Juno Recommends Funk / Reissues July 2021

Review: Juno exclusive 45 !! The Mukatsuku label's latest release offers up two killer cuts from Los Angeles beat-maker J Dankworth, the DJ/producer behind the Dig. Find. Listen. Sample. Chop mixtapes. There are two luscious tracks to choose from, both of which were first featured on a digital-only EP back in 2017. There's the deep, drowsy, Guru/Jazzmatazz style headiness of warming A-side 'Freezer Pizza' and the jaunty, head-nodding brilliance of string-laden flip 'Nardwuar'. As supported by DJ Spinna, DJ Koco, J Rocc, Skratch Bastid, Rob Luis,The Allergies, Skeme Richards, Smoove,Marcel Vogel and more....

Review: Edit fans will long have been tuned into the work of Japan's Mister Mushi, who is pretty much a God-like figure in the scene. His Mushi 45 label now comes on strong with another slice of gold that is all killer hip-hop meets funky grooves. IN vocal form 'Masai Mobb' has fantastic horn work that teases and pleases over rolling beats and with some golden era, smooth as butter raps. Flip it over for the playful instrumental in all its chunky, 60s spy move tinged glory.

Review: Melbourne, Australia based sextet The Traffic, headed up by Ivan 'Choi' Khatchoyan, serve up a special MJ feature funk 45. Presented in a special pressing in red vinyl with black splatter, we get awesome renditions of Michael Jackson tracks 'Beat It' and 'Thriller' from his iconic Thriller album from 1982. The big band energy of the players make these cover versions worthy your attention, with a killer horns section imitating the king of pop's falsetto to great effect.

Review: Soul Supreme is an Amsterdam-based, keyboardist, DJ and producer still riding high off his self titled debut late last year. He is a master fusionist who melts jazz, hip hop, funk and electronic sounds into louche and loose grooves. 'Let's Ride' is a tasty little 7" with the titular track opening up on a wave of glowing and jazzy chords. Finger clicks get those hips swinging and crunchy breaks get you moving further. 'Runnin' on the flip is a great cover of the classic The Pharcyde cut. Both of these are vital additions to any collection.

Review: Iconic jazz funk hero Roy Ayers has been sampled as much as anyone out there and few tunes have been in the spotlight as much as his 'Chicago.' For the first ever time here it gets its own 7" pressing. It's a track that oozes cool late night funk - the cute Rhodes, the spoken word samples and funky bass riffs all manage to be warm and seductive but also hint at a little menace. Things get more sentimental on 'DC City' (offered up here as a special extended 7" mix) with the breezy vocals and ad libs, the cosmic synth work and textbook Roy Ayers funk all being as inviting as you like.

Review: This excellent 7" single from Athens Of The North boasts more desirable deep funk business. This time dusty-fingered digger Euan Fryer has secured the rights to a sought-after seven from Papa Bear & His Cubs, a long-serving combo whose sole "45" has long been a sought-after item amongst serious soul and funk heads. "You're So Fine" may sound like it was recorded in a cement mixer on a cheap portable tape recorder, but musically it's soul bliss - a wonderfully languid, loved-up song blessed with a superb lead vocal and languid instrumentation. "Sweetest Thing On This Side Of Heaven" is, if anything, even more dewy-eyed - a seductive slow jam whose saccharine lyrics are delivered with heartfelt passion.

Review: Coming off their latest long player Expansions on Big Crown Records which is due for release this July, the Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band returns. Using the steel pan sounds that are traditionally from Trinidad and Tabago is the draw and unique approach of the band, and Expansions will have a little bit of something for everyone, with several unique covers along with original tracks like 'Tough Victory'. Two brilliant tracks taken from the album here, with 'Dirt Off Your Shoulder' on the first side and 'I Need Somebody To Love Tonight' over on the flip.

Review: Anyone who has heard DJ Marky do one of his "non D&B" sets will know that his love of funk, soul, disco and boogie is real, while there's far more classic Brazilian music in his record collection than some may expect. It makes sense then that he's been asked to provide the follow-up to DJ Format's Brazil 45s box set and pick some vintage carnival-ready gems of his own from Mr Bongo's bulging vaults. There are naturally some stone-cold classics present - see Jorge Ben's floor-slayer 'Take it Easy My Brother Charles' and the boogie-era smoothness of Robson Jorge and Lincoln Olivetta's 'Eva' - but also plenty of lesser-known samba and MPB gems stretched across the five "45s".

Review: Jalapeno Records is one of UK's funkiest dance labels and is has been for ages. Bristol beatmakers The Allergies are just as funky and always serve up a massive dose of sunshine on their Latin flecked sounds. The opener here is 'Move On Baby' and is one of the best tunes the pair have ever laid down. Its packed with great samples, a high speed 60s spy theme rhythm and vintage rhythm 'n' blues vocals over energetic drum breaks. It is a textbook offering form this duo with all the big hooks and horns you need to carry you to the next level. B-side banger 'Are You Ready' is a stomping soul sessions with huge vocal work from Miss Marietta Smith.

Review: Leo's Sunshipp is an iconic rare groove record that gets a reissue here on Expansion. The special Record Store Day 2021 limited and hand-numbered 7" offers up two different versions, both of which are primed and ready to add at least 10 degrees of heat to even the sunniest DJ set. The original US 7" mix is languid and long legged, laidback and in a hurry to go nowhere fast. The soaring strings and steamy vocal, tumbling perc and distant horns capture a lazy afternoon soaking up some rays. The extended UK 7" Grapevine RED 3 mix ups the ante a little for slightly more energetic moves.

Review: Originally released in 1981, Steve Parks' first and only album titled Movin' In The Right Direction is a funk and soul masterpiece to those that know, which was popular with rare groove DJs throughout the '90s and early '00s. This is the first proper reissue of the highly sought after album, brought to you by London based Dynamite Cuts. Featuring the title track as well as 'Sadness In My Samba'.

Review: Brewerytown Beats outta Philadelphia has rediscovered some soul gold here. The tunes were buried deep in the Sigma Archives at Drexel University and come from 60s and 70s record session which, at the time, often lead to Frank Sinatra style jazz sounds. These two explore something different, though. 'I'll Do More' has killer drums that are heavy as you like. The horns, too, make a devastating emotional impact next to the pained vocal that is full of yearning. 'Talk Of The Town' is slightly more optimistic with its big ethereal string sounds and soaring vocals, but more of those nagging horn and drum sounds to keep you grounded.

Review: 'My Soul' is a jazz-dance giant from George Duke. Jerome Richardson and Luis Gasca also feature on this crucial 7" with the superb funky that is 'Au Right' on the flip. Both of these jams are taken from The Inner Source, a landmark album from George Duke back in 1971. It was way ahead of its time for the way the Duke paired electric experimentation with Latin percussion and African instrumentation. He did so while he was a pianist playing for Cannonball Adderley. This new 45rpm has been taken from the master tapes and pressed at Pallas so sounds superb.

Review: The Glades label here serves an all-time classic from the extensive back catalogue of the legendary Miami songstress Gwen McCrae. '90% Of Me Is You' has been infinitely sampled by hip-hop giants Large Professor, Mobb Deep and more, and is a top rare groove gem that is always in demand. Here its languid guitar and classy strings, and Gwen's sultry vocals, are backed by a version by Vanessa Kendrick that is reusing but retains the seductive feel and buttery smooth late night soul vibe. Either of these will melt plenty of hearts.

Review: Hilton Felton's A Man For All Reasons LP from 1980 is is signature work. It is almost impossible to find an affordable copy these days so move quick on this special Record Store Day drop. The Norfolk, Virginia jazz organist recorded the album int he same studio as Gil Scott Heron's jazz-funk classic The Bottle and reaches similar heights with the likes of rare groove dancer 'Be-Bop Boogie.' Slow jams like 'Blues For A Weary Man' are rich displays of his artistry with big band swing and lush melodies and 'Loves' Losers' really captures the downbeat feel of romantic despair.

Review: Random Rap Records offshoot Dinked 45 has hit gold with 'Happy (Hammond)', the first single in seven years from Chris Read and keyboardist Rob Barron's occasional So Much Soul Players project. As the title suggests, it's a cheeky and cheery Hammond funk reinvention of Pharrell Williams' classic which features Barron playing the famous melody - alongside a few wild solos - atop a sweaty, bass-heavy, breakbeat-driven dancefloor groove. It's a simple idea brilliantly executed all told and a guaranteed party-starter to boot. Over on the flip you'll find a slightly tougher, shorter 'Instrimental Mix' that cuts down the use of the melody in favour of elongated Hammond chords and more prominent beats, as well as a short 'Bonus Beats' drum track for DJs who like to get busy in the mix.

Review: Australia's Choi Records drop their second release in the shape of two powerful cover versions either side of a devilish little 7" by The Traffic. The A-side, "White Lines", is a funky, horn-led reinterpretation of Grandmaster Flash's original tune : an instrumental brass ode to the original beast. On the flip, there's "Smack My Pitch Up", another mighty instrumental rework of The Prodigy classic, complete with a string of trumpets that imitate the original's inimitable vocal loop.

Review: Newcastle upon Tyne's Smoove & Turrell originally released their sweltering soul power anthem 'Beggerman' which appeared on the Antique Soul album. The track is now getting a vinyl reissue 12 years later, thanks to JalapeNo Records. On the flip, you have got another classic from their back catalogue in the form of 'Higher' taken from the Eccentric Audio album and it is arguably their most slept on track, or, what they would probably best describe themselves as "North East Ghetto Soul".

Review: Acid Jazz Records' has got a licensing agreement with legendary Benin label Albarika Store that is seeing them put out some of the best music to have ever come from West Africa. Benin's almighty Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou Dahomey made plenty of it. This latest 45 is another stunner with plenty of raw screams, wails and grunts all adding extra life and vitality to the already trilling guitars and bustling drum rhythms. Add in heavy percussion and you have a real heavy Afro psych-funk tune. The flip is more deep and soulful, and just as good for different reasons.

Review: Brazilian heavyweights Seu Jorge, Marcio Local, Elza Soares and Cesar Camargo Mariano all make up the legendary Banda Black Rio band. This was their much anticipate comeback album originally put out in 2001. Far Out have now secured reissue rights and serve up a special edition with two tracks that have never previously been on vinyl. They are 'Irere (feat. Gilberto Gil)' and 'Aos Pes Do Redentor (feat. Caetano Veloso)' and they sit with silky jazz-soul gems like 'Louis Lane' and contemporary samba jams like 'Samba Nova' with some exquisite guitar playing.

Review: Moan is back with more of his cherry picked beats for this small but perfectly formed 7". Heavyweights Busta Rhymes and LL Cool J feature on each side, with funky, soul infused beats that, in the case of the a-side, you will recognise from Keni Burke's heart-melting late night groover 'Risin To The Top'. On the flip, the 'momma said knock you out' chorus is rolled over big sax lines and hip swinging claps. These are playful and party starting, but smartly executed mash ups ready to detonate and club.

Review: Kamal Abdul-Alim is an accomplished teacher, bandleader, composer and trumpeter who has been making high class music for many years. It has taken him to gigs all over the world and to working with all manner of bands, big and small. Drawing on the post-box sounds of the 50s and layering in 60s free-form jazz with his own fine textures, he is a real underrated artist and master of improv. This record includes hugely sought after jazz-dance bomb 'Brotherhood' as well as four other lengthy classics.