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Disco is still generally reviled (at least in my circles), dismissed even after Reggae was accepted by skeptics (and after skipping a generation or two in the USA). But just as a new generation looks to Dub (the instrumental) over the Rasta slant, the hip will give a nod to Funk, Disco’s dirty cousin, while still being unable to exactly distinguish where one stops and the other begins.
Certainly they are BOTH Danceable. I’m sure Disco’s reputation suffers from its massive commercial potential, which led the most ridiculously disparate of performers to try and jump on the bandwagon (Ethel Merman on the dance floor, anyone?). It was also prey to that most historic of Pop momentums: the irritatingly catchy chorus or rhythmic gimmick (not to mention: slick OVER-production).
When a backlash occurred, the “Disco Sucks” movement bore an uneasy relation to the circumstance that Disco was yet another form of African-American Music that had created a huge crossover, with a tributary leading to the heart of Gay culture. To my ears it was a continuum of the Soul and R&B music that I grew up with. I had no problem with it, even dancing as I smirked to some of its more obnoxious examples.
But whatever your opinion, your bias, whatever the trigger for the exact moment when you rip the needle off of the spinning 45 rpm, I will propose KC and the Sunshine Band’s “Get Down Tonight” as awesome Disco (Funk even!). I can even remember the first time I heard it in a Disco (!) – though I was/am far from a dedicated Disco-goer – with its sped-up guitar intro making me go over to the DJ’s turntable to note the title (so I could go the Woolworth’s the next day and buy it for 99 cents).
In my last post (Desert Island Dump – 10 Disco Singles): www.flickr.com/photos/spinning45rpm/5430513024/), I tried to create a chronology with a eye towards different labels (and their graphics – vinyl records are ALSO a visual medium), but was then struck by how many were “T.K. Productions” (4 out of the 10). T.K. is the label that issued “Get Down Tonight” (released in 1975). When I did my research I came across this: www.disco-disco.com/labels/tkdisco.shtml and was impressed by this independent label’s impact on the Disco genre and that it had been centered in Florida. The link also made me aware of “T.K. Productions” founder’s older label “Alston”, whose star performer was Betty Wright. Along with the KC above I include one of her records (on the Alston label, released in 1974) to reiterate my point about the Soul/R&B continuum (Betty Wright was also the featured background singer on the previously posted “Dance With Me” by Peter Brown).
A funky fusion classic from John Tropea – the great guitarist who cut a wealth of studio work for other players, and a rare few albums under his own name!
Tropea - Short Trip To Space
Label: T.K. Records – XL 14061
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: UK
Released: 1977
Genre: Jazz, Funk / Soul
Style: Fusion, Jazz-Funk
Tracklist
A1 The Funk You See Is The Funk You Do!
A2 Can't Hide Love
A3 Southside
A4 You Can't Have It All
B1 Short Trip To Space
B2 Blue Too
B3 Love's Final Moment
B4 Twist Of The Wrist
Credits
Producer - John Tropea
Programmed By [Synthesizer Programming] - Larry Fast
Reeds - George Young, Lew Del Gatto, Lou Marini, Michael Brecker
Strings - Aaron Rosand, Gene Orloff, Gerald Tarack, Guy Lumia, Jesse Levy, Joe Malin, Kermit Moore, Lewis Eley, Noel Da Costa, Peter Dimitriades, Selwart Clarke, Theodore Israel
Trombone - Dave Taylor, Sam Burtis
Trumpet, Flugelhorn - Alan Rubin, Jon Faddis, Randy Brecker
Tuba - Tony Price
#JohnTropea #RalphMcDonald #SteveGadd #RandyBrecker #vinylrecordcollection #vinylrecords #vinylfreak #vinylrecordstores #TKRecords #1977 #jazzfunk #jazzfusion