Don't let the Casio in the title fool you, as Brother Lee Skelly plays a whole host of other keyboards too – including Hammond C3, Minimoog, Clavinet, Fender Rhodes, and Mellotron too – in addition to electric sitar and tambura! In fact, Lee plays everything himself – including a whole host of other instruments – but he makes the record come off like some killer funky combo – one that has plenty of keyboards upfront and on long solos, grounded by some massive drums and funky nuggets at the bottom! Titles include "Concrete Bongo Head", "Move It On", "French Madrid", "Soul Noodle", "Super Capri Beat", "Wah Wah", "Welcome To Valium Country", and "Bossa For Ingrid". LP, Vinyl record album

A gospel album, but one with deep funk roots – the first full length album from Naomi Shelton, a vocalist we first came to love for her funky 45s on the Desco and Daptone labels! The music's a great mix of gospel vocals and some of the heavy soul sounds we've come to expect from Daptone – small combo instrumentation led by keyboardist Cliff Driver – recorded with a gritty edge that takes us back to the best southern soul sounds of the late 60s. Production is impeccable – a perfect setting for Naomi's great lead vocals, and some hip support from the Gospel Queens trio – and although contemporary, the album's like finding a batch of rare soul gospel singles in the back of some dusty record shop. Titles include "What Is This", "What Have You Done", "I'll Take The Long Road", "Trouble In My Way", "Am I Asking Too Much", "He Knows My Heart", "By Your Side", and "Lift My Burdens". CD

There's only one brother in this funky little record – Finnish drummer Teddy Rok, who you might know from some great soulful sets from years back – working here in a lean style that blends funky drums with plenty of other spare instrumental touches! The set's a funk record that's fully informed by hip hop as well – with Teddy playing things in these stark styles that really sound great next to the beats – leading out with plenty of Fender Rhodes, vibes, and other warm instrumentations that speak volumes on the set, even though there's almost no vocals at all! There's a depth here that's missing from so many other contemporary projects of this nature – which is a strong testament to Teddy Rok's years of making great funk and soul records in other formats – as you'll hear on titles that include "Deeper Toner", "Rain Diamond", "Sao Paulo", "Further East", "Futuristic Earth", "King Cesar", and "Duktus". (New Grooves, Deep Funk) CD

There's only one brother in this funky little record – Finnish drummer Teddy Rok, who you might know from some great soulful sets from years back – working here in a lean style that blends funky drums with plenty of other spare instrumental touches! The set's a funk record that's fully informed by hip hop as well – with Teddy playing things in these stark styles that really sound great next to the beats – leading out with plenty of Fender Rhodes, vibes, and other warm instrumentations that speak volumes on the set, even though there's almost no vocals at all! There's a depth here that's missing from so many other contemporary projects of this nature – which is a strong testament to Teddy Rok's years of making great funk and soul records in other formats – as you'll hear on titles that include "Deeper Toner", "Rain Diamond", "Sao Paulo", "Further East", "Futuristic Earth", "King Cesar", and "Duktus". (New Grooves, Deep Funk) LP, Vinyl record album

The Frightnrs have plenty more to say here – and they say it in a really sharp-edged approximation of older rocksteady modes! The group are contemporary, but like the best acts on Daptone, they've got an instantly classic feel – thanks to instrumentation and production that take us right back to late 60s Kingston, but with some of the sharper funky currents we've come to expect from the label! And while The Frightnrs may pitch themselves as an old school reggae act, they're also one that have a heavy dose of soul – almost a late night New Jersey current to their music at times – as if the All Platinum/Stang label put out their own version of Jamaican soul. The approach is great, and very unique – and titles include "Hey Brother", "Gotta Find A Way", "What Have I Done", "Nothing More To Say", "All My Tears", "Purple", "Dispute", and "Till Then". (Reggae, Deep Funk) CD

Killer funky work from Pete Rock – a set that's still rooted in the hip hop traditions he helped form over the past few decades, but which also has a strong degree of instrumental funk as well! Pete did the set with the Soul Brothers quartet – a great group with riffing guitars, funky bass, and even some occasional vocal chorus bits – and the tunes are every bit as lean as on the previous Petestrumentals sets, but also maybe sharper, funkier, and more lively too – thanks to excellent work from the group throughout the set. The maestro still gets in plenty of his own touches too – that special sort of ear that we first fell in love with when he was working with CL Smooth – and titles include "Super Soul Brother", "Swag", "Live With Me", "Cool Breeze", "Told Y'All", "Say It Again", "That's The Way", "Heavy", and "So Good". (Hip Hop, Deep Funk) LP, Vinyl record album