Big budget disco in Chicago

[tyree_kevin]

It`s interesting the the recent comp. "Real Sound of Chicago" didn`t focus on some of the big budget (read with strings and full horn sections) productions. Wasn`t Curtis Mayfield and Linda Clifford from there? Any thoughts.

"Don`t Give Up" by Linda Clifford..... maaaaaan that`s some kind of record!

[Bernie]

There's "Windy City Theme" by Windy City Orchestra and it's pretty fleshed out with lots of horns...

I believe that Vaughn Mason and Crew of "Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll" fame as well as Gene Chandler and The Chi-Lites all hail from the Chicago area.

[tyree_kevin]

I remember vaguely the "Windy City Theme"......I like CTI`s version "The Chicago Theme" by Hubert Laws. Very sophisticated jazz/disco fusion. I was studying CTI a few years ago at Stanford along with King Erisson. Man I had the time of my life. Deodato, Lalo Schifrin, Bob James (when he was apart of nightworld),etc. a serious label

[tmob]

I find this to be an interesting compilation...as someone who was clubbing in Chicago at that time, I don't recall ever hearing any of these songs being played (maybe I was just going to the wrong--or right--clubs!).

As mentioned earlier, Gene Chandler and Curtis Mayfield were from Chicago; Linda Clifford (who wasn't born here) got her recording start here. And let's not forget Loleatta Holloway and Jerry "Iceman" Butler, the latter of whom is now a County Commissioner--all Chicago natives.

Besides the Curtom material, it'd be hard for me to think of a "Real Sound of Chicago" compilation without the Boogie Man Orchestra's "Lady, Lady, Lady" (OK, it's from the suburbs, but close enough...)

[tyree_kevin]

Try this website http://discomagic.50megs.com A nice discussion orchestral disco. I`m about to really dissect this site today. Interesting info. on the various orchestral contractors / maestros as well as engineers and remixers.

[tyree_kevin]

An addendum: http://discomagic.50megs.com/players/chicago.htm A roster of the Chicago Orchestra on a disco site. there`s has to be some kinda correlation.

[Disco Funk]

Chicago seemed to focus more on the slower bpm disco, more soulful. But there were a few higher BPM stuff like Gene Chandler's Get Down. Some examples







I think this was Chi-town as well



Disco Funk