Crucial, ecstatic, magnificent disco, rinsed nowadays by the likes of Theo Parrish and DJ Harvey. Producer and writer Jerry Peter’s crowning ten minutes — notwithstanding credits with everyone from Foster Sylvers and Gene Harris to Aretha and Marvin.
Plus the mighty Bourgie Bourgie on the flip.

Ace kid funk, with coolly blunted singing by the little un, and a good old-fashioned break-and-a-half.

‘When Salsoul boss Ken Cayre handed over the multi-track tapes of Hit and Run to Walter Gibbons in 1976, the burgeoning art-form of the disco edit was liberated from its previous cut & paste routine. Following on from the likes of Grasso, Burgess, Levan, Scott, and Siano, Gibbons had become a lethal beat mixer, with an ‘uncanny sense of mixing that was so accurate it was unbelievable’, according to Francois Kevorkian. After early edit work with Salsoul releases Nice ’N’ Naasty and Salsoul 2001, Gibbons had established himself as a meticulous artist, able to completely rework existing tracks into new extended amalgams of rhythm and sound. Cayre’s multi-tracks conferred the ability to thoroughly deconstruct each of the songs elements, and Gibbons transformed the cut into an eleven minute opus which fellow tape pioneer Tom Moulton would distinguish as being ‘so different from the original that it must be classified as a new record.’ The resulting 12” would go on to sell 300,000 copies; DJs and the dance-floor would now dictate runnings as never before. 

‘Whilst Gibbons transformed the original by banishing the strings and brass, Joe Claussell sets out for a different horizon entirely. The lead guitar is exchanged for a clean, chopped chucking; the vocals are promoted to a new spaciousness. The horns presage a rethinking of the rhythm, and by the time the familiar fuzz guitars are welcomed back, the coalescing orchestra has been sustained and revitalized in a complete surrender to time and pulse. As Holloway’s vocals are pulled into non-semantic expression, the track’s foundation is given a final rinse and farewell, before evaporating in delay. This is an iteration every bit inspired and fresh as Gibbons’ landmark mix.’

Terrific soulful Northern banger — a Wigan anthem — and classic Motor City fire from Jack Ashford’s Pied Piper Productions. Performed, written and produced by LC.

Magnificent, smoking sister-funk, both sides. ‘What is wrong with the men / Trying to do us in.’ Produced by West Coast legend Miles Grayson.

‘Two tracks from early 70s Los Angeles, around the time of his eponymous first LP. Say You is a superb updating of the Monitors’ harmony hit from 1965, given the distinctively sensitive McNeir treatment. I’m Sorry is a self-penned slow-burner that builds a perfect dancefloor beat.’

‘Former Mind & Matter bandmates James ‘Jimmy Jam’ Harris and Michael Dixon teamed up for this 1978 gospel-boogie banger, originally on the private Mad label.’

Wicked, stinging sister-funk self-penned by the mighty soul singer, before more celebrated sojourns at Atlantic and Columbia. The flip is previously unreleased; also terrific.

Superb disco boogie. A deeply soulful song, expertly sung. Killer, bare-bones break-downs, soaring strings, resplendent horns, with composers McFadden and Whitehead rocking the controls.
Plus an unmissable version of Curtis’ Make Me Believe In You! Fabulous, epic, Van McCoy drama, with a meaner Melba, thumping bass, and stomping kick-drum.