Friday 6 November 2009

Re-discoveries

After a long gap I've finally got another mix of my favourite dance and slow dance tracks together. A few notable ones here for example, track no 3 was composed for the Canadian horror film Prom Night. It's one of the few horror films I know of with a disco soundtrack. The female vocalist was never credited, so I've listed it under composer / arranger Paul Zaza.

Track no 4, Dolly My Love by The Moments was never one I was particularly fond of - until now! By chance I happened to hear it while supermarket shopping this week, and suddenly thought what a great, happy sounding dance track.

Wasn't sure about including track 5, by Andy Williams, but it's a good example of "celebrity disco", a phenomenon that occurred around 1979 when a mixed bag of established artists started recording disco tracks - ironically just as the disco bubble was about to burst, in the US at least.

The Steely Dan track at no 7 was another re-discovery for me. I recently found the album Can't Buy a Thrill in a Manchester charity shop, and was struck by how strong this track is. Ditto with Maria Muldaur at no 8 - known the song for years, but it really does repay another listen.

I've used the Banzaii track so much lately, just because I love it. I guess at the time it was very much the poor relation of Carl Douglas's "Kung Fu Fighting" but of the two I reckon I now prefer Banzaii.

We finish up with Barbra Streisand and Guilty. Never a huge Streisand or Bee Gees fan - this is actually a duet with Barry Gibb - but I just love this, and it seems an ideal slow dance track.

Here's the complete listing:

























1.00:00Gary's Gang - Keep on Dancing1978
2.04:25Peter Gatah - Rock Me Now1980
3.06:29Paul Zaza - Prom Night1980
4.15:02The Moments - Dolly My Love1975
5.21:22Andy Williams - Love Story1979
6.23:44Raydio - Jack and Jill1977
7.26:06Steely Dan - Do It Again1972
8.29:51Maria Muldaur - Midnight at the Oasis1974
9.35:22Banzaii - Chinese Kung Fu1975
10.39:58Barbra Streisand - Guilty1980




Please note this mix is presented for information and demonstration only in a low bitrate mono stream

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