The Costandinos Beat

Though his name doesn't ring too many bells today, Egyptian-born composer/producer Alec R. Costandinos hit it big on the charts in '78 with his high-concept disco opus, Romeo & Juliet on Casablanca Records, performed with his "Syncophonic Orchestra." Along with masterminding a few semi-successful pop groups (Sphinx, Love & Kisses), he made a name for himself in the clubs in Paris, where he got a gig writing the epic disco score for Trocadéro Bleu Citron, a delirious skating musical revolving around a bunch of Parisian kids. It's all upbeat, catchy stuff, highlighted by the massive, 15+ minute "Trocadero Suite."

As if that wasn't enough to fill out a busy '78, at the end of the year he also released a very unusual concept album, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, a discofied adaptation of the Victor Hugo novel. Yep, it's a dark, gothic, romantic danceathon, and though it technically isn't a soundtrack, the approach is very cinematic throughout. Not surprisingly, the gypsy Esmeralda gets a sassy, Latin-flavored theme that's highly reminiscent of fellow disco-ers Santa Esmeralda (heard most famously in Kill Bill Vol. 1), but the rest is equally fascinating.