Wood, Brass & Steel - Funkanova [Turbo] (1976)

Taken from their self-titled debut LP, Funkanova’ was a minor club hit for progressive funk band Wood, Brass & Steel back in 1976.  The track has the air of a live jam session with funky bass and jazzy Rhodes providing the infectious foundation whilst the echoing guitar lead and sublime Solina Strings section evokes a spacey, trance-like feeling that sets the track apart from a lot of the disco tracks emerging at that time.  The group broke up shortly after the album with two members going on to form part of the Sugarhill Band, and that could easily have been the end of the story. However In 1994 Ashley Beadle and his Black Science Orchestra companions sampled sections of the track to create one of their best-known hits, New Jersey Deep. This is when I, and many others first discovered and fell in love with the track as it quickly became, and has remained over the years, a club favourite.  It’s one of those tracks that instantly stands the hairs on my arms on end.  In truth B.S.O. added very little to the original aside from updating the drums and re-arranging the track cherry picking the best sections and sewing them together to create a blissful slice of deep, uplifting house music. If you have only heard the track in this incarnation then its well worth seeking out the original.  It contains all the parts you know and love, as well as additional elements like vocal and brass layers.  When all’s said and done this is a timeless piece of music that can still work its magic on the listener today.   
(selected and reviewed by Ross Couch of Soul Life Records)

Eddie Kendricks - Date With The Rain [Motown Records]

Sadly, I'm too young to remember this track when it graced many DJs record boxes back in the seventies. In this instance it's best to leave the desription to someone who was privileged to witness its effect first hand.  This track was nominated by Evan Landes of Groove Junkies, " It’s just one of those tunes that’s dripping with soul, and always brings me right back to the heart of NYC’s underground club scene from years gone by." When you think that the flip side of this was Diana Ross - Love Hangover, I guess it's a pretty precious bit of vinyl. 
(selected by Evan Landes, additional commentary by Dean Serafini) 

Jerry Edwards - I  Am Somebody [Republic Records] (1989)

This is my first review for jjazproject, and I wanted the first song I review to be a song that has the essential elements of a proper house music song: good vocals, positive lyrics, uplifting vocals, tight production, and a real dancefloor groove.  1989 is year that I became a real house head and I decided to pick a song from that time.  The production team that is Blaze was on fire (no pun intended) with their repertoire of artists, productions, and affiliations.  With the success of the 2x12" and CD release "The Garage Sound of Deepest New York" back in late 1988, they followed it up with 1989's "Paradise Regained: The Garage Sound Of Deepest New York - Volume 2." My favorite tune from this compilation is the Jerry Edwards classic "I Am Somebody."  It has all of the aforementioned elements of a proper house music song, and to put it plainly, it's a slammin' ass tune.  If you have this on the 2x12" release or the 12" single, it's time for you to play it again and again.  If you don't have it, go purchase a copy.  When you go to your favorite club, find a way for the DJ to play the tune.  For those that never heard it, click the sleeve for a sound clip.     (selected and reviewed by Big Will)

Alison Limerick - Where Love Lives [Arista] (1990)

Right from the start there's no getting away from it: clearly a Knuckles & Morales production and instantly recognisable. It's the keyboards that do it; I remember hearing it for the first time all those years ago and being almost instantly blown away. That intro creates such an atmosphere and the ryhthm just makes you want to move. As a DJ, there's always a track you turn to when things aren't going to plan and for many years I could rely on this to do the trick. At the time I'm sure this was billed as their final joint production, and the names Frankie Knuckles or David Morales within the production credits nearly always meant you were getting the real deal. Despite numerous remixes and re-releases I've never tired of hearing it, but it's the orginal mixes that have stood the test of time           (selected and reviewed by Dean Serafini)    Listen Here