New Disco / Old Disco!

**gvtaylor** · November 27th, 2003, 01:20 PM

Does anybody have any suggestions for new releases (from last few years) that are sounding like old original disco cuts, without too much pumping House beats?
The reason I ask is that I just received last week a promo CD of a group from Manchester called Galera, they make Brazilian music with elements of Afro & Latin style. There is one instrumental track called "Four Seasons" which is gentle rolling Latin percussion with strings, nice happy uplifting track which has a late 70's vibe.
I also picked up from Japan in 98 the D/LP by Crue-L Grand Orchestra which contains authentic orchestra style disco from 77-78 period. The best tracks are "Time and Day", "Long Time Ago Ago" & "Spend The Day Without You featuring Philip Ramirez on vocals (this is such a good tune).
The Japanese are always spot on with their productions, and the attention to detail with getting the authentic sound from back in the days is spooky! The LP was only a limited pressing, each one having a hand written serial number on the back sleeve, the sleeve as you would expect is also pure 70's to make the package complete. They also did a few disco style 12" before this album which are also good, all released on Crue-L Records from Tokyo.
If you have any other tips, please let me know, always hungry for new tunes :lol:

Mark

**ruoffended** · November 27th, 2003, 02:02 PM

Thanx for listing those 2 groups , never heard of these , i made some research and the first album by CRUE-L GRAND ORCHESTRA is listed on GEMM for 48.00 u.s. bucks , do you know where i could get a copy for a reasonable price , im looking for the cd , sounds like it's excellent according to you.
For your request

What come to my mind is a song called Easy feeling - POPCORN , great track , if i remember they have a web site...RU 8) .

''Dreamin' about those disco lights''

**ruoffended** · November 27th, 2003, 02:20 PM

I saw the album cover on AMAZON , your right pure 70's style , makes it more apealing for me thanx again RU !

''Dreamin' about those disco lights''

**discosavvy** · November 27th, 2003, 02:54 PM

Real disco songs of quality with real drums (not house beats) made after the 1980s include, in reverse chronological order:

HIGH by Mark Ronson featuring Aya (2003, USA) - with drummer Ahmir Thompson
FREAKIN' DISCO by John Scofield (2003, USA) - with drummer Adam Deitch
MUDE O BAILE by BsB Disco Club (2002, Brazil) - with drummer Daniel Oliveira
PAISTE by G-Litter (2002, Finland) - with drummer Pasi Siitoinen
STRAIGHT AHEAD by Fused (2001, Sweden) - with drummer Lars
COSMIC GIRL by Jamiroquai (1996, UK) - with drummer Derrick McKenzie
SPEND SOME TIME by the Brand New Heavies (1994, UK) - with drummer Jan Kincaid

I hadn't heard of Crue-L Grand Orchestra before, thanks for the tip! So now we can add Japan to the list of modern-day disco production centers, in addition to the 5 countries above.

**hoellihozb** · November 27th, 2003, 03:07 PM

hi!

Crue L grand orchestra is magnificent!
I love them! They also made a remix for dimitri from paris!

When speaking about disco today, I have to mention Jestofunk as well as the Super Discount Sampler, with songs by air, alex gopher etc...

greets from Austria!

**gvtaylor** · November 27th, 2003, 05:35 PM

Ruoffended, check the Amazon web links for shops & Crue-l website. I think you should be able to find for a better price than $48.00
Discosavvy, I like the sound of some of the tracks mentioned. The BSB Disco Club sounds interesting, does it have a authentic 70's sound, also is there a Brazilian vibe to it, or is it pure U.S. style? Is it available only on a Brazilian pressing, or is there a U.S./European release?

Mark

**K-Bee** · November 28th, 2003, 12:40 AM

Discosavvy, funny you should mention the john scofield track...i absolutely love this one although it's mostly the steady beat that makes it disco. Scofield'd own soloing is kinda jazzy/psychedelic stuff with a lot of effects going on - may be a bit too much for non-jazz fans :-?

Other newer disco influenced stuff worth mentioning is:

Next Evidence - "Morning breeze" and "Dance On"

Russel Gunn - "East St. louis" (this is like acoustic house music.....amazing stuff)

Another Jamiroquai track in this style is "Little L"

**gvtaylor** · November 28th, 2003, 07:07 AM

The Galera CD called Go Galera has just been released in Japan, may get a UK release next year on CD & limited vinyl.

Mark

**discosavvy** · November 28th, 2003, 03:05 PM

BsB Disco Club's debut album has a mix of Brazilian, authentic disco, and lounge styles.
SUPERPODEROSA is USA-style disco. You can hear/download this song in full at http://www.bsbdiscoclub.com.br/internas/faixa02.html (Disk icon) This is the band's official website and the MP3 is authorized.
MUDE O BAILE is disco with USA stylings in the first half and a Brazilian vibe in the second half (the instrumental section with horns starting at 3:36). You can hear/download this song in full at http://www.bsbdiscoclub.com.br/internas/faixa01.html (Disk icon) This is the band's official website and the MP3 is authorized.
BOMBA RELÓGIO seems to have a Brazilian vibe too.
DESACELERAR sounds VERY Brazilian to me beginning at 0:54.
There are also some non-disco songs on that album: A CADA INSTANTE, NADA A PERDER, and SOLID AO are mellow tunes. MEDODO ESCURO is hard to describe but sounds more USA than Brazil to me. HOJE EU QUERO SAIR seems to have a Brazilian vibe also.
Of course, all the lyrics are in Portuguese.
I finally found a merchant (HPI PRODUCOES E COMERCIO INTERNACIONAL LTDA in Rio de Janeiro) at http://discomusic.gemm.com/ that exports this CD by special order, so I placed an order today! I was having trouble finding out how to buy from the band's own website (you know, currency conversion issues and all) and the guitarist was talking with me about it but then stopped replying to my messages. So far I have not heard all of these songs in their entirety but hopefully in a few weeks I will. It looks like anyone in the Americas or Europe can order from HPI like I did at
http://db3.gemm.com/ddc/search.pl?ke...o=GML597041425

K-Bee: Yes it's in their usual disco style, but LITTLE L by Jamiroquai has the electronic house beat.

**gvtaylor** · November 28th, 2003, 04:31 PM

Thanks for the info Discosavvy on the Brazilian Disco. :P
I am going to Brazil in January, (need some sun and fresh records) I'll try to pick it up when I'm there.
Mark

**Rodmann2** · November 30th, 2003, 04:35 AM

gvtaylor,

A good one to check out is High Society & Taka Boom's 2001 remake of Melba Moore's 1979 hit 'Pick Me Up, I'll Dance'. As much as I love Melba Moore's version, I have to admit that I like High Society's better. While Melba's vocal on the original was sweet and coquettish, Taka Boom rips into the lyrics with a vengeance! Taka also adds a fun and interesting rap on the breakdown. There's also a great but very short dreamy ballad intro added on the new version ala Donna Summer's 'Last Dance' that wasn't on any of Melba's mixes. It's as if this tune was given a breath of fresh air!

It's available in several mixes with the best being the Bini & Martini Club Mix and the 1976 Radio Edit Mix (I could be mistaken about the exact name of this mix). Both mixes are very retro sounding but the Bini & Martini Club Mix is a little more updated to suit the needs of today's techno clubs. The other mix is the closet that I have ever heard to a pure disco record in the new millennium. Very retro!

Check this one out. It's exactly what you're looking for! :D

**JussiK** · November 30th, 2003, 06:00 AM

SUPERSTAR by The Ones is a totally magnifique 2001 track by a bunch of New York drag queens that would have entered the Billboard Hot 100 disco charts at number one in 1978.

**Pete B** · December 2nd, 2003, 10:03 AM

Two CD's I was recomended and thought were nice throwbacks without being too retro

Sylk 130 "When the Funk Hits the Fan"
Sunburst Band "Here Coms the Sunburst Band"

Both from 4/5 years ago and full of jazz/funk/disco juice!

**SandraDee** · December 2nd, 2003, 02:25 PM

I have a track by Sylk 130 that samples Boz Scaggs' wonderful 'Lowdown'. It is quite impressive for a 'modern' track & is on a Hed Kandi CD of mine.

**Pete B** · December 2nd, 2003, 03:57 PM

Originally Written by Steely Dan

I have a track by Sylk 130 that samples Boz Scaggs' wonderful 'Lowdown'. It is quite impressive for a 'modern' track & is on a Hed Kandi CD of mine.

If you like that track - "Reasons" I believe it is called, then the LP is along similiar lines, though mostly with less obvious sampling than that track. There was a second LP which wasn't anything like as good.