Disco Orchestras

VA - Disco Orchestras vol I - III

The sound of a disco song, as with the sound of a song of any genre of music, depended on the particular tastes of the artists, and - if relevant to the genre - the arrangers, producers, and even the orchestra conductors, and even still the concertmasters dictating the type of stylized playing method of each section of the orchestra, down to the engineers and mixers who assembled all the elements to make a fluid, cohesive sculpture of sound through melodic continuity.

01 Simon Orchestra - Close My Eyes (Suite)
02 Chi Sound Orchestra - Windy City Theme
03 Larry Page Orchestra - Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
04 MFSB - Dance With Me Tonight
05 Richard Hewson Orchestra - What Shall We Do
06 Ritchie Rome - Busy Body
07 In Search Of Orchestra - Phenomena Theme
08 Frankie Crocker's Heart and Soul Orchestra - The Very Thought Of You
09 Biddu Orchestra - Laura
10 John Davis & The Monster Orchestra - Bourgie Bourgie
11 Alfie Khan Orchestra - Illegal Toys
12 Heaven & Hell Orchestra - Bitten By The Love Bug
13 Salsoul Orchestra - Chicago Bus Stop
14 Vincent Montana Orchestra - That's What Love Does
15 George Bussey Orchestra - Disco Extravaganza
16 Starship Orchestra - You're A Star
17 Charlie Calello Orchestra - Stardust
18 THP Orchestra - Half As Nice

VA - Disco orchestras vol I

19 Mike Theodore Orchestra - The Bull
20 Armada Orchestra - Philly Armada
21 Van McCoy & The Soul City Symphony - Love Is The Answer
22 Norman Harris - Bright Eyes
23 Saturday Night Band - Keep Those Lovers Dancing
24 Vincent Montana Orchestra - I Love Music
25 Black Bass Band - Tico Tico
26 Alfie Khan Orchestra - Mayflower
27 John Davis & The Monster Orchestra - A Bite Of The Apple
28 Love Symphony Orchestra - Let Me Be Your Fantasy
29 Philly Sound Orchestra - That's What Love Does
30 Simon Orchestra - Mr. Big Shot
31 Thom Bell Orchestra - A Theme For L.A.'s Team
32 Front Page Orchestra - Love Insurance
33 Constellation Orchestra - Perfect Love Affair
34 Ritchie Rome - Deep
35 MFSB - T.L.C. (tender lovin' care)

VA - Disco Orchestras vol II

36 Wilton Place Street Band - Disco Lucy
37 Orchestra Novel - My Cherie Amour
38 Montana Orchestra - Ride Like The Wind
39 Mike Theodore Orchestra - Disco People
40 Black Light Orchestra - Theme For Black Licht
41 Aragorn Ballroom Orchestra - Helm's Deep
42 John Davies Orchestra - I Just Can't Say Goodbye
43 Matt Orchestra - Nightime
44 Motown Sounds - Bad Mouthin'
45 Synchophonic Orchestra (Alec R. Costandinos) - Synergy
46 Philly Groove Orchestra - Love Freeze
47 Rice And Beans Orchestra - Our Love Concerto
48 Love Unlimited Orchestra - My Sweet Summer Suite
49 Tony Valor Sounds Orchestra - Love Has Come My Way
50 Crue-l Grand Orchestra - Spend The Day Without You

VA - Disco Orchestras vol III

Req Motown Magic 2009

VA - Motown Magic 2009

01 Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - I Think We Can Make It
02 The Marvelettes - I Hope You have Better Luck Than I Did
03 Diana Ross - Why Play Games
04 The Jackson 5 - Love Scenes
05 Diana Ross & The Supremes - Don't Let True Love Die
06 The Supremes & The Four Tops - Joy To The World
07 Marvin Gaye - Soulie
08 Marvin Gaye & Kim Weston - I Couldn't Help Falling For You
09 Martha & The Vandellas - With A Guy Like You
10 The Isley Brothers - Sure Is A Whole Lotta Woman
11 The Temptations - You've Got to Earn It
12 Michael Jackson - I Was Made To Love Her
13 The Marvelettes - No Time For Tears
14 The Four Tops - Have a Little Faith
15 Diana Ross & The Supremes - Believe in Me
16 The Jackson 5 - You Can't Hurry Love
17 Rita Wright - Beware Of A Stranger
18 The Spinners - Too Late I Learned
19 Diana Ross - I Don't Care Where The Money Is
20 The Supremes & The Four Tops - Gimme Some Lovin'
21 The Isley Brothers - Smile (What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted)

Motown Magic 2009

Barry Ryan

Barry Ryan - The Best Of

Barry Ryan (born Barry Sapherson, 24 October 1948, in Leeds, Yorkshire UK)
The son of pop singer Marion Ryan and Lloyd Sapherson, Barry and his twin brother Paul began to perform at the age of 15. In 1965 they signed a contract with Decca and brought out singles such as 'Don't Bring Me Your Heartaches' (1965), 'Have Pity on the Boy' (1966), and 'Missy Missy' (1966).
When it turned out that Barry's brother, allegedly on the verge of a nervous breakdown, was unable to cope any longer with all the stress connected with the show business, the two brothers decided on a new division of labour: Paul would write songs which Barry would then interpret as a solo artist. Their greatest success as a composer-singer duo, now for MGM Records, was 'Eloise' (1968), melodramatic and heavily orchestrated. Later singles included 'Love Is Love' (1968), 'The Hunt' (1969), and 'Kitsch' (1970).

01 Love Is Love
02 Kitsch
03 The Hunt
04 My Mama
05 I'm Sorry Susan
06 From My Head To My Toe
07 Can't Let You Go
08 Eloise
09 The Colour Of My Love
10 We Did It Together
11 It Is Written
12 Caroline
13 Love Always Comes Tomorrow
14 Goodbye (in German)

Barry Ryan - The Best Of

The Lewis Sisters

The Lewis Sisters - Way Out ...Too Far (Liberty 1969)

Helen and Kay Lewis', two sisters from Michigan, names cropped up on Motown albums and some single releases in the '60s, such as Gladys Knight & the Pips' "Just Walk in My Shoes." But their careers didn't begin at Motown, rather, in the '50s as jazz singers and songwriters.
They met Hal Davis in California and through Davis' partner Marc Gordon, got them inked to Motown in 1963 as recording artists, but their only releases as artists came two years later on the company's VIP subsidiary. 'He's an Oddball' b/w 'By Some Chance' and 'You Need Me' b/w 'Moonlight on the Beach' were good records, different from their early jazz and voice albums, more mainstream. 11 days before the release on their final single, Kay's daughter Little Lisa emerged on VIP as well with 'Hang on Bill' b/w 'Puppet on a String' (August 20, 1965). The dynamic sisters appeared with Chris Clark on Clark's November, 1965, single 'Do Right Baby, Do Right.' Nothing hit with much authority and no more recordings were issued. Helen and Kay's songs were being snapped up mostly as album cuts by other artists including the Miracles' 'Baby, Baby' and Edwin Starr and Blinky's LP Just We Two which featured 'Can't We Be Strangers Again' and 'I See a Rainbow.'
'This Love Starved Heart of Mine,' a song they wrote for Marvin Gaye, became popular in Europe but didn't get unearthed until after the singer's untimely demise; according to Kay, they originally wrote the song for Al Wilson, Wilson recorded it but it never came out, Hal Davis and Marc Gordon tried to get him signed to Motown but couldn't swing a deal, so the soulful singer signed with Jerry Fuller's Rocky Road Records where he hit with 'Show and Tell.'
The sisters no longer write together, but collectively and with others they each have about 84 songs registered with BMI. Helen retired from music and had long since returned to school and earned a Ph.D in Psychology, she's now Mrs. Helen Mastor, Ph.D. Kay's in for life; she teaches music and still records songs with her husband in hopes of placing them with someone. Her daughter Lisa didn't have any hits at Motown, but later scored a big one with Sergio Mendez as Lisa Miller.

Way Out ....Too Far, the debut album by the Lewis Sisters aka the Singing School Teachers. Jazz pianist Les McCann adds a soulful touch to the already touching sound of Helen and Kay Lewis on a dozen standards, including 'S'Wonderful,' 'The Thrill Is Gone,' 'Not for Me,' and 'What Is This Thing Called Love.' The siblings' poignant singing and McCann's vibrant piano playing was a step up from the mundane easy listening fodder that dominated mainstream media in this era.

1 What Is This Thing Called Love?

2 Day by Day

3 Just Friends

4 It Matters Not at All

5 Thrill Is Gone

6 'S Wonderful

7 'Round Midnight

8 This Can't Be Love

9 Love Letters

10 But Not for Me

11 Moonlight in Vermont

12 That's All

Way Out .....Too Far (1969)

The Lewis Sisters On Motown (V.I.P.)

Breakaway
He's An Oddball
Moonlight On The Beach
By Some Change
Don't Make Me Live Without Your Love
You Need Me

The Lewis Sisters On Motown

What Love Has ...... (1970)

Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - What Love Has ....

A stunning concept album by Smokey Robinson the Miracles that should have fared better. Notables wrote the six songs, all love ballads: Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Berry Gordy, Frank Wilson, Bacharach David, Lennon McCartney, and Smokey himself. Every selection is a wedding song, and Smokey caresses the lyrics like they were newborns. The heavenly harmonies of the Miracles -- Ronald White, Bobby Rogers, Pete Moore, and Claudette Robinson -- touch the soul. When they sing Brenda Holloway's 'You Made Me So Very Happy,' you don't just hear the words; for five minutes and four seconds you experience what lovers feel. The harmonies on 'What Love Has...' are overwhelming, almost overkill. Smokey drenches more soul onto Marvin Gaye's 'If This World Was Mine' then the master himself. The lush arrangements by Smokey and Jerry Long will make you dizzy. Motown didn't release any singles from What Love Has.

01 What Love Has Joined Together
02 My Cherie Amour
03 If This World Were Mine
04 You've Made Me So Very Happy
05 This Guy's In Love With You
06 And I Love Her

Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - What Love Has ....

Tommy's Collection

Tommy Good - The Motown Collection

It must have been extremely frustrating for a number of the Motown artists who, having been given that golden opportunity to record for the mighty Motown label at Hitsville during the glory years period alongside some of the worlds finest songwriters, producers, and together with the greatest house band ever seen only to find all your efforts were to be in vain as your work fails to dent the US charts and radio stations just don't pick up on your recordings and the company despite its best intentions at the time don't give the artist the same kind of push and exposure that some of the more familiar acts were lucky to enjoy.
Tommy Good appears to fit neatly into that category. A white artist who managed to secure a recording contract with Motown during the middle 1960's after recording a number of tunes as Tommy Good and The Tabs during the early sixties and who was discovered singing in a Detroit nightclub by Motown songwriter/producer Clarence Paul (who worked heavily on Stevie Wonder) who then asked Motown boss Berry Gordy to take a listen to Tommy and he was signed to Berry Gordy's music empire.

01. Baby I Miss You
02. Honey Lane
03. The Beginning Of The End
04. You Stay On My Mind
05. Give Me Something
06. Small Town Girl
07. She's A Living Doll
08. My Love For You
09. Talk About A Good Feeling
10. Ive Gotta Get Away
11. No One To Love
12. Our Own Private World
13. Your Something To Talk About
14. Bad Bad Boy
15. Leaving Here
16. Little Things
17. Green Onions
18. The Birds And The Bees
19. Shotgun
20. Yeh Yeh

Tommy Good - The Motown Collection

Odds & Mary Wells

Mary Wells - Odds & Ends (TTM-1002)

From the same series (I guess) as Jimmy Ruffin's Mississippi Boy.
This bootleg contains 8 Motown tracks, the rest are songs from 1968 till 1983.

01 Old Love (Let's Try It Again) (first pressing)
02 Second Time Around
03 A Thousand Miles Away
04 A Lovely Way To Spend The Evening
05 To Lose You
06 Drop In The Bucket
07 You Lost The Sweetest Boy (alternate take)
08 Dig The Way I Feel
09 A Brand New Me
10 I Found What I Wanted
11 You Can't Give Her Love (Give Her Up)
12 I'm A Lady
13 Old Love (Let's Try It Again) (second pressing)

Mary Wells - Odds & Ends

Gladys' Rarities

Gladys Knight & The Pips - Motown Rarities (SS-Rar)

Must be a bootleg, no information about this good compilation.

01 Ain't You Glad You Chose Love
02 Don't Turn Me Away
03 What Good Am I Without You
04 Your Old Stand By
05 It's Time To Go Now
06 Cloud Nine
07 (I Know) I'm Losing You
08 It's Summer
09 I Want Him To Say It Again
10 Somebody Stole The Sunshine
11 It's All Over But The Shoutin'
12 Billy, Come On Back As Quick As You Can
13 The Lonely Heart And Lonely Eyes Of Lonely Me
14 If You Ever Get Your Hands On Love
15 Here Are The Pieces Of My Broken Heart
16 Too Late For You And Me

Gladys Knight & The Pips - Motown Rarities

Here Is Darrell Banks

Darrell Banks - Darrell Banks Is Here! (1967)

Some superb deep soul from Darrell Banks, one of the better late-'60s stylists, especially on ballads. This was one of two tremendous albums issued featuring Banks' dramatic, gospel-tinged wailing. He was killed in an altercation in 1967, and these albums attracted more attention after his death than during his lifetime.

01 Here Come The Tears
02 I've Got That Feelin'
03 I'm Gonna Hang My Head And Cry
04 Look Into The Eyes Of A Fool
05 Our Love (Is In The Pocket)
06 Open The Door To Your Heart
07 Angel Baby (Don't You Ever Leave Me)
08 Somebody (Somewhere Needs You)
09 Baby What'cha Got (For Me)
10 You Better Go

Darrell Banks - Darrell Banks Is Here!

Mai Tai . . . The Best Of

Mai Tai - History . . . The Best Of

Mai Tai , Jettie Wells Carolien De Windt, & Mildred Douglas were from Surinam, formed the group in Amsterdam in 1983. 'What Goes On' became their first hit in the Dutch Top 40, peaking at number 30. Followed closely by tracks like 'Body And Soul' and 'Am I Losing You Forever' which did bigger chart wise and kept the 'ladies' in the public eye. 'History' was released worldwide in 1985 and was successful all over Europe, making the top 10 the UK and the top 20 in Germany. It was also a hit in New Zealand and Australia and entered the US dance charts. In 1986 their song 'Female Intuition' became a top 40 hit across Europe, and made top 10 in Denmark. 'Body and Soul' was re-released in the UK and became their second UK top 10 hit.

01 Dance In The Light
02 History
03 Turn Your Love Around
04 Fight Fire With Fire
05 Female Intuition
06 Bet That's What You say
07 1 Touch 2 Much
08 Surrender
09 Am I Loosing You Forever
10 What Goes On
11 Hold Me (Like You Used To Do)
12 Body & Soul
13 Turn Your Love Around (Turnaround Mix)

bonus History (7m23s)

Mai Tai - History . . . The Best Of

The Ice Man Cometh

Jerry Butler - The Ice man Cometh 1968

Genius work from Jerry Butler -- working here with the early Gamble & Huff team, years before their 70s fame with Philly International, in a smooth soul style that would soon become known as Philly Soul! By the late 60s, Jerry's work with Vee Jay was long ended -- the label had come to an end through financial misdealings, but Jerry was still growing as a vocalist, ready for new styles and challenges. Hooking up with Gamble & Huff was pure genius, as the pair were brilliant young producers, working magic with smaller groups, but ready to handle a talent as large as Jerry's with ease. Butler's name and style proved to be a perfect foil for many of their new and sophisticated approaches to soul and the union instantly yielded some super-huge hits, including Only The Strong Survive, Hey Western Union Man, Never Give You Up and Lost.

01 Hey Western Union Man
02 Can't Forget About You, Baby
03 Only The Strong Survive
04 How Can I get In Touch With You
05 Just Because I Really Love You
06 Lost
07 Never Give You Up
08 Are You Happy
09 (Strange) I Still Love You
10 Go Away, Find Yourself
11 Stop By Heaven

Jerry Buttler - The Ice Man Cometh (1968)

Some Philly

The Whispers - Bingo (1974)

01 A Mother For My Children
02 Someone's Waiting
03 Will You Be Mine
04 Little Red Riding Hood
05 Bingo
06 Once More With Feeling
07 God Gave Me Everything
08 Where There Is Love
09 Don't Take Your Love
10 Broken Home

The Whispers - Bingo (Janus Records 1974)

Blue Eyed Motown Vol 2

VA - Blue Eyed Motown Vol 2

01 Dorsey Burnette - Little Acorn
02 Kiki Dee - Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing
03 My Friends - I'm A Easy Rider
04 Paul Petersen - Chained
05 Mike & The Modifiers - I've Gotta Find Myself A Brand New Baby
06 Sunday Funnies - Walk Down The Path Of Freedom
07 Frankie Valli - Baby I Need Your Loving
08 Chris Clark - I Like Everything About You
09 Martin & Finley - It's Another Sunday
10 Little Lisa - Choo Choo Train
11 Bruce Channel - That's What's Happenin'
12 Rare Earth - Crazy Love
13 Reuben Howell - You Can't Stop A Man In Love
14 Connie Haines - What's Easy For Two Is Hard For One
15 Lesley Gore - Someplace Else Now
16 Tony Martin - Ask Any Man
17 R Dean Taylor - Don't Fool Around
18 Rustix - I Heard It Through The Grapevine
19 Stoney & Meatloaf - Sunshine (Where's Heaven)
20 Debbie Dean - Stay My Love
21 The Headliners - You're Bad News
22 The Poor Boys - Do What You Wanna Do
23 The Messengers - You Keep Running Away
24 Charlene - I Want To Go Back There Again
25 The Underdogs - Mojo Hanna
26 Tommy Good - Ask The Lonely
27 Robert John - If You Don't Want My Love
28 Teena Marie - You're All The Boogie I Need

VA - Blue Eyed Motown Vol 2

Blue Eyed Motown

VA - Blue Eyed Motown Vol 1

Reading about white artists that recorded for the Motown label (and on the subsidairy labels V.I.P, Mowest and Rare Earth) on the motowntreasures group , I made two compilations of white artists that made it to the Motown Stable one way or the other during the sixties and seventies.

01 Jose Feliciano - Ain't That Peculiar
02 The Lewis Sisters - Don't Make Me Live Without Your Love
03 My Friends - Concrete And Clay
04 Bobby Darin - Someday We'll Be Together
05 Martin & Finley - Best Friends
06 The Poor Boys - Beg Me
07 Lesley Gore - She Said That
08 Rare Earth - Stop her on sight (S.O.S.)
09 Charlene - Heaven Help Us All
10 The Headliners - We Call It Fun
11 Sunday Funnies - It's Just A Dream
12 Robert John - Bread And Butter
13 The Messengers - The Letter
14 Bruce Channel - You Make Me Happy
15 Connie Haines - Midnight Johnny
16 Tommy Good - Shotgun
17 Dorsey Burnette - They're Only Words
18 Bruce Willis - Turn It Up (A Little Louder)
19 Kiki Dee - Walk On By
20 Chris Clark - Everything Is Good About You
21 Michael Campbell - Angel Got A Book Today
22 R.Dean Taylor - Gonna Give Her All The Love I Got
23 The Ones - You Haven't Seen My Love
24 Mike & The Modifiers - It's Too Bad
25 Reuben Howell - I'll See You Through
26 Rustix - I Guess This is Goodbye
27 PJ - T.L.C (Tender Loving Care)
28 Debbie Dean - Baby Baby I'm In Love Again
29 Honest Men - Baby
30 Paul Petersen - Don't Let It Happen To Us

VA - Blue Eyed Motown Vol 1

Celebration 1973 (Mowest)

Celebration - Celebration (1973)

Harmony Pop & Soul/Soft Rock On Motown. Mowest MW-119 L

01 Which Train You Ridin'
02 Lean On Me
03 Doobedood'ndoobe, Doobedood'ndoobe
04 The Circle Again
05 Are You Ready
06 A House Is Not A Home
07 Poor Ol' Soul
08 Let Love Carry You Along
09 Since I Met You There's No Magic
10 You've Got A Friend / You're All I Need To Get By

Celebration - Celebration (Mowest 1973)