Fierce funky sounds from Czechoslovakia – all recorded during a time when the nation was going through a huge cultural revolution! It's a well-known fact that the Czech scene of the 60s and 70s was one of the hippest behind the Iron Curtain – but while Czech films and literature gained quite a bit of attention in the western world at the time, most of their music hardly ever had a chance to cross the border – which makes this sweet collection a real musical discovery! The work here all comes from the vaults of Supraphon Records – and many of the groups seem to have a core inspiration in some sort of jazz – either 60s soul jazz, 70s fusion, or some of the jazz-rock modes that were big in the European scene of the time – all of which makes for great grooves throught, no matter what the setting – and some surprisingly strong links to American soul sounds of the 60s, which no doubt made their way to Prague through the UK and German beat groups of the time. The package is overflowing with band names and song titles you'll never be able to pronounce, but the music has a really universal appeal to fans of funk and soul, and maybe freakbeat as well – on titles that include "Zlom Vaz" by Flamingo, "Leto Leto" by Eva Pilarova, "Beat" by Ferdinan Havlik, "I've Never Been So Young" by Karel Gott, "Barbarella" by Waldemar Matuska, "Ja Nechci Mit" by Jitka Zelenkova & The Gondolan Brothers, "Polobotka" by Jazz Cellula, "Yvsoka Hra" by Viktor Sodoma, "Jedeme Dal" by Bezinky, "Nestuj A Pojd" by Golden Kids, and "Kyvadio" by Discobolos. LP, Vinyl record album

That's a sexy lady on the cover, and there's lots of sexy sounds within – music from a whole new generation of Italian soundtrack genius – a time when disco influences were being used to transform some of the groovy modes that always made Italian film scores so great! The disco styles here are mostly in the rhythms – as lots of the instrumentation follows in ways that reference early 70s Italian cop and crime – and, to a lesser extent, some of the mod and bossa styles of the late 60s – all handled by the cream of the crop of the Italian film world, mostly with an instrumental approach! The set list is great, and really brings together the best examples of the genres, and avoids some of the cheesy, clunky tunes that sometimes got in the way on larger soundtracks – which makes for a cool compilation that really packs one hell of a punch! Titles include "La Settimana Bianca" and "Classe Mista" by Gianni Ferrio, "Taxi Girl" by Pulsar Music Ltd, "Scusi Lei E Normale" by Franco Micalizzi, "La Sposina" by Nico Fidenco, "Sette Ragazze Di Classe" by Fabio Frizzi, "L'Insegnante Balla Con Tutta La Classe" by Walter Rizzati, "La Liceale" by Vittorio Pezzola, "La Professoressa Di Scienze Naturali" by Alessandro Alessandroni, "Grazi Nonna" by Enrico Simonetti, and "L'Infermiera Di Mio Padre" by Giacomo Dell'Orso. LP, Vinyl record album

A really wonderful collection – an important re-investigation of the unusual mix of sounds and styles on the New York scene in the years after disco – a time when funk, punk, hip hop, and art were all colliding at once – providing a really fresh antidote to the staid sounds of Studio 54! The "disco" in the title should be taken lightly – as these cuts didn't play at the slick uptown dance spots – but were instead the soundtrack for the cool spots happening downtown, as the previous loft culture morphed into clubs, in this very special blend of the energy of CBGB and the underground soulful dancefloors. The set list is filled with classics from this time – and titles include "Cavern" by Liquid Liquid, "Tell You Today (voc)" by Loose Joints, "Walking On Thin Ice (re-edit)" by Yoko Ono, "Over & Over" by Material, "Spasticus Autisticus (version)" by Ian Dury & The Seven Seas Players, "Kiss Me Again (original edit)" by Dinosaur, "Move" by Nicky Siano, "School Bell/Tree House" by Indian Ocean, "I Walk" by Don Cherry, "Voices Inside My Head" by Common Sense, and "Wheel Me Out" by Was Not Was. LP, Vinyl record album

This is it! The record that helped put disco over in a huge way, with a sound that would go on to be heavily imitated for years to come. Sweeping disco production from Hugo & Luigi arranged and conducted by Van McCoy, already a studio mainstay by this point, coupled with a set of accessible numbers paved the way towards huge mainstream appeal for tracks like "The Hustle". This album also includes the title track, "Get Dancin", "Spanish Boogie", "Turn This Mother Out" plus covers of the Ohio Players' "Fire" and AWB's "Pick Up The Pieces". LP, Vinyl record album

Don't think "disco" as in the New York scene at Studio 54 – as these cuts are much deeper and dubbier – served up under the supervision of Bunny Lee by studio maestros Barnabas and Pat Kelly! Instrumentation is by the Aggrovators, but the magic comes equally from the production effects as it does from the massive rhythms by the group – as all the elements are filtered out in space, and criss-cross back and forth in this wonderful way – never too sloppy or experimental, but definitely tripping out with the groove! Vocals are muted when they do make an appearance – and titles include "The Aggrovators Special Dub", "Money In My Pocket Dub", "Portobello Special Dub", "Super Rockers Dub", "The Bomb Dub", "The Killer Dub", and "The Dub Specialist". LP, Vinyl record album

A different groove than usual from The JBs – but still pretty darn nice, and way better than just about all the other funky combos on the market! It's the late 70s, and James Brown's head is a bit addled – he thinks he's the guy who invented disco, and he starts turning his extended funky sound towards the clubs. By this point, Fred and Maceo had left him, so he's working here with a new version of the JBs, one that still includes Jimmy Nolan on guitar and Sinclair Pickney on sax – and although the new band's not the same as the old, they're a surprisingly good funk band nonetheless, and the album's still more of a funk album than you'd guess from the title. In fact, if the record didn't have JBs in the title, most folks would probably thing it was some great lost band! Lots of uptempo funk tracks, similar to those on James' albums from the time – and Martha & The Lazers sing vocals on a few tracks. Titles include "JBs Disco", "Night Train Disco", "A Little Bit Of Disco", and "Soul Of The Disco". LP, Vinyl record album

A sublime collection of dancefloor work from the Parisian scene – a place where disco ruled a lot longer than it did in the US – but in a way that shifted nicely into leaner, warmer grooves as the 80s moved in! This is the kind of music crafted by folks who really dig American soul-styled grooves, but who also cook up their own homegrown variety too – not the cheesy, thinner pop of the French mainstream of the 80s – but a mode that really revels in warm vocals, great keyboards, and the kinds of rhythms that never push things too much, yet still manage to groove! Most tracks are in a midtempo mode that only opens up the soulful currents of the vocals even more – and titles include "Funk Around" by Acayouman, "Sur Les Coussins De La Discotheque", by Chris O'Hara, "Lola" by Wai Kop, "Germaine (rmx)" by Serge Deslile, "Braziliana" by Aries, "Night Ghetto" by Cyrill, "Affirmatif Negatif" by Eric Chotteau, "Je Ne Suis Que Musique" by Shen Et Les Shendys, "Le Releve Du Matin (inst)" by Marco Attali, "Better Day (hard soul mix)" by Djeneba, "J'Ai Pris Un Claque" by Marco Attali, and a great remake of Toto's "Georgy Porgy" by Dwight Druick,. LP, Vinyl record album

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We've had some great trips on Africa Airways in recent years – and this sweet fourth set proves once again that the fun lies in the journey, not the destination! As before, the cuts here share a lot more with American funk than you might think – especially the tight late 70s style with lots of basslines at the bottom, and some warmly jazzy currents in the instrumentation – which often serve to provide a superb setting for the vocals over the top – sometimes just sing-song chorus bits, but merged perfectly with the grooves! Tracks here come from French labels like Fiesta and Sonodisc, and there's definitely some of that criss-crossing between West African and Parisian modes going on – on titles that include "Sun Explosion" by Manu Dibango, "Nassa Nassa" by Uta Bella, "Nimele Bolo" by Charly Kingson, "Africain" by Momo Joseph, "Biram" by Kemayo & K-System, "Soul Magabe" by Pierre Didy Tchakounte, "Funny Saga" by The Monsters, and "Tinini Yanana" by Jake Sollo. LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet AOR grooving from this excellent series – a set that's equal parts pop and soul, but which definitely falls more on the soulful side of the spectrum! Like the best work of the 70s AOR generation, there's a great ear here for tunes that mix in jazzy elements, strong musicianship, and vocals that manage to do a lot with a little – expressive, but never too over the top, and always managing to fit perfectly within the groove! This fantastic "too slow" series has really reinvented our conception of 70s AOR – and the track list here is filled with gems that include "Mon Ami-E" by Diane Tell, "Love The Way You Love Me" by Martin Caine, "For David" by Martee Lebous, "Here I Go Fallin In Love Again" by Franne Golde, "Isn't It Always Love" by Karla Bonoff, "I'll Just Die" by Ullanda McCullough, "Lovin Eyes" by Janis Siegel, "I Can't Let Go" by Kristle Murden, "The Rising Cost Of Love" by Elkie Brooks, and "The Story Of Love" by Valerie Carter. LP, Vinyl record album

Includes selections from Boys Town Gang, Jocelyn Brown, Robey, Michael Zager, Betty Wright, Man Parrish, Skyy, Paul Hardcastle, and others. LP, Vinyl record album

A little-heard assortment of rare funk tracks from the 70s – all music with a unique hybrid of styles, originally only issued for the small scene in Aotearoa – which most of us know as the nation of New Zealand! The music here draws on both American funk and south Pacific styles – and comes across in a way that's different than some of the more familiar Australian funk and soul of the same time – maybe more indie to that nation's major label polish – filled with the kinds of tracks that hardly need to answer to anyone in the mainstream – just the freaky folks on the dancefloor at a party! The tunes were recorded over the space of a decade, but almost all of them have a strong mid-70s vibe – pre-disco, but upbeat funk – with sharp instrumentation by musicians who'd clearly be comfortable playing other styles, but who often work here to back up a soulful singer in the lead. Titles include "A House For Sale" by Mark Williams, "You Can Dance" by Collision, "Voodoo Lady" by Dalvanius & The Fascinations, "That's The Kind Of Love I've Got For You" by The 1860 Band, "Mr Funky" by Inbetweens, "I Need Your Love" by Golden Harvest, "You Can Do It" by Tina Cross, "Disco Queen" by Mark Williams, "Don't Give Your Life Away" by The Pink Family, "There's A River" by Sonia & Skee, "Mr Music" by Ticket, "She's Knocking At My Door" by Johnny Rocco Band, "Sweet Inspiration" by The Yandall Sisters, "Total Man" by The Totals", and "Who Do We Think We're Fooling" by Larry Morris. LP, Vinyl record album

A killer blend of African roots and American rhythms – and a set that definitely lives up to the disco promised in the title! Buari's working here with a host of New York musicians – jazzy players who include Randy Brecker and Jon Faddis on trumpet, Barry Rogers on trombone, and Michael Brecker on tenor – all blowing tightly over the album's quick rhythms and well-crafted string arrangements! The sound is hardly familiar disco – and the music is much more in the styles of the underground at the time – almost equivalent to P&P Records productions in the way that Buari works some clever magic with the grooves. The whole thing's got a lot more edge than his better-known set on RCA – and titles include "Koko Si", "I'm Ready", "Feed My Body", "Hard Times", "Adesa A", "Minyo", "Born With Music", and "African Hustle". LP, Vinyl record album

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A fantastic collection of lesser-known gems from the 70s scene in Nigeria – music that's a great counterpart to better-remembered Afro Funk and soul from international giants like Fela Kuti and King Sunny Ade! This set digs deep, and is a nicelly expanded version of a set that Soul Jazz issued years back as a limited edition 7" single box for Record Store Day – presented here with more music, and a detailed set of notes – really getting at the special scene that was taking place in Nigeria at the time, as the nation was rising to the top of the African scene with a fantastic criss-crossing of musical modes! There's definitely plenty of the funk promised in the title, and the "rock" is usually of the funky kind with great guitar work – and a few later cuts even pick up the pace with a bit of disco, but more in the fast-funk mode, and hardly the slick stuff of the American scene. Titles include "Africans Must Unite" and "Shake Hands" by Geraldo Pino, "We'll Get Home" by The Wings, "E Ye Ika Se" by Alhagi Prof Kollington Ayinala, "Kassa Kpa Sama Kpa" by Colomach, "Beware" by MFB, "You Are The One" by Tony Grey & The Ozimba Messengers, "Single Boy" by The Wings, "Sugar Baby" by Don Bruce & The Angels", "Power To The People" by Geraldo Pino, "Igba Alusi" by Original Wings, "Dance Of The Elephants" by Sonny Okosunds Ozziddi, and "Oba Erediauwa I" by Sonny Okosuns. LP, Vinyl record album

The genius sound of the TK Records label, taken to a whole new level – as some of the coolest club classics from that legendary Miami label are served up here in a host of new edits by contemporary talents! The sound is great – all the funk and soul of the originals, but kicked up a bit here and there on the rhythms – and often edited in ways that the grooves are really expanded too! Titles include "Spank (Dimitri From Paris Classic Re-Edit)" by Jimmy Bo Horne , "Ghetto Music" by Ted Taylor, "I'm Your Boogie Man (Todd Terje edit)" and "I Get Lifted (Todd Terje edit)" by KC & The Sunshine Band, "Do What You Wanna Do (Kon's Keep It Moving Mix)" by T-Connection, "Why Can't We Live Together (Late Nite Tuff Guy No More War Rework)" by Timmy Thomas, "Move Me Baby (Danny Krivit edit)" by Gwen McCrae, and "Jam On The Groove (Danny Krivit Edit)" by Ralph MacDonald. LP, Vinyl record album

Don't think "disco", think "AOR" – as the tunes here are all sweet smooth tracks from the glory days of late 70s radio – done in a great style that mixes blue-eyed soul with lots of warm jazzy touches! A few of the names here are big ones, but lots are lesser-known talents that labored in the farther reaches of the major label scene – artists who got lots of great studio support and access to key instrumental talent – which helped them craft laidback gems that have plenty of polish, but are still way fresher than the hits from the time! The production is superb throughout, and the instrumentation is impeccable – and titles include "Steal Away" by Photoglo, "Get It Up For Love" by Ned Doheny, "Let's Put Our Love Back Together" by Micky Denne & Ken Gold, "Deco Lady" by Rupert Holmes, "Over & Done With" by White Horse, "Liverpool Fool" by Browning Bryant, "Steal Away" by Robbie Dupree, "Spaceship Earth" by David Batteau, "Shut The Door" by Don Brown, and "Room To Grow" by Brian Elliot. LP, Vinyl record album

Think disco sounds only hit the dancefloors in the 70s? Think again – because this killer collection brings back a whole host of club-sounding gospel tunes from the time – proving once again that soul and gospel records have always gone hand in hand over the years! The vibe isn't mainstream disco, the kind you'd hear on the charts – and instead is the hipper side of upbeat styles – the funk and well-crafted rhythms used by some of the better indies during the disco generation, and that great run of underground club styles in the early 80s too! The righteous message of most of these tracks makes them pretty darn spiritual – and the whole thing almost feels like a precursor to some of the more uplifting soulful house of the past decade or so. There's loads of surprises here – so many cuts we'd never heard before – and titles include "You" by Gloria Griffin, "Faith Is The Key" by Enlightenment, "One More Chance Lord" by Delores Fuller, "No Greater Love" by The Testimonial Singers, "Give Your Best To The Master" by Shirley Finney, "Trouble Don't Always Last" by Masters Of Music, "Free Spirit" by Betty Griffin, "Jesus Is Going Away" by The Inspirational Souls, "Nowhere To Run" by The Gospelaires Of Dayton Ohio, and "What Kind Of Man Is This" by Enlightenment. Also features a few remixes – "Thank You Jesus (Steve Cobby rmx)" by Gospel Ambassadors, and "Trouble Don't Always Last (Rahaan edit)" by Masters Of Music. LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic set from 70s South Africa – and a record that maybe has a lot more of an American funk vibe than you'd expect! The style is nice and lean, and is often in a mode that echoes some of the cooler underground disco of the late 70s on the east coast – almost as if these cuts could have come from one of the P&P family of labels, instead of South Africa's big Gallo imprint – save for some especially nice moments that almost recall the early 70s electric funk of Hugh Masekela! All tunes are nice and long, all instrumentals – and the "disco specials" are original tunes that mix clubby rhythms with a variety of different sounds and styles – really cool, very fresh, and not even in the same territory as some of the West African/Paris hybrids of the time. Titles include the ten minute classic "Disco Stomp" – plus "We Did It", "Barney's Moaning", and "GG Is Talking". LP, Vinyl record album

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A great entry in this late 70s "Best Of The West" series produced for Japan by Lew Tabackin – a series in which Lew uncovered some of the best (then) current work on the west coast, in an unusual and creative mix of classic and under-discovered players! This session is led by alto saxophonist Dick Spencer, but also features Conte Candoli on trumpet, Cedar Walton on piano, Reggie Johnson on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – a really well-balanced group that makes for a great depth of feeling that's hardly the west coast revival mode you might expect from the date! Spencer's tone on alto is really great – quick-footed, but also full of feeling – and Candoli's got some very nice later lines on trumpet, warmed up a bit by Cedar Walton's piano. There's a somewhat informal feel to the session – a bit boppish at times – and titles include "Invitation", "Minor March", "Lament For Sonny", "Barbados", and "Shining Hour". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary album from the great Eddie Kendricks – a set that not only has the singer soaring on the kind of sublime old school vocal numbers he always did so well – but one that also has Eddie stepping out into some great dancefloor modes that would have a huge impact for years to come! Kendricks really scores big with the classic "Keep On Truckin" – a tune that's virtually the blueprint for boogie, and which is echoed here by a few other great numbers that really stand out – tunes that preface disco to come, but which also still bear a very strong link to the richest styles of Motown soul! Northern soul legend Frank Wilson had a great hand in the record – penning some of the best cuts, co-producing with Leonard Caston, and handling arrangements with Caston and James Carmichael – and in addition to "Keep On Truckin", other titles include "Darling Come Back Home", "Not On The Outside", "Any Day Now", "Where Do You Go (Baby)", "Each Day I Cry A Little", and "Only Room For Two". LP, Vinyl record album

Bonnie Pointer sounding great in the mid 80s– on a hard-to-find album cut for Private I/CBS after a drawn out split with Motown – one that finds her in a prime, catchy dancefloor R&B mode! To our ears, If The Price Is Right holds up as well as a lot of the pop soul of the period, including Bonnie's siblings The Pointer Sisters – though it obviously didn't hit as hugely! It's got crisp keyboards, programming and 80s boogie, but there's also some room for more more tender balladry and chugging club soul reminiscent of the late disco years. Of course, Bonnie's lovely, soulful voice is the most important characteristic. An overlooked album that's well worth catching up with! Include "Premonition", "Johnny", "Come Softly To Me", "Under The Influence Of Love", "Your Touch", "Tight Blue Jeans", "There's Nobody Quite Like You" and "If The Price Is Right". This FTG CD has a whopping 9 bonus tracks – single, club, dub and extended 12" mixes and more – including "Your Touch (Club Version)", "Premonition (Dance Version)", "There's Nobody Quite Like You (Single Version)", "The Beast In Me (12" Version)", "Heaven" from The Heavenly Bodies soundtrack. LP, Vinyl record album

The second album from Kleeer – and a record that really has the group solidifying their sound – compressing keyboards, guitar, and grooves together in a sublimely boogie-heavy mode! Kleeer were really at the forefront of the coming 80s groove scene – and Woody Cunningham and the group draw heavily here from their previous experience with Patrick Adams, yet move into a smoother, tighter finish that set a new standard for the coming generation. Instrumentation is funky, but not exactly funk – and the tunes are mostly groovers throughout, but also move nicely away from disco norms of the late 70s. Isabelle Coles sings lead vocals on the track "I Still Love You" – and other titles include "Winners", "Your Way", "Close To You", "Rollin On", "Nothin Said", and "Hunger For Your Love". LP, Vinyl record album

There's never been a better bit of pop throwaway dancefloor fodder ever! Sure, these guys were blaring out of every cheap radio at the time, and it was just about impossible to walk into a shopping mall without hearing "Groove Is In The Heart" for about 5 years after the album came out – but to us, that was a great thing, and the record represents one of the high points in pop music of the past few decades. Thanks to some skillful sampling by Towa Tei, the group were grounded in a rich history of funk, house, disco, soul, and Brazilian influences – all of which they managed to blend with a postmodern perfection that other groups could only ever dream of! The big hits are certainly very familiar, but the whole album's a delight – and tracks include "Who Was That?", "Smile On", "Try Me On . . . I'm Very You", "World Clique", "ESP", and "Good Beat". LP, Vinyl record album

There's nothing easygoing about this sweet little record – as the set comes on full and fierce, with a strong clubby groove right from the start – thanks to some soaring arrangements from maestro Claudio Simonetti! The record's got that great vibe of some of the Euro club work of the time – different than American disco, with maybe more elements that are pulled from prog and some of the electronic underground – smoothed up a bit and given a nice soulful finish for the grooves! Paul Micioni sings lead vocals – and the set features four long tracks – "Do It Again", "Baby I Love You", "Little Fairy", and "Suzi Q" –-the Dale Hawkins tune, done in a strange disco version! LP, Vinyl record album

A voyage from Brian Bennett – indeed a trip into disco and funk inspired rhythms, as the subtitle lets us know, but also plenty synthy rock, jazz and proggy elements – a Voyage worth taking from the sound library genius Bennett! The synths and keyboards by Francis Monkman is the secret weapon on this effort for sure – percussionist/producer/arranger Bennett is the guiding force, but the sound of those keys and synths are the neon bright leading light, while Bennett's percussion and Alan Jone's bass bring a nice funky bottom end. Titles include "Voyage", "Solstice", "Chain Reaction", "Pendulum Force", "Air Quake" and "Ocean Glide". LP, Vinyl record album

Post-Polygram, but still some nice funkiness from this classic 70s group. The record's got much of the feel of their early 70s work – with lots of tasty electric keyboards, soulful percussion, and an always-driving groove. Titles include "Disco Lypso", "Honey Butt", "Ratchet", and "Aqua Magic". LP, Vinyl record album

A great new chapter for Donna Summer – a set that has her working with the legendary Quincy Jones as producer – who gives the whole album a very different sound! There's still plenty of the catchy, bouncy styles you'd know from Summer's late 70s work – but Jones also brings in some jazzy flair from time to time – using elements like keyboards from Greg Phillinganes or tenor from Ernie Watts to create a broader palette of color and sound than some of Donna's disco records. The rhythms change things up nicely too – reaching for a bit more than before – and titles include "Protection", which has a guitar solo from Bruce Springsteen – plus "Livin In America", "Love Is In Control", "State Of Independence", "Lush Life", and "Love Is Just A Breath Away". LP, Vinyl record album

The obscure first album from Sybil – issued 2 years before her breakout self-titled hit, and recorded with a sound that only hints at the brilliance of later years. The feel here is a bit more club-oriented – somewhere between the late disco years and some of the post-house projects that would link a female vocalist with a soundsystem – not nearly as chunky on the rhythms as the Sybil hits we like best, and almost with a simpler pop sort of feel. Titles include 2 early takes on "Don't Make Me Over" – in "nitetime" and "daytime" mixes – plus "Falling In Love", "Walking In The Moonlight", "Let Yourself Go (Paradise mix)", "My Love Is Guaranteed", and "U & Me 2 Nite". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful work from Champaign – a really self-contained group, and one who really rise above the rest of the early 80s soul scene! The album's got a tightness that's hard to beat – yet a sound that's never too slick or commercial either – kind of that best balance you'd find more in late 70s mainstream soul work, save for the fact that any upbeat numbers here have more of an 80s groove style than a disco one. The mellow tracks balance things out nicely, and show a deeper songwriting sound from the group than we might have expected – further testament to the strength of the album, along with the group's own arrangements and production. Titles include "Cool Running", "Party Line", "Try Again", "Let Your Body Rock", "Get It Again", "Love Games", and "Walkin". LP, Vinyl record album

The Spinners really sparkle here – thanks to some tight 80s groove production from the team of James Mtume and Reggie Lucas – a pair who really help the group find some great new territory on the record! All the soaring soul of the group's 70s Philly work is still in place – but the overall sound is a bit more adult at points – kind of hitting that 80s modern soul mode that some of the other east coast artists were going for as the disco years died down – a great move for The Spinners, even if it kept them away from the charts a bit (and in fact, maybe that's the strongest aspect of the album – a great sleeper that really begs for rediscovery all these many years later!) Hubert Eaves and Harry Whitaker both play some great keyboards on the set – and titles include "Can't Shake This Feelin", "Knack For Me", "You Go Your Way", "Love Connection", "Didn't I Blow Your Mind", and "Got To Be Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Yes, it was a mega-hit – and yes, it was one of those records that everyone who lived through the 70s seemed to own at one time – but after all these decades, you can't deny the power of the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack – especially for the way that it mixed club soul classics with new original material! Obviously, the Bee Gees cover placement make them big stars of the record – but the set's also got some great early disco gems – like "Open Sesame" by Kool & The Gang, "Disco Inferno" by The Trammps, "KJEE" by MFSB, "Calypso Breakdown" by Ralph MacDonald, "Fifth Of Beethoven" by Walter Murphy, "If I Can't Have You" by Yvonne Elliman, "Boogie Shoes" by KC & The Sunshine Band, and "More Than A Woman" by Tavares. The Bee Gees reinvent themselves from the early days – and sing "Stayin Alive", "How Deep Is Your Love", "More Than A Woman", "Jive Talkin", "You Should Be Dancin", and "Night Fever" – and the set also features a few instrumentals by David Shire – "Manhattan Skyline", "Night On Disco Mountain" and "Salsation". LP, Vinyl record album

Brilliant work from Philly arranger Dexter Wansel – an album that moves the focus back to soul a bit more than on his Life On Mars set, but which also keeps in plenty of jazzy touches! Dexter's groove here is similar to the best work he did with other Philly vocalists in the same time – and the set features guest vocals from Jean Carn and Terri Wells, sliding into a warmly soulful realm on the mellower tracks, and stepping out with a fully jazzed up groove on the more upbeat numbers. Titles include "What The World Is Coming To", "Dreams Of Tomorrow", "Holdin On", "Dance With Me Tonight", "Disco Lights", and "Prelude #1". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet little session from the Bay Area scene – a set that features English and Spanish language vocals from guitarist Memo – plus backing in a mix of funky jazz and clubby soul! The album's a unique fusion of modes – maybe like some of the Spanish disco rumba material of the late 70s – with arrangements and piano by Ed Bogas, who you might know from Fantasy Records fame – and a group that features Mel Martin on flute and tenor, plus Cal Tjader on vibes and percussion! The best cuts have a Latin disco groove – and titles include "Esos Meses", "We Can't Go On", "Asi Comprenderas", "Dimelo De Una Vez", "I'm Gonna Look Again", "Lady", and "I Walk Along". LP, Vinyl record album

A double-length disco fantasy from Donna Summer and Giorgio Moroder – both very much at the A double-length, 4 act disco fantasy from Donna Summer and Giorgio Moroder – both very much at the height of their powers here – and able to keep up enough energy to make it through what was originally 2LP set! The work's a unified sort of story – kind of a disco opera of sorts – but more than the lyrics or the story, what makes the album great is the rhythms – full-on and non-stop, rolling strongly from tune after tune in a highly energized blend. Titles include "Once Upon A Time", "Fairy Tale High", "Queen For A Day", "Now I Need You", "Dance Into My Life", "A Man Like You", "I Love You", and "Rumor Has It". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great underground groover from the 70s – an album that hardly got any circulation at the time, but which has gone onto become the stuff of legend over the years! The album's a bit unusual, in that it almost feels like an expanded package of 12" singles – as the a-side features four vocal tracks that are all great club numbers – then the b-side has all the same songs, but presented as instrumentals! There's a nicely sophisticated feel to most numbers – almost in the Roy Ayers or Leroy Hutson side of the spectrum – more midtempo mellow club than any sort of disco – and the set includes the classic cut "Give Me the Sunshine", and the original recording of "I'm Back for More", which was the big hit for Al Johnson a few years later. The other two tracks are "Madam Butterfly" and "Get Down People" – and all four of these are also done as instrumentals. LP, Vinyl record album

A bit of an odd album, but one that showed the Stones were alive and kicking in the 80s. Taking off from the Stones' take on disco from their previous couple of LPs but keeping a nice rough edge on the proceedings, Jagger and Richards turned in what's probably their last great studio LP. 10 tracks in all, including "Undercover Of The Night", "She Was Hot", "Tie You Up (The Pain Of Love)", "Wanna Hold You", "Feel On Baby", 'too Much Blood", "Pretty Beat Up", "All The Way Down" and "It Must Be Hell". LP, Vinyl record album

A mid 70s effort from Hugh Maskela, recorded in Nigeria, an excellent melding of his jazz inflected pop sound with some deeper soulful grooves. The vibe here is showing both some funk and disco influences, but with trademark South African style melodies floating over top and a dedication to Fela, you know there's some afro beat creeping in too. 6 tracks in all: "The Boys Doin' It", "Mama", "Excuse Me Please", "Ashiko", "In The Jungle" and "A Person Is A Sometime Thing". LP, Vinyl record album

The monumental debut of BT Express – and an excellent funk album that often gets overlooked by fans of the music because of the band's bigger fame as a disco group! This first record has the combo grooving hard and instrumentally – in the mode of a tight blacksploitation soundtrack, with plenty of tight wah wah guitar riffing, conga beats, and funky flute and sax – topped off by just the right amount of strings to make the set soar even more! The album's best known for the title track "Do It (Til You're Satisfied)" – which was a big hit, but is still an excellent groover – and the set also includes loads of other great cuts too – like "Express", which was the original song that the created the JBs' response track "Monorail"; "This House is Smokin'", which has lots of funky descending horn bits; and other great tunes that include "Mental Telepathy", "If It Don't Turn You On", and "Do You Like It". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Curtis Mayfield's least-known albums – a post-Curtom date that originally got small indie circulation, yet one that shows that Curtis was still going strong into the 80s! Half the set echoes the upbeat dancefloor modes of the late Curtom years – the club-oriented groovers that Mayfield picked up during the disco years, but still managed to deliver with a surprising degree of soul, thanks to his classic vocals. Other tunes have a bit more of an 80s groove at points, but still a lot more warmth than chart soul of the time – minimal beats and keys, and rhythm that's never too stiff. The set's got a few gentler moments too – like the great "Baby It's You", and the cuts "This Love Is True" and "Everybody Needs A Friend" – both of which continue the warmer side of Mayfield's late 70s years. The set also features a remake of "We Got To Have Peace", and the cuts "Body Guard", "We Come In Peace", and "Breakin In The Streets". LP, Vinyl record album