This week's track is the epitome of SOUL DISCO. Blood Hollins' "Don't Give it Up". Man, this one is a killer. Its 1976 and you had this great big sound, and it was soon to give way to a more European influence in disco, save for some exceptions. For an early twelve-inch, this single is surprisingly well-mixed and is packed with heat right to the end groove, brimming with a lush interplay of fanfare horns, scintillating strings, and even a grandiose harp. Its starts off as a solid, uplifting soul tune with an irresistible groove, and then it takes a turn that leads into an epic instrumental masterpiece- its foray is immense, and occurs just a mere two and a half minutes after the vocal part. The trumpet solos are jazz-inflected but very much grounded in funk and soul sensibility, and they weave in and out with the staccato of harps heralding that this record is one that takes you on a journey- much like Lamont Dozier's "Going Back to My Roots" or Billy Paul's "Going East". This could incinerate the floor, and I was fortunate to find my very own copy of this record before hype has really kicked in. Check it out for yourself...

Blood Hollins - Don't Give it Up