10. The J.B.’s – Just Wanna Make You Dance
“Just wanna make you dance, forget about romance, cause you can make love when the party’s over.” This funky cut by the James Brown band is co-written by James Brown, produced by James Brown, and is a hard stop journey through a world of cool where every beat drops on the 1, and life is nothing but fun.
9. The Ocean Liners – Foxy Funk
This record is produced by Noel “King Sporty” Williams, who not only wrote “Buffalo Soldier” with Bob Marley in a smoky upstairs studio at Tone Distributors, he was also a master arranger and performer in his own right. Here he is at work with no less than the Ocean Liners, the original backing for KC & The Sunshine Band.
8. Rocky Mizell and The Sugar Rock Band – Take It Easy Babe
Is this Jethro Tull, Cat Stevens? No, it’s Rocky Mizell, heir to the Liberty City record dealing empire of the famous Mizell family. In the 70’s he recorded a flurry of underground gems for Drive Records. This one in particular has Mizell singing like a 1980’s Michael Jackson with a jazzy soft rock backing.
7. Gypsy Lane – Boogie Woogie Woman
Irrepressible hook, driving bass, razor sharp strings, Cadillac horns, cowbell breakdown, congas, and dramatic scales that climb higher than a skyscraper, this track right here is bound to funktify any dance floor
6. Toby King – Country Bump
Sounds like James Brown’s voice if it was slow pitched and backed with a wild guitar and rockin organ. This song was recorded in Atlanta and may be the first cut to shout out Alabama, the Carolinas, Tennessee and Miami all in the same outro.
5. Funky Nassau – Bahama Soul Stew
This Willie Clarke production takes the sound of Nassau, throws in a little New York City, chops it down with southern soul, cuts it up with r&b, and spices it with pure Miami flavor. The bass is the lead, the guitars are syncopated like a locomotive engine, and the horns take the melody in this pure funk classic from the islands.
4. Johnny K – I Got Bills To Pay
Another classic that everyone can relate to. “Bills, bills, bills.” This one uses a blues structure, the guts and sound of southern soul, but injects it with the Miami style congas and a hint of tropical sabór.
3. Midnight Magic – When My Love Comes Down
Sexy female vocals portray the story of a girl who needs some serious loving when her man is not around and can’t be found. When her temperature rises with the flame of love and it shows in her eyes, she’s ready to call and ask for service and tell what she needs to fulfill her burning desires.
2. Peter Brown – Fantasy Love Affair
Radio ready pop orchestration, super clean instrumentation, simple, catchy lyrics, hook, and chorus, and melodious chord changes make for a tropical flavored post funk classic prescient of the whole 1980s #1 sound.
1. Peter Brown – Do Ya Wanna Get Funky With Me
The first 12″ dance record to sell a million, an indelible classic in nearly every country on Earth. Nuff said.