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Slightly warped vinyl, but still enjoyable. Still in shrink, but opened, with hype sticker, close to VG+

saw cut. vinyl has a few paper scuffs. Price tag.

A Danny Krivit and Harvey favourite, as sampled by J Dilla and Glenn Underground – a dubby disco cover of the Gamble & Huff penned O’Jays classic. This sound was later pioneered by the likes of Arthur Russell and Larry Levan. Replica original 7” artwork, official Mr Bongo reissue, mastered from our original DAT copy.

American R&B and soul singer and producer Al Johnson debuted as lead singer of The Unifics in the mid 60's and enjoyed a successful career as songwriter and producer after leaving the group. He is also well known as a producer of Terry Huff's classic album The Lonely One.

His first album Peaceful was released from a minor label called Marina Records in 1978 and was produced by Lloyd Price who is the singer that had some R&B hit songs in the 50's. In addition, thanks to the skillful supporting musicians such as Bernard Purdie on drums, Leo Nocentelli from The Meters on guitar, the album is an aural delight with soulful gems from start-to-finish.

Although it's less known than his 2nd full length Back For More which was produced by Norman Connors, P-vine believes this album will strike a chord with R&B lovers. Includes Japanese OBI-strip!

Mysteries Of The World is the stunning final studio album from legendary Philly supergroup MFSB. Expertly co-written and produced with the mighty Dexter Wansel, it features the untouchable, sparkling masterpiece "Mysteries Of The World". The whole album is truly exquisite; a stylish, classy collection of pure Philly soul and orchestral jazz-funk.

MFSB, an acronym for Mother, Father, Sister, Brother, was formed by producers Gamble & Huff of Philadelphia International Records. The band's roots can be traced back to the house band at the legendary Sigma Sound Studios, where they played on numerous hit records by artists like The O'Jays, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes and The Stylistics. Mysteries Of The World comprises slick jazz-funk grooves, mostly penned by Wansel, who produced a fair chunk of the album in a similar style to his space-funk records. MFSB's smooth sound is retained but it receives a fresh, elegant and jazzy upgrade. While this album is as mellow as the rest of the latter-period MFSB recordings, it never forgets the group's soul music underpinnings.

Swaggering, well-timed horn blasts, sweeping strings and a percolating, hard thumping slap-bassline combine to devastating effect on amazing opener "Manhattan Skyline". It's a sexy mid-tempo instrumental which sets us up nicely for what follows. Essays could be written analysing the perfection of title track. Arguably the finest jazz-funk instrumental ever made, it's absolutely magnificent. Featuring musicianship of the highest calibre, the band play with their trademark tight discipline, cooking up a syncopating rhythm with an array of exploratory keyboard riffs wrapped around a punchy bassline sent from heaven. It sounds like house music, it's that ahead of its time. The string intro is sumptuous, hypnotic and divine and that's all before the beat hits. The track fuses classical, jazz and funk into a musical journey that you never want to end. Absolutely flawless, it's a dramatic disco dancefloor killer.

Says Dexter Wansel himself: "You know, of all the songs I wrote/produced/arranged for MFSB, this is for me the most different. I think it's an experiment in rhythmic, soft sonic synth and live string and harp combinations. I composed it in an effort to blend a funky groove, along with synthesis, and orchestral sounds. There are 3 synthesizers: Oberheim 4 voice, Polymoog, and of course Arp 2600v. And, as I remember, I recorded the track with the rhythm section, string, harp and flute players first. Then I added synthesis."

The profound elegance remains in abundance on the slinky, harp-laced "Tell Me Why"; Carla Benson's beautiful voice truly shines on this sophisticated cut. The side closes out in dramatic style with the string-drenched "Metamorphosis". It's a staccato, Blaxploitation groove workout featuring wah-wah guitar, creeping basslines, rich horn solos and soulful vocals drifting in and out of the mix. The bouncy, irrepressible "Fortune Teller" opens the B side in the bass-heavy orchestral funk style before the beautiful "Old San Juan" glides in, a Balearic-adjacent track with intricate arrangements, building its mellow soul groove around an atypical flamenco guitar hook. Melancholy, guitar-led instrumental "Thank You Miss Scott" is a real highlight, with gorgeous flute, string and percussive elements whilst closer "In the Shadow" works an otherworldly synth line into its bossa nova groove.

An essential record for fans of Philly soul and groovy jazz-funk, Mysteries Of The World was mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis and cut by Cicely Ralston for Alchemy at AIR Studios. The stunning artwork, the work of renowned illustrator Robert Giusti, was restored at Be With HQ to round out this beautiful reissue.

James Brown had several incredibly talented funky divas in his late 60s and early 70s stable, including Vicki Anderson and Marva Whitney. But as great as those two powerhouse singers were, Lyn Collins was the strongest hitmaker of that funky JB era. Her strong voice and commanding stage presence - which earned her the nicknames The Female Preacher and Mama Feelgood - quickly proved to be a potent addition to the People Records universe. In the spring of 1972 her second single, the driving and ridiculously funky “Think (About It)” hit the R&B music world like a ton of bricks. As fans young and old know, thanks to its timeless, relentless groove and powerful vocals, “Think” gained a powerful second life in the 1980s thanks to the hip-hop generation, fueling the platinum smash “It Takes Two,” by Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock in 1988 and additionally sampled by dozens of hip-hop and dance music artists up to the present day. But Collins was far from a one hit wonder: she was as vocally adept on ballads as she was with full-blown funk. She proves this throughout her debut album, which was released in 1972 on James Browns new People Records - the imprint's second full-length release. To wit, aside from the title smash: a powerful and emotional cover of Bill Withers "Ain’t No Sunshine"; the socially progressive "Women’s Lib"; the Gamble & Huff-penned "Never Gonna Give You Up" (originally done by Jerry Butler); and even a daring, muscular take on the song “Fly Me To The Moon,” made famous by, among others, Frank Sinatra. Throughout Think (About It), Collins shows that she was a vocal force to be reckoned with. Backed by a James Brown assembled musical crew that included Pee Wee Ellis, Fred Wesley and, of course, James Brown himself, the platter was bound to impress and succeed. And that it did.

Limited edition of 100 copies for the 2023 Summer of Jazz campaign, focused on South-African jazz. Only available at HHV.

With one foot planted in jazz and the other in the township groove of Mbaqanga, saxophonist Sello Mmutung was a powerful crossover figure in the history of popular music in South Africa. Using the stage name Bra Sello, meaning “brother” and used as a term of affection and respect in the jazz community, he came up in the era of shellac 78s as an exponent of the 1960s sax jive sound that brought the swinging rhythm of kwela into the domain of South African jazz. Despite the injection of American rhythm and blues into South African pop in the late-1960s, Bra Sello’s first releases on vinyl on the
CBS label saw him backed by the group Abafana Bentuthuko and holding down an unapologetic township sound.
Joining the independent Soweto label under producer Cambridge Matiwane in the mid-1970s, Bra Sello recorded two records in the hit-making bump jive style popularised by serious jazz musician Dollar Brand on the one hand and prolific studio group The Movers, operating in funk and soul territory, on the other. Blending modern American and traditional African elements into joyful hip-swinging rhythms, Butterfly (1975) and The Battle of Disco (1977) reflect the vivacity of urban life in South Africa and document an era when dance music was performed by bands as extended jams laced with jawdropping solos. With music trends shifting dramatically in the late-1970s, the title of The Battle of Disco was an ironic call to arms in response to the territory that group musicians were beginning to cede to synthesisers and DJs.
For enthusiasts of African music from the 1970s, a full appreciation of the continent’s output is incomplete without South Africa’s pop-jazz sound providing a regional counterpoint to the funk experimentation of West Africa. Reissued for the very first time, Bra Sello returns in 2023 with limited replica editions from Afrodelic using master tape sources from the As Shams / The Sun collection. Afrodelic’s unique edition of Butterfly features a previously unreleased track on Side B.

This is a story of perseverance. This is a story of how a bandleader and aspiring singer from Philadelphia discovered a young group from Camden NJ, wrote and produced their first single, and then watched the group’s career take off in someone else's stable. There were many lessons learned the hard way; the most poignant was finding out the record business in Philly during the 1960’s and 70's was a hard nut to crack, especially when you're an unknown in the R&B world. Post Barbara Mason (Yes I'm Ready, 1965) and just before The Ebonys (You're The Reason Why, 1971) there was a little known Philadelphia singer, songwriter, and producer named Raymond Waterhouse. Ray was never given his due for discovering one of the biggest groups to come out of the Philadelphia International Records (pir) roster. We will be discussing his group, The Soul Set - Gary Volpe (drums), Jerry Marlo (bass & vocals), Tommy Davidge (guitar & vocals), and Denny Collett (Hammond B-3 organ) as well as the group whose career he launched - The Ebonys, (Clarence Vaughan, David Beasley, James "Bootie" Tuten, Jennifer Holmes) Hailing from Bristol Township, outside of Philly, PA, Ray (known as Ray Sharp while performing) and The Soul Set played every small club from Philadelphia, PA to Somers Point, NJ and up and down the coast from Washington DC to New York. Week in and week out, they played mostly covers of the day, some James Brown and local groups like Chubby Checker, and the mighty Delfonics. The Soul Set was a rough and tumble crew, clean-cut looking, but vicious instrumentalists. After three singles on B.B Records (a subsidiary of Swan) and years of playing around Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York, some industry folk started to take notice. In 1968, Ray Sharp and The Soul Set signed a singles deal on the small label Sock & Soul Record Corp. run by Nat Segall & Howard Michaels (respectively producer & manager of the Soul Survivors). Earthquake B/W She Needs Love (h-104) was released in late 1968 and soon gained traction locally. The Soul Set had a hit on their hands. Ray knew he needed a follow-up, and quick. He formed his own label with co-songwriter Paul Prospero and financier Avis S. Joy (Avis Records) and immediately signed The Ebonys. Avis would see two releases in total, a Ray Sharp solo record (avis-1002) but more relative to our story, The Ebonys - Back In My Arms B/W I Can't Help But Love You (avis-1001). Recorded in 1968 and released in 1969 the record failed to chart, or maybe get radio play at all. This was the very first release for Clarence, David, James, and Jennifer as The Ebonys. Written and produced by Ray and arranged by the late, great Roland Chambers, the single seems to have long been forgotten. Perhaps it was overlooked, or overshadowed by the very successful career The Ebonys would go on to have at PIR, under Gamble & Huff. In 1971 The Ebonys single You're The Reason Why was in the ten on the U.S. R&B Charts, a first for PIR. Fifty-five years later, after a seemingly endless effort by Raymond Waterhouse to relive some of that late 1960’s glory with later bands like Waterhouse, Live A Little, Profit, The Four Accents, The Ebonys original reel to reel master tapes from the Avis label sessions have been found and remastered and sound as good today as they did back in 1969. In that original session for Ray at Sigma Sound Studios with Joe Tarsia doing the mix, there were three songs done in total, all of which will finally see a proper release on a 7" / 45rpm for the first time in half a decade.

This is a story of perseverance. This is a story of how a bandleader and aspiring singer from Philadelphia discovered a young group from Camden NJ, wrote and produced their first single, and then watched the group’s career take off in someone else's stable. There were many lessons learned the hard way; the most poignant was finding out the record business in Philly during the 1960’s and 70's was a hard nut to crack, especially when you're an unknown in the R&B world. Post Barbara Mason (Yes I'm Ready, 1965) and just before The Ebonys (You're The Reason Why, 1971) there was a little known Philadelphia singer, songwriter, and producer named Raymond Waterhouse. Ray was never given his due for discovering one of the biggest groups to come out of the Philadelphia International Records (pir) roster. We will be discussing his group, The Soul Set - Gary Volpe (drums), Jerry Marlo (bass & vocals), Tommy Davidge (guitar & vocals), and Denny Collett (Hammond B-3 organ) as well as the group whose career he launched - The Ebonys, (Clarence Vaughan, David Beasley, James "Bootie" Tuten, Jennifer Holmes) Hailing from Bristol Township, outside of Philly, PA, Ray (known as Ray Sharp while performing) and The Soul Set played every small club from Philadelphia, PA to Somers Point, NJ and up and down the coast from Washington DC to New York. Week in and week out, they played mostly covers of the day, some James Brown and local groups like Chubby Checker, and the mighty Delfonics. The Soul Set was a rough and tumble crew, clean-cut looking, but vicious instrumentalists. After three singles on B.B Records (a subsidiary of Swan) and years of playing around Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York, some industry folk started to take notice. In 1968, Ray Sharp and The Soul Set signed a singles deal on the small label Sock & Soul Record Corp. run by Nat Segall & Howard Michaels (respectively producer & manager of the Soul Survivors). Earthquake B/W She Needs Love (h-104) was released in late 1968 and soon gained traction locally. The Soul Set had a hit on their hands. Ray knew he needed a follow-up, and quick. He formed his own label with co-songwriter Paul Prospero and financier Avis S. Joy (Avis Records) and immediately signed The Ebonys. Avis would see two releases in total, a Ray Sharp solo record (avis-1002) but more relative to our story, The Ebonys - Back In My Arms B/W I Can't Help But Love You (avis-1001). Recorded in 1968 and released in 1969 the record failed to chart, or maybe get radio play at all. This was the very first release for Clarence, David, James, and Jennifer as The Ebonys. Written and produced by Ray and arranged by the late, great Roland Chambers, the single seems to have long been forgotten. Perhaps it was overlooked, or overshadowed by the very successful career The Ebonys would go on to have at PIR, under Gamble & Huff. In 1971 The Ebonys single You're The Reason Why was in the ten on the U.S. R&B Charts, a first for PIR. Fifty-five years later, after a seemingly endless effort by Raymond Waterhouse to relive some of that late 1960’s glory with later bands like Waterhouse, Live A Little, Profit, The Four Accents, The Ebonys original reel to reel master tapes from the Avis label sessions have been found and remastered and sound as good today as they did back in 1969. In that original session for Ray at Sigma Sound Studios with Joe Tarsia doing the mix, there were three songs done in total, all of which will finally see a proper release on a 7" / 45rpm for the first time in half a decade.

Black Truffle is pleased to welcome free jazz legend Joe McPhee back to the fold with Oblique Strategies, a wild trio recorded in Antwerp in 2018 in the company of Mette Rasmussen’s fire-breathing alto saxophone and Dennis Tyfus’s post-Fluxus antics on tape, voice, and percussion. Rasmussen and Tyfus have previously recorded together as Bazuinschal, and some similar strategies are on display here: mysterious metallic scrapes, extended tones in which voice and sax become indistinguishable, comic explosions of varispeed tape. With McPhee on board, however, proceedings are more sumptuous, with the two horns moving fluidly from expeditions into the extremes of their instruments’ registers to pointillistic note-splatter and Ayler-esque folk melodies; we even get to bask in some of the slow-motion free blues that McPhee has now been playing for half a century. McPhee is heard primarily on tenor, Rasmussen mainly on alto, but with Rasmussen doubling on sundry objects, and the whole trio contributing vocals, certainty about who is doing what becomes nigh impossible. The recording and production add to this hazy unclarity. Where much contemporary improvised music aims at dryly clinical hi-fi, the lively reverberant space of Oblique Strategies calls to mind the less-than-pristine sonics of classic free jazz artefacts like John Tchicai’s Afrodisiaca or McPhee’s own Underground Railroad. A further dimension of oblique unpredictability is added by subtle changes in the sense of space: at times merely a reverb tail glimpsed between phrases, at other points the whole mix seems to be momentarily swallowed up in slap-back, blurring the lines between acoustic instruments and the decayed fidelity of Tyfus’ tape playback. Spread across four pieces ranging from four to nineteen minutes in length, Oblique Strategies moves with anarchic swagger from explosions of clattering cymbals and bellowing horns to near-silent episodes of mysterious rumble and clunk. ‘Death or Dinner?’ opens the record with a lovely duet of climbing melodic patterns shared between the two saxophones, played with a buzzing oboe-like tone. A long, wavering note sung by Tyfus cues the first of countless changes of direction, eventually leading to a crescendo of watery splutters and duelling saxes. At points Tyfus’ keening resemble the signature moves of his friend and collaborator, Ghédelia Tazartès; at others, his tape-sped huffs and puffs possess a rawness reminiscent of Henri Chopin or Gil Wolman. The dialogue between wailing saxophones and vocal cries, punctuated by percussive thuds and crashes, can at times feel less like a musical performance and more like the calls of some mysterious forest creatures, possessing a primordial energy that might remind some listeners of the outdoor antics of Brötzmann and Bennink’s Schwarzwaldfahrt.

Oblique Strategies can also be delicate at times, as on the beautiful third piece, ‘Destilled Edible’, dominated by a slow, microtonal melody played with a breathy tone resembling a shakuhachi. The closing side-long ‘Light My Fire’ ranges across classic improv call and response, skittering trumpet blurts, inept cymbal clatter, mock-operatic vocals, and crude tape manoeuvres. Momentarily pausing at the ten-minute mark for an interlude of ghostly room sound and crackling texture, its closing moments unfurl a glorious dual saxophone finale, the almost epic tone subtly undermined by Tyfus quietly tapping out swing rhythms. Arriving in a striking sleeve adorned with Tyfus’ drawings, Oblique Strategies is an invigoratingly free-spirited blast of improvisation.

Two incredible 70’s soul cuts from The O’Jays get the reissue treatment for 2018. The A side contains the mighty ‘For The Love Of Money’ a near 7 minute cautionary tale to the dangers of greed and exploitation. "For the love of money. People will lie, Lord, they will cheat. For the love of money. People don't care who they hurt or beat." As pertinent now as it was in the 70’s if not more so considering current affairs. A much sampled record, loved by many!
On the flip, ‘Darlin' Darlin' Baby (Sweet, Tender, Love)’, the second hit single off the O’Jay’s album ‘Message In The Music’, is a romantic soul serenade with that killer Gamble and Huff production – Philly’s finest!

We are back with two Soul sides for you for our 11th regular release. Both are a perfect fit for the Soul scene. Side A features Maggtapp's previously unreleased "Because You're You." This is a strong female vox lead sublime Modern Soul groover. It features a steady beat and a spacious arrangement - just drums, bass, electric piano, and organ - that lets the vocals float on top of it. It definitely could be a demo or a temporary mix down, as it could be a bit more fleshed out, but it is really quite good as is. Joe McGlone & The Hot Pepper Band tear up Side B with another previously unreleased gem. "Love I Lost" is an anthemic cover of the Kenny Gamble/Leon Huff tune. It starts with an almost church like organ lifting you into a track that kicks wide open into a 70s Northern Soul floor filler. This is a classic strong Soul lead vocal with a harmony call and response chorus. Just try to keep from tapping your feet and then jumping out on the dancefloor.

We are back with two Soul sides for you for our 11th regular release. Both are a perfect fit for the Soul scene. Side A features Maggtapp's previously unreleased "Because You're You." This is a strong female vox lead sublime Modern Soul groover. It features a steady beat and a spacious arrangement - just drums, bass, electric piano, and organ - that lets the vocals float on top of it. It definitely could be a demo or a temporary mix down, as it could be a bit more fleshed out, but it is really quite good as is. Joe McGlone & The Hot Pepper Band tear up Side B with another previously unreleased gem. "Love I Lost" is an anthemic cover of the Kenny Gamble/Leon Huff tune. It starts with an almost church like organ lifting you into a track that kicks wide open into a 70s Northern Soul floor filler. This is a classic strong Soul lead vocal with a harmony call and response chorus. Just try to keep from tapping your feet and then jumping out on the dancefloor.

"Willie "Junei" Lee spent the first half of the 1970s playing guitar with his older brother Robert Lee in the self-contained band Lost Weekend, recording a handful of singles and a still unreleased LP. The back half of the decade was spent touring with Albert King, Curtis Mayfield, and The Emotions, before returning home to Gary, Indiana, to focus on his own sound. In 1985, Junei's girlfriend brought home a suite of Fostex home studio gear, including a 12 channel board, 8-track tape machine, and a halftrack for mix downs. He added a Yamaha drum machine and a Maestro echoplex and started his solo project. "The only artists I listened to was Hendrix and Santana," Junei said. The emissions coming from his home studio were entirely different, however, as "Let's Ride" channels the Euro sensibilities of Kraftwerk or Italo over virtuosic guitar. "I just didn't want to sound like anyone else," he continued. "Let's Ride" achieved that differentiation, and managed to anticipate Chicago house by a few years. Pressed in minuscule numbers in 1987 on Pharaohs Records, the 45 never connected with the nearby scenes in Chicago and Detroit where it might have found purchase in fertile soils. Decades later "Let's Ride" found new life as the bed for KAYTRANADA's "Scared To Death," and the track has slowly worked its way through the algorithm to a new generation of vapor huffers. "I am all for experimentation, trying new things, etc," Junei said. "Kaytranada is a visionary and a talented producer. He has my respect.""

BBE Music presents a brand new album celebrating one of Philadelphia soul music’s most iconic figures, Teddy Pendergrass, remixed by pioneering producer and engineer, John Morales.

This exploration of 1970s Philly soul at its apex focuses on one of the era’s defining voices, Theodore DeReese Pendergrass. Born in Philadelphia in 1950, Pendergrass sang church music at age two, and was ordained a minister at ten years old. Having learned drums and played in local bands during his teens, at 20 he was hired as a drummer for the Blue Notes by group leader Harold Melvin. After being spotted singing along onstage, he was soon appointed lead singer, and the rest is history…

The masterful, revealing remix work of John Morales affords these classic songs improved clarity, allowing each individual player more space to be heard and modernising the recordings without ever losing sight of the original spirit. The virtuoso quality of the songwriting, production, arrangements and performances shine forth anew, and so do some of the music’s subtler qualities and nuanced, sometimes conflicted, subtexts that might have been overlooked in the most conventional view of Pendergrass in his prime.

Curated authoritatively, remixed with love and passion, John Morales’ collection revisits our relationship with Teddy’s and Gamble & Huff’s music as compellingly and immersively as when it was new. Teddy’s timeless force resides equally in his talent for portraying truthfully the joys and hurts, beliefs and doubts, blessings and challenges of our lives, and in the bravery of confronting them all with an honesty that is still utterly extraordinary.

York Pennsylvania born and raised, R&B vocalist Carman Bryant has performed throughout the U.S. and all over the world. There’s a saying in the Harrisburg/York Pa.area “If you want a seat, you better get there early” for a performance by Carman and her band. Carman's recording "Midnight Star” is an unreleased recording that was produced many years ago by Cecil DuValle of the Teddy Pendergrass band. The original studio masters were lost when Cecil moved to England because Teddy Pendergrass stopped performing. "Take a Chance" is a duet by Doug Payne and Carman from the same recording sessions at Alpha International Studios that was located in South Philadelphia. This was during the time that Doug Payne was on the "We are Family" tour with Philly recording group "Sister Sledge''. Doug Payne is a graduate of Howard University Washington D.C., and Fiorello LaGuardia High School of Music & Art in New York City, this is the same school that was used for the movie and television series "fame" starring Debbie Allen and Irene Cara. Doug had two songs signed with Tsop Gamble & Huff's publishing that were selected to be recorded by Phyliss Hyman before her death. In 1981 Doug Payne started his own label in Philadelphia with the release of "holiday" by Doug Payne & Polygon. Carman and her son Terrell Bryant aka Nakuu both have been busy lately recording new music to hit the scene around the same time.Terrell Bryant is the son of Jason Bryant who started The SOS Band. Doug's wife June Payne is a former member of Philadelphia recording group The "Three Degrees".

A Svart Mondo Release. Limited to 500 copies on black vinyl. By early 1960’s, jazz in its mainstream form had become the standard dance music for the student parties in high schools and several student union clubrooms in Helsinki. The Polytech union even organized matinée dances for high school students on Sundays. The change in the musical preference of young people’s dance music occurred with the arrival of British rock in the mid-sixties and this, of course, coincided with another cultural and musical development. As the new campus for the school was built in Otaniemi, Espoo in 1955-1966 and its operations gradually moved there, the modern style “Dipoli” building became the crowning edifice on the campus. It was to be the new home for the Polytech student union. When this controversial building was opened in 1966, it was meant to introduce a new vision of the future and constituted an embodiment of the modernist spirit of those times in the late 1960’s. This reissue of The Complete Jazz at the Polytechnicum recordings, done in 1967-68, also provides us with a glimpse of the modern directions of those days, not only in jazz music, but also in performance art. It is easy to hear that the main aesthetic in these performances was to break conventions and find new avenues for individual expression. The publisher of these recordings was the Jazz Society of the Tech Students, which was formed a little before these recordings. The name of the society was a take-off from Norman Granz’ Jazz at The Philharmonic and it became Jazz at the Polytechnicum. Both are, of course, abbreviated as J.A.T.P., which became formulated in musicians’ mouths into “Jappa”. This Svart Records re-issue consists of four EP-records in chronological order. The first three feature three jazz groups of the leading young players with their ages ranging from 21 to 30. The fourth one documents an avant-garde art “happening” held in Dipoli on March 20th – 24th 1968 called “Posotusta, pimputusta, pompotusta”, which could freely be translated as “Huff ‘n’ puff ‘n’ plonk”.

Behind Oakland CA-based ensemble Orchestra GOLD’s original sound is a decade-long story of knowledge, respect, and collaboration between Mariam Diakite of Mali and Erich Huffaker of Oakland. Blending the traditions of Mali and American Rock/Funk with a retro feel, OG represents a world of powerful cross-cultural experience. The group transcends borders and boundaries to be a force of healing within the community. OG offers a kaleidoscope of magical sound deeply rooted in the past while boldly blazing towards the genre-bending future: African Psychedelic Rock. OG’s vibrant sound is spearheaded by the dynamic Mariam Diakite, whose raw, hypnotic vocals deliver heartfelt and thought-provoking lyrics in the highly symbolic Bambara language. While paying homage to Malian musical traditions, this fierce new sound thrives with heavy swinging rhythms, a funky fresh brass section, and cosmic guitar licks. With the January 2023 release of their third album, Medicine, this profoundly spiritual and danceinducing ensemble continues their pursuit of spreading healing and community through the universal gift of music.

Limited 12" (400 printed) of George - Letters to George (ooyh 018) on black vinyl (180g), featuring original artwork by TJ Huff

“Walk the dog. Exercise. Make art.’The mind is happy when the body is.’ Things I can potentially fill my days with if I am stuck at home for months on end…Then, one day, I hear a frenetic, free drummer playing in his garage a few blocks from me. And I think ‘interesting’. I stand outside his garage staring at the wall, like a fool, for a minute, then decide to leave a note on the car parked there. This is how I ended up meeting and working with Ted Byrnes. He wasn’t creeped out, and he ended up sending me a pile of truly spontaneous drums recordings from the carport to work with. I decided to have every musician come in one at at time and just take a wild pass at their track over the drums. None of these people had ever met or played together. I was the connecting thread. I scratched the surface initially with electric bass, saxophone, guitars, cuica, synthesizers, flute and effects, but soon realized I would need heavy hitters to make this place habitable. “Greg Coates, upright bass expressionist extraordinaire, hacked through the dense weeds, vines and frayed cabling. He lays the map out and makes breathing room. Space to swing a cat. Tom Dolas (keys), my often foil, came in and began tip-toeing through the rubble and refuse. Dotting the layout with flecks of light, flights of fancy and potential tangential trajectories. Then the finisher, Brad Caulkins on horns. As always, Brad came in like grace itself, scanned the floor for food, and huffed and puffed and blew the house down. He takes a bruiser situation and lends it some warmth and hospitality, old school. “After I spent a bit of time mixing and editing this down to a palatable offering I couldn’t help but think about human consumption. ...Endless Garbage seemed a fitting title. A cacophonous and glorious sketch of ourselves. For fans of Albert Ayler, ECM records, Gong, improvisation, sustainability and consumption” —John Dwyer

From Washington DC group Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers, the latin belter "Berro e Sombaro" has been sampled and re-edited over the years, but not issued in it's original form on the single side of a 7". It was first released as the closing track on Chuck's "Bustin Loose" album from 1979 where the go-go- funk title track was centre stage. "Berro e Sombaro" came through on the 80s rare groove scene. The 'b' side is an exclusive 7" edit of the Gamble & Huff composed masterpiece "Never Gonna Give You Up", also from the same album, and never previously on 7" single.

One of the most influential vocal groups of the 60’s with their original masterpiece, a necessary collection of rare groove and soul ballads. Officially reissued on vinyl after more than 40 years here’s the band fifth album, originally released in 1971 on Little Star Records. Formed in 1958 in Canton, Ohio, and originally consisting of Eddie Levert, Walter Lee Williams, William Powell, Bobby Massey, and Bill Isles. The O'Jays made their first chart appearance with the minor hit "Lonely Drifter" in 1963, but reached their greatest level of success once Gamble & Huff signed them to their Philadelphia International. Super Bad is a raw, deep funk classic. Ranking among their finest work and it is widely regarded as their most complete album.

Grounded was initially recorded as the first track of what was to become Crickets II by my NYC-based ensemble Crickets, and the follow up to the album of the same name from 2018. The track was recorded remotely from locations literally across the world in Winter of 2020/2021, which everyone knows was a time of minimal in-person recording opportunity. As the band further spread out over the next year, this consequently was the only documentation of the new material I had written for the group featuring Anna Webber, Josh Sinton, Ed Rosenberg, Jonathan Goldberger, and Devin Gray. Perhaps a reunion is a possibility down the line, but for now I'm thrilled to present this final Crickets track on the 5th anniversary of the original album's release.

Included here in digital format is Crickets (ooyh 001) from 2018 for the first time in HD at 88.2 kHz/24-bit, and the new track Grounded which will release on October 19, 2023. TJ Huff gave the album art a sweet redesign for the 5th anniversary LP release, in line with his more recent Ooyh artwork. TJ also did the awesome single cover for Grounded in the 90s skateboard art style we initially conceived as the look for Ooyh Records. All of the tracks featured on this page are included as part of the 5th anniversary LP release.

Blue Note Records and Universal Music Classics & Jazz have announced the signing of the phenomenal jazz and soul singer/songwriter Gregory Porter. Porter has been in the studio with his working band and producer Brian Bacchus recording his third album and major label debut, which will be released worldwide on Blue Note Records this September. In 2010 Porter released his debut album Water (Motéma Music), which earned a GRAMMY nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Album. His sophomore album Be Good (Motéma Music) followed in 2012 and earned him his second GRAMMY nomination for Best Traditional R&B Performance. The Huffington Post has declared Porter "the brilliant new voice of jazz," adding that he is also "heavily steeped in the passion, delivery and emotion of the best classic soul men."

Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes were one of the most popular groups on Gamble & Huff's Philadelphia International label, clocking up a number of hits in the mid 70's.

This release featuring two of their recordings, typify the cream of Philadelphia International and Sigma Sound studios dominance of the mid 1970s dance-floor at the absolute height of their creativity and power.

"Bad Luck" spent an unprecedented 11 weeks on the No.1 slot on Billboard's U.S. Dance chart in 1975 and has since become one of the biggest dance-floor staples ever recorded.

On the flip we have the original full version of the classic "Don't Leave Me This Way".
Both songs are mixed to perfection by Tom Moulton and both are state-of-the-art lessons in what exhilarating Dance Music is all about. Fully remastered on limited
edition 180 gram heavyweight vinyl.

Ohio's O'Jays were a hugely popular part of Philadelphia's PIR stable throughout the 1970's and 80's. They cut numerous sides for the label aided by the incredible production and arrangements of the infamous Gamble and Huff hit machine.

As the fable goes: pre-discogs, intrepid disc jocks would often take trips to Italy (many tricking their spouse into believe it was a ‘holiday’!) to source records from the seemingly endless supply of top tier Italo, disco and cosmic record shops across the country. According to legend, the classified sections of local yellow pages and information booklets which would contain the addresses of the record shops and dealers in the area would often be ripped out unscrupulously, thwarting – or at least making it more difficult for – the next vinyl tourist to source out the rare gems amongst the rich seams – a wild west vinyl gold rush if you will.

Such stories are a rarity these days, with youtube making some of the most underground tracks common knowledge, and discogs almost making any record obtainable – at a price of course. Upgrading his digging methodology, Bosco has developed a secret New Technique to side-step the machine and in doing so obtained a clutch of amyl-soaked fluffers that are so rare, that upon writing they aren’t even listed online! Seriously, he must be communicating with some interdimensional, upper echelon Italo overlords; taking us on a primo-thrust tour through the most unexposed recesses of the Italo disco galaxy.

Don’t be hoodwinked by their sheer obscurity however; we wouldn’t give a toss if they couldn’t tear the arse off the dancefloor. But they’re all fuckin rhodium grade tackle peeps! Eight neon-drenched late night roman candles of Italo disco decadence that’ll defo have you jizzing rainbow skittles over the dancefloor as you search desperately through the fog for another huff of poppers off Darren.

Total Discogs market value: as yet undetermined

Pharoah Brunson’s Pyramid Points: 9999999999999

Limited edition of 100 copies for the 2023 Summer of Jazz campaign, focused on South-African jazz. Only available at HHV.

With one foot planted in jazz and the other in the township groove of Mbaqanga, saxophonist Sello Mmutung was a powerful crossover figure in the history of popular music in South Africa. Using the stage name Bra Sello, meaning “brother” and used as a term of affection and respect in the jazz community, he came up in the era of shellac 78s as an exponent of the 1960s sax jive sound that brought the swinging rhythm of kwela into the domain of South African jazz. Despite the injection of American rhythm and blues into South African pop in the late-1960s, Bra Sello’s first releases on vinyl on the
CBS label saw him backed by the group Abafana Bentuthuko and holding down an unapologetic township sound.
Joining the independent Soweto label under producer Cambridge Matiwane in the mid-1970s, Bra Sello recorded two records in the hit-making bump jive style popularised by serious jazz musician Dollar Brand on the one hand and prolific studio group The Movers, operating in funk and soul territory, on the other. Blending modern American and traditional African elements into joyful hip-swinging rhythms, Butterfly (1975) and The Battle of Disco (1977) reflect the vivacity of urban life in South Africa and document an era when dance music was performed by bands as extended jams laced with jawdropping solos. With music trends shifting dramatically in the late-1970s, the title of The Battle of Disco was an ironic call to arms in response to the territory that group musicians were beginning to cede to synthesisers and DJs.
For enthusiasts of African music from the 1970s, a full appreciation of the continent’s output is incomplete without South Africa’s pop-jazz sound providing a regional counterpoint to the funk experimentation of West Africa. Reissued for the very first time, Bra Sello returns in 2023 with limited replica editions from Afrodelic using master tape sources from the As Shams / The Sun collection. Afrodelic’s unique edition of Butterfly features a previously unreleased track on Side B.

Charlie Ingui a veteran blued eyed soul singer who formed the band The Soul Survivors In the 60's is back with a brand new single.

'Wake Up Old World' is a song about making the world a better place.

Charlie explains 'This has always been a theme in our songs inspired very much by our collaboration with Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff of Philade70hia International Records whose songs like "Love Train" and "Love Is The Message" had a positive and spiritually uplifting message.'

In 1967, Charlie Ingui formed the band The Soul Survivors. They scored a #2 record with Gamble and Huff' first major hit with the song "Express Way To Your Heart.' They were a bunch of hoods from The Lower East Side of New York.

They were part of the same scene in NY with The Rascals, Joey Dee and the Starlighters, The Soul Survivors, The Vanilla Fudge, and many other Blue Eyed Soul Bands that paved the way for folks like Hall and Oates.

Originally they were a trio and had a third singer, Kenny Jeramiah, who went on to have success in Atlantic City.

They went on to have several other great records. The first was in 1969 with Muscle Shoals producer. Rick Hall. The Swampers with Duane Allman played on that one. In 1974, Gamble and Huff got a custom CBS label – Philade70hia International Music and signed the Soul Survivors once again. They made a fantastic record with their amazing band, Charlie and Richie Ingui, John "Beedo"Dzubak The amazing Fred Beckmeier on bass. He was a major influence

Wake Up Old World is going to be the first side of a limited edition 7" vinyl to come on LRK Records.

Went straight in at num one in the UK soul breakers
Spun on all the indie soul stations like starpoint, solar etc

'Memory Box' - the new album by Rodney Cromwell - fuses a European synthpop sensibility with a world of magical realism. It was inspired as much by the literature of Alice in Wonderland, Franz Kafka and Anna Kavan, as by its musical influences of artists such as Kraftwerk, Neu!, The Cure, Silver Apples, Oppenheimer Analysis and Polyrock. The sonic pallet of 'Memory Box' is rich, colourful, often surprising and utterly unique. Since the release of his debut 'Age of Anxiety' album in 2015, Rodney Cromwell has been featured by the likes of NME, Electronic Sound Magazine, Huffington Post, Paste, BBC6 Music and national RNE3 in Spain for whom he recorded a live session. 'Age of Anxiety' was included in a wealth of Best of Lists, not least that of Electronic Sound. He has appeared on compilations alongside Cavern of Anti-Matter, John Foxx, Devo, OMD, Katy Perry and many more. Rodney Cromwell is the project of Adam Cresswell. The first band he founded was SALOON, who were John Peel darlings, who recorded three Peel Sessions and the Festive 50 number 1 of 2002. They released three acclaimed albums on Track & Field (UK) and Darla Records (US) and played with a host of alternative acts including Stereolab, Electrelane, Quickspace, Laika, Of Montreal & Movietone. He followed Saloon with ARTHUR & MARTHA the acclaimed tweetronica duo that released the sole album 'Navigation' before vanishing. In addition to performing as Rodney Cromwell, he runs the Happy Robots record label. The Rodney Cromwell live set is a joyful mixed-media extravaganza, incorporating analogue synths, video visuals and live instrumentation, interjected by Rodney's 'offbeat wit'. His debut festival appearance at Indietracks in 2015 was described as 'like a spiritual experience". He has shared stages with acts including Pram, Marsheaux, Death & Vanilla, Rowetta and Steve Davis. His sole performance in 2020 was as part of Damo Suzuki's backing band. He will be promoting the album with a series of live-dates in 2022. Cromwell's recent singles 'Mem...

Blue Note Records and Universal Music Classics & Jazz have announced the signing of the phenomenal jazz and soul singer/songwriter Gregory Porter. Porter has been in the studio with his working band and producer Brian Bacchus recording his third album and major label debut, which will be released worldwide on Blue Note Records this September. In 2010 Porter released his debut album Water (Motéma Music), which earned a GRAMMY nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Album. His sophomore album Be Good (Motéma Music) followed in 2012 and earned him his second GRAMMY nomination for Best Traditional R&B Performance. The Huffington Post has declared Porter "the brilliant new voice of jazz," adding that he is also "heavily steeped in the passion, delivery and emotion of the best classic soul men."

"Willie "Junei" Lee spent the first half of the 1970s playing guitar with his older brother Robert Lee in the self-contained band Lost Weekend, recording a handful of singles and a still unreleased LP. The back half of the decade was spent touring with Albert King, Curtis Mayfield, and The Emotions, before returning home to Gary, Indiana, to focus on his own sound. In 1985, Junei's girlfriend brought home a suite of Fostex home studio gear, including a 12 channel board, 8-track tape machine, and a halftrack for mix downs. He added a Yamaha drum machine and a Maestro echoplex and started his solo project. "The only artists I listened to was Hendrix and Santana," Junei said. The emissions coming from his home studio were entirely different, however, as "Let's Ride" channels the Euro sensibilities of Kraftwerk or Italo over virtuosic guitar. "I just didn't want to sound like anyone else," he continued. "Let's Ride" achieved that differentiation, and managed to anticipate Chicago house by a few years. Pressed in minuscule numbers in 1987 on Pharaohs Records, the 45 never connected with the nearby scenes in Chicago and Detroit where it might have found purchase in fertile soils. Decades later "Let's Ride" found new life as the bed for KAYTRANADA's "Scared To Death," and the track has slowly worked its way through the algorithm to a new generation of vapor huffers. "I am all for experimentation, trying new things, etc," Junei said. "Kaytranada is a visionary and a talented producer. He has my respect.""