Juno Recommends Funk / Rare Groove / Reissues : August 2022

Review: Mr. K (Danny Krivit) transports us to the golden era of David Mancuso 's New York Loft with two disparate but equally heavyweight classics from the Mancuso oeuvre mastered and cut loud, deep, and clear for club play. First up is an edit of a track that embodies the spirit of early '80s downtown NYC. Originally released in 1982, 'Konk Party' was Konk's calling card and first hit and represented their multicultural, no wave, hip-hop/disco hybrid perfectly, the opening sax riff itself a giving sly nod to Wild Sugar's breakbeat classic 'Bring It Here' that the Beastie Boys would later sample. It was considered such a Loft staple that the video was even filmed there, as well as being played widely across the influential clubs of the day. The easy-going groove, heavy percussion and low-slung bass, complimented by bilingual lyrics from Angel QuiNones, still sounds ready for action, especially In this new edit from Mr. K. On the flip, 'Hold On To Your Mind' was first released in 1970 by Northern Irish rock group Andwella, is a heavy, psychedelic tour de force. Mr. K outdoes himself with his new mix, a supercharged blend of extended percussion breaks absent on previous 7-inch mixes, plus driving vocals, and fuzz guitar.

Review: For their next trick, The Pro-Teens serve up their own superb and singular version of one of MF DOOM's most iconic cuts. 'Doomsday' (feat Polly The Invincible Pearl) is of course the title track from his first album Operation: Doomsday. Here it becomes a carefree slice of soul with elegant strings and tight drumming that draws you in and never lets you go. On the flip, 'Curls' is more undulating, with lovely guitars and funky bass making for a feel good and life affirming sound. Both of these are packed with positivity.

Review: For those who value the lineage and heritage of breaks, beats, funk, soul, hip-hop and crate digging, here's a reissue you won't want to sleep on. Don Alias, Gene Perla and Steve Grossman originally laid down their debut record as Stone Alliance in 1976, and tucked away within the hard grooving jazz funk cuts was a track called 'Sweetie Pie'. This particular jam had a sax break which you know as soon as you hear it - sampled to high heaven and immortalised in the culture, now 'Sweetie Pie' is available on this neat and tidy 7" with a beautifully roomy live version on the flip if you want to edge a little difference into the mix.

Review: Most people will recognize Brian Jackson as the most important collaborator with Gil Scott-Heron - between them the pair laid down a mesmerising new kind of soul which resonates in its influence and brilliance to this day. Jackson went on to work with scores of legends of Black American music, but this new album is something altogether his own. Working with Daniel Colias from Phenomenal Handclap Band, Jackson revived a long-dormant solo project from the 70s and brought it to fruition in a set of ascendant soul cuts which speak to Jackson's mighty legacy while offering something wholly contemporary. 'All Talk' bursts with jazz funk and boogie flourishes, while 'Path to Macondo / Those Kind of Blues' takes a more introspective trip into Jackson's illustrious musicality. Forget reissue culture for a minute - here's a bonafide legend still doing it in the here and now.

Review: The Psychedelic Breaks & Beats label isn't hard to get the measure of - they make their MO pretty clear in their name after all. It's a fairly safe bet you won't have heard the kind of obscure wonderments they dust down from the history of funky nuggets on the far out fringes, and so it goes on this opening gambit - a split 7" from Capprells & Soul Brothers Band and The Inner Thumb. The Capprells were a Pittsburgh-based family group who released a string of singles in the 70s, all of which are hard to come by but with 'Close Your Eyes' quite possibly being the pick of the bunch, still carrying a little of that 60s magic and more than deserving of a fresh airing on this release. On the flip we get 'Soul Submarine' by The Inner Thumb, an appropriately deep-diving joint originally released on the Soul Ecstasy soundtrack in 1999.

Review: Before I Die is a new mini label that is curated by Aficionado Recordings's Jason Boardman. The head turning first release comes from guitar based instrumental outfit Tungusku. They have a global sound rooted in hypnotic rhythms and are made up of Phil Ratcliffe on guitar and James Defty on bass, who you may known from having worked often with The Mouse Outfit. Their take on psyched-out, jazz tinged and funked-up sounds owes a debt to the likes of Tommy Guerro and Khruangbin but with added stoner vibes and low end beats and Balearic magic. The art work is beauty, too.

Review: There is currently only one copy of this on Discogs and it is listed at a rather eye watering L1200. Thankfully this reissue means you can own an undeniably brilliant tune for a much more reasonable price. It is a seminal New Orleans joint from the main man Eddie Bo who made it for the hugely popular group The Explosions. Juanita Brooks is the powerhouse soul sister who provides the vocals and on the other side is something just as good - a deep soul gem to warm you to your core.

Review: The 1978 self-titled album by the free soul band Lemuria remains much talked about around rare groove circles. Formed by Kirk Thompson of the iconic Kalapana, it's a proud statement of Hawaiian AOR, and highlights the magic touch of Thompson as both a keyboardist, and behind the mixers, his work as the album's serving producer. For this new reissue edition, P-VINE is including three bonus tracks and two alternate takes for the first time on vinyl, resulting in this deluxe fourteen track double gatefold package (this translucent golden brown vinyl version is limited to 300 copies).

Review: Blissful boogie reissue from Junko Ohashi, whose 7-inch promo for 'Dancin' here functioned as the promo material for the 1983 album 'Point Zero'. Sounding just as rough, farty and raw as its original LP cut, the track is a perfect example of what Japan brought to disco - blending it largely with city pop - at the time. 'In Your Lovin', as it did on the original album, brings up the B-side with a downer-tempo funk beat, and a lyrical subject dealing with a romanticized, ideal lover.

Review: Piero Umiliani aka Moggi, is the man behind Omicron Records and plenty of seminal library records from the 1970s. The Italian jazz musician, most famous also for scoring many film soundtracks, here has one of his most dance-y tracks served up by Four Flies. It features an original version as well as a special edit retouched by Jolly Mare. The original was recorded in 1978 under one of his many other monikers, Rovi, as a way of not over saturating the market with his name at the time. It is a cosmic beats that chimes with the emergence of that sound and still does today.

Review: Three-piece funkers Tokyo Groove Jyoshi formed in 2018, and between them Emi Kanazashi, MiMi and Rina Hoshino know how to lay down some serious grooves. Linking up with the Vintage Vinyl HK label (formerly based in Hong Kong, now in Scotland), they present a killer two-track single uniquely lathe cut on an 8" and limited to 100 copies. 'Rise Up' is a sweet instrumental joint with oodles of organ goodness and a springy beat for those uptempo, jazzy moments in your day. By way of contrast 'Foxy' gets down low, leaning in on mellow Rhodes licks and a sumptuous bassline, letting a little vocal magic into the mix, providing the perfect smoky foil to the A side jollities.

Review: Habibi Funk present a legendary Lebanese work from Issam Hajali's group Ferkat Al Ard. This groundbreaking release from 1978 is a truly international affair, as Arab, jazz, folk and Brazilian styles criss-cross with flair under the arrangement guidance of Ziad Rahbani. The sound moves between pop and psych to touches of bossa nova and tropicalia. For diggers who have been after this record for some time, it's worth noting the band insisted on two tracks being excluded which were on the original version, but they have been replaced by the equally stunning 'Juma;a 6 Hziran'. This is a gem of Lebanese musical history, and a quintessential release in the ever-essential research undertaken by Habibi Funk.

Review: Mood Mosaic's cult series reaches a 19th impressive volume here across four more sides of vinyl. This one draws totters the best of funk and soul, pop, jazz and hip hop and could well be the best in the series yet. It is a varied affair with tunes from the likes of indie greats Placebo, jazz vocal heroine Etta James and the always good value The Funk Revolution. It makes for a diverse listen with plenty of highlights. The vinyl pressing also includes a poster.

Review: This record was thought to have been lost until recently re-discovered. Recorded in the 1970s and has been loving remasters from the original tapes here and pressed onto heavyweight wax. This collection features some heavily sampled tunes such as 'Funkanova' which has been pillaged by the likes of Black Science Orchestra, DJ Sneak and The Bucketheads. It also has a famous rendition of the Ronnie Laws jewel 'Always There'. Wood, Brass & Steel members include the likes of Doug Winbush who went on to play with the Sugarhill Gang and Grandmaster Flash.

Review: California based duo The Blemish is made up of is Sheikhbeats and Bo Haan and they have fans in high places from NPR radio to Timbaland. In 2021 they served up their superb album Roboganic but ow comes a first ever physical release from the pair. It features two of the standout cuts form the album and is pressed dup on lovely crushed orange wax. 'California' is a low slung disco groover with hip swing grooves and neat bass work under the timeless vocals, and on the flip 'Serial Jane' gets more busy with funky claps and muted guitar notes under catchy pop vocals.

Review: The Souljazz Orchestra originally released their second album Freedom No Go Die in 2007. Considered a dedicated exploration of the revolutionary sound of Afrobeat, Fela Kuti's West African sound is indeed the backbone of the album, but the group have always excelled in looking at their music through international eyes. There are elements of soukous, salsa, funk and free jazz thrown into the mix, and fiery performances from Burundian artist Mighty Popo and soul singers Alanna Stuart and Marielle Rivard add to the effervescent impact of this incredible album.

Review: Amazin' Five have been popping off in the past couple of years, landing their last single on Tramp Records and now coming back to roost on their original shack, Burning Sole. 'Golovoy Kachai (Shake Your Head)' finds the Russian group locking into a bouncy stride, all nimble guitar chops and sweet organ, keeping laid back but without any slack. 'JB In PSKOV' clearly doffs its cap to the godfather of soul, laying down a groove Fred Wesley would be proud to call his own. This is heavy brewed funk from a group who clearly feel it deep down in their souls, so if you're always thirsting for more of that classic sound, then look no further for the next addition to your arsenal of jams.

Review: In the annals of electro funk and boogie, you can't overlook the imposing presence of Zapp. It's telling they were picked up by George Clinton and sent to Detroit to record their debut with Bootsy Collins, and just look at the results. On this most seminal of debut albums, the opening gambit of 'More Bounce To The Ounce' tells you everything you need to know - one of the nastiest b-lines ever committed to wax, with one of the most iconic talkbox performances flown in over the top. Overall though, Zapp 1 is a rounded affair with the more classically styled 'Be Alright' and tightly wound funker 'Freedom', capturing the band when they were all-rounders before going deeper into the synth side of things as the 80s wore on.

Review: As any digger knows, Wagram do a fine line in compilations. They expertly assembled fresh tracks from various different scenes and sounds and now they turn their focus to what they are calling a 'nu funk sound.' All of these cuts are from contemporary tastemakers such as Kaytranada, The Quantic Soul Orchestra and Alice Russell. They take in sunny broken beats like 'Breackdance Lesson N' as well as jazzy funk workouts like 'Hold It Down' and seductively deep beats like 'Buckle Up' (feat Soweto Kinch). A great pick up.