Cesar Mariano & CIA - Sao Paulo, Brasil (1977)

A fantastic bit of funky fusion from Brazil — Keyboardist Cesar Mariano leads the group through a set of tight choppy electric tunes that easily rank with the best work on American 70s labels, like CTI or Kudu, but with some excellent additional touches that take the work to a whole new level!
Electric keyboards mix with acoustic bass and piano – for a groove that's both funky, but also touched with strong elements of Brazilian jazz. Includes the cool funky track "Metropole", the break cut "Fabrica", and the mellow groover "Imigrantes" – as well as the tunes "Metro", "Litoral", and the uniquely growing number "Futebol De Bar".

Enjoy it!
Greg

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Manzel - Midnight Theme (1977)

The never-before released full album from keyboardist Manzel Bush – the legendary 70s funk figure well-remembered for his classic break tracks! As a whole, the album's a masterpiece of spacey keyboards and funky drums – funkier than just about any other record one can think of from the late 70s!
The set was recently put together by Manzel in collaboration with Kenny Dope, and many of the tracks feature new mixes by Kenny & The Undercover Brother – done in such a way that really respects the original grooves of the tunes, and which only sweetens them a bit in the right places, or brings out the funky drums even more. Every cut is a stone monster – and the quality of the set is amazing – with obscure cuts that sound every bit as wonderful as the more famous sample tracks like "Space Funk" or "Midnight Theme". Titles include "Jump Street", "Sugar Dreams", "Long Way Home", "Just For You", "It's Over Now", "The Party", "Vera Cruz", "Space Funk", "Midnight Theme", and "Evil Wicked Mean & Nasty".


Enjoy it!
Greg

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Raices - Raices (1975)

Hailed by Mister Gilles Peterson as one of the best latin fusion albums of all-time, this 1975 release by Raices is indeed a killer batch of spiritual and funky latin-jazz that deserves a high praise. Mixing strong jazzy playing, a great New York-produced sound, and a gift for energetic shifts within the compositions, it stands as one of the better lost gems of the era —with that disrespect for fixed categories which makes adventurous music so fantastic.
Includes the self-explicit 'Bluegarian Funk Dance', the great 'Lenguas', 'Bamboo' and the soulful 'Parallax'.

Enjoy it!
Greg

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Brother Jack McDuff and David Newman - Double Barrelled Soul (1968)

One of the more open-ended sessions that Brother Jack cut for Atlantic – with less of the tight larger soul arrangements that the label usually saddled him with, and that makes for a great, groovy LP! David Newman plays a variety of saxes, and the group also includes a young Melvin Sparks on guitar. Tracks are longish, and the album includes the magnificent originals "Duffin 'Round", "Esperanto", and "More Head" – as well as stunning versions of "Sunny" and "But It's Alright"!

Enjoy it!
Greg

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Azar Lawrence - People Moving (1976)

An excellent bit of spacey funky jazz from sax player Azar Lawrence, and one of the great earlier productions by Skip Scarborough, with a feel that's very similar to Gary Bartz's work with Larry Mizell! Azar plays a mix of funk and spiritual soul jazz – and he's got some great electric backing by Patrice Rushen, Paul Jackson, Harvey Mason, Mtume, and Lee Ritenour.
The whole thing's got a great Fantasy Records funk groove – and includes many nice titles like "Theme For A New Day", "Kickin Back", "Canticle For The Universe", "Gratitude" and a great take on Scarborough's "Can't Hide Love".

Enjoy it!
Greg

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Frank Strazzeri - After The Rain (1977)

Funky keyboard work from Frank Strazzeri– a player who's really stretching out here in the 70s, with a massively cosmic vibe you'd never have guessed from his earlier work! Strazzeri had recorded and played heavily around the LA scene by the time of this mid 70s release – but none of his other work was as wonderfully soulful as this!
Frank's working here on moog and electric piano – in a group that includes Sam Most on tenor, Bobby Shew on trumpet, and Don Alias on percussion – grooving with Frank in a gently funky way that's got a heck of a lot of soul, and which makes for some nice extended tunes with an amazing sonic architecture. Titles include "After The Rain", "Rush Hour", "Philadelphia Flyer", the splendid "Cloudburst", and "The Third Eye".

Enjoy it!
Greg

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Stone Alliance - Stone Alliance (1976)

The first album by Stone Alliance, in their most famous line-up, the one that featured the great saxophonist Steve Grossman alongside historic members Don Alias and Gene Perla; and it's a treasure of quite adventurous yet surprisingly accessible music.

The unusual trio setting makes for an innovative use of the instruments, and bold compositions by the group, mixing hard funky jazz, latin and afro elements, with a minimal sense of the groove that transcends musical barriers.

The record also includes a killer version of a Stevie Wonder-penned favorite, 'Creepin', that is well worth a listen.

Enjoy it!

Greg

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Both Worlds - Don'tcha Hide It (1974)

Tripped out fusiony funk – with lots of great solo work! These guys have kind of a jazz rock approach (hence the "both worlds" name) – one that makes for some tight bass and drum work, lots of choppy guitar, and spacey keyboards interlaced with some funkier horn solos.

The production is raw, which gives the record much more of an edge than you'd expect from a group like this; and even the sweeter vocal numbers come off with an strong indie feeling. Includes the massive horn-heavy jazz dance tune "Coming On Strong", plus the cuts "Solide", "Don'tcha Hide It", "Stop Turn Around", "Leavin Them Days", "It's Love", and a fantastic cover of "Freedom Jazz Dance".

Enjoy it!

Greg

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Melvyn Price - Rhythm and Blues (1974)

A lost bit of 70s soul jazz and global funk percussion from conguero & trombonist Melvyn Price – an incredible set of heavily rhythmic grooves recorded in Stockholm in 1974 – originally a private press effort, rediscovered a few years back by Wax Poetics Records!

Melvyn grew up outside of Detroit, and he cut his teeth with the freeform Afrikan Folk Ensemble before relocating to Sweden in the 60s, where he thrived in the country's healthy and creative jazz scene. He's joined by a great group of international players who bring diverse flavors to the overall sound, with Latin and African styles of percussion from Price, Jon Dill and Luis Agudo, drums by Gunnar Nyberg and Fredrik Noren, piano by Bjorn Wolff, fluidly jazzy tenor sax from Ed Epstein, and bass by Guy Roellinger, whose work here often sounds like the stuff of funky 70s soundtracks. The rhythms are absolutely impeccable – with the conga and percussion as the driving force of the sound! Titles include "Voodoo Love Dance", "Toward Brazil", "Behind Kungstradgarden", "Happiness Is. . .", "Five O'Clock Traffic" and "Last Train".

Enjoy it!

Greg

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Eero Koivistoinen Music Society - Wahoo! (1972)

Funky funky Finland! Don't be put off by the long name, or the overuse of vowels in the title – because this album's a killer batch of funky jazz, filled with loads of choppy sax riffs, sweet Fender Rhodes licks, and plenty of heavy drums. The record's got a hard fusion groove – and all the tracks are long instrumentals served up with plenty of power, and plenty of ferocity!

The set was recorded in Finland in 1972, but it feels more like some killer studio jam from the west coast – played by by a very tight bunch of funky jazz musicians who weren't afraid to go over the top. Titles include "Hot C", "7 Up", "6 Down", "Suite 19", and "Wahoo!".

Enjoy it!

Greg

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Young-Holt Unlimited - Young-Holt Unlimited Plays Superfly (1973)

Fantastic stuff as Young and Holt lay down a monster set of grooves from Curtis Mayfield's Superfly soundtrack (all the good ones – like "Freddie's Dead", "Give Me Your Love", "Pusher Man", and "Superfly"). They also get into some funky tracks of their own (like "Hey Pancho" and "Mystical Man"), and do a super-dope cover of "People Make the World Go Round".

The album's nice and stripped down – perhaps closest to their Oh Girl LP on Atlantic in feel, with loads of cool electric piano by Ken Chaney, laid out over the group's harder funky grooves. An essential bit of early G-funk!

Enjoy it!

Greg

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