Having made a great start to the ‘Choice’ series with Frankie Knuckles and Francois K, Danny Tenaglia is a logical next step for the third round of Azuli’s surveys. And this is the best yet by some distance. New York’s finest has spent many a painstaking hour compiling and mixing the two sets, and boy does it show. With extensive notes from Bill Brewster and comments from Tenaglia on each track, his influences and thought processes are revealed, with the renewed conviction that it’s all about making people dance. And if you were in a club listening to this set, you’d be on the floor by the second track as the soft keyboard hook behind Imagination’s ‘Changes’ kicks in, with the fantastic layered vocals that follow. Other notable inclusions on the first disc are Designer Loops’ tribal ‘I Believe’, and a classic in Nomad’s (I Wanna Give You) Devotion’. Quality cuts from Christian Falk and Blaze lend a more soulful edge to proceedings. Disc two is just as uplifting, epitomised by the soaring trumpet of Hugh Masekela’s ‘Don’t Go Lose It Baby’, the urgent Loni Clark vocal in ‘Rushin’’ and the final big number, Jomanda’s ‘Make My Body Rock’, served with a hint of Uno Mas.In typical, Tenaglia lets the music breathe and gauges the build up of each mix to perfection. A fitting showcase for one of the world’s top jocks.
Disc 1
1.Cat Stevens – Was Dog A Doughnut?
2. Imagination – Changes
3. Kris Coleman – Shine
4. Jus Friends – As One
5. Trilogy – Love Me Forever Or Love Me Not
6. Designer Loops – I Believe
7. Vicky Martin – Not Gonna Do It (I Need A Man)
8. Mr. Lee – I Can't Forget
9. Nomad – (I Wanna Give You) Devotion
10. Christian Falk Feat. Demetrius – Make It Right
11 Blaze – Elevation
12. Two Tons O' Fun – Just Us
Disc 2
1 Cloud One – Atmosphere Strut
2 Mission Control – Outta Limits
3 Tony Cook – On The Floor
4 Hugh Masekela – Don't Go Lose It Baby
5 Sylvia Striplin – Give Me Your Love
6 Adeva – Independent Woman
7 Loni Clark – Rushing (Mood II Swing Dub) Producer – Mood II Swing
8 Frankie Knuckles – The Whistle Song
9 Alicia Myers – I Want To Thank You
10 Uno Mas – Por Favor
11 Jomanda – Make My Body Rock
Label: Azuli Records
Catalog#: AZCD19
Format:2 × CD, Mixed, Compilation
Country:UK
Released:27 Jan 2003
Genre:Electronic
Style:Disco, Deep House, Garage House
Sources: Resident Advisor, Discogs
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London's Azuli label followed Frankie Knuckles' contribution to the Choice: A Collection of Classics series in 2002 with another fine double-disc set of varied obscurities and bona fide classics selected by dance music luminary François K. François assembles a fun jumble of tunes (unencumbered by boundaries) that spans chronologically from the early '70s through the early '90s and sequences it with finesse. The subtitle of the series is a little misleading -- not all of these tracks are classics, at least not in above-ground non-dance communities. Though the average consumer might be a little miffed about the fact that this set isn't packed solid with instant jaw-droppers, a steady quality that serves the flow is kept throughout. Chicago house gets a fair representation with Frankie Knuckles' lewd Jamie Principle vocal number "Baby Wants to Ride," Lil' Louis' "Do U Love Me," and Fingers Inc.'s "Never No More Lonely" leading the way. Shalamar's opening "Right in the Socket" and Sylvester's "Over and Over" highlight the disco herd. Floor-friendly cuts from jazz figures (Donald Byrd's "Love Has Come Around," Deodato's "Super Strut") and R&B greats (Teddy Pendergrass' "Only You," René & Angela's "I Love You More") also play a prominent role. The packaging doesn't explicitly state the fact that each song appears in full -- a fact that no doubt appeals to dance aficionados who'd love to have some of these songs in their full glory, with great sound to boot. Though it's a compilation and not a mix, the track-to-track flow is natural and makes it all function as an enjoyable listen from beginning to end.
DISK-1
01. Right in the socket - Shalamar
02. You can't hide (your love from me) - David Joseph
03. Koro Koro - No Smoke
04. I'm not gonna let you (get the best of me) - Colonel Abrams
05. Baby wants to ride - Frankie Knuckles with Jamie Principle
06. Only you - Teddy Pendergrass
07. Choosing you - Lenny Williams
08. Over and over - Sylvester (Special 12" disco mix)
09. Super strut - Deodato
10. Funky Nassau - Beginning of the end
11. Koke (Part I and II) - Tribe
DISK-2
01. Do u luv me - Lil' Louis
02. I love you more - Rene and Angela
03. Can you handle it - Sharon Redd (Francois K mix)
04. Giving up - Zulema
05. Love has come around - Donald Byrd
06. Turn me up - Keth Barrow
07. Any love - Rufus and Chaka Khan
08. Never no more lonely - Fingers Inc
09. (They long to be) Close to you - Gwen Guthrie
10. Land of hunger - The Earons
11. We all need love - Troiano
Catalog#:AZCD13
Format:2 × CD, Compilation
Source: Discogs, Allmusic.com
Check comments for more
Having made a great start to the ‘Choice’ series with Frankie Knuckles and Francois K, Danny Tenaglia is a logical next step for the third round of Azuli’s surveys. And this is the best yet by some distance. New York’s finest has spent many a painstaking hour compiling and mixing the two sets, and boy does it show. With extensive notes from Bill Brewster and comments from Tenaglia on each track, his influences and thought processes are revealed, with the renewed conviction that it’s all about making people dance. And if you were in a club listening to this set, you’d be on the floor by the second track as the soft keyboard hook behind Imagination’s ‘Changes’ kicks in, with the fantastic layered vocals that follow. Other notable inclusions on the first disc are Designer Loops’ tribal ‘I Believe’, and a classic in Nomad’s (I Wanna Give You) Devotion’. Quality cuts from Christian Falk and Blaze lend a more soulful edge to proceedings. Disc two is just as uplifting, epitomised by the soaring trumpet of Hugh Masekela’s ‘Don’t Go Lose It Baby’, the urgent Loni Clark vocal in ‘Rushin’’ and the final big number, Jomanda’s ‘Make My Body Rock’, served with a hint of Uno Mas.In typical, Tenaglia lets the music breathe and gauges the build up of each mix to perfection. A fitting showcase for one of the world’s top jocks.
