[ aquarius records — Soul Funk ]

Showing results 351 through 400 of 794.

METERS, THEs/t(Josie / Rhino)lp$ 14.98

MICHAEL VINER'S INCREDIBLE BONGO BANDBongo Rock(MGM/Pride)lp$ 12.98

Let There Be Drums! Whoo, cool to have this old fave reissued on vinyl! Especially with previous anthologies on Strut and Mr. Bongo now out of print, original lps of course also being hard to come by... What the heck was the Incredible Bongo Band, you might ask, and what was so Incredible about it? Well, just listen to the soundclips of "Apache" and "Last Bongo In Belgium", we bet you'll recognize 'em. The Incredible Bongo Band are one of those almost anonymous groups who in fact contributed quite a bit to hiphop and dance culture, with many of their breaks being sampled literally HUNDREDS of times. In fact, it can be argued that IBB cut the "original breakbeats"! Kinda funny to realize that they were in fact Hollywood-based studio session players, led by producer Michael Viner (responsible for several Sammy Davis, Jr. hits), who came together to record chase music for the Ray Milland/Rosey Grier horror flick "The Thing With Two Heads" - and ended up putting out records now revered the world over by the hiphop/DJ community. Their debut "Bongo Rock" 7" sold over two million copies in 1972; that is, apparently after they pulled the cover that showed how white they were and replaced it with a closeup of racially unidentifiable hands playing bongos. During the course of their career, supposedly such big names as John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Harry Nilsson, and Glen Campbell all dropped by to play a little. The band's main bongo player Jim Gordon (who co-wrote "Layla") later went cuckoo and killed his mom, but despite that tragic association, the IBB's music is super fun, and more than a little kitschy, good not only for DJ sampling purposes but also enjoyable groovy listening on its own. The 8 tracks on this reish of their 1973 full-length include both funky originals, and equally bongo-riffic cover versions, like the aforementioned surf classic "Apache", also Iron Butterfly's heavy psych epic "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida", believe it or not (lotsa room for a bongo workout in that one). And who can forget "Duelling Bongos"?

MIDNIGHT STARNo Parking On The Dance Floor(Solar)cd$ 12.98

Yes, only the best for your dance floor! Features the awesome title track from 1983 as well as Freakazoid. You need this.

MIGHTY HANNIBAL, THEHannibalism!(Norton)cd$ 14.98

Collected on cd for the first time, Norton unleases 75 minutes of classic R&B/soul/funk singles sides from turban-wearing singer, including such great cuts as "Big Chief Hug-Um An' Kiss-Um", "Jerkin' The Dog", "Fishin' Pole", "The Truth Shall Make You Free"

MIGHTY RYEDERSHelp Us Spread the Message(Luv N' Haight)cd$ 14.98

THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

SORRY. Reissued on cd and limited vinyl, this is classic 1978 Stevie-Wonder-style soul groove. The orignal vinyl is coveted by rare groove DJs the world over. Highly recommended.

MILLER, SIDNEYLinguas De Fogo(Sol Re Sol)lp$ 15.98

There are times we think we are on top of all the really amazing Brazilian gems from the '70s, and then something rare and beautiful comes out of left field that we've never heard before, and we're totally humbled. Such is the case with this 1974 masterpiece of hazy Brazilian psychedelic folk-pop by obscure singer/songwriter Sidney Miller. In the same esteemed realm as Lo Borges, Lula Cortes, Joyce, Congregacion and Eduardo Mateo, Sidney Miller takes us through a dreamy melancholic realm full of beautiful pop hooks, soft sedated vocals and soulful jazz-funk grooves with double tracked flutes and acidy-guitar leads. Sadly, this was Sidney Miller's best and last record, as he died mysteriously in 1980 at the young age of 36. A breezy summer record with a touch of sadness for sure, one that has us dreaming of warm nights, hazy sunsets and longing for days gone by. If Nick Drake made a Brazilian record, it might sound something like this! Thanks to Sol Re Sol, who also released the fantastic Alceu Valenca lp, Molhado De Suor (elsewhere reviewed on this list), for keeping these gems from total obscurity.

MODERN SOUND QUARTETOtinku(EM Records)cd$ 21.00

What's the latest obsession of our friends at Japan's weirdest, most wonderful reissues label, EM Records? Last summer, they brought us a special series of sixties surf music soundtracks, and we can thank EM for the essential selection of "singing saw" recordings stocked at Aquarius... as well as much else in the vein of incredibly strange or at least unusual music. Now, EM is excited about...the steel drums! Or, as EM more correctly calls 'em, steel pans. Now, steel pans, to us, aren't quite as thrilling as musical saws, though we'll admit that it's cool that these tuned percussion instruments are made from cast-off 55 gallon oil drums. They've got an interesting history and all, but steel pan and calypso music isn't really our thing... overexposure to the touristy, cheesy use of the instrument doesn't help. What's next, EM celebrates the pan flute? But, at least on the two steel pan oriented albums that EM has recently rescued and reissued, the steel pan sound is pretty sweet, and totally jazzed up. Afro-Caribbean jazz-funk laced with the percussive melodic chiming sound of the steel pan is what you'll hear on this album by the Modern Sound Quintet, recorded in Stockholm, Sweden (of all places) in 1971. But the band wasn't Swedish -- leader Rudy Smith came from Trinidad, birthplace of the steel pan, and the other musicians in the group hailed from Trinidad, Ghana, Barbados, and Surinam. Smith was the pannist in the group, which also featured drum kit, congas, bass and piano. They cook up some funky originals as well as putting their own unique steel pan spin on such standards as Milt Jackson's "Bag's Groove", Joe Zawinul's "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy", and Herbie Mann's "Memphis Underground". Perhaps in this context the steel pan does sound a bit like that more ordinary jazz instrument, the vibes, but of course with more of a tropical island flavor. No doubt there's some grooves here that some crate-digging DJ's would be happy to have unearthed on vinyl, now they'll know to look for this. And while we won't pretend this is the most amazing thing EM has ever released, it's kinda neat if you are at all into obscure jazz-funk exotica. Pretty charming really. This is the one to get, and if you love it then check out EM's other related steel pan release, a reissue of 1984's Still Around by the Rudy Smith Quartet. Oh and of course this boasts EM's usual deluxe gatefold sleeve packaging job, with informative, illustrated liner notes in both Japanese and English.

MOHAMMED, MOHAMMED 'JIMMY'Hulgizey - In Concert(Terp)cd$ 17.98

We joked in some past reviews that Dutch experimental world music label Terp must be paying our salaries considering how much love we give their releases, but c'mon, you've heard them! You've bought them! LOTS of them! And like us you've played them all to death. Every single one is amazing, so exciting musically, so emotionally resonant, some of the most unique and moving music we've EVER heard. And as if to drive the point home, we have not one, but TWO new releases from Terp on this week's list, one, a live disc from legendary Ethiopian saxophonist Getatchew Mekuria, jamming with The Ex and friends, and this, a sadly posthumous live release from blind�Ethiopian vocalist Mohammed 'Jimmy' Mohammed.� We raved about Mohammed's other release on Terp, the completely mind blowing�Takkabel! And as we mentioned before, his life story is just as dramatic and intense and emotional as his music. He became blind as a child, an apparent curse after his parents had him baptized against the warnings of a local fortune teller (God wanted him to be Muslim), spent years homeless on the streets, eventually rescued and cared for, enrolled in a school for the blind, where money was raised to help restore his sight, but the money was stolen, and his eyesight never restored, eventually becoming a nightclub singer renowned for his interpretations of songs by legendary vocalist�Tlahoun Gessesse (who you probably remember from several volumes of the Ethiopiques series). But whereas much of�Takkabel! was tangled and angular and complex, recalling Aavikko weirdly enough, with guest drumming from improv legend Han Bennink, this live disc is much more laid back and dark, a very personal sounding and intimate recording, the band spreading out a lush tapestry of sound over which Mohammed weaves his magical moods. His voice is divine and as powerful as it is subtle,�distincitive and expressive, soaring and dancing nimbly across impossible melodies, the interplay between the vocals and the instruments is divine. The guitar like krar unfurling simple melodic fragments, the percussion simple and propulsive, a simple spare framework for Mohammed to explore as he sees fit, his vocals wild and acrobatic, intense and passionate, so mysterious sounding, but also utterly warm and inviting.� The last two lengthy tracks are the most reminiscent of�Takkabel!, with the addition of sax, the rhythms a bit more off kilter and danceable, the whole sound a bit more funky and groovy, VERY Ethiopiques sounding. Hard to imagine the crowd in attendance not dancing wildly in the aisles... The proceeds from sales of this cd will go toward a just-founded Jimmy Fund, created to care for his wife and his children, one of whom was born right after his death.

MOHAMMED, MOHAMMED 'JIMMY'Takkabel!(Terp)cd$ 17.98

It must seem like we're on the Terp payroll or something by now, this being the second record they've put out that's received record of the week honors here at aQ. And the fourth or fifth that we've raved about. And to be totally honest, the Terp releases that ended up -not- being records of the week, could very well have under different circumstances, as they are equally as amazing. What can we say, everything Terp has put out so far has totally and completely blown us away! The live Konono record, the gorgeous Lanaya record and this newest release from blind Ethiopian vocalist Mohammed 'Jimmy' Mohammed. His story is just as amazing as his voice and the music he makes. After becoming blind as a child, supposedly as a curse for his parents' decision to ignore the warnings of a fortune teller and baptize him, as God had willed him to be a Muslim, Mohammed ran away and spent several years on the streets, homeless, begging for food, finding solace in the songs of legendary vocalist Tlahoun Gessesse (immortalized in several volumes of the amazing Ethiopiques series) who not only sang beautifully, but whose songs addressed the plight of the poor and suffering. Mohammed was eventually discovered and cared for, enrolled in a school for the blind and raised by a kind hearted surrogate father. After money was raised to help restore his sight, he was heartbroken to discover the funds were stolen and his eyesight was never to be restored. Mohammed spent a brief stint in the national theater before becoming a nightclub singer, where he became more and more popular. Mohammed mostly sings Tlahoun Gessesse's pop songs from the '60s / '70s, being as those are the songs that most affected him throughout his life, but it's his voice and the unique arrangements that make him so special. He appeared briefly on Ethiopiques 2 but this is his first proper full length. The first track here is a mindblower. The music is so squiggly and complex, so dense and tangled, angular but so lovely, our first thought was that it sort of sounded sort of like the maniacal casio exotica of Aavikko. Part of it might be the fact that Mohammed's band is augmented on that track by legendary European free jazz drummer Han Bennink, and Massimo Pupillo from Italian drone jazz combo Zu. SO amazing. There are plenty of immediately recognizable melodies and distinctly Ethiopian elements, but the way it is played is so strange and lovely. But it's Jimmy's vocals, high and clear, swooping into an impossible falsetto and back again, warm and rich and so gorgeous, that makes this so magical. Bennink drums on a handful of the other tracks as well (he apparently told Jimmy that the reason they clicked so perfectly was because, he said "I'm blind as well when I play with them") but even when it's just Jimmy and his band, the sound is still totally unique and so very special. Little delicate curlicues of electric krar (5 string harp), shuffling skittery drumming, smooth slithery riffs, warm smooth sax from Ethiopian legend Getatchew Mekurya, all weaving a rich intricate tangle of classic Ethiopian melody and irresistibly groovy rhythms, above which Jimmy just soars, so totally emotional and intense, so passionate and absolutely breathtaking.

MOORE, RUDY RAYDolemite - The Soundtrack(Relapse)cd$ 14.98

Rudy Ray Moore was best known for his seventies XXX party records. Raw, dirty and totally exhilarating. Moore gained most of his fame and notoriety from his starring role in Dolemite, one of the baddest, most revered and often imitated films to come out of the blaxploitation era. Just as thrilling, raw and compelling is Moore's soundtrack. Deep funk with vocals here and there but mostly scorching short instrumentals that sound exactly how you want your 70's funk/soul to sound. The score had to be made on as tight a budget as the film, so a group of musicians called the Soul Rebellion Orchestra were hired for a minimal hourly rate and in those recording sessions came up with the raw sounds that would serve as the perfect backdrop, helping create the mystique of Dolemite, which was all about an attitude, an aesthetic, and a sound. Moore and Dolemite have had a huge impact on folks like Snoop Dog, Quentin Tarantino, Ice-T, and Spike Lee. This soundtrack has been impossible to track down for years but has finally been gussied up and reissued properly by an unexpected source, Relapse. Who knew that under all that metal they loved them some funk. We're sure happy they do!

MOORE, RUDY RAYHully Gully Fever(Norton)cd$ 14.98

Blaxploitation pioneer Rudy Ray Moore's early work, recorded in the '50s and '60s. Includes rare stuff, previously unissued material, radio spots, Sam Cooke and Willie Dixon covers, etc.

MOORE, RUDY RAYPetey Wheatstraw(Magic Disc)lp$ 13.98

THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

SORRY. Clasic Blaxploitation Soundtrack to Rudy Ray Moore's Peaty Wheatstraw, "the Devil's Son-in-Law". if you like Moore's Dolemite movies and soundtracks, then this more violent, funky and funny offshoot should get you moving!

MORODER, GIORGIOThe Best of...(Repertoire)cd$ 15.98

What with the current retro electro boogie wonderkinds like Adult. and Ladytron, this is a more than timely release of that suave disco dance-meister with the bad-ass moustache, Giorgio Moroder. "Best of" may be a bit of a misnomer though as this compilation

MOULTON, TOMA Tom Moulton Mix(Soul Jazz)cd$ 23.00

Classic collection of legendary disco jams featuring producer Tom Moulton's golden touch with tracks by folks like Grace Jones, Isaac Hayes, Eddie Kendricks, BT Express, etc. Disco gold!

MOUNTAIN GOATS, THEThe Life Of The World To Come(4AD)dvd$ 15.98

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MULDROW, GEORGIA ANNEOlesi: Fragments Of The Earth(Stones Throw)cd$ 14.98

Caught us sorta snoozin' on this one! This release actually came out back in 2006, and Cup heard its strange soulful glory out in Michigan that year. However, its name promptly vanished from her memory banks and we couldn't track it down until now! From the bio provided by Stones Throw Records it sure sounds like Ms Muldrow grew up within close proximity to some cool shit! Her father invented instruments for Eddie Harris and her mother sang with Pharaoh Sanders. Whoa. Initially Olesi: Fragments Of The Earth seems like a disorienting jumbled mess, albeit a really awesome sounding one -- a bunch of different unrelated pieces heaped up precariously into a generous twenty one tracks. All the parts ring familiar on their own in their old R&B, (almost free-) jazz, hip hop and soul ways, but we've never heard them arranged together in quite as unconventional a fashion as this! As the album progresses the sense of disorientation lingers, but her fevered vocal delivery and undulating, loping grooves prove infectious. The album definitely walks the fine line between defiant genius and baked madness. Seriously 'out there', she clearly had a 'vision' for this but it might not be for everyone! A fierce and bizarre debut.

MUNICH MACHINEBody Shine(Repertoire)cd$ 21.00

NKENGASDestruction(Secret Stash)cd$ 15.98

Here's some more of that funky stuff, that funky African stuff to be precise. Secret Stash, who previously unearthed such gems as, well, the band Afro Funk among others, bring us a reissue of the first album from this Nigerian outfit, originally released in 1973. Kind of hard to argue with a record like this: super groovy, JB's meet Afrobeat / high life stylings, and it's called Destruction, yeah! With lots of jubilant singing, hand percussion, rhythmic wah-wah guitar, joyful jazzy horns, and awesome breaks, it's guaranteed to make you dance or at least -consider- dancing, if you're not the type to actually dance. Many of the songs are in a Nigerian dialect, but there's some English lyrics too, not always easy to make out - on the song "Jungle Beat" we could swear he's singing "Ride that rhino", perhaps he is. Secret Stash has produced this first-time-ever reissue in cooperation with bandleader Chief Vincent Okorego and original London-based record label Orbitone. Vinyl version comes with download, both formats include plenty of liner notes and vintage photos. It's a good one.

NOMOGhost Rock(Ubiquity)cd$ 16.98

O'JAYSBackstabbers(Columbia)cd$ 7.98

**SALE **SALE* *SALE**

OBNOXCorrupt Free Enterprises(12XU)2lp$ 24.00

Latest from Mr. Lamont Thomas, aka Obnox, former member of the Bassholes and This Moment In Black History, current member of Puffy Areolas, Corrupt Free Enterprise his EIGHTH release in 3 years, a sprawling double lp that finds Thomas, a drummer, who only recently taught himself to play guitar and all the rest of the instruments here, kicking out some of the sweetest jams of his brief solo career. After a clutch of killer singles, and a handful of full lengths, Thomas delivers a mighty blow in the form of these four sides of howling, super distorted, soulful garage punk bash and howl, crunch and buzz, the whole of the A side a blown out blast of furious pound and stomp, in the red and doused in distortion, some seriously fierce noise rock garage pop crush, it's not until the side closer that some of that soulful side that popped up on past singles surfaces, with Thomas getting all woozily groovy. The B side begins with a blast of distortion drenched hip hop, all blown out beats and echoey vox, groovy and soulful for sure, but also raw and lo-fi, which leads directly into a handful of covers, all delivered Obnox style, including a totally reworked version of Tom Waits' "Way Down In The Hole", doused in buzz and noise and transformed into some seriously psychedelic garage noise, and rendered nearly unrecognizable, but holy shit, so rad! And so it goes, the second lp delivering track after track of gristly, speaker shredding garage punk, and fuzzed out noise pop, with the occasional bit of soul infused into the proceedings. Like all the Obnox before, totally recommended! Packaged in a super heavy full color gatefold jacket, with printed inner sleeves, featuring photos, liner notes and lyrics.

OCEAN, FRANKChannel Orange(Def Jam)cd$ 14.98

ONENESS OF JUJUAfrican Rhythms 1970-1982(Strut)2cd$ 17.98

Spanning the years 1970 to 1982, this is a wonderful double-disc collection of cuts taken from Plunky Branch's career as the bandleader of such acts as Oneness of Juju and Juju & the Space Rangers, also as a principal behind such personalities as Roach Om

ONYEABOR, WILLIAMWhat?! William Onyeabor Remixed(Luaka Bop)2lp$ 19.98

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ONYEABOR, WILLIAMWorld Psychedelic Classics 5: Who Is William Onyeabor?(Luaka Bop)cd$ 15.98

The fifth release in David Byrne's World Psychedelic Classic series for Luaka Bop (the previous ones being from Os Mutantes, Tim Maia, Shuggie Otis, and the West African funk comp, Love's A Real Thing) is a killer survey of Nigerian Afro-electro-funk by the elusive William Onyeabor who self-released records between 1978 and 1985, before apparently converting to Christianity and refusing to discuss himself and his music ever since. Long in the making after years of trying to negotiate licensing with the difficult Onyeabor, this compilation is a revelation of outsider analog synth and politically-tinged Afrobeat caught right in between Parliament/Funkadelic and Fela Kuti. Having previously only heard the tracks featured on the Love is A Real Thing and Nigeria 70: The Definitive Story of 1970s Funky Lagos comps, it's amazing to hear a whole collection of Onyeabor's music, with songs that sprawl well over the ten minute mark, and like Fela Kuti's music, filled with call and response female backing vocals and pointed lyrics over an infectious funk groove. "Something You Will Never Forget" repeats that line between Onyeabor and the female backing group before revealing, "One day you'll be lying dead". Other songs denounce war and the atomic bomb. But what separates Onyeabor from Kuti is his astonishing analog synth skills that propel the music into much stranger psychedelic territory. Like that Francis Bebey collection we raved about a while back ago, this release is bumping and of course comes highly recommended. Only here on cd at the moment, but we'll get the triple vinyl version back in hopefully real soon!

ORCHESTRA PETER THOMASOrion 2000(The Omni Recording Corporation)cd$ 17.98

Groovy, baby! Are you a filmmaker making a movie about sex kittens on the moon? A crime drama with rocket ships and ray guns? A documentary about swinging space aliens building the pyramids? Or just daydreaming about such subjects? Well, have we (and Omni) got the totally fab, pre-fab soundtrack for you!! Swank futuric funky jazz loungey freakbeat electronic grooves perfect for any kitschy exploito-flick you could imagine, pounded out by a band led by composer Peter Thomas, whom perhaps you know already as the man responsible for scoring Raumpatrouille (Space Patrol), a classic German '60s sci-fi TV show. His "in-kraut" stylings on many, many other soundtracks have earned him a cult following. This exuberant disc consists of prime Peter Thomas stuff, material recorded in 1970, released as an obscure library music lp in 1975, and never before released on cd, until now! Remastered, from the original master tapes, and expanded with 4 rare bonus tracks, this features 16 tracks in total, most about 2-3 minutes in length, each categorized variously as either "Beat", "Electric Beat", "Strong Beat", "Rock Beat", or "Fast Beat", for what it's worth. They've ALL got bombastic beats, along with brassy horns, sizzling synths, fluttering flutes, and occasional wordless vocals... Any TV commercial or film project that was wild enough to made use of this library music would sound pretty hip, considering that the players in the Orchestra Peter Thomas included close associates and/or members of krautrockers Amon Duul II and Brainticket... Oh, and on lead guitar, Vampyros Lesbos co-composer Siggi Schwab! Definitely another awesome Omni find. Packaged with informative, photo-illustrated liner notes, where you can read about PT's one of a kind "Tho-Wi-Phon" synthesizer, among other interesting things.

OTIS, SHUGGIEFreedom Flight(Epic)lp$ 15.98

Is there any song more perfect than "Strawberry Letter 23"? We can't think of a song that conjures up as much synaesthetic sensations that we literally can sense colors and aromas every time it plays. We came to it from the Brothers Johnson 1977 version who had the bigger hit with it (and it's good too), but when we finally heard the original where Shuggie Otis sings and plays every part, including glockenspiel, acoustic and electric guitars, piano and percussion plus a choir full of vocals, we knew his was the one! Of course it's one of the star tracks on Shuggie Otis's second record Freedom Flight from 1971, the album he recorded right before his epic Inspiration Information. Produced by his father, Johnny Otis when Shuggie was just 15 years old, here he ventures into a more psychedelic soul mode after releasing two records of more bluesy late sixties electric guitar jams. That bluesy guitar feel hasn't quite left, but in a similar way Prince channeled Hendrix and Sly Stone, Otis applies this amazing sweetness and light to the heavier acid-y guitar work. "Sweet Thang" "Purple" and the 13 minute closing title track show that Otis wanted to take the soul blues thing to another dimension altogether. While the other tracks like "Ice Cream Daydream", "Me and My Woman", and "Someone's Always Singing" are tasty little nuggets of funk pop. In fact, we suspect that Prince took more from Shuggie Otis than he did Hendrix and Sly Stone put together! Four of the songs from Freedom Flight were on the Luaka Bop cd reissue of Inspiration Information, but that doesn't mean the rest is not as good. And of course it's on vinyl which is the best way to hear this! Recommended!

OTIS, SHUGGIEHere Comes Shuggie Otis(Epic)lp$ 15.98

Here Comes Shuggie Otis was the debut album of the child musical prodigy. Recorded at age 14, and produced by his father, Johnny Otis, it's a mixed bag affair of instrumentals and a few vocal numbers. Otis's vocal abilities weren't quite up to par yet with his other releases and he was just beginning to show his songwriting abilities. "Jennie Lee" shines a light towards his later psych-soul work, and there's interesting moments of baroque pop and funk. But the record is focused primarily on his rootsy electric guitar work in which he is amazingly talented, yet it doesn't satisfy as much to us as his later work. But if you want all three solo records of Shuggie Otis, there finally available on vinyl all at the same time. And that's a damn good thing!

OTIS, SHUGGIEInspiration Information(Luaka Bop)cd$ 16.98

David Byrne's Luaka Bop label decided to follow up the Os Mutantes "best of" collection which was volume one of their "World Psychedelic Classics" series with this disc of by long-forgotten seventies singer/songwriter Shuggie Otis. Thus those of us who

OTIS, SHUGGIEInspiration Information / Magic(Sony)7"$ 10.98

THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

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OTIS, SHUGGIEIntroducing Shuggie Otis(Legacy / Epic)lp$ 24.00

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OVERTON BERRY ENSEMBLE, THEs/t(Tobe Productions)cd$ 16.98

OZKENT, MUSTAFAGenclik Ile Elele(B-Music / Finders Keepers)cd$ 14.98

B-Music's "Anatolian Invasion" continues. We reviewed the Selda album a few weeks ago, now it's time for the one with the monkey on the cover, the incredibly groovy 1973 instrumental album from this super-obscure Turkish artist Mustafa Ozkent and his "orkestrasi". We're told (and we believe it) that this is one REALLY obscure album, definitely a find for any digger and a welcome reissue from the discerning heads at Finders Keepers/B-music. It's simply jazzy, sazzy, dancefloor fodder here folks, nothing but a party y'all. Fuzz guitar and Turkish trad. folk grooves like we like, but done all badass as if the JBs, "funky drummer" included, were ushered into the studio with a bunch of Turkish musicians, each teaching the other some new tricks. '70s funk, Istanbul-style! Totally full of beats and breaks that pioneering hip hop DJs woulda been all over, had hip hop originated in the on the banks of the Bosphorus rather than in the Bronx... The acid organ spasms and rhythmic workouts found here are still fresh and fun today. We know a lot of you dig the Turkish psych reissues we've been freaking on, this one should definitely appeal to those who liked the '70s cop show car chase sounding numbers found on the Edip Akbayram reish. Ten tracks, 30 minutes, and your body WILL be moving long before you need to hit "play" again to start it over.

OZOMATLIDon't Mess With The Dragon(Concord Music)cd$ 17.98

OZOMATLIEmbrace The Chaos(Interscope)cd$ 19.98

One of the most infectiously exuberant bands I've ever seen live, Ozomatli are LA's premiere latin/jazz/salsa/funk/hip hop sensations. Don't take those genres lightly -- these guys do it all and they do it with joy and energy. The hip hop is real, so is

OZOMATLIStreet Signs(Concord Records)cd$ 10.98

OZOMATLIVocal Artillery(Interscope)12"$ 6.98

Vinyl single from the new album...

PANTS, JAMESWelcome(Stones Throw)cd$ 14.98

Here at AQ have always been big supporters of most anything Stones Throw puts out. We get off on the dense, sample driven rhythms and beats from the likes of the late great J Dilla, Madlib, his brother in crime Oh No, MF Doom and the rest of the gang. They're untouchable. There's always bound to be pristine production and everything always fits in its right place, reviving forgotten gems and bringing them back to life with new meaning, new avenues of sound experimentation. They are truly in a league of their own! But one thing's for certain, they have been known to go a bit leftfield at times, straying from the vein of deep, hard hitting breaks and indie hip hop tunes, as they're mainly known for, with releases from artists like the more vintage punk driven Baron Zen, spacey funk pioneer Gary Wilson, Madlib's brokenbeat soul alias DJ Rels, and now... their latest attempt, Mr. James Pants. Straight out of Spokane Washington, James' Stones Throw stint began as a position as a trusty intern at the office headquarters in Los Angeles, until he was finally taken in by his dream DJ, none other than label founder Peanut Butter Wolf as "the next big thing", with a long awaited offer to release an album. He's a goofy lookin' dude that seems fun to hang out with, which could easily relate to the music he produces. Actually, a friend of AQ grew up with him and he supposedly has a shitload of analog equipment in one room, and the majority of the time takes a non directional approach, simply "jamming out" improv style and once the arrangements are all melded together they blossom into an addictive psychedelic haze. That's pretty much the gist of Welcome, it's a James Pants one man band, jam session. Full of layers upon layers of percussion, at one point it can be mistaken for various remakes of funky Fraggle Rock theme songs, the next it's drumless atmospheres of milky synthesis, and warm tones backed with random drops of spastic and muffled vocal samples, like unexpected crowd roars and yelps. He even sings/wails a bit throughout numerous songs which at times sounds like drunken howling, surprisingly fused into blissful, whispered singing and creepy vocoded melodies. Cosmic indeed, each tune is saturated with unexpected change ups and transitions. The instrumentation is a melting pot of space-y and druggy vibes, wah synths, harps, dubbed out wood blocks, and the occasional off beat guitar riffs. Picture an enhanced drum circle on Mars with guest appearances from Bootsy Collins and Tangerine Dream, far fetched, yes but listen and see for yourself. Stones Throw described it best, comparing it to '80s Soul, Electro Boogie, Early Rap, New Wave, and Post-Punk Disco, definitely one to check out!

PARLETInvasion of the Booty Snatchers(Universal)cd$ 13.98

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PARLIAMENTFirst Thangs(HDH)cd$ 14.98

Early Parliament tracks (mostly from their debut "Osmium") circa '70 - '72. Some, like "Red Hot Mama" later were reworked for later Funkadelic output. Essential funk.

PARLIAMENTFunkentelecky Vs. The Placebo Syndrome(Casablanca)lp$ 12.98

PARLIAMENTMothership Connection(Casablanca)cd$ 12.98

This is it, the mothership has landed! If you wants to get funked up, start here.

PARLIAMENTOsmium(Sanctuary / Castle)cd$ 17.98

Got some of these in, thought we ought to get it up on our website. After all, in my (Windy's) opinion the best Parliament album is this, their first, released in 1970. Removing the "s" from their name heralded George Clinton's change from the Parliaments' doo-wop sound to a truly original mix of gospel / country / funk / rock / even classical. That they hooked up with a white woman from England, Ruth Copeland, who wrote several of their most devotional tracks is even more weird, but then you've got hear this album to believe just how weird, yet totally accessible and great, it is. Especially if you're only familiar with Parliament / Funkadelic's more shiny dancefloor-oriented later material, then this will be a full-on revelation to you, so be *sure* to give the soundclips a try. While some folks choose to take sides over liking either Funkadelic *or* Parliament, Clinton's bands existed simultaneously and there is so much crossover in personnel and style that they may as well be considered the same band. So I tend to divide their sounds into early and later, myself much preferring the early work of both Parliament and Funkadelic -- 1971's Maggot Brain is my fave Funkadelic masterpiece. Osmium comes with seven bonus tracks to round out the album's original 10. Essential essential essential! P.S. This has been reissued several times, including as a Brit import some years back called Rhenium, so note that if you've got that one you already have all the stuff here except the bonus tracks.

PARLIAMENTUp For The Down(Casablanca)lp$ 12.98

PARLIAMENTUp For The Down Stroke(Casablanca)cd$ 12.98

THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

SORRY. The 2nd Parliament album, from '74. Old Parliaments soul is updated to mid-'70s psychedelic funk specifications. A classic.

PARLIAMENT FUNKADELIC1976 Live Mothership Connection(Mojo Working / Shout Factory)dvd$ 14.98

Tear the roof off the mother...

PARLIAMENTS, THETestifyin'(Goldmine/Soul Supply)cd$ 14.98

Before Parliament & Funkadelic, George Clinton and co. were known as The Parliaments...presented here are their mid-sixties Detroit sessions, 18 soulful tracks worth--including the 1967 hit "I Wanna Testify" and several others later reworked by P-Funk in the seventies. "Good Ole Music" indeed. And plus it's neat to see the cover pic of a smooth-lookin' Mr. Clinton and the gang from before they adopted their LSD/Sun Ra-inspired dresscode (i.e. sans multicolored hair extensions, outlandish costuming, etc.)...

PATTIE BLINGH & THE AKEBULAN FIVE (AKA GEORGIA ANNE MULDROW)Sagala(Ramp)cd$ 14.98

Cool psych soul/hip-hop project from the prolific and talented Georgia Anne Muldrow.

PAYNE, FREDAPayne & Pleasure(Reel Music)cd$ 14.98

1974 album of deep soul burners from the legendary Freda Payne. What a voice!

PEACE, THEBlack Power(Groovie)cd$ 17.98

This is the first-ever reissue of the sole, rare-as-hell mid '70s LP by The Peace, an Afro-rock band that may or may-not have been made up of service members from the Zambian Air Force (and definitely included members of another obscure African rock band, The Witch), and holy crap it's a winner!�Unlike the Nigerian bands of the same era that retained a more distinctly African sound (for more on that, check out Sound Way's phenomenal Nigeria Rock Special comp), Black Power is a full-on Western-styled psych-fuzz groover that rocks in a soulful, funky way from start to finish.�It's American-sounding to the point that the only thing that truly gives this record away as being from Africa is the distinctly ESL-sounding vocal delivery. Pretty awesome. We can best describe it like this: imagine that weird band that sort of sounded like a ragtag version of the Allman Brothers that played at the county Apple Blossom Festival every year when you were a kid, somehow managing to get sent to Africa's Copperbelt region, absorbing the local culture, and then playing through smashed up amps at some mining town honky tonk. Loose and funky, kinda fuzzed and Hendrixy. With some lovely mellow, melodic moments, and harder rock riffing too. We're constantly having our minds blown here at aQ by the steady stream of gems coming from African crate diggers, and this find is no exception!� � PLEASE NOTE - We'd be remiss were we to leave out the following note from the label: "The sound for this album is not perfect at all. It's understandable that it's probably impossible to get a good condition copy of the original vinyl to remaster, as this is so so rare even to find in trashed condition. So it has remastered with a decent result in the most part of the album... but there are two songs that have some prominent noise."