Disco | Boogie 297 Items

Back in! Proper boogie from Initials!

The Label: TK Records in essence represents the city of Miami when it came to Soul/R&B
and the early stages of Disco. In 1974, George McCrae gave the label its first #1 Disco
hit with Rock Your Baby. A little more than a year after McCrae's hit, the record label
struck gold with KC & The Sunshine Band with five #1 songs on the Billboard Hot 100.
Needless to say at the height of the genre’s cultural domination TK did pretty well.
Timmy Thomas: Without a doubt, he’s most famously known for the hit song Why Can’t We
Live Together. The record topped the U.S. Billboard R&B chart, made the top three in the
Billboard Hot 100 and was charted in top 10 in many countries including the UK. A staple
in the R&B scene, he had a succesful solo career until the mid 80s, later focusing on
the writing and production side of the business.

Why Can’t We Live Together: It may have been his biggest hit, but also one that keeps
resonating to this day. A response to the devastating news coming from the war in
Vietnam, its words “No more wars, we want peace in this world, and no matter what color,
you’re still my brother.” are indicative of a time marked by the horrors of war abroad,
and the racial discrimination in America. Written and Produced by Timmy Thomas himself
solely on a Lowrey organ, and an early rhythm machine, the song however was far from
simple as its emotive message continues to provide a profound context. And even though
it’s been covered over the years by many artist including Sade and Joan Osborne, Why
Can’t We Live Together has managed to come back on the charts again in 2015, as the
instrumental backing to Drake’s Hotline Bling, which has now sold over 2 Million copies
in the U.S. Alone. Once a hit, always a hit.

Africano: When it comes to this Deep Disco cut, Africano is one of those tracks that
probably never got much shine in America, but has since become a dancefloor favorite of
underground disco DJs worldwide. Curiously, years after its release, its biggest
supporters were Italian DJs like Danielle Baldelli, Mozart and Gianni Maselli who during
the 80s played Disco, African records, American R&B, and reggae to create what has been
since become known as the Afro-Cosmic scene at the height of Club culture in the
discothèques of Northern Italy.

One of the more idiosyncratic U.S. independent labels must be the Hep’ Me imprint from New Orleans run by veteran Soulman Senator Jones. Very few of Hep’ Me's numerous releases made it out of New Orleans and the ones that did, tended to go into collections and nowhere else. Las Vegas Connection's ‘Running Back To You’ surfaced some time in the mid 1970s but there were never enough copies for it to take off. Hopefully that will change with this re-release on the original label.

Also, a lovely piece of mid-tempo soul on the flip with the stunning ‘Can't Nobody Love Me Like You Do’. Original copies are few and far between and the current price benchmark for this superior slab of New Orleans vinyl is hovering around the £250 mark. As with most of our reissues this will appeal to across-the-board scenes.

3 Hürel is a folk-rock and psychedelic-rock band consisting of 3 brothers from Trabzon, a northern city in Turkiye, who gained fame in the early 1970s with their authentic music and hippie outfits. Thisis their first album compiled from 45 rpm singles. The original release date was 1972. The band's guitarist uses a self-made double-handled guitar and reed instrument, which has become a symbol of the band in concerts. What makes the band special is its groovy guitar tone and excellent bass guitar and percussion technique. They have become one of the most important representatives of psychedelic-rock in Turkiye. "Aşk Davası", "Haram", "Pembelikler" and "Madalyonun Ters Yüzü" are their most popular songs.

Prime are delighted to announce the long-awaited OFFICIAL 12 inch re-release of probably the most revered Paradise Garage anthem of all time - M.F.S.B. feat The Three Degrees and the now legendary "Love Is The Message".

Originally released in 1973, "Love Is The Message" has sustained dance-floors across the world ever since and here we present the full original 11.28 mix from Tom Moulton which is always a £25-30 record if you've ever been lucky enough to find a mint one and copies of the rarer U.S. 12" with the long mix are like gold!

Worry no more as the quality on this 12" is from the best master and 100% sanctioned by Sony Music.

On the flip we are proud to re-release "T.S.O.P. (The Sound Of Philadelphia)" aka the official Soul Train theme, using Tom Moulton's full original 5.42 mix. Another piece of significant dance-floor history.

As double-siders go, it really doesn't get any better than this. There is already high-demand from lots of DJs needing to replace their battered copies so accept no substitute. This is the real deal.

Philly Groove and Brookside are back at it! This time with a remix edit of Finishing Touch - 'Second Best (Is Never Enough)'. Side A gets a Mike Maurro Remix, edited down to a DJ friendly 7'' version and the B Side contains the original single version. Pressed on limited edition blue vinyl 7'' for the collectors.

“¡Soltad a Barrabás!” (Release Barrabás!) was the third album by the famous Spanish funk-rock band. Recorded in the US and originally released in 1974, housed in a shocking gatefold cover, this time the sound was 100% funk oriented and included big hits like “Hi-Jack”, covered by Herbie Mann. After reaching worldwide success with their previous two albums and a lenghty South America tour, Fernando Arbex went even further with Barrabás: he wanted to register their third album in the US. So he managed to book MGM studios in Hollywood and the band spent a month in L.A. Fernando encouraged all the other Barrabás members to write songs for the planned album. The result was a fantastic pro-sounding recording (thanks to the work of sound engineer Humberto Gatica), where the band nearly dropped their previous Latin influences to concentrate on funk and black music. “Hi-Jack” rocketed to number one in the Billboard and Black Music charts in the US and soon after Herbie Mann released his famous jazzy cover. The album also included other ace tracks like “Tell Me The Thing” - much in the vein of Chicago and Blood, Sweat & Tears, “Suzie Wong”, “Lady Love”...

Truly epic, saucy disco powerhouse, produced by Gregg Diamond and drenched in effortless sexuality from Andrea True. A clear classic of that era encapsulating everything the '70s was about.
Tom Moulton on the mix for this naughty 12 Inch reissue.

We can’t think of many artists that have had as diverse a career and who have been involved in as many different genres of music as Asha Puthli. A musical pioneer who forged a path through 60's psych, free-jazz, pop, rock, disco, and more. Asha's 1976 album 'The Devil Is Loose' is maybe her most well-known record. Featuring the beautiful disco-funk-classic 'Space Talk’, Asha's ethereal soaring vocals take us on a journey that almost mirrors Asha's eclectic career. The track was championed by a wide-range of musical scenes and movements, and over space and time it has been commandeered as their own. You would hear it played by David Mancuso at the now ‘mythical’ underground New York party 'The Loft’, in the most discerning disco nightclubs across the globe, in the Rare Groove scene, and also being sampled by hip-hop heavyweights such as The Notorious B.I.G / P Diddy, and The Pharcyde. The appeal and lifespan of ’Space Talk’ keeps on extending and morphing as new audiences gleefully discover it for the first time - it still sounds as relevant and fresh on the dancefloor today - a sign of a true classic. Here at Mr Bongo we are thrilled to be releasing records by such an iconic musical maverick as Asha, from her roots in India to becoming a globe-trotting artist with a celebrated career in music and acting, whilst always staying true to her art. She has blazed a trail so that others could follow. Whether you are buying this album as a replacement for your worn-out original copy or it's the first time you've heard of Asha Puthli and you're just intrigued and drawn in by the cover, we hope you enjoy this quintessential slice of Asha's world.

We are proud to present an official Sony reissue of 'Could Heaven Ever Be Like This', widely acknowledged as quite simply one of the greatest disco releases of all time.
On the flip are Idris Muhammad's two other bangers from that period, 'Turn This Mutha Out' and 'Tasty Cakes', thus making this release a trio of delights.
Taken from the original master tapes, and released on 180g vinyl, this release is a must have for your collection.

It's always great to have access to quality masters from some of the world's greatest-ever artists and Gladys Knight hits that spot, especially via the original 12 inch version of Love Is Always On My Mind is another one of those impossibly rare Buddah 12 inches from the mid-70s.

This is really a 10 minute plus tour-de-force of relentless Disco with Gladys's impassioned vocals doing their usual superlative job. Mint 12 inch copies are reputedly worth £200 but the fact is that there's no mint original ones left anymore. Until now. Additionally we've cheated slightly by including one of Gladys Knight & The Pips in-demand Columbia recordings on the flip - the Ashford & Simpson penned classic Bourgie Bourgie on which Gladys laid down the definitive vocal to this club classic on the full 4.37 original 12 inch mix.

Two definitive dance-floor gems on one 12 inch pressing mastered from the original tapes. What more could you want ?

The heaviest of jazz funk grooves from the musical melting pot of New Orleans, The Dome City Rock Orchestra – Quiet Village is a super rare slice of tight-as-you-like talent, that commands prices of over £200 for an original 7 inch, if you can ever find one. Bursting with energy as synthesisers swirl around flutes, bongos dance over drums to create a cosmic whirlwind that enthrals any ear it worms its way into. Orange label version original black sleeve.

Two Velvet Hammer heaters reissued officially for the first time since 1977, 45 years since their original release this time on limited edition red vinyl. An essential slice of Chicago history via Soozi Records, ‘Party Hardy’ is a gorgeous disco groover whilst the B, ‘Happy’, is the ultimate feel-good modern soul classic and about as anthemic as they get. The appeal of this record knows no limits, whether you’ve heard it once or one hundred times. With mint originals being virtually impossible to get your hands on and 2nd hand copies that do come up, clocking in at £250+, this is a reissue which will please many a music lover. Red 7" vinyl in black sleeve.

Originally released in 1978 on Greg Charmichael's Red Greg Records, "Lady Bug" and ""Love Bug"" are probably Bumblebee Unlimited's most recognizable hits. Much like Cloud One, Universal Robot Band and Inner Life, Bumblebee Unlimited was a studio-based disco unit
conducted by Patrick Adams and Gregory Carmichael. Their only album "Sting Like a Bee" was released by RCA in 1979 with contributions from longtime Adams & Carmichael collaborators Leroy Burgess (vocals), Norbert Sloley (bass), and Richard Taninbaum (drums). With an undeniable groove, signature keys and arrangements by Patrick Adams in addition
to the comically sped-up vocals, Lady Bug is considered by many to be one of the most important underground tracks of the Disco era. As with the original "Lady Bug" 12" Single, the John Morales and Frank Trimarco "Sunshine Sound" mix takes the A-side of the RCA release. A true Disco version in every sense of the word, this almost 10 minute mix brings out the Latin percussions to the front making
it a true dance floor classic and establishing John Morales as one of the best remixers in the industry.
The B-Side belongs to one of New York City's hottest DJs at the time: Larry Levan. Despite being a very early remix by the Legendary Paradise Garage DJ, the talent was evident and his understanding of a club mix in wide display. It’s no wonder Larry Levan would go to become one of the most respected and revered remixers of his generation. Similarly to the Morales/Trimarco version, the percussions are accented throughout the
mix making it ready for the discotheque. However the two mixes are undoubtely different with Levan’s bringing out more funk out of the Adams composition
focusing more on the keys and the infectious bass lines. No real point in arguing which is better, so let’s just be glad we have both.

Sought-after disco / funk / boogie album from the US, 1978!! Pro-sounding recording with top level musicianship and perfect sound quality, comparable to any other major album of the time (think Love Unlimited Orchestra!). Mixed by Disco legend Joaquin J. Lopes and featuring brothers John & Rocco Giamundo. Mostly instrumental with superb arrangements (string, keys and even the Vako Ochestron on one track) and surprising occasional fuzz/effects electric guitar. Originally released as a promo album in blank sleeve (now impossible to find) on the band’s own Artemis label, it was subsequently issued in Belgium (under the Reverie – Get Up And Dance title) and Japan, both housed in picture sleeves. Including club / rare-groove classics like “It’s True” (compiled on “Under The Influence Vol. 2 by Paul Phillips), “Get It On And Dance”, “The Way We Were” (a disco-symphonic version of the Barbra Streisand movie hit) and more… Here’s the first ever reissue featuring new artwork (based on the band’s original idea for the intended but never finished US cover) and master tape sound.

We've got a bit of an obsession with Hozan Yamamoto here at Mr Bongo! A legend of Japanese jazz, he is rightly regarded as a true master and was recognised as a "living national treasure" by the Japanese government in 2002. Over five decades he pushed the genre into new directions, absorbing fusion, funk, spiritual jazz and many other sounds, resulting in a discography studded with gems of rare beauty. Exploring his back catalogue has taken us on an engrossing journey that now sees us reissuing another work from this ground-breaking musician.

Though not translating perfectly into English 'Akuma Ga Kitarite Fue Wo Fuku', (kitarite has not been a modern expression in Japanese) roughly means 'The Devil Comes Playing The Flute' / 'The Devil Is Coming While Blowing The Whistle' or 'Devils Flute’. It is the original soundtrack to Kôsei Saitô’s 1979 mystery and suspense movie, ‘Devil’s Flute’. The film is based on a story by the famous author, Seishi Yokomizo, and is centred around a much-loved fictional Japanese detective, Kosuke Kindaichi. A Japanese Sherlock Holmes that has been popular for generations.

Hozan Yamamoto was invited to compose the soundtrack directly by the producer of the film, Haruki Kadokawa. Mr Kadokawa also hired keyboard player and producer Yu Imai as assistant producer on the project, resulting in a stunning cosmic, breaks and beats-laden, funk, disco soundtrack extravaganza.

When it comes to the soundtrack and the technology of the time, Hozan Yamamoto and Yu Imai got inventive, tripped out, funked up, and experimented, creating a quirky soundtrack masterpiece that needed to be heard more outside of Japan. Differing from the more traditional Japanese music orientation of some of his other albums such as 'Beautiful Bamboo-Flute' (also released on Mr Bongo) the album showcases a number of genres, from lush atmospheric incidental music to disco and funk grooves, experimental nuggets, drum and flute workouts, to neo-classical and more.

A special record that showcases the further depths of this wonderful musician's talents.

Chilly was a German Euro disco/rock band active from 1978 to 1983. They were created and produced by composer and book author Bernt Moehrle. Their first album “For your Love” included an 11:50 cover of the classic Yardbirds suite “For Your Love”, with brand new arrangements by Christian Kolonovits and Bernt Moehrle

feat. James Gadson & Paulinho Da Costa!

Finally, Marlena Shaw’s timeless cover of Diana Ross’ ‘Touch Me In The Morning’ gets the official, remastered, reissue treatment alongside the downtempo, slow jam - ‘Shaw Biz / Suddenly It’s How I Like To Feel'.‘Touch Me In The Morning’ is as iconic a track as you’ll ever hear, becoming a huge anthem of discotheques the world over. A tale of lost love, capturing the emotions and exposed honesty of a separation, contrasted with those intrinsically uplifting string and horn sections. It is a truly epic embodiment of strength and courage that Shaw’s vocals summon from your very soul.

Taana Gardner's s/t NYC disco classic from 1979 is celebrating its 40th anniversary! Happy birthday! Nicely repressed, remastered and spread across 2 x 12" sides of wax we have this mammoth, benchmark record back on the streets.

2021 repress. Candido Cameron was a Cuban percussion maestro who had played with luminaries such as Dizzy Gillespie, Buddy Rich and Count Basie throughout his illustrious musical career which started in 1952. Fast forward to 1979 and Candido finds himself caught up in the Disco boom that had engulfed his adopted New York City. Feeling he could add his trademark quick-fire Conga and Bongo playing to Disco's straight 4 x 4 syncopated rhythm he cut some records with legendary NYC label Salsoul. The fruits of this partnership were 2 full length LP's and a handful of 12" singles that changed the face of underground Disco."Jingo" is an all-time classic dance record, sampled, edited, re-configured and coveted by too many names to mention! It's a killer funky Disco version of master Nigerian drummer Olatunji's 1969 percussion suite of the same name, Salsoul style, while over on the flip we have one of the deepest Disco records of all time; "Thousand Finger Man" a testament to Candido's percussion prowess and a spacey, beautiful voyage that has left more than an indelible mark on modern House music, often being cited as a huge influence by artists such as Masters At Work and more. Essential stuff basically, every collection should have a copy!

Tyrone Davis was a hugely prolific Blues & Soul singer who was born in Mississippi in 1937. He started his career as Blues legend Freddie King's personal chauffeur and valet and cut a few Soul 45's that didn't make too much noise at the time. A few years later things had turned around for young Tyrone and he'd caught the ear of Chicago music impresario Carl Davis who had just set up his own label - Dakar Records. Having worked with legendary outfits including The Chi-Lites, Bohannon, Jackie Wilson and many more, Carl Davis was exactly the link that Tyrone needed to gain more exposure for his music. After a very successful career with Dakar and almost 25 singles with the label across 7 years, Tyrone signed to major Columbia which is where, in 1978, this much sought after promo-only Disco jammer came from. Released in limited quantities and only available as a Columbia white-label DJ promo 'Get Up (Disco)' is a total mid-tempo burner, raw funked-out Soul of the highest degree! True underground Disco flavour here, one for the freaks, smooth, but heavy enough to cause some serious damage in the dance. Featured here in it's original promo 12" mix, untouched and backed with the equally dope 'In The Mood' from 1979. Some of you will undoubtedly recognise 'In The Mood' as a jam that was heavily sampled by The Beatnuts, Faith Evans, MC Eiht, Redman and more! This one's a low slung, lights down lovers jam and the perfect foil to the A-side. Two heavyweight jams on one 12", remastered from the original source material and 100% legit, reissued with the full consent of Sony / Columbia Records. Essential for all Disco / Soul / Funk fans.

Limited edition of 100 copies, hand-numbered on label side A.
Includes A4 info sheet.

Originally released in 1979 on Dominant Records, the two songs, produced by Antonio Iglio and Antonio Moxedano, became a total cult through the years, a collector item if there is one. The original 7 inch is one of the most wanted and rarest, impossible to find, with few copies appearing in the second hand market at hundreds quotations, a true milestone in the underground Neapolitan Disco Funk sound released between the end of the Seventies and early Eighties in a lot of small, unknown labels. The fever around Tigre / Gennarino ‘O Sioux by Tonica & Dominante was so high that influenced a new wave of Neapolitan acts like Nu Guinea (Nu Genea) and also compilations of other singles from the past like “Napoli Segreta”. Finally reissued on Archeo Recordings, the first time appearing on 12 inch, Tigre and Gennarino ‘O Sioux are remastered for the Archeo release and each track backed by a Vocal Dub version done by italian dance music legends Leo Mas & Fabrice, two superb and extended grooves that will be fire for the Balearic/Nu-Disco scene.

produced and arranged by Bootsy Collins & Fred Wesley

We are proud to announce another belter of a double-sided monster. Welcome to the brilliant Herbie Hancock with the always in-demand slinky groover Stars In Your Eyes on the much coveted 11.21 "special disco remix".
This is quite simply one of the smoothest Disco rides you will ever take with a production made in heaven and a vocalist supreme with Gavin Christopher taking it to another level. Find an original U.S. promo of this if you can.
There's lookalikes about which are inferior quality! As if that wasn't enough, we've only gone and paired it with the hugely rare U.S. promo-only 12" "special
disco remix" of the scintillating Saturday Night.
This is as rare as hens teeth and you'd be lucky to find a mint one for less than €50.
Featuring an extended percussion break from the fantastic Sheila E, this a very different mix to the original album version and was never widely circulated at the time.
So another nice rare gem. As double-siders go, this really takes some beating. Order with confidence because this will still be selling for years to come.

Le Stim was a band formed by lead vocalist Donald Jennings in the late 70s. Now an ordained deacon back in Detroit, Jennings was brought up in a gospel environment and was said to be born to sing.