Hip-Hop Vinyl New Releases - News

Al Massrieen: Disco, Funk and modernized Arabic Pop from Egypt

In the beginning of Habibi Funk, our search was focussed on vinyl records. Around a year ago though, we got to the point where we realized that it became substantially harder to discover music, that we enjoyed and hadn't heard before. It became apparent that it was time to start looking for other formats. Cassette tapes were the obvious alternative. These were introduced in the arabic world around the late 1970s. In some countries they took over a bit earlier, in others a bit later, but eventually they pushed the vinyl format out of the market in the 1980s. In Egypt this trend already even started in the late 1970s.

Al Massrieen was one of the first bands I learned about once I discovered the tape format for myself. They were really popular in Egypt in the 1970s and the more of their music I found on either tapes or Arabic pirate mp3 sites, the more I was becoming a fan. Only very few bands from the region can match the band's versatility as well as their strive for innovation. Hany Shenoda is the man behind the Al Massrieen band. He is a reknown figure of the Egyptian music scene and has worked with everyone from Abdel Halim Hafez to Mohamed Mounir. Al Massrieen was his attempt to introduce his ideas of modernizing Egyptian music, heavily encouraged by Naguib Mahfouz (Egypt's only winner of the Nobel Price for literature) after discussing his ideas with him. Al Massrieen's sound goes from lush disco like "Sah" to psych rock like "Horreya" or incredible jazz fused pop on songs such as "Edba Mn Gded". I was shocked to realize the band seemed to be hardly known outside Egypt, even though I feel they're at least on the same level as Ahmed Fakroun. An relative obscurity which I largely attribute to the fact that their releases never have been pressed on vinyl (apart from a Greece best of LP which wasn't a strong compilation of the group's songs). One way or another it felt like this band and especially their composer, band leader and overall brain Hany Shenoda was in need to get some recognition outside of Egypt. The release is fully licensed from the band and comes with an extensive booklet with liner notes, interviews and unseen photos.

After providing us with the boogie drenched Tempo Dreams Vol. 2 compilation, LA-based Modern Funk maestro "B. Bravo" is back with a new 7" that's sure to become a staple for the crates.
With that feel good bassline and soulful hook, up-tempo A-side single "I'm For Real"'s infectious keys will get the dancefloor moving, while B-Side track "Stay The Night"'s gets a very rare dubbed out remix from Hawaii's Mr. Carmack taking things to that tropical island vibe. Let the funk take you.
B. Bravo's debut album will be out on Bastard Jazz in early 2017.

Blackman, multi-keyboard wizard played with the biggest names in fusion music including Lenny White & Twenny-nine'. As a leader and featured recording artist Don's keyboard, vocal and composing talents all came to shine on this debut LP, Blackman' originally released on Arista/GRP in 1982. The album became a sensation on the soul, jazz fusion, funk and rare groove scenes leading to it being constantly in demand since. In the UK Don performs every year at The Jazz Cafe' off the strength of this one album twenty years ago! In 2002 Expansion released his first solo album for Expansion Listen'.
Don toured the world with his band and The Marcus Miller Band', The World Saxophone Quartet', with jazz and bassist Tuero Nakamura.. His work on the acoustic piano and other keyboards was recorded on Mary J. Blidge's, Feel Like A Natural Woman' and Janet Jackson's That's The Way Love Goes' Nard' was sampled by Snoop Doggy Dogg' entitled Hustlers N' G's'.

Part 1(LENGLP008) due in May, here is basic info for Part 2 (Due Early June)

This was a standout track on THIEVERY CORP's DJ KICKS mix album, and isalso featured on the new ESL compilation "DEN OF THIEVES", as well as beingNME mag's single of the week when it was released in the UK. Spaced-outpolyrhythmic funk with two other percussive rockers on the flip. (ESL)

GPR-001 is hitting the streets this spring, a spicy blend of jazz-funk with an instrumental hip-hop aesthetic.
You probably know Ed Wizard from various slo-mo disco affairs on over a dozen labels,
Back once again with this sweet two tracker, perfect for sunny daze and lounge affairs alike..Pressed on a limited (300 copy) 7" vinyl pressing with dinked centre.

LP reissue. Pressed on 180gm black vinyl. Boney M's 1978 third LP, which contained the hits "Rasputin", "Rivers of Babylon" and "Brown Girl in the Ring"

Lotus Disco #Love#Hope#Desire combines twelve full length soulful disco and boogie tracks on one collection. Both introducing and closing the selection are the elusive group Suzy Q with tracks never previously on CD and the trademark sound of Lotus Disco, a DJ sensation from Vietnam currently building a name for himself internationally. Also for the first time on CD are the 12' disco mix of Breaking And Entering' by Dee Dee Sharp and the much sought after Kashif-penned rare boogie track Loveline' by Shawne Jackson. Among the classics here are Can't Fake The Feeling' by Geraldine Hunt (the extremely fresh sounding and hard to find Dub Mix), and disco legend Tom Moulton's mix of Sweet Dynamite' for Claudja Barry. Lotus Disco made his UK debut at Horse Meat Disco in 2015 and currently tours the world.
Four Tracks issued on CD first time. Eight Tracks rare on CD. Compiled by new DJ sensation Lotus Disco from Vietnam

Los Angeles-based Adam Mori aka B. Bravo adds a touch of love to every soulful groove he gets his hands on. His signature sound, connecting cosmic g-funk, r&b, and dance music has made him a name in the electronic music scene as well a key player in the worldwide modern funk movement, being hailed by the likes of XLR8R, FACT Magazine, Gilles Peterson and many more.

After many years of worldwide touring and one off releases & production credits on labels like Blue Note, HW&W Records, Salva's Frite Nite label, Gilles Peterson's Brownswood Recordings, Earnest Endeavors and more, Mr. Bravo finally took the time to settle in one place long enough to produce his long awaited debut album Paradise, set to be released mid March on Brooklyn's Bastard Jazz Recordings.

Packed full of late night synth grooves, modern funk and boogie inspired heat with a full cast of supporting vocalists, Paradise was written and produced during a major transitory period in Adam's life. "These are songs inspired by the last few years of my life - leaving my home in San Francisco and moving to LA...,touring Southeast Asia and meeting my wonderful wife. Spending time in Bali, the jungle, the beach, falling in love, getting married & giving birth to our daughter " he says. "Everyone wants their own version of paradise in one way or another. These are songs about passion and love and fun and frustration and patience in the crazy journey of life." Paradise will be out worldwide digitally, on vinyl and CD March 17th on Bastard Jazz Recordings.

Original funk production exclusive 12" release on Jordan Valley Records. Featuring "Fear Not" and "Spaces" plus instrumentals. This is a limited release.

The Como Mamas sind Della Daniels, Ester Mae Wilbourne und Angelia Taylor, ein Gospel Trio aus Como, Mississippi. Ihr erstes Album "Get An Understanding" war ein All-a Capella-Liebling unter vielen Gospel-Fans. Hier nun eine neue 7" Single mit zwei Tracks aus ihrem bevorstehenden neuen Album, das im Mai erscheinen wird.

The New Testament Of Funk is back to preach the new funk! It's been a while but now is the time to get the groove again. After the success of the last NTOF-samplers many believers were waiting for new stuff. There you go!
Henry Storch and Chrispop took their time to compile a sampler for all you funkers, groovers and hip cats.
NTOF Vol. 6 delivers previously unreleased tracks such as - In Control' by Sons Of Time or - Where Do We Go From Here' by The Mighty Mocambos feat. Lee Fields and exclusive remixes of Andy Cooper's - Chasing The Funk' and - Get Up & Get It' by Reiner Witzel & Datfunk.
So just like the former NTOF the New Testament Of Funk Vol. 6 contains the hottest tunes you can get. Amen!

Following the recent reissues of Pop Impressions, Super America,
Soul Impressions, and Chorus, Underdog Records label follows
up to the series with another brilliant album by French underrated
composer and producer, JANKO NILOVIC.
JANKO NILOVIC certainly was one of the greatest studio talents of Europe in the 70s!
He is a musician who devotes himself to music, which resulted in a great number of published works, but most of them made for library music labels and also not available for sale. His oeuvre stretches from classical, jazz and funk to pop, psyche
and easy listening. And has been sampled many times by hip-hop
artists such as JAY-Z, DRE, DAFUNIKS or GUTS...

Bristol boogie dons - The Allergies, are back with another hot 7" single to rip up dancefloors, and once again they've got champion MC and producer Andy Cooper (Ugly Duckling) to assist in their funky endeavours.
Feedback for previous album As We Do Our Thing and single with Andy Cooper
Album of The day on BBC 6 music with additional support from Shaun Keaveny, Lauren Laverne, Nemone, Craig Charles Don Letts, and Radcliffe and Maconie
Andy Cooper and the Allergies also performed a Dermot O' Leary BBC Radio 2 session and a Loose Ends session on BBC Radio 4.
Hit top 3 in the iTunes UK Hip Hop chart (47 main overall)
#1 on Juno Download
The previous single Rock Rock featuring Andy Cooper was featured on Channel 4's Sunday Brunch and
Rock Rock used to soundtrack Euro football qualifiers on ITV (both National television station)
Rock Rock was Tune of the Month in Mixmag
Rock Rock also went to # 1 on Juno Download Hip hop chart on release.

The Heliocentrics are a group for which genres are meaningless and boundaries invisible. Since first appearing on DJ Shadow's 2006 album The Outsider the group have gone on to release a string of records that float through jazz, hip-hop, psych, krautrock, and musique concrete whilst collaborating with numerous genre heavyweights from Mulatu Astake to Gaslamp Killer and picking up prestigious fans along the way, such as Madlib and the recently departed David Axelrod.
The primarily instrumental group, who operate out of their vintage analogue studio in East London called the Quatermass Sound Lab, bring in a new singer on album number four - a young Slovakian singer called Barbora Patkova. The result is an album that takes the band, already solidified in ever-expanding grooves and rhythms into new previously unexplored dimensions.The group's deep-set ability to craft music intuitively and impulsively stems from a desire to avoid typical processes or generic structures. Since its conception, the band's music has mainly been created from live improvisation. This musical approach gives the band its own sound and identity -'for anything to happen it must be at that time from the people in the room, and on the spot'. A decade of such sonic adventures has resulted in a tightly knit bond that the group refer to as almost a form of telepathy' with musical changes that otherwise would be near impossible to write.

The Heliocentrics are a group for which genres are meaningless and boundaries invisible. Since first appearing on DJ Shadow's 2006 album The Outsider the group have gone on to release a string of records that float through jazz, hip-hop, psych, krautrock, and musique concrete whilst collaborating with numerous genre heavyweights from Mulatu Astake to Gaslamp Killer and picking up prestigious fans along the way, such as Madlib and the recently departed David Axelrod.
The primarily instrumental group, who operate out of their vintage analogue studio in East London called the Quatermass Sound Lab, bring in a new singer on album number four - a young Slovakian singer called Barbora Patkova. The result is an album that takes the band, already solidified in ever-expanding grooves and rhythms into new previously unexplored dimensions.The group's deep-set ability to craft music intuitively and impulsively stems from a desire to avoid typical processes or generic structures. Since its conception, the band's music has mainly been created from live improvisation. This musical approach gives the band its own sound and identity -'for anything to happen it must be at that time from the people in the room, and on the spot'. A decade of such sonic adventures has resulted in a tightly knit bond that the group refer to as almost a form of telepathy' with musical changes that otherwise would be near impossible to write.

Rome was, of course, the pulsing heart of Italian library music - it is the place where tv and movies are made, so editors and musicians tend to gather there. But we must not forget what was happening in the library music world, at the same time, in Milan - where there was a very active music industry, but leaning more on the pop and jazz side. The Roman style was more connected to the classic and orchestral tradition, but the musicians from Milan adopted a more urban and international approach, in the vein of contemporary pop with some US jazz-funk instrumental deviations. It's not a coincidence that among the most active artists in the library world we find people who - in the Seventies and Eighties - played in many records by Mina, Fabrizio De André, Gaber, Branduardi and Fausto Papetti. The quartet featuring pianist Oscar Rocchi, bassist Gigi Cappellotto, drummer Andy Surdi and guitarist Ernesto Verardi is behind many great library music albums from the golden age, most of which released via the labels owned by Edizioni Minstrel. 'Crazy Colours' (originally marketed in 1979 via BAM label, credited to the New Sound Quartet), is quite a big effort for a library music album, since it features a whole orchestra to back the quartet and soloist Hugo Heredia (always present on sax and flute in the albums by the four musicians). In these eight tracks, orchestral disco music is the main focus: in the vein of late Seventies, the biggest influences are to be found in Quincy Jones and Barry White.

Nicole Willis (Nicole Willis & The Soul Investigators) & collaborator Jimi Tenor, (known solo artist) with electric bass player Jonathan Maron (Maxwell-Ascension, Norah Jones, etc).

Disco EP or LP with old school Radio Edit, Original & Instumental versions of the two songs:

Disco/Funk "Big Fantasy (For Me)"

Disco Anthem "Tear It Down"

New label focusing on the various shades of the Jazz spectrum, volume one features 2 killer tracks.
7 inch Black Vinyl with a Manilla sleeve

At a time when bandleaders in Nigeria used titles as an affectation, Dr. Adolf Ahanotu was the real deal. He had a PhD in music compilation and Master's degrees in education and communication. He also played a mean tenor sax, an instrument he mastered touring Owerri with the Mirabels. Ahanotu's scholarly background is apparent in the impeccable arrangements and the way each track is labelled with its musical type. The banging opening track, 'Sensation' is disco, notes the helpful doctor. The legendary 'Ijere' is to be considered Remire or Afro Jazz. 'Litany of Freedom' is reggae, 'Cupid' is rock and 'Tropical Moonlight' classified as the blues. The mandatory ode to the nation, 'Happy Nigeria', is labelled as calypso. But these are not dry, scholarly pieces. 'Sensation' reeks of dance floor freakiness not the hallowed halls of academia. And listen to the pitch bend craziness on 'Injere'. Sure, Dr. Ahanotu had studied the rules. But he wasn't afraid to break them. From the freaked-out opening seconds of the title track you are left in no doubt: The doctor is in the house. Mastered and produced by Goddy Oku. - Peter Moore

At a time when bandleaders in Nigeria used titles as an affectation, Dr. Adolf Ahanotu was the real deal. He had a PhD in music compilation and Master's degrees in education and communication. He also played a mean tenor sax, an instrument he mastered touring Owerri with the Mirabels. Ahanotu's scholarly background is apparent in the impeccable arrangements and the way each track is labelled with its musical type. The banging opening track, 'Sensation' is disco, notes the helpful doctor. The legendary 'Ijere' is to be considered Remire or Afro Jazz. 'Litany of Freedom' is reggae, 'Cupid' is rock and 'Tropical Moonlight' classified as the blues. The mandatory ode to the nation, 'Happy Nigeria', is labelled as calypso. But these are not dry, scholarly pieces. 'Sensation' reeks of dance floor freakiness not the hallowed halls of academia. And listen to the pitch bend craziness on 'Injere'. Sure, Dr. Ahanotu had studied the rules. But he wasn't afraid to break them. From the freaked-out opening seconds of the title track you are left in no doubt: The doctor is in the house. Mastered and produced by Goddy Oku. - Peter Moore

The self-proclaimed funkiest band on the west coast of Africa, the Heads Funk Band, could arguably make that claim for the whole continent. Featuring the slick guitar of Felix 'Feladey' Odey, the slinky drumming of Eddie Offeyi and the swirling keyboard chops of Kevin 'Fortune' Coburn, nobody was funkier. And that's not even taking into account the dance floor monsters they were releasing at the same time as Akwassa. Cold Fire was their second album as the Heads Funk Band. Where their first album, Hard World, was in a hurry to get you on the dance floor, on Cold Fire the funk is given room to breathe. The title track has a dark ghetto groove, straight from the mean streets of New York. 'Got To Know' has a loose, feel good vibe. 'Put On Your Funky Shoes' and the instrumental, 'Funky Port Harcourt' live up to their names. With Feladey laying down a hybrid chicken scratch/wah-wah sound over Eddie Offeyi's assured drumming, and 'Fortune' Coburn supplying the free-range keyboards, this is a band at the height of their powers. Cold Fire is killer stuff and proof that in the mid-seventies Nigeria was producing the funkiest bands in the world. - Peter Moore

The self-proclaimed funkiest band on the west coast of Africa, the Heads Funk Band, could arguably make that claim for the whole continent. Featuring the slick guitar of Felix 'Feladey' Odey, the slinky drumming of Eddie Offeyi and the swirling keyboard chops of Kevin 'Fortune' Coburn, nobody was funkier. And that's not even taking into account the dance floor monsters they were releasing at the same time as Akwassa. Cold Fire was their second album as the Heads Funk Band. Where their first album, Hard World, was in a hurry to get you on the dance floor, on Cold Fire the funk is given room to breathe. The title track has a dark ghetto groove, straight from the mean streets of New York. 'Got To Know' has a loose, feel good vibe. 'Put On Your Funky Shoes' and the instrumental, 'Funky Port Harcourt' live up to their names. With Feladey laying down a hybrid chicken scratch/wah-wah sound over Eddie Offeyi's assured drumming, and 'Fortune' Coburn supplying the free-range keyboards, this is a band at the height of their powers. Cold Fire is killer stuff and proof that in the mid-seventies Nigeria was producing the funkiest bands in the world. - Peter Moore

The eastern Nigerian city of Calabar in Cross River State was colloquially known as Canaan City - a place of lush landscapes, alluring women and delicious cooking. When the Biafra War ended it became a land of milk and honey for bands as well, with jumping venues like the Taj Mahal and Luna Nite Club and a label called Clover, set up local entrepreneur Ben Okonkwo, releasing albums by bands like The Doves, The Visitors, Aktion and The Apostles. The youngest band on the Clover roster was Mansion, a teenage highlife group, led by singer and bassist John 'Holy Mountain' Ebiong. Okonkwo decked them out in flares, repackaged them as a funk band and put them in the studio with EMI super-producer, Kayode Salami. The result was Devil Woman, an astoundingly assured funk/rock album. The title track revels in a '60s psychedelic vibe. 'The Love Song' is a direct appeal to teenage hearts. 'Heaven Here On Earth' has an irresistible shuffling groove while 'You Can't Stop Us' is what James Brown would have sounded like if he'd been born in the Cross River State. Devil Woman is an album designed to set young hearts aflutter and draw approving nods from seasoned musicians. It succeeds in both. - Peter Moore

The eastern Nigerian city of Calabar in Cross River State was colloquially known as Canaan City - a place of lush landscapes, alluring women and delicious cooking. When the Biafra War ended it became a land of milk and honey for bands as well, with jumping venues like the Taj Mahal and Luna Nite Club and a label called Clover, set up local entrepreneur Ben Okonkwo, releasing albums by bands like The Doves, The Visitors, Aktion and The Apostles. The youngest band on the Clover roster was Mansion, a teenage highlife group, led by singer and bassist John 'Holy Mountain' Ebiong. Okonkwo decked them out in flares, repackaged them as a funk band and put them in the studio with EMI super-producer, Kayode Salami. The result was Devil Woman, an astoundingly assured funk/rock album. The title track revels in a '60s psychedelic vibe. 'The Love Song' is a direct appeal to teenage hearts. 'Heaven Here On Earth' has an irresistible shuffling groove while 'You Can't Stop Us' is what James Brown would have sounded like if he'd been born in the Cross River State. Devil Woman is an album designed to set young hearts aflutter and draw approving nods from seasoned musicians. It succeeds in both. - Peter Moore

In mid-seventies, Nigerian bands came and went with alarming regularity, rising meteorically from the slums to stardom and falling back again just as quickly. Masisi Mass Funk from Anamara State was one such band. But during their brief moment in the stratosphere, they produced a funk gem in I Want You Girl. The band was championed by Ebere Ikoro from the Hygrades. He took them under his wing after an ill-advised collaboration with Soly Dibong. They were originators not imitators, he said. He produced I Want You Girl and played on it as well. It's easy to see what appealed to Ebere Ikoro. The title track has a Manfred Mann sixties vibe. 'Care To Love Me' is a wonky, off-kilter reggae calypso number. And 'Ungrateful People' bounces along with a Sly And The Family Stone chirpiness. However, it's the gospel numbers that really stand out. 'Heavenly Father' rocks out with strident keyboards and plaintive vocals. And the relentless 'He Is To Be Praised' is an afro-funk-rock-gospel monster, guaranteed to raise your eyes to heaven while keeping your feet firmly planted on the dance floor. Sadly, Masisi Mass Funk only released one album, their star burning as quickly as it did brightly. They went on to form First Planet, an Afro Boogie band that tore up Lagos dancefloors in the '80s. But that's another story for another day. - Peter Moore

In mid-seventies, Nigerian bands came and went with alarming regularity, rising meteorically from the slums to stardom and falling back again just as quickly. Masisi Mass Funk from Anamara State was one such band. But during their brief moment in the stratosphere, they produced a funk gem in I Want You Girl. The band was championed by Ebere Ikoro from the Hygrades. He took them under his wing after an ill-advised collaboration with Soly Dibong. They were originators not imitators, he said. He produced I Want You Girl and played on it as well. It's easy to see what appealed to Ebere Ikoro. The title track has a Manfred Mann sixties vibe. 'Care To Love Me' is a wonky, off-kilter reggae calypso number. And 'Ungrateful People' bounces along with a Sly And The Family Stone chirpiness. However, it's the gospel numbers that really stand out. 'Heavenly Father' rocks out with strident keyboards and plaintive vocals. And the relentless 'He Is To Be Praised' is an afro-funk-rock-gospel monster, guaranteed to raise your eyes to heaven while keeping your feet firmly planted on the dance floor. Sadly, Masisi Mass Funk only released one album, their star burning as quickly as it did brightly. They went on to form First Planet, an Afro Boogie band that tore up Lagos dancefloors in the '80s. But that's another story for another day. - Peter Moore

OFO The Rock Company (originally known as OFO The Back Company) were Nigeria's first acid-rock band. Blending Hendrix and Deep Purple with shamanism and a pro-black philosophy, they cut their teeth at Fela Kuti's Afrika Shrine, developing a fearsome live reputation that intimidated every other band in Lagos. No one wanted to follow the guys from OFO, not even Fela himself. Lead by the charismatic Larry Ifedioranma, OFO The Rock Company considered themselves a musical cult. Their live shows were a heady mix of mind-melting musicianship, mysticism and theatre. In 1973 the band tour Europe and Fonkafrika gathers together the best of those performance. The moments captured range from small intimate gigs in London, where you can hear the conversation amongst the crowd, to an astonishing gig in East Germany where they played before 900,000 people. The undoubted highlight is the extended prog-rock wig out of 'Ayaya,' recorded at the Berlin gig, before an obviously delighted crowd. See if you can pick out the moment where the band were joined on stage by a long-haired hippy who insisted on playing guitar. They didn't realize it at the time but it was Carlos Santana. It was in Europe that the band fell apart, riven in two by Ifedioranma's increasingly autocratic rule. Fonkafrica remains as a precious testament to what the band did best - playing loud and proud and putting on a show you would never forget. - Peter Moore

OFO The Rock Company (originally known as OFO The Back Company) were Nigeria's first acid-rock band. Blending Hendrix and Deep Purple with shamanism and a pro-black philosophy, they cut their teeth at Fela Kuti's Afrika Shrine, developing a fearsome live reputation that intimidated every other band in Lagos. No one wanted to follow the guys from OFO, not even Fela himself. Lead by the charismatic Larry Ifedioranma, OFO The Rock Company considered themselves a musical cult. Their live shows were a heady mix of mind-melting musicianship, mysticism and theatre. In 1973 the band tour Europe and Fonkafrika gathers together the best of those performance. The moments captured range from small intimate gigs in London, where you can hear the conversation amongst the crowd, to an astonishing gig in East Germany where they played before 900,000 people. The undoubted highlight is the extended prog-rock wig out of 'Ayaya,' recorded at the Berlin gig, before an obviously delighted crowd. See if you can pick out the moment where the band were joined on stage by a long-haired hippy who insisted on playing guitar. They didn't realize it at the time but it was Carlos Santana. It was in Europe that the band fell apart, riven in two by Ifedioranma's increasingly autocratic rule. Fonkafrica remains as a precious testament to what the band did best - playing loud and proud and putting on a show you would never forget. - Peter Moore

Unearthed by groove archeologist Betino Errera, this black gem was cut in Paris in 1980 by American vocalist Robert Helms. His French career being rather confidential with releases under his own name as well as Bobby Helms or simply Bobby, the Lay Down Girl album remained a well-kept secret for decades despite the fact that it contained two very strong disco-funk tunes.

Helms was backed by a seasoned studio band including Donny Donable (of Lafayette Afro Rock Band) on drums, Christophe Zadire (of Zulu Gang fame) on bass and Beckie Bell on backing vocals. The session was led by master musician Jacob Desvarieux on guitar, piano and synths, who was already at that time one of the founders of Kassav. These recordings were made under the supervision of Pierre Jaubert, who was a major player on the independent French production scene from the late 60s onward, operating his own studio, famous for also being a much appreciated meeting point for musicians. He is responsible for bringing forth works from legendary bluesmen like John Lee Hooker, Memphis Slim, Roosevelt Sykes and jazz greats including Mal Waldron, Archie Shepp and Charlie Mingus. But to funk lovers, Pierre Jaubert is mostly known for his involvement with the mythical Lafayette Afro Rock Band whose prominent breaks and riffs have been sampled by the most illustrious rappers including Public Enemy, De La Soul, Naughty by Nature, Digital Underground, Wu Tang Clan and Ice Cube to name just a few.

Today, Betino's Records reissues two very sought after tracks from the original album: "Feet On The Ground", cowritten by Desvarieux and Helms and "Sekele I Like It", written by Desvarieux and Pasteur Lappe, the latter hailing from Cameroon was the first one to record the song in 1979. In addition, both tunes get the contemporary rework treatment. Baptman and Betino editing the vocals out of "Sekele I Like It" then turning it into a very danceable Philly inspired dub. For his part, DJ Vas digs the Afrobeat seam on "Feet On The Ground", thickens the sauce with thumping bass lines and adds an "Earth Wind & Fire" feel by putting the emphasis on the horn section.

And last but not least, this 12inch pressing is limited to 700 copies worldwide.

2 tracks taken from the Surinam Funk Force compilation. Cynthia - "Jhoom Le" was only feat. on the cd and was previously not available on vinyl.

Legendary album among Italian Library junkies and euro groove hunters by the great maestro and orchestra conductor Puccio Roelens, responsible of some for the Funkiest productions made in Italy. Music swings from Jazz to Funk and Psichedelia, with loads of terrific beats, laden grooves and top breakbeats simply to die for. Breathtaking Psychedelic Jazz arrangements / Lounge Funk tunes / catching Bossa / terrific drums groove. One of the most desired items of the genre is finally available for the Record Store Day 2017. HOLY GRAIL ALERT!

Limited edition of 500 copies exclusive for RSD 2017.

'Running The Voodoo Down' looks at a time when African-American music was exploring myriad new directions against a backdrop of incredible and explosive social change and features the likes of FUNKADELIC, JAMES BROWN, MILES DAVIS, LIGHTNING ROD & JIMI HENDRIX, KEITH JARRETT, BUDDY MILES, THE METERS, THE CHAMBERS BROTHERS, SWAMP DOGG, JAMES 'BLOOD' ULMER and SLY & THE FAMILY STONE. Whilst not a lot of this music was commercially successful at the time, its importance and its influence on subsequent generations of artists - both black and white - has continued to grow over the years.

To quote Harlow's extensive liner notes: This is the sound of Musical Revolution. Social Revolution was in the air and musicians jumped with the times. Working around the funky ground built by Mr Brown, The Big Four - Miles, Clinton, Jimi and Sly - set about

'Running The Voodoo Down' looks at a time when African-American music was exploring myriad new directions against a backdrop of incredible and explosive social change and features the likes of FUNKADELIC, JAMES BROWN, MILES DAVIS, LIGHTNING ROD & JIMI HENDRIX, KEITH JARRETT, BUDDY MILES, THE METERS, THE CHAMBERS BROTHERS, SWAMP DOGG, JAMES 'BLOOD' ULMER and SLY & THE FAMILY STONE. Whilst not a lot of this music was commercially successful at the time, its importance and its influence on subsequent generations of artists - both black and white - has continued to grow over the years.

To quote Harlow's extensive liner notes: This is the sound of Musical Revolution. Social Revolution was in the air and musicians jumped with the times. Working around the funky ground built by Mr Brown, The Big Four - Miles, Clinton, Jimi and Sly - set about

Kon returns with a heavily anticipated multi track remix of Wood Brass & Steel's Funkanova, unearthing vocals that didn't make the original while beautifully stretching out and breaking down the lush layers of this loft classic.
On the flip, is his take on the bands more obscure cover of Boz Scagg's Low Down, emphasizing a killer bassline to keep the dance floor rockin'