The Players Association

The Players Association – Let Your Body Go! (2020) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · November 13, 2023 · Comments off

Led by drummer/arranger Chris Hills, the Players Association was an obscure late-’70s, early-’80s outfit that specialized in a jazz-influenced style of disco-funk. Major jazz musicians like Michael Brecker, David Sanborn, Joe Farrell, and Tom Harrell appeared on its albums, but the New York band never catered to jazz’s hardcore; its main focus was disco-funk with jazz overtones, although the Association occasionally detoured into instrumental jazz-pop and quiet storm/NAC music. The Association never became well known, and its recordings received very little radio airplay; however, it did enjoy a small underground following among danceclub DJs. The Players Association signed with Vanguard in 1977, and the band recorded five albums before calling it quits in 1981: 1977’s The Players Association, 1978’s Born to Dance, 1979’s Turn the Music Up! 1980’s We Got the Groove, and 1981’s Let Your Body Go.

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The Players Association – Turn The Music Up! (Remastered) (1977/2020) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · November 12, 2023 · Comments off

The Players Association weren’t exactly the band du jour in disco’s heyday, but they did manage to strike up a modest cult following with their first two releases, reissued here by the excellent Ace Records imprint. Make no mistake, this isn’t pure commercial disco à la the chart-toppers of the time; rather, this is a wonderful hybrid of jazz, funk, and disco by skilled musicians. Granted, many of the better tunes here are covers, but “Hustlin'” and “Ride the Groove” are probably the best two tracks the band ever recorded. This is quite easily all the Players Association you could possibly want or need in your record collection.

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The Players Association – Born To Dance (Remastered) (1977/2020) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · November 11, 2023 · Comments off

The Players Association recordings brought in leading jazz session musicians such as Joe Farrell, David Sanborn, James Mtume, Mike Mandel and Lorraine Moore on vocals as well as others. Whilst writing some of their own songs, the group mainly focused on covers. Their two biggest hits were “Disco Inferno,” a cover of the Trammps tune, and their own composition “Turn the Music Up!” Both tracks were recorded on the Vanguard label and issued in the UK as 12″ singles which boosted the group’s popularity on the dance floors around the UK.

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The Players Association – The Players’ Association (1977/2020) [Official Digital Download 24bit/192kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · November 9, 2023 · Comments off

The Players Association was a New York based studio group, put together by drummer/arranger Chris Hills and producer Danny Weiss in 1977 on Vanguard Records.

The Players Association recordings brought in leading jazz session musicians such as Joe Farrell, David Sanborn, James Mtume, Bob Berg, Mike Mandel, synthesist Marcus Barone, and Lorraine Moore on vocals as well as others. Whilst writing some of their own songs, the group mainly focused on covers. Their two biggest hits were “Disco Inferno,” a cover of the Trammps tune, and their own composition “Turn the Music Up!” Both tracks were recorded on the Vanguard label and issued in the UK as 12-inch singles which boosted the group’s popularity on the dance floors around the UK.

(more…)