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The Mocambo combo gets the Kenny Dope treatment – in a wicked cover of the hip hop classic "The Message"! The tune's an instrumental here, and the groove is played live – but it's got a nice similarity to the Grandmaster Flash original, complete with that vamping bit on the chorus! Drums are nice and hard – mixed up strongly by Kenny – and there's an extended break near the end!

There's a nice little knock at the start of this one – kind of a snapping drum part that's not really a break, but which definitely gets the groove going – a massive blend of female vocals, organ, and funky guitar! "I Predict A Riot" follows with even more knocking on the drums – some great snapping parts that set the tune on fire, and seem to catch to the Hammond as well – really turning into an instrumental conflagration once the horns come into the mix!

Wicked jazzy bossa from 60s Brazil – a crackling early classic from pianist Dom Salvador! The group here is super-tight – a tremendous triangle of piano, bass, and drums – all grooving at equal pace, with a great deal of energy – and given a heck of a lot of soul from Dom's bold lines on the piano! There's a slight lyrical vibe at points, too – making for music that's mighty sweet, and very seductive – and the whole thing's right up there with some of the best bossa trio dates of the time. Trio features bass by Edson Lobo and drums by Victor Manga – and titles include "Arrastao", "Promessa", "Pro Batera", "Santarem", and "Tematrio".

Wicked jazzy bossa from 60s Brazil – a crackling early classic from pianist Dom Salvador! The group here is super-tight – a tremendous triangle of piano, bass, and drums – all grooving at equal pace, with a great deal of energy – and given a heck of a lot of soul from Dom's bold lines on the piano! There's a slight lyrical vibe at points, too – making for music that's mighty sweet, and very seductive – and the whole thing's right up there with some of the best bossa trio dates of the time. Trio features bass by Edson Lobo and drums by Victor Manga – and titles include "Arrastao", "Promessa", "Pro Batera", "Santarem", and "Tematrio".

Classic trio material from one of Brazil's greatest pianists ever! Dom Salvador was a heck of a player back in the 60s – working in a tight trio format that was certainly part of the bossa combo sound of his day, yet also heavily influenced by American soul jazz artists of the same era. Here, he's working in an early trio with Edison Machado on drums – switching effortlessly between piano and organ as the rhythm section spins out lush, lyrical lines with more than a bit of soul in the mix. Many of the tracks on the album are quite obscure, making for a fresh little set that goes way past the usual piano trio side from 60s Brazil! Titles include "Indio Perdido", "Samborio", "Um Sonho Azul", "Balanco Do Mar Onda Quebrando", "Fred's Ahead", "Sonho De Carnaval", "Iluminando O Vazio", "A Cancao Do Amor Que Nasceu", and "Eu Compro Essa Mulher".

A fantastically funky full length set from Gizelle Smith – a hell of a great singer who's really been winning our ears with her funky 45s – now stepping out with an even more badass sound in the space of this album! Gizelle's groove is right up there with the hippest female singers in the deep funk underground – and the backings by The Mighty Mocambos are forged in years of funky 45 experience – razor sharp, with an especially great edge on the drums – which seem to drive all the other instruments in the combo! There's no hoke at all in the production, either – no fake-retro styles, just a clean, clear, classic approach to funky soul that makes the set an instantly timeless gem – one of those records you could have picked up 30 years back, and will definitely be playing again 30 years from now. Titles include "Snake Charmer", "Coffee High", "Everything Holds Blame", "Gonna Get You", "Out Of Fashion", "Love Alarm", "Hold Fast", "The Time Is Right For Love", "Magic Time Machine", and "Nothing For Nothing" – plus an instrumental of "Free Vibes".

Classic trio material from one of Brazil's greatest pianists ever! Dom Salvador was a heck of a player back in the 60s – working in a tight trio format that was certainly part of the bossa combo sound of his day, yet also heavily influenced by American soul jazz artists of the same era. Here, he's working in an early trio with Edison Machado on drums – switching effortlessly between piano and organ as the rhythm section spins out lush, lyrical lines with more than a bit of soul in the mix. Many of the tracks on the album are quite obscure, making for a fresh little set that goes way past the usual piano trio side from 60s Brazil! Titles include "Indio Perdido", "Samborio", "Um Sonho Azul", "Balanco Do Mar Onda Quebrando", "Fred's Ahead", "Sonho De Carnaval", "Iluminando O Vazio", "A Cancao Do Amor Que Nasceu", and "Eu Compro Essa Mulher".

Plenty of snapping drums on this break-heavy track – a killer bit of heavy funk from Gizelle Smith and the Mocambo Allstars! Drums lead off the cut in a really wonderful way – snapping hard and heavy like some Ultimate Breaks & Beats gem from years back – and Kenny Dope's mix really brings them up with a crispy sort of edge – cooking the whole tune up wonderfully, and doing some great stuff on the all-instrumental version on the flipside!

Fantastic French funk – a record that's unlike any other deep funk combo we can think of – because Caroline Lacaze sings in her native language instead of English! The grooves are stepped in the best funky 45 styles of the late 60s, but the vocals also echo the more soulful sound of the French pop of the time as well – making the record a sweet hybrid that really stands out from the pack – and which will certainly help freshen up any collection of contemporary funk! Caroline's sung before on projects with the Mighty Mocambos, and she gets strong support from them on this debut set of her own – a stone smoker that include "Soultempo", "Je Reste", "Toujours Lui", "Laisse Tomber", "Ici", "Minutes D'Insouciance", and "En Route Madame".

A great, proper album from Germany's excellent funk combo The Mighty Mocambos – who've dropped many killer 45s as themselves and with pseudonyms, as well as backing London-based funky soul diva Gizelle Smith for teriffic full length – sounding as vital and exuberant as ever on The Future Is Now! The Mighty Mocambos are dexterous musicians and adventurous funk spirits – showing love for classic hip hop funk in collaborations with Afrika Bambaataa and Zulu Nation legend Charlie Funk, aka Afrika Islam – plus singers Su Kramer and Carol Lacaze (who sings in French), on top of killer instrumentals. Includes "Calling The Shots", "Zulu Walk" and "Battle" with Afrika Bambaata, Charlie Funk & King Kamonzi, "The Sun Shines Tonight" feat Su Kramer, "Struggles And Triumph", "French Vanilla Skies", "Physique", "Peace Street", "The Next Message" and more.

A great little sample of the funk and soul on the French Soulbeats label – great stuff from Shaolin Temple Defenders, Gizelle Smith & The Mighty Mocambos, Martha High, Afrobeat Crusaders and more – plus special guests. Nothing but solid, classic funk & soul loving, timeless material! 13 tracks on the CD version: "Message To The Soul Sisters", by Shaolin Temple Defendersf eat Dionne Charles, "WOMAN" by Martha High, "Gonna Hold On" by Dee Ann & The Bad Soul Band, "Hurry Up" by Soul Revolution, "Can't Stand Still" by Vinz & The Mistery Machine, "Bounce" by Robertson, "Snake Charmer" by Gizelle Smith & The Mighty Mocambos, " and more.

Fantastic French funk – a record that's unlike any other deep funk combo we can think of – because Caroline Lacaze sings in her native language instead of English! The grooves are stepped in the best funky 45 styles of the late 60s, but the vocals also echo the more soulful sound of the French pop of the time as well – making the record a sweet hybrid that really stands out from the pack – and which will certainly help freshen up any collection of contemporary funk! Caroline's sung before on projects with the Mighty Mocambos, and she gets strong support from them on this debut set of her own – a stone smoker that include "Soultempo", "Je Reste", "Toujours Lui", "Laisse Tomber", "Ici", "Minutes D'Insouciance", and "En Route Madame".