mardi 3 novembre 2015
FINAL DESTINATION MOTHERLAND
In 1986 Jacques Fred Petrus faced urgent problems in the US. A moratorium on all Little Macho Music activities in the States came to a screeching halt upon Petrus' indictment on tax evasion by the IRS, the Internal Revenue Service. After fleeing the United States, Petrus returned to his native country Guadeloupe in the French West Indies where he concentrated on running his succesful nightclub. However, this would ultimately be his final destination. The disco producer would never reconnect with the music business again.
Sadly, he was murdered in Guadeloupe under mysterious circumstances in the Spring of 1987. Fred Petrus was only 39 years old. Fact is that quite a few people in the music industry weren't surprised at this bad ending. More than once Petrus had been portrayed as an unscrupulous businessman. A hardliner, notorious for screwing his artists. He owed money to a lot of people. Some hated him so much that they even travelled to Guadeloupe to make sure he was dead. Had Petrus made too many enemies?
For a long time plenty of wild rumors circulated concerning his assasination, the Mafia-connection being one of them. Petrus reputedly launched his empire with money from the Italian Mafia. And eventually he may have become the victim of a deadly mob hit. Gossip or plausible? It's generally known that the Italian Mafia invested lots of money in the music industry during the golden age of Disco. So it's likely that Fred Petrus was connected to the underworld in some way — possibly in the shape of money laundering. He was known for dealing with shady people anyhow and persistent whispers circulate that he did borrow large sums of money to keep his ship afloat. Again, this is an element of his story that can only be put together via anecdote and hearsay.
A reliable source however, revealed that Petrus’ gruesome fate apparently had a more banal but not less tragic origin. According to Claude Petrus, a cousin of Jacques Fred Petrus, he was killed at his residence in the heights of Saint-Felix, Le Gosier on the Island of Guadeloupe by some lunatic. His younger brother Alex did the lugubrious discovery on June 8th 1987. The dead body of Petrus was found lying on the bed, shot in the head several times.
seaside resort of Guadeloupe and the heart of the island's night life. Close to the piers of the yacht marina Jacques Fred Petrus owned the popular nightclub L'Elysée Matignon frequented by the jetset of the island. The disco comprised three different rooms: Disco & Soul, Guadeloupean & Caribbean vibes (zouk, soca, calypso, salsa, reggae) and Pop & Country. For an unknown reason Fred Petrus seriously clashed with a Swiss club goer at his disco on a Sunday night in June 1987 and kicked the man out violently. The tourist returned to Fred's club later that night and followed Fred Petrus when he headed back home to Saint-Felix. Subsequently the madman slipped into Fred's villa and coldbloodedly shot the sleeping producer to death. Petrus didn’t get the 
slightest chance to grab a weapon. The gunman left Guadeloupe the following day but was caught by the French police a few months later and confessed the crime. The police excluded the drugs hypothesis. There also seemed to be no Mafia involvement at all. It was just a rumor based on his personality and his Italian background. Unless of course, this was a cover up, the tourist being in fact a hit-man... The entire incident was just another shadow across the complex story of Italy's most prolific hit-maker. The exact cause will probably never surface. Surely a tragic end for a remarkable, yet controversial music business figure who will live on in the delightful music he created with producer Malavasi and his collaborators. Despite becoming a defining force in Italian dance music, Petrus' story ended where it began — in his native land Guadeloupe...where the sphinx' mysteries remain deeply buried under the tropical sand.
Marina Bas-Du-Fort (Le Gosier, Guadeloupe): restaurants, jazz bars, nightclubs and cafés
Today the Jacques Fred Petrus Estate is owned by Marthe Petrus, the mother of Jacques Fred Petrus who's still living in Saint-Anne on the island of Guadeloupe, aged 92.
The estate is administered by Entertainment attorney Stephen L. Kopitko, a loyal business connection of the late Fred Petrus:
1780 Broadway, Suite 805, New York, NY 10019, USA
(email: VibeLaw@aol.com).
Publishing rights can be licensed from:
- Clock Music S.a.s., Piazza Della Mercanzia 1, 40125 Bologna (BO), Emilia Romagna, Italy. (email: ClockMusic@tin.it)
- Nuova Fresca Edizioni Musicali S.r.l., Via Melchiorre Gioia 64, 20125 Milano (MI), Italy. (email: Stefano@fresca.it or infofmc@bluewin.ch)
The early to the mid eighties was a prolific era for black dance music. A Period that has yet to be surpassed in terms of sheer quality, excitement and innovation. Despite - or perhaps because of - the assembly-line nature of Petrus' catalog, he made some of the best club tracks during that strange period in black music between disco's effective demise and the rise of contemporary R&B, hip hop, quiet storm and New Jack. The B.B.&Q. Band's "On The Beat" and High Fashion's "Feelin' Lucky Lately" pulse with spirited, upbeat rhythms. The B.B.&Q. Band's "Genie" may be the best song Loose Ends never made. From Change's "Paradise" to Zinc's "Streetlevel", this is some of the most entertaining R&B and boogie-funk of its day.
It remains truly astonishing how visionaries Petrus & Malavasi always succeeded in spotting and attracting the talent of rising stars and awarded musicians like Luther Vandross, Kashif, Timmy Allen, Curtis Hairston, Chieli Minucci, Johnny Kemp, Jeff Bova, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis or Meli'sa Morgan to keep their music machine going strong.
Petrus & Malavasi surely deserve their spot in the gallery of brilliant producers who contributed to the eminent musical output of that time. They left a rich legacy of incendiary dance material, exceeding disco triviality and unlikely to be forgotten by those who have the groove in the heart.
The estate is administered by Entertainment attorney Stephen L. Kopitko, a loyal business connection of the late Fred Petrus:
1780 Broadway, Suite 805, New York, NY 10019, USA
(email: VibeLaw@aol.com).
Publishing rights can be licensed from:
- Clock Music S.a.s., Piazza Della Mercanzia 1, 40125 Bologna (BO), Emilia Romagna, Italy. (email: ClockMusic@tin.it)
- Nuova Fresca Edizioni Musicali S.r.l., Via Melchiorre Gioia 64, 20125 Milano (MI), Italy. (email: Stefano@fresca.it or infofmc@bluewin.ch)
Corner building on Piazza Della Mercanzia in Bologna where Clock Music S.a.s. is housed
The early to the mid eighties was a prolific era for black dance music. A Period that has yet to be surpassed in terms of sheer quality, excitement and innovation. Despite - or perhaps because of - the assembly-line nature of Petrus' catalog, he made some of the best club tracks during that strange period in black music between disco's effective demise and the rise of contemporary R&B, hip hop, quiet storm and New Jack. The B.B.&Q. Band's "On The Beat" and High Fashion's "Feelin' Lucky Lately" pulse with spirited, upbeat rhythms. The B.B.&Q. Band's "Genie" may be the best song Loose Ends never made. From Change's "Paradise" to Zinc's "Streetlevel", this is some of the most entertaining R&B and boogie-funk of its day.
It remains truly astonishing how visionaries Petrus & Malavasi always succeeded in spotting and attracting the talent of rising stars and awarded musicians like Luther Vandross, Kashif, Timmy Allen, Curtis Hairston, Chieli Minucci, Johnny Kemp, Jeff Bova, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis or Meli'sa Morgan to keep their music machine going strong.
Petrus & Malavasi surely deserve their spot in the gallery of brilliant producers who contributed to the eminent musical output of that time. They left a rich legacy of incendiary dance material, exceeding disco triviality and unlikely to be forgotten by those who have the groove in the heart.
Mauro Malavasi
THE POST-PETRUS ERA
Meanwhile back in Italy Mauro Malavasi (alias Ginko) embarked on a successful career as songwriter, arranger and producer outside the Petrus sphere. Operating from his Clock Studio and Clock Music company in Bologna, he became one of Italy's most prominent mainstream pop producers.
Meanwhile back in Italy Mauro Malavasi (alias Ginko) embarked on a successful career as songwriter, arranger and producer outside the Petrus sphere. Operating from his Clock Studio and Clock Music company in Bologna, he became one of Italy's most prominent mainstream pop producers.
Malavasi and the famous Italian singer Lucio Dalla ran across each other in New York in 1983 and started a long collaboration (albums: Viaggi Organizzati, 1984; Fortunate Pilgrim, 1988; Dalla & Morandi, 1988; Cambio, 1990; Amen, 1992; Canzoni, 1996).
Other popular Italian artists he produced were Luca Carboni, Gianni Morandi, Biagio Antonacci, My Mine (album Stone, 1985 incl. “Cupid Girl”), Gianna Nannini, Steve Allen (“Letter From My Heart”, 1984), Bracco Di Graci, Ossigenata, Tony Esposito ("Kalimba De Luna", "Simba De Ammon", 1984; "Papa Chico", 1985; “Sinuè (Latin Tamborder)”, 1987), Loredana Berté, Aqua, Mango (“Bella D’Estate”, 1987) and Gerardina Trovato.
Furthermore he worked with the Latin pop artist Emmanuel, soulsinger Ava Cherry (“Gimme, Gimme”, 1993; album Spend The Night incl. “You Are”, 1997), Lisa, Hayley Westenra, Hélène Ségara, Josh Groban, Iskra, Elisa, Karine Carusi and even Luciano Pavarotti.
In 1982 Malavasi used the pseudonym Ginko for the first Cube single "Two Heads Are Better Than One". He also wrote My Mine's first single “Hypnotic Tango” in 1983 under the name Ginko. It's possible that he didn't want Jacques Fred Petrus to know that he was writing songs for Italian side projects on his own account. At that time he was supposed to work exclusively for Little Macho Music.
He regularly continued teaming up with his former Little Macho Music companions Davide Romani, Celso Valli, Paolo Gianolio and Rudy Trevisi. One of the projects that Malavasi, Romani and Trevisi collaborated on in 1983 was Ron’s successful Calypso album, including the song “Sogno” (later a hit for Andrea Bocelli). Producer Malavasi even hired the NYC top session musician Terry Silverlight to play the drum parts on that record.
Mauro Malavasi and Davide Romani again joined forces for the Italo-disco single “Beat The Clock” by Page 2 in 1983. A year earlier Malavasi and Rudy Trevisi launched pop act Cube to create a frame
for their international musical ambitions. This synth-pop group included Rudy Trevisi, Serse May and the British singer Paul Griffiths and reached European success with the Italo-disco album Can Can In The Garden, released in 1983 (incl. “Prince Of The Moment”, "Concert Boy", "Two Heads Are Better Than One").In 1984 Fonoprint recording engineer Maurizio Biancani produced the album La Faccia Delle Donna for pop group Stadio, featuring Romani, Trevisi and Malavasi as contributing session players.
The French songstress and glamour diva Dalida and the legendary disco group Boney M covered his co-written song “Kalimba De Luna” in 1984. Even Jacques Fred Petrus couldn’t resist fabricating an Italo-disco version of this song for his Macho III concept.
An impressive number of Mauro Malavasi-productions
Malavasi has achieved remarkable success as a producer, arranger, conductor and songwriter for the international Italian star Andrea Bocelli (albums: Bocelli, 1995; Romanza, 1997; Sogno, 1999; Per Amore, 2000 and Andrea, 2004) (see photo). This collaboration brought Malavasi back to
his original roots of classic music that he studied at the conservatory of Bologna in the mid ’70s.Malavasi has also composed several film and TV scores: The Rogues, 1988; Mamma Lucia, 1988; The Sparrow’s Fluttering, 1988; The Fortunate Pilgrim, 1988; Pummarò, 1990; Tuscan Skies, 2001 and Providence, 2002.
During his career he has received 10 Grammy Awards, several ASCAP awards and the ‘David di Donatello’ movie award. On July 4th 2008 Mauro Malavasi has been rewarded with the prestigious ‘International Premio Pico della Mirandola’ life achievement award in his home town of Mirandola for his exceptional music career. It’s estimated that his music productions have sold over 100 million of records all over the world. He’s been honoured for his role in Andrea Bocelli’s Romanza album that sold 20 million copies worldwide and also for his unremitting support of youth music education in Italy.
Mauro Malavasi & Davide Romani Davide Romani, Celso Valli, Marco Tansini, Paolo Gianolio and Rudy Trevisi are still active on the Italian music scene today. The former co-workers have regularly met in studios since, to work on common projects for Italian groups and artists.
Rudy Trevisi (saxophone, flute, clarinet, percussion, keyboards) (see photo left) plays the clarinet in a symphonic orchestra and has collaborated regularly with Mauro Malavasi on Andrea Bocelli projects. He has also done session work for Eros Ramazzotti, Black Box, Cube, N.O.I.A., Ana Belén, Miguel Bosé, Vasco Rossi, Jean Rich, Gaznevada, Steve Rogers Band, Bravo-St, Lonnie Gordon, Elisa, Biagio Antonacci, Miguel Bosé, Luca Carboni and Gerardina Trovato.
At the time of his collaborations with Jacques Fred Petrus, keyboardist and composer Celso Valli (see photo) was already a prolific producer/arranger in his own right and instigated many Italian disco acts in the late seventies and early eighties like Azoto, Five Sinners, Lazer, Tantra, Elite, Passengers, Lucrethia, Adal-Scandy Super Band, Cassandra, Lucrethia & The Azoto 14,008, V.I.S.A., Casanova, Nuggets and Neon. As the American disco market crashed and the Italo-disco sound was becoming more prevalent in Europe, Valli re-surfaced in the mid ‘80s on Raf's classic “Self Control”, Atelier Folie's “Fashion” and also Peter Richard's “Walking In The Neon”. Celso Valli often used the Goody Music musicians for his various projects. Still nowadays he’s a prominent producer in Italy and has worked with Andrea Bocelli, Meccano, Eros Ramazzotti, Vasco Rossi, Future State, Canton, Sandy Marton, Matia Bazar, Enzo Janacci, Lijao, Etnika, Blue Gas, Tipinifini, Taffy, Nicolas, F.R. David, Afrika System, Filippa Giordano, Laura Pausini, Miguel Bosé, Mango, Filippa Giordano, Claudio Baglioni, Ciao Fellini, Giorgia and Gerardina Trovato.
Celso Valli
Marco Tansini (guitar, keyboards, clarinet) is a succesful composer and arranger. He owns three recording studios in Codogno (Milan) and has produced, arranged and/or written for Moonshine, Valerie Dore, Sherwin, Monia, Diana Barton, Ivan Cattaneo, Giak, Splashdance, Kevin Johnson, Ago, Phil Sun, Hemyl, Sesto Senso, Lou Sern, Antonella, Lipstick, Shanatoa and Etta Scollo among others.
Paolo Gianolio
Paolo Gianolio (guitar, bass guitar) has worked as an arranger, songwriter and musician for
Vivien Vee (album With Vivien Vee, 1983), Mina, Andrea Bocelli, Ricchi E Poveri, Eros Ramazzotti, Filippa Giordano, Giorgia Morandi, Fiorella Monnoia, Claudio Baglioni, Vasco Rossi, Ciao Fellini, Jean Rich, Fun Fun, Patty Johnson, Angela Paris, Meccano, Kam Joyce, Blue, Morandi, Concato, Vanoni, Miguel Bosé, Anna Oxa, Afrika System, Laura Pausini, Renato Zero, Yas Titi Ya, Barbara York, Tantra, Kasso, Andrea Bocelli and many others.Davide Romani (bass guitar, keyboards) owns a recording facility (White Recording Studio) in Ferrara and has produced, arranged or played for artists like Amii Stewart, Island And Holiday, Flowchart, Page 2, Charly B., Rita, M Like Moon, Dee-Fecto, Thango, Sabrina, Balansando, Laser, Mike Francis (album Flashes Of Life, 1988), Adriano Celentano, Stadio, Edoardo Bennato, Barbara York, Angela Paris, Afrika System, Patty Johnson, Lucia, Matisse, Rendez-Vous, Fun Fun, Ale, Meccano, Jean Rich, Kam Joyce, Tantra, Blue, Aida, Ricchi E Poveri, Manero, Kono, Jennifer Flou, Blue, Vasco Rossi, Biba, Enrico Boccadoro and Enzo Avitabile.
Mauro Malavasi having a break at Fonoprint Studios
Mauro Malavasi
Mauro Malavasi
Mauro Malavasi
Mauro Malavasi
Mauro recording at Fonoprint - Studio A
- A.N.T.I. Rock: single “D.I.S.C.O.”, Goody Music, 1980. **
- B.B.& Q. Band, The: LP/CD The Brooklyn, Bronx & Queens Band, EMI-Capitol, 1981 - singles: “On The Beat”, “Starlette”, “Time For Love”, "Mistakes".
- B.B.& Q. Band, The: LP/CD All Night Long, EMI-Capitol, 1982 - singles: “Imagination”, “All Night Long (She’s Got The Moves I Like)”.
- B.B.& Q. Band, The: LP/CD Six Million Times, EMI-Capitol, 1983 - singles: “Keep It Hot”, “She’s A Woman”.
- B.B.& Q. Band, The: LP/CD Genie, Cooltempo/Zyx/Mega/Break, 1985 / Elektra, 1986 -singles: “Genie”, “Dreamer”, “On The Shelf”, “Riccochet”, "Minutes Away", "Main Attraction".
- B.B.& Q. Band, The: LP/CD The Best Of B.B.&Q. Band, Italo Heat, 1988.
- B.B.& Q. Band, The: CD Final Collection, Fonte, 2008.
- B.B.& Q. Band, The: CD Greatest Hits & Essential Tracks, Fonte, 2009.
- Bob Eaven: single "I Like The Way You Love Me / I was A Fool", Goody Music, 1978. **
- Caprice: LP Russia, Goody Music, 1980 - singles: "Russia", "Stay Tonight". **
- Carlo Lena: single “Italia”, Goody Music, 1980. **
- Change: LP/CD The Glow Of Love, Goody Music/RFC-Warner Bros., 1980 - singles: “A Lover’s Holiday”, “The Glow Of Love”, “Searching”, "Angel In My Pocket".
- Change: LP/CD Miracles, Goody Music/RFC-Atlantic, 1981 - singles: “Paradise”, “Hold Tight”, “Miracles”, "Stop For Love", "Heaven Of My Life".
- Change: LP/CD Sharing Your Love, Memory/RFC-Atlantic, 1982 - singles: “The Very Best In You”, “Hard Times (It’s Gonna Be Alright)”, “Oh What A Night”, “Keep On It”, "Sharing Your Love".
- Change: LP/CD This Is Your Time, Memory/RFC-Atlantic, 1983 - singles: “Got To Get Up”, “This Is Your Time”, “Don’t Wait Another Night”, “Magical Night”.
- Change: LP/CD Change Of Heart, Five/RFC-Atlantic, 1984 - singles: “Change Of Heart”, “You Are My Melody”, "Say You Love Me Again", “It Burns Me Up”.
- Change: LP Greatest Hits, Five, 1984.
- Change: LP Greatest Hits, Renaissance International, 1985.
- Change: LP/CD Turn On Your Radio, RFC-Atlantic, 1985 - singles: “Let’s Go Together”, “Oh What A Feeling”, “Mutual Attraction”, "Examination", "Turn On Your Radio".
- Change: CD The Very Best Of Change, Rhino-Atlantic, 1998.
- Change: 2CD The Best Of Change, Warner Music, 2003.
- Change: single “You Miss My Love”, Yanis-Sony, 2004. (unofficial release)
- Change: 2CD The Final Collection, Fonte, 2007.
- Change: 2CD Greatest Hits & Essential Tracks, Fonte, 2009.
- Change: CD Change Your Mind, One Trybal-Fonte, 1990/2010.
- Elvin Shaad: LP Live For Love, Goody Music, 1978 - single: “Live For Love”. **
- Gianni Indino: single "Per Elisa / Per Questo Ti Amo", Goody Music, 1978. **
- Gianni Indino: single "Voglio Te / Domani Se Lo Vuoi", Memory, 1980. **
- Gianni Riso: single “Disco Shy”, Goody Music, 1980.
- Goody Music Orchestra, The: LP Hits Of The World Vol. 1 - Best Of Goody, Goody Music, 1980.
- High Fashion: LP/CD Feelin’ Lucky, EMI-Capitol, 1982 - singles: “Feelin’ Lucky Lately”, "You're The Winner", “Hold On”.
- High Fashion: LP/CD Make Up Your Mind, EMI-Capitol, 1983 - single: “Break Up”, "Make Up Your Mind".
- Island And Holiday: single "In The Summertime (Love Of The Common People)" / "Living", Speed/Five, 1984.
- Jumpers, The: single “Coke And Roll” / “Rock And Roll Boogie”, Avangarde, 1980.
- Kevin Johnson: single "Video Night / Child Of Tomorrow" Speed/Sneak Preview, 1984.
- M Like Moon: single “Sunlight”, Flarenasch/Ariola, 1984 / Renaissance International, 1985.
- Macho: LP/CD I’m A Man, Goody Music/Prelude, 1978 - singles: “I’m A Man”, “Hear Me Calling”.
- Macho (II): LP/CD Roll, Goody Music, 1980 - singles: “Roll”, “Mothers Love”, "Not Tonight".
- Macho III: single “Kalimba De Luna”, Flarenasch/Five, 1984.
- Midnight Gang: LP Love Is Magic, Goody Music, 1979 - single: “Love Is Magic”.
- Midnight Gang: single "Hollywood City", Speed, 1984.
- Nobel: single “Turn On Your Radio”, Renaissance, 1985.
- Peter Jacques Band: LP/CD Fire Night Dance, Goody Music/Prelude, 1979 - singles: “Walking On Music”, “Fire Night Dance”, “Devil’s Run”, “Fly With The Wind”.
- Peter Jacques Band: LP/CD Welcome Back, Goody Music, 1980 - singles: “Is It It”, “Counting On Love (One-Two-Three)”, “The Louder”, “Mighty Fine”.
- Peter Jacques Band: LP/CD Dancing In The Street, Renaissance International/Polydor, 1985 -singles: “Going Dancin’ Down The Street”, “Mexico”, “Drive Me Crazy”, "This Night".
- Peter Jacques Band: CD The Very Best Of Peter Jacques Band, Fonte, 2006.
- Peter Jacques Band: CD Greatest Hits & Essential Tracks, Fonte, 2009.
- Persuader: single "So Decide", Renaissance International, 1985.
- Random: single "Rondo'm", Goody Music, 1978. **
- Revanche: LP/CD Music Man, Goody Music/Atlantic, 1979 - singles: “Music Man”, “Revenge”, “You Get High In N.Y.C.”, “1979 It’s Dancing Time”.
- Ritchie Family, The: LP/CD I’ll Do My Best, RCA, 1982 - singles: “I’ll Do My Best (For You Baby)", “Walk With Me”, “Alright On The Night”.
- Rudy: LP/CD Just Take My Body, Goody Music/Polydor, 1979 - singles: “White Room”, “Just Take My Body”, “Thank You Baby”.
- San Juan: single "Everybody Do The Rock", Goody Music, 1980. **
- Sherwin: single “State Of The Nation”, Speed, 1984.
- Silence: LP Goodtime Baby, Memory, 1982 - singles: “Midnight Visitors”, “No Way”.
- Silence 2: LP The Beast In Me, Flarenasch/Five Record, 1984 - single "The Beast In Me".
- Silvio: single "Adesso", Goody Music, 1978. **
- Surf Riders: single "Mal D'Amore", Memory, 1981. **
- Tato: single "Crazy Boy", Renaissance International, 1985.
- Zinc: LP/CD Street Level, Memory/Jive, 1982 - singles: “Street Level”, “Punkulation”, "Amazon", "I'll Never Stop".
- Zinc: single “I’m Livin' A Life Of Love”, Jive, 1983.
- Zinc feat. Sherwin: single “State Of The Nation”, Sneak Preview, 1984.
- Zinc feat. Sherwin: single "Hollywood City", Sneak Preview, 1984.
* Producer Mauro Malavasi does no longer collaborate on the releases from 1984 onwards.
** Published by Goody Music Production but no musicians of the Goody Music Orchestra involved.
Little Macho Music compilations on CD:
- 2CD Disco Connection - The Great Disco '70/'80, Fonte, 2004.
- 2CD Goody Music - Golden Age - Best Of Vol. 1, Goody Music Production-Antibemusic, 2005.
- 5CD BOX Album Collection - Peter Jacques Band / Macho / Revanche / Rudy, Fonte, 2005.
- 5CD BOX Album Collection - Change, Fonte, 2005.
- 5CD BOX Album Collection - B.B.&Q. Band / High Fashion, Fonte, 2005.
- 5CD BOX Album Collection - The Armed Gang / Firefly / Flowchart / Zinc, Fonte, 2005.
Singer Gianni Morandi & Mauro MalavasiSIMILAR ARTISTS - SELECTIVE DISCOGRAPHY
The list below shows a selective discography of albums, album tracks and (album) singles that were distinctly influenced by, or built on the legacy of Jacques Fred Petrus & Mauro Malavasi. It’s no coincidence that several productions were Italian. The achievements of Goody Music Production clearly inspired other Italian producers to add soul and funk to their dance music. Read more about them in the next chapter about Italian disco-funk and boogie.
The Flowchart production deserves special attention because this Bolognan concept was very similar to the productions of Little Macho Music. Flowchart was an obscure Italian studio project, influenced by the international success of Italian groups like Change and High Fashion that were instigated by J.F. Petrus and Mauro Malavasi.
Their album The New Harlem Funk was released in 1983 on the small Italian label Maximus Records. After hearing "Ask The Boss", "R.U. Single" and "I Saw Him Make Eyes Atchoo" many funk lovers thought the production was made by the team of Jacques Fred
Petrus and Mauro Malavasi. But it was executively produced by Raffaele Ottavio and Mario "Don Giorda" Giordani. All the tracks were composed and arranged by keyboardist Flow Giorda, keyboardist Fio Zanotti and guitar player Romano Trevisani. The well-known black American singer and arranger Fonzi Thornton was hired to write the lyrics.Romano Trevisani already made a slight impact on the disco scene in 1979 and 1980 with the albums Bravo by Bravo (singles "Soul Sacrifice" and "Touch Me Now") and Mesa by Mesa, both on Chic records. In 1982 Zanotti and Trevisani teamed up a first time to write and produce the Game album Gotta Take Your Love, including the popular boogie single "Gotta Take Your Love".
For the Flowchart project the producers got bass player Davide Romani and Malavasi, both key members of Change, to play sessions on the album. However, due to contractual obligations, Romani performed under the pseudonym of Dav. Mandingos while Malavasi wasn't credited at all, but indeed playing keyboards on the Orchestra Version-mix of the single "Ask The Boss". This instrumental version was mixed by Mauro Malavasi at the Fonoprint studios in Bologna. Maurizio Biancani was the sound engineer.
Even more mystery surrounded the four credited NYC session singers. Names on the cover like Micael Merfi, Dany Jor, Mary Dan and Ullaw Jo more than suggest they were pseudonyms as well. Singer Fonzi Thornton - also a backing singer with Change - was the author of all the songs and may as well be one of the male singers. It is thought that Ullaw Jo is Ullanda McCullough, a busy N.Y. session singer. Micael Merfi was another familiar name and an alias for The System-singer Mic Murphy, who worked at Fred Petrus' office in NYC. Murphy even sang backgrounds and played guitar on the first Change album! The vocals were taped in NYC and the music was recorded at the Maison Blanche-Umbi Studio in Modena and the Fonoprint Studios in Bologna (sessions on second release) where also Change used to record. The percussionist involved was Lele Melotti, yet another musician linked with Little Macho Music.
The single "Ask the Boss", a delicious copycat of the Malavasi sound, created a certain fuss but the record company was unable to press sufficient copies of the album which quickly became a highly sought after item.Curiously, the Italian wine farmer Giacobazzi contacted the producers and offered them to pay for a re-issue of the album, as a promotional tool for his wine business. His conditions were that his son got to sing lead on a new song that should become the album's title track. Hence, the album was re-released in 1983 on the City Record label as A Little Love A Little Wine. New cover artwork referred to the Giacobazzi wine company in Modena. In an attempt to increase the record's commercial potential, an exciting instrumental remix by Mauro Malavasi of "Ask The Boss" was added. Unfortunately it didn't improve sales, and the new LP was just as scarce as the first.
In 2005, the first pressing received a CD re-issue on the Italian Fonte label as part of a 5CD box of rare Italian funk albums. Meanwhile, also the second version A Little Love A Little Wine came out on the Dutch label PTG Records.
* Advance: single “Take Me To The Top” (Energy, 1983).
* Alec Mansion: single “Trop Triste” (Warner Bros., 1982).
* Baiser: single “Summer Breeze” (No Parking, 1983).
* Curtis Hairston: LP/CD Curtis Hairston (Atlantic, 1986) - track: “The Morning After”.
* Dayton: LP/CD Hot Fun (Liberty-Capitol, 1982) - track “Meet The Man”.
* Delia Renee: single “You’re Gonna Want Me Back” (Airwave, 1981).
* Elusion feat. Limon Wilson: LP/CD Show And Tell (Cotillion, 1982) - single “Lay Back In The Groove”.
* Flowchart: LP/CD The New Harlem Funk (Maximus, 1983) - single: “Ask The Boss”.
* Flowchart: LP/CD A Little Love A Little Wine (City, 1983) - single: “Ask The Boss”.
* Game: LP Gotta Take Your Love (Maximus, 1982) - single: “Gotta Take Your Love”, "Never Get Enough".
* Gino Soccio: LP/CD Outline (RFC-Warner Bros., 1979) - singles: “Dancer”, “The Visitors”.
* Gino Soccio: LP/CD Closer (RFC-Atlantic, 1981) - singles: “Try It Out”, “Hold Tight”.
* Jimmy Ross: LP/CD First True Love Affair (Full Time, 1981) - track: "My Life".
* Kano: LP New York Cake (Full Time, 1981) - single: “Can’t Hold Back”.
* Kano: LP Another Life (Full Time, 1983) - single: “Dance School”.
* Kasso: LP Kasso (Banana, 1981) - single: “Walkman”.
* Kasso: LP Kasso 2 (F-1 Team, 1984) - single: “Dig It”.
* Lenny White: LP/CD Attitude (Elektra, 1983) - tracks: “Fascination”, “My Turn To Love You”.
* Leroy Burgess: single “Heartbreaker” (Salsoul, 1983).
* Luther Vandross: LP/CD Never Too Much (Epic, 1981) - single: “Never Too Much”.
* Luther Vandross: LP/CD Forever, For Always, For Love (Epic, 1982) - track: “Better Love”.
* Orlando Johnson: LP/CD Turn The Music On (Zig Zag, 1983) - track: "Can't Break Loose".
* Selection: single “Madly” (Full Time, 1980).
* Serge Ponsar: LP Back To The Light (Warner Bros., 1983) - single: “Out In The Night”.
* Vivien Vee: LP With Vivien Vee (Banana, 1983) - singles: “Destiny”, “Wanna Feel”
* Alec Mansion: single “Trop Triste” (Warner Bros., 1982).
* Baiser: single “Summer Breeze” (No Parking, 1983).
* Curtis Hairston: LP/CD Curtis Hairston (Atlantic, 1986) - track: “The Morning After”.
* Dayton: LP/CD Hot Fun (Liberty-Capitol, 1982) - track “Meet The Man”.
* Delia Renee: single “You’re Gonna Want Me Back” (Airwave, 1981).
* Elusion feat. Limon Wilson: LP/CD Show And Tell (Cotillion, 1982) - single “Lay Back In The Groove”.
* Flowchart: LP/CD The New Harlem Funk (Maximus, 1983) - single: “Ask The Boss”.
* Flowchart: LP/CD A Little Love A Little Wine (City, 1983) - single: “Ask The Boss”.
* Game: LP Gotta Take Your Love (Maximus, 1982) - single: “Gotta Take Your Love”, "Never Get Enough".
* Gino Soccio: LP/CD Outline (RFC-Warner Bros., 1979) - singles: “Dancer”, “The Visitors”.
* Gino Soccio: LP/CD Closer (RFC-Atlantic, 1981) - singles: “Try It Out”, “Hold Tight”.
* Jimmy Ross: LP/CD First True Love Affair (Full Time, 1981) - track: "My Life".
* Kano: LP New York Cake (Full Time, 1981) - single: “Can’t Hold Back”.
* Kano: LP Another Life (Full Time, 1983) - single: “Dance School”.
* Kasso: LP Kasso (Banana, 1981) - single: “Walkman”.
* Kasso: LP Kasso 2 (F-1 Team, 1984) - single: “Dig It”.
* Lenny White: LP/CD Attitude (Elektra, 1983) - tracks: “Fascination”, “My Turn To Love You”.
* Leroy Burgess: single “Heartbreaker” (Salsoul, 1983).
* Luther Vandross: LP/CD Never Too Much (Epic, 1981) - single: “Never Too Much”.
* Luther Vandross: LP/CD Forever, For Always, For Love (Epic, 1982) - track: “Better Love”.
* Orlando Johnson: LP/CD Turn The Music On (Zig Zag, 1983) - track: "Can't Break Loose".
* Selection: single “Madly” (Full Time, 1980).
* Serge Ponsar: LP Back To The Light (Warner Bros., 1983) - single: “Out In The Night”.
* Vivien Vee: LP With Vivien Vee (Banana, 1983) - singles: “Destiny”, “Wanna Feel”
Mauro Malavasi receiving the Premio Pico della Mirandola Award in 2008
EARLY ITALO-DISCO - SELECTIVE DISCOGRAPHY
During the early '80s Italian top deejays like Claudio Cecchetto, Paul & Pietro Micioni, Leonardo Re Cecconi and Alvaro Ugolini moved on to the music business just like Fred Petrus had done earlier. Whether they cloned the style of pioneer Malavasi or not, Italian musicians succeeded in making a typical Italian funk sound that could easily stand the test with funky U.S. productions.
They frequently made up American-sounding names to lend credibility to their productions and were in fact the forerunners of Italo-Disco. The artists listed in the following discography all delivered some heavy Italian boogie-funk during the early eighties (notice that some names already occured in the discography above).Successful Italo-funk producers were: Claudio Simonetti & Giancarlo Meo (Vivien Vee, Easy Going, Capricorn, Kasso), Giancarlo Meo (Barbara York, Fascination), Celso Valli (Tantra, Azoto, Passengers), Stefano Pulga & Luciano Ninzatti (Kano, Jimmy Ross), Tiziano Mazzilli (J.M.T. Band, Jimmy Ross, Vin-Zee), Laurent Van Meerhaeghe (J.M.T. Band , Jimmy Ross, Vin-Zee), Dario Raimondi & Alvaro Ugolini (Advance), Claudio Donato (Selection, Tom Hooker, Jago, Kano, Rainbow Team, Firefly, Trance, Band Of Jocks, Electric Mind, Stephany, George Aaron), Franco Donato (Selection, Orlando Johnson), A. Candelora (Electric Mind), Fio Zanotti (Marzio, Game, Flowchart, Harry Valentino), Claudio Giusti (Metropole, Cristal White), Romano Trevisani (Marzio, Game, Mesa, Bravo, Flowchart, Cruisin' Gang, Harry Valentino), Luigi 'Luis' Figini (Dr. Togo, Kano), Leonardo Re Cecconi (Dr.
Togo, Koxo), Serse May (Bravo, Mesa), Michele Violante (Korja, Rainbow Team, Jago, Ago), Kynsha (Korja, Ago, Jago), Al Festa (Metropole, Dr. Jerky & Mrs. Hives), Geoff Bastow (KID), R. Cucinotta (Boeing), Maurice Cavalieri (Evo, Rainbow Team, Firefly, Nexus, Ago, Korja), Maurizio "Sangy" Sangineto (Firefly, The Armed Gang, The Creatures, The Passengers), Paul Micioni (Mr. Lover, Mike Francis, Amii Stewart, Gary Low), Peter Micioni (Mr. Lover, Mike Francis, Gary Low), Tony Carrasco (The Gong's Gang), Matteo Bonsanto (Kano) and Victorio Pezzola (Asso).The tasteful Italian R&B-disco or boogie not only appealed to the European dance public but also seduced the American dancefloors. Many Italian disco artists like Vin-Zee, Jimmy Ross, Kano and Firefly reached high positions on the U.S. Billboard Disco/Dance Charts and the Billboard R&B Charts.
The artists and producers involved in this thriving and vibrant Italian music scene were like one
great family. Illustrative for this Italian funk in-crowd is perhaps the figure of Luigi 'Luis' Figini. He produced Dr. Togo’s soulgem “Be Free” and enrolled Kano-singer Glen White as Dr. Togo’s lead vocalist in 1983. Figini also produced Kano and participated in projects of Peter Jacques Band, Change and B.B.&Q. Band in 1985. Luigi Figini is a close friend of Mauro Malavasi too. Paolo Gianolio conducted and mixed the Vivien Vee disco album With Vivien Vee in 1983, on the sleeves of which both Kano-singer Glen White and Davide Romani get a special thanks. Davide Romani played bass guitar on Flowchart’s rare New Harlem Funk / A Little Love A Little Wine album under the pseudonym of Dav. Mandingos. On Flowchart's remix of "Ask The Boss" we can even hear Mauro Malavasi on keyboards, uncredited, because just like Davide Romani he had signed exclusively with the production company of Fred Petrus. The Italian boogie-funk scene was one great family indeed! In 1983 George Mikulski of the German label ZYX launched the term Italo-Disco to label Italian dance music in general. 
Producers Peter Micioni, Davide Romani, Paul Micioni and unknown at recording studio in Rimini
* Advance: single “Take Me To The Top” (Energy, 1983).
* Ago: LP/CD For You (Full Time, 1982) - singles: “For You”, “Trying Over”, “You Make Me Do It”.
* Armed Gang: single “All I Want” (Chaz Ro, 1982)
* Armed Gang: single “Love Shot” (Musix, 1983).
* Armed Gang: single “Everybody Celebrate” (Sun & Sea, 1984).
* Asso: single “Don’t Stop” (Ace, 1983).
* Azoto: LP/CD Disco Fizz (Modulation, 1980) - single: "San Salvador".
* Billy Jean: single "I Need You" (DR, 1983).
* Boeing: single “Dance On The Beat” (Full Time, 1982).
* Bravo: LP Bravo (Chic Record, 1980).
* Cela: single “I'm In Love” (Derby, 1980).
* City Group’s Band: single “Our Time” (Flop, 1981).
* Cristal White: single “Leave Together” (Spice 7, 1982).
* Dr. Jerky & Mrs. Hives: single “Higher!” (Monkey Music, 1983).
* Dr. Togo: single “Be Free” (Derby, 1982).
* Electric Mind: single “Summing Up” (Full Time, 1982).
* Electric Mind: singles “Can We Go”, “Zwei” (Full Time, 1983).
* Evo: single "Din-Don" (C&M, 1983).
* Fascination: single “Out To Get You” (Banana, 1983).
* Firefly: LP/CD Firefly (Mr. Disc, 1980) - single: “Love And Friendship”.
* Firefly: LP/CD My Desire (Mr. Disc, 1981) - singles: “Love (Is Gonna Be On Your Side)”, “My Desire”, “You Can Lead Me”.
* Firefly: LP 3 (Mr. Disc, 1982) - single: “I Just Want To Be Your Lover”.
* Firefly: LP Double Personality (Mr. Disc, 1984) - single: “Stay (No Time)”.
* Flowchart: LP/CD The New Harlem Funk (Maximus, 1983) - single: “Ask The Boss”.
* Flowchart: LP/CD A Little Love A Little Wine (City, 1983) - single: “Ask The Boss”.
* Game: LP Gotta Take Your Love (Maximus, 1982) - singles: “Gotta Take Your Love”, "Never Get Enough".
* George Aaron: single "Silly Reason" (Full Time, 1985)
* Gong's Gang: single “Gimme Your Love” (Phoenix Records, 1983).
* Herbie: single "You Don't Love Me" (Renegades Of Planet Earth, 1983).
* Jago: single "I'm Going To Go" (Full Time, 1983)
* James Otis White: single “Baby Come On” (Musix, 1983).
* J.M.T. Band: single “Just Your Love” (Spice 7/Full Time, 1981).
* Jimmy Ross: LP/CD First True Love Affair (Spice 7/Full Time, 1981) - singles: “First True Love Affair”, “Fall Into A Trance”.
* Joe Coleman: single “Get It Off The Ground” (F1 Team, 1982).
* Joe Coleman: single “Test Drive” (F1 Team, 1982).
* Kano: LP Kano (Full Time, 1980) - singles: “It’s A War”, “Holly Dolly”, “I’m Ready”.
* Kano: LP/CD New York Cake (Full Time, 1981) - singles: “Can’t Hold Back”, "Baby Not Tonight", "Don't Try To Stop Me", "Round And Round".
* Kano: LP Another Life (Full Time, 1983) - singles: “I Need Love”, “Dance School”, “Another Life”.
* Kano: LP The Best Of Kano (Full Time, 1983) - single: “Queen Of Witches”.
* Kasso: LP Kasso (Banana, 1981) - single: “Walkman”.
* Kasso: LP Kasso 2 (F-1 Team, 1984) - single: “Dig It”.
* Kenny Claiborne And The Armed Gang: LP/CD The Armed Gang (Musix, 1982) - single: “Are You Ready”.
* KID: LP Don’t Stop (Ariola, 1981).
* KID: LP/CD Fine Time Tonight (Baby Records, 1982).
* Korja: single “My Mind” (Flop, 1981).
* Koxo: single “Step By Step” (Sugar Music, 1982).
* Matakena: single "Nuts On Me / Aphrodisiac" (Matakena, 1983).
* Maurice McGee: single "Do I Do" (Full Time, 1983).
* Mesa: LP Mesa (Chic Record, 1980).
* Metropole: single “Miss Manhattan” (Derby, 1981).
* Michael Baker: single "Don't You Want My Lovin'" (Premo, 1984).
* Mike Francis: LP Let’s Not Talk About It (Concorde, 1984) - singles: “Cover Girl”, “Let’s Not Talk About It”.
* Mr. Lover: single "Run For Cover" (Best, 1982).
* Nat Bush: single "Taste Of Love Again" (S.P.Q.R., 1983)
* Nexus: single "Stand Up" (Mr. Disc Organization, 1983).
* Orlando Johnson & Trance: LP/CD Turn The Music On (Full Time, 1983) - singles: “Turn The Music On”, “Chocolate City”, "Somebody Save Me".
* Pino D’Angio: LP Pino D’Angio (Flarenasch, 1981) - singles “Ma Quale Idea”, “Okay Okay”.
* Plus Two: single "Melody" (M.I.O., 1983).
* Point Blank: single “Sign Of The Times” (Full Time, 1983).
* Rainbow Team: LP/CD Rainbow Team (Full Time, 1981).
* Rainbow Team: LP/CD A Song For You (Full Time, 1982) - singles: “Hope He Wants”, “Bite The Apple”.
* Selection: single “Madly” (Full Time, 1980).
* Selection: LP/CD Selection (Full Time, 1982) - singles: “Got To Be Real”, “Ride The Beam”.
* Sunflower: single "Love Is Magic" (F1 Team, 1981).
* Tantra: LP The Double Album (Import 12, 1980) - single: “The Hills Of Katmandu”, “Get Ready To Go”, “Wishbone”.
* Tantra: LP Tantra II (Import 12, 1981) - single: “Macumba”.
* Toba: single “Movin' Up” (Connection, 1982).
* Tom Hooker: single “Talk With Your Body” (Full Time, 1982).
* Tom Hooker: single “Love Attack” (BMC, 1983).
* Trance: single "Hang On It" (Good Vibes, 1982).
* Vin-Zee: single “Funky Bebop” (Spice 7/Full Time, 1981).
* Vivien Vee: LP With Vivien Vee (Banana, 1983) - singles: “Destiny”, “Wanna Feel”.
* V.I.S.A.: LP San Francisco (RCA/Unidisc, 1981) - single “I’m A Dancer”.
* Compilation: 2CD Disco Connection-The Great Disco '70/'80 (Fonte, 2004).
Fio Zanotti, Davide Romani, Celso Valli, Mauro Malavasi, Guido Elmi and Gabriele Melotti
Publié par Pascal only funk à 11:41