Theo Parrish - Ugly Edits #4

The Dells, "Get On Down (Theo Parrish Re-edit)" (YSI link)

Minnie Ripperton, "Stick Together (Theo Parrish Re-edit)" (YSI link)

Let's get back ready for the weekend with some disco . That's right, more Ugly Edits from Theo Parrish! We've posted up one or two other volumes of this series, essential music, some of the greatest edits that I've ever heard, as the Detroit techno third waver and Chicago house-man shows his disco side.

The "Get On Down" edit has sweaty dancefloor written all over it. It's an 11 minute soul workout that really never lets up, getting The Dells ready to take over at peak hour. Parrish has added a rubbery bass that keeps the whole thing moving; amazingly it never gets boring despite the length. I really love the strings on this one, they are out front and melodic. There's a really nice repetitive sound to this one, as Parrish brings a new disco style to the old disco sound. Great stuff.

I'm an even bigger fan of the Minnie Ripperton edit, as this one rewards close listening. There's so many little pieces that turn this one into a winner - piano vamping, Ripperton's whispers, finger snaps. Things stay on a slow burn for the first 5 minutes, then Parrish raises the flame by letting loose with some real vocal fireworks and brings it home strong.

Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes - Wake Up Everybody

Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, "Wake Up Everyday" (YSI link) 320

Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, "Keep On Lovin' You" (YSI link) 320

Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, "I'm Searching For A Love" (YSI link) 320

Here's the logical follow-up to our Dimitri From Paris edits, a return to the original source material, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes! Yeah! Here's a few tracks from their 1975 Philadelphia International LP, Wake Up Everybody, classic Philly Soul sound, Gamble & Huff produced songs. This is what it's all about: songs about love, happiness, freedom, the good things in life. There's very few things I would rather hear in the whole world, this is LIFE on vinyl.

The LP opens with a bang, the title track and my personal favorite "Wake Up Everybody." This is just seven minutes of slow burning soul, featuring beautiful lyrics calling us all to action to change the world. Perfect soundtrack for these post Bush, Obama days. The band provides a subtle groove underneath, letting Teddy Pendergrass preach on as only he can do for the full seven and a half minutes. "Keep On Lovin' You" keeps the good vibes and beautiful strings and horns music comin'. As I listen to it now, feel like this might be my favorite, such a classic love song, perfect for listening to with your loved one, lying in bed on a lazy Sunday afternoon without a care in the world. Finally, check out Sharon Paige's vocals on "I'm Searching For A Love," giving us the opposite side of the love coin. This one has a sort of Bacharach/David feel to it, probably because of the melancholy lyrics, backed up by some heartbreaking strings.

I'll just leave you with the refrain from "Wake Up Everybody," take them with you and think them over today: "The world won't get no better if we just let it be/The world won't get no better we gotta change it yeah, just you and me."

Dmitri From Paris - Southside Edits Vol. 1

Dimitri From Paris, "Madd Luck" (YSI link)

Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, "Bad Luck" (YSI link)

Dimitri From Paris, "Feeling About 'Cha" (YSI link)

Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, "Tell The World How I Feel About 'Cha Baby"

We're jumping right back in the mix here, with two edits from the master, Dimitri From Paris. Dude is probably best known now for his Playboy Mansion mixes, which feature a much more mellow, cocktail jazz, smooth disco vibe. But, the man is also responsible for some perfect, seriously funky, raucous disco edits and tracks and his Southside Edits Volume 1 gives you the perfect window onto that side.

Both of these cuts are edits of Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes songs, classic Philly Soul numbers that will remind you of why music is the greatest thing on Earth and Philly's its greatest city. Both are also furiously paced ragers, they get going quickly and never let up.

"Madd Luck" is my choice of the two, Dimitri's edit of "Bad Luck." There's just nothing like hearing Mr. Teddy Pendergrass belting out those "Satisfied"'s and "Down down down"'s over those beautiful strings, cymbal splashes, horn blasts, doubletime beat and vamping keys. Man, this needs to be the soundtrack to your life, this is LIFE MUSIC! Perfect for those days when nothing is going right, as it's sure to lift your spirits or provide company to your misery. For those wondering, Dimitri has mostly fucked with the drums, adding a kick drum to the mix that ups the pace and does away with the more relaxed original. The bass is also less prominent, making it less funky and deliberate.

"Feeling About 'Cha" adds an extended drums intro and outro, but for the most keeps things the same as the original, "Tell The World How I Feel About 'Cha Baby." Again, most of the edit revolves around the drums, as Dimitry has added a much more forceful beat, upping the tempo for the dancefloor. This one's on some feel good, I love my girl, the world is a beautiful place shit. If you don't love that, you don't love America, kittens or apple pie. Download all of this stuff, it doesn't get better.

Larry Levan - Live At The Paradise Garage Part 2

Larry Levan, Live At The Paradise Garage Disc 2 (YSI link) tracklisting in comments

Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Give thanks! I finally remembered to do a post on the second disc from this recording of Larry Levan spinning at the Paradise Garage. Long-time readers will know that I had planned to do this months ago, but it got lost in the hiatus I took. But, it's here now and you need to download this. People, this is life. This is love. This is sex. This is joy. This is pain. This is heaven's soundtrack, as I hear it. I can't say enough about these two discs. Whenever I am feeling a little down or sad or uninspired, I throw these on the iPod and just let the music take me to a better place. There's no greater compliment I can offer a DJ.

RIP Mr. Levan, the world is lesser without you.

Ashford and Simpson - Set It

Ashford and Simpson, "Don't Cost You Nothin'" (YSI link)

Ashford and Simpson, "Send It" (YSI link)

Ashford and Simpson, "Bourgie Bourgie" (YSI link)

For those who have had a chance to listen to the first disc of the Larry Levan mix, you couldn't help but have been struck by the opening instrumental song, a beautiful, keys-driven tune that starts things out so perfectly and lushly. That tune comes off of Ashford and Simpson's Set It LP from 1977. Ashford and Simpson were Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson, who actually originally made their name writing and producing hits for other artists, including Miss Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye and Chaka Khan. They worked at Motown working with a who's who of that label, but eventually left to make music on their own. Their names

This is their first album, one of many to come. This one is for the lovers in the audience, as Ashford and Simpson sing songs about love and sex in male-female duets. The music is mostly slower, soul-inspired stuff, not necessarily dancefloor burners. This is for those moments with your significent other, lying around the apartment, just hanging out together. In other words, this is grown folks music, not for the kids in their neon outfits partying to the latest electro remix. "Send It" was the only single to make the charts, a nice R&B slow jam featuring a flute, strings and piano that add up to something a little cheesy but still delicious. "Don't Cost You Nothin'" is a personal fav. It's all about this nasty bassline, gives the song a dirty, slinky feel that works perfectly with the back-and-forth male/female vocals. "Bourgie Bourgie" is the highlight, a perfect 6 minute instrumental that makes you feel like you are floating on a cloud.

No clue what we're going to be getting into this week coming up, so check in again soon and see what I'm feeling.

Larry Levan - Live At The Paradise Garage

Larry Levan, Live At The Paradise Garage Disc 1 (YSI link)

Wow, I killed Thanksgiving dinner, may have even eaten the plate in my gorging. Anyway, today is the day we give thanks for all that we have in life. I wanted to give thanks to all of my great readers, as you are the loves of my e-life. There's been an upswing in comments recently, which makes me so happy. I put comments right behind pastrami on rye on my top things in the world list, both of which are right behind sex and boobs.

I also want to give thanks for disco for saving my life. I can't think of more perfect musical statement of joy and giving thanks than this DJ set by Larry Levan at the legendary Paradise Garage. Throw this one on at some point this weekend and think of all the people you love, all of the great things in your life and all that is still to come. This is the soundtrack to those thoughts.

I've upped Disc 1 today for those who are newer readers. I promise to upload Disc 2 on Monday, as I had intended to do months ago. Celebrate! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Universal Robot Band - Dance and Shake Your Tambourine

Universal Robot Band, "Thyme" (YSI link)

Universal Robot Band, "Disco Boogie Woman" (YSI link)

Universal Robot Band, "Space Disco" (YSI link)

Okay, I got all that white boy blues out of my system, time to get back to the dancefloor. Not just any dancefloor, but a weirdo, space-y one in the late 70s, our favorite time. Universal Robot Band aren't just one of the best named bands ever, they also put out some rad disco music for a short stretch of two years. They began as a rock band called Pipeline, became the URB in 1976 and would drop two LPs and a handful of singles before taking on the Kleer name.

I mean, this is EXACTLY what the doctor ordered. Week's been shitty, weather's getting colder, essays won't write themselves, I ain't gonna be eating for 24 hours. Throw on any song from this LP, Dance and Shake Your Tambourine, and all of that will melt away a few notes in. The titles alone convey what a beautiful world the Universal Robot Band conjure up - "Making Love," "Doesn't It Feel Good," "Love and Understanding" and "Sunshine". I love it! Yeah! Pessimism and darkness be gone!

This LP is a classic piece of soulful funk, complete with duets, space out jams and obviously some hot tambourine action. While I love the lyrics and vocals, the real heat here is the music, which was written and produced by the legendary trio of Greg Carmichael, Patrick Adams and Leroy Burgess. It's everything you could want - danceable, stretched out, grooving. Check the unstoppable "Disco Boogie Woman," which features great horn work, a tight rhythm section and precise writing. Or "Space Disco," a nearly 12-minute freakout, where the female vocalists intone that "We are going to spaaaacee" and the band tries to get us there. There's so much great stuff I had a hard time picking a few songs to upload.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Disco saved my life, let it save yours. It's what the world needs now. We'll back at sundown tomorrow, with a full belly of bagels. Be rad until then everyone.

Donald Byrd and 125th Street, N.Y.C. - Love Has Come Around

Donald Byrd and 125th Street, N.Y.C., "Love Has Come Around" (YSI link)

It's Friday afternoon, the weekend is upon us, time to take things up a notch. Did you think I was joking about only wanting to hear songs about love and happiness? Oh, my friends, we don't joke about these things. We are deadly serious about those things right now.

I'm also deadly serious about this song, Donald Byrd and 125th Street, N.Y.C.'s "Love Has Come Around." Another masterpiece from that magical period that most refer to as the disco period and we call heaven, that period from the mid70s to early80s when soul and dance and funk came together and changed the world. This one dropped in 1981 on the Elektra label, produced by soul legend Issac Hayes. Byrd is probably best known for his jazz work over, having played in Art Blakely's Jazz Messengers and with notables like Eric Dolphy, John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins. By the time the 70s rolled in, he began to move a long way from hard bop, bringing his trumpet to bear on soul, funk and fusion.

"Love Has Come Around" is nearly eight minutes of pure, unadulterated joy. This song alone should make all the wars around the world come to an end, as those bright horns, jubilant keys and awesome vocals are sure to put a smile on your face, even if you have been trying to kill your enemy for years. It's got that nice warm, lush sound that disco specialized in, built over a steady beat and swirling organs. For me, the vocals are what take it to the next level, as I just want to hear people singing in falsettos about love and its sudden, unexpected arrival.

Wow, listening to it now makes me 100 times happier than I was in the preceding 5 seconds before cueing up the iTunes. I've said it before, I'll say it again. Disco saved my life, let it save yours. This is the first step on the road to recovery.

Stevie Wonder - Songs In The Key Of LIfe

Stevie Wonder, "Love's In Need Of Love Today" (YSI link)

Stevie Wonder, "Village Ghetto Land" (YSI link)

Stevie Wonder, "As" (YSI link)

Okay, things are almost back to normal. In the past few weeks, we have had our computer stolen, our phone broke and our wireless went out for a few days. Despite all of that, I feel pretty damn great and ready to get back into the thick of things here. We've got a new sick computer, we're rocking an iPod and listening to more music than we have in months and John McCain made the worst VP pick in history. Not bad, not bad at all. We aren't going to ease our way back in either; we're going right into the deep end this week, reminding everyone of what this blog is all about and why it's the best around.

We're starting with one of those Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect $200 albums, stone-cold essentials, a "you need this in your life or your life is unfufilled" jawns. Stevie Wonder's Songs In The Key Of Life. I've spent the past week listening to this one on repeat, feel like I've kinda lost Stevie in the waves of singles and new shit and digging. I forgot how utterly perfect this entire LP is, more than three decades later. Normally I save this for the end, but you need to buy this album ASAP. You just bought it? Good. Let's continue.

I've been trying to put my finger on what makes this one so great, beyond the fact that there's lots of great songs. The best I've come up with is that this is as human a work as there's ever been, timeless stuff that deals with life in all of its glory and hardship. He sings of love, sadness, politics, anger, you name it. I'm not the type to drone on about how they don't do it like they used to, but I'm not sure there are any popular artists today who would be willing to be this open and honest with their audience. Or maybe it's the fact that Wonder, even at his most exuberant, doesn't seem far away from remembering the dark places, the parts of the world and himself that hurt. One of his song titles sums it up perfectly: Joy Inside My Tears. I guess that's always been the key for me with non-dance music, that darkness-tinged perspective. Or maybe I just love the fact that the man talks about love and happiness so openly and unabashedly, as this is all I want to hear right now.

It's a sprawling, a 21-song, two-disc masterpiece and I cannot recommend it more highly. It was hard to choose songs to put up, as they are all good. This should be a good taste of what you can expect, including the bonus CD track "Saturn" that is totally cosmic. I truly believe that Stevie can make your life better and there's absolutely no reason to delay these changes. Buy the album now, thank me later. If you already have it, you know what to do. Spend today listening to this one and let the magic fill you all over again. Yeah!