Messed up funky soul from the Chicago scene – a beautiful package of rare singles from Little Ed & The Soundmasters! The style here is a bit hard to describe – as Ed and crew were schooled in blues, but brought up during the 60s soul underground – and clearly managed to pick... read more
Rare mid 60s garage rock from Adrian Lloyd – the wild scream-punctuated/Bo Diddley beat inspired "Lorna" and the less manic, but just as great "Got A Little Woman"! The hard-to-find Charger Records single gets much-needed reissue here by Sundazed.... read more
The Groovers definitely earn their name here – coming up with a wicked rocksteady rhythm behind Lloyd's lead vocals and the sweet harmonies that really send the tune home! The Emotions aren't the American group, but have a great Jamaican soul approach on this cut – moving with vocals... read more
One of Shorty's biggest tracks ever! "Function" is a perennial soul fave – as it's one of those cuts that lists a whole bunch of famous artists, attending some fictitious soul party! "Call On Me" is a sad, slow ballad – done with nice piano tinkling under Shorty's... read more
2 great sides from Chicago bluesman Willie Mabon – both showing his unique sound, quite different from the rest of his contemporaries! Willie plays piano underneath his vocals with a heavy triplet-styled sound – giving both tracks a down and dirty style that's almost New Orleans soul,... read more
A funky treasure! The single features alternate versions of two funky funky tunes by the great Galt MacDermot – recorded in the late 60s with Idris Muhammad on drums! Side one features the sublime "Ripped Open By Metal Explosions", one of Galt's most sampled funky tracks –... read more
A soaring groove from The Magicians – sweet "Faith & Understanding", served up with a bassline that bounces the whole thing along strongly – and some great vocals on the chorus that almost make the tune feel like a Metros number! "Rising Higher" is a tune that... read more
A beautiful testament to the T-909 drum machine – and almost more of a book than a drawing! The package comes with two totally cool color flexi-disc, and a 20 page booklet that features exceprts from Joe's larger treatise on the rhythm phenomenon – with some great phtos and drawings... read more
A previously unreleased soul track from the legendary Manzel – a great little number that has a bit more of a soul feel than some of his other work! The track's got a nice raspy vocal in the lead, but it also still has plenty of keyboards too – used in a sly, slinky, slow funk way... read more
A killer clubby groove from Steve Marshall – the kind that reminds us of the best indie singles from the late 70s disco years! Steve plays alto sax here over a strutting, high-stepping rhythm that's got plenty of warm touches – really glowing with a sense of soul that's great, and... read more
"One Eye Open" is a funky 45 classic! It's got a nice hard breakbeat on the intro, and then it leaps into a cool groover with a funny story that runs through the track. Nice stuff, and "Yaw'll" is pretty groovy, too.... read more
An obscure little funk number from the days when De-Lite was a straight funk label! The track's not the greatest you'll ever hear, but it's a pretty nice ensemble number, with a rolling groove, and lyrics about being out of the frying pan and in the fire.... read more
A sweet funky 45 debut for these 2 great cuts! "Tramp" is the original instrumental backing for the Otis & Carla hit – vocals stripped off and funky drums up large in the mix – making for all the funking vamping madness that first made us love the cut. Love that ripping... read more
One of the coolest, grooviest tunes we've ever heard from Jimmy McCracklin – a cut that begins with this totally awesome "uh-huh" vocal chorus – but recorded in a very echoey space, so that it sounds almost out of this world! Jimmy's own lead vocals are tremendous too –... read more
Nice obscure one by this lost girl soul group from the 70's! The Jackson 5 wrote and produced "What's Your Game", and it's got a very tight mellow 70's soul groove, with almost a Curtom sound, and a feel that's surprisingly deep for The Jacksons at the time. Gene Page arranged the flip... read more
Arizona funk from George Bowman and his Memphis Soul – recorded at Phoenix's Audio Recorders studio in the late 60s – completely unreleased until now by Numero! "Don't Down Me People" is purely funky on a couple levels, most notably via the JB-schooled vocals by... read more
A sweet little single from Menahan Street Band! "Lights Out" has this slow funk brilliance that's almost lifted off a rare 70s soundtrack – beats that are hard, but mellow too – topped by these snakey horns that really bring in a blue sort of feel to the music – almost... read more
Madly tripped-out grooves from the Menehan Street Band! "Wolf" is a number with a lot of Ethiopian elements in its groove – a cut that feels like it came from one of Mulatu's famous albums of the 70s – with lots of odd-stepping rhythms, offbeat horn parts, and this spacey bit... read more
A very cool version of "Purple Haze" – and one that sounds nothing like the original! The tune's handled here with some weird bubbling beats that kind of sway back and forth, and instead of guitar, the tune uses a very thin keyboards – while a female voice sings the lyrics in... read more
Classic funky soul from The Meters! "Sophisticated Cissy" was a follow-up to "Cissy Strut", and it's got the same tight grooves as that one – and some great Meters guitar! "Sehorns Farms" is another Meters classic – and the single's the kind of double-head... read more
A killer cut by The Metros – one of Detroit soul's best secrets in the 60s! The track is amazing – dipping, turning, and soaring with this groove that even knocks out most Motown classics – and it's backed here by an equally great number, making for one hell of a 45!... read more
One of the funkiest cuts ever by Miami – "Kill That Roach", a great little groover with a sweet southern approach! The track starts out with a "Shaft"-like intro – strings soaring as guitar sizzles a bit – then slightly Latinized vocals come in and burn things... read more
A sweet rarity from the lovely Mina – a great replica of one of her best singles from the early 70s – featuring the kind of amazing vocals that have always made her work unlike anyone else!... read more
A rocksteady gem from Hemsley Morris – produced by Clancy Eccles! "Stay Loose" has a nice mood, with steady rhythm and some soulful, deceptively simply lyrics that sneak into your conciousness and really sink in! Joe Higgs is backed by The Dynamites on the flip "Don't Mind... read more
One of Morrissey's first big tracks as a solo act – backed her with a live version of "People Are The Same Everywhere" – all pressed up on a sweet limited edition picture 45!... read more
The first single from Mr. Day's Dry Up The Sun set! "Forgotten Realms" is a nice one, with some retro R&B touches, but it's got a really unique vibe. Gritty lead vocals and nice chorus back up, handclaps on the beat, some really nice use of organ and an all around insistent groover!... read more
An obscure single from the Houston scene – a loving ode to roller disco, sung by a male singer over a groove that's almost a bit too complicated for the usual skating moves!... read more
The two best cuts from Idris' first Prestige album, edited down to hot 45 takes, with tight funky drums, and an excellent instrumental groove! "Express Yourself" bounces the groove even more than the original Charles Wright version – and "Super Bad" punches the beat with... read more
The funky soul everlasting "Popstopper" from Georgia Anne Muldrow and Dudley Perkins! Georgia Anne's singing is leading light on "Popstopper", with Dudley Perkins back in MC mode with the assist. The song's got a timeless vibe and while it certainly isn't a pop song, it's... read more
Tight-stepping soul from the well-named Hank "Soulman" Mullen – a great groover that moves at a Northern pace, but has a deeper soul feel overall! Hank's vocals are totally great – warm and raspy, almost in the best Memphis tradition – and the rhythms of the track are... read more
A nice blend of gritty old school funk and breakbeat hip hop production on Cold Busted! "Blessing Da Funk" is a blessing, indeed – raw beats, irrepressive bass line, funky guitar grooves and sampled bits of party rockin' vocals. "Mr Scream" is another winner – with... read more
Great work from the British kings of the funky 45 – they turned out another doozy! "Nervous" grooves like a heavy duty funk track – drums kicking it up all over the place underneath, while guitar strings out the riff in a "I Know You Got Soul" mode, and horns blast... read more
Nothing dixie about this classic groover from The Newports – as the tune's got a jagged rhythm on the bottom, and some sweet harmonies over the top – almost a jukebox mambo vibe, with maybe a slight touch of Crescent City – not to mention a sweet tenor solo near the end! "Don... read more
Sahr Ngaujah Vs Superhuman Happiness —
Gravity/String Theory ... 7-inch
Electric Cowbell,
2010. Near Mint- (pic cover)....
$1.99
A really cool avant single that's unlike anything else! It's from Sierra Leone-born vocalist Sahr Ngaujah and collaborator Stuart Bogie of Antibalas – both of whom work in the Broadway production Fela! – but Sahr Ngaujah Vs Superhuman Happiness has in otherwordly approach that's more... read more
Nickodemus brings his Global Minute series to Beirut – Middle Eastern MCs and regional funk sounds fused masterfully with timeless, universal hop hop – a brilliant, uncompromising track! Here Nickodemus is joined by MCs Edd Fareeq L'Atrash, Yaseen, Malikah & Ram6 Al Hamorabi on the... read more
Take it from us, a record with "chicken" in the title is always worth checking out – because it usually means a nicely strutting groove! That's definitely the case with "Chicken Grabber" – a cool cut with mambo percussion, vamping sax, and some great chicken calls... read more
Nothing chilly about Nightchill – as the group's a great late Dave Hamilton project from Detroit – working in a style that echoes older soul modes, but set to a more modern stepping groove! Romeo & Juliet are from more than a decade before – but get great production from Dave... read more
A rare Turkish groove – and a totally cool little tune – really unlike most of the other Turkish work we've heard from the time! "Kiriakos" moves along at a pretty quick kind of pace – fast rhythms leaping around strongly, peppered with fast organ lines too, all driven... read more
Includes "It's Tight Like That", "My Daddy Rocks Me", "Sweet Lorraine" , "Sweet Sue, Just You" , "Oh Sister Ain't That Hot", and "King Joe".... read more
Includes "Birmingham Bertha", "Love Me Or Leave Me", "Wake Up Chillin Wake Up" , "I Got A Misery" , "Chicago Rhythm", and "St Louis Blues".... read more
Includes "El Rado Scuffle", "He's Not Worth Your Tears", "After You've Gone" with Helen Savage, "Trav'lin All Alone" with Mildred Bailey, "My Melancholy Baby", and "Deep Trouble".... read more
An incredible early single from The Notations! "Just You & Me" is a heavenly ballad cut – harmonies moving back and forth with ease, getting a little tweak on the chorus in a way that reminds us of moments from earlier singles by The Sheppards. "I've Been Tryin" is... read more
A killer single from The Notations – one that has all the sublime harmonies of their Twinight work, but a slightly groovier feel overall! "That Girl" has this wicked guitar part that really gets the groove going – and the group's vocals more than step into line too, by... read more
A brilliant package that brings back two classic grooves from Kenny Dope and Louie Vega! First up is the legendary "Nervous Track" – a tune that's got this wonderfully syncopated snare – snapping along with break-like energy alongside some more house-heavy bass – all... read more
A sweet later groover from The O'Jays – warm, mellow, and moving at a great midtempo clip – a groove that lets the harmonies soar out beautifully over the top! The hook is wonderful, with a slight undercurrent of righteousness – and "My Favorite Person" follows with an... read more
Old Metropolitan Jazz Band/Dave Harris Trio —
Summertime ... 7-inch
Giraffe (Germany),
Early 70s. New Copy ....
$7.99
Two wonderful versions of the Gershwin classic "Summertime" – both of them very offbeat! The Old Metropolitan take has lots of horns, and a brooding bassline that really creates a lot of darkness – initiating the track for the first minute or so along with the vocals, before... read more
A sparkling debut – and a whole new side of Truth & Soul! The Olympians feature Toby Panzer on keyboards and vibes – and work here with a laidback groove that's totally great – kind of a combination of slow funk and instrumental sweet soul, with mellow beats, El Michels horns... read more
On the spot, and in the pocket – a tight trio with a wickedly funky feel – one that serves up plenty of Hammond organ over heavy drumlines! "Suction" doesn't suck at all – as it's a great groover with a really upbeat feel – and "Critically Acclaimed" is... read more
Smoking soul from the Ones & Nines – recorded in Jersey, and topped off in Memphis – making for an intra-state pedigree that's mighty nice! The group have a feel that's different quality than most other funky soul combos out there – with a nicely garagey quality on "Tell... read more
Both cuts are nice! "If I Could See" is a sexy heavy soul number from this tripped-out 70s group – kind of a sneaky cut, but with a good sound. "One Man's Feast. . ." is great too, with a similar type of groove – kind of rootsy, but also touched with a lot of post-T... read more
"Somebody's Been Sleeping" is a stone cold 70's soul classic! It starts with a nice high-pitched choppy bit, then rolls into a groove that has a great AM radio soul sound. Nice catchy hoo, too!... read more
Heavy funk, all the way through – a brilliant batch of cuts from The Original Black Sheep Of The Family – and one of the only true testaments we've ever seen to their obscure funky work! The set begins with the massive "In The Forest" – a wicked, wangly groove that... read more
Stormin Philly soul from The Orlons – a stepping groover that's got some great interplay between the female lead and the harmony vocals! There's a proud strut that makes the tune one of the Orlons' standout numbers – and "No Love But Your Love" has these great vibes that... read more
Rare French work from American pianist Errol Parker – 3 cool tunes used as the soundtrack for a film! "Des Garcons Et Des Filles" features a trio led by Parker, who plays some great piano, and also scats vocally with singer Rozaa Wortham – in this cool, catchy way that makes... read more