Deep Groove Encyclopedia - South Shore Commission

South Shore Commission

Click below for a South Shore Commission sample:

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"Free Man" is one of the classics of the early disco era and was the pinnacle of South Shore Commission's output. The DC-based act had previously performed as the Exciters; the name changed to South Shore Commission in 1970. Atlantic signed them up for a series of singles, but nothing charted. Their luck changed with the arrival of producer Bunny Sigler. One of Philly's most eccentric studio talents, Sigler saw in the Commission an outlet for his compositions and an opportunity for his proteges Instant Funk to sharpen their skills.

"Free Man," an utterly real lyric about relationships, had no chance of being recorded by anybody on the masculinity-obsessed Philadelphia International label because of its gay theme. The Commission had no such reservations and took the song to #9 in late 1975. The extended version became a sought-after classic thanks to the breakdown by Instant Funk, their finest moment on wax prior to "I've Got My Mind Made Up" years later. "A Train Called Freedom" and a cover of "We're On the Right Track" finished off their chart ride.

South Shore Commission's Deepest Grooves

South Shore Commission (Scepter, 1975)

The Very Best of South Shore Commission (Collectables, 1997)
More or less a repackage of their sole album. Any and everything you'd want to hear by them. I find their take on "We're On the Right Track" preferable to the original.