Back catalogue: Funk

Review: Mr Bongo kickstarts a new Afro 45s series with serious intention; all-girl troupe from Guinea Amazones De Guinee take the lead with a live recording from Paris, 1983. Taken from their Au Coeur De Paris album, it's the perfect example of a live recording with the balance of musicianship and crowd participation precision tuned. Flip for the previously rare 1980 recording by Ivory Coast's Moussa Doumbia whose smoky vocals and JB-level shrieks hit hard over a clam-tight Afrofunk rhythm. What a way to start a new series.

Review: Regarded by many as Fela and The Africa 70's zenith, Confusion is 26 minutes of total Afrofunk immersion delivered over two sides. Gradually building - thanks largely to Tony Allen's dynamic drum work that's as delicate as it is powerful, Fela's dreamy, almost jazz-like keys and a rigid, spine-like rhythm guitar - the groove and narrative is developed with a natural sense of well-instrumented drama. A genuine classic, if your collection isn't blessed with this now is most certainly the time.

Review: Back in 1976, legendary highlife artist Pat Thomas decided to throw his weight behind Ghanian three-piece Marjarita. Thanks to his patronage, they made quite an impact with their debut album (Pat Thomas Introduces Marjita), before striking gold with their killer follow-up, This is Marjita. Since then, the album has become something of a "holy grail" for Afro-funk collectors, with copies changing hands for astonishing sums of money. Happily, Mr Bongo has decided to license and reissue it. The album contains four superb workouts: the hard funk brilliance of "Break Through", the organ-heavy Afrobeat fuzziness of "No Condition is Permanent", the reggae-influenced wonder of "I Walk Alone" and the superior highlife of "We Live in Peace".

Review: Soundway's debut Sierra Leone exploration introduces us to Muyei Power who toured their country (and, on occasion, the US) throughout much of the 70s. With only a handful of 45s recorded, their sound has been largely unheard for the last 30/40 years. Until now. Complete with detailed liner notes and artwork, this album is a fantastic document. More importantly, it sounds fantastic: stretching from the more western influenced funk dynamic of "Bi Loko" to the frenetic percussive fusion of "Be Patient" via the smoky, mournful horns on the folky "Ben Ben Bee" there's a unique sound that resonates with everything else you know and love about African music during the ever-fertile 70s, yet rings and stamps with a life of its own.

Review: Soundway surpass themselves again with this wonderful reissue from the Ghanaian artist Rob, who released two albums back in 1977 for the West African Essiebons label. Rob was a seasoned musician in the 70?s, having recorded and toured with many well known bands. The album is a somewhat Spartan, brooding affair where less is most definitely more as slow burning, hip swaying cosmic funk drenched compositions are offset by wonderful punchy brass arrangements. A slow burning pulse is present throughout with highlights being ''Loose up Yourself'' and the irreplaceable carnal conquest anthem '' Make it Fast, Make it Slow''. Songs of celebration sit alongside other pieces of introspection and socially conscious topics; some might criticise the odd duff notes and occasional raw vocal edge, but this just adds texture to the overall performance and vibe. Without question one of the best reissues of 2012.

Review: Shango is the name for the Yoruba 'Thunder God' in Nigeria and Ojo Okeji, the leader of the Shango Dance Band was all about injecting military power and warlike energy in his own strain of Nigerian highlife and afrobeat. However, apart from all of Okeji's cult-like stories involving him and his part in the Nigerian army during a time of civil unrest in the late 60's and through to the 70's, and his often troublesome relationship with the great Fela Kuti, the truly special aspect of the Shango Dance Band album is that it was never properly released following its production in 1974. Comb & Razor have done the right thing here and, without them, this magical LP would still be locked away in the never-ending vaults of Nigerian music. This is very personal, incredibly singular African jazz-dance with a raucous psychedelic edge that lifts it high and mighty above the competition. A truly special album - DO NOT MISS IT.

Review: We love RSD only for one thing, and that's providing us with inaccessible records that have been snapped-up by Discogs sharks over the years. This timely reissue of Pat Thomas second LP from 1976, the wonderful Marijata, is one such record that has become impossible to find in its original format, and one which allows us to have some access to the highlife beat, one of our biggest loves. While much of this album rests in classic soul and funk, Pat Thomas' Ghanaian influences are loud and present, whether through the guitars, the aesthetics of each instrumental and, of course, the quality of the recording itself. Funk out to some ORIGINAL STYLE. Cop it quick!

Review: Another work of Soul Jazz curatorial gold: Nigeria Soul Fever is a detailed gatefold trip into one of Nigeria's richest chapters in music. Heavy trade restrictions allowed them to develop their own style without too much US or European influence and the result is an array of national talent who largely remained legends within their own borders. The range is mesmerizing; the sinewy synth and playground vocal Q&A of Benis Cletin's "Get Up & Dance", the ballroom disco soul of Tee Mac's "Living Everyday", the soulful afrofunk folk of Jimmy Sherry's "Nwaeze", the gut-punching power of Arakatula's album finale "Wake Up Africa". This is a treasure trove of unreleased gems that capture a truly unique time.

Review: For their latest tribute to Nigeria's booming music scene of the '70s and early '80s, Comb & Razor Sound has decided to do things differently. Whereas most compilations of vintage Nigerian grooves focus on music made in and around the bustling city of Lagos, Calabar-Itu Road looks instead at tracks made and released by those in South Eastern Nigeria. In true crate-digging fashion, the two records here - featuring tracks from previously unheralded stars of the "Calabar" scene, including Etubom Rex Willians and Cross River Nationale - come accompanied by a thoroughly researched, 44-page booklet telling the story of the region's love affair with popular music. If you're interested in African funk, soul and disco, it should be an essential purchase.