Disco songs for power trio?

Bert Slide · #1 12-13-2012, 04:13 PM

OK here's the deal:

We are booked at a local bar we play frequently for a Christmas party on the 21st. The bar is doing a disco theme and people will be dressing up for the occassion evidently. The bar owners know we don't play anything that remotely resembles disco and don't expect us to. We have a friend who will be DJing the disco between sets.

I thought it would be really fun to do a couple disco tunes anyway if we could. Trouble is after extensive searching, I'm having trouble finding any disco tunes we could do justice to. Many are heavy on keyboards and most all are vocally pretty tough due to multiple harmonies and high pitch vocals. I'm a bass/baritone, guitard a baritone and drummer can't sing to save his life!

I love some of the disco basslines and could throw them out to the crowd between songs but teasing gets old pretty quick. Anybody out there have any experience trying to play disco with this kind of lineup? Any classic disco songs you can think of that we might be able to work with?

Thanks

Bert

Tituscrow · #2 12-13-2012, 04:20 PM

'Jungle Boogie' is a staple of our (trio) set

elgecko · #3 12-13-2012, 04:26 PM

I Will Survive

September

Play That Funky Music

Kmonk · #4 12-13-2012, 04:26 PM

Found this link to a site with the 100 greatest disco songs.

http://www.digitaldreamdoor.com/page...sco-songs.html

These songs usually go over well.

KC & The Sunshine Band "Get Down Tonight" and "That's The Way I Like It"
Village People "YMCA"
Michael Jackson "Billie Jean"
Tavares "It Only Takes A Minute"
O'Jays "Love Train"
Commodores "Brick House"
Not really disc but "Get Ready" by Rare Earth

CrewsControl · #5 12-13-2012, 04:33 PM

Maybe... "Brick House"
"Play That Funky Music"
Pseudo Echo's version of "Funky Town"

For a "slow dance" how about the Commodores "Nightshift?"

saxmachine777 · #6 12-13-2012, 04:44 PM

People may agree or disagree, but the Stones' "Miss You" has the right feel and actually CAN be done right with three people.

Biggbass · #7 12-13-2012, 04:47 PM

a 2nd vote for Miss You.
you can't go wrong with Stones.

Swizzledoop · #8 12-13-2012, 04:49 PM

Boogie Oogie Oogie works well with a trio:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvIydHPhb98

Phalex · #9 12-13-2012, 04:49 PM

Disco inferno, or the Ohio players "fire" would be cool.

Bert Slide · #10 12-13-2012, 04:49 PM

Thanks for the suggestions so far. Most are songs I've considered already but after listening to have ruled out. Most all have heavy horn and key parts and or massive backup harmonies. A little rearranging to spread those signature parts between bass and guitar is possible but I can't imagine it still sounding too empty and thin, esp. with only two vocalists with deep voices.

Anybody got a link to themselve or another 3-piece(remember-just have bass/gui/drums) pulling off these classic disco hits? I promise I won't steal your arrangement, I just want to know it it's possible.

pedro · #11 12-13-2012, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saxmachine777

People may agree or disagree, but the Stones' "Miss You" has the right feel and actually CAN be done right with three people.

We recently added 'Miss You' to our set list but I never thought of it as disco. Great tune and it gets a good reaction from the crowd.

skwee · #12 12-13-2012, 04:51 PM

Disco Inferno (If the Bobs can do it justice with only four voices a cappella, a power trio can do this tune)

You Should be Dancing

Shake Shake Shake (Your Booty)

pedro · #13 12-13-2012, 04:54 PM

I've been dying to do Leo Sayer's 'You Make Me Feel Like Dancing' for a long time. It's a bit heavy on keys but I think one could pull it off with guitar, bass and drums. The question is can you do falsetto?

saxmachine777 · #14 12-13-2012, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phalex

Disco inferno, or the Ohio players "fire" would be cool.

Could be, but I think it needs more people. The rhythm hook itself calls for three. (The guitar, bass, and keys play together, then split between 16th notes at the end of the two bar phrase.) At least, that's always been one of my favorite facets of that groove. YMMV

HuntYouDown · #15 12-13-2012, 04:59 PM

Le Freak- Chic... An awesome song.

Bert Slide · #16 12-13-2012, 05:02 PM

Sitting here listening to "Brick House" with my guitar player. Gonna give it a go. Horns will be sorely missed but I think we can work around it. At least the vocals are in our range.

Thanks guys keep 'em coming!

nutdog · #17 12-13-2012, 05:02 PM

I Was Made For Loving You. That's disco, right? I mean they took heat for it. Yes, I've played it.

Get Down Tonight. You can kind of blues/funk it ala SRV Superstition. Shake Your Booty and Boogie Shoes work.

Bert Slide · #18 12-13-2012, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pedro

I've been dying to do Leo Sayer's 'You Make Me Feel Like Dancing' for a long time. It's a bit heavy on keys but I think one could pull it off with guitar, bass and drums. The question is can you do falsetto?

HAHA! Not without clearing the room!

pedro · #19 12-13-2012, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bert Slide

HAHA! Not without clearing the room!

LOL!!

rzpooch · #20 12-13-2012, 05:23 PM

Once folks get lubed up (drunk), they hear the first few notes or words and it's on! I wouldn't worry too much about the horns, backup vocals, or keys, just play it like you mean it and they will eat it up.
I'm in a 4 piece cover band and the singer doesn't play an instrument (UNLESS HARMONICA COUNTS). We have played or are playing a lot of the tunes listed above. They go over almost everywhere, even with bikers...lol