The Essential TK Disco Playlist

Peter Brown, Kat Mandu, Gino Soccio and Ralph McDonald join Anita Ward and KC and the Sunshine Band in DEL’s essential TK Disco Playlist, compiled by DEL for Foundations.

Related: Foundations: TK Disco: Ray Caviano and the Lost Art of Record Promotion

Amant

Full Euro Disco! I liked “If There’s Love” best (’78; #5 Dance-Disco chart) – soaring, building, sugary at times, with the requisite percussion but with a phased and dubby feel.

Beautiful Bend

“Boogie Motion” (’78; #3 Dance-Disco chart) was the one for me, however it wasn’t boogie. It was full disco courtesy of Boris Midney!

Peter Brown

A great example of TK’s crossover appeal. Who doesn’t know and love the iconic “Do You Wanna Get Funky with Me” (’77; #9 Dance-Disco/#3 R&B/#18 Pop charts), but don’t sleep on “Dance with Me”, “Crank It Up”, and the classic title for the club pick-up – “Can’t Be Love (Do It To Me Anyway)”.

The Controllers

“I Can’t Turn the Boogie Loose” (’79; #42 Dance-Disco / #90 R&B charts) combines funky guitars, with strong vocals, and a boogilicious groove. Find Greg Wilson’s Edit!

Foxy

You will… “Get Off” (’78; #18 Dance-Disco / #1 R&B / #9 Pop charts) to this lesser remembered, crossover classic!

Jimmy Bo Horne

You’ll whip the crowd into a frenzy when you “Spank” (’78; #48 Dance/Disco / #55 R&B charts) them. Don’t forget to ask “Is It In”, too!

Kat Mandu

We all crave it in songs and beg for it on the dance floor – you get it with the aptly named, “The Break” (’79; #3 Dance-Disco chart).

KC & The Sunshine Band

No doubt, they were extremely talented and had HUGE commercial success (six #1s!) Plus my mom, Ruthie Del (RIP), LOVED KC, but I never played any of their songs out.

Kebekelektrik

“Magic Fly” (’77; #9 Dance-Disco chart) was electronica magic!

Herman Kelly & Life

The circle dancers can’t help but do the WORK when I play “Dance To the Drummer’s Beat” (’78; #92 R&B chart). Legendary DJ/remixer Jim Burgess at work here!

George McCrae

You know “somebody’s gonna get pregnant” when you hear what most consider the “first true disco record” – “Rock Your Baby” (’74; #1 R&B / #1 Pop charts)!

Ralph MacDonald

You may not know the song “Calypso Breakdown” (’76; unranked) but watch Saturday Night Fever again and you will… if not, you should along with his epic 17 minute journey, “The Path”… genius!

Quartz

This song will take you “Beyond the Clouds” (’78; #21 Dance-Disco / #52 R&B charts).

T-Connection

LOVED the best intro of all time in “At Midnight” (’78; #3 Dance-Disco / #32 R&B / #56 Pop charts), the percussion of “Do What You Wanna Do” (’77; #1 Dance-Disco / #15 R&B / #46 Pop charts), and the melodic complexity of “Saturday Night” (’79; #28 R&B chart).

Uncle Louie

“Full Tilt Boogie” (’79; #19 R&B chart)… IS!!

Voyage

When your first two albums (’78 & ’79) hit #1 Dance-Disco for “all cuts”, you know you’ve achieved cult status! “Lady America”, “Souvenirs”, and the eclectic “Scotch Machine/Bayou Village” were my favorites.

Anita Ward

“Ring My Bell” (’79; #1 Dance-Disco / #1 R&B / #1 Pop charts) was a one hit wonder but, who can’t NOT sing it?!

Related: Foundations: TK Disco: Ray Caviano and the Lost Art of Record Promotion