Cultures Of Soul 20 Items

Release: 2019 / US – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Saturday Night: South African Disco Pop Hits

LP | 2021 | US | Original (Cultures Of Soul)

26,99 €*

Release: 2021 / US – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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The 1980s were an epoch of upheaval and rapid change in South Africa. The decade began with the country’s apartheid government fighting to maintain its institutionalized racial segregation in the face of global protests and demands for the release of human rights activist Nelson Mandela, who had been jailed since the early 1960s. By 1990, Mandela was free, and apartheid was on the way to being dismantled. On the music front, things were changing too; At the beginning of the decade, the main music style of black South Africans was the jazzy indigenous jive of mbaqanga, a provincial style that had held its place as the sound of South Africa since Mandela was first imprisoned. By the end of the decade, South African music stars were making international waves with bubblegum, a flashy variety of Afro-techno-pop. In Saturday Night: South African Disco POP Hits, Cultures of Soul explores this period of change, and the intermediary forms that filled the gap between mbaqanga and bubblegum. The years when South African musicians and producers wrestled with the incursion of foreign disco and formulated their own style of homegrown disco-pop. Starting from the early 80s, when bands like Varikweru, Black Five and Soundburger essayed local attempts at boogie and jazz-fusion, through experiments like the Madonna-cloned diva Margino, who domesticized the burgeoning Italo-disco and NYC electro sounds, up through the massive breakthrough of Brenda and the Big Dudes, who arrived at the right mix between native and international influences to point the way forward for South African pop. The sound on these records is ostensibly familiar, drawing heavily on models from the 1980s dance culture in Europe and America, but if you listen closely enough you can hear the distinct South African-ness of it all—from the deep, burbling basslines, the brightly hypnotic melodies, and chant-like lyrics—and with sounds as intoxicating as these, you will sure want to listen closely. And often!

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Greg Belson's Divine Funk: Rare American Gospel Funk & Soul

LP | 2021 | US | Original (Cultures Of Soul)

26,99 €*

7" | 2017 | US | Original (Cultures Of Soul)

Release: 2021 / US – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Following on from the success of ‘Greg Belson’s Divine Disco’ series Greg Belson and Cultures of Soul team up again to explore the world of Gospel Funk. Belson is one of the world's leading collectors and DJs of gospel music. You hold in your hands a collection of some of the rarest Gospel funk records from Belson’s amazing collection featuring everything from the laid back breakbeat laced “I Don’t Want to Be Alone" by Allen Gauff Jr to the high octane and socially-on-point take of the Gospel classic ‘This Little Light Of Mine’ by the Gospel Ambassadors to drum break funk of the Wearyland Singers ‘If You See Me Doing Wrong” to the sublime soulfulness of Zella Jackson’s “Days Are Just Like People." Without a doubt though, all of the artists included in this compilation, believed in themselves, the message, and the direction of the Gospel Funk intensity you hear within these grooves. Gettin’ on the Good Foot for God? Listen and decide for yourselves!

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The Apostles

Banko Woman

11,99 €*

LP | 1981 | US | Reissue (Cultures Of Soul)

Release: 2017 / US – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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For over forty years, the Apostles of Aba have stood as the jewel in the crown of the music scene in Eastern Nigeria. Since their formation in 1973, the band has turned out memorable performances in a variety of styles including rock, soul, funk, pop and
reggae. Even today, the Apostles continue to thrill audiences in their hometown of Aba with dazzling shows. Cultures of Soul is proud to present one of the Apostles’ more obscure—yet relentlessly funky recordings in a full-color custom reverse board jacket. Banko
Woman, originally released on the eponymous LP on Love Day Records in 1977. Straddling the world realms of afro-funk and disco, the track has long been a coveted dance floor filler amongst DJs, and for the first time is available for a wider audience. On the B-side is “Faith, Luck & Music,” also from the original Banko Woman album.

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Space Cats

Something New

23,99 €*

Release: 1981 / US – Reissue

Genre: Organic Grooves

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12" | 2019 | US | Original (Cultures Of Soul)

Sabrina Rich

Smooth Operator

14,99 €*

LP | 2023 | UK | Original (Cultures Of Soul)

Release: 2019 / US – Original

Genre: Reggae & Dancehall

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Cultures of Soul is very excited to announce this killer tropical reggae cover of Sade's Smooth Operator. Recorded at Circle Sound Studios in Miami the backing track was recorded by members of the famous reggae outfit Inner Circle with vocals by local area rising star at the time, Sabrina Rich. Sabrina (her real name is actually Sabrena) had been making records in her and her ex-husband's studio in their garage for years. The result of which was the disco 12" Exit/Whispering. Around this time Sabrina was performing in the Palm Beach / Boca Raton area of Florida and performed with Jimmy Bo Horne. Some time after Sabrina worked with a man named Kenneth Corey who mastered her recordings. Kenneth referred her to Roger and Ian Lewis of Inner Circle to help press up their vinyl. They became friends and around 1985 recorded Smooth Operator. During this time they were working and partying hard and experimenting with different ideas and sounds. The track was originally released in small numbers as sort of a demo and never really took off. Shortly after Inner Circle went on tour in Europe and the single went into obscurity until many years later when copies of the record turned up in New York and Toronto. This 12" includes a special discomix edit by Duckcomb a.k.a. Patrick Billard, DJ and record collector extraordinaire.

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Wild Fire

Dance Hits

28,99 €*

7" | 1980 | UK | Reissue (Cultures Of Soul)

Release: 2023 / UK – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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In the late '70s Wild Fire was one of the more popular groups in Trinidad. Formed by Oliver “Stompy” Chapman back in 1962 the group was originally named the Sparks. By the disco era Wild Fire were the house band at night clubs like Disco Tracks and the Upper Level. The group was very influenced by disco, especially the famous British group, Hot Chocolate known for the classic disco hit ”You Sexy Thing.” Hot Chocolate’s chief songwriter, Tony Wilson was originally a Trinidadian native and also great friends with Oliver Chapman. The opening track on this compilation is "Try Making Love", a floor-filling track written by Tony Wilson in 1977 and recorded at Coral Sound Studio in Port of Spain. It was there that Oliver Chapman laid down the unforgettable bass line, solidifying its status as a surefire hit. The infectious tune held steady at the number one slot for six weeks in Trinidad and eventually climbed to the top of the charts in Barbados. Recorded at KH Studios, “Living On A String” with its unique disco synth sound by keyboard player Calvin Duncan was about the hard living of one trying to survive as a musician and hoping to one day partake in the material strappings of fame. “The Rebels” was more about the political struggle for the young in the country at the time. There was a lot of corruption in the government and a lot of young people out of work. The song called to stand up and rebel against the regime. And years later in 1990 it did happen when the Muslim group Jamaat al Muslimeen stormed the Red House (Trinidad’s Parliament House) and took cabinet members hostage. Wild Fire would go on to tour the Caribbean extensively including stops in Barbados, Antigua, St. Thomas and Guadeloupe. The group had a massive local hit with their track “Say A Little Prayer.” The group would disband in 1985 and Oliver Chapman would move to America. Wild Fire - Dance Hits is a collection of Wild Fire's more dance friendly material.

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Betty Griffin

Free Spirit

13,99 €*

12" | 2017 | US | Original (Cultures Of Soul)

Release: 1980 / UK – Reissue

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Betty Griffin's "Free Spirit" was previously released on the 2016 compilation - Greg Belson's Divine Disco Volume 1. This 7-inch comes with two epic remixes of the track. These remixes are being released as a celebration for the 10 Year Anniversary of Greg Belson's significant radio show - “Divine Chord Gospel Show” on Dub Lab. Both tracks were remixed by the Divine Situation featuring Paulo Fulci and Greg Belson. The A-side remix, Divine Situation NYC Downlow Rework is influenced by their DJ appearances at Glastonbury's Downlow Club Room while the B-Side is more of an instrumental version. Both are pure fire for the dancefloor!

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Junior Byron

Trying To Hold On

14,99 €*

Novos Baianos / Dom Salvador

Release: 2017 / US – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Cultures of Soul is back! This time it's with a new set of 12"s - the Carib Boogie Synth series. Featuring the iciest synths, the slickest basslines, and other '80s-sounding vibes from the Caribbean islands, all of the tracks are fully licensed. First up in the series is the killer Junior Byron track "Trying To Hold On," written and produced by Wild Fire's Oliver Chapman and originally released on the Wild Fire label back in 1985. The A-side includes the original mix as well as the Version. On the B-side we've got the epic "Megamix." The track was reworked by Gerd Janson, who created the mix old-school style with two copies of the record, a mixer, and an EFX box. Adding the final touches to this track is mixing and mastering engineer LOPAZZ, who mastered many of the best techno tracks in the Get Physical catalog and released the seminal dance-classic "I Need Ya" on Output.

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Juventude Sexta E Sabado / Uma Vida

7" | 2016 | US | Original (Cultures Of Soul)

9,99 €*

Antonio Carlos Jobim / Os Incriveis

Release: 2016 / US – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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When Greg Caz and Deano Sounds teamed up to create The Brasileiro Treasure Box Of Funk & Soul they created a collection of vintage Brazilian music that stretches across the scope of funk, soul, and psychedelic. Co-compiler and Brazilian music aficionado, Greg Caz says: “Without necessarily having a central theme other than funky nuggets from the first half of the 70s, we believe this compilation displays its own particular sense of logic, and that these songs ultimately all sound fantastic together. Regardless of one’s familiarity, or lack thereof, with artists like Antonio Carlos & Jocafi, Os Incríveis, Toni Tornado or Celia, the material on these 45s speaks its own truth and justifies their inclusion here. Many of these were originally available as singles, while others were taken from albums, but all are guaranteed to find their way into many DJ boxes and playlists.” The stunning 45s from this set will now be available for individual sale. The series wraps up with a split 45 featuring Novos Bainos haunting Jeventude Sexta E Sabado on the A Side and on the flip, the cinematic sounding Uma Vida, the 1971 cut from Dom Salvador E Abolicao.

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Quem Vem La / Paz E Amor

7" | 2015 | US | Original (Cultures Of Soul)

9,99 €*

7" | 2015 | US | Original (Cultures Of Soul)

Release: 2015 / US – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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"When Greg Caz and Deano Sounds teamed up to create The Brasileiro Treasure Box Of Funk & Soul they created a collection of vintage Brazilian music that stretches across the scope of funk, soul, and psychedelic. Co-compiler and Brazilian music aficionado, Greg Caz says: “Without necessarily having a central theme
other than funky nuggets from the first half of the 70s, we believe this compilation displays its own particular
sense of logic, and that these songs ultimately all sound fantastic together. Regardless of one’s familiarity, or lack thereof, with artists like Antonio Carlos & Jocafi, Os Incríveis, Toni Tornado or Celia, the material on these 45s speaks its own truth and justifies their inclusion here. Many of these were originally available as singles, while others were taken from albums, but all are guaranteed to find their way into many
DJ boxes and playlists.”

The stunning 45s from this set will now be available for individual sale. The series kicks off with Toni Tornado’s 1972 single Bochechuda b/w Aposta as well as a split 45 with the out and out rocker from Antônio Carlos & Jocafi (Quem Vem Lá) on the A-Side and the groove laden “Paz E Amor” from Os Incriveis on the B-Side."

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Toni Tornado

Bochechuda / Aposta

9,99 €*

Release: 2015 / US – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Take Us Home: Boston Roots Reggae (1979-1988)

2LP | 2019 | US | Original (Cultures Of Soul)

28,99 €*

Release: 2019 / US – Original

Genre: Reggae & Dancehall

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LP | 1977 | US | Reissue (Cultures Of Soul)

SJOB Movement

Friendship Train

20,99 €*

LP | 2019 | US | Original (Cultures Of Soul)

Release: 1977 / US – Reissue

Genre: Organic Grooves

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SJOB Movement's “Friendship Train” was the second LP by the group and one which saw the group rise to new heights. It's a masterpiece of African music with it's fluid afro beat grooves and spaced out Moog synthesizer sounds. Here is an excerpt from the liner notes written and researched by Uchenna Ikonne: ""Prince Bola Agbana might hardly be the most immediately recognizable name in the constellation of Nigerian music stars, but for a significant portion of the last half-century he labored in the shadows, dutifully serving as one of the key movers in its development: An in-demand session musician. An early and respected exponent of funk. A catalyst in the retrofit of juju into a modern pop genre. Most of all, though, he is recognized as the founder, leader, drummer and principal vocalist of the SJOB Movement. SJOB: Sam, Johnnie, Ottah, Bola. For a moment in the mid-1970s, they were le dernier cri in modern Nigerian music, representing the next step in the evolution of afro rhythms, and a new paradigm for the band economy. Their first album, 1976’s “A Move in the Right Direction”, was a minor sensation and was swiftly followed by “Friendship Train” in 1977. Then it appeared that the movement stopped moving, and SJOB disappeared from the scene.

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Bro David

Modern Music From Belize

23,99 €*

LP | 2018 | US | Original (Cultures Of Soul)

Release: 2019 / US – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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The Caribbean has long been an incubator for the sounds that will animate and shape the culture of the rest of the world for decades to come: From the rhythms of Cuba helping to shape American jazz, blues and rock n’ roll, to Trinidadian calypso introducing a bouncy lightness and gaiety to American party music, to Jamaica’s reggae showing a new way to rebel against convention. But what about the music of Belize, the Caribbean nation that holds the odd position of being a former British colony on the coat of Spanish-speaking Central America? Most people don’t know about the country at all, let alone about the rich sounds it has to offer. Bredda David Obi set out to change that in 1984 with the release of his debut LP No Fear, and the introduction of a new Belizean groove he called kungo or cungo. A mélange of traditional Belizean brukdown music and sprinklings of the rock, funk, calypso and reggae he had played n various bands during his years as a journeyman in the United States. He would further develop this modern tropical sound on subsequent albums, integrating more and more elements from Belizean niche genres like sambai and paranda. Cultures of Soul is proud to take part in documenting Bredda David’s journey into the soul of Belize with an anthology of his early recordings including tracks from No Fear, Cungo Musik 1987 and We No Wa No Kimba Ya 1990 albums. Bredda David’s kungo is hard to describe exactly—its various ingredients make it feel somewhat familiar, but the recipe with which he blends them is slightly strange, fresh and intriguing. But one thing is for certain, it is sure to electrify the dance floor and make everybody jump up and bruk down! Housed in a gatefold jacket with extensive liner notes by Uchenna Ikonne.

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Yoruba Singers

Fighting For Survival

19,19 €* 23,99 € -20%

Release: 2018 / US – Original

Genre: Reggae & Dancehall

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"Having remained continuously active since 1971, the
Yoruba Singers are the longest-running musical group
in Guyana. Emerging from a music scene mostly
dominated by slick, commercial entertainment, the
Yoruba Singers brought a new dimension to Guyana
popular music, cooking up a potent stew of afrocentric
vibes, steeped in a committed invocation of the
country’s African heritage.
The Yoruba Singers released several recordings
during their imperial period in the nineteen seventies
and eighties, but what is broadly regarded as the
group’s magnum opus is the 1981 album Fighting for
Survival. The album sums up the group’s first decade
of operation, serving up a heavy mix of calypso, jazzy
funk, reggae and afrobeat. Initially released on the
short-lived Interculture label and later reissued on a
Guyana-only compact disk, the album has long been
more talked about than actually heard. But thanks
to Cultures of Soul a new edition is now available
in wide release, and with it comes the opportunity
to experience some of the deepest grooves the
Caribbean has to offer!"

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Saturday Night: South African Disco Pop Hits

CD | 2021 | US | Original (Cultures Of Soul)

14,39 €* 17,99 € -20%

Release: 2021 / US – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Greg Belson's Devine Disco Volume 2: Gospel Disco '79-87

2LP | 2019 | US | Original (Cultures Of Soul)

31,99 €*

Release: 2019 / US – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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San Francisco Christian Center Choir

The Sound Of The San Francisco Christian Center

LP | 2020 | US | Original (Cultures Of Soul)

28,99 €*

12" | 2017 | US | Original (Cultures Of Soul)

Release: 2020 / US – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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When most people think of the musical legacy of San Francisco, the first thing that usually comes to mind is the Summer of Love. Much less likely are you to hear about the City by the Bay’s rich heritage of gospel music. Cultures Of Soul is proud to revisit this chapter in the city’s history with the reissue of The Sound Of The San Francisco Christian Center. The San Francisco Christian Center was one of the first churches to open its doors to disaffected hippies searching for a deeper spiritual substance. This era saw new, youth-driven forms of “Jesus music” that fused gospel messages with rock aesthetics. Chief amongst these new-style gospel artists was the San Francisco-based Andraé Crouch, who was one of the influences behind this recording. As a historical document, it provides a breathtaking view into the roots of contemporary gospel music, but as just pure music, it is a transcendent listening experience.

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Benjamin Ball

I Just Keep Dancing

14,99 €*