Eric Matthew / Darryl Payne - Unsung Heroes

[Greg Wilson]

Looking at the current threads about the evolution of House, I wonder if anyone's seriously considered the role of Eric Matthew and Darryl Payne at the crossroads between Disco and House. I never see them get the props they deserve, but just look at some of the tracks they worked on during the early 80's (both together and seperately):

Sinnamon thanks to you / I need you now / thin line
Sharon Redd beat the street / love how you feel / in the name of love / never give you up etc
Elektrik Funk on a journey (I sing the funk electric)
Toney Lee reach up / love so deep
Gary's Gang making music / knock me out
Status IV you ain't really down
Tracy Weber sure shot
Komiko feel alright
NV it's alright

[pipecock]

Originally Posted by Greg Wilson

Looking at the current threads about the evolution of House, I wonder if anyone's seriously considered the role of Eric Matthew and Darryl Payne at the crossroads between Disco and House. I never see them get the props they deserve, but just look at some of the tracks they worked on during the early 80's (both together and seperately):

Sinnamon thanks to you / I need you now / thin line
Sharon Redd beat the street / love how you feel / in the name of love / never give you up etc
Elektrik Funk on a journey (I sing the funk electric)
Toney Lee reach up / love so deep
Gary's Gang making music / knock me out
Status IV you ain't really down
Tracy Weber sure shot
Komiko feel alright
NV it's alright

those guys are two of my favorite disco producers. i play their shit relentlessly, especially the toney lee, sharon redd, and gary's gang joints. i know Chez Damier (of KMS and Prescription records fame) has posted about their relevence to the birth of house in comments on thier 12"s on discogs.com, and i big them up all i can (though i'm a nobody!). the only other producers i think who were as important as them in the birth of house were Boyd Jarvis and Timmy Regisford. their visual tracks and productions on supertronics and other labels are CLASSIC electronic disco from the same era.....

[pipecock]

Originally Posted by pipecock

those guys are two of my favorite disco producers. i play their shit relentlessly, especially the toney lee, sharon redd, and gary's gang joints. i know Chez Damier (of KMS and Prescription records fame) has posted about their relevence to the birth of house in comments on thier 12"s on discogs.com, and i big them up all i can (though i'm a nobody!). the only other producers i think who were as important as them in the birth of house were Boyd Jarvis and Timmy Regisford. their visual tracks and productions on supertronics and other labels are CLASSIC electronic disco from the same era.....

also, i had never noticed that eric matthew did the production for Tracy Weber's "sure shot", i bought it simply because larry levan did the mix! nice one, a good combo of two of my favorite dance music minds!

[SandraDee]

I remember James Hamilton's review of Sharon's 'Redd Hot' LP in '82 saying it was dry & soul-less 'do-it-yourself' disco. He didn't seem to like it but I loved it & it definitely was a taste of things to come & marked the end once & for all of trditional disco with orchestras & everything. Sad in a way but exciting as well!:???: :D

[Zef]

Even at the time when the music was evolving I thought these guys had something special going on, and when I used to DJ and take a trip from disco through to house in my sets it was definately stuff by those two that was right in the middle making the link, along with stuff by people like Colonel Abrams. Actually just thinking about that stuff takes me way back. I must have worn out a good few copies of beat the street and also thanks to you by sinnamon, those dubs oh boy!! Did anybody also get into the Sharon Redd LP track Somebody save the night. I was always shocked and amazed that this did not make it onto remixed 12", although the LP version was damn good anyway.

[K-Bee]

http://www.discogs.com/release/482782

This Darryl Payne compilation was issued on Graphic records in 1988 and is definetely worth having. It's probably not that easy to get a hold of though. I found it in a flea market and the guy at the booth obviously had no idea of what it was.

[Zef]

That's a great compilation. The version of I need you now is quite different.