Category: Carlo

Earth Wind + Fire feat. The Emotions | Boogie Wonderland

From stalwart MotD fan Carlo Migliaccio: “I was listening to Earth Wind and Fire, when I remembered that ‘Boogie Wonderland’ modulates briefly to the relative major, twice: once at 1:38 and again at 3:38.”

The 1979 single, the caboose-that-could at the end of Disco’s multi-year train, achieved a #14 ranking on the Dance chart, #6 on the Billboard Hot 100, and #2 on the Hot Soul Singles chart. It also garnered Grammy nominations for Best R&B Instrumental Performance and Best Disco Recording.

According to AllMusic.com, “One of the few records that paired two full-fledged groups successfully, the combination of EWF and the Emotions worked wonders here and it remains a classic of the period. A virtual call to arms of the disco scene, the lyrics relate the power of the extinct musical form, and although loaded with clichés, it still retains a certain period charm. The fantasy life of disco patrons is celebrated here, and in this way, it was a sort of theme song to the Studio 54 crowd. Musically, it’s a straight four-on-the-floor rhythm with a funk melody, and despite its simplicity — or because of it — it was a huge and accessible record that is still played regularly on oldies R&B radio.”

Organ Freeman | Go By Richard, Not By Dick

Here’s a submission from our regular contributor Carlo Migliaccio: “Go By Richard, Not By Dick” by Organ Freeman. The LA-based organ trio has been described as “Medeski, Martin + Wood, but about 20 years younger,” by ShowTheShow.com.

According to Carlo, “The tonal center moves around a bit, but the modulation that made me smile starts at about 2:45, then again at 3:10.” But harmony is hardly the only weapon in the trio’s arsenal: at 4:00, the tempo falls off a cliff, gradually regaining full force by about 4:50; in the interim, the funk groove remains as strong as ever, mixing in several ornate countermelodies. A Youtube commenter left this capsule review: “This starts off as the carwash music from Gran Turismo … and ends in the kind of energy that is used to create planets.”

Lawrence | It’s Not All About You

From longtime MotD fan Carlo Migliaccio comes this jam-packed pop/soul confection of an arrangement from NYC-based band Lawrence, “It’s Not All About You” (2019). Siblings Clyde and Gracie Lawrence are at the core of the band, both as songwriters and performers. Relix‘s overview: “The rich 9-piece arrangements pay tribute to Motown, Muscle Shoals, and everything in between.”

The tune starts at the 0:56 mark, but watch the entire video to catch the full snark quotient of the narrative arc. A half-step modulation hits at 2:39, with a second key change at 3:04.

Knower | Hanging On

Via guest poster and longtime MotD booster Carlo Migliaccio comes a this track from Knower, a funk/electronica band. It centers around synthesist Louis Cole and vocalist Genevieve Artadi, both of whom studied jazz as undergraduates. The band released the hyper-kinetic track “Hanging On” in 2016. There are multiple key changes starting around 3:10.