Funky 45's -- In Stock  

Beautiful original single of Syl's classic track about racial disenfranchisement. The track's filled with deep deep Chicago soul, and it's a stunning set of halting guitar-based arrangements that are beyond compare! The flip's a nice original, also written by Syl.... read more

Syl's last big record -- a sweet bluesy groover for the clubs, with a bit of an older feel to it. "Ms Fine Brown Frame" was written with General Crook, who also produced and arranged. Backing both tracks is by the James Cotton group.... read more

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The return of the funky soul diva -- and the first release on the soon-to-be famous Daptone label! Daptone is the second imprint to emerge out of the ashes of the Desco funk empire -- and former Desco artist Sharon Jones kicks off the label's first release with some killer-diller soul sister... read more

Whomp! This excellent single from Sharon Jones may be her funkiest ever -- hard drums at the beginning, romping with guitar and bass -- and Sharon coming in over the top on vocals, belting out like the true funky diva she is, right up there with Marva Whitney, Vicki Anderson, and a rare few other... read more

Sharon Jones does a wonderful job with this classic -- getting some hard funky backings from The Dap-Kings, and soaring out over the top with the best reading of the lyric we've ever heard! There's a tasty sax solo in the middle of the track -- and the instrumental flipside offers even more!... read more

One of the funkiest tunes ever by Sharon Jones -- the hard soul diva who first came to our attention with her Desco singles, and who's flying the flag high and proud for Daptone! "Make It Good To Me" is part Meters-styled funk, part People Records female soul, with touches of Marva... read more

Pure, simple funk -- and nothing but! We'd be hard pressed to come up with better advice than "Pick It Up Lay It In The Cut" -- and Sharon and the Dap Kings do just that, grooving hard with monstrous bass, drums, and guitar -- making the tune one of the hardest tracks ever on the already-... read more

A cooker of a single from Sharon Jones -- one that features her title track for the 100 Days album, plus the non-LP "Settling In"! "100 Days 100 Nights" is a modern funk classic -- a hip anthem that's been getting Jones plenty of coverage in recent months -- and "Settling... read more

Easily one of the heaviest records we've ever heard from the amazing Sharon Jones -- certainly in terms of the backing! The tune starts out with these mad-riffing horns -- really going to town in a "Grunt"-styled way, before the whole tune drops out, changes groove, and gets equally... read more

Back to funky business for Sharon Jones -- her best single in years, and a nitty gritty groover that has some great JBs-like touches on the horns and rhythms! The groove here is totally great -- more 70s funk than some of the late 60s-styled work of earlier years -- and flowing out with sinister... read more

Sharon's got her political agenda straight on this one -- working with heavy heavy backings from the Dap-Kings on a hip message-oriented cut that ranks with the best of the early 70s! The groove's overflowing with tight wah wah guitar, topped off by some nice chromatic Willie Hutch-like work --... read more

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Funky dancefloor magic -- and Ben E King's greatest track of the 70s! "Supernatural Thing" is that perfect blend of funk and club -- very hard rhythms augmented by nice conga riffs, all rolling into a massive midtempo groove that's held together by Ben's great lead vocals!... read more

Loud, twangy, and mighty soulful!... read more

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A stormin version of the Buddy Miles hit -- done at a strong tempo by King, with lots of firey sax work, and a good conga groove under the band as they vamp vamp vamp!... read more

A surprisingly tasty bit of funk from King! "Sweet Inspiration" is a great bit of southern fried funk -- starts out with a tasty skittish drum break, then rolls into a sweeeeet electric piano part that cooks up the groove in time for King to take it on home with a solo! "Instant... read more

A funky little groover from Kokolo -- a cut that's part Afro Funk, part deep funk, and plenty darn soulful all the way through! The tune romps around with a great sense of energy -- more frenetic than usual for a number of this sort, which is really reflected in the tight, short horn solos that... read more

Duran Duran's never sounded better -- thanks to some very hip treatment by Kokolo! The group's hit "Girls On Film" is remade here as a chunky Afrobeat number -- a surprisingly great fit for the tune, and one that's carried off by Kokolo with a really playful feel. The rhythms have a... read more

A wild version of this James Brown classic -- one that benefits from lots of jagged rhythms from Kokolo! The tune mixes an tight JBs groove with Kokolo's usual Afrobeat stylings -- then tops the whole thing with these new sing-song lyrics that are really wild -- almost old school hip hop, but a... read more

American titles, but some very groovy tunes from Germany -- rare sound library work from Rolf Kuhn, and a fair bit funkier than music we normally hear from him! "Brooklyn Bridge" is a romping tune that has angular reeds setting an edge alongside heavy Hammond and skittish drums -- really... read more

The monumental 70s Afro funky gem Hihache by Lafayette Afro Rock Band! Hihache is just an unbeatable funk track in a lot of ways -- starting out with a solid, but fairly stripped down funk groove of drums and a sinister bassline, slowly building into a polycultural bit of perfection. Hand... read more

Byard Lancaster takes on John Coltrane -- on two tracks with a very different feel! "Blue Train" is an unusual reading of Trane's classic track -- one that features Lancaster's sax echoing the original groove, over some slightly funky backings that slink along with a bit of soul. There's... read more

Two great grooves from Byard Lancaster -- a bit funkier than his usual work! "Us" has some monster drums from Steve McCall and a really great bassline too -- one that jumps and romps along nicely, and provides a perfect space for Byard's great reedwork! "Just Test" has a... read more

Messy, gritty, and plenty darn funky -- a really wicked little tune from Jimmy Lane and the well-named Incredibles! The track starts out with wicked guitar lick and fierce drum snap -- then changes rhythm about 30 seconds into the mix, then goes back to the first, then back to the second, and so... read more

Timo Lassy and Jose James -- a really wonderful pairing, and some music that's a bit different than work we've heard from either artist on their own! James' vocals are as great as always, but they're set up here with a lively modal jazz groove -- which really unlocks a whole new quality in his... read more

Romping soul from Lefties -- a kicking little number with a mod 60s groove! "Have Love" has all the charm you'd expect from the title -- almost a garage-funk combination, with a key vocal contribution from Flomega! "Here Come The Girls" has some really heavy drums -- breaking... read more

Plenty of jiving around here -- as Leroy and crew hit a massively funky instrumental groove on the set -- rhythms that have a skittish back/forth sort of quality, sewn up tightly with lots of wangly guitar bits and tighter horns over the top! The cut was recorded in Virginia, but it really sounds... read more

Groovy, tripped out group sounds from Les Freres Smith! "L Marche Des Smith" is a sweet, easygoing tune with a hypnotic guitar groove and nice percussion to start it off, with a bass groove come in that's upfront in the mix, and some laidback horns that bring in a little bit of an Afro... read more

Fast guitar leads off "Tad Askew" -- a tune that's definitely right on the mark, thanks to snappingly quick drums, and some great Alan Hawkshaw-styled Hammond over the top! "Oily" is another great number too -- one that romps nicely in the rhythms, but really finds its mark... read more

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Leroy Franklin's got a mighty great groove here on "Star Bird" -- a soaring, upbeat approach that made the cut an underground burner in the Texas scene of the early 80s -- even though it didn't get much wider circulation at the time! The style is upbeat funk, with a slightly righteous... read more

2 tremendous tracks from Sven Libaek's legendary Inner Space! "Dark World" is a slow-building number that mixes vibes and gentle guitar into a beautifully swirling blend -- one that's almost got a folk-funk feel at points, but an instrumental one -- ringing out with a beautifully... read more

A beautifully breezy groover from this hip New Zealand combo -- a track that dances delightfully on guitar from Gianmarco Liguori, and which also has a bit of a bossa undercurrent! Trumpet and tinkling keyboard lines drift moodily over the upbeat, modal rhythms -- and the tune's got a warmth that's... read more

Nothing "lil" about Dave's sound here -- as the single's a massive groover -- of the sort you might normally expect to find in a 12" format! "Chips & Salsa" has all the Latin flavor you'd expect from its title -- a driving blend of looped piano and percussion, wrapped... read more

A funky monster from the Oakland scene -- lots of hard-hitting guitar, in the best funky 45 tradition! The track starts with this guitar part kind of ripping up and down the scale -- no noodling, just fast grooving -- then horns come in, vamp it on up, and even a bit of organ grooves in the mix! ... read more

There's nothing "little" about this Curtis -- as he cooks like a giant on this wicked little tune! "Soul Desire" snaps right into the groove with a blast of horns that open the door to a bubbling little organ bit -- Hammonding it away throughout as the horns slide up and down... read more

One of the 2 obscure singles cut by this female soul star for Sly Stone's shortlived Stone Flower label. The track's a nice soulful groove -- with a lot of Sly's funkiness thrown in, and some raw soul vocals by Little Sister.... read more

Socking soul from Little Willie John -- the 45 debut of material from his legendary album with David Axelrod! "City Girl" is an upbeat groover with a definite Northern vibe -- a great setting for Willie's raspy vocals, with a nice punch in the backings from HB Barnum! "I Need... read more

We know nothing about this band, but this is a pretty tasty 45! "Trippin" is a good groovy uptempo funk track with some nice choppy guitar. "Easy Mover" is a good slow groover, with soulful lyrics, and a loping bassline.... read more

Funky Latin from Los Fulanos -- a wicked little cover of Prince's "Kiss" -- served up with more snapping percussion than you'd hear on a Paisley Park album from Sheila E! The tune's got a nicely gritty groove that the original doesn't -- and the instrumentation has plenty of deep funk... read more

2 stormers from the excellent Sensacional Soul 2 compiliation on Vampi Soul! "Hey Hey Bunny" by Los Gatos Negros kicks it off, a hard driving moddish funky tune with furious drumming, punchy horns and heavy organ grooves! "El Sol Es Una Droga" by Los Kifers is in a similar mode... read more

Ray Lugo of Kokolo picks up a fresh new groove here -- blending his familiar Afro Funk with a wider range of sounds! "I Dream Of Bahia" has a bit of a Brazilian flavor at points -- especially in the warmly flowing vocals of Elani, who snakes along with the wicked guitar line that haunts... read more

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One of the best tracks from Johnny's years on Pacific Jazz -- a 2-part number that starts with Johnny speaking a monologue in kind of a Lou Rawls live mode -- organ burning under the spoken bit as the tune begins to build -- with vibes and Hammond soaring up at breaks between the story! Really... read more

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An early Madonna single, with a nice Niles Rodgers remix.... read more

One of Madonna's first singles -- with some clubby Jellybean touches on "Holiday"!... read more

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Wickedly tight funk from Magnificent Freedom -- and a sweet little co-production between Eddie Roberts and Keb Darge! The tune rolls along at a super-fast clip -- rattletrap drums snapping out the rhythm and hitting a nice break in the middle -- while soaring guitar (Roberts?) grooves along mighty... read more

Heavy heavy funk! "Funky Chick" certainly is a funky chick -- a really hard groover with a James Brown-like intensity -- horns popping all over the top of hard vamping bass, drums, and guitar, with the odd vocal shout to keep the lads plugged in and in gear! "Comin On" does... read more

A wicked little single from the Poets Of Rhythm galaxy -- a cut that features some razor sharp grooves from The Malcouns and vocals from Bo Baral! Guitars lead off the rhythms strongly here -- with an on-the-money feel that makes the cut sound like some lost King Records single from the late 60s --... read more

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A wicked Latin groove! "Cosas" is very spare, but totally jamming -- a cut that pulsates with low-end electric bass bumping, snapping drum break grooving, and some hard-handed conga solo lines over the top! The cut is very stripped down, but a massive bit of funk all the way through! ... read more

"Greasy Spoon" is probably the biggest single ever by organist Hank Marr -- a hip little stepper that slinks along at a midtempo pace, Hank's organ in the lead, chopping out the groove, while a tenor sneaks up from behind. "I Can't Go On" is a lot mellower -- a late nite ballad... read more

The stuff that funky 45 dreams are made of! "Babalonia" is one of those killers you never forget -- fast electric piano over heavy conga beats, grooving hard with a brassy finish, in a NuYorican mode that made the cut one of everyone's favorites and the kind of track you had to own --... 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 touched by... read more

Amazing work from Hugh Masekela! "Son Of Ice Bag" is this wonderful wonderful stomper -- rolling around as a mad mess of drums and bass, while Hugh's trumpet blows fast and skittish over the top, riffing like there's no tomorrow, and sounding like no other instrument we've ever heard! ... read more

An excellent team-up, and not issued on any LP! "We Got Each Other" features Barbara singing with the group -- in a gal-meets-group duet that's done in a smooth mellow 70s loving tone that really works well with both of them. "Make It Last" has a great groove -- smooth and... read more

A new bit of Afro Funk -- with a groovy little groove that never lets up! At first, the cut begins with a shouted slamming beat -- almost like Tony Allen's in the picture -- but once it starts kicking out, some cool guitar comes in, kind of giving the tune a "Tighten Up" twist! The... read more

A beautiful soul tune from The Masterminds -- one that features heavenly lead vocals from Lady Bianca -- who manages to be sweet and rough at the same time! There's a feel here that's a bit like the best from The Lovelites -- a groove that's definitely girl soul, but grittier underneath -- with a... read more

With Herbie Mann on flute and Walt Bolden on drums.... read more

Mato refigures some benchmark hip hop singles as reggae groovers! The a-side is Mato Vs The Beastie Boys -- with the Beasties' "Intergalactic" is given an uptempo ska backdrop, rollicking along with some real rhthmic heat -- and the inimitable B-Boy vocals in full effect. The flip is... read more

A fantastic funky gem -- a rare 1968 recording of "Bald Headed Woman", done by R&B legend Nathanial Mayer, and featuring hip production by Gino Washington! The tune's like classic funky James Brown on King -- with lots of hip-stepping bass work that really goes to town, and this... read more

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Super-rare soul from Junior McCants -- a great singer who died at a tragically young age -- which made King Records pull the single before it was ever released! "Try Me For Your New Love" has a hip mix of Northern grooves and sweeter vocals -- a higher-toned groove from Junior, which... read more

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Two great ones from Brother Jack! "Do It Now" has this weird stepped bass intro -- complicated, but not too much that it doesn't swing like a mofo! The track is wrapped around itself in a great way -- with a groove that you'll be humming again and again! "Mush Melon" is a... read more

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The second of many great recordings that Brother Jack cut of "Electric Surfboard"! The cut's amazing, with a monster hook that works perfectly with Jack's moody organ style -- and it bubbles away with an intense groove that's fresh throughout! "Down Home Style" is a nice one,... read more

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Early Twinight magic from Chicago -- two sides of super harmony soul! "Temptation Is Hard To Fight" is a rough-edged ballad with great lead from George McGregor, and some female backings from The Bronzettes -- all in a mode that's clearly an answer to "Temptation's About To Get... read more

We know, we know -- you've heard a million versions of "Shaft". But believe us, this is one of the best, and has a tight choppy guitar filling in the parts that are normally handled by strings. Very nice, and the version of "Let's Stay Together" has some nice snapping drums,... read more

A pair of neo classic soul tunes from UK soul singer Noel McKoy -- the powerful but tender grandeur of "Brighter Day" -- plus the old school Motown styled "Great Big Gap"! The former is a slow building, kind of late 60s or early 70s Memphis style soul jam with a Noel emoting in... read more

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"Funky Movement" is right -- as the track chugs back and forth like a derailed freight train on a slippery slope! The cut's got these choppy drums at the beginning, punching it up underneath funky horn blasts and vocals from Tim -- who shouts the song across the groove, in the same style... read more

Groovy disco funk from Mellow Madness -- a cut that's anything but mellow -- really more of pounding little tune that's bright and bubbly, but still plenty funky! "Save The Youth" is the Kenny Dope mix of this one-and-only known single from the Fayetteville, North Carolina combo -- a... 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 of guitar... read more

One of the best Meters cuts from the old days! "Doodle Oop" has a great swinging groove, and a tight funky intro that's worth the price of the single alone -- and it wasn't ever issued on any of their Josie albums!... read more

The stuff that funky 45 dreams are made of! Both tracks are stone cold instrumentals with a tight instrumental groove -- and lots of the effects that you like, like choppy guitar, fuzzy production, and a good rolling beat. Killer stuff by the great Mickey, who's responsible for so many gems that... read more

One of the heaviest chickens we've ever come across -- a stone funky monster that probably scares all the other animals out of the barnyard! "Thunder Chicken" begins in an explosion of funky drums and feathers -- then rumbles its way through a really Meters-esque blend of bubbling organ... read more

The Mighty Tom Cats were an ersatz studio combo put together by sharpie Paul Winley, to lay down yet another cover of "Soul Makossa" in the track's bid to become the most covered track of the 70s. That version's pretty good, but "Tom Cat Reggay" is also pretty nice, and has a... read more

Warmly groovy work from Milano Jazz Dance Combo -- a great group with the same jazzy flourish you might get from work on Schema Records! "Much More" has a great sense of flow, and some great lyrics from Colonel Red -- singing with a soaring, soulful vibe that really fits the jazzy groove.... read more

Clapping hands and funky grooves -- a really great number with a heavy "bus stop" sort of groove! The track's a real killer from Reginald Milton -- and has a playful romping feel that uses bits of female chorus vocals alongside the tighter bass, drum, and vamping guitar -- in a way that... read more

An excellent funky track by Jamo Thomas! The cut takes Jamo's sock-boogaloo Chicago soul sound, and moves it into the 70s funky mode by adding a bit more punch on the horns, and darkening the whole thing with kind of a Superfly style of production. There's even a bit of sitar in the mix, and Jamo'... read more

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Heavy Hammond, with a rocksteady groove! "Rock Me" is a great chunky number -- one that starts out with a Mohawks organ line on the intro, then rolls into a more percolating rhythm that sucks up the organ into the mix -- one that's almost like Jackie Mittoo at his soulful 60s best! ... read more

One of the funkiest 45s on the Funky 45 label -- two amazing tracks back to back! "Get Down" is a break track, but a really dark one too -- one with the drums echoing out really down and dirty in the mix -- and a kind of slow and sloppy vamp that follows suit. There's bits of horns,... read more

A really moody track from vocalist Ada Moore -- slow, slinky, and seductive -- and a track that's got a wonderfully warm bassline! The tune's quite spare -- mostly just the bass stepping darkly behind Ada's vocals, touched with some occasional larger horns to flesh out the sound! "Take... read more