NEW RELEASES: OHIO PLAYERS - BACK; THE EMINENT STARS - SITTIN' IN WITH THE EMINENT STARS; EURO CINEMA - FUNKSTAMATIC

OHIO PLAYERS - BACK

Ohio Players bounce back for this late 80s album – coming across with a leaner groove than before, and a style that's right up there with the best mainstream funk of the time! Most instrumentation is electric – plenty of beats and keyboards here – but the group still seem to hang onto the looser, freakier style they brought to their Mercury work of the 70s – a mode that's definitely updated here with more 80s aesthetics that run through the vocals and production, but still in a way that doesn't have the Players straying far from their roots! Titles include "Get 2 The Good Part", "Show Off", "I'm Madd", "Vibe Alive", "Just A Minute", and "Try". ~ Dusty Groove

THE EMINENT STARS - SITTIN' IN WITH THE EMINENT STARS

Stardom seems eminent with this fierce funky combo – a quintet of players with a deep love of southern sounds from the 60s – particularly the best grooves coming out of Memphis or New Orleans! The mix of instrumentation features tight trumpet, tenor, and guitar – and although the group's core jamming is the main appeal of the record, the set also features guest vocals on a number of tracks – different soul-styled vocalists who collaborate with the group, and create a nice sense of spontaneity and variety throughout. Titles include "The Club", "Hearts Are Jumping", "Ben's Dungeon", "Dead Cat", "Tune In", and "Smokey One".  Dusty Groove

EURO CINEMA - FUNKSTAMATIC

One of the coolest funk combos we've heard in years – a group who are partly in the tight funky 45 mode of so many other groups, but who also have the chops to hit a bigger blacksploitation groove when they want! The core instrumentation is very heavy on drums that kick each tune off with a pretty powerful start – paving the way for riffing guitars, tight tenor and flute, and just the right kind of grooves to balance things out in a range of funky modes! These guys crackle with the best energy of all the young talents on labels like Record Kicks and Freestyle – and although most of the set's instrumental, there's also a few tracks with vocals too. Titles include "Enter The Mack", "The French Confusion", "Funkstamatic", "Going Up", "One Kind Of Coffee", and "Ducktape". ~ Dusty Groove