Review: Expansion Records' continues to delve into the bulging archives of Roy Ayers' influential Uno Melodic Records imprint, which issued some superb jazz-funk, soul and boogie throughout the 1980s. Here they offer a new pressing of Ethel Beatty's sought-after, Roy Ayers' produced 1981 double A-side. For some reason they've reversed the running order, with side A offering original flipside 'It's Your Love', a Dee Dee Bridgwater co-authored slow jam that's soulful, seductive and sumptuous. Over on the reverse you'll find the more celebrated ''I Know You Care', a deep disco number full of glistening guitar riffs, smooth chords and warming grooves. In a word: luscious
Review: Rhythm, blues and funk outfit The Blackbyrds were formed in Washington, D.C. in 1973, and as we have noted numerous times over at Juno, their music hardly saw the light of day around the time, save for a re-formation in 2012 after renewed interest brought their music back to light. The Washington fusion group were initially mentored by trumpeter Donald Byrd, but their sound came to differ from his sultry and slow tones, working in a more melancholic yet upbeat style, and flowery trumepeteering to boot. This 7" comes in stunning new vinyl quality, showing off a further two lost instrumentals, 'Rock Creek Park' and 'Gut Level'.
Review: The Blackbyrds' 'Reggins' is an instrumental jazz-funk masterpiece that originally hardly saw the light of day around the time of the group's formation in the early 1970s. The Washington fusion group were initially mentored by trumpeter Donald Byrd, but their sound came to differ from his sultry and slow tones, working in a more melancholic yet upbeat style, and flowery trumepeteering to boot. This 7" comes in stunning new vinyl quality, with unmatchable audiophile sound lent to two of their best instrumentals.
Review: Cicero 'Corey' Blake was a big name on the Chicago soul scene of the 60s. He himself actually hailed from Jackson, Mississippi and became most well known for the superb reissue 7" presented here. It was recorded in 1975 having been written by Phillip Mitchell and in the years since has become a real modern soul room classic that never fails to detonate any crowd all over the world. It will cost you upwards of a money for an original copy if you can find one and here it is pressed up with the original Sam Dees tune 'Your Love Is Like A Boomerang' on the flip. Essential soul for real heads.
Review: North Carolina outfit Brief Encounter have long been a cult band amongst funk, soul and disco collectors, leading to reissues of both of their albums (1977's Introducing... The Brief Encounter and 1981's We Want To Play). Here Expansion Records continues the trend of delving deep into their catalogue by offering a new edition of 1976 single 'What About Love'. The title track is undeniably excellent - a sweet, funky and attractive chunk of disco-era dancefloor soul just dripping with emotion. Over on the flip you'll find original B-side 'Get Right Down and Do It', a heavier slab of horn-toting disco-funk pleasure that boasts a seriously addictive bassline and some surprisingly surprising synthesizer flourishes.
Review: First released back in 1978 on Parachute Records, Randy Brown's debut album "Welcome To My Room" is one of the better lesser-known Philadelphia soul style sets of the disco era. The team behind Expansions Records are certainly fans, because their latest "45" offers up two of the album's most potent tracks. A-side "I'm Always In The Mood" is simply superb, with Brown doing his best Teddy Pendergrass impression atop a heavily orchestrated, dancefloor-friendly backing track. Flipside "Love Is All We Need" is a little deeper but no less sumptuous, sounding a little like Vincent Montana producing "What's Going On" era Marvin Gaye. In a word: essential.
Bembe Segue - "Mother Of The Future" (live version)
Review: Serious jazz dance fusion from 1974, Norman Connors' cover of Carlos Garnett's "Mother Of The Future" drives with shamanistic fury before the firing keys, heaving horns and deep soul vocals fly into the mix. For a more contemporary jazz take, flip for Bembe Segue's emphatic live version. Lavished with her distinctively rich vocals and stern spoken word and complete with wild bass runs and a thick bed of percussion, it's an instant show-stopper. Two incredible covers, one special 10".
Bembe Segue - "Mother Of The Future" (live version)
Review: Expansion's focus right now is on reissuing classic tracks alongside a newer version of it. They are all coming on tidy 10" eco vinyl in mad limited numbers and next up is Norman Connors and Bembe Segue. Connors dropped his superb 'Mother of the Future' in 1975 and it is a mad jazz dancer with layer upon layer of Afro drumming, loose percussion and expressive vocal ad-libs. Flip it over and we're taken to 2008's live version of the same tune by Bembe Segue. It's a little less intense but no less busy, with silky jazz grooves and new vocals layering in some future soul.
Review: Splash down to 1978-80: influential Philly funk troupe Breakwater gave the world two albums over two years.Full focus on slow jams and soulful fusion, the Breakwater melting pot is just as strong in jazz and Latin as it is soul and funk. Here we're treated to a selection of the best moments from Breakwater and Splashdown (minus the famous Daft Punk-sampled "Release The Beast") such as the unforgettable Floydian chorus of "That's Not What We Came Here For", the soaking wet bass and tight bright horns of the raunchy boogie jam "Do It Till The Fluid Gets Hot" and the sunshine soul of the sublime "Say You Love Me Girl". A sharp insight into a band that was criminally short-lived at the time..Rumour is there is a new album on the horizon and they still play live -there were two live uk dates in Jan 2017 already !
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