Tracks from VooDoo & Serano, Kim Sozzi, Azzido Da Bass, Mauro Picotto, Malina, Manchild, Junior Jack, Massiv', Rockell, Da Buzz, Becca, and more. CD

The colors here are plenty darn funky – a rich array of amazing sounds from the archives of Golden Ring and Happy Records – two rare German sound library labels! The records may be rare, but they've got an instant appeal – especially if you're a fan of funky soundtrack work from the late 60s and early 70s – sounds and styles from folks like Lalo Schifrin or Quincy Jones, who both would be a good starting point in comparison to these grooves! There's a few key tracks here from Peter Thomas – one of our favorite German composers of the time – and other numbers are by funky drummer Klaus Weiss, plus some lesser-known cats who groove equally well. Titles include "Flash Point" and "Power Boost" by Peter Thomas, "Porto Allegre" and "Beach Bunny" by Juan Demonio, "Bubble & Squeak" by Elmar Steingarden, "Explorer" and "Space Drums" by Klaus Weiss, "Satin Eyes" by Mladen Franco, "Again Please" by Al Tacoma, "Get Across" by Ken Aldin, "Rock City" by Harry Winkler, "Blue Riff" by Peter Mellini, "Night Clipper" by Peter Look, and "Easy Action" by Peter Thomas. CD

Tracks from Double Dee, Junior Jack, Krystal K, Seraphim Suite, Marly, Therese, Reina, Magnolia, Jaydee, and more. CD

A heavy dose of funky jazz – and one that goes way past the obvious too – to include some real gems from the 70s that even we'd passed up! The package is filled with stellar jazz from the Fantasy Records family – Prestige, Pablo, Galaxy and Fantasy proper – choice numbers by The Blackbyrds, Stanley Cowell, Charles Earland, Patrice Rushen and others – funky jazz, soul, boogie and Brazil-flavored numbers from the top shelf of the diverse period! It's a tight, well chosen compilation with numbers you simply could not overlook in putting a set like this together – productions by the Mizells, Donald Byrd, Earland and others – but there's a few of leftfield choices, too. Simply a great little snapshot of the funky jazz and soul period and the family of labels that generated so much of the most creative music to come from it! 14 tracks and nearly 80 minutes of grooves: Includes "Happy Music" by Blackbyrds, "Close To You" by Marlon McClain, "Let Me Love You (Let Me Be Me)" by Stanley Cowell, "Taj Mahal" by Paulinho Da Costa, "Nov Ano" by Azar Lawrence, "Moon Dreams" by Flora Purim, "Montevideo" by Opa, "Glide" by Pleasure, "Shout It Out" by Patrice Rushen, "If Only I Could Prove To You" by The 3 Pieces and more. CD

One of the hippest compilations of boogaloo work we've ever stocked – and one that goes way past the bigger names on Fania or Tico, into the underground of small labels from the late 60s! The tunes here are all especially rare – issued originally on labels that include Speed and Ghetto, and brought together beautifully here with an ear for soulful vocals, snapping rhythms, and some of the grooviest styles of the Latin Soul generation! The Speed recordings are especial favorites of ours, because the label had a really great way of setting up a groove, and often broke from more conventional Latin modes to hit some very unique rhythms. But all the work here is totally great – and titles include "Alla Tu" by Conjunto Universal, "Do Your Shing A Ling" by Pijuan, "I'll Be A Happy Man" by Latin Blues Band, "Return To Spanish Harlem" by Tony Middleton & Bobby Matos, "Latin Soul Boogaloo" by Paul Serrano, "One Way Ticket" by The Real Thing, "Symphony Sid In Acapulco" by Frankie Nieves, "Brass Boogaloo" by Sounds Tropicana, "Hippy Skippy Moon Strut" by Moon People, and "Mi Negra Va Gozar" by Paul Ortiz. LP, Vinyl record album

Hammering stuff! This is one of the hardest of the Goldmine compilations – with a heavy-duty garagey mix of soul, R&B, and beat-heavy tunes that fit perfectly together. The overall sound is super-mod, with the kind of grooves you'd expect to find at some wonderful underground party in London during the late 60s – where original soulboys are dancing all night long to a color-blind mix of storming chunes. Titles include "The Snake" by Al Wilson, "Jump & Dance" by Carnaby, "Exus Trek" by Luther Ingram, "Alligator Boogaloo" by Sandy Nelson, "These Boots Were Made For Walkin" by The Happy Cats, "Charley" by The Soul Runners, "Coffee Pot 2" by Bo Junior, "Crawling Up A Hill" by John Mayall, "Wobble Legs" by Tommy Dark, "Chain Gang" by The Powerhouse, and "Baby You Got It" by The Truth. 20 cuts in all – and all hardcore! LP, Vinyl record album

The Mr Bongo Record Club just seems to get hipper and hipper as the volumes go on – to a point where this fifth edition in the collection is overflowing with tracks that we might never have heard otherwise! Plus, the scope of sounds here is really great too – a mix of styles from around the globe, but also not a "world music" styled compilation – as the selection handled in a way that more shows that funk and soul are really universal – something we learned from the folks at Mr Bongo many years back! There's even a few Japanese tracks too, and one or two contemporary surprises – in a set list that include "Ready For War" by Eamon, "Duplo Sentido" by Tete Da Bahia, "Romance" by Hiroshi Suzuki, "Nebine" by Malouma, "Sing A Song" by Willy Chirino, "You Are Delicious" by Mave & Dave, "Oooh Baby" by Pamoja, "Tiba Kamo" by Philip Malela, "Rise Up (disco mix)" by Tyrone Evans, "I Hate Telling A Lie" by Stimela, "Let's Be Happy (disco mix)" by Gyedu Blay Ambolley, "Kakashi" by Yasuaki Shimizu, and the original version of "I Believe In Miracles" by Mark Capanni – later made famous by The Jackson Sisters! LP, Vinyl record album

The deepest sound of the legendary TK Records label in the 70s – music that shows the way the company was really helping to transform the sound of southern soul in the decade, and also open the door to a whole new range of styles too! The tracks here definitely have a mellow groove, but they're never sleepy – just set apart from the more disco-oriented hits on TK, thanks to a sophisticated approach to instrumentation and arrangements – at a level that still makes most of these cuts stand head and shoulder above mainstream soul of the time! You'll know a few artists from earlier, straighter material – and will discover a number of other rarer, much more obscure TK talents – in a great set list that includes "Confusion" by Leno Phillips, "Keep Her Happy" by Phillip Wright, "I Got Bills To Pay" by Johnny K, "Thousand Years" by Brand New, "If You Want My Love" by Jimmy Bo Horne, "You Can Be A Lady" by JP Robinson, "Girls Can't Do What The Guys Do" by Betty Wright, "Sleep On Dream On" by Raphael Munnings, "Tears Of The World" by Robert Moore, "The Silence That You Keep" by Milton Wright, "You Knock Me Out" by Wildflower, and "Love Insurance" by Gwen McCrae. CD

A killer collection of 70s soul – and one that focuses on the incredible scene that was going on in New Jersey at the time! The state was very adjacent to Philly – both geographically, and in style, with a great blend of harmony soul and upbeat grooves – but there's also a special kind of indie vibe going on in the music too – some rougher edges than Gamble & Huff might have used, and production modes that really bring out the honest, human qualities in the music! The NJ scene at this time is one of our go-to spots for 70s soul – and if you're not hip, this collection will definitely open your ears to the greatness that was going on. This volume divides into two batches of tracks, each by legendary producers on the scene – one side of work by Paul Kyser, the other by George Kerr – with cuts that include "Puzzle Man" by Norma Jenkins, "Look Over Your Shoulder" by The Escorts, "Breakin Up A Happy Home" by Barbara Jean English, "Come On Get Dancing" by Pride Of The Ghetto, "She Comes Up" by Storm, "One More Time Y'All" by The Nu-Sound Express, "I Need Your Love" by The Dynamic Beltones, and "That's The Way It's Got To Be" by Soul Generation. LP, Vinyl record album

A time-spanning compilation that mixes old and new disco tunes alike! The set begins with the more cosmic sound of 70s club – longer tracks with a strong keyboard groove and really expanded rhythms – and it links those cuts up with more modern ones that still hold onto the soul of the classics, while also stretching forth towards newer sounds. All this makes for a really great set – a timeless blend of tunes that really fit well together, presented in unmixed format for a super-long package of tracks! Titles include "Over & Over" by Sylvester, "Everybody Get Dancin" by The Bombers, "Reckless Girl" by The Beginerz, "Bad Habit (demo)" by ATFC presents Onephatdeeva, "I Feel Love (1977 original)" by Donna Summer, "Do What You Wanna Do" by T Connection, "I Will Follow You (full intention club)" by Una Mas, "There But For The Grace Of God Go I" by Machine, "Keep On Jumpin" by Musique, "You Can't Hide From Your Bud" by DJ Sneak, "Music Makes Me Happy (ATFC vocal)" by Tomy or Zox, "Dangerous Vibes (Spen & Kamizra deepah dub)" by Ferry Ultra with Roy Ayers, "Let's Get Horny" by Hi Voltage, "Too Much Love (Axwell voc)" by Michelle Wilson, and "Love Is Freedom" by Joey Negro vs Secret Sounds. 26 tracks in all. CD

The funkiest side of Stax Records – a treasure trove of funky nuggets, all hand-picked by RZA! As the title implies, these are some of the grooves that became the building blocks of the Wu-Tang sound – but even without that pedigree, these tracks are more than great enough on their own – a wonderful mix of album cuts and rare singles – some you'll recognize from famous hip hop samples, some you'll discover here for the first time ever! The triple-length package is overflowing with greatness – and titles include "I Could Never Be Happy" and "I Like It" by The Emotions, "I Forgot To Be Your Lover" by The Mad Lads and another "I Forgot To Be Your Lover" by William Bell, "Children Don't Get Weary" by Judy Clay, "All It Takes Is You & Me" by The Sweet Inspirations, "Poverty's Paradise" by 24 Carat Black, "I'll Play The Blues For You" by Albert King, "Why Marry" by The Sweet Inspirations, "Steal Away" by Johnnie Taylor, "Hang On Sloopy" by David Porter, "Ike's Mood 1" by Isaac Hayes, "In The Rain" by The Dramatics, "Don't Take My Kindness For Weakness" by The Soul Children, "Packed & Took My Mind" by Little Milton, "Sing A Simple Song" by Booker T & The MGs, "I'm Afraid The Masquerade Is Over" by David Porter, "LA Jazz Song" by Booker T & The MGs, "Walk On By" by Isaac Hayes, and "Keep The Faith" by Mel & Tim. CD

A whole new genre of disco – served up by one of the biggest club collectors in the world! Dimitri's the man who's guided us through so many other great sets of rare disco tracks over the years – and this time around, he's launching new look at the form! Cocktail Disco is a unique variation that's often heavy on orchestrations, and which sometimes has echoes of older jazz, vocal, or Latin recordings – classic influences that simmer nicely through the mix – and help deepen the sound of the already-soulful late 70s style! And although "cocktail" normally means laidback or sleepy, these tunes definitely aren't – because all tracks here are in a soaring midtempo mode or better – cuts you'd be happy to play with some of the funkier numbers on the dancefloor, and which should stand out nicely, given their unique twist. 2CD set features 21 titles that include "Summertime" by Blue Velvets, "What You Need Is My Love" by Cindy Rodriguez, "It's Got To Be Love" by Darcus, "Ocean's Apart" by Vast Majority, "Show You The Way To Go" by Charlie's Roots, "Again" by Night People, "Lady Of The Night" by Ray Martinez, "Disco Village" by J Elliot Group, "Something About You" by Moses, "Baby I Just Wanna Love You" by Jonell Allen", "Canteen" by Serenade, "Starflight" by The Band Who Fell To Earth, "Take Me With You" by Ralfi Pagan, "Never Too Late" by Ms Victoria Barnes, and "Girl From Ipanema (disco version)" by Astrud Gilberto. CD

The Crate Diggers definitely know their way around an Italian club track – and this set's a really well-done collection of the kind of imports that bubbled around in the early 80s, and formed a nice bridge between some of the colder sounds of UK post-punk dance, and the new grooves that were coming up on the scenes in Chicago and New York! There's no denying that these tracks had an influence on house music, but they're also maybe a bit more tuneful, focused, and catchy too – often with spare but strong vocal hooks that really send the tunes over the top! Titles include "Spacer Woman" by Charlie, "Hypnotic Tango" by My Mine, "Take A Chance" by Mr Flagio, "Remember" by Vivian Vee, "Feel The Drive" by Doctor's Cat, "I Need Love" by Capricorn, "That's The Game" by Wet, and "Happy Children" by P Lion. CD

A really special set of soul tracks – and one that's got a vibe that's maybe even different from the previous two Manhattan Soul collections! This package is filled with the kind of overlooked gems that sometimes get lost because people are a bit too focused in their record-collecting tastes – mellow cuts that are still a bit funky, deep soul from up-north sources, and even some group numbers that are neither upbeat and Northern, nor slow enough to be mellow harmonies. Instead, these cuts together really defy the rules – showing that in the deeper corners of the New York underground, there were always great new ideas going on – not work that was trying to challenge the stars at Atlantic, or the Brill Building best – but instead very happy to just do their own thing, in some very groovy ways. The work comes from the Wand, Scepter, and Musicor family of labels – better-known for big hits, but also very dedicated to cool indie singles that only seem to be getting their due in more recent years. CD features 24 tracks in all – and titles include "Giving Up" by Junior Lewis, "Now That You're Gone" by Sonny Turner & Sound Limited, "Open Up Your Heart" by Dan & The Cleancuts, "Every Little Bit Helps" by Helen Henry, "Two Stupid Feet" by The Shirelles, "The Same Old Song" by The Dinos, "Nobody Made You Love Me" by The Charts, "Fun City Woman" by Ann Bailey, "The Landlord" by The Tabs, "Does Love Believe In Me" by Melba Moore, "Mr Schemer" by Brenton Wood, "You Picked Me" by The Soldier Boys, and "Never In My Life" by Lee Moses. (Soul, Funky Compilations) CD

A wealth of rare European grooves – most recorded in the late 60s and early 70s, all making their debut on CD! The package brings together previous vinyl-only reissues from the Sonorama label – 7" singles that feature material dug from German sound library recordings of many years back – all in a great blend of jazz, funk, soul, and bossa! Given the strength of the material, the collection may be the best release so far on Sonorama – and that's saying a heck of a lot, given the already-great titles the label has brought to the market. CD features two tracks appearing here for the first time ever – "Woe's All Over Me" by Jazz Orchestra Rob Pronk and "By The Help Of You & Me" by Ray Christoph's New Sound – plus "Happy Samba", "Summertime", "The Lady Is A Tramp", and "Windmills Of Your Mind" by Mark Murphy & Louis Van Dyke; "Baby I Love You", "Fever", "Cold Sweat", "I Got A Feeling" by Kadri Six; "Love Cage", "Hard Work", "Neptune's Walk", and "Scotch & Soda" by Orchestre Pete Jacques; and "Wordless Blues", "Soul Organ", and "The Very First Day" by Ray Christoph's New Sound. CD