Jagg - Take Time (Extended Mix)

The original copy of Jagg's single sided 12" that features Take Time is one of the most sought after disco funk releases around. It was originally released by Delirium Records in 1983. According to danceclassics.net the value of the single can be as high as 800 USD.

Of course I don't have the original but luckily a re-issue of the single came out in 2004. This PTG Records re-issue features a a loud, good quality 6 minute extended mix of Take Time. The same version appears on this compilation.

Jagg - Take Time (Extended Mix) [320 kbps, zShare]

Grandmaster Flash - Essential Mix : Classic Edition

I was referring to this mixtape in my previous post. After that I listened through the mix and decided to share it with you. Like the name suggest, this really is classic schitt from the master himself. You can be sure that this mixtape is "all killers, no fillers". It's mixed with expertise, flair and ease typical for the master.

Grandmaster Flash - Essential Mix : Classic Edition [192 kbps, zShare]

Here's the tracklist:

0. Intro - Grandmaster Flash

1. I Can't Wait - Nu Shooz

2. I Found Lovin' - Fatback Band

3. Before I Let Go - Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly

4. We Got The Funk - Positive Force

5. Rapture - Blondie

6. Last Night A DJ Saved My Life - Indeep

7. Cavern - Liquid Liquid

8. I'll Do Anything For You - Denroy Mrogan

9. Bra - Cymande

10. Walking On Sunshine - Rockers Revenge

11. Rock Your World - Weeks & Co.

12. Love Is The Message - MFSB Featuring The Three Degrees

13. Give It Up Or Turnit A Loose - James Brown

14. It's Just Begun - Jimmy Castor Bunch

15. You're The One For Me - D Train

16. Planet Rock - Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force

Family Of Eve appreciation

Please Be Truthful and I Wanna Be Loved By You were originally released on a single by a tiny label called Jeree Records in 1979. Both songs are amazing but at that time they were left without any commercial success or critical acclaim. A bit later Full Sail Records also released 50 copies of the single.

The single is rare and it's on everybody's wants list so unless you have shit loads of cash you'll have to cop the tunes on Keb Darge's Legendary Deep Funk Volume 1 or Lotus Land's reissue of the single. These rips are from Keb Darge's awesome compilation. Enjoy!

Family Of Eve - I Wanna Be Loved By You [320 kbps]

Family Of Eve - Please Be Truthful [320 kbps]

Lil Louis - Y U Fall (Moton Edit)

Moton Records is known for their eclectic and obscure re-edits. The quality of the edits is always impressive but the legality of the releases is dubious. The one I'm posting today is an edit of Lil Louis & The World's house anthem I Called (Why'd U Fall). The song builds up quite a while but it's worth the wait. I just love the moment when the horns come on top of that fat bass line.

Lil Louis - Y U Fall (Moton Edit) [320 kbps]

Gayle Adams - Love Fever (Vocal Version)

I've been posting quite a lot of Prelude stuff lately but what can I do about it. In my opinion Prelude is the best disco label and there's no way around it.

Gayle Adams made a quick career as a disco diva under Prelude Records. She was signed in 1980 and left the label already in 1982. I think she resigned due to poor management of Prelude. During those couple of years she cut some excellent tracks, Love Fever being the most successful. This version is taken from the 12" single that was released in 1981, a couple of months before the album.

Gayle Adams - Love Fever (Vocal Version) [320 kbps]

Two bottles

Gil-Scott Heron's original version of The Bottle was a big hit also on the dance floors which isn't typical for his work. The song is just amazing. It's fragile and full of soul but at the same it's a funky monster that makes you dance.

Father of salsoul, Joe Bataan, made an instrumental cover of the song right after the original came out. And what a great job he did. The song remains loyal to the original but gives it an excellent latin treatment that makes the song a bit more groovy and gives it some edge. I believe this was Bataan's first cut for Salsoul so with this song he pretty much set the standard for the label.

Gil-Scott Heron & Brian Jackson - The Bottle [320 kbps]

Joe Bataan - The Bottle (La Botella) [320 kbps]

Leon Ware vs. Marvin Gaye

You might be aware of the story behind Marvin Gaye's 1976 album I Want You. A young producer Leon Ware had been writing excellent stuff for his first solo album but when Motown executive Barry Gordy heard the material he "persuaded" Ware to give the songs to Gaye.

I don't know the full story behind this but later Leon Ware released a solo album, Musical Massage. The album is full of amazing, soul tracks but commercially it failed. The rumor has it that Ware should have given also these songs to Gaye but he refused so Motown subsidiary Gordy didn't promote his album at all. Nice way of rewarding loyal employees.

Musical Massage (1976) was re-issued in 2001. This issue contains Leon's original versions of Comfort (a.k.a. Come Live With Me Angel), recorded with Minnie Riperton and I Wanna Be Where You Are, both done by Marvin Gaye on I Want You.

Hopefully you don't get me wrong here. I'm not underestimating Gaye's visionary and style. I just want to give Leon Ware the credit he definitely deserves.

Leon Ware - Comfort (Come Live With Me Angel) [320 kbs]

Marvin Gaye - Come Live With Me Angel [320 kbps]

Charles Earland - (It's A) Doggie Boogie Baby (Vocal Edit)

Charles Earland break into the jazz-funk scene in the late 60's and cut great albums for Prestige in the 70's. He started off playing sax but became known for his skills as an organist. He's also known for Let The Music Play, a certified dance floor jazz classic. Check out Dollar Bin Jams' post about the song.

In 1983 Strut Records released a 12" single featuring (It's A) Doggie Boogie Baby. It differs from Earland's earlier stuff but it will make you dance for sure. At least right after the dog barking voice commands everybody to dance.

Charles Earland - (It's A) Doggie Boogie Baby (Vocal Edit) [320 kbps]

Charanga 76 - No Nos Pararan (Ain't No Stopping Us Now)

I'm trying to be clever here and link my previous post to this one. Melba Moore's version of You Stepped Into My Life was produced by McFadden & Whitehead. So is Ain't No Stopping Us Now which is the original version of No Nos Pararan. The original is somewhat played out but this great latin cover version still feels fresh.

No Nos Pararan was released as a single from the album No Nos Pararan. The album contains awesome covers of some classic disco cuts. Check out American Athlete's great post about the album.

Charanga 76 - No Nos Pararan (Ain't No Stopping Us Now) [320 kbps]

Melba Moore - You Stepped Into My Life (Special Disco Version)

Melba Moore's cover version of Bee Gees' song You Stepped Into My Life is on the next level compared to the original. The song was produced by a Philadelphia-based producer duo McFadden & Whitehead. The album version that appears on Melba (Epic, 1978) works fine too but this disco mix by John Luongo really does the trick. The B-side of the single features There's Now Other Like You.

Melba Moore - You Stepped Into My Life (Special Disco Version) [320 kbps]

Coffee Breaks, pt. 2

When I started this series of post I promised to keep the content fresh because the concept is not so original. Well I'm gonna eat my words right away by posting two classics familiar to many. I've been feeling late 80's rap a lot lately and I'm always in the mood for tight drum breaks.

I found Blow Your Whistle back in the day on this compilation from a small public library and went crazy about the break. Of course later I had to get a copy of Salt Of The Earth. You know the story...I had heard everybody sampling Ashley's Roachclip but I had never heard the original song.

I've always liked Dropping Rhymes On Drums which was the lead single of Def Jef's debut album Just A Poet With Soul. It might be thanks to Etta James on the vocals. She really brings the soul to the track. In the early days of rap old school soul people weren't really into hip hop nor working with rap artists but on this track it seems to work out fine.

Soul Searchers - Blow Your Whistle [320 kbps]

Def Jef feat. Etta James - Dropping Rhymes On Drums [320 kbps]