Nile Rodgers presents: The Chic Organization, Boxset Vol. I / "Savoir Faire" [Box set]

4CD CHIC Box Set released by RHINO France on October 18th 2010. Contains previously unreleased material which was produced by Bernard Edwards & Nile Rodgers for The CHIC Organization Ltd.. Also contains a booklet with comments from Nile Rodgers.

This will include previously unreleased tracks from the mighty CHIC Organization, It's like the holy grail to us CHIC fans, we've been waiting for years...there's much more material available so if you want more, a VOL. II & III, please buy this box. Tell all your friends "happy days are here again"!

Here is the track list:

CD 1 - Artists Title

01. CHIC Everybody Dance (12" Mix)
02. Norma Jean Saturday (Dimitri From Paris Remix)
03. CHIC Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah) (12" Mix)
04. CHIC Est-ce que c'est CHIC
05. Norma Jean Sorcerer (12" Mix)
06. CHIC CHIC Cheer
07. CHIC Le Freak
08. CHIC Savoir Faire
09. CHIC Happy Man
10. CHIC At last I am free
11. CHIC Funny Bone Outtake (Previously Unreleased)

CD 2 - Artists Title

01. CHIC I want your love (Dimitri From Paris Remix)
02. Sister Sledge He's the greatest dancer
03. Sister Sledge We are family
04. Sister Sledge Lost In Music (Dimitri From Paris Remix)
05. Sister Sledge Thinking of you (Dimitri From Paris Remix)
06. CHIC Good Times
07. CHIC My feet keep dancing
08. CHIC My Forbidden Lover (12" mix)
09. Sheila & B. Devotion Spacer
10. Norma Jean Hold Me Lonely Boy (Previously Unreleased Long Version)
11. Sheila & B. Devotion Your Love Is Good Outtake (Previously Unreleased)

CD 3 - Artists Title

01. Norma Jean High Society (12" version)
02. Sister Sledge Got To Love Somebody
03. Sister Sledge Reach Your Peak (12" Mix)
04. CHIC Rebels Are We
05. CHIC Chip Off The Old Block
06. Diana Ross Upside Down (Original CHIC Mix)
07. Diana Ross I'm Coming Out (Original CHIC Mix)
08. CHIC Stage fright
09. CHIC Burn Hard
10. Debbie Harry Backfired (12" version)
11. Fonzi Thorton I Work For a Living (Nile Rodgers Long Version)
12. CHIC What About Me Outtake (Previously Unreleased)

CD 4 - Artists Title

01. Carly Simon Why (12" mix)
02. Teddy Pendergrass Dream Girl (Previously Unreleased Nile Rodgers Remix)
03. CHIC Soup For One (12" Mix)
04. Fonzi Thorton I'll Change My Game (Previously Unreleased)
05. CHIC Hangin'
06. CHIC I Feel Your Love Comin' On (Dimitri From Paris Remix)
07. CHIC You are beautiful
08. Johnny Mathis I Want To Fall In Love (Previously Unreleased)
09. Johnny Mathis It's Alright To Love Me (Previously Unreleased)
10. Johnny Mathis Something To Sing About (Previously Unreleased)
11. CHIC Just Call Me (Previously Unreleased)
12. CHIC Will You Cry Outtake (Previously released)

The Chic Organization boxset would come as somewhat of a surprise since the boxset treatment are typically reserved for legendary recording artists who are household names ( James Brown, The Temptations, Bee Gees, and Rod Stewart- just to name a few). Looking at Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards output, it would seem like their output is not deep enough to warrant a box set spanning four CD's - since one would assume that their songs under the Chic umbrella and a few for Sister Sledge represents their total output as producers and songwriters. Little do many people know, Nile and Nard was quietly expanding their musical reputation by extending their patented grooves to a number of artists outside of their successful run with Chic. While Nile and Nard influence may not be as widely regarded here in the States, their influence is massive overseas as proven by this boxset being packaged and released under Warner's branch in France.

Given the depth and breadth of this boxset, the international dance scene is keen on the material Nile and Nard produced outside of their most familiar hits. While everyone will be familiar with the original Chic and Sister Sledge tracks; it's the rare mixes, unreleased material, and alternate mixes that makes this boxset a must have for any casual or hardcore Chic Fans. Since Nile and Nard initially established their musical reputation under the Chic banner, it's not surprising that half of the songs on this boxset consist of their songs. The Chic song selection can actually be just as feasible as any of their double and single disc anthologies since you get the bare essentials as well as alternate and 12" inch versions of some of their songs. The most notable of these songs are their unreleased takes on "Funny Bone" and "What About Me" in which both songs are stripped down to their funky elements without the disco finish of the originals- similar to the feel many of the songs have on their 1981 album "Take It Off". Also worth a nod is "Just Call Me" an unreleased gem most likely taken from the "Believer" sessions which Nile and Nard proved they were able to break from their groove and adapt to the post disco era. The song had hit potential so it's a wonder why it was never released until now.

While most of the Chic and Sister Sledge tracks are what you will expect with the exception of a few of Dimitri from Paris Remixes, it's the songs they produced for other artists that makes this boxset essential because it contains hidden gems and stylistic detours. I would bet that a lot of listeners haven't heard the Fonzi Thorton tracks and would be surprised to know that they measure up quite nicely with the Chic songs. Fans of Norma Jean will to be happy to know that "Sorcerer" and "High Society" are here in their full length 12" versions - which beats having to pay a ridiculous amount of money for her OOP self titled CD reissue which contains these mixes. Johnny Mathis "I Want to fall in Love" is probably better than any Chic ballad as his voice brings a sense of distinguished warmth to the slow and funky groove. The same can be said for a previously unreleased take On Teddy Pendergrass" Dream Girl" as TP brings a great deal of soulfulness that was often missing from Chic's own slow jams. One of the other Johnny Mathis tracks "It's Alright to Love Me" is one of the few tracks where Nile and Nard take some risks by adding an unique piano texture that breaks into a funky Chic-ish groove in the middle. Deborah Harry brings an offbeat vocal performance to "Backfired" that sound better than one would expect- given it's a mismatched merging of Blondie's new wave swagger and the trademark Champagne disco funk of Nile and Nard. On Sheila B and Devotion's "Spacer", The duo flirts with euro disco with a ethereal groove and spacey vibe that's devoid of the funkiness of their usual productions but in a good sense. Carly Simon's "Why" is an interesting hybrid of synths, reggae, and drum machines that sounds mechanically mesmerizing.

Then there are the Dimitri from Paris remixes. The quality of the remixes may never surpass the originals since many fans are accustomed to them, but I feel they make for great alternatives to the originals if you want "pure" dance mixes. My only complaint about the remixes is that the reediting does take away from the musical interplay between Nile and Nard- which made them standout from many of their disco contemporaries. The remix "I Want Your Love" doesn't feel as loose as the original. However, the remixes are built on the original elements- making that flaw in the re-editing a minor issue.

Coming out of this boxset, I was floored by how universal the Chic sound actually is. A variety of artists from different genres was all touch by Nile and Nard patented grooves, but the results come out sounding just as great as those for Chic throughout this collection. I would like to think of them as MFSB on a smaller scale, but that wouldn't be appropriate given that both had an original style that warrants individual classification. While I can easily point out the flaw of this boxset being somewhat repetitive throughout four discs, it's also a fluid listening experience for the most part since you know to expect.

So the next time you have a get together or a night alone, put on the Chic Organization Boxset and expect to DANCE, DANCE, DANCE!

I've just compared all the CHIC tracks which I've from other CDs and they sound much better. Isn't it possible to go into the studio with the original analog master tapes, record them with state-of-the-art A/D converters and leave it as it is - without any post-(re)mastering?

The remasters might sound quitly at home - but when I play/compare them on my superb head phones I hear all the differences on my ears which reflects the result in the club when I play them loud as dj.

The only good part are the superb remixes by Dimitri (5 stars).