Late in 2023, Demon Music Group revived its Disco Discharge series on the Edsel label. Two recent 2CD volumes, Disco Ladies and Disco Boogie, continue presenting the series in a deluxe, oversized seven-inch format. These titles, chockablock with disco deep cuts and hits alike, were originally issued on the Harmless label in 2009 and 2010, respectively, and have been tweaked (likely due to licensing restrictions) for this go-round. Disco Ladies offers a cross-section of the many women with varied styles who ruled the dancefloor. As original compiler/annotator Alan Jones notes in his…
Dancin’ to Be Dancin’: Cherry Red, Robinsongs Collect Skyy’s “Salsoul Albums”
Solomon Roberts, Jr. (vocals/guitars/producer), Anibal Sierra (guitars/keyboards), Gerald Lebon (bass), Larry Greenberg (keyboards), Tommy McConnell (drums) and sisters Denise, Bonnie, and Delores Dunning (vocals) proclaimed “This Groove Is Bad” as the first track of their band Skyy’s debut album in 1979. Indeed, the scorching slice of funk was so “bad” it was good, and Skyy embarked on a musical journey that would take them through seven albums on the Salsoul label plus further recordings for Capitol and Atlantic Records. Now, all of those Salsoul LPs have been collected on a new 4-CD…
Relight Their Fire: BBR Compiles Hits, Rarities For Loleatta Holloway, Skyy and Evelyn “Champagne” King
It’s no secret that Big Break Records, an imprint of Cherry Red Group, has mastered the art of the reissue when it comes to vintage R&B, soul and disco. But the label has expanded its horizons recently with a new series of deluxe 2-CD artist anthologies combining hits, rarities, remixes and key album tracks into one package. Three such titles are available now from the label, dedicated to the sensational Loleatta Holloway, “Shame” diva Evelyn “Champagne” King and the band Skyy. Though Chicago-born Loleatta Holloway (1946-2011) only released four albums on Salsoul…
Release Round-Up: Week of July 8
Crosby Stills Nash and Young, CSNY 1974 (Rhino) The legendary supergroup documents the so-called “Doom Tour” for its 40th anniversary in an absolutely stunning package containing 40 songs, over 3 hours of music (on CD or Blu-ray Audio), a nearly 200-page book and a bonus video DVD with eight additional performances. 3 CD/1 DVD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. Blu-ray Audio/DVD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. Highlights Disc: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. Jackson Browne, Late for the Sky (Inside Recordings/Rhino) The SoCal troubadour goes bare-bones to celebrate the 40th anniversary of his seminal Late for the Sky. The album has been freshly…
Let’s Celebrate: Big Break Goes Deep Into The Salsoul Groove with Candido, Skyy
Following last year’s releases from The Salsoul Orchestra, First Choice, Instant Funk and Double Exposure, Big Break Records continues its exploration of the Salsoul Records catalogue with two new reissues from Skyy and Candido. These discs can be said to offer another side of the Salsoul legacy as neither are locked into the Philly grooves of Vince Montana or Baker-Harris-Young. Instead, they show just how far the New York label could push the dance/R&B envelope in the waning days of disco. 1981’s Skyy Line gave the large ensemble Skyy its first (and…
Funky Town Grooves Digs Up Treasure from Brick, Full Force and More
Here’s a look at the upcoming slate from the R&B reissuers at Funky Town Grooves. September 30 will see three new titles added to the label’s discography. First, there’s a two-fer from jazz-funk hitmakers Brick, best known for 1976’s “Dazz,” a U.S. Top 5 hit. This set will put the band’s last two albums for Bang Records – Summer Heat (1981), which included the band’s last big hit, the Top 10 R&B single “Sweat (Till You Get Wet),” and After 5 (1982) – onto one remastered CD. Next up, we have the…
