For fans of dance music and R&B from yesteryear and today, the highly anticipated release of the legendary Ashford & Simpson's The Warner Bros. Years: Hits, Remixes & Rarities is the ultimate compilation. The Rhino Records two-disc set exquisitely represents the great soul and disco era of the '70's including hits and impossible to find remixed gems from their nine albums recorded at Warner Bros. Records from 1973 - 1982. In addition, the package includes a disc of Ashford & Simpson songs from that same era that have been recently remixed by some of dance music's current top remixers including Tom Moulton, Joey Claussell, Joey Negro and Dimitri From Paris.

Disc One contains six songs originally released as promo-only 12" remixes. The great Jimmy Simpson (brother of Valerie), one of the original pioneers of "intros and breaks" began extending Ashford & Simpson's album tracks for the dance floor back in the 70's. This configuration resulted in additional accessibility for club DJs, which coined the now household term "remix" music. Jimmy Simpson's masterpieces include the duos hits "Send It" "Top of the Stairs" and "Have You Ever Tried It".

Some of these are out-of-print masterpieces or available for over $2000 on music sites. Other Ashford & Simpson remixes include their fan favorites "Don't Cost You Nothing", "Nobody Knows", "Tried, Tested And Found True" and "Love Don't Always Make It Right" amongst others.

Featuring more than an hour of remixes, the second disc spotlights eight tracks by some of the world's most respected remixers whose admiration for the accomplishments of Ashford & Simpson music is obvious. "These remixers did an incredible job breathing new life into our songs while maintaining the integrity of them," noted Valerie Simpson. DJ supreme Tom Moulton unearths parts of the mega-hit "Found A Cure" that were long forgotten including adlibs and an entirely new base line.

Joe Claussell takes "Bourgie Bourgie" and brings it to another level, adding synths and percussion to create a rhythmic tour de force. Paul Simpson and John Morales recreate "Over And Over" and "Tried, Tested And Found True," and Dimitri From Paris carefully re-edited Jimmy Simpson's masterful 12" remix of "One More Try" and turns in two versions of "Stay Free" -- one at the song's original tempo and the other a slamming club mix.

Joey Negro turns "Love Don't Always Make It Right" into a new house club anthem, while Tommy Musto thins out the mix on "It Seems To Hang On" to create a sexy between the sheets groove. "When Valerie and I listened to the final remixes, we wondered why we hadn't thought of some of these ideas, stated Ashford."

So, if you would like to win one of these new CDs, just answer this easy question: Which of their hit songs was inspired by comments made by children as Nickolas Ashford walked around New York City. He heard them say something which Ashford thought applied to the relationship he had with his wife and songwriting partner, Valerie Simpson?!

Send us your answers and if you're correct you'll be in the running to win one of these wonderful new CDs! Just send us an e:mail here before March 31st with your answer and the subject title CONTEST: ASHFORD AND SIMPSON CDs to: exclusivemagazine@flash.net

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