Back catalogue: Funk Soul & Jazz

Review: .5 Borough Breaks are back with another essential slice of 90s hip-hop nostalgia. Their latest 7" revives a 1995 Hot 97 favourite-a gritty, golden-era banger that once ruled the NYC airwaves. Handily pressed for both DJs and collectors, Blahzay Blahzay's 'Danger' captures the raw energy of East Coast rap at its peak. As always with this label, the flip side features the original sample source: a soulful gem 'Rockin Chair' from recently departed legend Gwen McCrae whose legacy shaped generations of soul fans and hip-hop heads. As such, this 7" combines deep digging with authentic hip-hop flair and pays tribute to both the beatmakers and the soul pioneers who inspired them. Essential wax.

Review: Sami Galbi is a Swiss-Moroccan musician who looks to his childhood for musical inspiration. The A-side of this new 7" is a thoughtful post-breakup classic with raw synths and bouncing rhythm that melds rai influences with contemporary sounds and despite tacking a serious subject with gravitas also has a humourous edge. On the flip is 'Rruina,' a powerful follow-up with deeper darker club sounds that take Swiss-Moroccan rai-chaabi fusions into new territory. Both tunes are captivating listens from this fine talent and are sure to make an indelible impression on all who hear them.

Review: Given that Gang Starr recently reformed and jazz is now all the rage, it seems fitting that Mr Bongo has decided to reissue the rare 7" version of the group's 1990 masterpiece "Jazz Thing". It's a wholehearted tribute to the greats of jazz - and the role jazz records have in hip-hop's sample culture - that comes in two distinctively different mixes. On the A-side you'll find the "Video Mix", a bouncy and suitably jazzy DJ Premier production that layers Guru's fine rap flows above loose-limbed drums, smoky horn samples and his own super-tight scratches. Turn to side B for the "Movie Mix" - so-called because it was created for a Spike Lee flick - where Guru's vocal rides improvised horns and an entirely different beat crafted from Kool & The Gang samples.

Review: Dynamite Cuts continue in their mission to share jazz, funk and soul deep cuts with the world, this time pulling a timeless gilded funk rabbit out of their hats. Gregory James Edition took on the collective mantle of "Prophets Of Soul" at the moment of their 1973 debut, which would only then be followed by the 1979 record Gonna Grow Some Gold before an eventual disbandment. A shame, since 'Ain't No Sunshine' and 'Changing Things' stand out as the record's finest offcuts; the first track uses its various clavinets and Farfisa Combo organs to estrange an existingly capricious funk sound, rendering it rather odd, alien, spacious. 'Changing Things' contrasts with upswells of gushing piano set to a funk backbeat, which come yet measured by an admirable key change control, again held down by lead player Gregory Bibb.

Review: To commemorate the 20th anniversary of D'Angelo's iconic album Voodoo, Amerigo Gazaway had crafted a masterful tribute that reinterprets several standout tracks from the original. Utilising live instruments like electric guitar, synth bass, clavinet, organ and Rhodes, Gazaway breathes fresh life into these classic cuts while maintaining the essence of their grooves. The result is a woozy, silky update that melds elements of hip-hop, gospel, neo-soul and r&b, creating a rich tapestry of sound that honors the source material. With fourteen tracks, including both vocal and instrumental versions, this project captures the spirit of Voodoo while infusing it with new energy. A highlight of this release is the bonus track featuring Raphael Saadiq alongside D'Angelo on 'Be Here', which further emphasises the collaborative spirit of the genre. Gazaway's reimagining not only celebrates the timeless quality of Voodoo but also showcases his talent for blending classic sounds with contemporary influences, making this tribute a worthy addition to any music lover's collection.

Review: B-sides, Remixes, Rarities: Volume 3 & 4 is the second double LP in Amerigo's Soul Mates series and this one showcases 15 more superb tracks from his extensive catalogue. This compilation includes exciting mash-ups like Kendrick Lamar vs. Marvin Gaye, Dr. Dre vs. Curtis Mayfield, and Black Star vs. Aretha Franklin, among others. Each track highlights a masterful blending of iconic artists to create a unique listening experience that celebrates the intersections of hip-hop and soul and brings plenty of good times.

Review: Robert Grasper very much announced his arrival on the world stage with Black Radio 1. And Black Radio 2 only took him into the stratosphere. Both records proved him to be a master of hip hop, broken beat and jazz and able to call upon some of the biggest names in those scene from Jill Scott to Erykah Badu. Both of those timeless records, as the title suggest, are steeped in Black music traditions and so is this third one. Here the award winning Glasper (nine Grammy nominations and four wins) works with modern greats such as Gregory Porter, Q Tip, BJ The Chicago Kid, Ty Dolla Sign and many more to cook up another powerful statement for these troubled times.

Review: The accomplished and influential US jazz cat Robert Glasper has been involved with several of the genre's most essential projects over the last 15 or so years. His Black Radio albums are legendary and his work with Dinner Party is ever more celebrated. In My Element is one of his early works and now courtesy of Blue Note it gets its first-ever release on vinyl. It was a 2007 follow-up to his 2005 debut and marked him out as a rising star with bassist Vicente Archer and drummer Damion Reid alongside him and helping him to expand jazz's horizons. It also shows off his mad compositional skills and unique knack for harmony. A true modern classic.

Review: Whether you like it or not, the festive season is fast approaching which means we are starting to get a number of seasonal classic land, new and old. This one is a rather non-traditional holiday release that brings a weight and musical funkiness to a genre and time of year that is often seeped in campy or classic holiday motifs. It is the work of modern jazz heavyweight Robert Glasper and finds him working with a top list of frequent collaborators including PJ Morton, Sevyn Streeter, Cynthia Ervo, Tarriona Tank Ball, Alex Isley, Andra Day and The Baylor Project. It is a real joy to listen to and brings great warmth to the cosy months.

Review: On The Inside is the debut album from acclaimed Leeds dark jazz and funk trio, Gotts Street Park. A genre-hopping odyssey with silky production and an impressive set of guest collaborators, the album is an intended sonic diary of everything their relationship as a band encompasses, both as collaborators and close friends. Following up their more studio-oriented compendiums 'Volume One' and 'Volume Two', this album is more of a personal invitation into their own practice space, though it also does just as well to channel original Motown influences and provide ample space for featuring artists Rosie Lowe, Pip Millet and ENNY to flourish.