Disco & Late Funk




Disco, scourge of the '70s, now the object of warm fuzzy nostalgia. As with anything, there is the tiny percentage of tunes that made it, and in disco the strong that survive really were strong. They had to be to survive all that overplaying. Disco's downfall was its abuse of tacky strings and cheesy synthesizer, and the moronic, metronomic beat paved the way for the worst decade of music in the history of time (the 1980s). But it was also slick, sophisticated stuff and, in many cases, pure funky genius.

Buying: Besides "disco" albums, the odd track can appear in other soul-jazz, soul, and funk LPs of the '70s.



Disco LPs

Rating
5Average White Band; Atlantic SD-7308; 1974
5Average White Band: Cut the Cake; Atlantic SD-18140; 1975
6Joe Bataan: Joe Bataan II; Mericana/Salsoul SA-8549; 1981
6Bottom & Co.: Rock Bottom; Motown/Gordy G6-977-S1; 1976/1975-76 (funk/disco/Moog-space funk)
8Brick: Good High; Bang BLP-408; 1976
6The Broadway Hit Men: Disco Express; Longines Society LSR-68; 1975 (2-LP; disco/funk/funky rock; covers of hits)
6B.T. Express: Do It (Til You're Satisfied); Scepter/Roadshow SPS-5117; 1974 (disco-funk)
6The George Bussey Experience: Disco Extravangaza Phase 1; Atlantic SD-19216; 1979/1978-79
7The Coasters: Coasting; Salsa Picante SPLP-10001; 1979/1978
7The Commodores: Greatest Hits; Motown M7-912-R1; 1978 (compilation)
5The Bob Crewe Generation: Street Talk--A Suite; Elektra 7E-1083; 1976 (promo says "Special Advance Pressing for Disco DJs Only")
6Debora: Supergirl; OB OBLP-5510; 1979 (Spanish covers of disco hits)
8Dee-Lite: World Clique; Elektra ST-E-60957; 1990
6Disco Kids; Dellwood DLD-56014
8Disko Band; Pickwick SPC-3514; 1975
7The Doctor Exx Band: Superman & Other Disco Hits; Pickwick SPC-3668; 1979 (disco/funky Moog; reissue, probably of Alshire)
7Earth, Wind, & Fire: All 'n All; Columbia JC-34905; 1977
6The Freedom Machine: Erotic Discotheque; Building BGLP-40811; 1978 (Brasil)
Gloria Gaynor: Never Can Say Goodbye; MGM M3G-4982; 1975
7Gloria Gaynor: Love Tracks; Polydor PD-1-6184; 1978
6Giordano Jazz Dance Method Contemporary Jazz Funk; Orion LP-138
9Dr. Rosemary "Red" Hallum: Disco & Soul Dances; Activity Records AR-569; 1976
7Heatwave: Too Hot to Handle; CBS/Epic 34761; 1977/1976-7
6Hidden Strength; United Artists UA-LA555-G; 1975
7Hot Chocolate: 10 Greatest Hits; Atlantic/Big Tree BT-76002; 1977 (compilation)
6Syl Johnson: Ms. Fine Brown Frame; Boardwalk/Erect NB-33260-1; 1982 (disco)
6Juggy Murray Jones: Rhythm & Blues; Jupiter 1401; 1977
5Jumbo: Turn On to Love; Prelude PRL-12142; 1976 (German)
7KC & the Sunshine Band; TK 603; 1975
6Evelyn "Champagne" King: Smooth Talk; RCA APL1-2466; 1977
6Kongas: Africanism; Polydor PD-1-6138; 1977
6The Love Machine; Arista/Buddah BDS-5710; 1978
8L.T.D.: Gittin' Down' A&M SP-3660; 1974
6The Magic Disco Machine; Motown M6-821-S1; 1975
7Herbie Mann Discotheque; Atlantic SD-1670; 1975 (disco/flute/Moog funk; w/Ray Barretto, Barry Rogers, Pat Rebillot, Cissy Houston..)
6Vaughan Mason & Crew: Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll; Brunswick BL-754221; 1980
6Van McCoy & the Soul City Symphony: Disco Baby; Avco AV-69006-698; 1975
8Ehssan al Munzer (credited as Nicolas el Dick]: Disco Belly Dance; Sonodisc/Voice of Stars SD-15; 1978 (Ehssan al Munzer, organ, which is more like a Moog)
6The Musicvan: The Best of Disco Vol. II; TIL 476; 1977 (covers, one of which is Brick's "Dazz")
6Ohio Players: Fire; Mercury SRM-1-1013; 1974
7The Players Association: Turn the Music Up!; Vanguard VSD-79421; 1978
7Asha Puthli: The Devil is Loose; CBS S81443; 1976 ("Space Talk"; disco/space funk)
6Rhythm Heritage; ABC ABCD-934; 1976
5Rhythm Heritage: Last Night on Earth; ABC ABCD-987; 1977
6The Ritchie Family: African Queens; T.K./Marlin 2206; 1977 (w/Ralph MacDonald, Olatunji..)
Oliver Sain: Main Man; Nashboro/Abet 404
7Oliver Sain: Bus Stop; Nashboro/Abet 406; 1974
8Oliver Sain: Blue Max; Nashboro/Abet 407; 1975
8The Sins of Satan; Buddah BDS-5673; 1976
7Smoke; Casablanca/Chocolate City CCLP-2001; 1976
6The Super Disco Band; Buddah/Pi Kappa PKS-4000; 1976 (Paul Kyser)
5The T&A Disco Band: Get Down; Empire EML-3000; 1979 (instrumental knockoffs)
8Tyrone Thomas & the Whole Darn Family Has Arrived; Soul SLP-110; 1975
5Touch: Energizer; Brunswick BL-754212; 1975
6Jack Trombey: Disco Queen--Modern Orchestral Rock Sounds; De Wolfe DWS LP-3336; 1976 (production/disco-funk/funky rock)
7Uncredited: Dance to the Hits!/Disco Hustle; Hoctor HLPS-4300; 1975
5Uncredited: Hustle & All That Jazz; Statler SLP-1230
7Uncredited: Nonstop Discotheque Party Dance; Gateway GSLP-3530 (covers Lady Marmalade, Fame, Shining Star, Get Down Tonight..)
6Uncredited: Hustle, Bus Stop, & Lin Dances; Gateway GSLP-3534 (covers Shake Your Booty, Lowdown, Getaway, Turn the Beat Around, You Should Be Dancin', Flyaway..)
7Various: Disco Express; RCA Camden; 1979 (Pickwick ACL-7065)
5Various: Espana 77; Olympo L-540; 1977 (Phil Conway & the Free Group..)
6Various: Hustle 76; T.E.J. Records 2000; 1976 (2-LP)
6Various: Hustle Hits; De-Lite DEP-2019; 1975 (De-Lite sampler/compilation with Kool & the Gang, Kay-Gees..)
6Various: Looking for Mr. Goodbar ST; CBS/Columbia 35029; 1977 (Commodores "Machine Gun"/Donna Summer/Bill Withers/Thelma Houston/Diana Ross/O'Jays/Marlena Shaw/Boz Scaggs)
7Various: Saturday Night Disco Mania; CBS/Columbia Special Products P-14601; 1978 (w/dance instruction booklet)


Partly Disco LPs

7Les Baxter: Born Again ST; Word/Lamb & Lion LL-1041; 1978 (rare crime/jail-themed disco about Watergate criminal Charles Colson)
6Alberto Baldan Bembo Sound Orchestra; Star Track TR-1982 (production/Moog/space disco)
7Vernon Burch: I'll Be Your Sunshine; United Artists UA-LA342-G; 1975 (funk/disco-funk; original "Changes" used in film "Report to the Commissioner")
6Alvin Cash: Doing the Feeling/Ali Shuffle; Brunswick/Dakar DK-4559; 1976 (disco-funk; co-produced by Willie Henderson)
7Cleveland Eaton: Plenty Good Eaton; Ovation/Black Jazz BJQD-20; 1975 (soul jazz/funk/disco--"Moe, Let's Have a Party"; w/Odell Brown)
5Cleveland Eaton: Instant Hip; Ovation OV-1703; 1976
6Hetty Koes Endang: Astaga; Life HM-1321; 1980 (Malaysian disco)
7Lee Fields: Let's Talk it Over; Angle 3 A3 4-28-79; 1979 ("Wanna Dance"; partly reissues singles)
9Lynda Gache (Gaché): Jazz Technique from A to Z; Statler SLP-1237 (disco/funk/Afro-Beat/conga/Moog)
8The Gaturs: Wasted; Funky Delicacies DEL-LP-0001; 1984/['70s] ("Get Up"; New Orleans funk/soul jazz/psyche funk/disco funk)
7John Gregory Orchestra: TV's Greatest Detective Hits; Mercury SRM-1-1089; 1976 ("Theme from S.W.A.T.")
6King Henry & the Showmen Vol. VIII; KHP 376 (lounge act from Easton, PA; spy/Moog-ondioline/disco/trucker/novelty)
5Al Hudson & the Soul Partners: Especially for You; ABC AB-1001; 1977
7Del Kacher: Disco & Soul Dances; Educational Activities, Inc./Activity Records AR-569; 1976 (kid funk/Moog funk/disco; gatefold w/book)
6Ralph McDonald: Sound of a Drum; T.K./Marlin 2202; 1976
5The Mel-O-Dee Aces: Feelings; Helfrich Recording Labs ST-333 (Allentown, PA lounge act; "That's the Way I Like It")
7The Mighty Chevelles: Black Gold; Flaming Arrow FA-018
Monk Montgomery: Reality; CBS/Philadelphia International Records KZ-33153; 1974
7Museum: Gonna Take Forever; TKO Productions STLP-1001; 1979 (lounge act/funky rock ("Funky Too")/disco (whole side of BeeGees covers)/breakbeats; Pennsylvania)
7Pat Patrick: ABC's in Bubbaville; Kimbo Upbeat Basics KUB-0002; 1986/1981 (kid funk/beatnik/disco/truck/crime/exotica/DJ; 28 career choices)
7The Pop Singers & Orchestra: Themes from Hit TV Shows; Peter Pan 8185 (kid funk/crime/disco; Kotter, SWAT, Rockford Files, Baretta, MASH, Chico & the Man, Kojak, Good Times..)
7The Pop Singers & Orchestra: Themes from Hit TV Shows Vol. 2; Peter Pan 8197; 1977 (kid funk/crime/disco; 6 Million Dollar Man, Bionic Woman, Sanford & Son, Hawaii 5-0, Charlie's Angels, Police Woman..)
The Rimshots: Down to Earth; Stang ST-1028; 1976
6Lonnie Smith: Keep On Lovin'; PIP/Groove Merchant GM-3312; 1976 ("No Tears Tomorrow"
7The Spinners (LP w/"It's a Shame")
8Taste of Honey (By Special Request); Recorded Publications Company [no #]; 1975 (lounge act/funk/disco; vanity-published breakbeat wonder; whitebread covers of "Lady Marmalade," "Me & Baby Brother")
7Timmy Thomas: Touch to Touch; T.K./Glades 7513; 1977 (disco funk)
6Timmy Thomas: Freak In, Freak Out/same; T.K./Glades 7549; 1979 (disco funk)
6[United States Navy] Port Authority: Dance the Night Away; 1977? (military/disco/funk/Moog rock/Moog funk/space funk)
4The Ventures: NASA's 25th Anniversary Commemorative Album; Allegiance ST-72873; 1984 (guitar/space/disco; J.J. Perrey's "Skylab")
8Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium I; Motown/Tamla 6002-TL2; 1982 (2-LP compilation)
7Klaus Wunderlich: Wunderlich Pops International--28 Top-Hits on Parade; Telefunken 6.22325; 1975 (Hammond/disco)
5Klaus Wunderlich Pop Party--Vol. 1; Telefunken 6.23802; 1979 (28 tunes, Hammond/disco)
7[Al Santiago Presents] Yambú (Yambu); Montuno MLP-506; 1975 (Rafy Puente sings; Latin/Latin jazz/Latin funk/disco; "Sunny")
6Uncredited: [Production Music]; Robert Hall/New World W-294/295 (funky Moog/disco/drums)
6Uncredited: [Production Music]; Robert Hall W-402/403 (production; disco-funk)
7Uncredited: Jazz Power; Statler/Avant AVLP-123 (jazz class/conga/disco/mod jazz/mod twist)
7Various: Caribbean Dance Party; Gateway GSLP-3544; 1977 ("La Vie Disco"; Ti Emile, Gramacks, Johnny Grey, Black Affairs, Gilles Sala, Puissance 8)
7Various: Flamboyant Themes; NFL Music Library NFL-106; 1978 (production; Western/funky rock/funk/disco)
8Various: Rare Funk Vol. 1; Cobalt COBLP-1004 (Disco Dub Band: "For the Love of Money")
9Various: Virtue Recording Studios; Tramp TRLP-9064; 2017 (German comp of famous Philadelphia institution; funk-soul/disco/funky rock "Tequila"/sitar funk "Meditation of the Soul/horror "Ghost A Go Go"/breakbeats)


Disco & Disco-Funk 45s

7Beau: Roller Skate Parts 1 & 2; It's a Thang AT-002; 1980
7Burnett Bynum & the Invaders: Disco Fever/Black Foot; Cargo C-22377; 1977 (Phila.)
7Tony Camillo's Bazuka: Dynomite Parts 1 & 2; A&M 1666; 1975
7Miz Davis: Sing a Happy Funky Song/disco version; Now N-10; 1975
8Gloria Gaynor: Real Good People/Walk on By; MGM M-14808; 1975 (A-side from LP M3G-4982; B-side may be non-LP)
7Sammy Gordon & the Hiphuggers: Jungle Bump Parts [1 & 2]; LuLu 1000 (disco funk)
5Hidden Strength: I Don't Want to Be a Lone Ranger/mono; United Artists UA-XW847-Y; 1976
6Don High & Mighty: Black Cojak (sic)/Love It Comes in All Colors; Grit GR-45-110; 1976
7Jimmy "Bo" Horne: Dance Across the Floor/It's Your Sweet Love; Sunshine Sound 1003; 1978
7David Hudson: Pump It/same; T.K./Alston ALSX-3746; 1979 (promo version)
6Ice: Passion/Hard Times; The Great Northwest Music Company 710; 1976 (disco-funk; ex-Lafayette Afro-Rock Band; Seattle label)
7Medium Rare: Nagasaki/Nature Boy; Audiofidelity/Harlequin HAR-3809 (disco w/funky Moog)
7Miami featuring Robert Moore: Party Freaks Parts 1 & 2; T.K./Drive 6234; 1974
6Barry Miles' Silverlight: Rebate/mono; London 5N-221-DJ; 1975 (disco/Moog funk)
7Monk Montgomery: Reality/Bump de Bump; CBS/Philadelphia International Records KZ-33153; 1974 (disco/bass; from LP Reality)
7Moonlion: The Little Drummer Boy/Laid Back; P.I.P. 6513; 1975
7New York Port Authority: I Got It Part 1/mono; Invinctus ZS8-1279; 1972 (from Three Thousand Miles from Home LP)
7Opus VII: People/People-disco; Gramophone GRA-45702; 1976
7Joe Quarterman & Free Soul: I'm a Young Man/"disco dance version"; Mercury 73708; 1975 (disco-funk; B-side longer)
5The Rimshots: Do What You Feel Parts 1 & 2; Stang ST-5065; 1975
5The Rimshots: Super Disco/Groove Bus; Stang ST-5067; 1976
6Lalo Schifrin: Roller Coaster/The Eagle Has Landed (movie themes); CTI OJ-36; 1977 (disco/mush from "Towering Toccata" LP)
7Solid Brothers Band: Let's Go Disco/Look What You've Done; Baldwin CS-8312-45; 1979 (PA custom; hip, blue-eyed disco-funk by Dim & Dan Angeloff; long tracks!)
8William Stuckey: You Can Count on Me/Disco Fly; ICA (Independence Corporation of America) ICA-006; 1977 (B-side synth instrumental w/drum break)
6Timmy Thomas: Freak In, Freak Out/same; Glades 1749; 1978 (promo; disco; writer and arranger credits for Clarence Reid)
7Wildfire: Try Making Love/Part 3; WIRL B-578; 1977 (Tony Wilson; Barbados disco-funk)
8Nanette Workman: Lady Marmalade/instrumental; Pacha PAC-4420 (disco funk)
7Marvin Wright: Robot Dance/Scott David: Funky Phanthom (sic); Queen Constance 2 (A-side space funk/spacey disco-funk; B-side disco-funk)


Hyp Records is a 3-part guide:

Shop Hip Wax

Some items above may be available at
Hip Wax

Hyp Records Guide © 1996 Hip Wax