October 4, 1980: David Matthews & The Electric Birds, Peaches & Herb, Evelyn ‘Champagne’ King, Deodato, Tom Browne

ODDS ‘N’ BODS

CAISTER WILL not now be filmed but the following Friday (17) at Southgate Royalty a “Back from Caister” party will be, for showing by LWT on January 4th . . . ‘Urban Cowboy’s’ bucking bull will be at Caister, for which last minute cancellations mean that about 50 tickets are still available – quick! . . . Kool & The Gang ‘Celebration LP & 12in (with Coffee backing) are due here next week, as are Roy Ayers’ LP & 12in . . . Frankie Smith ‘Double Dutch’ will be on UK 12ín in a fortnight with instrumental flip . . . BT Express’s imminent LP features remixes of their early hits plus four newies . . . Morgan Khan and City Sounds will have a few promo only 4-track 12in remixes of Judy Roberts ‘Never Was Love’ / ‘Fantasy’ / ‘The Other World’ / ‘Last Tango In Paris’ . . . Sadao Watanabe ‘Nice Shot’ LP and Terumasa Hino will be on cheaper Inner City US label via City Sounds soon . . . Ronnie Scott ‘Roller-Coaster’ LP doing jazz versions of Stevie Wonder hits will be on Pye, in case you were looking . . . GQ ‘Disco Nights’ remix will be on an Arista 4-track 12in soon . . . Pointer Sisters ‘Save This Night For Love’ will be on UK 12in, as will Zapp and Ernie Watts, while Minnie Riperton gets a 3-tracker with ‘Island In The Sun’ / ‘Light My Fire’ / ‘Lover And Friend’ . . . Roger Squire’s shops are doing Christmas party packs full of silly novelties and complete Santa Claus outfits (minus the sack though!), both at £9.99 . . . David See’s ‘How To Be A Disc Jockey‘ (Hamlyn, £2.99) is priced, designed and packaged in glossy hardback for the Christmas present market (“ooh, that’ll do for little Johnny”), and although containing straightforward information seems like so many publications aimed at down-market DJs, while at the same time encouraging them to invest in the expensive ‘Disco Beats’ US BPM directory instead of recommending the more relevant and cheaper Record Mirror . . . I had a great gig in Norfolk on Saturday (one of my upper class weddings where DJ talk is taboo), mixing until 6:30 in the morning everything from heavy rock to polkas and thunderstorm sound effects, didn’t play a single jazz-funk record and probably made more than any other DJ that night apart from Chris Hill! . . . East Anglian DJ Assn has a marathon 25 hour disco with 24 member mobiles playing in rotation at Peterborough Wirrina from 9pm Friday (3) to 10pm Saturday, in aid of Cambridge Hospital’s cancer scanner . . . Funktion makes it ‘Pink Monday’ at the Embassy when the moveable jazz-funk club opens there with a wear-something-pink party this Monday (6), another possible future venue now being Stringfellows, while Alex Anders had settled in at Penthouse on Fridays and Tony Jenkins does Bennett on Sundays . . . Mayfair Gullivers has had mirror mosaic put on all the walls but nobody noticed for a good two hours! . . . Steve Walsh of eyeliner fame has had a perm . . . Mark Clark now has a ‘Black Trax’ soul show Saturdays 6-7 pm on Radio 210 Thames Valley, carrying the soul/jazz theme into the 9pm – 1am late show too, and recommends a listen to AFN (870Khz) between 1 – 3am week nights for funk . . . Richard Witcombe (Shepton Mallet YC) adds that ‘Spiderman’ by Peter Griffin (his spelling) was on French Discodisc and popular in the spring, the German label quoted last week being of course EMI . . . Liz Bailey of 17 Redhouse Road, Glen Parva, Leicester, needs another copy of her closedown theme, St Andrews Chorale ‘Cloud 99’ (Decca) . . . Trevor Fung, jazzing Covent Garden Rumours wine bar every Saturday, has a Benny Golsen ‘Killer Joe’ 7in for the highest bidder on 01-640 6968 . . . Chris Klopper (Tunbridge Wells) sez Charing Cross Road’s Surplus Records is selling Ramsey Lewis cut-outs at 50p . . . Froggy, following some 12in-knocking comments by Dougall DJ, worriedly wonders how much the 12in and LP mean to other DJs – quite a lot I should think Frog, considering nothing ever really moves until a long version comes out . . . ‘Shame & Scandal’: all those Pye remixes like El Coco, BT Express, Cameo, turn out to have been done in London by Morgan Khan with overdub assistance from Alan ‘Windsurfer’ Jewel! . . . Chris Palmer has been asked if he’d produce Morrissey / Mullen . . . Young of Young & Co ain’t young Jeff, it’s Young of Young Holt! . . . Scott Austin, of Hospital Radio Stonehouse / Radio Law, when at Bellshill YMCA near Glasgow gets the kids writing Steve Ovett-style with their fingers in the air, the title line of Ottawan ‘D.I.S.C.O’ . . . Paul Stewart (Belfast Glenmachen) pulls punters on the strength of the music as nowhere else in Northern Ireland is jazz-funk exposed . . . Steve Allen says Peterborough has been into S.O.U.P. for years as the soul scene there has always been underground (if not literally) in small venues . . . Covent Garden’s ever-busier Rock Garden last weekend saw apres-gig gorgers Tom Holland, Jeanneane Cesvette, Tony Jenkins, Dean Hume, Mark Woods, Alan Jewel, Morgan Khan, myself and a crowd from Hell . . . Miss Bluenote’s new reggae biggie is Delroy Wilson ‘What’s Going On‘ (J&L 12in) . . . George Benson at number one still drops jocks but nothing yet overtakes it – boring! . . . Scottish jocks significantly support Queen, Shalamar, Gladys Knight, Dynasty, Ottawan, Nick Straker, Taste Of Honey, Diana Ross ‘I’m Coming Out’ and – er – Kelly Marie . . . KEEP IT GOOD!

---

BARBARA THOMPSON, long known as a home-grown jazz and jazz-rock-fusion saxist, is now getting jazz-funk acceptance for her 12in of ‘Sunset’ on MCA. Honking on soprano, tenor and baritone sax, she also studied clarinet, flute, piano and composition at the Royal College of Music before joining in 1965 Neil Ardley’s New Jazz Orchestra, whose drummer Jon Hiseman she subsequently married and played with in Colosseum and Paraphernalia, a series of small groups she’s led since 1973. No doubt she’d be more famous by now had she been a singer!

---

IMPORTS

DAVID MATTHEWS & THE ELECTRIC BIRDS: ‘Cosmic City’ LP (Japanese Electric Bird SKS 8016).
Dynamite steadily smacking haunting ‘Rise’ – type (but jauntier) 105bpm jazz instrumental title-track jogger with great David Sanborn sax and Mike Manieri vibes cooking up a groove reminiscent in Chris Hill’s mind of Maceo Parker’s ‘Soul Power 74’, worth however many yen it’ll cost ya!

PEACHES & HERB: ‘Funtime’ (LP ‘Worth The Wait’ US Polydor PD-1-5298).
Quite good densely textured romping solid 120bpm smacker on a well produced if not terribly funky disco set. ‘All-Night Celebration‘ being an equally steady smacking little perky 111bpm swayer, ‘Lovey-Dovey (Girl & Guy)‘ a more stolid sparse jolting 111bpm smacker, ‘Hearsay‘ a fast 124bpm bounder with dated Philly feel, and ‘The Love Stealers‘ a building strange 124bpm almost ‘Searching’-like production number.

EVELYN ‘CHAMPAGNE’ KING: ‘Let’s Get Funky Tonight’ (US RCA PD-12090).
Happily romping zippy little 120 – 123 (break) – 120 – 123 (outro) bpm pop-orientated zinger now on longer 12in with useful long break. 

LIPPS INC: ‘Tight Pair’ (LP ‘Pucker Up’ US Casablanca ‘NBLP 7242).
Yowling rock guitar-backed 126bpm squawker suddenly switches halfway into a surprisingly good instrumental groove with twittering synth, much stronger than the single (and promo 12in)-issued emptily smacking 120bpm discofication of Ace’s old ‘How Long‘, which lacks ‘Funkytown’s’ banal catchiness.

JACKSONS: ‘Lovely One’ (US Epic 9-50938).
Jittery rushing 122bpm 7in smacker in ‘Shake Your Body’ style without being as strong a song, and likely to be replaced on single in the UK by a Village People – type alternative song.

CHARLES VEAL: If You Ever Need Somebody’ (LP ‘Only The Best’ US Capitol ST-12095).
Out a while and generally ignored, this female-sounding tensely pent-up jittery little 108 – 109bpm jolter actually goes well with Teena Marie and could work with Gladys Knight, Idris Muhammad etc.

SHOTGUN: ‘Party Right Here’ (LP ‘Kingdom Come’ US/MCA MCA-5317).
Appropriate party noises and answering chants spike this solid simple brassy 118bpm smacker, ‘Bad Babe‘ being a leaping 120 bpm lurcher with yowling synth.

MTUME: ‘So You Wanna Be A Star’ (LP ‘In Search Of The Rainbow Seekers’ US Epic JE 35017).
Languidly swinging 115bpm thumper with grittier break and build-up near end, but nothing on Mtume & Lucas’s LP betters the included ‘Give It On Up‘.

SADAO WATANABE: ‘Orange Bypass’ (LP ‘Autumn Blow’ US Inner City IC 6064).
Now on cheaper US label through City Sounds maybe, but beware as apart from this less than compulsive 120 – 124 – 126bpm specialist jazz rhythm skitterer with Patrice Rushen piano the entire “live” set is very complex pure jazz and not a patch on the Columbia double set.

PRINCE: ‘Uptown’ (US Warner Bros WBS495390.
Squeaky bouncily leaping 129bpm 7in bounder could almost have 2 – Tone appeal!

---

UK NEWIES

DEODATO: ‘Night Cruiser’ (Warner Bros K 17696T).
Terrific thumping and jumping lush 114bpm jazz instrumental driver with several chop – start points stronger than the gradually building intro, now on 12in with the similar but more circuitously melodic 114bpm ‘Love Magic‘ as double-value flip.

TOM BROWNE: ‘Thighs High To The Sky’ (Arista ARIST 12367).
Guffaw-introed heavy funk loosely structured clapping 119 – 118 (chick) – 120bpm 12in roller goes into a quieter chick-sung break and could be not as cohesively catchy for mass pop appeal as ‘Jamaica’, though the real funk fans are digging it already off the few promo acetates so far in circulation.

DAVID BOWIE: ‘Fashion’ (LP ‘Scary Monsters’ RCA BOW LP 2).
Not quite as pure funk, this heavily thudding smash due on 12in is 110bpm just like Queen – which it chops and synchs in and out of sensationally (but beware the quieter intro is on the half-beat).

BARBARA THOMPSON: ‘Sunset’ (MCA MCAT 621).
UK-based jazz saxist’s skipping 119 (intro) – 123 – 120 – 122 – 123bpm 12in instrumental smacker is by turns romping and repetitively jolting (the 120bpm bit), and rather strong.

MICHAEL HENDERSON: ‘Wide Receiver’ (Buddah BDSL 494).
On 3-track 12in, this great catchy US smash 125bpm P’funk bounder smacks along getting stronger all the time and possibly chop-starts best where he goes “hit me hit me” – in any case ‘One Nation Under A Groove’ vari-synchs – mind bogglingly well out of it! – the flip housing his old 123bpm ‘Happy‘ instrumental snapper and 124bpm ‘I Can’t Help It‘ vocal.

LEO’S SUNSHIPP: ‘Give Me The Sunshine’ (Grapevine REDC 3).
Lowrell – like throatily wailing atmospheric soulful steady 92 (intro) – 95 – 93 – 97bpm jogger and the Al Johnson – covered 101 – 100 – 101 – 100 – 102bpm ‘I’m Back For More‘ are suddenly on good value 12in ages after the 1978-recorded LP was much sought on import.

FREEEZ: ‘Stay’ (Pink Rhythm 12 PINKY 2).
Bass-jolted jittery rocking polyrhythmic 113 (intro) – 122 – 124 – 125 – 126 (piano) – 128 – 126bpm 12in instrumental swayer builds tension with chix – sung choruses through pretty guitar, honking sax, pounding piano, snappy bass and searing sax solos to become a powerful jazzy driver, the good snappy 124 – 126 – 128bpm ‘Hot Footing It‘ flip being even jazzier.

EARTH WIND & FIRE: ‘Let Me Talk’ (CBS 8982).
Ultra-jittery staccato segmented 105 (intro) – 110 – 111 – 112 – 113bpm 7in brassy blaster with a less strident longer B-side version, there possibly being a 12in soon.

IDRIS MUHAMMAD: ‘For Your Love’ (Fantasy FTCT 191).
Sombre steadily thudding atmospheric jiggly but sedate 109 – 110bpm 12in vocal jogger (with an eye-cued slow prelude) synchs sensationally between Teena Marie and William DeVaughn where it sounds stronger than if just played on its own.

JIMMY T. AND RICKY D.: ‘Closer’ (Laser LAS 33).
Acappella – introed catchily crafted pop-slanted semi-soul duetted little 36bpm 7in swayer.

ROLLING STONES: ‘She’s So Cold’ (EMI RSR 106).
Great full-tilt 141bpm 7in rock strutter is interestingly the same BPM as Police.

---

UK Disco Top 90 – October 4, 1980

01 01 George Benson – Give Me The Night – Warner Bros. 12″
02 02 Rick James – Big Time – Motown 12”
03 05 Linx – You’re Lying – Aves/Chrysalis 12”
04 03 Fatback – Backstrokin’ – Spring 12″
05 09 Change – Searching / Angel In My Pocket – WEA 12″
06 04 Gap Band – Oops Up Side Your Head – Mercury 12”
07 23 Coffee – Casanova – De-Lite 12”
08 07 Tom Browne – Funkin’ For Jamaica (N.Y.) – Arista GRP 12″
09 06 Locksmith – Unlock The Funk / Blackjack / Far Beyond – Arista 12″
10 08 Deodato – Night Cruiser / Love Magic – Warner Bros. 12”
11 21 Teena Marie – I Need Your Lovin’ / Behind The Groove (Remix) – Motown 12”
12 14 Shalamar – I Owe You One – Solar 12″
13 13 Black Slate – Amigo – Ensign 12″
14 29 Stevie Wonder – Masterblaster (Jammin’) – Motown 12”
15 11 Gladys Knight & The Pips – Taste Of Bitter Love – CBS 12″
16 20 Queen – Another One Bites The Dust – EMI/US Elektra 12” promo
17 19 Geraldine Hunt – Can’t Fake The Feeling – US Prism 12”
18 10 William DeVaughn – Be Thankful For What You’ve Got – EMI 12”
19 22 George Benson – Love X Love / Off Broadway / On Broadway – Warner Bros 12”
20 15 Rose Royce – Pop Your Fingers – Whitfield 12″
21 12 Diana Ross – Upside Down – Motown 12″
22 24 Young & Company – I Like (What You’re Doing To Me) – US Brunswick 12″
23 17 Ashford & Simpson – Love Don’t Make It Right – Warner Bros. 12”
24 18 Kelly Marie – Feels Like I’m In Love – Calibre Plus 12″
25 27 Randy Crawford – One Day I’ll Fly Away – Warner Bros. 12”
26 16 Hiroshi Fukumura – Hunt Up Wind – US Inner City LP
27 43 Light Of The World – London Town / Pete’s Crusade – Ensign 12”
28 26 Cameron – Let’s Get It Off – Salsoul 12″
29 35 Jimmy Senyah – Weakness For Your Sweetness – Rokel 12″
30 63 D.I.S.C.O. / You’re OK – Ottawan – Carrere 12”
31 31 Ned Doheny – To Prove My Love – Japanese CBS Sony LP
32 25 Stacy Lattisaw – Dynamite – Atlantic 12″
33 30 Dynasty – I’ve Just Begun To Love You – Solar 12″
34 45 Diana Ross – My Old Piano – Motown 12”
35 79 Gap Band – Party Lights – Mercury 12”
36 60 Mirage – Summer Grooves – Flamingo 12”
37 32 Odyssey – Use It Up And Wear It Out – RCA 12″
38 28 Dells – All About The Paper / I Touched A Dream – 20th Century-Fox 12″
39 44 Ernie Watts – Just Holdin’ On – US Elektra LP
40 08 Eumir Deodato – Groovitation / Uncle Funk – Warner Bros LP
41 33 Surface Noise – Dancin’ On A Wire / Love Groove – Groove Production 12″
42 40 S.O.S. Band – Take Your Time (Do It Right) – Tabu 12″
43 34 Level 42 – Love Meeting Love – Polydor 12″
44 42 80’s Ladies – Ladies Of The Eighties – US Uno Melodic 12”
45 52 McFadden & Whitehead – I Heard It In A Love Song – TSOP 12”
46 37 Shakatak – Steppin’ – Polydor 12″
47 38 Village People – Can’t Stop The Music / Magic Night – Mercury 12”
48 50 Chocolate Milk – I’m Your Radio – RCA 12”
49 41 Stacy Lattisaw – Jump To The Beat – Atlantic 12″
50 49 Al Di Meola – Roller Jubilee – CBS 12″
51 51 Roberta Flack – Don’t Make Me Wait Too Long – Atlantic 12″
52 46 Nick Straker Band – A Walk In The Park – Pinnacle 12”/CBS
53 55 Fred Wesley – House Party – US RSO
54 75 Michal Urbaniak – Joy / Nanava / Circular Road – US Motown LP
55 70 George Benson – Moody’s Mood / Dinorah Dinorah / Turn Out The Lamplight – Warner Bros LP
56 39 Ramsey Lewis – Colors In Space / Come Back Jack / High Point / Caribbean Blue / Hell On Wheels / Whisper Zone – CBS LP
57 NE Jimmy ‘Bo’ Horne – Is It In – US Sunshine Sound 12”
58 NE Kurtis Blow – The Breaks / Instrumental – Mercury 12”
59 61 Starpoint – I Just Wanna Dance With You / Get Ready Get Down – Casablanca 12”
60 53 Crown Heights Affair – You’ve Been Gone / Far Out – De-Lite 12″
61 65 Diana Ross – I’m Coming Out / Tenderness – Motown LP/US 7”
62 84 Zapp – More Bounce To The Ounce – US Warner Bros LP
63 57 Coffee – I Wanna Be With You – US De-Lite LP
64 87 Willie ‘Beaver’ Hale – Groove-On – US Cat LP
65 68 Sadao Watanabe – No Problem / Nice Shot (Live) / Up Country – US Columbia LP
66 71 A Taste Of Honey – Rescue Me / Boogie Oogie Oogie – Capitol 12″
67 66 Brass Construction – How Do You Do – US UA LP
68 NE Frankie Smith – Double Dutch – US WMOT 12”
69 62 Detroit Spinners – Split Decision / Now That You’re Mine Again – Atlantic 12”
70 58 Flakes – Sugar Frosted Lover – Calibre 12″
71 76 Kwick – Can’t Help Myself – EMI America 12”
72 54 Michael Henderson – Wide Receiver – Buddah 12”
73 73 Larsen-Feiten Band – Further Notice – Warner Bros/US LP
74 67 Maze – Joy And Pain / Changing Times / The Look In Your Eyes – US Capitol LP
75 80 Rhyze – Do Your Dance – Epic LP
76 90 Teena Marie – Chains / You Make Love Like Springtime / First Class Love – US Gordy LP
77 64 Norman Connors – Take It To The Limit / Black Cow – Arista 12”
78 59 Ritz – I Wanna Get With You – US Posse 12″
79 NE Earth Wind & Fire – Let Me Talk – CBS
80 NE Dave Valentin – Astro-March / Fantasy / Sindran’s Dream – US GRP LP
81 56 Teddy Pendergrass – Take Me In Your Arms Tonight / Love T.K.O. / Can’t We Try – Phil Int LP
82 NE Jazz Sluts – Fuchi (Free Spirit) – Epic 12”
83 83 Casiopea – Asayake / I Love New York – Japanese Alta LP
84 RE Dynasty – Groove Control / Do Me Right / Day And Night / Ice Breaker – US Solar LP
85 NE Irene Cara – Fame / Hot Lunch Jam – RSO 12”
86 RE Cameron – Funkdown / Let’s Get It Off (Remix) – US Salsoul 12”
87 89 RJ’s Latest Arrival – Ultimate Masterpiece – US VR 12”
88 81 Carrie Lucas – Keep Smilin’ – Solar 12”
89 RE Locksmith – TMI / Groove Town / Cinnamon – Arista LP
90 86 David Matthews – Cosmic City – Japanese Electric Bird LP

---

BREAKERS

BUBBLING UNDER the UK Disco 90 with increased support are:
LTD: ‘Shine On’ (A&M 12in)
Kanu Sukalagwun: ‘Stand Up Please’ / ‘In The Sheath’ / ‘Shaft’ (Japanese Flying Dick LP)
Aurra: ‘When I Come Home’ (Salsoul 12in)
Linda Clifford: ‘Red Light’ (RSO 12in)
Rah Band: ‘Falcon’ (DJM 12in)
Tom Browne: ‘Thighs High To The Sky’ (Arista GRP acetate promo)
LaToya Jackson: ‘If You Feel The Funk’ / ‘Are You Ready’ (US Polydor LP)
Osibisa: ‘Moving On’ / ‘Celebration’ (Calibre 12in)
JR Funk & The Love Machine: ‘Feel Good Party Time’ (US Brass 12in)
Windy City: ‘I Still Love You’ (US Kelli-Arts)
Yellow Magic Orchestra: ‘Behind The Mask’ / ‘Tong Poo’ / ‘La Femme Chinoise’ (A&M 12in)
Gayle Adams: ‘Your Love Is A Life Saver’ (Epic 12in/US remix)
Incognito: ‘Parisienne Girl’ (Ensign white label 12in)
Daybreak: ‘Everybody Get Off (US Prelude 12in)
Maynard Ferguson: ‘It’s My Time’ / ‘Star’ / ‘Red Creek’ (US Columbia LP)
Mtume: ‘Give It On Up’ (US Epic 12in)
France Joli: ‘Feel Like Dancing’ (Ariola Dreyfus 12in)
Gonzalez: ‘Digital Love Affair’ (EMI 12in)
Nite Watch: ‘Get Down’ (‘Cause I Love Your Body)’ (Channel)
Bunny Brown: ‘Strawberry Letter 23’ (Groove Production 12in)
Evelyn ‘Champagne’ King: ‘Let’s Get Funky Tonight’ (US RCA 12in)
Kano: ‘I’m Ready’ (US Emergency 12in)
Barbara Thompson: ‘Sunset’ (MCA 12in)
Instant Funk: ‘Everybody (US Salsoul LP)
Tyrone Davis: ‘How Sweet It Is’ (US Columbia LP)

---

DORC (Dance Orientated Rock Chart)

1 (1) Sheena Easton ‘9 To 5’, 2 (2) Sheena Easton ‘Modern Girl’, 3 (6) Billy Joel, 4 (3) Piranhas, 5 (4) Cliff Richard, 6 (10) Odyssey, 7 (5) David Bowie, 8 (20) Madness, 9 (8) Paul Simon, 10 (7) Abba, 11 (15) Bob Marley, 12 (11) Jam, 13(-) Police, 14 (13) Hazel O’Connor, 15(-) Rolling Stones ‘She’s So Cold’.

---

HIT NUMBERS

Beats Per Minute for last week’s pop chart entries on 7in are:
Police 0 – 35 – 141/70f, Thin Lizzy 176f, Bad Manners 133 – 168 – 135c, Matchbox 133/67f, Gilbert O’Sullivan 55/110 – 0r, Showaddywaddy 93 – 96/192f, Teardrop Explodes 130f, Gap Band 120 – 119 – 118f, Donna Summer 138f, Sad Cafe 49/98 – 50/100f, Coffee 124 – 127 – 128 – 130f, Air Supply 27/55 – 0r.