Buscar:m funk

Next up in Mr Bongo's Groove Merchant Records reissue series, sees an outing for a much-loved and heavily sampled funk/soul/blues album by Junior Parker. Originally issued under the title The Outside Man on Capitol Records in 1970 with an alternative cover, this reissue replicates the Groove Merchant release titled Love Ain't Nothin' But A Business Goin' On featuring the car cover released in 1971.

The Mississippi-born, Memphis-based blues singer, harmonica player and songwriter Junior Parker (aka Little Junior Parker) had a stellar career in music. Since the early 1950s he released records on labels such as Duke, Mercury, United Artists Records and more. Sadly though, Parker died at the young age of 39 during surgery on November 18, 1971.

Originally released under the alternate title a year before his untimely death, Love Ain't Nothin' But a Business Goin' On is drenched in Parker’s trademark buttery vocals and soulful grooves, swaggering between smokey blues, raw funk outings and orchestrated soul ballads (with sublime arrangements by Horace Ott).

The album also features three Beatles cover versions in the form of ‘Taxman’, ‘Lady Madonna’ and ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’. For 'Taxman', Parker completely reinterprets the song taking into a New Orleans funk realm, a sample of which was used as the main hook line on Cypress Hill's classic 'I Wanna Get High'. Elsewhere, 'Tomorrow Never Knows' is flipped into a tripped-out, psychedelic soul-swamp blues ballad, whilst 'Lady Madonna' is given a funky blues makeover.

As shown with Cypress Hill’s use of ‘Taxman’, since the ‘70s Parker’s legacy has been immortalised for future generations through the deep well of samples that his music has become a source of. Tracks from Love Ain't Nothin' But a Business Goin' On have been sampled by some of the biggest names out there, such as A Tribe Called Quest, DJ Shadow and De La Soul.

A seriously smooth album oozing with soul and emotion from a Blues Hall of Fame inductee, Junior Parker’s Love Ain't Nothin' But A Business Goin' On is a superb example of the early ‘70s crossover funk/soul sound.

Whisper it quietly, but Andrew Meecham’s ninth album as The Emperor Machine, Island Boogie, may well be the long-serving producer’s strongest set to date. Of course, all his albums ripple with vintage synth sounds, colourful lead lines, dub-flecked electronic disco grooves and lashings of cosmic intent, but this one just feels a little more special. Island Boogie is certainly special. Meecham’s “most personal” full-length to date, it was inspired by his experiences at the Rotation Garden Party – a beloved micro-festival promoted by a group of friends (including sometime Bizarre Inc and Chicken Lips partner Dean Meredith), renowned for the quality of its custom-built Klipschorn soundsystem. “The album’s title sums up the vibe that you get from Rotation,” he explains. “It may be held in a landlocked venue but it gives a wonderful sense of isolation – it is an audiophile paradise.”

Meecham road-tested rough versions of the album’s eight tracks at Rotation 2023, with the feedback and dancefloor reaction guiding the sound and arrangement of the final mixes. Fittingly, Meecham will return to the event to showcase the album at Rotation 2024 this July. Given the inspiration he’s drawn from previous editions of the festival, that will be a very special occasion. Musically, Island Boogie offers the most fully functioning and expertly constructed expression of The Emperor Machine sound yet, a style Meecham describes as “electronic cosmic disco-boogie”. It’s a sound that takes cues from early ‘80s NYC punk-funk and dub disco, vintage electro, proto-house and left-of-centre synth-boogie, but one that’s instantly recognisable to those who have followed Meecham’s career over the last three decades.

Island Boogie also sees Meecham continue his blossoming working relationship with Severine Mouletin, whose stylish and distinctive vocals previously graced his popular ‘Dance Por Amor’ and ‘Your Own Style’ singles. Here Mouletin features on four tracks: the acid-flecked retro-futurist wave-boogie of ‘La Cassette’ (featuring additional percussion by Rupert Brown); the infectious, bleep-sporting headiness of recent single ‘Devoilez-Vous’; and the squelchy analogue synth-funk of ‘Wanna Pop With You’ and ‘Vas-y-Le Chat’. Meecham also finds space for a cover of Fox’s 1976 pop-rock classic ‘S-s-s-single Bed’, one of the Stafford-based artist’s all-time favourites. His version, featuring headline-grabbing lead vocals by Michelle Bee and guitar from Dave Atherton, re-imagines the track as a subtly Chic-influenced slab of infectious electro-pop rich in kaleidoscopic synth sounds, sing-along choruses and shuffling drums.

The instrumental foundations of the classic Emperor Machine sound come to the fore on the album’s three other cuts. There’s the jazz-funk-flecked warmth of the LP-opening title track; the sparse squelches, bleeps, TB-303 style bass and brightly coloured electronics of ‘Walk The Dog’; and the exotic, slow-motion cosmic electronica of ‘Cha Murrah Etem’, a warm but poignant affair dedicated to his late father. Heady and intoxicating, with hints of Balearica and digital reggae, it offers a fittingly beautiful and tactile conclusion to Meecham’s most expressive and accessible album yet.

Boxed set of five 7-inch vinyl records, 300 copies limited edition. Artwork poster included.

All tracks remastered from the original master tapes.

Alessandro Alessandroni is no longer remembered simply as 'the whistler' in Morricone's spaghetti western soundtracks – and rightly so, since he was the key figure behind much of Italian 'secret music' from the 60s and 70s, always there in the studio during recording sessions, whether as a multi-instrumentalist or as the leader of session vocal group I Cantori Moderni di Alessandroni. Today his pervasive presence and important role has been finally recognized by music professionals and enthusiasts alike, so much so that he is now considered the true father of Italian library music – a genre whose sound he shaped since 1968.


As a film composer, Alessandroni often worked for small productions that had very limited (and often regional-only) distribution, and whose budgets were worlds apart from those in the 'top league' where friends and colleagues like Morricone, Bacalov, Trovajoli or Piccioni thrived. Rarely released as a soundtrack, this music ended up, at best, forgotten inside dusty ¼-inch reels or, at worst, disappearing into thin air.

After a string of releases that have brought back to life forgotten or lost works by Alessandroni (Sangue di Sbirro, Afro Discoteca, Lost and Found, etc.), it was pretty natural for us at Four Flies to start delving into a little investigated area of his filmography: his scores for erotic films, the last genre to gain popularity in the flourishing Italian film industry of the 60s and 70s, and perhaps the most extreme too, the one that, by pushing things too far, eventually put an end to that industry and its genres.

So, we're now very proud to present Alessandroni Proibito, an exclusive boxed set of five 7-inch records. It contains a total of 14 previously unreleased tracks from the soundtracks of 4 soft-core erotic films that included hard-core sequences and, therefore, fell somewhere in-between normal commercial distribution and the underground scene of adult movie theatres.

Taking an artisanal approach to his musical craft, Alessandroni was not afraid of having to deal with spicy subject matter, wobbly productions, implausible plots, improvised actors, or cinematographers who were clearly no disciples of Storaro. And he was so good at making a virtue out of necessity, at turning budget constraints into creative advantages, that he created soundtracks that far surpass the films' quality, with music that at once captures and elevates the spirit of the erotic genre as if into a condensed symbol.

More specifically, the maestro recorded many of the pieces in a DIY fashion at home, using a 4-track Teac tape machine to arrange his compositions. The Teac allowed him to play different instruments on each track, which meant he could basically put an entire soundtrack together all by himself, or almost all by himself.

These recordings often feature drum machines – which provide that retro, early electronic music vibe – as well as funk guitars and exotic-sounding percussion in the rhythm tracks. In addition, there is an extensive, almost bewildering use of synthesizers to replace solo instruments that would have required a paid session player. On top this minimalist arrangement, Alessandroni layered what he could: some piano chords, a little flute and, most importantly, his signature 12-string guitar phrasing.

The result is just stunning: a unique mixture of electronic music and acoustic instruments, in a style that stops short of kitsch and ranges from cinematic ambient pieces like "Tensione erotica" to disco-funk tracks like "Snake Disco" and "One Sunday Morning", both of which feature vocals by Alessandroni himself.

Alessandroni Proibito comes with artwork by Eric Adrien Lee and a matching 30x70cm folded poster inspired to the insert-size posters which used to be hung outside movie theatres to attract cinema-goers.

The boxed set is being released in a limited edition of just 300 copies and will never be reissued. First come, first served.

Early Mod outings, courtesy of The Blockheads rhythm section!
The Ossie Layne Show - Barcelona 69. EP is the latest vinyl release to become part of the Acid Jazz Records. Rare Mod Series.
This very rare 4-track 33rpm vinyl 7' featuring 'Ian Dury and the Blockheads' bass player Norman Watt-Roy and his brother Garth, led by band leader Ossie Layne.
The EP.s tracks deliver the classic 60.s Soul and Funk sound that Acid Jazz Records and the Rare Mod Series are famous for.
The EP features a version of Rod Stewarts. - Rock My Plimsoll. and Sly and The Family Stones classic 'Sing A Simple Song'.

There are certain occasions when you can truly feel the stars align. One of these is when the interstellar voyager of cosmic soul Jimi Tenor finally lands his spaceship at full force on a Timmion recording. In 2024, he will be serving us two spaced out album sessions recorded together with Cold Diamond & Mink. Jimi is no stranger in these space ways as he has operated behind the Timmion scenes for years, furnishing several of the label's artists with his flute and reeds artistry. The first album out is titled "Is There Love In Outer Space?", which begs the question with the force of five extended tracks that are guaranteed to blow your mind to the stratosphere. The pieces are loaded with whooshing and glistening synth noises and span from lofi space funk to cinematic soundscapes. The sweetly floating title track is like some of those galactic ballads that rare soul collectors are spending their pensions on. At the other side of the spectrum, album closer `What Are You Doing?' sounds like Sun Ra sat down at a JBs session, and is straight up meant to get that booty moving. Combined with the raw soul prowess of CD&M, Jimi is able to refine new shades from his already impressive repertoire of talent. Even if you are a friend of his previous work you might not have heard him get down quite like this.

Mit "Tarantino Sound" startet man eine Reise in das unnachahmliche musikalische Universum des Kult-Regisseurs.

This Giant 12" EP collects the batch of covers on the heavier format for those that may have missed out. The A Side features "IS IT ALL OVER MY FACE?", KRAFTWERK's "WE ARE THE ROBOTS" & HERBIE HANCOCK's "READY OR NOT". The B side covers TEAR FOR FEARS, THE JONES GIRLS & KANO.

Extra Soul Perception proudly unveils a new collaboration between two of the most captivating artists from the future soul and R&B scene. "Undercover Lover" is the culmination of three years of an organic creative partnership between Jamma-Dee and Qendresa - one that has manifested itself just in time to soundtrack summer in LA and London; their respective homes.

Following Jamma-Dee's celebrated debut album, "Perceptions," and Qendresa's recent midnight soul bomb, "2 Much", "Undercover Lover" is a highly anticipated release that emerges as an effortlessly smooth summer anthem.

The genesis of "Undercover Lover" was Jamma-Dee's irresistibly heavy beat, which underpins an intricate mirage of interlocking rhythms and textures, with the eclecticism that has cemented the producer as a mainstay of the West Coast soul-funk scene. Qendresa's songwriting prowess shines through in seamless hooks and vocal melodies that flow effortlessly over the production with bold and uncompromising energy. Gary Gritness's live bassline, introduced during an impromptu studio session, injects a deep groove into the track.

At the engineering helm, K15's expertise further elevates the record with a resonating richness and vitality. An instrumental version on the B-side allows listeners to experience the production and bassline on a deeper level.

The resulting sound is a collaborative effort that transcends borders and genres, delivering a record that is as heartfelt as it is infectious.

"Undercover Lover" stands as a testament to the power of collaboration and creativity, embodyingExtra Soul Perception's mission to facilitate transformative musical exchanges between artists worldwide.

.

About Extra Soul Perception:

Extra Soul Perception is an artist development program that operates as a label, music agency, event curator, and producer of international musical residencies. With a mission to facilitate artistic collaboration across borders, Extra Soul Perception has garnered acclaim for its innovative approach to fostering creativity and diversity within the music industry.

Wendel Harrison, whose style evolved with the times from "Tribe" to "Wenha," discovered a male soul singer in his hometown of Detroit, William Odell Hughes. This is the first album of William Odell Hughes (1981), a male soul singer discovered by Wendel Harrison in his hometown of Detroit, who evolved his style with the times from "Wenha" to "Wenha". The vocals are extended and sung with great grace from the high tones to the low back, and the mellow soul number "Where Am I" (M3) to the sticky 80's funk "Super-Funk-A-Ga-La-Listic-Freak" (M4) featuring synths, "Super-Funk-A-Ga-La-Listic-Freak" (M5), "Super-Funk-A-Ga-La-Listic-Freak" (M6), and "Super-Funk-A-Ga-La-Listic-Freak" (M7). (M4), and the disco-boogie killer tune "Cruisin'" (M1), the highlight of the album, all of them are full of floor-like sounds that concentrate the best parts of the early 80's! Of course, "Wendel Harrison" also provides full support as an executive producer and contributes a wide range of parts from songwriting to saxophone, flute, and chorus. This mega-rare album has been matured over 40 years and is finally being reissued for the first time in the world!

Barbara Lynn is a singer, songwriter and musician from a golden era of soul. While she is best known commercially for 'You'll Lose A Good Thing' (1962) there is so much more to her repertoire across ten albums (including 'You're Losing Me' from her Atlantic years classic album 'Here Is Barbara Lynn') and the 7' single 'Movin' On A Groove' remains her most sought after. It's a modern soul indemand anthem, first released in 1976, original copies have exchanged hands for £300. And the now the funkier flip side 'Disco Music' has become indemand in it's own right, this 7' reuniting the two sides as a very strong 45 release for DJs and collectors alike.

DJ Mes brings the funk on this new outing on Guesthouse. It draws on samples from some of soulful house's most notable big tunes starting with 'Out of Order' which rolls on deep drums with nice smooth pads and summery vocals adding the charm. 'LGMH' rides on deeper, bigger bass and is a nice loopy and hypnotic jam with classic house vibes and a superb falsetto hooking you in. 'No Memory' is another fat-bottomed and feel-good house groove that rolls deep 'Werkin' Gurl' flips the script with more attitude in the vocals and header drums for some peak time fun but with no less emotion.

BALTHVS is THE premier eclectic & psychedelic world funk trio from Bogotá, Colombia, sparking a counterculture revolution in their home country.

Cause & Effect is BALTHVS's second record. An evolution from its initial chill psychedelic sounds portrayed in 2020's 'MACROCOSM'. Owing to its Colombian roots, the album has plenty of Latin American rhythms, as well as ventures into Deep House, Turkish Music, Vaporwave, Trip-Hop and Disco. Their signature psychedelic elements are always present, ready to engulf the listener in a hypnotic trip across time, space, cultures, and different eras.

The name of the album reflects an ancient hermetic axiom. Nothing is accidental, everything is invoked. Chance or fate are names for a cosmic law not comprehended. Everything you do, consciously or unconsciously will come back at you, nothing happens without reason.

Trombonist Phil Ranelin, who founded the legendary jazz label "TRIBE" with Wendell Harrison and was an important figure in the Detroit jazz scene in the early 70's, is back with a newly mastered version. This album, released in 1976 as the last release of "TRIBE", is a historical piece that cannot be overlooked when talking about the Detroit jazz scene, spiritual jazz, and rare groove in the 70s! From the opening track, the dope "Vibes From The Tribe" (M1) overwhelms you with its supernumerary breakbeats, and the superb jazz funk of "Sounds From The Village" (M2) folds in with its gorgeous horn ensemble and waist-breaking groove, while the bossa flavors of "Rare Groove" (M3) and "Vibes From The Tribe" (M4) are a must-have for any jazz musician. The album is newly mastered and reissued with the latest specifications!

Trombonist Phil Ranelin, who co-founded the legendary spiritual jazz label "TRIBE" with Wendell Harrison, released "Vibes From The Tribe" in 1976 as the label's final release. It is known as one of the defining albums of "TRIBE," along with the label's early release, "Message From The Tribe." Now, all of the alternate takes from the historical masterpiece will be released as a new album. The album is a double LP that includes multiple alternate versions of the album's most popular songs, such as the jazz-funk groove "Sounds From The Village," which features a brilliant horn ensemble, and a killer break beat tune"Vibes From The Tribe". This is the first time to be released on vinyl of the alternative album!

Roy Porter was approaching 50 years of age at the time when he released his first album, breaking a long period of silence and aiming for a comeback. The album is a hot one, with a superb sense of rhythm and vigorous drumming that clearly conveys his ambitious attitude. It is also his most expensive album, with the original selling for over $1000. The album includes 'Jessica', one of his best-known songs, which he wrote for his girlfriend, a long jazz-funk song with a melody of indescribable melancholy and colour, 'Funky Twitch', with its percussive beat and lush horns & guitar, and 'Wave', which quotes a phrase from Jobim's classic song 'Wave'. The LP comes on clear yellow vinyl, plus a 7" featuring a Kenny Dope re-edit of 'Jessica'!

Wendell Harrison, who reiterates his passion as a jazz musician with the "Rebirth" label name on this album, is joined by his friend Harold Mckinney, another leader of the Detroit jazz scene, on the brilliant "Winter" (M1), a piano-driven opening number. The opening number "Winter" (M1), with the brilliant piano of his friend Harold Mckinney, who is also a leader of the Detroit jazz scene, is followed by "Love Dream" (M2), a light Brazilian jazz song that blends Leon Thomas' warm vocals with a bossa flavor, and the spiritual and freaky "He's He's He's He's He's" (M3), which is a powerful bluesy tune. He's The One We All Knew" (M3), a spiritual and freaky tune that Wendell blows with great gusto. The second half of the album continues the momentum, with the fusion-like title track "Reawakening" (M4) with Wendell's flute playing a light, mellow melody, and the percussive beat and horn section intertwining in all directions to create the jet-black funkiness of "Tons & Tons Of Ofamp" (M5), which is a great example of the jazz sound of the band. Tons & Tons Of B.S." (M5), which is a performance of maturity! He also performed "Where Am I," a Wendell Harrison song that was featured on the Tribe-era classic "An Evening With The Devil," in an innovative arrangement featuring Leon Thomas' vocals, as if tracing his own career. It is a masterpiece suitable for the launch of the new label "Rebirth"!

This work has become more popular in recent years because of its gentle style. Of particular note is the masterpiece "Walk The Way Of The New World," which is beautiful to the core due to the balance between the mellow electric piano melody, light flute, a flowing track with female scat, and Madhubuti's heroic poetry. The plaintive and mystical tone of the song is ear-catching. The funky, high-speed jazz of "Talking Stick" and the fast-paced title track "Rise, Vision, Comin" are also superb. This is a masterpiece of an album that is even better than "Medasi".

This is the first release from "Wenha", the successor label of "Tribe", which was established by Wendel Harrison in the 70's. This album is full of spirituality and blackness, and it retains the philosophy of "Tribe", but it also incorporates the smooth feeling of the early 80's. This is the first release from "Wenha", the successor label of "Tribe". This is the first release from Wendel Harrison's "Wenha" label, the successor to "Tribe" and a collector's item that has always fetched high prices for its original version, but it has been highly acclaimed not only for its rarity but also for its content, which has made many experts in the industry gasp in delight. This is a superb gem that has made many pundits roar not only in terms of rarity but also in terms of content! The players on the side include Phil Ranelin (Trombone), Harold McKinney (Keyboards), Roy Brooks (Percussion), and many other Detroit heavyweights, including Phil Ranelin (Trombone), who founded the Tribe together. The album starts with "Take Time Out" (A1) featuring soulful vocals, followed by the spiritual jazz "Pink Snowballs And Violet Skies" (A3) with its exhilarating bellow, and then the jet-black groove-filled jazz funk number "Where Am I?" (B1) is a truly historical document that beautifully captures the transition from the '70s to the '80s!
For this reissue, the 7inch "No Turnin' Back / Rocket Love" released at the same time on "Wenha" has been added to VINYL as a BONUS DISC, and a bonus track "Patrina's Dance" (B3) has been added to the LP. This is the latest reissue of the album in a completely new guise!








[h] C1. No Turnin' Back [7-inch]
[i] D1. Rocket Love [7-inch]

The group led by North Carolina-based singer/songwriter/guitarist Ron Henderson released this extremely rare album on the Los Angeles-based Chelsea label in 1976 -now priced at over 150,000 yen!- is being reissued on LP for the second time! As with the 2020 P Vine reissue, which has already skyrocketed in price, the cover is in the original Chelsea vinyl specification and the contents are in the reissue (probably boot) specification released in the 1980s with two additional singles from 1983, and also in 180g weight vinyl. Ron's singing is wonderful, with a hard and soft range from mellow medium, modern to crossover soul, ballads and funky, sometimes interwoven with falsetto! A great album that will make soul fans incontinent and weep!