H.i.p.

Rhino has assembled a good collection of commercially popular disco tunes, but the real reason for disco's popularity - the extended mixes that created the backbone of club culture and enabled people to dance for hours - has eluded them. All the tracks featured in this collection are radio edits. Consequently, the listener is faced with a collection of dated ditties rather than hearing the tunes as they were meant to be heard: dancefloor epics that sweep you up.

Disco may have been a dirty word as the 70's came to a close but during the 80's its influence on much of this selection helped create some of the greatest dance music recorded. As a poet and philsopher once said, 'Lets Groove Tonight'…..

Soul music is a popular music genre that originated in the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It combines elements of African-American gospel music, rhythm and blues and jazz. Soul music became popular for dancing and listening in the United States, where record labels such as Motown, Atlantic and Stax were influential during the Civil Rights Movement. Soul also became popular around the world, directly influencing rock music and the music of Africa.

' This is one of the great albums of all time, and is by far the most coherent, interesting and powerful album that James Brown was involved with. With Maceo Parker back on board to work with Fred Wesley and the gang at the height of their creativity, the album comes together as a coherent whole, exploring a number of funk and jazz themes. The album gives extended solo time to the horn players, while the guitar and bass players set up rock-solid foundations. The drumming and percussion are all superb. Even the mellow numbers on this album don't succumb to dullness, kept crisp by the sharpness of the band. The longer songs also challenge funk conventions, particularly since most of them don't even have vocals. This is a crucial album that every funk fan should have.' Rob.Clough@duke.edu

Disco compilation from Universal Music featuring Tavares, The Pointer Sisters, Rufus & Chaka Khan, Quincy Jones & others spread across 3 cds.