Back catalogue: Funk Soul & Jazz

Review: Slip into something comfortable and prepare to get sexed up by this new one from Newcastle's Six Nine Records. It features tracks by 3TOB, an outfit originally born in 2019 by band members of Tone and earlier in the year they dropped the sultry hip-hop, soul and r&b album Trading Places. Those tracks are "My Baby' and 'Love Will Find Its Way' and neither were on the album and have been streaming only up to now. They are a timeless fusion of heart-melting harmonies and silky beats for those loved up late night sessions.

Review: A 10" featuring the finest that highlife has to offer, Crentsil was a figurehead of Ghanian music during the 70s and 80s who was introduced to highlife music at the turn of the 90s - a combination of pop, jazz, disco, and funk. 'Obi Baa Wiase' and 'Sika Be Ba' are two tracks with a close-knit message of gratitude, hope and faith between them, with the former being the staple track of Crentsil's long career after being played at weddings, festivals, and live concerts by local bands. A pair of incredible tracks produced by Charles Amoah utilising limited equipment to create an authentic party atmosphere, jovial flutes and plucky strings are the accompaniment to A.B. Entsils's proclamation of joy - put this on at the party and the room are sure to start moving.

Review: Alessandro Alessandroni (often said to be the most famous whistle in the history of film thanks to appearing on famous spaghetti western 'A Fistful of Dollars') is a legendary composer and musician who very much had a big say in the characteristic sound of Italian soundtracks during the 60s and 70s. This lovely 7" from Four Flies showcases that with two well chosen cuts that have been taken from a dusty tape found in the great man's vault. 'Shine On' is superbly stylish funk with some seductive vocals and rolling drums all peppered with golden chords and dynamic horns. 'Prohibition' is a little more mellow but still features magic Rhodes and characterful horns.

Review: Dorothy Moore's 1976 soul classic 'Misty Blue' became an Ibiza chill-out anthem in 2002. As 'Misti Blu' it got high-profile plays by Mary Anne Hobbs, Pete Tong and Mixmaster Morris and even David Mancuso charted in his end-of-year highlights. Now the sundown gem gets reissued here on a tidy 7" as a superb rework from the newly reformed amillionsons. The crooning vocals remain the highlight with sultry trumpets and lavish downtempo rhythms. What's more, we're told that a new live disco and house version are coming in 2023, so watch this space.

Review: In a meeting between generations of broken beat titans, Andrew Ashong and Kaidi Thatham's Sankofa Season rightly earned classic status soon after its release in 2020, and now we're being taken back into the heart of these tracks with a heavyweight remix package from some serious talent. Mala's imperious dubstep touch brings some low-end pressure to 'Low Ceilings' or Shy One chopping up 'Learning Lessons' in her peerless deft style, there's a lot of ground covered by this considered gathering of minds. Special mention goes to Equiknoxx's Gavsborg and Shanique Marie, bringing a sweetly soulful touch to 'To Your Heart'.

Review: Kalita Records are proud and honoured to announce the first ever official reissue of the four choice tracks from Randolph Baker's privately pressed sought-after 1982 disco album 'Reaching For The Stars', plus an unreleased instrumental take of 'Party Life' sourced from the original 24-track analogue master tapes.

Originally recorded at Jim Morris and Rick Miller's Tampa-based Morrisound Studios, 'Getting Next To You' features both a mixture of both local Florida talent plus jazz superstar Nat Adderley and bassist John Lamb at their finest. Originally pressed in a limited run of just one-thousand copies, with no distribution and most copies being sold in the local city and on Randolph's own merchandise table at the back of live gigs, original copies have long been sought-after by both collectors and DJs alike, acknowledged as a true grail and masterpiece in the disco scene and deservedly demanding extortionate figures to those lucky enough to find their own.

Here, in collaboration with Randolph, Kalita Records have chosen to re-release the four choice tracks from the album: 'Getting Next To You', 'Jazzman', 'Callin' Me' and 'Party Life'. The former is an in-demand horn and chant-filled disco masterpiece, which, as Randolph explains, concerns unity and "everyone on the same level in other words, everyone just loving life". It is arguably the song that Randolph is most well-known for in the disco and funk scene and perfect for the modern discerning dance floor. 'Jazzman' is an instrumental track with prominent trumpet and saxophone solos working with funky basslines to produce a truly great jazz-funk groove. It was "a tribute to Nat Adderley and Duke Ellington's bass player, John Lamb, for being so generous and saying yes to the project". 'Callin' Me' is a soulful disco number featuring the lead vocals of Laurie Erickson and is "about being on the road and ensuring loved ones that you will always come back home no matter what. It was like a promise to ensure loved ones they didn't have to worry". Lastly, 'Party Life' is a joyous disco track with a strong funk bassline and horns. As Randolph recalls, it "was the joy like after an actor finishes a movie. There was nothing but joy. It's finished; let's celebrate big time. Where everyone in the studio yelled at the top of their lungs - The End!" Here, with access to the 24-track master tapes we have been able to include the original version plus an unreleased instrumental take, allowing us to focus on the infectious bassline and make it even more ready for the modern dance floor.

Accompanied by extensive interview-based liner notes and never-before-seen photos.

Review: ,Joe Bataan has been busy in East L.A. with Orquesta Rene for this new Latin jazz double 7" courtesy of Steady Beat. It features four all new pieces drenched in soul and percussion, starting with 'So Fine' (feat Big Sandy), a mid tempo groove with vocal longing and languid horns. 'Mestizo' is a more steamy and intimate piece with sung-spoken lyrics and glowing, golden chords. 'Mom & Dad' (feat Claudia Lennear) has s steamy shuffle to its rhythms and classic Latin percussive sounds next to a call and response vocal and 'Time After Time' closes with a sentimental feel.

Review: BDQ Records is the outlet for jam quintet BunnDebrettQuintet, who emerged out of 90s acid jazz titans Mother Earth. Their sound has refocused on a raw and rasping strain with a live, in-the-room electricity which comes through brilliantly on this new single with Lydia Sharpe. Taking a few cues from a Led Zeppelin classic, Sharpe strikes a fierce, sultry figure on top of the sizzling hot Hammond organ vamps and low slung rhythm section. It sounds dangerous like a niche 50s cut, but there's plenty of meat on the bones of the production, while the familiar vocal hooks will go down a storm with a busy dancefloor.

Review: Once again, Music From Memory has dug deep for inspiration. Very few will have come across the original 1987 pressing of Ich Traume So Leise, a long-forgotten collaborative album that brought together trumpet player Heinz Becker, songwriter Karl-Heinz Stegmann, and poet Isabel Zeumer. Predictably, though, the tracks which the Dutch label has chosen to reissue are exceptionally good. "Mein Tanzlied", for example, features Becker's meandering trumpet lines and Zeumer's eyebrow-raising spoken word vocals seemingly drifting over an intoxicatingly funky, mid-80s dancefloor groove, while "Dir" is a seriously atmospheric chunk of beatless jazz poetry. Flip for the Balearic electro-funk of "Der Schnupfen" and the languid, new age ambience of "Abends".

Review: During the latter stages of the "Philly Soul" era, New York remixer Tom Moulton delivered a string of inspired, DJ friendly reworks for the Philadelphia International label. For proof, check this fine selection of classic Moulton mixes for the storied imprint. Check first his version of Archie Bell and the Drells' "Where Will You Go When The Party's Over", which he brilliantly teases out and increases in intensity over nine spellbinding minutes. The funkier flex of People's Choice's "Jam, Jam, Jam (All Night Long)" is a sweaty, low-down treat, while the Teddy Pendergrass rework is a soaring disco classic in the Philly Soul style. Best of all, though, is the string-drenched disco celebration that is his mix of Lou Rawls' "See You When I Git There".

Review: Kay-Dee Records comes at us with a 45 double-hitter, presenting Bert Hector's 'The Phoenix' and 'The Kraken' with Kenny Dope on remix duties. On the first record, we're treated to 'The Phoenix', a sure-fire funk gem with a super-warm sound - beat is as cool as it gets, with a laid-back and funky attitude sitting beneath a joyous intermingling of sitar, flute, brass and guitar, all performed at expert levels. 'The Kraken', meanwhile, channels a killer groove, strutting at 85 bpm and incorporating a huge brass section which pumps loud, while flute solos and funky Wah-guitar chops take things up a notch.

Review: Polish group Bloto are emblematic of the adventurous spirit which drives Astigmatic forwards as a label. There's a strong, instrument-oriented jazz backbone to the music, but it equally functions as daring, inventive club music. Drop the needle on 'Szlam', the A-side of this new 7" from the Wroclaw-based outfit and you'd think you were hearing some DMZ-informed soundsystem pressure. That's as much about the looping flute refrain as the breakstep roll of the drums and one note bass drops, but there's still the scintillating energy of a live band powering the sonics. B-side workout 'Scieki' is a moody strutter with a dash of acidic snarl in its stomping bassline and some eerie keys on top, coming on like horror jazz for dimly lit dancefloors.

Review: BunnDebrettQuintet has got a monster modern soul tunes on their hands here with the legendary Brian Auger on Hammond B3 helping bring the style. The glorious A-side 'Truth In My Tears' has a raw but heartfelt vocal and big horn energy over driving drums. It's a real dancefloor heater and then the flip is 'Wasn't It You', a more soulful groover with lush backing vocals but still dynamic drums powering it onwards. This outfit's last single went on to become a much sought-after release that is now well spenny on Discogs so do not sleep on this limited follow up.

Review: Susan Cadogan is an esteemed reggae vocalist who has been since the 1970s. Now she continues her musical journey with this cover single which is taken from her excellent 2020 album Hurt So Good - Storybook Revisited, distributed by Burning Sounds. Side-A features a rendition of the reggae classic by Dawn Penn, while Side-B offers a sweet soul interpretation of Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes' track. Enhanced with Japanese-inspired artwork on the jacket, this release showcases Cadogan's timeless talent and versatility as it bridges the gap between reggae and soul music across generations.

Review: There is real fire and fury in this opening tune on the new drop from Bongo Joe Records out of Switzerland. A ceremonial chant opens up and is sure to bring dance floor delirium from the off over the high-speed dub rhythms and raw percussive sounds. The raw, high octane and primordial influence of techno looms large throughout with Chouk Bwa & The Angstromers really going for the jugular. Heft modern bass weight, deft electronics and traditional Afro-Caribbean polyrhythms all collide with trance-including and mind-melting results.

Review: Internationally acclaimed Italian singer, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Chiara Civello unveils a new single, 'Sono Come Sono', blending a mixture of Neapolitan funk and club-infused rawness into four mixes. With the title roughly translating to 'it is what it is', the tune is a true, happy reflection on all things being immutable, and struggle being ultimately futile. Party on!

Review: It might be getting cold and dark and wet here in the UK but music will always be able to transport us to warmer, sunnier, happier climes. And so it is with this new 7", which includes a booklet, from Discodelic. It's a two tracker from Cizana and La Nueva Generation that is flame hot and bristling with energy - Cizana's 'She Sold Her Soul' kicks off with its joyous flutes, hand drums and percussive Latin grooves then La Nueva Generacion slow things down and up the brass with their carnivalesque Afro-funk workout 'Uhru Sasa'.

Review: Discodelic obviously rates this latest 7" of theirs because they have released it in more than one format. As well as a straight back wax version you can also cop it on this pink & blue splattered vinyl complete with a booklet that provides some extra context about the music from Cizana and La Nueva Generation. Both tunes are flame-hot and bristling with energy. The A-side is all joyous flutes, hand drums and percussive Latin grooves then the flip slows things down and ups the brass. Two belters and this one looks as good as it sounds, too.

Review: Leon Cook once said, "I think every musician should have the experience of being on the road with a teacher, like I was. (Jazz) is something that teaches you not only how to play your instrument but it teaches you how to be a person." Considering his craft a lifelong practice, 'Steppin' In' exemplifies this outlook. The song, originally licensed from the obscure Ohio guitarist's mega-limited LP 'Cookin' With Leon Cook', shows off his deft production, guitarwork and vocal style, and reflects on a once-lost relationship. The B-side, meanwhile, hears the relationship rekindled. Clearly, just as Cook implied, time heals all wounds, just as it teaches.

Review: Disco heads take note, here's a reissue that's been a long time coming. Cordial only have one record to their name, so perhaps it should have been called Their First (and Last), but that of course only adds to the appeal for devoted diggers. Lovingly repressed by Past Due, this three-tracker from 1979 is fit to burst with musicality, from the uptempo flourishes of 'Wave' to heartstring-tugging 'Special Love'. It's absolutely rooted in the era, with a high-end sound which makes it frankly shocking they never recorded more after this golden gem. Sharks be damned, let the music reach those who truly appreciate it.