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A spiritual jazz classic by Harry Whitaker's Black Renaissance – plus a trippy GB remix on the other side! The original version of "Magic Ritual" is here in full – and it's essentially half of the group's classic Body, Mind And Spirit LP – a legendary session that features just 2 long tracks –done Strata East-like style, peppered with voices, both sung and spoken, in a hip, socially conscious mode. On the other side, GB uses the original's elements craft a spacey electro groover that's really in realm of its own! A haunting and heavily percussive trip!

Legendary Bay Area soul numbers by Darondo – as re-edited/remixed/liberally-adapted by Tall Black Guy and Dandy Teru! First up is Tall Black Guy's take on "I Don't Want To Leave" – which uses Darando's "Sure Know How To Love Me" as it's source material. The breezy, easygoing vibe of the original carries over pretty well onto it – with a think bass sound and a tripper, spacey club soul vibe. On the flip, Dandy Teru's "Untrue" is just as free of an interpetation – using strains of Darondo's "True" a soulful springboard into the cosmos.

A classic bit of early 80s spiritual jazz from EW Wainright – plus a re-edit/interpretation from contemporary cosmic torch carrier Carlos Nino and friends! The original version of "The Healer Don't Break" is stormer from the African Roots Of Jazz LP – kicking off with a whistle and a heavy wallop of African-inspired drums – and it quickly adapts into a jazzier groove, augmented by piano and vibes and horns – and evolves again with a third act that features some great chorus vocals. Amazing stuff! Carlos Nino's Spaceways re-edit is quite respectful of the source material – with some alternate elements from Carlos and friends floating in and out – like some jazzy flute, steel drums and chimes.

The wildly diverse, heavily percussive global jazz, soul, and exotica inspired Afrodesia from the late 60s combo Afro Soultet – a crazy rare one, too! The group purportedly has roots in Texas, but incarnations of it were gigging around LA a bit earlier as Afro Latin Blues Quintet +1 and a bit later as Afro Latin Soultet. Here they play with boundless inspiration from around the globe. Afro Latin percussion and rhythms hold it all together, but they bring in strains of Latin soul, African rhythms, straighter jazz and madly percussive instrumental rock. Producer/composer/arranger/raconteur Jack Millman plays drums in the group as Johnny Kitchen, and other players include Joey Dubreau on vibes, Frank Morris on guitar and harmonica, Eddie Paris on drums, Dean Elliot on percussion, William Quinn on flute & sax, and Bill Collins on keys. Includes "Afrodesia", "Mozamba", "Soul Rockin'", "Afro Revolt", "Torrid Zone", "Oom Gowa", "Slave Traders", "Drumbouie", "Aphro Bugaloo", "Chocolate Drop", "Le Berber" and "Sand, Sun And Sea".

Rare work from the Circle City Band – the first-ever full length album from the group – and a set that brings together their few club singles and a host of previously unreleased tracks! The CCB are well remembered for the roller skating jam "Magic" – and the rest of this set is equally great – with lots of bouncing basslines, snapping beats, and warmly soulful grooves that really sparkle with lots of early 80s funky touches – from the sweet keyboards over the top right down to the crackling rhythms on the bottom! The package is a great discovery – one of those moments when you realize there's a lot more to a group than you'd ever heard before – and the album's way more than a reissue, given the treasure trove of previously unheard 80s grooves in the set! Titles include "Love", "Time Tunnel", "Hello Stranger", "Magic", "Gladiators", "My Place", "Party Lights", "Lonely", and "Hold On".

Rare work from the Circle City Band – the first-ever full length album from the group – and a set that brings together their few club singles and a host of previously unreleased tracks! The CCB are well remembered for the roller skating jam "Magic" – and the rest of this set is equally great – with lots of bouncing basslines, snapping beats, and warmly soulful grooves that really sparkle with lots of early 80s funky touches – from the sweet keyboards over the top right down to the crackling rhythms on the bottom! The package is a great discovery – one of those moments when you realize there's a lot more to a group than you'd ever heard before – and the album's way more than a reissue, given the treasure trove of previously unheard 80s grooves in the set! Titles include "Love", "Time Tunnel", "Hello Stranger", "Magic", "Gladiators", "My Place", "Party Lights", "Lonely", and "Hold On".

Mad homegrown soul from the enigmatic Darondo – a brief Bay Area star back in the 70s, and also host of TV comedy and children's shows! Darondo only ever saw release of 3 singles, but they're all pretty darn great – a weird mix of funk, soul, and sly slinky grooves – very unique in conception, and with a heady, tripped-out vision that makes us wish he'd recorded more. Luv N Haight have really done Darondo justice with this set – bringing together all 6 tracks from the singles, plus 3 more previously unissued numbers – all in a great package that features words from the man himself, plus some great images from his older TV shows. A near-lost soul figure, but one with enough charisma to fill the careers of other more famous acts! Titles include "How I Got Over", "Let My People Go", "Legs (part 1)", "True", "Didn't I", "I Want Your Love So Bad", "My Momma & My Poppa", "Sure Know How To Love Me", and "Listen To My Song".

An incredible collection of work from the vastly-overlooked Geater Davis – and a set that definitely lives up to its title! Geater Davis is a tremendous singer from the south – but one who barely ever got his due back in the 70s – even though these recordings for the tiny House Of Orange label are every bit as amazing as work coming out for bigger labels like Stax or Hi Records! Although Davis didn't record nearly as much as his contemporaries, he's got a sound that matches or beats them – a raw, raspy quality that's a bit like Bobby Blue Bland, touched with the depth of feeling we love in James Carr, peppered with elements of other Memphis singers – all produced to perfection with a sound that's got a deep-burning soul that never lets up. This excellent collection features all tracks from Geater's rare album Sweet Woman's Love, plus additional singles from the time – all produced by Allen Orange, an overlooked genius in the southern studio scene of the 70s. Titles include "Don't Marry A Fool", "Cry Cry Cry", "I Love You", "I Know My Baby Loves Me", "I Can Hold My Own", "Cold Love (long version)", "I'll Get By", "I'll Play The Blues For You", "Breath Taking Girl", and a killer long take on "For Your Precious Love".

A weird and wonderful album from Tribe Records giant Wendell Harrison – an obscure electric set from the start of the 80s! There's still a strongly spiritual feel on the record, but Wendell also adds some Fender Rhodes and vocals to his work on tenor and flute – bringing in the same sort of spacey soul vibe you'd find on work from the time by Oneness Of Juju! The overall sound is still quite soulful – a great extension of the early Tribe spirit from Detroit – and some cuts feature a bit more acoustic piano and sweet earthy percussion. Other cuts have more of a soulful bounce – thanks to vocals from Miche Braden and Kathy Simmons – and titles include "The Wok", "Ginseng Love", "Love Juice", "A Green Meadow" and "Peace of Mind".

A weird and wonderful album from Tribe Records giant Wendell Harrison – an obscure electric set from the start of the 80s! There's still a strongly spiritual feel on the record, but Wendell also adds some Fender Rhodes and vocals to his work on tenor and flute – bringing in the same sort of spacey soul vibe you'd find on work from the time by Oneness Of Juju! The overall sound is still quite soulful – a great extension of the early Tribe spirit from Detroit – and some cuts feature a bit more acoustic piano and sweet earthy percussion. Other cuts have more of a soulful bounce – thanks to vocals from Miche Braden and Kathy Simmons – and titles include "The Wok", "Ginseng Love", "Love Juice", "A Green Meadow" and "Peace of Mind".

The incredible drums and Rhodes-heavy jazz dance album from composer Thom Janusz – made in collaboration with NYC dancer, choreographer and company leader Ronn Forella – possibly the funkest, best and hardest-to-find album ever released by the Hoctor label! Ostensibly a hip 70s dance instruction set composed by Janusz for Forella – a frequent collaborator who also worked with Bob Fosse (in case the cover photo doesn't make that clear) – the music manages to transcend the niche to say the very least! It's a killer jazz funk album in it's own right. The groove is massive in spots and has a slower cooking, instrumental soul style in others – fantastic drums and percussion, keys that range from thickly-layered to astral, some great wah wah guitar grooving and funky bass lines throughout. We knew this record by reputation only over the years – it's such a joy to actually spend some time with it and hear how richly earned that rep is! Includes "Memories Of Georgia", "Mithra Plane 2", "Hippo Mancy", "Sculptures", "Crystals" (the drum breaks heavy standout) and "Wild And Wonderful".

The great Luv N' Haight album of unreleased material by legendary Chicago soul jazz group Pharaohs – live tracks that serve as a vital document of the group outside the studio! There's 5 long tracks here, 4 of them recorded live, plus an unreleased gem from the Awakening sessions. Standouts include is a spacey version of "People Make The World Go Round and the extended drum suite of a closer – but it's excellent throughout! Other titles include "Pharaohs Love Y'All", which is a stellar funk jam, plus "African Roots". Nice heavy vinyl, too. Essential!

One of the best Luv N Haight compilations, probably our favorite in their eclectic series that set a benchmark for so many funky compilations to follow! There's 8 tracks in all, covering lots of ground, all of it groovy, including the hard to get Sun Ra cut "Where Pathways Meet" from his Lanquidity album on Philly Jazz, Bobby Forrester's "Uncle Funky", "Hector" by the Village Callers, "Brotherhood" by Kamal & the Brothers, "Salsa De Santa Rosa" by Quintessence, "Too Soon Your Old" by Penny Goodwin, "Ronco Da Cuica" by Viva Brazil, and "For The Love Of Money" by Elliot Fisher.

Funky soul from the west coast – and a motherlode of tracks that you've probably never heard! Inner City Records was a small time funk powerhouse – owned and run by organ player George Semper, who cut some mighty fine records on his own! The label's not to be confused with the New York-based jazz label Inner City – because this one was a much more down-n-dirty funky one – and cut some killer work in a deep deep mode, much of which was never issued before – and is making a long-overdue first appearance here! The tracks have some seriously fine jazzy work in them – snapping funk, with a hard and dirty edge, played by performers that include Charles Owens, Rodney Franklin, and James Gadson – all of whom would later go onto become superstars in their own right. A number of tracks have vocals, too – and titles include "Plastic Situation" by Ron & Candy, "In One Peace" by In One Peace, "Funkorgy" by Funkafreek, "Tenderness" by Funkhouse with Candy, "Thank U" by The R&B Classic Funk Band, "It's Insane" by In One Peace, "Spread The News" and "Hands Of Time" by Perfect Circle, "Sticky Boom Boom" by United Soul Association, and "Funktime" by Funkproof.

The incredible drums and Rhodes-heavy jazz dance album from composer Thom Janusz – made in collaboration with NYC dancer, choreographer and company leader Ronn Forella – possibly the funkest, best and hardest-to-find album ever released by the Hoctor label! Ostensibly a hip 70s dance instruction set composed by Janusz for Forella – a frequent collaborator who also worked with Bob Fosse (in case the cover photo doesn't make that clear) – the music manages to transcend the niche to say the very least! It's a killer jazz funk album in it's own right. The groove is massive in spots and has a slower cooking, instrumental soul style in others – fantastic drums and percussion, keys that range from thickly-layered to astral, some great wah wah guitar grooving and funky bass lines throughout. We knew this record by reputation only over the years – it's such a joy to actually spend some time with it and hear how richly earned that rep is! Includes "Memories Of Georgia", "Mithra Plane 2", "Hippo Mancy", "Sculptures", "Crystals" (the drum breaks heavy standout) and "Wild And Wonderful".

Heavy funk from a Bay Area legend – and an EP that features 4 previously unreleased tracks by Darondo, none of which are on his previous reissue on Luv N Haight! The title track here is a nice loud mix of the snapping funky "Legs" – which is then presented in an even cooler instrumental version, but one with lots of weird vocals, tripped out production, and a sound that we like even better than the main mix! The flipside features 3 more soul tracks, all with the unique Darondo touch – the funky "My Momma & My Poppa", the sweet soul "Such A Night", and the stepping bluesy groover "Packin Up" – all unearthed from an untouched master tape from the early 70s!

An incredible collection of work from the vastly-overlooked Geater Davis – and a set that definitely lives up to its title! Geater Davis is a tremendous singer from the south – but one who barely ever got his due back in the 70s – even though these recordings for the tiny House Of Orange label are every bit as amazing as work coming out for bigger labels like Stax or Hi Records! Although Davis didn't record nearly as much as his contemporaries, he's got a sound that matches or beats them – a raw, raspy quality that's a bit like Bobby Blue Bland, touched with the depth of feeling we love in James Carr, peppered with elements of other Memphis singers – all produced to perfection with a sound that's got a deep-burning soul that never lets up. This excellent collection features all tracks from Geater's rare album Sweet Woman's Love, plus additional singles from the time – all produced by Allen Orange, an overlooked genius in the southern studio scene of the 70s. Titles include "Don't Marry A Fool", "Cry Cry Cry", "I Love You", "I Know My Baby Loves Me", "I Can Hold My Own", "Cold Love (long version)", "I'll Get By", "I'll Play The Blues For You", "Breath Taking Girl", and a killer long take on "For Your Precious Love".

A landmark in rare Cali soul – and quite possibly the greatest moment ever from the legendary Mike James Kirkland! The set's got a vibe that grabs you right from the very first note – a blend of funky rhythms and more righteous moments that are totally outta site – a careful balance that you'd be hard pressed to find done this well in any other indie soul set of the time. Mike's vocals are wonderful – with a depth that rivals some of his bigger contemporaries, but a slight roughness that makes them a bit more personal too. The album is divided into two halves – a "peace" side, which is more political; and a "love" side, which has some mellow soulful tracks – and titles include "What Have We Done", "Where's The Soul Of Man", "Hang On In There", "It's Alright With Me", "Give It To Me", and "Blota Blota".

A legendary album from Chicago – recorded by a group with ties to Sun Ra, Phil Cohran, and Earth Wind & Fire! The set's got a sound that more than lives up to all those references – a vibe that's jazzy and soulful, yet often quite righteous too – imbued with the sort of spirit you'd guess from the group's name and the album's cover image – but often served up with a tight enough groove to make the set a favorite for fans of funk as well! There's a really special mix going on here – and unlike other ensembles of the time, The Pharoahs never go too far out – and instead really have the great sort of focus you'd hear even more strongly with Earth Wind & Fire. The lineup features Louis Satterfield on bass, Willie Woods on trombone, Don Myrick on saxes, Black Herman on drums, and Derf Reklaw on percussion and flute – and titles include "Ibo", "Somebody's Been Sleeping", "Damballa", "Freedom Road", "Great House", and "Black Enuff".

Funky genius from the Hotlanta scene of the 70s – the one and only album recorded by Tommy Stewart, a huge force in some of the greatest club tracks of the south, including the massive Spirit Of Atlanta album! The record's a stone winner all the way through – filled with upbeat, uptempo tracks that really bring some funk into the dancefloor. The rhythms are tremendous – all very catchy and snapping, with a groove that goes way past the usual disco record, and which has made the album as much of a favorite amongst funk fans as it has for fans of classic club. Includes the classic groover "Bump and Hustle", plus loads of other excellent tunes like "Get Off Your Seats", "Make Happy Music", "Riding High", "Practice What You Preach", and "Atlanta Get Down".

Beautiful material from this legendary Bay Area soul jazz combo! The Sons & Daughters of Lite have an incredibly spiritual sound – one that sounds sort of like the best groups on the Strata East label, with touches of Roy Ayers or James Mason-esque soulfulness, but with a little less polish. Many of the cuts have sweet female vocals in the lead – with backing that includes vibe, electric piano, tenor, alto, and percussion by Babatunde. The record's a great one if you dig spiritual jazz funk – along the lines of Gary Bartz, The Pharoahs, or Oneness Of Juju – and Luv N Haight have done a stellar job of repackaging the album! Titles include the classic mellow groover "Let The Sun Shine In", plus "Fly Away", "Operation Feed Yourself", "Darkuman Junktion", and "Ju Ju's Door".

Sweet and jazzy pop from early 70s Brazil – a great little album that we'd rank with our favorites by Marcos Valle and Edu Lobo! Arthur Verocai isn't nearly as well-known as those two, but he works in a similar territory – taking jazz, large arrangements, and nice touches of electric funk – and working them into a groove that has the soaring and ambitious feel of the best post-Tropicalia work of 70s Brazil! This rare gem was self-produced, and fell of the map almost as soon as it was released – but it really deserves wider recognition, and shines with a depth that makes it an instant classic to our ears! Titles include "Presente Grego", "Caboclo", "Pelas Sombras", "O Mapa", "Sylvia", "Karina", "Velho Parente", and "Dedicada A Ela".

Mad homegrown soul from the enigmatic Darondo – a brief Bay Area star back in the 70s, and also host of TV comedy and children's shows! Darondo only ever saw release of 3 singles, but they're all pretty darn great – a weird mix of funk, soul, and sly slinky grooves – very unique in conception, and with a heady, tripped-out vision that makes us wish he'd recorded more. Luv N Haight have really done Darondo justice with this set – bringing together all 6 tracks from the singles, plus 3 more previously unissued numbers – all in a great package that features words from the man himself, plus some great images from his older TV shows. A near-lost soul figure, but one with enough charisma to fill the careers of other more famous acts! Titles include "How I Got Over", "Let My People Go", "Legs (part 1)", "True", "Didn't I", "I Want Your Love So Bad", "My Momma & My Poppa", "Sure Know How To Love Me", and "Listen To My Song".

Beautiful material from this legendary Bay Area soul jazz combo! The Sons & Daughters of Lite have an incredibly spiritual sound – one that sounds sort of like the best groups on the Strata East label, with touches of Roy Ayers or James Mason-esque soulfulness, but with a little less polish. Many of the cuts have sweet female vocals in the lead – with backing that includes vibe, electric piano, tenor, alto, and percussion by Babatunde. The record's a great one if you dig spiritual jazz funk – along the lines of Gary Bartz, The Pharoahs, or Oneness Of Juju – and Luv N Haight have done a stellar job of repackaging the album! Titles include the classic mellow groover "Let The Sun Shine In", plus "Fly Away", "Operation Feed Yourself", "Darkuman Junktion", and "Ju Ju's Door".

Funky genius from the Hotlanta scene of the 70s – the one and only album recorded by Tommy Stewart, a huge force in some of the greatest club tracks of the south, including the massive Spirit Of Atlanta album! The record's a stone winner all the way through – filled with upbeat, uptempo tracks that really bring some funk into the dancefloor. The rhythms are tremendous – all very catchy and snapping, with a groove that goes way past the usual disco record, and which has made the album as much of a favorite amongst funk fans as it has for fans of classic club. Includes the classic groover "Bump and Hustle", plus loads of other excellent tunes like "Get Off Your Seats", "Make Happy Music", "Riding High", "Practice What You Preach", and "Atlanta Get Down".

Sweet and jazzy pop from early 70s Brazil – a great little album that we'd rank with our favorites by Marcos Valle and Edu Lobo! Arthur Verocai isn't nearly as well-known as those two, but he works in a similar territory – taking jazz, large arrangements, and nice touches of electric funk – and working them into a groove that has the soaring and ambitious feel of the best post-Tropicalia work of 70s Brazil! This rare gem was self-produced, and fell of the map almost as soon as it was released – but it really deserves wider recognition, and shines with a depth that makes it an instant classic to our ears! Titles include "Presente Grego", "Caboclo", "Pelas Sombras", "O Mapa", "Sylvia", "Karina", "Velho Parente", and "Dedicada A Ela".

Some of the funkiest tracks on the mighty Luv N Haight and Ubiquity labels – no surprise, given that all of them have been sampled over the years! The bulk of the work here is 70s funk – of the gritty, obscure sort that Luv N Haight first started digging 20 years ago, and has continued to reissue at a rock-solid level – overlooked gems from the American underground, brought back to life not just through key hip hop samples, but also from the label's own series of excellent compilations and reissues! The package includes a number of out of print tracks – and titles include "Searching For Soul (part 1)" by Jack Wade & The Soul Searchers, "Spread The News" by Perfect Circle, "Boys With Toys" by Gap Mangione, "Sweetest Thing In The World" by Turner Brothers, "Africana" and "Do Whatever Turns You On (part 2)" by The Propositions, "Hang On In There" by Mike James Kirkland, "Getting Down" and "We Know We Have To Live Together" by Eugene Blacknell, and "Plenty Action" by Soft Touch.

Rare work from Weldon Irvine – a selection of tracks recorded as private studio outings, reissued briefly by Luv N Haight in the early 90s, and then only on vinyl! The style here is much more jazz-based than some of Irvine's soul recordings – a mode that's often all instrumental, and which features Weldon playing more acoustic piano than on his 70s fusion classics – but usually mixed in with sweet electric elements, too – which creates this wonderfully righteous balance in the music! The whole thing's very soulful, with plenty of undercurrents of the RCA years – and guest players include Steve Grossman on tenor, Marcus Miller on bass, Tom Browne on trumpet, and Bobby Broom on guitar – the latter 3 of which all worked with Weldon at GRP, making us guess that some of these 80s sides were intended for release on that label. Titles include "Kundabuffer", "Music Is The Key", "Mr PC", "We Can Try Again", and "Blues For Spike". CD features a huge amount of bonus tracks – including "Blue In Green", "Heard It All Before", "It's Funky", "Shopping", "The Sisters", "Think I'll Stay A While", and "Misty Dawn" – all only ever on the Sisters album, making their first appearance here on vinyl.

A wonderful album from Sly and crew – moving way past the straight funk approach of earlier records, into a complicated crossover soul style that's filled with warmth and righteousness. Despite the political tone implied by the "riot" in the title and the co-option of the American flag on the cover, the album's strongest suit is its warmth and personal soul message – sometimes filled with politics, sure, but always sounding like a sexy love song, no matter how hard it tries to get righteous. Who cares, though – just get with the flow on great cuts like "Family Affair", "Luv N Haight", "Brave & Strong", "You Caught Me Smilin", and "Thank You For Talkin To Me Africa". Also features "There's A Riot Goin' On" – which runs for "0:00" minutes!