Buscar:funk

HIGHLIGHTS "A Buenaventura" is surely one of Julian y su Combo's best albums, a sought-after collector's record that is also popular with tropical DJs. We have added two bonus tracks from 1976, 'Salsa y bembé' and 'Colorin colorao' that were originally a 45 single, resulting a winning combination of familiar and obscure tunes of rich sonic variety. Presented in its original artwork and pressed on 180g vinyl. Recommended by DJ Bongohead of Peace & Rhythm DESCRIPTION During a 20-year period Julián Y Su Combo released 8 LPs on almost as many different companies and "A Buenaventura" was their only record with Medellín-based label Indústria Fonográfica Metrópoli (later reissued by INS on their Fabuloso imprint as "Descarga Salsa Y Boogaloo"). Julián Angulo described the combo's sound as afroantillano, combining Cuban, New Y ork Latin, and Puerto Rican elements with Colombia's own tropical costeño traditions. The group's swinging, jazzy arrangements were distinguished by Angulo's prominent rhythm guitar, a hot rhythm section, and the potent brass lineup of two saxophones and a trumpet (much like Cortijo Y Su Combo) but with the occasional addition of a clarinet or flute (for extra Cuban flavor). Singer José Arboleda lends an earthy, joyful Afro-Colombian sound to the vocals and the entire unit is held together by a combination of his fantastic voice and super-tight, swinging ensemble playing with the occasional expert instrumental solo at just the right interval. "A Buenaventura" is a sought-after collector's record that is popular with DJs not only for the power ('salsa brava' all the way) and diversity of its sound (with hot dance genres that range from guaracha, son montuno and guaguancó to boogaloo and descarga, as well as cumbia and currulao) but also for how well it was arranged, engineered and recorded, making it both a pleasurable listening experience and a dance floor killer. Though the credits do not list a year, most likely it was released in the late 1960s or early 1970s and then pick up again with INS in 1975. In addition to several tasty originals by Julián and other Colombian composers, there are also covers of Cuban classics as well as the funky boogaloo anthem 'Palo de mango' by New York's Eddie Palmieri (with lyrics by the Puerto Rican sonero Cheo Feliciano).

Former member of Rodolfo Alchourrón and Gato Barbieri's bands, Cevasco's first solo effort is a combination of fusion jazz with a pinch of unexpected Brazilian flavours and electronic sounds that now, more than 30 years after the original release of the album, still evoke a refreshing feel of modernity in the same vein as many other experimental Argentine and Uruguayan artists from the same era. Includes guest appearances from artists such as Litto Nebbia or Ruben Rada. Reissued on vinyl for the first time, including insert with liner notes and previously unseen photos. Details: Few musicians can boast of having played with "the greatest" without some eyebrows to be raised. The bass of Adalberto Cevasco has been heard in multiple concerts and recording sessions of artists as diverse as the Spanish divas Rocío Jurado and Isabel Pantoja, tango genius Astor Piazzolla or the cream of the Argentine jazz scene -from Pocho Lapouble, Gustavo Kerestezachi, Rubén López Furst or Andrés Boiarsky to the great Gato Barbieri- With the latter, as part of a dream band that included artists like Nana Vasconcelos as well as other Argentines such as Lapouble or Domingo Cura, he recorded two fundamental pieces in the Impulse! label catalogue in sessions held in Argentina and Los Angeles and also toured across various countries. The daily sold-out shows at the Regina Theater in Buenos Aires and their overwhelming performance at Montreux Festival are still well remembered. It is therefore out of question that Adalberto Cevasco belongs to that top-level league of musicians whose talent has also contributed to enhance those who accompany them. The history of this album begins with an encounter. Adalberto Cevasco joins Rodolfo Alchurrón's jazz-funk project Sanata y Clarificación as bassist and meets Litto Nebbia, who is invited to sing along. Some years on, when Nebbia's Melopea record company was developing, he would receive a cassette with a collection of demos recorded by Cevasco over the years. Some of the songs dated back to 1981 while others were made well into the decade and included such outstanding collaborations as that of the Uruguayan Rubén Rada, whom Adalberto Cevasco had met playing in a group of fusion candombe called Candonga. In addition to producing the complete album, Nebbia would also collaborate in a special way in one of the most outstanding tracks (Reencuentros Nº2) by adding to Cevasco's fusion jazz some unexpected Brazilian flavours and electronic sounds that now, more than 30 years after the original release of the album, they still evoke a refreshing feel of modernity. As the Argentine press of the moment highlighted, it'd seem as if the influences received and developed by the bassist during his career as a freelance musician - from post-Piazzolla tango to proyección folclórica (a movement of revision and modernization of the Argentinian musical roots) - had been added to their superb rhythmic work in this album. "Pájaros Eléctricos" was never presented live and has remained as the only published work by Cevasco as a soloist since the date of its release.

JB's, who are so famous as the backing band of James Brown, are coming back!! About 20 years after the release in the 70's, Aa super-class funk album "Bring The Funk On Down" which was suddenly produced and released as a Japanese project in 1999 by P-VINE and we would like to present a special single from the album for the first time! Both tracks are re-made as short versions just for this ep. BORN TO GROOVE!

Two classic cuts from the Presidentcatalogue.

Doris Willingham ‘You Can’t Do That’ - A big Northern floorfiller from a renowned soul backing singer who cut her own material later as Doris Duke.

Her only release under the Willingham name, originally out on the super cool UK Jay Boy imprint in 1968 (the label’s debut release - BOY1).

Produced by Bernard Purdie (Funky Donkey label) who was at the controls for a number of super rare Northern sides.

An early gem from the artist who ended up working with the legendary Swamp Dogg (Jerry Williams) charting with the ballad ‘To the Other Woman (I’m The Other Woman)’.

Pat Hervey With The Tiaras ‘ICan’t Get You Out Of My Mind’ - An anthemic, handclap-friendly gem that goes for anywhere between £50 to £100. Released on the UK President label from 1966.

Blue-eyed Canadian soul backed by black Canadian harmony group The Tiaras (not to be confused with the LA harmony outfit).

A slow burner that ramps up the horns and strings behind some funky guitar chops and Hervey’s euphoric vocal, her one-off stab at the soul charts guaranteeing obscurity and legendary status.

Before there was War there was Señor Soul, which saxophonist/flutist Charles Miller formed
in Long Beach, California; he played on Brenton Wood sessions for Double Shot, who
released their loose interpretation of Miriam Makeba’s ‘Pata Pata,’ the hit that led to this
blinding debut LP. Blending funk, Latin jazz and psychedelic soul, the group makes a range
of material their own, led by Miller and vibraphonist Edwin Stevenson; everything from
Heard It Through The Grapevine to Psychotic Reaction gets the Señor Soul treatment,
rendered with equal doses of sensitivity, humour and funky flavour. Long before Miller
recruited members of Nightshift to morph Señor Soul into War, this top-notch debut is a
stone-cold winner from first note to last, a must-have for all funk and Latin jazz afficionados.

Exploring machine funk, the true hedoni$t returns.
Absolution, one's senses rational is to find happiness.
Intrinsically seeking doctrine, a philosophy for pleasure.
Through liberty and triumph, vice weeps before joy.
This primitive. Our delinquent hero. Who will never cease.
Libertine. Utilitary. Wildness. Embrace the Mystery.

A plethora of different dancefloor flavours from Frankfurt's Chris Geschwidner, across four tracks, that take in the warmth and soul of house and the cold steel beauty of techno and bound them up into something fresh and altogether new. 'Corroded' has the colliding drum machines and handclaps of vintage techno or even electro, but welded to a skippy, playful beat that is a definite mood lifter, while dreamy synths seductively cut a swathe around the metronomic hypnotism. 'Pass Over' is smoother, sleeker and combines a bleep techno approach to the soundscape with a bed of comforting Detroit-style synths and strings. 'Viktrak' has more classic Motor City influences but a more classic garage-slanted beat regime - imagine Derrick May's 'Nude Photo' overhauled by Roy Davis Jr. 'The Free' ends the set off with simple but effective electro funk flourishes and a sense of sunny optimism, bringing this lively, accessible but deep affair to a close.

This is a new release of the Groove Diggers series, the only work released in 1977 by 8-members funka soul band "Moonpie" based in Nashville, USA. Aused to be known as just collectors items but you can listen to high quality sound with skillful performance and various arrangements from this record. The cover take of "Stevie Wonder / Sunshine Of My Life" is really awesome.

This one is a double first for Shall Not Fade - the launch of the new Killer Cuts series focused on groove-heavy dancefloor fillers, and Marc Brauner’s debut on the Bristol label. The born-and-raised Berliner has previously released on German labels Midnight Snacks and Pentagonik, and joins the Shall Not Fade roster with a collection of classic house tracks to make you miss the clubs. Brauner covers a breadth of moods on the record, the A-side filling you up with euphoria; opener ‘Too Real’ is a gorgeous bit of lofi house tinged with funky guitar inflections and a retro feel that sweeps across the whole release. ‘Things I Did’ and ‘Tool For Lovers’ drag you out of winter and into a 90s Ibiza summer, utilising a 303 bassline and classic house stabs to warm up your dancing feet. In comparison to the warmth of the first half of the record, the B-side gets more haunting in tone, first by introducing rolling breaks in ‘I Know You Would’ and especially in ‘Tears of a Fallen Angel’. This is the emotional core of Brauner’s offering, euphoria tinged with sadness over a punchy rhythm that juxtaposes the subtle vocals woven throughout. The record closes with a hint of post-disco; ‘Neptun’ is a real groover of squelchy electro synths that is reminiscent of Patrick Cowley and the early, smoky nightclubs of New York. The bonus digital track ‘Out of Time’ carries on a similar energy - it’s a piece that doesn’t keep still, glittering with playful synth melodies and a surging cacophony of vocal samples.

This limited vinyl-only and single-sided 12" gem of a jam by Tetzlaff, an originally well-kept secret Rico Puestel project from 1995, had it coming for over 20 years now...

The mystical inscription "Angliziskuss" appeared on the original audio tape cassette as well as the magnetic tape that carried several drum machine and bass guitar recordings from the mid and late 1990s until the early 2000s - totally forgotten until they emerged in 2011 when everything slowly started coming together.

"Angliziskuss" is a combination of the German word for "Anglicism" (vocabulary borrowed from English from another language) and "kiss", like one language kisses the other one throughout some kind of symbiotic and overriding act.

That initial naming gave a deeper meaning to the whole development of the production and triggered the gathering of all creative amendments to the track over the years that led to one final and closing addition to it about seven years ago: The dynamic meeting of an infamous, emotionally charged English vocal snippet and its more rational counterpoint German translation, delivering a subtle tension overall and within.

All embedded into one charming housier journey of over 14 minutes, the „Angliziskuss“ establishes an unique recipe of balearic-like piano playings, a disco-and-funk-styled live bass guitar theme, both futuristic and nostalgic synth lines based on one unadulterated 1980s drum machine foundation.

Denn leichtfertig würde die amerikanische Rocksängerin solche Superlative wohl kaum in den Mund nehmen. Suzis Begeisterung für ihr neuestes Werk hat viele Gründe, genau genommen 12. Denn exakt ein Dutzend Songs befinden sich auf The Devil In Me, auf dem vom Opener/Titelsong bis zum finalen ‚Motor City Riders‘ jede Nummer ein echtes Highlight ist. Die Gründe für Suzis bemerkenswerte Kreativexplosion: einerseits der Lockdown, der sie ab Frühjahr 2020 von ihrem gewohnten Tourleben abhielt, andererseits die erneute Kooperation mit ihrem Sohn Richard Tuckey, die bereits auf dem Vorgänger No Control glänzend funktioniert hat. Suzi: „Ab Frühjahr 2020 wurden fast 100 meiner Shows gecancelt, und auch Richard wäre eigentlich mit seiner Band unterwegs gewesen, wenn nicht alle Konzerte abgesagt oder verschoben worden wären. Also sagte ich zu ihm: ‚Wir sollten die freie Zeit nutzen, um neue Songs zu schreiben und uns von dem inspirieren lassen, was sich in der Welt derzeit abspielt.‘ Ich wusste, dass Richard und ich ein tolles Team sind, denn No Control war ein riesiger Erfolg und eine für uns ganz besondere
Scheibe. Allerdings hatte ich nicht damit gerechnet, dass wir sie sogar noch übertreffen könnten. Doch alle, die The Devil In Me gehört haben, und diejenigen, die am Vorgängeralbum beteiligt waren, sagten uns: ‚Diese Scheibe ist noch stärker!‘“

solid white vinyl / 180 grams

British Electro veteran Bass Junkie returns for his second vinyl outing on Bass Agenda Recordings, this time with a full-length album. As his last release, "Low Frequency Fugitive" indicated, he has been working hard on developing his trademark sound and taking things forward; no mean feat for someone who has been ahead of his time since he began releasing Electro in the mid-nineties. He has succeeded though and everything he is loved and respected for is here, plus some advanced structures and elements - Bass Junkie evolved - a true Sub Sonic Survivor. The harder edge is here in tracks such as "Blast Them to Infinity!" and the insanely hard kick of "Star Destroyer". His funkier side shines through too, in tracks like the shimmering space funk of "Rum and Raspberries". For fans of his exceptional vocal work there are treats in store too, particularly in the aggressive attack on the modern state of things that is "Reset".

• In 1970 Miles Davis released “Bitches Brew”, which crystalised the trumpeter and bandleader’s experiments in rhythm, electronics and musical structure which he had been building on over the previous three years. The album has since become one of the most influential in musical history and was joined over the next couple of years by “Jack Johnson” and “On The Corner” in defining the future of music.

• Miles was the master bandleader and his LPs at the time declared that these were his ‘Directions In Music’, but he forged them with the help of a hand-picked group of musicians who proved themselves good enough to share his space on stage and in the studio. These players would all become central to jazz’s continued relevance and many would go on the record best-selling jazz records of their own. This compilation looks at the records that they made around the time they played with Miles and how they fed into or were fed by their time in his group.

• So we have Wayne Shorter and Joe Zawinul with versions of tracks they cut with Miles. Herbie Hancock’s journey into the electronic instruments that Miles convinced him to play, and Keith Jarrett’s firm rejection of them. Lonnie Liston Smith borrows the Indian percussion from “On The Corner” for his take on electronic funk. Chick Corea, John McLaughlin and Gary Bartz all show their distinctive talents that were allowed to shine in Miles’ band. As a bonus, we have Miles’ musicians alongside Betty Davis (his wife at the time) on a take of Cream’s ‘Politician Man’ and Miles’ 1970 group live at The Cellar Door on Joe Zawinul’s ‘Directions’.

• Available on CD and double vinyl with in-depth sleeve notes. The Miles Davis track is available on vinyl for the first time.

Producer extraordinaire John Morales returns to BBE Music, celebrating the life and work of R&B / soul legend Teena Marie with a double album full of brand new remixes, lovingly crafted from the original studio tapes, entitled ‘Love Songs & Funky Beats’. “Teena is somewhat underrated, and people don't really know much about her.” Says Morales. “I set out to immerse people in her music and represent what she really did. That meant for me a dive into more than her R&B hits, to dig into her ballads and dance cuts. People know she was talented. I don't really think they really knew the depth of her abilities, her complete confidence to take it upon herself to do everything – singing, producing, arranging, songwriting. Teena Marie was the total package.” John Morales had the pleasure of mixing many of Teena Marie’s original records over the years, so it felt natural to dig into the archives and select his favourite cuts to rework, extend and subtly update in his own distinctive style. While by no means a definitive collection of Lady Tee’s expansive musical catalogue, ‘Love Songs & Funky Beats’ represents a fitting tribute to a multifaceted and important voice in popular music, by one of the most storied mix engineers and remixers of our age. Jumping into the music industry deep end in 1979 with a three-year mentorship from Berry Gordy & Rick James at Motown, Teena Marie then spent seven fertile years with Epic, which yielded her greatest commercial successes (including the classic album 'Starchild'). After founding an independent label ‘Sarai’, Marie took a ten-year hiatus which ended in 2004 in a deal with hip hop label Cash Money Records; a less unlikely partnership than some might assume, given that Teena was one of the first ‘mainstream’ artists to perform a rap verse, on 1981’s ‘Square Biz’. Teena Marie Brockert forged a unique path through the industry, an artist in-charge of her own destiny, influencing (and heavily sampled by) both the hip hop and R&B sounds of the 90’s and early 2000’s. Her 1982 lawsuit against Motown records resulted in "The Brockert Initiative", which has benefitted literally thousands of other artists by making it illegal for record companies to ‘shelve’ artists by keeping them under contract without releasing their material. She continued to tour regularly and deliver commercially successful, expertly sculpted music, right up until her untimely passing in 2010.

5 years after his last studio album, Wax Tailor is back with "The Shadow Of Their Suns" a darkly elegant "sound feature" accompanied by a new and prestigious cast.

Behind this allegorical title hides a long period of brainstorm. The luxury of time in a world where everything goes fast. Time to observe the light from the shadow, the "whirlwind of life", its excesses, its drifts and its symbolic violence. Time to think and translate into music as a privileged witness of our society.

Among the guests of this new album, the rock legend Mark Lanegan & his unique voice, Del the Funky Homosapien (Gorillaz, Hieroglyphics), D Smoke (Winner Netflix Rythm + Flow, the new west coast scene sensation), the late Gil Scott Heron, Rosemary Standley (Moriarty), Mr LIF (Thievery Corporation, Def Jux), Yugen Blakrok (noticed alongside Kendrick Lamar & Vince Staples on the Black Panther album), Adeline (Brooklyn’s Best Kept secret soul singer), Boog Brown (Detroit femcee).

This is the super limited edition with the "Matizando la Salsa" 7'', one of the rarest Guaguancó 45s from Central America. This extra single was only made available through the purchase of the combo of both 7'', and it was limited to 100 bundles. Discodelic presents its third release in its exclusive limited-edition seven-inch series, the last piece in the Costa Rican Afro-Latin music trilogy. From Alajuela, the Vargas brothers aka Combo Guarajeo, one of the most incredible and talented groups from Central America. Their highly nuanced Latin Funk Jazz, mixed with psychedelic and fuzz scents, will blow your mind. Learn about the incredible history of these four brothers in the exclusive and extensive liner notes that accompany this edition.

Drumcode heavyweights Pig&Dan and Victor Ruiz link for their maiden collaborative EP.

The project begun in the first quarter of the year when the artists were still touring and was later completed during a series of productive sessions after lockdown Pig&Dan members Dan Duncan and Igor Tchkotoua experiencing a creative synergy with close friend Victor Ruiz that injected some lightness into an otherwise challenging time for the trio of producers.

‘Consciousness’ is driven by a catch low-end riff that’s powerful and funky in equal measures and is a particular favourite of Adam Beyer’s, highlighting the boss’ Drumcode Indoors II and Tomorrowland’s United Through Music stream. ‘Music Takes You’ is a delicious low-end roller driven by a punchy synth workout that drops down into a captivating vocal break made for big moments. ‘Paradise Lost’ is a widescreen melodic gem, comprised of a laser-kissed synth hook, crisp percussion, and a clever low-end chord progression, giving it a classy timeless appeal.

This deep soul-jazz double-sider, recorded on October 3rd 1972, was released as a seven-inch single on Motella, one of the many labels of the Mavuthela Music division of Gallo Africa (now Gallo Record Company). Mavuthela was founded by the talent scout and producer Rupert Bopape in 1964. This recording of 'The Toreadors', a one-off session group, was produced by Ray Nkwe who worked as an independent producer for several different companies and was responsible for organising many African jazz-oriented sessions in the 1970s and early 80s.

On first hearing the A-side ‘Thembi’ (written by Ray Nkwe) ‎you’ll wonder why you haven't heard this song before, but simultaneously be struck with a sense of instant familiarity. It has a loose floating jazz vibe with echoes of 60's hippy, psychedelic soul-jazz qualities, and elements that remind us of acts such as The Deirdre Wilson Tabac. The vocal deliveries are stunning, hauntingly beautiful, and from a place where it is hard to pinpoint just where this song originates.

The B-side, ‘Gwinyitshe', is also absolute fire. This song has gained more coverage and notoriety among South African music fans / collectors and DJ's over the years. It is a deep, pulsing soul-jazz-funk groove with another exceptional vocal performance that is relaxed yet engaging and spiritual, whilst managing to surf the instrumentation to perfection. 'Gwinyitshe' was written by one of the sleeping giants of South African music, Teaspoon Ndelu, who also plays on the record and whose material we can't get enough of here at Mr Bongo.

When you think you have all the records you need a gem like this resurfaces from the past, reminds you that you've only scratched the surface and there is still a wonderful treasure trove out there to enrich you and your music collection. So dive into The Toreadors world briefly, your day will be the better off for it.

• Official vinyl replica
• South African soul-jazz obscurity
• 'Gwinyitshe' written by Teaspoon Ndelu

Re-issue of a soul masterpiece from 1974, 'I Love You More and More' by Tom Brock was Tom's only solo album release, but what a beautiful classic it is. For some, it is up there in the pantheon alongside their all-time treasured soul favourites such as Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On'.

Produced by the legend Barry White and released on 20th Century Records in 1974, it features the lush hallmark orchestration, heartfelt songs, and funky yet slick playing you’d expect from a White production. Like a dusting of sugar onto the top of the cake, the record also features the stunning arrangements of the great pianist, arranger, composer, and producer Gene Page, whose musical career left an impressive and prolific legacy.

'I Love You More and More' received another lease of life when it was resurrected for a new audience after having been sampled by Jay-Z, Mos Def, C.L. Smooth, and others. The record is solid throughout, but the song 'There's Nothing in This World That Can Stop Me From Loving You’ proved to be an extra-bright star in the sky and it formed the base to Jay-Z's 2001 hit 'Girls, Girls, Girls'. The sampling of Tom’s work triggered the collectors, diggers and DJs to explore his record and to transfer their passion for it onto their followers too.

Tom Brock passed away in 2002, but left behind his sensational soulful voice on a handful of amazing dusty 7" singles, several assorted productions recorded by other artists, and this absolute winner of an album, which will be cherished for years to come.

• Half-speed vinyl cut at Abbey Road Studios

• Sampled by Jay-Z, Mos Def, C.L. Smooth…

• Produced by Barry White, arranged by Gene Page.

"Essential techno, essentially militant. A collection of pioneering electronic club hits and classic tech funk cuts with highly eco-political lyrics, produced by Michelle Grinser, DJ Naughty and featuring by Chicks On Speed. Chris Korda, is a transgender artist and tireless environmental activist who denounced 21 years ago the excess of capitalism and consumerism ("Buy", "Buy More"), exposed social inequalities and warned of the dangers of climate change".

After a 7-year hiatus, funk legend Steve Arrington returns with his uplifting and soulful new album ‘Down To The Lowest Terms: The Soul Sessions’, with artists including Mndsgn, Knxwledge and Jerry Paper on production. The album portrays his diversity of influences, which sees Arrington drawing on funk, soul, jazz, electronic and R&B.
Steve Arrington is known for his innovative vocals on classics including ‘Watching You’ and ‘Just A Touch of Love’, with Slave, as well as his solo work with tracks including ‘Dancin’ in the Key of Life’, ‘Weak at the Knees’ and ‘Nobody Can Be You’. His music has greatly influenced the hip hop generation, having been sampled by Jay-Z, A
Tribe Called Quest, Pharrell, 50 Cent, 2Pac, De La Soul, Snoop Dogg and many more. ‘Down To The Lowest Terms: The Soul Sessions’ is Steve Arrington’s first solo album since 2009’s ‘Pure Thang’.

Limited edition white vinyl. Two signature Average White Band funk bombs, much danced to and sampled across the years - but nothing beats the originals and the first time either have been pressed on 12".

The A side houses 'Pick Up The Pieces' an essential sax laden gem loved by hip hop producers the world over, for that melt in the mouth funk hook. The flip a cover of the incredible Ned Doheny anthem 'Get It Up For Love', featuring the mighty Ben E. King on lead vocals.

LTD. CLEAR BLUE VINYL

Fresh off of their 2020 offering Adult Themes, El Michels Affair is back with a new full-length release. Titled Yeti Season, this newest album has everything we've come to expect from EMA's patented cinematic style of instrumental soul music. Where Adult Themes inspired a soundtrack to an imaginary film, Yeti Season brings us to a different place in time_with new inspirations. Taken with Turkish-styled funk and an almost Mumbai-esque take on soul, El Michels Affair offers us a different kind of drama and imagination with Yeti Season. If you've been following along, this shouldn't be viewed as too far a departure for El Michels Affair. The first single off of Yeti Season showed their hand back in 2018. A double-sided banger, that release brought the musical textures to the fore that dominate this record. The first song, titled "Unathi," is fully realized with the beautifully haunting-yet-hopeful vocals of Piya Malik, formally of 79.5_another Big Crown artist. Singing in Hindi, Piya's ethereal voice is telling us to work and strive together toward progress. Even if you don't understand her language, you can still hear the urgency of purpose, creating a lasting vibe that sits on top of it all. Leon Michels explains that Piya had a vital influence on this record: "When Piya started singing in Hindi, she had a different voice, a different tone. I knew we had to do something together." And so Piya appears on three other songs on Yeti Season: "Zaharila," "Murkit Gem," and "Dhuaan." Each providing particular signatures to the album. "Zaharila" is a building and changing love song punctuated by blaring trumpets, driving drums, and Piya's pleading lyrics. While the more upbeat "Murkit Gem" opens with a fuzzed out, Wu-Tang-esque baseline that buoys Piya's stylings. The psychedelic guitar and Piya's changing tones and textures singing about an all-consuming love are what pushed "Dhuaan" on to the second single from Yeti Season. There is also a vocal appearance from Shannon Wise of The Shacks, yet another Big Crown artist. Her song called "Sha Na Na," lies more in the familiar EMA vein: melodic, hypnotic, soulfully visual. But between Shannon's airy singing, the jumpy baseline, moody vibes, the active drum lines, it sounds like a pensive walk home after a strangely dramatic night. So what is Yeti Season? It could be more of a feeling than an actual place or time of year. It's a heavy album_as evidenced by the signature musicianship and dramatic vocal expressions. But it's also a hopeful record, with phrasings, textures, and chord changes that hint at something better_or fuller_coming our way. You hear it in songs like "Ala Vida," with its stabby, pulsing chords laying a bedrock for EMA's bright, atmospheric horn lines. Or even in "Fazed Out," which leaves you with a feeling of determination, a striving for resolution even though the driving, march-like song structure should accompany some conquering army. This persistence has to come from the fact that Leon Michels and company finished this record during the lockdown. It was a tough and troublesome time. But look at what has come of it: Yeti Season_a record of high and heavy drama, but also one of hope and promise. It may take a year like 2020 behind us to find hope in a winter big footed creature like a Yeti, but that's where we are.

∙ Live they were a revelation. The only group from
the UK scene who could do tight and slick, without
slipping into ‘lift music’ blandness. The core
membership of Andrew Levy, Simon Bartholomew
and Jan Kincaid had been playing together since
college and knew where the other was going. Their
ability to write classic soul songs lifted them above
their contemporaries.
∙ Shibuya 357 is the quintessential (and only live)
document of an era that quickly passed. The hits –
‘Never Stop’ , ‘Dream Come True’, ‘Stay This Way’
and ‘Don’t Let It Go To Your Head’ are all here – as
are some compelling funk jams. This recording
captures the ecstatic rush of joy; when you go from
youthful dream to accomplishment in such a short
period.
∙ The album was only ever released in Japan in the
late 90s and then only for a very short time. Acid
Jazz is pleased to release this new version
remastered from the source tape, and the album
appears on vinyl and on streaming services for the
very first time.
∙ 1991 was a momentous year for The Brand New Heavies.
They started it without a singer second on the bill to
The James Taylor Quartet and by the end they were
had a Top 3 US hit and were about to embark on a
run of 16 Top 40 hits in the UK. N’Dea Davenport
was by this point fronting the group as their guest
singer, and the brilliant string of singles from their
debut album were becoming locked in the minds of
an ever growing fan base.

9 African germs that will move your mind to this special combination of highlife, funk and jazz

Magnonic Signal head honcho Antonio Velazquez aka Spin Fidelity, known from his top notch releases on Subwax Excursions and Parang recordings, is present on the fourth outing on Brussels imprint Nightflight Records. This EP reflects the label’s spirit where there are no musical boundaries and hi-tech funk is the main ingredient of every track. On the A-side we have two techno soul stompers, “Photon Stream” and “Ancient love”, with rolling basslines, some acid and deep pads that will draw you straight to the dancefloor. On the flip we get two deep electro-funk tracks, “There must be a way” and “Magnonic transmission”, with a Detroit touch on a deep futuristic trip.

*Repress*

Jerome Hill revives his Itsu Uno guise for the first time in 7 years and starts 2021 with some much needed fun.
He serves up 2 Cut n Paste Party Rocking Funk Bombs for the B-Boys and B-Girls.

No prizes for guessing the inspiration for "Shooter (Super Sharp B-Boy) although you'll not have heard it like this before. Meanwhile in "Battle Of The Breaks", Itsu Uno goes to town and serves up all manner of funky-ass beats and samples culminating in a finale that will get you ‘jumpin'

Fat Hop was started by Jerome in 2009 to house B-Boy Break jams, Old Skool style Hip Hop and Britcore.

Amor Satyr makes his debut on Promesses with “Na Viela / Virar DJ”, a double single featuring Brazilian rappers MC Buzzz (Spain-based) and T9 RJ (France-based). For this release the French producer brings what he does the best : hybrid baile funk. “Na Viela” is a cartoonish club banger where Buzzz’ broken voice and T9’ deep breathy hooks melt with Amor Satyr’ epic strings and bassline. Followed by grimy glacial bullet “Virar DJ” where T9’ voices from beyond the grave match with sharp snare and hypnotic synth. The release contains instrumental versions of each song. "Na Viela / Virar DJ" is available on limited edition vinyl (handmade silkscreened cover illustrated by Acacio Ortas).

The return of the Memphis soul/funk/jazz trio The City Champs. Members, Al Gamble (St. Paul & The Broken Bones), George Sluppick (Chris Robinson Brotherhood) and Joe Restivo (Don Bryant) have been secretly concocting these tasty, solar expansing nuggets since their last output in 2010.

Stephanie Lottermoser’s brilliant and highly anticipated album ‘Hamburg’, is her follow-up project to ‘This Time’, which was number two in the German jazz charts in 2018 and which was characterised by Jazzthing, as “containing feather-light songs with a surprising level of thoughtfulness”.
There are some decisive differences that set ‘Hamburg’ apart from the abovementioned recording: the autobiographical elements in the storyline and the musician’s thoughts on important social topics of our time, which had a determining influence on the structure of the songs. the album - does not only focus on the city itself but lets the eye wander further away.
The result is an exceptionally entertaining album, agreeably close to the live sound of the band, intertwining elements of funk, jazz, pop and soul splendidly and of a quality rarely to be found.

In the late ‘80s, a wave of British musicians raised on ‘70s UK pop, Caribbean sound system culture, reggae, lovers rock and Motown/Philly soul music fell in love with synthesisers, drum machines and 8-track recorders. The street soul generation had arrived.

Originally released as a white label 12” in 1989, ‘You’ve Gone’ is the sole release from Bassline, the studio project of Southeast London-raised musician Tony Henry, not to be confused with Tony Henry from Manchester jazz-funk/R&B band 52nd Street. Featuring the singer Lorraine Chambers, it’s one of the true jewels of the UK Street Soul scene. As Lorraine’s heartsick soul vocal glides over sunrise synths, dusty drums, elegant electric piano figures and a reggae indebted bassline, ‘You’ve Gone’ captures the optimism and strength of the era perfectly.

‘You’ve Gone’ was championed by Choice FM UK (now Capital XTRA), Kiss FM, and DJ Trevor Nelson. Tony went from selling white labels out the trunk to booking in Live PAs for Lorraine with London sound systems like Rampage and up north in the street soul loving cities of Manchester and Birmingham. “When Lorraine did PAs up there, she went out on stage like she was Beyoncé.”

The son of a Jamaican father and an English mother, Tony grew up around the London sound system scene. He taught himself bass guitar, keyboards, and production, before playing in the reggae band Chakwanza (Swahili for “the first”). In Chakwanza, Tony rubbed shoulders with Aswad, Barry Boom, Steel Pulse, Maxi Priest, Gregory Issacs, Dennis Brown, Ghettotone and Saxon Sound, before focusing on a career in banking over music. “Music was my first love, but it couldn’t have afforded me the sort of level of - let’s be blunt and pragmatic about it - financial success that would have allowed me to support my family.”

Outside of office hours, Tony continued to work on music at home, sometimes serving as a session bassist with local bands. In the late 80s, a work colleague mentioned her sister Lorraine Chambers was a singer. Tony and Lorraine recorded “You’ve Gone” over two sessions. “Lorraine went into the booth, put her headphones on and got into the song. My daughter turned to me and said, ‘Daddy, she can really sing!’”

Despite the success of ‘You’ve Gone’, they never recorded together again. “The world changed, and for me, it changed as well. My younger kids were born, and work started getting more intense. I got a bit more successful and was living a mad, kind of crazy life.”

Thirty-two years on, ‘You’ve Gone’ finally receives an official reissue comprising the lauded original mix, an alternate version and Tony’s Back to Bass-ics remix. Fittingly, in recent months, Tony and Lorraine have re-connected in the studio writing new material.

Following highly praised releases by Hermeto Pascoal & Grupo, Leonardo Marques, Xenia Franca and Moons, 180g and the legendary Disk Union continue to explore the best of today's Brazilian music scene with this wonderful psychedelic and funky pop album by Rio de Janeiro's Gus Levy: Magia Magia.


The mystical universe of Magia Magia reflects influences from the samba rock of Jorge Ben, the romantic grooves of Djavan and the psychedelic pop of Connan Mockasin and Negro Léo. The lyrics and sensations suggest a new way of seeing the reality of the world and relationships: union, spirituality, magic, complicity, happiness, courage, love, fraternity, dilemmas and contradictions lead the poetical subject of Magia Magia. Inspired by a conception of the universe ruled by feminine entities, Gus Levy brings with Magia Magia a masterpiece of modern Brazilian psychedelic and funky pop, with exquisite artwork by Fernanda Varella.

A composer and multi-instrumentalist from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Gus Levy has been gaining more and more attention on the Brazilian music scene during the last few years. He is also a producer at Rio de Janeiro's Estúdio Carolina studios, a member of the band "Os Dentes" for more than 10 years, and the guitarist of choice for artists like Antonio Neves, Filipe Marones and João Werneck.

Snips is the founder of Barbershop Records and co founder of Livin Proof, with over 15 years experience as one of Londons most prolific DJs and over 10 years worth of production credits across Hip Hops underground. 2018 has seen Snips emerge as a budding solo artist, fusing the production styles of Hip Hop, House, Soul and Funk in the same fashion as he is known to do behind the turntables.

With his debut album "The Barbershop" making waves on both sides of the Atlantic and his Single "The Product" On Classic Records garnering support from a cross genre selection of heavyweights such as Karizma, Benji B, Eli Escobar, House Shoes, J Rocc, DJ Spinna and Henry Wu, Snips returns on his own label Barbershop Records and delves into Edit territory once again with a second limited 45'. This release delves into some modern soul and jazz, flipping some new age cult classics to club friendly future anthem

They Say: “New directions in contemporary scoring”.

We say: Contempo is one of the best full album listens in the KPM 1000 library. Succinct smoking soul, super tight breaks and string-drenched sleaze composed by the library master, Keith Mansfield.

The creator of the romping tunes that became the iconic themes to the BBC’s Grandstand programme and their televised Wimbledon Tennis Championship coverage, Keith Mansfield was perhaps KPM’s most prolific artist from the mid 1960s right the way through the 1980s. As well as the sort of pop orchestral sound that is all over these classic library records, he could also turn his hand to raw, edgy rock and funk. Quentin Tarantino is a big fan, going as far as including some of Keith’s work on the soundtracks to Kill Bill and Grindhouse.

Many library records are a game of two halves and Contempo is certainly one of those. The first side cooks on a high funk breaks flame whilst the flip is something altogether more tranquil, yet no less groovy. It lays back with dreamier, post-coital grooves.

Rugged funk opener “The Fix” confidently displays its low slung languid grooves with heavy drums, horns and bass. Smokin’ in slow motion. The punchy “What’s Cooking” follows and has a lighter, more whimsical touch. But the drums still roll and the clavs wiggle in fascinating opposition to those horns. The dark and moody intro to “Cut To Music” gives way to a more inclusive, relaxed funk that’s all irresistible bass and stabbing horns. The mid-tempo “Man Alive” signals the time to really get down. A percussive monster jam. If you can’t strut to this then we really can’t help you! Closing out the A side, fresh guitar licks drip all over the slick drums of “Funky Footage”, with a New Orleans piano vibe coming on to really light a fire.

Whilst the dramatic crime funk of the A side is enough on its own to have earned this record its place in the great library record canon, it’s undoubtedly the more smoothed out B side for which Contempo is rightfully adored and celebrated. It’s so chilled and mellow, with beautifully arranged, sweeping strings, sax solos aplenty and a real 70s soundtrack feel. Think Love Boat, CTI label, Bob James, Grover Washington Jr.-type jams.

The super sleek and sexy jazz funk of “Breezin’” is as light and magical as you’d hope. An open-air masterpiece, its indulgent sound is just a taster of the sophisticated funk to follow. The elegant, romantic feels of “Good Vibrations” (used brilliantly by Odd Future’s Mike G for “Swiss Army”) is a string-drenched, wah-wah fuelled ode to living your best life. Nonchalantly. Whilst it keeps a very West Coast feel, the blaxploitation strut is certainly more Blackbyrds than Brian Wilson. “Sun Goddess” will blow your mind with the sensuous sound of glorious horns and beautiful keys. The luxurious “Love De Luxe” and its horizontal grooves have been much sampled, but here it proves that it doesn’t need any help to get you in an intimate mood. Closer “Snake Hips” is a cool mid-pace slouch. Just divine.

Originally released in 1976 but, like the very best KPM records, wonderfully timeless, Contempo is also no mere LP-length collection of loosely related tracks. This is a rare example of a library record that is a genuinely great listen from start to finish.

As with all of our KPM re-issues, the audio for Contempo comes from the original analogue tapes and has been remastered for vinyl by Be With regular Simon Francis. And as usual, the sleeve reproduction duties were handed over to Richard Robinson, the current custodian of KPM’s brand identity.
: Contempo (KPM) (LP)

They Say: “Exploring the wide range of moods and sounds produced by percussion”.

We say: MPCs at the ready because this does exactly what it says on the tin, to devastating effect. Oh, and the sleeve is stunning.

Originally released in 1979, Percussion Spectrum was produced by the legendary percussionists Barry Morgan and Ray Cooper. With dope beats taking in diverse styles, from funk and soul and jazz through to Latin, Brazilian, samba and Afro-Cuban, this is an amazing sample source filled with killer drum-breaks and percussion flares. Unsurprisingly it’s one of the most sought-after records from the Themes catalogue.

This library LP is a library in itself, with its mix of short themes of single beats, short breaks and some longer, more fully-formed DJ-friendly tracks. Trust us when we say that this is a box full of percussion firework ready to be thrown onto the dancefloor at the just right moment. We don’t have anywhere near enough space to describe all 34 tracks (there isn’t even enough room on the labels to list them all!) so we’ll pick out some favourites.

Favourites like opener “Impulsion”, a percussive masterclass with drum upon drum upon drum making it feel like a neat prototype to the percussive underscores of Peter Lüdemann and Pit Troja’s eternal The Now Generation LP. And the dramatic “Fast Action” is exactly that, racing along on a rapid roll of congas, cymbal crashes and throbbing kicks. “The Chaser” is classic library cop-funk with dilapidated drum figures, and the outrageously funky “Heat On” is the perfect accompaniment to your wild action sequences.

A real highlight is “Runaway”, and not just because it sounds like nothing else on the record. Here are drums and percussion in that tight funk style that just cries out to be sampled. “Percussion Power” is an extended, near-three minute suite of funky drum solo after funky drum solo that just aches to be looped: open drums to die for people! “Shivers” is a tense, apprehensive underscore with shock stabs that builds to a climax whilst “Drums On Parade” is a showcase of head-nod drums and cymbals in march time. Did someone say “funky”?

Side B starts with a stroll down “Samba Street”. With the noise of the crowd in the background, this is riotous, authentically drawn samba that sounds like it’s been beamed straight in from Rio in full flow. Drop this at midnight and watch the cobwebs fly off any dancefloor. Prefer it without the fake crowd? “Samba Street (b)” has you covered.

The simple, innocent “Child’s Themes” (all five of them) provide a nice, sweet respite from all the funk. Nursery sounds tinged with only a touch of melancholy. The gentle marimba solo of “Tropical Peace” only adds to the sense of serenity we get from the relatively calm second side. The album closes out with a veritable toolkit of tom toms, snare drum rolls, timpani, vibraphones and chiming bells.

Percussion Spectrum is a joyous collection of sounds, as bright, beaming and downright funky as the vibrant cover. The Themes series is known for each record having its own particularly striking sleeve, which was unusual for library records at the time, and Percussion Spectrums’s multi-coloured drumsticks make for one of the most eye-catching.

As with all of our other Themes re-issues, the audio for Percussion Spectrum comes from the original analogue tapes and has been remastered for vinyl by Be With regular Simon Francis. As usual Richard Robinson has taken the same care with restoring the original sleeve from archive scans. This is another one ticked off the list of library records that should be out there for anyone who wants a copy.

They Say: “Contemporary scores for visual effect”.

We say: Synth-heavy, low-slung space-funk masterpiece.

The creator of the romping tunes that became the iconic themes to the BBC’s Grandstand programme and their televised Wimbledon Tennis Championship coverage, Keith Mansfield was perhaps KPM’s most prolific artist from the mid 1960s right the way through the 1980s. As well as the sort of pop orchestral sound that is all over these classic library records, he could also turn his hand to raw, edgy rock and funk. Quentin Tarantino is a big fan, going as far as including some of Keith’s work on the soundtracks to Kill Bill and Grindhouse.

This is it. This is THE ONE for us: Keith “The Man” Mansfield’s Vivid Underscores from 1977. A sample freak’s wet dream and one of Be With Rob’s favourite ever KPM records. A must for fans of Brian Bennett’s Voyage (yes, THAT good). And no, we’ve no idea either why it took us this long to get round to tackling this monster of a record. But then again some things are worth waiting for.

Attention! Calling all crate diggers, DJs, beat heads, Hip Hop junkies, MF DOOM fans! Behold! Vivid Underscores makes sampling easy. Prepare to be up all night, every night, chopping, looping and splicing these endless grooves and spacey synths. The highlights are too many and too mind-blowing so we’ll pull out a few particular highlights. Trust us, this library LP is just jaw-dropping.

“High Velocity” sets the tone with its aggressive horns, wah-wah guitars, funky baseline and wobbly synth refrain. So good and so hypnotic that Memphis Bleek just had to swipe the ominous, frazzled intro for “What You Think of That” featuring Jay-Z. Also, for real drama, the 1985 Lakers retrospective “Return to Glory” used it to soundtrack the footage from the legendary game five of the NBA finals at the Forum. Heady days. “Crash Course” - Stetsasonic horn refrain? Beautiful - jazzy chase-funk, amazing warm keys, percussion and funky horns - all action.

The more restrained “Matter Of Urgency” is an utterly amazing, brass-heavy underscore. The grandiose, uplifting “Dawn Of Aquarius” still sounds like the future with its tense, thundering drums, killer bassline and swirling synths. Version II loses the drums and percussion but is no less startling. “Staying Power” closes the first side with a relentless, pounding groove which *will* snap your neck. Be warned.

“Trucking Company” is a pacey, synth-and-string masterpiece and its accompanying parts (a–c) mess with the formula to great effect. Part (a) adds echo delay to really dazzle and part (c) plays the breezy, beautiful middle section without the tension. “Hot Cargo” and “Espionage” are both tense spy-funk themes par excellence. “Interplay” is a quiet killer, with flutes over a glistening piano refrain just waiting to be looped. The intro to the menacing “Omen” might’ve been sampled by 7L & Esoteric for their classic “So Glorious” but the entire 5 minute track is a mini-drama masterpiece, one only Mansfield could create.

Even though its a mix of short themes in-and-amongst longer, full-length tracks, Vivid Underscores is still thoroughly listenable from start to finish. That’s not something that can be said of all library records and it still manages to serve as rich resource to keep even the keenest samplers busy for a while.

As with all of our KPM re-issues, the audio for Vivid Underscores comes from the original analogue tapes and has been remastered for vinyl by Be With regular Simon Francis. And as usual, the sleeve reproduction duties were handed over to Richard Robinson, the current custodian of KPM’s brand ident

British funk/disco band The Chequers began in reggae, formed by bassist John Matthias and
his guitarist brother Richard in 1973, with drummer George Young, keyboardist Paul War
and vocalist Jackie Robins. Despite the success of early single “Rudi’s In Love,” the group
soon aimed for a broader sound informed by lush disco and Philly soul; thus, debut LP Check
It Out had Mike Spear on congas, Andy Dummit on sax and flute and Ken Freeman on string
synth. Tracks like “Theme One” and “Rock On Brother” are heavily orchestrated, and there’s
an unusual funk/disco reading of The Wailers’ “Get Up Stand Up” too.