Contemporary Funk 447 Items

Limited Edition for Record Store Day 2019! Montreal’s finest Dave Allison aka Ed Wizard & Disco Double Dee has been delighting dancefloors around the globe since 2009. With his signature brand of chunky disco dubs infused with hip-hop flavours and a slow mo house feel. “Funk Wit Me” is classic Ed Wizard and features the talents of Nebraska on the remix. LTD Edition Green Vinyl.

First Word Records is very proud to present a brand new EP from Yazmin Lacey - 'When The Sun Dips 90 Degrees'.
This EP follows on from her two recent singles, '90 Degrees' and 'Something My Heart Trusts', both of which are included here, along with three previously unreleased tracks, 'Heaven', 'Body Needs Healing' and 'Burn & Rise'. This set illustrates again Yazmin's candid songwriting delivered in her uniquely laidback soulful style, whilst a glorious fusion of neo-soul and jazz performed by Pete Beardsworth and her trusty band rides throughout.
In recent times, Yazmin has made live appearances on Jazz FM, BBC Radio 4, 1Xtra and NTS, & received widespread acclaim across the airwaves, including BBC Radio 2, BBC 6 Music, Worldwide FM and Mi-Soul, plus Spotify love from the likes of The Independent and heavy support from DJs such as Gilles Peterson, Jamz Supernova, Tom Ravenscroft, Huey Morgan and Jamie Cullum. Yazmin appeared heavily in The Guardian / The Observer's recent extensive feature on the UK's new Jazz movement too.
Initially a Brownswood 'Future Bubbler' graduate, Yazmin self-released her debut EP, 'Black Moon', last year. This lead to a Maida Vale session late 2017 with Jordan Rakei, Moses Boyd, Oscar Jerome and now label-mates, Children of Zeus. She kicked off the year with a performance at the Worldwide Awards with Skinny Pelembe, and has recently done shows with artists such as Ezra Collective, Tall Black Guy and Fatima. Yazmin has a UK tour scheduled for later in the year, as well as several festival appearances across Europe locked in. There's a lot more to come from this Notts-based Londoner yet.
In Yazmin's words: "'90 Degrees' is about that time of the day / night when there's a shift in pace and energy. When you decide to lock off from the 'outside' world and create your own atmosphere, take some time to give thanks for what's breathing love into your life and smoke off the fuckeries. Everyone needs a little routine for self preservation."
The 5-track vinyl & digital EP is released worldwide on June 15th.

RSN is a producer, DJ and musician from Athens - Greece. his upcoming album "Strange Eyes" is his 4rth one, but also his debut on Agogo Records. this single features the song "Black Sky" feat. Thaliah in the original version and a pretty great rework by Amerigo Gazaway.

The Moritz Von Oswald Trio opens a new chapter. There's a new configuration to the project, with Tony Allen joining original members Moritz von Oswald and Max Loderbauer. Tony Allen, the legendary drummer who's amassed a formidable catalogue both as a solo artist and as part of Fela Kuti's band, has taken over percussion duties from Vladislav Delay. Together, von Oswald, Loderbauer and Allen form something close to a dream team, two masters of the electronic sphere meeting an afrobeat pioneer. Allen had already established a rapport with the group before they entered the studio to record Sounding Lines - he's been touring with von Oswald and Loderbauer for more than a year, playing live shows around the world. There has been an evolution on each new Moritz Von Oswald Trio record, and Sounding Lines is no different. The album, which was mixed by Ricardo Villalobos, maintains the project's trajectory—a fearless exploration of dub techno, classical music and jazz—but the prevailing mood feels looser and more organic than ever before. Allen's imperious percussive work sits tantalisingly in the mix. His drums meet the electronics of von Oswald and Loderbauer in a way that renders the project in new, vivid colours. There are 4/4 tracks, beatless interludes and complex jazz structures, with propulsive recordings ("3") coexisting alongside more languid moments ("1"). Sometimes Allen provides flourishes of drums (notably on "4") while at other times spectral synths come to the fore (as on "5"). Von Oswald, a masterful composer and arranger with a deep understanding of space, paints the crevices of each composition on Sounding Lines with rich detail. Individually, von Oswald, Loderbauer and Allen are formidable and hugely influential musicians. As a trio, they've conjured something remarkable.

Gregory Porter's early works are finally made available on proper vinyl!

Evolutionary Soul Music Spun with Writers Who Supported The Roots and Erykah Badu The theme of her latest album, "The Truth," is the "truth" that she discovered while touring the world, feeling the music scene with her five senses and interacting with many fans and musicians, which she calls "the highest art (real music). The Truth is that "real music" connects people across barriers. The Truth" was produced by Khari Mateen, a Grammy nominee who has written songs for Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, and many others. The song "I Love When" was co-written with Music Man Thai, who has written songs for Alicia Keys, Nicki Minaj, and others. The album embodies evolved soul music with a hint of its roots in soul, jazz, R&B, and funk, while incorporating the sensibilities of producers active around the world. The long-awaited new album is now born, containing a new sense of being led by music and connected by sound, the power of music felt locally, and a borderless sensibility that removes all barriers.

New York-Based Japanese Singer Nao Yoshioka's Latest Work, Which Challenges the US Mainstream Head-On, Is Now Available in Analog Format Nao Yoshioka is a Japanese soul singer who moved to the US in 2018 and has been enjoying unprecedented success as a Japanese soul singer, reaching #32 on the Billboard Urban Adult Contemporary charts and receiving acclaim from Rolling Stone. Undeniable" is the latest release from Nao Yoshioka, who has moved to New York and released his first album in three years, and is a stunning fusion of organic and digital sounds that are timeless and in tune with the theme of "impulse". The album, which is his fourth album to break into the mainstream of US R&B, was co-written in New York, LA and Philadelphia with Eric Roberson, Carli Mateen, Devin Morrison, Keir Victoria and other up-and-coming young artists, and was reconstructed with a band including Kyriam Shakespeare. The band played in a reworking of the piece. Philly masters such as Larry Gold and Vidal Davis also lend their skills, resulting in an aggressive, sensitive, world-class album.

Following last year's wonderful Anthropomorphic Fantasy EP, Byamm returns with another SUPER Limited private press modern Soul release !!
Crisp production taking in Gospel, heavyweight 80's Boogie, classic 2-step Soul and downtempo joints, this is another top quality selection...
Timeless song-writing and classic soul music.

"To change your mood or mental state - change your Vibration" A fragment from the Kyballion has deeply resonated with the band in recent years. Everything is mental, as Above so Below. Balthvs deeply believes in these tenets, and their manifestation is through music. Melodies that try to resonate deep within and generate a different type of Vibration.

From the psychedelic experience arises a more balanced lifestyle, and from arduous and uncertain times arises the desire to have inner peace of mind. Music is medicine for the soul and the trio plays this music to wind down, relax, and be more present. It's music from the 21st century, a time when the world has deeply connected to one another via the digital realm, cultures are now free from geographic boundaries, they influence, mesh, and collide with one another. Turkish melodies meet Latin rhythms, from instrumental tunes to Spanish and English lyrics.

The band freely takes from all corners of the world, and it reflects on the global audience they have slowly amassed in the past 4 years. Third Vibration is a celebration of life; a deep respect for the power of music.

Big Crown Records is proud to present Forever & Ever, the debut album from Thee Heart Tones. Hailing from Hawthorne, California, Thee Heart Tones are both carrying on a tradition and pushing the boundaries with their music. Lead singer Jazmine Alvarado is just 19 years old and the oldest member of the group, Jorge Rodriguez is 21, but one listen to their record and it becomes blatantly apparent they are a talent well beyond their years. Thee Heart Tones are Jazmine on vocals, Ricky Cerezo on keys and organ, Jorge on drums, Jeffrey Romero on bass, Peter Chagolla on lead guitar, and Walter Morales on rhythm guitar. As the story goes, "one day I got a DM from Ricky Cerezo asking if I wanted to write a song for his new (then unnamed) band," Jazmine says. "I knew his drummer and the other boys from middle school, so they were familiar faces. They sent me an mp3 of an instrumental they'd written and told me they wanted lyrics, so I wrote some and sent it to them." That song ended up being "Don't Take Me as a Fool," a downbeat, minor key ballad on which Jazmine's sultry, pitch-perfect vocals soar, and which is now destined for their debut album. Ricky went home to play "Don't Take Me As a Fool", recorded as a voice note on his phone, to his dad. "I was hesitant. Dad knew this music better than anyone; he grew up with it. But he grabbed my phone and held it to his ear. His approval meant a lot to me. But he had the same reaction Jorge and I did when we fi¬rst heard Jazmine sing. `This is going to be a hit,' he told me. `You guys have something really special here'." It was that same recording that caught the ears of Leon Michels and Danny Akalepse of Big Crown Records, who both heard the potential in the group immediately. After they signed to the label, Leon flew out to Los Angeles to record their debut album with Tommy Brenneck at Tommy's Diamond West studio. They knocked out 14 songs in fi¬ve days, capturing the charm of teenage soul and mixing it with their seasoned production prowess and the result is a modern classic Soul album. Album opener and title track "Forever & Ever" is an infectious two-stepper that instantly lifts your mood while heavy duty B side ballads like "Should I Call You Tonight", "Cry My Tears Away", and "It's Time" hold court with the genre's classics. They pick up the pace and ¬fill the dancefloor with "Need Something More" as Jazmine matter of factly sets the record straight on a Northern Soul styled track. They cover the Alvaro Carrillo penned classic "Sabor A Mi" to great effect, doing it justice and putting their version right up there with the best of them. Another standout is their version of The Vanguards classic "Somebody Please" which they change the tone of and take to a different level. The punching drums of "No Longer Mine" juxtapose Jazmine's honeyed vocals and wind up with the gritty energy of a mid-90s hip hop sample. Forever & Ever is both a testament to their unmistakable musical chemistry and talent. Their intentions as a band are testament to their collective character. Choosing to cover "Sabor A Mi" "allows us to let our audience know we go back to our roots," Jazmine says. "Growing up in LA, you get influenced by the city, the artwork, the music," Ricky says. "Dad didn't own a lowrider car, but other members of our family did. Impalas. El Caminos. We were influenced by the culture, particularly Chicano culture. And oldies and soul music played a big part." The style. The culture. The nod to the past. "That's what we're going for. We want to connect young Chicanos with their heritage. And we want to unite people _ old and young."

"the Number ONE SET AND Sound" is musician Danny Balis (bastards OF Soul) and producer Jeff "skin" Wade teaming up to turn several of Balis' lockdown demos into grooves of 70's American R&B and West African funk with hints of afrobeat, jazz and Latin soul. Features Large Professor of Main Source, Adrian Quesada of Black Pumas, Uncle ROY & Spice (US!) and The D.O.C.

Mishell Ivon and Vincent Kwok combine their talents to present "High", a bouncy, funky tune that celebrates being high on life, love, and all the good things. Based around a funky beat with a syncopated bass line that is almost percussive in nature, Mishell's vocals weave in and out playfully around the synth stabs and keyboard parts on Vincent's production making sure that you can't help but move along with the groove. In The Dust is a funky workout called In The Dust that combines a rhythmic baseline with Mishell's sumptuous vocals together in a track that will leave the listener "in the Dust" with its energy

Accomplished NYC singer-songwriter Kelli Sae unveils joyful new single Good Feeling on 21st June 2024, the first fruit of her fourth solo artist album due early next year. Good Feeling swings, sways and shimmies with playful Latino spirit; a summer-fun delight all about seizing the day and embracing love and life. Sae’s sizzling vocals dance in and around deft keys, layered horns, tight guitar parts and, of course, that infectious percussion. Verses switch up to agile scat solos and down to emotive breakdowns – it’s the very best of feelings….

Good Feeling is produced by Chris Franck, co-founder of Da Lata, chief instigator behind Zeep, Smoke City and Batu, and long-standing mastermind for a wealth of other studio projects and remixes. The record features a talented cast of musicians including award-winning Brazilian composer Rafael Martini, who arranged and conducted the horn sections in one of Latin music’s truest heartlands Belo Horizonte.

Kelli Sae’s story has it all. An internationally acclaimed artist, she previously shone as lead vocalist for renowned jazz-funk collectives Incognito, Count Basic and Defunkt, and worked with Tina Turner, Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, Ashford & Simpson and Me’shell Ndegéocello among others. Born of Puerto Rican, African and French descent, Sae has soulful eclecticism in her blood. The exciting mix of sounds, cultures and influences across her three, independently-released solo albums to date is testament to this, as well as her respected forays into composing, playwrighting and stage performance.

Good Feeling is Kelli Sae’s latest impactful outing for Reel People Music, following singles Good Love, Right Now and Believe In A Brighter Day earlier this decade. The special relationship is set to blossom further over the coming months. We. Can’t. Wait.

repress, black vinyl, black silk screen print

file under drumfunk, hip hop, meters

Big AC Records are proud to present ‘Wonderland’, the astonishing debut LP from London-based soul ensemble, Wonder 45. The album is set for release on Friday 31st May and is available to pre-order on LP and CD now from www.bigacrecords.com
The band have released a steady stream of singles over the last few months, receiving international airplay and strong support across the UK Radio network. Their second single, ‘Cry’ was playlisted on BBC Radio 2 for three weeks in early 2024 and was also heavily rotated on BBC 6 Music and KEXP in Seattle. The follow-up ‘Make It Happen’ was premiered on 6 Music by Craig Charles, who touted Wonder 45 as “One To Watch” in 2024.
Continuing in the best traditions of contemporary soul performance from Sharon Jones, Black Pumas, Alabama Shakes, as well as Al Green, Aretha Franklin and in the case of the title track, “like a 21st century Joe Cocker”(Blues and Soul Magazine), the nine tracks of ‘Wonderland’ are sincere affairs of the heart, crafted with tremendous loving care and the utmost attention to detail. The band’s rich, analogue production combined with powerful, soulful performances and heartfelt songwriting, make you feel as though you’re the only one in the room.
‘Wonderland’ straddles the line between traditional and contemporary soul with ease, but wherever it sits in your playlist it’s an album packed full of feeling. From the blown out and tear-stained vocals in ‘Cry’ to the gentle reassurance of ‘Nothing Gonna Change’, the vocals soar on this record, flying on the wings of smooth horns, organ and beautiful bass.
The title track ‘Wonderland’ has a real fairground feel, taking you on a spin through what feels like the world’s most intense one night stand. But there’s plenty of pace here too – ‘Superman’ storms through the skies leaving you feeling superfly with some gritty drums and tight AF guitar, while ‘Walk Into The Fire’ inducts you into the cult of Wonder 45 with some heavy beats made for dancing, but leave you on an emotional high. And if you need something to bring you up, Make It Happen will inspire you with huge horns and vocals.
Expect heart, soul, blood, sweat and tears to run through the playground of funk and soul sounds that is ‘Wonderland’. Need to know how authentic funk and soul goes down? Wonder no more.