Evolution of the 12

Back from my 5 year reunion, and overall I'd have to say it was a rousing success. Great to see so many different folks. One thing I knew I had to do during my time in the Lou was head to my old stomping grounds Vintage Vinyl. And it was everything I remembered and more; since I didn't have a turntable back in the day I had paid no attention to all the actual vinyl they had in stock. This time I started to make amends and walked away with a couple of different disco 12" singles. The key name on each label was one Tom Moulton, the originator of the 12" disco mix.

The two records I found (MP3's below) show an interesting evolution in disco. The Papa John Creach track (apparently one of the first disco singles ever released) is in itself a solid, solid track with a swirling, organic, almost rootsy disco feel. Two years later we get to ORS (Orlanda Riva Sound)'s Moon-Boots at which point disco had (to paraphrase the soundtrack to my weekend, the Juan Maclean's "Happy House") launched into space. In any case both are great tracks and for interested parties I highly, highly recommend Soul Jazz's 2xCD comp "A Tom Moulton Mix". The ORS track is on there, as is what is definitively my favorite song of all-time (and that's a lot of songs my friend): Patti Jo's "Make Me Believe In You." But I'm going to have to save that one for another day.

Papa John Creach & The Midnight Sun - Joyce (12" Instrumental Version)

ORS - Moon-Boots (Special 12" Disco Mix)