If you've followed the legendary producer/CHIC co-founder Nile Rodgers on Facebook or Twitter, you've no doubt realized that he's been combing through his archives for some projects, including his autobiography and a forthcoming box set chronicling The CHIC Organization and its productions. Finally, news of the latter has broke from someone other than Rodgers himself: Rhino France, through their Facebook page, has issued the first details about Nile Rodgers Presents The CHIC Organization Vol. 1: Savoir Faire.
Due for release on October 18, the label promises to include music from CHIC, Norma Jean, Sister Sledge, Sheila & B Devotion, Diana Ross, Fonzi Thornton "and many more surprises to come." In addition to a wealth of unreleased material spread over four discs, the set will include some new remixes by producer Dmitri from Paris; Rhino France has released a two-minute teaser of his new mix of Norma Jean's "Saturday." (Dmitri from Paris is a notable remixer because he usually eschews new instruments or overdubs for creative reuse of the existing material, so anyone fearing an overly revisionist remix has nothing to worry about, really.)
Not surprisingly, there's no word yet on an American equivalent or release, but The Second Disc will surely bring you more info as it comes. Ahhhhh, freak out!
I've been waiting forever for this to come out as Nile has been hinting at a possible box set release for years. I'm a bit confuses as to the fact that this is a volume 1, like will this cover 1977-1980 only (the most succesful years for CHIC as a band) and will volume 2 cover 1981-1990 and include productions Nile and Bernard did seperately for artists such as Madonna, Power Station, Jody Watley etc?
I'm hoping this set will include some tracks off of the legendary Johnny Mathis produced album, snippets of which are finally available on the net and sound great!
Johnny's got nothing to lose at this stage of the game, with more than 50 years (and counting!) of recording. His new MATHIS IN NASHVILLE disc is being released later this year...it really would be a wonderful treat for all of his fans to finally let these tracks see release. Fingers crossed!
I'll have to dig up some of that Mathis stuff on the net. Curious what he sounds like with Chic production.
I, for one, won't be satisfied unless the box set includes "Come to Butt-head".
As someone fortunate enough to have heard the entire album repeatedly- I can tell you it is awesome.
Johnny sings his ass off. It's great to hear Mathis "re-cast" as an almost bad-ass. He comes off far better than the similar experiment with Luther Vandross producing Gregory Hines. Gregory Hines sounded like what he WAS- if that makes sense.
Johnny on the other hand sounds like he woke up on Bernard's couch a little buzzed and just felt like singing, jamming vocally with the band- and somebody left the recording light off. There is a sense of lightness to the session that goes against the stuffy reserved Mathis image.
And to be blunt...it's a BLACK MUSIC album. DIG?
And to be equally blunt the UK written CHIC book pretty much gives credence to the free, buzzed, happy Johnny theory. I mean, what label really wants their talent to be happy...?
I would have sh*t my drawers if I were one of those old timey Kentucky colonels that used to walk the halls of Black Rock too....and heard this? "Chances arrrreee.....that this wont re-leased while I'mm working hhhhherrre" (feel free to sing-along)
Anyway because I can....I'll tell you that you should ALSO look forward to the Tom Moulton remix version of Everybody Dance and another track. Imagine Rhino France picking Dmitri from PARIS (ahem, ahem) to preview this box set over MOULTON??
Nationalism wins every time.......
DC (over and out...a little buzzed myself)
I'm curious to hear more of the Mathis sessions (if they will be included) From what I heard so far, they are really good.
I don't mind different volumes, as I really want the "peak" years. I have the "Definitive Groove" Collection released by Atlantic a few years ago, and I really only listen to disc one (the hit years). Just my preference, though...
I'm glad Warner France are giving the go-ahead for this release. It's been eons in the making and apparently Rhino US doesn't want to do it. So they can plug Dimitri from Paris all they want, I'm happy this is finally coming out! Rhino France also did a great Donny Hathaway box set last year which I can highly recommend.
Clips from the Mathis sessions can be heard at http://www.chictribute.com
http://twitter.com/#!/nilerodgers/status/24499659216