Search "mr bongo" 153 Items

Small sticker on cover.
Record is close to VG+.

Vinyl with many scuffs and hairlines. close to VG

Record is warped but still enjoyable!

Cover has a cut corner.

Vinyl close to VG. Cover with completely open top spine and ring wear.

Original US pressing.

Cover has cut-out.

Cover with drill hole, othewise solid VG+ copy!

Off records is teaming up again with Leopard DaVinci for this limited 300 copies (+50 promos) - Track is called “Mudd Club” in memory of this club in Strasbourg where a lot happened in different kinds of music genres. Leopard was one of the very active musicians who contributed to the energy. He teamed up with MrE on vocals. XL Middleton did a great remix of the track on the b-side.

Promo copy with white labels . Cover close to VG+

The early ’80s were a fertile time for electronic music, as the explosion of relatively affordable synthesizers and drum machines gave creative musicians a new way to express themselves. For Danny Krivit, DJing at the Roxy and soaking in the sonics of the Paradise Garage, it meant an exciting collision of the worlds of dance music and hip hop. For our latest release, Mr. K has pulled out two of his sureshots from that era and given them a tune-up for today’s sound systems.

“Pleasure Boys” by Visage was released in 1982 and epitomized the new wave crossover sound that would be co-opted and expanded on under the Freestyle banner. While the track was conceived with the vocal taking the lead, that vocal was never heard at the Roxy, Krivit’s focus being the thunderous synth bass break that he’d extend to epic proportions using twin copies of the single. It’s this routine that he’s recreated on our featured edit, a bare bones riff that still sounds enormous on a club system.

For the flip, Krivit goes a little deeper with his edit of “Emotional Disguise” by Peter Godwin. Another cut originally released in 1982, Krivit again ditches the overwrought new wave vocal in favor of the atmospheric synth stylings of the instrumental, which he accurately describes as a standout, “played at the Garage and at the Roxy for the hip hop crowd.”

Energetic, atmospheric, and with huge sonic impact, these edits are appearing on 7-inch for the first time.

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.

Here's a brand new EP for the italo lovers. Released for the first time
in 1982 on Full Time Production off-shoot Good Vibes, 4 M
International's "Space Operator" is repressed on hand-numbered limited
edition vinyl on Mr Disc Organization!
This special EP includes the Techno producer Donato Dozzy cadillac
rhythms reshape and the vocal and instrumental versions of the record.

Spaced out disco electro. The mysteriously named 4M International was a
side project of the production team behind the Italo group Trilogy ("Not
Love", "Black Devil" etc). "Space Operator" is the only record the
outfit recorded and is an ultra spacey, pitched down, cosmic anthem with
a wealth of killer sound FX, synth washes and sinister vocoded voices
inviting us to join them in some intergalactic space travel!

Brazilian mid tempo boogie double header. We’ve been playing these two out for the last couple of years and they are firm favourites.
‘E Novamente Mas Que Nada’ is the opening track from Reseda’s 1979 album on Som Livre. An ultra catchy vocal hook, boogie guitars and synths lead into a piano and cuica breakdown and horns to finish. One of the finest in the genre in our opinion.
‘Ginga’ is taken from Robson Jorge & Lincoln Olivetti’s self-titled masterpiece, reissued on Mr Bongo. Arguably the most immediate and club friendly track from the album, it always turns heads. Another premium example of Brazilian boogie from the masters of the sound and producers for the likes of Rita Lee, Erasmo Carlos, Don Beto, Marcos Valle, Tim Maia, Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa, Sandra Sa, Painel de Controle and many more.

Y2K era Central AYR Productions. From the orlando home office of Mr. Cole session genius, all songs written, performed and recorded by a one man band well ahead of his time. We'd like the thank the lady who gifted him the 4-track cassette to digi converter that started this whole journey.

Compiled by Sean Marquand and Greg Caz, 2 DJs well-known for their epic parties at Williamsburg’s legendary Black Betty club, that sadly closed in 2009. The duo played a deep variety of strictly vintage samba, samba-rock, Tropicalia, and Brazilian funk under the banner of ‘Brazilian Beats Brooklyn’.

Sean is known as half of Embassy Sound Productions. He took his team to Brazil to help resurrect Black Rio legends Uniao Black for a new release. Greg has DJ'd at some of the hottest Brazilian parties around the globe and presents a monthly radio show ‘Warm Wave’ on Soho Radio NYC.

Featuring Noriel Vilela’s singular “16 Toneladas,” a sublime cover of the Tennessee Ernie Ford smash “16 Tons” with a spare samba groove and unbelievable baritone vocals and hot jams from Tim Maia, Erasmo Carlos, Joao Bosco, Toni Tornado.

Included in this compilation of original 60's and 70's Brazilian gems are some of Greg and Sean's favourite tracks that have been filling dancefloors for years.

Following up his latest "Jazzy Edition" Mr Al Kent now delivers the "Disco Edition". We begin with a +11 min long mid tempo jam that will please any fans of Patrick Adams. On the flip we go more up-tempo with a power disco cut that clocks in over 12 min. Lots of things happening with many twists and turns on this one...epic stuff!

Limited to 500 numbered copies. Originally released in 1982.

US Carrolton pressing. Original inner sleeve.

During the summer youth program of 1970 and '71 at St Paul's Catholic church a young Tunnie Smith was singled out by Father George Artist for his outstanding singing abilities. He was soon introduced to Joe Delpit and Reginal Brown to sing along with their show and dance band "The 13Th Amendments. It didn't take long before Tunnie was a full member of the band and became a featured singer performing throughout Louisiana. After a year and a half of performing at nightclubs, military bases and universities Tunnie landed a record deal with Rick Hall's Fame/UA record label. His first single from 1973 was a wonderful mid-tempo number entitled "Finders Aren't Always Keepers" flipped with "Do That To Me" It gained National distribution and had some good success. Tunnie left Fame records and was introduced to Stax record executives Al Bell and John Smith. After signing with Stax Tunnie met legendary writer and performer David Porter where they recorded an album which was scheduled for release around 73/74.Unfortunately Staxs association with CBS came to a halt and the project got shelved. Tunnie went home and carried on performing around the Louisiana area with his new band Sweet Music Orchestra" Fast forward to 1983 Tunnie whilst recording some vocals at River City Recording met Chicago producer and arranger George "Paco" Patterson. George was musical director and had worked with The Isley Brothers Wilson Pickett and many other well known artists. During this period Tunnie along with George formed a great partnership and along with some top session musicians record some incredibly lush, well produced and atmospheric songs The A Side "Dancing On Da Cloud" kicks of with female backing vocals and cascading strings layered over each other to create a full bodied 2 Step Rare Groove classic, which we can only compare in the highest esteem to an out take from Marvin Gaye or Leon Ware. It oozes sheer class with rasping horns and Tunnie showing he hasn't lost any of the singing prowess he got singled out for as a young boy in1971. "I Found A Miracle" is a slightly slower affair than the A side but still kicks a punch. It starts with pounding drums and again those cascading strings whilst Tunnie's scatting vocals flow until the verse arrives. It is a powerful beat ballad-esque song that sits perfectly back to back with "Dancing On Da Cloud." We at Super Disco Edits are very excited to be able to bring you the first instalment of Mr Tunnie Smith!

Reissue on black vinyl limited to 200 copies.

Classic jazz/funk/disco cut that became an instant anthem on all discerning dance floors when it was originally released, and for decades to follow. Includes the previously commercially unreleased Sax Mix of ‘Journey’, cut loud at 45rpm.
Championed by DJs including Francois Kevorkian, David Mancuso, Larry Levan and more, it’s a record that, alongside tracks like Atmosfear’s ‘Dancing In Outer Space’, become synonymous with the UK influence on US club music at the time. A sound that many forward thinking DJs in New York, Chicago etc. embraced to stand out from the crowd and bring depth to the dance floor.
Driving jazz/funk, legato bass, grooving beats, subtle keys, dubbed out percussion and guitar licks that bring you to a simple but infectious piano melody.
A collaboration between Andy Sodjka and Jerry Pike, mastered by Herb Powers.
Licensed from Chemical Discs.

Club Internacional unearth more long lost Brasilian grooves from the archives of Rio imprint Top Tape for lovers and collectors around the globe. This edition kicks off with the funk-driven sounds of Melo Do Fricote by Band' Azul. Fusing rapturous vocals, guitar and horns this track originally appeared in 1982 and was the band's only 45 single release. Here it is in its original format at last. The flip side features the much more established artist and celebrated guitarist Octavio Burnier. As one half of Burnier & Cartier he produced one of the most sought after LPs in Brasilian music in 1974, which became like gold dust to collectors of Brasilian music. It was recently reissued by the excellent Mr Bongo to the relief of all lovers of Brasilian sounds. In this later solo track 'Que Nem Sol', Burnier demonstrates his exquisite guitar playing as well as his talents as a composer and singer. A seriously delicious slice of soft boogie funk it was released only on 45 single on the Top Tape label back in 1980, and again has never been repressed. Club Internacional hopes you enjoy bringing these long lost, blissful funk vibes back to life via this limited edition vinyl 45 pressing.

‘Dancing In Outer Space’ is a certified jazz-funk classic from a legendary band! 12" vinyl, cut loud at 45rpm.It sits at the pinnacle of the underground UK dance scene that went on to have a global influence. Stateside, the track had big support in clubs such as the mythic ‘Paradise Garage’ and 'The Loft' by the likes of Larry Levan and David Mancuso. An instantly recognisable anthem that is just as fresh today as it was when it was first released.Official Mr Bongo reissue. Licensed from Chemical Discs.

Japanese pressing without OBI, with insert..

When Ben White was 25 years old Eddy Bongo Brown of the Funk Brothers brought him to Motown to play with Marvin Gay, 5 years later he recorded this single 'I would have to be a fool' and released it himself. Ben comes from a long line of musicians in his family, his cousins are Cab Calloway and Otis Redding.

Over the years he sessioned for Marvin Gay, Bloodstone, Carl Carlton, High Energy, Harold Johnson, J.W. Alexander, Richard T & The Salsoul Orchestra

Unfortunately, as is often the case, children came along and Ben moved away from music, this and forthcoming Aotn single 'Give Me Love' were his only solo recordings unless we can find the tapes of his lost LP further down the line.

Curating and ordering the tracks for a Mr Bongo Record Club is always special. You’re reminded of the feelings you had when sitting at home with a cassette player on pause trying to compile the perfect mixtape to impress the latest object of your affection, or that friend with whom you share a musical kinship and spark off each other’s latest discoveries. Hearing old tracks for the first time or diving into the most upfront selections keeps the fires burning and passions alight.

Here, for volume six, we present recent finds and treasured classics from Brazil, Sweden, the USA, South Africa, Portugal, Japan, Trinidad and Tobago, and Canada. We have included selections by the Brazilian rising star Dora Morelenbaum as well as from heritage-Brazilian musicians and vocalists Haréton Salvanini, Copa 7, and Mirna. There’s also the wonderful Brazilian-not-Brazilian take of 'Ye Me Le' by Hazel Scott And The Braza Brasil, plus sublime gospel from the New York Community Choir. We’ve picked disco and soul rarities by General Lee and Ash Soul, Inc., and for the first time on vinyl, an incredible psych-pop song by the illustrious Matthew Tavares. There are cuts from some of our favourite contemporary Swedish musicians, Sven Wunder and Dina Ögon too.

This compilation is packed full of gems that are plucked from differing times and spaces, but somehow all gel together beautifully. We hope you love them too.

2021 repress. Candido Cameron was a Cuban percussion maestro who had played with luminaries such as Dizzy Gillespie, Buddy Rich and Count Basie throughout his illustrious musical career which started in 1952. Fast forward to 1979 and Candido finds himself caught up in the Disco boom that had engulfed his adopted New York City. Feeling he could add his trademark quick-fire Conga and Bongo playing to Disco's straight 4 x 4 syncopated rhythm he cut some records with legendary NYC label Salsoul. The fruits of this partnership were 2 full length LP's and a handful of 12" singles that changed the face of underground Disco."Jingo" is an all-time classic dance record, sampled, edited, re-configured and coveted by too many names to mention! It's a killer funky Disco version of master Nigerian drummer Olatunji's 1969 percussion suite of the same name, Salsoul style, while over on the flip we have one of the deepest Disco records of all time; "Thousand Finger Man" a testament to Candido's percussion prowess and a spacey, beautiful voyage that has left more than an indelible mark on modern House music, often being cited as a huge influence by artists such as Masters At Work and more. Essential stuff basically, every collection should have a copy!

Doug Willis returns with a club banger in the form of “The Mighty Douglas”. A euphoric ride in the sky with live gospel organ-led instrumentation, whilst vocals are provided by Taka Boom (Chak Chak Chaka Khans Lil sis). Hallelujah! We then have Mr Basejam delivering one of his groovy chugging mid-tempo mixes of this forthcoming ZR release by Mr Wrightangle. Live strings, syncopated clav and overly loud organismic dog howls are the order of the day here. On the flip we have the prolific Atjazz who turns his hand on that classic Jakatta track ‘American Dream’. He reconstructs it elements with great precision as he lays out swinging drums & sparkling percussion to back up a seriously groove led bassline and slick synth work. The legendary US soul funk act of “Come Go With Me” fame release a brand new song in the shape of optimistic gospel tinged “Work It Out”. Dave Lee works his magic on the mix to tease in some of their classic old sound into the instrumentation.

Pure unadulterated boogie fire from the Gold Mink vaults, which combined the power of James Bedford with the production genius of Roy Ayers back in ’81. With original copies trading hands for £150+ it’s high time a remastered and officially licensed reissue came around. A firm favourite of the likes of Mr Scruff and Sadar Bahar, ‘Just Keep My Boogie’ is that uplifting slice of boogie that is a tried and tested dancefloor bomb. The brightest of funk keys dance around delicious little guitar licks as those infectious vocals burrow their way into your brain.

Back by popular demand "Take A Chance" by Mr. Flagio, one of the most classic Italo-Disco anthems, now including original versions and Italoconnection reworks.

"ccr - Club Culture Rarities" the record label exclusively dedicated to re-prints of cult and rare 12” taken form Expanded Music’s labels. The 8th release on "ccr - Club Culture Rarities" Entity originally released on Dance Floor Corporation in 1991 Before becoming World champion of acrobatic flight, Mr Marvin (aka Sasha Marvin) has been one of the most appreciate italian deep house producer and DJ. Let’s only, within the many, remind Sacro Cosmico, V.F.R. and Virtualmismo produced with Christian Horbostel. The same joyful of his acrobatic flights is present in the variety of sounds that go throughout the four original versions all included in this new precious re-release of the 1991 Entity by Mr. Marvin. In this case we must say "fly to buy it". A new colored vinyl (grey) release on CCR Club Culture Rarities

"ccr - Club Culture Rarities" the new record label exclusively dedicated to re-prints of cult and rare 12" taken form Expanded Music's labels. The 6th release on "ccr - Club Culture Rarities" Hornbostel E.P. 1 originally released on Progressive Motion Records in 1993. Produced by Christian Hornbostel & Mr. Marvin (Virtualmismo, VFR, Tales of Underground, etc.) during their greatest artistic fertility period. Hornbostel EP1 takes us back to hypnotic grooves and atmospheres built with typical instruments belonging to that music era, such as the mythical Korg M1 and Waldorf Microwave. A new colored vinyl (blue) release on CCR Club Culture Rarities

Introducing Skygirl, with their 4-track debut release. Skygirl is Eva and Hanna. The two got together by chance, but definitely not by accident. After they were introduced at a festival through mutual friends and danced the night away, it became clear that both have musical ambitions and their artistic vision aligns. The band was formed before the hangover was gone, and songs were written before the weekend ended. The kind of “after-party-Monday-mood” also functions as an entry to the band’s lyrical and musical cosmos. Rest assured, this is not your mundane headache, but rather a working class meets art school kind of philosophical approach. Sparse instrumentation meets two voices. Life-affirming, yet informed by a somber future. Reference points may be groups like Young Marble Giants or Shakespears Sister. Brittle but strong voices, molded by urban decay.

The heaviest of jazz funk grooves from the musical melting pot of New Orleans, The Dome City Rock Orchestra – Quiet Village is a super rare slice of tight-as-you-like talent, that commands prices of over £200 for an original 7 inch, if you can ever find one. Bursting with energy as synthesisers swirl around flutes, bongos dance over drums to create a cosmic whirlwind that enthrals any ear it worms its way into. Orange label version original black sleeve.

Back with another double header of dancefloor dynamite, the mysterious More & More lay down two disco edits that pack a serious punch. As played by two of the kingpins of the disco universe, DJ Harvey and Artwork...THE Shit!!!

With some of the best DJs and selectors there is a certain mysterious sound or underlying feeling which unites the music they play, regardless of genre, year or tempo. Luke Una is a master of telling a story through music and this compilation is a perfect example of his musical alchemy in action. Featuring tracks from Yusef Lateef, Airto Moreira, Crooked Man, Henri Texier and many more, it is a collection of new, old, rare and under-discovered music from around the world, all united by Luke under the banner of “E-Soul Cultura”.

It’s best described by Luke himself, who writes: “As the 5AM city sleeps and the strobe lights are slowly turned off, we gather on the wrong side of town in a transcendental journey alone together. We are the late night disenfranchised holding on in various after parties, flats, lofts, random kitchens and basements into the outer cosmos with É Soul Cultura. Music from exotic tear jerkers, Afro-spiritual jazz, cosmic Brazilian celestial grooves, machine street soul, dark horses, lost B-sides, £1 bargain-bin bombs, hidden gems, late night Italo dubbing, deep velvet N.Y.C garage, bass buggin sonic futurism, wrong speed 33bpm pitched up +8 new beat, majestic sunset strings, sweet vocals from heaven, no half steppin jazz dancing in outer-space and odd numbers. Yes… magical moments, together, holding on in witness protection suburban cul-de-sacs and Castle Court flats. Cosmic É high, 3000ft above the city getting evangelical to murky, wonky timeless beautiful music. This thing of ours dreaming of better days. Fail we may, sail we must, the sun will come up again.”

Beginning his career as an original Sheffield house young blood in the mid 1980s, Luke’s move to Manchester and partnership with Justin Crawford saw the birth of Electric Chair, a cornerstone cult night in the UK underground club scene, and later Electric Elephant, a Croatian festival paying homage to their wild eclecticism from Balearic to Brazilian to E soul, house, disco and techno. Luke’s much loved, long running Homoelectric night and more recently Homobloc sell out festival for 10,000 souls has been at the forefront of Manchester’s Lgbtq cultural landscape.

Luke’s Friday evening show on Worldwide FM has captured imaginations and has already become a cult four hour must-listen monthly journey with fans all over the world. Today Luke remains, as ever, at the forefront of a changing scene, pairing the momentous legacy of Manchester’s 80s and 90s scene with the delivery of what today’s club communities need to get down.

Pursuing their explorations of international Funk and Disco music, Favorite Recordings and Patchworks present us Voilaaa. Following a first 2 tracks single acclaimed this summer and clearly revealing the Afro-Disco inspiration of this new experience, here comes Voilaaa’s first album, titled On te l’avait dit. After his projects such as The Dynamics, Mr President, Mr Day, Patchworks Galactic Project, or Taggy Matcher, the insatiable French producer therefore returns to his first love and specialty, Disco music, staring this time at the African and Caribbean influences. The 10 tracks of the album are instantly up to expectations, chaining hit after hit tirelessly, and offering brilliant collaborations with Sir Jean, Pat Kalla, Renaud Bilombo, or label mates Hawa and Fouley Badiaga.

Following the intergalactic odyssey of their first release, Hi Quality Records are back for round two. Switching to hyperdrive for another blast round the sun with two feel-good, cosmic channelling, disco burners from the mighty More Amour aka Artwork and Jon Solo. Cruising out across the cosmos ‘Solar Flair’ is a sublime slice of boogie brilliance, with an infectious bassline and keys to match. Turning the heat up to 10 with Jon Solo on the solos, spiritually working those keys as Artwork conjures up his magic at the production controls. If you could drop the top on this spaceship and roll those windows down, this is definitely the groovin’, head bobber you’d have soundtracking your beam across the interplanetary highways. With that non-existent breeze flowing over your spacesuit, ‘Heatwave’ ramps up proceedings on the B side. A funk-fuelled trip where sweltering Rodgers-esque riffs and slap basslines dance around string stabs and smile-inducing chords, with a signature spellbinding synth solo to top it all off. Break glass in case of emergency, this is your ticket out of any subdued dancefloor.

Here we are at the dawn of a new compilation series and we’re kicking things off with an absolute gem that features a selection of hard-to-find records (some impossible to find) and some that have been hiding in plain sight all along. They all share common qualities, being that they are beautiful, soul quenched songs that sing of love, peace and unity.

‘With Love: Volume 1’ has been compiled by Miche and presents a curated selection of rare Brazilian, gospel, modern soul and jazz-fusion fire. We have Brazilian rarities by Alcione and Quientaessencia, UFO gospel by Keith Chism & Light, the jazz-funk/AOR sounds of City Lites taken from a Radio Station album, and the anthemic feel-good emotional soul of Belita Woods to name but a few.

Tracking down artists and musicians from the past is an art form. Like a seagull swooping for treats, sometimes the prizes are easily found, and at other times, it’s the result of very late nights trolling through Facebook profiles, message boards, hitting dead ends and following red herrings, and yet still the search goes on. This compilation is a true labour of love with all the artists tracked down and licensed by Miche. It has long been an ambition of the London based musical connoisseur to compile an album, and like anything that requires craft, care, and knowledge - it takes time. There are many twists and turns in the hunt for those records that make your jaw drop.

In 2018, when just 24, Miche became a music programmer for London’s illustrious Spiritland group of venues. From this musical sanctuary, he was able to listen, learn and meet some of the best selectors from around the world. It was a musical education, and he was particularly drawn to the deep sessions by DJs such as Mark Taylor, George Arthur, Kev Beadle, Patrick Forge, Dr. Bob Jones, and Colin Curtis to name a few. He also used this time to begin running his re-issue label Discs of Fun and Love with co-owner and friend Frederika.

Sometimes the cynical knock compilations, there is certain snobbery amongst some about the original pressing, but music shouldn't just be about lucky collectors giving over large sums of money to record dealers. It's also about a bridge to the past, a celebration of the legacy of somebody’s art, and a second chance for initially overlooked work to shine. As with all the best compilations, it has been compiled with love…

Sounding simultaneously from the past, the present, and the future, the debut album 'mlde' by Marxist Love Disco Ensemble seeks to eradicate both the trite from disco and the sobriety from political music. Half poetic, half tongue-in-cheek, this stunning compact eight-track album is influenced by Eastern European and Mediterranean 70s disco records. In the words of band member Paolo, ''it was written in response to hearing 'I love America' by Patrick Juvet. The song prompted the question: why does disco, a genre originally created by oppressed minorities, eventually become synonymous with American capitalist excess?" Mlde seeks to break this connection.

Merging disco, post-disco 80s pop, and boogie into the fold, 'mlde' was recorded using only analogue instruments, giving it warmth and space. Recorded on cassette, ¼ and ½ inch tape, this gives moments of lo-fi abstraction between the beats of an aggressive, tight drum kit. Instruments used for this recording range from saxophone, trumpet, harpsichord, guitar, and rare analogue synthesisers. The bass sound is shaped by early 80s boogie records, whilst the influence of artists such as Hamlet Minassian can be heard in some of Mlde's more driving-disco outings, such as 'Hues of Red'. In the tradition of Soviet vocal group records, which the band has studied, some songs are sung by a vocal quartet in homage to this tradition.

Tracks such as '1905' and 'Brumaire' have a greater pop aesthetic, with Paolo's vocal style on these more pop-driven songs evoking early 80s bands such as Orange Juice and Chas Jankel.

The format and message of pop and disco are commonly viewed just to entertain and move bodies around a dancefloor; however, lyrically, the subjects range from dialectical and historical materialism, class struggle, Marxist theory and praxis, as well as the concept of Marxist disco music.

Adding the icing to the cake, mastering don Joker aka Liam McLean dusted the album with his magic, giving the songs space where the room is needed, as well as the kick and punch demanded by the modern dancefloor.

Yes, this is a press release, and they are always full of hype, but we were blown away when we heard this album, and we hope it enriches you too.

It's hard to believe we are now up to Volume 5 of our renowned Record Club series. Curating these compilations, where we share our latest musical discoveries and old favourites from the global stage, is always a labour of love. This selection is less dancefloor-driven than our previous volumes, as fewer opportunities for live events drove us to explore other paths and styles in the musical spectrum. But, whether you're DJing for a kitchen or a club, there is still a generous serving of spicy dancefloor magic. For Volume 5, we looked to a broad church - from Brazil to Cuba, Ghana, Jamaica, Japan, Mauritania, South Africa, Sweden, Trinidad and Tobago, the UK, and the US. We pulled songs from the 70s up to the present day and feature a stellar cast of artists. There’s an exclusive track from Sven Wunder which was recorded solely for this compilation. We also have a track from Admin which was released as a private press 7" at the start of 2021 and one we felt was far too good to only be available for the lucky few. You’ll also discover one of our most treasured Gyedu Blay Ambolley productions, a full-force African disco colossus! We hope you will enjoy this selection of seventeen eclectic songs as much as we do.

We can’t think of many artists that have had as diverse a career and who have been involved in as many different genres of music as Asha Puthli. A musical pioneer who forged a path through 60's psych, free-jazz, pop, rock, disco, and more. Asha's 1976 album 'The Devil Is Loose' is maybe her most well-known record. Featuring the beautiful disco-funk-classic 'Space Talk’, Asha's ethereal soaring vocals take us on a journey that almost mirrors Asha's eclectic career. The track was championed by a wide-range of musical scenes and movements, and over space and time it has been commandeered as their own. You would hear it played by David Mancuso at the now ‘mythical’ underground New York party 'The Loft’, in the most discerning disco nightclubs across the globe, in the Rare Groove scene, and also being sampled by hip-hop heavyweights such as The Notorious B.I.G / P Diddy, and The Pharcyde. The appeal and lifespan of ’Space Talk’ keeps on extending and morphing as new audiences gleefully discover it for the first time - it still sounds as relevant and fresh on the dancefloor today - a sign of a true classic. Here at Mr Bongo we are thrilled to be releasing records by such an iconic musical maverick as Asha, from her roots in India to becoming a globe-trotting artist with a celebrated career in music and acting, whilst always staying true to her art. She has blazed a trail so that others could follow. Whether you are buying this album as a replacement for your worn-out original copy or it's the first time you've heard of Asha Puthli and you're just intrigued and drawn in by the cover, we hope you enjoy this quintessential slice of Asha's world.

Soul/Disco/Funk single here for the first time ever on vinyl! The independent UK label Six Nine Records Ltd, based in Newcastle upon Tyne, proudly presents Byron Jamez who now makes his debut on the label! Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Mr. Jamez has been living and breathing soul music all his life (his mother was an active musician already during the 1970s). Byron Jamez is a multi-talented man; an artist in the music business, an established actor and a master of advanced media skills. What we cherish the most right now is his pillow clenching voice and fantastic music, which definitely make this world much more beautiful. This release contains the brand new and stunning groover “Let’s Get Together” backed with the stepper-esque “Time Machine” on the flipside. Definitely not to be missed as it is a limited UK press with small hole and full colour printed picture cover!

Japanese pressing with OBI and insert

This 12-inch vinyl, officially licensed by Sony, features a superb remix by Mike Maurro, who masterfully reworks the stems. On the B side, you'll find the original version. Since its release in 1982, "Looking Up To You" has cemented its status as a modern soul anthem, co-written by Leon Ware and Zane Grey (of Grey & Hanks) and produced by Webster Lewis, all titans in the genre. Heavily sampled since it’s original release, notably by artists like Zhane ("Hey Mr. DJ") and Ortega Cartel ("Miami Vice").

It's a pleasure, a labour of love and a yearly highlight to present a new volume of the Mr Bongo Record Club series. In this collection, we have curated new finds alongside old, treasured tracks that hold a special place in our hearts, selecting music inspiring us from the Brazilian, Latin, soul, disco, gospel, cosmic, dancehall and downtempo genres. We have chosen a diverse array of artists, including Os Panteras from Brazil, stomping underground disco by Claude Jay, the Danish soul sounds of Gitte & Inger and the gospel excellence of Truth & Devotion, to name a few.

Most of the selections in this volume are older vintage productions, however, there is one very special contemporary production, recorded exclusively for Mr Bongo Record Club 7. For ‘Spring Has Sprung’, we linked three of our cherished musical family together; the legendary cult artist Asha Puthli, the wonderous band Soyuz and Swedish maestro Sven Wunder. The result, as you’d expect, is completely breathtaking.

Reflecting on Volume 7, it now feels like a record comprised of two themes. Firstly, we have gone quite heavy on the Brazilian selections. This saw us searching further afield and digging into other areas of the endlessly rich Brazilian musical tapestry. The reflection of a more folk / Afro-Brazilian sound than presented in previous volumes in the series, can be heard in the songs of As Sublimes, Romeu Fernandes and Conjunto de Percussão Dora Pinto. The second theme is a representation of the tracks that we have been playing in our club DJ sets and are aimed more at the dancefloor. Disco tracks such as 'Come Inside' by The Shades of Love and The Duncans' 'Too Damn Hot' have been firmly tested favourites in recent years.

We hope these songs, by the sensational artists on display, inspire you as much as they do us. Music is the gift that keeps giving and there is so much more to learn, find, and share.