Everything has to be done for everyone to feel like a star, should it just be for five minutes, said Paris's Le Palace founder, the late Fabrice Emaer back in the days, explaining his philosophy while leading what has to be remembered as one of the best clubs in the world at the time and so far ! And needless to say that music had a major role in this affair, thus added to a bigger aural diversity, should it be in the clubs as well as on air. Could we recapture this atmosphere ? This I dunno as times have changed,although I'd like to say that it's rather a matter of spirit having in mind nothing but the fact that music, as a universal language, has the power to unite us under the same belt : emotion !

Emotions, or rather The Emotions, as it's exactly who we're talking about with the revamp of their "I Don't Wanna Loose Your Love" classic. A song that resurfaces some 28 years after its original release on Columbia Records, done on a genuine spirit and in an obvious classy way over a phat bassline by UK's appearently new name, Groove Finder (GF)

Producers at the time really had an instant identifiable sound and this is no doubt how they began having such a proeminent role like say Nile Rodgers and the late Bernard Edwards aka Chic. Yes maties, you'll recognize what made their trademark while listening to "Luck My Boots", a housey revamp of Sister Sledge's "I'm Thinking Of You" with their typical rhythm guitar and bass lines (white). And the same would have no surprisingly to be said about Kool & The Gang, becoming club icons when reaching the second step of their carreer with the help of producer, Eumir Deodato and contribution from vocalist, James 'JT' Taylor. This giving an impressive collection of smash hits like "Ladies' Night", "Celebration", "Steppin' Out" and many others including "Straight" Head" in 1983 on a quite fast rhythm for the period that has permitted it to be slightly relifted the way it is today on a white label that has just seen the light.

Although there was no real format at the time – this also being for a major part in the versatility that has marked this period – we was able to create at least short series of coherent tunes like for instance Chic's "Good Times" and its famous "Rappers' Delight" response given by Sugarhill Gang, followed by Vaughan Mason's "Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll" and Kurtis Blow's "The Break". The later seing his "Xmas Rappin'" recently ressurected by Seamus Hadji (white). The same period -1982 – also saw the release of what has to be remembered as one of the biggest hits of James Ingram : the famous "Yah Mo Be There" produced by The Dude himself (Quincy Jones) with the vocal contribution of former Doobie Brothers' front man, Michael McDonald. You have now the full story about this in its twenties classic which has just reappeared on our environnement, as reworked by Grant Nelson (white). A bit easy though, I would tend to add about these two ones and, to a wider extend, regarding the awful treatment made to ABC's "Who Wants To Be A Zillionaire" by Johnny Hates Jazz (white) flirting with cliches of all kinds, not to mention the absolute sacrilege made, while touching Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing", turning it into a midtempo while adding a 4X4 beat on it ! This making me say once more how we may, as usual, expect the best as well as the worst from the Brits…

On a more temporary field, jazz/funk mastermind, Roy Ayers sees the third cut – "Sugar" – to be taken from his new album remixed by UK's disco Don, Joey Negro and the result is definitely nothing to write home about, being very flat and common compared to the recent "Baby Doll" (BBE) or the work that he's done on "Backfired" for Masters At Work featuring India" (MAW), speaking of which "To Be In Love" has received what should soon to be considered as the best work so far from german duet, Knee Deep injecting fluid jazzy elements on this umpteenth pack of remixes (Defected). A (last) comment that equaly applies to "Hardrive 2004" - another MAW original production - slightly retouched over a strange but hypnotic bassline (white).

Lucky enuff to have had a listen to another future standard in perspective hailing from the likes of what already stands as the relay in England : on one hand, Reel People featuring Vanessa Freeman with the aptly named "The Light" and on the other, the very much in demand, Sam Holt and Gavin 'Face' Mills, aka Copyright, providing us with a sheer post-discoïd beauty (Papa/CD-R). Look out when it comes…