Outaspace Funk & Disco
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| Picture: Blake's 7 |
Alison Valentine – Curious (2014)
Will 2014 be the break trough year of Alison Valentine? I hope so!
Dâm-Funk – Missin' U (2013)
Dâm-Funk is one part of 7 Days of Funk. The other part is Snoop Dogg, of course. They recently released their brilliant debut album.
Odyssey – Who? (1974)
This is a ‘one single only’ disco project from synthesizer player and movie composer Vangelis Papathanassiou (‘Chariots of fire’), who is also known for his work with Aphrodite’s Child. Former singer of that band, Demis Roussos, sang this song as well a couple of years later. He called it ‘I dig you’. He did it with more self-confidence and power, which gave the song a totally different meaning.
Atmosfear – Dancing In Outer Space (1979)
Atmosfear's most significant contribution to disco was the slightly loony 'Dancing in outer Sspace,' a track that has remained popular with underground disco fanatics since its release.
The Real Thing – Love Takes Tears (1982)
Originally a Johnny Bristol track, but this is very well done by British band The Real Thing.
Risqué – Starlight (1982)
Dutch girl group that had some success in the US. After their single 'Go for it!', they suddenly disappeared in outer space, not to be ever heard of again.
Norman Connors – Captain Connors (1978)
Jazz drummer Norman Connors crossed over to the R&B market with his superb album ‘This is your life’. The track ‘Captain Connors’ can be found on it.
Five Star – Find The Time (1986)
Three sisters and two brothers formed British act Five Star. They made some nice pop / R&B singles during the mid-eighties.
Black White and Co – Action For Love (1981)
Black White & Co. was a French formation that made several releases including a few LP’s. The rare 12 inch 'Action For Love' is highly sought after and the track is also included on their 'Black White & Co.' album. The maxi single was released in three different countries: France, Holland and Canada and features 'Get The Funk' on the flip.
Stanley Turrentine – Spaced (1975)
This one sounds almost exactly as ‘Strange funky games and things’ from Love Unlimited Orchestra (Barry White), but the wonderful saxophone of Stanley Turrentine makes it really special! Turrentine played with many legendary jazz musicians, like Ray Charles and John Coltrane. He died in 2000.
Jimmy Castor Bunch – Space Age (1976)
Jimmy Castor is also a saxophonist (he started as a doowop singer). He had some novelty disco hits in the seventies like ‘King Kong’, but made some great funk tracks as well, like this one.
Bennie Maupin – Water Torture (1977)
This is jazz funk at its best with another great saxophone player, Bennie Maupin. From his best album ‘Slow traffic to the right’. Patrice Rushen (‘Forget me nots’) is on keyboards.
Rance Allen Group – Peace Of Mind (1977)
This Detroit-based, traditionally trained gospel family group were the first gospel musicians who incorporated rock, jazz, and soul into their songs. This sublime piece of work from their album ‘Say my friend’ has the amazing Mizell brothers at the production helm.
Carl Douglas – I Don’t Care What People Say (1974)
Jamaican born Englishman Carl Douglas is known for his disco novelty hit ‘Kung fu fighting’ (originally a b-side), but just a very few people knew at the time that he was a very decent soul singer as well. This is from his only success album that was strangely called ‘Kung fu fighting and other great love songs’ in the US.
Jimmy Bo Horne – Dance Across The Floor (1978)
Written and produced by Harold Wayne Casey (KC) and Richard Finch. Recently sampled by Pixie Lott ('Nasty').
Standing Room Only – Star From The Sky (1982)
I'm not quite sure, but I believe this magnificent funk band made only one album, for some reason. It was called 'Heart and soul' and was released in 1982.
The Miracles – Love Machine (1975)
I'm just a love machine
And I won't work for nobody but you,
I'm just a love machine,
A huggin', kissin' fiend.
Jamiroquai – Space Cowboy (1994)
Jamiroquai has amassed a steady stream of hits in its native U.K. and experienced chart success in just about every other area of the world, with an irresistible blend of house rhythms and '70s-era soul/funk (the latter, especially, leading early on to claims of Stevie Wonder imitations).
Dwayne Ford – Lovin' And Losin' You (1980)
Recorded with Californian AOR heavyweights such as David Foster, Jay Graydon, Steve Lukather, Jeff Porcaro and Mike Porcaro, Dwayne Ford's album 'Needless freaking' was all set to make an impact but just before the launch his label Sefel Records suddenly went bust. CBS/Epic tried to rescue the project but the moment had passed, and like so much yacht rock from this era, it passed quietly into obscurity.
Sunfire – Shake Your Body [Soulsonic's Sheikh Your Booty Rewerk] (1982)
Based in New York, Sunfire are best remembered for ‘Young, free and single’ written by Rowland Smith, produced by Reggie Lucas and released by Warner Brothers in 1982. 'Shake your body' is from the same self-titled album. Marcus Miller played bass on it, James Mtume percussion and Norma Jean Wright (Chic) did the background vocals.
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