Nicky Siano's Legendary GALLERY & N. Jay's PHILADELPHIA

[markydefad]

Yes, I went to Amoeba this weekend.

I was tempted by these two releases (and several others). :oops:

Some great cuts on the GALLERY cd that I'm sure were never available on cd before.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/.../discomusiccom

The Gallery:

1) "I CAN'T STOP TALKING" - Genie Brown (1973)
2) "BIG JOHN IS MY NAME" - Undisputed Truth (1974)
3) "LAW OF THE LAND" - The Temptations!!!
4) "AND YOU CALL THAT LOVE" - Vernon Burch (1975)!!!
5) "WE'RE GETTING STRONGER" - Loleatta Holloway (1977)
6) "GET INTO SOMETHING" - The Isley Brothers (1970)
7) "YES WE CAN CAN" - The Ponter Sisters
8. "EXUMA, THE OBEAH MAN" - Exuma (1970)
9) "LOVE EPIDEMIC" - The Trammps (1974)
10) "GIVING UP" - Zulema (1973)!!!
11) "I CAN UNDERSTAND IT" - Bobby Womack (1972)!!!
12) "I GOT IT" - Gloria Spencer (1972)!!!
13) "SANG AND DANCE" - The Bar-kays (1970)
14) I'M GONNA LET MY HEART DO THE WALKING" - The Supremes (1976)
15) "HARLEM" - Bill Withers (1971)!!!
16) "CRAZY 'BOUT MY BABY" - Bonnie Bramlett (1973)!!!
17) "A LITTLE BIT OF LOVE" - Brenda & the Tabulations!!!

Some most sought-after titles (!!!) in there. At least, for me.

The notes indicated that more volumes will be released.

Then, this one. NORMAN JAY PRESENTS PHILADELPHIA (THE UNDERGROUND ANTHEMS OF PHILADELPHIA SOUL 1973-1981)

1) LOVE IS THE MESSAGE - MFSB
2) EAST - Billy Paul
3) TRUSTING HEART - Trammps
4) THIS AIR I BREATHE - The O'Jays
5) THE WHOLE TOWN'S TALKING - Billy Paul
6) WHER WILL YOU GO WHEN THE PARTY'S OVER - Archie Bell & the Drells
7) LET ME BE GOOD TO YOU - Lou Rawls
8. THE BIG GANGSTER - The O'Jays
10) IT'S HARD NOT TO LIKE YOU - Archie Bell & the Drells

1) WE GOT SOME CATCHIN; UP TO DO - Jean Carn
2) AIN'T NO TIME FA NOTHING - The Futures
3) FALSE FACES - Billy Paul
4) WHERE WOULD I BE WITHOUT YOU - Anthony White
5) BUMP DE BUMP - Monk Montgomery
6) IN GOOD FAITH - Norman Harris
7) LET'S PARTY DOWN - M.F.S.B.
8. SET ME FREE - Teddy Pendergrass
9) DARLIN, DARLIN BABY (SWEET TENDER LOVE) - The O'Jays
10) THIS FEELING'S KILLING ME - The Jones Girls

I already had some of these, but it's a super compilation!!! :D

Only the Brits put this stuff out. Maybe these relases were discussed here before, but I never saw a track listing if they were. If I'd seen the Bonnie Bramlett track mentioned, I woulda gone nuts. I just happened upon this Saturday night at Amoeba...and have been playing it ever since!!! :D :D :D

[MixMasterMax]

marky, you are pointing out a fantastic track by Sweet Bonnie Bamlett. As I recall, this was a nice break dancing track. Other songs played at the clubs with SBB were

Stovall Sisters - Hang On In There {73 Reprise}
J. Geils Band - Give It To Me {73 Atlantic}
Baby Huey - Listen To Me {Curtom}

[Svend]

Hey Marky--

You always find these great CDs. I should get in the habit of checking Amazon UK. I visited LA recently and my friends took me to Amoeba, which might as well have been heaven.

On the Norman Jay CD, are the songs generally uptempo? I know the artists of course but most of the titles are unfamiliar. I got Norman's "Big 45" cd and was somewhat disappointed. I'll definitely get the Gallery disc. Thanks for the tip!

[NickNack]

Wow! That Gallery CD takes me back. I can see myself sitting at the door and hearing all those songs through the night.

Two questions: 1) What is the proper title of the CD cause I can't find it on Amazon? and, 2) Is it mixed or are the titles played out full length?

You said "the Brits" released this so I'm assuming 'import'. Maybe it's on Amazon UK. :roll:

(and, later...) YES, IT IS!! :D

[MixMasterMax]

Couple of thoughts on this compilation.

1) If Nicky set up The Gallery in 1972 and we know that he was one of the first Disco DJ's, does this indicate that Disco started before 1975 as has been argued here?

2) What was the dance used for the following tracks? I can't imagine this was actuialy played (a tad before my time)
Exuma - The Obeah Man
UndisputedTruth - Big John Is My Name

3) I was able to hear Nicky at one of my all time fav clubs, The Grand Ballroom and also at Le Jardin. These tracks do bring back memories, very nice :P

[NickNack]

Originally Posted by MixMasterMax

Couple of thoughts on this compilation.

1) If Nicky set up The Gallery in 1972 and we know that he was one of the first Disco DJ's, does this indicate that Disco started before 1975 as has been argued here?

:lol: Not going down that road again :lol:

2) What was the dance used for the following tracks? I can't imagine this was actuialy played (a tad before my time)
Exuma - The Obeah Man
UndisputedTruth - Big John Is My Name

You know, I don't think there was a popular dance out at the time, like 'the hustle' or something. At least, I don't remember any. But "Big John..." would get that dancefloor so packed, people doing whatever they felt like doing. What a hot, hot song. Exuma on the other hand escapes me. Have to hear it 'cause the title ain't bringin' it. :oops:

[ladyboygrimsby]

Originally Posted by MixMasterMax

marky, you are pointing out a fantastic track by Sweet Bonnie Bamlett. As I recall, this was a nice break dancing track. Other songs played at the clubs with SBB were

Stovall Sisters - Hang On In There {73 Reprise}
J. Geils Band - Give It To Me {73 Atlantic}
Baby Huey - Listen To Me {Curtom}

MMM, re: J Geils Band, was it the LP version that got played? And, if so, was it played mainly for the 2nd half break part or was the song bit played, too? I always thought the first part was a bit of a hokey cod-reggae record, but the second half is really good.

[MixMasterMax]

[/quote]MMM, re: J Geils Band, was it the LP version that got played? And, if so, was it played mainly for the 2nd half break part or was the song bit played, too? I always thought the first part was a bit of a hokey cod-reggae record, but the second half is really good.

Yes, the lp version and the second half is the part that would be played.

NickNack, I still can not get over the fact the Undisputed Truth - Big John Is My Name was played and danced to in a packed floor. But it was very close to the end of the 60's and acid was plentifull. To each his own

Please take a listen to Exuma, I would love to hear your

MMM, re: J Geils Band, was it the LP version that got played? And, if so, was it played mainly for the 2nd half break part or was the song bit played, too? I always thought the first part was a bit of a hokey cod-reggae record, but the second half is really good.

Yes, the lp version and the second half is the part that would be played.

NickNack, I still can not get over the fact the Undisputed Truth - Big John Is My Name was played and danced to in a packed floor. But it was very close to the end of the 60's and acid was plentiful. To each his own

Please take a listen to Exuma, I would love to hear your recollection of the impact this one had on the floor.recolection of the impact this one had on the floor.

[markydefad]

Originally Posted by Svend

Hey Marky--

You always find these great CDs. I should get in the habit of checking Amazon UK. I visited LA recently and my friends took me to Amoeba, which might as well have been heaven.

On the Norman Jay CD, are the songs generally uptempo? I know the artists of course but most of the titles are unfamiliar. I got Norman's "Big 45" cd and was somewhat disappointed. I'll definitely get the Gallery disc. Thanks for the tip!

Hey Svend,

And why didn't you let me know you'd be shopping at Amoeba? We coulda met "in store".

Come to think of it, I might have been there lurking in the soul compilation cd section. :P

As for the Norman Jay collection, I'd say most of it it uptempo. Some unfamiliar tunes in there; if you don't have that many titles already, I'd say you will like it. It's 2 cds for about $19.00.

The Gallery cd was the same price for one cd. But well worth it for the very rare items included.

[NickNack]

Originally Posted by MixMasterMax

NickNack, I still can not get over the fact the Undisputed Truth - Big John Is My Name was played and danced to in a packed floor. But it was very close to the end of the 60's and acid was plentifull. To each his own

Oh yeah, baby! :D And it wasn't just because the music was hot. The lyrics were 'right on time':

Well I like what I do (say I like what I do)
And I do what I like (do what I like).

I say some of my friends drink a little... :roll:
And uh, some of my friends smoke a little...

DIFFERENT STROKES FOR DIFFERENT FOLKS, THAT WHAT I ALWAYS SAY! :D

Now you put a few hundred black, gay men on a dancefloor who are tired of all the bulls*&% and you can see why we'd get off on the liberating attitude.

Please take a listen to Exuma, I would love to hear your recollection of the impact this one had on the floor.

Once that CD gets here, I'm on it! :D

[NickNack]

Hey Marky,

A little trivia: The picture on the CD cover is the actual logo used on the membership cards issued at the Gallery. Colors are off but the symbol is correct.

[markydefad]

The Exuma track starts with crickets chirping!!! and then a strummed guitar with a sorta Keb Mo-bluesy vocal; it's got an African tribal kinda sound; like Ladysmith Black Mambazo, or whatever they were called, who recorded with Paul Simon on his "Graceland" LP.

[Bernie]

That Exuma track, which is on this album,
http://www.discomusic.com/records-more/1743_0_2_0_C/
is very trippy as is the whole album. I could only imagine how this must have sounded in a club atmosphere back in the day.

[Mixmachine]

This CD was a good buy for me, the Bonnie Bramlett, Gloria Spencer and Brenda and the Tabulations tracks had been in a 'want list' of mine going back to the mid 70's, and the Genie Brown, Exuma, and Bill Withers tracks I never heard before;
Other than a small glitch midway through "A little bit of Love " the sound quality of this CD is very good, as mentioned before "I'm going to let my Heart..." is not the full LP version and Holloway's "We're getting stronger" is not the Gibbons 12" remix (7:23) a better version IMO, but still this compilation is great if you are interested in early club hit records, Thanks for the tip..

[NickNack]

Originally Posted by MixMasterMax

Please take a listen to Exuma, I would love to hear your recollection of the impact this one had on the floor.

Hi 'Mx3',

I been playin' the CD and loving it. This is the first time I'm hearing Exuma. I'm also thankful for that fact. The song does nothing for me at all. I would have never even attempted dancing to it. :x

The Gallery was open about a year before I got there. I can only guess Nicky was playing it then as part of a head trip. I do notice that The Bar-Kays, The Isley Brothers amd Bill Withers survived after I had arrived. Exuma did not. Should tell you something.

BTW - That single edit of The Supremes, "I'm Gonna Let... Walking" was not the version played. What fun is that song if you couldn't work that intro? :D