DJS: MOST CHARTED - FUNK - MOST CHARTED IN JANUARY 2015

Review: Pure Puerto Rican party business, "Hallelujah" was well ahead of its time... Originally released on INS in the 70s, its madcap drum dynamics and bass have more relevance now than they did back in the day. Hyper-limited, original presses have changed hands for over L500 and didn't sound particularly good due to poor pressing issues. AOTN have added their mastering magic in a major way... And thrown in the soundtracky Latin drama of "Jonny's Theme" for good measure. What a package.

Review: Blackcat repress this 2009 45" and its spread remains as broad and beautiful as it did five years ago. "Come Back To Me" takes us back to 1976 as Native American soul girl Cheyenne's rich, gut-driven delivery tops a seriously tight funk cake that's flavoured with blistering horns and crisp guitars. "Take Me To Your Home" takes us even further back to 1973. Taken from their debut album Now Hear This, it's a sparkling, jazz-tinted psychedelic slice that harbours some seriously warm keys. Guaranteed to remain broad and beautiful for a long, long time to come. Grab it while you can.

Review: You can hear elements of "Hard Times" by Baby Huey in the Tribe classic "Can I Kick It?" and numerous other hip hop cuts over the years (Ghostface and Diamond D to name two) so it's little surprise to see it picked up by the Originals series. However this 45 offers a slight deviation from the label's successful formula, as instead of a hip hop banger sharing space with baby Huey we have the late '60s track that actually inspired "Hard Times". Penned by Curtis Mayfield, and sung by Gene Chandler, "In My Body's House" makes for a comparatively upbeat soul cut replete with a blinding breakbeat that will have the sample fiends out there very excited indeed.

Review: Egon's Now Again imprint prime us for the forthcoming airing of a previously unreleased album from 70s Iowan funk outfit Split Decision Band. "Watchin' Out" was the band's most successful single and has previously passed hands for over $1000 between collectors. Thundering drums, insistent guitars and cool vocal dynamics that know when to let the music do the talking, both versions will slay any dance just as they did 35-40 years ago. We can't wait to hear the album!

Review: Athens Of The North present a brand new label Owl Of Athens. And they're starting with a serious musical mission statement. Taken from Beginning Of The End's rare eponymous LP, both cuts were written by NY hitmaker Alessandro Randazzo, both "Superwoman" and "That's What I Get" are delivered with premium polish and large-scale dynamics. The former is a heartfelt, big band-led slab of funk that's dense textured in superhuman musicianship. The latter places more focus on the vocals with epic cascading harmonies and a razor-sharp Afrobeat backing. What a way to launch a label!

Review: Holland's edit maestro, Jam Master drops the second of his own edits series, four tracks of pure booty-swinging disco! "Africano" is a funky, sax-led boogie piece accompanied by fluttering guitars, while "It's Your Thing" is slower, deeper and more sensual but nonetheless funky. Over on the flip, "Blow Your Mind" is a re-touched, old-school hip-hop tune for the heads, whereas "You Are The One" heads back into disco territories but this time a little more electronic and a little more eighties.

Review: Hugely influential funk business live and direct from 1969. Sampled by everyone from Timberlake to Schooly D, all eyes (and ears) are on the epic fly-by drum breaks while the minimal guitar and bass provide a sturdy backbone for the stickman to do his thing. Peppered with encouraging chatter from bandleader Bo, these are blueprint funk jams that will never ever date. A collection isn't complete with this.

Review: Previously spotted passing hands for well over L200, "Unit's Groove" was the band's first single. Released in 1983, it was followed by one album and one further single, which is criminal considering how tight and creative they were. "Unit's Groove" is instant party business with dense layers of percussion, vibrant guitar splashes and a vocal call to action that shift the dead. "Hand In Hand" show the bands more emotional side with heartfelt balladry and heavenly harmonies.

Review: Japanese only 45 where Spinna delivers two new versions of funk/soul classics. Don't sleep ! Blink and they will be gone !

Review: Whilst previous Wack bumpers have come from Smov, The Breakbeat Junkie, DJ Rebel, Daytoner, and more, this 14th edition of tightly wrapped straight up party funk from the label is less forthcoming in the credit department. "Big Bird" is suitably named as it comes packing big drums, big hooks and a big build that's hugely reminiscent of Sly and his fam. Flip for "Heartbreaker" where The Allergies throw down a tweeter-tight rhythm and blues vibe. Super sweaty and highly charged with big claps and bigger riffs. Big indeed.

Review: A 74 Minute Snapshot of the twice monthly, 3 floor, 7 hr dancefloor behemoth that is The South London Soul Train. Your host with the absolute most Jazzheadchronic Mickey Smith presenting a small taste of one his eclectic, uplifting anthemic 7 hr sets of globalistic funk, soul, rare groove, Motown, latin and disco direct from the dancefloors of South London's CLF Art Cafe / Bussey Building - to the whole of yoh soul. A selection of 15 tracks from some of the finest and biggest names in music - then to now. Originals to Remixes. London to NYC via Havana.

From absolute legendary classics - Gloria Jones 'Tainted Love', Marvin Gaye's soul ska-esque 'Wherever I Lay My Hat' and Ray Charles' masterpiece 'Tell Me What I'd Say' to SLST brass band anthems - The Hot 8 Brass Band's full 8min 55 second sublime interpretation of Marvin Gaye's 'Sexual Healing' to Brassroots' foot stomping version of Inner City's "Good Life" and The Riot Jazz Brass Band's intense modern day classic 'Corn On The Cob'. Then there's Patrice Rushen's soul-smile inducing disco classic 'Haven't You Heard', Barry White's orchestrated tour de force that is 'What Am I Gonna Do With You', Dimitri From Paris' Ultimate Remix of The Chic Organisations "I Want Your Love "+ soooooo much more.

Every track a winner baby [that's for sure] and absolutely guaranteed to move your mind & body + force feed yoh soul with the best of times. No Bass wobbles here. Only love funk & soul. Allllll Abbbbooaaaaaaaaaaard!

Review: Its origin unknown here as two classic cuts from the Bob James canon get the edit treatment on a highly limited 45 - strictly for the nimble fingered DJs only. Every man and his funk appreciating dog should be familiar with both "Nautilus" and "Mardi Gras", they are the epitome of 'iconic tracks' and it's nice to see them available on 45 for the first time, edited to give an extra bit of oomph to those breakbeats. Don't sleep !

Review: Stomping soul that sounds so authentic you'll be convinced this was penned in the late 60s and delivered on Chess: London-based Sister Cookie is actually as fresh as they get, and she's backed by the superb Soulful Orchestra. Based on a blues structure with a powerful swing and gospel-level backing vocals, Cookie's roaring, gut-driven vocal surges with such uncontrollable power you can't help but dance. Incredibly powerful.

Review: Now firmly into the double figures, the Originals series seems like it could quite easily surpass the centenary mark without the concept ever feeling exhausted such is the vast well of source material and those that sampled it. Here the classic slab of funk that is "Parrty" by Maceo & The Macks takes centre stage on the A Side, reminding everyone that needs to be reminded just how tight Maceo, Fred and James were. For the flip, Originals turn to a master of flipping a track in DJ Premier and the Gangstarr standard "Who's Going To Take The Weight?". Listen to the A then the B and you'll realise how much of a producer Premier is. Seriously.

Review: This is the first time Fred & The Jewels have been repressed legitimately on a 45. "Tell Her" is straight out of the emotional playbook; big sentiments and an even bigger swing. "The Dance Got Old" is a timeless jive that will still slay a floor well over 40 years later. Boogaloo brilliance.

Review: LA 12-piece Jungle Fire live up to their name, being dedicated to the roots. The band's fusion of firesome Afrobeat and blisteringly tight traditional funk is wholly authentic, fully physical and ultimately arresting. From the gradual development and cinematic narrative of the title track to heavier, sweaty jams such as their Fela cover "Comencemos" via more laid back introspective funk such as "Chalupa" and "Snake Pit", this is what a band who know exactly what they're doing sounds like. And it sounds amazing.

Review: For The People Part 1 is a deluxe box set offering of material from James Brown's People Records imprint. The five 45s in the set are housed in collectable 45 royal purple carrying case emblazoned with the People Records logo. Singles included in For The People Part 1 include material from JBs stalwarts Fred Wesley & Maceo Parker along with Lyn Collins, the highly sought after cut "The X-Sorcist" from The Devils, and Mr. Brown himself with the classic "Escape-ism."

Review: Having introduced a whole new generation to the obscure (but brilliant) ambient productions of Gigi Masin, Music From Memory turns its' attention to another overlooked hero of the Balearic scene: Spanish guitarist Joan Biblioni. El Sur is the first attempt at a career retrospective, and predictably it's very good. It includes early forays into disco-tinged jazz-funk, decidedly Balearic mood pieces (see the shimmering "Nits De La Suntana"), immersive ambient and new age ("Sa Fosca", "La Espanola"), and humid, sticky fare laden with complex rhythms and sweet marimba melodies - all accompanied, of course, by Biblioni's immaculate guitar playing.

Review: Given James Brown's sizeable contribution to hip hop in terms of samples flipped, it's a mark of the diggers knowledge shown by Originals that the Godfather of Funk has only featured intermittently on the series across it's 20 plus releases. Nonetheless, the opportunity to indulge in the ripe funk of James Brown has proved too hard to resist any longer for Originals, who square in on "Make It Good To Yourself", a contribution to early '70s Blaxploitation flick Black Caesar. On the B Side some classic early '90s hip hop from Percee P is the sample flip of choice, with producer Richard Todd Ray's usage of the track on "Lung Collapsing Lyrics" quite superb.

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.