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Home  DJ charts  Juno_Recommends_Funk_Reissues  

Funk / Reissue Recommendations Best Of 2014

Juno Recommends Funk

Juno Recommends Funk

Funk/Reissue Recommendations Best Of 2014
5 Dec 2014
Read more...
1
Cat: 888430 53631. Rel: 24 Mar 14
 
Pop
Happy (album version)
Happy (instrumental)
Review: "Happy" has enjoyed matchless success, having hit the top spot no less than three times... And selling over a million copies in the process. Here Sony BMG unleash a 12" edition featuring the instrumental on the flip , adding a whole new lease of life to one of the most positive pop songs written in recent times. Breaking down into a really cool human rhythm, even without Pharrell's vocals this excels in every possible funky way.
out of stock $12.20
2
Cat: BBE 250LP. Rel: 11 Aug 14
 
Funk
I'm In Love (11:50)
We Gonna Stay For The Party (7:51)
Talking About Music (3:46)
Disco Lover (3:46)
Sahara/Chains Of Love (2:58)
Hang On Baby (8:54)
When The Heart Decides (3:12)
Reach Out My Hand (3:07)
Loving Feeling (dance mix) (5:36)
Loving Feeling (instrumental) (2:57)
I'm In Love
We Gonna Stay For The Party
Talking About Music
Disco Lover
Sahara/Chains Of Love
Hang On Baby
When The Heart Decides
Reach Out My Hand
Loving Feeling (dance mix)
Loving Feeling (instrumental)
Review: Pure Ghanaian gold, Disco Documentary: Full Of Funk was a rare private press released in 1979 never to be released again... Until now. Dusting off the long lost tapes with due care and attention, BBE have kindly reminded us that disco had much wider impact than the US and Europe. Nana Love's slightly nasal tones are instantly alluring, but it's the clam-tight musicianship that really bites. Big Bernard Edwards bass, shiny guitar twangs, extensive organ noodling and vibrant Afrofunk horns galore, this is a truly stunning document.
out of stock $24.93
3
Hot Stuff
Hot Stuff (version)
out of stock $7.96
4
Be There In The Morning (1977 version)
Be There In The Morning (1976 version)
Review: Athens Of The North represent one of Australia's finest soul exponents Renee Geyer. "Be There In The Morning" comes in two forms... The 1977 version will be recognised from her most successful album of the time Moving Along. An upbeat fusion of soul and funk with mild disco nuances, it comes with confident orchestration and an instantly infectious, ultimately emphatic chorus. The real coup here, however, is the softer, dreamier earlier version that's so rare it never left the confines of her native country. It's digging like this that makes the young-but-hugely-potential rare music label Athens Of The North a very exciting prospect for record collectors.
...Read more
 in stock $12.72
5
Pay Me Back My Money (Back Slap-Up re-edit)
Funky Drummers In A Space Suit (Slap & Blap edit)
Review: If anyone can add a truly new twist to the endless array of JB edits, it's Tall Black Guy. "Pay Me Back My Money" stretches funk's most famous band leader out to include bags of space and even a touch of jazz as subtle keys are thrown deep into the background. "Funky Drummers In A Space Suit" ups the originality stakes even further with a dreamy harp-strummed arpeggio and trippy snippets that, if you didn't know the title, you'd be hard pushed to identify them. Proof that sampling culture still has heaps to give, Tall Black Guy can do no wrong right about now.
...Read more
out of stock $7.42
6
Cat: FSR 7081. Rel: 16 Jun 14
 
Funk
Happy (instrumental version)
Orisha (feat Snowboy)
out of stock $5.58
7
Cat: ATH 001. Rel: 31 Mar 14
 
Funk
Chauffeur
Hold On I'm Coming
Review: Rarities really don't get bigger than this! So rare it's never even sniffed an eBay bid, until now there were only two copies in known existence. Now, thanks to brand new funk imprint AOTN, there are 500 more. "Chauffeur" is quintessential deep funk as the hammonds and bass forge a tight groove for Monica to state her case with sexy emphasise. Complete with a super-bad cover of Sam & Dave's "Hold On, I'm Coming", this really is a very special 45. And it comes with a no-repress guarantee.
out of stock $8.22
8
Cat: 0000. Rel: 13 Oct 14
 
Funk
No, No, No
Evil Ways (instrumental)
Review: Taken from their debut EP Old Love Dies Hard, LA salsa troupe Boogaloo Assassins step up with two crucial cover versions. "No No No" flips Dawn Penn's reggae standard with warmth and lavish instrumentation, seemingly getting more Latin flavoured with every bar. Flip for "Evil Ways", an equally creative twist on Santana's 1969 classic "Evil Ways". Fully instrumental, allowing their orchestral breadth to shine, it's an instant dancefloor charmer. Like all good assassins, they've hit the target spot on here.
out of stock $9.28
9
Tall Black Guy - "One To One"
Mr Thing - "Changes"
Eric Lau - "Chop For Mr Thing"
Kidkanevil - "Loopin' III"
Review: Record Store Day Edition: Concepts for the annual Record Store Day don't get better than this. Tall Black Guy, Eric Lau and Kidkanevil were invited to Mr Thing's gaff and explore his sizeable vinyl collection. They could sample anything they wished... But, as the title says, no vinyl could leave his house. The result is four examples of pure sample artistry. Eric Lau's "Chop For Mr Thing" takes a Latin strummer and stretches out its harmony over a nagging beats with really cool edits and space. Kidkanevil opts for a sludgier hip-hop approach where one simple loop opens and closes at different spaces over a nod-heavy beat. Elsewhere Tall Black Guy gets dreamy with a tripped out vocal sample and some stunning slippery bass action while Mr Thing provides the best schooling with a classic Dilla style loop that twists the full emphasis on one vocal cry and a weave of classic hip-hop cuts.
...Read more
out of stock $13.00
10
La Compagnie Creole - "Mi Yo" (DJ edit)
Sharon Bailey - "Cosmic Dust" (instrumental)
Richard Wahnfried - "Time Actor"
The Belle Stars - "Iko-Iko"
KSB - "Misaluba"
400 Blows - "Pressure"
Ryuichi Sakamoto - "Plastic Bamboo (Better Days)"
Bohannon - "Truck Stop"
out of stock $13.00
11
The Haggis Horns - "Traveller" (part 2 - 2014 version)
Lotek - "Rebel Hifi" (feat Spikey T)
Souleance - "One Step" (re-edit)
Tall Black Guy - "The Dark Streets"
out of stock $8.22
12
You're In Love (Kon remix)
You're In Love (Kon dub)
Review: Ubiquity's super-collectable Luv N Haight series continues with immaculate aplomb. Here we find Kon applying his crafty edit knife to Twilight's 1986 soul boogie smoocher "You're In Love". The remix carries the full honey-coated vocals while the dub switches the focus to the groove with subtle flourishes of the vocal. A spotless contempory rework.... And, as the seventh volume, it's fittingly the first in the series to be served on 7". Nice touch.
out of stock $14.59
13
Cat: G 77733. Rel: 07 Jul 14
 
Funk
Summer Groove
Summer Groove (Moving-On)
Review: Formative disco five-piece who've been sampled and re-edited to the max over the last 20 years, here we find The Joneses in their original form. And they still sound as relevant and timelessly funky now as they did when this arrived in 1981. The original is a tight Chic-style guitar and bass groove that's accentuated by occasional falsetto vocal hits and flurries of disco bubbles and street sounds. Flip for "Summer Groove (Moving On)" where the blistering tight bassline and guitar licks are complemented with a tiny bit more vocal majesty. Instant seasonal sounds, have you kept up with The Joneses recently?
...Read more
 in stock $15.38
14
Cat: HC 29. Rel: 26 May 14
 
Funk
Pas Contente
Lazy Train
out of stock $7.96
15
Cat: COSVF 001. Rel: 14 May 12
 
Funk
Jungle Funk
Mother Africa
Munchin Season
Too Bad Girl
out of stock $17.24
16
Cat: RK 45054. Rel: 28 Apr 14
 
Funk
Crazy
#Liars&Cheaters
Review: Damon Minchella on bass, the mod jazz funksters now boast Justin Shearn on keys... And come branding this awesome 45. "Crazy" takes the lead; a Booker T-style Hammond heavy version of Gnarlz Barkley that will garner the finest knowing nods from your floor, it's the quintessential definition of a cover. "#LiarsAndCheaters", meanwhile, is a Graham Bond penned breakbeat funk jam that heaves heavily on the horns with a big lick and vibrant crescendos. Perfect party material.
out of stock $6.90
17
Cat: TR 164. Rel: 24 Mar 14
 
Funk
Love
Let's Stick Together
Review: Tramp head back to the late 60s and dust off the criminally rare Club 7 releases. Arranged by Johnny Heartsman - a man who played a role in hundreds of funk, blues and soul releases throughout the decade - Rudy's honey-coated tones drape themselves over both these cuts in true style. "Love" is an upbeat northern soul groove with a big hook and big vocals to match. Complete with a cheeky whistle, it leaves you feeling you've known it forever. "Let's Stick Together", meanwhile, is a straight up smoky blues affair where Rudy, the horns and guitar sit together with emphatic harmony. Feel the love.
...Read more
out of stock $6.90
18
Cat: RK 45053. Rel: 05 May 14
 
Funk
Just Move
Ice Cream Man
Review: The first fresh material since their immense self-titled album in 2012, Detroit deep funk act unleash more of their signature soul on this limited see-through 45. "Just Move" is a bold, hooky jam where Michelle's vocals take full control in a way that all Alice Russell fans will instantly recognise. Emphatic, gutsy and smouldering, from the very first listen you'll feel like you've known it forever. "Ice Cream Man", meanwhile, is a clam-tight instrumental where the horns weave and bob athletically over a slick guitar groove. With a mild air of Afrofunk to the main horn refrain, it's got instant floor appeal.
...Read more
out of stock $6.10
19
Cat: ROC 006. Rel: 21 Jul 14
 
Funk
Sex Machine
Massare Mousso
Review: In its 1970's prime, the Buffet Hotel de la Gare de Bamako used to mix a broad and diverse clientele of Bamako's fine society and hookers, Western, Chinese, Russian and Arab businessmen with diplomats and African entrepreneurs. Rail Band's music became the exciting soundtrack of modern Mali, blossoming like a big bright bouquet of tropical flowers. In its heyday, the orchestra pretty much defined by itself the idea of afro-pop.

Musicians such as singer Salif Keita, singer Mory Kante, guitar player Djelimady Tounkara and the late bandleader and sax player Tidiani Kone all graduated from the Rail Band before turning to more or less successful solo careers. The Rail Band got started in october 1969 as a regular orchestra in the railway station premises.

In order to keep up with new forms of fusion music which could be heard in Dakar or Conakry night clubs or "paillotes", trumpet player, sax maestro and bandleader Tidiani Kone recruits some bold element for his orchestra. Both a griot and a jazzman, Tidiani Kone was a former Orchestre National A musician. His main idea was to bring Malian music out of the dead-end of afro-cuban and Western imitations. He took the chance to recruit a young albinos singer, accompanying himself with a cheap Chinese guitar.

Kone was the first one to understand that Salif Keita's voice was pure gold. At the end of 1969, Salif Keita, Tidiani Kone and rythmic guitar player Mamadou Diakite practiced for weeks as a trio in order to forge a repertoire of their own. Other musicians such as guitar player Ousmane Sogodogo and lead guitarist Nabe Baba, timbales player Marius as well as percussion player Abdouramane Koumare soon join in, encouraged by Kone.

In July 1970, the Orchestre du Rail Band de la Gare de Bamako gave its first concert, on a tiny open air stage, with palm trees breeze and stars above them. The Rail Band rapidly became one of the city's main attraction. According to its initial status, the Rail Band must "explore and propel mandingo repertoire in order to aim at the neo-classicism of African chanson". Born in the heart of the Mande griot tradition, Salif Keita knew the classic songs. Soon, the folklore part of the repertoire was more prominent than the blues and afro-latin numbers.
Musicians were paid by the Malian train company, ie by the state, who also owned their instruments. Combining mandingo and bambara traditions, French pop, afro-cuban rhythms, Congolese rumba, American rhythm'n'blues and calypso, the Rail Band's rise to fame was striking, paving the way for numerous modern orchestras to follow. They rehearsed five days a week from 5 to 6 pm, before changing, dining and taking the stage from 9 pm till the last customer left the Buffet, sometimes early in the morning. In order to help empty the premises from its patrons, Rail Band musicians played late night jazz themes, strongly encouraged by Tidiani Kone.

With his saxophone hollering at some distant tropical moon, his heartfelt horns arrangements added a sense of epic grandeur to the Rail Band songs. His bold musical mastery set Salif on orbit while modern instruments and instant melancholy radiate through a song like Massare Mousso. He sings about some impossible love : "If you don't have anything to do, fall in love with a woman who doesn't love you / If you dont have anything to do, fall in love with a man who doesn't love you". His voice was frail but Salif shows evidences of his vocal grandeur to come. In the early 1970's, it seems that the Rail Band knew instinctively how to go down in musical history.
The orchestra took off, thanks to Salif's youthful vocal prowesses and to the sheer intensity and dedication of musicians led by Kon'.

Guitar player extraordinaire Djelimady Tounkara joined the band in 1971 as a new recruit. His arrival enabled the Rail Band to reach new heights in a dazzling ascension of recordings done in a tiny Radio Mali studio. His rumbling electric guitar became one of the band instant trademark. Guinean balafon and kora player Mory Kante also jumped in as the Rail Band was by far Bamako's finest orchestra in the 1970's.
Directly inspired by James Brown's funk achievements, Sex Machine belongs to the band's legend, an incredible cover which is both heroic and mesmerizing. It is a pure slice of raw and spicy Malian funk, one of those "straight to your face" songs with a devastating outcome, courtesy of Mamadou Bagayoko's heavy drums and Cheick's Traore sturdy guitar bass playing. Alfred Coulibaly's Vox organ adds up to the hypnotic mood of the song.

Looking for the Rail Band's trails these days, one has to stop by the old Buffet Hotel de la Gare in downtown Bamako in order to feel the countless, panoramic and moving memories of this unrivalled musical golden age and this masterful orchestra.
...Read more
out of stock $11.94
20
Cat: DAP 1082. Rel: 01 Sep 14
 
Funk
Tattletale
Tattletale (part 2)
Review: The saying goes that no one likes a tattle tale, but any self respecting funk collector would be hard pressed to give up on the chance of owning this latest dinker of the same name from the esteemed Antibalas collective. Composed by crew member Victor Axelrod, "Tattletale" has been a long term fixture of live sets by Antibalas and it's great to see them finally commit it to seven inches of wax. Laid down during the recording sessions for their last Daptone long player, its spread across two parts on this seven and is a sublime slab of Ethiopian funk that sees Antibalas doffing their collective cap to '70s pioneers Mulatu Astatqe, Wallias Band and Mahmoud Ahmed.
...Read more
out of stock $5.83
21
Cat: GAMM 094. Rel: 31 Mar 14
 
Funk
ITT
Celia
Hajja
Review: French fusionista Izem steps up to Gamm with three international boundary-smelting funk gems that star point blank into the future while retaining strong roots to the past. "ITT" is almost techno in its relentlessness as it breaks into a hyper-charged, steppy Afrobeat. With its Latin licks and clipped chants, "Celia" is so Brazilian you can hear the cheers from Rio Maracana Stadium. Finally, "Hajja" is the most retrospective of the three thanks to its electro boogie bass, lavish pianos and sultry French vocal. Three edits made wholly his own, each of these cuts emphatically explains why Izem has enjoyed white hot hype from the Wah Wah crew, Gilles Peterson and Quantic.
...Read more
out of stock $9.01
22
Cat: TV 010. Rel: 21 Jul 14
 
Funk
Top Of New York
To James Brown (edit)
Review: Only 300 pressed ! Don't sleep !
out of stock $6.35
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