Fatback Band - Street Dance

My Review of 'Street Dance' by The Fatback Band

For such an early release by a band 'Street Dance' has so much going for it and highlights the band's blatant potential they had even from the early years. The simple but catchy guitar riffs and parallel bass line carry the track adding a few horns and wah-wah rhythm guitar before the saxophone solo. The flute solo later is a real touch of class and the bass accompanies it well. The introduction of the horns then converse with the flute.

The minimal background vocals do suggest a crowd at a Street party, as does the jazz like composition.

Mini Biography for 'The Fatback Band'

The Fatback band were formed in 1970 by Bill Curtis. The name 'Fatback' comes from the term 'Fatback Jazz' style that was popular in New Orleans. The band managed to merge the New Orleans sound with the New York funk sound of the time. Their first single 'Street Dance' was released in 1972 on the 'Perception' record label; which was the first track on their debut album 'Let's do it again'. The single reached number 26 in the US R&B singles chart in 1973.The band released three albums on the Perception label before moving to 'Event records' in 1974. In the mid-late seventies the band adopted more of a disco funk and jazz funk style in some of their songs including 'Do The Boogie Woogie' and 'Disco Bass' (both released in 1979). Their first top 10 hit was 'I like Girls' in 1977 which reached number 9 in the US R&B chart. By this time the band were known simply as 'Fatback' and were signed to the 'Spring Records' label (a Polydor / Polygram Sub-label).

The B-side of Fatback's 'You're my sweet candy' 1979 single 'King Tim III' is considered the first rap song ever released. 'King Tim III' was the bands warm-up act at their gigs. He also appeared on their twelfth album 'XII' in 1979.

The band coninued to have successful singles and albums in the 1980's. 'Gotta Get Some Hands On Some (Money)' and 'Backstrokin' both reached top 10 R&B chart positions in 1980. In 1985 the band teamed up with singer Evelyn Thomas to release the single 'Spread Love'.

The band are still together and Bill Curtis is still the driving force behind them along with some of the original band members. In 2008 they released an EP entitled 'The Fatback Band Play House Music (music to Pump U up)'

There's a free download available of the songs 'Higher' and the original 'Feel The Fire' on the band's facebook page.

Links

Fatback Band Official Website Fatback Band

Fatback Bands Facebook page Fatback Band

Facebook page Free Download FREE DOWNLOAD!!!!!!!

Bill Curtis Official Website Bill Curtis Official website

Bill Curtis MySpace Bill Curtis MySpace

Fatback Band Members / Musicians

• Bill Curtis - Drums
• George Williams - Trumpet
• Gerry Thomas - Keyboards
• Johnny King - Guitar
• Johnny Flippin - Bass / Vocals / Percussion
• Earl Shelton - Saxophone
• Wayne Woolford - Congas
• George Adam - Flute
• Fred Demerey - Saxaphone
• George Victory - Guitar
• Deborah Cooper - Vocals
• Isabella Dunn Gordon - Vocals
• Ledjerick Todd Woods - Trumpet
• Cordell 'Pete' Everett - Bass / Vocals
• Bob James - Keyboards / Vocals
• Ed Jackson - Saxaphone
• Jayne and Gerry - Vocals
• Wild Sugar - Backing vocals

Fatback Band Discography

Albums

• Let's Do It Again - Perception Records - 1972
• People Music - Perception Records - 1973
• Feel My Soul - Perception Records - 1974
• Keep On Steppin' - Event Records / Polydor - 1974
• Raising Hell - Event Records / Polydor / Ace / Southbound- 1975
• Yum Yum - Event records / Polydor / - 1975
• Night Fever - Polydor - 1976
• The Best Of - Spring Records / Polydor- 1976
• Man With The Band - Polydor / Spring records / Southbound - 1977
• NYCNYUSA - Spring Records / Polydor - 1977
• Fired Up 'N' Kickin' - Spring Records - 1978
• XII - Spring Records / Polydor / IMS - 1979
• Bright Lites, Big City - Spring / Polydor - 1979
• 14 Karat - Spring Records - 1980
• Hot Box - Spring records / Polydor - 1980
• Gigolo - Spring Records - 1981
• Tasty Jam - Spring Records - 1981
• On The Floor With Fatback - Spring Records - 1982
• Is This The Future? - Spring Records / Polydor - 1983
• Phoenix - Cotillion - 1984
• With Love - Polydor - 1983
• Greatest Hits - Important Records UK / ZYX Records - 1985
• So Delicious - Cotillion - 1985
• Live - Start Records - 1987
• Fatbacks Greatest Hits - Crucial Cuts - Streetlife - 1988
• 21 Karat (The Best Of) - Southbound - 1995
• 6 Twelves - The Extended Fatback Band - Southbound - 1995
• The Fattest Of Fatback - Rhino Entertainment Company - 1997
• Fatbackin' (The Perception Sessions) - Castle Music - 2000
• Fatback Funky - Southbound - 2002
• Fatback Band: Essential 70s Funk Recordings - Metro - 2003
• Fat Back band Remixed - Southbound - 2003
• Hustle! The Ultimate Fatback 1969-84 - Southbound - 2004
• Second Generation - Fatback - 2004
• Original Funk - The Best Of - Music Club - 2005
• Live In Tokyo - Fatback - 2007
• The Fatback band play house music - 2008

Singles

• Street Dance / Goin' To See My Baby - Perception Records - 1972
• Njia Walk (Street Walk) / Soul Man - Perception Records - 1973
• Soul March / To Be With You - Perception Records - 1973
• Street Dance / Goin' To See My Baby - Perception Records - 1973
• Wicki Wacky / Can't Fight The Flame - Event Records / Polydor - 1974
• (Are You Ready)Do The Bus Stop /Gotta Learn How To Dance - Event records / Polydor - 1975
• (Do The) Spanish Hustle - Event records / Polydor - 1975
• If That's The Way You Want It / The Booty - Spring Records - 1975
• Party Time - Spring Records - 1975
• Yum, Yum (Gimme Some) / Let The Drums Speak - Event Records - 1975
• Disco Crazy / The Joint (You And Me) - Spring Records - 1976
• Night Fever - Spring Records / Polydor - 1976
• Double Dutch / Spank the baby - Polydor / Spring Records - 1977
• Master Booty - Polydor - 1977
• Midnight Freak / Mile High - Spring Records - 1977
• NYCNYUSA - Spring Records - 1977
• Freak The Freak The Funk (Rock) / (Do The) Boogie Woogie - Spring Records - 1978
• Get Out On The Dance Floor / I Like Girls - Spring Records - 1978
• Brite Lights / Big City - Spring Records - 1979
• You're my sweet candy / King Tim III - Spring Records - 1979
• Love In Perfect Harmony / Disco Bass - Spring Records - 1979
• You're My Candy Sweet - Spring Records - 1979
• Backstrokin' / Gotta Get My Hands On Some (Money) - Polydor / Spring Records - 1980
• Backstrokin' / Love Spell - Spring Records - 1980
• Hot Box - Spring Records - 1980
• King Tim III - Polydor - 1980
• Let's Do It Again - Spring records / Polydor - 1980
• Kool Whip - Spring Records - 1981
• Take It Any Way You Want It - Spring Records - 1981
• (Are You Ready) Do The Bus Stop - Spring Records - 1982
• On The Floor - Spring Records - 1982
• She's My Shining Star - Polydor - 1982
• I Found Lovin' - Master Mix Records - 1983
• Is This The Future? - Spring Records - 1983
• Please Stay - Spring Records - 1983
• The Girl Is Fine (So Fine) - Spring records / Polydor - 1983
• Spread Love - Spring Records / Metronome - 1984
• Girls On My Mind - Atlantic / Cotillion - 1985
• I Found Lovin' - Important Records UK - 1985
• Lover Undercover - Atlantic - 1985
• She's A Go-Getter - Cotillion - 1985
• Bus Stop - CBS - 1986
• Medley Mix - Record Shack Records - 1986
• (Feel The) Rhythm Of The Night - Creative funk music / Groove and Move Records 1987
• Body Talk - ZYX Records - 1987
• Naughty Dancer - Vista Sounds International - 1987
• Sunshine Lady - Master Mix Records - 1987
• Tonight's An All-Nite Party - ZYX Records - 1987
• All-Nite Party - Start Records - 1988
• I Found Lovin' (Live) / I Found Lovin' - Old Gold - 1989
• Peace, Love Not War - BGP Records / Kay Dee- 2003
• Let The Drums Speak - BKO Productions - 2005
• Feel The Fire (Remixes) - BKO Productions - 2007

Youtube Video

My other Favorite songs by 'The Fatback Band'

• Party Time
• Master Booty
• Is This the Future?
• Do the Boogie Woogie
• On the Floor
• Spanish Hustle