Juno Recommends Funk / Reissues September 2020

Review: While we'd argue that neither of the tracks featured on this first "Rare Grooves" seven-inch release is particularly hard to find, there's no denying that both are stone cold classics that should be in every DJ's collection. On the A-side there's a chance to admire The Jackson Sisters' superb 1973 proto-disco sing-along "I Believe in Miracles", a Clavinet-sporting anthem whose stabbing orchestral refrain is one of the most familiar of all time (and much used by doubling-up hip-hop DJs). Over on the flip you'll find Laura Lee's laidback deep funk gem "Crumbs Off The Table", a 1972 B-side that later became something of an anthem on London's 1980s rare groove scene.

Review: Mukatsuku presents the second volume of killer Ghanaian highlife/afrofunk monsters this time focusing on two artists legendary in the genre. First up first time on a 45 from 1980 is '' What Is Life '' from the Ebo Taylor & Uhuru Yenzu album ''Conflict Nkru! ''. Amazing brass,flute and afrocentric rhythms lay the path for the track once heard never forgotten. On the flip first time ever on a 45 Pat Thomas who features on volume 1 of the series comes correct with possibly the best version (and there are a few ) of ''Gyae Su'' . With its jangly african guitar licks and infectious chorus lines the feel good factor is set to maximum. Another dope afro burner on Mukatsuku and sure to sell out fast. 500 hand numbered copies and no repress. As supported by DJ Koco from Japan and Jonathon Moore (Coldcut )

Review: Earlier this summer, mash-up maestro DJ Soopasoul raised our temperatures by layering Wu-Tang Clan vocals over a chunky, funk-fuelled backing track crafted from snippets of James Brown jams. He called it "Sex Cream", and now he's back with more sickly-sweet goodness based around the down-low greatness of the Godfather of Soul. A-side "More Sex Cream (Crooklyn Style)" delivers a similar-sounding JB-inspired beat, this time peppered with rhymes from "Crooklyn". It works wonderfully, of course, as does the flipside instrumental version. Bare party-starting fun for funk-loving hip-hop heads!

Review: Spanky Wilson is one of the fiercest, sweetest voices in the golden era of late 60s / early 70s soul, with a modest but mighty mark left behind by her run of classic albums and later collaboration with The Quantic Soul Orchestra. This handy 7" gathers together two classic Wilson cuts, leading in with the heavyweight soul-funk of "You". On the flip is her evergreen cover of "Sunshine Of Your Love", which for our money bests Jack Bruce's original vocal performance to take the vintage track onto a whole other level of raw, passionate power.

Review: Moog mastermind Jean Jacques-Perrey first released "E.V.A." on his landmark 1970 album "Moog Indigo", but most children of the '90s would recognise the distinctive, effervescent lead hook from the Fatboy Slim remix that totally encapsulates the big beat era. This handy jukebox 12" carries Perrey's original on one side, and on the flip another iconic piece of Norman Cook source material. Camille Yarborough's "Take Yo' Praise" was a cult slice of jazz funk released in 1975 that really is just perfect in its original state, but there's no denying Cook struck gold when he flipped it into chart-topping hit "Praise You".

Review: Five years on from the release of the first seven-inch, Mako and Mr Bristow's Soul Edits" series reaches volume six. On the A-side's "Stealin Alright" they get to work on a riotous slab of funk-rock heaviness from the golden age of the sound - albeit one whose sweaty drum breaks, weighty bass and gravelly guitars also come accompanied by steel pan melodies. It's an odd combination but one that works really well. Over on side B, "Stealin' Nolan" is a tidy edit of another rhythm and blues style dancefloor workout, this time rich in stomping drums, memorable guitar riffs and stomping, Northern Soul style drums.

Review: Matsuna keep up their fantastic funk releases with red hot pair of remixes. The a-side is taken care of in competent fashion by Retro Roland's Riso Al Ritmo rework. Originally by Otto De Rojas Y Su Orquesta and released in 1976, it is s summery bit of instrumental groove making, with loose drums and trilling leads that are joined by a nice wandering bassline. The reverse features SoulBrigada on the rework and is a subtly different take that draws out the breakdown and gives extra oomph to the horns. Both are tidy cuts, perfect for glorious weather.

Review: Juno colour vinyl exclusive ! Back in 1992, Billy Garner's "Brand New Girl" was unearthed in the vast vaults of New Day owner Dave Hamilton. He soon got it out there and it just as quickly became an instant deep funk classic. It was only a limited release, though, so it has since gone on to become much sought after and rather pricey little number. Now given a new lease of life, it sounds as vital and moving as it did back then, so is sure to remain a grail record for soul lovers everywhere. "I Got Some" (part 1) is less hard hitting, but strikes an equally impactful emotional note.

Review: If you missed this one when it first dropped in 2011, now's your chance to catch up on a serious slice of rootsy funk with some heavyweight players involved. Afrika Bambaatta teamed up with The Mighty Mocambos and Charlie Funk to record "Zulu Walk", and what a result. The groove is incredible, deep in the pocket and rolling forward with a mellow urgency that works for "Part 1" and the instrumental "Part 2" on the flip. King Kamonzi rides the beat on the A side in fine style, capturing a wild energy that wouldn't be out of place in the P-Funk pantheon. True-skool funk heads, don't sleep.

Review: This Juno colour vinyl exclusive finds Linda Lyndell serve up her own majestic cover of the classic "What A Man." Her vocal is smooth and buttery but also laden with gravitas, while the sweeping horns and jazzy keys all around her help to lift the spirits. On the flip is an ice cold slice of funk from Billy Hawks in the form of his "(O Baby) I Do Believe I'm Losing You". It's raw soul that glides at high speed with plenty of hip swinging claps. This is a much sought after reissue that will shift quick, so make sure you do too.

Review: This tight 45rpm was recorded a few years before Carl Holmes's Investigation No1 album, which went on to become rather legendary. It features the lung busting vocals of Pervis Herder on vocals on both the A and the B-side. An OG will cost you a pretty penny - if you can find one at all - and to get one in good condition will be even harder. But worry not as this legitimate reissue gives you a mint copy, with the hard hitting Philly strings and breaks busting out the speakers and diving deep into your soul. Pure dance floor dynamite if ever we heard it.

Review: New Orleans funk outfit The Wild Magnolias were active in the mid 70s, releasing two albums and then regrouping in the 90s. Their sound is in step with their more renowned Louisiana peers, but certainly running hotter than the likes of The Meters. "Handa Wanda" is a stirring, effervescent call and response epic that shows the band at their best, rocking a wall of sound approach that keeps the pressure up the whole way through. "(Somebody Got) Soul, Soul, Soul" is a more fluid track, but it's certainly no slouch in the energy department either. This is hi-octane funk to get people shaking and sweaty.

Review: Funk Night Records' latest limited-edition "45" comes courtesy of The Blassics, an expansive Finnish band whose self-released albums regularly join the dots between funk, Afrobeat, jazz-funk, soul and, more surprisingly, space-age jazz. "Bongo Rap Version" is a little more straightforward than that their eclectic approach suggests, offering a tidy mix of Incredible Bongo Band style grooves, undulating bass, occasional Afrobeat horns and raw guitar riffs. They opt for a more laidback approach on "Sensuous Encounter", wrapping a more laidback Afro-funk style groove in flanged guitars and echoing electric piano solos.

Review: Back in 2011, Shawn Lee recorded an album in tribute to the legendary Incredible Bongo Band - whose extra-percussive cuts and cover versions played a key role in the early development of hip-hop - under the name the Incredible Tabla Band. Here, two of the more sought-after cuts from the hard-to-find set appear on seven-inch for the first time. Lee's take on "Apache", in which Indian instrumentation, Hammond organ licks and a touch of psych-rock fuzziness are thrown into the mix with incendiary results - is a guaranteed dancefloor hit. That said, his "Tabla Rock" take on "Bongo Rock" is arguably even better, and certainly a little more revolutionary in terms of the sounds you hear. It's naturally rooted in bongo and tabla-powered funk, but attractively veers off script at key moments.

Review: A Black Man's Soul is an instrumental album by Ike Turner & the Kings of Rhythm from 1969. Turner wrote the songs with a host of other musicians and it showed off a side to him that hadn't been heard before. It was packed with traditional and simple funk that was as raw and lo-fi as you like, and one of the bigger tracks from it was "Getting Nasty" which has been synced to a number of films and adverts over the years. It's an authentic cut that bristles with gauzy textures and realness. On the flip, "Getting Nasty" (Conomark & Hong Kong edit) is more playful and funky.

Review: "Cramp Your Style" by All The People surely belongs among the canon of all time funk standards, sampled aplenty over the years, included on numerous compilations as well as being the recipient of cover versions from Breakestra and Killer Meters. Originally issued on the Blue Candle label back in 1972, a newly remastered edition of that 7" is now available for any funkateers out there without the 45 in their collections already. Robert Moore's yearning vocal sounds all the better for it too! And don't sleep on the bluesy delights of B side track "Watcha Gonna Do About It?".

Review: Bristol beat-maker, break-digger and turntablist Boca 45 has released some pretty special material this year, most of it on the 2020 Donuts imprint he inaugurated back in January. There's naturally much to set the pulse racing on the series fourth instalment, a highly limited green vinyl affair that we think will simply fly out of stores. A-side "Take You Higher" is a bustling instrumental hip-hop number based around slack-tuned breakbeats, heavyweight bass, cut-up guitar riffs and all manner of cheeky spoken word snippets. Vocalist Alison Garner guests on superb flipside "Hummingbird", a hybrid hip-hop/bossa-nova number blessed with mazy Hammond organ solos, bold piano stabs and extra-special percussion.

Review: Following a surprise outing on Burning Sole, heavy funk quartet The King Rooster return to regular home Funk Night Records with a suitably righteous and riotous two-tracker. A-side "Snitchin', Stichin' & Bitchin'" is one of their weightiest, club-ready cuts to date, with the storied London combo peppering a typically heavy and sweaty funk groove with razor-sharp, Blaxploitation style guitar riffs and increasingly intense, jammed-out Hammond organ solos. By the time the track ends, we guarantee you'll be pie-eyed and breathless. Over on the flip they doff a cap to the Meters' via "Loose Lips", a more relaxed but no less weighty or bass-heavy affair rich in mazy organ motifs, fluid solos and ear-catching bass.

Review: On the fifth volume in his 2020 Donuts series of party-starting "45s", Bristolian break-digger and beat-maker Boca 45 joins forces with Ash the Author, a Reading-based mic man who has been tipped for great things by a number of more experienced MCs. He makes his presence felt on "Party Rockers", delivering distinctive lyrics over a rock-solid beat peppered with tight scratches and moody, horn style stabs. Boca 45 ups the tempo on heavyweight flipside "Batacuda Battlebox", a riotous cut-and-paste affair crafted from Latin style drum samples, booming bass and the West Country producer's usual sneaky and inventive instrumental snippets.