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• Freda Payne’s Band Of Gold is the debut album for Invictus Record's’ first lady of soul
• Features a slew of hits including; ‘Band Of Gold’ (UK no.1 for 6 weeks), ‘Unhooked
Generation’ and ‘The Easiest Way to Fall’
• Soul masterpiece reissued on 180gm heavyweight classic black vinyl with printed inner sleeve
• Recorded for Holland-Dozier-Holland’s Invictus Record label, under former Motown
powerhouse writers and producers

Kiki Dee is one of the great UK soul singers. She was the first female singer from the UK to sign
with Motown Tamla Records, has been a backing vocalist for Dusty Springfield, produced by
and signed to Elton’s Rocket Records label








g B1. Don’t Go Breaking My Heart with Elton John

i B3. Chicago [original version]

Limited edition 45 vinyl with two brand new tracks form Juno and Mercury prize nominated Canadian soul Queen Tanika Charles. On the A side "Love Overdue" the 1st taken from the forthcoming new album "The Gumption" is an irresistible R&b/Soul mover that equally pays homage to Amy Winehouse and 60s Club Soul. On the flipside the floorshaking "Remember to Remember" sounds like Diana Ross and The Supremes produced by Drake, explosive contemporary Motown ssound.

Produced by a stable of some of Canada's finest musical minds including DJ Kemo (The Rascalz, Kardinal Offishall), Chin Injeti (DJ Khalil, Eminem, Drake) and Daniel Lee (Hooded Fang, Phedre), "The Gumption" is the awaited new album by Juno Award and Polaris Music Prize-nominated Canadian new star Tanika Charles and it's scheduled for release on May 10.

Watch out 45 is limited to 500 copies worldwide.

You're The Man is the first-ever planned 'lost' Tamla/Motown album from Marvin Gaye. Fifteen (15) of the album's 17 tracks are on vinyl for the first time and three tracks are newly mixed by SaLaAM ReMi. The album also includes the rare long LP version of Marvin Gaye's cancelled Christmas single from '72, as well as an unreleased vault mix of its instrumental B-side, and new essay by Marvin's biographer, David Ritz. The release will coincide with the 60th anniversary of Motown as a label and also Marvin Gaye's 80th Birthday (April 2).

While the tracks have been issued on various collections and deluxe editions, this is the first time they have been placed in their proper context. In addition to context, You're The Man was the album that was proposed to follow-up the monumental What's Going On, and it contains all of Marvin's solo and non-soundtrack recordings from 1972 (his next two albums in quick succession: Trouble Man and Let's Get It On).

Born in Cagliari (Sardinia, Italy) in 1975, Irene Nonis started playing the guitar at the age of 13 and wrote her first songs at 17. Her influences come from the American soul, with variations towards jazz and bossa (Sade, Paul Weller, Astrud Gilberto, Johnny Marr). Her voice shines in the two new tracks included in this 7'': "This Love" is a blue-eyed soul track that moves between Northern Soul and Motown, while "Night Stuff" has more of a 70's London nocturnal atmosphere, with a great bass line.

The Edwards Generation were a San Francisco family group that were lead by Chuck Edwards, who was the father of the group members. Chuck had been a recording artist since the 50s and had recorded for labels such as Duke, Kapp and Apollo before establishing the Edwards Generation as a force in Frisco during the 1970s. Their one and only album 'The Street Thang,' which was released in 1976, is a much revered and sought after album by serious soul collectors across the globe. We will be releasing an album of unreleased songs in 2019, but in the meantime we have the groups first vinyl release since 1977 with the uptempo dancer 'I Like Your Style' on the A Side, This version will not feature on the album and is only available on this single release. Whilst on the flip we've got the only song from our album that features their father Chuck on lead vocals with the Motownesque 'The Love I Found In You.' The Edwards Generation were a talent that deserved a greater exposure and with this we're happy to be partnering with them in releasing their unreleased gems.

Nyami Nyami Records present a lost piece of Zimbabwean musical history: the only album from local legends the New Tutenkhamen, combining Jazz, Soul, Folk and Township rhythms. There are only 2 known copies of the original LP - this reissues make the music available again for the first time in over 40 years.

The New Tutenkhamen included many stars of Zimbabwean township music: Elisha Josamu was an alumnus of the fabulously-named Hallelujah Chicken Run Band (alongside Thomas Mapfumo), and Green Jangano's long-running Harare Mambos, and would later form Two Plus Two with bassist Christopher 'Chex' Tavengwa. Jethro Shasha played the drums, and would arguably become the New Tutenkhamen's most famous export, making continental waves working with likes of Salif Keita. Paul Sekerani played the rhythm guitar, with Amos Chatyoka on the organ, while the enigmatic Maggie Mbuli provided vocals and F. Manda played the sax.I WISH YOU WERE MINE was recorded at Teal Records and was produced by Crispen Matema, a talented jazz drummer in his own right who had played drums on the all-time classic 'Skokiaan', and had backed Louis Armstrong on his 1960 Rhodesia visit. Combining the heavyweight producing talents of Matema and the writing chops of Josamu, the New Tutenkhamen band created an album showcasing various musical styles popular at the time.

From the afro-jazz jam session aesthetics of 'Tutenkhamen Theme', 'Big Brother Malcom' and 'Forever Together', to the almost Van Morrison-sounding 'Sunday Morning'; from the upbeat rock ballad 'True Love', to the funk-infused dance song 'Togetherness'; from the bouncy jazz exhortations to work hard in 'Ane Nungo', to the brassy, raunchy foot-stomper 'Me & Dolly'. The title track 'I Wish You Were Mine' is a ska-infused ballad that wouldn't be out of place in post-war Birmingham, while the star of the show is 'Joburg Bound', itself a fast-paced rock piece with Motown undertones and funky guitar lines.

As a radical jazz artist, Steve Reid played with an extraordinary group of artists - Miles Davis, Sun Ra, Fela Kuti, James Brown, Ornette Coleman, Lester Bowie and many more. He began his career as a teenager in the 1960s as a drummer at Motown.
Reid was born in the South Bronx, and grew up in Queens, New York, three blocks away from John Coltrane. In 1969, Reid refused to enlist to the Vietnam war and was arrested as a conscientious objector and given a four-year prison sentence.
On his release in 1974, he formed the Legendary Master Brotherhood and the independent record label, Mustevic Sound, to release his debut LP Nova.
At the start of the 21st century, Steve Reid began a successful collaboration with Kieran Hebden (Fourtet), who Reid referred to as his 'musical soul mate', resulting in a number of joint albums.
Steve Reid died in New York in 2010. Subsequently the Steve Reid Foundation was set up in his name, to help aspiring musicians and artists.

- Legendary debut album from George Clinton's vocal
group
- 1970 cult classic from originally issued on the iconic
Invictus Records label
- Reissued by Demon Music on 180gm Heavyweight vinyl
- Features tracks sampled by De La Soul, NWA and DJ
Shadow
- The Invictus label was set up by the famed song writing
team Holland-Dozier-Holland after they left Motown. Hit
artists on the label include Freda Payne, Chairmen Of
The Board and Ruth Copeland

This is a long overdue reissue of a fantastic album! Here we find a pure disco classic from the US scene of the late 70s. The original copies retail at plus $300, that's only if you can find one at all! So those who love to spin good music, but are unwilling or unable to lay down too much money can now lend an ear to this fine vinyl! The opening track is 6.5 minutes long and consists of ongoing grooves with a hint of rock thanks to the melodic lead guitar. The driving rhythms are irresistible with soulful and strong female lead vocals that capture you right away. This reminds me strongly of the lengthy Donna summer dance classic, released during the same period 'Better than walking out' which became a dance floor sweeper. There is nothing complicated here, just sheer groove interwoven with catchy melodies. 'Lovin' you is so easy' follows and is a mid-paced soul anthem that comes as clean, slick and close to pop music a tune can come, but the melody of the chorus will stick to your mind. The arrangements are tight revealing several layers of instrumentation on second take. The lead singer's expressive voice matches with the best of its genre. A grand dame of soul familiar to a wide audience. While we ruminate about the different stylistic ingredients of this album we reach ''Woman', an entire instrumental with a straight groovy beat paired by cool funky rhythm guitar that lies beneath a soundscape made by the electric piano. Both seem to interact tightly and communicate with another. This tune just moves you physically with ease. Lushly orchestrated ''Our love is special' turns out to be a wonderful soul pop anthem of the kind that stays with you when you have only enjoyed it once. I'm almost certain that most fans of the late 70's soulful dance and pop will spin this record over and over again. This is what the DISCO LADIES are made for. Their music has this certain disco feeling but the classic 60s Motown Soul roots are so obvious and keep the whole collection of songs so grounded, that the music will go straight to the heart, nestling there for a long time. ''I second that emotion' is again a mid-paced groover that has this fluttering beat with great instrumental figures build upon this footing. One might hear elements of reggae, gospel and funk melting into an utterly joyful soul pop tune that eventually would become an evergreen in the clubs. Last but not least we are treated to ''Woman', again the arrangements of lead and backing vocals are amazing! These are footed by equally amazing strings and horns. These melodies, soulful, expressive, intense and full of joy! The last tune is a vocal version of 'Woman'. Definitely being the highlight of the entire album and a worthy finale for a record that sticks out of the masses of disco music productions of it's era! All this makes a wonderful and delightful reissue ! worthy of joining every black music aficionado of the 1970s.

Studio One Freedom Sounds Is The New Collection From Soul Jazz/studio One Focussing On The Intense Period In The Second Half Of The 1960s When Studio One's Vast And Unbeatable Output Of Ska, Soul, Rock Steady And Reggae Made It Literally One Of The Hottest Musical Empires In The World.
During This Highly Successful Period, Clement 'sir Coxsone' Dodd Released Hundreds And Hundreds Of Superlative Singles Seemingly On An Almost Daily Basis, In The Process Making Huge Stars Out Of Jamaican Singers Such As Alton Ellis, Delroy Wilson, The Wailers, Slim Smith, Jackie Opel And Many More.
Powered By The Finest In-house Musicians Working In Jamaica, Whether It Was The Skatalites, Jackie Mittoo's Soul Brothers, The Sounds Dimension Or The Soul Vendors, Studio One Functioned As Hit Factory On The Scale Of Motown In The Usa, Shaping And Defining Reggae Music For Decades To Come.
Singlehandedly Studio One's Founder Clement Dodd Was Able To Create The Most Successful Vertically-integrated Record Company That Jamaica Had Ever Known With Pressing Plant, Printers, Studio, Shops, And Sound Systems All Running At Once, With Over 50 Employees And Hundreds Of Artists Working With Studio One During This Time.
Studio One Freedom Sounds Tells The Story Of Studio One In The 1960s With A Stunning Set Of Ska, Soul, Rock Steady And Reggae Killer Tunes As Well As Informative Sleevenotes And Track-by-track Info By Noel Hawks. The Album Is Released As Heavyweight Double Vinyl (+ Free Download Code), Deluxe Cd And Digital Album.

Having previously featured on Comb and Razor's popular compilation 'Brand New Wayo', Caribou's 'The Longest Mixtape: 1000 Songs For You' (twice) and remixed by numerous DJs including Kornél Kovács. It has long been over due that Nigerian synth-funk legend Dizzy K gets the reissue he deserves, teaming up with London based record label Sticky Buttons for a very special double LP compilation.

Dizzy K Falola is one of Nigeria's most adored disco funk artists form the early 80's. His career was propelled by EMI Nigeria who brought him to notoriety with his first album 'Excuse Me Baby', released in 1982. Excuse Me Baby became an instant success in Nigeria and within 3 months he was back in the studio recording his second album and touring with international superstars such as The Whispers. The success of his work came both from the creative collaboration of musicians and their progressive style of synth-funk and disco influenced heavily by western artists. The team included Nkono Teles, Felix Liberty and Dizzy K's mentor and manager Tony Okoroji amongst others who together formed the disco funk that infected the homes, streets and clubs of Lagos. Noted in 'Hip Hop Africa: New African Music in a Globalizing World', Dizzy K's song titled Saturday Night Raps which features on Excuse Me Baby is thought to have been on of the earliest examples of commercial African Rap music. It was examples like this that showed Dizzy K was bringing something new to the Nigerian boogie scene.

With careful restoration by Colin Young at See Why Audio, (who's expertise and talents have graced some of the most iconic reissues of recent years, including "Who Is William Onyeabor" and Charanjit Singh's "Synthesizing: Ten Raga's to a Disco Beat") and vinyl mastering conducted by The Carvery, cutting the masters on a Neumann VMS70 mastering lathe originally used in Nashville's CBS studio to cut Motown classics. This is an uncompromising vinyl package covering Dizzy K's first 3 albums from '82-'84. Compiled for the dance floor and offering Sticky Buttons take on the bright boogie goodness of Dizzy. With personal liner notes from the artist and fresh artwork by the team this is a record that cuts to the point.

Originally recorded and privately pressed in 1973 on Jazz-Men records, featuring Leon Ndugu Chancler (Drums), James MTUME (Congas) and Larry Nash (Piano), Bobby Rodriguez leads this
stellar line up to perform the seminal 16 minute Latin variation of Freddie Hubbard's 'Little Sunflower'.
This extremely rare and sought after record is re-released for the first time on 180g Virgin Vinyl and presented in heavy weight 'tip-on' sleeves. Pressed and produced in the UK, using the mastering genius of Frank Merritt (Carvery Studios) and cut on the original Neumann Lathe used by Motown Records. Covered in heavy weight 'tip-on' sleeves and presented in screen printed paper counter bags with foil seals. Strictly limited to 1,000 hand numbered pieces, this special collector's edition will be available
through the Jazz Detective Records website and from select records stores worldwide for a limited time

Harlem's legendary Disco label Queen Constance has long been a cult favourite among fans of underground dance music for decades.

One of many labels operating under the equally legendary P&P family of imprints Queen Constance was operated by one Peter Brown, a truly colossal figure in NYC's music scene, it's catalogue still fascinates music lovers to this day. Covering a wide range of styles including Gospel, early Rap and Disco the label's output continually finds it way into the playlists of respected DJ's and selectors across the globe. High Fidelity will be the first in a series of Queen Constance rarities to be reissued, an extremely rare and coveted record that can change hands on the second hand market for big big money, avoid those low rent bootlegs that are out there and cop this fully licensed repress.

The group's self-titled sole long-player is a fantastic 6 track set of gritty, soulful and uplifting funky Disco with a DIY edge. Not too much is known about the artists themselves, or even when the record was performed, recorded or released but it certainly sounds like a group who knew their craft inside out. The energy is high across the record and the group sound like they're on fire, just check the outrageously funkified 'Magic Carpet' and you'll see what we mean. Amazing. The whole project has that enchanting lo-fi, back-street feel to it in terms of production and the mind boggles as to how such a record would have come off had it been recorded at a Motown or any other 'big' studio, but no matter as this release is perfect the way it is, an essential piece of street-level NYC Disco straight from the underground.
This is a 100% legit reissue, made in conjunction with Above Board distribution and the Demon Music group, lovingly remastered with love by Optimum Mastering, Bristol UK.

Dusty archives, the backrooms of record stores, private reel to reel stashes, master tapes - these are the environs of the Dynamic Range experience.Dynamic Range is a new label focused on unearthing deep Soul, Funk and Disco jams that continue to resonate with todays dancers and DJ's. Time spent scouring the bowels of the majors and independents has unsurprisingly resulted in numerous gems being added to the DR wants list. High quality, fully licensed reissues are the order of the day, always taken from the correct master source and re-presented to hungry record heads the world over. To repeat, this is a fully legit operation - Avoid the sharks at all costs!
The debut release on the label is a real doozy - New Birth, the mighty Detroit Funk outfit who operated from 1970 onwards are first up to bat. Their late 70's rarity 'Deeper' is a real monster lifted from their killer 'Behold The Mighty Army' LP. Produced by legendary Motown stalwart Frank Wilson this is some straight-up Disco-fied Funk for sure! One of those solid, mid-tempo groovers that just ignites a dance-floor at any time, any place. Side-A is the glorious full-side Disco mix and we're treated to the full instrumental version on the flip. No lazy edits here, just the full Funk and nothing but the Funk, just as the group intended! This is one of many soulful treats that Dynamic Range will be presenting in the coming months, stay tuned for more - 'Ain't It Something'. All music selected by the Dynamic Range team / Licensed and reissued by Above Board distribution in conjunction with Warner Music.
Remastered with love by Optimum Mastering, Bristol UK. Artwork and design by Atelier Superplus. 2018.

O B Ignitt makes his return with his 10th release titled 'X' to commemorate his 10th house, techno and dance music releases. O B Ignitt has two slamming house tracks on this EP being release on his OBONIT RECORDS label.

O B Ignitt has teamed up with fellow Michigander Brian Kage to produce an instant Detroit house music classic, titled 'On the Run' on the A side. Following that is a smooth house stabber of house pianos and sub bass lines inspired by another Motown Legend Stevie Wonder. This B side track is titled 'All We Do' produced by O B ignitt.

Cryovac Recordings enters a new sensible era of home grown production focusing on strong statements of personal style. Cryovac stresses a minimal approach to basic production with a simple soul to shape a tale of sound. The Broke Lighter E.P. is a versatile mix of characters that come together and combine their visions into one vista. This shared space of consciousness is translated to vinyl for your inspection. Cryovac Recordings continues to shine light on every corner of the Detroit Underground to expose a depth of talent that is overlooked.

The 19th edition of the Cryovac series is a moody stab at the heart of techno. It starts off with Disc Detroit's upliftingly melancholy 4/4 groover that transforms synth and turns percussion with a steady patience. Dutch Mike executes a smooth assault lead by a 303 harmony, backed by a heavy baseline and flanked by tricky programming that shifts cymbal formations. Vontell C. and his son Vontell F. sneak a dark vibe into the mix with a manic and excitable minimal ballad detuning and nodding out while detailing the burning of pretty things. Andy Garcia applies a minimalized Motown sound via strumming guitar, vintage vocals, and easy beat that rises and falls creating a serene phonic envirorment. Every track on the Broke Lighter is an opportunity to go in a new direction.

One of the earliest MC5 singles! Packaged in new envelope style sleeves, with rare unseen band photos! The Motor City 5 pressed on black vinyl at Third Man Pressing in the Motor City! Includes brand spankin' new liners by David Fricke of Rolling Stone, who says, "In a 1966 live recording, the MC5 played 'Looking at You' like Motown raga. At United Sound, the band hit the zigzag riff at light speed and stayed there, framed by searing lead guitar and explosive drumming. 'Borderline' was a frantic jigsaw of power-chord jolts and sheet-like harmonies detonated again, at the Grande, for the live recording of the MC5's first LP, Kick Out the Jams."

With its latest reissue, Majik's Back Into Your Heart - Melodies International dug deep into the back catalogue of Hi Records, legendary soul label from Memphis found ed in the 1950s.

Originally signed as a recording artist, Willie Mitchell took the reigns of the label and guided it through its most successful period in the 1970s, notably producing a string of studio recordings for Al Green, Syl Johnson and O.V. right among other eminent soul musicians of the time. Whilst the Hi Records catalogue shifted hands multiple times since the late 1970s, it was mainly exploited as a means to reissue recordings from Al Green and other high profile Hi Records artists (notably by Motown) while the label's more obscure back catalogue remained largely untouched. Years later, a few lesser known one offs from the label's vaults holding the distinctive raw Hi Records production sound and a circling hypnotic quality that makes them potential successful records for modern day dance floors have been getting a second life with record collectors, DJs and on dance floors worldwide. As such, recordings such as Africano's Open Your Hearts have become You're A Melody classics for some years now and Melodies International are glad to bring you one more reissue which in our hearts hold at least the same level of quality and potential as the former. With Back Into Your Heart, Majik pull through with a strong up-tempo disco tune that embodies Mitchell's sound as well as a level of modernity that might explain why it has remained largely unnoticed up until now.

Licensed and re-mastered, MEL010 comes forth in its original 7' format with a folded 14'x14' poster designed by Mafalda.

* From the pumping heart of The Magnetic System comes the 'dirtiest' Da-Da-dancefloor anti-jams with this lost 1979 blueprint of Italian conceptual cosmic disco played by the cream of the Goblin studio band. Ultra-rare and unscrubbed,Finders Keepers finally snip the trip from the cash machine to the trash machine.
* Carving its own grubby niche as an early prototype of cosmic disco cum Italo space funk whilst simultaneously harbouring Dada hat stand satire with a junkshop glam aesthetic, this ecological illogical poplitical crab cabaret clearly broke the mould before way before the jelly had set.
* Fans of 'other' obtuse outernational agit-camp might find a fantasy fusion between France's JP Massiera and Sweden's enviroMENTAL marvel Kaptain Zoom while trying to unravel the Madfilth tangle - but rest assured there were method men behind this madness and a portal to Italian funk royalty still festers
at the bottom of the psych rap scrapheap.
* Originally drip-fed out of Cesare Andrea Bixio's Cinevox stable as one of a tight grip of non-soundtrack LPs, made to test the label's commercial potential, Madfilth would follow the band Goblin (and their non-cinematic Roller) as well as the hens' teeth eponymous long player by the group The Motowns in what was perhaps the last-ditch attempt at custom built popsploitation - combining the skills of overqualified composers with undercooked conceptual mind belches. Naturally, after almost 40 years in the barrel, this micro-brewed oddity finally quenches the acquired taste of a new breed of shambolic psychotropic guzzlers proving that 1979 was obviously good year for fool's gold. The Madfilth medicine has finally come to cure your psychic ills so open wide and don't bite the spoon.
* It is beneath the flamboyant rhythm rants and vari-speed osric slop of alt-comedic sarcy-satirist Alberto Macaro (a genetic beneficiary of a vaudevillian comic bloodline) that we find The Magnetic System maestros Franco Bixio and Vince Tempera as the sonic driving force behind this unmarked treasure trove of
B-musical diamanté discoids. It will also come as little surprise that
Cinevox/Dario Argento favourites Goblin were not too distant from the whiff of this curate's egg with the men who many consider to be the group's greatest assets - bass player Fabio Pignatelli alongside sports rock drummer Agostino Marangolo. It was this unison that remained consistent throughout Goblin's career, weathering the temporary departure of Claudio Simonetti and
maintaining the stylistic heartbeat of the group. Madfilth's inclusion of Goblin synth Maverick Maurizio Guarini and the band's mid-period guitarist Carlo Penessi (founder of the band Etna) pinpoints the jobbing Goblin session group during the time they recorded the soundtracks for the films 'Buio Amiga' and 'Squadra Antigagsters'. This lesser-celebrated late 70s era also witnessed the mutating Goblin rhythm section providing discoid backbeats for records such as Giorgio Farina's 'Discocross' album, Simonetti's own Capricorn alter-ego and the homoerotic nightclub spin-off Easy Going - all of which, alongside Madfilth,
provide a strong mutual stylistic support system for their claim to cosmic disco's deep red bloodline.

Willie Hutch wrote huge soul hits in the 60s and 70s (co-writing I'll Be There' for The Jackson 5) and released sixteen Motown, Whitfield and independent label solo releases between 1969 and 2002. From his period with Norman Whifield's label through Warner Brother in 1978/79 he is best known for Easy Does it'. Arranged by Gene Page, it was previously issued only on 7' as a B-side to Come On And Dance With Me', original copies now exchanging hands for large sums.

* THE No.1 Wigan Casino and Northern Soul anthem
* THE most valuable record in the world
* THE first ever legal reissue, outside of Motown
* THE last record ever played at Wigan Casino

EXACTLY 40 years ago the original copy of Do I Love You' arrived on these shores and, for the first time the true identity of its author and performer was revealed.
The story of the world's most valuable record has been told many times and perhaps most authoritatively by Tim Brown in his book 'Wigan Casino Years'. In brief, here are the salient facts...
The tale begins in 1976 when Northern Soul pioneer Simon Soussan gained access to the Motown archive in Los Angeles where he discovered, and purloined, the original, promotional 45. At the time Soussan was the main source for rare Northern Soul that debuted at the famed Wigan Casino, and in due course he sent an acetate of the track to the club covered up as by Eddie Foster. It was an instant hit with the Casino dancers and soon attained exalted status.
By 1978 Soussan had turned his back on Northern Soul and sent his entire collection to the UK to be sold piecemeal. The original label of the disc was now revealed as the Motown subsidiary 'Soul' and the artist was the Motown writer Frank Wilson. The 45 was sold to record collector Jonathon Woodliffe for the handsome sum of £250. After the near collapse of Northern Soul in 1981 Woodliffe's attentions turned to Jazz/Funk and he traded the disc to former Wigan DJ Kev Roberts for £500's worth of disco twelves!
For 9 long years the legendary record languished in a frame on the wall of Roberts' Staffordshire home until a pending divorce prompted the sale to collector Tim Brown for, at the time, the unheard of sum of £5,000. It remains the property of Tim Brown to this day, the pinnacle of a lifetime of record collecting.
In 1997 Detroit producer, Frank Murphy, sold his entire record collection to Anglo-American, a company owned by Martin Koppel and the aforementioned Tim Brown. Lo and behold, a second copy of Do I Love You' was found and subsequently sold to Scottish DJ Kenny Burrell for an inflated sum of £15,000. In 2008, Burrell's copy was auctioned for a staggering figure in excess of £25,000 making history and further cementing the iconic status of the world's most collectable 45.
Today Do I Love You' has transceneded the strange world of Northen Soul and has become enshrined in the wider public's concsiousness due to mainstream radio play, TV advertising (most recently the 'Happy Egg Co.') and in 2017 an appearance on the country's most popular TV show Strictly Come Dancing.
Now you too can own a copy of Do I Love You'...

Driven by a vicious and visceral soul, The Buttshakers are known for their fierce and fiery music: turntables steam from the heat of their records, dance floor buckle under the blistering pressure of their infectious grooves, a group with a burning Midas' Touch.

Yet after nearly a decade of touring and recording, it was with a different musical vision that they approached Sweet Rewards, their first collaboration with Underdogs Records.
Accustomed to the raw, primitive sounds of 60s garage rock and the crude sexuality of pre-Motown soul music, the Buttshakers have created a reputation as a must see live band perfectly aligning loud rock riffs and lustful desires. A sound they could have continued to dig into again and again. Instead they decide to take another route. A creative shift, a return to a style of soul music that no longer has to rely on pure energy alone, a sound that concentrates on the quality of writing composition and interpretation rather than pure virility.

Try love was originally recorded by Norma Jenkins and pitched to Motown who passed on the track (this version only survives on acetate). Master of the girl group Herb Bernstein picked up the track and recorded the version you hear on this 45 which for whatever reason failed to make a dent until it was picked up first by the Belgian Popcorn scene and later the Northern scene, demand far outstripped supply and this rare 45 became very expensive. A haunting, odd and beautiful record to this day the members of The Sparkles remain a mystery.

There were several groups within the Detroit music scene that shared the name of 'The Holidays'. From the 1950's through to the late 1960's our version of The Holidays who took their name from a group members car, a 1954 Oldsmobile 'Holiday', would record for the Star-x, Markie, Master and Holiday record Labels. Founding member James Holiday would also briefly pursue a solo career with releases on the Markie, Syco and Blue Rock labels respectively.
In 1969 James joined by his brother Jack, a baritone saxophonist and the former leader of the band within influential Detroit DJ 'Frantic' Ernie Durham's legendary Gold Room at the 20 Grand Theatre. The brothers together, with Maurice White and former Contours member Joe Billingslea formed 'The New Holidays' who recorded the 'Popcorn' Wylie produced song Maybe So, Maybe No' (Soul Hawk 1008). This current in demand 45 featured If I Only Knew' on the flipside, an excellent cover version of a previous Jimmy (Soul) Clark recording If I Only Knew Then (What I Know Now)' This was recorded at a later session to Maybe So, Maybe No' and featured a slightly different line up with Joe Billingslea making way for a youthful Elliot Smith.
By 1972 The Holidays found themselves without a label, so they formed their own, Marathon Records. Their initial release was the excellent double sider I'm So Glad (That I Met You)/Too Many Times' (Marathon 257). Both songs were written by James Holland and Sylvester Potts another former member of the Motown group 'The Contours' and were recorded under the artist name of 'The Fabulous Holidays.
Into 1973 and their next release was the soulful ballad Getting Kind Of Serious' (Marathon 18475) a Fritz Hale and Fredrick Charles Hawkins composition backed with an instrumental version. Followed by Ego Tripping' (Marathon 18475) an upbeat funky little mover backed with the ballad Lazy Day' written by James Holland, Anthony Hawkins and Fritz Hale.'
During 1975 The Holidays resumed their acquaintance with former record store owner Ronald Holmes a collaboration which led to the release of another excellent double sider This Is Love b/w The Love We Share' on the Rob-Ron (RR-75) label. The Love We Share' was recorded twice. Firstly as the issued 45 version under the shortened title of The Love We Share' and as an unissued longer version under the title of (Been Together Too Long) The Love We Share' with slightly different lyrics. During 1976 a further Holland/Holmes collaboration saw the release of the message song Procrastinate (Why Do We)' (Ron-Hol 76). After this release Ronald Holmes and the Holidays parted company.
During late 1976 into 1977 the Holland brothers wrote and produced two further songs which they recorded with Charles Hawkins (a founding member of the Psychedelic Rock and Funk Band, 'Black Merda') The up tempo dance track You Make Me Weak' and the less frenetic Lost Love' although never issued at the time both songs can be found on the recently released Soul Junction cd album Getting Kind Of Soulful' (SJCD5012). A later discovery of a alternative take of You Make Me Weak' (Take 2) is now available on vinyl for the first time backed with their uptempo dancer I'm So Glad (That I Met You)' The Motorcity continues to yield its long lost legacy.

Alex took his first musical steps by studying piano and guitar at the young age of 6. His fascination for the more outlandish, experimental side of each instrument corrupted his lessons and sent him down a modular synths and tape loop composition wormhole. Years later Alex resurfaced, got himself clean and, through connections made while spending time as a vocal audience member (and sometimes uninvited participant) at Lyman Woodard, Phil Ranelin, and other Tribe- and Motown-linked gigs in Cass Corridor during the mid-1970s, spent time as a session musician for Earth Wind and Fire, Chic, and Prince. It was only toward the mid-90s he found himself enthralled by the techno and house sounds of Detroit and Chicago so he went into the woodshed and came out firing electronic salvos.

Keyboardist Eddie Russ hailed from Pittsburg and played with many of the greats including Sarah Vaughn, Benny Golson, Stan Getz and Dizzy Gillespie. Eddie is somewhat of an enigma, but he has always been held in high regard in the UK, and he finally was able to perform here in London at the Jazz café in the early 90's a few years before his untimely demise.

His debut album 'Fresh Out' was recorded for the Jazz Masters label and includes the jazz dance classic 'The Lope Song', he also contributed heavily to Sonny Stitt's 'Tornado' album on that label. His band The Mixed Bag also made an album for the Detroit Tribe label. In 1976 he signed to John Richbourg's Sound Stage 7 label and made two great jazz funk albums which were released on the Nashville's Monument label and like his debut were produced by Bob Crawford.

From this first album 'See The Light' the title track is a great take on the Earth Wind And Fire song, 'Poko Nose' is a great funky groove oriented track, but it is the magical 'Zaius' that has become an all time jazz funk classic, a track that has maintained its popularity over the past 40 years.

The Monument albums include some great musicians including Marcus Belgrave and Larry Nozero, and on the Take A Look At Yourself' album Motown's Eddie Willis, a very young Kenny Garrett and the funk group Quazar.

Stevie Wonder's legendäres, 15. Studioalbum - ursprünglich 1972 über Motown veröffentlicht - ist jetzt endlich wieder auf 180g Vinyl inkl. Download Voucher erhältlich. Legendenstatus konnte sich dieses
Album alleine schon Dank zwei Songs sichern - Songs die heutzutage auf keiner Best Of von ihm fehlen: Für den, gerade von Jack White gecoverten Song, "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" erhielt
Wonder seinen ersten GRAMMY Award, und "Superstition" schmückte ebenso Platz 1 der Billboard Hot 100.

The Sound of Detroit by one of it's unsung heroes, Amp Fiddlers new album Motor City Booty comes straight off the D Funk assembly line, a full on dance floor affair from Motown to P-Funk, Techno and Neo Soul.
This 11 track album produced by Yam Who & includes the massive Soul Fly sounding like a Mark Ronson production had he been hanging out with George Clinton's Parlet followed by the bonafide P-Funk anthem 'Steppin' both featuring the stunning vocals by the Dames Brown girls.
Amp Fiddler is credited for taking both a young J Dilla and also Q-Tip under his wing teaching them Akai MPC techniques, setting the path for some of Hip Hops finest recordings which have defined the shape of things to come.

A great step forward for the legendary Tim Maia - working here in a style that's even tighter and more sophisticated than before - yet still equally filled with funk and soul! The arrangements are a bit bigger than before, and the production a bit more professional - but that change only brings Tim into even more heavenly soul territory - with a mix of grooves and strings that lays somewhere between the best early 70s work on labels like Curtom or Motown! Tim's got a new sense of majesty on the album - and also sings in English in a few spots - at a level that makes us wonder why he was never able to crack the American soul market at the time. An essential record from the man who brought American soul music to Brazil - with tracks that include "Over Again", "New Love", "Balanco", "Reu Confesso", "Preciso Ser Amado", "Amores", and "Do Your Thing Behave Yourself".

Phil Collins revisits a career that can boast over 100 million sales and numerous worldwide #1 albums. Both Sides will be remastered by Nick Davis, who earned a Grammy nomination for Best Surround Sound album for his work on the Genesis '1970-1975' box set. Davis has also worked on all of the Genesis retrospective reissues.

Entirely curated and compiled by Collins himself, his idea for the 'Take A Look At Me Now' concept is to examine how his songs have evolved over time, with the majority of the additional content throughout the series focused on live versions of the tracks. By contrasting the original studio versions of the material with later performances, the series demonstrates how Collins' songs take on a life of their own once they're freed from the confines of the studio.

Collins returned to #1 in 2010 with 'Going Back' which represented his first studio album since 2002's 'Testify'. 'Going Back' was a personal labour of love project that found him faithfully recreating the soul gems that played such an influential role in his musical life.

The concept, he said at the time, 'Was not to bring anything 'new' to these already great records, but to try to recreate the sounds and feelings that I had when I first heard them.' That objective was achieved with the help of special guests including three surviving members of The Funk Brothers: Eddie Willis (guitar), Bob Babbitt (bass) and Ray Monette (guitar). 

'I decided to call this version of 'Going Back' 'The Essential Going Back',' he explains. 'In retrospect, I included too much music on the original version, and I believe that too much is not always a good thing. Hence this trimmed down selection of my favourite Motown songs.'

Norman Jay MBE presents his latest compilation, titled 'Good Times Skank & Boogie', set for release 9th October 2015 on Sunday Best Recordings. This is his first compilation since 2011's Good Times 30th Anniversary Addition and follows on from his hotly anticipated Good Times Goes East party at St John Church at Hackney on 29th August.
Norman Jay is undoubtedly one of the finest and highly respected DJs in the world today and yet again pulls from his impressive collection to provide the ultimate eclectic selection.
For this 12th compilation, for those of you counting, Norman kicks off with St Germain's version of Henry Mancini's Pink Panther Theme. A cult favourite from 2004s Pink Panther Penthouse Party album, it of course immediately brings Peter Sellers to mind and a smile to your face. Next up former Uniques front man Slim Smith's Everybody Needs Love is a classic from 1968, cut at the legendary Duke Reid's Treasure Isle studio. Penned originally by Motown heroes Norman Whitfield and Eddie Holland and covered by household names including The Temptations and Glady's Knight & The Pips, Slim's version became something of a signature tune until his mysterious death in 1971. Sticking with Motown, Stevie Wonder's Living For The City is up next but it's the Michael McDonald rendition from his 2008 album Soul Speak, which proves the man who gave us the sublime Sweet Freedom had lost none of his class 20 plus years on.
D-Influence's Good Lover takes things up and brings them closer to home, to the streets of London infact. After a couple of independent releases the band, who had strong connections to the London Jazz and Soul scenes, served up this contemporary boogie tune as part of their 1992 debut long player for East West. They would subsequently score hits as a production team for a number of British R&B acts. Homegrown soul continues with Paul Johnson's Better Than This, released here via longstanding UK soul imprint Expansion to deserved acclaim last year. It's quality and appeal are simply timeless, whilst master Dego and Kaidi's mix adds a classic 80s soul dimension to proceedings.
The Chi-Lites I Keep Comin' Back To You and The Real Thing's Love Takes Tears continue and expand the 80s theme, bringing in 2-step and boogie, as does Deodato's Never Knew Love from the same period.
We switch again with Delroy Wilson's Better Must Come, a massively popular sufferers lament from 1971 by this former Jamaican child star, it would go on to be used in election campaigns by various Jamaican political parties. Kent People by Laurel Aitken & The Gruvy Beat is the next one out the box and was the flip to the 1969 anthem Skinhead Train. It features the UK's top reggae band of the era The Rudies, who along with Aitken, the widely-proclaimed Godfather of Ska, comprised of Earl Dunn (lead guitar), Trevor White (bass), Sonny Binns (keyboards) and Danny Smith (drums). They would go on to enjoy UK chart success backing singer Freddie Notes before they evolved into Greyhound. From the same year Splash Down by The Crystalites is another slate that ignited dance floors in both Jamaica and the UK upon release. Some of you will have noticed the rhythm track is the same as that of the earlier Kingstonians' best-seller, Sufferer, which came courtesy of legendary producer Derrick Harriott.
As the end draws close The Stone City Band featuring Rick James serve up some hard edged boogie, hotly followed by a classic Tom Moulton slice of late 70s disco courtesy of The Fantastic Four and their I Got To Have Your Love. If that doesn't have you dancing then Chanson's superb Don't Hold Back featuring James Jamerson Jr. on bass will leave you no choice. Classic Good Times indeed.

Audiojack's Gruuv label returns this October with a four-track package from French producer Okain, featuring a remix from Tuccillo. Parisian artist Samuel Thalman aka Okain has quite the standing in contemporary electronic music having been a prominent name as a DJ and producer for the past fifteen years. Playing at some of the leading nightclubs across the globe such as Fabric, Watergate, Space Ibiza, Rex Club and Electric Pickle to name but a few. Thalman's also built quite the respectable back-catalogue in his time, releasing material via the likes of Tsuba, BPitch, Memento and Cadenza, and here we see him add Gruuv to his affiliations.

Kicking off the release is 'Down the Block', seeing Okain offer up a rugged percussion and bass led house cut, fuelled by swinging rhythms, rumbling sub tones, sporadic sax licks and processed vocal lines, opening up the EP on an energetic tip.

'RZ One' follows this, retaining a similar aesthetic with an insistent drive and penetrative low-end, though Okain opts for a grittier production feel here, distorting the drum sounds, instilling expansive, atmospheric reverb tails and drawn out delays alongside hip-hop imbued vocal lines.

On the latter half of the release we have two versions of 'By Your Side', the first of which is the original mix from Okain, which takes on a more stripped-back approach in comparison to the preceding composition's, laying its focus on fluttering synth sounds, a stab-led bass hook and warm motown style vocal chops. 2020Vision artist Tuccillo then rounds off the package with his mix of 'By Your Side', turning in his signature percussive-led style on the mix with intricately programmed drums and a subtle underlying tension that softly bubbles away in the depths over the cuts seven minute duration.

a1. Music Is Your Medicine (Aux 88 Original Mix) 7:08 - Detroit's AUX88 welcomes singer, 'Samara' on to the big stage with big sound. All the elements of a anthem ride within the track, as 'Samara' holds her own ground in this premiere collaboration.


a2. Medicine (Nubian Mix) 4:43 - Flat-Out/The intro IS magic sprinkled around 'Ms. Samara's' voice, calling to the listener,
'Don't stop the music....let it be your medicine'. A delighted mix to a well-written lyric of rejoice & bliss to the dancefloor.


b1. Medicine (Detroit Manipulation Mix) 5:21 - Minimalistic, big Motown techno stabs join the vocal in this engaging taste of sound and texture. Medicine for your soul; Indeed.


b2. Medicine (Detroit Institute Mix) 5:28- Traditional, rich strings play hide & seek with the stark sound of a drone-y bassline for full-on effect. Punchy kicks, dreamy chords, great song....your cured.

One can hardly imagine the genre-busting, culture-crossing musical magic of Outkast, Prince, Erykah Badu, Rick James, The Roots, or even the early Red Hot Chili Peppers without the influence of R&B pioneer Betty Davis. Her style of raw and revelatory punk-funk defies any notions that women can’t be visionaries in the worlds of rock and pop. In recent years, rappers from Ice Cube to Talib Kweli to Ludacris have rhymed over her intensely strong but sensual music.



There is one testimonial about Betty Davis that is universal: she was a woman ahead of her time. In our contemporary moment, this may not be as self-evident as it was thirty years ago – we live in an age that’s been profoundly changed by flamboyant flaunting of female sexuality: from Parlet to Madonna, Lil Kim to Kelis. Yet, back in 1973 when Betty Davis first showed up in her silver go-go boots, dazzling smile and towering Afro, who could you possibly have compared her to? Marva Whitney had the voice but not the independence. Labelle wouldn’t get sexy with their “Lady Marmalade” for another year while Millie Jackson wasn’t Feelin’ Bitchy until 1977. Even Tina Turner, the most obvious predecessor to Betty’s fierce style wasn’t completely out of Ike’s shadow until later in the decade.



Ms. Davis’s unique story, still sadly mostly unknown, is unlike any other in popular music. Betty wrote the song “Uptown” for the Chambers Brothers before marrying Miles Davis in the late ’60s, influencing him with psychedelic rock, and introducing him to Jimi Hendrix — personally inspiring the classic album Bitches Brew.



But her songwriting ability was way ahead of its time as well. Betty not only wrote every song she ever recorded and produced every album after her first, but the young woman penned the tunes that got The Commodores signed to Motown. The Detroit label soon came calling, pitching a Motown songwriting deal, which Betty turned down. Motown wanted to own everything. Heading to the UK, Marc Bolan of T. Rex urged the creative dynamo to start writing for herself. A common thread throughout Betty’s career would be her unbending Do-It-Yourself ethic, which made her quickly turn down anyone who didn’t fit with the vision. She would eventually say no to Eric Clapton as her album producer, seeing him as too banal.



Her 1974 sophomore album They Say I’m Different features a worthy-of-framing futuristic cover challenging David Bowie’s science fiction funk with real rocking soul-fire, kicked off with the savagely sexual “Shoo-B-Doop and Cop Him” (later sampled by Ice Cube). Her follow up is full of classic cuts like “Don’t Call Her No Tramp” and the hilarious, hard, deep funk of “He Was A Big Freak.”