Friday, June 29, 2012

Soul & funk classics, jazz and more...

Strong update this week with lots of great original press soul and funk classics from artists like Impressions, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Al Green, Donny Hathaway and more. Also some nice jazz like Idrees Sulieman, Horace Silver and Booker Little to name a few. The shop will be open (with our normal opening hours) all summer and the weekly update will be sent every Friday as usual. Below are some of this weeks rarer records followed by examples of soul and funk classics added this week.


All-time funk LP that needs no introduction


Yellow Bergenfield mono original


Jazz classic featuring Roy Haynes, Tommy Flanagan and Scott LaFaro


Rare album with the latin/jazz killer "Fura de fira"


Hip hop classic, shrink copy


Double-sider with two classic Coxsone-tunes in extended version


One of his best sessions for Blue Note, mono original


Ultra rare Swedish 60s jazz feat. Sahib Shihab & Bernt Rosengren


All star line-up feat. Clifford Jordan and Art Blakey


Evergreen modern soul!


Folky psychedelic album with some modern sounding electronic track.


Tough Channel One-recorded DJ album


SOUL & FUNK CLASSICS









Thursday, June 21, 2012

Weekly update. Clausel, Counts, Roberto Roena, Twilight and more...


Just back from a two weeks US trip with many soul,disco classics. It will be way more records added the nearest weeks as I'm still waiting for the majority of the records to turn up. Shop is open today but closed tomorrow and Saturday. Here's a few of the more exclusive added this week.



Sealed copy of this midtempo soul bomb. 


Very rare jungle 12" from 1994. 


Deep hard-hitting ghetto funk. Such a solid album. 


Classic disco with just the right sleazy touch. 


Edu Lobos best album including "Ponteio" and "Zanzibar". Clean copy. 


 With Bruno Tomaso and Gianno Basso, recorded in 1973. Really good copy of this album.


Obscure LP with free improvised jazz. Listen to the spiritual "Shut up". 


"Come go with me" is a great northern biggie.


Strong piano trio LP on popular french label. 


Wonderful soul/rock in "A love of your own" and "Get it up for love".


Exceptionally clean copy of this stormy latin classic. 


Lovely smooth 80's soul. 


Great live album with unknown local talents recorded in Switzerland in 1962. 

Friday, June 15, 2012

300 records added, Hank Mobley, Eliminators, Wayne Shorter plus many classics restocked

Roughly 300 records added this week in a mix ranging from Blue Note originals to restocks of classics like Alice Clark, Sam Dees, Lymon Woodard, Mulatu Astatke and many more. Also a bunch of good boogie/disco records from French distributor Boogie Times. Be sure to check out Lars Färnlöfs Sweet Cachasa and the other records below. 


Mono original in a beautiful condition.  


Mellow melodica instrumental. Not the album version. 


"Top of the stairs" is a northern/modern biggie, but don't miss the killer midtempo "You know how to make me feel so good".


Awesome clubby 70's soul. Highly recommended.

Free Jazz album recorded in Copenhagen 1969. Great copy. 


Good album with both modal moments and bossa tinged jazz. Demand is rising on this one. 


Classic Blue Note stereo original. 


Staff picks: Carl


Hello all, this is Carl at Recordmania. If you're a regular in the shop, I'm the one you will usually see at the counter. My work is mainly deciding what records we should and should not buy, and setting the price for the records that we end up getting.

Here are some of my favorite LPs. They all come with a five star recommendation, for what it's worth. For my own collection I'm mostly into soul sounds, with some jazz, disco and odd bits on the side, which is reflected in this small selection. I didn't pick the rarest things – on the contrary, what you find here is stuff that is widely known but has stood up very well over the years and deserves the ”classic for a reason” stamp. Most of these are easily available on reissue if you prefer.

 
Wind-down time. This LP is beautiful beyond words. Mellow jazz with a mood that's like a warm blanket on Christmas Eve.


Mike's first LP after he left the Censations. Heavy, heavy soul masterclass from 1972. Combines the lyrical awareness of GSH with the musical deepness of Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield at their peak. I've listened to ”Hang on in there” a hundred times and it never ceases to amaze me.


Part spaced-out interludes, part folk/jazz/soul. ”Moves” and ”Wake up brothers” are unbelievable tracks, but this is one of those records I habitually put on and play through both sides.


Soul perfection, just one of the finest records of its kind. I remember being swept away by ”Don't you care” and ”Never did I stop loving you”, and the LP is rock solid through both sides. If you're into this early 70s sound, make sure to check Sandra Wright's ”Wounded woman” album.

 

Coltrane's magnum opus. I didn't really get it the first time I listened a long time ago (young and foolish!), but after some time it just clicked. This record is absolutely immense, beautiful and powerful at once. I've tried very hard to get tired of it but it just won't work. Certainly not jazz as dinner music, but give it your full attention and you will be rewarded.


Must-have 70s soul, one of the best records ever in my book. ”All because of you”, Lucky fellow”, and ”Cool out” are all-time favorites that I've put on a thousand mix tapes. This LP oozes class from the first second. Everything about it is first rate, from the songwriting and vocals to the musicianship and arrangements.


Curtis Mayfield had to be in here somewhere. I could have picked a few other Impressions albums or one of his solo efforts, but this might be the one that's dearest to me. No surprises here, just a supremely crafted LP that sounds as fresh today as it must have done back in 1969.


Recorded in the early 70s but not issued until 2011, this was probably the most played record in the shop last year. Deep, moody soul with a heavy socio-conscious message. Totally different sound to their Mercury LP with ”Hollywood dreaming”, and much more consistent. File next to Mike James Kirkland, Gil Scott-Heron and 24 Carat Black.


His best LP without a doubt, filled to the brim with exceptional tracks. Everybody likes this record, basically.


Lovelites – S/T (Uni)
This could be my favorite female group soul LP. Stunning record from A to Z, produced by Clarence Johnson (Chi-Lites, Starvue etc). I still play it regularly at home. Can't believe this hasn't been reissued, as it's also fairly hard to find.

 

D'Angelo – Voodoo (Virgin)
For me this is probably the best record in the past 15 years. Doesn't sound like anything else, though you can hear a Marvin Gaye influence. Modern soul in a literal sense, mixed with jazz & hip hop.

Friday, June 8, 2012

300 records added: Bobby Matos, Ramp, JPQ, Juju, Stardust International...

About 300 records added this week. Nice mix with strong titles across all sections, check below for some examples. For the Afro/funk crowd we also have a bunch of releases from Soundway that's worth checking out.


Classic latin LP with the stunning "Tema de alma latina".


Popular soul/funk LP with "Our generation" and "Electrified love".


Solid doublesider. Furious northern group dancer and a great Impressions cover on the flip.  


Top notch crossover soul!


A must have soul LP with "My deceiving heart" and "The girl I find" as stand out tracks. 


Killer classic that gets played across the board, from jazz to disco to house. 


Rare independent soul. Beautiful copy in shrink.


Massive psychedelic latin fusion. Cuban original.


Rare Strata-East album in a more free jazz mode than usual.


Great roots harmonies on this Black Ark recording.


All time classic Hip Hop LP. US original.


Israeli fusion LP with some funky cuts and also a couple of soft spiritual tunes. 


Massive album with the ultimate summer tune in "Everybody loves the sunshine".


Welcome reissue of one of the holy grails of African funk. 


Legendary Swedish private pressed LP with killer funk tune "Asi es la vida".


Rare 3 record set from 2007 containing "Soul control" and "The rink".