Back catalogue: Funk

Review: Here's a nod to late 70s disco, funk and boogie featuring some of the best NYC musicians to grace the scene in the past 20 years, and recorded at Soul Fire Studios featuring over two dozen musicians. Members of El Michels Affair, Lee Fields & The Expressions, The Dap- Kings, Antibalas and more are featured on 10th Street's '(Gonna Get) Hot Tonight' which is a classic and timeless disco funk affair featuring an absolutely sublime string section. Over on the flip, the slower and more emotive 'Hot Tonight' (part II) makes for feelgood vibes on the dancefloor later in the night, featuring sensual vocals to boot.

Review: Masterminded by Jeff Dynamite Silverman, 10th Street is an all-star studio band comprised of some of NYC's best disco, funk and soul musicians of the last two decades (including members of Antibalas, the Dap-Kings, The Expressions and El Michels Affair). The collective's self-titled debut album, which dropped earlier this year, is a genuine must-listen and offers a near perfect distillation of disco, soul and funk flavours of the 1970s. This 7" single sports two of that set's standout cuts: hazy, mid-tempo, laidback disco-funk number 'Livin' In New York City', where Blaxploitation guitar licks, spacey synths, sustained organ chords and eyes-closed female vocals catch the ear, and the weightier, more percussive and undeniably dancefloor-friendly instrumental 'Moodie's Basement'. In a word: essential!

Review: 10th Street is one of those devotional funk projects which sounds like it would wholly pass for the real deal, despite being made in recent times by a crack team of NYC musicians from bands including El Michels Affair, Lee Fields & The Expressions, The Dap-Kings and Antibalas. Following Mighty Eye's release of the group's self-titled debut album in 2022 comes this single, which tasks Tom Noble with whipping up a remix of 'E.A.R.L.'s Theme'. Whether you plump for the juiced up Noble remix or the sizzling groove of the original, you have the chance to cop some genuine dancefloor dynamite right here.

Review: The Mighty Eye label has been mighty fine in its work so far and this 16th outing is another doozy for funk lovers. The Ancient Cosmonauts are at the helm and that's a perfect name for a band that blends classic funk with cosmic moods. 'Free As I Wanna Be' is conversational and instrumental brilliance with sombre lead horns and gentle live drums sinking you into a mellow mood. 'Intergalactical Travel' takes flight on more astral lines and has a little more bite in the drums but this is still a warm, heartfelt sound.

Review: Sax player Stuart Bogie and drummer Joe Russo founded The Bogie Band, a 10-piece ensemble made up of talented musicians who have played with bands including the likes of The Dap Kings, Arcade Fire, The Budos Band and many more. The collaboration is a fine one that is powered by Bogie's big horns and Russo's powerful drum rhythms. This new one, 'The Struggle' is a battle song that addresses the many often opposing forces at play in society. Great solos by Michael Leonhart and Raymond Jay Mason stand out and on the flip is a special remix of 'Arrival' from the Prophets in the City LP.

Review: Saxophonist Stuart Bogie and drummer Joe Russo are the founding pair behind the 10-piece The Bogie Band ensemble. The rest of the crew is made up of a bunch of talented musicians who all play with various other notable group such as The Budos Band, Antibalas and St. Vincent. The old friends all come together in blistering fashion with big horn arrangements and powerful drums driving along the tunes with woodwind and brass explosions up top. These tunes bring all new perspectives to wind powered music at the same time as getting you on your toes.

Review: The Leonhart Brass Band, the latest project from trumpeter Michael Leonhart, was born out of the 2020 lockdown, an inventive response to the halt of his 18-piece orchestra performances at NYC's Jazz Standard. Stripped down to a brass-heavy ensemble that could perform outdoors without amplification, Leonhart took inspiration from classic brass bands like Dirty Dozen and Rebirth, blending in hip-hop and funk influences to create a unique sound. The opening track, 'Jabbar', is a tribute to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the basketball icon with a rich jazz background. Centred on an infectious bass riff in C minor, Leonhart's trumpet and Jason Marshall's bass saxophone deliver bold, brassy solos, conjuring the vitality and strength of the track's namesake. Another standout is 'The Iceman', a nod to George Gervin, the basketball great known for his unflappable demeanour on the court. The brass section splits into two distinct groups, creating counterpoint melodies that mirror Gervin's grace and intensity. Stuart Bogie's baritone sax solo, complete with tape echo, adds an unexpected texture, grounding the track in a deep, funky groove. With members from Antibalas, the Dap-Kings, and Red Baraat, the Leonhart Brass Band fuses tight musicianship with an exhilarating energy that carries the weight of New Orleans tradition, while forging its own path in the modern jazz and funk worlds.

Review: Powers That Be is a heavyweight modern funk outfit which counts some serious talent in its ranks. Antibalas drummer and bassist Miles Francis and Phenomenal Handclap Band's guitarist Luke O'Malley are but two of the gifted players laying down a vintage style of deep funk on this sureshot 7" for Mighty Eye. You'd be forgiven for thinking this was a holy grail cut from the 70s, given how warm and natural the sound on the record is, but there's also a degree of finesse on both sides of the record which speaks to the band's collective endeavours in pushing classic funk forwards in the modern era.

Review: This mad blast from the past cleverly compiles just eight disco-funk instrumentals made specially for Soul Fire Studios in mid-80s New York. Soloists from bands such as El Michels Affair, Lee Fields and The Expressions, and Antibalas all appear on this ahead-of-its-time dance great, which seems to predict many latter genres such as Italo-disco, techno and balearic beat in equal measure. Just Terri Walker (Lady) and Camille Sledge of Sister Sledge appear on vocal duties, topping the whole thing off with a no-fuss vocal flair.