VOLUME 1 · NUMBER 6
Tom Savarese has 15 new releases for you.
Tom reviewed 138 new releases, and chose the following 15 for your dancing and listening pleasure. (This is a 2-record program.)
Find My Way (Part I) / Johnnymelfi's Unison. Johnnymelfi was kind enough to let the DISCONET audience have a pre-release preview of some of his new work. His "Sun… Sun… Sun" LP last summer, including "Have a Nice Weekend", received quite a bit of disco and radio play. "Find My Way" was written by Johnny, and recorded by Cameo in 1975 on Casablanca's Chocolate City label. (Bobby DJ is now remixing the Cameo tracks for use the Casablanca/Motown "Thank God It's Friday" movie this spring.) Johnny is in the final stages of developing a 7-8 minute version of the song, done by a new group he is producing called Unison. Tom presents the first movement (Part I) of the song. You'll probably want to use a few records before "Find My Way" to set your audience up to get the most out of this melodic, enchanting arrangement. We'll keep you posted as to when the final version will be released, and hope to have more from the LP on future programs.
Phases Of Reality / William Bell. Ray Yates in Paris turned Tom on to this song, which was released in 1972 by Stax prior to the real boom growth of disco. William Bell wrote and produced. Muscle Shoals Sound provided the rhythm, with strings and horns by the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and the Memphis Horns. Tom hopes that Stax will be getting the entire LP back into circulation. The disco market is now ready for William Bell.
The Gigolo And I / Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band. This is one of several rather unusual songs from the Savannah Band's new RCA LP, "Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band Meets King Penett." The melody, orchestration, and singing are mindblowing once you get into it. Tom feels that this song (as well as others on the LP) will grow on you and end up being among your overall disco favorites.
Ain't No Smoke Without Fire / Eddie Kendricks. This is from Eddie's first LP for Arista, "Eddie Kendricks/Vintage '78." You probably remember Eddie's smooth and rhythmic "Going Up In Smoke" at this time last year, so this is a logical followup. Jeff Lane produced.
Standing In The Rain / John Paul Young. John has an 8-piece band, and plays the guitar. His LP on Midsong International entitled "John Paul Young" was produced by Harry Vanda and George Young, and recorded in Sydney, Australia. The rhythm and arrangement is quite catchy, and makes a nice, building finish to this DISCONET set.
SPECIAL NOTE TO DJs: Side A runs 20:17, starting at a slow 96 BPM and building to 128 BPM.
Let's All Chant / The Michael Zager Band. Mike wrote this with Alvin Fields, and it's getting great dance floor reaction. The group is now completing an LP for Private Stock, with Jerry Love as Executive Producer. (Jerry was on our first program via Andrea True's "What's Your Name, What's Your Number.") We'll have a preview on a future program.
Be With You / Pierre Cléry. This snappy instrumental is from Black Sun (France), with a special disco mix by Orlando. It's hot in Europe, particularly France and Italy. Tom thanks Chicco, Fiorucci's music director, for turning him on to this. Your scores will help influence U.S. release.
Sapodilla Soca / Kalyan. This Caribbean disco beat on this song is irresistable. It's one of several floor warmers on Kalyan's MCA LP entitled "Trini Vibes." It was recorded in Canada, and produced by Tony "Champagne" Silvester.
Dance Down / Kathleen Del Casino. Kathleen's new song is another European favorite which is beginning to get some play in the U.S. It's on Trolley (France), which Polydor distributes, and keeps and expands the warmth developed by "Sapodilla Soca." It is intentionally lighter on the bass, and ends this set on a real upswing.
SPECIAL NOTE TO DJs: Side B runs 20:01, building slightly from 124 BPM to 128 BPM.
Night Fever / Carol Douglas. Carol was born in Brooklyn, won the Amateur Night at the Apollo Theatre when she was 10, modelled and appeared on TV shows, and worked with James Earl Jones and Cicily Tyson off-Broadway in "Moon On A Rainbow Shawl." Her first top-10 hit was "Doctor's Orders", with many following including "Midnight Love Affair." Her new release, making its world premiere on DISCONET, is "Night Fever", from RSO's "Saturday Night Fever" movie. This is being released as a single as well as the special disco version Tom selected. It's on Midsong International, produced by Ed O'Loughlin, with an LP in the final stages of completion. If all fevers were as hot as this, who would want to get well?
Melodies / Made I U.S.A. Musical innovation and reaching for perfection takes a lot of hard work. Made In U.S.A. rehearsed for two years, six days a week, six hours a day, to mold and perfect their unique sound. Darryl Gibbs started the group, which evolved into seven musicians (Darryl, Willie Slaughter, Herbert R.T. Aikens, Kevin Hood, Charles Morais, Ruben Faison, Greg Henderson) and one lead volcalist, Ms. Jann Harrison. The single version of "Melodies" began to get radio play immediately upon release, and this was, quickly followed by the group's debut album on De-Lite. Tom selected a hot new special disco version of "Melodies", mixed by Raphael Charres. It's a super job and super group, produced by Freida Nerangis and Britt Britten (a part of Cambrini Productions, which also handles the Crown Heights Affair.)
Macho Man… A Real, Real One / Celi Bee. Celi hit the disco charts with "Superman" last spring before its U.S. release, and her world premiere on this program should do the same. APA (T.K.), is releasing this new disco single, with an LP expected very soon. "Macho Man" was written and produced by Pepe Luis Soto, Celi's husband, who also produced the Rice & Beans Orchestra's "You've Got Magic" on the first DISCONET program. Celi's from Brooklyn, and she and Pepe now live in Puerto Rico. Before entering the disco scene, she did four very successful Spanish LPs, and has played at major clubs in Europe and Puerto Rico.
SPECIAL NOTE TO DJs: Bonus Side 1 runs 21:15, and builds from 118 BPM to 136 BPM.
Conquest Of The Stars / Space Project. Space Project is a new group in Canada produced by Dominic Sciscente and Michel Daigle, who, with Jacques LaFleche, wrote this very upbeat instrumental. It is becoming very popular in Canadian discos, and RCA (Canada) has a whole LP of what they're dancing to in between the force and other close encounters. And contrary to what you may have heard, DISCONET #3 was not on board the Russian spy satellite which crashed in Canada… but will be on our next moonshot to keep the astronauts in shape.
House Of The Rising Sun/Revelacion Suite / Revelacion. Cerrone's production house and label (Crocos, France) have done it again. "Supernature" (DISCONET #3) is #1 on the disco charts and starting to get radio action, Kongas' "Africanism" is charting as an import, and Revelacion's new treatment of "House of the Rising Sun" with the extra embellishments of "Revelacion Suite" is bound to follow. Cerrone produced the group at Trident Studios in London and Gang in Paris last December. The rising sun will heat up your dance floor.
SPECIAL NOTE TO DJs: Bonus Side 2 runs 18:58, and descends from 134 BPM to 124 BPM.
Happy Anniversary. The idea for DISCONET was born on top of Aspen Mountain one year ago. And right now, while you're playing DISCONET Number 6, the folks at the Paragon Ballroom in Aspen are as well. Ted Koutsoubos, the Paragon's owner, reports that Cher, George Hamilton, Pierre Trudeau, Diana Ross and thousands of other Aspen skiers have been getting off on the DISCONET programs, and DJ David Lax is getting a couple of breaks each evening and also loves the service, mixes, and songs.
Next Program: Tom will have another 2-record program for you. Europe/USA Connection is coming, courtesy of TK, as the states discover how it's done in Europe - with a special Yankee twist. And the Salsoul Orchestra is going on Broadway.