Review: Eramus Hall is the Detroit soul and funk group behind the coveted 'Your Love Is My Desire' and now it returns with a collection of rare and unreleased tracks. Originally signed to Westbound Records, which is famously home to Funkadelic and Ohio Players, the group recorded just two albums, and the second of those came on Capitol in 1984. Now, Org Music and Westbound reunite to unveil early demos and hidden gems from that era, all mixed by original producer Joel Martin over 40 years later. As well as the evocative and soul-stirring sounds, never-before-seen photos and fresh liner notes are also included.
Review: Johnny Hammond was a prolific organist, composer and multidisciplinary artist active throughout the USA for the majority of the 20th Century. By the time the lesser-known LP and meditation on devilish excess 'Gambler's Life' was released in 1974, Hammond's sound had grown unusually cacophonous and was noisy to a kind of perfection that could only be described as an acquired taste. That doesn't deter us, though: this reissue from Soul Brother carefully pays homage to the late great's 28th album, with the broken wonk of 'Rhodesian Thoroughfare', the voluptuous funk of 'Star Borne' and the melismatic virtuosity of 'Virgo Lady' all tempting us back towards the broad gate.
Review: Those interested in Japanese cartoons should know Space Adventure Cobra. First broadcast in 1982, it is now considered one of the country's finest animated TV series. This triple-vinyl box set celebrates Kentano Haneda and Yuji Ono's music from the series, combining compositions featured on the show with unheard extended versions and tracks that never made the cut first time round. Musically, it's a mix of Japanese disco, sax-sporting lounge jazz, jazz-funk, neo-classical movements and eccentric interludes, all doused in layers of cosmic dust and stargazing colour. The release also comes packaged with a 12-page booklet telling the story of the series and the making of the appealing, endlessly entertaining soundtrack.
People Get Funny When They Get A Little Money (4:34)
LA Carnival (7:55)
Ski Ball (5:16)
Three Quarter Miles (6:02)
Silver Plated (4:19)
Hal Strange (5:23)
The Time Of My Life (3:50)
Step Down To The Top (2:55)
Review: Eddie Harris was an iconic American jazz musician who revolutionised the genre by introducing the electrically amplified saxophone. With a prolific career spanning over 50 albums, Harris seamlessly blended jazz with funk, earning Grammy Award nominations for two of his groundbreaking records. Among them, the 1983 release People Get Funny..s' stands out. Featuring tracks like 'People Get Funny When They Get A Little Money' and 'La Carnival' which exemplify his signature jazz-funk fusion with captivating vocals and scatting, it las has other gems like 'Silver Plated,' which showcase a more traditional jazz-hard-bop style. Accompanied by talented musicians like drummer Carl Burnett, electric pianist William S. Henderson III, and bassist Larry Gales, this limited edition release of People Get Funny... is pressed on translucent pink vinyl.
Review: Here comes a special Japanese edition of Harvey Sutherland's superb Boy album. Since debuting in 2013, Mike Katz has released a lot of music under this alias, always flitting between interconnected styles (electronic disco, deep house, jazz-funk, nu-boogie, revivalist New Jersey garage and Italo-disco) without ever laying down an album of all-new music. Boy, then, is a significant milestone in the Melbourne producer's career and offers an exploration of what he calls "neurotic funk" - a boundary-blurring fusion of jammed-out analogue electronics and live instrumentation that draws on a multitude of musical styles without neatly sitting in any one pigeonhole.
Review: The original motion picture soundtrack for The Truck Turner delivers a thrilling blend of gritty funk, soul and high-energy jazz that perfectly complemented the 1974 blaxploitation classic. Composed by the great Isaac Hayes, the soundtrack is a dynamic showcase of his signature style that blends soulful melodies with intense orchestral arrangements. Tracks like 'Main Theme' and 'Breaking Into The Business' capture the raw energy and tension of the film while Hayes' deep voice and lush arrangements bring an added layer of sophistication to the score.
Review: This is a bold, progressive funk album from one of the genre's masters in Isaac Hayes. Although Hayes who was rooted in r&b was often overlooked in favour of prog-rock bands like Emerson, Lake and Palmer, his music was just as expansive and expressive across his career. This album served as the soundtrack for Hayes' first major film role and perfectly matches the gritty, exaggerated tone of the movie. Over time, its tracks were reimagined and sampled and influenced works from Geto Boys to Quentin Tarantino films, which has ensured it a lasting legacy in both cinema and music history.
Review: Chicago-native Cecil Lyde's Home Boy And The C.O.L. album is often said to be his standout work. It dropped back in 1984 with his Home Boy group and was a swift follow up to 1982's self titled debut. Earlier works were defined by a lovely lo-fi aesthetic while this record goes big right for the off with an eight minute epic to kick off. 80s electro-funk then defines much of the rest of it with all sorts of big hits along the way. It makes for a luxurious listen with some self-reflective tunes like the ballad 'I Don't Want To Be A Movie Star,' and then some tension building and passionate vocal harmonies. This reissue comes a limited edition LP with obi-strip.
Review: American Bobbi Humphrey is one of the most well loved jazz flautists. She turned out plenty of vibrant albums, none less so than this, Fancy Dancer, which was her fifth. It came on Blue Note in 1975 and is full of all killer no filler gold. It also saw her, along with producers the Mizell Brothers aka Larry and Fonce, come up with a fresh new largely instrumental funk sound. Weaving in everything from world music to soul-jazz to club music to pop, it's a widescreen sound that is packed with uplifting flute from Humphrey and lush production that reveals something new with each listen.
Review: Brazilian artist Hyldon's 1981 album 'Sabor De Amor' is a Latin classic that is well overdue this reissue by Jazzybelle Records. It was the fourth from the soul man, singer and instrumentalist who was, with equally celebrated peers Tim Maia and Cassiano, at the very heart of the Brazilian soul revolution of 70s. This may be his most consistent album with its more than accomplished backing by Azymuth musicians including Alexandre Malheiros on bass, drums from Ivan "Mamao" Conti and Hammond jams from Sergio Carvalho amongst others. The bass is funky, the arrangements are sophisticated and full of sun with noodling jazz melodies and Portuguese vocals all oozing summer magic. From mellow moments like the title cut to more dazzling and upbeat dancers like 'Amor Na Terra Do Berimbau' this isa joyous listen.
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