Z Records is back with another instalment of badass Funk from the Disco era with Supafunkanova Volume 3 which has been selected by prolific DJ, producer, remixer and record collector Woody Bianchi.

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Colin Curtis is back! with another finely curated selection of the best Jazz Dance Fusion records he could find. Volume 4 reflects a combination of new music unreleased music and tracks that have never been on vinyl before or not attained the recognition they deserve. Packed with great Jazz Dance music from the UK and all around the world. The whole purpose of these compilations is to introduce you to fantastic talent and allow you to then go and explore all their works and keep this movement moving! With brand new & exclusive releases, extremely rare tracks and many only available on Vinyl for the first time from Brazil, Cuba, Japan, Italy, USA, UK and beyond. Showcasing another insight into Colin Curtis"s world of Jazz Dance Fusion and highlighting the sheer diversity & talent on offer from Vocal Jazz, Salsa, Latin Spoken Word to Sambas & Fusion, It"s all Here!

Tracklist
1.1Bill Ortiz - Fusion/Noche Cubana
1.2Born 74 & Onj - Tape Your Beat
1.3GeeW - Still In Love
1.4Mary Greer Mudiku - Happy Sunrise
1.5The Sultan's Swing - 46 To Somewhere
1.6Stefano Di Santis - Unreachable Galaxy
2.1Charro Band De Emilio Guerrero - Movin
2.2Somos Amigos - Pa'gozar
2.3Telmo Fernandez & The Latin Soul Beat - Cuchifrito Pa'
2.4Juju - Cla Samba
2.5Moreen Meriden - Caught In A Fever
2.6Alfredo Dias Gomes - Samba De Negro
2.7Alonso Gonzalez & Jazz Latino - Mr. Fool
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Colin Curtis is back! with another finely curated selection of the best Jazz Dance Fusion records he could find. Volume 4 reflects a combination of new music unreleased music and tracks that have never been on vinyl before or not attained the recognition they deserve. Packed with great Jazz Dance music from the UK and all around the world. The whole purpose of these compilations is to introduce you to fantastic talent and allow you to then go and explore all their works and keep this movement moving! With brand new & exclusive releases, extremely rare tracks and many only available on Vinyl for the first time from Brazil, Cuba, Japan, Italy, USA, UK and beyond. Showcasing another insight into Colin Curtis"s world of Jazz Dance Fusion and highlighting the sheer diversity & talent on offer from Vocal Jazz, Salsa, Latin Spoken Word to Sambas & Fusion, It"s all Here!

Tracklist

1.1Venus Dodson - Mother Of The Future
1.2Jacques Schwarz-Bart - Mendé
1.3Guinu - Eletromandinga (Extended Version)
1.4Stefano Di Santis - Nova Laze
1.5GeeW - Kyoto
1.6Mary Greer Mudiku - I Face East
2.1Alfredo Dias Gomes - Vaya Mulatto
2.2Juju - Wanting Touch (Instrumental)
2.3Nova Vida - My Only (GeeMix)
2.4Lifetime - I'll Bet You Thought I'd Never Find You
2.5Tres-Men - Samba De-La Cruz
2.6Miho Nobuzane - Ponteio
2.7El Caballo Y Su Orquesta - Mambo De Papi
More

Colin Curtis is back! with another finely curated selection of the best Jazz Dance Fusion records he could find. Volume 4 reflects a combination of new music unreleased music and tracks that have never been on vinyl before or not attained the recognition they deserve. Packed with great Jazz Dance music from the UK and all around the world. The whole purpose of these compilations is to introduce you to fantastic talent and allow you to then go and explore all their works and keep this movement moving! With brand new & exclusive releases, extremely rare tracks and many only available on Vinyl for the first time from Brazil, Cuba, Japan, Italy, USA, UK and beyond. Showcasing another insight into Colin Curtis"s world of Jazz Dance Fusion and highlighting the sheer diversity & talent on offer from Vocal Jazz, Salsa, Latin Spoken Word to Sambas & Fusion, It"s all Here!

Trackliste
1.1Bill Ortiz - Fusion/Noche Cubana
1.2Born 74 & Onj - Tape Your Beat
1.3GeeW - Still In Love
1.4Mary Greer Mudiku - Happy Sunrise
1.5The Sultan's Swing - 64 To Somewhere
1.6Stefano Di Santis - Unreachable Galaxy
1.7Charro Band De Emilio Guerrero - Movin
1.8Somos Amigos - Pa'gozar
1.9Telmo Fernandez & The Latin Soul Beat - Cuchifrito Pa'
1.10Juju - Cla Samba
1.11Moreen Meriden - Caught In A Fever
1.12Alfredo Dias Gomes - Samba De Negro
1.13Alonso Gonzalez & Jazz Latino - Mr. Fool
2.1Venus Dodson - Mother Of The Future
2.2Jacques Schwarz-Bart - Mendé
2.3Guinu - Eletromandinga (Extended Version)
2.4Stefano Di Santis - Nova Laze
2.5GeeW - Kyoto
2.6Mary Greer Mudiku - I Face East
2.7Alfredo Dias Gomes - Vaya Mulatto
2.8Juju - Wanting Touch (Instrumental)
2.9Nova Vida - My Only (GeeMix)
2.10Lifetime - I'll Bet You Thought I'd Never Find You
2.11Tres-Men - Samba De-La Cruz
2.12Miho Nobuzane - Ponteio
2.13El Caballo Y Su Orquesta - Mambo De Papi More

Long time house and disco devotee Dave Lee comes through on Z Records once more with a sampler from this years ZR Essentials collection. It features two of his masterful reworks starting with Jamiroquai's 'Little L'. He flips into a funked up cosmic delight with plenty of the original's synth flourishes melodic hooks and orchestration all present and correct but with added slap bass, replayed rhodes and beefy new drums which make this a surefire dancefloor winner pretty much anywhere. On the flip comes Dave Lee's Disco Fantasy mix of Shelia & B Devotion's 1979 hit 'Spacer' which has a more retro disco sound thanks to the masterful original work of Chic. Additional clav, new string parts and solo-ing keys give 'Spacer' the extended DJ mix it never had at the time of original release. More

Legendary producer Dave Lee returns as AC Soul Symphony with the “Metamorphosis” LP - his most ambitious
production project in his 35-year career.
With an inimitable CV and discography that includes over a thousand production credits to his name, hundreds of singles
under renowned pseudonyms including Joey Negro, and three UK top 40 hits as Jakatta, Dave Lee is one of the UK’s
most revered producers of disco and house music, defining each genre with a signature sound. Always looking to push
the boundaries of what it means to make music, his latest project sees Dave return to one of his lesser-known pseudonyms
– AC Soul Symphony – to deliver an epic disco record that takes the sound back to its roots in every way possible.
“A few years ago, I produced a remake of David Shire’s orchestral disco masterpiece Manhattan Skyline under
the alias of AC Soul Symphony. I really enjoyed reworking that classic track in a way that retained my favourite
parts of the original but also writing new musical sections that gave it more my own flavour.”
Comprising 15 beautifully arranged disco tracks that effortlessly span almost two hours, “Metamorphosis” is an album by
definition, but at its core, much more than that – it is a labour of love, meticulously composed, arranged and crafted through
a very tangible and human creative process which is unmatched by many modern producers.
“I do it because I love the process of creating something. My aim is to come up with an end result I genuinely
think I’d want to buy, play and listen to if it wasn’t me.”
Inspired by happy memories from the golden era of TV and the soundtracks of his favourite childhood shows,
“Metamorphosis” was borne of a desire to put the strings center stage and “I thought making a whole album of this mainly instrumental, string heavy, tv theme like music would be a really
enjoyable project and one that would play to my strengths as a producer. It was also slightly new territory
musically and a bit of challenge.”
Taking disco back to a physical place, “Metamorphosis” was an organic writing process that saw Dave lay down his ideas
digitally, before reshaping the MIDI strings into a proper arrangement and recording them live with a 20-piece orchestra at
RAK Studios. By his own admission, it is an album of pure indulgence, but by relying on digital production methods, it can
be easy to lose sight of the soul that makes music such a unifying entity. Backing up the immaculate strings with catchy
vocals and enough groove to level a discotheque, it’s this soulful energy that Dave has captured and expertly delivered
with “Metamorphosis”.

VINYL PART ONE
Record One
A1 Windy City Theme
B1 Tradewinds
Record Two
C1 Six Billion Dollar Man
D1 Seneca Village
D2 Metamorphosis

https://soundcloud.com/k7-records/sets/zeddlp059-ac-soul-symphony/s-HszMwWkZIal?si=f6af473f320745e7a3f209defab137e9&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing More

Legendary producer Dave Lee returns as AC Soul Symphony with the “Metamorphosis” LP - his most ambitious
production project in his 35-year career.
With an inimitable CV and discography that includes over a thousand production credits to his name, hundreds of singles
under renowned pseudonyms including Joey Negro, and three UK top 40 hits as Jakatta, Dave Lee is one of the UK’s
most revered producers of disco and house music, defining each genre with a signature sound. Always looking to push
the boundaries of what it means to make music, his latest project sees Dave return to one of his lesser-known pseudonyms
– AC Soul Symphony – to deliver an epic disco record that takes the sound back to its roots in every way possible.
“A few years ago, I produced a remake of David Shire’s orchestral disco masterpiece Manhattan Skyline under
the alias of AC Soul Symphony. I really enjoyed reworking that classic track in a way that retained my favourite
parts of the original but also writing new musical sections that gave it more my own flavour.”
Comprising 15 beautifully arranged disco tracks that effortlessly span almost two hours, “Metamorphosis” is an album by
definition, but at its core, much more than that – it is a labour of love, meticulously composed, arranged and crafted through
a very tangible and human creative process which is unmatched by many modern producers.
“I do it because I love the process of creating something. My aim is to come up with an end result I genuinely
think I’d want to buy, play and listen to if it wasn’t me.”
Inspired by happy memories from the golden era of TV and the soundtracks of his favourite childhood shows,
“Metamorphosis” was borne of a desire to put the strings center stage and “I thought making a whole album of this mainly instrumental, string heavy, tv theme like music would be a really
enjoyable project and one that would play to my strengths as a producer. It was also slightly new territory
musically and a bit of challenge.”
Taking disco back to a physical place, “Metamorphosis” was an organic writing process that saw Dave lay down his ideas
digitally, before reshaping the MIDI strings into a proper arrangement and recording them live with a 20-piece orchestra at
RAK Studios. By his own admission, it is an album of pure indulgence, but by relying on digital production methods, it can
be easy to lose sight of the soul that makes music such a unifying entity. Backing up the immaculate strings with catchy
vocals and enough groove to level a discotheque, it’s this soulful energy that Dave has captured and expertly delivered
with “Metamorphosis”.

VINYL PART TWO
Record One
A1 The Philly Avengers
B1 AC Express
B2 The Mystery, The Moment
Record Two
C1 It’s Got To Be Love
C2 Music For Your Pleasure
D1 Losing My Mind At The Disco

https://soundcloud.com/k7-records/sets/zeddlp059-ac-soul-symphony/s-HszMwWkZIal?si=f6af473f320745e7a3f209defab137e9&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing More

Legendary producer Dave Lee returns as AC Soul Symphony with the “Metamorphosis” LP - his most ambitious
production project in his 35-year career.
With an inimitable CV and discography that includes over a thousand production credits to his name, hundreds of singles
under renowned pseudonyms including Joey Negro, and three UK top 40 hits as Jakatta, Dave Lee is one of the UK’s
most revered producers of disco and house music, defining each genre with a signature sound. Always looking to push
the boundaries of what it means to make music, his latest project sees Dave return to one of his lesser-known pseudonyms
– AC Soul Symphony – to deliver an epic disco record that takes the sound back to its roots in every way possible.
“A few years ago, I produced a remake of David Shire’s orchestral disco masterpiece Manhattan Skyline under
the alias of AC Soul Symphony. I really enjoyed reworking that classic track in a way that retained my favourite
parts of the original but also writing new musical sections that gave it more my own flavour.”
Comprising 15 beautifully arranged disco tracks that effortlessly span almost two hours, “Metamorphosis” is an album by
definition, but at its core, much more than that – it is a labour of love, meticulously composed, arranged and crafted through
a very tangible and human creative process which is unmatched by many modern producers.
“I do it because I love the process of creating something. My aim is to come up with an end result I genuinely
think I’d want to buy, play and listen to if it wasn’t me.”
Inspired by happy memories from the golden era of TV and the soundtracks of his favourite childhood shows,
“Metamorphosis” was borne of a desire to put the strings center stage and “I thought making a whole album of this mainly instrumental, string heavy, tv theme like music would be a really
enjoyable project and one that would play to my strengths as a producer. It was also slightly new territory
musically and a bit of challenge.”
Taking disco back to a physical place, “Metamorphosis” was an organic writing process that saw Dave lay down his ideas
digitally, before reshaping the MIDI strings into a proper arrangement and recording them live with a 20-piece orchestra at
RAK Studios. By his own admission, it is an album of pure indulgence, but by relying on digital production methods, it can
be easy to lose sight of the soul that makes music such a unifying entity. Backing up the immaculate strings with catchy
vocals and enough groove to level a discotheque, it’s this soulful energy that Dave has captured and expertly delivered
with “Metamorphosis”.

VINYL PART TWO
Record One
A1 The Philly Avengers
B1 AC Express
B2 The Mystery, The Moment
Record Two
C1 It’s Got To Be Love
C2 Music For Your Pleasure
D1 Losing My Mind At The Disco

https://soundcloud.com/k7-records/sets/zeddlp059-ac-soul-symphony/s-HszMwWkZIal?si=f6af473f320745e7a3f209defab137e9&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing More

This special 12" features two tracks that will not be on the vinyl version of the forthcoming AC Soul Symphony, Disco opus "Metamorphosis" featuring a 20 piece orchestra alongside a whole host top live players. That makes it an even more vital pick up because both are pure disco fire. 'I Want To See You Dance' has the title's classic refrain repeated over big Salsoul style string licks, funky basslines and soloing piano. 'The Talented Mr Adams' is a tribute to the legendary disco producer Patrick Adams and is a super sweet swooner with golden live strings and brass backing up a loose-limbed rhythm and vamping pianos that get you in the mood for love. These two tracks act as a fine teaser for what's to come on the much-anticipated album from a contemporary version of acts like MFSB and Love Unlimited Orchestra. More

Complimenting the release of the new Supafunkanova Vol.3 album by Woody Bianchi is this extremely badass 7” for all those that like it at 45. Two very rare, choice cuts from the album, one of which doesn’t feature on the Vinyl version of the Compilation.

First up is the ‘Together Band’ with their falsetto boogie funk track ‘Calif. Curl, Calif. Girl’ sitting somewhere between Slave & One Way with it’s killer guitar groove, disco toms and synth swells.

On the flip is ‘The Firebolts - Firebolt Hustle’ an extremely hard to find cut on 7” featuring legends such as Bernard Wright and Barry Johnson. A pure badass Funk track from the Disco-Boogie era indeed! More

Two little ducks, it's 22! You asked so we have delivered, with this mind and groin boggling 12''. Kicking things off with some monsterous uptempo garage courtesy of Grant Nelson’s Remix of Dave & Omar 'Starlight'. Next up is a forthcoming DJ Fudge production ‘Everything' by Chocolate Fudge Band, featuring lots of live instrumentation and a Curtis Mayfield style vocal.

Flip it over for Dave’s super soulful 4/4 workout of 'Look at the Stars' featuring Maurissa Rose and the brand new Opolopo - 'Looking For You', a deep and bouncy cut filled with soulful Motown vocal chops and an Organ workout worthy of any Sunday service. Take your trousers off, lie back and enjoy. More

Fans of late 70s British TV show The New Avengers (where we first saw Joanna Lumley) will rejoice as Dave Lee dons his AC Soul Symphony cap and renders out a funked out version of the iconic theme song. It’s all grooving clav, wurlitzer, funky drums and the all important symphony of strings transporting you back to the golden days of both TV themes and symphonic disco. If MFSB had recorded a version of The New Avengers then it might have sounded something like this

On the flip a special 7'' version of one of the most popular tracks from Dave Lee’s Produced with Love II album 'If You Ever Need Somebody', a super classy mid tempo modern song featuring the silky vocals of Tiffany T’Zelle. Ideal for your next roller disco jam! More

We’ve got a rather large bomb on our hands here. Leonid & his friends have lovingly recreated ’Street Player’ with a whole host of talented musicians, but why stop there? So we enlisted the Parisian rework Maître to do what he does best and make a great song even better.

Two special versions exclusive to Vinyl, Dimitri’s epic 'Special Disco Blends’ which is split over two parts brimming with breakneck samba percussion & bouncing brass sections before heading into an epic guitar workout.

On the flip DFP serves up a more stripped back Dub focusing in on the well known sections made famous by The Bucketheads before adding a sizzling synth solo midway for that extra euphoria hit. More

Groove Culture bosses Mickey More & Andy Tee have flown over to London to the Z Records secretly guarded vaults to plunder the riches that lay in wait. Together they have created four brand new mixes of classic ZR cuts for special release on wax. A sampler from the bumper Compilation album they have done on the Label titled ‘In Our Groove’.

First up is the seminal ’Still In Love’ with it’s soaring strings and vocals by Ricci Benson, backed up by shiny new horn sections and a refined structure. Doug Willis’s 'Music Speaks Louder Than Words' gets turned into a peak time stomping Piano house anthem.

On the flip it’s time to pack your bags as the Italians take you on a sun drenched journey to the sun with their glistening take on The Sunburst Band’s classic. Finishing things off is a re-rub of 'Doug Willis - People Power’, which is filled to the brim with Roy Ayers style vibes, motor city vocals and dancing Flute melodies. More

The 21st Attack The Dancefloor is brimming with Class-A disco boogie action.

Heading things up is the brand new Jimpster remix of Mistura featuring a tongue in cheek monologue from Canadian poet Jemini. Jimpster’s Jazz'd Up mix starts off stripped right back, based around a 303 bassline, it builds and builds and builds ending with a deep powerful version that satisfies both the soul and dance floor.

Backing this side up is Birdee’s euphoric, piano stomping, hands in the air remix of the ZR classic ‘Do What You Feel’ from 1991.

On the flip is Lakeshore Commission's latest floor burner ‘In 2 The Light’ featuring Bluey from Incognito. Shuffling Philly drums, soaring strings and a phunked out bass guitar make for a late night dancefloor heater.

Finishing off the 12” is the appearance of Destiny II’s ‘Play 2 Win’ on wax for the first time. It’s a serious menagerie of driving live bass, Prelude style boogie synths & the occasional vocoder. Add in anthemic vocals courtesy of Angela Johnson and you have one of the years most played new disco songs. More

Z Records continues its commitment to unearthing the obscure and long forgotten tracks from the last 40 years through the ever-popular Under The Influence series. Following on from Red Greg, Nick The Record, Sean P, Faze Action, and last years Alena Arpels. It’s now the turn of one of the scene’s most impressive collectors and DJs; Rahaan

Hailing from Chicago his love affair with muzik started in the late 70’s early 80’s, listening to muzik on the radio combined with his mom and dad playing their records every weekend. In the early 80’s on the South side of Chicago, he started hearing something a bit different, what they called ‘house muzik’. A combination of Disco, Jazz, Soul Funk, New Wave and Italo Disco. Here Rahaan digs deep into his impressive record collection that he has collected, built up and crafted over his many years of travelling, networking and DJin to showcase 22 of his finest and rarest cuts. Many of the tracks on the album would cost hundreds and that’s if you were even able to find the originals!

As always with ZR compilations a lot of time and effort has been spent on creating these masters from the original vinyl, cleaning them up, removing all the clicks and pops resulting in the cleanest sounding copy possible.

A1. Santrax – Come and Get It
A2. Marini – Let’s Get It On
B1. Venus Dodson – Shoot Me (With Your Love)
B2. Wings of Light – He Loves You
C1. Jaze – Wanna Get Down With You
D1. Cousin Ice – Catch Your Glow More

Dave Lee teamed up with Omar. A gifted, prolific artist, Omar learned his craft classically, playing the trumpet, piano, bass guitar and percussion. A former principal percussionist of the Kent Youth Orchestra and later a graduate of the Guildhall School Of Music, Omar was awarded an MBE in 2012 for services to music.

'Starlight' is a gorgeous, mid-tempo dance record, with Omar’s silky vocals backed up with rich production: soaring live strings, groove-laden clav and a warm bassline creating a heady, inviting atmosphere. Almost viscerally life-affirming and unashamedly positive. This is an exclusive 7” version.

On the B side, Destiny II featuring Aria Lyric - I'm Here For This. An uptempo boogie synth filled track in the spirit of Leroy Burgess’s 80’s offerings. Written by Dave Lee, Audrey Martells & broken beat don Kaidi Tatham. An exclusive new track not part of the album Produced with Love II. More

The follow up to his 2017 album, Produced With Love II is a collection of brand new songs from one of the UK’s most longstanding, respected and fiercely independent artists.

Record One
A1 Dave & Omar – Starlight
A2 Jayenne feat. Gina Carey - Love Walked In The Room
B1 Foreal People feat. Xan Blacq - Raise A Blaze.
B2 Mistura feat. Jemini - Want Me Back
Record Two
C1 Dave Lee feat. Billy Valentine - Taste My Love
C2 Mistura feat. Tiffany T'Zelle - If You Ever Need Somebody
C3 The Sunburst Band feat. Angela Johnson - Face The Love.
D1 Raw Essence feat. Lifford - Do It Again
D2 Dave Lee feat. Billy Valentine - Power Of The Mind (Power Trip Mix)
D3 The Sunburst Band - Let's Do It In Style
Bonus 12” Record
E1 Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes - Don't Leave Me This Way (Dave Lee Philly World Mix)
F1 Kokomo - Use Your Imagination (Dave Lee Re-Imagined Mix) More

A collection of unreleased tracks from the early 90's Jumpin' & Pumpin' era, when FSOL hid behind various guises More

Repress!

Studio One's music in the 1970s took the label to new heights. The new style of Disco Mix brought many areas of Reggae together ­ Roots, Lovers, Disco and Dub all came together in extended form, re-versioning classic hits, experimenting with new studio technology, over-dubbing, syn-drums and more producing what many fans describe as the most creative and innovative phase in the history of the legendary Studio One Records.

This Studio One Disco Mix album includes many sought after classic tunes only ever released in very small quantities (on Studio One's very first 12" records as well as it's infamous Music Lab 10"s out of New York) and consequently many of these track s have been unavailable since their day of release. Studio One Disco Mix features many of the classic Studio One artists such as Alton Ellis, Sugar Minott, Jackie Mittoo and Willie Williams (with his classic re-versioning of his own "Armigideon Time") alongside less well artists such as Doreen Schaeffer, Judah Eskender Tafari and George Dudley and many more. More

Repress!

Here is the debut, self-titled album from a.s.o., singer/songwriter Alia Seror-O'Neill, and producer Lewie Day. 'a.s.o.' is a thematic consolidation of the previous three singles and an impressive artistic progression. Day and Seror-O'Neill show they've mastered the format of the radio-friendly pop song and found how to subvert it completely. Across eleven songs, they have built a rich and compelling body of work.

We know where we are now, emotionally complex, trip-hop torch songs for club freaks. But the palette has broadened to encompass ethereal dream pop à la Cocteau Twins, slow-burning AOR-soul, and dubwise stylings. As a result, 'a.s.o.' is a satisfyingly coherent listen but never a musical monoculture. Variously there are nods toward Julee Cruise, Fleetwood Mac, and the uneasy listening of Portishead. It's an album that wears its influences lightly, is never weighed down by them, and always sure of its own identity.

It's anchored by Alia's unique voice. Her words speak of restraint and release, taking us from the elegiac to the euphoric. This elegantly crafted, perfect pop music sounds like it has had enough of your shit. And Day's music is the perfect foil; deep, slightly menacing, restrained, and powerful. The album has a cinematic texture, as with David Lynch; the seemingly familiar becomes uncanny and strange the closer we look. a.s.o. take our emotions for a joyride before leaving us floating in space.

'a.s.o.' is a journey; by its end, we all are changed.
More

Colin Curtis is back! with another finely curated selection of the best Jazz Dance Fusion records he could find. Volume 4 reflects a combination of new music unreleased music and tracks that have never been on vinyl before or not attained the recognition they deserve. Packed with great Jazz Dance music from the UK and all around the world. The whole purpose of these compilations is to introduce you to fantastic talent and allow you to then go and explore all their works and keep this movement moving! With brand new & exclusive releases, extremely rare tracks and many only available on Vinyl for the first time from Brazil, Cuba, Japan, Italy, USA, UK and beyond. Showcasing another insight into Colin Curtis"s world of Jazz Dance Fusion and highlighting the sheer diversity & talent on offer from Vocal Jazz, Salsa, Latin Spoken Word to Sambas & Fusion, It"s all Here!

Tracklist
1.1Bill Ortiz - Fusion/Noche Cubana
1.2Born 74 & Onj - Tape Your Beat
1.3GeeW - Still In Love
1.4Mary Greer Mudiku - Happy Sunrise
1.5The Sultan's Swing - 46 To Somewhere
1.6Stefano Di Santis - Unreachable Galaxy
2.1Charro Band De Emilio Guerrero - Movin
2.2Somos Amigos - Pa'gozar
2.3Telmo Fernandez & The Latin Soul Beat - Cuchifrito Pa'
2.4Juju - Cla Samba
2.5Moreen Meriden - Caught In A Fever
2.6Alfredo Dias Gomes - Samba De Negro
2.7Alonso Gonzalez & Jazz Latino - Mr. Fool
More

Repress!

Lovingly compiled, this album features only the finest Lovers from Jamaica’s finest label. From Blues parties in London, Birmingham, Bristol etc Lovers Rock quickly became one of the UK’s finest-ever musical movements.

Sweet harmonies, soulful reggae, love songs – the key ingredients of Lovers Rock - were all based on the revival of many of the classic Rocksteady harmony groups of the late 60s and early 70s, such as The Heptones, Carlton and The Shoes, Larry & Alvin, The Paragons, that Clement "Sir Coxsone" Dodd’s Studio One and rival Duke Reid’s Treasure Isle label produced hit after hit with as they fought for dominance in the dancehalls of Kingston.

As well as these classic harmony groups, this album also features fine contributions from many of the reggae greats – Horace Andy, Alton Ellis, Bob Marley and The Wailers, Delroy Wilson – All artists who became stars at the legendary Studio One Records which Chris Blackwell, founder of Island Records, describes as "The University of Reggae". More

Dazzle rolled deep. Very deep. In the 1980s, it wasn't unusual for the Milwaukee-based group to show up at various Midwest night clubs in a caravan of 30-40 cars and vans. Their live following was hard won over a career that spanned 20+ years, many line up changes, and a handful of project names. Friends, family, and fans made the journey with them weekend after weekend, a testimony to both the musical prowess of the group and the tight-knit community that they emerged from.

Donald Smith, band leader, was there the whole time - joined by many of his siblings and friends - first as founder of the Ghetto Players, a early 70's nine-piece which also included siblings Michael, Ronald, and Charles. They played hard funk in the style of early Kool and the Gang, and although they sadly left no recordings, the strength of their live act managed to catch the eye of local Milwaukee R&B music entrepreneur Cobie Joe Payne. Cobie had made a couple of records locally in the early/mid 70s as a singer, including the impossibly weird and amazing rare afro-blues-funk 45 "Sweet Thing", but had never enjoyed national success. When the Ghetto Players disbanded in the early-mid 70s, Donald soon put together a new group, C on the Funk (the 'C' referring to lead vocalist and sibling Charles), under Payne's tutelage. Sister Lorrie Smith came in as the drummer, the line-up being fleshed out by brothers David and Melvin Johnson, and friend Robert Mitchell. After a few years as a strictly live attraction, they drove to Chicago and produced a single, "In the Disco" / "A Place" for Payne's small record label Sweet Thang Records in 1980. Lacking the financial backing needed to supply the local R&B disk jockey's "promotional fees" , this single sadly languished in obscurity, gathering dust inside the local tavern jukeboxes and manilla promo envelopes that comprised Payne's DIY distribution network.

C on the Funk were traveling the Mid West extensively at this point, and making some important friends on the road. Ike Wiley Jr. of the Dazz Band/Kinsman Dazz took particular interest and the band was re-christened Dazzle, partially as a tie-in with Dazz, partially to embrace the new sounds that would distinguish the 70s disco scene from what record collectors and DJs would now refer to as the "Boogie" era. There no doubt was a stigma attached to the word "Disco" as the eighties began, and as we see in this collection C On the Funk's "In the Disco" is remixed and transformed into the psychedelic synth instrumental of Dazzle's "Disco's Out", a title which embodies both the next-step approach Smith and company were pushing for, and humorously comments on the state of black dance music in the early 1980s. The Dazzle recording, done in Chicago in 1982, updated the sound and featured an expanded line up, most notably a second synth player (Charles Washington), and a percussionist/second lead vocalist (Greg McDonald). The added synth textures and deep percussive grooves give the Dazzle recordings an elegant late night vibe that resonate just as well in a good pair of headphones as they do on the dance floor. The trance inducing cough syrup-warble of "Explain" may best exemplify this here. Sadly, a pressing flaw in the 12" halted production and promotion, and the EP and the songs within were lost to the ages. The group, having done a much better line in the live music business, followed that path instead all the way to the early 90s. --bio provided by andy noble More

Optimo (Espacio) started life as a weekly club night. It was born at The Sub Club in Glasgow on a wet, windy, wintry November Sunday night in 1997. Run by JD Twitch and partner in crime Jonnie Wilkes. Optimo was a reaction against what felt like an increasingly conservative musical soundtrack in clubs here at that time. Clubland felt as if it had become very bland and a bit too serious; it was the era of the dawn of the Superstar DJ. Clubs often felt like bastions of male energy. It seemed dance music and culture was going somewhere far, far away from where it was meant to be. The notion of fun had got lost. It was no longer the world they had devoted ten years of their lives to already, and lots of their friends felt the same. When the opportunity came up to do a Sunday night at The Sub Club it felt like the perfect opportunity to rip it all up and start again. So they did. There was nothing in the city (or possibly anywhere) like it. As the club believed wholeheartedly in what they were doing, there was no pressure from The Sub Club to fill the club. So, they embraced the freedom. Groups of people who had never been in the same room at the same time before came together. A community of kindred spirits started to emerge. Word spread, slowly. Lots of people checked it out. Many loved it, some hated it. The core of the Optimo idea was to embrace music they loved that might work on the dancefloor from whatever era or genre they thought felt right. It might not seem very radical now but at that time it was revolutionary.After about a year and a half, the club went from having 100 people attending most nights to suddenly one week having 500 people turn up. It was very weird. It was as if a collective light bulb went off in people’s heads in Glasgow. From that week on, until the very last weekly Sunday night at the Sub Club, in 2010, over a decade later, it was packed. There were 550 Sunday Optimo nights. A LOT of music was played. So, what was the music? People often find it hard to pin down exactly what Optimo is. This has been a positive but also a negative as we live in a world where people want easily defined “brand identities”. The simplest definition of the music played is “music for dancing”, which of course is a very broad definition. Even better than trying to define it in words, we have these 2 volumes of music that give a hint of what that might be. This is not a “Best of Optimo” or a “Greatest Hits of Optimo” compilation. For people who come to, or used to come to the nights there are of course “Greatest Hits”. But, over such a long timespan they are “hits” belonging to a certain moment in time and space. Someone who came to Optimo in 1997 would have a completely different notion of the big tracks at the club to someone coming in 2003, or 2010, or today. This compilation is just a snap shot missing several genres that might make up the DNA of Optimo. There is though a broad sweep through lots of music Optimo loves, that they believe is amazing. Music that they know will rock a dancefloor, that they have played between 1997 and 2023. Of course Optimo nights were not all about rocking the dancefloor. The first hour was always a time for them to play music they loved that often was far removed from the dance. Side 1, Volume 1 of this compilation is the kind of music one might hear at the very start of an Optimo night. Optimo have always loved a good slogan. The most long lived, and fitting Optimo slogan is "We Love Your Ears", which is in essence what it is all about to them. More

The Beat by SPUN – West Coast Breakbeat Rave Electrofunk 1988-1994. In the late 1980s, Disco was taking a backseat to the burgeoning psychedelic scene in San Francisco, marking a pivotal shift in musical culture. A dynamic transformation was underway as the younger generation sought a fresh auditory adventure, all while the devastating AIDS epidemic cast a somber pall over the city's nightlife. Amidst this evolving backdrop, a subtle yet distinct sonic movement quietly emerged within the confines of San Francisco’s vibrant club scene, often referred to as "The Beat." Although Hip-Hop, New Wave, Gothic, Punk, and the burgeoning Modern Rock genre held considerable sway, the pre-RAVE clubs in SF witnessed the fusion of these genres into a unique amalgam of sound that insiders dubbed “The Beat.” This musical tapestry encompassed everything from Hip-Hop and Freestyle to Industrial, New Wave, Boogie, Miami Bass, and Techno – the unifying thread being the distinctive vibe that characterised this eclectic mix. As House, Techno, and Raving gradually gained prominence along the West Coast, a distinctive interpretation of these evolving sounds took root. Drawing inspiration from influential hubs like New York, Chicago, Detroit, Europe, and notably the UK, which saw a wave of talented young DJs migrate to California, San Francisco became the backdrop for its own version of the second Summer of Love. While the exact chronology might spark debate – some recalling '92, while others leaning towards '93 – what remains indisputable is the era spanning from 1990 to 1994, an unparalleled epoch of exuberant dancefloor revelry on the western shores. In the face of limited backing from major labels or established independent dance music entities of the time, a grassroots movement of labels and producers emerged organically, ardently championing this distinct sound and catapulting it onto the global stage. This sonic identity was deeply influenced by “the Beat,” acting as a creative wellspring that informed the musical landscape. While the tracks compiled in these volumes might not encompass the entirety of this transformative musical epoch, they offer a vivid snapshot of the melodious tapestry that coloured San Francisco and the broader West Coast during that era. Each track featured stands as a 100% Sure Shot that was played heavily by DJ Spun back in those very heady days. More

"The Closest Thing to Silence" is the result of a collaboration between Australia-based, French born fourth-world music legend Ariel Kalma and the International Anthem recording artists Jeremiah Chiu & Marta Sofia Honer, whose critically-acclaimed duo debut "Recordings from the Åland Islands" had been released last year

LPI colour is 'Silent Gray'

In August 2022, Australia-based, French born fourth-world music legend Ariel Kalma was invited to participate in BBC Radio 3’s Late Junction series of special collaborations. The program pairs artists that have not previously collaborated to create new music together. Kalma was quick to suggest working together with two musicians whom he has never met – the International Anthem recording artists Jeremiah Chiu & Marta Sofia Honer, whose critically-acclaimed duo debut Recordings from the Åland Islands had been released just a few months earlier. Kalma sent an invitation to Chiu and Honer, which was received with great enthusiasm. Chiu had been a fan of Kalma’s work for a long time, even citing him as a major influence on his approach to electronic music composition. After meeting their goal of 20 minutes worth of music for the program (which was four pieces total), the three musicians were satisfied in what they would present, and sent along their work to the producers of Late Junction; but simultaneously they felt like there was much more to be said, more work to be done. There were several pieces that they had nearly completed that weren’t sent for inclusion in the radio program, and there were many ideas for refining those that had. The three musicians collectively agreed that they would continue work together and try to push the music further. The Closest Thing to Silence is the result of their efforts to take the collaboration further.

Tracklist
1.1Ten Hour Wave
1.2Breathing In Three Orbits (Intro)
1.3Breathing In Three Orbits
1.4The Closest Thing To Silence
1.5Dizzy Ditty
1.6Une Ombre Légère
1.7New Air
1.8Écoute Au Loin
1.9A Treasure Chest
1.10Stay Centered
1.11Stack Attack More

Japanese vocalist Q.i & producer Hair Kid, originally from New Jersey and now also based in Japan, are the duo known as Milk Talk. Their off-kilter brand of synth funk sits somewhere between modern funk & city pop but is sure to please fans of vaporwave, future funk, disco & deep house as well. Their recently-released album is still an elusive find outside of Japan but “Wagamama Riso,” a digital-only loosie released during the early days of the pandemic, has now been unleashed in physical form on Los Angeles-based MoFunk Records. MoFunk's head, XL Middleton, remixes the track and adds his own retro-electro/R&B flair to the leftfield boogie feel of the original version. Both versions on a single 7” make this a top choice for anyone who loves their funk loaded with analog synthesizer action.DJ support:- DJ Notoya (Tokyo Condition)- Walla P (Voyage Funktastique)- Soul ClapMilk Talk's self-titled debut album was released recently in Japan and has added greatly to the buzz surrounding the group. However, the difficulty of procuring physical copies of their LP outside of Japan will surely make this 7” a desirable piece of add to any DJ or record collector's stash. Milk Talk was also recently featured on the Soul Clap Records compilation “New Directions In Funk Vol. 1,” curated by XL Middleton. More

Reissue of the 80s 12” single from Trinidadian musician Oluko Imo (Black Truth Rhythm Band), featuring Fela Kuti and Femi Kuti.
Recorded between Lagos and New York in 1988, the tracks sit at the fault line of the Trinidad-Yoruba connection, blending calypso heritage with the Afrobeat and jazz of Nigeria

On the A-side, title track ‘Oduduwa’ is a brooding slice of peak-era Transatlantic Afrobeat, blending a heartfelt plea for social justice and equality with a haunting piano line, shuffling drums and ethereal sax solo.
The song takes its name from Oduduwa, the founder of the Ife Empire, who is also seen as a divine Orisha (deity) in Yoruba culture, one that is often evoked by musicians and activists in Trinidad as a signifier of Yoruba heritage on the island.

On the flip, ‘Eyes Are Getting Red (Were Oju Le)’ is a long-lost slice of low slung Afrobeat featuring both Fela and Femi Kuti. Classic Nigerian horns and keys combine with Oluko Imo’s Caribbean-influenced guitar and Fela’s virtuoso sax solo, bridging the musical gap between Lagos and Port of Spain. More