Funk | Soul Vinyl 121 Items

Johnnie Mae Mathews is fondly referred to as being 'The Godmother Of Detroit Soul' as she was responsible for creating at least 8 different Detroit record labels and for discovering and nurturing many future Motown artists in their early years. In fact she was a major source of inspiration for the young Berry Gordy, founder of Motown. We are delighted to finally be releasing what many people consider to be the pinnacle of independent Detroit Soul music, the impeccable and gut-wrenching 'I Have No Choice', the defining record of Johnnie Mae Mathews many recordings with the equally impressive 'That’s When It Hurts' on the flip. 'I Have No Choice' is a record that has finally hit the heights it always deserved after being a cult record for almost 50 years and is now commanding a staggering £1200-1500 for a decent original copy for those lucky enough to be in that league. This will be a historic RSD release with comprehensive notes and photos from Johnnie Mae Mathews expert Richard Gilbert. If you’re a Soul music fan, then this record is indispensable. Full picture sleeve featuring Johnny herself in full swing, with liner notes, and fully remastered, heavyweight vinyl 45.

Highly in demand killer 'soulful' Deep Funk smasher with great breakbeats, limited repress

Kashmere Stage Band (ksb), founded by music teacher Conrad O. Johnson was an elite performing unit of the student band at Kashmere High School, Houston, Texas, from the late 1960s until 1978. All original Kashmere LPs had 1000 copies or less originally pressed, which were sold both locally and around the world as the band toured. And now, P-vine is proud to present the historically renowned albums from the band on limited reissue vinyl! some of them will be reissued on vinyl for the first time.

[Items line-up] Kashmere Stage Band / Our Thing ('69) Kashmere Stage Band / Bumper To Bumper Soul ('70) ※First time reissued on vinyl Kashmere Stage Band / Thunder Soul ('71) ※First time reissued on vinyl Kashmere Stage Band / Zero Point ('72) Kashmere Stage Band / Kashmere "73" Live in Concert ('73) ※First time reissued on vinyl Kashmere Stage Band / Out Of Gas But Still Burning ('74) Kashmere Stage Band / Plays Originals ('74) Kashmere Stage Band / Expo '75 Concert Tour Japan/Okinawa ('75) ※First time reissued on vinyl

Here are the fabulous Mar-Keys, the Memphis based group, remembered to be the first house band at Stax Records. A bunch of talented, solid studio musicians who formed the foundation for the legendary Stax sound. Originally issued in early 1962, "Do the Pop-Eye" was the band's second album, a collection of minimal, infectious Soul-Funk-Rock instrumentals. Among the players: guitarist and composer Steve Cropper, bassist Donald “Duck” Dunn and organist Booker T. Jones. Just the right people to lay down the perfect groove for a quintessential album of instrumental music to dance to.

Remastered double LP incl. 18 tracks ... produced by James Brown, sampled by Del, EPMD, Special Ed, Funkdoobiest, ...

In 1962, legendary jazz pianist Bill Evans collaborated for the first time on record with jazz guitarist Jim Hall to create the landmark album Undercurrent. And even though it is a two-person improvisational affair, it is almost unfathomable that these two giants alone fill up all the grooves on this record. The thoughtful interplay between these two musicians created such a beautiful, lush, and emotional journey that their work influenced many. At the time of this recording, Bill Evans was one of the top jazz pianists (his performance with Miles Davis on Kind Of Blue is still a high-water mark), but he had stopped performing and recording after the death of his peer, bassist Scott LaFaro. Eventually, he was persuaded to return to music, and this was one of the first recordings upon his return. Guitarist Jim Hall - who had worked with Ella Fitzgerald, Sonny Rollins, and Chico Hamilton - started his partnership with Evans during this time. Recorded over two sessions in April and May 1962, the two have that beautifully unspoken musical language of give and take; their recordings are refreshingly busy but also incredibly sparse. These two giants understand that intertwining their personalities and harmonic styles could create greatness. This notable re-issue is an all-analog production affair—AAA Mastered and cut live by audio guru Kevin Gray (Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Charles Mingus)—and it’s never sounded better. So dim the lights and let this music breathe with you; it’s an incredible listen and an essential album for both the novice listener wanting to dip their toe into the genre or the audiophile who needs to replace their well-worn vinyl copy. And depending on your day, it will color your mood in any emotive shade you desire.

Reissue as a part of the Start Your Year Off Right Kampagne von Warner. This 1965 collection from The King of Soul™ is as fresh and urgent now as ever. Featuring “That’s How Strong My Love Is” and “Mr Pitiful” among this beautifully curated collections of soul ballads, this is a foundational record in any collection. (Original RD: March 1965)

Fame collectors know how rare this 45 is to find in the wild; it hardly ever happens. ‘Go Away With Me’ is a fabulously, catchy dance number from 1963 when the little-known Dixon wandered into the Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals and laid these track down. It is one of Dan Penn’s very early compositions and the nascent talent of the writer is in evidence here. The tuneful self-penned ‘Time Will Tell’ flip reveals another accomplished musical bent to the singer who, though he only cut two 45s, was revered as a major Muscle Shoals influence by the likes of Jimmy Johnson, Donnie Fritts and David Hood.

Here are two great cuts, previously unreleased as singles, recorded for Al Sears’ Sylvia label in New York City in 1965. The Corvairs had one very good release on the label in a soul group harmony style. ‘I'll Never Do It Again’ and ‘A Feeling Deep Inside’ are more R&B and sound earlier than the 45 release. Both tracks have picked up admirers from their New Breed and Modernist CD releases and their release as a Sylvia repro label single will be very welcome.

Originally released in 1962, The Twenty-Fifth Day Of December is The Staples Singers’ holiday classic, featuring traditional songs such as “Joy To The World, “Silent Night,” “Go Tell It On The Mountain” and more. This reissue features the original album artwork and is cut from the analog master, pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Memphis Record Pressing and housed in a tip-on jacket.

A monumental force firmly rooted in the soul canon, Willie Hutch is most notable for recording two of the best Blaxploitation soundtracks, The Mack and Foxy Brown. Yet his legacy is much greater. Outside of Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson, Hutch was arguably Motown's top male solo artist of the 70s. Prior to his association with Gordy et al, Hutch crafted his opening statements for RCA, two vital LPs that Be With Records is honoured to present today. His debut, Soul Portrait (1969), is an incredible slice of gritty, Southern-fried soul. Think Stax with a touch of Detroit sparkle. As a whole, the album demonstrates the self-contained act Hutch was; he wrote every tune on the album while also arranging and conducting for it. It features 11 timeless grooves, with a blend of beat ballads and undeniable dancers.

The Delfonics were a trio consisting of brothers William Hart, Wilbert Hart, and Randy Cain and had lush, high-pitched, male vocal harmonies typical of the Philly Soul sound.
In 1997, songs from the Delfonics were heavily featured in the Quentin Tarantino movie Jackie Brown, thus gaining more popularity to a new, younger crowd.

Yet another collaboration between Sandro Brugnolini and Stefano Torossi, who also worked together on the masterpiece “Feelings”. “Musica per commenti sonori” consists of twelve amazing tracks that will excite lovers of the wildest funk, producers in search of rare breaks, and those with a penchant for the psycho-beat atmospheres of the sixties. One of the rarest library music releases ever, that’s never been re-released in any form until now!

“Musica per commenti sonori” is a cult series within the diverse world of Italian library music. In the late sixties and seventies, the small record label Costanza Records has published several releases precisely focusing on ‘background music’, including works of great composers such as Peppino De Luca, Roberto Pregadio, Franco Micalizzi, Vito Thomas, Giancarlo Thomas Puccio Roelens, Riccardo Luciani, and by the protagonists of this long-time due reissue: Sandro Brugnolini and Stefano Torossi.

The two musicians, who had also worked together on the masterpiece “Feelings” (1974), have often collaborated and delivered some of the best Italian library music of all time. “Musica per commenti sonori” is certainly one of the most interesting. On the two equally split sides of this LP, the first for Torossi and the second for Brugnolini (but it seems that this partition was exclusively dictated by legal demands), there are twelve amazing tracks that will excite lovers of the wildest funk, producers in search of rare breaks, and those with a penchant for the psycho-beat atmospheres of the sixties.

Among the most heated tracks featured on Torossi’s side, we can’t pass over the amazing “Sweet-Beat”, “Interrupted” (perhaps the best track of the album) and “Repetition” while “Polyphony”, “Motuproprio” and the closing track “Flyer” shine on Brugnolini’s. Virtually impossible to find, even at astonishing prices, this reissue puts back into the market one of the best examples of ‘The Italian Art of Library Music’: a genre worldwide envied and collected.

180 Gram vinyl!

The 1967 Impulse Records legendary Funk/Soul Instrumental masterpiece album Chicken Fat. If you haven’t heard Chicken Fat yet, get ready because the LP won’t leave your turntable until your jaw stops hitting the floor. Sourced from the original analog master tapes by Kevin Grey. All Analog Process (aaa) Initially working as a guitar player for such greats as Sonny Boy Williamson & Etta James, Impulse Records eventually offered Mel Brown the chance to record his own material. Recorded in 1967 in Hollywood, CA, for the Impulse record label, Brown amassed a group of session musicians who had played with Charles Mingus, Marvin Gaye, and Dizzy Gillespie. Much of the album was arranged by Oliver Nelson, who worked with Thelonious Monk, Sonny Rollins, Jimmy Smith and more. His touch is felt all over the record and helps solidify the journey. These recording sessions also reflected the Sunset Strip and the energy of late ‘60s Los Angeles so incredibly, you can almost hear the go-go boots hit the floor to dance til they drop.

The only original album by West Coast soul vocal group The Ballads, released in 1969, is still a favourite among soul fans, but has only been reissued on vinyl once before, in 1982. P-vine is honoured to be able to reissue it on LP with a Japanese obi.

The album is extremely rich and wonderful, with gems such as Gene Chandler's 'God Bless Our Love' and 'The Gift Of Love', as well as Detroit-style dance numbers, and will also include a bonus track that was only released as a single. The album captures the band's cradle period in the 1970s, when they began to fully embrace a sweet soul style.

The 1967 Impulse Records legendary Funk/Soul Instrumental masterpiece album Chicken Fat. If you haven’t heard Chicken Fat yet, get ready because the LP won’t leave your turntable until your jaw stops hitting the floor. Sourced from the original analog master tapes by Kevin Grey. All Analog Process (aaa) Initially working as a guitar player for such greats as Sonny Boy Williamson & Etta James, Impulse Records eventually offered Mel Brown the chance to record his own material. Recorded in 1967 in Hollywood, CA, for the Impulse record label, Brown amassed a group of session musicians who had played with Charles Mingus, Marvin Gaye, and Dizzy Gillespie. Much of the album was arranged by Oliver Nelson, who worked with Thelonious Monk, Sonny Rollins, Jimmy Smith and more. His touch is felt all over the record and helps solidify the journey. These recording sessions also reflected the Sunset Strip and the energy of late ‘60s Los Angeles so incredibly, you can almost hear the go-go boots hit the floor to dance til they drop.

All Analog Process From The Original Master Tapes. Cut by Kevin Gray. Long out of print 1966 release. 1966’s And Now!’ is the first to feature long-term bassist Duck Dunn, who helps create a nightclub feel that alternates between some of their most aggressive recordings and most sultry.

Debut 1969 Album by New Orleans Funk Legends: The Meters. Sourced From the Original 1969 Analog Master Tapes. Cut by Kevin Gray of Cohearent Audio. Features the hit song "Cissy Strut". Limited Red Apple Vinyl LP.

UpTight is a soundtrack album by Southern soul band Booker T. & the M.G.'s for the film of the same title. The album features "Time Is Tight", the single version of which became a US Top 10 hit and a signature song for the band.

Southside sweethearts, the Dreamliners, first came into the scene as the Royaltones in 1961 when they were students at South San High School in San Antonio, TX. In 1963, label head Abie Epstein signed them to his Cobra & Jox labels producing 4 singles. On the way to a studio session, Ana (Ana) Wilburn coined "The Best Things in Life" on the dashboard of her car. Out popped a playful Farfisa and harmony-driven tune reminiscent of the Crystals or Ronettes. Ana also wrote and sang lead on the haunting ballad "Just Me & You." A song about longing and adolescent heartache that's perfect for any post-breakup kleenex session.

Although Ben E King's name is synonymous with The Drifters, he only actually sang on a dozen tracks with them, most of which were recorded concurrent with the start of his own solo career. This compilation anthologises Ben's solo recordings between 1960-62, presenting his early singles plus a handful of standout album tracks.

All his early hits are here, including the Drifters-like First Taste Of Love, his first million-seller Spanish Harlem, his signature song Stand By Me, the lilting Latin shuffle of Amor, the dramatic, bluesy Here Comes The Night/Young Boy Blues, his Sex'n'Soul double-sider Ecstasy/Yes, the explosive Don't Play That Song, the soulful Too Bad, the haunting I'm Standing By and Goffin & King's Tell Daddy.

Ben E. King’s ‘Don’t Play That Song!’ album is pressed on a single clear LP and is a one time pressing.

This vinyl release is a part of Atlantic Records' 75th Anniversary vinyl collection.

The album that started it all! Spanky Wilson’s legendary debut from Mother’s Records saw Philadelphia’s soon to be soul diva teaming up with legendary producer/arranger H.B. Barnum to deliver a killer 11-track LP! From the opening notes of “You’re Gonna Miss Me”, to the final fading chimes of “The Last Day of Summer”, Spanky Wilson’s beautiful voice is always on full display. Despite the fullness of her voice, there’s a surprising tenderness - undercutting soulful funky numbers with an element of emotionality unlike anything her peers would ever put out. As Spanky’s voice soars, her backing band, at times as sparse as a single piano, and at times as full as a big band, is always tight, giving Spanky plenty of room to shine while showing off their own immense talents. Don’t miss the album that started it all for legendary soul diva Spanky Wilson, now available on limited edition vinyl with a special Japanese Obi-strip!

Very unknown artists from Brixton (London), they have recorded two singles on Beacon label in 1968. And no more info about them. But we Love these four tracks of killer Soul & R'n'B in the vein of Ike & Tina.

Following on from the incredible success of 2020's "Teasin' You Again", we're proud to follow that up with one of Willie Tee's greatest double-siders and one of his very rarest 45s. Welcome to the incredible "First Taste Of Hurt" backed with "I'm Having So Much Fun".

This record was first discovered in Los Angeles in 1976 primarily for "I'm Having So Much Fun" which drew interest from the Northern Soul crowd, but then "First Taste Of Hurt" started catching on in wider circles. These days "First Taste Of Hurt" is the key side with a truly international audience across several scenes. An original Gatur copy of this will set you back £5000 and even the UK Grapevine reissue will cost you the best part of £100 these days. Expect another across-the-board Willie Tee smash which will match perfectly with "Teasin' You Again" and sell to many audiences.

Deliberately presented as a dance music release, this brilliant Quincy Jones album - first released on Mercury label in 1961 - comprises material from two marvelous big band performances recorded the year before in Paris and New York. Here the great composer and arranger leads a first class "dance organization", a top-flight big band featuring the cream of NY Jazz musicians, among them: Clark Terry and Freddie Hubbard - trumpets, Curtis Fuller and Melba Liston - trombones, Phil Woods, Oliver Nelson and Sahib Shihab - saxes, Stu Martin - drums. An exquisite platter of highly swinging and danceable grooves signed by the genius of Quincy Jones

All killers and no fillers on this fabulous 1969 Motown masperpiece. It is a shame that Jimmy lived in the shadow of those other Motown singers such as Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder. It really is one of Motown's best albums!

Before there was War there was Señor Soul, which saxophonist/flutist Charles Miller formed in Long Beach, California; he played on Brenton Wood sessions for Double Shot, who released their loose interpretation of Miriam Makeba’s ‘Pata Pata,’ the hit that led to this blinding debut LP. Blending funk, Latin jazz and psychedelic soul, the group makes a range of material their own, led by Miller and vibraphonist Edwin Stevenson; everything from Heard It Through The Grapevine to Psychotic Reaction gets the Señor Soul treatment, rendered with equal doses of sensitivity, humour and funky flavour. Long before Miller recruited members of Nightshift to morph Señor Soul into War, this top-notch debut is a stone-cold winner from first note to last, a must-have for all funk and Latin jazz afficionados.

Self-released in 1969 ‘Our Thing’ is the debut album of the performing Houston unit known as Kashmere Stage Band. The Texas student band came together at the Kashmere High School and under the direction of musical director Conrad O. Johnson, released a series of cult album on Kram Records, before disbanding in 1978. Raw funk, that’s basically what they’ve been playing and clearly there was a blacksploitation feel all over the place, but their drive was quite unique. Rediscover the myth.

Most listeners only became aware of Billy Preston as a solo artist after he signed to Apple Records in the late 1960s. But he'd been recording for a long time prior to that, dating back to when he was a teenager. This instrumental album for Sam Cooke's SAR label (issued on its sister Derby imprint) was cut in March 1963, when Preston was still going to high school in Los Angeles. The very fact that it's wholly instrumental indicates that it's pretty early in Preston's evolution, and though he does play some piano, it's really on the more uptempo, organ-dominated tunes where he hits the best groove. In truth, these aren't any great shakes even when it comes to soul organ instrumentals, but they have a nice swinging bounce that places them a cut above period background music, though they fall a good ways short of being spellbinding. The slower numbers (including covers of hits by Sam Cooke and Ray Charles) verge on easy listening; in contrast, the more urgent cuts are cookin', with bop, jazz, and gospel influences spicing up the soul/R&B recipe. (allmusic)

Reissued and remastered with replica artwork - the highly sort after classic rare groove track, 'Iron Leg' by DJ Shadow's favourite Funk band, Mickey & The Soul Generation.

Original copies trade hands for £125+. Black 7" dinked centre hole vinyl.

American Rhythm 'n' Blues singer Nathaniel Mayer (1944-2008) is mostly remembered for his raw vocal timbre and for his particularly wild live act. Originally released in 1963 on Detroit based label Fortune Records, "Going Back To The Village Of Love" still sounds like an incredibly explosive hyper-energetic irreverent piece of pure Detroit sound.

Expertly utilised in hit series 'Breaking Bad' to soundtrack Walt and Jesse's meth manufacturing, The Peddlers 'On A Clear Day You Can See Forever' is a sumptuous smooth soul journey - full of exquisite organ solos and deep vocal tones.
2019 marks 50 years since it's release and with original copies pushing £40 it's a chance to bag this iconic record at a fraction of the price.
Remastered and reissued on 7 inch with large / dinked centre hole in Epic generic paper sleeve.

Limited Edition for Record Store Day 2019! Often quoted as being one of the greatest Soul records of all-time, “Open The Door To Your Heart” was Darrell Bank’s first release and biggest hit. A one-off UK issue copy on London Records recently sold for a huge £14,543 in 2014 and is testament to the quality of the song and recording. Here, for the first time ever, is the previously unissued instrumental version by the Funk Brothers - the Solid Hitbound musicians including Rudy Robinson, Uriel Jones, Eddie Willis, Bob Babbit and Dennis Coffey. This work of art will be reissued on the original Revilot label.

1965 funky Instro-Soul album from Chicago that originally came out on Mercury. It deals with new interpretations of James Bond themes and own Bond inspired compositions. Feat. Studiomusic Clarence Perry (tenor), Richard McCrea (organ) and Ed Townsend (Piano).

Driving mid-paced R’n’B crossover with nice blues on the flip.

His grandmother is purported to have transported objects using her spiritual powers and it is said that she sometimes floated through the room. Her grandson Malcolm Rebenneck was fully aware of his unique features when he appeared under the name of Dr. John, a voodoo healer in the 19th century, and was the first person to transcend from pitch-black spheres to psychedelic music as its high priest, so to speak.
In the seven magical musical numbers of "Gris-gris", the root doctor conjures up a potent mixture of creole melodies, primeval heathen sounds, a pinch of mardi-gras and New Orleans jazz and even undreamt-of sounds. "Gumbo Ya Ya", a dragging procession with archaic sing-song, shows that suggestive Afro sounds are what rule in this album. And to play with them, to soften them here and there, or to enhance them with dance-like expression and voices from afar ("Danse Fambeaux") is all part of the programme in this collection of artistic treasures. In between raspy sounds there are flattering, intimate tones such as the springy, gentle and forward-looking "Croker Courtbullion".
The equation Witchcraft = Masterwork certainly applies to this unrivalled album, which is listed at No. 143 in the 500 Greatest Albums of all Time by the magazine Rolling Stone.

This Speakers Corner LP was remastered using pure analogue components only, from the master tapes through to the cutting head. More information under www.pure-analogue.com.
All royalties and mechanical rights have been paid.

Recording: 1967 at Gold Star Studios, Los Angeles
Production: Harold Battiste

180 gram vinyl!

11 tracks ... sampled by Guru, Ghostface, Geto Boys ... 180 gram vinyl

Originally from 1961, here is a searing soul tinged R'n'B pleader. This reissue is backed with the original flip, which also is a nice mover.

Breezy Sunshine-Pop / Soft-Rock / Psych-Pop from California, 1970, featuring Peter Clark a.k.a Chet DeMilo.

Crystal clear recording, awesome vocal harmonies, superb musicianship, bossa & blue-eyed-soul-jazz touches,folk-rock moves…

In 1969 Chet Demilo was appearing at Donkin's Inn, Marina Del Rey, where he met Arnie Marcus and Ray Hames, who together were to become part of an incredible slice of history. Donkin's became the hottest and most famous destination in Southern California for the next seven years, and Chet was the magnet that started the new singles scene in Los Angeles with Marina Del Rey as ground zero.

Arnie sat in on bongos with Chet from time to time, and Ray, who was managing an apartment complex that housed 200 flight attendants, just happened to have a unit available!! Chet moved in, and he and Ray started working on songs together. Chet suggested forming a vocal group with Arnie and SST was born. For three months they practiced the intricate vocal harmonies and in early 1970 cut the album, "Soft Soul Transition". A thousand records were pressed, and an album release party was held at Donkins where SST gave their one and only performance that night!

There was interest in the project at Burt Bacharach's Blue Seas Music, but it was not to be and SST faded away...until more than 20 years later when the SST album was discovered by a new generation of DJs and collectors looking for cool and groovy sounds from the 60s-70s.

Womack returned to American in 1969 to cut My Prescription, also produced by Moman, at a time that the venue was becoming exceptionally hot with visits from the likes of Elvis, Dusty Springfield, Neil Diamond and others. Womack's sophomore album may however well be one of the most demonstrative showcases of studio and session crew, incandescent on a finely-honed program of classy and soulful performances, with the singer in full control. Tracks like 'How I Miss You Baby,' 'Arkansas State Prison' and 'I Can't Take It Like A Man' stand as some of Womack's greatest moments, and taken as a whole, My Prescription stands not only the man's first truly great solo album, but also a timeless slice of sophisticated southern soul-making.

Originally released in 1969, “Fischiando in beat” presents twelve gems of instrumental beat music,
fabulous specimen of that music genre often labelled with the much-abused term ‘lounge’ – or ‘easy
listening’, if you prefer. Forget about the experimental “Synthi Time”: here you can only breathe an
incredible desire for fun and dream of the late 60s, Rome and its exclusive cocktail party.

Sly & the Family Stone came into their own with their second album, Dance to the Music, released in 1968. It contains the Top Ten hit single of the same name. "Dance to the Music" peaked at #8 in The Billboard Hot 100, and reached 9th place in the R&B Singles of 1968. The song propelled Sly & The Family Stone into the stratosphere. This seminal album helped lay the groundwork for the development of Funk music.

180g vinyl.

The soundtrack to this 1969 German sexual comedy was produced by Improved Sound Limited, showcasing their killer blend of experimental pop, blues, rock, jazz, funk and easy listening, augmented with tape effects, phasing, distorted guitar... Groovy songs influenced by 60's beat and psychedelia.

Newly mastered sound by Jörg Scheuerman. Comes complete with an insert with photos and liner notes. Limited to 500 copies only.

180 Gram Vinyl!