Back catalogue: Funk Soul & Jazz

Review: QASB's Kono Machi De single, released on Soul Garden Japan, is a vibrant blend of Japanese soul with jazz funk and city pop influences. Side-1 features the Shuya Okino edit of 'Kono Machi De Aka In This Town,' which emphasises a groovy rhythm, enhancing the track's infectious energy. Side-2, has the original version which delivers a feel-good mix of disco strings and a lively horn section, reminiscent of Taste of Honey. Written by Moritaka as a tribute to her hometown Kumamoto, the song includes a nod to Tomari River, a location tied to collaborator Yuichi Takahashi. Having the option of both versions make this 7" a great little 45 to have.

Review: Q.A.S.B. is a Japanese funk and soul ensemble with a.yu.mi. handling lead vocals, a singer celebrated for her funky style reminiscent of James Brown but captured here in a more romantic and subdued mood here. 'Will' is a new single on Soul Garden that offers up soulful and pop-leading sounds with elegant vocals and graceful grooves backed by big band horns. Interestingly, the same tune gets served up again on the flipside, only sung in English. It neither improves nor detracts from the original but proves to be an interesting experiment for that reason.

Review: The remastered 7" reissue from Brazil 45s/Mr Bongo features two highly coveted tracks from Quinteto Ternura and their predecessor, Trio Ternura. This pressing revives two rare gems from the past with a fresh, high-quality cut. On Side-1, Quinteto Ternura delivers 'Baby,' a dazzling Brazilian modern soul track penned by Caetano Veloso and arranged by Arthur Verocai. Originally from their 1974 self-titled LP, this song is a smooth blend of tropical bliss and has long been a cherished rarity. Flipping to the Side-2, Trio Ternura's 'Filhos De Zambi' offers an upbeat samba-funk delight. Released in the same year, this track is filled with vibrant energy from the original trio, featuring a catchy chorus and a dynamic key change. Co-written by the siblings' father Umberto Silva and Jose Ribamar, it remains a dancefloor favorite. This reissue provides a valuable opportunity to own these classic tracks in their prime.

Review: Will Holland is Quantic and with this project he has explored myriad different musical worlds, has traversed many different areas, most notably immersing himself in many aspects of Latin American music culture, often through collaboration. He's switched it up for this new record after first starting out with some experiments that soon turned into a love letter to disco which has long been a powerful emotional tool. He brings his own sense of percussive energy to the genre and has again worked with an array of talented mates including Connie Constance and Rationale plus vocalist Andreya Triana.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Creasing to corner of outer sleeve but otherwise in excellent condition***


The new album by Quantic - aka. multi instrumentalist, DJ, composer and producer Will Holland - is in many ways an evolution. Now twenty years into his career, Dancing While Falling is the British-born, New York-based artist's most live sounding, euphoric and, in his own words, grown-up release to date. Capturing the beginnings of every good person's revelatory movement from an individual to a collective spirit, Holland originally began the album in his Brooklyn studio, before realising that he didn't just want to make a record that reflected his 'singular pandemic wormhole', but rather one that tapped into the essential togetherness of the human condition. So too does this record explore themes of connection felt through, and made more intense by, the antagonistic bouts of loneliness that characterised COVID-19. Influenced by legendary artists in the scene like Bohannon and Larry Levan, Quantic wanted to make a disco -eaning album at first; "I'm really interested in Latin music and Afro Caribbean rhythms and I think there's a really amazing point in history where the emergence of those rhythms and its combination with American soul sparked what we now know as disco," he says. This PIAS extended edition comes one year on from its initial 2023 release, Quantic here expands on his work by adding a ream of extended versions.

Review: The new album by Quantic - aka. multi instrumentalist, DJ, composer and producer Will Holland - is in many ways an evolution. Now twenty years into his career, Dancing While Falling is the British-born, New York-based artist's most live sounding, euphoric and, in his own words, grown-up release to date. Capturing the beginnings of every good person's revelatory movement from an individual to a collective spirit, Holland originally began the album in his Brooklyn studio, before realising that he didn't just want to make a record that reflected his 'singular pandemic wormhole', but rather one that tapped into the essential togetherness of the human condition. So too does this record explore themes of connection felt through, and made more intense by, the antagonistic bouts of loneliness that characterised COVID-19. Influenced by legendary artists in the scene like Bohannon and Larry Levan, Quantic wanted to make a disco -eaning album at first; "I'm really interested in Latin music and Afro Caribbean rhythms and I think there's a really amazing point in history where the emergence of those rhythms and its combination with American soul sparked what we now know as disco," he says. This PIAS extended edition comes one year on from its initial 2023 release, Quantic here expands on his work by adding a ream of extended versions.

Review: Following the success of their first collaborative album, 2017's Curao, Will 'Quantic' Holland and Colombian "folkloric" singer-songwriter India Gongora have once more joined forces for a second joint full-length. Designed as a musical exploration of "the nostalgia of impossible love", the set's uniquely eclectic, widescreen sound joins the dots between the traditional styles of Colombia's pacific coast, cumbia, rock, string-drenched South American ballads and the kind of hard-to-pigeonhole, musically intricate productions that were once the preserve of Rotary Connection's Charles Stepney. It's a terrific album all told, with Holland conjuring up genuine musical magic and Gongora delivering some of the most stunning sounding vocals of her career.

Review: Adrian Quesada is a multi-instrumentalist and producer who featured in the Grammy-winning Grupo Fantasma as well a plethora of other ventures like Black Puma and The Echocentrics. Now he's back with a new solo album which celebrates the funky, psych-licked sound that washed through Latin America in the 60s and 70s. It almost comes on like a library record, so silky is the sound, but there's enough nuance and expression edged into the playing to take it into a more personal sphere. If you dig groove-minded crafters like Quantic, you're going to love the sound of Adrian Quesada.

Review: Released in 1977, this Nigerian rock album remains a hidden gem, rediscovered by a new generation thanks to recent reissues. Produced by Odion Iruoje, the album features a group of college students whose music captures the vibrant, post-civil war Nigerian rock scene. With a sound that blends Western rock influences like The Beatles, Buffalo Springfield and early Genesis with a distinct African touch, the album is a joyful yet melancholic exploration of love and harmony. Tracks like 'Love', 'Be Nice to the People' and 'Mary Enne' showcase the band's signature blend of fuzz guitar and heartfelt vocals. The music resonates with the exuberance of other African bands like Blo and Witch, yet it stands out with its heavy fuzz guitar and English vocals, steering clear of political or social activism in favor of pure, emotional expression. This album, recorded in Kenya, captures a moment in history when African rock was evolving, bridging cultures and sounds. It's a timeless piece, equally nostalgic, fresh and perfect entry point into African psychedelia for new listeners and a rewarding revisit for those already familiar with the genre.

Review: Quiet Dawn's latest offering, Celebrate, is an 11-track testament to the eclectic talent that has made him a cornerstone of the First Word family for a decade. Following in the footsteps of his previous ventures, particularly the Movements EP, this album seamlessly blends broken beat flavors with a diverse range of influences. Featuring luminaries like Bembe Segue, LyricL, and Oliver Night, Celebrate is a terrific drift through soulful grooves, lively bars and infectious rhythms. From uplifting jazz samba vibes to downtempo boom bap, Quiet Dawn effortlessly melds organic and electronic elements, creating a good dose of positivity and good vibes. Tracks like 'Celebrate,' composed with his son on his lap, and collaborations with talents like Bembe Segue and Oliver Night, highlight Quiet Dawn's ability to translate personal moments into universal celebrations of life, love and cultural diversity. With infectious energy and a message of turning negativity into positivity, Celebrate invites listeners to dance, reflect and embrace the richness of our individual journeys.

Review: Mad About Records officially reissues super rare private press Quintessence's 1981 LP. Surprisingly for the level of talent and production / recording wit that it flaunts, Quintessence was one of many original jazz LPs to remain in private circulation and thus completely wanting of the public ear. Led by Ron Ancrum, with George Sovak, David Gaedeke, Winston Johnson and Steve Muse, the band nonetheless recorded an exceptional slice of artistic pie here, bringing Rhodesy, tritoning sundowners to the then already well-fleshed milieu of 80s jazz, an unmistakably bulbous and gaudy sound to which Quintessence do much justice; our favourite here by far is 'In My Apartment', a tssking blue-jazz suite for boughed double bass and noir piano.

Review: Recorded at Fish Factory Studios in London in April 2021, Abbreviations by Qwalia reflects meticulous editing and post-production that condenses raw recordings into seven intricate tracks. Featuring collaborators Ernesto Marichales (percussion), Miryam Solomon (vocals), and Valeria Pozzo (violin, viola), the album expands on the success of "Sound & Reason," which was championed by Gilles Peterson and Mary Anne Hobbs. Tracks like 'Elevator Company' transform jam sessions around Tal Janes' guitar into lounge grooves with Solomon's ethereal vocals blurring ambient and improvised music. Meanwhile, 'The Spin' dives into trance-like intensity, capturing the band's energy after exhaustive recording sessions.