For fans of dance music and R&B from yesteryear and today, the highly anticipated release of the legendary ASHFORD & SIMPSON's "THE WARNER BROS. YEARS: HITS, REMIXES & RARITIES" is the ultimate compilation. The Rhino Records two-disc set exquisitely represents the great soul and disco era of the '70s including hits and impossible to find remixed gems from their nine albums recorded at Warner Bros. Records from 1973 - 1982. In addition, the package includes a disc of Ashford & Simpson songs from that same era that have been recently remixed by some of dance music's current top remixers including Tom Moulton, Joey Claussell, Joey Negro and Dimitri From Paris.
Ashford & Simpson's timeless talent over four decades as songwriters, producers and performers has shaped the face of music. This stunning collection bears witness to the mighty power of Nick and Val to create glorious records with pristine production, soulful vocals and the most important element -- enduring grooves.
Producer Johnny "D" DeMairo who lovingly assembled the package began creating the compilation as a way to re-introduce the public to the great soul and disco tracks. Until now, much of the music was virtually impossible to find in any existing format. "We put complete faith in Johnny to take care of our babies and the remixers he selected totally came through," said Nick Ashford. "We love the results," he concluded.
Disc One contains six songs originally released as promo-only 12" remixes. The great Jimmy Simpson (brother of Valerie), one of the original pioneers of "intros and breaks" began extending Ashford & Simpson's album tracks for the dance floor back in the '70s. This configuration resulted in additional accessibility for club DJs, which coined the now household term "remix" music. Jimmy Simpson's masterpieces include the duos hits "Send It," "Top of the Stairs" and "Have You Ever Tried It." Some of these are out-of-print masterpieces or available for over $2000 on music sites. Other Ashford & Simpson remixes include their fan favorites "Don't Cost You Nothing," "Nobody Knows," "Tried, Tested And Found True" and "Love Don't Always Make It Right" amongst others.
Featuring more than an hour of remixes, the second disc spotlights eight tracks by some of the world's most respected remixers whose admiration for the accomplishments of Ashford & Simpson's music is obvious. "These remixers did an incredible job breathing new life into our songs while maintaining the integrity of them," noted Valerie Simpson. DJ supreme Tom Moulton unearths parts of the mega-hit "Found A Cure" that were long forgotten including adlibs and an entirely new base line. Joe Claussell takes "Bourgie Bourgie" and brings it to another level, adding synths and precussion to create a rhythmic tour de force. Paul Simpson and John Morales recreate "Over And Over" and "Tried, Tested And Found True," and Dimitri From Paris carefully re-edited Jimmy Simpson's masterful 12" remix of "One More Try" and turns in two versions of "Stay Free" -- one at the song's original tempo and the other a slamming club mix. Joey Negro turns "Love Don't Always Make It Right" into a new house club anthem, while Tommy Musto thins out the mix on "It Seems To Hang On" to create a sexy between the sheets groove. "When Valerie and I listened to the final remixes, we wondered why we hadn't thought of some of these ideas," stated Ashford.
"THE WARNER BROS. YEARS: HITS, REMIXES & RARITIES" Track Listing
Disc 1: Originals [TT 75:05]
1. OVER AND OVER (12" Disco Mix)
2. HAVE YOU EVER TRIED IT
3. EVERYBODY'S GOT TO GIVE IT UP
4. ONE MORE TRY (12" Disco Mix)
5. TRIED, TESTED AND FOUND TRUE (12" Disco Mix)
6. SEND IT
7. TOP OF THE STAIRS
8. DON'T COST YOU NOTHING (12" Disco Mix)
9. IT SEEMS TO HANG ON (12" Disco Mix)
10. FOUND A CURE (12" Disco Mix)
11. NOBODY KNOWS (12" Disco Mix)
12. LOVE DON'T MAKE IT RIGHT (12" Disco Mix)
13. STAY FREE
14. BOURGIÉ BOURGIÉ
Disc 2: Remixes [TT 78:15]
1. FOUND A CURE (A Tom Moulton Mix)
2. IT SEEMS TO HANG ON (Tommy Musto Re-Touch)
3. ONE MORE TRY (Dimitri Re-Edit)
4. BOURGIÉ BOURGIÉ (Joe Claussell's Classic Remix)
5. OVER AND OVER (Simphouse/M&M Mix)
6. STAY FREE (Dim's The Missing Mix)
7. LOVE DON'T MAKE IT RIGHT (Joey Negro Mix)
8. TRIED, TESTED AND FOUND TRUE (Simphouse/M&M Soulful Mix)
9. STAY FREE (Dim's Club Mix)
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