BBE Vinilo y CD

Review: Massive reissue incoming! BBE have answered many of our prayers with this long awaited repress of Roy's 1983 disco funk excursion "Silver Vibrations". A record that's currently fetching triple figures, this is the first time it's been repressed since it was released. Opening with the iconic whispered message of "Chicago", Roy takes us on a trip through his funkiest of quarters; the salubrious slap bass of "Lots Of Love", the Afrobeat staccato vocals and glock rocking vibrancy of "Silver Vibrations" and the dreamy cosmic jazz trip of "DC City" are just some of the highlights, all shared across the 12"s with no more than two tracks per side. Vibes that can't be slept on.

Review: The legendary Roy Ayers has a wealth of great material to his name but Virgin Ubiquity: Unreleased Recordings 1976-1981 might just be the cream of the crop. It's packed with gold that fuses soul and funk, jazz and disco into a load of killer cuts that never got their own release. There are husky vocal tracks featuring Merry Clayton on "Oh What A Lonely Feeling," "I Really Love You" and "What's the T?", sensual soul stirrers from Carla Vaughn such as "Mystic Voyage" and "Together Forever" and of course liquid synths and rhythm sections underpinning each of the tracks.

Review: Roy Ayers staked a bold claim by flaunting the fact that he had 'Reach[ed] The Highest Pleasure' back in June '77. Unfortunately for us back then, this lifetime hedonistic milestone - documented in instrumental funk form - was shelved for reasons unknown beyond simple artistic oversight. As said, this slick solo instrumental for drums, bass and vibraphone is a perfect soul-jazz, chillout trifecta, one for the rarities collectors.

Review: This is the second part of Virgin Ubiquity: Unreleased Recordings 1976-1981and is again packed with tracks that are far more than unreleased findings from the cutting room floor. Each one serves as another feather in the bow of the virtuoso Ayers, who combined jazz, funk, soul and disco in magical and unique ways throughout his career. In doing so he laid down a precursor to acid jazz and hip hop. These are tracks that show off his dynamic, liquid rhythm sections and mellifluous keys, as well as the vocal talents of a range of collaborators who touch on soaring and sensuous highs as well as more gravel and earthy lows. Essential.

Review: 'Strata Records: The Sound Of Detroit Volume 1' is a careful yet exquisite collection of soul, funk and jazz classics from Detroit's rich musical history, throwing back to a time before techno took the Motor City by storm. DJ Amir has curated a diverse selection of songs from the Strata Records catalog, showcasing the label's extensive roster of artists (the likes of Kenny Cox, The Soulmates, and Charles Mingus), and in some cases restoring tracks whose recordings have suffered a loss of quality over the years, for an ultimately soul-bearing listen.

Review: Rio de Janeiro's Grupo Ebano is an all-female gospel vocal collective that dropped their self-titled debut album back in 1997. It only came on CD and in limited runs but is one that has grown and grown in terms of allure for collectors so now BBE have pressed it up to wax. It blends the best of boss nova and MPB across a suite of all-original songs written by band leader Gil Miranda. They are all hugely melodic and stylish with hints of 60s and 70s Brazilian classics that deliver positive, uplifting and soulful messages in the lyrics. It's a sure-fire winner with both tastemakers and dancers alike.

Review: Most people will recognize Brian Jackson as the most important collaborator with Gil Scott-Heron - between them the pair laid down a mesmerising new kind of soul which resonates in its influence and brilliance to this day. Jackson went on to work with scores of legends of Black American music, but this new album is something altogether his own. Working with Daniel Colias from Phenomenal Handclap Band, Jackson revived a long-dormant solo project from the 70s and brought it to fruition in a set of ascendant soul cuts which speak to Jackson's mighty legacy while offering something wholly contemporary. 'All Talk' bursts with jazz funk and boogie flourishes, while 'Path to Macondo / Those Kind of Blues' takes a more introspective trip into Jackson's illustrious musicality. Forget reissue culture for a minute - here's a bonafide legend still doing it in the here and now.

Review: The story of Teddy Pendergrass is a great but rather tragic one. The legendary vocalist had a truly great voice that is well known in the soul world but later in life was confined to a wheelchair after a car crash, although his career continued until his retirement in 2007. John Morales is an equally legendary producer who single-handedly invented the idea of the remix. It is he who has assembled this collection of some of Teddy's greatest moments under the fitting title of The Voice. All his classics are here from 'Don't Leave Me This Way' to 'If You Don't Know Me By Now.'

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


From The Fire is a superb new album from Audrey Powne that is about as accomplished as any debut could be. The young auteur herself has composed all nine cuts, wrote all the lyrics, plays all the piano, organ and Rhodes, does all the singing, arranged all the strings and produced everything herself as she set out to have complete creative control. It is a rich and rewarding listen with some soaring solos and meticulously crafted grooves that have already won her high praise from those in the know such as Gilles Peterson.

Review: From The Fire is a superb new album from Audrey Powne that is about as accomplished as any debut could be. The young auteur herself has composed all nine cuts, wrote all the lyrics, plays all the piano, organ and Rhodes, does all the singing, arranged all the strings and produced everything herself as she set out to have complete creative control. It is a rich and rewarding listen with some soaring solos and meticulously crafted grooves that have already won her high praise from those in the know such as Gilles Peterson.

Review: Rhythm Rhyme Revolution, alongside DJ Tabu, delivers a fantastic EP with Summertime / Sunshine Girl. 'Summertime (nuacidfunk)' gradually escalates into a disco crescendo, enriched by Dan Lipman's jazz flute/sax and Gareth Tasker's steaming sitar riff. On the flipside, 'Sunshine Girl' boasts a slinky Afro percussive groove, with DJ Tabu's vocals celebrating love in the sunshine, complemented by Barrie Sharpe's infectious hooks. The ensemble work, featuring Kenny Wellington's jazzy trumpet and vibrant guitar, creates a dynamic sonic landscape. The EP also includes the original version of 'Summertime,' reminiscent of Motown classics. Sharpe's masterful tease and impeccable mood-building make this record a touch of class, leaving listeners thoroughly enchanted.

Review: If Music presents: You Need This! An Introduction to the Handson Family from the legends at BBE is a must-have double album that highlights the rich heritage of Black music, not that we really needed reminding of course. Compiled by London DJ duo the Handson Family, this collection features tracks from plenty of key artists such as Emanative, Ty, Cecilia Stalin, and Xantone Blacq and across all 14 songs, the diverse sounds and styles of recent Black music are laid bare and offer an educational experience in Black music genres while also capturing the essence of the duo's influential DJ sets and radio shows.

Review: Two years ago, Volcov set our pulses racing with From The Archive, a superb selection of killer cuts from the depth of his notoriously impressive record collection. Volume 2 is equally as inspired, though the focus is a little different. Whereas Volcov previously chose to concentrate on soul, funk and disco, this edition is far more widescreen in scope. So, we get soaring soul-jazz bliss (Collective Peace's "Let The Music Play"), head-nodding hip-hop soul (Eric Lau remixing Ruth Koleva), futurist jazz-funk (Ron Trent's wild but brilliant "Ori Space"), soul-fired broken beat (Volcov's own re-edit of Xantone Blacq's vintage remix of Intuit's "Planet Birth"), impeccable soundscape jazz ("Lawra" by Tony Williams) and much more besides.