Professor Eddy

My favourite track of 2012 so far is the catchy debut single from Alison Valentine (picture). I like her video of ‘ Peanut butter ’ in which she sort of gets kidnapped by a pirate surf dude (who wears a 32 year old shirt…). She claims to be influenced by Michael and Janet Jackson, Prince, Donna Summer and the Italo-disco genre. She owns a floral design company by day, because she hasn’t earned any money from her music yet. She tells that on her debut EP there will be a b-side to ‘Peanut Butter’ as well as a Sugarcubes cover, both done in the production style of ‘Peanut Butter’: ‘ They fit together nicely as a little collection ’ (full interview on NYU Local ). Valentine recently released a couple of remixes of ‘Peanut butter’ on Soundcloud, for instance the nu-disco / early house ‘ Moon Boots remix ’ and the hip hop one from Married to the Mob (sampling ‘Regulate’ from Warren G.) that I play in this 17th episode of ‘ Groovy, sexy & soulful ’. Enjoy! Tracklist: Professor Eddy ...

Major Harris – This Is What You Mean To Me (1976) Philadelphia soul singer Major Harris died last week, only 65 years of age. This track, written by Terry Collins, is the b-side to his single ‘Laid back love’. ‘Love won’t let me wait’ was his biggest hit. It reached number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the number one spot on the R&B chart in 1975. State Department – Slow Love (1977) This is on a new disco compilation called ‘Under the influence 2’, which is out on Z Records, a company founded by disco connoisseur Joey Negro. Chuck Strong – Doin' It Cause It Feels Good (1983) From the best compilation album of 2012, ‘Private Wax: Super Rare Boogie And Disco’, which came out on BBE Records in August. The original of ‘Doin’ it’ (written by Willie Hutch) was sung by Gwen McCrae a year prior to this version of Chuck Strong. Sydney Joe Qualls ‎– So Sexy [The Apple Scruffs Edit] (1979) The original is from his same-titled album. His voice reminds me of Al Green. Ste...

Let’s put on our rollerskates and dance (if possible with skates on...) 'Bring on the love’ is one of the outstanding tracks in this mix. The song is a real treat from American soul singer Gloria Jones. She is most famous for her sixties northern soul classic ‘Tainted love’. In the 1970s she became the girlfriend of British singer Marc Bolan, the inventor of glam rock with his band T-Rex. Jones joined T-Rex as a keyboard player and backing vocalist. She also inspired him to choose for a more disco-oriented direction. After having a child, their time together came to a tragic end. The T-Rex singer died in a car accident near his home after a concert in 1977, with Jones at the wheel. She moved back to Los Angeles with their son Rolan. ‘Tainted love’ became a worldwide hit for Soft Cell in 1981. When you are halfway the mix, you can hear the politically very incorrect lyrics from Kim Hart: Boy, if you choose me, It's okay to use me, I wouldn't fight it, I might even l...

When I finished this mix I realized there were a lot of trumpet players in it (Herb Alpert, Eddie Henderson, Tom Browne), which makes this 'steamy' mix, even more steamy! One of the most outstanding funky tracks on this second part of 'Steamy Soul Funk & Disco' is ‘Soul train’ from Little Richard. This is what Derek’s Daily 45s has to say about it: "Even though Little Richard's career never recovered commercially after his abrupt departure from the music business in 1957, the man cut some of the hottest wax of his career during the 1966-1968 period (including the incredible "I Need Love"). The Chicago session features the Jackie Wilson/Brunswick records house band (that later became Syl Johnson's Pieces Of Peace) scorching away, Richard testifying (and laying out a fabulous signature WOO at the end), driven steadily by the bubbling bass of Bernard Reed, and produced by the great Carl Davis. What a team, what a record!" If you like thi...