Review: Dave Lee has described this epic album, his first under the lesser-known AC Soul Symphony alias, as not only a 'labour of love', but also a tribute to the soaring string sounds and musically expansive arrangements that marked out work by original 1970s disco acts such as the Salsoul Orchestra, MFSB and Love Unlimited. Predictably, Lee has delivered and then some, serving up a string of epic disco workouts that flit between sax-laden mid-tempo beauty ('Windy City Theme'), soaring Philly Soul revivalism ('The Philly Avengers', with its jammed-out, Billy Preston style electric piano licks), seductive slow-jams ('Music For Your Pleasure'), elongated invitations to hit the dancefloors ('I Want To See You Dance'), sparkling disco-funk ('AC Express'), Salsoul-esque outings ('Seneca Village') and tributes to disco greats ('The Talented Mr Adams', which doffs a cap to the great Patrick Adams).
Review: Dave Lee's Z Records bring us a 15-track, Ibiza-themed collection that, just like last year's offering, features a mixture of recent releases (such as recent Akabu single 'Highways', presented here in Cody Currie Remix form) and favourites from days gone by. In the latter camp, Raven Maize's 'The Real Life' gets a 2023 reworking courtesy of David Penn and The Sunburst Band's classic 'Until The End Of Time' is also treated to a 2023 Remaster, while Micky More & Andy Tee's Piano Mix of Doug Willis's 'Music Than Speaks Louder Than Words' from 2011 dropped late last year and Z Factor's 'Gotta Keep Pushing' returns in the less-played Salt City Orchestra Remix, which featured on the 1998 FFRR 12-inch but not the original 1996 Z release.
Review: Given his credentials and track record, it's unsurprising that original disco and boogie artists are willing to let Joey Negro play around with their biggest hits. His first stab at this kind of multi-track remix, 2014's Remixed With Love, was such a success that he's decided to unleash another swathe of revisions over two vinyl double-packs. This edition features some killer reworks, including a sublime, on-point rearrangement of Gwen McRae's "Keep The Fire Burning" and a rolling, dubbed-out version of Grace Jones' "Pull Up To The Bumper" that rivals Larry Levan's classic remix. The veteran producer also successfully turns Pockets' "Come Go With Me" into a classic soulful house rub, and pushes Thelma Houston's "I'm Here Again" further towards disco anthem territory.
Review: Joey Negro's Z Records have a remarkable knack for knocking out vintage compilation after vintage compilation. Here though, they've really discovered a rare niche of unmined gold courtesy of Nuphonic's David Hill who acts as selector. As Hill explains "gospel music has often followed trends in secular music" and this album captures 24 attempts of gospel getting on the disco and boogie trains. Highlights include the hiNRG longing of "I Need You", the electro-soul of "Love Is The Message" and the piano & strings frenzy of "Awake O Zion".
Review: For the sixth instalment in Z Records impeccable "Under The Infliuence" series of crate-digging compilations, boss man Dave Lee (AKA Joey Negro) has turned to fellow London scene veterans Simon and Robin Lee, AKA Faze Action. Their selections are, as expected, superb, mixing their own edits of familiar favourites (Midway's ace "Set It Off" and Mikki's "Dance Lover" for starters) with material that's as obscure and over-looked as you'd expect. Standouts in the latter category include the smooth '80s boogie of Leston Paul's "All Nite Tonight", the sublime Afro-disco of Bebe Manga, the thrillingly up-tempo hustle of Oscar Perry's "Body Movements", some superb South American disco from Don Lurio and Michele Claire's lesser-known version of disco favourite "In The Bush".
Review: Hit makers Rodgers and Edwards' mammothly influential Chic songs enjoy one of the finest curatorial salutes from UK disco's most discerning torch-bearer/creator Dave Lee. Digging deep into his vaults and unearthing some of the best homages, references and blatant covers, Negro join the dots and delivers some rarities you may have never heard before. Get lost in the music of She's shiny guitar strumming "Easy Money", freak out to Charanga 76's "Good Times" and get lucky with Van Jones's "Not About That"... Everyone knows about the hits and influence, most of us know how important a role Chic played in sample culture but Negro has gone the extra mile to celebrate some of the lesser known references Chic have had over the years. Freaking great.
Review: One of the soul scene's most influential DJs, it's little surprise that Colin Curtis' Jazz Dance Fusion compilations on Z Records have been so impressive. He's dived even deeper into his vast record collection on this third volume, serving up a fine array of both classic cuts and sought-after obscurities. There's naturally plenty of Latin jazz on show - the backbone of the jazz-dance scene since the 1970s - but also forays into spiritual jazz, Hammond-heavy dancefloor workouts (see the sweaty 'Yatra Ta' by Martin Johnson), soul-jazz (JuJu), energy-packed percussion jams (GeeW) and Afro-Latin fusion (The Drive).
Review: It's been eight long years since Joey Negro and Sean P compiled Supafunkanova, a killer collection of scorching funk jams from the disco and boogie era. This follow-up is, then, is well overdue. Happily, the track list is packed with even more obscure gems than the first - and that was hardly full of well-known fare. Naturally, there's much to admire amongst the 20 tracks, from the low-slung synths, P-funk attitude and sleazy vocals of Magnum Force's "Cool Out" and super-smooth jazz-funk of Samm Culley Band's "Walk", to the 12-minute sweaty grunt-a-thon that is Brenda Harris's brilliant "Making Love Will Make You Fit". In truth, we could have picked out another six or seven tracks as highlights; suffice to say, Supafunkanova Volume 2 is another quality collection.
Review: With Christmas party season in full swing, Joey Negro has decided to reissue a couple of classic jams from his disco/boogie/jazz-funk revival project, The Sunburst Band. Both "Here Comes The Sunburst Band" and "U Make Me Hot" were featured on the expansive live outfit's 1998 debut album, and one of the contained remixes of the latter track - by long-serving smooth groover Yam Who - first saw the light of day on vinyl in 2004. The other remixes, though, are brand new. Fouk turns "Here Comes The Sunburst Band" into a spiraling, toughened-up disco-house smasher, before jazz-leaning producer Daniel Producer delivers vocal and instrumental versions of "U Make Me Hot" that sit somewhere between smooth hip-hop soul and vintage Herbie Hancock.
Review: Dave Lee's first Produced With Love album was not only a celebration of his production credentials, but also a celebration of the music that has inspired and shaped his career over the years, namely soul, disco, boogie, jazz-funk and house. This follow-up, which lands 5 years after its predecessor, continues in a similar vein, with Lee offering up 12 new songs and a wealth of remixes of tracks by other artists. As you'd expect, it's an on-point collection, with the many highlights including the soulful disco-boogie bounce of Raw Essence hook-up 'Do It Again', the Omar-sporting dancefloor sunshine of 'Starlight', the boogie/soulful house fusion of 'Love Walked In The Roo his hot-stepping two-step disco tweak of Roland Whitingale's 'In Your Blood' and a string-laden disco rework of 'Mountains' by The Vision.
Review: Here we have two vintage funk giants, Joey Negro and Sean P, join forces to present a collection of 'badass funk classics from the disco boogie era'. Individually these guys are authorities on the genre, but combined they're positively the definitive voice. We've a whopping 24 choice cuts to wade through, highlights including the breaks-packed percussive gem "Clap Song", the saucy cosmic funk of "Come On And Rock" and the suggestive aerobic bass workout "Gigolette". An essential vintage compilation if ever we saw one!
Review: During the British jazz-dance scene's late '70s and early '80s boom, there were few DJs that the dancers loved more than Colin Curtis. Still DJing today after 50 years behind the decks, Curtis was a natural choice to put together Z Records' first compilation dedicated to jazz-dance, jazz-funk and fusion sounds. The album is something of a stunner, all told, full of deep selections, floor-burning favourites and high-grade workouts. There's naturally plenty of Latin jazz flavours on show, high-octane thrillers (See Eric Kloss's "The Samba Express"), swinging jazz-funk (check the superb Charles Earland track) and the kind of extended wig-outs that just make you want to bust some serious shapes.
Review: It's always a joy when a new Under The Influence compilation arrives from Z Records HQ. Even better when it's curated by none other than Sean P, the veteran disco/boogie producer pal of Joey Negro. Sean's diggin' skills are so legendary he even had his own section in the Music & Video Exchange and here he puts these skills to use, rustling up 27 dance obscurities. Highlights include the lo-fi UK funk jam "Bye Bye Baby" by Joanne Ellis, the dubbed-out punky bass mantra "Trinidad Rock" by King David and the percussion frenzy of Jimmy Spencer's mad cover of "Summertime".
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