“Professor” Eddy is one of the most prolific laid back collaborator as this is his 15th mix to be played in the show. This Groningen (NL) based dj is also the first one who accepted to start a show on our new online radio… since then eight other dj’s joined us and more should follow in the coming weeks.

Be sure to check the “Soul Searching” radio show if you like this mix.

Eddy’s liner notes

The Trammps - Soul Searching Time (1976)
They are best known for their disco classic “Disco inferno” from “Saturday night fever”.
But the Trammps are more than just a disco band. They made some terrific soul / early disco tracks in the mid seventies, backed by the famous Philadelphia rhythm section Earl Young (drums), Norman Harris (guitar) and Ronnie Baker (bass). “Soul searching time” has become some kind of theme song for “Soul Searching” on Laid Back Radio.

The Jacksons - Everybody (1980)
This is from their excellent “Triumph” album. They recorded it between the “Off the wall” and “Thriller” sessions of youngest brother Michael. In the early eighties he reached the peak of his creativity and “Triumph” was a result of it.

Charanga ‘76 - Mi Amor Prohibido (1979)
This is a rare one. The main members of the band are Cuban brothers Hansel and Raul. They made Spanish versions of disco classics from the day. This track sounds exactly like “My forbidden lover” from Chic, except for the lyrics of course. The Spanish vocals give the track some kind of Latin flavour.

Escort - Starlight (2006)
I don’t know much about this American post-disco band. This track is pure summer boogie and sounds a bit like Chic in their heyday.

T.S. Monk - Candidate For Love (1981)
T.S. Monk is the son of jazz legend Thelonious Monk. He made some very nice jazz-disco tracks in the early eighties. I heard this one for the first time on “After the Playboy Mansion” from French dj Dimitri From Paris. “Candidate for love” was an underground disco hit at the time and very popular in Studio 54, the legendary club in New York.

Starpoint - It’s All Yours (1984)
This is some early swingbeat from Starpoint with the amazing vocals of the late Renee Diggs. Band members Kayode Adeyemo and Ernesto Philips co-wrote much of the songs. My friends at Beat Electric call this kind of music “laser soul”. Starpoint put out records through the 1980s. Kayode went on to write Milli Vanilli’s hit, “Girl you know it’s true”.

Eddie Drennon and the BBS Unlimited - Never Let Me Go (1977)
Eddie Drennon was Bo Diddley’s music director and electric violinist in the mid sixties and a former sideman for Mongo Santamaria, Ray Barretto and Ike and Tina Turner. He brought a very nice Latin edge to the disco era of the 1970s. This one is mixed by the legendary Tom Moulton, the inventor of the remix.

Mongo Santamaria - Too Busy Thinking About My Baby (1969)
The breakthrough of Cuban bandleader and percussion player Mongo Santamaria into the mass market may have come as a result of a bad night at a Cuban nightclub in the New York Bronx in 1962. As the story goes, only three people showed up in the audience, so the musicians held a bull session in which the substitute pianist for the gig, Herbie Hancock, demonstrated his new blues tune, “Watermelon man”.
Everyone gradually joined in, the number became a part of Mongo’s repertoire, and when producer Orrin Keepnews heard it, he rushed the band into a studio and recorded a single that leaped to the number ten slot on the pop charts in 1963.

Funk Factory - Rien Ne Va Plus (1976)
Sampled by the Beastie Boys on “Car thief” (Paul’s boutique).

MFSB - Summertime And I’m Feeling Mellow (1976)
The house band of the Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia in excellent shape!

Donna McGhee - It Ain’t No Big Thing (1978)
Soul singer Donna McGhee was one of the many artists to work under the creative team of disco producers Patrick Adams and Gregory Carmichael. This is from her only album “Make it last forever”.

Kellee Patterson - I’m Gonna Love You A Little More, Baby (1976)
This is a Barry White song from her “Kellee” album. The spoken intro is very sensual!

Keni Burke - Indigenous Love (1998)
He is known for his eighties classic “Rise to the top”. This is from his nineties album “Nothin’ but love”.

Marvin Gaye - In Our Lifetime (1981)
The title track from his last Motown album. It wasn’t a commercial success at all, but I think it’s one of his best albums ever. There are some very good soul/funk/disco tracks on it, but perhaps it sounded a bit old-fashioned at the time. Nowadays it sounds timeless and very solid.

David Bendeth - Feel The Real [12"] (1979)
British singer and multi-instrumentalist David Bendeth scored a number 44 U.K. hit in 1979 with this nice piece of jazz-funk.

Ramsey Lewis - Caribbean Blue (1980)
A jazz-pop crossover from keyboard player Ramsey Lewis. I like the summer feel of it.

Average White Band - Soul Searching (1976)
Some soul from Scotland! Their name is of course a bit of a joke.