Van McCoy
Van McCoy was an influential American musician, songwriter, and producer best known for his 1975 disco hit "The Hustle." Van Allen Clinton McCoy was born on January 6, 1940, in Washington, D.C. He learned piano as a child, sang in his church choir, and started writing songs at age 12 with his brother in a doo-wop group called The Starlighters. After high school, he briefly studied psychology at Howard University before dropping out to pursue music full-time in Philadelphia and New York.
In 1958, McCoy launched Rockin' Records and released his debut single "Hey Mr. DJ," which led to a job at Scepter Records as a staff writer and A&R rep. He penned early hits like "Stop the Music" for The Shirelles and "Giving Up" for Gladys Knight & the Pips, while co-owning labels like Vando, Share, and Ma.xx In 1966, he released his first album, Night Time Is Lonely Time, and produced for acts like Peaches & Herb.
McCoy wrote or co-wrote around 700 songs and produced for artists including Aretha Franklin, The Stylistics, David Ruffin, and Brenda & the Tabulations. In the 1970s, he partnered with Charles Kipps, formed the Soul City Symphony orchestra, and worked with vocal group Faith, Hope & Charity. His 1972 album Soul Improvisations featured the minor hit "Let Me Down Easy."
"The Hustle" from his 1975 album Disco Baby became a global Grammy-winning smash, sparking international tours and a performance at Avery Fisher Hall. McCoy's versatile disco, R&B, and pop work across labels like Columbia, Avco, and H&L shaped soul and dance music.
McCoy died suddenly on July 6, 1979, at age 39 in Englewood, New Jersey, after collapsing from a heart attack while visiting friends.
Soul Improvisations
3:18
A2 Don't Hang Me Up
2:20
A3 Let Me Down Easy
3:18
A4 Just In Case
3:28
A5 Now That You're Gone
3:03
A6 Soul Improvisations Part 1
2:59
B1 Don't Rock The Boat
2:50
B2 So Many Mountains
2:53
B3 I Would Love To Love You
2:38
B4 I Get Lovin' On My Mind
2:43
B5 He Who Hath Ears To Hear (Let Him Hear)
2:26
B6 Soul Improvisations Part 2 3:19
Label: Buddah Records – BDS 5103
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1972
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Seventies Soul
Soul Improvisations is a highly regarded soul/R&B album from Van McCoy that predates his 1970s disco hits, focusing instead on lush, soulful arrangements and songwriting. Critics and fans consider it a hidden gem, praising its quality, with some ratings averaging 4.62/5.
It features melodic, Philly-soul-influenced tracks rather than the uptempo disco sound he later became famous for. The album is often associated with the high-quality sound of Philly soul, with strong arrangements.
The album showcased McCoy's early skills as a producer and writer before his mainstream success with "The Hustle". Due to the 1975 success of "The Hustle," this album was re-released in an abridged, re-sequenced form under the title From Disco To Love.
Listeners have described it as a surprising, high-quality soul record that is worth checking out for fans of early 70s soul.
The majority of the songs on Soul Improvisations were written by Van McCoy himself. While he is most famous as a producer and arranger, this 1972 release served as a personal showcase for his songwriting.
While most tracks are originals, the album includes soul-infused interpretations of existing hits, such as: "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)": Originally written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong (The Temptations), and "Never My Love": Originally written by Don and Dick Addrisi (The Association).
Despite its quality, the album was initially considered a commercial failure due to poor promotion. However, it has since maintained a high reputation among collectors, boasting an average rating of 4.35 to 4.62 out of 5 on Discogs.