Back catalogue: Funk

Review: 'Hard Times' is a mega rare outing from Chequers which they dropped back in 1983 at the height of popularity for this sport of sound. It's irresistible electro-boogie that will get you in a spin in no time. The squelchy bass, r&b vocals and withering sci-fi disco synths all bring real colour. Flip it over and you will find the equally stellar 'If You Want My Love'. This is the first time this one has ever been reissued by its Freestyle label. Don't sleep on this surefire party starter and underground classic.

Review: Freestyle Records has got a brilliant and rather rare bit of boogie here in the form of Eddie Capone's 'I Wont Give You Up.' This is the first officially licensed reissue of this 1985 gem by the reggae, funk and soul mainstay of that decade. He played with various noted outfits such as Chairmen of the Board, Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come and Edwin Starr and was also in the short-lived band Casablanca. He founded the Treatment band in the early 1980s and played with a rotating cast of musicians. The tunes included on this 7" are some of them with Diane Jones providing vocals on the A-side, which is the standout gem.

Review: Freestyle Records delivers another UK boogie gem with Eddie Capone's Treatment, reissuing the 1985 white label rarity Only You Know What I Like. Limited to just 300 copies worldwide, this release shines a light on Capone's legacy. A stalwart of the UK's reggae, soul and funk scenes since the 70s, Eddie Capone formed Treatment in the early 80s, blending a rotating cast of talent. The track has become a sought-after deep cut for selectors, continuing Capone's influence across generations of musicians and DJs.

Review: T. J. Johnson's 'Pretty Lady' is a glorious sweet spot between disco, boogie and funk that came back at the heyday for that sort of sound back in 1982. It's been dug out of the Switch label vaults which was a UK label run out of Lansdowne Studios. T.J. Johnson was a well-versed guitarist also known as T.J. Bedeau and he is still working the gig circuit today. 'Pretty Lady' is a slick and smooth groover with florid horn stabs and the sort of lush vocals that bring the love. 'Come On Let's Do It (Let's Rock)' is more upbeat and strident but just as warm.

Review: Yet another 12" rarity from the annals of UK funk & boogie history - this time the 1985 cut 'Sexy Lady' from VeiraKrew. Carribean-born and British-raised pianist Elvis Veira moved to England alongside his pianist and music teacher mother at the age of two, quickly becoming proficient on piano, guitar and bass by his early teens. His love for playing music and singing in choirs propelled him on this musical journey, and his late teens to 20s saw him supporting acts such Heatwave, Wham, Katrina and the Waves and more. In 1983 he started working under the alias VeiraKrew, and a couple of years later in 1985 laid down this 12", backed up with the title track's killer instrumental version and the B-side 'Welcome to a Dream'. It was self-released by Veira, quickly becoming a collector's item with clean copies changing hands for up to 150 a piece. The instrumentals are fresh and filled with life, and 'Welcome to a Dream' is an incredible mid-tempo bopper. Well worthy of a repress, and is sure to be in demand - so don't delay!

Review: Freestyle Records reissues The Apples Kings a full decade and a half after its first release. This version has been fully remastered and re-cut for an even more dynamic sound to remind why the landmark album was so special. It was a first for the band who crafted it with specific collaborators in mind and worked with funk legend Fred Wesley and Israeli world music icon Shlomo Bar In fusing elements of The JB's funky foundations, soul, dub, and Middle Eastern influences, they cooked up a genre-defying mix filtered through The Apples' unique decks-horns-bass-drums lineup. These unmistakable, floor-shaking grooves are just as potent today as they were in 2010.

Review: We can think of few finer stocking fillers for funk aficonados than this fifth Funk & Soul Club compilation from actor/comedian-turned-radio host Craig Charles. As with previous volumes, the Red Dwarf star and BB 6 Music host has included a mixture of original funk era cuts and recent revivalist gems. In the latter category you'll find a stellar instrumental cover of Rick James' "Super Freak" by The Traffic, the dancefloor-burning sound of Nicole Willis and the UMO Orchestra and the brilliant boogie revivalism of Australian singer Kylie Audist. In terms of deeper older selections, look no further than the 1973 jazz-funk re-make of Marvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues" by Brian Auger's Oblivion Express and the Afro-funk explosion that is "Nawa" by Ginger Baker & His African Messengers.

Review: New Zealand-born Lance Ferguson has been the beating heart of Melbourne's modern funk and soul scene for the best part of two decades. It's this that allowed him to gather many of the city's best musicians together to record "Rare Groove Spectrum", an album of fresh covers of rare and classic funk, soul and Latin jams. There are some killer versions to be found amongst the 11 tracks on offer. We're particularly enjoying the collective's riotous instrumental revision of Pleasure classic "Joyous", the strutting deep funk heaviness of "Egg Roll" (a similarly restless cover of a mysterious but much-played cut that should be familiar to dusty-fingered diggers and knowledgeable dancers) and the sumptuous summer breeze that is the combo's meandering take on Earth, Wind and Fire staple "Brazilian Rhyme". It is, though, all superb.

Review: By now, we should all know what to expect from Lack of Afro, AKA veteran funk, soul and hip-hop producer Adam Gibbons. This fourth studio album for regular home Freestyle Records is being pitched as his most eclectic yet. Certainly, there's plenty of variety in the textures, styles and tempos, from the disco-funk stomp of Herbal T hook-up "Brown Sugar" and sweet Northern Soul blast of "The Contender" (all fuzzy guitars and pleasing horns), to the soft soul shuffle of "Making It Right" and Breakestra-ish hip-hop funk of "Here We Go Again". Despite the variety, Gibbons is still at his best when really cutting loose, as the superb opener "Freedom" adeptly demonstrates.