AFRO-FUNK, AFRO-ROCK,
ETHIO-JAZZ; BLAXPLOITATION
AFREAKA-
Demon Fuzz- Messed-up funky jazz from an obscure early 70s
UK group -- and an album that really lives up to its trippy cover! The
tracks
are all long and stretched out -- with lots of organ, sax, and spaced
out drums
-- and the overall style is a mix of dub-heavy funk, Afro jazz, and a
bit of
jazz rock jamming! There's a bit of vocals on the album, but overall
most of
the set is instrumental -- in a really right on and progressive style
that we
totally love. This is the kind of record that always got passed by in
the 80s
when everyone was looking for hard James Brown grooves, but which is
very much
in fashion now with the blunted funky crowd. Cuts include "Hymn To
Mother
Earth", "Another Country", "Disillusioned Man", and
"Mercy (Variation No. 1)" -- plus bonus tracks "Fuzz Oriental
Blues", "I Put A Spell On You", and "Message To
Mankind".
AFRO BLUES QUINTET-Great
work by one of the grooviest
groups on the LA 60s scene! The Afro Blues Quintet have a blend of soul
jazz
and Latin styles that's similar to the best 60s work by Cal Tjader, or
to
records by small combos like the Quartette Tres Bien or The Latin Jazz
Quintet.
Lots of grooves have a nice modal swing to them -- nice and jazzy, with
slight
touches of soulful instrumentation, all fused into a tight Latin-styled
groove.
Loads of great original tunes -- including "Mystic Mambo",
"Freaks", "Incantations", "Victims Of Chance",
"Let My People Go", and "Afro Rock".
AFRICAN MUSIC MACHINE- Incredible stuff
from the obscure African
Music Machine -- a
southern funk combo led by bassist Louis
Villery -- a legendary lost funk record! The band had a very unique sound that involved a lot of
rolling bubbling
basslines, spacey organ grooves, tight choppy guitar riffs and punchy
horn
blasts. In a way, they were similar to Cymande, but with less of the
dub-heavy
influences, and more of a raw southern funk groove. This is the funky
rare
material we cut our teeth on back in the 80s -- the kind of record
that's
really part of the lifeblood of Dusty Groove. Their singles are
legendary!
Includes massive cuts like "Black Water Gold (Pearl)", "A Girl
In France", "Never Name A Baby (Before It's Born), "Making
Nassau Fruit Drink", "Camel Time", "The Dapp",
"Tropical", and "Mr. Brown".
AFRIKA UNDERGROUND
(various)- Jazz, Funk, fusion under Apartheid- Really
wonderful stuff -- a collection of totally unique grooves that
won't cross over with any of your other African funk compilations! The
focus here is on jazz, not funk or soul -- and the set features a
wealth of great tracks pulled from obscure South African records of the
late 70s and early 80s. Funky fusion is definitely in command here --
and the overall feel of the tracks is similar to some of the best
European funky fusion of the 70s, fused with elements of African
percussion and instrumentation -- creating a true crossover of styles
that crackles with a freshness that will have you coming back to this
one again and again! Most tracks are instrumental -- and the grooves
here are a lot more complicated than on your average James
Brown-inspired African funk tracks, a mix of strident modal modes, and
other choppier funkier riff-heavy tunes. Plus, the whole thing's put
together with the righteous intelligence of all the other Counterpoint
titles -- with great notes, incredible sound, and an approach that will
easily take you to a whole new musical world! Titles include "I
Remember You" by Mike Makahalemele, "Half N Half" by Zacks Nkosi,
"Chapita" by Dick Khoza, "Lament" by Movement In The City, "Blues For
Yusef" by Lionel Pillay, "The Way It Used To Be" by Pacific Express,
and "La I La I La" by George Lee Larnyoh. MINT
;OUT OF PRINT, last copy available!; 50.-
MAHMOUD
AHMED- Ere
mela mela- Grooves unlike anything else you've ever heard in your life
-- an assortment of mid 70s tunes from Mahmoud
Ahmed, the
second grooviest Ethiopian artist, next to Mulatu! Ahmed's
sound is a lot more out there than Mulatu's -- less funky and
jazz-based, and more in the mode of snakey rhythms, complicated guitar
parts, and vocals that have a melancholy quality that's simply amazing.
This set features tunes that recently appeared on volume 7 of the
Ethiopiques CD series -- but which are presented here in the format of
the original 1975 LP! Titles include "Ere Mela Mela", "Ohoho Gedama",
"Tezeta", "Abbay Mado", "Atawurulegn Lela", and "Endenesh Gedawo".
MINT; 24.-
MULATU ASTATKE- Mulatu of Ethiopia- Amazing work from the
legendary Mulatu Astatke
-- one of Ethiopia's funkiest musicians of the 70s, making a rare
appearance
here on this lost American recording! The album has been a holy grail
for years
amongst beatheads -- loved for its killer blend of weird rhythms, sweet
funk,
and super-dope vibes -- and the grooves on the set are really unique --
slow,
snakey, and with a sinister, almost other-worldly feel. There's not
nearly as
much vibes on Mulatu's
Ethiopian recordings --
and their appearance here really gives the set a nice American sort of
twist --
almost Roy Ayers meets Sun Ra with a hot dose of African funk thrown in
for
good measure! Titles include "Chifara", "Munaye",
"Kaselefkut-Hulu", "Mascaram Setaba", and "Mulatu".
MULATU ASTATKE- Afro-Latin-Soul-
Ethiopian Quintet- Pure insanity from the mighty Mulatu -- one of his
few American albums
from the 60s! The record's an incredible blend of New York Latin and
some of the more Afro-styled grooves Mulatu explored more freely on his
Ethiopian recordings -- served up in a jazzy style that has plenty of
vibes in the mix, and lots of percussion at the bottom! The record is a
treasure throughout -- other-worldly, yet still very hip and swinging
-- a mysterious bridge between Latin America and Africa, suspended on
waves of wonderful sound! Titles include "Shagu", "Mascaram Setaba",
"Almaz", "Mulatu's Hideaway", "Askum", "Playboy Cha Cha", and "One For
Buzayhew". MINT
; 16.-
MULATU
ASTATKE featuring FEKADE AMDE MASKAL-
Ethio Jazz - Mad funk from Ethiopia --
classic work by the legendary Mulatu, one of Africa's
heaviest artists of the 70s! Mulatu's
been kind of a beathead secret for years -- as most of his exotic
grooves were never issued properly outside of Africa, and have only
been the province of collectors who had the money and cash to get their
hands on the work. The music's got a strange, other-worldly feel -- a
mix of bass-heavy dubby rhythms and spaced-out jazzy solos played on
saxophone and electric piano -- all coming together in a unique style
that will blow your mind! The LP is the first-ever proper vinyl reissue
of Mulatu's work -- and collects
together the best tracks from the recent Ethiopiques CD series, 9
titles that include "Yekatit", "Nesanet", "Sabye", "Ykermo Sew",
"Asmarina", "Gubelye", "Dewel", and "Ene Alantchi Alnorem".MINT; SOLD
OUT
MULATU ASTATKE and others-
Ethiopian modern instrumental hits -Mad grooves
from the Ethiopian scene of the 70s -- featuring work by the enigmatic Mulatu, plus some
of the other extra-cool artists on that country's groundbreaking soul and funk scene! Mulatu plays Fender
Rhodes and
organ on his tracks -- grooving with a slow, snakey approach that's
almost a bit like the work of Sun Ra, but which also has distinct
African touches. The sound here is quite different than the Nigerian
funky work of the 70s -- much more laidback and open-ended,
with less American influences, and a really
unique approach! Titles include "Yekermo Se", "Yegele Tezeta",
"Munaye", "Metche Dershe", "Kasalefkut Hulu", and "Tezeta" by Mulatu Astatque;
"Heywete" and "Bemgnot
Alnorem" by Bahta Gebre Heywet; and
"Yetesfa Tezeta" by Tesfa-Maryam Kidane. Vinyl release of tracks pulled
from the Ethiopiques CD-only series, done with some good notes.
MINT; SOLD OUT
BEGINNING OF THE END- One of
the rarest
funky
records of
all time -- the
rare second album by Beginning
Of The End! This West Indian
combo hit it big with their first album on Alston, but this second set,
for
some strange reason, never really got distributed -- which is a damn
shame,
because it's every bit as funky as their first! The
uniquely choppy rhythms of
the group's
first
album are every bit as great here as
on the first set --
and if anything, the
band's instrumentation is even better, especially
on the guitar,
which is wickedly tight, and
played with a super-dope flanged-out approach on the
solos. Vocals are great too, maybe even more soulful than before,
especially on the
album's
few
midtempo cuts -- and the
album's a must-have for any fan of
the group's
funky
sound! Titles include "That's What I Get", "Super Woman",
"Bluestrain", "Jump In The
Water", "Falling Apart At The
Seams", and "Trip To Nowhere".
BEGINNING OF THE END-
Funky Nassau- A
monster bit of funk
that's unlike anything else we can think of! Beginning Of The End
hailed from The
Bahamas, but don't hold that against them -- because instead of being
a Caribbean cliche, they took the best
part of the
island rhythms, and used them to forge an incredible approach to funk!
They've got a choppy sound that's the
result of
some incredibly dexterous guitar, bass, and drums -- and which you'll
recognize instantly from their one-time hit "Funky Nassau", a killer
funk track that never gets old, no matter how many bands cover it over the
years! That gem kicks off the
album, which then rolls into the
monster funky "part 2", which is even better! Other titles are equally
wonderful -- and include "Come Down", "Surrey Ride", "Monkey Tamarind",
and "In The
Deep". Essential -- and one that you'll be spinning for years! MINT;
16.-
BLACULA- Superb original soundtrack for the classic
blaxploitation
horror
flick starring the baaadest Dracula ever to grace the screen of all
those
shabby downtown theaters that were still around in the 70's -- a wicked
batch
of wah-wah tunes penned by Gene Page, and featuring a great bit fo
keyboards as
well! The set's got a few vocal numbers, sung by 21st Century Ltd and
The Hues
Corporation, but it's the instrumentals that really steal the show here
-- and
there's plenty of great ones here that rank with the best
blacksploitation work
of the decade! Titles include "Blacula
Strikes!", "The Stalkwalk", "Movin", "Run Tina
Run", "Firebombs", and "Good To The Last Drop".
BROTHERS
UNLIMITED-
Who's for the young- A excellent album of southern
funk -- and darn rare, too! We know almost nothing about the Brothers,
but they're a 14 piece combo with a tight ensemble funk sound that
clearly shows roots of both the Memphis and Muscle Shoals scene where
the album was recorded. There's a lot of fuzzy guitar, almost in a
Detroit Westbound mode -- but the band's also got a sweetly southern
funk style, with lots of organ bubbling underneath the tracks,
punctuated by some pretty tight drum work. A really wild one -- and the
kind of record that makes your jaw drop when you realize that some
lucky A&R guy was actually able to get an underground soul
album
released by a major label! Titles include "Got To Get Over", "Life,
Dreams, Death", "Get Away", "Take Me Back", and a great psychedelic
cover of Willie Dixon's "Spoonful". (Plus, the back cover's got a photo
of the band eating at a big table -- with the words "Excuse their
appearance, but the cameraman caught them at suppertime. You
understand.) ; MINT; SOLD OUT
BRUTE FORCE-
Same- The one and only album by this righteous funky combo from Ohio!
Although Brute Force
were an American group of the late 60s, they've got a sound that brings
in traces of the African rhythms that were bubbling under at the time
-- similar to some of the best London groups of the post-colonial
years, like Cymande, Demon Fuzz, or Asiko. There's often a jagged and
jazzy style on the bottom of the grooves, topped with brighter horn
flourishes, and combined with a vocal approach that has some slight
folksy touches -- very hip, progressive, and as righteous as you'd
expect from the cover! Sonny Sharrock sits in on some tracks, and the
titles include "Some Kind Of Approval", "Doubt", "Ye Le Wa", "Do It
Right Now", "The Deacon", and "Monster". MINT;
SOLD OUT
BUDOS BAND-
Same- A
brilliant mix of Afro and deep
funk styles -- the kind of grooves
you'd get if Fela Kuti hung out with The Meters in the late 60s! Budos Band
recall the genius of 90s deep funk combo The Daktaris -- and have a
similar love of older African rhythms touched by a newer indie funk
sound -- a complexity in the group's well-arranged horn parts, but a
simplicity to their rhythms that makes the album cook like some of our
favorite classics from years back. Sax and trumpet lines are mixed
nicely with heavy percussion and a fair bit of organ at the bottom --
creating a murky groove that has a bit of New Orleans in the mix, but
also has most of the instruments stepping along with the rhythm -- in a
very cool take on the Africa 70 sound. Tracks are all instrumental, and
all incredible -- and the record's one of the freshest we've heard from
the deep funk underground in years -- a second-generation set that gets
way past simple copycat funk and into its own unique groove! Titles
include "Budos
Theme", "Ghost Walk",
"King Charles", "Eastbound", "Across The Atlantic", "Up From The
South", "TIBWF", and "Monkey See Monkey Do".
MINT; SOLD OUT
BUDOS BAND-
2-One of the hippest groups
going in the deep funk underground -- a combo
who play way more than just conventional funk -- and who manage to
embrace a whole host of classic influences at once! Echoes of older
Latin, African, and soundtrack-styled grooves sift together beautifully
in this second album from The Budos Band -- all in an approach that's
totally unified, and which borrows the best elements from other modes
to create a whole new Budos-styled sound! The album's all instrumental,
but it's far more evocative than most vocal funk sessions we can think
of -- and the group's horns are tighter than ever, with a slightly
exotic feel that creates some real otherworldly moments. Titles include
"Ride Or Die", "Budos Rising", "Chicago Falcon", "King Cobra", "Origin
Of Man", "Deep In The Sand", "My Girl", and "Mas O Menos".
MINT; SOLD OUT
CANE
AND ABLE-
Same- A
fantastic bit of tripped out funk! Cane
& Able were
one of the many groups that came out of the collective surrounding the
Lafayette Afro-Rock Band in the early 70s -- and like
that group, Cane
& Able
draw on a wide range of influences to create a heavy funky sound. The
album mixes the African influences used by the LARB with more of a hard
soul vocal approach, with some cuts sounding a bit like material from
Atlantic albums of the late 60s, but handled with more of a fuzzy edge.
Includes a great funky reading of Wilson Pickett's "Don't Knock My
Love", a cover of "Who's Gonna Take The Weight", and the
long tripped-out groover "Girl You Move Me"! MINT;
16.-
JIMMY CASTOR BUNCH- It's
just begun- Wickedly
fuzzy funk! Jimmy Castor
recorded in a lot of different styles during the 70s -- but the one he
used on this album is still his best! The record's a non-stop
guitar-heavy batch of classic funk tracks -- and it features the
storming break track "It's Just Begun", the funky goofy "Troglodyte",
and plenty other nice moments like "Bad", "LTD", "I Promise To
Remember", and "Psychee". Fuzzy guitar meets heavy drums meets some of
the most insane lyrics ever on a mainstream funk album! One of our most
requested records -- and for good reason! If you've ever bought a lousy
Jimmy Castor
album -- throw it away, and buy this one! MINT;
14.-
CATALYST- One of the hippest funky jazz combos of the 70s
-- stepping out here in their amazing debut for Cobblestone records! Catalyst had a groove that
was unlike most of their
contemporaries -- a sound that was often jazzier than some of the
tighter funk
artists on labels like Kudu or Prestige, with some deeply spiritual
leanings in
the solos -- but also a style that was still pretty tight and focused,
not as
far out as some of the headier groups on the Strata East label. There's
loads
of great choppy rhythms and tight-edged grooves on the record -- thanks
to
Fender Rhodes from Eddie Green, reeds from Odeon Pop, bass from Al
Johnson, and
drums and percussion from Sherman Ferguson. Skip Drinkwater produced
the session
at Sigma Sound, and it's definitely got some of his hallmark
appreciation of
rhythm in the mix -- on titles that include "Ain't It The Truth",
"New Found Truths", "East", "Catalyst
Is Coming", "Jabali", and "Salaam".
COUNTS-
Love
sign- Quite possibly the most righteous work ever from The Counts
-- a move away from the heavier funk of their Westbound years, and a
shift into some great jazz-based material! The vibe here draws heavily
on the electric keyboard scene of the early 70s -- with echoes of
Lonnie Liston Smith's spaciness that trip through some of the album's
best longer numbers -- mixed with the harder grooves that The Counts
first cut on their legendary singles in Detroit. The blend of modes is
really great -- and gives the album a depth and quality that goes way
beyond their other album for Aware, and which shows a side of the band
that never would have emerged on Westbound! Titles include the massive
9 minute long "Counts
Medley" -- stone cold instrumental jam with heavy drums, cool organ,
and a very soulful sound -- plus the spacey "Love Sign",
the ensemble jamming "Riding High", and the tracks "Too Bad",
"Sacrifice", and "Just You Just Me".
MINT; SOLD OUT
DON JULIAN-
Savage- An excellent lost blaxploitation soundtrack -- as funky and
great as it is rare, too! Don Julian
began as the lead voice in the LA harmony group The Larks, but by the
early 70s, he'd turned into one of the city's undisputed funky
maestros, and was a perfect choice to score this low-budget thriller.
We've never seen the film -- which advertises the main character with
the phrase "On the Streets, Or On the Sheets, He's a Savage!" -- but
the soundtrack's pretty darn famous with funk fans, and it's one of the
best of its type from the 70s. The "Savage Title Theme" runs for nearly
12 minutes long, with lots of funky guitar, and a bunch of great
changes that keep the cut grooving along nicely. Other nice ones
include "Lay It On Your Head", "Where I'm Coming From", and
"Janitizio", plus the long groover "My Favorite Beer Joint".
MINT; 16.-
MOUSSA DOUMBIA-
Malian funk -- a skittish brew of
percussion, guitar &keyboards -- sometimes in straighter Afro
Funk
modes, sometimes with the other-worldly styles we might associate with
Mulatu in the 70s! Fantastic stuff! MINT; 24.-
ETHIOPIAN URBAN MODERN
MUSIC- Vol 1- Amazing music from the
golden years of Ethiopian Music -- a set of
tracks that will take you beyond the music
of Mulatu, into a wealth of other talents from the scene at the same
time! The sound here is incredible -- a mix of heavy funk, spacey jazz,
and other exotic touches all coming together -- a unique sort of sound
that's beyond referent, and which is easily some of the freshest music
on the planet back in the 70s! The vinyl-only collection pulls tracks
from different volumes of the Ethiopiques CD titles -- and offers up a
strong focus on the funkiest and grooviest numbers from that legendary
series. Tracks include "Muziqawi Silt" by Wallias Band, "Hasabe" by
Ayalew Mesfin, "Antchin Yagegnulet" by Tamrat Ferendji, "Amlak Abet
Abet" by Asselfetch Ashine & Getenesh Kebret, "Temeles" by
Alemayehu Eshete & Hirut Bequele, and "Aynotchesh Yerefu" by
Samuel
Belay. ;
MINT; 22.-
ETHIOPIAN URBAN MODERN
MUSIC- Vol 2- Amazing
70s recordings from Ethiopian
singer Alemayehu Eshete -- one of the greatest stars of the Ethiopiques
series next to Mulatu! The style here is often quite funky at times --
a strong James Brown influence in some of the rhythms, hitting hard
with a heavy funk groove at the bottom, and topped by some sharp-edged,
angular horns that further freshen up the sound. Other tracks are a bit
more soul-based, and make great use of Eshete's amazing vocal style --
kind of a back of the throat style of singing, and one that's quite a
change from other expectations you might have of African funk from the
70s! Vinyl-only collection features some of the best tracks by
Alemayehu from the Ethiopiques CD series -- titles that include "Yeweb
Dar", "Tashamanaletch", "Telantena Zare", "Feqer Feqer New", "Hameta",
"Tey Gedyeleshem", "Eskegizew Bertchi", and "Quondjit".;
MINT; 22.-
THE GATURS-
Wasted- An essential bit of funkiness
from this obscure New Orleans funk combo!
The Gaturs' frontman was keyboardist Willie Tee -- who went on to
greater fame as a jazz and session player -- but we like him best at
this early point, when he was wailing away on organ in a tight choppy
small group setting. The Gaturs clearly deserve any praise you could
heap on them -- and their work on this album's a perfect match with the
New Orleans funk of Eddie Bo and The Meters. Most of the material was
recorded in New Orleans, but only ever issued on 7" singles -- and this
is the first LP that the group have ever had under their name. Titles
include "Cold Bear", "Booger Man", "Gatur Bait", "Hunk Of Funk", "Funky
Funky Twist", "Wasted", and "Yeah, You Right". MINT; 16.-
GHANA SOUNDZ- Afro-Beat, Funk and Fusion in
70's Ghana- Vol 2- Mindblowing
funk from 70s Africa -- a collection that's overflowing
with great rare bits! If you ever thought that the sound of Afro Funk
was just Fela, Tony Allen, and Manu Dibango -- think again, because
this set will really expand your horizons! The package was expertly
selected, compiled, and annotated by Afro Funk DJ Miles Cleret -- a man
who really knows his stuff, and who's spent most of his adult life
tracking down obscure bits from all corners of the dark continent. This
set focuses on funk grooves from the vastly-undocumented Ghana scene --
and it's honestly one of the best collections of Afro Funk we've ever
heard -- smoking and heavy from bottom to top, and filled with great
music that we never would have caught otherwise! An instant
treasure --
and with tracks that include "Africa Is Home" by Joe Mensah, "Atwer
Abroba" by Ebo Taylor, "Disco Africa" by Ogyatanaa Show Band, "Tamfo
Nyi Ekyir" by Apagaya Show Band, "Kye Kye Pe Aware" by The Sweet Talks,
"Mondo Soul Funky" by Ebo Taylor & Wuta Wazuri, "Samarin Bolga"
by
Uppers Chapter 2, "No Condition Is Permanent" by Marijata, and
"Agbadza" by Uhuru Dance Band. (Please note: These copies have a very
slight warp, but play fine.);
MINT; 28.-
JONAS GWANGA &
AFRICAN EXPLOSION-
Who?- A
rocketing bit of South African
funky soul -- and of the
few great records released on Ahmad Jamal's short-lived Jamal label! The session's a lot hipper
than some of the
South Africanthe US around the same time -- and the
feel here is almost more in a London post-colonial mode, with a strong
criss-crossing of elements, but also a good sense of roots. There's an
undercurrent of funk, too -- tightly vamping rhythms, killer
percussion, and it's peppered with sharp jazz solos from Gwangwa on trombone and Du
Du Pukwana on sax -- an overall groove that's almost like some of thethe
early 70s! Some cuts feature vocals from Mamsie, and titles include
"Dark City", "Switch #2", "Switch #1", "Szaba Szaba", "Kwatula",
"Chant", "Who", and "African
Sausage". work
that was issued in Perception/Today label jazz
funk ;MINT;
16.-
WILLIE HUTCH-
Foxy brown- A monster! Foxy Brown is Willie
Hutch's magnificent soundtrack for Foxy
Brown -- a Pam Grier blacksploitation film from the early 70s -- and
it's pure genius all the way through, a record filled with some of the
best funky soundtrack cuts of the era! Willie's got a real Curtis
Mayfield sound here -- with a dope mixture of full orchestrations and
heavy funk, guitar riffing away as drums snap tightly across the
album's best rhythms!
MINT; 14.-
JJ
JOHNSON & MARTA REEVES-
Willie Dynamite (OST)- One
of the greatest soundtracks of the blacksploitation era -- served up
with some incredible grooves from maestro JJ
Johnson!
The album's got a non-stop, hard-hitting groove that ranks it with the
best of its time -- and which is arguably even better, because most of
the record isn't nearly as well known as Shaft, Superfly, or other
classics. MarthaReeves
sings some of the deepest vocals of her career on the great title track
"Willie D" -- an old sample cut that you're sure to recognize -- and
the instrumental tunes are even better, filled with great percussion
and jazzy flourishes from JJ
-- in a
style that really keeps things interesting! There's plenty of "chase"
riffing on the album -- and titles include "Willie Chase", "Parade
Strut", "Make It Right", "Gospel Family", "Keep On Movin", and "Willie
Escapes". MINT;
16.-
QUINCY
JONES-
They call me Mister Tibbs- An
excellent Quincy Jones score that stands head and shoulders above
the soundtrack to the first film in this series, In The Heat Of The
Night. Q is in fine fine form with this material -- adding in a lot
more funk than before, to fit the uptown theme of the film. There's
lots of nice jazzy tracks on the record, and some tight funky ones that
made the soundtrack virtually a blueprint for the blacksploitation
sound of the 70s! Titles include "Soul Flower", "Call Me Mr. Tibbs", "Black Cherry",
"Blues For Mr. Tibbs",
and "Fat Poppadaddy; MINT; 16.-
JUJU
JUJU (ONENESS OF JUJU)- African Rythms- A
landmark of Afro-centric jazz in the 70s -- and the first album by this
famous underground collective! Oneness of Juju were
a Washington DC-based group that grew out of the ashes of the Juju
avant jazz ensemble -- formed in the culturally rich African-American
community of DC in the 70s, with spiritual and political aspirations
that stretched far beyond the average funky combo. This first album is
a masterful blend of percussion, jazz, and a slight bit of funk --
alternating vocal tracks with harder-hitting jazz instrumentals, all
held together under the leadership of sax player Plunky Nakabinde. One
of the best independent soul jazz albums of the 70s filled
with great tracks, such as the breakbeat classic
"African Rhythms" and "Liberation Dues". Other titles include "Kazi",
"Funky Wood", "Don't Give Up", "Poo Too", and "Incognito". MINT;
16.-
KOKOLO AFRO BEAT
ORCHESTRA- Fuss & Fight- The
bold voice of a new Afro Funk
ensemble -- jamming hard with an
intensity that matches recent work by Antibalas or The Daktaris, and
which stands proudly in a tradition that runs back to Fela's best work
of the 70s! The group's extremely tight, and have a good funky edge --
and they've actually got a lot of jazz in their playing, especially on
the sax solos, which are particularly strong. Plus, the whole thing was
engineered by Gabe Roth of Daptone, so it's got a no-nonsense,
all-classic sound that makes the whole thing immediately enjoyable! 6
long jammers -- including "Fuss & Fight", "Donkey", "Good Noose
Bad
Noose", "Talk - Action = Zero", and "Watching You".
MINT; 18.-
FELA RANSOME KUTI
& THE AFRICA '70-- Lady Shakara. Essential Afro
rock recording with 2 long tracks on each side. Cool vibe with lots of
instruments, drums, saxes, trumpets, congas,
guitars, marracas etc..
ORIGINAL French pressing EMI Pathe Marconi C 062 81.718 from 1974. VG+/Mint- ; 30.-
GERALD LEE-
Black Shampoo- A wicked little
soundtrack that's about as badass as you can get for the 70s -- the
obscure score for the black answer to Warren
Beatty's famous Shampoo! The music on the set is
really great -- sparer than usual for a blacksploitation
soundtrack, with lots of nice instrumental tracks that riff on guitars
and keys -- and a few totally excellent laidback cuts that are a
perfect example of slow funk at its best! The album also features some
slight snippets of dialogue from the film, interspersed with the
musical tracks, in a mode that really recalls the feel of the film.
Lots of killer tracks on the set, and titles include "Mr Jonathan",
"The Chase", "Can You Feel The Love", "Soft", "I'll Get You", "Main
Theme", "The Flight", "Love Theme", "Black Brief Case", and "The
BBQ";
MINT; 16.-
LOVE IS LOVE-
Limited & incredibly rare compilation of all African highlife & acoustic guitar folk;
Hand-made cover. Rarely seen!
M-/M-; 50.-
DUKE LUMUMBA- Jungle Funk-Do yourself a favor, and buy this
album -- you
won't be disappointed! The record is a gem all the way through -- a
really
unique mixture of LA soul jazz and African rhythms, with a sound that's
almost
like Hugh Masekela sitting in with the Jazz Crusaders! Of course,
there's a lot
of Jazz Crusaders in the set -- as Wilton Felder plays electric bass on
the
album, giving it a fantastic loping groove -- but there's also plenty
of unique
albums on the record, especially its way of approaching the rhythms
with a sly,
syncopated groove that's immediately infectious! Duke's
trumpet solos are great, and they're augmented by tenor work by Chester
Washington and trombone by George Bohannon -- all nicely grooving on
the
album's brilliant blend of jazzy tracks. Titles include "Jungle
Funk", "Afrikaloo", "Akagruge", "Like It
Is", "Mafam", and "Peace Brother". Somebody put this
one on CD -- and do us all a treat!
NIGERIA SPECIAL-
Part 1-
Nigeria 1970. Highlife, Afro-beat, Rock, Jazz & Native Blues rub shoulders and are turned out at an unprecedented level. New styles meet old styles. Newfound national confidence follows the near break-up of the nation following the Biafran war. New fashions meet old fashions, creating new fusions. Soundway present 26 original and previously un-reissued tracks from the time over two separate vinyl releases. Obscure A-sides, B-sides & album cuts that have resisted a second look until now, presented on two double gatefold LP's. MINT; 28.-
ORCHESTRA BAOBAB-
Dance music from Senegal- A night at club Baobab;
Cuban sounding Jazz Funk featuring lavish soulful vocals with an array of horns and exotic rythms.
M-/M- SOLD OUT
JOHNNY
PATE / ADAM WADE-
Brothers on the run- An incredible funky
soundtrack -- one of the best of the blacksploitation generation, and
one of the rarest too! Johnny Pate
did the orchestrations for this excellent lost film, and he brought the
same sort of energy to it that he did with his soundtrack for Shaft In
Africa. There's some masterfully funky tracks that are very tightly
arranged -- grooving hard with some nice "chase" themes, and slowing
down in a few sexier, more soulful numbers. Adam Wade
sang the vocals to "Brother On The Run" -- perhaps the catchiest of all
soundtrack tunes from the time -- and other titles include "Brother",
"Auto Chase", "Car Bumps", "Soulful Brother On The Run", and "Ms.
Johnson's Sex Scene". 16.-
A.K. SALIM- Afro-Soul/
Drum Orgy- Incredible! This is a
stunning set of African-inspired jazzy percussion
tracks -- similar to some of the work done by Art Blakey on his Orgy In
Rhythm albums, but with a lot better horn work, and with an overall
conception that's much more unified! AK Salim did some sleepier work
for Savoy in the 50s -- but by the time of this 1965 recording, he was
emerging as a progressive composer with a strong talent for bringing
together disparate moods and styles. This rare recording was one of his
best works ever, and it's one of the most unusual sides cut by Prestige
in the 60s. It features Johnny Coles, Pat Patrick, and Yusef Lateef out
front on horns -- plus backing by a host of Latin and African
percussionists. Tracks are very long -- and the reed work of Lateef and
Patrick makes the set especially worthwhile for jazz listeners. Titles
include "Afrika", "Kumuamkia Mzulu", and "Pepo Za Sarari". MINT
; 16.-
LONNIE
LISTON SMITH & THE COSMIC ECHOES-
Cosmic
Funk- A real gem from Lonnie Liston Smith's
early years in the
studio -- and a record that's perhaps a bit more "cosmic"
than it is "funk" -- but that's why we like it so much! The
session has Lonnie
stretching out a bit more than usual -- borrowing some of the
righteousness from his years with Pharoah Sanders, and tripping out on
tracks that revel in their own spacey brilliance. Lonnie
plays both acoustic and electric piano on the
record -- stretching out on some Impulse-influenced grooves that
feature some great soprano sax and flute from the
lesser-known George Barron. Titles include the
soulful "Beautiful Woman", the
ethereal "Sais", and
heavier groover "theCosmic
Funk" -- plus great versions of Wayne Shorter's "Footprints" and John
Coltrane's "Naima". MINT; SOLD OUT
LONNIE
LISTON SMITH & THE COSMIC ECHOES-
Expansions- Quite
possibly the
most celebrated album ever from keyboardist LonnieListon Smith
-- a groove-heavy classic that's burned up many a dancefloor in its
day, yet also a record that features some great mellow moments as well!
The
title track "Expansions" is virtually a blueprint for the
migration of the cosmic
jazz sound onto the
dancefloor -- a tune that's as funky as it is righteous -- but other
cuts on the
album slow down the
pace a bit too, and show off the
mellower, more introspectively spiritual side that's always made Lonnie
way more than just a funky jazz artist. Easily the
best place to start in the
all-great Lonnie ListonSmith
catalog -- and featuring tracks that include "Expansions", "Summer
Days", "Desert Nights", "Shadows", "My Love", "Peace", and "Voodoo
Woman". MINT; 16.-
TROPICAL FIESTA-
same- Cooperation Centrafrica-no-roumaine
ROMANIA ONLY issue of Obscure Afro LP! Some highlife sounding and some traditional chants. A pleasant surprise! VG++/VG++; 16.-
CHARLES WRIGHT &
The WATTS 103rd St Rythm- Express yourself- A
masterpiece of messed-up LA
funk -- and one of the
crowning moments in the
career of Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band! Charles and crew do an
excellent job
with all the
tracks -- most of which are more open ended than some of their earlier
ones, and run on for longer than usual with some good trippy
instrumental moments that really stretch out the groove from their funky
45 days. The album
includes the stoner
funk classic "High As
Apple Pie", done here in two "slices", plus the
classic "Express Yourself", a monster number that still sounds great
every time we hear it -- even though it's been used on commercials and
sampled plenty of times over the
years! Other tracks include "I'm
Aware", "Love Land", and "I Got Love"; MINT; 16.--
Copyright © 2007-2008 Sych music.com | Sitemap;
AFREAKA-
Demon Fuzz- Messed-up funky jazz from an obscure early 70s
UK group -- and an album that really lives up to its trippy cover! The
tracks
are all long and stretched out -- with lots of organ, sax, and spaced
out drums
-- and the overall style is a mix of dub-heavy funk, Afro jazz, and a
bit of
jazz rock jamming! There's a bit of vocals on the album, but overall
most of
the set is instrumental -- in a really right on and progressive style
that we
totally love. This is the kind of record that always got passed by in
the 80s
when everyone was looking for hard James Brown grooves, but which is
very much
in fashion now with the blunted funky crowd. Cuts include "Hymn To
Mother
Earth", "Another Country", "Disillusioned Man", and
"Mercy (Variation No. 1)" -- plus bonus tracks "Fuzz Oriental
Blues", "I Put A Spell On You", and "Message To
Mankind".AFRO BLUES QUINTET-Great
work by one of the grooviest
groups on the LA 60s scene! The Afro Blues Quintet have a blend of soul
jazz
and Latin styles that's similar to the best 60s work by Cal Tjader, or
to
records by small combos like the Quartette Tres Bien or The Latin Jazz
Quintet.
Lots of grooves have a nice modal swing to them -- nice and jazzy, with
slight
touches of soulful instrumentation, all fused into a tight Latin-styled
groove.
Loads of great original tunes -- including "Mystic Mambo",
"Freaks", "Incantations", "Victims Of Chance",
"Let My People Go", and "Afro Rock".AFRICAN MUSIC MACHINE- Incredible stuff
from the obscure African
Music Machine -- a
southern funk combo led by bassist Louis
Villery -- a legendary lost funk record! The band had a very unique sound that involved a lot of
rolling bubbling
basslines, spacey organ grooves, tight choppy guitar riffs and punchy
horn
blasts. In a way, they were similar to Cymande, but with less of the
dub-heavy
influences, and more of a raw southern funk groove. This is the funky
rare
material we cut our teeth on back in the 80s -- the kind of record
that's
really part of the lifeblood of Dusty Groove. Their singles are
legendary!
Includes massive cuts like "Black Water Gold (Pearl)", "A Girl
In France", "Never Name A Baby (Before It's Born), "Making
Nassau Fruit Drink", "Camel Time", "The Dapp",
"Tropical", and "Mr. Brown".AFRIKA UNDERGROUND
(various)- Jazz, Funk, fusion under Apartheid- Really
wonderful stuff -- a collection of totally unique grooves that
won't cross over with any of your other African funk compilations! The
focus here is on jazz, not funk or soul -- and the set features a
wealth of great tracks pulled from obscure South African records of the
late 70s and early 80s. Funky fusion is definitely in command here --
and the overall feel of the tracks is similar to some of the best
European funky fusion of the 70s, fused with elements of African
percussion and instrumentation -- creating a true crossover of styles
that crackles with a freshness that will have you coming back to this
one again and again! Most tracks are instrumental -- and the grooves
here are a lot more complicated than on your average James
Brown-inspired African funk tracks, a mix of strident modal modes, and
other choppier funkier riff-heavy tunes. Plus, the whole thing's put
together with the righteous intelligence of all the other Counterpoint
titles -- with great notes, incredible sound, and an approach that will
easily take you to a whole new musical world! Titles include "I
Remember You" by Mike Makahalemele, "Half N Half" by Zacks Nkosi,
"Chapita" by Dick Khoza, "Lament" by Movement In The City, "Blues For
Yusef" by Lionel Pillay, "The Way It Used To Be" by Pacific Express,
and "La I La I La" by George Lee Larnyoh. MINT
;OUT OF PRINT, last copy available!; 50.-MAHMOUD
AHMED- Ere
mela mela- Grooves unlike anything else you've ever heard in your life
-- an assortment of mid 70s tunes from Mahmoud
Ahmed, the
second grooviest Ethiopian artist, next to Mulatu! Ahmed's
sound is a lot more out there than Mulatu's -- less funky and
jazz-based, and more in the mode of snakey rhythms, complicated guitar
parts, and vocals that have a melancholy quality that's simply amazing.
This set features tunes that recently appeared on volume 7 of the
Ethiopiques CD series -- but which are presented here in the format of
the original 1975 LP! Titles include "Ere Mela Mela", "Ohoho Gedama",
"Tezeta", "Abbay Mado", "Atawurulegn Lela", and "Endenesh Gedawo".
MINT; 24.-MULATU ASTATKE- Mulatu of Ethiopia- Amazing work from the
legendary Mulatu Astatke
-- one of Ethiopia's funkiest musicians of the 70s, making a rare
appearance
here on this lost American recording! The album has been a holy grail
for years
amongst beatheads -- loved for its killer blend of weird rhythms, sweet
funk,
and super-dope vibes -- and the grooves on the set are really unique --
slow,
snakey, and with a sinister, almost other-worldly feel. There's not
nearly as
much vibes on Mulatu's
Ethiopian recordings --
and their appearance here really gives the set a nice American sort of
twist --
almost Roy Ayers meets Sun Ra with a hot dose of African funk thrown in
for
good measure! Titles include "Chifara", "Munaye",
"Kaselefkut-Hulu", "Mascaram Setaba", and "Mulatu".
MULATU ASTATKE- Afro-Latin-Soul-
Ethiopian Quintet- Pure insanity from the mighty Mulatu -- one of his
few American albums
from the 60s! The record's an incredible blend of New York Latin and
some of the more Afro-styled grooves Mulatu explored more freely on his
Ethiopian recordings -- served up in a jazzy style that has plenty of
vibes in the mix, and lots of percussion at the bottom! The record is a
treasure throughout -- other-worldly, yet still very hip and swinging
-- a mysterious bridge between Latin America and Africa, suspended on
waves of wonderful sound! Titles include "Shagu", "Mascaram Setaba",
"Almaz", "Mulatu's Hideaway", "Askum", "Playboy Cha Cha", and "One For
Buzayhew". MINT
; 16.-MULATU
ASTATKE featuring FEKADE AMDE MASKAL-
Ethio Jazz - Mad funk from Ethiopia --
classic work by the legendary Mulatu, one of Africa's
heaviest artists of the 70s! Mulatu's
been kind of a beathead secret for years -- as most of his exotic
grooves were never issued properly outside of Africa, and have only
been the province of collectors who had the money and cash to get their
hands on the work. The music's got a strange, other-worldly feel -- a
mix of bass-heavy dubby rhythms and spaced-out jazzy solos played on
saxophone and electric piano -- all coming together in a unique style
that will blow your mind! The LP is the first-ever proper vinyl reissue
of Mulatu's work -- and collects
together the best tracks from the recent Ethiopiques CD series, 9
titles that include "Yekatit", "Nesanet", "Sabye", "Ykermo Sew",
"Asmarina", "Gubelye", "Dewel", and "Ene Alantchi Alnorem".MINT; SOLD
OUTMULATU ASTATKE and others-
Ethiopian modern instrumental hits -Mad grooves
from the Ethiopian scene of the 70s -- featuring work by the enigmatic Mulatu, plus some
of the other extra-cool artists on that country's groundbreaking soul and funk scene! Mulatu plays Fender
Rhodes and
organ on his tracks -- grooving with a slow, snakey approach that's
almost a bit like the work of Sun Ra, but which also has distinct
African touches. The sound here is quite different than the Nigerian
funky work of the 70s -- much more laidback and open-ended,
with less American influences, and a really
unique approach! Titles include "Yekermo Se", "Yegele Tezeta",
"Munaye", "Metche Dershe", "Kasalefkut Hulu", and "Tezeta" by Mulatu Astatque;
"Heywete" and "Bemgnot
Alnorem" by Bahta Gebre Heywet; and
"Yetesfa Tezeta" by Tesfa-Maryam Kidane. Vinyl release of tracks pulled
from the Ethiopiques CD-only series, done with some good notes.
MINT; SOLD OUTBEGINNING OF THE END- One of
the rarest
funky
records of
all time -- the
rare second album by Beginning
Of The End! This West Indian
combo hit it big with their first album on Alston, but this second set,
for
some strange reason, never really got distributed -- which is a damn
shame,
because it's every bit as funky as their first! The
uniquely choppy rhythms of
the group's
first
album are every bit as great here as
on the first set --
and if anything, the
band's instrumentation is even better, especially
on the guitar,
which is wickedly tight, and
played with a super-dope flanged-out approach on the
solos. Vocals are great too, maybe even more soulful than before,
especially on the
album's
few
midtempo cuts -- and the
album's a must-have for any fan of
the group's
funky
sound! Titles include "That's What I Get", "Super Woman",
"Bluestrain", "Jump In The
Water", "Falling Apart At The
Seams", and "Trip To Nowhere".BEGINNING OF THE END-
Funky Nassau- A
monster bit of funk
that's unlike anything else we can think of! Beginning Of The End
hailed from The
Bahamas, but don't hold that against them -- because instead of being
a Caribbean cliche, they took the best
part of the
island rhythms, and used them to forge an incredible approach to funk!
They've got a choppy sound that's the
result of
some incredibly dexterous guitar, bass, and drums -- and which you'll
recognize instantly from their one-time hit "Funky Nassau", a killer
funk track that never gets old, no matter how many bands cover it over the
years! That gem kicks off the
album, which then rolls into the
monster funky "part 2", which is even better! Other titles are equally
wonderful -- and include "Come Down", "Surrey Ride", "Monkey Tamarind",
and "In The
Deep". Essential -- and one that you'll be spinning for years! MINT;
16.-BLACULA- Superb original soundtrack for the classic
blaxploitation
horror
flick starring the baaadest Dracula ever to grace the screen of all
those
shabby downtown theaters that were still around in the 70's -- a wicked
batch
of wah-wah tunes penned by Gene Page, and featuring a great bit fo
keyboards as
well! The set's got a few vocal numbers, sung by 21st Century Ltd and
The Hues
Corporation, but it's the instrumentals that really steal the show here
-- and
there's plenty of great ones here that rank with the best
blacksploitation work
of the decade! Titles include "Blacula
Strikes!", "The Stalkwalk", "Movin", "Run Tina
Run", "Firebombs", and "Good To The Last Drop".BROTHERS
UNLIMITED-
Who's for the young- A excellent album of southern
funk -- and darn rare, too! We know almost nothing about the Brothers,
but they're a 14 piece combo with a tight ensemble funk sound that
clearly shows roots of both the Memphis and Muscle Shoals scene where
the album was recorded. There's a lot of fuzzy guitar, almost in a
Detroit Westbound mode -- but the band's also got a sweetly southern
funk style, with lots of organ bubbling underneath the tracks,
punctuated by some pretty tight drum work. A really wild one -- and the
kind of record that makes your jaw drop when you realize that some
lucky A&R guy was actually able to get an underground soul
album
released by a major label! Titles include "Got To Get Over", "Life,
Dreams, Death", "Get Away", "Take Me Back", and a great psychedelic
cover of Willie Dixon's "Spoonful". (Plus, the back cover's got a photo
of the band eating at a big table -- with the words "Excuse their
appearance, but the cameraman caught them at suppertime. You
understand.) ; MINT; SOLD OUTBRUTE FORCE-
Same- The one and only album by this righteous funky combo from Ohio!
Although Brute Force
were an American group of the late 60s, they've got a sound that brings
in traces of the African rhythms that were bubbling under at the time
-- similar to some of the best London groups of the post-colonial
years, like Cymande, Demon Fuzz, or Asiko. There's often a jagged and
jazzy style on the bottom of the grooves, topped with brighter horn
flourishes, and combined with a vocal approach that has some slight
folksy touches -- very hip, progressive, and as righteous as you'd
expect from the cover! Sonny Sharrock sits in on some tracks, and the
titles include "Some Kind Of Approval", "Doubt", "Ye Le Wa", "Do It
Right Now", "The Deacon", and "Monster". MINT;
SOLD OUTBUDOS BAND-
Same- A
brilliant mix of Afro and deep
funk styles -- the kind of grooves
you'd get if Fela Kuti hung out with The Meters in the late 60s! Budos Band
recall the genius of 90s deep funk combo The Daktaris -- and have a
similar love of older African rhythms touched by a newer indie funk
sound -- a complexity in the group's well-arranged horn parts, but a
simplicity to their rhythms that makes the album cook like some of our
favorite classics from years back. Sax and trumpet lines are mixed
nicely with heavy percussion and a fair bit of organ at the bottom --
creating a murky groove that has a bit of New Orleans in the mix, but
also has most of the instruments stepping along with the rhythm -- in a
very cool take on the Africa 70 sound. Tracks are all instrumental, and
all incredible -- and the record's one of the freshest we've heard from
the deep funk underground in years -- a second-generation set that gets
way past simple copycat funk and into its own unique groove! Titles
include "Budos
Theme", "Ghost Walk",
"King Charles", "Eastbound", "Across The Atlantic", "Up From The
South", "TIBWF", and "Monkey See Monkey Do".
MINT; SOLD OUTBUDOS BAND-
2-One of the hippest groups
going in the deep funk underground -- a combo
who play way more than just conventional funk -- and who manage to
embrace a whole host of classic influences at once! Echoes of older
Latin, African, and soundtrack-styled grooves sift together beautifully
in this second album from The Budos Band -- all in an approach that's
totally unified, and which borrows the best elements from other modes
to create a whole new Budos-styled sound! The album's all instrumental,
but it's far more evocative than most vocal funk sessions we can think
of -- and the group's horns are tighter than ever, with a slightly
exotic feel that creates some real otherworldly moments. Titles include
"Ride Or Die", "Budos Rising", "Chicago Falcon", "King Cobra", "Origin
Of Man", "Deep In The Sand", "My Girl", and "Mas O Menos".
MINT; SOLD OUTCANE
AND ABLE-
Same- A
fantastic bit of tripped out funk! Cane
& Able were
one of the many groups that came out of the collective surrounding the
Lafayette Afro-Rock Band in the early 70s -- and like
that group, Cane
& Able
draw on a wide range of influences to create a heavy funky sound. The
album mixes the African influences used by the LARB with more of a hard
soul vocal approach, with some cuts sounding a bit like material from
Atlantic albums of the late 60s, but handled with more of a fuzzy edge.
Includes a great funky reading of Wilson Pickett's "Don't Knock My
Love", a cover of "Who's Gonna Take The Weight", and the
long tripped-out groover "Girl You Move Me"! MINT;
16.-JIMMY CASTOR BUNCH- It's
just begun- Wickedly
fuzzy funk! Jimmy Castor
recorded in a lot of different styles during the 70s -- but the one he
used on this album is still his best! The record's a non-stop
guitar-heavy batch of classic funk tracks -- and it features the
storming break track "It's Just Begun", the funky goofy "Troglodyte",
and plenty other nice moments like "Bad", "LTD", "I Promise To
Remember", and "Psychee". Fuzzy guitar meets heavy drums meets some of
the most insane lyrics ever on a mainstream funk album! One of our most
requested records -- and for good reason! If you've ever bought a lousy
Jimmy Castor
album -- throw it away, and buy this one! MINT;
14.-CATALYST- One of the hippest funky jazz combos of the 70s
-- stepping out here in their amazing debut for Cobblestone records! Catalyst had a groove that
was unlike most of their
contemporaries -- a sound that was often jazzier than some of the
tighter funk
artists on labels like Kudu or Prestige, with some deeply spiritual
leanings in
the solos -- but also a style that was still pretty tight and focused,
not as
far out as some of the headier groups on the Strata East label. There's
loads
of great choppy rhythms and tight-edged grooves on the record -- thanks
to
Fender Rhodes from Eddie Green, reeds from Odeon Pop, bass from Al
Johnson, and
drums and percussion from Sherman Ferguson. Skip Drinkwater produced
the session
at Sigma Sound, and it's definitely got some of his hallmark
appreciation of
rhythm in the mix -- on titles that include "Ain't It The Truth",
"New Found Truths", "East", "Catalyst
Is Coming", "Jabali", and "Salaam".COUNTS-
Love
sign- Quite possibly the most righteous work ever from The Counts
-- a move away from the heavier funk of their Westbound years, and a
shift into some great jazz-based material! The vibe here draws heavily
on the electric keyboard scene of the early 70s -- with echoes of
Lonnie Liston Smith's spaciness that trip through some of the album's
best longer numbers -- mixed with the harder grooves that The Counts
first cut on their legendary singles in Detroit. The blend of modes is
really great -- and gives the album a depth and quality that goes way
beyond their other album for Aware, and which shows a side of the band
that never would have emerged on Westbound! Titles include the massive
9 minute long "Counts
Medley" -- stone cold instrumental jam with heavy drums, cool organ,
and a very soulful sound -- plus the spacey "Love Sign",
the ensemble jamming "Riding High", and the tracks "Too Bad",
"Sacrifice", and "Just You Just Me".
MINT; SOLD OUTDON JULIAN-
Savage- An excellent lost blaxploitation soundtrack -- as funky and
great as it is rare, too! Don Julian
began as the lead voice in the LA harmony group The Larks, but by the
early 70s, he'd turned into one of the city's undisputed funky
maestros, and was a perfect choice to score this low-budget thriller.
We've never seen the film -- which advertises the main character with
the phrase "On the Streets, Or On the Sheets, He's a Savage!" -- but
the soundtrack's pretty darn famous with funk fans, and it's one of the
best of its type from the 70s. The "Savage Title Theme" runs for nearly
12 minutes long, with lots of funky guitar, and a bunch of great
changes that keep the cut grooving along nicely. Other nice ones
include "Lay It On Your Head", "Where I'm Coming From", and
"Janitizio", plus the long groover "My Favorite Beer Joint".
MINT; 16.-MOUSSA DOUMBIA-
Malian funk -- a skittish brew of
percussion, guitar &keyboards -- sometimes in straighter Afro
Funk
modes, sometimes with the other-worldly styles we might associate with
Mulatu in the 70s! Fantastic stuff! MINT; 24.-ETHIOPIAN URBAN MODERN
MUSIC- Vol 1- Amazing music from the
golden years of Ethiopian Music -- a set of
tracks that will take you beyond the music
of Mulatu, into a wealth of other talents from the scene at the same
time! The sound here is incredible -- a mix of heavy funk, spacey jazz,
and other exotic touches all coming together -- a unique sort of sound
that's beyond referent, and which is easily some of the freshest music
on the planet back in the 70s! The vinyl-only collection pulls tracks
from different volumes of the Ethiopiques CD titles -- and offers up a
strong focus on the funkiest and grooviest numbers from that legendary
series. Tracks include "Muziqawi Silt" by Wallias Band, "Hasabe" by
Ayalew Mesfin, "Antchin Yagegnulet" by Tamrat Ferendji, "Amlak Abet
Abet" by Asselfetch Ashine & Getenesh Kebret, "Temeles" by
Alemayehu Eshete & Hirut Bequele, and "Aynotchesh Yerefu" by
Samuel
Belay. ;
MINT; 22.-ETHIOPIAN URBAN MODERN
MUSIC- Vol 2- Amazing
70s recordings from Ethiopian
singer Alemayehu Eshete -- one of the greatest stars of the Ethiopiques
series next to Mulatu! The style here is often quite funky at times --
a strong James Brown influence in some of the rhythms, hitting hard
with a heavy funk groove at the bottom, and topped by some sharp-edged,
angular horns that further freshen up the sound. Other tracks are a bit
more soul-based, and make great use of Eshete's amazing vocal style --
kind of a back of the throat style of singing, and one that's quite a
change from other expectations you might have of African funk from the
70s! Vinyl-only collection features some of the best tracks by
Alemayehu from the Ethiopiques CD series -- titles that include "Yeweb
Dar", "Tashamanaletch", "Telantena Zare", "Feqer Feqer New", "Hameta",
"Tey Gedyeleshem", "Eskegizew Bertchi", and "Quondjit".;
MINT; 22.-THE GATURS-
Wasted- An essential bit of funkiness
from this obscure New Orleans funk combo!
The Gaturs' frontman was keyboardist Willie Tee -- who went on to
greater fame as a jazz and session player -- but we like him best at
this early point, when he was wailing away on organ in a tight choppy
small group setting. The Gaturs clearly deserve any praise you could
heap on them -- and their work on this album's a perfect match with the
New Orleans funk of Eddie Bo and The Meters. Most of the material was
recorded in New Orleans, but only ever issued on 7" singles -- and this
is the first LP that the group have ever had under their name. Titles
include "Cold Bear", "Booger Man", "Gatur Bait", "Hunk Of Funk", "Funky
Funky Twist", "Wasted", and "Yeah, You Right". MINT; 16.-GHANA SOUNDZ- Afro-Beat, Funk and Fusion in
70's Ghana- Vol 2- Mindblowing
funk from 70s Africa -- a collection that's overflowing
with great rare bits! If you ever thought that the sound of Afro Funk
was just Fela, Tony Allen, and Manu Dibango -- think again, because
this set will really expand your horizons! The package was expertly
selected, compiled, and annotated by Afro Funk DJ Miles Cleret -- a man
who really knows his stuff, and who's spent most of his adult life
tracking down obscure bits from all corners of the dark continent. This
set focuses on funk grooves from the vastly-undocumented Ghana scene --
and it's honestly one of the best collections of Afro Funk we've ever
heard -- smoking and heavy from bottom to top, and filled with great
music that we never would have caught otherwise! An instant
treasure --
and with tracks that include "Africa Is Home" by Joe Mensah, "Atwer
Abroba" by Ebo Taylor, "Disco Africa" by Ogyatanaa Show Band, "Tamfo
Nyi Ekyir" by Apagaya Show Band, "Kye Kye Pe Aware" by The Sweet Talks,
"Mondo Soul Funky" by Ebo Taylor & Wuta Wazuri, "Samarin Bolga"
by
Uppers Chapter 2, "No Condition Is Permanent" by Marijata, and
"Agbadza" by Uhuru Dance Band. (Please note: These copies have a very
slight warp, but play fine.);
MINT; 28.-JONAS GWANGA &
AFRICAN EXPLOSION-
Who?- A
rocketing bit of South African
funky soul -- and of the
few great records released on Ahmad Jamal's short-lived Jamal label! The session's a lot hipper
than some of the
South Africanthe US around the same time -- and the
feel here is almost more in a London post-colonial mode, with a strong
criss-crossing of elements, but also a good sense of roots. There's an
undercurrent of funk, too -- tightly vamping rhythms, killer
percussion, and it's peppered with sharp jazz solos from Gwangwa on trombone and Du
Du Pukwana on sax -- an overall groove that's almost like some of thethe
early 70s! Some cuts feature vocals from Mamsie, and titles include
"Dark City", "Switch #2", "Switch #1", "Szaba Szaba", "Kwatula",
"Chant", "Who", and "African
Sausage". work
that was issued in Perception/Today label jazz
funk ;MINT;
16.-WILLIE HUTCH-
Foxy brown- A monster! Foxy Brown is Willie
Hutch's magnificent soundtrack for Foxy
Brown -- a Pam Grier blacksploitation film from the early 70s -- and
it's pure genius all the way through, a record filled with some of the
best funky soundtrack cuts of the era! Willie's got a real Curtis
Mayfield sound here -- with a dope mixture of full orchestrations and
heavy funk, guitar riffing away as drums snap tightly across the
album's best rhythms!
MINT; 14.-JJ
JOHNSON & MARTA REEVES-
Willie Dynamite (OST)- One
of the greatest soundtracks of the blacksploitation era -- served up
with some incredible grooves from maestro JJ
Johnson!
The album's got a non-stop, hard-hitting groove that ranks it with the
best of its time -- and which is arguably even better, because most of
the record isn't nearly as well known as Shaft, Superfly, or other
classics. MarthaReeves
sings some of the deepest vocals of her career on the great title track
"Willie D" -- an old sample cut that you're sure to recognize -- and
the instrumental tunes are even better, filled with great percussion
and jazzy flourishes from JJ
-- in a
style that really keeps things interesting! There's plenty of "chase"
riffing on the album -- and titles include "Willie Chase", "Parade
Strut", "Make It Right", "Gospel Family", "Keep On Movin", and "Willie
Escapes". MINT;
16.-QUINCY
JONES-
They call me Mister Tibbs- An
excellent Quincy Jones score that stands head and shoulders above
the soundtrack to the first film in this series, In The Heat Of The
Night. Q is in fine fine form with this material -- adding in a lot
more funk than before, to fit the uptown theme of the film. There's
lots of nice jazzy tracks on the record, and some tight funky ones that
made the soundtrack virtually a blueprint for the blacksploitation
sound of the 70s! Titles include "Soul Flower", "Call Me Mr. Tibbs", "Black Cherry",
"Blues For Mr. Tibbs",
and "Fat Poppadaddy; MINT; 16.-JUJUJUJU (ONENESS OF JUJU)- African Rythms- A
landmark of Afro-centric jazz in the 70s -- and the first album by this
famous underground collective! Oneness of Juju were
a Washington DC-based group that grew out of the ashes of the Juju
avant jazz ensemble -- formed in the culturally rich African-American
community of DC in the 70s, with spiritual and political aspirations
that stretched far beyond the average funky combo. This first album is
a masterful blend of percussion, jazz, and a slight bit of funk --
alternating vocal tracks with harder-hitting jazz instrumentals, all
held together under the leadership of sax player Plunky Nakabinde. One
of the best independent soul jazz albums of the 70s filled
with great tracks, such as the breakbeat classic
"African Rhythms" and "Liberation Dues". Other titles include "Kazi",
"Funky Wood", "Don't Give Up", "Poo Too", and "Incognito". MINT;
16.-KOKOLO AFRO BEAT
ORCHESTRA- Fuss & Fight- The
bold voice of a new Afro Funk
ensemble -- jamming hard with an
intensity that matches recent work by Antibalas or The Daktaris, and
which stands proudly in a tradition that runs back to Fela's best work
of the 70s! The group's extremely tight, and have a good funky edge --
and they've actually got a lot of jazz in their playing, especially on
the sax solos, which are particularly strong. Plus, the whole thing was
engineered by Gabe Roth of Daptone, so it's got a no-nonsense,
all-classic sound that makes the whole thing immediately enjoyable! 6
long jammers -- including "Fuss & Fight", "Donkey", "Good Noose
Bad
Noose", "Talk - Action = Zero", and "Watching You".
MINT; 18.-FELA RANSOME KUTI
& THE AFRICA '70-- Lady Shakara. Essential Afro
rock recording with 2 long tracks on each side. Cool vibe with lots of
instruments, drums, saxes, trumpets, congas,
guitars, marracas etc..ORIGINAL French pressing EMI Pathe Marconi C 062 81.718 from 1974. VG+/Mint- ; 30.-
GERALD LEE-
Black Shampoo- A wicked little
soundtrack that's about as badass as you can get for the 70s -- the
obscure score for the black answer to Warren
Beatty's famous Shampoo! The music on the set is
really great -- sparer than usual for a blacksploitation
soundtrack, with lots of nice instrumental tracks that riff on guitars
and keys -- and a few totally excellent laidback cuts that are a
perfect example of slow funk at its best! The album also features some
slight snippets of dialogue from the film, interspersed with the
musical tracks, in a mode that really recalls the feel of the film.
Lots of killer tracks on the set, and titles include "Mr Jonathan",
"The Chase", "Can You Feel The Love", "Soft", "I'll Get You", "Main
Theme", "The Flight", "Love Theme", "Black Brief Case", and "The
BBQ";
MINT; 16.-LOVE IS LOVE-Limited & incredibly rare compilation of all African highlife & acoustic guitar folk;
Hand-made cover. Rarely seen!
M-/M-; 50.-
DUKE LUMUMBA- Jungle Funk-Do yourself a favor, and buy this
album -- you
won't be disappointed! The record is a gem all the way through -- a
really
unique mixture of LA soul jazz and African rhythms, with a sound that's
almost
like Hugh Masekela sitting in with the Jazz Crusaders! Of course,
there's a lot
of Jazz Crusaders in the set -- as Wilton Felder plays electric bass on
the
album, giving it a fantastic loping groove -- but there's also plenty
of unique
albums on the record, especially its way of approaching the rhythms
with a sly,
syncopated groove that's immediately infectious! Duke's
trumpet solos are great, and they're augmented by tenor work by Chester
Washington and trombone by George Bohannon -- all nicely grooving on
the
album's brilliant blend of jazzy tracks. Titles include "Jungle
Funk", "Afrikaloo", "Akagruge", "Like It
Is", "Mafam", and "Peace Brother". Somebody put this
one on CD -- and do us all a treat!NIGERIA SPECIAL-
Part 1-Nigeria 1970. Highlife, Afro-beat, Rock, Jazz & Native Blues rub shoulders and are turned out at an unprecedented level. New styles meet old styles. Newfound national confidence follows the near break-up of the nation following the Biafran war. New fashions meet old fashions, creating new fusions. Soundway present 26 original and previously un-reissued tracks from the time over two separate vinyl releases. Obscure A-sides, B-sides & album cuts that have resisted a second look until now, presented on two double gatefold LP's. MINT; 28.-
ORCHESTRA BAOBAB-
Dance music from Senegal- A night at club Baobab; Cuban sounding Jazz Funk featuring lavish soulful vocals with an array of horns and exotic rythms.
M-/M- SOLD OUT
JOHNNY
PATE / ADAM WADE-
Brothers on the run- An incredible funky
soundtrack -- one of the best of the blacksploitation generation, and
one of the rarest too! Johnny Pate
did the orchestrations for this excellent lost film, and he brought the
same sort of energy to it that he did with his soundtrack for Shaft In
Africa. There's some masterfully funky tracks that are very tightly
arranged -- grooving hard with some nice "chase" themes, and slowing
down in a few sexier, more soulful numbers. Adam Wade
sang the vocals to "Brother On The Run" -- perhaps the catchiest of all
soundtrack tunes from the time -- and other titles include "Brother",
"Auto Chase", "Car Bumps", "Soulful Brother On The Run", and "Ms.
Johnson's Sex Scene". 16.-A.K. SALIM- Afro-Soul/
Drum Orgy- Incredible! This is a
stunning set of African-inspired jazzy percussion
tracks -- similar to some of the work done by Art Blakey on his Orgy In
Rhythm albums, but with a lot better horn work, and with an overall
conception that's much more unified! AK Salim did some sleepier work
for Savoy in the 50s -- but by the time of this 1965 recording, he was
emerging as a progressive composer with a strong talent for bringing
together disparate moods and styles. This rare recording was one of his
best works ever, and it's one of the most unusual sides cut by Prestige
in the 60s. It features Johnny Coles, Pat Patrick, and Yusef Lateef out
front on horns -- plus backing by a host of Latin and African
percussionists. Tracks are very long -- and the reed work of Lateef and
Patrick makes the set especially worthwhile for jazz listeners. Titles
include "Afrika", "Kumuamkia Mzulu", and "Pepo Za Sarari". MINT
; 16.-LONNIE
LISTON SMITH & THE COSMIC ECHOES-
Cosmic
Funk- A real gem from Lonnie Liston Smith's
early years in the
studio -- and a record that's perhaps a bit more "cosmic"
than it is "funk" -- but that's why we like it so much! The
session has Lonnie
stretching out a bit more than usual -- borrowing some of the
righteousness from his years with Pharoah Sanders, and tripping out on
tracks that revel in their own spacey brilliance. Lonnie
plays both acoustic and electric piano on the
record -- stretching out on some Impulse-influenced grooves that
feature some great soprano sax and flute from the
lesser-known George Barron. Titles include the
soulful "Beautiful Woman", the
ethereal "Sais", and
heavier groover "theCosmic
Funk" -- plus great versions of Wayne Shorter's "Footprints" and John
Coltrane's "Naima". MINT; SOLD OUTLONNIE
LISTON SMITH & THE COSMIC ECHOES-
Expansions- Quite
possibly the
most celebrated album ever from keyboardist LonnieListon Smith
-- a groove-heavy classic that's burned up many a dancefloor in its
day, yet also a record that features some great mellow moments as well!
The
title track "Expansions" is virtually a blueprint for the
migration of the cosmic
jazz sound onto the
dancefloor -- a tune that's as funky as it is righteous -- but other
cuts on the
album slow down the
pace a bit too, and show off the
mellower, more introspectively spiritual side that's always made Lonnie
way more than just a funky jazz artist. Easily the
best place to start in the
all-great Lonnie ListonSmith
catalog -- and featuring tracks that include "Expansions", "Summer
Days", "Desert Nights", "Shadows", "My Love", "Peace", and "Voodoo
Woman". MINT; 16.-TROPICAL FIESTA-
same- Cooperation Centrafrica-no-roumaineROMANIA ONLY issue of Obscure Afro LP! Some highlife sounding and some traditional chants. A pleasant surprise! VG++/VG++; 16.-
CHARLES WRIGHT &
The WATTS 103rd St Rythm- Express yourself- A
masterpiece of messed-up LA
funk -- and one of the
crowning moments in the
career of Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band! Charles and crew do an
excellent job
with all the
tracks -- most of which are more open ended than some of their earlier
ones, and run on for longer than usual with some good trippy
instrumental moments that really stretch out the groove from their funky
45 days. The album
includes the stoner
funk classic "High As
Apple Pie", done here in two "slices", plus the
classic "Express Yourself", a monster number that still sounds great
every time we hear it -- even though it's been used on commercials and
sampled plenty of times over the
years! Other tracks include "I'm
Aware", "Love Land", and "I Got Love"; MINT; 16.-- Copyright © 2007-2008 Sych music.com | Sitemap;