''A Tom Moulton Mix'' is a 2006 compilation released by Soul Jazz Records. The album contains disco music that had been mixed by

Tom Moulton Thomas Jerome Moulton (, ; born November 29, 1940) is an American record producer. He experimented with remix in disco music and this led to its wide adoption as a standard practice in the industry. He also invented the breakdown section, and the ...

, ranging from artists from such as Eddie Kendricks,

Andrea True Connection Andrea Marie Truden (July 26, 1943 – November 7, 2011), better known by her pseudonym Andrea True, was an American pornographic actress and singer from the disco era. In addition to her given name, she had multiple stage names, including Inger ...

Isaac Hayes Isaac Lee Hayes Jr. (August 20, 1942 – August 10, 2008) was an American singer, actor, songwriter, and composer. He was one of the creative forces behind the Southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served both as an in-house songwri ...

, and

Grace Jones Grace Beverly Jones (born 19 May 1948) is a model, singer and actress. Born in Jamaica, she and her family moved to Syracuse, New York, when she was a teenager. Jones began her modelling career in New York state, then in Paris, working for ...

. The tracks are predominantly pulled from unreleased,

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and promotional singles of several artists. On its release, the album was praised by several music critics from The Guardian, ''

Exclaim! ''Exclaim!'' is a Canadian music and entertainment publisher based in Toronto, which features in-depth coverage of new music across all genres with a special focus on Canadian and emerging artists. The monthly Exclaim! print magazine publishes 7 ...

'' and '' The Stranger'', with Linhardt of '' Pitchfork'' calling it "simply some of the most electrifying music of the 1970s." and Andy Kellman declaring it "one of the finest disco compilations".

Background and music

''A Tom Moulton Mix'' was the first ever compilation of tracks mixed by

. Several of the tracks on the album were unreleased versions such as "Keep on Truckin" by Kendricks, " I'll Be Holding On" by Al Downing and "Free Man" by

South Shore Commission South Shore Commission were an American Soul/ funk band from Washington D.C. that released a stand-alone single called "Right On Brother" on the Atlantic Records label in 1970. A self-titled album followed in 1975 on Wand records. Members include ...

. The albums cover was taken in 1977 at the first anniversary party of West End Records. The back row features Maye James and

while the front row features Mel Cheren, Tomiko Jones and Moulton.

Release and reception

''A Tom Moulton Mix'' was released in 2006. It was released as a double compact disc and on two double vinyl releases by Soul Jazz Records. John Brugess of '' The Guardian'' praised the album, stating that "artists graced with a Tom Moulton mix could expect their concise pop to be turned into an epic drama" and proclaimed that "Moulton had a good sense of when to hold back (Patti Jo's Make Me Believe In You is stripped and urgent) but also knew that disco floors often relished going over the top: MFSB's Love is the Message sounds like John Williams conducting a choir of cartwheeling angels." Andy Beta of '' The Stranger'' echoed praise of Moulton's mixes, finding that under Moulton's guidance, "almost any component of a song could mutate and overtake the original, from the Indian toms on BT Express's "Peace Pipe" and MFSB's orchestral opulence on "Love Is the Message" right down to the tangy banjo from Al Downing's "I'll Be Holding On." Such expansions remain prescient, transcendent, and, well, timeless." Alex Linhardt of Pitchfork proclaimed the structure of the album had "the complexity and elegance hat s nearly overwhelming throughout Soul Jazz's two-disc set." concluding that the compilation is "simply some of the most electrifying music of the 1970s." Andy Kellman of AllMusic proclaimed the album as "one of the finest disco compilations" and that it " it just so happens that it was put together to honor the work of a pioneer who played as much of a role in the development of dance music as any songwriter, producer, session musician, vocalist, or DJ." Beyond the music, David Dacks of ''

'' praised the compilation, noting that Soul Jazz Records had "done a tremendous job with this package", praising the liner notes cataloguing Moulton's career and work between 1974 and 1980. From later reviews, Barry Walters included the album in his list of "Essentials" for Disco music for ''

Spin Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning * Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis * Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...

'' in 2008. Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton wrote in '' Mixmag'' in 2012 that the album was a "brilliant compilation" and that it gather Moulton's "biggest and best mixes".

Track listing

Track listing adapted from back of vinyl sleeve and liner notes. ;Disc 1 ;Disc 2

Credits

Credits adapted from the liner notes of the compilation album. *

– mixing, producer (on "La vie en rose" and "Moonboots") * Frank Wilson – producer (on "Keep on Truckin'") *

Leonard Caston Leonard "Baby Doo" Caston (June 2, 1917 – August 22, 1987) was an American blues pianist and guitarist. He is best noted for the tracks "Blues at Midnight" and "I'm Gonna Walk Your Log". Life and career Leonard Caston Sr. was born in S ...

– producer (on "Keep on Truckin'") *

– producer (on "Moonlight Loving") * Larry La Falce – producer (on "Lip Service") * Len Boone – producer (on "Lip Service") * Don Cypher – producer (on "Lip Service") * Anthony Monn – producer (on "Moonboots") * Duke Williams – arrangements (on "La vie en rose") * Romain Tassinari – compiler, sleeve notes * Aldrick de Narp – compiler, sleeve notes * Adrian Self – sleeve * Rodney Rex III – sleeve * Pete Reilly – mastering * Duncan Cowell – mastering

References

Sources

* * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Tom Moulton Mix, A 2006 compilation albums Disco compilation albums Soul Jazz Records compilation albums