Juno Recommends Funk / Rare Groove / Reissues : March 2024

Review: The magnificently steam and seductive 'Trippin' Out' by Coolin' Out captivates heart and mind with its infectious grooves and laid-back vibes. The track emanates a cool energy as it seamlessly blends elements of funk, jazz, and hip-hop. Coolin' Out's smooth delivery and tight instrumentation create a sublime mix that transports listeners to a world of relaxation and euphoria and serves as a testament to the group's mastery of their craft. The flipside tune, an edit of 'Little Bit Of Love', is just as romanic and loved up with its slowly unfurling funk rhythms.

Review: Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band is an enigmatic steel pan collective from Hamburg that has a hardcore fan following around the world and a new album on the way that is superb. They are loved for their covers of hip-hop classics and last year served up a version of the Stranger Things theme tune but this time out we get 'Love For The Sake Of Dub' of 45 rpm. It is another pair of funky tunes with the signature brass sounds front and centre as the fat bottom rhythms roll deep and fleshy. Another gem from this leftfield outfit.

Review: Linda Muriel is an acclaimed lead vocalist best known for her work with Acid Jazz and Talking Loud acts like The Brand New Heavies, Incognito, Galliano, and JQT. For this one she has joined forces Fitzroy Facey, director of The Soul Survivors Magazine, to craft a fusion of old and new funk and soul sounds. Linda's distinctive voice shines in the infectious track 'Treat Me Right' who has wowed audiences in live performances and featured on the Luxury Soul Weekend 2024 box set. It soared to the top of the UK Soul Breakers Chart on December 31, 2023 and this must cop tune has the instrumental flip side 'Mo Ghetto Bluez' with Maurice Brown, which is perfect for those who appreciate a blend of old-school with a touch of new cool.

Review: As the Mad About label hurtles towards release number 100 it looks to the talents of Webster Lewis and The Spirit of Atlanta for two more fiery gems on a very useful 7". There are hints of Library music in the noodling melodies of the A-side jam 'El Bobo'. It has jazz-funk keys and organic drum rhythms gently tumbling below the Rhodes magic up top. The Spirit Of Atlanta's 'Freddie's Alive & Well' then picks up the pace with a more high-speed and 60s-influenced jazz-funk sound featuring some buttery smooth vocals up top. Two effective jams for sure.

Review: The Mighty Riders were an American funk group whose 1978 album Help Us Spread The Message is a stone-cold classic for rare groove lovers. It has been famously sampled by De La Soul and now this new 10" release includes the original version of the track the pillaged, namely 'Evil Vibrations'. It comes as an original, an instrumental edit version of the song, and an extended edit. This is a must cop for funk fans as well as hip-hop historians and a standalone tune that still gets the floor going so do not sleep.

Review: Prince is a name that needs no introduction. The Vault ... Old Friends 4 Sale was originally released in 1999 , a full three years after being submitted to Warner Bros in 1996. Thus, it was recorded in 1994 and 1995 which in many fans' eyes, follows some of the best Prince work when he was known as the symbol. Stylistically, the album has Prince exploring more jazz elements while still remaining clearly a Prince album. Perhaps due to Prince not doing a world tour to support the album and lack of radio friendly singles, the album wasn't the chart success that the label hoped for but to fans it holds a special place in their Prince discography.

Review: Building on the success of their A New Kind of Love album back in 2022, Ghost Funk Orchestra ventures further into the realms of film music, exotica, and psychedelic surf rock with new record A Trip To The Moon.' It was written with the aim of creating a richly layered and collaged listening experience with myriad elements waiting to be discovered with each new spin, and they have certainly achieved that. Featuring fuzzy guitars drenched in spring reverb and horns arranged in a studio big band style, it offers a blend of garage rock attitude and big compositions with influences like Eddie Palmieri and Dusty Springfield to be found within. It also features real recorded transmissions from the Apollo moon missions weaved throughout the tracks as a tale is told of a woman left stranded on Earth by her cosmonaut partner.

Review: The Black Truth Rhythm Band is renowned for its Afrobeat fusion - a sound that very much epitomizes the vibrant spirit of 1970s funk and soul. Their iconic album 'Ifetayo (Love Excels All)' stands as a testament to their musical prowess and social consciousness. It has been fully remastered here with all its pulsating rhythms, infectious brass, and impassioned vocals transcending time to deliver a message of love and unity. Rooted in the African diaspora experience, the band's music serves as a rallying cry for social justice and cultural pride. Ifetayo remains a timeless work that still resonates with audiences worldwide thanks to its potent blend of groove and meaning.

Review: Oluko Imo is a legendary figure in Yoruba mythology as well as being revered as one of the progenitors of the Yoruba people. He is believed to be a descendant of Oduduwa, the mythical founder and first king of the Yoruba people, but it's also the name of a Trinidadian musician who blends calypso heritage with Afrobeat and jazz from Nigeria. He recorded his iconic album between Lagos and New York in 1988 and it has long been a cult classic. This reissue features the title track from it - a deep cut and steamy rhythm, and 'Were Oju Le (Eyes Are Getting Red)', a horn led Afro-funk workout.

Review: Orgone is back in California and coming in hot with Chimera, a fire-breathing spectacle of psychedelic Afro-soul. Produced by Sergio Rios (Neal Francis, Say She She), Chimera is an electrifying, dream-like odyssey, tripping through the hazy swamps of New Orleans, weaving textures of entrancing voodoo soul, thrumming Afro-funk, and stoney psyche-rock. On Chimera, the Los Angeles-based outfit carves tough, gritty, infectious grooves into heady dance rhythms. Taking its name from a mythical beast with the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and the tail of a serpent, Chimera conjures a state that is at once trance-like and heart-poundingly exciting. The album opens like a heady puff of smoke in the face with 'Hallowed Dreams,' drawing the listener into a state where reality blurs and the music takes control. The focus track, 'Zum Zum,' is a hooky Afro-funk dance floor heater that synchronizes your heart rate to its propulsive percussion, the hypnotic rhythm building into a raucous, psychedelic climax. Then, on the raw and rousing 'Tula Muisi (Dance Like Them),' a tapestry of Afrobeat and heavy psych-rock bolsters the singer calls for unity and respect, which translates to "Hear the music, and dance like them".

Review: Brand new compilation including Ohio soul supergroup Zapp & Roger's essential tracks. Flaunting a formidable repertory, including 'More Bounce To The Ounce' and 'Computer Love', Now Playing charts the rise and plateau of Roger Troutman, whose light still embers on; the match was lit in the early 1960s, during which time the breakout hits 'Jolly Roger' and 'Night Time' propelled Troutman to early successes. A career dip in the 1970s didn't stop him; it took until 1976 for Zapp to gestate and come to fruition, initially under the name Roger & The Human Body. As time went on, it became clear a snappier name was required, thus conceiving Zapp. Just ten tracks of instant-grat, Troutman and co. are heard here in full, time-capsuling swing.

Review: Claude Cooper is a rather mysterious figure despite having got plenty of people talking in the last couple of years. He has picked up some high-profile radio play and after being unmasked recently is back with a gorgeous new funk single on the Friendly Recordings label. This hand-numbered pink vinyl 7" is limited to 300 copies and opens with the mad feel-good vibe of 'Stay A While' with its happy chords and dusty, driving drum funk. It's perfect for sunny days and lazy afternoons and 'Dance Tonight' is a bit more raw and 60s tinged for later in the party.

Review: Scottish funk legends Average White Band knew exactly how to present themselves to the world when they burst onto the scene in the early 70s. Funk was reaching a peak of global popularity, but after failing to make an impression with their debut album Show Your Hand, AWB were under pressure to deliver the goods for their follow up. Relocating to LA and breaking the US market was pivotal, and their so-called 'white album' exceeded expectations when all-time classic jam 'Pick Up The Pieces' became a worldwide hit. The track even received a tongue-in-cheek riposte from The JB's, high praise indeed. This half-speed remastered version marks 50 years since the album came out and it still sounds as fresh and funky as ever.

Review: Dancefloor Stompers was formed in Sardinia in 2009. They are a talented group of musicians who have a big love of mod jazz, black music roots and Italian soundtracks and library music classics from the 50s through to the 80s and all of that influences this new EP, Phuture Soul. Recorded and mixed at Solid Twin Studio between May 2021 and January 2022, it kick off with the title track which pairs rock guitars with funky basslines. 'Catch This Train' has a more playful pop-rock feel with big horns, 'Glass Tears' is a smoother groove and 'Not In My Name' closes on a more downbeat note.

Review: Rome label Maledetta Discoteca Records encouraged a bunch of talented local musicians to get together and play live, embrace spontaneity and do their improvised best. What results is this new record, which is funk at its core, but which is coloured by so much more around the edges. Recorded in the historic Auditorium 900 studios with sound engineer Fabrizio Piccolo, the record takes in everything from 70s instrumentals to progressive funk, Hispanic rock and more with all manner of wah wah guitars, synths and organ bringing each groove to life in tiles fashion.

Review: Zamrock, anyone? Often stylised as W.I.T.C.H, WITCH were one of the leading musical lights of post-colonial Zambia, a band that rose to prominence during the early-1970s, a particularly fertile period in the East African nation during which hopes for the future were incredibly bright. Independence leading to the blossoming of homespun ideas, culture, art and creativity. The story takes a tragic turn as the decade reached its final years, the economy collapsing and policymakers turning increasingly authoritarian. Like many in the 'scene', WITCH would fade, almost into obscurity, although the psychedelic rock-hued legacy they left survived, and then experienced a resurgence from 2012, when they reformed amid renewed interest. Kuomboka represents the group at the height of their fame, an album that still sounds packed with optimism, despite insidious changes in the air when it landed in 1976.

Review: Osibisa's magnificent The Lost 70s Live Shows resurrects the pulsating energy of the Afrobeat and highlife fusion that defined the band's vibrant sound. Released as a testament to their dynamic live performances in the 1970s, the album captures the group's fierce genre-defying spirit with infectious rhythms, hypnotic percussion, and spirited horns. It is with these that the group create an immersive experience that transcends time with multicultural influences abounding throughout. Osibisa's lost live shows showcase their ability to ignite stages with an infectious blend of African, Caribbean, and jazz elements so do not sleep on this reissue.