OK I admit it. I've suggested most of these tunes, but not all of them. And they are just the tip of the iceberg.
Every time I hear a tune and think 'Oooh, maybe we could do that', I dump it here, along with suggestions from band members. They might be here because they're good to dance to, or because I like the piano part, or because the tune is catchy or because of the complex jazz chords etc etc
So this is me being a DJ, and now you know what kind of band you're getting into....quite retro I suppose....
Track | Artist version (link to YouTube etc) |
Comment |
'What's going on' |
Marvin Gaye Everette Harp Alan Haven |
Crowd-pleaser. Who
could sing it? |
'Rescue Me' |
Fontanella Bass | Great retro soul |
'Funkin for Jamaica' |
Tom Browne | Bass player's orgy.
Good chord sequence when it gets going. Probably not do it. |
'Forest Flower' |
Charles Lloyd Quartet | My favourite piece of jazz for all time.
I'm working on it. |
'On a clear day' |
The Peddlers | Love the song, this sixties arrangement and the organ solo. And the button down collars. |
'Somebody Else's Guy' |
Jocelyn Brown | You gotta dance to this...after the intro that is. |
'Green Onions' |
Booker T and the MGs | A soul classic instrumental and a chance to demonstrate my organ in action. Maybe |
'Wave' |
Oscar Peterson version | Inspirational. More practice needed, Hopkins! |
'There it ise' |
Shalamar | Love the sequenced
arpeggios. need a strong b. vox section |
'Young Hearts' |
Candi Staton | Seventies classic. Needs b. vox. |
'San Lorenzo' |
Pat Metheny | I always loved this,
especially the combined zither and piano from pianist Lyle Mayes. |
'Ain't no stopping us now' |
McFadden & Whitehead | Floor-filler. Needs great harmony vox section. |
'Move on up' |
Curtis Mayfield | Do-able floor-filler
with right singers? |
'Let's stay together' |
Al Green | Lovely but not a big 'dancer' |
'Every kinda people' |
Robert Palmer | Do-able dance tune with catchy tunes, hooks. |
'1999' |
Prince | I love it. But a
challenge to get the sound right...very produced. Maybe later
when there's a second keyboard player...dream on. |
'Afro-cuban jazz suite' |
Machito and his cuban all stars | Only 17 minutes long with amazing changes of texture.. check out at 3 mins 20 seconds...just need several baritone saxes... |
'Street Life' |
Randy Crawford and The Crusaders | I could be persuaded I suppose |
'Vitamina' |
Noro Morales | A chance for me and
percussionists to show off |
'I wish i knew how it would feel to be free' |
Billy Taylor Nina Simone |
A bit of fun as everyone know the film night theme. Maybe a sung version. |
'Venus' |
Bananarama | Everyone has a guilty pleasure, I suppose. Disco classic. |
'Closer then close' |
Rosie Gaines Happening club version |
I love this for dancing. Elastic electro-bass drum etc. |
'Take Five' |
Tito Puente | Used to do this in the old Archangel Orchestra, but that had 8 brass players! |
'Smack dab in the middle' |
Ella Mae Morse | Cheeky song, originally from King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys! |
'Twisted' |
Annie Ross | Vocalese suggested by Lauren |
'Desafinado' |
New York Voices | Super-smooth singing somewhat like Bossa No No |
'I want a little sugar in my bowl' |
Nina Simone | Nina in raunchy mode |
'Tell it like it is' |
Aaron Neville | Sixties classic played by Radio Caroline |
'The look of love' |
Nina Simone | Nina in sultry mode |
'Guilty' |
Bonny Raitt | Another great singer that Lauren follows |
'I'm hip' |
Blossom Dearie | Another great singer that Lauren follows |
'Angel Eyes' |
Ella Fitzgerald | Another great singer that Lauren follows |
'In the mood' |
Bette Midler | Another great singer that Lauren follows |
'Soul bossa Nova' |
Quincy Jones | Shagadelic! let's frug, baby! |
'Tranquility' |
Tania Maria | Lovely jazz track with nice dynamics and cool keyboard chords |
'It's a shame' |
Detroit Spinners | Happy memories. Lovely bass lines,. Again, need full-on b.vox section. |
'Ain't no mountain high enough' |
Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell | Two top voices on a superb tune |
'Superstition' |
Stevie Wonder | A world of riches. |
'Like Sugar' |
Chaka Khan | Bass groove. Let's steal it for something else... |
'Seven days is too long' |
Chuck Wood | Northern soul classic with an intro that really means business before the anthemic chorus |
'Can't go for that' |
Hall and Oates | Man that's a sexy record |
'Native New Yorker' |
Odyssey | Great song. Don't forget to book the orchestra too |
'Get down on it' |
Kool and the Gang | Precisely. Get down on it, man. |
'Good times' |
Chic | A production number.
leave it to the DJ, I think |
'Baby don't make me change my mind' |
Gladys Knight and the Pips | One of my fave eighties disco tunes. |
'Just walk in my shoes' |
Gladys Knight and the Pips | Another favoutite of
mine. Northern soul with pumping bass and Phil Spector sound |
'Thinkin' of you' |
Sister Sledge | Catchy tune with prominent congas at start |
'Oh Sheit, It's X' |
Thundercat | Ultra-modern groove production number about being high on the dance floor. Wild bass effect. |
'And the beat goes on' |
The Whispers | So many disco classics to choose from. Most need good b. vox section. |
'Pull up to the bumper' |
Grace Jones | Good dancer, but maybe not much for the band to do. |
'Check yourself' |
The Intruders | Northern soul classic |
'Some day' |
Sir Douglas Band | Little known groover with nice vocal and brass |
'One more time' |
Daft Punk | These production numbers present a challenge for conversion to live band...later down the line maybe. |
'Don't you worry about a thing' |
Stevie Wonder | Another great tune from
the master |
'Funky Nassau' |
The End of the Beginning | Hmm maybe. It's funky
alright. |
'You are the sunshine' |
Stevie Wonder | Nice but probably won't
do this. |
'Midnight Mambo' |
Daniel Poncé | Hard core latin jazz. I love it, but need a team of enthusiasts. |
'Buttercup' |
Stevie Wonder | A nice little known
Stevie Wonder tune |
'Milestones' |
Mark Murphy | Vocal version of the
cool Miles Davis hit |
'Who's that lady' |
Isley Bros | Groovy tune. needs the singers to pull it off. |
'Night and Day' |
Artie Shaw | Let's really get all
those dance genres covered off. |
'Samba Pa Ti' |
Santana | Lovely guitar tune, but not much room for slow tunes like this |
'Now' |
Dave McKay and Vicky Hamilton | A tricky latin vox thing to suit PC |
'Pastime Paradise' |
Ray Barretto and Charlie Palmieri | Mainstream latin jazz. Top tune by Stevie Wonder |
'Lotus (7 Summers)' |
Shaun Martin | Great jazz fusion |
'Stolen Moments' |
Oliver Nelson septet | Great cool jazz from the sixties |
'Dos Dias' |
Sergio Mendes | Brasil '66. Time to
celebrate life and love on the beach at Copcabana |
'Shoshana' |
Cal Tjader | Some excellent Latin piano/vibes with a great groove |
'Bet you thought I'd never find you' |
Jon Hendricks | Super Latin jazz fast
groove with vocal |
'No more blues' |
Dizzy Gillespie | This is another version of the A C Jobim tune 'Chega de Saudade' which translates as ' No more blues' |
'Psychedelic Love' |
Natalie Williams | Slinky groove. Pass the acid. Like the high heels too... |
'Harbour Lights' |
Boz Scaggs | Possibly my favourite
slow song...although it does take off at 5 minutes in |
'Sombras' |
Concha Buika | Fab cool, sultry
songstress with top Cuban pianist Chucho Valdes. To die for. |
'Jojo' |
Boz Scaggs | Cool blue-eyed soul
groove |
'Reach out, I'll be there' |
Four Tops | Back to the school
disco for me |
'Higher and Higher' |
Jackie Wilson | More old school disco. Check out the trumpet refrain when it comes. |
'Brick House' |
Commodores | Now that's what I call
funk. |
'Hold on, I'm coming' |
Sam and Dave | It's gonna be a long
night Pass the pep pills. |
'Do I do' |
Stevie Wonder | This tune makes everybody happy |
'Boogie Oogie Oogie' |
Taste of Honey | The disco classic. Nice
clav and guitar parts |
'Samba do Brazil' |
Bellini | A possible encore
number, if done closer to the orginal, which I coudn't find.
Never mind, enjoy. |
'Soul Man' |
Sam and Dave | Famous guitar part to
this classic. |
'Clean up woman' |
Betty Wright | Somewhat similar to a slow version of Soul Man (above) |
'Tuesday Heartbreak' |
Stevie Wonder | So good. We could just become a Stevie Wonder cover band |
'Reelin' in the years' |
Steely Dan | Also so good. That's quite enough Steely Dan, thank you. Nearly Dan have got this covered off. |
'Move me no mountain' |
Love Unlimited | All good stuff. Needs b. vox section |
'Ask me' |
Ecstasy passion and pain | Depp into seventies
disco. Nice bass work |
'Ain't nothing like the real thing' |
Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell | Great tune. Almost
enough to make me feel romantic again. |
'Groovin'' |
The Young Rascals | Makes me feel good all
over |
'Shotgun' |
Junior Walker | Now wer'e cooking. Time for another pep pill. |
'Na na na na Hey hey' |
Steam | I think I'm indulging
in a bout of nostalgia. And why not? |
'Knucklehead' |
The Barkays | Uncompromising forward movement. Good for my 'train dance' |
'Sex Machine' |
James Brown | Keep the party on its feet |
'Help Me' |
Joni Mitchell | Love this, but it doesn't fit into the dance concept. Could be in the first set. Needs a shit-hot singer. K D Lang and Chaka Khan did great versions too. |
'Waterfall, may this be love' |
Jimi Hendrix | Pastoral tune from the guitar hero. Nice drum work |
'Tighten Up' |
Archie Bell and the Drells | Hi everybody! |
'Abba zabba' |
Captain Beefhart | Would take an afro
jungle back beat very well |
'Memphis soul stew' |
King Curtis | Did this in my first
band when I was 17 years old. |
'Uptight, Outasight' |
Nancy Wilson | Nice! It's 3.30 am, more pep pills please. Great brass... |
'Never can say goodbye' |
Gloria Gaynor | Another disco classic. So many of them need good strings.. |
'Light of Worlds' |
Kool and the gang | Nice contrast between
verse and chorus |
'Party down' |
Little Beaver | I love the totally laid
back vibe on this one |
'Give me your love' |
Curtis Mayfield | Another great laidback groove. Very long intro. |
'Mo's scocious' |
Dr John | Bluesy tune. Nice
backing vocal line |
'Image' |
Alan Haven or Hank Levine | Now I'm showing my age. A guilty pleasure I guess. |
'Up from the sea' |
George Duke | Fairly frantic Latin
samba |
'Traffic jam' |
Chick Webb | Hot club style retro
dance for jitterbugging |
'Caravan' |
e.g. Arturo Sandoval | Watching this gives me another 'Why I don't give up?' moment |
'Hightimes' Martin Goodall |
Jazz Biscuits | A hi-life number is a good idea. We will develop this orginal idea (of our ex-trumpet player Martin). |
'Let's get started' |
The Commodores | Yeah! Let's party! |
'Walk Tall' |
Cannonball Adderley | Neil's suggestion. This version is faster and cooler than original. Yey! |
'El rico mambo' |
Perez Prado | Exciting direction for an augmented brass section |
'Guaglione' |
Perez Prado | As above more fun mambo |
'The peanut vendor' |
Stan Kenton and his orchestra | As above more fun mambo. Terrific arrangement. |
'Batucada' |
Marcos Valle and Stacey Kent | Nice hair, Marcos; nice jacket Stacey |
'Smooth' |
Carlos Santana | Rock / Latin |
'Krigsgaldr' |
Heilung | I like the general idea of Viking earth music |
'Tristeza' |
Sergio mendes and Brasil '66 | Uplifting samba feel |
'Hanging on a String' |
Loose Ends | Cool soul |
'Sun Goddess' |
Earth, Wind and Fire | Cosmic Funk |
'It was only yesterday' |
Larry Carlton | Beautiful slow-burner guitar epic |
'Blank' |
Blank | Blank |