Frankie Knuckles - It's Hard Sometimes 1991

Virgin Records VUSCD 52

Produced by Frankie Knuckles & John Poppo. Written and performed by Frankie along with Danny Madden & Satoshi Tomiie and featuring the wonderful vocal talent of Shelton Becton. It's Hard Sometimes, if I remember correctly, was the introduction to Frankie Knuckles forthcoming album, Beyond The Mix, and boy, did it get a fond welcome. I personally thought it was his best for awhile, until he released Rain Falls.

The beauty of the David Morales Classic Club Mix is in the speed. Slow and soulful with a painfully slow but irresistible House groove. It also features the most gorgeous piano solo, probably played bt Satoshi Tomiie although Eric Kupper, Terry Burrus & Peter 'Ski' Schwartz are also credited but not 'who done what'? The Alternate 12" Mix is more what you would expect, riding on a mid tempo groove but leaving out the piano. I have no idea why it fades with only a minute left. It seems totally pointless but doesn't spoil the listening experience much. If you like to mix with long overlaps then you'll want the 8:02, no fade, version.

• D.M. Classic Radio
• D.M. Classic Club Mix
• Alternate 12" Mix (Fade)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Hard Sometimes CDS.rar Filesize: 26.56 MB

Frankie Knuckles - Rain Falls 1991

Virgin Records VUSCD 60

Frankie Knuckles other productions from this period seem to get much more attention but Rain Falls is one of his best for me. Taken from the album Beyond The Mix, this is a classic that got lost in the shadows cast by it's siblings. It features vocals by Lisa Michaelis and music by Satoshi Tomiie and the cherry on top is backing vocals provided by Danny Madden (on the Morales Mix) and Moisture. This is more than just another Def Mix Classic.

As the 90's settled in so the record companies urged and manipulated the market to encourage the record buying public to become the CD buying public. If we ignore the vinyl sycophants and look at it logically, it was a good idea. Unfortunately there were many downsides, one of which was the time restrictions to qualify for pop chart inclusion. This led to the major labels insisting that radio edits be included and leaving out the full length versions? In this instance I was deprived of some great mixes including David Morales awesome 10 minute epic, the Soakin' Wet Mix. If anybody has it, I would love a copy. In their place, we are provided with Workout featuring the vocal talents of Roberta Gilliam. Ms. Gilliam sang a slow groove classic back in the 80's called All I Want Is My Baby and she has a fine voice. You would imagine that the combination of a House Music Legend and a Voice from the heavens would result in the stuff that anthems are made of but.... not this time?

• Rain Falls (Wet Radio Mix)
• Rain Falls (Frankie's Original Version)
• Workout (1992 Vocal Mix)
• Workout (Eric Kupper Vocal Mix)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Rain Falls CDS.rar Filesize: 32.55MB

Adeva - Adeva! (Ltd. Bonus 12") 1989

Cooltempo Records CTLPD 13

When Adeva's album came out in 1989, it was accompanied, for a limited time, by a bonus 12" single featuring three unreleased mixes. Beautiful Love is remixed by Frankie Knuckles for Def Mix productions. The Dream Mix is more of a dub mix, featuring David Morales, John Poppo & Eric Kupper on keys, drums and programming, etc. I created my own Extended vocal with it coz it's boring. Promises & I Thank You are in-house Smack Productions remixes.

• Beautiful Love (The Dream Mix)
• Promises (Truth Mix)
• I Thank You (New Jersey Mix)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Adeva! Bonus 12.rar Filesize: 52.15 MB

Paradise Orchestra - Colour Me 1991

Pulse 8 Records 12 LOSE 10

Italian DJ's and disco pioneers, Corrado Rizza and Gino 'Woody' Bianchi who set up Wax Productions with Dominico Scuteri, a very talented musician. Colour Me by Paradise Orchestra, one of the best Euro House tracks ever released, was their first creation, released by Alvaro Ugolini and Dario Raimondi's Rome label, X-Energy. The record charted (briefly thank God) in the UK on the highly credible Pulse 8 label establishing for them, an excellent reputation on the dance scene.

For my money, the 70's Classic Mix says it all but a song of this calibre works anyway you want it. The hook is in the string section and The Theme is like a Stringapella, listen and it will catch you like a box of fishing hooks. THIS is why it works and yet it sounds so simple?

• 70's Classic Mix
• The Theme
• Heavenly Mix
• Dominic Mix

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Paradise Orchestra.rar Filesize: 30.33 MB

Lynden David Hall - Sexy Cinderella 1997

Cooltempo Records CDCOOL 328

The 1997 debut album Medicine 4 My Pain by Wandsworth-born singer/song-writer Lynden David Hall made an unprecedented impact on the discerning tastes of the Brit-Soul fraternity. At the time of completing that album he was still young, having just signed his first record deal at just 21. Sexy Cinderella (featuring Me'shell Ndegeocello on Bass) was the first single release, remixed for the dancefloor by CJ Mackintosh but including the superb album version.

In October 2003, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma; he died on 14 February 2006, at the age of 31

• Radio Edit
• Album Version
• Cosmack Radio Edit
• Cosmack 12" Mix
• Cosmack Instrumental

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: LDH - Sexy Cinderella.rar Filesize: 27.75 MB

Culture Beat - (Cherrylips) Der Erdbeermund 1989

Epic Records 655633 2

Long before they recorded Mr Vain, (well, three years, that's a lifetime in the music world....) Culture Beat were way cool! We're still in the 2nd Summer Of Love and anything goes. Smiley is on everything, the 808 rules and Bass, Breaks & Bleeps are on the horizon. Suddenly, from Germany of all places, the most beautiful instrumental piece of music slips from my radio and reminds me that all is well with the world!

Culture Beat was formed in 1989 by Torsten Fenslau, who had been working as a deejay at the Frankfurt nightclub Dorian Gray. His first single, the ambient house track Der Erdbeermund, with a spoken vocal in German by Jo van Nelson, peaked at number 11 in the German singles chart. It was also released in English and French titled Cherry Lips & Les Lèvres Cerises. The Instrumental Magic version was a club hit in the UK.

• Instrumental Magic
• Get Into Magic Vocal Mix

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Culture Beat.rar Filesize: 42.54 MB

Du, Du, ich bin so wild nach Deinem Erdbeermund
Ich schrie mir schon die Lungen wund
Nach Deinem Leib - Du Weib

Im Klee da hat der Mai ein Bett gemacht
Da blüht ein süsser Zeitvertreib
Mit Deinem Leib - Die lange Nacht
Da will ich sein im tiefen Tal
Dein Nachtgebet und auch Dein Sterngemahl

Im tiefen Erdbeertal im schwarzen Haar
Da schlief ich manchen Sommer lang bei Dir
Und schlief doch nie zuviel
Komm - komm - komm her
Ich weiss ein schönes Spiel
Im dunklen Tal im Muschelgrund,

Ach, ach, ach Du, ach Du, Du
Ach ich bin so wild nach Deinem Erdbeermund

Ach, ach...
Die graue Welt macht keine Freude mehr
Ich gab den schönsten Sommer her
Und Dir hat's auch kein Glück gebracht nicht war
Hast nur den roten Mund noch aufgespart

Für mich, für mich, für mich,
So tief im Haar verwahrt
Ich such ihn schon die lange Nacht
Im Wintertal im Aschengrund
Ich bin so wild nach Deinem Erdbeermund

Im Wintertal im schwarzen Erdbeerkraut
Da hat der Schnee ein Nest gebaut
Und fragt nicht wo die Liebe sei
Ich habe doch das rote Tier so tief erfahren
Als ich bei Dir schlief
Ach oh wär der Winter erst vorbei
Und wieder grün der Wiesengrund

Und Du, Du ach Du
Ich bin so wild nach Deinem Erdbeermund

Sha Lor - I'm In Love 1989

De Construction Records ZT 42892

Vocal house with beautiful vocals and a gorgeous haunting refrain that is as contagious as the common cold. The vocals were performed by Laurie Maynard, who along with Sharmelle John made up the group Sha-Lor. Sharmelle performed the spoken word and "in love ooooooh"s. The track was produced by Ben "Cozmo D" Cenac for Jam-On Productions, the Brooklyn DJ collective behind Newcleus (Wikki Wikki Song) published by Jump Street Records. Enjoy!

• I'm In Love (Remix)
• I'm In Love (Classic)
• I'm In Love (Harmonic Mix)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Sha-Lor.rar Filesize: 33.22 MB

Adeva - I Thank You 1989

Cooltempo COOLX 192

Adeva (born Patricia Daniels) is an American singer from New Jersey. Her big voice debuted on a Smack Productions dance cover of the Aretha Franklin/Otis Redding hit "Respect" in 1989 her debut album, Adeva!, came out in the same year. A critical and commercial success in the UK, it contained several hit singles of which I Thank You was the fourth reaching #17 on the UK chart. Along with Troy Patterson, Kevin Lewis & Brenda Mickens on backing vocals Adeva kicks up a storm but this 12" release fares well due to the additional production of SimpHouse legend Paul Simpson and engineer Dave Darlington who's name always seems to be on the best tunes. Respect is still a favorite, especially for New York City radio but for my personal preference, this beats Musical Freedom (another SimpHouse production) for the dance floor and I'd much rather hear the sublime Beautiful Love than Respect anyday.

Despite collaborations with Frankie Knuckles and being much sampled by numerous artists including Onephatdeeva, she allegedly now teaches 7th graders.

• I Thank You (The Philadelphia Mix)
• I Thank You (Philly Dub)
• I Don't Need You

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Adeva.rar Filesize: 28.11 MB

Jody Watley - Off The Hook 1998

Atlantic Records 7567-84091-2

Jody Watley got her start as a dancer on the hit TV show Soul Train at the age of fourteen. From 1977 to 1984, she was a singer in the R&B group Shalamar with Howard Hewett and Jeffrey Daniel. In late 1986, Watley released her first single off her debut solo album called "Looking For A New Love", which became a hit followed in 1989 by Real Love from her second album Larger Than Life. After 1990 she lost the interest of the music scene, possibly due to her dance fitness video and tv ads?

Jody spent most of 1997 recording her sixth studio album, Flower, and was back on the scene in early 1998 with Off The Hook and If I'm Not In Love. Off The Hook fared well, propelled by remixes from Masters At Work and Soul Solution, the track reached #1 on the US dance chart, making it her first #1 in nine years. In the UK it was the Booker T mixes that created the fuss and are still of interest now.

Big Beat Records was absorbed into its parent label, Atlantic Records, which then shelved the albums U.S. release. Flower was, however, released in Canada, Great Britain and Japan. The critically-acclaimed release was championed by many UK magazines, including Blues and Soul, and Echoes magazine among others.

• Radio Edit-US Version
• Booker T Remix
• KenLou Mix
• KenLou Dub
• Soul Solution Mix

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Jody Watley - Off The Hook 1998.rar Filesize: 39.32 MB

Chaka Khan - Love You All My Lifetime 1992

Warner Brothers 9362-40412-2

Yvette Marie Stevens was born on a Naval Training Station, Illinois. She adopted the African name Chaka Khan while working for the Black Panthers circa '69-70-ish. A few years later she teamed up with Kevin Murphy and Andre Fisher to form Rufus, debuting in 1973 the group earned a few gold & platinum albums before she went solo in 1978.

Chaka kicked off her own career with I’m Every Woman (written by Ashford & Simpson) and has never looked back. 1984 was such a great year for her that following it successfully was virtually impossible. In comparison, she could only go downhill. In 1989, after a couple of flakey albums, a concerted effort was made to put Chaka Khan back in the public eye. The excellent Life Is A Dance - Remix Project, was a retrospective of a decade in the hands of 11 acclaimed remix producers of the era. It scored well and her name was back on the front page, just as well really coz....

Chaka Khan returned to form with this 1992 gem. The Woman I Am is one of Chaka's best ever solo albums, her voice crystal clear and the tunes consistently melodic. Khan co-wrote five of the songs and the strong songwriting and vocal performance more than compensate for the early 90's production. This one of Chaka's most cohesive solo albums, despite having eight different production combinations on thirteen tracks, it all goes together well. This album just shows Chaka Khan at her best, Songs like Love You All My Lifetime, the single from the album, puts Khan's voice out in the forefront where it belongs. The album cut is a powerful and stunning R'n'B number with a very infectious hook. On this release, Ben Wolf & Andy Dean have done a great job on The Diva Edit. This 8 minute Boilerhouse opus utilises all the strongest aspects of the song while remaining faithful to its original purpose. Elsewhere, The Love Suite is handled by a backroom team of some repute. The mix is credited to David Shaw & Winston Jones (the only team to contribute a second track on The Remix Project album) but... a young Cevin Fisher (Burnin' Up) is on the keyboards along with Fred McFarlane (Somebody Else's Guy & Show Me Love) and the whole deal is engineered by Dave Darlington (NYC's busiest engineer, has his name on more vinyl than Porky Prime Cut). As you would expect with those names involved, this is a House remix, built for the dancefloor and it does the job well. The Woman I Am won a Grammy Award back around 1993 and is probably Chaka at her finest. If you like the album version I'd reccomend the album.

Three decades and five Grammy Awards down the line she is still going strong. Chaka's latest album, Funk This celebrates 30 years of solo career and it sounds pretty damn good, I guess she's set for a few more years in the public arena.

• Album Version Edit
• The Diva Edit
• Garage Mix With Strings
• Love Suite 12" Mix Act 1
• Love Suite 12" Mix Act 2 Dub

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Chaka Khan.rar Filesize: 45.72 MB

Cold endless summer days
Since you went away
Tore my heart in two
And now wandering through the night
I see the city lights
Feelin' so in need
I'll never be at peace

Love you all my lifetime
Lost to you eternally
Everything in my life
Tells me we were meant to be

Strange, something's always wrong
Dreams don't last that long
What part did I play in that game
And now, now you turn away
Excuses are too late
Feelin' so in need, i'll never be at peace

Love you all my lifetime
Lost to you eternally
Everything in my life
Tells me we were meant to be

I hope you can remember
Hopin' for another chance,
I hope that you can see that
We can start a new romance

You make the rain and the night go away
You make the sun rise up in my sky
You make the rain and the night go away
You make the sun rise up in my sky

Soul II Soul - Pleasure Dome 1997

Island Records CID 669/572 089-2

It also includes a Dream Team Mix but they spelt it differently (red tape apparently). Of course, the UK Crew will probably be well aware that the UK Garage explosion was in full effect by this time. A year earlier, Booker T remixed SIIS's 1988 Keep On Movin' for the Garage dancefloor, to full effect and here they used tried and tested Booker T again, the current favs Karl 'Tuff Enuff' Brown & Matt 'Jam' Lamont and finally the latest talent, DJ Spoony, Mikee B & Timmi Magic of the Dreem Teem.

This number, written by Beresford 'Jazzie B' Romeo and engineered by Lee Hamblin, features the vocal talents of Ray (Crazy Pictures) Simpson and that alone makes it worth a listen. The Album Version is an excellent example of classic Soul II Soul but the dancefloor didn't want slow shuffle anymore so it went to waste.

Time to put on your disco shoes, if your pacemaker's up to the challenge. Booker T revs up the BPM and turns it into a full vocal soulful house stomper. Superbly done considering the pace versus the vocal delivery, I love it. Next up, Tuff Jam. This is typical of the era. Vocal sample repeating over their UVM beat which worked the floors across the country but there ain't no soul. Dreem Teem turn out a similar effort, nothing wrong here as long as your looking for Garage and not Soul. Lastly, the Booker T Dub which absolutely tore up the 4x4 Garage events everywhere. It still does coz ain't nobody making quality UK Garage anymore. This has a serious groove and still retains a bit of that soul too?

• Album Mix
• Radio Edit
• Booker T Mix
• Tuff Jam's UVM Mix
• Dream Team Mix II
• Booker T Dub

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: SIIS Pleasure Dome.rar Filesize: 52.48 MB

Richard Rogers - Can't Stop Loving You 1990

BCM Records BCM 450 X (BCM 12450)

Richard Rogers shares his name with Oscar Hammerstein's right hand man. Instead, this Rogers has the Godfather Of House at his side. Rogers & Jefferson, it has a good ring to it. When Marshall Jefferson laid down that piano on 'Move Your Body' I never expected that he would produce something like this a few years later.

Strings and Horns arranged and conducted by Orbert C. Davis for Orbark productions with Mark Ingram and Reggie Hall on backing vocals. Producer, mixed & written by the legendary Marshall Jefferson for On The House productions. Engineered by Bob Bennett. Licensed from SAM Records.

• Club Mix
• Acapella
• Radio Version
• Instrumental

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Richard Rogers.rar Filesize: 38.12 MB

The Underground Crew - Feel The Melody 1990

Clubhouse Records CHR 104

Novelty value I guess but I love it. This one from Da Posse, K. Fingers & Hula (Craig Simpkins and Lamar Mahone to their Mums), will have your neighbours convinced you are The Stud, the Missus beating you with a big stick and the kids thinking you're a perv. It's worth it though. Feel The Melody and Orgasm are slow starters that then turn into four on the floor house'rs, tink Lil Louis 'French Kiss' with a filthy mouth and a girlfriend called Lassie. Feel The Melody (Slow Mix) is the way to go (Pinky solo), Slow Mix if you fancy menage a trois. Nasty Mix is absolute garbage but then one of them had to be?

Despite appearances, this is 5 versions of the same song. It's a nice bit of music with an excited female groaning over it and a guy talking dirty to her. Apologies for the crackles and grind but it's a poor pressing with limited availability. Funny enough, the run out is inscribed "Session Masters MJR", someone was obviously having a laugh. I took it back and was offered my cash back but chose to keep the platter with first dibs on the next one in. The shop no longer exists but I'm still first on the list.

• Feel The Melody (Slow Mix)
• Feel The Melody
• Orgasm
• Nasty Mix
• Slow Mix

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: The Underground Crew.rar Filesize: 52.06 MB