The future's brighter than the recent past – thanks to the spirit embraced here by the folks at Colemine Records – one of many labels who weathered the storm of 2020, and who see much brighter days ahead in the years to come! Colemine survived by stripping things down, and digitally issuing weekly tracks from different sides of their label roster – a way of keeping things alive during the darkest days, and giving many voices a chance to be heard – a nicely diverse array of funk and soul artists who've always given the label a really special sound. This set brings together key cuts from that run of releases – a full 2021 statement after the smaller steps of the previous years – and makes for a set that mixes bigger Colemine names with some great up-and-comers. Titles include "Jackie" by Reverend Baron, "Espume" by Rudy De Anda, "Cloud Of Smoke" by Andrew Gabbard, "Baby Girl" by Young Gun Silver Fox, "This Life" by Kendra Morris, "Changes (demo)" by Neal Francis, "Who Could It Be" by The Soul chance, "Here We Are" by Dojo Cuts with Carlton Jumel Smith, "Inner City Blues" by Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio, "Winston Theme" by Winston Brothers, "Sunk In The Mist" by JR Thomas & The Volcanos, "Standing With You" by The Resonaires, "What's His Name" by Thee Sineers, and "Sommer" by Ironsides. CD

Beautifully heavy sounds from Black Market Brass – a group who started out with more of a global funk approach, but who emerge here with the intensity of some lost funky soundtrack – all with the sort of edge you might expect from the cover! The style here is really revolutionary – unlike anything else we've ever heard from a group with "brass" in their name – in part because the group has some very cool distortion on the keyboards and guitar, which gives those electric elements a very sinister sound next to the straight ahead fire of the horns – served up with really hard-driving rhythms throughout, in a way that seems to pull together older traditions of Afro Funk, Nola Brass, and even some of the southern college bands – but all with a very 21st Century vision. Titles include "So Who (parts 1 & 2)", "Into The Thick", "War Room", "Cheat & Start A Fight", "Undying Thirst", and "NBT". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that's definitely funky, but which maybe has a lot more going on as well – richer production moments that move between ambitious soundscapes and fuzzier freakouts – but all without losing the groove at the core! The record's billed as "mysterious", but really seems to come from the talents of Seth Applebaum – a great producer and arranger who manages to keep all the tight elements at the core, including some great bass and drums – while also letting things freak out up top a bit more – almost as if David Axelrod were given the chance to work with some of the younger funk combos in recent years. There's a bit of trippy vocals, but most of the set is instrumental – and titles include "Seven Eight", "Spirits In The Distance", "Broken Boogaloo", "Isaac Hayes", "Slow Down", "Kaddish", and "Modern Scene". LP, Vinyl record album

It's hard to imagine these kings being left behind, as the sound of Ikebe Shakedown just keeps getting bolder and more majestic with each new release – a very special strand of deep funk, with a blend of horns that you might find in a more Afro-styled band, mixed with tighter rhythms at the core – and dosed throughout with a really cool, very twangy guitar! The mix of elements is great – almost as if a chicha guitarist wandered into sessions for an Afro Funk record, and convinced the rest of the guys to work in more small combo modes, in a way that allows the guitar a great presence in the sound, as it washes over most of the tunes with a strong sense of color! Titles include "Hammer Into Anvil", "Horses", "Mary's Corner", "Not Another Drop", "Unqualified", and "No Going Back". LP, Vinyl record album

An organ trio, and one with plenty of soul – romping drums, riffing guitar, and some mighty sweet work on the Hammond by Delvon Lamarr! This is the first we've ever heard of the group, but they're rock solid and right on the money – working with a lean, hard style that's completely classic, but also a bit contemporary too – maybe swinging in the best sort of space between the Jack McDuff Quartet of the 60s and the Sugarman Three group of Desco Records fame! David McGraw handles the drums with a clear love of funk, and Jimmy James is wonderfully wicked on guitar – never trying to dominate too much, as there's no need – given how much he brings to the overall groove. Delvon's a hell of an organist too – the kind that knows that a little can often go much farther than a lot when handling the electric keys – which he does to set up some sweet solos on cuts that include "Ain't It Funky", "Al Greenery", "Can I Change My Mind", "Walk On By", "Between The Mustard & The Mayo", "Raymond Brings The Greens", and "Little Booker T". CD

Deeply funky work from one of the hippest Hammond organ combos around – just a trio, but one that's able to pack the punch of so many much larger groups! Delvon Lamarr took all the right lessons from Hammond heroes of the past – not that he's copying anyone's style, because he isn't – but he really knows the right way to make the instrument move between rhythm and melody, solo and groove – as he works here in ultra-tight formation with funky drummer Grant Schroff and guitarist Jimmy James! James gets in a few great licks of his own – and like Delvon, really knows how to move between staying on the rhythm, and getting loose – which makes for a wonderful album, through, filled with stone cold originals that include "Hole In One", "Call Your Mom", "Girly Face", "From The Streets", "I Don't Know", "Fo Sho", and "Aces". CD

A great combo, in a really great setting – the trio of organist Delvon Lamarr, captured in a sweet live radio performance! The tunes are long and open – very much in the group's killer blend of soul jazz and deep funk – with plenty of room for Delvon to soar out on the keys of the Hammond, and remind us again what a massive younger talent he is on the instrument! If you like the group's funky 45s, you'll find yourself really loving this live set – and the whole thing's only got us eager to keep on following the great growth of this group. Titles include a sweet remake of the Curtis Mayfield tune "Move On Up" – plus "Concussion", "I Don't Want To Play That", "Tacoma Block Party", "South Leo St Stomp", and "Memphis". CD

Maybe the sharpest, funkiest album to date from the great jazz organist Delvon Lamarr – a live set that was done at the Colemine headquarters – but handled with a vibe that makes the whole thing feel like some small club date from the east coast from the 60s Hammond hero generation! Delvon is a monster on the keys – graced with as much a sense of pedal basslines as deft solo work on the keys – alongside support from Jimmy James on guitar and David McGraw on drums – partners in the rock-solid trio that's got to be one of the best funky jazz groups in the world! Tracks are all nice and long – and titles include "Love Land", "Ain't It Funky Now", "Tacoma Black Party", "Move On Up", "You Know When I'm Right Or Wrong", "Memphis", and "Can I Change My Mind". LP, Vinyl record album

Deep funk, but with a compelling twist – bits of South American styles filtering into the mix from time to time, but in subtle ways that never lose the groove! The album's a soundtrack, but works more like a funk album on its own – and is a great full length follow-up to some of the hip 45 work we've heard from the Colemine label – showing that they may well be on the deeper path of a label like Daptone! The added elements make for some hip exotic inflections from time to time – almost echoes of El Michels, but in a different way – and titles include "Pablo's Dilemma", "High Noon", "Sigamos El Sol", "El Conquistador", "Nadie Puede Escpar", "Andean Folk Song", and "Mirror Door". LP, Vinyl record album

This isn't the first album from Mamas Gun, but it's easily their deepest so far – a righteous set that seems to have the group growing tremendously since their last album – as they take on even more righteous currents in soul! The music is funky, but it's the lyrics that often hold the whole thing together – echoes of 70s warmth, but given a bit more of a contemporary message – over grooves that have a fantastic sense of flow that really matches the lyrics – laidback, but never lazy – just the right sort of poise to give things even more power than usual – on titles that include "Good Love", "Friends To Lovers", "When You Stole The Sun From The Sky", "You're Too Hip For Me Baby", "Cure The Jones", "Winner's Eyes", and "Party For One". CD

Kendra Morris looks lovelier than ever on the cover of the record – and she sounds lovelier than ever too – thanks to a rock-solid, all-soul approach that shows just how much her vocal strengths have grown in recent years! Morris has always had an ear for the classic, but this time around she actually hits that territory herself – working with superb small combo backing and some great production from guitarist Jeremy Page – who adds in some slight larger strings, at a level that almost gives the whole thing the majesty of an early 70s Curtom Records or Isaac Hayes production! Kendra, of course, sounds very different than either – which is what makes the album especially great – on titles that include "Nine Lives", "Penny Pincher", "Keep Walking", "This Life", "Who We Are", "Got Me Down", "Drag On", "Dry", and "Circle Eights". CD

A great little soul set by a singer we're betting will have a long run in the funky underground – a relative newcomer, but one who comes across with a power that really belies his time in the studio! Ben Piriani's music has this righteous, full-on groove that reminds us a lot of that moment when Chicago soul was cusping at the end of the 60s – hitting more progressive themes, and really exploding with power – which is definitely what Ben and the group do here, thanks to sharp, soulful backings – and lots of backup vocals that almost put Piriani's lead in the company of groups like The Artistics or Lost Generation. Unlike other singers who try to go back, but usually just go for the easy marks, Ben's really got his sound just right here – and is one of the best blue-eyed soul singers we've heard in years. Titles include "How Do I Talk To My Brother", "Light Of My Life", "Try Love", "Not One More Tear", "Can't Get Out Your Own Way", "You Brought The Rain", and "Dreamin's For Free". CD

Man, these guys just keep on getting better – and this time around, Durand Jones & The Indications deliver a record that's way more than just another funk band with a lead singer! Instead, there's a depth and complexity to this set that takes us back to our favorite indie soul albums at the start of the 70s – particularly ultra-hip work from the Philly and New Jersey scenes, where sweet and funky soul modes could exist in equal space – and come up with results that are every bit as great! The core funky instrumentation from the group is still in place - but there's also larger arrangements with a bit of strings and vocals – really opening up the tunes, and somehow underscoring their more righteous currents in a way that smaller instrumentation would never do. Jones sounds better than ever – as if he's been waiting for a chance like this to really take off – and titles include "Morning In America", "Circles", "True Love", "Walk Away", "Long Way Home", "Sea Gets Hotter", "How Can I Be Sure", "Listen To Your Heart", and "Court Of Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great set from one of our favorite groups on the Colemine label – just a trio, but a group who manage to deliver with the same raw funky power as a much larger group! Delvon Lamarr handles the Hammond in the group – and he's a wizard on the keys, able to move between rhythmic vamping and these incredibly deft solos – at a level that matches some of our old school favorites, like Jack McDuff or Lonnie Smith! The rest of the group features Jimmy James on guitar – a player who can bring a nice edge to his sound – plus Daniel Weiss, who handles some mighty heavy drums – the rock-solid core of the trio, and always keeping things funky throughout. Titles include "Keep On Keepin On", "Pull Your Pants Up", "Don't Worry Bout What I Do", "I Wanna Be Where You Are", "Get Da Steppin", and "Uncertainty". CD

Slow funk and soul, with plenty of psychedelic touches – all delivered in the best mode we've come to expect from the Monophonics over the years! The group's always off in their own space in a really great way – creating a sonic environment that easily shifts between past, present, and future – often thanks to a range of keyboard work from vocalist Kelly Finnigan – who plays Fender Rhodes, Hammond, Farfisa, Mellotron, Moog, and other keyboards too! Finnigan's vocals are often processed in a great way – sounding different than albums under his own name – and given these great funky drums from Austin Bohlman, whose rock-solid rhythms really keep things moving forward. There's lots of other great touches too – subtle use of horns and strings amidst the swirling sound – on titles that include "The Shape Of My Teardrops", "Let That Sink In", "Check In", "Never Stop Saying These Words", "Crash & Burn", "Warpaint", and "Love You Better". CD

Slow funk and soul, with plenty of psychedelic touches – all delivered in the best mode we've come to expect from the Monophonics over the years! The group's always off in their own space in a really great way – creating a sonic environment that easily shifts between past, present, and future – often thanks to a range of keyboard work from vocalist Kelly Finnigan – who plays Fender Rhodes, Hammond, Farfisa, Mellotron, Moog, and other keyboards too! Finnigan's vocals are often processed in a great way – sounding different than albums under his own name – and given these great funky drums from Austin Bohlman, whose rock-solid rhythms really keep things moving forward. There's lots of other great touches too – subtle use of horns and strings amidst the swirling sound – on titles that include "The Shape Of My Teardrops", "Let That Sink In", "Check In", "Never Stop Saying These Words", "Crash & Burn", "Warpaint", and "Love You Better". LP, Vinyl record album

These nuggets are plenty rugged – but they've also got a sharpness that marks the group as one of the most inventive funk acts to emerge in recent years – a combo who know that sometimes you can do more with a lot less – which in this case includes a focus on spare but well-crafted rhythms at the core, and solo work by just a key instrument or two! There might be a trumpet line on one cut, an echoey guitar part on another – and throughout, the group keeps things really lean and laidback – which makes for such a refreshing change from other soul-influenced combos who try to do too much at once. Titles include "Walking In The Rain", "Song For Lemona", "Eleventh Hour", "Battle Of Cans", "Arbor Vitae", "The Layover", "Moving Steady", "Rugged Walk", and "Take Me With You". CD

Deeply funky work from the Sure Fire Soul Ensemble – one of those special groups that always seems to bring a little something extra to their work – not just a straight copy of old school funk instrumental styles, but instead a rich, fresh approach that's very much their own! The sound is lean, but there's also this sort of majesty in the music – and understated quality that comes from the careful application of horns next to the funky elements at the core – almost with the flavoring that you'd hear in an older Ethio Funk record, but without any East African flavors either. The approach is a bit hard to describe, but it grabs you right away, and makes you know you're listening to something that's really a cut above – on titles that include "Omnificent", "Time To Rebuild", "Step Down", "High Times", "Gandys", "In Common", "Love Age", and "Thomas The Cat". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic funk from the Colemine label – a company who've given us plenty of great albums over the years, but who seem especially well-tuned to the funky 45! Along with Daptone, Big Crown, and a few others, Colemine is one of the labels who turn out top-shelf 7" singles again and again – most of which are in limited pressings, disappear fast, and are sometimes pretty expensive if you can find them! This set corrects that issue, and brings together 27 nuggets that originally appeared as funky 45s – all stacked together nicely as a massive LP set, with a nice price break from trying to track down the singles. Titles include "Gripsweats Them" by The Gripsweats, "Don't You Know" by Durand Jones & The Indications, "NUSAU" by Jungle Fire, "Supermoon" by Ikebe Shakedown, "What A Shame" by Jr Thomas & The Volcanos, "War Room" by Black Market Brass, "Aragon" by Sure Fire Soul Ensemble, "My God Has A Telephone" by Flying Stars Of Brooklyn, "He's On Time" by Harlem Gospel Travelers, "Happiness" by Wesley Bright & The Honeytones, "It Was Only A Dream" by Thee Sinseers, "America" by Soul Scratch, and "Sure Don't Miss You" by The Dip. LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic work from Durand Jones & The Indications – a group who've really come a long way in the past few years – in ways that push Durand's vocals to places we wouldn't have guessed on previous records! This set's way more than just a funk band with a soul singer upfront – as the whole thing's a fully-formed soul record through and through – with these larger arrangements that really add a lot, and open up all these righteous 70s currents mixed with a few contemporary flourishes that really give the album a very distinct sound! The songwriting is even better than before, too – and the group seems to have found a voice for themselves that's unlike any of their contemporaries. The record features guest work from Brandee Younger on harp and Joel Ross on vibes – and titles include "Love Will Work It Out", "Witchoo", "Reach Out", "Sexy Thang", "More Than Ever", "Private Space", "Sea Of Love", "I Can See", and "Ride Or Die". CD

This isn't the first album from Mamas Gun, but it's easily their deepest so far – a righteous set that seems to have the group growing tremendously since their last album – as they take on even more righteous currents in soul! The music is funky, but it's the lyrics that often hold the whole thing together – echoes of 70s warmth, but given a bit more of a contemporary message – over grooves that have a fantastic sense of flow that really matches the lyrics – laidback, but never lazy – just the right sort of poise to give things even more power than usual – on titles that include "Good Love", "Friends To Lovers", "When You Stole The Sun From The Sky", "You're Too Hip For Me Baby", "Cure The Jones", "Winner's Eyes", and "Party For One". LP, Vinyl record album