Customer Reviews

Choice: A Collection of Classics

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

A dance mix that begins with a slow groove by Cat Stevens? This is not a best of Danny Tenaglia mixes, it's a best of Danny Tenaglia's favorite dance tracks, from over 3 decades. He mixes and segues the varying style quite well, but this stuff just isn't a great house party.Some scratching and popping is noticed on a few of the records he spins as well (after all, some of the records are probably nearly 20 years old) It does include some big names in dance music-Mr. Lee, Nomad, Two Tons o Fun, Adeva, Frankie Knuckles, Jomanda, but do expect for the styles to be over the map. Track times are:

CD1:

1) was dog a doughnut (4:13)

2) changes (6:51)

3) shine (7:01)

4) as one (4:55)

5) love me forever or love me not (6:25)

6) I believe (7:20)

7) not gonna do it (7:59)

8) I can't forget (5:05)

9) I Wanna Give you Devotion (6:27)

10) Make it Right (5:03)

11) elevation (7:03)

12) just us (4:54)

CD2:

1) outta limits (4:29)

2) on the floor 7:40)

3) don't go lose it baby (7:39)

4) give me your love (6:44)

5) independent woman (5:58)

6) rushin (7:42)

7) the whistle song (8:15)

8) I want to thank you (4:31)

9) por favor (1:16)

10) make my body rock (6:27)

For me, the measure of a solid compilation mix is A) 3 Great Tracks that I didn't previously own on CD, B) Rediscovering at least 1 great song, and C) finding a song you didn't know, but immediately love. By this standard, Danny Tenaglia's "choice" hits the mark.
For pure listening fun, Frankie Knuckle's "The Whistle Song" has to be onne of the all-time greats, and Tenaglia puts up a classic mix on this disc. And he blends it perfectly into Alicia Myers "I Want To Thank You", a truly forgotten gem. "I Want..." is the best song Ashford and Simpson never wrote, and sounds like an outcast from their Diana Ross/Boss sessions, with wonderful strings and sublime bass lines. And Nomad's "Devotion" has always been a favorite, and it is presented here in a quieter mix, which gives the horns a much more valued presence than on the original.
The forgotten classic "Was Dog A Doughnut", the best Cat Stevens song ever taken to the dance level sounds fresh and reinvigorated in this mix. It would not sound out of place on today's dance floors. And my discovery from this disc, Blaze's "Elevation" is a beautiful dancer, with an uplifting vocal message set against a soft synthisized rhythm. I don't know how I missed this tune, but it is stunning and original.
This certainly isn't a hard dance compilation, and is probably best enjoyed as a staying in type listen (or very late hour jam). Softer in approach than most compilations of this nature, it makes for great riding music or background sound. And the mix on the tracks is superb - Tenaglia clearly knows that it takes more than an elevated bass line carried over from one track to the next to mix songs well. While there certainly are some less than perfect choices (the Two Tons of Fun track, "Just Us" is completely out of place on this disc), overall this is a very enjoyable session with some classic tunes.

This is the first time that the American DJ and one of the greatest innovators in this genre has spread his talents over a collection of dance music 'Classics'.
This CD is packed with superb tracks, some that are well known and some new ones that Danny Tenaglia has used as his 'DJ Secret Weapons'and is generous enough to share with us.The beautiful mix by Larry Levan of Imagination's 'Changes' is a highlight for me, as is the Ralph Falcon produced Mission Control 'Outta Limits'..I love that Miami sound!
This is the perfect CD for a party at home or a bar as the music spans over 25 years from disco to house via quality R&B and there is something for everyone here.The whole CD flows together brilliantly with lots of interesting edits and the most unique point for me is that DT had a tasteful piano solo dropped at the end of Frankie Knuckles 'The Whistle Song'which fits perfectly and is a real suprise.The sleeve notes are packed with comments and information about why he chose each track and you get the overall impression that a tremendous amount of work went into this CD.
For me this is the best collection of classics that I have heard and is guaranteed to give lasting enjoyment for its sheer diversity and the fact that it will have you dancing around your room whatever the time of day (or night!)for many years to come.

I'll make this simple. You have to really know House Music to appreciate this compilation. If when looking at the listing of songs on these CDs, you see you do not have any of them in your record collection, and you love "True House Music" as much as I do, than you've missed out! I advice you pick it up and get educated.

This is good music IF you are a fan of record labels like P&P & West End. I would also recommend this to anyone who is a fan of Larry Levan. If you are fan of the r&b/punk group ESG, you may also dig this.

Some other CDs I would compare this to include:

*Masters At Work presents West End Records: the 25th Anniversary Mastermix

*New York Dance Classics (volume 1 & 2)

I own a decent amount of Tenaglia CDs spanning his entire career and I can't say that this sounds like anything else he has put out. So, if you want something that sounds like a typical Danny T. mix, keep on looking. If you are into the roots of house music and you dig old school 80s/early 90s house, then you may definitely want to check this out.

THIS CD IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM "BACK TO BASICS" AND IT DOES NOT SURPRISE ME THAT THE NEW SCHOOL CHILDREN WILL NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT DANNY IS TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THIS CD. IF YOU, AS A TRUE HOUSE MUSIC LOVER, DID NOT HAVE THE GOOD FORTUNE TO EXPERIENCE THE BEGINNING OF HOUSE MUSIC FROM LEGENDS LIKE DANNY, FRANKIE KNUCKLES, JUNIOR VASQUEZ, DAVID MORALES, ETC., THEN NONE OF THE TRACKS WILL MAKE SENSE. BACK THEN, THE VOCALS AND MUSIC WENT HAND AND HAND! IT IS LIKE ANYTHING, WE MUST UNDERSTAND THE PAST TO APPRECIATE WHAT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED IN THE PRESENT.
I CAN APPRECIATE THIS COLLECTION AS WELL AS FRANKIE KNUCKLES COLLECTION BECAUSE BOTH MEN STARTED THIS HOUSE MOVEMENT AND ARE STILL GOING STRONG. I JUST HATE DANNY DID NOT INCLUDE: "JACK YOUR BODY", "PINK CADILLAC" AND "YOU USE TO HOLD ME" TO NAME A FEW OF MY FAVORITES. DANNY, THANK YOU FOR THE SHORT HISTORY LESSON, KEEP GOING STRONG, AND I WILL SEE YOU AT THE WINTER MUSIC CONFERENCE IN MARCH 2003 IN MIAMI, FLORIDA. P.S. I LOVE YOUR CHILDHOOD PICTURES AND YES, YOU ARE THE BADDEST WHITE MAN ALIVE TODAY IN HOUSE MUSIC!!!(BIG SMILE)
MORACCA MAN,
BRYAN

I don't have any "classics" cds but I do enjoy this one. It's a nice change to hear some disco / soul influences and I can see how songs like these helped to influence D.T. in his modern sound. You can dance to this collection or chill out to it. I skip perhaps 20% of the songs but the other 80% are good, in my opinion. Some of the tunes sound almost "kevin yost-ish" with some jazzy loops tossed in. Although some songs make you want to jump up and dance, don't expect all of them get you up with such immediacy. But you'll start to sway and groove and then find yourself dancing- like a lot of D.T. beats, they grow on you. I like it.

What an appropiate title for this series of compilations!

And with this latest release of Danny's, I cannot help but absolutely love that man for what he has to say and do within and around the world of music.

I can't truly say "garage" music, or "tech" music, or any other monicker since this album of 22 or so songs TEACHES us all what it was about when HOUSE music first came to be and people turned to it because it spoke to the soul. It really is THAT serious.

In particular, the CD's liner notes take us inside Danny's thoughts as he compliments each track with a mini-narrative of what took place around the release of the song, and what makes it special for Danny. For seriuos dj's and collectors, get both the Vinyl and CD packs, since the CD/s feature Danny's special touch to the records and the Vinyl/s are just the re-mastered songs. (Worth having at all costs.)

I can share some of his experiences while the Sound Factory in 1990's NY was home to F.Knuckles; this was my coming out into club-life and I absolutely recognize that "beautiful" period which Danny speaks about.

If you are a HOUSE music fan, dj, producer, father, mother...whatever the hell you are, get this compilation because you are interested and ready to learn what makes house music so special TODAY! These songs are the seeds of today's most potent artists and these songs chronicle the culture that followed with the music through the last 30 years of globalization.

Danny, thank you brother. Heaven knows.

F

PS- for Mr. Cheesy's review: No wonder your name is Cheesy, since it seems to me that your youth clouds your own ability to tolerate that which you COULD not possibly understand. Sorry you hated the album so much.

First key to loving this. Don't expect Athens, don't expect London. This is old school. Think early 80s. Think Rapper's Delight. Think Afrika Bambaata. Think the roots of hip-hop meet the children of disco meet the roots of the club sound. It's subtitled 'A Collection of Classics' for a reason. You remember the sound - a simple drum machine beat, repetitive, simple. Yet, this is classics with a twist, as only Mr. Tenaglia can. It's layered, textured, subtle and smooth.

I didn't like this at first. But I forced myself to listen to it. Glad I did. Leave your expectations behind and just listen and see if you don't find yourself tapping your toes and bouncing just a little bit. Retro with a twist, classics with a smile. A nice mix.

The mixing really is what makes this 'choice' so different from the rest. The styles vary, yet the album feels so complete. Incredible selection. Tracks that stand the test of time, and put together in such an amazingly perfect way. As one reviewer said it on here, you have to really "KNOW your house music" to understand how brilliant this compilation is.

Danny=Quality

:)