Get On Down Organic Grooves 21 Items

Pressed ON Crystal Clear Vinyl Housed IN A Gatefold Jacket With Japanese Stylized Insert AND Deluxe OBI Strip Remastered From The Original Analog Tapes A partner album to the previous Miles release Decoy this album is also produced by Miles and loaded with the synths of Robert Irving. You’re Under Arrest has some surprising new looks at pop tunes by Micheal Jackson and Cyndi Lauper and also features the return of John McLaughlin on guitar, and a guest performance from Sting. This is the nal installment of the proli c and brilliant collaboration between Miles and Columbia Records. Also featured on this album are Al Foster, Kenny Garret, and Daryl Jones.

Fresh 2023 repress. The neo-soul movement of the late 1990s, which fused classic soul sounds with contemporary elements, heralded the arrival of some of the greatest R&B recordings of the decade. Albums like Lauryn Hill's The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill, D'Angelo's Brown Sugar, and Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite were all born of this trend, while artists such as Mos Def, The Roots, and Common whole-heartedly embraced the sound, creating some of their most timeless material in the process. These are some of neo-soul's great successes, but a slew of underground acts were what set the initial blueprint for their more pop-friendly acquaintances to follow. Acts such as R&B duo Groove Theory. The New York pair, consisting of singer/songwriter Amel Larrieux, and producer Bryce Wilson, (A veteran of the legendary 80s electronic group Mantronix) helped set the tone for neo-soul via their lone studio release, the self-titled Groove Theory. The nearly hour-long record features 14 tracks of Wilson's smooth soul arrangements and atmospherics merged with golden era boom-bap beats, and Larrieux's siren-quality vocals, inspired equally by a combination of Native Tongues, peak Marvin Gaye, Joan Armatrading, Soul II Soul, as well as elements of breakbeat, jazz fusion, and even trip hop. It's a definitive, but often overlooked classic of the 1990s, which helped expand contemporary R&B's sound, render Billboard hits out the tracks "Tell Me", "Keep Tryin'", and "Baby Luv", and even found the time for a Todd Rundgren cover. On the cusp of Groove Theory's 25th anniversary, Get On Down is proud to bring you this vinyl reissue of an underrated 90s gem. The original record has never been re-released on wax since its 1995 debut, but is now presented here with fully remastered audio, and bundled in a full-color insert sleeve with complete lyrics and liner notes.

Pressed ON Opaque Yellow Vinyl With Japanese Stylized Insert AND Deluxe OBI Strip Remastered From The Original Analog Tapes The first live Miles Davis electric band release since 1977’s very dark and heavy Dark Magus. The album features live performances from shows at Boston’s Kix Club. The double vinyl release contains reimagined versions of songs from The Man With the Horn (1981), tunes from the pre-electric Gil Evans collaboration Porgy and Bess (1959), and a dedication to the Boston venue called Kix. While this was one of the first live Miles Davis performances in over half a decade it certainly did not show!!! This album features R&B legend Marcus Miller on bass, Mike Stern on guitar, Bill Evans on saxophone, Mino Cinelu on percussion, and electric band alumni Al Foster on drums. Produced and edited by long time Miles collaborator Teo Macero.

Originally released in 1978 on Greg Charmichael's Red Greg Records, "Lady Bug" and ""Love Bug"" are probably Bumblebee Unlimited's most recognizable hits. Much like Cloud One, Universal Robot Band and Inner Life, Bumblebee Unlimited was a studio-based disco unit
conducted by Patrick Adams and Gregory Carmichael. Their only album "Sting Like a Bee" was released by RCA in 1979 with contributions from longtime Adams & Carmichael collaborators Leroy Burgess (vocals), Norbert Sloley (bass), and Richard Taninbaum (drums). With an undeniable groove, signature keys and arrangements by Patrick Adams in addition
to the comically sped-up vocals, Lady Bug is considered by many to be one of the most important underground tracks of the Disco era. As with the original "Lady Bug" 12" Single, the John Morales and Frank Trimarco "Sunshine Sound" mix takes the A-side of the RCA release. A true Disco version in every sense of the word, this almost 10 minute mix brings out the Latin percussions to the front making
it a true dance floor classic and establishing John Morales as one of the best remixers in the industry.
The B-Side belongs to one of New York City's hottest DJs at the time: Larry Levan. Despite being a very early remix by the Legendary Paradise Garage DJ, the talent was evident and his understanding of a club mix in wide display. It’s no wonder Larry Levan would go to become one of the most respected and revered remixers of his generation. Similarly to the Morales/Trimarco version, the percussions are accented throughout the
mix making it ready for the discotheque. However the two mixes are undoubtely different with Levan’s bringing out more funk out of the Adams composition
focusing more on the keys and the infectious bass lines. No real point in arguing which is better, so let’s just be glad we have both.

Joey Pastrana had a special gift for singing
songs in both English and Spanish. Along with
other boogaloo luminaries like Pete Rodriguez
and Joe Cuba; Joey Pastrana was responsible
for introducing Latin music to many English
speakers across America. With a wonderful and
talented orchestra, Joey Pastrana paved the
way for the new Latin music fusions that have
come to be known as the Latin boogaloo.
A master of the timbales, Pastrana was also
a brilliant singer known internationally for
his energizing live performances. Honing his
musical skills in his beloved New York City,
Joey was enamored at an early age by the
sights and sounds coming out of Spanish
Harlem during the early sixties. Taking his cue
from the R&B and Jazz that was popular at that
time, Pastrana became a master of rolling
rhythms that shook up hips in dance floors
throughout the world. One of the top artists of
the boogaloo/Latin soul era, Joey Pastrana’s
music is regarded as one the most wonderful
and exquisite examples of the world-famous
New York Latin sound.

Motown's First Ladies of Funk finally release their vinyl
debut, some 45 years after it was originally scheduled!
As the '70s dawned and Motown relocated to the West Coast, the
era of their honey-toned '60s girl groups came to a resounding
halt. The Sisters Love were the antithesis of the traditional
Motown group and came to the label from A&M, armed with a lot
of funk, sass and attitude.
Paired with some of Motown's finest writers and producers - Hal
Davis, Gloria Jones, Pamela Sawyer, Paul Riser and Willie Hutch
- they got off to a rousing start with the gritty "Mr. Fix-It Man"
and went into high gear for the UK only release "I'm Learning To
Trust My Man".
Motown had them playing arenas with The Jackson Five (probably
not their smartest move!), issued the odd single and scheduled
more but Sisters Love's anticipated breakthrough didn't happen.
In 1980 New York DJ Danny Krivit pressed up an extended
eight-minute re-edit of "Give Me Your Love", an old B-side from a
1973 single! That song was somewhat of an underground classic
but the Krivit mix brought in a whole new legion of fans amongst
the rare groove crowd, both in the US and the UK.
Sisters Love had long been rumored to have recorded a complete
album for the Motown subsidiary MoWest. Get On Down Records
combed the vaults with Motown's help and the result is the
original 10 cut album, plus a bonus cut, "Give Me Your Love."
Although Gwen Berry passed away some years ago, the other
three members of the group - Jeanie Long, Lillie Fort and
Vermettya Royster have all been actively involved in this release.

It was 1968 when Fania Records President, Jerry Masucci, received a phone call from conguero George Guzman, inviting Jerry to listen to his band. Jerry turned the project over to Harvey Averne, who later reported to Jerry that the band was “out of sight” and suggested that Masucci sign them up. A short time later, things became complicated for George and his band. First of all, the lead singer was drafted into the military, leaving George high and dry. By the time a replacement was found, George learned that his trumpet player was leaving to join another orchestra, so the search was on for his replacement. One problem led to another and before you knew it several months had gone by before George was finally ready to enter the studio and begin recording. Thanks to George and Harvey’s perseverance, “Introducing George Guzman” was released in time for George to join the fray of Boogaloo bands that had brightened up the night scene in New York City in 1968. - Bobby Marin

The venerable Cotique existed at the juncture where Afro-Caribbean music met
the rootsy sounds of soul and r&b that blossomed in the United States during the
'60s and '70s. Some of the finest albums in the boogaloo and Latin soul genres
were recorded for this label, including sessions by Joe Bataan, Johnny Colón and
Larry Harlow. Cotique's product was marked by a refined aesthetic and unerring
good taste - consider Machito's foray into r&b idioms on the Soul Of Machito LP.
The label was also wise enough to invest in down-to-earth salsa, recording New
York's ultimate barrio orchestra, The Lebrón Brothers.
The Lebrón Brothers celebrated their 50th anniversary in the business in 2016.
Their career spans five decades of doing things uniquely and uncompromisingly
in their way: making funky, gritty, streetwise and relentlessly swinging music that
mixed Spanish lyrics, Latin tunes and English-language r&b/soul-oriented
numbers. “Lebrón Brothers are the only other band (besides Willie Colón) to
arrive during the boogaloo era and survive long after boogaloo was dead and
buried,” comments Ray Rosado, leader of Maña. “I believe that for these two
bands, boogaloo was merely a means to an end.” Originally called Angel Lebrón
and his Orchestra in 1965 (co-founded by Puerto Rico-born brothers Angel on
bass and José Lebrón on piano,) they changed their name to Lebrón Brothers at
the suggestion of George Goldner (1918 - 1970) when they signed to his Cotique
Records label during the peak of the 1966 - 1969 boogaloo craze. The eldest,
Pablo Lebrón, sang Spanish lead vocals with the band until 1981 - when sadly, he
suffered a stroke. Between 1967 and 1982, the band recorded 16 albums for
Cotique, during which time brothers Carlos and Frankie joined on bongo and
conga, respectively. The multitalented José and Angel wrote and arranged most of
the material. Fania Records took over Cotique in the early '70s and drafted star
bandleader Larry Harlow to produce one of the band's albums and Johnny
Pacheco, the label's co-founder, to produce another three. Reportedly, Fania boss
Jerry Masucci (1934-1997) tried to persuade the Lebrón Brothers to replace
Pablo with a younger, thinner white lead singer. Proud of their Afro-Boricua
heritage, they resisted and were consequently excluded from major industry
opportunities. Angel and José eventually took over the reins of production on the
band's 14th Cotique release in 1980, and Angel took the producer credit on the
remaining two albums for the imprint (Frankie produced a one-off return to
Cotique in 1998). “On all of their recordings, the coro is precise, the swing
formidable and the message is both timely and seemingly prescient. That's more
than enough to make up for whatever naïveté one might observe in their
recordings at first blush,” says John Walsh, trumpeter with the Grammy
Award-winning Spanish Harlem Orchestra, who began playing with
Lebrón Brothers in the mid-'80s. “And then there's the vibe. When they walk on
stage, they made their presence felt: five or six of them, not one under six feet or
less than 225 pounds!

Saxophonist Eddie Harris – a favorite sample staple of jazz-leaning hip-hop producers of the ‘90s – was a very busy man in the 1960s, releasing albums at a brisk pace since his first as a leader in 1961. By the late ‘60s he had fully hit his stride, as both a performer and an innovator.
A case in point is heard very clearly on this gem from Harris’ expansive catalog – 1968’s Plug Me In, which features his pioneering use of the Varitone saxophone effects processor unit (first heard on his 1967 album, The Tender Storm). The effect, used on “It’s Crazy” and “Ballad (For My Love),” never gets in the way, but gives the proceedings a feeling of “the next.” 1968 saw jazz entering a new era, influenced by electronic advances as well as the soul music dominating the pop charts of the day. Plug Me In slid perfectly into the vanguard of the day.
There is a soulful warmth to the proceedings on this classic LP, starting with album opener “Live Right Now,” which builds and swirls to a beautiful crescendo, with notes ricocheting back and forth amongst a top level crew of players including Jodie Christian, Chuck Rainey and Richard Smith. “Lovely Is Today” and “It’s Crazy” also feature waves of sunshiney brass and group interplay, alongside album ballads like “Winter Meeting” and “Ballad (For My Love).”
Eddie Harris’ catalog can be daunting, considering his impressive input throughout the 60s and 70s, but there’s a reason fans old and new come back to Plug Me In again and again. Innovation and soul is a combination that never fails, and this reissue is destined to bring more fans into the fold.

We weren’t too familiar with this 1984 Release on Sleeping Bag Records until reading Tim Lawrence’s Book Hold On to Your Dreams: Arthur Russell and the Downtown Music Scene, 1973-1992. What we learned, was the “behind the scenes” drama that went on during the recording of this single. Arthur Russell and DJ Nicky Siano contemplated working together once again after their first collaboration in 1978 lead to a successful 12” single called “Kiss me Again” on Sire under the Moniker Dinosaur where David Byrne even played lead guitar. Their second collaboration “Tiger Stripes” came as the result of Siano convincing the father or a then girlfriend to fund the venture. Arthur wrote the lyrics, and while Siano remembers remembers the Demo tracks being promising, problems began to emerge as Studio time began ticking. Russell became annoyed by Siano’s hyperactive personality in the Studio, while the former Gallery/Studio 54 DJ grew impatient of his collaborator’s constant changes and money spent in studio time. However according Author Tim Lawrence the feud escalated when Arthur wanted to introduce a drum machine after the session drummer could not keep the time. As a result, he ended up scrapping the original tracks which included vocals recorded by Evelyn Thomas. However the nail in the coffin came when Siano assumed the role of lead vocalist at which point Russell quit appalled by how terrible he sounded. Although a perfectionist, Russell also suspected Siano had been using the project as a platform for himself as a vocalist. In any case their project went on with Siano as lead and newly recorded backup vocals by Maxine Bell. Released on Splash Records in 1984, Siano is credited as the artist and sole-producer while Russell only agreed to be credited under the alias Killer Whale. Not too long after, Sleeping Bag released a 7” promotional copy of “Tiger Stripes” featuring only Bell as the sole vocalist, a different B-Side and Felix as the artist name. Although Russell did not credit himself by his real name, he credited the Killer Whale alias for all the writing and production on the single. There is a 12” on Sleeping bag which credits Siano for production on Tiger Stripes” but it’s clear from the release of the 7” that Russell wanted to make a statement. Beyond this peculiar story however, the music itself is worth the note. In a 2014 piece for The Vinyl Factory, Peter Zummo, one of Arthur Russell’s closest collaborators best describes this release: Side A: ‘Tiger Stripes’, is a crazy editing job with lots of disparate elements. The opening beats give little sense of what key it will be in. Side B: ‘You Can’t Hold Me Down’, is drum machine and conga, rhythm guitar, keyboard, female refrain and lead vocal, and male chant on “bad little kitten – pounce on you.” There’s no real bass. I like it not only for the way it sounds but also that it shows that you don’t have to follow the rules.

No one pushed the boundaries of Dance music quiet like the late
Arthur Russell. On “Go Bang,” in his Dinosaur L persona, Russell’s
unique falsetto-esque vocals are layered over a pulsing disco
thump with a flourish of Fender Rhodes keys establishing the
downtown feel of this solid groove.
Get On Down is proud to present this classic single, featuring the
complete “Go Bang Part 1” and “Go Bang Part 2”.

Chances are if you are reading this, you are probably already familiar with Dinosaur L's “Go
Bang” and danced countless times to Loose Joints' ""It's All Over My Face"". A prolific musician,
Arthur Russell produced an abundant amount of recordings over the course of his career.
Although a classically trained cellist, he released a number of successful underground dance
hits under various monikers and collaborations. As a solo artist however, his inability to
complete projects resulted in a limited amount of official releases; World of Echo (1986) being
his only full-length solo effort to see release in his lifetime. After releasing a number of
Club singles on labels like West End & Sire, Russell went on to form Sleeping Bag Records with
Will Socolov as an outlet for a sound not as restrictive as his ""disco"" material.
The initial concept was that Russell would provide the musical direction while Socolov handled
the business side. The label had huge success early on with Class Action’s “Weekend” remixed
by Larry Levan, and Russell’s seminal “Go Bang,” credited to Dinosaur L and remixed by Francois
Kevorkian. Although Russell and Socolov shared a lot of musical common ground, the difference
in vision began to show. Russell’s avant-garde sensibilities and perfectionism were not
compatible with an industry standard to release singles in quick succession, and his ""work in
progress"" approach began to be financially draining, ultimately resulting in the dissolution
of their partnership around 1983. With Arthur's departure, Sleeping Bag moved away from the
experimental and towards a successful hip-hop route with the growing involvement of Kurtis
Mantronik and leading to propel the careers of artists like Todd Terry, Just-Ice
and EPMD.
By the mid-80s, Russell’s health began to deteriorate after contracting HIV. Although the
business partnership did not work out, Socolov and Russell maintained their friendship. Aware
of the time he had left, Russell reached out to Socolov to record what was to become Indian
Ocean, his last release on Sleeping Bag and the last great collaboration between Arthur and
his old friend Walter Gibbons.
Unlike the rest of Russell's Dance collaborations, “School Bell/Treehouse” is very intimate
composition, putting to the forefront all the elements that defined him musically; with his
own voice and cello as the anchors to a piece that keeps growing in intensity, melding the
tribal rhythms of Mustafa Ahmed’s conga with percussions that sound like distorted drum
machines. There is a lot of beauty in this piece, with Peter Zummo's melancholic trombone lines
and Arthur's keyboard playing. Adequately ""mixed with love"" by Walter Gibbons, ""School
Bell/Treehouse"" really synthesizes the energy and soundscapes of Arthur's dancefloor.

No one pushed the boundaries of Dance music quiet like the late Arthur
Russell. Perhaps no track does so to such an extreme as “In The Corn
Belt”. Working in his Dinosaur L persona the mix on “Corn Belt” is by
another giant of the genre, Larry Levan of Paradise Garage fame. The
groove is intensified by layers of shredding guitar, percussion and some
instrumentation that sounds otherworldly.
Get On Down is proud to present this classic single, featuring the complete
“In The Corn Belt Part 1” and “In The Corn Belt Part 2”.

The Label: TK Records in essence represents the city of Miami when it came to Soul/R&B
and the early stages of Disco. In 1974, George McCrae gave the label its first #1 Disco
hit with Rock Your Baby. A little more than a year after McCrae's hit, the record label
struck gold with KC & The Sunshine Band with five #1 songs on the Billboard Hot 100.
Needless to say at the height of the genre’s cultural domination TK did pretty well.
Timmy Thomas: Without a doubt, he’s most famously known for the hit song Why Can’t We
Live Together. The record topped the U.S. Billboard R&B chart, made the top three in the
Billboard Hot 100 and was charted in top 10 in many countries including the UK. A staple
in the R&B scene, he had a succesful solo career until the mid 80s, later focusing on
the writing and production side of the business.

Why Can’t We Live Together: It may have been his biggest hit, but also one that keeps
resonating to this day. A response to the devastating news coming from the war in
Vietnam, its words “No more wars, we want peace in this world, and no matter what color,
you’re still my brother.” are indicative of a time marked by the horrors of war abroad,
and the racial discrimination in America. Written and Produced by Timmy Thomas himself
solely on a Lowrey organ, and an early rhythm machine, the song however was far from
simple as its emotive message continues to provide a profound context. And even though
it’s been covered over the years by many artist including Sade and Joan Osborne, Why
Can’t We Live Together has managed to come back on the charts again in 2015, as the
instrumental backing to Drake’s Hotline Bling, which has now sold over 2 Million copies
in the U.S. Alone. Once a hit, always a hit.

Africano: When it comes to this Deep Disco cut, Africano is one of those tracks that
probably never got much shine in America, but has since become a dancefloor favorite of
underground disco DJs worldwide. Curiously, years after its release, its biggest
supporters were Italian DJs like Danielle Baldelli, Mozart and Gianni Maselli who during
the 80s played Disco, African records, American R&B, and reggae to create what has been
since become known as the Afro-Cosmic scene at the height of Club culture in the
discothèques of Northern Italy.

When there's Rhythm people will move, and moving people was the fate for these two songs from Spanish Supergroup Barrabas. Originally released in 1972 on RCA Spain, 'Wild Safari' and 'Woman' would become underground hits among New York City disc jockeys at time when Discotheques preceded disco music. Over the years It has been well documented that the music from the Iberian Rockers and in particular their song 'Woman' found a home in both Nicky Siano's Gallery and in David Mancuso's Legendary Loft around 1973. Curiously but perhaps not surprising, a few years later 'Woman' would also become a breaker's anthem in a nascent hip-hop scene, where having obscure or 'ultimate' breaks would separate a Grandmaster from the rest of the flock.

The Story behind Barrabas is quite peculiar as well. With members from various Latin countries (Cuba, Philipines, Portugal and Spain), the band led by Fernando Arbex were accidental pioneers in a sense, blending Latin, African, and American influences into a package destined to move people across the globe. With a succesful debut album, Barrabas was one of the first international groups to leave its mark on the disco circuit with these two hit singles. 'Woman' and 'Wild Safari' charted well in various countries across Europe and the Americas, including the USA and Canada.

Although the group never followed up the success of their first LP, the legacy of tracks like 'Woman' and 'Wild Safari' is treasured by the DJs who have studied the histories of clubs like the Paradise Garage and The Loft. It's really not surprising to find a decade later in the 80s, 'High Energy' and 'Freestyle' covers of 'Woman' or the groove sampled into a House Music beat even to this day. There was indeed something about that Woman.

Recently, HBO's Show "Vinyl" paid homage to 'Wild Safari' in a scene that more than symbolically depicted the birth of the disco era as we would come to know it.

Part of the Get On Down Sound vinyl series with the aim to bring back their favorite Dance 12-Inches to a new generation of Vinyl-DJs. Re-mastered for optimal club use, these are official re-issues of some of Dance Music's most influential cuts.

Vinylmania: As classic disco came bounding through the late ’70s and into the electronically orientated sounds of the ’80s, New York was one of the undisputed frontiers for the latest developments in dance music culture, nightclubs and the art of DJ-ing. At the center of this seminal time for vinyl culture was a store called Vinylmania, set up by Charlie Grappone in the heart of Greenwich Village, Manhattan, just as the culture of 12-inch singles and promo copies was taking hold. From supplying Levan, Tony Humphries and many more with the latest imports to championing the emergence of house music in the mid-’80s, Grappone and his staff played a significant role in New York’s own dance music story. Through the ’90s and up until closing in 2007, Vinylmania was a store that catered to DJs from across the complex mixture of racial, social and sexual demographics that made up New York and its legendary nightlife. Man Friday: As the NYC Peech Boys came to an end, Man Friday became Larry Levan’s newest production project. Fronted by Kofi Morny and Brodie Williams, their debut single “Love Honey, Love heartache” was released by Vinyl Mania in 1986 with Larry Levan at the helm of the mix. Love Money: In the spirit of most dance music borrowing elements from other sources,
“Love Honey” was heavily inspired by another Paradise Garage & Loft classic from 1980 and its remix in 1981 by UK Outfit Funk Masters / TW Funkmasters. A dubbed out track big in the Jazz-Funk scene in the UK, it became a hit among underground Deejays in Both NYC & Chicago. Love Honey: No matter what list you look at. ‘Love Honey’ is always attached to Larry Levan’s tenure at the Paradise Garage. All the elements of a Garage Track are here; Dub Echoes, Synth Basslines, Percussions that linger, FX -that one can only dream of hearing on a Richard Long System- and an Organ, because after all, they say the Garage was like going to Church.

"Tonight is partytime, it's partytime tonight!" Donna Summer “Thanked God” for Friday. The Beegees sang about Saturday night. Sure. Yet in New York City, this post-disco song is the undisputed dance anthem when it comes to weekend celebrations. Originally written by James Calloway and Leroy Burgess for Patrick Adams' Phreek only to re-surface five years later as Class Action, the updated version became a classic on the radio and in every club in the Big Apple and beyond. Produced by Bob & Lola Blank this Sleeping Bag Records classic has had more lives than a cat.