CTI / Kudu label disco question

**JussiK** · February 22nd, 2006, 05:05 AM

Going abroad in a couple of weeks to throw down a quick set I thought I'd make an impression by spinning tracks from the CTI / Kudu label only. Got the Idris Muhammads, the Hank Crawford album I Hear A Symphony with the cool tune Sugar Free , the Esther Phillips vinyls, Chigaco Theme by Hubert Laws, the David Matthews lp ( shoogie wanna boogie ) , the Lalo Schifrins ( Jaws and Towering Toccata) , Urbie Green...is there anything else I should quickly order, some rare CTI masterpiece that would really please the apparently extremely demanding soulful boogie& funky disco freaks assembled for the occasion?

**ashley_k** · February 22nd, 2006, 05:58 AM

You could pickup a copy of Nina Simone - Baltimore album her version of Baltimore is great with nice strings and it’s got the reggae feel of the Tamlins cover version, it’s probably my favourite CTI track and as close to a masterpiece as your likely to get, well in my opinion anyway.

**QUINNY** · February 22nd, 2006, 06:12 AM

George Benson - Supership was on CTI
Esther Phillips - What A Difference A Day Makes or Boy, I Really Tied One On (Kudu)
Deodato - Super Strut or 2001 (CTI)
Grover Washington - Mr. Magic (Kudu)
Idris Muhammed - Turn This Mutha Out (Kudu)
Grand Prix - Fuse One (CTI?)
Westchester Lady - Bob James (CTI?)

the first two are both very Disco....maybe not cool enough for your crowd.

I'll get my Kudu/CTI noddle on and get back to you if anything else comes to mind, but I think this is more or less the extent of tracks that I played from these labels.

I'm surprised that you've chosen to do this. They had great artists, but never widely adopted by the dancefloor.

**JussiK** · February 22nd, 2006, 07:18 AM

Thanks!!! - that George Benson is one I must buy, and I'll check that Bob James track, got it somewhere. Fuse One - got that as well but did not remember it as being danceable. Grover Washington - yes indeed! And Deodato - why didn't I think of that.
The CTI/Kudu stuff has a very distinctive feel to it that works well with the jazzier crowd. You can count on the kids recognising a lot of the titles, and the trick obviously is to let them first have stuff they're familiar with, and then get them excited with similar sounding material they have never heard.

If you can do see about the possible other titles you have.

Nina Simone - is that danceable, or sway-able ? Can you program it in the middle of a serious dancefloor set? I'm not familiar with it at all but she sure sounds intriquing, Nina doing dance, and if she's on CTI....

**QUINNY** · February 22nd, 2006, 07:42 AM

Originally Written by JussiK

Thanks!!! - Fuse One - got that as well but did not remember it as being danceable....

Pure Jazz Funk danceable maybe @ 128 BPM or thereabouts. Sure has a good groove.

You should check out as many of the Deodato releasesas you can, as he did a version of Rhapsody In Blue that was danceable. Maybe Patti Austin had a few danceable tracks, but I never came across them.

**ashley_k** · February 22nd, 2006, 07:56 AM

Nina Simone - is that danceable, no not really a bit too slow, I think it’s around the 80bpm area, so you could sway to it, but it’s not really any good for serious dancefloor set, anyway it’s a great record.

Quinny’s pointing you in the right direction for the dancefloor, but I think Bob James was on Tappan Zee/Columbia although Creed Taylor produced it.

**ol'skinflint** · February 22nd, 2006, 10:35 AM

I thought CTI was largely a jazz label, the only one of their recordings I own is Patti Austin's "Love Me Again"

**QUINNY** · February 22nd, 2006, 12:16 PM

I believe Westchester Lady was on CTI from Bob James 3, his last album before he started Tappan Zee?

**DISCODISK** · February 22nd, 2006, 01:02 PM

Originally Written by ashley_k

You could pickup a copy of Nina Simone - Baltimore album her version of Baltimore is great with nice strings and it’s got the reggae feel of the Tamlins cover version, it’s probably my favourite CTI track and as close to a masterpiece as your likely to get, well in my opinion anyway.

have to agree with you ASHLEY_K 8)
JUSSIK dont forget 'ive never found me a man'-esther phillips again great strings and let them sway to 'home is where the hatred is' again from esther

**JussiK** · February 23rd, 2006, 06:10 AM

Being slightly out of my pond with the CTI tracks, or soulful stuff in general, I'm very grateful of the info so thanks everybody! The degree of a tracks boogeability is sometimes a relative one, depending on the size of the venue, the quality of the soundsystem and above all, the hipness/show-offiness/seriousness factor of the punters. A groovy Rhapsody in Blue by Deodato or a 80 bpm Nina tune could be just the ticket in a right slot, allowing the more professional stepper to show what she/he can deliver on the floor. I have no idea just how demanding the crowd I'll be facing will be but the club being in the Bastille , and having visited a few of the smoky venues there I have this feeling that should one not rise to the occasion his humiliation will be unbearable ...