A stellar bit of boogie from Con Funk Shun – produced to perfection by Skip Scarborough, and done in a style that has lots of jazzy elements! The album was recorded well into the group's time on the Mercury label, but it's a real standout from the rest – thanks to an extremely well-written batch of tunes, and a mode of bass-heavy funk that avoids the cliches of other groups at the time – and goes for a more laidback style that sounds especially nice on the mellower numbers. Michael Cooper's great on lead vocals – and titles include "By Your Side", "Early Morning Sunshine", "Curtain Call", "Happy Face", "Juicy", "Lovestruck 1980", and "Honey Wild". LP, Vinyl record album

Snapping grooves and a sweet clubby sound from Con Funk Shun – one of the best ensemble funk groups to make the transition from late 70s styles to the key years of 80s groove! The bass is tight, the keyboards are electric, and the rhythms are great – never forced or stiff, and always flowing with a sense of soul that's head and shoulders above most of the group's contemporaries. Vocals are strong too – especially on the numbers that step things down a few notches – and titles include "Ms Got The Body", "Let's Ride & Slide", "Everlove", "Hide & Freak", "You Are The One", "Take It To The Max", "The Freak", and "Love's Train" – plus the 12 inch single and 12 inch instrumental versions of "Ms GotThe Body". CD

A killer from Con Funk Shun – one of the few mainstream funk groups who actually managed to sound better and better with each new record – and on this set, they really seem to come into their own! The group's sound was always suited better to a smoother groove than a rougher one – and for the set, their tight brand of funk is topped off by vocals that seem even better crafted than before – harmonizing surprisingly well at the funkiest moments, then stepping back to let Michael Cooper take the lead on the ballads. There's also some great moogy keyboard bits that keep things interesting, but which never go over the top in an electro way – and titles include "Too Tight", "Lady's Wild", "Give Your Love To Me", "Kidnapped", "Welcome Back To Love", "Touch", and "Play Widit". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of early 80s efforts from Con Funk Shun in a 2CD set – with bonus tracks! Touch is a killer from the group – one of the few mainstream funk groups who actually managed to sound better and better with each new record – and on this set, they really seem to come into their own! Titles include "Too Tight", "Lady's Wild", "Give Your Love To Me", "Kidnapped", "Welcome Back To Love", "Touch", and "Play Widit". Includes 2 bonus tracks: "Lady's Wild (12" Version)" and "Body Lovers (12" Version)". 7 is not the group's 7th album, but a bold statement of the unity they feel as a 7 piece ensemble – perfectly lived up to in the record's well-crafted grooves! The album's one of Con Funk Shun's best overall – really solid, but never too slick, very tight in the bass department, but still soulful on the vocal tip, and never afraid to slip into a sweeter, more mellow tune. Titles include "Straight From The Heart", "Bad Lady", "Promise You Love", "I'll Get You Back", "A Song For You", and "California 1". To The Mix has snapping grooves and a sweet clubby sound. The bass is tight, the keyboards are electric, and the rhythms are great – never forced or stiff, and always flowing with a sense of soul that's head and shoulders above most of the group's contemporaries. Vocals are strong too – especially on the numbers that step things down a few notches – and titles include "Ms Got The Body", "Let's Ride & Slide", "Everlove", "Hide & Freak", "You Are The One", "Take It To The Max", "The Freak", and "Love's Train". Includes the bonus "Ms Got The Body (12" Version)" and an instrumental version. CD

Early 80s post disco groove – featuring Sylvester on vocals, with a nice, electronic synth sound to the track! You might know Cowley's remix of Donna Summer's "I Feel Love" or "Megatron Man", which have the same feel as this club cut. 12-inch, Vinyl record

A group who have plenty of the funk that you might guess from their name, but one who can also do a great job with a mellower cut too – as you'll hear in this wonderful collection of their too-short legacy on record! The group were formed in Harlem during the early 70s, and had a run that never really cracked the charts at the time – yet which rivaled some of the hippest work of their generation – every bit as sharp a funk group as Kool & The Gang, and able to shift into other vocal modes with the dexterity of The New Birth – both great references for the sounds on this set! All the work was originally issued on the group's own label, and is presented here as a full collection for the first time ever – with cuts that include "Breezies", "Ready Made Family", "Funk Power", "The Whole Groove", "Moving World", "The Whole Thing", and "Before The Next Teardrop Falls". CD

Bo Diddley we already love you – but this set gives us another reason why! Although Bo's probably best known for his classic R&B work of the late 50s and early 60s, but during the 70s he also managed to cut some massively funky albums for Chess – working in the blues revival/funk turnover sound that was pioneered in the Cadet Concept studios with some of the label's classic artists of earlier years. The grooves on this set are amazing – heavy funk all the way, and filled with a ripplingly strong guitar sound over heavy drums and bass – still handled with the same offbeat sense of humor that we love in Bo's older work, but retuned nicely for the hip heavy sound of the 70s! The CD features 20 tracks in all – pulled from 4 albums on Chess from the early 70s – and titles include "I Don't Like You", "Funky Fly", "Shut Up Woman", "Elephant Man", "Down On The Corner", "The Shape I'm In", "Bad Trip", "Hey Jerome", "Infatuation", "Take It All Off", "Bo Diddley-It Is", "Stop The Pusher", and "Hit Or Miss". (Blues, Soul) CD

A sweet little record that's way better than you might ever guess from the title – almost more of a jazz funk effort overall, with excellent work on guitar, trumpet, saxes, and keyboards! There's vocals on the album, but maybe more in a backup sort of way – and although the cuts could work on a dancefloor, they've often got the mix of jazz and groove that you'd find in some of the funkier Kudu Records material of the time – which might have been an inspiration for these guys! The album was recorded on the Atlanta scene of the late 70s, with lead guitar from Gary Ruffin – and titles include "Get Up & Get Down", "Summer Love", "Randy's Nap", "Simple Song", and "Journey Through The Night". CD

The best collection we've ever seen of the work of funky soul legends Dyke & The Blazers – a double-length set that features full, unedited versions of their classics – plus a whopping batch of previously unreleased tunes! Dyke & The Blazers had a groove that was mighty solid back in the late 60s – a hard-vamping, tightly rhythmic groove that easily matched the best early funk of the time from Charles Wright, Sly Stone, or James Brown – and which was often served up with a rougher edge, and an overall sound that was a lot more dangerous! However, many of the group's singles really trimmed down their performances – shaving off key instrumental moments that are lovingly re-attached here, and combining them with some even rarer tracks that never saw the light of day back in the 60s. The whole thing's amazing – and the 2CD set features a whopping 33 tracks in all, split into one disc of material recorded in Phoenix, and one more of tracks from Hollywood! Titles include "Black Boy", "Stuff", "Moon", "Booga Jivin", "Runaway People", "Funky Broadway Time (parts 1 & 2)", "Swamp Walk", "Extra Funk", "Let A Woman Be A Woman Let A Man Be A Man", "Soul Cake", "She Knows It", "Let's Do It Together", "Bring It On Back", "Funky Walk (parts 1 & 2)", and "Triple Funk". CD

Wonderful work from this obscure funky group – a combo who hailed from Indy, only issued two albums back in the 70s, but also left behind this wicked batch of unissued cuts that were recorded up in Chicago! The group have a vibe that's every bit as great as their warmly collaborative look on the cover – clearly an ego-less funky combo who are able to shift singers and moods from track to tracks – trading leads between singers Anthony Joseph Roberts and Pamela Tanner, and also bringing lots of jazzy instrumentation into the mix too! These guys had been together for a number of years before recording the set, and are clearly at the top of their game – woodshedding hard away from the limelight, but knocking it out of the park with cuts that include "69 Cents", "I'm In A Hurry", "Shell Of A Man", "Where You Lead", "That Is Why", "Love So Strange", and vocal and instrumental versions of "See The Light". CD

Wonderful work from this obscure funky group – a combo who hailed from Indy, only issued two albums back in the 70s, but also left behind this wicked batch of unissued cuts that were recorded up in Chicago! The group have a vibe that's every bit as great as their warmly collaborative look on the cover – clearly an ego-less funky combo who are able to shift singers and moods from track to tracks – trading leads between singers Anthony Joseph Roberts and Pamela Tanner, and also bringing lots of jazzy instrumentation into the mix too! These guys had been together for a number of years before recording the set, and are clearly at the top of their game – woodshedding hard away from the limelight, but knocking it out of the park with cuts that include "69 Cents", "I'm In A Hurry", "Shell Of A Man", "Where You Lead", "That Is Why", "Love So Strange", and vocal and instrumental versions of "See The Light". LP, Vinyl record album

The rare second album from this obscure midwest group! The groove is more smooth funky soul than anything else, and the record was produced by Carl Davis for his Chi-Sound imprint, and it's got a similar sound to some of the other groups on the label, like Manchild. Tracks include "Jive Du Du", "You Got Me Rushin", "Where You Lead", "Syncopated Madness", and "Watchin You, Watchin Me". LP, Vinyl record album

(New Grooves, Soul) 12-inch, Vinyl record

A pair of albums from this overlooked Detroit soul group – back to back on a single CD! On Got To Have Your Love, Fantastic Four are a hell of a harmony group – and one who still hold strong through this second chapter of their career – by avoiding any of the cheaper cliches of some of the groups of the disco generation! Instead, the album focuses on their vocals first, and any sort of grooves second – which makes for some wonderful mellower cuts that really follow the spirit of some of the hippest 70s group soul from Chicago or the east coast – followed by a few upbeat tracks that get handling by Tom Moulton at Sigma Sound in Philly! The balance is great – almost more like some of the best group sides from a few years before, especially Blue Magic – and the ballads really take center stage, and blow us away with the group's deeper currents of soul. Titles include "Mixed Up Moods & Attitudes", "There's Fire Down Below", "I Got To Have Your Love", "She'll Be Right For Me", "Cash Money", and "Disco Pool Blues". On BYOF, the Fantastic Four definitely bring their own funk – thanks to tight help from arranger Dennis Coffey, who also produced the set with a heavy groove that's like his own work of the time! The basslines are stronger than before for the FF – but their harmonies are very firmly intact – and, if anything, the blend of funk and great vocals really makes the album a charmer right from the get-go – especially as they aim more for midtempo steppers than too-upbeat disco tunes that might have them losing some of their charm. The overall vibe is maybe more 1974 than 1978 – and titles include "I Just Want To Love Ya Baby", "BYOF", "Cold & Windy Night", "Sexy Lady", "Shout", "Super Lover", and "Realize". CD

A trio of funky classics from Faze-O – collected here with bonus tracks too! First up is their debut, Riding High – a spacey soul classic – with a sound that never gets old! Faze-O will be forever remembered for their massive cut "Riding High", the leadoff on this album – a stretched out slow funk jam that has amazing keyboards, floating guitars, and a super-dope groove that's stayed fresh from the moment it was first set to wax back in 1977! This album's the group's first, and best – and it's a really wonderful record that blends together funky fusion and heavy soul – filled with killer cuts arranged by the Ohio Players, and with lots of great keyboards by the group! Includes, of course, the massive cut "Riding High" – plus "Toe Jam" and "Funky Reputation"! The second album is a definite Good Thang from Faze-O – easily the masters of snakey funk at the end of the 70s! The set's got loads of great elements that echo the group's Riding High debut – a groove that never goes too far over the top, and which kicks back at a pace that so many others would copy a few years later – a vibe that's a bit Ohio, a bit Cali, yet crafted here with a vision that's totally unique to the band! Horns are a bit heavier than before, but there's still plenty of great keyboards too – and the vocals definitely recognize that they're the second star of the record, and usually defer to the rhythms on most numbers. Tracks include "Good Thang", "Party Time", "Space People", "Who Loves You", and "Funky Lady". Breakin The Funk is wicked funk from Faze-O – a group who seem even tighter than before on this smoking album – yet still hold onto all the laidback modes that made them so great in the first place! There's a lean quality here that really prefaces the direction so many funk acts would take a few years later – a way of compressing everything down on the rhythm, to get past some of the excesses of too-large funk groups, or some of the overblown qualities of the disco generation! Faze-O were definitely out front with this approach, and continue to craft it strongly here – and the album's got a few great mellow tracks too – a great illustration of the claim made in the liner notes – that "Faze-O music is carefully built in panels of melodic phases, to sensuously put you in a funky but heavenly mood of time and rhythm." Titles include "See You Through The Night", "I'm Thankful", "I Still Love You", "Let's Rock", and "Ya Ba Da Ba Duzie". Features bonus tracks – 7" single mixes of "Riding High", "Breakin The Funk", "Good Thang", and "Who Loves You". CD

With Dave Limina on piano, organ and clavinet. (Jazz, Soul) CD

A great presentation of the set that finally gave Motown's legendary studio combo their due – the soundtrack to the documentary Standing In The Shadows Of Motown – expanded tremendously for this set! The 15 tracks on the set includes some killer Motown instrumentals, plus "tribute" tracks sung by contemporary artists. CD

A killer instrumental album of hard organ grooves and funky basslines! This was the album that broke Funk Inc out of their Indianapolis scene, and made them a force to be forever reckoned with in the history of funky jazz. The album grooves hard in the same sound as some of the classic work by Prestige jazz funk giants like Rusty Bryant, Charles Earland, or Ivan Boogaloo Jones – but it's almost even tighter than their work, because the Funk Inc combo as a tightly woven group of players who'd been together for a number of years. The record's filled with monster cuts that you'll recognize immediately, like the group's famous "Kool is Back", which has a monster sample on the intro, and hard heavy Kool & The Gang grooves throughout. Other tracks include "Sister Janie", "The Whipper", and "Bowlegs". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Funk Inc's greatest albums – and a really tight batch of funky tunes given some stellar production by David Axelrod! The band's a bit tighter than on earlier releases – leaving behind the hard jazz-jam sound for a more together soul-oriented one, heard to best effect on the album's enduring classic, "Goodbye, So Long" – a rolling funky tune that features vocals on the chorus, and an unbelievably catchy instrumental sound that you might recognize instantly from its use as a sample over the years. The rest of the record's just as great – and the band runs through The Meters' classic "Message From The Meters", Barry White's funky "I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More Babe", and a great rendition of the electric jazz classic "The Hill Where The Lord Hides". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderfully home-grown take on 80s funk – served up here by Japanese guitarist Minoru Fushimi, who brings all sorts of instruments into the mix as well! The style is maybe a bit like some of the electro funk from the east coast scene at the time – beats, basslines, and keyboards – topped with lots of guitar solos from Minoru, who also sings through a vocoder – which certainly emphasizes the electric sound of the grooves! There's a few other interesting touches along the way – including a bit of shamisen – and titles include "Disco Thesis", "Panda Steak", "It Isn't Because Of The Hemoglobin", "Shinzo San", "Thanatopsis", and "In Praise Of Mitochondria". (Japanese, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Solid electric blues from the great Earl Hooker – a great guitarist who played this weird double-neck electric, making for lots of weird sounds and wobbly bits on the record! There's not as much funk as we know it on the set, but the whole thing's got the down and dirty feel of other sides on the Blues On Blues label – rootsy and indie, and a good indication that the Chicago scene still had some quality to it in the 70s. Titles include "Ball Game On A Rainy Day", "Wa Wa Blues (parts 1 & 2)", "Soul Cookin", and "Hooker Cooker". (Blues, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A heavy funk party from the Japanese jazz scene of the 70s – and a set that hits a lot harder than some of the smoother fusion of the time! There's a grit here that hearkens back to some of the best American jazz funk at the start of the decade – a nice edge that you often don't find in Japanese recordings of this vintage – which is clearly inspired by the American soul scene of the time – as evidence in the weird-looking cover, and in the album's choice of tracks! The notes are in Japanese, which makes it a bit hard to tell what's going on – but the whole thing feels like a live performance, with supposedly different Japanese groups taking the lead – and some calls on the tunes that almost give the whole thing an Osaka Monaurail feel! Titles include "Put It Where You Want It" by Jiro Inagaki & Soul Media, "I Who Have Nothing" by Tan Tan, "Walking All Day" by Eddie Ban & Orient Express, "Sex Machine" by Ozawa Tetsu, and "Scratch" by Akira Ishikawa & Count Buffalo. (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful little album from the earliest days of the Ingram empire in soul – recorded long before any of the individual members had gone onto bigger mainstream fame, and done in a way that has lots of righteous indie touches! Sister Barbara sings lead vocals on most of the tracks – bringing a slightly spiritual quality to the ensemble funk mode of the group – in a way that reminds us a bit of the few early Kool & The Gang tracks that sport female vocals. But there's also a great New Jersey soul kind of quality to the set too – a mode that sometimes slips into gentle harmonies, then rolls into harder funk at other points. Other members of the group include Butch, Billy, Timmy, Jimmy, and Johnny Ingram – and titles include "The Funk Is In Our Music", "He's Mine", "Music Is Our Message", "Tried It And Liked It", "Put Your Troubles Behind", and "What Else Can I Say". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest tracks ever from this legendary Philly backing combo – a sweetly tippling bit of disco that really soars on this 12" single! The track builds with a full feel, then snaps into some clapping rhythms and funky guitar that show that that the group more than live up to their name! "Crying" is pretty great too – stretched out more with really rhythmic beats, and a warm Paradise groove that runs for over 9 minutes long! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Maybe the third great Philly studio group of the 70s – after MFSB and Salsoul Orchestra – a killer combo who provided backing grooves to plenty of great club tracks over the years – and who step out strongly here on their own debut album! Bunny Sigler helps give the album a sharp focus – with his own production and songwriting in play – in modes that are very much like his own best club tracks of the time – but the group is more than great enough on their own – with a funky edge that definitely lives up to their name, and a groove that's even sharper than the two aforementioned contemporary combos. Lead vocals are by James Carmichael, who's totally great – and titles include "Don't You Wanna Party", "Never Let It Go Away", "I Got My Mind Made Up", "Dark Vader", "Wide World Of Sports", and "You Say You Want Me To Stay". LP, Vinyl record album

Way more than just an anthology of work by Instant Funk – and instead a massive 5CD set that features all 7 of the group's albums for Salsoul – plus lots of bonus tracks too! Instant Funk first came to fame as one of the key studio combos behind the sound of Philly International in the mid 70s – but when the Salsoul/Gold Mind imprint got rolling, the group moved over to that label and recorded a great run of hard-grooving albums! And while the "funk" in their name isn't the same sort as you'd imagine from deep funk or funky 45s, Instant Funk definitely have a tightly-crafted sense of musicianship that made them one of the best groups working on the east coast disco scene in the 70s – an ability to focus in on a groove and ride it out over a range of tasty riffs and changes! The massively overstuffed package features the full albums Get Down With The Philly Jump, Instant Funk, Witch Doctor, The Funk Is On, Looks So Fine, Instant Funk V, and Kinky – plus bonus tracks that include "Float Like A Butterfly (parts 1 & 2)", "I Got My Mind Made Up (7" version)", "Slap Slap Lickety Lap (7" version)", "Bodyshine (7" version)", "I Got My Mind Made Up (special 12" disco version)", "Crying (7" version)", "It Ain't Reggae (7" version)", and "Witch Doctor (7" version)". CD

Bunny Sigler's backing band moves firmly into the mode of 80s groove – working that bass heavier than before, popping the strings through a mix of tracks that fall very much in a post P-Funk mode, with some slight touches of the group's older disco leanings. Titles include "Easy Come Easy Go", "Blazin", "No Stoppin That Rockin", "Who Took Away The Funk", "Smack Dab In The Middle", and "I'll Be Good To You". LP, Vinyl record album

The first-ever collection to focus on the work of this lost soulful genius – an artist whose name never made the history books, but who we can always trust when we see it on the label of a funky 45! This set brings together most of those great singles from the early 70s – a wicked run of sharp-edged, always-biting numbers that Chet Ivey recorded for the Sylvia label – run by old school tenor wailer Al Sears! Both Chet and Al had years of experience in music before these singles – but refocus their energy in a badass version of 70s funk – clearly inspired by the James Brown and blacksploitation styles of the time, but given a very special spin, thanks to Chet's personality and way of putting over a tune. The instrumentation is every bit as important here as Ivey's vocals – and titles include "Funky Chit Chat (parts 1 & 2)", "Recipe To Get Down (parts 1 & 2)", "Bad On Bad", "So Fine", "Movin", "When Love Comes Home", "Dose Of Soul", "Party People (parts 1 & 2)", "Get Down With The Geater (part 1)", "Been So Long", "He Say She Say", and "Don't Ever Change". CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Diane Jenkins was one of a few singers who worked with the mighty Creative Funk ensemble in the 70s – and here, she steps out in a collection that brings together her rare singles for that group's label, all of which feature backings from Creative Funk themselves! The groove here is nicely wide-ranging – as Diane can deliver a mellow cut with a great deal of feeling, then step into a funkier number next – all with a voice that's got plenty of feeling, and which maybe sounds even better here in the indie, small label setting of the music than it would have were she snapped up by a bigger label! The set features both vocal and instrumental versions of "I Need You" – plus "Recycle", "Sweet Wine, Music, & My Imagination", "Anniversary", "Tow Away Zone", "I'm A Woman", and "Gee Baby What About You". CD

Diane Jenkins was one of a few singers who worked with the mighty Creative Funk ensemble in the 70s – and here, she steps out in a collection that brings together her rare singles for that group's label, all of which feature backings from Creative Funk themselves! The groove here is nicely wide-ranging – as Diane can deliver a mellow cut with a great deal of feeling, then step into a funkier number next – all with a voice that's got plenty of feeling, and which maybe sounds even better here in the indie, small label setting of the music than it would have were she snapped up by a bigger label! The set features both vocal and instrumental versions of "I Need You" – plus "Recycle", "Sweet Wine, Music, & My Imagination", "Anniversary", "Tow Away Zone", "I'm A Woman", and "Gee Baby What About You". CD

Smooth soulful jazz from Harvey Mason – one of his strong 70s winners for the Arista album, and a record that really brings a new level of class to his sound! There's less of the grit in the grooves than you might expect from the down-home reference of the title – and in a way, the record's a similar shift to well-produced R&B as Michael Henderson or Norman Connor's work from the same time – a soaring, fluid groove that's still supported by solid jazz instrumentation, but which also has a nice dose of soul in the mix! Players here are a real all-star lineup – with talents that include Dorothy Ashby, George Benson, Ronnie Foster, Bob James, and Phil Upchurch – and most cuts have vocals, by The Waters and others. But possibly best of all is the production – which is by Harvey, and really wonderful – sophisticated and smooth, but never slick – a really careful balance that really puts him right up there with Norman Connors or Roy Ayers! Titles include "Pack Up Your Bags", "Till You Take My Love", "Funk In A Mason Jar", "What's Going On", "Set It Free", "Space Cadets" and "Freedom Either Way". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Star Wars & Other Galactic Funk", "The Last Battle", "Cantina Band", "Throne Room & End Title", and "Other Galactic Funk". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A heavy load of funk from one of the greatest funk groups of all time! The set brings together original early Sansu/Josie recordings by The Meters – from that magical point when they were redefining the sound of instrumental soul with these lean, mighty killers from the New Orleans scene! Titles include "Funky Miracle", "Look A Py Py", "Tippi Toes", "Cissy Strut", "Chicken Strut", "Live Wire", "Here Comes The Metermen", "Message From The Meters", "Ride Your Pony", and lots more! LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A damn soulful album from Ghanaian percussionist Rim Kwaku Obeng – recorded in LA at the end of the 70s, with loads of sweet clubby touches in the mix! Rim gets in plenty of tight percussion – lots of which showcases his rim-heavy approach to the drums – and also plays keyboards and sings a bit too – in a larger group that mixes in some very hip LA funky elements, a bit like some of the criss-crossing that Hugh Masekela did on his Chisa Records sessions! The style makes for a great bit of funky club with lots of deeper acoustic percussion elements in the sound – and titles include the massive break classic "Funky Drummer", plus "Nothing Is Free", "Spend Your Money", "Gas Line", "Sunkwa", and "Believe In Yourself". Special package – also includes the bonus 12" tracks "International Funk (voc)", and "International Funk (inst)". (Global Grooves, Soul) CD

A damn soulful album from Ghanaian percussionist Rim Kwaku Obeng – recorded in LA at the end of the 70s, with loads of sweet clubby touches in the mix! Rim gets in plenty of tight percussion – lots of which showcases his rim-heavy approach to the drums – and also plays keyboards and sings a bit too – in a larger group that mixes in some very hip LA funky elements, a bit like some of the criss-crossing that Hugh Masekela did on his Chisa Records sessions! The style makes for a great bit of funky club with lots of deeper acoustic percussion elements in the sound – and titles include the massive break classic "Funky Drummer", plus "Nothing Is Free", "Spend Your Money", "Gas Line", "Sunkwa", and "Believe In Yourself". Special package – also includes the bonus 12" tracks "International Funk (voc)", and "International Funk (inst)". (Global Grooves, Soul) CD

A damn soulful album from Ghanaian percussionist Rim Kwaku Obeng – recorded in LA at the end of the 70s, with loads of sweet clubby touches in the mix! Rim gets in plenty of tight percussion – lots of which showcases his rim-heavy approach to the drums – and also plays keyboards and sings a bit too – in a larger group that mixes in some very hip LA funky elements, a bit like some of the criss-crossing that Hugh Masekela did on his Chisa Records sessions! The style makes for a great bit of funky club with lots of deeper acoustic percussion elements in the sound – and titles include the massive break classic "Funky Drummer", plus "Nothing Is Free", "Spend Your Money", "Gas Line", "Sunkwa", and "Believe In Yourself". Special package – also includes the bonus 12" tracks "International Funk (voc)", and "International Funk (inst)". (Global Grooves, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A nice live snapshot of a later P Funk incarnation, circa 1983 – with players like Dennis Chambers and Michael Hampton aboard the mothership with Clinton's family of funk all stars! The rest of the crew includes includes stalwarts Bernie Worrell, Eddie Hazel, Blackbird McKnight, Maceo Parker, Mudbone Cooper and George Clinton working hard to extend their legendary style of live funk into the 80s. There's a slow build up of energy that's works well – kicking off slowly but surely with a laidback intro and band intro before busts open in a big way, and from there it's one exciting classic after another 'til the very end! Includes lengthy live riffs on P-funk classics like "Cosmic Slop", "(Not Just) Knee Deep", "Maggot Brain", "Atomic Dog"and "Flashlight", "Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker)", "Do That Stuff", "Cosmic Slop" plus a medley of "Let's Take It To The Stage", "Mothership Connection (Starchild)" and "I Call My Baby Pussycat" in a nearly 100 minute set! CD

George Clinton may have pretty well disbanded Parliament and Funkadelic by the time the 80s came around, but the Mothership is still soaring highly on this first album from the P-Funk All Stars project – featuring some (but not all) of George Clinton's better players from various groups! Urban Dancefloor Guerillas his a pretty great little set of jammed-up cuts produced by Clinton, Bootsy, Gary Shider, and Sly Stewart. The flame was still burning, even in the "dark years" of the litigious early 80s – on a set that's actually a bit more stylistically diverse than some the related projects, though unified by never wavering funk! Titles include "Copy Cat", "Pumpin' It Up", "Catch A Keeper", and "Generator Pop". CD

George Clinton may have pretty well disbanded Parliament and Funkadelic by the time the 80s came around, but the Mothership is still soaring highly on this first album from the P-Funk All Stars project – featuring some (but not all) of George Clinton's better players from various groups! Urban Dancefloor Guerillas his a pretty great little set of jammed-up cuts produced by Clinton, Bootsy, Gary Shider, and Sly Stewart. The flame was still burning, even in the "dark years" of the litigious early 80s – on a set that's actually a bit more stylistically diverse than some the related projects, though unified by never wavering funk! Titles include "Copy Cat", "Pumpin' It Up", "Catch A Keeper", and "Generator Pop". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

Although these days, Parliament's best remembered for their classic studio albums, back in the 70s, the real P-Funk experience was the incredible live shows served up by George Clinton and the group! George, Bootsy, and the rest were undeniably at the top of their game at the time – rolling into cities and taking them by storm with their space-themed sets, wild costumes, and intense ability to jam live with a force that even blew away their records! This double live set is a great document of the P-Funk sound of the time – and features some great tunes from mid 70s Parliament, served up in modes that range from straight to very long and drawn out. Titles include "Give Up The Funk", "Get Off Your Ass & Jam", "Night Of The Thumpasorous Peoples", "Let's Take It To The Stage", and "Gamin' On Ya!" – all done with the sort of live jamming feel that made their shows go on forever and groove all night long. CD

Although these days, Parliament's best remembered for their classic studio albums, back in the 70s, the real P-Funk experience was the incredible live shows served up by George Clinton and the group! George, Bootsy, and the rest were undeniably at the top of their game at the time – rolling into cities and taking them by storm with their space-themed sets, wild costumes, and intense ability to jam live with a force that even blew away their records! This double live set is a great document of the P-Funk sound of the time – and features some great tunes from mid 70s Parliament, served up in modes that range from straight to very long and drawn out. Titles include "Give Up The Funk", "Get Off Your Ass & Jam", "Night Of The Thumpasorous Peoples", "Let's Take It To The Stage", and "Gamin' On Ya!" – all done with the sort of live jamming feel that made their shows go on forever and groove all night long. LP, Vinyl record album

Stone cold great collection of funk cuts by this legendary group – all wrapped up in a nice package with a good memory for the hits! Tracks include monsters like "Chocolate City", "Up For The Down Stroke", "Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker)", "P. Funk (Wants To Get Funked Up)", "Bop Gun", "Flash Light", "Aqua Boogie", and "Mothership Connection (Star Child)". Why even bother going out of the house? CD

Mindblowing funk from one of the greatest combos on the New York scene of the early 70s – Pazant Brothers Eddie & Al, heard here on a host of their greatest recordings! The package goes way past any other Pazant reissues we've seen – and features not only work from the group's famous Vanguard album, but way way more work from a host of early singles for the RCA, GWP, and Vigor labels! The 22 track package is overstuffed with horn-heavy funky grooves that mark the Pazants as one of the hottest things going at the time – snapping on the beat with a tightness learned from their old boss Pucho, but also a willingness to explore brassier grooves in a style that seems to be influenced from the New Orleans and Texas scenes of the late 60s. Producer/arranger Edward Bland had a good hand in much of this work – giving the tracks a gritty, nitty, Perception/Today kind of groove – and a few of the very best numbers on the record even bring in some wicked scratchy guitar into the mix! Includes early and later (Vanguard) versions of "Skunk Juice", "New Orleans", "Toe Jam", "Work Song", and "A Gritty Nitty" – plus "Chick A Boom", "Greasy Greens", "Fever", "Juicy Lucy", "Chicken Scratch", "Fly Vines", and "Back To Beaufort". CD

Thundering funk from the early 70s Detroit scene – and the complete work of The Propositions, a group who only ever managed to issue a few singles at the time! Due to a typo on the label of one single, the Propositions were also sometimes known as the Prepositions – but whatever the name, the band is pretty darn funky – as you'll hear in this excellent little set. Years back, the folks at Luv N Haight collected together the group's rare singles to make something of a full LP – but now, years later, they've gone back in the vaults and have come up with a huge amount of unreleased work to add to the mix – making for an overstuffed, double-length set that's filled to the rafters with great tunes. Most tracks are in a stone funky 45 mode – but they also groove out a bit longer than the usual single, and give the band plenty of room to roll around some great basslines and horn bits, which are in turn supported by some really wicked work on guitar, organ, and keyboards! Most tunes are instrumentals, and titles include "Funky Disposition", "Live Funk Session", "Do Whatever Turns You On (parts 1 & 2)", "Groovin For The Groove", "Something Different (long edit)", "Sweet Lucy", "Vamping", "Africana", "Free & Easy", "Bad Seed", "You've Been Chose", and "Kool Twist (live garage session 2)". 2CD package is filled with gems – a total of 20 tracks in all! CD

A wealth of funky instrumentals – never issued before! Sam & The Soul Machine were a funky New Orleans combo that had a sound that was a heck of a lot like the Meters – dubby bass, tight snapping drums, and some warm and bubbling organ work that gave the music a sweetly soulful finish. This fantastic set of tracks was recorded in 1969 – right at the height of the Crescent City funk scene – but was never issued before, due to a strange twist of fate (not to mention the IRS!) Rough and ready – and a perfect slice of deep deep funk! 12 tracks in all – including "T-Time", "Stand", "Mercy D", "Slow Motion", "Wanted Alive", "Meditation", and "Thesis". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

The complete Warner Brothers recordings of Sly Stone – and a much-needed look at an oft-ignored side of his career! The set features the full tracks from the albums Back On The Right Track and Ain't But The One Way – as well as 5 previously unissued demos, which have a rough and ready feel that almost makes them the best of the bunch! The work on the albums is surprisingly great – not classic early Sly, but with this warmly compressed groove that extends his sound nicely – and which has a really great mainstream funk appeal. Sly's using the studio as an instrument more than ever before – getting some great sounds out of the way he brings the vocals, drums, and guitars all together in the mix – and reinventing himself a bit, without losing his groove. Titles include "The Same Thing (Makes You Laugh, Makes You Cry)", "Shine It On", "It Takes All Kinds", "Who's To Say", "Sheer Energy", "LOVINU", "One Way", "High, Y'All", "Ha Ha Hee Hee", "You Really Got Me", "Sylvester", "You're The One (inst demo)", "In Other Words (demo)", "Hand Of Love (demo)", and "Get Back (backing track takes 2 & 3)". CD

Righteous jazz, with plenty of soul – a killer collection of the mid 70s work of Lonnie Liston Smith – all based around his legendary recordings for the Flying Dutchman label! Lonnie got his start on the hippest side of the jazz spectrum – including work with Pharoah Sanders on Impulse – but by the time of these tracks, he'd found a way to beautifully mix the righteous energy of his roots with some sweet mid 70s jazz funk touches – all served up in a sublime blend of electric keyboards and acoustic piano, and often expanded with lyrics that helped Smith cross over into a soul audience too! Few artists ever handled the balance as well as Lonnie – although this work certainly inspired dozens of others to try – and the set's a beautiful testament to his lasting power, with 15 great tracks that include "Visions Of A New World", "Cosmic Funk", "Get Down Everybody", "In Search Of Truth", "Expansions", "Beautiful Woman", "Golden Dreams", "Astral Traveling", "Meditations", "Devika", "Shadows", and "Sunbeams". (Jazz, Soul) CD

A real gem from Lonnie Liston Smith's early years in the studio – and a record that's perhaps a bit more "cosmic" than it is "funk" – but that's why we like it so much! The session has Lonnie stretching out a bit more than usual – borrowing some of the righteousness from his years with Pharoah Sanders, and tripping out on tracks that revel in their own spacey brilliance. Lonnie plays both acoustic and electric piano on the record – stretching out on some Impulse-influenced grooves that feature some great soprano sax and flute from the lesser-known George Barron. Titles include the soulful "Beautiful Woman", the ethereal "Sais", and the heavier groover "Cosmic Funk" – plus great versions of Wayne Shorter's "Footprints" and John Coltrane's "Naima". (Jazz, Soul) CD

A real gem from Lonnie Liston Smith's early years in the studio – and a record that's perhaps a bit more "cosmic" than it is "funk" – but that's why we like it so much! The session has Lonnie stretching out a bit more than usual – borrowing some of the righteousness from his years with Pharoah Sanders, and tripping out on tracks that revel in their own spacey brilliance. Lonnie plays both acoustic and electric piano on the record – stretching out on some Impulse-influenced grooves that feature some great soprano sax and flute from the lesser-known George Barron. Titles include the soulful "Beautiful Woman", the ethereal "Sais", and the heavier groover "Cosmic Funk" – plus great versions of Wayne Shorter's "Footprints" and John Coltrane's "Naima". (Jazz, Soul) CD

A real gem from Lonnie Liston Smith's early years in the studio – and a record that's perhaps a bit more "cosmic" than it is "funk" – but that's why we like it so much! The session has Lonnie stretching out a bit more than usual – borrowing some of the righteousness from his years with Pharoah Sanders, and tripping out on tracks that revel in their own spacey brilliance. Lonnie plays both acoustic and electric piano on the record – stretching out on some Impulse-influenced grooves that feature some great soprano sax and flute from the lesser-known George Barron. Titles include the soulful "Beautiful Woman", the ethereal "Sais", and the heavier groover "Cosmic Funk" – plus great versions of Wayne Shorter's "Footprints" and John Coltrane's "Naima". (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A real gem from Lonnie Liston Smith's early years in the studio – and a record that's perhaps a bit more "cosmic" than it is "funk" – but that's why we like it so much! The session has Lonnie stretching out a bit more than usual – borrowing some of the righteousness from his years with Pharoah Sanders, and tripping out on tracks that revel in their own spacey brilliance. Lonnie plays both acoustic and electric piano on the record – stretching out on some Impulse-influenced grooves that feature some great soprano sax and flute from the lesser-known George Barron. Titles include the soulful "Beautiful Woman", the ethereal "Sais", and the heavier groover "Cosmic Funk" – plus great versions of Wayne Shorter's "Footprints" and John Coltrane's "Naima". (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

One of the rarest albums issued on the Crazy Cajun label – and a set that definitely doesn't have any cajun in the music at all! Instead, the South Funk Boulevard Band do a wonderful job of blending southern deep soul roots with some tighter funk ensemble modes – still nice and raw on the vocals, but with a sharpness of presentation that really holds the whole thing together! The album feels like the kind of funky soul that a label like Stax or Hi might have cut in the late 70s, had the Memphis scene still been going strong – and the whole thing's a further testament to producer Huey P Meux – sometimes shady, but always willing to let a hip group like this open up and get a chance to record something great! Allison provides vocals on a few tracks, the group's male singer is on the others – and titles include "It's Love", "You're All That Matters To Me", "I'm Gonna Love You Till I Die", "Mind Somewhere Else", "Blanket Of Love", "Pay Before You Lay", "Want You Back In My Arms", and "It's Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary album from the Texas scene of the 70s – exactly the kind of set that helps the city of Austin live up to its massive reputation for music! The group's got a wonderful blend of jazz, soul, and funk – a unique blend that reminds us of our favorite funky Fantasy Records sides from the Bay Area scene, but which is even more special here as a standout set from Austin. Like some of the best ensemble funk sets of the 70s, the groove's choppy one minute, jazzy the next – really drawing from the many spirits that inhabit the 8-piece lineup, in ways that really let everyone's talents sparkle. Drums are nice and tight, and the keyboard and saxophone work is wonderful too – and titles include "Ghetto Tool", "Groove Awhile", "Keep Your Eyes On The Merchandise", "Funk N Roll", "Frozen Tundra Lady", and "Radiator". CD

Joe Tex is definitely not without funk on this sweet little set – a smoking TK Records session that carries strongly from the vibe of his "I Gotcha" years! Longtime producer Buddy Killen is still on deck to keep everything tight and right – a mix of Joe's southern soul roots with some sharper elements of the 70s – served up here at a level that may well be one of the most perfect blends of all the great Joe Tex styles – even though the record itself has kind of a hokey title and cover (which seems to have a bunch of white folks, obviously "without funk", ready to throw stones at Tex!) Joe wrote all the lyrics himself, and the few mellow moments have a wonderfully heartbreaking quality. Titles include "Loose Caboose", "Finger Popped Myself Into The Poor House", "How Do You Spell Relief", and "Who Gave Birth To The Funk". CD

The funkiest man? Could well be – and this set will more than support that case! By the time of these recordings, Rufus Thomas was already a legendary figure in the Memphis scene – an aging R&B star that also worked on radio and did a fair bit of promotion for other artists, including daughter Carla. At the end of the 60s, Stax brought him into the studio with the idea of pumping up his sound a bit – adding in some of the newer funky styles, which proved to be a perfect fit for Rufus' rough-hewn style of vocals. Tracks on the set feature a number of classic singles from these years, plus a few unissued numbers – with an all funky track list that includes "Funkiest Man Alive", "Give Me The Green Light", "Itch & Scratch", "Turn Your Damper Down", "Funky Hot Grits", "I'm Getting Better", "Sophisticated Sissy", "Funky Mississippi", "Git On Up & Do It", "The Breakdown (part 1)", "Push & Pull (part 1)", "Do The Double Bump", "Funky Robot (part 1)", "Memphis Train 75", and "Funky Bird". LP, Vinyl record album

Probably the best album ever cut by this DC funk group that defined the Go Go sound of the early 80s! The record features tracks that are a bit tighter than usual, with some nice heavy moments, and the occasional nice drumbreak. Titles include "Pump Me Up", "Drop The Bomb", "Get On Up", and "Hey Fellas". CD

Lots of second chapter classics from this legendary GoGo group – titles that include "Trouble", "Good To Go (rmx)", "Still Smokin (razor mix)", "Woman Of Principle", "Bust Your Bubble Go Go Style", "Drop The Bomb", and "Say What". LP, Vinyl record album

Muddy Waters definitely put the "unk" in funk – although back in his day, the word meant something different than in the 70s! This set features some great late Muddy for Chess – produced in conjunction with Ralph Bass, Muddy's longtime associate in the studio, and done with a style that's a lot more rootsy than the title might imply! Instead of the electrified funky style that other Chess bluesmen were going for in the early 70s, or which Waters used on his late 60s albums, this one is a more back to basics set – with stripped down arrangements, and the kind of electric down homey feel that must have been big with the college kids. Pinetop Perkins plays piano on the set, and Carey Bell Harrington throws in a lot of harmonica. Titles include "Electric Man", "Trouble No More", "Unk In Funk", "Everything Gonna Be Alright", "Waterboy Waterboy", and "Rollin & Tumblin". (Blues, Soul) CD

Tripped-out funk from Johnny – very much in his "I Got To Ta Ta Ya Baby" mode, with the guitar skipping around keyboards in a mellow Bay Area kind of way! Johnny's gone way way past his bluesy roots here – into a sublime blend of soul and funk that's all crafted with just the right amount of lightly spacey touches. The Watson vocals are totally on the money throughout – sliding into the mix in that seductive way that often has Johnny singing beautifully alongside his guitar. Titles include "It's All About The Dollar Bill", "Funk Beyond The Call Of Duty", "Barn Door", "Love That Will Not Die", 'I'm Gonna Get You Baby", "Give Me My Love", and "It's A Damn Shame". CD

Tripped-out funk from Johnny – very much in his "I Got To Ta Ta Ya Baby" mode, with the guitar skipping around keyboards in a mellow Bay Area kind of way! Johnny's gone way way past his bluesy roots here – into a sublime blend of soul and funk that's all crafted with just the right amount of lightly spacey touches. The Watson vocals are totally on the money throughout – sliding into the mix in that seductive way that often has Johnny singing beautifully alongside his guitar. Titles include "It's All About The Dollar Bill", "Funk Beyond The Call Of Duty", "Barn Door", "Love That Will Not Die", 'I'm Gonna Get You Baby", "Give Me My Love", and "It's A Damn Shame". LP, Vinyl record album

A great Johnny Guitar Watson side project – a set not billed directly to his name on the front, but which has all the great hallmarks of the best Watson albums from the 70s! Johnny produced, wrote songs, played, and sung on the record – but there's also an equal focus on his backing group too – which means maybe a bit lead guitar upfront, and more vocals from the whole ensemble – who work together to give the whole thing a mighty great party sound! In fact, some of the best numbers almost have a roller boogie vibe that's not unlike early hip hop – although other numbers get much bassier, and funkier overall. The whole thing's great – and titles include "Virginia's Pretty Funky", "De John's Delight", "Lady Voo Doo", "Master Funk", and "The Funk If I Know". LP, Vinyl record album

It's a year after Wild Cherry's big hit, but the group are still very much in similar territory – working the bass with a heavy crossover dancefloor appeal – and serving up tunes that are compressed perfectly for the AM airwaves! There's a clear nod here to the sunshine sound of the Miami scene – and what the album lacks in real soul authenticity, it more than makes up for in catchy pop charm! Titles include "Baby Don't You Know", "Are You Boogieing", "Dancing Music Band", "Closest Thing To My Mind", "Electrified Funk", and "Hole In The Wall". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare 70s funk from Andre Williams – one of the maddest funky artists of all time! These tunes are quite different from Andre's raw R&B of the 50s, and his funky 45s of the 60s – more in a tight ensemble groove, with a P-Funky approach that has weird vocals colliding with heavy basslines, sweet keyboards, and tight groove overall. The tracks were recorded in Chicago and Detroit – most with vocals by The Velvet Hammer – and titles include "I Don't Need Mary (Juana)", "The Vow", "I Betcha Gonna Like It", "There's A Party", "Man To Woman, Woman To Man", "I Wanna Be Your Show", and the "blue" and "red" versions of the instrumental track "The Velvet Groove"! CD includes the bonus tracks "Impossible" and "Call Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe not the funk of ages, but a mighty nice solo set from Bernie Worrell – done at a key stretch when he was working away from George Clinton and the P-Funk universe! The set's got Bernie opening up in a blend of jazz and funk – and some tracks feature lead vocals, in a style that takes off from his earlier solo album on Arista, but tuned here with a bit more of that electro vibe that the Gramavision album was doing so well at the time! Bernie handles much of the music himself, but there's plenty of key guests on the record too – rhythms from Sly & Robbie, more keyboards from Herbie Hancock, guitar from Keith Richards and Vernon Reid, and seven some backing vocals from David Byrne and other old associates from the P-Funk years. Titles include "Straight Ahead", "Sing", "Don't Piss Me Off", "Ain't She Sweet", "V Spy", "BW Jam", "Volunteered Slavery/Bern's Blues/Outerspaceways", and "Beware Of Dog". CD

Music from George Clinton, Nona Gaye & Prince, Mayte, the Steeles, the NPG, Margie Cox, Mavis Staples, Madhouse, and MPLS. CD

A way way deeper set than the first volume of Bay Area Funk – and a collection that shows that things got pretty heavy on the San Francisco and Oakland scenes of the 70s! A good number of the tracks here are instrumental, and show some wonderful interplay between the trippier sides of funky jazz and the harder sides of soul going on in the Bay Area back in the day – killer music from the fringes that often got lost in the shuffle of all the better-known music coming out on the bigger labels! The work here is all from very tiny labels – expertly selected and all officially cleared by the Luv N Haight team with keen respect for the artists involved – and in a way, the package has set a new high standard for the label! A tremendous discovery, and filled with tracks we'd never heard before – titles that include "Stop Look Listen" by Primevil, "Poor Sad Child (part 1)" by The Windjammers, "Born To Live With Heartache" by Mary Love, "Move In The Room" by Dawn & Sunset, "Ebony" by Project Soul, "Acid Lady" by San Francisco TKOs, "Hip Breakin" by Little Denise Stevenson, "Devil's On The Run" by Uptights Band, "Brute Strength" by Mile Selesia, and "Lenient With My Love" by The Relatives. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

The great second volume to the monumental Breakdown series, with some of the best funky 45s you'll ever find collected on one LP! Includes "Bumpin' Bus Stop" by Thunder & Lightning, "Funky to the Bone" by Freddie, Henchi and The Soulsetters, "Why Don't You Play the Organ, Man" by Memphis Black, "Sittin' On a Red Hot Stove" by Kool & Together, "Mboga Chakula" by the Pazant Brothers, and lots lots more good stuff! (Funky Compilations, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Jazzman take on the Cali scene – and the results are every bit as amazing as you might imagine! Like previous Texas, Florida, and Midwest Funk comps on the label, this volume is essential listening all the way through – a massive dig into rare west coast grooves of the late 60s and 1970s – presented with excellent notes on every single track, and more than enough historical detail to put the music in perspective! The whole thing's fully legit, with great mastering on most cuts – and the track list is filled with rare gems we've never seen on any other collections before – a massive funky treasure trove that includes "Turn It Over" by Chucky Thurmon, "Farm Song" by Leon Gardner, "What Goes Around Comes Around (part 1)" by Arthur Monday, "Get It Right" by Rhon Silva, "Funky Fire" by Billy Larkin, "WB" by California Gold Notes, "Curse Upon The World" by Apple & The Three Oranges, "Cold Heat" by Lil Lavair & The Fabulous Jades, "Bones" by Winter, "Smokin Tidbits" by Edwards Generation, "Al's Place" by Enrique Olivarez Y Los Vampiros, "Talking About My Baby" by John Heartsman & Circles, "What's Going On" by Mr Clean & The Soul Inc, and "All Bundled Into One" by Water Color. (Funky Compilations, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Damn funky work from the west coast scene of the late 60s and early 70s – just the kind of tracks to dispel the idea that too much sun or cannabis might have left the Cali scene a bit weak! Instead, these cuts are right on the money, stone funky throughout, and light years from any sort of California connotations you may have – no west coast jazz, smooth AOR, or breezy Bay Area – and much more of the grit and groove that was brewing up on funky 45s from all points east! Drums are heavy, guitars are sharp, and vocals are super-righteous – filled with the kind of messages that you could only get across on the sort of small label releases that make up most of this set – and which also include a few unreleased tracks appearing here for the first time ever. As usual with BGP, the package is as superb as the music – great sound, detailed notes, and a wonderful track selection that includes "Earthquake" by Rulie Garcia, "Hang Up (part 1)" by Warm Excursion, "Pickin Cotton" by Johnny Talbot & De-Thangs, "If She Wants To Go" by Choice Of Colors, "Just Ain't My Day" by The Entertainers IV, "The Git Down (parts 1 & 2)" by Little Johnny Hamilton & The Soul Pack, "Strike" by Union, "I'm Gonna Speak Out" by Eddie Horan, "The Man" by Jesse & Anita, "Check Me Out" by Little Denise, "The Sneak" by The Douzer, "You Don't Know The Damage You've Done" by Vernon Green & The Medallions, and "Tuned In Turned On" by Alvin Robinson. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

Funky funky California – and a great set of rare grooves from the 70s! The folks at Luv N Haight records are up to their old tricks – digging through the crates for the kind of hard-to-find funky tracks that first gave birth to the fame of the Ubiquity label. The set traces a sound that barely shows up in the history books – the harder funky sound of California in the 70s, a scene that was mostly underground, and which stood in stark contrast to the smoother sounds coming out on major labels at the time. A few of the artists on the set might be familiar through other Luv N Haight reissues, and there's others here that we've never heard at all – grooving in hard and heavy styles that spread across the Sunshine State from East LA to Funky Frisco to Oaktown – a total of 14 tracks that include "Freaky To You" by Sweet Stuff, "Losing You" by Cordial, "Love & Affection" by Ike White, "Freedom Time" by Linda Tillery, "Patience" by Rokk, "Party Time" by Roy Porter, "Carnaval" by Oquesta Esencia, "Wobble Cha" by Cool Benny, "Feelin Alright" by West Coast Revival, "Where Do We Go From Here" by Cool Sounds, "Hang On In There" by Mike James Kirkland, "Daydreamer" by Adele Sebastian, and "A Real Thing" by Sons & Daughters Of Life. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

A massive overview of the genius Chicago scene of the late 60s – and a set that's overflowing with some of the heaviest music ever recorded! The collection focuses on the most groundbreaking work from the later Chess years – particularly the funky blues, psychedelic soul, and tripped out jazz that was coming out of the Cadet Concept studios in the hands of producers like Charles Stepney, Richard Evans, and Marshall Chess! The Chess groups were ahead of their time by decades – blending together styles without a thought of simple genre restrictions, often forsaking chart fame and record sales in pursuit of an adventurous groove. And while some of the artists on the set may be familiar names, we can promise that most of them are presented in styles that you may not have heard before – as the collection features many unreissued numbers that are making their first reappearance here! CD set comes with a 40 page set of notes – and features 20 tracks in all, including "Please Newsboy" by Eve Barnum, "Burning Spear" by Soulful Strings, "More & More" by Little Milton, "Baltimore Oriole" by Lorez Alexandria, "Soul Vibrations" by Dorothy Ashby, "Evil" by Howlin Wolf, "Stereo Freeze" by The Stereos, "The Way I Feel" by Phil Upchurch, "Mama's Got A Good Thing" by Laura Lee, "The Wailer" by Sonny Cox, "Leave It In The Hands Of Love" by Fontella Bass, "Why Am I Treated So Bad" by The Majestic Choir & The Soul Stirrers, "She Suits Me To A Tee" by Buddy Guy, "Memory Band" by Rotary Connection, and "In My Body's House" by Gene Chandler. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

A now-legendary compilation – an early effort to reissue funk on the Stones Throw label – and a set that virtually gave birth to all the fantastic projects they've done under the Now Again banner over the years! Compiler Egon has gone through a range of rare singles, masters, and demos – and has come up with tunes that burn with a brightness that's undeniable. The grooves are all on the harder end of the James Brown Funky People side of the spectrum – and the whole thing is a massive dig into the funky 45 underground – featuring a few groups who rose to new fame over the years, thanks to the legendary status of this project! Titles include "Don't Go" by Aristocrats Organization, "Loaded To The Gills (edit)" by Michael Liggins & The Supersouls, "Mr Chicken (alternate)" by The Soul Seven, "Slipping Into Darkness" by Dayton Sidewinders, "James Brown Medley" by The Apollo Commanders, "Scorpio" by Kashmere Stage Band, "Sad Chicken" by Leroy & The Drivers, "Street Scene" by Leon Mitchinson, "Free Your Mind" by Amnesty, "The Thing" by Carleen & The Groovers, "Go For Yourself (edit)" by Kenny Smith & The Loveliters, and "The Stretch (edit)" by Detroit Sex Machines. (Funky Compilations, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A now-legendary compilation – an early effort to reissue funk on the Stones Throw label – and a set that virtually gave birth to all the fantastic projects they've done under the Now Again banner over the years! Compiler Egon has gone through a range of rare singles, masters, and demos – and has come up with tunes that burn with a brightness that's undeniable. The grooves are all on the harder end of the James Brown Funky People side of the spectrum – and the whole thing is a massive dig into the funky 45 underground – featuring a few groups who rose to new fame over the years, thanks to the legendary status of this project! Titles include "Don't Go" by Aristocrats Organization, "Loaded To The Gills (edit)" by Michael Liggins & The Supersouls, "Mr Chicken (alternate)" by The Soul Seven, "Slipping Into Darkness" by Dayton Sidewinders, "James Brown Medley" by The Apollo Commanders, "Scorpio" by Kashmere Stage Band, "Sad Chicken" by Leroy & The Drivers, "Street Scene" by Leon Mitchinson, "Free Your Mind" by Amnesty, "The Thing" by Carleen & The Groovers, "Go For Yourself (edit)" by Kenny Smith & The Loveliters, and "The Stretch (edit)" by Detroit Sex Machines. (Funky Compilations, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A killer little set that's as heavy as it sounds from the title – a wealth of rare material pulled from the studio of Detroit producer Dave Hamilton – a good deal of it previously unreleased! Hearing this set is like finding a pile of rare 45s stuffed in the back corner of a long-lost record shop – because although much of the work was never issued, it crackles with the intensity of the best funky 45s – lots of funky drums, offbeat guitar, and raspy soul vocals – produced with a real edge to all the work, so that all of the hardest elements of the tunes really come through in the mix! The work that was issued here came out on the TCB, Tayster, and New Day labels – and although the artists are often not well known, the work's got a really unified feel – thanks to the funky vision of Dave Hamilton. CD features 20 tracks in all – including "Brand New Girl (part 1)", "You're Wasting My Time (parts 1 & 2)", and "I Got Some (parts 1 & 2)" by Billy Garner; "The Grown Folks Thing" by OC Tolbert, "Party Time" by James Carpenter, "Going To The Moon" by Dave Hamilton, "Funky Trip" by Johnny Walker, "The Devil Is Gonna Get You" by The Future Kind, "Just A Mistake" by The Barrino Brothers, "Hunchin" by Gip Roberts, "Bump With Me" by The Webb People, "Sweet Thing (part 1)" by Bobby Dee, and "Can You Dig It" by Chico & Buddy. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD