Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Artist: Carol Jiani, Album: Hit 'n' Run Lover, Song: Mercy

Carol Jiani was a Nigerian born artist that moved to Montreal in the late seventies.  She attended Concordia University and in her spare time was lending her vocals to the music of the local disco scene that was emerging.  Her first recording was for an up and coming producer named Joe LaGreca at Matra Records.  This connection would lead to her own solo career and by 1980, she cut her first single, Hit 'n' Run Lover.  The song rocketed to the top of the Disco charts internationally.  Matra Records quickly urged the completion of a full album and a year later , her debut was released.  The song, Mercy, was also on the Hit 'n' Run Lover release but was an accidental single.  It was actually the more popular b-side to the second single, The Woman In Me.  Carol would tour the clubs across North America in support of this release and as it was in the Disco era, numerous remixes were released of her tracks.  Jiani would follow this release up with one more album before moving to England and releasing more material abroad for various labels.  She would return to Montreal in 1996 to record another album with producer Joe LaGreca.  However,  she is still currently based in the U.K. and is releasing new material as well as managing her own label, Jiani Records.  You can follow her at http://www.myspace.com/caroljiani.  Hit 'n' Run Lover was featured in the Kiss Me Guido movie as well.  I'm sure her music is still played loudly in the Church Street clubs here in Toronto.  One thing about this recording and many like it from that era.  The production has held it's quality for more than 3 decades and still sounds brilliant today.  They built disco to last back then.  Unfortunately, not everyone shared their passion!  Carol's discography has been restored today in digital format and you can find copies of the track, Mercy, along with Remixes available on Itunes.  You can hear the song, Mercy, on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbxK-v1q6dA&feature=related).  Thanks for reading and enjoy!    

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