JOEY NEGRO – PRODUCED WITH LOVE
Joey Negro's got a decades-long love of disco – one that
began at a time when so many other artists were going for colder, easier ways
of serving up a groove – and Joey was a rare talent who could really take
things back to the glory days of the clubs! That talent has only gotten greater
and greater over the years – through projects done under Negro's own name, his
work with the Sunburst Band, and even his unstoppable efforts to work as a
dancefloor historian through his Z Records label! All that energy, and more,
seems to come to play here – on a set that soars to the skies with the very
first note – reminding us that, alongside Bluey from Incognito, Joey's one of
the few cats who can get a classic sound completely right, right from the start
– but also have a way of sending the music forward for a new generation too!
The album's a dream right from the start – with great work from Kaidi Tatham on
keyboards on some tracks – and an array of great guest singers young and old,
who include Angela Johnson, Donna Gardier, Lifford, Alex Mills, Diane
Charlemagne, Melba Moore, and Linda Clifford. Titles include "Must Be The
Music (orig disco version)", "Everything", "Into The Blue",
"Overnight Sensation", "Won't Let Go", "Anyway",
"Prove That You're Feeling Me", "It's More Fun To Compute",
"In Search Of The Dream", and "Stomp Your Feet". (Limited
edition – with bonus 12" that includes "Message In Our Music (Joey
Negro rmx)" by The O'Jays and "Spanish Hustle (Joey Negro rmx)"
by Fatback Band.) ~ Dusty Groove
JUNIE MORRISON – THE COMPLETE WESTBOUND RECORDINGS
A trio of albums from Junie Morrison, plus bonus tracks too
– all to document the genius of the guy who really helped the Ohio Players find
their groove! First up is When We Do – the solo debut of Junie – a crazy little
album recorded for Westbound in the time after he split company with The Ohio
Players – and a set that's definitely got the weirdly wonderful mix of music
that group was known for in their pre-Mercury years! Junie effortlessly moves
between a number of styles, all with a great degree of wit – still keeping
things funky in all the best ways, but also really experimenting with larger
sounds and unusual arrangements – which come into play here in a really
wonderful way! The album's an overlooked funk treasure from the 70s – far too
sophisticated for its own time – and titles include "Walt's Third
Trip", "Tight Rope", "Johnny Carson Samba",
"Anna", "Loving Arms", "Married Him", and
"The Place". Freeze is a wonderful set from Junie – a record that has
all the offbeat funk he was crafting with the Ohio Players during their
Westbound years – and the same sort of heady sound that would make Morrison a
perfect match with the P-Funk empire! The record contains the legendary track
"Granny's Funky Rolls Royce", which features a meeting between the
Funky Granny (a near folklorish character from the early 70s, who'd appeared on
records by Kool & The Gang and Ohio Players) and an alien, who tells urges
to "buy this record, buy this record, buy this record" in a very
silly voice! The funky comedy of this track is nicely matched by a range of
other odd numbers and straighter soul cuts – and titles include
"Freeze", "Super J", "Musical Son", "Junie
II", "World of Woe", and "Cookies Will Get You". Suzie
Super Groupie is a funky tribute to all the "Super Groupies" who were
helping out the 70s music scene – maybe the closest thing that Junie Morrisson
every came to a tribute album – and a set that's got all the same wonderful
complexity of his other solo albums on Westbound! As with those records,
there's a pre-Prince approach to funk that draws heavily from Ohio Players and
P-Funk elements – but which really gets a sharper, more sinister focus with
Junie in the lead – at a level of soulful stardom that could have made him
another Bootsy Collins, if folks were ever smart enough to figure out what he
was doing at the time! Titles include the funky classic "Suzie
Thundertussy" – plus "Super Groupie", "Surrender",
"Junie III", "What Am I Gonna Do", "Stone Face
Joe", "Suzie", and "If You Love Him". Set also
features rare Junie cuts – including "Junie's Ultimate Departure",
"Walt's Second Trip", "Tight Rope (single)", "Loving
Arms (mono)", "If You Love Him (single)", "Super J
(single)", and "Granny's Funky Rolls Royce (mono)". ~ Dusty Groove
DORE NORTHERN SOUL - L.A. BLACK MUSIC MAGIC
A treasure trove of soul from the legendary LA indie label
Dore Records – home to some of the finest 60s sides on the west coast – a
top-shelf lineup that's never been represented this well! Dore had a few key
groups at the time – a young Whispers, and the excellent Superbs – but also cut
work by some other great artists too – all with a level of care and class to
match the best soul sides coming from New York or Detroit at the time! The Dore
approach manages to have a sparkle without losing any sort of edge – careful
production and instrumentation, but a real respect for the voices in the lead,
too. This means that the label can come up with an upbeat groove that rivals
the Detroit sound on the dancefloor – yet also really let the singers and
groups do their thing, too. LP-only collection features 14 tracks in all – most
rare singles from the label – and titles include "Gone With The Wind"
by Rita & The Tiaras, "I'm Givin You Notice Baby" by The Fidels,
"What Did You Gain By That" by Kenard, "Your Ship Of Fools"
by Ray Marchand, "My Lonely Feeling" by Milton James, "I Only
Cry Once A Day Now" by The Puffs, "Nitty Gritty City" by The
Swans, "Why Does It Feel So Right" by Shades Of Jade, "Keep On
Movin" by Little Johnny Hamilton, "Gettin Back Into Circulation"
by The Entertainers IV, and "I Wanna Do It With You Baby" by The
Superbs. ~ Dusty Groove
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