Back catalogue: Funk/Reissues

Review: A deep dive into the Fania vaults has uncovered Cafe, a Latin funk and soul classic that was recorded half a century ago. To mark the 50th anniversary of this great album, which was produced by the legendary conguero Ray Barretto and originally released on Vaya Records, it gets this nice heavyweight reissue on Craft. The standout track 'Si Dame Tu Amor' delivers infectious funk grooves reminiscent of Barretto's own work, while 'Identify Yourself' is another one to light up any party. All the tunes have been cut from the original master tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio so sounds superb.

Review: R&b and funk singer, rhythm guitar musician and songwriter Rickey Calloway hailed from Jacksonville, Florida but earned himself a global reputation. His style borrowed from James Brown but brought something new, inspired by his time playing in clubs from a relatively young age. He was active in the 70s and much of his music has been reissue do newer audiences since and now comes his King Of Funk album on Funk Night which, from the title down, pays homage to the aforementioned Brown. It features his most well known tune - the wonderful 'Tell Me' - as well as plenty of other big hitters like there particularly hard hitting 'Shake It Up, Shake It Down.'

Review: Candeleros is a six-member, Colombia- and Venezuela-rooted collective based in Madrid that fuse Cumbia, merengue, dub and an array of Afro-Caribbean rhythms, creating a psychedelic, postmodern celebration of Latin sound. Their music blends Andean echoes, cinematic textures and hypnotic percussion into what feels like a ritualistic dance experience and has seen them collaborating with artists like Dodosound and Carlos Talez. They always reject the usual genre boundaries while focusing on cultural activism and the power of collective expression and have performed across Europe. As this album shows, their sound is passionate, borderless and proof that Cumbia has truly rooted itself in Europe.

Review: Candido Y Su Movimiento's cult favourite album Palos De Fuego album is a rhythmic journey through the vibrant landscapes of Afro-Cuban jazz and Latin music that was first released in the 1970s. It superbly showcases the virtuosity of Candido Camero, a percussion maestro often hailed as the "Father of Modern Conga Drumming" as the album pulsates with infectious beats, intricate rhythms, and soulful melodies, all of which embody the essence of Afro-Cuban traditions while embracing contemporary influences. As a testament to Candido's enduring impact on the genre, Palos De Fuego stands tall and is a timeless exploration of percussive brilliance that continues to captivate and inspire Latin jazz lovers worldwide.

Review: The Paralytics have a timeless sound that is laid bare on this new, heavily limited 7" featuring 'Ghetto Funk.' The original on the a-side is a lo-fi sound with dusty drum breaks and prickly guitar riffs all overlaid with his idiosyncratic vocal mutterings and murmurings. It's expressive and emotive and hugely effective despite being low-key. The flip side instrumental strips back those vocalisations to allow the funky drum breaks extra room to do their thing. A fine pick up for those who like it raw and paired back.

Review: Who knew an entertainment career spanning the likes of comic sci-fi series like Red Dwarf and kitsch game shows vis-a-vis Robot Wars could result in a side stint curating soul compilations? Well, it's exactly what happened to Craig Charles, who also happens to have been manning BBC6 Music's soul and funk corner for almost 20 years now, not to mention regularly touring the world as a DJ. This isn't his first 'Trunk of Funk'. The first was overwhelmingly well-received by a "funk hungry public", and now, our national treasure Craigy-boy has ensured said public doesn't starve a second time round. Backboned by Charles' introductory yells to imaginary screaming crowds - "are you ready!?" - we cycle through funk bits both old and new, exclusive and widely-available, from Cha Wa to Luther Ingram to Joel Culpepper. Craig says: "Give your ears and feet enough mellifluous musical fodder to last you until Volume 3 - Awooga!"

Review: American funk and r&b band Chocolate Milk made their mark in the early 1970s and released their self-titled album in 1976. Produced by the legendary Allen Toussaint who was known for his work with Lee Dorsey, The Meters, and Dr. John, the album blended funky rhythms, soulful melodies, and socially aware lyrics. It featured the single 'How About Love' along with standout tracks like 'You've Got Your Spell On Me' and 'Let The Music Take Your Mind.' Praised for its energy and creativity at the time, the album solidified Chocolate Milk's reputation in the funk and soul scene and sounds as good here as ever.

Review: If you've ever had the privilege to witness George Clinton & The P Funk Allstars live, you know they bring it, each and every time. After all, the magic of Parliament and Funkadelic's imperious catalogue lies in that in-the-room, jammed out madness where anything could happen at any moment, which translates to the stage so beautifully. This collection pulls together some of the choicest live cuts from recent times, as stone-cold classics like 'Let's Take It To The Stage' and 'Cosmic Slop' collide with 'Atomic Dog' and 'Funkentelechy'. Of course the tracks take on whole new dimensions in the live setting, stretched out and freaked up even more than in their original form, making this a must-grab for any P funk devotee.

Review: Mr Bongo look back to the damn fine Latin funk and rock-infused soul sounds of Coke's 197 self-titled opus for their next well-chosen reissue project here. It is their only album, sadly, but is a brilliant mix of Miami Latin-funk, psychedelic garage rock and gritty soul sung mainly in English. It blends bright funk drumming, flavourful organs and zesty horn with Paul Garcia (guitar), Ariel Hernandez (bass), Ruben Perez (drums), Jose Rubio (keys) and Peter Fernandez (vocals) all produced by Mato. The record was popular in Miami but faded due to limited promotion and a Coca-Cola trademark dispute but was later rediscovered by collectors, with standout tracks like 'Na Na,' 'Got to Touch Your Face' and 'Te Amo Mas' all became staples of Latin sets.

Review: Funk legend Bootsy Collins drops his rather indelible 23rd studio album at the age of 73. Despite the advancing years, Bootsy remains a restless innovator and tireless blender of funk, punk, rock, r&b and futuristic sounds. This latest concoction album features collaborations with icons like Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, and Dave Stewart alongside fresh talents such as October London and Fantaazma. Bootsy embraces his role as mentor here and ensures that his singular grooves are embellished with new school energy. Beyond music, he's also launching the Bootsy Collins Network, a streaming hub for live shows, tech and gaming that could well be worth a look.

Review: Smouldering Secrets was released in 1975 by Copeland Davis and his band and it's a great example of his energetic piano performances. The album opens with the melodic 'No Arms Can Ever Hold You' while tracks like 'Perfidy' and 'So in Love' feature lively instrumentals. Highlights include the soulful 'Jet,' where Davis sings, and the mellow 'Morning Spring,' famously sampled by Nujabes. This reissue also includes the vocal version of 'No Arms Can Ever Hold You' which makes its debut release on vinyl. Davis later gained popularity in Japan during the Free Soul and Rare Groove movements which is why this rich record one is being put out by P-Vine.

Review: LA-based soul and funk singer Nikka Costa is back with her first new music in six years. She has already teased this new album with the well-received lead and title single 'Dirty Disco' and it very much shows why she has a reputation for powerful vocals and dynamic stage presence. Across the rest of the record on Funky You, Costa's new work showcases a fresh, disco-inspired sound that comes after a career break that has done nothing to talk away from her skills. With plenty of future-forward beats and vibrant rhythms, this is a great return to form and a dazzling disco opus that will be followed up by tour dates later this year.

Review: French label Heavenly Sweetness France delivers a compelling fusion of jazz, funk, and electronic sounds on this new collection, Victoire De La Musique, from French jazz-funk heroes Cotonete. Across the album, the outfit showcases their virtuosity and creativity, blending intricate melodies with infectious rhythms and plenty of rousing horns, cosmic synths and nods to 70s fusion sounds. The compositions are dynamic and engaging, drawing listeners into a world of musical exploration where, soul, innovation and a certain musical playfulness all freely coexist. Victoire De La Musique is well worthy of a top spot in the contemporary jazz-funk landscape.

Review: Courtial With Errol Knowles's Don't You Think It's Time album gets a first ever vinyl reissue here, and gets deluxe treatment. The original was recorded in 1976 in San Francisco's Bay Area and soon became a real collector's classic for its vital soul and jazz funk sounds. To be honest, the cover art alone is worth the entry price here, but the sounds sure are sublime, with wiggy synth lines weaving their way in and out of the funky drumming on 'Don't You Think It's Time,' 'Best Of Friends' offering lush string sounds and silky grooves and 'Love Nevermore' having a bit of a samba shuffle next to the acoustic guitars and golden Rhodes chords.

Review: Cymande are cult favourites amongst funk and soul lovers. The band members were all part of the Afro-Caribbean diaspora community in London who arrived in the UK from the West Indies in the 60s and blended sounds in captivating, heart-aching new ways across several standout albums. One of them is the Second Time Round from 1973. It was their sophomore effort and was produced entirely by John Schroeder. It's a well-rounded listen as a whole but also includes standout singles like 'Fug' which anyone who has played a Tony Hawk skateboarding game might well recognise.

Review: On the first instalment in the Wamono A to Z compilation series, released in September 2020, dusty-fingered diggers DJ Yoshizawa Dynamite.jp and Chintam focused on Japanese jazz-funk and rare groove gems recorded and released between 1968 and '80. For this speedy sequel, they've narrowed their focus further in order to showcase little-known Japanese funk slammers pressed to wax between 1970 and '77. As you'd expect, there's tons of absolute bangers amongst the 10 tracks on show, with highlights including the Blaxploitation movie soundtrack vibes of Mieko Hirota's 'Theme of Doberman Cop', the fuzzy, Hammond-sporting psych-funk of Fujio Tokita's quirky 'Watashi No Beatles', and the energetic, proto disco-funk of Hatsumi Shibata's 'Singer Lady'.

Review: For the latest edition of their essential Wamano A to Z compilation series - the third to date - DJ Yoshiwza Dynamite JP and Chintam have decided to focus on "Japanese light mellow funk, disco and boogie" tracks recorded between 1978 and '88. Like its' predecessors, the eight-track set is heavy on obscurities and little-known cuts, as well as bona fide killer cuts. There's much to savour throughout, from the intergalactic, slap-bass propelled boogie brilliance of Jadoes' 'Friday Night (Extended Mix)' and the laidback funk bliss of Yumi Sato's 'Ame', to the smooth jazz-funk lusciousness of Hitomi Tohyama's 'Rainy Driver' and the Latin-infused, Teena Marie style electrofunk brilliance of Mizuki Koyami's 'Kare Niwa Kanawanai'.

Review: Uganda: Dawn Of Rock is a great collision of creative talents from Akira Ishikawa and Count Buffaloes who combine to deliver a captivating exploration of rock music's emergence in Uganda. A classic since it was first issued, the album showcases Ishikawa's masterful drumming and Count Buffaloes' dynamic instrumentation. It overflows with infectious rhythms and soulful melodies and each track immerses listeners in the vibrant music scene of Uganda where rock and local African sounds are fused into something new. As such this is a record that offers a perfect glimpse into a pivotal moment in Uganda's musical history.