Tribe's Koke

[Disco Funk]

Ever since I learned about the group Tribe and their four on the floor disco precursor Koke, I've been intrigued by this song and what it really is. I'm used to listening to all kinds of songs that sound like extended riffs that don't seem to go anywhere, but end up working anyway, and Koke seems to fall under this category. In fact, it sounds like it must have been an outro to another song, probably a minute in total, and they created for the record by fading in and out various instruments. At least, this is what Part 1 sounds like. Part 2 sounds similar, but sounds like it was made up of a different section of the outro.

Has anyone read any write-ups about this track? Is it (or does it sound like) the tail end of another song that was never released, but the riff was so great they put it together as a track all on its own? I know this is a strange topic, but sometimes I like to analyze songs if they have unusual arrangements or sound like other songs.

Disco Funk

[QUINNY]

Never knew anything about the band...just enjoyed playing it to what were very receptive punters. Used to pay it along with stuff like Bohannon's Stop & Go, Midnite Movers - Follow The Wind, Donald Austin - Crazy Legs, the perscussion break to Dennis Coffey's Scorpio and probably a few others I forget.

I always just had it down as a minimalist groove. They were capable of making minimalist grooves, even back in the dark ages.

[DonaldCleveland]

Originally Posted by Disco Funk

Ever since I learned about the group Tribe and their four on the floor disco precursor Koke, I've been intrigued by this song and what it really is. I'm used to listening to all kinds of songs that sound like extended riffs that don't seem to go anywhere, but end up working anyway, and Koke seems to fall under this category. In fact, it sounds like it must have been an outro to another song, probably a minute in total, and they created for the record by fading in and out various instruments. At least, this is what Part 1 sounds like. Part 2 sounds similar, but sounds like it was made up of a different section of the outro.

Has anyone read any write-ups about this track? Is it (or does it sound like) the tail end of another song that was never released, but the riff was so great they put it together as a track all on its own? I know this is a strange topic, but sometimes I like to analyze songs if they have unusual arrangements or sound like other songs.

Disco Funk

You have GREAT INSTINCTS. I've noticed that you pick up on things and demonstrate an ACTIVE love of the music rather than a passive one which I respect to no end.

Much like "Soulful Strut", "Koke" WAS something else originally. A song (I believe) by Genie Brown called "I cant stop talking". I'm not sure of the song title right now maybe it's "dancing" and not "talking"....but the single was ALSO on ABC.

[Disco Funk]

Originally Posted by QUINNY

I always just had it down as a minimalist groove. They were capable of making minimalist grooves, even back in the dark ages.

True enough. The album, though, sounds like it was made up of 'regular' songs, but they weren't as good as the groove on Koke.

Disco Funk

[Disco Funk]

Originally Posted by DonaldCleveland

You have GREAT INSTINCTS. I've noticed that you pick up on things and demonstrate an ACTIVE love of the music rather than a passive one which I respect to no end.

Thanks for the complement. Yeah, I guess you could call me a disco funk NERD. LOL! I don't have any formal music training, but I am fascinated by the sounds of songs, which is why I get excited when I hear alternate remixes or 12" mixes of my favourite tunes.

Much like "Soulful Strut", "Koke" WAS something else originally. A song (I believe) by Genie Brown called "I cant stop talking". I'm not sure of the song title right now maybe it's "dancing" and not "talking"....but the single was ALSO on ABC.

Another cut with a similar history was that Magic Disco Machine track 'Scratchin', which was a Reuben Wilson cut from a few years earlier (I found out about that on one of those Octopus Breaks 12" that combined the two tracks).

Oh, man, I gotta track that down. So I take it Tribe wasn't an actual group per se, but session musicians that put together such a great riff (like I said, it sounds like the tail end of a song) that it became a disco record in its own right! ABC, that's Universal owned? Maybe you could get Harry to come up with a compilation of proto-disco tunes and include Koke and it's original on it? :)

Update: I found a compilation with the track on it:
http://www.discomusic.com/cds-more/4099_0_3_0_C/

It definitely sounds like Koke.

And here's a CD by Danny Krivit who put together a medley of the two tracks:

http://www.discomusic.com/cds-more/995_0_3_0_C/

Disco Funk

[MixMasterMax]

I remember Koke as being a big hit in the clubs in New York. By big, I mean it filled the floor to more than capacity. As a side note...not to bring back the subject...it clearly shows that disco was alive and well before 1975 as has been insinuated before.

I also need to check my vinyl but I am almost certain that they also had a track called Smoke and I think it was even better than Koke.