Funk | Soul 305 Items

Charly Records proudly presents Chapter Two in the Wigan Casino Northern Soul series. A very special double-LP gatefold edition celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the legendary Mr Ms club that opened its doors in the early hours of Sunday 22nd September 1974.

Every Saturday night, for eight years, the faithful made the pilgrimage to the desolate mill town of Wigan to a pre-war dancehall on Station Road. It was a sanctuary, a place of togetherness, elitism, and the catalyst for the music scenes longest enduring sub-culture... Northern Soul.

Our exclusive playlist highlights key records from the thousands played at the famed all-nighters by its original, founding, deejays, Richard Searling. Russ Winstanley, Kev Roberts and Dave “Mr M” Evison.

Influencer, dancer, promoter and celebutante Levanna (aka “Northern Soul Girl”) lends here DJ skills and magnetic personality to a stunning new ‘rare soul’ series honed from the Charly vaults.

Chapter TWO in Levanna’s Northern Soul journey continues with a further 16 dance floor favourites from the home of the young souls of Britain and elevated by the country’s top Northern Soul disrupter.

Northern Soul Girl Levanna and her Streets of Soul have reactivated this mid-Seventies modern soul gem recorded by Thomas East for Lee Anthony’s True Soul label out of Little Rock, Arkansas. East began his recording career in Chicago with his Fabulous Playboys scoring two 45s for Ernie Leaner’s Toddlin’ Town imprint. They were managed by Lee Anthony, hence the hop to Little Rock to develop their altogether more sophisticated funk-soul-jazz fusion.

Paul Johnson, aka the One-Man Band, was also rooted in Chicago recording a lone 45 for Checker before moving down the road to the Leaner brothers’ Kellmac imprint. ‘That I Love You’ is an emotive slice of Chicago mid-tempo, kitchen-sink, soul drenched in bluesy brilliance.

‘The Touch Of Venus’ is rightly heralded as a Northern Soul classic and was penned and produced for Motown by Ed Cobb of “Tainted Love” fame. Wynns was born Edna Wright and is the sister of Darlene Love.

‘I’m Satisfied With You’ is one of the all-time greats and sounds as fresh today as it did when it packed the floor in the fondly remembered Mr M’s nightclub housed within the vast Casino on Station Road, Wigan.

‘Just Like The Weather’ was originally released in 1965 on the Chicago Constellation label. It failed to ignite the short-lived, flagging, career of Nolan Chance, talented as he was. However, in the early Seventies it was rediscovered by the UK Northern Soul scene and would go on to become an all-time classic. Reissued here, due to popular demand, with it’s much overlooked superlative B-side ‘Don’t Use Me’, yet to have its day on the dance floor. They really don’t get much better than this. Watch out for the simply stunning unreleased version of ‘Just Like The Weather’ by Mill Evans coming soon from Charly.

Another exclusive from Charly Records.

A vibrant kaleidoscope of sound, colour and emotion, British multi-hyphenate James Alexander Bright's new album 'Cool Cool' is set for release on 26th July via Athens Of The North. A dynamic set of urgent funkers, gentle soul ballads, head-nodders, fuzzy folkers and straight-up disco bangers span 10 songs that soundtrack fertile daydreams, esoteric dancefloors, languorous reflection, and wild excursions in nature and beyond.

James' voice, pitched somewhere between Eddie Chacon, Beck and Michael McDonald, takes a confident lead on this new record. Whether tenderly caressing on the title track's beautiful soul minimalism or deployed passionately on boogie machine 'Straight Line'; it's an immediately recognisable signature. Impressive multi-instrumentalism sees him perform on guitar, bass, keys, programming, percussion, production and myriad quirky effects; across song subjects that cover searching for truth, imagining the distant future, teen nostalgia, relaxation exploration, aspirations of freedom, and classic tales of love and romance.

"'Straight Line' started out as a wonky homage to 80s & 90s radio", says James. "It's based on the memory of meeting someone you want to stay up all night listening to music with". Disco highlight 'Your Love' is"based on the feeling of love and chasing it. It has a certain kinetic charm but holds a melancholic note also". Similarly, on soulful paean to romance 'Fall For You' James explains"You know when you've loved. To love is a magical thing whether it's an experience, an object, or a person; we've all loved and lost".

"'Cool Cool' is the most stripped back song I've ever written,"he confesses."Recorded in one afternoon with no special effects or production tricks, it feels quite timeless". In contrast the uninhibited 'Aguas Blancas' flexes with exuberance. James explains"It's a homage to one of my favourite beaches on the island of Ibiza. I was imagining being there as I made this. What's not to like about big waves, a buzzing beach shack bar, and nudity?".

As always with James' music, what started as a solo endeavour organically morphed into more of a family affair. Initially written and recorded at his home studio in the rolling hills of the Hampshire countryside, the tracks on 'Cool Cool' were completed in sessions with regular collaborator Peter Lyons in East London and Linkwood at Athens Of The North in Edinburgh. Old friends and new contribute vocals (Kerry Leatham and Katharine Alice), drums (Gillan McLaughlin and Joris Feiertag), and synths (Reuben Vaun Smith on 'Aguas Blancas'), plus collaborations with Wolverhampton electronic duo Letherette on 'I Feel Alive' and Ugandan/Nottingham singer-songwriter and guitarist Daudi Matsiko on 'Hear'.

James says"Some of these people I was in bands with as a kid, which is a pretty magical thing. I've been a fan of Letherette for years so it was a buzz when I asked Andrew to work on some tracks together and he was really into it. When Daudi shared a guitar part he wasn't sure what to do with on his Instagram stories, I messaged him to say "I'll make a track out of this!" and that then became 'Hear'".

The past six years has seen James release a veritable treasure trove of music: 'Mallorca' and 'Strange Folk' EPs, debut album 'Headroom', joyous second 'Float', an album of collaborations and reworks with cosmic Americana-disco DJ/producer duo Flying Mojito Bros, and a new project with Groove Armada's Tom Findlay as Bright & Findlay.

James balances music alongside the creative duality of a job in illustration and the responsibilities and constraints that come with raising a young family. Utilising any spare moment to write and record new ideas, his creative output under various projects had been relentless. Turning his back on apathetic major label offers in his early 20s, he's released through cult DIY label Tape Club Records, German stalwart !K7 Music and now with Scottish tastemaker Athens Of The North, presenting an evolving vision of a sound that has touched on everything from outsider art-rock to machine funk, mystic folk to experimental jazz.

The funk, the funk and THEEE FUNK!!
Transcend oneself from the realm of what you know and feel
all that the groove can heal within you.
When the honorary P-Funk hits you ask 'What You Gonna Say?'
meanwhile the A side 'Vector Smector' has the boogie stance
in affect whilst the island percussion simmers with a jazz lean.
SHOKAZULU will protect you.

Paul Tillman Smith is a significant figure within in the music community of Oakland/Berkeley, California. His connections and collaborations read like a who’s who of famous musicians. As leader of 70s Buddah Records group ‘Vitamin E’ and then onto ‘Bridge’, the subsequent band cut an album in 1981 for the CBS distributed Bang label that never saw the light of day. It was released by First Experience Records as a double LP and CD in 1999 and is recognised as being one of the finest unreleased discoveries within its genre. Izipho Soul are thrilled to release on a 7” for the first time two gems from this magnificent body of work. Crying FOR Love written by Paul Tillman Smith and Michael Robinson is perfection personified, from the production through to the lyrical content - and of course the sublime vocals of Debravon Lewis (rip) the tone of her voice will move you to tears. On the flip is Listen, penned by Paul Tillman Smith - a tour de force rendition by the late great Freddie Hughes with Sonny Lewis on sax, adding that extra touch of class.

‘sunny Day’ PRO UNO presented by THE Regime Smooth loved-up and sun kissed soul, melting over jazzy road-trip and summertime vinyl dust. The Regime’s sophomore release is strictly vintage, playfully psychedelic, smothered in funky soul, and irrefutably ‘on the One’. Spawned from 70s soul, jazz and funk, combined with the plethora of free time the covid pandemic demanded, THE Regime’s jazzy-soul outfit PRO UNO rose from the ashes, dousing the public with a whiff of the good ol’ days, where music was real, authentic and pure. Their 70s aesthetic and full in house production combines sounds reminiscent of Al Green, Steely Dan, Bill Withers and America, to create a state of total nostalgia and peace love n harmony vibes. This iteration of the Funk Collective THE Regime is their most exciting and tasteful project yet. Expanding on the original hip hop, funk niche, ‘sunny Day’ in undeniably one for all, and indeed all for one.

This is the latest remastered reissue of their single 'Let There Be Peace', which is just as expensive as their album, with the B-side featuring Evil Vibrations, famous as a sampling source for De La Soul, by Muro aka King Of Diggin'. The B-side features a remixed version of Evil Vibrations, well known as a sampling source for De La Soul "A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays".

This is a collection of recordings by Geoff Bastow, English composer active in the 1970s to 1980s, preserved on the prestigious German library label "SONOTON." The opening resonates with dazzling synthesizer phrases, and the dynamic sound created by the incorporated drum machine in an inorganic manner can be considered the very essence of synth-wave or perhaps futuristic funk.

Perhaps one of the most exciting and anticipated projects in the world of heavy instrumental music is Parlor Greens, a fresh organ trio on Colerine Records! You could say that Parlor Greens are greater than the sum of their parts.. however, the individual parts are simply stellar on their own. Tim Carman (ga-20) on drums, Jimmy James (True Loves, formerly Delvon Lamar Organ Trio) on guitar, and Adam Scone (Scone Cash Players, The Sugarman 3) on organ. Parlor Greens started off as an idea before it even had a name. Carman had been chatting with Colemine label boss Terry Cole about their shared love for organ combo records of yesterday on labels like Blue Note and Prestige. Cole said he'd love to have an organ trio be the first project at the label's new studio, Portage Lounge, located in Loveland, Ohio, So when Carman tapped James and Scone for the session, the stage was set. Carman and Cole had started work a day early to dial in the drum sound, so when the rest of this murderer's row arrived they hit the ground running. It was instant chemistry, Within the first ten minutes of everyone plugging in, a song was written and recorded, "West Memphis". And over the next three days, these three maestros conducted a beautiful and soulful symphony straight to tape. As natural and fun as three old friends getting together after a long absence, only this was the first time they had written and performed together. True magic. So this is the result of that session. Eleven outs. Ten originals. Two sides. All killer, no filler. Straight to the old reliable Tascam 3BB tape machine, mixed up nice and dirty for your enjoyment. Parlor Greens are proud to present their debut long player, in Green / We Dream.

* First time pressed on vinyl * Comes with Japanese obi-strip * Pressed on Black Vinyl / This is a great, and beloved modern soul work released by Ron Henderson and his group Choice of Color in 1976. the edition reissued by P Vine in 2020 sold out quickly and is now fetching high prices on the used market, so we We have decided to reissue this wonderful album once again in a new version. For vinyl lovers and collectors, the obi will have a new design different from the 1st edition and the vinyl will be updated to 180g weight vinyl!

All tracks have been newly mastered for this reissue Limited edition clear blue vinyl Originally released in 1978 Note: artwork to be announced Following the special 10"ep of "Evil Vibrations", P-vine thrilled to announce the reissue of an American funk group The Mighty Riders' album in 1978 "Help Us Spread The Message" in limited colored vinyl! The story of the project is still a mystery though the music made by the local band from Miami is timelessly loved and sought by collectors. By newly mastering all tracks, the rare groove masterpiece will return to the bright place.

$1 Bin Breaks: Sakura (Edit) by Odetta / On The Hill (Edit) by Oliver Sain / Enchanted Lady (Edit) by Milt Jackson With The Ray Brown Big Band b/w Survival (Edit) by Annette Peacock / Sunrise (Edit) by The Originals / A Few More Kisses To Go (Edit) by Issac Hayes / Go On & Cry (Edit) by Les McCann | Galaxy Sound Company — Gsc45-041 | Very special hot-off-the-test-presses donut via the always on-point @galaxy_sound_company crew. This will be number 41 in their cop-on-site 45 series, set to be released in 2024. This time out we are treated to 7 “$1 Bin Breaks” &, as with many in the Gsc45 series, these are the sources of some of your fav hip-hop jams.

Side A: 1) “Sakura” by Odetta; Sampled in “Tried By 12” by The East Flatbush Posse

2) “On The Hill” by Oliver Sain; Sampled in “Tell Me” by Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth, “Day One” by D.I.T.C., “Young G’s” by Puff Daddy, The Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z & Kelly Price

3) “Enchanted Lady” by Milt Jackson With The Ray Brown Big Band; Sampled in “Dinnit” by De La Soul, “Escape” & “Carmel City” by Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth, & “Ijuswannachill“ by Large Professor

Side B: 1) “Survival” by Annette Peacock; Sampled in “Braggin' Writes” by J-Live, “Rules We Live By” by Lord Finesse, “Scientists of Sound” by Brand Nubian, “Kunta Fly Shit “by Ghostface Killah, “Video Game” by J Dilla

2) “Sunrise” by The Originals; Sampled in “Accepte Mon Concept” by 2 Bal 2 Neg' & “Guess Who’s Back” by Scarface, Jay-Z & Beanie Sigel

3) “A Few More Kisses To Go” by Issac Hayes; Sampled in “Tonight's Da Night” by Redman, “Ain't No Fun (If the Homies Can't Have None)” by Snoop Dogg, “Rough Life” by Shabba Ranks, “Is There a Heaven 4 a Gangsta?” by Master P, “B-Cuz I Got a Girl” by Nate Dogg, “The Life” by Alicia Keys

4) “Go On & Cry” by Les McCann; Sampled in “Tha Next Episode” by Snoop Dogg & Dr. Dre, “Runnin' Wit No Breaks" by Warren G, “No Pain” by Lords of the Underground

This 4th album was one of the consecration with "Western Deream", Bob Sinclar went from DJ to Pop Star. It includes the worldhits "World, Hold On", "Love Generation" and "Rock This Party"

In addition to the now classic digital release 'Sacred Love' will see the light of day in 7" vinyl format (45 rpm) in two versions. An Afro-American track with a Tony Allen-esque super afrobeat rhythm opens side A (Logo Side) in a hypnotic jazz version performed by singer Giulia La Rosa, who also wrote the lyrics, vaguely reminiscent of Nina Simone's "See-Line Woman".
The B side (This Side) is a 'Clapping Version' without drums which will certainly give free rein to DJs of the genre who want to mix different grooves.

"Sacred Love" is also Galathea's new album due in January 2024. Massimo Napoli's new project once again sees the collaboration of his friend producer and bass player Salvo Dub, as well as a combo of respectable musicians: singer Kadi Koulibaly - originally from Burkina Faso - already featured on the first album, pianist Mario Pappalardo, percussionist Sergio Spitaleri, drummer Luciano Cantone.

The Madlib Invazion Music Library Series Entry #4: Dan Ubick (Connie Price & The Keystones, The Lions) explores the realms of Canyon Funk. This is the next up in a series of music library releases, with future volumes produced by DJ Muggs, Karriem Riggins and more. The Madlib Invazion Music Library Series was created by Madlib and Egon to give their creative friends a chance to stretch out and indulge in whatever type of music they wanted. This music was created for easy, one-stop clearance in film and television synchronization usage and for sampling. You can also enjoy these albums in the way that many do with the best of the best vintage library catalogs – listen, ponder, repeat.

Over the past seven years, Public Memory's distinctive use ofanalog synthesizers, electronic beats mixed with organicpercussion, lo-fi sound design, and gritty ambience has createda singularly eerie and shadowy world. The first seconds of Public Memory's new record, Elegiac Beat, thrust us immediately into that world. We are in media res, with a feeling of sudden movement from a sensible point A to B. Given some time however, we realize that there is something askew-a bit of brightness here, some shadows pushed aside, some jazz and funk amongst the dub and Krautrock. This is an unfamiliar, ambiguous mood that pushes Public Memory towards new ground. We still drift past the clouded lights and hollowed out buildings of previous albums, but with an occasional bounce in our step now, a bit of golden haze around the edges. Elegiac Beat is between two places, and as it straddles the line between the two, we are uncertain if the light it brings shines directly from the sun, or if it is dimly reflected through that majestic ballroom world.