Ronald Bell was an American composer and saxophonist best-known as the founder of Kool & the Gang.
He wrote and produced many of the band’s songs including “Celebration”, “Cherish”, “Jungle Boogie”, “Summer Madness”, and “Open Sesame”.
Tag Archives: disco
RIP Bonnie Pointer (1950 – 2020)
Bonnie Pointer was an American singer, part of the The Pointer Sisters.
The Pointer Sisters also did background vocals on “God Make Me Funky” (1975) by The Headhunters, the American jazz-funk fusion band led by Herbie Hancock.
RIP Hamilton Bohannon (1942 – 2020)
Hamilton Bohannon was an American musician best known for the disco hit “Let’s Start the Dance” (1978).
Other compositions of note include “I Remember” (1981, the basis for “From: Disco To: Disco”, 1996), “Me and the Gang” (1978, the basis for “Get Get Down”, 1999), “Truck Stop” (1974), “South African Man” (1975) and “The Beat (Part 2)” (1979).
His instrumentals have a mesmerizing repetitiveness and a lack of violins which went down well with the people who liked to dance but were not into the kitsch of disco.
RIP Patrick Gibson (? – 2020)
Patrick Gibson (ne Francfort) was French musician. He was the drummer of the Gibson Brothers.
Their disco was not my type of disco … but hey … as I often say … you can’t argue with popular.
To his credit, Patrick seemed to have played the drums on the recently deceased Manu Dibango album Manu 76 (1976).
Patrick was in his sixties. Seeing recent photos of the trio seems to confirm that covid and obesity are bad company.
The Gibson Brothers were managed by Jean Kluger (born 1937) and Daniel Vangarde (born 1947). Vangarde’s real name is Bangalter and he is the father of Thomas.
RIP Vaughan Mason (1951 – 2020)
Vaughan Mason was an American musician and producer.
His claims to fame are “Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll” (1979) and “Break 4 Love” (1988).
RIP Cristina (1959 – 2020)
Another coronavictim.
Cristina was an American singer who belongs to the entourage of August Darnell and ZE Records.
By extension she was part of the whole ‘artistic disco’ stable of Patrick Adams, Arthur Russell, Larry Levan and Bob Blank.
You might also call the field she was active in self-conscious or tongue-in-cheek disco or sarcastic disco.
Too many words, I stop here.
RIP Michael de Benedictus (1951 – 2019)
This happened on October 17, 2019, but I only found out yesterday.
Michael de Benedictus co-founded the Peech Boys who released several twelve inches and one album: Life Is Something Special (1983).
De Benedictus was part of the New York dance music scene which was centered around two discotheques: the Paradise Garage and the Loft. I leave out Studio 54 on purpose.
I believe I told this story before, but for many years I hunted Antwerp flea markets for vinyl. My prey were records played by DJ Larry Levan at the New York discotheque Paradise Garage.
I was assisted in my hunt by a internet list of records I had found in 1996. You can find that list of 1100+ records here. I printed it and tried to learn the names by heart and started hunting.
At the time, I was already a fan of house music. I listened to radio shows by Pierre Elitair and the guys behind Liaisons Dangereuses. But now, finally, I found the antecedents of that kind of hedonistic nightlife music.
I gradually delved deeper, learning which labels to buy (Salsoul, West End, Prelude), which producers to focus on (Patrick Adams) and which artists to follow (Arthur Russell).
Where had this fascination with dance music come from?
I don’t know.
I remember when I was in my early twenties, walking along the Meir, hearing “Rotation” by Herb Alperts, and being intrigued by this music which could not be heard on the radio.
This world continues to fascinate me.
Michael de Benedictus role in that world was short and modest but large enough for me to document his legacy during a couple of hours on a lost coronavirus afternoon.
RIP Henri Belolo (1936 – 2019)
Henri Belolo was a French music producer and songwriter active during the disco era.
He co-created The Ritchie Family, the Village People.
In the course of my research following his death, I found that Belolo was co-responsible for a horrifying version of “Aquarela do Brasil” by the Ritchie Family, and for the kitsch classics “Y.M.C.A.”, “In the Navy”, and “Go West” by the Village People.
However, it is Break Machine’s record “Street Dance” (1983) which I want to bring your attention here. A personal favorite, of however questionable taste it may appear to be.
RIP Don Ray (1942 – 2019)
Raymond Donnez, known as Don Ray, was a French musician and producer of some note in the Euro disco scene.
He contributed to Cerrone‘s records and also released one solo album which enjoys cult status, The Garden of Love (1978), which featured the successful single “Standing in the Rain”.