For SoulMusic Records and The Second Disc, this is the Year of Salsoul.  The release of The Salsoul Orchestra's 8CD box set It's Good for the Soul: The Vince Montana Years (1975-1978) and the imminent arrival of sets from Loleatta Holloway and First Choice will be followed on September 20 by our latest co-branded title celebrating Philadelphia disco quartet Double Exposure.  My Love Is Free: The Salsoul Recordings (1976-1979) brings together expanded editions of all three of the group's Salsoul albums plus the newly-curated collection I Got the Hots: Remixes and Rarities, for a total of 46 tracks on 4 CDs.

The Philly foursome had begun their recording career at Stax's Volt subsidiary, recording enough material for an album but releasing just one single.  Another 45 followed for Branding Iron Records before Double Exposure caught the ear of MFSB guitarist Norman Harris, then carving out a niche as an in-demand producer and arranger.  The busy Harris secured the group (James Williams, Joseph Harris, Charles Whittington and Leonard "Butch" Davis) a contract with Salsoul and ushered its members into Sigma Sound for a date with many MFSB/Salsoul Orchestra veterans including Ron Kersey, Bobby Eli, Vince Montana, Don Renaldo, Larry Washington, Ronnie Baker, and Earl Young.  The extended, deliciously danceable "Ten Percent," penned under hurried conditions by Allan Felder and T.G. Conway, made it all the way to No. 2 on the Disco chart with its quintessential Harris groove.

Mixed by DJ Walter Gibbons, the 12-inch disco release inaugurated the era of the commercially-available 12-inch single, transforming the music industry in the process.  Double Exposure's debut album was titled after the hit song which preceded it, and Ten Percent the long-player flaunted the versatility of its members.  The album is steeped not just in disco, but in pure soul.  The 1976 album was followed by two more for Salsoul: 1978's punningly-titled Fourplay and 1979's Locker Room.  The first two LPs featured productions from Norman Harris while Locker Room was helmed by Philly stalwarts including Bunny Sigler, Ron Baker, Ron Kersey, and Bruce Hawes.

My Love Is Free: The Salsoul Recordings (1976-1979) has been compiled by Tim Dillinger for God's Music Is My Life, who has co-produced the set with historian Craig Seymour and TSD's Joe Marchese.  Nick Robbins has remastered all of the audio, and John Sellards has designed the 28-page, full-color booklet which features new liner notes by DJ Dyn-O-Mite of Substack column Jointzoftheday.org.  The four discs (all adorned with replica Salsoul labels) are housed in individual wallets replicating the original cover artwork for each title; they're housed within a clamshell case.

Look for this celebration of soul-disco pioneers Double Exposure on September 20 from SoulMusic Records, Cherry Red, and The Second Disc.  You'll find pre-order links for My Love Is Free: The Salsoul Recordings (1976-1979) below!  As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Double Exposure, My Love Is Free: The Salsoul Recordings (1976-1979) (SoulMusic/Second Disc SMCR-5217BX, 2024) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Cherry Red)

CD 1: Ten Percent (Salsoul LP SZS 5503, 1976)

1. Ten Percent (7:06)
2. Gonna Give My Love Away (3:10)
3. Everyman (7:21)
4. Baby I Need Your Loving (5:43)
5. Just Can't Say Hello (3:13)
6. My Love Is Free (7:37)
7. Pick Me (3:19)

Bonus Tracks

8. Ten Percent (Original Walter Gibbons 12-inch Disco Mix) (9:41) (Salsoul 12-inch single 12D-2008, 1976)
9. Ten Percent (Original Ken Cayre 12-inch Mix) (7:26) (Salsoul 12-inch single 12D-2008, 1976)
10. My Love Is Free (Original Tom Moulton Mix) (9:37) (Salsoul 12-inch single 12D-2016, 1976)
11. Everyman (7" Version) (2:42) (Salsoul single SZ-2013, 1976)
12. My Love Is Free (Walter Gibbons Disco Madness Remix) (4:53) (from Disco Madness, Salsoul LP 8518, 1979)

CD 2: Fourplay (Salsoul LP SA 8501, 1978)

1. I Declare War (5:56)
2. Handy Man (2:59)
3. Why Do You Have to Leave (4:17)
4. Falling in Love (5:28)
5. Newsy Neighbors (4:51)
6. Perfect Lover (5:02)
7. There Is No Reason (4:30)
8. There's Something Missing (4:37)

Bonus Tracks

9. Newsy Neighbors (Special 12-inch Mix) (5:42) (Salsoul 12-inch single SG-2069, 1978)
10. Perfect Lover (7" Version) (3:10) (Salsoul single S7 2079, 1978)
11. I Declare War (7" Version) (3:06) (Salsoul single S7 2079, 1978)
12. Newsy Neighbors (7" Version) (3:09) (Salsoul single S7 2069, 1978)

CD 3: Locker Room (Salsoul LP SA 8523, 1979)

1. I Got the Hots (For Ya) (6:58)
2. (Where Have You Been) All My Life (3:56)
3. Can We Be in Love (6:00)
4. Ice Cold Love (6:06)
5. I Wish That I Could Make Love to You (6:05)
6. Why Do We Have to Go Our Separate Ways (6:00)

Bonus Tracks

7. I Got the Hots (For Ya) (Bobby DJ Guttadaro Mix) (8:53) (Salsoul 12-inch single SG 304, 1979)
8. I Got the Hots (For Ya) (Guttadaro & Cayre Mix) (7:49) (Salsoul 12-inch single SG 304, 1979)
9. I Got the Hots (For Ya) (7'' Single) (3:30) (Salsoul single S7 2091, 1979)
10. All of My Lovin' (Extended Club Mix) - Jimmy Williams (7:16) (Salsoul 12-inch single SG 414, 1983)
11. All of My Lovin' (Instrumental) - Jimmy Williams (4:24) (Salsoul 12-inch single SG 414, 1983)

CD 4: I Got the Hots: Remixes and Rarities

1. My Love Is Free (Strings and Horns) (2:02) (Salsoul 12-inch single 20-6503-1, 2001)
2. My Love Is Free (Frankie Knuckles Knuckledusted Club Mix) (6:40) (UK Salsoul 12-inch single SALSBMG03LP, 2017)
3. Everyman (Original Joe Claussell 12'' Disco Mix) (9:55) (UK Salsoul 12-inch single SALSA 12 033, 2004)
4. Ten Percent (Ken Lou Mix/Masters at Work 12'' Remix) (8:10) (Salsoul 12-inch single 5577-1, 1993)
5. I Got the Hots (For Ya) (Woody Braun Edit) (4:47) (digital release, 2022)
6. Everyman (Late Nite Tuff Guy Rework) (5:30) (UK Salsoul 12-inch single SALSBMG14, 2018)
7. My Love Is Free (John Morales M+M Mix) (9:35) (from The M&M Mixes Vol. 2, BBE CD BBE155CCD, 2011)
8. Ten Percent (Love to Infinity 12'' Remix) (11:28) (included on promotional sampler, 1995)
9. Everyman (Joey Negro's Salsoul Strut) (7:14) (from Joey Negro's 2019 Essentials, Z Records ZEDDCD048DD, 2019)
10. My Love Is Free (Gardening Club Re-Edit) (6:11) (from Salsoul Nation, Suss'd/Salsoul CD SALSA CD 022, 2005)
11. Ten Percent (Strings and Horns) (2:07) (Salsoul 12-inch single 20-6506-1, 2002)