DESCRIPTION
Source of an all-time Breaks and Beats classic, Mr Bongo reissues Herman Kelly’s timeless 1978 album Percussion Explosion!. Immortalised in hip-hop folklore, the anthemic 'Dance To The Drummer's Beat’ rose to legendary status after its inclusion in the influential Ultimate Breaks & Beats compilation series in 1986.
Percussion Explosion! was the brainchild of drummer, percussionist, producer, and arranger Herman Kelly, alongside his Miami-based percussive disco-funk group Life, which featured Aaron McCarthy, Oliver Well, John DeMonica, Michal Cordoza, and Travis Biggs. The album is a rich collection of disco, funk, and Latin-inspired cuts, crafted with infectious energy and destined for greatness.
Nestled within its grooves is the B-Boy and B-Girl anthem ‘Dance To The Drummer’s Beat’, which features a now-legendary break. A glance at WhoSampled reveals its massive influence — sampled in over 125+ songs, including by Double Dee & Steinski in their groundbreaking Lesson 3 (History Of Hip Hop Mix), as well as by DJ Shadow, N.W.A, Masters At Work, Run D.M.C., and many more across hip-hop, dance, and pop.
Upon its original release in 1978, the album appeared on two different labels — Alston Records and Electric Cat. Each featured different versions of ‘Dance To The Drummer’s Beat’:
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Alston pressed a 4:12 version
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Electric Cat offered a longer 5:09 version, with alternate structure, crowd noise, and overdubbed percussion
For this Mr Bongo reissue, we’ve selected the classic 4:12 Alston version — the one that famously featured on Ultimate Breaks & Beats. (Note: despite the Alston version stating 5:09 on the back cover, the centre label correctly lists it as 4:12.)
But this LP is far more than one track. From the percussive soul stepper ‘Share Your Love’, to the gorgeous Latin-tinged ‘A Refreshing Love’, and the disco-funk party jam ‘Who’s The Funky D.J.?’, this is an album overflowing with overlooked brilliance.
A wonderfully inspirational and rhythmically rich record — Percussion Explosion! is a vital piece of hip-hop heritage and deserves a place in every serious collection.
TRACKLIST
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Dance To The Drummer's Beat
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Time After Time
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A Refreshing Love
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Who's The Funky D.J.?
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Share Your Love
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Do The Handbone