Back catalogue: Funk Soul & Jazz

Review: 'Girassol' has long been one of the hardest-to-find gems in Brazilian great Marcos Valle's vast catalogue of sun-drenched musical treats. It was initially recorded and released as a promo-only seven-inch, with copies being handed out to customers of a Brazilian supermarket chain. This, then, marks the track's first ever commercial release. In its' original form (side A), 'Girassol' is a lusciously short, soft-focus affair - a two-minute chunk of laidback, jazz-funk influenced South American boogie bliss with the kind of high production values that you'd expect from Valle during his successful post-disco period. As with the original 7", it comes backed with the slightly more elaborate 'Playback' instrumental mix, where gentle, eyes-closed saxophone solos come to the fore.

Review: For the last decade, John Gomez and Nick The Record's freewheeling Tangent parties have proved popular in London, offering dancers the chance to shake their stuff to a wide selection of superb (and normally insanely rare) records over a high quality soundsystem. The pair's first Tangent compilation, which arrives via Mr Bongo, naturally offers a superb reflection of their approach and is packed with must-have cuts. For proof, check the proto-house era dubbed-out boogie of King B's 'Love Is Crazy', the sun-splashed Brazilian gorgeousness of 'Laberinto' by PERIKAS, the spaced-out headiness of Hidrogenese's 'La Carta Era Muy Larga (Dub)', the heavy batacuda business of 'Nira Gongo' by Conjuto Baluartes' and the dub disco-flecked, deep house brilliance of LTA's 'What Comes To Ya'.

Review: Those on London's crate-digging underground should be well aware of Tangent, an eclectic, anything-goes party created by esteemed record collectors John Gomez and Nick The Record. With a little help from Mr Bongo, they've curated this compilation featuring some of their favourite selections from the party - the vast majority of which are either obscure, rare or overlooked. It's a predictably impressive selection all told, with the pair bouncing between digital reggae-infused global grooves (Srirajah Soundsystem), mid-80s French jazz-funk-synth-pop fusion (an exclusive edit of Leo Basel), quirky riffs of the Pointer Sisters (Marc Thornhill's 'Automatic'-inspired 'No Way To Control It'), zouk, proto-house-era Balearic brilliance (Androo), squelchy AOR synth-disco (Hidrogenesse), heavy Latin percussion workouts (Conjuto Balurantes), dub (Lee Jackson Band) and much more besides.

Review: To celebrate ten years of one of London's most loved underground club nights, Tangent, Mr Bongo are thrilled to launch this new compilation series. Crafted by its two residents, John Gomez and Nick the Record, it aims to transmit a taste of Tangent's spirit: a party rooted in inclusivity and open-mindedness, whose name captures the spontaneous switches in musical direction that are a defining element of their nights. For the compilation, the pair have cherry-picked a selection of their prized, rare and dancefloor-ready tracks from around the globe, that have soundtracked the past decade of parties. Spanning live-recorded disco, Brazilian boogie and weighty lovers' rock, this selection of rare sonic meats is a prized procuring, the consistent quality of which you likely won't be able to track down in many other contexts.

Review: As part of a new glut of music from Mr. Bongo comes this new curator's compilation from Luke Una. Featuring tracks from Yusef Lateef, Airto Moreira, Crooked Man, Henri Texier and many more, Una collates these tracks under the umbrella of 'E-Soul Cultura' - a kind of nocturnal underground soul, disco and funk (both new and old) that the disenfranchised inheritors of the Earth prefer to play in their sleepy, tucked away home kitchens and lofts. A blend of Latinxfuturism, space-age jazz and all manner of folk exquisites appear - not to mention a slew of infectious house detours on the latter half.

Review: If you know what's good for you, you will have picked up the first volume of this new With Love series from Mr Bongo. It was a red-hot soul selection that was packed with gold and now Miche is back with another. He is the man in charge of the musical programming at London's Spiritland venues and has now been digging deep once more to come up with 15 more soul nuggets. From raw to deep, lush and danceable to more emotive and vulnerable, it's a heart warming selection. Do not sleep on this one, which is a pink vinyl version.

Review: Mr. Bongo continues in their mission to peddle the feel-good, compiling rare Brazilian, gospel, modern soul and jazz fusion music, all with a bent towards ecstatic dance. Not taking itself too seriously yet still dipping one toe in the mystical and romantic, our favorites from the comp include 'Don't Need No Fortune Teller' and the patient 'Waiting For Love', all compiled by Mr. Bongo director and former Spiritland programmer Miche.

Review: Late last year came the first volume of this superb new series from Mr Bongo and it's one that showed compiler Miche to be first class. He is known on the London underground as the music programmer for the acclaimed Spiritland venues and so has spent inordinate hours digging deep into all manner of different sound worlds. This one focuses on soul with 15 great tunes spanning deep and sentimental sounds, more dancey numbers of raw and guttural funk cuts. It's one of those vital double albums that does plenty of the hard work of digging for gold for you.

Review: In full gatefold LP form comes the latest Brazilian boogie compilation by Horse Meat Disco, selected selectors of the best rarities in the disco genre. Curated mostly by founding member Luke Howard and with added consultations from crewmates James Hillard, Severino Panzetta and Jim Stanton, a lifetime of frolicking among samba troupes, carnival processions and yearly Rio visitations went into the choices you hear here, consummating one man's intuitive taste for a sound whose appeal stretches far wider than its nation of origin. Mr Bongo invited Howard to their Brighton HQ for an extended on-site selection, proving its off-the-cuff expertise: early electronica experiments from Ze Carlos blend voluminously with Jorge Ben pennings and mouth-watering Luiza Maura 7" cullings, proving a hand-picking that is at once eclectic and unifying.

Review: Mr Bongo Record Club's Volume 7 presents a meticulously crafted mix of classic favourites and exciting new finds spanning a broad array of genres, including Brazilian, Latin, soul, disco, gospel, cosmic, dancehall and downtempo. This series has fans of the label excited about each volume that comes. With standout tracks like Os Panteras' Brazilian funk, the underground disco vibes of Claude Jay, and the soulful melodies of the Danish duo Gitte & Inger. Truth & Devotion's gospel soul and Chain Reaction's infectious grooves further illustrate the diverse range of influences at play. This volume particularly emphasises Brazilian music, diving deeper into folk and Afro-Brazilian sounds with selections from As Sublimes, Romeu Fernandes, and Conjunto de Percussao Dora Pinto. These tracks offer a refreshing shift from earlier volumes and showcase Brazil's rich musical heritage. A highlight is the exclusive 'Spring Has Sprung,' a collaboration between legendary Asha Puthli, the inventive band SOYUZ, and Swedish producer Sven Wunder. This track exemplifies the high-quality productions Mr Bongo Record Club is known for. Volume 7 blends Brazilian depth with dancefloor-ready hits, such as The Shades of Love's 'Come Inside.' This collection celebrates both timeless and contemporary music, reflecting the enduring allure of diverse and dynamic sounds.

Review: Curated by David 'Mr Bongo' Buttle and Gareth Stephens, with additional picks from Gary Johnson, Ville Marttila, and Graham Luckhurst, Volume Two of this much loved Mr Bongo series finally gets a reissue after proving so popular first time round. It continues the vibe of its predecessor by offering a deeper selection of soul and disco tracks that Mr Bongo associates have been spinning in their DJ sets and radio show. Standout tracks from artists like Dee Edwards, Leny Andrade, Rosa Maria, The Equatics, Elbernita 'Twinkie' Clark and The Beaters make this a real must have.

Review: By now, we should know exactly what to expect from Mr Bongo's superb Record Club series of compilations: inspired selections, across a range of complimentary styles, from the esteemed label's staff and roster of in-house DJs. Predictably, volume seven is another must-check treat, with the plentiful highlights including the sun-soaked samba shuffle of Yvette's 'Upa Neghuino', the jazzy MPB excellence of 'O Espaco' by Os Panteras, the joyous and spiritual dancefloor soul-jazz of Roman Andren's 'Captain's Sword', the gritty funk-rock of Truth & Devotion ('Bless My Soul'), the heavy disco of 'Come Inside' by The Shades of Love, the self-explanatory (but hard to pigeonhole) brilliance of Tony Wilson's 'Hangin' Out In Space (dub mix)' and the hard-to-find excellence of JC Lodge's 'In Between The Sheets', a far-sighted Jamaican street soul jam from 1993.

Review: International favourites on the boogie-and-beyond selection circuit, Horse Meat Disco deliver the first edition in a brand new compilation tracking yet more heat disco of a Brazilian flavour. Some 13 years in the making, much love and attention has been poured into this compendium, which unearths tracks from the seemingly endless urban goldmines of Brasilia and Rio, twin obsessive loci, nurtured by founding member Luke Eagle amid an extended exploration of the South American nation's dance music culture. Having learned to dance samba and paraded the Rio Carnival, this is a compilation rooted in worldly experience, made up largely of 7" finds. Chief among the brilliants are Ze Carlos' Italoesque wonder 'Venha' and the well-spiced 'Sol De Verao' by Lafayette, spanning years' worth of digging.

Review: Those tireless diggers at Mr Bongo have been at it again and now return with Record Club Volume Six, another selection driven by the love of "hearing old tracks for the first time or diving into the most upfront selections keeps the fires burning and passions alight." This collection is another treasure trove of superb sounds that takes in all manner of much loved classics from across the world and places like Canada, Sweden, Brazil, Japan, Portugal and Trinidad and Tobago. Everything from psych-pop songs to spine tinging gospel features, some of it on vinyl for the first time ever.

Review: The latest edition of the Mr Bongo Record Club series is a meticulously curated blend of timeless gems and fresh discoveries. Volume 7 showcases a rich tapestry of genres, spanning Brazilian, Latin, soul, disco, gospel, cosmic, dancehall and downtempo music.This version on purple vinyl shines a spotlight on vintage tracks while introducing a contemporary gem. Highlights include Os Panteras' Brazilian funk, Claude Jay's underground disco beats, and the soulful Danish duo Gitte & Inger. The gospel soul of Truth & Devotion and the infectious grooves of Chain Reaction also stand out, reflecting the diverse influences that inspire this compilation. Notably, this volume leans heavily into Brazilian sounds, exploring deeper into folk and Afro-Brazilian influences with selections from As Sublimes, Romeu Fernandes, and Conjunto de Percussao Dora Pinto. These tracks offer a refreshing contrast to previous volumes and highlight the expansive nature of Brazilian music. A standout feature is the exclusive track 'Spring Has Sprung,' a collaboration between iconic Asha Puthli, the innovative band SOYUZ, and Swedish producer Sven Wunder. This new production is a breathtaking addition, exemplifying the exceptional quality that Mr Bongo Record Club aims to deliver. Additionally, the compilation includes club-tested hits like The Shades of Love's 'Come Inside,' ensuring that the dancefloor favourites continue to resonate.