Nick Straker Band

[DiscoEd1970]

My sister left me her entire disco collection which includes Love & Kisses' "How Much I Love" To a 45 Of Doctor's Orders...and about 200 other 12 inch singles, 45's and LPS. Year ranging from 1972 - 80, from 80 on I bought the rest. Now to my question.

Does anyone agree with me that The Nick Straker Band's " A Little Bit Of Jazz" is one hell of a dance your ass off record. Man I love that record....was wondering if any of you out there agree with me.

If I recall correctly that song came out in 1981. Was the first 12" I went out to buy when I was 11 years old. I think I paid $2.99 for it.

[Forrrce]

Yes, it's certainly a classic record. It came out in the UK first in 1980 and again in 1981.

[QUINNY]

Played it and played it BITD. Always a good floor filler.
I particularly like the break (quite spacey for the time) that builds and builds without trying to throw in the kitchen sink, but never cared an awful lot for the falsetto vocals.

Shame there wasn't some jazz in it, eh?

[Forrrce]

Originally Posted by QUINNY

Shame there wasn't some jazz in it, eh?

Don't think it would be so revered if there was!

[QUINNY]

A nice piano solo might have been good for it (if only for 8 bars). Ya know, something with some real angular notes in there.
This was a record that was sooo different, in its overall feel, to anything else. Used to give me a strange goosebumpy kinda sensation. The sorta feeling that only a handful of records ever gave me. I still can't figure out exactly why it had this effect on me, though.

[DiscoEd1970]

I can figure out what it is in that song that I love too. That band is still together as far as I know...or well, they have a website. I've never heard anything else by them. They seem to favor instrumental dance/jazz songs. Might look for an album or something.

You guys are cool. I thought I knew a lot of disco and coming on here has shown me that there are people out there that know a hell of a lot more than me. It's a great to know that I can learn a great deal.

I did DJ for a while in the 80's. Did a lot of private parties. Wish I would've kept up with it. Too bad I didn't.

Looking forward to learning more from you guys.

Just for thought... "I'll Do Anything For You" Denroy Morgan I think and George Benson's "Give Me The Night"
two more of my favorite songs from the early, early 80's. Man I love that music!

[OneCharmingBastard]

Not as cute (or as gifted) as Chas Jankel, but my second favorite Brit keyboard wunderkind. Interesting back story - "A Walk In The Park" took off before he had an albums worth of material written, and he used to be in a band with both Tony Mansfield (Belle Stars, Vicious Pink, B52's "Bouncing Off The Satelites") and Pete Hammond (PWL Mixmaster) called New Musik, and both played on his first record (the one that spawned "Walk In The Park", "Little Bit Of Jazz" and "Leaving On A Midnight Train") -

Speaking of which - FINALLY found the original mix of "A Walk In The Park" and was tickled that it sounded NOTHING like the PWL remix from '87 (not that I didn't like that a bunch at the time, but wow, the original, for all of its amateur ticks is wonderfuk - it even features a killer electric guitar line that makes it seem oh-so-79 in a rock-disco fusion sorta way (kinda Gibson Brothers'y). Could make a great rock tune today for something different~

[QUINNY]

No one's mentioned Nick Straker Band's - Straight Ahead which also did good dancefloor business for me. Not as good as ALBOJ, but it had a solid enough rhythm track and positive lyrics "Don't let nobody put you down.....Keep movin' straight ahead" etc.

BTW: Chas Jankel is doing jazz gigs nowadays as well as Blockheads stuff. In fact we're thinking of booking him for the Southampton Jazz club at some point.

[OneCharmingBastard]

"Straight Ahead" also has a killer rythym guitar line - very BLS-sounding, and I mean that in a good way.

In the states, we never saw anything after "Straight Ahead" released - which is a shame, as some of the later period singles had their charms.

Chaz, on the other hand, cranked out consistently great stuff (like the criminally underrated "You're My Occupation" with Brenda Jones on vox), and from what I've heard of his jazz stuff, is still a master of his game.

Not like it makes a difference, but I always had hoped these guys were gay (as I didn't want to think I was the only white boy who went down the same musical pathways as them, aesthetic wise) - but it seems the "not gay, just British" tag applies. :roll:

[ladyboygrimsby]

Originally Posted by OneCharmingBastard

Not as cute (or as gifted) as Chas Jankel, but my second favorite Brit keyboard wunderkind. Interesting back story - "A Walk In The Park" took off before he had an albums worth of material written, and he used to be in a band with both Tony Mansfield (Belle Stars, Vicious Pink, B52's "Bouncing Off The Satelites") and Pete Hammond (PWL Mixmaster) called New Musik, and both played on his first record (the one that spawned "Walk In The Park", "Little Bit Of Jazz" and "Leaving On A Midnight Train") -

Wow, didn't realise that. Well that explains something, then. Don't know if you know 24 Hours From Culture by New Musik, but it sounds very much like a warped Klein & MBO tune. Very futuristic sounding, and very good.

[Forrrce]

'Straight Ahead' was fairly major - it fit in well with the other Prelude releases of the time, having that big Kevorkian sound. Straker had a few singles out afterwards, on Pinnacle, including 'You Know I Like It' and 'Against The Wall' (that's what I remember) and another LP. I didn't hear some of the latter releases and hardly saw them.

I found an interesting site a couple of years ago with a full biography and discography. May have to track it down again.

[OneCharmingBastard]

"Against The Wall", "Must You Dance" "Turn Me Down" and "You Know I Like It" are the later period - very innofensive midtempo R&B numbers that would not have sounded out of place on WBMX or WBLS at the time~

Again, I think he was the unfortunate victim of a changing medium - alongside my other love, Mr Jankel. :oops:

[dvdjamm]

is that the same group new musik who did the original version of the planet doesn't mind? i used tp play a remake of that song by a group called the x-visitors....