Average White Band - Get it up for love

There are a few versions of this song out there. I've probably not heard them all. Tata Vega's obviously and Ned Doheny's comes to mind. Here you got the Average White Band with Ben E King, off the 'Benny and us' LP.
So if funky rock is your bag, this should be right up your strasse.
Hope you dig!

Average White Band - Get it up for love

Kinsman Dazz - Saturday night

This is a biggie from Kinsman Dazz in 'Saturday night'. Nice and sleazy with a healthy dose of funk. The self titled LP is a cheapie too.  No reasons to ignore.
Hope you dig!

Kinsman Dazz - Saturday night

Funk Masters - Love money

For anyone into their funkier side of disco there's tons of early rap instrumentals out there. Here's one from the Funk Masters in "Love Money", a 1980 UK release on Tania Music. Add a bit of dubby fx's and it's right up my strasse with enough whistles and bells to fit into any decent disco and leftfield set. 
The original release also comes in an easter festive yellow pressing.
Hope you dig!

Funk Masters - Love money

Brian Bennett - Solstice

I'm not much of a library record man but i've got the odd one. This is amongst the finest. From Brian Bennett in 'Solstice' and from the "Voyage (A Journey Into Discoid Funk)" LP. A really nice laidback, spacey and generally funky affair.
Hope you dig!



Brian Bennett - Solstice (192)

The Charlie Rose Band - Backwoods Echo

Back again from some absence. Actually, I've been overloaded on music for the past weeks. You know sometimes you just need a rest from whatever you're into. For me it's been about quite a few gigs recently, they were all good, but too much music can wear you out. Even the finest.
Anyways, here's good one from The Charlie Rose Band in "Backwoods Echo". Possibly not for everyone, but for the more adventurous jazz-funk dj's - certainly a fine tool. Dropped in the right context at the right time, it has huge potential. 
Hope you dig!

The Charlie Rose Band - Backwoods Echo

RIP Alphonso 'Fonce' Mizell

RIP Gil Scott Heron

Nowadays news travels really fast. Unfortunately the first news this morning was about the passing of Gil Scott Heron. Truly one of the greatest, a genuine legend. Looking back on his work, there's so much fantastic and timeless music. This song is one I've been playing a lot recently.
Peace go with you brother.

Gil Scott Heron - Lady Day And John Coltrane 

Ednah Holt - Serious, sirius space party

Busy times and a well needed effort to make it happen here again. And we'll go all in. You know the spacey and cosmic stuff is all hip and happening right now, and to be totally frank i'm all dragged into it as well. Obviously it's all about picking the best ones. Here's a serious one with monsieur Levan at the controls. From Ednah Holt and West End - 'Serious, sirius space party' in the club version. Possibly a tune that some of you might think is a bit too much, even if you're a devoted fan of the West End, Levan stuff. Personally I quite dig this.

Check out yourself!

 

Ednah Holt - Serious, sirius space party (192)

The Legendary: A Film about the Roots

Even though this blog is not much about Hip Hop, the connections are there. And, The Roots obviously, are a relevant contemporary group within the field of soul and funk. And as I want to bring you the good stuff; here's a recent documentary on them.

The Legendary: A Film About The Roots from Cam Be on Vimeo.

American gypsy - Golden ring

This is from a dutch Philips release from American gypsy and the LP 'Angel Eyes'. Apparently this american funk-rock group came to Holland in 72' which resulted in this LP. Later also released on Chess on the US market. There are several nice tracks in the same vein as 'Golden ring', be sure to check out if you dig this one.
Enjoy!

American gypsy - Golden ring (320)

Ray Barretto - Stargazer

Here's a proper party track! From Ray Barretto - 'Stargazer' on a Fania 12". Somehow it feels so much New York in its vibe. Well, possibly a quite obvious guessing, but i'm saying that without any references. I'd be surprised if this wasn't played a lot on various block parties at the time. 
Possibly a track for the editers as it could easily be stretched with another 2-3 minutes. There's certainly enough pieces and breaks to work with. 
Enjoy!

Ray Barretto - 'Stargazer' (196)

Steve Davis - It's all because she's gone

Here's a quick one that I needed to rip for a friend. Off the Music LP by Steve Davis, the track is "It's all because she's gone". Great piece of music, though my favourite off the LP is the "Lalune blanche". But, I'll save that for another time.

Steve Davis - It's all because she's gone (192)

The Dutch Rhythm Steel & Showband - Down by the river

Wow! 

This is such a heavy take on Neil Young's 'Down by the river' by The Dutch Rhythm Steel & Showband. Nuff said, really. Well, the LP is 'Soul, Steel & Show' on Negram and available if you try hard enough.

The Dutch Rhythm Steel & Showband - Down by the river (320)

Prince - 17 Days

There isn't much that hasn't been said about this true genious. And if you claim to be into dance music in any form and don't dig this, then I just feel sorry for you. This is off the 'When doves cry' 12", and one I like to get back to and drop now and then.

Prince - 17 Days (320)

Vera Hamilton - But I ain't no more

I am a musical omnivore, I know. It's jazz, soul, funk, house, techno etc. But I taste it as long as its got the funk, the soul and sounds good. You know, joining the dots and all that. And here's a bit of special nugget for you. Vera Hamilton's - 'But I ain't no more' is certainly the sound of funk.

Vera Hamilton - But I ain't no more (320)

Judy Roberts - Never was love

It's time for some jazzy and funky fusion. This track is off the 'Judy Roberts Band' LP and I believe it's the Inner City pressing which is the first. However, not of highest importance. Check the track as it's a fine piece of jazz funk.

Judy Roberts - Never was love (320)

Autumn mix up

This is something I put together the other night. A spontaneus process ending up in a fairly varied mix ranging from funky & folky; soul, rock, psych and even som Dilla. 
Enjoy!

• Steve Davis - It's all because she's gone 
• Chris Harwood - Wooden ships
• Air - Mr. Man
• Tunng - Tale from black
• Stereolab - Metronomic underground
• J Dilla - Workinonit
• Wilson Deirdre Tabac - Get back
• Colosseum - Elegy
• People - Glastonbury
• Placebo - Humpty Dumpty
• Dorothy Ashby - Soul vibrations
• Darrow Fletcher - Now is the time for love (Pt. 2)
• Trevor Dandy - Is there any love
• Milt Matthews - It ain't your fault
• Michael Franks - Born with the moon in virgo
• Nancy Priddy - You've come this way before

Download mix

A loud minority

Go out and buy & support!

Michel Legrand - Un Homme Est Mort

This is a bad motherph*cker by Michel Legrand, from the soundtrack off Un Homme est Morte.Can't say I know much about him, I know he's composed quite a few soundtracks. There's a few jazzier ones, which are quite nice. But I felt the urge to give some heads up for this one. The original is very (very) scarce, Jazzman Gerald claims he's only seen a copy once. Now reissued by the fine Vadim Music. A bit pricier than your average reissue, but your getting what you pay for. Original artwork, inner sleeve and all that, but the track is worth it all alone.

Ladies of the 80's - Tell him

This LP is a masterpiece. I'm reading it's getting a well needed re-release by Soul Jazz. I'm talking about the classic self titled LP by Ladies of the Eighties, produced by Roy Ayers and Rick James. Pure, full on boogie tracks with hints of jazz and funk, where 'Turned on to you' probably is the most known. This one, 'Tell him', has always been a favourite spin - full of energy and enough swing to get the most stiff people moving.There's also a nice version by west Londoners BB Boogie.

Ladies of the Eighties - Tell Him (320)