Back catalogue: Funk

Review: The long-awaited Baby Charles debut single, "Back Of My Hand", is finally here! They counts among their fans notables such as Keb Darge, DJ Andy Smith and Mark Lamarr.

Review: Big Crown is one of our favourite labels here at HQ. The funk and soul they serve up is perfectly aged yet never overly nostalgic and this new one is another case it point. It's the latest from the Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band and features two singles take from their latest and greatest album Expansions which landed back in June. As always they bring their own unique steel drum sounds and tropical Caribbean vibes to funk music. 'Raise It Up' is a deep cut joint with big horns and rippling steel drums puddles while 'Space' is a more lumpy groove with the drums more front and centre.

Review: Danish nu funk artiste Badboe comes through with four cuts of cut n paste breakbeat that are primed for house party spillage. Proceedings open with a reshuffle of Gil Scott Heron, marrying his distinctive vocals to a taut funk groove augmented by plenty of B-Boy samples, whilst "Make The Floor Burn" slips classic hip-hop samples over a filtered disco loop backing. On the flip you get two versions of "I Believe", with the vintage disco subtleties of the latter Smooth Disco Mix proving to be most satisfying.

Review: Destination Martinique: Sofrito's Island Series gets lively to the sound of Michel Bagoe and the brilliantly named Les Hamsters. The former lays down a sublime carnival soundtrack with relentless drums and a highlife feel to the guitars while the latter develop the street party feel with rippling drums and tightly plucked guitars. Guaranteed to whisk your dance to another world, just like the rest of the Sofrito discography!

Review: 2020 marks two decades since the Bamboos, Australia's premier deep funk combo, first made an impression in their home city of Melbourne. The Lance Ferguson-helmed outfit have been busy in the studio this year cooking up some suitably celebratory music to mark their 20th birthday, with this must-check "45" the latest missive to hit the streets. A-side 'Hard Up' is a typically raw and heavy affair, with regular vocalist Kylie Audist excelling herself over a typically tight-but-loose blend of hazy horns, Hammond motifs, crunchy drums and flash-fried guitar licks. Just as impressive is B-side 'Ride on Time', a surprise - but genuinely killer - heavy funk translation of Black Box's 1989 piano house favourite of the same name.

Review: Australian band The Bamboos have been holding down things on the funky side of town since 2001, gaining fans all over the world with their authentic, dirty funk nuggets. In the same vein as bands like El Michels Affair or Breakestra, these guys are students of the classic breaks that underpinned the sample-hungry glory days of hip-hop. They've also had the incredible honor to back up some of funk's most revered names, notably New Orleans hit-machine Eddie Bo, Syl Johnson and Eddie Floyd.

Ahead of their new album 4 comes single "On The Sly", a perfect slice of mid-tempo joy, which has the same rollicking cowbell-driven vibe as classic UBB staple "Get Me Back On Time, Engine Number 9" by Wilson Pickett. Soulsides MC and singer Lyrics Born joins them on 2nd cut Turn It Up, another popcorn funk winner complete with chicken-scratch guitar parts worthy of James Brown stalwart Jimmy Nolen. Hanging out with the Aussies seems to have rubbed off on the Californian MC, as he even sings "Turn it up mate" at one point! DJ's get taken care of with an accapella and an instrumental too, making this release a good way to put some funk back in your trunk.

Review: Second time around for Banda Achilifunk and Original Jazz Orquestra's sought-after 2011 cover of disco classic "I Believe in Miracles", original copies of which now change hands for serious sums online. The expansive Spanish crew's baggy, sun-kissed and rumba-soaked Latin disco cover of the Jackson Sisters' classic is perfectly pitched, adding layers of crunchy Clavinets and punchy horns to a sumptuously summery groove. Over on the flip we get two different takes on McFadden & Whitehead classic "Ain't No Stopping Us Now": a decidedly Balearic Spanish language cover ("No Nos Pararas"), and an instrumental cover full to bursting with superb grooves and even more scintillating horn solos.

Review: If we said 'a Latin funk cover of Michael Jackson's "Bad"' what would you say? If the answer is anything other than 'WTF? I need that in my life' we are officially worried about you. Who wouldn't want that? Not to let the cheeky b-side outshine the A, "Feelings" is a Banda Achilifunk original; rolling with a rhythm n' blues motif and some fly Spanish lyrics, it's feel good party joint with heaps of distinction.

Review: For the latest release on their on-point Brasil 45s sub-label, Mr Bongo takes a trip back to 1977, and the early days of legendary fusion outfit Banda Black Rio. Both the cuts here are taken from the band's brilliant debut album, Maria Fumaca, and see them fusing Brasilian samba and jazz sounds with the righteous, dancefloor-friendly grooves of funk and disco. "Maria Fumaca" itself is a deliciously sunny and sweaty affair, with punchy horns, eyes-closed guitar solos and jazz-funk electic piano lines rising above a carnival-ready samba-funk groove. The U.S funk influence comes to the fore more on flipside "Mr Funky Samba", which sounds like Azymuth jamming with members of the T.K Disco, Philadelphia International and Salsoul house bands. Yep, it's that good.

Review: Banderas are that most rare of beasts: an eleven-piece salsa band from Japan. While they've been active for a while, their recorded output has been limited, to say the least. The two tracks featured on this tasty 7" were first featured on the band's 2016 debut release, which was never released outside of Japan. It's undoubtedly great that they're finally available to a wider audience, because both are potent dancefloor workouts. With its atmospheric, "barrio atmosphere" opening, jaunty piano build-up, punchy horns, sing-along Cuban style vocals and scorching salsa rhythms, A-side "Tema De Banderas" is particularly effective. That said, bustling B-side "Banderas Mambo", with its heavier rhythms and rousing mambo horn lines, is also pretty darn hot.

Review: Adult Music presents 'Som O Brasil'. This little nugget from Bangers & Jass features a rare obscure version of the Brazilian
classic 'Berimbau'. Sought after for many moons by the likes Patrick Forge, who went on to champion it. The flip features a
Batucada version of the Jorge Ben classic 'Comanche'.

Review: Raroraro rev up the rarity engine once again with this sunkissed Latin double-up. Ray Barretto's heavily sampled (but seldom bettered) "Right On" gets the A: a hammering piano hook, whirlwind percussion and big horns, it's an instant carnival that's still as fearless as it was it was in 1970. Columbia's Latin Brothers' take us five years forward with "Las Calenas Son Como Las Flores". A much more smouldering number with a little more island magic in the horn arrangement, this one builds from sunset to a fiery sunrise. Limited to 200 copies.

Review: In conjunction with London’s Jukebox Jam club night we bring you regular doses of the wildest, rawest original Rhythm and Blues of the ‘50s and early ‘60s on DJ friendly collectable 45rpm format. Linked by a sequential catalogue numbering system, each release will also boast a unique label design and title, making them unlike any other reissue on the market.



Our first release on the Jukebox Jam subsidiary showcased the production talents of New Orleans’ finest Dave Bartholomew on Rose Mitchell’s haunting rendition of ‘Baby Please Don’t Go’ (now sold out everywhere!). For Jukebox Jam number four it’s time for Dave himself to take centre stage with two solo sides from his prolific spell with Imperial Records, both with some distinctly Latin/Caribbean seasoning, hence the naming of this label ‘Mambo’.



You’d be hard pushed to find a record which sounds more N’Awlins than ‘Shrimp and Gumbo’ – a raucous percussion heavy party starter perfect for any Creole Carnival. And in fact, perfect for any party, be it a full house at your local supper club dance, neighbourhood jukebox joint or your back garden bar-b-que!



The flip-side is an earlier recording from Dave, and again one which could only have come from NOLA, and could only really have been made by Bartholomew himself. His lyrics might be in jest but the band certainly aren’t messing around and they pull off a sound so authentic that you’d imagine it must surely be Cuban players responsible. All in all a nice package then, two bags of Mambo-Mardi Gras Gris-Gris sure to keep you safe from all manner of Voodoo ill will!

Review: New on Jalapeno, Greece's breaks master George Fotiadis drops a new single along with some top-name remixes on the side. The first release from BF's album, "Something Freaky" is a slow and brilliantly funky joint, featuring crotch-grabbingly high falsetto vocals and some huge breakbeat drums. Spanish breaks don Colombo speeds things up nicely and sets the funk on fire on his mix, while Pimpsoul keeps the tempo but fleshes out every bar with hyped sequences and plenty of bass. Jalapeno regular Max Sedgley also drops a heavyweight nu-funk reworking to round off a mighty single.

Review: Fizzing funkateers Basement Freaks can usually be relied upon to bring the dancefloor goods. That's certainly the case on this dancefloor-focused seven-inch. On the A-side they rework one of their own classic cuts, offering a punchier and heavier take on 2016 Kylie Auldist collaboration "White Hot". Rich in flash-friend funk guitars, crunchy breaks and life-affirming horns, their new revision is undoubtedly more DJ-friendly than the original album version. Turn to the flip to hear their tidy new take on Smoove collaborator John Turrell's 2013 cut "Won't Get Fooled Again", which they cannily refurbish as a wobble bass-propelled chunk of P-funk flavoured dancefloor soul.

Review: Japanese edit series Jolly Jams calls up Felix Dickinson for an exercise in subverted versionism. Tightly trimming - and in some cases completely repurposing - Coach House Rhythm Section's "Nobody's Got Time". Track one is the most authentic cover as the vocal stays intact but the electro disco is switched for a bluesy, sweaty party version. Track two sees Felix get busy in the dub department as the bass-based groove rattles with flabby, immersive funk. Finally the entire original is twisted to fit a slap-bass bashing Balearic dynamic, complete with new female vocals. Three really interesting versions that each stand alone as original tracks.

Review: Joakim brings forth the wonders of Jimi Bazzouka, tastefully re-editing "Let 'Em In" by Paul McCartney', the Rolling Stones' "Hot Stuff" and Jimmy Castor Bunch's "Troglodyte". Wicked stuff from the Tigersushi maestro.

Review: A cheeky slice of French post-disco funk, Lionel Benjamin has the gravitas of Gainsbourg but croons like a talented bar singer who's yet-to-be spotted and launched to fame. Taken from his 1982 album Melodie, these are two touching pieces of tangible human soul. The soft lilts and hums of "Melodie" have already been heavily sported by Giles Peterson and the Wah Wah 45s crew, but don't sleep on "Montreal"... What begins with an emotional birdsong acapella quickly spirals into a ludicrously funky bassline that we guarantee will knock your floor for six.

Review: The Moiss Music label seems to like to drop their EPs two at a time. They did it in February and they're doing it again in May. This eighth outing collects four more lively disco cuts, each with their own subtle influences. Berobreo's 'White Rabbit' for instance has funky undertones with loopy guitar riffs and nice breaks. The Magic Track's 'Jamming With Mom' meanwhile is more sensuous and deep, with late-night synth work and seductive vocals. Oldchap's 'I Want To Show You' has an expressive soul vocal with more low-slung grooves and Alexny's 'Not Bad' then gets quick, clipped and loopy for its lip-pouting disco thrills.

Review: A highly impressive debut from an interesting new funk act The Beta Club. They claim to be international but it seems the nucleus hail from the much-maligned UK city Coventry. Sometimes the most beautiful art can come from the darkest of places, right? For the music, both cuts are a total trip. "Brassa Nova" is a hugely cosmic affair as weaves of fuzzy guitars and far-away horns fuse in a way that's not dissimilar to Herbaliser when they're deep in Sessions mode. "Freak Beat" takes the band's 70s narrative even further thanks to vast space amid the instrumentation, the Mancini-style horns and alluring sitar twangs. A band to tattoo to your radar... Remember where you heard about them first.

Review: Ring Musik is one of Germany's finest library record labels and it is that which has been pillaged for this super new 7" on Tramp Records. The double a-side has never been re-issued since the first time it came out in 1976 and comes here with B-side bomb 'Bubble and Squeak,' a real rare groove classic with fluid bass playing and rolling rhythms that are softened with tender chord work and airy flute. A-side 'Sally' is a brilliantly intriguing track that leads you to a place of mystery on meandering bass, wandering keys and 60s horns. Both of these are lush.

Review: Two monolithic slabs of sizzling funk right here... "Rigor Mortis" takes the lead. A cover of Cameo's 1977 lonesome dancefloor classic, the minute the staccato riff is plucked, you know you and your dancefloor are in for a treat. Complete with a lavish horn section (that's played by BPJ's own stepdaughters on all accounts), it's a quintessential example of cover version perfection. Sided with the equally funky "Too Cool To Be True", this 45 won't hang around for long at all.

Review: Typically soulful musings from Stones Throw breakthrough artist Aloe Blacc with "You Make Me Smile" lifted from his recent acclaimed Good Things album. Truth & Soul's Leon Michels and Jeff Silverman are on hand to provide the lovely production on a joyful tribute to romance and love with the singer thanking his better half for being by his side despite him being unemployed and broke. An extended version of "Politician" adds some weight on the flip.

Review: KC

Review: Truth & Soul presents another instalment of the hidden gems series featuring unreleased nuggets from the vaults of Plainfield No’s own Blacktop Records. This release, the most ambitious of the three to date, features Black Velvet's 'Is It Me You Really Love' backed with 'An Earthquake's coming'. Blessed with the master tapes, Truth and Soul has remixed and re-mastered both tracks and given instrumental versions of the two. On the A-side, teenage female vocal trio Black Velvet sing about the blurry lines between love and sex, a slow jam with hard hitting drums. This track proves to be one of the best and most classic tracks to come out of Jersey's bustling music scene since the early seventies. Also on the A-side, available for the first time, is an instrumental mix.

Review: The Originals sample-seeking series continue as we're asked to compare and contrast an original source and a classic execution made years later. This is a perfect example; here Blue Mitchell's Blue Note 1967 smoky jazz instrumental (taken from his Heads Up! album) is remembered in all its multi-strand narrative glory before we jump deep into early 90s b-boy heaven by way of New York's UMC's. A fine lesson in how to work a sample to the funkiest effect.

Review: 2 superb '70s funk/vocal sides, from the same man who brought you the disco/funk classics "Dance Across The Floor" and "Spank". Suffice to say this is rare early material known to only a few and released by Tramp to the masses for the first time.

Review: Record Shack's latest on-point reissue comes from the sadly departed Edwin Bocage, better known to soul aficionados as Eddie Bo. Superb A-side "Our Love Will Never Falter" originally appeared on the obscure New Orleans imprint Blue Jay some time in the early-to-mid 1960s. It's a classic example of Louisiana soul from the period, with Bocage providing a headline-grabbing vocal performance over a horn-heavy, dancefloor-friendly backing track. Flipside "From This Day On" may be more of a heartfelt ballad in the classic soul mode, but it's similarly inspired. Copies of the original 1966 7" are pretty hard to come by these days - and, naturally, rather expensive - so don't miss this opportunity to own one of Bo's finest moments.

Review: Dan Boadi left his native Ghana to take his highlife sound to American audiences after he had his 1967 breakout debut 'Abrabo'. That was a regional hit and soon after came this tune which was recorded at Paul Serrano's studio in Chicago. It showcased the real breadth and depth of his sound as it called upon reggae, acrobat, halide and funk to demand your ear with a chugging drum groove. Add in the colourful orchestration that makes the tune soar and a you have a record that is a true musical melting pot that stood Boadi pat in his new home of the Windy City.

Review: GAMM welcome a new face into the fold in the shape of Stockholm's Seegweed, who aptly demonstrates his panache for the edit on some classic jams. Spread across the A Side, Seegweed drops a subtle take on Angela Bofill's Stylistics cover, clearly not wanting to mess with a classic like "People Make The World Go Round". Deft percussive touches and some bottom end embellishment are added to the core which takes full effect on the midpoint break. On the flip the jazz funk break delight of Ben Sidran's "About Love" gets the subtle Seegweed treatment, and he does a neat job of extending out the sweetness that is Sly & The Family Stone's "Family Affair".

Review: Straight up steamy, sweaty shake-down soul that - until now - has been rare as hen's teeth. Spotted passing hands for upwards of L500 in the past, we have two storming sides for the price of one: "Mood For Love" is a stomp happy northern soul classic loaded with all the right ingredients; big harmonies, bigger horns and a beat that won't quit. "Let Me Down Easy" didn't achieve anthem status in the same way and has since been the driver for the original pressing's high price. Stick the needle on and you'll know why; powerful Rhodes, life-affirming horns and a gutsy vocal that burns from the inside in the best possible way.

Review: Italy's Bounce FM finally serves up a second release having first launched way back in 2019, before the world had ever even heard the word 'Covid.' Once again this white label 45rpm is a cheeky edit offering that updates a couple of lovely jazz-funk tunes. 'Track 1' has crisp breaks and a warped guitar riff that takes it into slightly psychedelic territory. Flip it over for 'Track 2,' which is a deep cut and 60s tinged slow-motion funk work out with noodling leads and golden Rhodes. These are two classy and stylish edits that bring a sense of luxury and sophistication to any setting

Review: The self-professed 'Screaming Eagle of Soul' Charles Bradley continues his twilight storm into the affections of modern funk and soul fans with a prime seven inch taste of his upcoming album Changes. Bradley's latter day rise in cahoots with the inestimable Daptone has been a heart-warming story and he sounds in great fettle on this 45. Lead track "Change For The World" finds Bradley delivering an upbeat and brassy call to arms, detailing the current turmoil and offering a simple yet powerful prescription, "we've got to change our love, we've got to change for the world." Fans of the arrangement will be happy to see it appears in instrumental form in the shape of flipside track "Revelations."

Review: "Lyve Wire" is a strong and hard-hitting Breakout original. A heavy but catchy dancefloor smasher out on Melting Pot.

Review: With 3.000 copies sold within the first 6 weeks, the massive funk version of Bambaataa’s "Planet Rock" is the fastest selling Melting Pot single since "Organ Donor" by The Lefties. Now available on 12" with bonus beats & remix! The original 7" single is played by Afrika Bambaataa, Gilles Peterson, Z-Trip, Pete Tong (no joke) , Mad Mats, Kon & Amir, Freddy Cruger, Marc Hype, Dom Servini, Mr.Thing, The Rub DJs, DJ Stylewarz, Rob Life, Florian Keller, DJ Day, Tom Wieland and tons of other DJs worldwide. "Planet Rock (Jazz)" is a radical rework by the Breakout crew themselves. Jazzed out to the max and complete with gypsy strings and flute (again all played live and chopped later) this is the perfect version for after the dance. "Planet Funk" is the first original composition of Mr.Confuse, Info & Kova and a sure shot funker! "Breakout rocks the 'Planet Rock' don't stop" - Afrika Bambaata (Zulu Nation), "You guys killed it on that one, side two is my shit!"- DJ Z-Trip (Hollywood Records/USA), "I love that funky version of "Planet Rock" - now you guys must do "Egypt Egypt" :)" - The Egyptian Lover (Uncle Jams Army/ USA), "That Planet Rock joint is off the hook!" - Kon and Amir (On Track; BBE/ USA), "That shit is a killer track, great work guys!" - Freddie Cruger aka Red Astaire (Jugglin'; GAMM / Sweden), "Freakin' sick...love it!"- Mad Mats (Raw Fusion/ Sweden), "You guys got a nice fat sound and some fresh ideas. That Planet Rock cover is hot to death!"- Juliano Creator (RecordKingz; ABB Records/ UK), "Love it, played it out in Paris on Sunday with the Planet Rock -acappella over the top and it rocked them very hard. Massive respect!" - DJ Food (Ninja Tunes/ UK), "Awesome! This is tha nuts..we're lovin this..." - Yam Who? (Little League/ UK), "I am feeling the Planet Rock! I will have to add that to my set!" - DJ Pogo (Strut; Harmless Rec./ UK), "Nice tunes, specially that Planet Rock." - Ollie Teeba (The Herbaliser/ UK), "Killa!" - Tom Wieland (7 Samurai; Les Gammas/ Germany), "The Planet Rock thing is the bomb! - DJ Stylewarz (Double Trouble/ Germany), "Holy shit! The Planet Rock funk version is the bomb! Really nicely done, congratulations!" - DJ Friction (Four Music/ Germany), "You made me robot dance in my bedroom. I feel like RJD2!! Great tune!!" - Diesler(Tru Thoughts/ UK).

Review: Just in time for the 25th anniversary of "Planet Rock" here comes a radical new take on Bambaataa's genre-defining electro-anthem. The Breakout crew from Hanover have turned it into a heavy (sample free) afro-funk jam. Beatheads go straight to Part 2 for the deadly break! If "Organ Donor" by the Lefties was your song you better check out this too! When Hawkeye told me that the Breakout guys were working on a cover version of "Planet Rock" I was like "Whaat?" And when he told me that is gonna be an all live sample-free version I looked even more puzzled. What Kova, Info and Mr.Confuse actually did was invite a whole group of musician friends to their studio in Hannover and let them play the several parts of "Planet Rock" in funk mode. Then they went back into the lab and chopped and arranged the parts into a monster afro-funk tune. So what we hear now is not only a tribute to one of the greatest early hip-hop-singles ever but a great record in its own right. When I played the rough mixes to several people "in the know", without telling them what to expect, it took most of them one or two minutes until they said "Damn! Planet Rock! Who is this??"