war.'" Unfortunately, that didn't happen any time soon after that -- and history records that public opposition soon spread far beyond Arizona bandleaders.

Politics aside, in the 1970's, he had also tried his hand at acting. One of the films he appeared in was the cult Godfather-esque grindhouse film "Massacre, Mafia Style" (AKA "The Executioner") which has been described as a "ragged, low budget exercise in vanity" with "ludicrous excesses," among other things (see the trailer on YouTube). In addition to his acting roles, he would also score a few of them, including a 1974 sex comedy "Gosh" (AKA "Alice Goodbody") (which he also had acting role in) and perhaps most notably a 1977 blaxploitation film called "Bare Knuckles" to name just a couple. The disco-funk soundtrack for "Bare Knuckles" (like many films of it's genre, I suppose), has evidently held up much better than the picture itself, having become highly regarded and sought after over the years. These days, original pressings are pretty hard to come by, athough bootleg "reissues" are practically everywhere..

As far as this project is concerned, how it came up and how it ended up on Motown, no less, is probably another story in itself. Unfortunately, none of sources that I've found on Vic Caesar go into any depth about this record, much less even mention it. Peter Gilstrap's "Hail, Caesar" article does mention some of the work he would do for the Playboy enterprise while resident in Hef's mansion, like directing the Singing Playmates, for example. Perhaps this was yet another one of those.

The title-track and selling-point of this record is basically a disco remake of Cy Coleman ("Hey, Big Spender") & Carolyn Leigh's classic "Playboy's Theme." Originally written for Hugh Hefner's "Playboy's Penthouse TV Party" (clearly, before Guccione came along) it's re-worked here as a kind of discofied promo vehicle for Bally's then new Playboy pinball machines, complete with additional quirky game machine sound-effects and some choice jingle-y double-entendres: "pinball playboy, light the night.. pinball playboy, tonight is the night, pinball playboy, make my number rise, let this bunny know she's gonna fly..." Of course, the album's cover shot pretty much makes the intent obvious, with the pinball machine sharing centre stage with February '79 Playmate, Lee Ann Michelle - face to the camera, legs spread out over the machine... That said though, as far as the track itself is concerned, it's not surprisingly the standout on the album. A brilliantly swinging, lounge-meets-disco concoction that's ultimately and totally irresistible. Even those crazy sound effects which might come across as silly and gimmicky at the beginning, end up becoming a major part of it's charm. Generously used as to be catchy, yet not overdone as to be annoying..

Complete with a breathless chorus of cooing females (courtesy of Jody, Amy & Lauri Taylor), those awesome strings, and of course, that great sax - a major part of the jazzy, swinging vibe on the track, "Pinball Playboy" is perhaps the most enjoyable disco novelty track I've yet to hear. It's so well done, it feels almost unjust to call it a mere novelty, yet evidently the label probably didn't see it as anything more. For one thing, the track clocks in at a relatively modest (at least in disco standards) 5.44 on the album. Usually, the standout track on an anonymous disco production album such as this one would cover most, if not all of an entire side. In hindsight, it's too bad nobody did an extended 12'' mix of the track, since the funky swinging groove of the track practically cries out for it. They could have possibly done two mixes, a regular extended version and a kind of instrumental mix, taking out the sound-effects and pinball references, for those who might not have cared for the novelty stuff.. Perhaps it wasn't the sort of sound that was burning up dancefloors at the time, yet one still can't help but feel more could have been done with it.

Regardless of that, thankfully the rest of the album doesn't disappoint. The rest of the record is made up of six more Vic Caesar originals, who, to his credit, instead of making the rest of the record into a glorified 12'' single, used the it as a kind of creative playground of sorts, going from lite disco funk, grandiose theme music, MOR balladry, soft jazz mood music, and even a samba, of sorts.. Despite there not being any sort of unifying concept between the rest of the record, the songs (aside, maybe from the MOR ballad - "Reach Out For Love") are all quality. The more disco flavoured tracks, "Comin' To Getcha" and "Funky Get It" have become particular favourites of mine.. The latter track, "Comin' To Getcha," basically continues in the sort of swinging disco mode as the title track. Anchored by a great horn section and those airy female vocals (courtesy of Trish Turner and Terri Fischer) which make the most of the minimal lyrics, culminating in a hypnotic harmony with the refrain: "comin' to getcha, getcha, getcha." The vocals and horns are used to especially great effect on here, particularly at the three minute mark, when the vocals are punctuated by those deep horn stabs.

The other swingin' disco track on side two, "Funky Get It," opens with an unexpected, luxuriously dark, moody intro; the sort of thing one might have expected in a 70's blaxploitation films or as a opening TV theme or something (perhaps not surprising given his movie scoring background). The track later settles into a faster, harder disco groove carried by some heavy, rattling percussion and the ubiquitous chorus of females (once again courtesy of Turner and Fischer) that, with the help of those handclaps towards the end, practically drill that refrain into your head: "funky groove..funky get it.."

The side two opener, "Olympiad '84" continues with a bit of a disco vibe, albeit in a different way than the other tracks. If the title didn't make it obvious, this one fills in the "grandiose theme music" section of the album. The last sort of thing one might have expected on an album like this, it sounded as if Caesar had been inspired by John Williams and/or Meco when he did this. Seemingly referencing both, yet not quite reaching the heights of either, it's the sort of thing that sounds grand and pleasant enough to get one's attention, but perhaps becuase of it's brief duration, never quite goes beyond pleasant background music..

"State Street Samba" later brings the album to a close with a pleasantly classy groove, bringing back some of the swinging disco along with a bit of a latin flavour and some nice jazzy riffs towards the end. The song and album end rather nicely with a fittingly classy piano solo.

One other track I just had to include here as well is the soft, atmospheric instrumental "Little Girls & Ladies." Written by Vic Caesar and beloved poet, musician and author Shel Silverstein, the mood of this particular track is especially beautiful, carried by an outstanding tenor sax solo (courtesy of Sly and the Family Stone's Pat Rizzo). It's soothing, uplifting and engaging all at the same time. Though not disco in any way, it's undoubtedly one of the best tracks on the album and ultimately, one of the hidden surprises on this record.

That being said, while this album likely won't be on too many disco essentials lists, it nonetheless remains an intriguing release, musically and otherwise. At it's best, the album flawlessly combines a disco sensibility with a slightly jazz-influenced lounge style. In other words, a quintessential "Playboy disco" record.. Also, given Caesar's background, the length of much of the album's tracks, and the mood and vibe that runs through it, it's almost as if some of the tracks on the record might have possibly been created for a soundtrack that never was. Although not a perfect record, and probably not the sort of thing that might have been hitting the discos hard in 1979, the soundtrack aesthetic is perhaps one of those things which gives this record it's listenable quality, along with it's share of irresistible charms and pleasant surprises. That being said, while the album itself may not be anyone's disco essential, "Pinball Playboy" would, in my opinion, be one of the ultimate disco novelty records. A little bit cheesy, perhaps, yet not to the point where the fromage overshadows the excellent musicality of the record. It's the type of thing that's charming, well-executed and musically solid enough to keep one coming back for more..

Sadly, the man behind the music, Vic Caesar, passed away in 2000 of a stroke. He spent his last years in Phoenix, Arizona, where he was involved in the local jazz scene, was on local radio for a time and still dabbled in music and recording, cutting an album with pianist Jessica Williams (no relation to the Simon Soussan-produced disco diva of the same name) among other things. Vibist Monty Stark's website has some more info on that record as well as a lot of great background on Vic Caesar himself. Despite being relegated to the minor leagues of fame, no one could ever say the man didn't have a full, exciting life and career. Here's to you, Vic!

PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
DISCO DELIVERY #39: PENTHOUSE PRESENTS THE LOVE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA (1978, TALPRO) (TUESDAY APRIL 10, 2007)

LINKS:
COOK COUNTY - PINBALL PLAYBOY (PLAYBOY THEME) LP @ DISCOGS
THE PHOENIX NEW TIMES - HAIL, CAESAR! (BY PETER GILSTRAP) (SEPTEMBER 5, 1996)
VIC CAESAR @ ALL MUSIC GUIDE
VIC CAESAR @ IMDB
VIC CAESAR @ DISCOGS
CY COLEMAN OBITUARY @ PLAYBILL (NOVEMBER 19, 2004)
PLAYBOY PLAYMATE DIRECTORY - LEE ANN MICHELLE (MISS FEBRUARY 1979)
REC.GAMES.PINBALL - PINBALL PLAYBOY BY COOK COUNTY (NOVEMBER 17, 1995)
INTERNET PINBALL DATABASE PRESENTS - PLAYBOY PINBALL
PINBALL REBEL - PLAYBOY PINBALL BY BALLY

CATEGORIES: DISCO DELIVERIES, WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO.., IN MEMORIAM..

Disco Delivery #43: Wardell Piper (1979, Midsong International)

Wardell Piper - Super Sweet
Wardell Piper - Super Sweet (12'' Version)
Wardell Piper - Win Your Lovin'
Wardell Piper - Captain Boogie
Wardell Piper - Captain Boogie (12'' Version)
Wardell Piper - Don't Turn Away From Me Baby
Wardell Piper - If You Want To Make Love To Me

When I took a trip to Vancouver back in March, one of the goodies I picked up was a copy of Wardell Piper's awesome (and only) album along with one of its 12'' singles. Although there was writing on the cover and a cut-corner (thanks to DungeonDJ for the retouched photo!), luckily the record itself was in mint condition. Even better, the sleeve even included the original fold-out poster of the album cover. I had been looking for a copy of this album ever since I had heard its two singles five years ago, but the local record stores here never had any decent copies. I couldn't get enough of them then, and I still love them now.

Wardell, like many of her contemporaries, would get her start singing in church at the tender age of five. Years later, right out of high school, she would become an early member of First Choice appearing on singles like "This Is The House Where Love Died" and "Armed And Extremely Dangerous." Although online sources are somewhat unclear about exactly when she left the fold, (unfortunately my Japanese First Choice 2 CD compilation, with incorrect liner notes, is no help either), it seems she most likely departed the group shortly after those initial singles.

While on her own album, the singles "Super Sweet" and "Captain Boogie" were the major attractions, the rest of the record doesn't disappoint either. Definitely one of the funkiest, rawest albums I've heard from a female disco artist of the time. Besides the music, the "Eve and the serpent" sleeve photo has got to be one of the most outrageously stunning album covers I've seen on a disco record. Along with the music, one of the best things about collecting disco is admiring the album covers they got away with.

Recorded in her native Philadelphia at Alpha International Studios the record was produced by John H. Fitch and Reuben Cross—the duo who produced tracks for Carol Douglas and wrote Evelyn 'Champagne' King's break out signature hit "Shame." The daring glamour of the cover photo seemed perfectly matched to the grooves on the record. A perfect combination of funk and disco elements—the heavy horn section, guitars and bass lay the funk foundation, topped off with a lush string sweetening, giving things a classic disco finesse. It's one of those albums which manages to achieve a full, meaty sound, without sounding overly polished; every distinct element gets a chance to shine in the mix. There's a certain uncomplicated, uncluttered and (although I hate using this description) organic sound to the record, with the finished product bursting with an undiluted energy and spontaneity.

That being said, Wardell's voice is undoubtedly the big spectacle here, further highlighting the record's funk factor. I haven't heard too many of her later singles, but judging from what I have heard so far, they don't seem to approach quite the same vocal dynamism she displays on this album. She can come across as gutsy, smooth, and straightforward one minute, then comes practically unhinged the next. When she lets loose and turns almost feline; that voice cements itself as one of the boldest, funkiest elements on the record.

The opening track "Super Sweet" practically sets the template. Its steady groove openins with an infectious guitar line, propelled by a fat bassline and handclaps. Don Renaldo and his Strings and Horns sweep in later, kicking things up considerably. If you thought strings couldn't be funky, think again. Undaunted, even by a funny line like "I'm stuck on you, like glue on a shoe," or by that cute nod to K.C. & The Sunshine Band in the refrain, Wardell really gives it on this track. Her vocals seem to climb along with the record, getting wilder by the minute until she completely turns it loose at the five-minute mark. The second half of the song (which, in all, goes on for some 11 minutes on the album) is marked by a three-to-four minute break at the 7:50 mark, giving prime uninterrupted exposure to that big, bad-ass bassline.

The 12'' version mixed by Jimmy Simpson (brother of Valerie and Ray) is slightly shorter at eight minutes, replacing the funky guitars of the intro with a steady percussion lead-in, which later brings those light background synths up front. Overall, it's not quite as punchy as the album version, though it cuts a cleaner, more straightforward groove. It keeps Wardell's wild vocal runs and the basic dynamic, but cuts out the multi-layered breaks and coda at the end, instead focusing solely on the bass and percussion towards the close. That said, both the album and 12'' versions of this track are equally effective, complementary takes; neither strays too far from the other, yet each highlights different elements of the track.

Side one ends with a slower track, "Win Your Lovin'," which I wouldn't exactly call a ballad, but is perhaps the closest thing to one on this album. Despite the tempo, this song features the same meaty backing as the opening track. The bass hits real hard up front, keeping an extra tight groove moving along with the horns and strings. The percussion—especially at the 6:00 mark—keeps the proceedings consistently interesting and engaging. Of course, Wardell's vocals also deserve credit for that. Although slightly more subdued here, she still manages to sound assertive and gutsy, yet perpetually on the verge of letting out that signature wail of hers.

The side two opener, "Captain Boogie," is yet another major highlight on the album and easily one of my instant favourites. It's one of those "He's the Greatest Dancer" type of tracks, about admiring a super-cool dude at the disco, who "does his steps, smooth as silk, cool as he can be," leaving the ladies getting "satisfaction... watching him in action" calling him "the baddest cat I've ever seen." With those horns punching through right at the start, it cuts an infectiously fun, ferocious groove that never lets up. With Wardell going wild, horns blazing, guitars, and galloping percussion in full-force, this track packs a punch like nothing else on the record.

The 12'' version—remixed by Eddie O'Loughlin (producer, executive and founder of the Midsong and Next Plateau labels) and New York DJ Tony Gioe—extends the track from six minutes to just around eight. It starts off with a steadier, simple 4/4 beat and hi-hat instead of the horns and tones down some of the dynamics of the album version. The horns are much less prominent in the mix, and the 4/4 beat on the bass drum, which is practically buried on the album version, is brought right up front on the 12''. Although the 12" version is longer, the punchier album version feels so much more satisfying. It seems they took a similar approach to the "Super Sweet" mix here, but in an effort to provide a more straightforward groove, they ended up knocking the wind out of its sails, so to speak. Taking away and trimming down some of the track's most infectious elements makes this one of those exceptional moments where the 12'' version is actually inferior to the LP mix.

The next track on the record, "Don't Turn Away From Me Baby" is yet another strong selection. The tempo is a bit slower, but Wardell still scorches through this one, helped along by an especially fired up band behind her. I absolutely love the steaming, sexy, almost desperate tension of this track. The horns and strings make an especially explosive combination, building things to a fever pitch, at which point an awesome sax comes in towards the end, taking things even higher.

The album comes to a close with "If You Want To Make Love To Me," which is an improbable, though fitting finale. It reveals Wardell less as a disco temptress or uninhibited party girl, and more as a deftly clever tease—engaging, surprising, and charming you, giving just enough to leave you wanting more than you can have. Just when you thought the album had no surprises left, the chorus flips things around: "if you want to make love to me, you're gonna have to marry me." Given the typical connotations attached to disco, and the suggestions made by the daring cover shot and Wardell's wild vocal ways, it's perhaps the last sentiment ("that free love stuff, boy it's not enough") one might expect at the end of a record like this. It's an almost absurdly surprising, if not playfully subversive way to wrap things up. I suppose her inner church lady was never far behind—snakes and disco be damned.

That last track, in particular, reminded me of a couple of articles that I found about her on the 'Souvenirs' section of Victor Simonelli's excellent website vjsproductionsinc.com (one of the few sites out there featuring actual vintage disco magazine articles). There is one piece, in particular, entitled "Disco's Other Bad Girls" where expresses some mixed feelings about her image and the disco scene in general:

And what, you ask, is Wardell Piper? Backed by a troop of near-naked male dancers/or by a cageful of live tigers, Midsong's Wardell from Philadelphia wails, moans and disco-funks....outrageously mixing disco technology and ballsiness. Even those who do not own stereos have been known to buy Piper's album for the photographic update of Eve and the serpent depicted on the cover. Within tongue-shot of a python's head, Piper's frameable fantasy suggests that she does to a snake what Donna Summer does to a microphone.

Despite her claim as a goddess of disco-funk, in real life, Piper appears in a conservative business suit. No pythons, "I don't want people to label me a snake lady," she says. When I finish on stage, I don't wrap snakes around my neck. I go home to forget about that scene. After a while, disco gets on my nerves."

"Everybody associates me with sex and that just takes me out" pipes Piper....

.....As [an] uninhibited fan performed an impromptu bump and grind, Piper bumped right back. "I consider it an honor to inspire reaction like that," Piper commented later. And what did she do after the show? "I left the stage and prayed."

There is another great interview with her on the same site from August 1979—originally published in a trade magazine called Disco DJ—where she speaks more about how her gospel background shaped her views on disco:

"Then I discovered disco. It was something that brought everyone together, in some ways, similarly to gospel. People could just let themselves go on the dance floor—everyone could move, whether or not you could hustle, or just rock. Disco makes people happy. When you've finished working all day you can go to a disco and let loose."

From what I've found, there was evidently one B-side culled from these sessions called "How Long," which appears on some versions of the "Captain Boogie" 12'' single. From what I can tell, she'd release only one more single on Midsong in 1980, "Gimme Something Real"—a cover of the Ashford & Simpson song. She would then go on to record and release singles for the Prelude and Sam labels in the early '80s—among them "Come On Back To Mama" (1983, Sam) and the ice-cool groove of "Nobody (Can Take You From Me)" for Prelude in 1984—before more or less fading into obscurity thereafter.

Although I presume she would have been largely inactive in the music business since then, I surprisingly came across a single from 2004, a house track featuring Wardell on vocals entitled "Good Lovin'." Apparently a re-release of a track from 1999, it is credited to The David Banks Project featuring Wardell Piper and released on David Banks' (aka DJ Disciple) own label, Catch 22 Recordings. Sure enough, the voice was unmistakable.

Since then, there doesn't appear to have been anything more, but then again, who knows if or when she may resurface on record again. Regardless, this album remains, for me, one of the more distinctive records released by a female disco artist. With the raw, funky edge of the grooves, a voice that cuts through the mix, often with wild abandon, and of course, that unforgettable cover, it makes for a stunning, memorable, and fully satisfying—if not slightly surprising—package all the way through.

2007 CD Note: In the late '90s, the 12" versions of "Super Sweet" and "Captain Boogie" were released on a compilation CD entitled 12x12 Original 12'' Disco Mixes on a small label called Prophecy Entertainment. Not sure how good the sound quality was, however the CD was mostly made up of tracks from the Midsong catalogue, and is so far probably the only CD to focus on their output. The label itself has long since closed and its website has vanished along with it. Although there are few traces of it, evidently Amazon still has a listing for it, albeit with no new or used copies available as of this writing.

PREVIOUS RELATED LINKS:
DISCO DELIVERY #13: MOVE YOUR BODY ALL AROUND.. (FRIDAY MARCH 31, 2006)

LINKS:
WARDELL PIPER - S/T LP @ DISCOGS
WARDELL PIPER - SUPER SWEET 12'' @ DISCOGS
WARDELL PIPER - CAPTAIN BOOGIE 12'' @ DISCOGS
WARDELL PIPER IN DISCO DJ (AUGUST 1979) @ VJSPRODUCTIONSINC.COM
JOHN H. FITCH @ ALL MUSIC GUIDE
JOHN H. FITCH @ DISCOGS
REUBEN CROSS @ ALL MUSIC GUIDE
REUBEN CROSS @ DISCOGS
JIMMY SIMPSON @ DISCOGS
EDDIE O'LOUGHLIN @ DISCOGS
TONY GIOE @ DISCOGS

DISCO ARTICLES: 'SOUVENIRS" @ VJSPRODUCTIONSINC.COM

CATEGORIES: DISCO DELIVERIES

Midnight Rhythm Redux

After playing my usual procrastination game, at long last, I've finally got around to this..

A couple of months ago, I got an unexpected email from Robby Adcock, one of the producers of Midnight Rhythm (which I had originally posted this past March), who not only offered to correct and clarify some of the factual errors and questions that I had in the original post, but also offered to give me some detailed background on the making of Midnight Rhythm itself. As excellent as the record is, I was genuinely surprised at the rich background that this fairly obscure disco project had. I suppose, in some ways, it goes to show that with the convenience of music, mp3s and of all things generally today, often times the sheer energy and effort that goes into making music, especially records employing teams of actual musicians such as this one, can be so easily taken for granted..

Needless to say, I finally got around to updating the original entry with all the info from Robby's emails. For those of you who missed the original posting several months back, the mp3 files are still available for downloading..

Disco Delivery #37: Midnight Rhythm (1978, Atlantic)
Hopefully those of you who enjoyed this album when I posted it the first time (as well as those of you who are new to it) will find the additional info as interesting and informative as I did.. I had to reformat the usual 'mini essay', making it into what I suppose would be the first actual 'interview' that I've ever done.. I've tried to pack as much information as I could in there, so my apologies if it comes across a bit too long winded, or rather - even more so than usual.

When I first bought the Midnight Rhythm album some four years ago, I remember at the time being somewhat frustrated at the lack on information available on this project.. I never expected that I would end up communicating with one of the producers several years later to fill in all the blanks... Quite honestly, when I post about a record, I never expect for it to bring me in contact with any of the producers, writers or musicians behind it, much less have one of them give me a detailed history of the project.. So a major, major thanks to Robby Adcock for his generous contributions and for giving me permission to reprint the content of his emails on here..

PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
DISCO DELIVERY #37: MIDNIGHT RHYTHM (1978, ATLANTIC) (WEDNESDAY MARCH 14, 2007)

CATEGORIES: RE-DELIVERIES

Upcoming Sister Sledge Reissues

On September 18th, all of Sister Sledge's out of print albums for the Atlantic label (which is pretty much all of them except "We Are Family") will finally be reissued on CD by Wounded Bird Records. Wounded Bird (I've always found that the stangest name for a record label) seem to have been carving out a bit of a niche lately in no-frills, quality CD reissues, mostly from the Warner labels (see the last batch of Chic album reissues, among others)..

Aside from "Love Somebody Today," "All American Girls" (both of which had been previously released on CD by Rhino in the mid-90's) and of course "We Are Family," this will also mark the CD debut of all of the other Sister Sledge albums in their entirety.. No word on the tracklists yet, if there will be any bonus tracks included with any of the reissues. Wounded Bird aren't exactly known for adding extras, so for now, I'm assuming these will be straight reissues with just the original tracklists..

Considering the gap between Wounded Bird's Chic reissues (Real People/Tongue In Chic in 2003, the rest only last year), the simultaneous release of seven of the sisters' albums comes as a rather pleasant surprise. Given how closely Sister Sledge is associated with the Chic sound, I'm assuming their Chic reissues from late last year have done pretty well for these to have gotten the go-ahead...

So far, there are no details yet on Wounded Bird's website, but most of the major online retailers already have these listed for pre-order..
Update: Pictures and prices now available on the Wounded Bird website..


Circle Of Love (1975, Atco/Atlantic / 2007, Wounded Bird)
buy/pre-order @ cduniverse.com | amazon.com | amazon.co.uk | dustygroove.com
The first album - produced by Bert DeCoteaux and Tony Silvester. Much of the album was written by Gwen Guthrie and Patrick Grant aside from "Give In To Love" written by Thom Bell/Linda Creed and the title track co-written by none other than Patrick Adams and Faye Hauser. Overall, I don't exactly consider this among their best albums, though the title track and the single "Love, Don't You Go Through No Changes On Me" are both standouts..
SISTER SLEDGE - CIRCLE OF LOVE LP (REVIEW) @ ALL MUSIC GUIDE
SISTER SLEDGE - CIRCLE OF LOVE LP @ DISCOGS


Together (1977, Cotillion/Atlantic / 2007, Wounded Bird)
buy/pre-order @ cduniverse.com | amazon.com | dustygroove.com
Before striking gold with Chic and "We Are Family," they had hooked up with German producers Michael Kunze and Sylvester Levay (the production team behind Silver Convention) for this album. Unfortunately, I don't even have this album yet, but it certainly sounds like an interesting and promising 'Philly meets Munich' type of collaboration. So far, at least for now, this also appears to be the hardest to find out of all their LPs (at least in my experience). Some of the notable tracks on here include a couple of Stevie Wonder covers: "As" and "I Was Made to Love Her (Him)" along with "Blockbuster Boy," which was included on their early '90s "Best Of Sister Sledge (1973-1985)" (1992, Rhino) CD.. In any case, I can't wait to finally hear this one..
SISTER SLEDGE - TOGETHER LP @ DISCOGS


Love Somebody Today (1980, Cotillion/Atlantic / 2007, Wounded Bird)
buy/pre-order @ cduniverse.com | amazon.com | amazon.co.uk | dustygroove.com
Their second and last album with producers Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards AKA The Chic Organization. This one may not reach the heights of "We Are Family," nevertheless Chic's magic touch doesn't fail them on this one either. As a whole, it's one of my favourite Sister Sledge albums containing some great uptempos like "Got To Love Somebody," along with some of Chic's best balladry as well ("Let's Go On Vacation", "I'm A Good Girl"). Also a rather timely reissue considering the high prices Rhino's out-of-print 1995 reissue have commanded in the recent past.
SISTER SLEDGE - LOVE SOMEBODY TODAY LP (REVIEW) @ ALL MUSIC GUIDE
SISTER SLEDGE - LOVE SOMEBODY TODAY LP (REVIEW) @ ROBERTCHRISTGAU.COM
SISTER SLEDGE - LOVE SOMEBODY TODAY LP (REVIEW) @ WARR.ORG
SISTER SLEDGE - LOVE SOMEBODY TODAY LP @ DISCOGS
SISTER SLEDGE - LOVE SOMEBODY TODAY (1995 CD REISSUE) @ AMAZON.COM


All American Girls (1981, Cotillion/Atlantic / 2007, Wounded Bird)
buy/pre-order @ cduniverse.com | amazon.com | amazon.co.uk | dustygroove.com
This album was also reissued on CD by Rhino in 1995 (complete with butchered cover art) and if it weren't for me checking just now, I could have sworn that it was out of print as well.. I suppose Rhino must have only recently put theirs back in print - just in time for this release, no less.. Although that probably makes this reissue a tad redundant, as far as the album goes: despite this being their break from the Chic Organization, producer Narada Michael Walden and the sisters (who also contribute to the production as well as a great deal of the songwriting) manage to deliver a great record here. Kicking things off on a high with the Chic-inspired title track and the original, energetic, rock-influenced album version of "He's Just a Runaway" (a million miles better than the lackluster "Bob Marley tribute" version that became the single) and "If You Really Want Me," this record has a much livelier, assertive approach than their previous. One of their most underrated and enjoyable, in my opinion..
SISTER SLEDGE - ALL AMERICAN GIRLS LP (REVIEW) @ ALL MUSIC GUIDE
SISTER SLEDGE - ALL AMERICAN GIRLS LP @ DISCOGS
SISTER SLEDGE - ALL AMERICAN GIRLS (1995 CD REISSUE) @ AMAZON.COM


The Sisters (1982, Cotillion/Atlantic / 2007, Wounded Bird)
buy/pre-order @ cduniverse.com | amazon.com | amazon.co.uk | dustygroove.com
Notable for being the only album entirely produced by the Sisters themselves (hence, the title). I actually find this album to be somewhat better than the singles off of it indicated it to be (lukewarm cover of Mary Wells' "My Guy," to name one). Aside from the ballads (like their version of "All The Man That I Need" - originally by Linda Clifford, later made famous by Ms. Nippy), there was also a slight sleek, urban edge on some of the album tracks, like "Super Bad Sisters" which included a little rap section and the awesome "Il Mácquillage Lady," which has become one of my all-time favourite Sister Sledge tunes. It wasn't a single, but notable nonetheless for being the basis of Daft Punk's 2001 single "Aerodynamic" (which I only found out recently). Overall not quite as good as The Sisters' previous three records, but still a relatively decent album in it's own right.
SISTER SLEDGE - THE SISTERS LP (REVIEW) @ ALL MUSIC GUIDE


Bet Cha Say That To All The Girls (1983, Cotillion/Atlantic / 2007, Wounded Bird)
buy/pre-order @ cduniverse.com | amazon.com | amazon.co.uk | dustygroove.com
Produced by George Duke, this is another one that I don't have yet, so I can't speak for the entire record.. The songs that I have heard so far: "B.Y.O.B. (Bring Your Own Baby)" and "Get Back To Love" off their '92 Best of CD are good, but nothing really special..
SISTER SLEDGE - BET CHA SAY THAT TO ALL THE GIRLS LP (REVIEW) @ ALL MUSIC GUIDE
SISTER SLEDGE - BET CHA SAY THAT TO ALL THE GIRLS LP @ DISCOGS


When The Boys Meet The Girls (1985, Atlantic / 2007, Wounded Bird)
buy/pre-order @ cduniverse.com | amazon.com | dustygroove.com
Their last really major album and a reunion of sorts with Nile Rodgers, right around the time when he was probably one of the hottest producers around.. Again, this is yet another one that I don't have yet. Out of the tracks I've heard so far, I don't really care for "Frankie" too much, "Dancing On The Jagged Edge" however, is one of my all-time favourites by the sisters..
SISTER SLEDGE - WHEN THE BOYS MEET THE GIRLS LP (REVIEW) @ ALL MUSIC GUIDE

PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
BBC RADIO 2 - THE RECORD PRODUCERS: NILE RODGERS (SATURDAY JANUARY 6, 2007)
UPCOMING REISSUES & RELEASES (CHIC AND MORE!): (DECEMBER 1, 2006 - JANUARY 22, 2007) (SATURDAY NOVEMBER 25, 2006)
UPCOMING REISSUES & RELEASES (APRIL 25 - MAY 30) (FRIDAY APRIL 21, 2006)
DISCO DELIVERY #2: NORMA JEAN WRIGHT - NORMA JEAN (1978, BEARSVILLE) (SATURDAY JANUARY 14, 2006)

CATEGORIES: REISSUES & RELEASES

It just might take all night..

James Bradley - I Can't Get Enough Of Your Love (1979, Malaco/Attic) | LINK TWO

Not a cover of the Barry White classic, but a great, understated soulful disco groove by what appears to be a little known soul singer named James Bradley. Apparently this track was off his self-titled and only(?) album for the venerable Malaco label (at the time distributed by T.K. Records in the US), which has what is possibly one of the most stereotypical, kitschy disco cover shots ever (afro: check!, no-nonsense moustache: check! shiny, glittery discotheque in the background: check! open shirt exposing thick tufts of chest hair: check!). Disco-fabulous on a budget, as I'd like to call it..

This particular song, released on a 12'' single, but tucked away on the B-side, is one of those classic instances where the B-side is so obviously a superior record to the A-side, you wonder what the label was thinking putting it out like that. Being 1979, perhaps they thought even an extended, albeit mediocre disco single would do better than a stellar, more R&B styled track? Whatever the case, in my opinion, the inferior A-side, "I'm In Too Deep," has got to be one of the more tedious, gimmicky, uninspired disco workouts that I've heard in a while. It manages to go on for some 8 or so minutes, yet seems to have little to show for it aside from a flat arrangement and some interesting, albeit clichéd synth touches..

Flipping it over however, after the overwhelming tedium of the A-side, hearing the the soft, elegant hi-hat, and those oh-so-beautiful introductory guitar notes of "I Can't Get Enough of Your Love" is, quite appropriately, music to the ears. Relegated to the B-side probably because it wasn't the sort of straight-ahead, energetic disco typical of the time, but instead, one that straddled the boundary between R&B and disco; it can probably be described as something of a throwback to the earlier days of 'disco as danceable R&B'. Effortlessly easing into it's mellow groove, with it's instantly catchy beat and melody, Bradley's vocals riding on top of it all; that combination of melodic beauty, captivating rhythm and all-out soul would have likely made this an excellent 5 A.M. disco sleaze staple back in it's day..

While James Bradley may not have been the most well known name out there, the writer and producer of this record, Frederick Knight, would probably be much moreso. For those who might not be familiar, Knight was the producer behind none other than Anita Ward's damn-it-if-you-just-can't-resist-it disco mega-hit "Ring My Bell." In addition to that, Knight also had some success as an artist in his own right, recording an album for the Stax label, which included a 1972 top-10 US R&B hit "I've Been Lonely For So Long." Although not quite as successful; In 1981, Knight would also release an 'answer' to "Ring My Bell" under his own name entitled "Let Me Ring Your Bell Again," along with at least two other albums under his own name in the late 70s and early 80s ("Let The Sunshine In" and "Knight Time," respectively)..

Not sure what ever became of James Bradley, but evidently Frederick Knight is still around, having racked up production credits right up into this decade (at least, according to the All Music Guide). As well, Knight's Juana label, distributed by T.K. in the late 70's and once home to artists like Anita Ward and The Controllers, is still operating, albeit as a largely Gospel-focused label these days..

Aside from a few signature production touches: those little cowbell hooks, for instance; this record may not instantly resemble the bouncy, addictive "Ring My Bell," although it's yet another, albeit much less acknowledged (and perhaps less gimmicky), moment of brilliance on his part.. With Bradley's full and soulful vocals conveying just the right amount of romantic passion and vulnerability, put together with a breezy, sensual call-and-response with the female back-up, those rhythmic hooks, great guitar work and sax; it all makes for four minutes and thirty seconds of easy, groove-riding ecstasy. It's almost too good to be on the same disc as the A-side. Just one of those things that makes it all worthwhile..

PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
COCKTAILS AT THE DISCO LOUNGE.. (MONDAY JUNE 11, 2007)

LINKS:
JAMES BRADLEY - I'M IN TOO DEEP/I CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF YOUR LOVE 12'' @ DISCOGS
FREDERICK KNIGHT 1971 BIO @ CONCORD MUSIC GROUP
FREDERICK KNIGHT @ DISCOGS
FREDERICK KNIGHT @ ALL MUSIC GUIDE

CATEGORIES: MINI DELIVERIES

Come put out the fire..

Laura Lee - Sat-is-fac-tion (1979, Fantasy/GRT) | LINK TWO
Laura Lee - Your Song (1979, Fantasy/GRT) | LINK TWO

The A-side on here is one seductive, sexy little sleeper from 1979 courtesy of Detroit soulstress Laura Lee. Born Laura Lee Newton in Chicago, as a child she would relocate to Detroit where she was adopted by the Rev. E. Allan Rundless and his wife Ernestine. The Rundlesses had also led a gospel group - The Meditation Singers, whose early lineup included none other than Della Reese, whom Lee would later replace.. By the mid 60's, she would make the move to secular music, recording for the Detroit indie and Motown rival, Golden World Records and later on with the legendary Chess label where she would record at the legendary Fame Studios.

Although a prominent Detroit vocalist, she would never actually record for the mighty Motown label, even though she would audition for them at one point, only to be turned down. Most likely her gritty, soulful style just didn't fit with the label's pop/cross-over aims at the time.. However, despite that, it wouldn't be a complete loss. Brian Holland of Motown's famed Holland-Dozier-Holland production team and an excellent producer in his own right (see Disco Delivery #1: The Supremes - Mary, Scherrie & Susaye) evidently took notice in those auditions, and would later sign her to their own Hot Wax label after Holland-Dozier-Holland's acrimonious split with Motown. It would be there where, in 1971, she would have what would be her biggest US chart success with her signature hit "Women's Love Rights."

Although gospel trained and nurtured, listening to her on "Sat-is-fac-tion," you probably wouldn't know it.. Kicked off by that hot, steamy sax; hypnotic, robotic synths shadowing the bouncing hi-hat and Laura's vampish vocals. With those sighs and whispers; regularly alternating between a tamed, simmering tension and an all-out steaming boil, Lady Laura's voice is pure sex on here. In other words: sleazy, sultry and just down-right hot in all the right places. Although slightly more stylized and subdued than usual, her vocals still bear that signature edge, providing the perfect compliment to the slick, shiny production. Along with the vocals and the overall production; just before the four-minute mark, right when the wailing sax kicks in with those great handclaps, that breakdown on here is yet another thing which totally seals this one for me. Granted, overall, it may not the most instant of disco singles, but just like that bassline in the back, it's a groove that sneaks up on you and has you hooked before you even know it..

I'm not sure how much club play this single would have gotten back in the day; nevertheless, for me, it's one elegantly striking, seductive piece of disco pleasure which remains perhaps one of her most intriguing performances on record..

The flip side, "Your Song," on the other hand, certainly lives up to it's designation, completely changing gears from the A-side.. A pleasant, though much more conventional R&B/disco-lite kind of track, parts of the melody remind me of Thelma Houston's version of "Don't Leave Me This Way," albeit without the same sense of emotional drama..

Aside from those understated string arrangements on this track, I also enjoy this one for the simple reason that much like the A-side showed a sexier side to her, this track showcased the earthy, soulful timbre of Laura's voice so well; with a rawness and a tenderness so simple and straightforward, you can't help but be engaged by it. It's that mix of grit and warmth, as this and much of her best material shows, which is undoubtedly one of her best assets..

Aside from Laura herself, this single also featured some other notable names. For one thing, both tracks on the single were produced by Don Davis, a somewhat enigmatic, yet highly prolific figure in the Detroit soul scene. Much of the material he produced and recorded on his Detroit indie labels like Groovesville and Revilot has become quite revered and collectible among soul aficionados over the years. Aside from his more obscure work on the Detroit labels, he had also produced some prominent acts over the years, including Mavis Staples, David Ruffin and The Dramatics among others as well as the late Johnnie Taylor, with whom he'd have some of his biggest success. Personally speaking, a couple of my favourite Don Davis productions that I've heard so far were for the late Jeannie Reynolds on her two highly underrated albums for the Casablanca label in the late 70s. Both excellent albums featuring yet another similarly raw, soulful voice....

Along with the producer, the arrangers on this single also had some notable credits to their name. Rudy Robinson was a prolific arranger, producer and musician in his own right as well as a regular Don Davis collaborator. Robinson had contributed to numerous albums by numerous artists, including the likes of The Temptations, Bobby Womack, Barbara Mason, Dennis Coffey as well as some excellent Detroit disco productions like C.J. & Co. and The Mike Theodore Orchestra. Until his death in 2002, he remained a prominent figure in the Detroit music scene as well as a keyboard player and longtime musical director for another Detroit soul legend, Bettye LaVette.

Additionally, Robinson's co-arranger on this single was none other than Disco wizard and super-producer Patrick Adams, whose prolific contributions to disco on the production side with projects like Musique, Phreek and many others (not to mention his work on the P&P labels) need no further introduction (see Disco Delivery #38: Patrick Adams Presents Phreek for more on Adams)..

Along with producer Don Davis, the A-side "Sat-is-fac-tion" was also written by none other than Motown legend Mary Wells and her (by this time, anyway) ex-husband Cecil Womack (later of Womack & Womack). Just as a gossipy sidebar; interestingly (although I might have my dates mixed up), by the time this single was released, Mary Wells had divorced husband and co-writer Cecil Womack and apparently re-married to Cecil and Bobby Womack's brother Curtis Womack. Talk about keeping it in the family...

The B-side, "Your Song" was however solely credited to Womack and Davis and later recorded by The Dells on their 1980 album, "I Touched A Dream" (1980, 20th Century), as well as The Four Tops, later into the 1980's..

During the same year that this single was released, Lee would go through a major setback after being diagnosed with cancer, from which she wouldn't fully recover until 1990. Given that, it's probably no wonder why this single only ended up being a relatively obscure one-off for her. While the 1980's had her battling cancer and essentially putting her singing career on hold, the early 80's saw Lee returning to her gospel roots, cutting two gospel albums in 1983, one of them with former flame, soul legend Al Green called "Jesus Is The Light Of My Life" (1983, Myrrh). From the late '80s and into the 1990's, she would end up would devoting more time to ministry and missionary work, performing only on occasion..

On her officially endorsed fansite/blog (a great resource, by the way; with the most comprehensive, detailed bio of her life and career out there), when asked about this single, she mentioned, somewhat dismissively, that this single was nothing more than her attempt at "going with the times". Understandably, like many artists at the time, she too had felt the need to maintain her career and jump on the disco bandwagon, yet in spite of that, this single still remains an engaging piece of disco, and along with the names attached to it, a notable meeting of figures in the R&B and disco worlds..

These days Laura maintains an active web presence through Colin Dilnot's excellent fansite/blog as well as her own Myspace site, where you can hear some of her music and see some recent photos of the lady herself (who, at the age of 62, still looks remarkable!)..

PREVIOUS RELATED ENTRIES:
DISCO DELIVERY #38: PATRICK ADAMS PRESENTS PHREEK (1978, ATLANTIC) (THURSDAY MARCH 29, 2007)
DISCO DELIVERY #19: THE MIKE THEODORE ORCHESTRA - HIGH ON MAD MOUNTAIN (1979, WESTBOUND/ATLANTIC) (SUNDAY MAY 14, 2006)

LINKS:
LAURA LEE - SAT-IS-FAC-TION/YOUR SONG 12'' @ DISCOGS
MS. LAURA LEE - DEDICATED TO THE LADY OF SOUL MUSIC
LAURA LEE'S OFFICIAL MYSPACE
SOULFUL DETROIT FORUM - LAURA LEE
LAURA LEE @ ALL MUSIC GUIDE
LAURA LEE @ WIKIPEDIA
LAURA LEE ALBUM REVIEWS @ ROBERTCHRISTGAU.COM
DON DAVIS @ ALL MUSIC GUIDE
SOULWALKING - RESPECT 2002: RUDY ROBINSON
SOULFUL DETROIT FORUM - RUDY ROBINSON

CATEGORIES: MINI DELIVERIES

Noël - Is There More To Life Than Dancing? (reprise)

As the Disco Delivery archives continue to grow, so do the feedback and re-upload requests. Lately, out of all of the past entries, this particular album has been one of the most requested re-uploads. Not counting all the requests I've gotten over the last several months, just last week I received two emails from different people, both requesting it. Given that the Noël entry is one of the entries I'm most proud of, I figure there's no better time to do this than now...

Since the original posting, I've recently tweaked some of the text in the entry, as well as re-ripped all the tracks from the album, so hopefully if you downloaded it when I originally posted it, the sound will be slightly improved on these new rips. If you missed it the first time around, I hope you'll enjoy it. This album will definitely be a treat for those who enjoy the more electronic Giorgio Moroder-esque brand of disco.

So, by popular demand, here it is:

Disco Delivery #27: Noël - Is There More To Life Than Dancing? (1979, Virgin/Polygram)
Unfortunately, I haven't found any significant info on the enigmatic Noël since the original posting, but I must give kudos once again to the writers and producers—Ron and Russell Mael aka Sparks for this awesome album!

CATEGORIES: RE-DELIVERIES