Now if you’re of a certain age the tracks on Disco Boogie, the follow up to Disco Discharge: Diggin’ Deeper represents the underground sounds of the club scene as championed by Vincent, Edwards and so many more.

Of course, whilst the kids thought we were all so trendy and cool, the tracks on this 20 track double CD were just as likely to cross-over to the mainstream. And even if they didn’t, they’re now etched into our consciousness so much

Even jazz funkers from the mid/late 70s needed a bit of disco boogie to boost their cash balances, some being more obvious (Average White Band) than others (Eumir Deodato). Whilst many of these tracks are taken from the cusp of the electro period which happened with the emergence of the disco remix DJ’s, particularly Shep Pettibone.

D-Train’s ‘Keep On’ was so huge and influential (getting the special Francois K treatment hear), it’s easy to take it out of the context of the big female vocal (on here there’s Sharon Redd, Cheryl Lynn, Donna McGhee, Maxine Singleton and Skyy to name just a few).

So whilst there’s echos of “Top Twenty” acts like Shalamar (Feel) to Wah Wah 45s Talc (Vin Zee) - from the old to the new - there’s funk in that there boogie which made it easy to crossover from jazz to jazz-funk to funky-disco to disco (and back again): I’ll give it to you Conquest!

Of course you’ll always find one bad apple (usually with cheese implants) and on this collection, it’s the Nick Straker Band’s ‘Straight Ahead’ and Cheryl Lynn just about saves ‘Georgy Porgy’, the debut by MOR hair rockers Toto.

It’s not all well known tracks as there’s some first time CD appearances including the ‘Summer Breeze’ jazz-flutey one `Switch’ (by Benelux And Nancy Dee) and a cover of the standard `Autumn Leaves’ By Illusion Orchestra (otherwise known as Jolley and Swain of Imagination fame) but you’ll guess that from the trademark production anyway.

All tracks are 12” of long album versions and once more, the extensive sleeve notes are by Alan Jones the co-author of Saturday Night Forever: The Story Of Disco.

If you need to be reminded just how good you were at dancing to these tunes, it’s an essential purchase and if you don’t, it still is. In fact, everything is total Disco Discharge!

Reviewed: V/A - Disco Discharge: Disco Boogie (Harmless) Cat. No. HURTCD095 Release date: June 2010
Tracklistings: Disc: 1
1. Average White Band - Let’s Go Round Again (Original 12” Mix) (6.23)
2. Feel - I’d Like To (Original 12” Mix) (6.39)
3. Vin Zee - Funky Bee Bop (Original 12” Mix) (6.51)
4. Sybil Thomas - Rescue Me (Original 12” Mix) (6.36)
5. Cashmere - Inner Feelings (Original Album Version) (5.56)
6. Al McCall - Hard Times (Original 12” Mix) (4.58)
7. Sharon Redd - Love How You Feel (Original 12” Mix) (6.59)
8. Carte Blanche - Do You Like It Like That (Original 12” Mix) (5.43)
9. Benelux And Nancy Dee - Switch (Original 12” Instrumental Mix) (6.23)
10. Donna McGhee - Do As I Do (Original 12” Mix) (10.19)
Disc: 2
1. Toto Featuring Cheryl Lynn - Georgy Porgy (Special Disco Mix) (5.06)
2. Terri Wells - You Make It Heaven (Original 12” Mix) (5.24)
3. Illusion Orchestra - Autumn Leaves (Original 12” Mix) (4.25)
4. Deodato - Night Cruiser (Original 12” Mix) (6.14)
5. Skyy - Call Me (Original 12” Mix) (6.19)
6. Maxine Singleton - You Can’t Run From Love (Original 12” Club Mix) (6.40)
7. Conquest - Give It To Me (If You Don’t Mind) (Original 12” Mix) (6.52)
8. D Train - Keep On (Francois Kevorkian 12” Remix) (9.26)
9. Nick Straker Band - Straight Ahead (Original 12” Mix) (6.41)
10. Alisha - Baby Talk (Special 12” Remix by Shep Pettibone) (6.44)

Links:
www.harmlessrecordings.co.uk
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disco