Numero Group Funk | Soul 148 Items

A branch pruned from West Indian-born Trevor Dandy’s 1970 LP Don’t Cry Little Tree, “Is There Any Love” is the stand out track from our 10th release, Good God: A Gospel Funk Hymnal. Produced by composer Paul Zaza in his basement studio in Toronto’s Etobicoke municipality, the socially turned-on Don’t Cry was intended to be sold to Dandy’s congregation. When Dandy failed to hit his promised sales goal of 2000, most of the pressing was relocated to the dump. “Is There Any Love” has since gone on to be sampled by a plethora of artists, including Kid Cudi, Ghostface Killah, Monsters of Folk, and Common. In 2009 we pressed up 200 copies of a one sided version of Dandy’s signature tune in conjunction with United Record Pressing and gave most of them away. It has since become one of the most in demand 45s Numero has ever issued. This unlimited repressing ups the ante slightly, as we’ve added an identical second “bonus” side for discerning DJs and home hifi enthusiasts alike to add their own cue burns, scuffs, and scratches to.

A massively Caribbean funk take on soul staple "Mustang Sally" by Jay Mitchell -- in all it's gritty vocal, heavy drum, sweaty, nearly 13 minute glory ...

Chicago's Magic Touch label gets the Numero treatment. This Windy City Holy-Grail 2-sider featuring early Boogie Rap on the A Side and stone cold rare groove disco killer on the flip. Available on 7" for the first time and housed in Official Magic Touch Double Disco Smash 7" Company Sleeve. One listen and you'll be checking for flights and hotels because Chi-C-A-G-O (Is My Chicago) shows that the Second City produced First Rank funky soul jams.

Beehive sisters The Contessas onlyexperienced a fraction of what couldhave been. "Broken Heart" b/w "GimmeGimme" simply describe their shortlived experiences through ghostly string,soulful vocals, and funky rhythms.

The Royal Jesters were a household name in the 60s in San Antonio, TX. the 1960s. Formed by Henry Hernandez and Oscar Lawson, the group performed at school dances and downtown clubs and eventually leased and managed their own venue, the legendary Patio Andaluz. The group also started their own label, Jester Records, and recorded various singles, including a take on Vanilla Fudge's "Take Me For A Little While" with the towering Louie Escalante on lead. The group also recorded "We Go Together," a group harmony classic with 16 yr old Luvine Elias, Jr on a Lowrey organ. A must-have hot tortilla to keep in your bag.

After branching off from The Royal Jesters in the mid-'60s, Dimas Garza attempted a solo career and reinvented himself as Dimas III. Dimas recorded three singles on the Jesters' own Clown label - all tracked at Abie Epstein's studio off General McMullen in San Antonio, TX. The first was "So Funny" b/w "I Won't Love You Again," which are almost impossible-to-find records. Garza never did manage to break beyond the Bexar County limits but left a rich legacy of recordings behind for lowrider enthusiasts and obsessed collectors alike.

Two brilliant, previously unissued modern soul discoveries from the archive of U.T.B. mastermind Andre Gibson. “My Lucky Stars” rides the 120 BPM crest, with sharp horns, handclaps, triangle, and a wild guitar solo filling out the four and a half minute ride. “Dreamality” cops a Steve Miller vibe and goes on a spaced-out future funk adventure.

The missing link between her Barry and Columbia singles, “I Can’t Stand It” b/w “Only Yesterday” is Thelma Jones with her back against the wall of an empty and indifferent Holiday Inn lounge and nothing to lose. Washed out of the recording business by the age of 30, Jones and her then-husband/manager James Hazley relocated to Tampa to work the hotel circuit and figure out what—if anything—was next. Following a chance encounter with Blair Mooney, Jones was invited to workshop a few stray originals at his Studio 70 compound in 1972. “He seemed to believe in me more than I did at the time,”Jones remembered of the Tampa studio impresario. Jones signed with Columbia a few years later and hightailed it out of The Big Guava, leaving two sides of country-politan soul on the shelf to be forgotten about. This Eccentric Soul 45 is a first time issue, carrying the banner of Mooney’s Gimp label and mastered directly from the original analog tapes.

Numero's Hottest Sounds Around triogathers castaway late-'70s grooves fromacross the Greater Antilles. Stan Chaman'sTrinidadian Semp concern deliveredWilfred Luckie's wobbly "My Thing" andthe Hamilton Brothers' calypso-discosmash "Music Makes The World Go `Round"in 1978. Across the sea, Frank Penn'sG.B.I studio tracked Stephen Colebrook'sDoobies-inspired "Stay Away From Music"for the cruise ship curious. All threeare housed in a custom Numero sleeveinspired by Edward Seaga's Caribbeanmusic manufacturing and distributionpowerhouse WIRL (West Indies RecordsLtd.)

Numero's Hottest Sounds Around triogathers castaway late-'70s grooves fromacross the Greater Antilles. Stan Chaman'sTrinidadian Semp concern deliveredWilfred Luckie's wobbly "My Thing" andthe Hamilton Brothers' calypso-discosmash "Music Makes The World Go `Round"in 1978. Across the sea, Frank Penn'sG.B.I studio tracked Stephen Colebrook'sDoobies-inspired "Stay Away From Music"for the cruise ship curious. All threeare housed in a custom Numero sleeveinspired by Edward Seaga's Caribbeanmusic manufacturing and distributionpowerhouse WIRL (West Indies RecordsLtd.)

Numero's Hottest Sounds Around triogathers castaway late-'70s grooves fromacross the Greater Antilles. Stan Chaman'sTrinidadian Semp concern deliveredWilfred Luckie's wobbly "My Thing" andthe Hamilton Brothers' calypso-discosmash "Music Makes The World Go `Round"in 1978. Across the sea, Frank Penn'sG.B.I studio tracked Stephen Colebrook'sDoobies-inspired "Stay Away From Music"for the cruise ship curious. All threeare housed in a custom Numero sleeveinspired by Edward Seaga's Caribbeanmusic manufacturing and distributionpowerhouse WIRL (West Indies RecordsLtd.)

Numero's second bundle of cover 45s isall things soulful. The Rotterdam-basedAnother Taste electrifies Maxx Traxx's1984 Chicago boogie grail "Don't TouchIt," which makes its debut on the 7"format here. Colemine Records' Say SheShe delivers a glamorous rendition of JimSpencer's yacht-disco hit "Wrap Myself UpIn Your Love." Columbia Recording artistLeon Bridges effortlessly transforms PastorT.L. Barrett's "Like A Ship," updating the50 year old gospel soul classic for the 21stcentury. All three are housed in a newlyimagined Numero custom sleeve, reflectingthe many shades of our ongoing EccentricSoul 45 imprint.

Beehive sisters The Contessas onlyexperienced a fraction of what couldhave been. "Broken Heart" b/w "GimmeGimme" simply describe their shortlived experiences through ghostly string,soulful vocals, and funky rhythms.

Chicago's Magic Touch label gets the Numero Group treatment. Available for the first time ever on 7", Boogie Holy-Grail "Too Far Gone" has been "Too Hard To Find" on the second hand market since first introduced to the masses via the legendary cratesmith Mark Grusane of Mr. Peabody Records. Rare Groove Windy City Disco at its finest sliced, diced and remastered for maximum dancefloor potential. Bonus: Housed on replica "Double Disco Smash" 7" Magic Touch Sleeve.

Chicago's Magic Touch label gets the Numero treatment. Legendary rare groove selector & DJ Red Greg's edit of Disco Holy-Grail "Why Do I Love You" is now available on 7" for the first time and housed in official Magic Touch Double Disco Smash 7" Company Sleeve. This tune has been making waves in the DJ community for years only after Red Greg introduced his crucial edit eliminating the studio fluff and dialing in the raw disco meat. Certified Floor Filler with a groove guaranteed to answer all questions on love.

Former Mind & Matter bandmates James "Jimmy Jam" Harris and Michael Dixon teamed up for 1978's gospel-boogie banger "You're All I Need" b/w "You're Everything" on the private Mad label.

Former Mind & Matter bandmates James "Jimmy Jam" Harris and Michael Dixon teamed up for 1978's gospel-boogie banger "You're All I Need" b/w "You're Everything" on the private Mad label.

In a club scene saturated with the Minneapolis sound, Luck Rosenbloom was searching for something different. Using Korgand Moog synths, Steinway Concert Piano and a Boss Dr-110 Dr. Rhythm, he created his own funky fusion sound to spread the word of God to the mainstream. Recorded at Minneapolis's Custom Record Studios he cut 200 copies of this elusive 45 of which only a few known copies exist. The record was promoted on his cable access TV show "Lucky Mania TV" where he encouraged kids to say no to drugs and take their vitamins.

The Royal Jesters were a household name in the 60s in San Antonio, TX. the 1960s. Formed by Henry Hernandez and Oscar Lawson, the group performed at school dances and downtown clubs and eventually leased and managed their own venue, the legendary Patio Andaluz. The group also started their own label, Jester Records, and recorded various singles, including a take on Vanilla Fudge's "Take Me For A Little While" with the towering Louie Escalante on lead. The group also recorded "We Go Together," a group harmony classic with 16 yr old Luvine Elias, Jr on a Lowrey organ. A must-have hot tortilla to keep in your bag.

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.

After branching off from The Royal Jesters in the mid-'60s, Dimas Garza attempted a solo career and reinvented himself as Dimas III. Dimas recorded three singles on the Jesters' own Clown label - all tracked at Abie Epstein's studio off General McMullen in San Antonio, TX. The first was "So Funny" b/w "I Won't Love You Again," which are almost impossible-to-find records. Garza never did manage to break beyond the Bexar County limits but left a rich legacy of recordings behind for lowrider enthusiasts and obsessed collectors alike.

Sometime in 2005, a lone box of master tapes escaped an estate sale and made its way through a network of collectors, record dealers, and "junkers" into the hands of leading Ohio soul expert Dante Carfagna, who linked them to Columbus, Ohio's mysterious Prix label (See: Eccentric Soul: The Prix Label). A bit of research turned up Prix proprietor George Beter, who identified most of the unlabeled material. All it took was an endless series of phone calls and letters and two fields trips in Columbus. But one complete mystery wended its way onto our final Prix compilation. "You and Me," a simple but irrepressible demo credited only to Penny & the Quarters, was found tacked onto a mixed studio reel. Our survey of every willing lifer left on the Columbus soul scene, including retired DJs, producers, and important local artists, produced not so much as a glimmer of recognition at the name Penny & the Quarters. Though we loved the song from the first play, it may've ended up a bit buried on our original compilation, as #18 of 19 tracks. Four years later, Eccentric Soul: The Prix Label hadn't exactly become a huge seller, although listeners had repeatedly told us that the unfiltered studio demos that fill out the record's back half were true diamonds in the rough. But neither Penny nor her Quarters had appeared to claim credit for their efforts. Then, completely out of left field, we heard from respected screen actor and avowed Numero fan Ryan Gosling that Penny's piercing bit of stripped down doo-wop was being considered for inclusion in Derek Cianfrance's indie-weeper film Blue Valentine. What we didn't know was that "You and Me" had won a major role in what became an indie circuit hit, and that Penny & the Quarters would instantly assume the role of world's most famous unknown doo-wop group. Every week is a slow news week in Columbus, Ohio, and early January 2011 found the city recovering from the thrill of elevating Ted Williams_the formerly homeless guy with the awesome voice for radio_into a national news sensation. But both major daily newspapers in town, as well as the city's alternative weekly, also ran stories about how a lost and unknown Columbus soul group had become the musical centerpiece of a film already garnering Oscar buzz. That mainstream spotlight aimed at Blue Valentine and Penny & the Quarters did the trick: we finally made contact with the widow of Jay Robinson, lead Quarters' singer and songwriter. Robinson, it turned out, had also been the leader of Columbus doo-wop pioneers The Supremes (later known as "The Columbus Supremes," for reasons which should be obvious). Jay Robinson never did give up on the dream of writing a hit record; even so, the posthumous realization of his dream is cold comfort for his widow and daughter. With their blessings, we returned to those estate sale masters and pulled down another neglected track ("You Are Giving Me Some Other Love") from the still-unknown Penny and her now-partly-known Quarters. "You and Me" is a song that could not be suppressed: not when Prix failed to release it; not when Penny & the Quarters were forgotten; not when Numero stuck it at the bitter end of a much overlooked compilation. Its evolution from estate sale trash to silver-screen gold has finally returned it to big-hole 45, where it probably should have lived all along.

Castaway Clear Pink Vinyl.Numero's Hottest Sounds Around triogathers castaway late-'70s grooves fromacross the Greater Antilles. Stan Chaman'sTrinidadian Semp concern deliveredWilfred Luckie's wobbly "My Thing" andthe Hamilton Brothers' calypso-discosmash "Music Makes The World Go `Round"in 1978. Across the sea, Frank Penn'sG.B.I studio tracked Stephen Colebrook'sDoobies-inspired "Stay Away From Music"for the cruise ship curious. All threeare housed in a custom Numero sleeveinspired by Edward Seaga's Caribbeanmusic manufacturing and distributionpowerhouse WIRL (West Indies RecordsLtd.)

Tropics Green Colored Vinyl.Numero's Hottest Sounds Around triogathers castaway late-'70s grooves fromacross the Greater Antilles. Stan Chaman'sTrinidadian Semp concern deliveredWilfred Luckie's wobbly "My Thing" andthe Hamilton Brothers' calypso-discosmash "Music Makes The World Go `Round"in 1978. Across the sea, Frank Penn'sG.B.I studio tracked Stephen Colebrook'sDoobies-inspired "Stay Away From Music"for the cruise ship curious. All threeare housed in a custom Numero sleeveinspired by Edward Seaga's Caribbeanmusic manufacturing and distributionpowerhouse WIRL (West Indies RecordsLtd.)

Maritime Blue Colored Vinyl.Numero's Hottest Sounds Around triogathers castaway late-'70s grooves fromacross the Greater Antilles. Stan Chaman'sTrinidadian Semp concern deliveredWilfred Luckie's wobbly "My Thing" andthe Hamilton Brothers' calypso-discosmash "Music Makes The World Go `Round"in 1978. Across the sea, Frank Penn'sG.B.I studio tracked Stephen Colebrook'sDoobies-inspired "Stay Away From Music"for the cruise ship curious. All threeare housed in a custom Numero sleeveinspired by Edward Seaga's Caribbeanmusic manufacturing and distributionpowerhouse WIRL (West Indies RecordsLtd.)