Funk | Soul 152 Items

Still in shrink but opened. Vinyl is close to NM. Cover has slight corner wear. 2018 reissue.

Includes original insert.
Records with just a few paper scuffs.

close to NM

US reissue from 2021.
Sealed copy.
Cover as new with slightly dented corners.

stamped white label is close to NM

Gil Scott-Heron’s “Pieces Of A Man” is one of the most important albums in the history of black American music. Although it didn’t set the charts alight, it stands as a masterpiece alongside contemporary works such as Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On”, Curtis Mayfield’s debut LP, Funkadelic's “Maggot Brain” and Isaac Hayes’ “Shaft”. All were brilliant in their way, but lyrically Scott-Heron was on a different level from almost every other writer. It was a landmark album with its bold, poetic lyrical content allied to progressive and melodic music, and it saw producer Bob Thiele help Gil and his musical partner Brian Jackson paint the picture they needed to get their message across. Thiele put Gil and Brian together with Ron Carter, Hubert Laws and Bernard Purdie, giving them the musical heft they wanted. For many years the focus was on ‘The Revolution Will Not Be Televised’, which was included in the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 2014, but this focus sometimes overshadowed the heights which Gil reached throughout the album. Today ‘Home Is Where The Hatred Is’ and ‘Lady Day And John Coltrane’ are also considered standards, whilst the album’s title track is a prescient and heart-breaking warning about the way in which big business dehumanises its workers. The album reached its landmark 50th year in 2021 and we decided that we would create this special edition to celebrate its incredible sound. The original master tape was taken to Frank Merritt at The Carvery in London, who cut it as a double disc 2 x 45 RPM record, in an all-analogue chain. The original record - especially side two - was long, and serving it up this way allowed the music a greater level of fidelity. The release is packaged in the original album’s gatefold sleeve.

180 gram vinyl ... classic !

Limited Edition. White Vinyl.

Sealed copy.
Cover as new with slightly dented corners.

Still in shrink, but opened, with hype sticker. White vinyl.

One of the most rare and sought after soul lp’s from the mid 1970s, Love Is a Very Special Thing by Charles Williams receives a lush reissue from Svart Records. Originally released in Finland only, American singer and songwriter Charles Williams has remained in obscurity ever since, only known to die hard soul record collecting enthusiasts.

Williams’ Love Is a Very Special Thing is an epic concept album that has only been reissued in Japan some years ago in a limited edition run and is still a hard to find, highly prized collectors item. Brilliantly crafted black funk and soul from the disco era, Williams was a highly talented soul singer and musician influenced by a wide range of styles, from soul stars Marvin Gaye, Barry White and Isaac Hayes to folk rock band Crosby, Stills & Nash. Williams’ soul music is neither easy listening nor disco, but brings to mind the best of the creative 1960s Motown artists and singer-songwriters like Joni Mitchell and Judy Collins.

Love Is a Very Special Thing began raising interest among soul collectors in the 1990s, when the internet brought record collecting into a new era. Williams’ name was discovered outside Finland and the prices soon went up. It’s no wonder: Love Is a Very Special Thing is as good as the best US soul albums of the era, but soul fanatics outside Finland didn’t have a clue about it, because it was released in Finland only, and as a relatively small pressing too.

This new luxury edition by Svart Records is the LP plus a replica of the rare 7” Just As Long / Funky Music (1976) that has never been reissued until now. The CD has the single as bonus tracks. Get yourself acquainted with a rare piece of Finnish funk and soul history, and discover an artist whose music deserves to shine again.

Reissue of seminal HDH release from Detroit born vocalist Freda Payne Released in 1970 on the Motown break off label Holland Dozier Holland a partnership between former Motown songwriters Eddie and Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier Band of Gold was a huge commercial success for the label

Features the classic singles Unhooked Generation and Band of Gold a single that sold over 2 million copies and became a gold record

Textbook female vocal soul with a post Motown sound signature, the most commercially successful and widely recognised album that Freda Payne ever released

Repressed on 140 g Gold vinyl as part of the Demon Music Group HDH reissue series with an obi strip and a printed inner, featuring a new liner note from Soul Trilogy author Stewart Cosgrove

Newly remastered audio from Phil Kinrade at AIR studios

Reissued for the first time on limited gold vinyl

Harvest is the first Balthvs album composed by all three band members and the name reflects where the band is currently. After 4 years of the industry grind they have seen massive growth in the digital sphere with over 15 million streams; as well as gracing theaters and festivals across North America and Europe. It is truly Harvest time. Recorded in a villa amidst lush tropical hills in Colombia, Harvest is optimistic, groovy, and relaxing. The trio spent a month-long sojourn at a tropical summer house in La Mesa, Colombia to record. As the band recalls, “More than a studio we wanted to be inspired by nature. So we brought our recording equipment there and started working.” The tropical landscape served as more than just a backdrop; it was the wellspring of inspiration for Balthvs. Unlike their previous albums, where Balthazar Aguirre took the lead in recording, composing, producing, and arranging, this time around, the music emerged as a collective effort, with all three members contributing equally to the creation of every song. It is a sonic testament to a period of profound artistic and personal growth. The band comments, “It defines our closure with this beautiful stage of our life and career as friends and musicians.” The full album features vocals that harmonize like instruments, weaving lyrical poetry into a tranquil groove. Most evident in songs like “Like Coconut Water,” an effervescent song that captures the essence of a tropical escape. “Anouk” is a gorgeous groove dedicated to the house cat at La Mesa, the sphinx-like guardian who set watch during the recording sessions. “Mango Season,” a laid-back, funky, and soulful instrumental groove perfect for relaxing, skateboarding, and looking at clouds. “Aguacero” is one of the few compositions with lyrics and sung in Spanish by bassist, vocalist Johanna Mercuriana. “Lovin’” and “Sun & Moon” were released during the band's first North American tour where they were greeted by sold-out shows and critical accolades from their Sxsw sets.

April 21, 2023 celebrates the 10-year Anniversary of Monotones, the first release of DJ Harrison’s studio and record label Jellowstone based in Richmond, Virginia. For the first time Monotones will be released on vinyl and digitally re-released with three unheard bonus outtakes. For DJ Harrison, Jellowstone is a sound, a movement, and a home. Its nucleus is Harrison's fascination with vinyl records, along with traditional recording methods. Using a vast collection of tube microphones, vintage keyboards, reel-to-reel recorders and more, Jellowstone continues to honor the textures of vintage sound.

Still sealed with hype sticker.

Limited Edition. Red Vinyl.

Sealed copy.
Cover as new with slightly dented corners.

Beige coloured viny.

Sealed copy with slightly dented corners.

Original inner sleeve

Limited Edition.

What do Tyler the Creator, Mantronix, Stetsasonic, DJ Shadow, Eric B and Rakim, Brand Nubian, Jay-Z and N.W.A. have in common?

What do UK Apachi and Shy FX, DJ Zinc, Bukem, Ganja Kru, Lemon D Ice, Dillinga, Photek, 4-Hero, Congo Natty, Krome and Time, Roni Size, Skream and Shut Up and Dance have in common?

Not to mention The Prodigy, Squarepusher, Leftfield, Oasis, Aphex Twin, Calvin Harris, Dua Lipa, David Bowie, Primal Scream, Lady Gaga and Dizzee Rascal?

Answer: They have all sampled The Winstons’ ‘Amen, Brother’!

The Winstons’ ‘Amen, Brother’ is THE most sampled drum break in the history of music (over 5000+ according to whosampled.com) and has shaped the history of electronic music ever since its creation in 1969.

This is the official release of the Winston’s ‘Color Him Father’ album, out of print for fifty years on vinyl, a glorious break-heavy album of soul, funk and gospel featuring the single ‘Color Him Father’, ‘Amen, Brother’ and loads more! The fully remastered album is housed in exact-reproduction original sleeve and design and comes with 4 extra bonus tracks that the group released only as singles. There is also a very special one-off first pressing only of this album that comes with an exclusive one-sided 12” of ‘Amen, Brother’ featuring a specially extended break mix of the classic tune.

Sealed copy.
Cover as new with slightly dented corners.

Still sealed with hype sticker. Limited edition Golden vinyl.

180 GRAM AUDIOPHILE VINYL
GATEFOLD SLEEVE
INCLUDES INSERT
DOUBLE PLATINUM CERTIFIED ALBUM FEATURING “FOOTSTEPS IN THE DARK, PTS. 1 & 2”
AND “VOYAGE TO ATLANTIS”

#1 BILLBOARD R&B ALBUM CHART 1977
LIMITED EDITION OF 1500 INDIVIDUALLY NUMBERED COPIES ON TRANSLUCENT BLUE
COLOURED VINYL

Limited Editon Pink Vinyl - 500 copies only Married around a shared love of machine-led funk, outsider soul, 70s-80s nautica and 21st century basement disco, Bright & Findlay (formed of multi-hyphenate James Alexander Bright and Groove Armada's Tom Findlay) are set to release their debut album 'Everything Is Slow' on 9th June via Athens Of The North. After hearing James' 2019 single 'Tigers Roar' on the radio, Tom reached out to see if they could work together on some new music for Groove Armada's last studio album 'Edge Of The Horizon'. While three tracks from these sessions made the album, the two concurrently struck up a friendship in creating a musical language of their own, leading them to form the beginnings of a new partnership tagged Bright & Findlay. The first Bright & Findlay release, 2021's 'Slow Dance' EP, was Gilles Peterson included it in his tracks of the year, they recorded a Block Party mix for Huey Morgan and it also received support from Don Letts, Tom Ravenscrof...

With French Connection, discover rare tracks of Funk, Soul and Jazz made in France. 23 avant-garde nuggets from the 60"s and 70"s gathered in a nice double vinyl! With: Cortex, Janko Nilovic, Godchild, Francis Lai, Bernard Estardy, Philippe Sarde, Edition Spéciale, Bruno Leys, Jean-Claude Petit, Serge Gainsbourg...

Cover closer to NM

Arthur Ponder, a life long Macon, Georgia resident, started his singing career in the 60s replacing Otis Redding in Johnny Jenkins & The Pinetoppersafter Otis went solo. Although he gigged extensively, he did not actually make it onto a record until around 1970. Presented here, we have mostly his 80s Modern Soul output Solo and with local group Side Show, some with was released on 45 others remain unreleased till now. Special thanks to Angelo Angione who went above and beyond to help with this project and Arthur Ponder - The Prince of Georgia Soul.

Only record 1! Record 2 is missing.

Big Crown Records is proud to present Perak, the debut album from TheeMarloes.When you rst hear Thee Marloes, their particular soul sound may seemfamiliar enough. There are the weighty drums, a crooning guitar, and a beautifulvoice singing about unrequited love and the complications inherent in affairs ofthe heart. But then there is something undeniably different about Thee Marloesand their music, something new and distinct. And while you may be acquaintedwith soul music, you've probably never heard it from Surabaya, Indonesia_theplace they call home.Thee Marloes are Natassya Sianturi singing and playing keys, Tommy Satwickon drums, and Sinatrya ("Raka") Dharaka on guitar and handling production.Their sound has the universal appeal of soul, jazz, and pop, but with a distinctapproach attributable to their local culture and global inuence. The world'sintroduction to Thee Marloes' debut album Perak, started with "MidnightHotline" the scorching A side to their debut 7" on Big Crown. A punchy dance-oor number with an infectious chorus, vibey piano, and jazzy guitar licks.Contrasting that energy in the classic plug and ballad pairing dynamic, the Bside "Beri Cinta Waktu" has all the makings of a beloved soul ballad but thelyrics are in Indonesian. Regardless of any language barrier, the sentiment intheir music is palpable, helping to make their songs relatable and heartfelt. Therest of Perak ts perfectly in between those bookends of both energy andlanguage, "I Know" is a mid-tempo burner that talks about pulling the veil oflies off a love affair founded on falsehood. "Not Today" is right up there with thegrooviest feel good songs you could ever play on a Sunday morning withNatassya reminding us to make space for ourselves no matter what life throwsour way. "Mungkin Saja" brings the tempo back up with another dance oorsmoker while "True Love" nds Thee Marloes dipping into the soulful side ofjazz with a beat ballad that could soundtrack a Tarantino dance scen...

Released in August 1970, as well as detonating hard and reaching #4 in the US R&B charts, ‘Stand By Your Man’ became a break-through single for Candi Staton, spending 14 weeks in the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #24. When it came to the follow-up to ‘Stand By Your Man’, the formula was repeated with Candi taking on another country song ‘She Called Me Baby’. This song was written by country singer Harlan Howard and appeared on “Harlan Howard Sings Harlan Howard” released in 1961. It was first drenched in strings and sung from the female perspective as ‘He Called Me Baby’ by Jeanne Newman in 1965 and then, in more soulful form, by Ella Washington, whose version got to #77 in the Billboard Hot 100 in 1969. As with Newman and Washington’s versions, Rick Hall dressed the song in strings as well as belting brass. Staton’s definitive southern soul version of ‘He Called Me Baby’ got to #9 in the R&B chart and #52 in the Billboard Hot 100 when released in January 1971.

Both ‘Stand By Your Man’ and ‘He Called Me Baby’ – as well as their flips ‘How Can I Put Out The Flame (When You Keep The Fire Burning)’ and ‘What Would Become Of Me’ – appeared on Staton’s second album “Stand By Your Man”, released at the end of 1970. As with her singles and debut LP, “I’m Just A Prisoner” Capitol’s promotional rodeo ran wild and one advert even included the line, “Stand by your radio. Stand by your racks. Stand by for Candi Staton, a new American singing star.”

“Stand By Your Man” is one of the cornerstones of Southern soul. As well as the tracks listed above it features other ear-Candi such as ‘Mr and Mrs Untrue’, Freedom Is Just Beyond The Door’ and ‘Sweet Feeling’.

In Summer 1977, Syndicate band from Las Cruces, New Mexico, recorded and released this album "Conveyance". It is the only recording the band ever released. Super rare Latin Funk album from New Mexico with a killer cover of Curtis Mayfield and the Sisters Love masterpiece "Give Me Your Love".

This rather mysterious Jazz recording, which dates back to 1971, was quickly put together in a studio session sandwiched between RAI orchestra rehearsals, film soundtrack recordings and various other projects that make up this incredible musical library, all recorded in that period by our best musicians. The unique particulars of this record are that the musicians are not named, except for a mythical “Plakoti” but also the rights and the tapes seemed tohave strangely disappeared. After a period of accurate research, thanks to Maurizio Majorana (bass player for the Marc 4) we have been able to find the original recordings and also the musicians that played on it. Even though this recording was accredited to the Marc 4, by semi-official sources of the time, strangely enough only two of them are effectively present on this record Antonello Vannucchi on the Hammond Organ, Vibraphone and Piano and Roberto Podio on the Drums. The other two musicians are Giovanni Tommaso playing his mythical “Pedrazzini” (ndr) double bass who already played together with Vannucchi as part of the famous “Lucca Quartet” and then as the bass player of the group “Perigeo” and Enzo Grillini, part of the Rai orchestra and a favorite guitar player of both Armando Trovajoli and Gianni Ferrio who, at the time, was considered one of the best Italian Jazz guitar player and who rarely recorded music outside of the RAI orchestra. The style of this record, thanks to this very particular group of musicians, contrary to many other Library recordings, is very jazzy and the very special sound reminds us of the Jazz organ of the Verve/Blue Note labels made in the Sixties. The Seven Men Label, another characteristic of this new edition, born from a partnership of 7 mysterious producers and musicians in order to produce background music, in fact, only produced four recordings and they are : “1” that you are already listening to, 2, AKA “Il Cinghialetto” directed by Gianni Ferrio and played by the very best popular and classical musicians of the day, as the soundtrack of a theatre piece written by Grazia Deledda and to conclude there are two recordings made in the 1970’s written by Bruno Canfora: “Musiche di scena n°1” and “Musiche di scena n°2”. To have been able to bring this recording out again, knowing about its ups and downs and how it was made, is even more important now, as we have been able to add yet another gem to the numerous reeditions of the “Italian Library Music“ over these past years.

Vinyl close to VG+ and cover to NM

180g Colored Vinyl! Hand-picked titles by Françoise Hardy, France Gall. Annie Philippe, Elsa, Violaine, Pussy Cat, Brigitte Bardot, Delphine and Liz Brady!

feat. Olivieri, Joe Bataan, Tito Ramos, Ralfi Pagan, Parrish and more ... essential!

Limited Edition.

Includes original inner sleeve with beginnig seam split.

With Candi Staton hitting the UK to play the Love Supreme festival over the weekend of 30th June/2nd July, Ace records is delighted to reissue her debut LP, which has been out-of-print on vinyl for decades. "I'm Just A Prisoner" was released in 1970 and remains a definitive slice of Southern soul. Recorded at Rick Hall's legendary FAME studio in Muscle Shoals, "I'm Just A Prisoner" pulled together five tracks - 'I'd Rather Be An Old Man's Sweetheart (Than A Young Man's Fool)', 'I'm Just A Prisoner (Of Your Good Lovin')', 'Evidence', 'You Don't Love Me No More' and 'Sweet Feeling' - that had appeared as A and B-sides on early singles issued in 1969 and 1970. These were augmented by another five tracks recorded specifically for the album; 'Someone You Use', 'Get It When I Want It', 'Do Your Duty', 'That's How Strong My Love Is' and 'Another Man's Woman, Another Woman's Man'. Like Southern fried chicken, this music is essential food for your ears. This new edition includes an inner sleeve featuring a new interview with Candi conducted by Ace Records' Ian Shirley about this magical stage of her career as well as photos from the period.

Records are close to VG+

A reissue of Gil Scott-Heron’s 1971 album taken from the original master tapes!

180 gram vinyl in gatefold sleeve!

Still in shrink but opened. Cover has tiny wear.

Still sealed with hype sticker.

Originally from San Francisco, Matthew Larkin Cassell is a talented songwriter, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist. During the ‘70s-80s, Cassell fronted a trio in the Bay Area, opening for major acts like The Tubes and Sylvester. Playing an unique fusion of funk, R&B, jazz and soft-rock, he recorded his first LP, “Pieces” in 1977, followed by a 12” titled “Matt The Cat” in 1978. Both were privately pressed and modestly distributed at the time.
Fast forward to the early ‘00s: Cassell’s albums are discovered by beat diggers & hip-hop producers, which led to some his songs being sampled and included on mixes by people like Kon & Amir, Madlib and M.F. Doom. Famous labels such as Stones Throw and P-Vine reissue his music at the same time that his original albums reach outrageous prices in the collector’s market.
Here’s an overdue reissue of Cassell’s second effort, “Matt The Cat”, originally released in 1978. A great fusion of FUNK, R&B, SOUL-JAZZ and 70s SSW / AOR, featuring “All I’m Missing Is You”, sampled by People Under The Stairs.

First ever vinyl reissue of this fabulous kraut, jazz-funk / fusion / rare grove / library album from 1972, originally released on the budget Tempo label from Germany. Lots of fuzzy distorted organ & Fender Rhodes courtesy of Kristian Schultze (pre-Passport) plus the mighty Pawel Jazerbski on bass and Joe Nay (Tete Montoliu, Roland Kirk, Blue Note Club…) on drums.
Master tape sound, original artwork and insert with liner notes.

From the archives of the legendary BELTER and DISCOPHON labels, essential to understand the birth of the Catalan Rumba and Flamenco-Pop genre in Spain, we’ve selected 14 dance-friendly tracks taken from overlooked LPs and 45s.
This is the real gipsy–funk sound, full of screaming flamenco vocals, funk drums, electric guitars, wah–wah, organ, electric bass, exotic percussions, soulish horns, latin and even oriental touches...
Featuring folkloric ye-yé singers, gipsy princes, teen rumba stars and groovy rumba–pop bands: DOLORES VARGAS “La Terremoto”, CHANGO, ROSA MORENA, RUMBA 3, EL PRÍNCIPE GITANO, EL NOI...

Still in shrink but opened. Original inner sleeve.

Vinyl is close to NM. Original inner sleeves. tiny wear.

Still sealed. tiny wear

Millie Jackson’s second album “It Hurts So Good” is a stone cold classic and climbed into the US Top 30 when released in 1973. Not only does the album contain the evergreen ‘I Cry’ but other smoking tracks like ‘Good To The Very Last Drop’ and ‘Now That You Got It.’

Recorded at her first session at Muscle Shoals, the title track and ‘Love Doctor’ not only appeared on this LP, but on the big screen in the film Cleopatra Jones starring Tamara Dobson. Issued as a single, ‘It Hurts So Good’ became Jackson’s biggest US chart hit peaking at #24. ‘Help Yourself’ and The Ashford and Simpson-penned ‘Don’t Send Nobody Else’ were also recorded at Muscle Shoals. The balance of the album was recorded in New York sessions with tracks like the finger-popping ‘Close My Eyes’ equal to anything Holland-Dozier-Holland were putting out at that time.

For fans of soul and Millie Jackson this album is essential.

Often credited as the “Mother of Hip-hop”, Sylvia Robinson was a seminal blues-turned-soul singer, producer, and writer who released a slew of sultry and sensually charged records in the 1970s as a solo act and in the duo Mickey & Sylvia. Pillow Talk remains her most intoxicating work; a steamy bedroom funk record featuring her illustrious breathy, intimate vocals embedded with silky acoustic guitars, lush orchestral strings, piloted by a series of soft, subtle, and seductive clubby rhythms that still sounds fresh and entrancing today.

“This Is Street Funk” is part of a new series aimed at vinyl buyers who wants a genre specific compilation to excite their ears. Two sides of fantastic music, at an affordable price, cherry picked from Ace and its associated catalogues.

Sealed copy.
Cover as new with slightly dented corners and an indentation in the back.

Shrink has a tear in the back but records are UNPLAYED.

Formed by drummer Bill Curtis in 1970, the Fatback band started off as a funk band although when disco began to break in 1974, they added that four-to-the-floor wrinkle to their sound to serve up some classics. In 1975 Fatback released both their fifth and sixth albums - “Yum Yum” and “Raising Hell” - in the same year. Although singles had been released Stateside as early as 1971, it was not until 1975 that Fatback began to appear on singles here.

Their third UK 7” – ‘Yum Yum (Gimme Some)’ - got to number 40 in the UK charts in August. Later in November, ‘Are You Ready (Do The Bus Stop)’ got to number 18, which helped propel the “Raising Hell” LP into the top 20. This album also spawned the Top 10 hit ‘Spanish Hustle’ in early 1976. Both “Yum Yum” and “Raising Hell” have been out of print on vinyl for decades. These new editions allow funky Fatback fans to drop the needle and get back into the groove.