Funk | Soul 278 Items

Limited 180 gram vinyl pressing of this 1973 album from the soul icon. Let's Get It On is the 13th studio album by Marvin Gaye. Serving as Gaye's first venture into the funk genre and romance-themed music, Let's Get It On incorporates smooth soul, doo-wop, and quiet storm. It has been noted by critics for it's sexually suggestive lyrics, and was cited by one writer as "one of the most sexually charged albums ever recorded." Following the breakthrough success of his socially conscious album What's Going On (1971), Let's Get It On helped establish Gaye as a sex icon and furthered his mainstream appeal. It produced three singles-the title track, "Come Get to This", and "You Sure Love to Ball"-that attained Billboard chart success. Let's Get It On became the most commercially successful album of Gaye's recording career, and it further expanded his creative control during his tenure with Motown.

From the deep south in Louisiana comes a new debut on Gamm from producer Koichi Toyama.

Over this four-track EP Koichi has selected some of his favourite Japanese Jazz-funk and Jazz-fusion tracks from the 70's and 80s'. With tasteful editing skills, the tracks are re-arranged and sometimes remixed into heavy Jazz club jams. No pump, just thump of course!

Freestyle Records drop another UK boogie 12" rarity, this time the first officially licensed reissue of Eddie Capone's Treatment "I Won't Give You Up" from 1985.

Race 'N Rhythm was originally a 12 member jazz group out of Oakland. The members were multiracial, which inspired the name.

The group was managed by jazz-master Rudolph Peters. He also owned the small Oakland based record label "Northstar Records." After playing the local jazz circuit for a few years, the group decided to put out their first and only 7" single. Luckily for Race 'N Rhythmthey were under the guidance of Harvey Scales's right hand "William Scott Harralson.", William was a brilliant soul pianist and songwriter. Aside from all the work he did with Harvey Scales, he also co-produced two amazing Bay Area record grails; 'Debravon Lewis - The Little Things" and 'The Stars - (We Are The Star's)'.

With the local success of the single, the group signed on to record a full album titled "Album One". Members Sharon Nance and Gerald Goudeau worked closely together, finding romance, and eventually they got married. They became the driving force behind the groups further success. For decades Race 'N Rhythm played and toured Japan, Canada and all the United States. Sharon and Gerald continued working together until Sharon's passing last October.

Recorded in Oakland, California in 1982.

The debut of Hamburg trio Cloud Management stages the meeting of three proven exceptional figures: Thomas Korf and Sebastian Kokus have been responsible for some stunning leftfield neo-kraut releases with their band Love-Songs in recent years; Ulf Schütte has been one of the most productive, and innovative protagonists of experimental electronic music in Germany for many years (see Datashock, Phantom Horse, or his most recent collaboration with G. Steenkiste/Hellvete on Umor Rex, for example). Following Love-Songs" highly acclaimed collaboration with Schütte, "[Spannende Musik]", released in 2021, the formation of Cloud Management as a group in its own right marks a new beginning, which is celebrated with the long player on Altin Village & Mine.

Freestyle drop the first official reissue of a much sought-after UK boogie gem from Tony Jackson, originally released on the Switch label in 1983 and recorded at the legendary Landsdowne Studios!

2019 Re-mastered, 180g black vinyl in gatefold cover. It was originally released in 1981. May be the last impressive album of Baris Manco and his band Kurtalan Ekspres which is giving a respect to 1970’s Golden Era of Turkish Rock. The album consists of funk and progressive rock elements from track to track just like their previous release. Hypnotic, cool and clear sound, will make this LP as a reference album.

Some sweet modern soul from SHA LA DAS remaking the Darondo classic, prod. by Thomas Brenneck of Menahan Street Band. The B-side "don't Stay Silent" is by Paul & THE Tall Trees with Adrian Quesada (black Pumas), a protest song in support of George Floyd. Out on Eastwood Music Group

Martin Dumas Jr, Paul Coleman and Morris Browns, sublime 70s soul / 2 Step LP is IMO is some of the best sophisticated soul from the 1970s, Production, Vocals, Writing are all on point. On this 45 we are not messing around, two of the best cuts from the band 'Lover's Holiday and 'Love Ain't Easy', first time on 45 for them both. Licenced direct from the band members. You know what to do!

An elusive Soul/Funk masterpiece from mid-70s Lakeland, Florida. The Riley siblings; Carrie, Horace & James laid the foundation for the two songs they would bring to Auburndale's custom recording studio, Central Sound to be released on the Nashville/Florida label, 'Music City'. Jerome McNeil, William Freeman, Bruce Bolden & Sam Graham would complete the outfit and be collectively known as 'Carrie Riley & The Soul Fascinations'

It's been 15 years since Now Again & Jazzman showcased the Deep Funk rarity 'Super Cool' on their Florida Funk compilation, however it's James Riley's group harmony B-side, 'Living In A Lonesome House With You' that has remained at large, unknown, collectively showcasing the talent encapsulated by The Fascinations.

'During the early 70’s The Riley family members who formed the Fascinations (originally the Soul Fascinations), James, Horace and Carrie along with a few friends, were destined to develop and perform musically as music flowed through our veins. Our father was a musician who played piano and sang the blues. As children we gathered around an old upright piano after dinner to hear our father play and sang. By the time I was 14 and my brothers, James and Horace were 16 and 17, we had all learned to plan an instrument. My focus was on vocals with many role models to learn from in the music industry such as; Dianna Ross, Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight and Mable Staple. My brothers loved the Commodores, Kool and the Gang, Rick James and Earth Wind and Fire. The Isleys’s were a favorite of ours also. James was the driver of our success in recording as he made sure we practiced for hours on end. Sometimes we would practice popular songs until 2 in the morning. James began to write songs and develop melodies that he would share with Horace and I. We would make suggestions for revisions such as arrangements and melodies. Before long we traveled to Miami where we recorded, Super Cool which was our title song, 'Living in A Lonesome House' and a few other tracks. 'Super Cool' is a song that is personal to me. It is a song about relationships and trust, while the Lonesome house song was about love affairs and breakups. So much great music came out of the 70’s. I am grateful that our music contributed to the industry during a time when great music was about love and relationships.

Real heads might be familiar with outsider boogie track - Christopher Jay – 'What Do You Want Me To Do', an excellent hypnotic spin for those in the know. We will bring you this further down the line but first we have an Amazing unreleased banger from Christopher. A kind of floaty Disco / modern thing with wonky drums and bags of charm. This record is such an earworm you will end up walking around singing it for days, and that catch guitar hook….how was this never released, pure fire!! The flip feels like it could be in an 80s montage in a good way, yaughty sunshine vibes.

Milwaukee's artist Chuck Brimley's cover of Michael Frank's classic "St. Elmore Fire. An extremely hard to find record that even Andy Noble who runs a second hand record store in Milwaukee Wisconsin where the record is from had not heard, despite knowing Chuck who was a customer. Andy kindly put me in touch last summer and Chuck was happy for us to reissue this rare version.

For this first volume of Musax Background Music Library, Farfalla Records continues exploring the maze of the french library music through one of its most discreet and prolific representatives: Jacky Giordano and one of his many projects, the Musax label. Farfalla Records carefully selected this tracklisting among LPs recorded between 1978 and 1979 of which the originals became particularly sought after by the collectors. Jacky Giordano who appears under his aliases Joachim Sherylee and José Pharos, is surrounded by qualified and renowned musicians such as Jean-Pierre Decerf, Jean-Claude Pierric, Serge Planchon, Patrick Petitbon, Gérard Gesina, Jean-Charles Capon, Daniel Humair and also a band composed of members from the legendary Crazy Horse cabaret, namely Pedro Perea, Claude Brisset, Bruno Bompard, Jean-Claude Guselli, Claude Thirifays, Vincent Momplet and Joseph Gatineau. This selection mixing explosive jazz-funk, lascivious jazz and electronic music more spacey or experimental, which could also be the soundtrack for a TV show, a porn movie or a car chase between cops and gangsters in the bad neighbourhoods of Paris. A fascinating slice of the French music scene of the late 70 is brought to life before our very eyes. (Erwann Pacaud)

BBE Music announces the first repress of the classic Roy Ayers albums ‘Virgin Ubiquity’ 1 and 2 since 2006, on luxurious 180g vinyl with brand new sleeve notes written by Sean P. The music on 'Virgin Ubiquity' was selected and mixed down from previously unreleased multi-tracks recorded between 1976 & 1981, which Roy had in storage. It's all unmistakably Ayers, but is diverse and fresh enough to be more than a mere adjunct to one of his most productive and popular periods - testament to his and his musicians' creative abilities, as much of most revered Ayers output stems from this time. These discoveries take their place beside some illustrious company in a timeline bookended by 'Everybody Loves The Sunshine' and 'Africa, Center Of The World', several solo and Ubiquity albums, collaborations with Wayne Henderson & Fela Kuti, as well as guesting on LPs by Buster Williams and Herbie Mann. Out of print on vinyl and CD for over a decade now, BBE is delighted to re- present these groundbreaking Roy Ayers titles, neatly coinciding with the 45th anniversary of his classic album ‘Mystic Voyage’ and a UK tour to commemorate it during April 2020.

In the 1960s and ‘70s, unbeknownst to most, Saigon (today named “Ho Chi Minh City”) had become a fertile environment for a flourishing music industry which produced countless recordings of beautifully crafted songs.
Ho Chi Minh City based band, Saigon Soul Revival has been bringing alternative pre 1975 music from Saigon back to the stage since 2016 with their live performances. Honoring the original composers, singers and the golden era from which this music (Nhạc Vàng) came, while applying new arrangements and interpretations of old Vietnamese songs. With tight grooves, psychedelic textures and a powerful unique sound, SSR has performed countless shows at a variety of venues across Vietnam, and accompanied live the two release tours to the Saigon Supersound Compilation releases.
While spending the last three years studying and playing this music, Saigon Soul Revival teamed up with producer Jan Hagenkötter (Saigon Supersound / INFRACom!) and finally in January 2019, they started to create own compositions in the same vein for their debut album Họa Âm Xưa. The album was recorded in Vietnam with additional guests during one week in May this year.
The album focuses on compositions that fuse Vietnamese lyrics and sounds with influences of western rock, soul, bolero, tango and other popular genres of this time period, most of which was banned after the war. This project strives to revive this beautiful musical heritage of Vietnam which represents an important cultural bridge between east and west.

For the better part of 15 years Helsinki's own Timmion Records has released some of the most exciting soul sides happening today. To help spread the Timmion love, Daptone staffers and brass made a list of their favorite Timmion tracks from the past couple years. Presented here is Bad Education, Vol. I, the culmination of weeks of deliberation and infighting (mainly due to their unusually high batting average) - 10 tracks that best represent the eclectic wealth of soulful riches Timmion Records has to offer.

Side 1 one gets cracking with "This is What Love Looks Like", a mid-tempo, breezy dancer by NYC's own Carlton Jumel Smith whose recent album, 1634 Lexington Ave, is poised to be one of the top Soul releases of 2019. Johnny Benavidez, the Texas-born, California-raised balladeer showcases his heartfelt falsetto with "Tell Me That You Love Me" - a beat ballad of the highest order, and a must for fans of Texas giants The Commands. Pratt & Moody, a vocal duo who have been making waves for sometime in their native Finland, serve up another heart-wrenching, head-bobbing ballad with "Lost, Lost, Lost". Picking up the tempo we have the undisputed queen of Finnish Soul, Miss Nicole Willis! The New York native is already a household name on the UK Northern Soul scene, but now it's time for this expat to make some noise Stateside. Closing out the side we have the leather-clad-fringed flute phenom know as Ernie "Scorpio Man' Hawks. The Scorpio Walk's deep groove laced with murmuring fuzz bass and surf guitar rushes the listener like a maniacal villain in an art house spy movie.

Side 2 two packs even more soulful punches, starting with the unreleased track "Until You’re Mine" by Wanda Felicia. Equal parts slick, Big City street harmony and raw, southern soul, the track evokes the ver y best of Fame-era Candi Staton. Next up, we have Bobby Oroza whose featured track "This Love" took the Soul scene by storm upon its release in 2016. His understated, earnest vocal let's the sparse arrangement and heavy beat take you to a place where the sun shines bright and the low-riders shine brighter where the Sunday afternoon sun dances off the gold flecks of custom paint jobs. "Bad Education" the funky, afro-latin soul monster with a message (whose title graces the cover of this album) tips the hat to legends like Joe Bataan and Ray Barreto. The debut single by Bardo Martinez, already known for his work with Chicano Batman, lays down a fier y indictment of the educational system defining it as a mouthpiece for the militar y industrial complex. A heavy tune with a heavier message! From top to bottom Bad Education, Vol. I is a feast for discerning funk & soul freaks alike!

After his song “Space Bella Coola” became one of the more recognizable modern funk tracks on the street dance scene, French producer Aaron Evo brings you his first release on vinyl, “The One.” Featuring a reworked version of “Space Bella Coola” entitled “Unstoppable,” the album displays Aaron’s recognizable sonic palette and slick funk touch. His synths wiggle unthinkably while drums and bass slap, forming concrete-hard foundations for his tracks. Somehow simple yet explosive, “The One” traverses through all territories in the land of funk, from the G to P. Also included on the album is the track “Gangstagram,” created for and played at the grand final of the most important street dance events at Juste Debout & KOD 2018. Future Classic.

Volume three in the Mr Bongo Record club series. Another showcase of recent vinyl finds and favourites from our DJ sets and radio shows. This is an extra special one however, as it lands in 2019, the year that we celebrate 30 years since it all began way back in 1989.
In celebration of the 30 years of Mr Bongo, 2019 will see a host of exciting events and even more releases. We take over Brighton Dome on the opening weekend of the Brighton Festival in May, an in-store takeover at Rough Trade East, in July a week long ‘Album Club’ at Spiritland, more at RAPPCATS in LA, record fairs in Utrecht and New York, alongside the digging (and no doubt surfing!) trips to Brazil, India, Australia, Portugal and France…
We’re releasing brand new music from punk-reggae superstars, The Skints; the previously undiscovered 25-year old master composer & arranger, Kit Sebastian; and crossover UK hip hop live show dons, Jungle Brown, this year.
Compiled by David Buttle and Gareth Stephens, assisted by Graham Luckhurst and Gary Johnson.

Mysterious release, but amazing release, two versions of Michael Jackson's classics,
with a vintage funky jazzy feeling.

Includes reworks by 7 Samurai & Mocambo!

Soul II Soul revitalises the iconic "Nothing Compares to You," now featuring the mesmerising vocals of Nadine Ceaser. Initially penned by Prince and famously interpreted by Sinead O'Connor, this rendition is infused with a reggae twist, expertly mixed by long-time collaborators Mafia and Fluxy, who have deep roots in London's music scene alongside Jazzie B.

Continuing to build on a remarkable legacy, this release pays homage to Soul II Soul's sound system origins and is a powerful testament to music's ability to unite.credits

Reissue of an obscure SoCal funk song originally released in 1985 by ISY Martin. The b-side redux is by modern funk pioneers XL Middleton & Zackey Force Funk. Already a certified Orange County, California classic. Out on Prime Time Records.

"heartbeat" is the work of Curtis L. Kendrick, a Rochester-based artist that wore all the hats in conceptualizing and producing his debut solo album, “3RD DEGREE”, released in a 200 cassette run in 1982. Considered somewhat of a holy grail in the collecting world, this is the first official vinyl release. The B-side "heartbeat 23" by Brian Ellis is a dark and stormy re-work/re-creation of Curtis' soulful masterpiece.

To mark its 50th anniversary, Farfalla Records is proud to announce the reissue of the highly sought after German library gem "Wonderland of Sound". Originally released in 1974, the album was produced by Brillant-Musik's founder Werner Tautz and recorded in Zurich. Wonderland of Sound is the epitome of the classic 70s library sound. A jazzy bliss orchestrated by the hottest European session players making up the Big Band "Rainbow-Orchestra". A Splendidly funky and stunning set of compositions and arrangements with ultra-stylish horn section.