Melvin Ragin Guitar / Steve Gadd On Drums

[Disco Funk]

Many a thread here has discussed the playing prowess of one Melvin Ragin, AKA Wah Wah Watson. He's the guy who played the wah guitar as part of the Love Unlimited Orchestra, and played on a lot of West Coast/LA studio disco productions during the mid to late 70s. His signature guitar licks are best heard on the Car Wash Sountrack.

Here's some footage of him playing along side Herbie Hancock, doing a 2005 live version of Hang Up Your Hang Ups from Herbie's 1975 album Manchild. He gets his own little solo section about 2.5 minutes into the track.



Hang Up Your Hang Ups

The other disco era musician, who really was a freelance drummer who played on such memorable cuts as 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover by Paul Simon and Take Me To The Mardi Gras by Bob James (sampled by hip hoppers, and most recently by Missy Elliot), is the awesome Steve Gadd. He was the drummer of choice for Van McCoy during the mid-70s, so you hear him on all the David Ruffin, Faith Hope & Charity, and Choice Four albums, to name a few artists.

Here's some footage of Gadd playing, probably from the last few years:



Gadd on Drums




50 Ways

Here's a clip from a Grover Washington performance of Mr Magic c 1981, with Steve Gadd on drums, and Ralph MacDonald (Calypso Breakdown on the SNF soundtrack) on percussion



Gadd and MacDonald

Disco Funk

[Bernie]

Solid and top notch all the way. Thanks for posting this one DF.

[Disco Funk]

You're welcome, Bernie! I just added the Steve Gadd stuff. If I find some disco beats by him, I will add them to the thread.

Disco Funk

[eddie]

Actually in 1994 both members formed an ad hoc instrumental group called Spirit Traveler. They released an album called "Playing the hits from the Motorcity" which included many cover songs from the Motown catalog. A couple tracks featured the vocals of then Temptations lead, Ollie Woodson as well as one original grooving ballad, "I love you". Definitely worth hunting down.