Best Of 70s Soul Summer Edition

Barry White

Enjoy this summer edition of ‘Best Of 70s Soul’! The tracks by Jay Black and Ecstasy, Passion & Pain are from the brilliant Roulette compilation album ‘Disco music is a passion’ that I bought for only one euro last week. 'Never never gonna give ya up' by Barry White​ is on the soundtrack of the excellent new movie Baby Driver​. The song reached top ten in the Netherlands in 1974. The ‘walrus of love’ was a disco pioneer by recording ‘Love’s theme’ with his Love Unlimited Orchestra and many solo records in the mid-seventies. When disco reached its peak at the end of the decade, White’s popularity was already declining. His typical ‘slow disco’ sound with spoken sexual innuendo was copied countless times at that point, so he was not that unique anymore. He was rediscovered in the nineties, when R&B and hip hop artists began to sample his work extensively. Barry White died on Friday the 4th of July, 2003, after a lengthy battle with numerous health problems, at the age of 58.

If you have a copy of Tony Wilson's debut album, keep it in your vault, because it's extremely rare. This singer, bassist and songwriter was born 8 October 1947 in Trinidad and he co-founded Hot Chocolate with Errol Brown in 1968. After their first hits (he co-wrote and played bass on 'Emma', for instance) he left the band in 1976 to pursue a solo career. 'I like your style' went to #12 on the Dutch Top 40 a year later.

Next week a new episode of Mellow Moods by The Smooth Operators.

Tracklist:

Sun – Sun Is Here (1978)
The Imperials ‎– Fast Freddie The Roller Disco King (1979)
Laura Taylor – Dancin’ In My Feet (1978)
The Stylistics – Fly! (1978)
Al Matthews ‎– Fool (1975)
Ecstasy, Passion & Pain ‎– Passion (1976)
Michael Nesmith – Rio (1977)
Labi Siffre ‎– Watch Me (1972)
New World – We're Gonna Make It (1972)
Little Betty Baker – Stop Boy (What You’re Doing Is Wrong) (1971)
Linda Lewis ‎– Baby I'm Yours (1976)
Sly And The Family Stone ‎– Runnin' Away (1972)
Jay Black – One Night Affair (1976)
Barry White ‎– Never Never Gonna Give Ya Up (1973)
Raydio ‎– Is This A Love Thing (1978)
Steely Dan – Fez (1977)
Larry Carlton – Where Did You Come From (1978)
Tony Wilson – I Like Your Style (1976)
Dee Dee Sharp Gamble ‎– Nobody Could Take Your Place [Funkhunt Re-Cut] (1977)