Here is Wess & The Airedales soulful rendition of The Beginning Of The End's early seventies disco classic "Funky Nassau". This version of the song was included on the group's 1972 album Vehicle. Even though I tend to prefer either The Beginning Of The End's and/or Ray Munnings' 1979 version of the song, I think this is a worthy rendition that brings a bit of a more soulful feel to the overall classic. Enjoy!
Let's keep it short and sweet with the classic Latin rock gem "Na Na" from the Florida based group Coke. This funky groove heavy track was featured on the group's early seventies self-titled release, which was originally released on Sound Triangle Records. During the group's short-lived existence, they mastered the ability to blend the Latin the NuYorican sound with heavy-hitting funk grooves led by soulful vocals. Definitely a true gem!
Let's start the week off with a funky instrumental Brazilian gem by Som Três titled "Homenagem A Mongo". This rare track was included on the group's very hard-to-find 1969 album Som 3. The track nicely blends together bossa grooves with a bit of a instrumental mod-style pop feel that results in a number of solid breaks that are primed for sampling. A true funky Brazilian classic!
Today I find myself in a very laid-back mood as I continue to recover from last night's Grow Up party, therefore I thought I would post this funky lounge gem "Ocean Song" by the German group Sunbirds. Sunbirds is another group that features the legendary Kraut-Rock drummer Klaus Weiss (Also See The Sounds of Niagara). The track "Ocean Song" was originally released on the group's 1973 album Zagara and was more recently included on the Compost Records' compilation Glücklich, which consists of a solid collection of rare and funky Brazilian-flavoured German fusion tracks. Overall, "Ocean Song" is a solid instrumental track, that has a bit of a laid-back Brazilian jazz feel to it that makes it perfect for the days that follow those late-night parties. Enjoy!
Need a little "spice" on a Tuesday afternoon? Here is the funky 1977 break-heavy track "Jungle Melody" by Pierre Dalmon. This Euro groove cut starts off really laid back and then works it's way up into a full blown cosmic gem with a slight touch of erotic undertones that sounds like it came from the vaults of a European Library music record. Roger Tokarz and Pierre-Alain Dahan from European disco heavy-weights Voyage and Arpadys also appear on the track. Overall, a solid dose of funky breaks from another one of those hard-to-find Euro groove albums. Enjoy!
When it comes to Euro library music, one of my all-time favorite tracks is Stringtronics' 1972 cut "Safari Park". This laid-back funky track was just one of the many great cuts off the group's classic "Mindbender" album, which remains to be one of the most sought after library albums by record collectors. "Safari Park", along with many of the other tracks on the album, blend together string instruments alongside electronics that help to produce funky Afro-styled grooves. The record as a whole, does contain some "sleepy" moments, however the funky cuts like "Safari Park" along with others, really help make the album a library music masterpiece. Enjoy!
Let's end the week with the rare heavy-hitting Afro-flavored percussion masterpiece "Sangandongo" by the German group Niagara. This funky track was originally released off the group's 1970 self-titled album that featured both Kraut rock legends Klaus Weiss and Udo Lindenberg. The record consists of only two long tracks, both heavily focused around funky Afro percussion grooves and breaks. Simply put, the hard-to-find album is a percussion masterpiece that couldn't be any more primed for potential sampling material. Certainly, a solid addition to any record collection. Have a great weekend!
Here is a rare funky gem titled "Blue Jeans" by Alberto Baldan. This track was featured on Balden's 1974 album The Soul Of Ali 'Ben' Djamballa, which is a much sought after LP by record collectors worldwide. The good grooves from this record don't just start and stop with "Blue Jeans", as the album features a number of other great tracks including "Black Coffee", "Take Six", and "Niger", which all tend to blend euro "library music" grooves together with a touch Afro-flavored funk. As you might imagine, the record features a number of solid breaks and worthy sampling material. Overall, the hard-to-find album represents a fine dose of funky rare grooves. Enjoy!
NOTE: I plan to be away from the computer enjoying my Thanksgiving vacation this week, therefore there won't be as many blog entries as usual. And while I'm on the subject, I want to wish everyone an early Happy Thanksgiving.
Let's end the week with a funky Latin jazz gem titled "The Opener" by The Latin Percussion Jazz Ensemble. This percussion-heavy track was originally featured on the group's 1979 album Just Like Magic. The record was released by the label Latin Percussion Ventures, Inc., which like the title suggests, released numerous records during the seventies with a heavy focus on Afro-Cuban and Latin percussion. As far as I know, Just Like Magic was the only full-length studio album from the group, whom consisted of an all-star cast of Latin percussion legends like Tito Puente, Carlos "Patato" Valdes, and Steve Berrios. Overall, the record captures a solid session of heavy percussion breaks and funky Latin instrumentation. Simply put, Just Like Magic is truly a nice find for both deejays/producers and Latin music fans. Enjoy your weekend!
Quick reminder that this Saturday night is a very special Grow Up party at Madrone. The night will feature special guest deejay and balearic disco mastermind Sorcecer. It should be a really fun night, so I hope to see everyone! To find out more about the party, check out the Facebook event page.
Here is the classic Afro-flavored disco gem "Caraïba" by the group Tumblack. This break-heavy track was originally released on the group's rare 1978 self-titled album, and features some solid percussion work alongside a soulful rhythm section that helps provide a nice groove for any dancefloor. I don't think I'm going out on a limb here by saying when it comes to instrumental gems, "Caraïba" is an absolute masterpiece. Enjoy!
Here is a funky version of Henry Mancini's "Give Me Some Mo!" by Guy De Lo and His Orchestra from the hard-to-find disco-themed album The Pink Panther Disco Star. As you might imagine, this record, which was released in 1978, features disco renditions of Pink Panther themed compositions that were originally written by Mancini. Often times these cleverly themed concept albums are nothing more than good ideas that lack execution and quality, however Guy Del Lo was able to put together a solid group of funky renditions that have the ability to stand on their own as well-crafted disco productions. I'm not here to say that every track on the record is stellar, however great instrumental cuts like "Give Me Some Mo !" and "The Pink Panther (Discostar)" make the very unique album worth adding to any music collector's wish list. It's nice to see that a concept record like this, when done well, can produce some good music. Enjoy!
