Funky 45's — All Formats  

A sweet little pre-Philly single from Archie Bell! "Dancing To Your Music" is produced by Prince Phillip Mitchell, and it's got a lightly swinging groove that brings out a really soulful side of Archie. The group's got some excellent harmony vocals in the background, and there's still a bit of the tight guitar from earlier records. "Count The Ways" is a great one too, with a heavy funk sound that's quite different for the group – and which gives them a really righteous groove, plus there's a nice psychedelic break towards the end too!

One of the records that really broke Buddy DeFranco out of the box – a loosely structured early Verve side, done with tracks that are longer than usual – letting Buddy and his combo really swing! The group features strong rhythm from Kenny Drew on piano, Milt Hinton on bass, and Art Blakey on drums – a group that would be great enough on its own, but is here topped by some incredibly fluid clarinet work from DeFranco – in a mode that you'd almost swear was bop alto sax at times! EP features 2 longish titles that include "But Not For Me" and "When Your Lover Has Gone".

One of the records that really broke Buddy DeFranco out of the box – a loosely structured early Verve side, done with tracks that are longer than usual – letting Buddy and his combo really swing! The group features strong rhythm from Kenny Drew on piano, Milt Hinton on bass, and Art Blakey on drums – a group that would be great enough on its own, but is here topped by some incredibly fluid clarinet work from DeFranco – in a mode that you'd almost swear was bop alto sax at times! EP features 2 longish titles that include "Ferdinando" and "The Things We Did Last Summer".

Heavy funk from the great Yvonne Fair! "Funky Music" is a tight little groover – bass and guitar dancing on the intro, riffing around hard and heavy, before horns and thumping drums come in with Yvonne's bad-ass vocals! "Let Your Hair Down" has some fake crowd noises at the beginning, and features Yvonne in her best Betty Davis mode – bad-rapping over some totally great funky grooves!

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 that are slower than the snapping rhythm of the track – with this sad, heartbreaking quality that really moves us!

A stone killer – filled with funky riffing, mad keys, and a wicked groove that's always made this one a favorite! The track begins with some off-kilter electric piano – then slowly backs into a soulful vocal that expands the groove – then the flipside breaks out with a funky flute instrumental, all supported by a really monster break!

The coolest funky 45 package we've seen yet from Peoples Potential – featuring Kurtis Scott's private press low-fi cosmic funk jams "If You Feel It" and "Get Up And Dance" – plus a booklet with a brief bio, black & white photos and the poetry of Curtis Futch Jr, aka Curtis Scott! We’re not sure of the dates of recordings for the tunes – there's an 80s basement funk atmosphere, though, and it serves these jams for the better, in our opinions. Raw funk and vocals highlight "If You Feel It (Get Up And Dance)" (you just might do that), tripped out by some echo – and the cosmic wierdness hits washes over fully on the flip "Uncrowned Champion". They booklet is nicely put together, too!

A jazzy dancefloor classic from Pal Joey! During the late 80s, lots of UK producers and groups were working in a nu jazz mode – mixing older jazz styles with newer rhythms and production, in a mode that often was called acid jazz, but which also moved into other camps. In the US, though, few groups were making such a stab at a nu style – save for Soho, whose "Hot Music" was one of the first new American underground cuts to really bring back that classic jazz flavor. The cut's a totally catchy one, worked around riffing hi-hit and snare fills, looped over and over, in a mode that's certainly been copped a lot lately by French producers! "Dance" is another number from the Pal Joey universe – a bit more familiar house overall, but still filled with lots of funky touches the give things a very classic feel!

A jazzy dancefloor classic from Pal Joey! During the late 80s, lots of UK producers and groups were working in a nu jazz mode – mixing older jazz styles with newer rhythms and production, in a mode that often was called acid jazz, but which also moved into other camps. In the US, though, few groups were making such a stab at a nu style – save for Soho, whose "Hot Music" was one of the first new American underground cuts to really bring back that classic jazz flavor. The cut's a totally catchy one, worked around riffing hi-hit and snare fills, looped over and over, in a mode that's certainly been copped a lot lately by French producers! "Dance" is another number from the Pal Joey universe – a bit more familiar house overall, but still filled with lots of funky touches the give things a very classic feel!

Gift Of Gab joins the Shaolin Temple Defenders here – laying down a few rhymes on "Take It Slow", alongside lead vocals from the Lion Of Bordeaux! "I Know What It Is" is another great tune from the group – no Gift of Gab this time around, but still nice and funky!

A very promising single from Brit soul upstart Liam Bailey – a diverse talent with a love for myriad American, British & Carribbean soul music – here with a single on Truth & Soul with a love for stripped down reggae soul! Here Bailey is working with NYC funky soul torch carriers Truth & Soul Records, really letting these songs simmer in an honest, real and raw stew of vocals, organ, drums and bass. Word is that Bailey is working with Salaam Remi for a major label debut, and we're thinking there's major potential for a huge breakout when that comes out – Bailey's got the goods, that's for sure!

A mixing of modes – although basically music that has a bouncy Batida touch on all tracks! "Ncongo J'Ami" is an older groove, remixed by Batida – and given a jumpy finish that's mighty nice – almost a 70s African vibe, filtered through contemporary Columbia – with just a few twists and turns along the way! The group's own "Yumbala" is reworked by AJ Holmes in an equally bouncy version – one that's got plenty of great basslines that move things along!