Juno Recommends Funk / Rare Groove / Reissues : March 2023

Review: The strongly titled Death Breaks label, artistic outfit and release series isn't as terrifying as it may sound. For funk and disco loves, in fact, it's magic. This seventh volume kicks off with King Errisson's 'Well Have A Nice Day,' which brings some bright Philly style strings to funky bass riffs, luxurious arrangements and plenty of big horns all with a playful vocal. On the flip is In Search Of Orchestra's more driving and upbeat dancefloor disco pumper 'Phenomena Theme' with squelchy synth bass and jumbled drums and perc.

Review: Bristol's tireless and relentless Boca 45 has been turning out all manner of funky b-boy breaks for many years. He's done various albums and countless 7"s and always finds new room whenever he steps out. He kicks off this latest one with an edit of 'Freed From Desire' that has rolling drums, a re-sung vocal that has plenty of passion and some mellow guitar riffs all working it into something fresh. On the backside is the more raw and hard-hitting 'Suki's Revenge' (part 2 - extended mix) which will twist any dance floor.

Review: Private Stock Records is slowly but surely building up a golden catalogue of funk magic. This fourth EP is another high-class double dose that opens with Cutso's 'Fallen Love (Woo Woo)', a swirling slow burner of a tune with heavy, languid drums and twisted vocal samples that eventually coalesce into a warming party vibe. Excel's 'Had To Shut You Down' is a glorious soul gem with lush Philly strings and ornamental arrangements that raise your spirits and elevate your mood with its seductive grooves, not to mention a classic r&b vocal sample.

Review: A boxy and reverby soul emulation, 'Be Thankful For What You Got' is an optimist's dream. This soul bit recorded by Sunsay and The Soul Surfers charts a collaboration between two contemporary bands, achieving an impressively convincing retro-throwback to the 1970s with all its lo-fi studio tricks. Singing of equanimity and gratefulness, we are assured we can "still stand tall" as long as we appreciate the positive facets of life.

Review: Distorted organ loveliness here from the players over at Original Gravity, continuing on strong with their practice of putting out new music in the style of old soul 7"s. On this split-flip 45, two of the most eminent soul vocalists out today share a side each. St. Louis singer Raye Cole helms th A, with her energetic number 'You Gotta Set Me Free' stomping on forward with a shaker-clapping, horn-heavy blues swing. Rachel Maxann - perhaps another alias similar to Nestor Alvarez - brings up the B on a finger-clicking alternate take on the breakup-piner 'You Gotta Set Me Free'.

Review: In the time that passed between their fine 2019 debut on Matsuana Records, 'Madchester Woman', and the release of their sophomore single, last year's 'Don't Sweat The Technique on Mocambo', Heroes of Limbo clearly recorded a lot of material - hence this relatively speedy sequel. Like the duo's previous material, the two tracks showcased here blur the boundaries between funk, highlife and Afrobeat. A-side 'Watch Out Now' is a languid, low-slung treat, with heavy Afrobeat horns, snaking solos, effects-laden Hammond organ and jazzy guitars reclining over a shuffling breakbeat and warming bassline. The pair gently raises the tempo and temperature on B-side cut 'Try Again', with more urgent horns and low-register sax solos weaving in and out of a more tropical-sounding rhythm track.

Review: Original Gravity, Luchito Rodriguez and Nestor Alvarez return with yet two more Latin groove versions of funk and soul classics, emulating two sounds not yet brought together enough. 'Dap Walk' is a shot-by-shot cover of the song of the same name by Ernie And The Top Notes - a slick and slippery interpretation that translates the original AAVE of the song's intro into Spanish. 'El Barrio', meanwhile, opts for 70s crime thriller vibes, instrumentally verging on expressionism via djembe, brass sections and vibraslaps.

Review: With Freaky Power, Kenichi Ikeda made a very welcome comeback with his Root Soul project after something of an eight year hiatus. The 2022 album is everything you would expect from Root Soul, piling the live funk on heavy with a big band finish and grooves for days. Now At Home Sound are issuing a single from the album which sees DJ Koco delivering a re-edit of 'Source Of Life' with the dancefloor in mind, and a new cut called 'Solar Strut' tearing it up on the flip. If you take your funk seriously, you won't want to miss this one.

Review: Floyd James & The GT's 'Green Onions' is one of those seminal classics that defy age and categorisation and makes anybody who hears it move. It has the twisted rock riffs, the nice dusty Hammond organ leads, and a smooth rhythm section that just won't quit. Add in the funky midsection and you have everything you need to get a party started. To be honest the slightly more jazzy and free-swinging flipside 'On The Good Foot' ain't too bad either. Move fast with this one because there are only 200 copies and with this being such a perennially hot tune, they won't last long.

Review: He is one of the soul scene's most unique players, a legendary vibraphone stylist and man who oozes cosmic funk. His He's Coming album is arguably his high water mark, one that has had its many great tracks pillaged and pilfered by countless hi- hop acts of the years. It's a record that brims with invention as it looks to the stars and features magical Rhodes chords next to steamy, introspective vocals, irresistible grooves and moments of emotional depth as well as dancefloor delights. This deluxe version comes on limited heavyweight ax via Elemental Music.

Review: On their latest must-check compilation, Wewantsounds has brought together a bunch of rare early disco and disco-funk gems originally released by Bod Shad's Mainstream Records - an imprint better-known for its jazz and jazz-funk output - during the mid 1970s. Most of the material on show was originally released on now hard-to-find 7" singles, allowing Wewantsounds to present both vocal and instrumental takes of a handful of killer cuts. Highlights include the Clavinet sporting, low-down disco brilliance of The Grand Jury's 'Music Is Fun To Me', the soaring, disco-soul brilliance of 'We've Got Together (Brotherly Love)' by Chocolate Syrup, the classically orchestrated disco surge of Crystal Image's 'Gonna Have a Good Time', and the slow motion swell of The Electric Ladies' 'Nothing Between Us'.

Review: Funk & rare groove breakbeats anthem from Soundtrack maestro Johny Pate flipped by Archie Shepp classic that is the first time on 7 inch vinyl. Expensive but Japan only and very very limited...

Review: Trinidad's Wild Fire was a popular local group that formed in the 70s and disbanded in 1985. They amassed plenty of varied tunes after their name change from the Sparks, a name they had as far back as 1962. They were a house band at clubs like Disco Tracks and Upper Level so knew how to get a party going with their hot mix of Caribbean sounds, disco and funk. This Dance Hits album is a great collection of their more dance-friendly material. Some are slow burners like 'Check It Out' which brings racial issues to the fore and the more sunny funkers like 'The Rebels.'