Review: For the latest in their series of "giant 45s" - loud 12" pressings of classic cuts from the Studio One vaults - Soul Jazz has decided to offer-up a fresh pressing of Brentford All Stars' 'Greedy G'. Based on James Brown classic 'Get On The Good Foot', the track was famously sampled by Boogie Down Productions on their iconic cut 'Jack of Spades'. It remains a bona fide party classic, adding a bass-heavy, Hammond-heavy reggae spin to Brown's insatiable funk groove. As it did the last time Soul Jazz issued it back in 1988, it comes backed with the deeper and more laidback 'Granny Scratch Scratch', another classic cut from Studio One's in-house backing band.
Review: Impressive original funk largesse from Swiss supergroup Daschenka Project; 'Craving For Love' demonstrates just that, with impeccable recordings by one Luc Montini at One Drop Studios backing up an indelible ensemble cast of musicians, from Dascha Luscher (vocals), Jean-Pierre Von Dach (guitar), Michael Chylewski (bass) and a tripartite brass section comprising Charlotte Lang, Noah Eiermann and Moritz Renner. Where the A-side revels in an ultra-lively energy, 'Spinning Round' on the B plies the record with an equal measure of chillout soul food.
Review: Stefano De Santis echoes purple dubstep on this live-feeled new electronic jazz dazzler, all improvised synth fusion that works well both as a danceable cut and a timeout moment. Just two tunes, 'Santos 79' and 'Moon Over Rio' come across like the morning and evening sides of De Santis' lifeworld; the former is a warm, glitzing sonic waxing, full of tweezy approach notes and Simmons drum 'pows'; the latter is a crepuscular waning, contrasting to the other by way of twinkly chime cascades and deeper chromatic blues.
Review: The latest release from the TakeFingz label, DJ Katch's 7" single, dives into the blaxploitation soundscape with a fresh twist on a classic 80s hip-hop track. This installment, the fourth in Katch's series, reimagines Grandmaster Flash's iconic 'The Message,' splitting the track into two sidesiScene A and Scene B. Side-1 features an extended funky loop, evoking the feel of a hero driving into the sunset during the credits, while still retaining a vibrant dance floor groove. Side-2 offers a stripped-down, choppier version, perfect for DJs to mix or scratch. Katch's rework celebrates 50 years of hip-hop with his signature style, blending streetwise funk and jazz with distinctive samples and iconic verses. Played by notable DJs like The Allergies and Craig Charles, this release showcases Katch's talent for creating a "furtive" sound, blending classic hip-hop with a touch of cinematic flair.
Review: TakeFingz returns with its seventh release and offers up a double A-side 7" tailored for dancefloor devastation. On Side A, DJ Katch reworks classic funk breaks into a groove-heavy party igniter that betrays some seriously sharp turntable skills and crowd-moving instincts. It's a surefire weapon for any set in high-energy settings. On the flip, DJ Toby Gee drops a bass-driven boogie funk jam packed with vintage chants and break-heavy grooves. Both tracks are precision-crafted with nods to B-Boy culture among them perfect for bodypoppers and lockers alike.
Review: Toby Gee's Lowrider 7" delivers a fresh spin on two iconic tracks, turning them into fun party-fuelling artillery. On Side-1, the Racked Mix of 'Lowrider' reimagines Cypress Hill's classic into an underground groove, infusing it with a darker, more rhythmic vibe that keeps the original's essence while bringing something entirely new to the table. On Side-2, the Cracker Mix of 'Vanilla Bop' takes Vanilla Ice's 'Ice Ice Baby' and transforms it into a lively jam band groove. The crisp scratches and expertly crafted edits to the original vocals add a layer of excitement, making it a perfect floor filling track that's sure to get attention.
Review: Three German instrumental talents - Chris Haertel, David Nesselhauf, Julian Gutjahr - make up The Drawbars, whom together describe their music as 'off jazz'. Following up their prior outing for Basel's BurningSole, on which two instrumental originals stuck out like raw thrums, their latest is an unexpected curveball in the form of a standout rare groove version of Billie Eilish's modern classic 'Bad Guy'. Riffing of its madhouse hooks by way of a watery high electric keyboard part, the essence of the track pairs timely well the Northern-soulful form of breaks, fills and bass jaunts. The B, 'Smokes & Mirrors', returns to OG songwriting and hears electric glisses and portamento synths dance across sultry, incense-filled rhythmatic rooms and navy-noted blueses.
Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity - "Indian Rope Man" (3:22)
Brian Auger & The Trinity - "Black Cat" (3:23)
Review: Heavy Jazz Records has licensed this very welcome reissue of one of the most iconic Hammond Mod dancefloor bangers of all time. This limited edition new 45 rpm features Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity's 'Indian Rope Man' on one side, a track packed with driving chord work, vibrant guitar licks, and passionate, intense vocals. On the flip side, Mod enthusiasts will find another gem in the form of 'Black Cat.' This track races forward with raw brass, hard-edged vocals, scintillating drums and epic chord progressions. A true pair of heavy-hitting tracks from the vault, sure to thrill collectors and dancers enthusiasts alike.
Review: These artists got together back in 1969 to record Let The Sunshine In, a landmark album that blended jazz, rock and soul into a vibrant sound that captured the spirit of its era with its experimental soundscapes and electrifying performances. These two tunes are taken from the album and come on 7" for useful DJ deployment. Driscoll's emotive, soulful vocals pair beautifully with Auger's masterful Hammond organ and the Trinity's dynamic instrumentation. The title track in particular is a real anthem of its day and is sure to make just a s much of a mark all these years on.
Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity - "Jeannine" (2:12)
Brian Auger & The Trinity - "In & Out" (2:59)
Review: BDQ's next limited 7" is a superb three-way collab between Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity. Their long-lost version of classic dancer 'Jeannine' is powered by wandering basslines and swinging Hammond Organ chords that bring warmth to the free-flowing jazz vocals up top. It has never before been on 45rpm and has been all but unknown for the last 50 years but was recently rediscovered while the label head was looking for something else for the recent 'Auger Incorporated' compilation on Soul Bank Music. On the flip is a mod jazz dancer who is just as hip and ready to make an impact.
Review: Rhythm Rhyme Revolution, alongside DJ Tabu, delivers a fantastic EP with Summertime / Sunshine Girl. 'Summertime (nuacidfunk)' gradually escalates into a disco crescendo, enriched by Dan Lipman's jazz flute/sax and Gareth Tasker's steaming sitar riff. On the flipside, 'Sunshine Girl' boasts a slinky Afro percussive groove, with DJ Tabu's vocals celebrating love in the sunshine, complemented by Barrie Sharpe's infectious hooks. The ensemble work, featuring Kenny Wellington's jazzy trumpet and vibrant guitar, creates a dynamic sonic landscape. The EP also includes the original version of 'Summertime,' reminiscent of Motown classics. Sharpe's masterful tease and impeccable mood-building make this record a touch of class, leaving listeners thoroughly enchanted.
Review: In celebration of 50 years in the performing arts, Idris Ackamoor presents Artistic Being for Record Store Day 2025-a powerful blend of jazz, spoken word and activism. Featuring the voices of acclaimed actor Danny Glover and stage legend Rhodessa Jones, this record captures highlights from the Underground Jazz Cabaret, which was performed during Black History Month 2024 at The Lab in San Francisco. Co-produced by Ackamoor's Cultural Odyssey, the release fuses poetic storytelling with evocative musical textures while reflecting on social justice, identity and resilience. Artistic Being is a profound statement from a visionary artist.
Review: The Tele Music catalogue follows a long tradition of library music mores; stock patterned album art and themed series included. Originally from 1973, Rhythmiques functions as one of the label's most iconic releases. Written entirely in collaboration between French composer and percussionist Pierre Dahan and synthesist Mat Camison, it features tense funk, blunted jazz and heavy breaks all the way. It is considered the rightful sequel to Continental Pop Sound, and despite the origin as library music intended for TV and film, has endured as a vital album for producers and DJs.
Review: A new spate of Tele Music library classics reissues from the 70s houses this one from 1976. Once more, legendary composer and drummer Pierre Alain Dahan hears his timely work reissued - this time in collaboration with his eternal guitar colleague Slim Pezin, a many-timed collaborator with Dahan. Contrasting to Dahan's many more experimental works, such as the prototypical 'Rhythmiques' album (which is far more out-there, almost primordial-sounding) 'Neo Rhythmiques' is an absolute killer of scorching, uptempo jazzy soul-funk, demonstrating what humanity as whole has achieved since, by harnessing said rhythmic primordium for its own funky ends.
Review: The reissue of James Dallas' 'Life Forms' by Tidal Waves Music brings back to life a hidden gem in the realm of jazz, funk and soul. Originally released in 1982 and completely self-funded with the help and encouragement of his peers and family, the album captures Dallas' innovative ability to sculpt sonic landscapes that were way ahead of his time and still remain fresh now. Each track on the long player is a mesmerising blend of ethereal textures with rhythmic pulses that result in immersive sounds and come with assistance from Earl Thompson on percussion, Myron McClain and Noland Clark on drums, Rick Lacey and Robert Walls Jr. on guitar, Jake Simmons and Kevin Whitehead on bass.
I'm Just Tryna Survive (In The Big City) (feat Q-Tip - bonus track) (4:40)
Kaint Let 'Em Change Me (bonus track) (3:56)
The Acceptance (bonus track) (9:20)
Review: Dam-Funk recently took to Twitter to bemoan the disparity between the positive feedback he gets from listeners, and the largely disappointing reviews from music critics. It's certainly odd that critics have been sniffy about Invite The Light, his fourth solo full-length for Stones Throw, because it's arguably his most varied, accessible and attractive album to date. Packed full of proper songs, cheeky dancefloor workouts, and high profile collaborations - pals Q-Tip, Snoop Dogg, Computer Jay, Jody Whatley and Nite Jewel all lend a hand - it's an album that still sounds hugely futuristic, despite Dam-Funk's reliance on vintage synthesizers, drum machines, and '80s soul, funk and boogie influences.
Take Three - "Tonite's The Night (All Right)" (7:22)
Brandon - "Suzy Hijack" (6:37)
Henning - "Arrival/Departure" (4:22)
Dam Funk - "Believer" (7:51)
Moon Moon B - "Oof"
Nicci Gable - "Close To Who?"
Randell & Schippers - "Love Jam"
Verticle Lines - "Theme From Beach Boy"
Brandon - "Suzy Hijack"
Take Three - "Tonite’s The Night (All Right)"
Index - "Starlight"
Uncle Jams Army - "Dial-A-Freak"
Gemini - "Log In"
Nexus - "Stand Up" (instrumental)
Reggie B - "Poison Candy"
L33 - "Keepin It Tight"
Gaussian Curve - "Broken Clouds"
Tony Palkovic - "True To Yourself"
Henning - "Arrival/Departure"
Nite-Funk - "Can U Read Me?"
Dam Funk - "Believer"
True Design - "I Wanna Break"
Crystal Winds - "Funk Ain’t Easy"
Review: Dam Funk has been foundational in crystallising Stones Throw's undisputed leadership in the nu-school funk and boogie scene, and he's up there with the great J Dilla in our books. Naturally, he's been asked to mix up the latest series of DJ Kicks and, ladies and gentlemen, it's a real masterclass - one of those comps you can safely leave on and let it do its thing on you. The mood is personified by a fine blend of electronics and tougher, funkier rhythms by artists such as Index, Moon B, and Dam himself. There are also a few rare cuts by Chicago house legend Gemini that fit in perfectly, and a whole heap of wavy, Cali-inspired electronic funk. Badass.
Review: If you haven't got Ubiquity's 2006 Darondo collection yet, now is most crucially the time. Shucks, if you have got it, you might want this for the collection anyway. Criminally overlooked by funk tourists, the Bay Area legend was originally the soul preserve for serious collectors until Gilles Peterson, Jack Penate and even Breaking Bad brought him to our attention a few years before his death. With a stark vocal range that reaches falsettos Jack Splash could only dream of and a lyrical dexterity that sits solemnly between raw emotion and touching poetry, each track shows how helped shape the blueprint that the likes of Child Of Luv, Plantlife, Amp Fiddler and many others developed years later. Essential.
Review: The folks at Burning Sol sure have been busy with a clutch of great new music all seemingly dropping from their Swiss base this month. This is a rare album release limited to just 150 copies from Daschenka Project. It's a mix of golden era vocal sounds and feel good grooves with great musicianship making each one special. Some of them, such as the jazzed up 'Craving For Love', are more lively and drum lead grooves for full dance floor action while others are late night comforters like the intimate vocals and guitar riffs of 'Don't You' which is a cover of a well-known classic.
Review: Betty Davis may have had had an unjustly short run in the public eye when she recorded her seminal 70s funk albums, but she left a lasting impact. As a potent creative force she wrote, recorded and produced her music with the backing of her own band Funk House, but the machinations of the industry hampered her progress until she retreated from view after this record from 1979. Light In The Attic have gone some way to righting the injustice by giving her stellar albums the reissue treatment they deserve, and on Crashin From Passion you can hear Davis spread her wings stylistically without dulling the impact of her hard-bitten soul. This edition comes pressed up on clear blue wax - an essential gem for anyone who takes the evolution of funk seriously.
Review: Brazilian singer Maria de Fatima's only solo album Baha con H was recorded in Uruguay in 1981 when the singer had settled with her then husband and synthesizer wizard Hugo Fattoruso. He was on production duties and the record mixes up classic covers of Brazilian sounds with plenty of original work and blended elements of Candombe, which were a result of the a-list of Uruguayan musicians who played on the recording. This is a first ever reissue of the album and it has been sourced from the original tapes. Liner notes are included as is a 12-page booklet with photos from Maria's own private archive.
Review: Mr Bongo present a staunch retro vision of Cuban-born violinist Alfredo De La Fe, one of whose sonographic creams was the debut salsa-and-more fusion album, Alfredo. Based between New York and Colombia, Alfredo worked with many of the greats in Latin music, including Eddie Palmieri, Willie Colon and Roberto Roena, as well as disco and soul icons Sylvester and Aquarian Dream. For a debut solo record, Alfredo is a real charm offensive, and a valiant experiment at that, mixing Latin dancefloor crunches with De La Fe's own, unusually additive violin, placed centre stage as he solos. The record - a favourite of legendary New York club The Paradise Garage - tonally shifts past the halfway mark, eschewing the A-side's chroma-jazzy clavier discombobulations for an early four-to-the-floor, daresay proto deep house excursion, 'Hot To Trot'.
Review: Dee C Lee has been singing and performing for over 40 years now, perhaps most famously with Paul Weller's Style Council although teaming up with Guru on his Jazzmatazz. This amazing soul singer has now released her most recent album Just Something which his her fourth album overall and her first since 1998. The tracks that are getting wide play and buzz include the beautiful and soulful single 'Walk Away'. Also, last year's double sided single with the positive and wonderful 'Don't Forget About Love' along with the more funky 'Be There In The Morning'. Each song is strong in their own right. Kudos to the Acid Jazz label for releasing this on vinyl for us to enjoy.
Review: This long-lost 1973 album from Graham Dee is a fabled record from the man who was a key figure in the 60s London session scene and later a prolific songwriter and producer, and it is now released on vinyl for the first time. Dee was a renowned session guitarist who played with legends like Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck as well as artists such as John Lee Hooker and The Walker Brothers. After working with them, he became an in-house producer for Atlantic Records and honed a distinctive 'British Soul sound.' In the 70s, he moved to the U.S., writing songs and working at the legendary Muscle Shoals. Mr. Super Cool was only rediscovered in 2019 and it's clear to hear Dee's unique talent on a record that offers a fascinating glimpse into early 70s recording.
Review: We're not sure of the back-story of Devlon Lamarr's eponymous trio, but this debut album for Colemine is an absolute killer. Lamarr is a virtuoso organist, and it's jammed-out Hammond organ and electric piano solos that naturally take centre stage throughout. That said, both drummer David McGraw and guitarist Jimmy James play their part throughout, with the former's ambidextrous fills and the latter's raw licks also catching the ear throughout. Musically, the tracks range from Meters-style heavy funk and lounge soul workouts to a range of cuts more heavily influenced by the blues of John Lee Hooker and the similarly instrumental brilliance of Booker T and the MGs.
Review: The Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio are masters of the lost art of music that really makes you feel good without being cheap or cheesy. Making their sound so good is a careful mix of 60s organ jazz a la Jimmy Smith, some soulful strutting that Booker T would be proud of and plenty of sprinkles of Motion or Stax magic. The band is lead by Delvon Lamarr, a self-taught virtuosic musician who light sup each and every track, much like the warm, whirring organs that bring the funk. Expert drums and conversational playing styles all help make this one a real stand out.
Review: Delvon Lamarr has been working his magic on the organ for years, backing up artists from Lucky Brown to Dog Shredder and The True Loves, but these days he puts his keys front and centre with his own sure-shot trio. Hot on the heels of 2021's widely celebrated I Told You So, Lamarr and his band are back once more with Cold As Weiss. As well as the sweet organ flexing, Jimmy James holds the groove down on drums while Daniel Weiss chops it up on the guitar. Seriously smooth and funky as hell, Lamarr brings it full force on this latest crucial cut.
Review: The Martin Denny reissue series continues at pace with one of his most sought-after albums. Exotic Moog was initially released in 1969 and pretty much does what it says on the tin - takes the iconic Moog synth and conjures up all manner of exotic and spaced-out sounds that leave you laying back and gazing on in awe. There's a retro-future feel to them which makes them all the more likable, and though some are beatless pieces of suspensory scene-setting, there are some breezy grooves like 'I Talk To The Trees' and sentimental space waltzes like 'The Enchanted Sea'. A characterful world of cinematic sounds for sure.
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