KENI BURKE レコード& CD

Review: Third time around for Keni Burke's 1982 boogie-soul classic "Risin' To The Top", a track that remained such a favourite on the jazz-funk, rare groove and jazz-dance scenes that it was given the remix treatment in 1992. The slick and smooth cut is still capable of sending shivers down the spine, with Burke's impeccable lead vocal rising above rich electric pianos, a killer boogie bassline and the track's famous "give it all you've got" female backing vocals. This time round, the track comes backed by another stone cold classic and DJ favourite, the 1981 12" version of "You're The Best". More up-tempo and synth-heavy, it remains a favourite with both boogie DJs and jazz-funk fans.

Review: By now, it's a firmly established fact that Dimitri From Paris is one of the best re-editors in the business. Further proof that his "Super Disco Blends" never fail to impress arrives in the shape of this tasty two-track missive. On the A-side he gets busy with Phyllis Hyman's brilliant 1979 anthem "You Know How To Love Me". The long-serving Frenchman cannily plays around with the original's superb instrumentation for a while before unleashing Hyman's sing-along vocal. Flip to the B-side for a similarly grandiose and life-affirming take on Keni Burke's lesser-known 1981 floor-slayer "Let Somebody Love You" - an orchestral disco stormer rich in loved-up vocals, undulating string arrangements and sensuous, peak-time grooves.