Mirage (14) Featuring Chip E. – Jack Trax

five stars because I love the all tracks, classic!… but this repress quality sucks. A shame!

The grey label is not the first pressing. It's the second. The first pressing is Jack Trax ‎(12")
House Records CHP001 US 1985 Orange label with Jack Master Funk on the left side. It was a second pressing of CHP001 in 1985 without Jack Master Funk on the left side so the grey pressing is actually the third pressing. Chip E explained the pressing situation here in the comments about this record.

The legend himself commenting below, gotta love discogs to enable this type of stuff.
Question is, could this be the first actual house record ever? Some say On and On or Fantasy (Saunders, Lawrence), but it seems like these had elements of proto house, but It's house and Time to Jack by Chip E really put them all together. If so, would 1985 really be the year where true house started? Just wondering.

i love the ORIGINAL version of MB Dance it sounds so fresh thru a system, perfect dance pace... had the remix for years and years before i had the original i remembered as a kid. i did see the mirage record once for sale for £500 mid nineties.

I may as well chime in, since I know a little about this record.
House Records was MY original label. Farley (Jack Master Funk) was supposed to be the executive producer (come up with funds) but somehow it fell through after the label art was done (wasn't as easy as it is today). Long story short, I sold my nearly new SL1200 MK2 turntables to afford the studio time, and my mother loaned me her tax return funds to have the first 500 pressed at QCA. I've never had ANY dealings with Larry or Traxman Records. I did a deal with some folks calling themselves TSOC and that's where the gray label version comes from. It was a re-press from the original masters at QCA. Another deal that didn't work out. Third time, I made a couple of changes/edits and DJ International pressed the white label version. Fast forward to 2005, I did a limited anniversary run with the nostalgic original label corrected. Did some minor tweaking with new technology, and think it's the best. 2018 I teamed with Carl Cox for a remake....watch for an EP with some banging remixes soon. :-)
-e.

My copy reveals dark brown translucent coloured vinyl when held up to the light.

My comments edited; I stand corrected on the pressing order between the Grey & Orange label pressings!!

In opposition to the release notes above stating a 'bad edit', if you look closely you will see the stylus jump, so it is a pressing flaw, rather than a bad edit. Nobody would commit an edit like that for the final cut! Still sounds fresh all the same. Many copies of the grey press I have heard to play with heavy background noise, but little visual evidence of play. This likely indicates use of a weighted cartridge to prevent the skipping, which is further evidence that the skips are due to the pressing.

So regardless of A1's skips/jumps/bad edits or whatever, this remains a rare & classic piece of Chi Town history in its earliest incarnations... House music in it's simplest, most unsophisticated, freshest form.

So, 'Jack Tracks' saw x2 early pressings, and with the additional edited DJ International release helping to reach wider audiences...

This 1st pressing remains rock hard to find in decent condition, believe me its been in my wants for near 15 years!

Great to see the credits, Joe Smooth on keys, Eric Taylor co- produced... BUT, the grey 'Gotta Dance' version credits Kurt Landrum as co- producer, & Billie Taylor / Michael Wilson as executive producers! So many porky pies told back then...

I have the grey & it plays very well. One of my favourite early house releases bar none, perfect simple pure jack trax!!!

Probably the best pressing out of the original 3 issues from 1985 (House Records, Gotta Dance Records, and DJ International). Clean and loud. The Gotta Dance release has pressing flaws which make the record skip, particularly on "It's House". The DJ International release is pressed quietly and you will have to raise you gain levels.

Note that original orange label pressings show "Executive Producer: Jack Master Funk" on the left-side of the label. The reissue is missing this information.

Original pressing has "504072X-A" and "504072X-B" enscribed in the out groove. The repress does not have this.