Review: Fresh from delivering killer dancefloor jazz covers of classics cuts by Galaxy 2 Galaxy and Avicii (really), Japanese trio Polyplus deliver a fine sequel to last year's Good Luck Sound Tracks EP. They go for the dancefloor jugular from the off, wrapping snaking sax solos, fuzzy guitar licks and elongated solos around a breathlessly rapid punk-funk groove on 'Massive', before fusing Brit-Funk and sweat-soaked jazz-rock on 'Speedy Gold'. This hybrid jazz-funk/rock sound continues on 'Ranki 2025' (whose heavy beats and memorable piano riffs nods to classic house). Elsewhere, 'Ocean Breeze' re-frames wide-eyed city-pop as jaunty jazz-funk and 'Natural Born' is a drum solo-sporting slab of jazz-rock/jazz-fusion insanity straight from the top drawer.
Dennis Coffey And The Detroit Guitar Band - "Scorpio"
The Jimmy Castor Bunch - "It's Just Begun"
B.T. Express - "Energy Level"
James Brown - "Get On The Good Foot"
Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force - "Planet Rock"
Manu Dibango - "Soul Makossa"
Esther Williams - "Last Night Changed It All"
The Mohawks - "The Champ"
Herman Kelly & Life - "Dance To The Drummer's Beat"
Spanky Wilson - "Sunshine Of Your Love"
James Brown - "Give It Up Or Turnit A Loose"
Candido - "Soulwanco"
Arthur Baker - "Breaker's Revenge"
Manu Dibango - "The Panther"
Abaco Dream - "Life And Death In G & A"
The Jackson 5 - "Dancing Machine"
Mongo Santamaria - "Cloud Nine"
Edwin Starr - "I Just Wanna Do My Thing"
Badder Than Evil - "Hot Wheels"
Johnny Bristol - "Lusty Lady"
Review: With 'breaking' making its debut in the 2024 Paris Olympics, it seems an apt time to go back to where it all began and showcase some of the music that first made break-dancers move in the early years of hip-hop culture. Soul Jazz Records clearly agrees, hence this two-disc retrospective of early 'breaker' favourites curated by Arthur Baker - a man who's productions and remixes soundtracked many dancefloor battles in the early 80s. It's a suitably strong selection all told, with dusty funk, soul and funk-rock favourites (Johnny Bristol, James Brown, The Jimmy Castor Bunch, Spanky Wilson) being joined by disco-funk jams (Herman Kelly and Life), extra-percussive workouts (Manu Dibango, Mongo Santamaria, Candido) and a smattering of key Baker productions (Afrika Bambaata and Soul Sonic Force's 'Planet Rock' and his own infectious 'Breakers Revenge').
Review: Neville 'Breeze' McKeith is undoubtedly a legend of Black British music - albeit one not known to the majority of listeners. His CV is impressive; as well as being a founder member of jazz-funk outfit Light of the World, McKeith was also an integral member of Beggar & Co (known for disco hit '(Somebody) Help Me Out') and currently wields his guitar for The Brit-Funk Association. Unusually, this is only his second solo album, and arrives 41 years after his first. It acts as a showcase for his virtuoso guitar playing (he switches between lead, rhythm and acoustic guitar across the set), offering a mix of jazz-funk, fusion, contemporary jazz and soul songs and instrumentals. It's mostly new original material, but wisely McKeith has also included a handful of rather good interpretations of classic cuts.
Sayin It & Doin It Is Two Different Things (instrumental)
Back From The Dead (instrumental)
The Way To Get Down (instrumental)
Try It Again (instrumental)
I'm On The Move (instrumental)
I Got It (It's Been A Long Time Coming) (instrumental)
Never Get Enough (instrumental)
Sunshine (feat The Tower Of Power Horn Section)
Don't Throw Your Love In The Garbage Can
Review: Originally recorded and released in 1993, On The Move was the last studio album James Brown collaborator Bobby Byrd recorded during his lifetime. While it may have been recorded after Byrd's 1970s heyday, musically it offers full-throttle funk - albeit with slicker and more expansive musical arrangements - of the kind that he and Brown used to deliver in their sleep. It's a great set all told, with this (delayed) 30th anniversary edition also including instrumental versions of all eight original tracks. It also boasts a couple of rare non-album tracks recorded at the time: the slow-motion, horns-and-guitar solo laden 'Sunshine' and the effortlessly funky, low-down and addictive 'Don't Throw Your Love in the Garbage Can'.
Beggar & Co - "Somebody Help Me Out" (Boogie Back radio mix)
Sai Galaxy - "Rendezvous" (feat Vanessa Baker)
Dave Lee & Omar - "Starlight" (radio edit)
Kylie Auldist - "LYB (Love You Better)" (The Waz Exclusive Trunk Of Funk remix)
Lexsoul Dancemachine - "I Don't Mind" (Mr Lex Trunk Of Funk remix)
Sunlightsquare - "I Thought It Was You" (live)
The New Mastersounds - "Watchu Want" (Exclusive Trunk Of Funk vocal version)
The Harlem Gospel Travelers - "God's In Control"
Sister Cookie - "Ain't No Good (But Its Good Enough For Me)" (Feat.Spencer Evoy)
Sugaray Rayford - "Gonna Lift You Up"
Kaz Hawkins - "Shake"
The Nextmen - "Big Time" (feat Kiko Bun)
La Rochelle Band - "Prophet"
The Niceguys - "Power" (feat Bobby Saint - A Skillz remix)
Sly Johnson - "Trust Me"
Cotonete - "Day In Day Out" (feat Leron Thomas)
Roy Ayers - "Tarzan"
Review: Self-proclaimed "quadruple threat" (he is, after all, a DJ, comedian, actor and poet) Craig Charles swings open his colossal Trunk of Funk for a third time. In line with previous dives into the popular BBC 6 Music DJ's music collection, he's served up a selection that moves between the decades, taking in all manner of funky treats (think funk breaks, modern soul, jazz-funk, disco-boogie, classic soul and more). Flick through the clips and you'll find genius-like gospel (the Harlem Gospel Travellers), recent remixes (Smoove reworking the Third Degree, A Skillz putting his stamp on The Niceguys), classics reimagined (the Boogie Back rework of Beggar & Co classic 'Somebody Help Me Out'), modern gems (Dave Lee and Omar) and the odd exclusive (a previously unheard vocal version of The New Mastersounds' 'Watchu Want').
Review: Adding to the fervour around Japanese city pop - the genre is still a clogged but speculative seep for reissuers, who are keen to capitalise on the mainly Tokyo-born genre's still underground, under-recognised reserves of music - comes DJ Nutoya with a fresh and terse ten-tracker compilation: Tokyo Bliss. This breezy selection centres on the all-rounder genre's favourite international foci, boogie and funk: frissonic formulas for sensational home listening. Most tracks here make their debut on vinyl outside of Japan; from Buzz's pristine tremolo'er 'Garasumado', to Keiko Toda's escape-noteworthy 'Fade In' and Yuji Mitsuya's delirious summer disco dirge 'After Five At Caf-Bar', this is an impeccable curation job.
Huey Smith Medley: High Blood Pressure/Don't You Just Know It/Well I'll Be John Brown
Wang Dang Doodle (edit)
Big Cief
A Man Of Many Words
Let The Good Times Roll (edit)
Stack A Lee
Right Place Wring Time
I've Been Hoodood
Such A Night
Cold Cold Cold
Traveling Mood
Same Old Same Old
Life
(Everybody Wanna Get Rich) Rite Away
Mos' Scocious
Let's Make A Better World
Me - You = Loneliness
Review: Malcolm John Rebennack, Jr., better known as Dr. John, left an indelible mark on the music world with his unique blend of New Orleans R&B, blues, jazz, funk and rock. As a teenage prodigy, he cut his teeth as a songwriter, arranger, and producer for Ace Records before becoming a sought-after studio musician in Los Angeles during the 1960s. His debut album Gris Gris in 1968 catapulted him into the spotlight as Dr. John The Night Tripper, captivating audiences with its mystical allure. Hits like 'Iko Iko' and 'Right Place Wrong Time' solidified his place in music history, earning him six Grammy awards and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Now, Gris Gris Gumbo Ya Ya: Singles 1968-1974 collects his early singles from his influential years with Atco/Atlantic, offering 26 tracks of pure musical medicine. The iconic 'Such A Night,' alone makes this compilation is essential for both seasoned fans and newcomers alike. With liner notes from Gene Sculatti, it serves as a perfect entry point into the timeless world of Dr. John's music and a nostalgic journey through his classic Atco/Atlantic albums.
You Can't Miss What You Can't Measure (Alton Miller mix)
Get Your Ass Off & Jam (Marcellus Pittman remix)
Cosmic Slop (Moodymann mix)
Music For My Mother (Andres Wo Ahh Ay vocal mix)
Undisco Kidd (Gay Marvine edit)
Super Stupid (Dirtbombs version)
Take Your Dead Ass Home (The Fantasy version)
Music 4 My Mother (Underground Resistance mix)
Let's Take It To The Stage (Amp Fiddler Laugin @ Ya mix)
Standing On The Verge (Anthony Shake Shakir & T dancer remix)
You & Your Folks (Claude Young Jr club mix)
Be My Beach (Mophno & Tom Thump mix)
You & Your Folks (Claude Young Jr dub)
Let's Make It Last (Kenny Dixon Jr edit - mono)
Looking Back At You (Ectomorph Stripped & dubbed)
Maggot Brain (BMG dub)
Review: Given the brilliantly simple concept behind this fine compilation - contemporary Detroit producers remix Funkadelic - we're rather surprised nobody's done it before. With 17 varied re-rubs stretched across two hugely entertaining CDs, there's plenty to enjoy. Highlights come thick and fast, from the deep house/P-funk fusion of Alton Miller's take on "Get Your Ass Off and Jam" and Andres' loose, hip-hop influenced revision of "Music For My Mother", to the thrusting loops and heady late night hypnotism of Anthony Shake Shakir and T-Dancer's version of "Standing on the Verge". While many of the versions stay relatively faithful to the original, the more "out-there" interpretations - see BMG's outer-space ambient dub of "Maggot Brain" and Moodymann's epic revision of "Cosmic Slop" - are also consistently impressive.
Review: Rhapsody, the Harlem Gospel Travelers' third studio album, was inspired by a request from the band's friend and mentor, Eli "Paperboy" Reed to record some covers of classic and lesser-known gospel-funk songs from the mid-to-late 1960s and early 1970s. Naturally, the New York based trio have put their own spin on the material, offering nods to hip-hop, stomping soul (see the genuinely terrific 'Somebody's Watching You'), doo-wop ('How Can I Lose', with its infectious vocal harmonies and irresistible hand-clap rhythm) and heady slow hams ('Have You Tried Jesus', the squelchy, hip-hop-soul flavoured 'Searching For The Truth'). It's a superb set all told, with the group's impeccable vocals rising high above brilliantly realised and expressively played instrumental backing tracks.
Review: Isaac Hayes passed 16 years ago but his legacy as a soul music icon endures and likely always will. Known for his groundbreaking work with Stax's Enterprise label, Hayes set the standard for what became known as "symphonic soul" by crafting albums that remain as powerful as when first released. Alongside his LPs, Hayes also achieved massive success with singles and had 16 consecutive hits on the r&b chart from 1969 to 1976, many of which crossed into pop. Hot Buttered Singles is the first collection to feature every A and B-side of his 'Yellow Stax'-era singles in their original versions and they all sound superb.
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them or that they've collected from your use of their services.