The amazing second album from The Soul Searchers – even harder, funkier, and rarer than the first! This one blows away everything else the group have ever done – as the record has an angular approach that has the band taking a lot of weird twists with the grooves, creating these dark jazzy edges that have forever made the album a favorite with fans of deep-thinking funk! The massively funky sound of the group's debut are further increased here by a hipper, more sophisticated approach to rhythm and soul – one that's got the group flowing through warm moments one minute, then cutting things into deeper, sharper tones the next. Titles include the sublime "Ashley's Roachclip", a famous BDP sample from way back – plus the cuts "I Rolled It You Hold It", "Blow Your Whistle", "Funk To The Folks", "Ain't It Heavy", and "If It Ain't Funky". LP, Vinyl record album

One the all time great funky albums of the 70s – a mad little record with a sense of rhythm and timing that was years ahead of its time! The Soul Searchers (along with Chuck Brown) later became known for their heavy-hitting Go Go work at the end of the decade – but here, they're a really free-thinking outfit with a lot of jazz in their funk – and a willingness to change up the beats and timings in ways that push the record miles ahead from an average funk outing. Tracks swirl around with an amazing intensity – supported by guitar work from Brown, organ from Hilton Felton, and some really great horns from Don Tillery and Lloyd Pinchback. The album features a wonderful remake of "Think" – plus the great originals "1993", "Soul To The People", "Blowout", and "We The People". LP, Vinyl record album

Chuck Brown and his Soul Searchers group are past the arch jazzy funk of their days on Sussex Records – and they're heading more towards that ensemble sound that would drive the DC Go Go scene in the early 80s. The formula is heard to best effect on the big hit "Bustin Loose", an old school party funk jam that you'll probably recognize immediately – and which put Chuck and the group firmly back on the map for another few years! The group also does a pretty good remake of "If It Ain't Funky", which was on one of the earlier Soul Searchers albums – and the album includes the original cuts "Gotcha Now" and "Game Seven". CD

The amazing second album from The Soul Searchers – even harder, funkier, and rarer than the first! This one blows away everything else the group have ever done – as the record has an angular approach that has the band taking a lot of weird twists with the grooves, creating these dark jazzy edges that have forever made the album a favorite with fans of deep-thinking funk! The massively funky sound of the group's debut are further increased here by a hipper, more sophisticated approach to rhythm and soul – one that's got the group flowing through warm moments one minute, then cutting things into deeper, sharper tones the next. Titles include the sublime "Ashley's Roachclip", a famous BDP sample from way back – plus the cuts "I Rolled It You Hold It", "Blow Your Whistle", "Funk To The Folks", "Ain't It Heavy", and "If It Ain't Funky". CD

The amazing second album from The Soul Searchers – even harder, funkier, and rarer than the first! This one blows away everything else the group have ever done – as the record has an angular approach that has the band taking a lot of weird twists with the grooves, creating these dark jazzy edges that have forever made the album a favorite with fans of deep-thinking funk! The massively funky sound of the group's debut are further increased here by a hipper, more sophisticated approach to rhythm and soul – one that's got the group flowing through warm moments one minute, then cutting things into deeper, sharper tones the next. Titles include the sublime "Ashley's Roachclip", a famous BDP sample from way back – plus the cuts "I Rolled It You Hold It", "Blow Your Whistle", "Funk To The Folks", "Ain't It Heavy", and "If It Ain't Funky". CD

The amazing second album from The Soul Searchers – even harder, funkier, and rarer than the first! This one blows away everything else the group have ever done – as the record has an angular approach that has the band taking a lot of weird twists with the grooves, creating these dark jazzy edges that have forever made the album a favorite with fans of deep-thinking funk! The massively funky sound of the group's debut are further increased here by a hipper, more sophisticated approach to rhythm and soul – one that's got the group flowing through warm moments one minute, then cutting things into deeper, sharper tones the next. Titles include the sublime "Ashley's Roachclip", a famous BDP sample from way back – plus the cuts "I Rolled It You Hold It", "Blow Your Whistle", "Funk To The Folks", "Ain't It Heavy", and "If It Ain't Funky". LP, Vinyl record album

One the all time great funky albums of the 70s – a mad little record with a sense of rhythm and timing that was years ahead of its time! The Soul Searchers (along with Chuck Brown) later became known for their heavy-hitting Go Go work at the end of the decade – but here, they're a really free-thinking outfit with a lot of jazz in their funk – and a willingness to change up the beats and timings in ways that push the record miles ahead from an average funk outing. Tracks swirl around with an amazing intensity – supported by guitar work from Brown, organ from Hilton Felton, and some really great horns from Don Tillery and Lloyd Pinchback. The album features a wonderful remake of "Think" – plus the great originals "1993", "Soul To The People", "Blowout", and "We The People". CD features the bonus 7" single mixes of "We The People". CD

From the transitional period when Chuck and co. were moving from the harder funk style of their Sussex days to the Go Go sound they'd help pioneer in DC, with a style that combines both, with a bottom heavy groove, wiry guitar, horn stabs and percolating percussion. This single features their massive hit in classic funky 45 style, parts 1 & 2, but stretched way out over both sides of a 12", with more than a few breakdowns, call and response choruses and getting taken to the bridge, over and over. . . 12-inch, Vinyl record

A fantastic funky follow-up to the first Mr Thing compilation from BBE – and a set that's equally filled with rare and soulful grooves! If we didn't know better, we'd swear he went into our crates and pilfered our own record collections – because the package contains plenty of overlooked cuts that we've loved for years, but which have never gotten their due – and not even all of them are from totally obscure pressings or small indie labels – just the kind of records that people pass over sometimes, because they don't know how great they sound! There's lots and lots and lots of deeply funky numbers on the collection – and the package really takes us back to the glory days when BBE compilations were always turning us onto something new – especially during the Keb Darge glory days. Titles include "Back Ground Music" by Kalyanji Anandji, "Searching For Soul" by Jake Wade & The Soul Searchers, "ABC" by Hot Butter & Soul, "Spooky Do" by Dick Walter, "The Horse" by Val Merral's Orchestra, "It's Just Begun" by Hot City Bump Band, "Sally" by Frank Pleyer Big Band, "Love Is Just A Word" by Johnny Griffith Inc, "Can't Stop Talkin" by Art & Ron, "Family Affair" by The Generation Gap, "Gacek" by Jerzy Milian, "Rockin Chair" by John L Watson with White Mouse, "Pink Panther" by Alan Tew, "Twinkle Stars Boo Galoo (live)" by Oscar Harris & The Twinkle Stars, "The Message" by Tinga Stewart, and "Pru Urebu" by The Rias Orchestra. LP, Vinyl record album

Not just soul music lovers – as the set's got plenty to offer for fans of funk and jazz too – a wonderful assortment of cuts from the golden years of the music, all put together here with a really great ear for a groove! The cuts are sourced from a number of different labels – including Groove Merchant, De-Lite, Sussex, and Brunswick – and because of that, they come together with a great sense of variety – not a confused approach to a compilation, but one that really knows how to play different cuts off one another – introducing you to rare gems, and making you love familiar cuts all over again in a different way! There's a total of 23 tracks and almost 80 minutes of music – and titles include "Mr Hot Stuff" by Clarence Reid, "Ashley's Roachclip" by The Soul Searchers, "Loving Explosion" by The Eliminators, "The Fly" by The Kinfolks, "Funky Belly" by Warren Lee, "Come Back To Me" by Cheyenne Fowler, "I Won't Be Around" by Jeanette Holloway, "Chick A Boom" by The Pazant Brothers, "In The Moog" by Harold McKinney, "Gold Smoke" by Everyday People, "There Was A Time" by Dee Felice Trio, "April" by Bobby Knight, and "No Trouble On The Mountain" by Richard Groove Holmes. CD

Searching for soul? You just hit the jackpot in this killer set that's filled with Michigan-recorded gems that go way beyond the shadows of Motown! The sound here is madly tripped out throughout – a blend of funky 45 rhythms with more interesting influences from the spreading sprawl of the Michigan soul underground of the 60s and 70s – groups who recorded not just in Detroit, but also other cities that were taking the motor city groove and turning it on in whole new ways. Overall, there's an approach here that reminds us of Westbound Funk at its best – a blend of psychedelic influences, jazz phrasing, and deeper soul that echo nicely together in most of the collection's tracks. Filled with great tunes we'd never heard before – a total of 14 tracks that include "Take Time Out" by Wendell Harrison, "Why She Had To Go" by Burning Desire, "Do It Right" by El Riot, "Let's Get Down" by The Black Aces Of Soul & The Eyes Of Ebony, "Be Mine Tonight" by Lloyd W Williams, "Back To Funk" by Robert Lowe, "Searching For Soul (part 1)" by Jake Wade & The Soul Searchers, "I Can Deal With That" by Dee Edwards, "Alcohol (part 1)" by Robert Jay, "Give & Take" by Tommy McGhee, "I Stayed Away Too Long" by Manual B Holcolm, and "Rap It Together" by The Detroit Sex Machines. CD

Fantastic sounds from 1967 – a year in which mainstream music saw plenty of heady changes – as you might guess from the title! The set's a wonderful follow-up to the 1966 set by Jon Savage – and like that one, it features a superb selection of tracks from this important year – served up in all the different strands and styles that were popping into place – soul, early funk, psych, hard rock, and lots more – in a blistering array of songs that steps beautifully between well-known classics and underground gems! The feel of the set is way different than the usual oldies package with a date on the front – as Jon Savage dedicated the whole thing to the groundbreaking mix of music he enjoyed from pirate radio at the time – and included his own fantastic writing in the notes to help explain what makes the music so great. Titles include "You Keep Running Away" by The Four Tops, "Lazy Life" by William E, "At The Third Stroke" by The Picadilly Line, "Try It" by The Attack, "I'm A Man" by Spencer Davis Group, "Western Union" by The Searchers, "So You Say You Lost Your Baby" by Gene Clark, "Feelin Reelin Squeelin" by Soft Machine, "So Sharp" by Dyke & The Blazers, "Mr Soul" by Buffalo Springfield, "Vacuum Cleaner" by Tintern Abbey, "Garden Of My Mind" by The Mickey Finn, "Love Power" by The Sandpebbles, "Look At Me I'm You" by The Blossom Toes, and "Psyche Rock" by Les Yper Sound. 48 tracks in all! CD

Santa's got a brand new bag here – and it's filled with a whole host of obscure and unusual soul-based Christmas tunes! There's a few numbers here you'll know as classics, but they're mixed with plenty other gems too – in a smashing set list of 27 tracks that includes "Christmas Time Again" by Reuben Anderson, "The Christmas Spirit" by Nelson Pigfoot & The Motivations, "Santa's Got A Brand New Bag" by Gary Walker, "Merry Christmas To You" by The Salem Travelers, "Blue Christmas Blue" by The King Tones, "Christmas Song" by Lee Jackson & The Cadillac Baby Specials, "My Letter To Santa" by The Marshans, "You Won't Have To Wait Til Christmas" by Lee Rogers, "Call Me For Christmas" by Gary US Bonds, "The Christmas Song (live)" by Marvin Gaye, "Silent Night" by Sister Lucille Pop & The Pearly Gates, "Christmas In The Ghetto" by Big Daddy Ervin Rucker, "A Funky Xmas To You" by J Hines & The Boys, and "Christmas In Vietnam" by The Soul Searchers. CD

A classic funk compilation that got the whole ball rolling back in the day! Volume one includes loads of tracks that virtually define the concept of the funky 45, like "Damph F'Aint" by Herb Johnson Settlement, "The Sad Chicken" by Leroy & the Drivers, "How Long Shall I Wait" by James Lewis Fields, "The Push & Pull" by The Sons of Slum, and "Searchin for Soul" by Jack Wade & the Soul Searchers. 12 tracks in all! LP, Vinyl record album

A set of classic funk tracks from the 70s, all of which have been sampled for some genre or other – mostly used in hip hop tracks, but also including a few that have found new life on club cuts as well! The package is full of classics, all presented in their full length versions – all the kind of cuts that you can enjoy plenty on their own, even if you're not aware of their later reuse in contemporary music! Titles include "I've Been Watching You" by South Side Movement, "Baby Let Me Take You In My Arms" by Detroit Emeralds, "Superman Lover" by Johnny Guitar Watson, "Ashley's Roachclip" by The Soul Searchers, "Express" by BT Express, "Heartbeat" by Taana Gardner, "Living Together Is Keeping Us Apart" by Clarence Reid, "Cramp Your Style" by All The People, "I Got My Mind Made Up" by Instant Funk, and "Fly Robin Fly" by Silver Convention. LP, Vinyl record album