August 19, 1978: Gato Barbieri, Calvin Davies, Michael Henderson, Dexter Wansel, 777 European Music Authority

Disco News

Thames Valley DJ Association, truly flourishing, now has over 100 members – making it the country’s largest (yet youngest)! They meet again this Sunday (20) at noon in Newbury’s Henwick on Ashmore Green Road, Thatcham, where legal advice will be given about setting up in business. Membership details from Mark Anthony on Bourne End 24171 . . . Sylvester, ‘You Make Me Feel’ and Nigel Martinez ‘Better Things To Come’ have been 12-inched, the latter also on extended remix 12in promo . . . Constellation Orchestra, Wayne Henderson and Kebekelektrik imports are all due out here early September, and remember that the special CBS £2.99 offer on certain disco LP’s expires August 31st . . . Charly Records are launching a new “Double Headed Monsters” series of back-to-back oldies next week, coupling the likes of Shangri-Las / Ad Libs, Hank Mizell / Warren Smith, Jerry Lee Lewis / Warren Smith and Curtis Lee / Roy Orbison, all titles of interest to oldies jocks . . . Southgate Royalty are promoting a funk all-niter at Edmonton Picketts Lock on Friday, October 6th, with Rick James live on stage plus Chris Hill, Robbie Vincent, Froggy and more – now that DOES sound hot!


New Spins

GATO BARBIERI: ‘Poinciana (Song Of the Tree)’ (from LP ‘Tropico’, A&M AMLH 64710)
Superb slow 7:48 instrumental funk-jazz jogger builds through snappy bass bumps into his braying sax sound and some chanting chix.

CALVIN DAVIS: ‘Train Ride To Nowhere’ (Bulldog BD 18)
Frantic funky filer gets a bit zingy but should work with EWF/Martinez.

MICHAEL HENDERSON: ‘Take Me I’m Yours’ (Buddah BDS 477)
Strong smoochy slow soul jogger for funk fans. 

DEXTER WANSEL: ‘I’m In Love’ / ‘Solutions’ (Philadelphia Int’l PIR 6492)
Nice enough soul slowie, but the well-edited funkier flip’s the rhythmical swaying 3:31 central chunk (minus sound effects) of an already hot LP track.

777 EUROPEAN MUSIC AUTHORITY: ‘Until The Morning Light’ (Feelgood FLG 111)
Funkily lurching soul slowie in the current bass-bumped vocal group style.

MARC JORDAN: ‘Survival’ (Warner Bros. K 17212)
Boz Scaggs-type cool soul-rock jiggler, with funk-jazz appeal too.

JR WALKER: ‘I Need Here You Right Now’ (from LP ‘Smooth Soul’ Motown STML 12089)
Dynamite smoocher from ‘76 sung by Thelma Houston, plus 1971’s ‘Walk In The Night’ and a predecessor of the Whispers’ ‘All The Way’. He’s left Motown, hence compilation.

PHIL UPCHURCH: ‘Strawberry Letter 23’ / ‘Free’ (from LP ‘Phil Upchurch’, TK TKR 82542)
Shuggie Otis-penned Bros Johnson swayer with a bumpy walking bass pattern, and Deniece’s smoocher, in instrumental funk-jazz guitar treatments.

EARL KLUGH: ‘Magic In Your Eyes’ LP (UA UAG 30171)
Delicately pretty title track jazz guitar swayer.

GEORGE DUKE: ‘Dukey Stick’ (from LP ‘Don’t Let Go’, Epic EPC 82821)
Heavy slow 6:00 P-funker, not the US 12in mix, plus the more exciting fast synthesizer fliers ‘We Give Our Love’ and ‘Yeah We Going’.

MIAMI ZAPP: ‘Mama Gas’ (GTO GT 232)
‘Witch Queen Of New Orleans’-inspired gruffly growled Euro-type chugger.

FRANKLIN MICARE: ‘I Can’t Help Myself’ (Private Stock PVT 159)
Four Tops’ classic churner in useful pop remake for KC fans.

GIDEA PARK: ‘Beach Boy Gold’ (Stone SON 2162)
Adrian Baker’s amazingly accurate Beach Boys copy medleys 10 old surfers into just 4:22.

RITA COOLIDGE: ‘You’ (A&M AMS 7575)
Brightly jittery pop hustler could crossover from radio.

CLIMAX ASHER: ‘Rockers Arena’ (Bronze 12BRO 56)
Perky reggae chugger on 6:00 12in or 3:23 7in.

CIMARONS: ‘Mother Earth’ (Polydor 2059047)
Subdued slow reggae throbber, on green vinyl.

ASWAD: ‘It’s Not Our Wish’ (Grove Music GMDM 9)
Good jaunty green vinyl reggae 12in ends up as a dub.

POET & THE ROOT: ‘It Dread Inna Inglan’ (Virgin VOLE 8)
George Lindo is innocent, OK? Political reggae 12in, strong rhythm.

REVOLUTIONARIES: ‘Headache’ / ‘Bellyache’ / ‘Toothache’ / ‘Heartache’ (Island IPR 2024)
Four-track 12in of good reggae instrumentals.

ALESSI BROTHERS: ‘Driftin’’ (A&M AMS 7S72)
Bee Gees-type jogging swayer combines several current clichés.

DAVID BYRON: ‘African Breeze’ (Arista ARIST 200)
‘Umble hairy goes disco with Giorgio-type electronics and afro chanting, on longer 12in.

MUNICH MACHINE INTRODUCING CHRIS BENNETT: ‘A Whiter Shade Of Pale’ (Oasis 5) (BNDA debut 6/17/78)
Typical but surprisingly boring Giorgio electronics, edited to 4:12 from the LP’s 6:36 (OASLP 506).

SPOOKEY: ‘Mama’s Little Girl’ (Decca F 13786)
Pleasant soul-pop swayer with Chi-Lites touches.

100 PER CENT WHOLE WHEAT: ‘Ice, Fire And Desire’ (Pye 7N 25789)
Bee Gees-type slow jogging swayer.


UK Disco Top 90 – August 19, 1978

01 01 A Taste Of Honey – Boogie Oogie Oogie – Capitol 7″/12″/LP
02 02 Rick James – You And I – Motown 7″/12″/LP
03 05 Quincy Jones – Stuff Like That – A&M 7″/12″/LP
04 03 Saturday Night Band – Come On Dance Dance – CBS 7″/12″/LP
05 04 John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John – You’re The One That I Want – RSO 7″
06 06 Crown Heights Affair – Galaxy Of Love – De-Lite LP/Mercury 12″
07 07 Karen Young – Hot Shot – Atlantic 7″/12″/US West End 12″
08 10 Herbie Hancock – I Thought It Was You – CBS 7″/12″/LP
09 16 Commodores – Three Times A Lady – Motown 7″/LP
10 08 Raydio – Is This A Love Thing – Arista 7″/LP/12″ promo
11 11 Voyage – Voyage (all cuts) – GTO LP
12 12 Sylvester – You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) / Dance (Disco Heat) – Fantasy 7″/12″
13 14 Evelyn “Champagne” King – Shame – RCA 7″/12″
14 09 O’Jays – Use Ta Be My Girl – Philadelphia Int’l 7″
15 13 Hamilton Bohannon – Let’s Start The Dance – Mercury 12″/US LP
16 15 Carol Douglas – Night Fever – Gull 7″/12″
17 19 Sweet Thunder – Everybody’s Singin’ Love Songs – US Fantasy/WMOT 12″
18 18 Charles Earland – Let The Music Play / Over And Over – Mercury 12″/US LP
19 25 Hi-Tension – British Hustle – Island 7″/12″
20 17 Hi-Tension – Hi-Tension – Island 7″/12″
21 23 Bee Gees – Night Fever – RSO 7″/LP/12″ promo
22 34 Boney M. – Rivers Of Babylon / Brown Girl In The Ring – Atlantic 7″/12″
23 29 Trammps – Disco Inferno – Atlantic 7″/12″/RSO LP
24 20 Samona Cooke – One Night Affair – Mercury 7″/12″ promo
25 22 Brothers Johnson – Ain’t We Funkin’ Now / Mista Cool / Ride-O-Rocket / Streetwave – A&M LP
26 21 Teddy Pendergrass – Only You / Close The Door / Life Is A Song Worth Singing – Philadelphia Int’l LP
27 26 KC & The Sunshine Band – It’s The Same Old Song – TK 7″/12″
28 27 Deodato – Whistle Bump – Warner Bros. 7″/12″
29 31 Ronnie Jones – Me And Myself – Lollipop 7″/12″ promo
30 52 Barry Manilow – Copacabana (At The Copa) – Arista 7″/12″ promo
31 28 Lenny Williams – You Got Me Running / Midnight Girl / I Still Reach Out / Cause I Love You – ABC LP
32 30 Diana Ross – Lovin’, Livin’ And Givin’ – Motown 7″/Casablanca LP
33 61 Cerrone – Supernature – Atlantic 7″/12″/LP
34 36 Cissy Houston – Think It Over – Private Stock 7″/12″
35 38 Norma Jean – Saturday – Bearsville 7″/US 12″
36 40 War – Youngblood – US UA 7″/LP
37 82 Roy Ayers – Can’t You See Me / Get On Up, Get On Down / You Send Me – US Polydor LP
38 32 Linda Clifford – Runaway Love / Gypsy Lady / If My Friends Could See Me Now – Curtom 7″/12″/LP
39 24 Sine – Just Let Me Do My Thing – CBS 7″/12″/LP
40 47 Clout – Substitute – Carrere 7″
41 41 Earth, Wind & Fire – Magic Mind – CBS 7″
42 39 Don Ray – Got To Have Loving – Polydor 7″/LP
43 53 Foxy – Get Off – TK 7″
44 57 Wilbert Longmire – Black Is The Color / Lovely Day – US Tappan Zee LP
45 37 Gap Mangione – Mellow Out / Time Of The Season / Sister Jo – US A&M LP
46 43 Crusaders – Cosmic Reign / Snowflake / Fairy Tales – ABC LP
47 51 L.T.D. – Holding On / It’s Time To Be Real – A&M LP
48 42 Marshall Hain – Dancing In The City – Harvest 7″
49 35 Al Hudson – How Do You Do / Spread Love – US ABC LP
50 49 Nigel Martinez – Better Things To Come – State 7″/12″/LP
51 72 Michael Zager Band – Music Fever – Private Stock 7″/12″
52 84 Len Boone – Love Won’t Be Denied – Chrysalis 12″/US 12″
53 56 Boney M. – Rasputin / Night Flight To Venus / Painter Man – Atlantic LP
54 33 Commodores – Flying High – Motown 7″/12″/LP
55 46 Idris Muhammad – Boogie To The Top / One With A Star / S-E-X – Kudu 7″/LP/12″ promo
56 45 Heatwave – Mind Blowing Decisions – GTO 7″
57 60 Gladys Knight & The Pips – Come Back And Finish What You Started – Buddah 7″
58 59 Patrick Juvet – I Love America / Got A Feeling – Casablanca LP
59 48 Norman Connors – Stella / Captain Connors – Buddah 7″/LP
60 44 Whispers – Headlights / All The Way – RCA 7″/12″
61 58 Bee Gees – More Than A Woman – RSO LP/12″ promo
62 66 Winners – Get On Up And Do It / Hey You / Get Ready For The Future – US UA/Roadshow LP
63 NE Atlantic Starr – Stand Up / Where There’s Smoke There’s Fire – US A&M LP
64 NE Curtis Mayfield – No Goodbyes / Do It All Night / You Are You Are – US Curtom LP
65 67 Cleveland Eaton – Bama Boogie Woogie – US Ovation 12″
66 88 Tyrone David – Mind Blowing Decisions – D-Roy 7″/12″
67 NE Ohio Players – Jass-Ay-Lay-Dee / Funk-O-Nots – US Mercury LP
68 62 Tavares – Slow Train To Paradise – Capitol 7″/12″
69 69 Jimmy Bo Horne – Dance Across The Floor – TK 7″/12″
70 NE Real Thing – Rainin’ Through My Sunshine – Pye 7″/12″ promo
71 77 Sun – Sun Is Here – Capitol 7″/12″
72 65 J.A.L.N. Band – Get Up (& Let Yourself Go) – Magnet 7″/12″
73 NE David Williams – Come On Down Boogie People – US AVI 12″/LP
74 54 Donna Summer – Last Dance – Casablanca 7″/12″/LP
75 63 Gilla – Bend Me Shape Me – Ariola Hansa 7″/12″
76 50 Fatback – I’m Fired Up / I Like Girls – Spring LP
77 68 Love & Kisses – Thank God It’s Friday – Casablanca 7″/12″/LP
78 75 Prince – Just As Long As We’re Together – US Warner Bros. LP
79 NE Independent Movement – Slippin’ Away – US Polydor LP
80 NE Solar Flare – Boogie Fund – US RCA 12″
81 NE Gato Barbieri – Poinciana – A&M LP
82 NE Village People – Just A Gigolo / Key West – DJM 7″
83 RE Bionic Boogie – Risky Changes / Boogie Boo – Polydor 7″/LP
84 NE California – I Can Hear Music – RSO 7″/US 12″ promo
85 RE Phil Upchurch – Strawberry Letter 23 / Free – TK LP
86 RE Steel Pulse – Prodigal Son – Island 7″
87 NE Kandidate – Don’t Wanna Say Goodnight – Rak 7″/12″
88 64 Sheila B. Devotion – You Light My Fire – Carrere 7″
89 89 Nina Simone – Baltimore – CTI LP
90 90 Mass Production – Just Want To Make A Dream Come True / Watch Me Do It – Cotillion LP
NE = new entry; RE = re-entry

Appeared in Billboard:
#1 (BNDA debut 5/27/78) / #2 (BNDA debut 5/13/78) / #4 (BNDA debut 4/15/78)
#7 (BNDA debut 6/17/78) / #11 (BNDA debut 2/11/78) / #12 (BNDA debut 7/8/78)
#13 (BNDA debut 10/1/77) / #15 (BNDA debut 7/22/78) / #16 (BNDA debut 3/11/78)
#21 (BNDA debut 1/7/78) / #23 (BNDA debut 1/15/77) / #28 (BNDA debut 5/27/78)
#30 (BNDA debut 4/15/78) / #31 (BNDA debut 7/29/78) / #32 (BNDA debut 12/23/78)
#33 (BNDA debut 11/26/77) / #34 (BNDA debut 7/22/78) / #35 (BNDA debut 6/17/78)
#36 (BNDA debut 10/7/78) / #38 (BNDA debut 3/25/78) / #42 (BNDA debut 4/22/78)
#43 (BNDA debut 5/6/78) / #52 (BNDA debut 8/12/78) / #55 (BNDA debut 5/6/78)
#58 (BNDA debut 6/3/78) / #61 (BNDA debut 1/7/78) / #63 (BNDA debut 10/7/78)
#64 (BNDA debut 9/9/78) / #74 (BNDA debut 4/29/78) / #77 (BNDA debut 4/29/78)
#80 (BNDA debut 9/9/78) / #82 (BNDA debut 3/18/78) / #83 (BNDA debut 12/17/77)

Bubbling Under the Top 90 (Domestic):
SMOKEY ROBINSON: ‘Daylight & Darkness’ (Motown 7”)
MATHIS & WILLIAMS: ‘You’re All I Need’ (CBS 7”)
GENE FARROW: ‘Don’t Stop Now’ (Magnet 12”)
GRACE JONES: ‘Do Or Die’ (Island 12”) (BNDA debut 6/17/78)
DARTS: ‘It’s Raining’ (Magnet 7”)
FLIRTATIONS: ‘Little Darling’ (Casino Classics 7”)
EMOTIONS: ‘Smile’ (CBS 7”)
FRANKIE VALLI: ‘Grease’ (RSO LP)
ERNIE WATTS: ‘Alone At A Drive-In Movie’ (RSO LP)
ISLEY BROTHERS: ‘Groove With You’ (Epic 7”)
GARY BARTZ: ‘Shake Your Body’ / ‘Giant Steps’ (Tower LP)
EARTH, WIND & FIRE: ‘Got To Get You Into My Life’ (A&M LP)
PLATINUM HOOK: ‘Standing On The Verge’ (Motown 12”)
LEE RITENOUR: ‘Sugarloaf Express’ (Elektra LP)
SLAVE: ‘Stellar Fungk’ (Cotillion LP)
JIMMY JAMES & THE VAGABONDS: ‘I Can’t Stop My Feet From Dancin’’ (Pye 12”)
DELEGATION: ‘Oh Honey’ (State 7”)

Bubbling Under the Top 90 (Imports):
MUSIQUE: ‘In The Bush’ (US Prelude LP) (BNDA debut 7/29/78)
BENNY GOLSON: ‘Georgia On My Mind’ / ‘I’m Always Dancin’ To The Music’ (US Columbia LP)
MFSB: ‘Use Ta Be My Guy’ (US Philadelphia Int’l 7”)
BOBBY CALDWELL: ‘Down For The Third Time’ (US Clouds LP)
CONSTELLATION ORCHESTRA: ‘Perfect Love Affair’ / ‘Funk Encounters’ (US Prelude LP) (BNDA debut 7/1/78)
SWITCH: ‘We Like To Party . . . Come On’ / ‘There’ll Never Be’ (US Gordy LP)
JEAN CARN: ‘You Can’t Come Back Now’ / ‘Don’t Let It Go To Your Head’ (US Philadelphia Int’l LP)
WAYNE HENDERSON: ‘Hot Stuff’ (US Polydor LP)
PEOPLE’S CHOICE: ‘Got A Feelin’’ / ‘Turn Me Loose’ (US Philadelphia Int’l LP)
MARSHA HUNT: ‘The Other Side Of Midnight’ (Canadian Attic 12”) (BNDA debut 1/14/78)
EDDIE DANIELS: ‘Preparation F’ (US Marlin LP)
SYLVERS: ‘Don’t Stop Get Off’ (US Casablanca LP)
DENNIS COFFEY: ‘Gimme That Funk’ (US Westbound LP)
HEATWAVE: ‘The Groove Line’ (remix) (US Epic 12”)
EL COCO: ‘Dancing In Paradise’ (US AVI 12”) (BNDA debut 7/15/78)
CON FUNK SHUN: ‘Shake And Dance With Me’ (US Mercury LP)
STARGARD: ‘What You Waitin’ For’ (US MCA 7”)
KEBEKELEKTRIK: ‘War Dance’ (US Salsoul 12”) (BNDA debut 6/24/78)
SYMBOL 8: ‘I Thought You Wanted To Dance’ (US Shock 7”)
LA BIONDA: ‘Sandstorm’ (US Polydor LP)
JOHN DAVIS & THE MOSTER ORCHESTRA: ‘Disco Fever’ (US SAM LP)
PHIL HURTT: ‘Giving It Back’ (US Fantasy 12”)
SPECIAL DELIVERY: ‘Get Up And Express Yourself’ (US Shield LP)
SWEET PROMISE: ‘I’m A Music Man’ (US ALA 7”)
BRAND NEW FUNK 78: ‘Lowdown’ (US Vibration LP)
MTUME: ‘Just Funnin’’ / ‘Funky Constellation’ (US Epic LP)
LUV YOU MADLY ORCHESTRA: ‘Rocket Rock’ (US Salsoul LP)

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