[engl] Featuring superb drummer Sylvain Krief, Airto Fogo’s sole album from 1976 is one of the best instrumental jazz–funk / rare–groove albums ever recorded in France. Heavy drums, Rhodes, analogue keyboards, deep bass, hot horns, Blaxploitation & Latin touches...Highly recommended if you like PLACEBO, CCPP, BEN & THE PLATANO GROUP, THE J.B’S, GODCHILD...

[engl] Nigeria has been one of these African countries with a rich western oriented music scene spawning some highly praised garage rock acts like OFEGE and some hot blooded steaming funk acts. One of these groups taking a turn on music that was happening a few thousand miles west in the USA about five or six years prior was AKWASSA and here we gotta listen to their second album “In the groove” and the title actually says it all. They play some funky music that would make James Brown (God rest his soul) or Betty Davis (Miles Davis' beautiful and highly gifted wife) go crazy for and they do it with a routine you would rather expect with American superstars. AKWASSA impress with a tight as a teenie's ass rhythm section grooving some hypnotizing beats that consist of wild percussions and an airy drumming tied together by some captivating bass lines. Upon this rhythmical basement you find a grinding organ scrubbing your senses and a clean wah wah driven guitar that erupts into fuzzed out solos from time to time. The mid ranged voice comes with a rich tone and nobody would question me if I'd tell him this was a US act. Well, okay, there is a little accent but at least his English is grammatically perfect. In the end it does not matter much for the voice is one instrument that adds a patch of color to the whole picture. How great to know this Afro Funk classic from the 70s can now be enjoyed by a young audience with an open mind. Old school funksters, take your chance, this is sheer bliss.

[engl] Now we enter territories of smooth disco grooves and spicy samba rhythms as solid background for whipping melodies of the most charming kind. This is a lush late 70s disco production with an affinity for jazz that showcases a band lead by a truly gifted violin player. Elements of electronic dance and pop music and Latin sounds embrace each other and get tied together by sexy funky bass guitar lines. Samba, Salsa and whatever South America has to offer join forces with the Western club music of the day and in between all those fluffy but rich arrangements some freaked out piano eruptions and twisted song structures prove Alfredo De La Fe's fondness for the jazz scene aside from the mainstream. His violin turns into a screeching demon raging upon an ever flowing pulse of percussions, bass and drums. And the beat will definitely not leave you alone for the whole playing time. Alfredo's violin is the secret star of this record and he as the multicultural band leader, born in Cuba, living in the USA after 16 years in Columbia, knows to enchant and fascinate his listeners with songs that have the charm of pop and the edges great jazz offers, fused into one vivid world of sound. The deep and wide structures invite you to take a trip through a pulsating city with music, dances and happy spirits everywhere. My favorite here is the truly modernized but utterly hypnotizing “My favorite things” I only used to know from John Coltrane before. Folks, Alfredo De La Fe might play a really smooth, happy and lightweight music but this man really pulls it off. No wonder that original pressings of this album go for 180,00 Dollars. Now we can change that with a beautiful fresh reissue and if you are a lover of Latin music, disco and funk, be welcome to lend your ears to Alfredo De La Fe.

[engl] Andre Williams does not need an introduction anymore. At age 80 his career has taken him around the world and back, spanning 50 years with more ups and downs than most people would survive. Garage rockers, meet your spiritual ancestor. AW is a rock-n-roll survivor, a musician whose credits stretch back to the 1950s, a former session player with Ike & Tina Turner who reinvigorated his career with a string of late 90s garage rock albums like "Red Dirt" and "Silky". He continued to tour the world, write songs, write books and generally entertain anyone sitting next to him with his stories and charisma. With this 5 track Mini-LP, Andre has teamed up with his touring band the Goldstars, to assemble a collection of fine songs, that reflects his current sound and attitude. Williams has little left to prove, so if the guy wants to sing about women - as he does, one way or another, on every track here - I'm sure not going to tell him NO. It is one part garage rock, one part R&B and part Andre Williams, having fun in doing his thing. This is a soulful record, a dance record and a reflective record of an icon still at work as a world-class entertainer. Finally it is available, but only in a very limited edition. So better be fast!

[engl] There have always been countless music acts that appeared and disappeared within the wink of an eye in whatever style and scene one can imagine. And not only since the independent record label became a trendy way to release albums in the 1980s, but also way before already. One small label effort was “Day by day”, the only album by American band BACK EAST, at least I consider it a band as the music has this natural flow and great feeling. That’s what I call a sweet obscurity: recorded in 1974 and released in 1975, original copies fetch prices up to 300 US$ and I am really happy that EVERLAND MUSIC gave it a proper reissue finally, for this album is worth being known by a wider audience. It starts with “Love song”, a dreamy soul pop tune with an addictive vocal melody and very gently sounding arrangements. The song proclaims that “Love is the only thing” and I agree with BACK EAST. Next comes a freaky BEATLES cover “Norwegian wood / Eleanor Rigby” and while many bands either just replay the original with no creative input of their own, BACK EAST make both BEATLES classics their very own and fuse them into a haunting piece of music. Slightly jazz influenced Latin pop joins the colorful dance in shape of a song named “Corazon”. Next on the list are coverversions of “You are the sunshine of my life” by Stevie Wonder and “Reach out (I’ll be there)” by THE FOUR TOPS with the first one being at least close to the original melody wise, only a bit slowed down with a more dreamy atmosphere, the latter one has been made their very own once more. Slowed down, softened but still with the depth of utter devotion to the cause of the song. The jazzy arrangements in all these songs, the swirling piano and slightly uneven beats build the hooks which will moor each song within your soul. We reached the End of Side A and turn over the piece of vinyl and face a chanson of the highest order with a melody so bittersweet that it will bring tears to your eyes. It gets a more pop oriented expression towards the chorus but it stays deeply melancholic throughout the whole duration. “I’m gonna love you just a little more Baby (deeper and deeper)” is also a rather soft and dreamy pop song with female vocals and the male singer joining in during the chorus. It has this flowery late 60s atmosphere that brings pictures oft he Woodstock Art and Music Fair to my mind, but also shows a certain urban club feeling. All in all a very relaxed song that gets slightly more energetic later on with a cool organ solo in the middle section. “Zanzibar” then has a rather exotic title and a thrilling, dark atmosphere. It comes as an up paced exotic jazz number with the piano as leading instrument. And it falls out of place actually for it drags you back to the late 1950s sound and performance wise. But the electric guitar tells us it is not that old by the time of it’s release. Anyway, this song stands out as a welcome oddity on this actually rather dreamy pop album and wakes you up with it’s sheer intensity. Still a catchy tune despite the jazz influence. But soon after we fall back into the dreamy state. “Summertime”, the world famous Gershwin composition has been transformed into a playful, yet relaxed jazz pop tune with amazing female vocals. The lead melody stays as it is, just the arrangements differ to other well known coverversions such as the one by THE ZOMBIES. A lengthy instrumental section with more uneven rhythms and great dialogue between guitar and piano makes this one a truly awesome interpretation of a classic tune. In the middle section the song takes a new direction for a moment that even brings to mind some atmospheric psychedelic pop music from around 1967. And it moves me, it deeply moves me. The title track then closes the album with an engaging latin rhythm (mambo, I believe) and upon this upbeat groove an intriguing vocal melody. Jazz and pop flow gently into another on this album, it sounds like swing being upgraded by adding then modern soul pop to the cocktail. And this cocktail is highly addictive. A really mellow and gentle album with only a few more energetic moments, but it comes with a deep and thick atmosphere that brings pictures to your mind. I have not heard many records that were that beautiful in the true sense of the word. I wonder why this album sank nearly without a trace to become such a collectors item, while it should have been an evergreen among fans of soulful flower pop.

[engl] Detroit has become a symbol for the decline of American economy in recent years but once was a kind of musical capital reaching a peak in the late 1960s when two main directions of sound with a typical “Detroit” flair had their origin in the motor city. One was a rough edged and earthy heavy rock style whose protagonists MC 5, THE STOOGES and FRIJID PINK came to some fame and fortune, not to mention the original ALICE COOPER BAND. The other was the world famous Motown soul sound with countless more or less successful bands and solo artists. Somewhere in between the sweet but hot blooded soul and rumbling proto heavy metal and proto punk of both musical worlds you will stumble over an all black outfit named BLACK MERDA, the first black rock band from the USA as legends tell you. But even though the band name and the African American origin of the band members which almost scream to put the “black music” label onto this band there is more color to be found in their songs than you would expect. We have elements of soul, funk, blues and fierce hard rock crossed with some more peaceful and relaxed West coast rock aspects resulting in a rich melody writing in this mix performed by a bunch of professionals who really know which skill to use at which point. But they play with passion reigning over techniques and calculation so BLACK MERDA will capture your heart quickly after this beautiful record started spinning on your turntable and they will demand their share of love from you. Highly recommended to fans of JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE and BAND OF GYPSIES, ARTHUR LEE'S LOVE, BETTY DAVIS, MARCUS MALONE.

[engl] Raw & wild soul–funk–r&b–garage from 1970, recorded and released only in Algeria! Imagine JAMES BROWN fronting THE SONICS!! Born in Puerto Rico, Bob Destiny grew up in Harlem (USA) and has a fascinating story: from starting playing piano as a child (self–taught) and tap dancing with the Five Chocolate Drops when he was 6 years old, to meeting Billie Holliday and playing with her; from appearing in a film with Shirley Temple to musicals in Broadway, dancing at Mankiewicz’s movie "Cleopatra", singing at the San Remo Festival... In 1969, Bob went to Algeria to teach music at the Algerian National Theater. He also continued with his singing career while living there. In 1970, he released a couple of 45s featuring "Wang Dang" and "Mahna (Troubles)" on the Freedom Musique label. He was also involved with the creation of the first Pan African Festival with Mahboud Bati and Frank Pourcel. These 45s are very rare and were first discovered by the great Habibi Funk label a few years ago, who included "Wang Dang" on one of their compilations. For our Pharaway Sounds 45, we’ve selected one track from his first 45 and another from his second one. After playing in Morocco with Hahmed Maraki and forming bands like The Fingers, Bob arrived to Spain in the 80s. He created a jazz school in Zaragoza and was involved with the famous "Jazz en la Margen" festival. In the 90s, Bob move to France, focusing in composition, gospel, musicals and soundtracks. Sadly, he passed away on March 31, 2016.

[engl] This extremely well crafted LP from 1970 is like a holy grail for sixties soul lovers. Just a few hundred promo-only copies were pressed on the Sundi label at the time and clean originals now fetch at least four figure sums. Singer-songwriter Alexandra Brown has worked extensively as a back-up singer with Ray Charles as member of the Raeletts and Monk Higgins with whom she wrote and recorded many tracks for his albums and soundtrack projects. Higgins also arranged, conducted, produced and co-wrote this amazingly great LP, incredibly Alex’ one and only solo album. This is absolutely the first ever official re-release and also the very first time in CD format. It comes in pristine sound quality drawn from the best known original sources.

[engl] Man, this is a blast. Soulful disco and pop music with a rather naked production and heart melting songs is what Ms. Cleveland has to offer on her hyper rare 1977 album “Looking up”, a sacred gem of late 1970s black music with electronic tinges. Her masterpiece must be the hypnotizing soul pop anthem “Love will set you free” that lives from a primitive electronic drum beat, some rattles and tambourine sounds and the interplay of organ and synthesizer. Actually even the organ sounds like a synthesizer. Her rich and soulful voice will captivate you within a moment. There are some slower tunes in here that have a spaced out feel due to the synthesizer lines despite their stylistical link to early ska and rock steady or lush classy pop. Carrie's vocals have a unique charm and come as intriguing as they can. This cat knows to sing like an angel, clean and innocent but with the spirit of a diva. This is indeed a strange album and if you can imagine KRAFTWERK working with Donna Summer on disco music, this is close to what you will discover here. Original copies of this jewel go for 450,00 and more Dollars and I agree that this record is so unique in its whole approach it may bring a true aficionado and collector to the point where money plays a minor role. A strange little rarity of angelic beauty. Great to find it reissued now so we can all enjoy the slick weirdness offered by Carrie Cleveland.

[engl] Originally from San Francisco, Matthew Larkin Cassell is a talented songwriter, vocalist and multi–instrumentalist. During the ’70s–80s, Cassell fronted a trio in the Bay Area, opening for major acts like The Tubes and Sylvester. Playing an unique fusion of funk, R&B, jazz and soft–rock, he recorded his first LP, "Pieces" in 1977, followed by a 12" titled "Matt The Cat" in 1978. Both were privately pressed and modestly distributed at the time. Fast forward to the early ’00s: Cassell’s albums are discovered by beat diggers & hip–hop producers, which led to some of his songs being sampled and included on mixes by people like Kon & Amir, Madlib and M.F. Doom. Famous labels such as Stones Throw and P–Vine reissue his music at the same time that his original albums reach outrageous prices in the collector’s market. Here’s an overdue reissue of Cassell’s second effort, "Matt The Cat", originally released in 1978. A great fusion of FUNK, R&B, SOUL–JAZZ and 70s SSW / AOR, featuring "All I’m Missing Is You", sampled by People Under The Stairs. Includes two bonus tracks from his rare "Love To Love" / "When I Go Down" 45 from 1980.

[engl] Originally from San Francisco, Matthew Larkin Cassell is a talented songwriter, vocalist and multi–instrumentalist. During the ’70s–80s, Cassell fronted a trio in the Bay Area, opening for major acts like The Tubes and Sylvester. Playing a particular fusion of funk, R&B, soul–jazz and 70s pop, he self–financed and released his first album, "Pieces", in 1977. Distributed only locally at the time, the album remained buried until it was discovered in the ’00s by beat makers and crate diggers which led to some of the tracks being sampled and included on mixes by people like Kon & Amir, Madlib and M.F. Doom. Reputed labels like Stones Throw and P–Vine reissued Casell’s music at the same time that the original album was sought–after by funk collectors and reached outrageous prices. Here’s a straight reissue in original artwork with master tape sound and including a lyrics insert.

[engl] SHORT: This is certainly one of the best produced and arranged records of the 1970s soul funk era with a whiff of a disco flavor and some of the greatest songs that were ever written in this genre. But this is also one of the least known and best hidden jewels waiting to be discovered by the legions of fans loving mid to late 70s soul queens such as Donna Summer, Diana Ross, Gloria Gaynor or the mighty Supremes. Reissued in the two original versions on Everland Music. A must have! DETAILS: Clydie King originally released a couple of solo singles from her early teens in the late 50s onward before she worked as one of these many more or less nameless session musicians providing backing vocals for many releases of which a few went to eternal fame such as “Sweet home Alabama” by LYNYRD SKYNYRD or the “Exile on Mainstreet” album by the ROLLING STONES. Along with this supposedly fairly well paid session work also for Linda Ronstadt, Diana Ross, Supremes or Ray Charles, with whom she already cooperated as member of the Raelettes, she was able to record a few albums worth of her own material in the 70s. “Rushing to meet you” was first released in 1976 and got a second release under the title “Steal our love away” with a different cover and song order in 1977, the first version on Tiger Lily Records, the second one on Baby Grand Records. We can tell that the original Baby Grand version in good shape fetches prices up to 450 US$ these days in splendid shape and one could get the idea the first issue on Tiger Lily Records might be even more scarce and therefore expensive when it turns up. Everland Music now brings us relief with a beautiful reissue in both original layouts. So much for a cool reissue but who will go wild for this record’ Well, fans of slick, well crafted 1970s soul and funk music with pop flavor, who love memorable songs and a steaming performance that either gets you rocking and rolling within the walls of your home more like a mad dog rather than an Englishman ” pun intended as Clydie King performed with the ensemble that accompanied Joe Cocker on the tour in support of his “Mad dogs and Englishmen” album ” or sitting back to let the music pour into your soul. These tunes really go with the hot stuff of their time but have enough depth, edges and landmark moments to stand out from the faceless masses. Made for eternity but lost in the mists of time, a fate that many of the greatest records met since the invention of vinyl albums. But I digress. Some tunes are up paced and powerful, some have a rather mellow atmosphere with haunting melodies, all of them though showcase the extraordinary voice of Clydie King, who would not need to hide behind the soul and disco legends such as Diana Ross, Gloria Gaynor, Donna Summer or Linda Ronstadt, to throw in a white 70s pop great as comparison. But who dares to compare Clydie King to all these ladies’ It would not even scratch the surface concerning style and expression of Clydie King, it would not let you know a tiny percentage of her talent and magic. As with many rock albums that disappeared quicker than they had been issued, these 12? of soul give most popular mainstream releases of their era a run for the money. The whole piece of art will please the listener due to its vibrant production, which makes the music feel like being played by a band plus string and brass sections right now in this moment with Clydie King’s intense crooning topping it as the icing on the cake. This album will definitely ask for repeated listens, for the fan of 70s soul funk music will get addicted to these everlasting songs within the wink of an eye. I love to use the term “lush” to describe the way the music on such albums in the late 70s was arranged by the producers but this is a level only the greatest men behind the recording desks were able to achieve. There is no favorite track here for me, since all of the songs give me goosebumps. This is music that shows fire, passion and dedication, despite having commercial potential of the highest level. If this is your style, go no further. You have found what you always wanted to bring musical joy to your home.

[engl] Zach Prather is a prolific guitarist and blues man who nowadays lives in Switzerland and has worked his hands to the bone with legends such as Curtis Mayfield, Willie Dixon or Mick Jagger in the past 50 years. In 1978 he teamed up with another producer, prolific blues man Cash McCall, with whom he ventured into funky dance music in a project named COOK COUNTY, after the US county in which Chicago lies and which features an infamous prison. You can assume that the project name and album title “Released” are a pun directed towards this jailhouse and the prison cell on the cover will prove that. Listening to the album one might not really think about the tough life in prison but more of a joyful time on a giant white luxury yacht cruising the ocean, or a steamy night in a noble club in Chicago. The music has power and style but comes clothed into a smooth and silky sound garment. The songs are memorable and accessible pieces of funk and pop with soulful melodies and rich vocals that showcase a very precise interplay of the instrumentalists, probably nameless, yet excellent studio musicians. The performance is hot blooded here for sure and the atmosphere is sweaty and filled with passion, still there is this Funk music, no matter if played with the intention to reach a widespread audience, is sheer passion as it moves you with its good vibrations. Zach and Cash have achieved exactly this aim, to move people, to make people happy just listening to their songs. Thing is that “Released” only saw the light of day as a promo back in 1978 and barely shows up these days. Over the past years the albums was sold only 2 times, once for 1700 USD and once for 2700 USD. But which fan of funk and soul with a pop appeal would ever give away such a true gem’ The brass section sounds like a modernized version of SLY & THE FAMILY STONE, wild, furious and gifted with writing, exciting melody lines upon classic funk tunes. This is as classic as funk can get actually and stands on the same level at eye height with Betty Davis, the aforementioned Sly Stone and later acts like HOT CHOCOLATE, which were certainly more pop oriented but still steaming in every aspect. A sweet reissue on Everland Music for all those who walk the funky way.

[engl] Oh, this is a nifty little obscurity from 1977, actually sounding like it has been released some 7 or 8 years prior due to a rough and basic sound. But it has been a private release by an all in all christian band with christian lyrics, praising the lord and his son Jesus Christ. Original copies came in two different versions with a black cover and a green one, both impossible to find in any condition. So it is a good thing that EVERLAND MUSIC have taken their chance to reissue this beautiful record and make it available also to a more secular audience as well. What we have here is a mixture of soul and gospel music with elements of rock music thrown in. Most of the tracks are rather mellow and have a thought provoking atmosphere, but there are still a few joyful singalong tunes with a happy feel. All of them though are nothing but anthems of praise for God and Jesus Christ, music you usually associate with churches in the black neighborhoods in bigger US cities, mainly in the South, where the community sings along to the gospel choir under guidance of the pastor. But apart from being an overall spiritual effort, this music really grabs you by the soul and mesmerizes you. You feel the joy the band had recording this record. The performance is vibrant, you feel like you have been right in the same room with the band and their spark sets you ablaze. Technically this is definitely on par with every major production, just not with a really slick sound. In this case it is the music that matters, and who will disagree with me’ The sound of this record is even much older than the style of the songs and this might quite easily have been a 1950s album if you just look at the pure sound. The songs have a more modern edge, late 60s style, they could work with THE BAND, THE BYRDS and Bob Dylan as well as with black soul groups. And the songs have this special approach that makes them catchy and memorable. This record is pure brilliance and should be a highly praised gem for all fans of gospel and soul inspired west coast rock. 1977? Would you bet on it’ But that is the truth and I am floored to find so much music with a way older soul in that particular year where punk and disco ruled. Massive!!!!

[engl] This delightfully eclectic LP is a prime example of 70?s SoulJazz. It is an early fusion record combining elements from jazz, gospel, soul and blues. It even has an edge of classical music, to be heard in the clear soprano voice of lead singer A. Grace Lee Mims on several tracks. As such it is a great sign of the times, the early seventies when musical experimentation and coalition was all abound. Bass-player and band member Bill Lee would later gain fame as being the father of controversial filmmaker Spike Lee and worked as musical director/conductor on four of his son?s excellent movie soundtracks. For sure you can already hear the early influences here! This is the best sounding reissue of A Spirit Speaks since it?s original release in 1974 and comes in an exact replica of the great original cover art. Licensed by Strate-East. - Marc Janssen, www.everland-music.com

[engl] SHORT: Here we have an album that merges funk, disco, AOR and soft rock into an electrifying brew with an utterly cheerful atmosphere, made to either get up and dance to or sit back and make it work as a soundtrack for an imaginary movie dragging you straight to the streets of San Francisco with hundreds of Mustangs, Challengers and Firebirds buzzing around. Especially recommended to fans of library records from the 70s. DETAILS: Once more Everland Music give us a beautiful reissue of an otherwise lost classic from the era of disco funk and dance music. This time we have the pleasure to listen to an album originally released in 1979 that is entirely instrumental yet does not require vocals at all due to its captivating songs. The music is a cool hybrid of rock and funk with a soulful edge, which means we get to hear horns allover the place as leading instruments, which even replace the vocal melodies and a melodic, yet powerful lead guitar joining in, whenever it fits perfectly. Sometimes saxophone and lead guitar chant unisono upon a base of pulsating, steaming grooves. The electric piano calls great late 70s AOR to mind, while the bass guitar and the chugging wah wah of the rhythm guitar is typical for the funk music that was the hot stuff earlier in the decade. The overall atmosphere is just cheerful and positive, which makes this record work like a soul energizer. Due to the instrumental nature of the album it also works perfectly as a kind of soundtrack to an imaginary movie. Close your eyes and you will be dragged to the streets of San Francisco with hundreds of Mustangs, Stingrays, Firebirds, Challengers and Pintos cruising up and down the streets and people groovin’ around with golden glitter clothes, big fluffy hairstyles and the likes. You can feel the Californian sun pour out from every note despite the fact that this outfit originally came from Georgia. The interplay between the members of this project is breathtaking. The music feels vibrant, just like it was played by a real band in one room right in the moment you listen to it. The lengthy B side opener “Get up and get down” is my personal favorite jam here, for it really swallows you into a whirlwind of sounds and melodies. The saxophone lays down a few killer solos in the earlier electric jazz vein, the grooves have a hypnotizing effect on you and the whole atmosphere is electrically charged. You may jump up and dance until you lose your breath and then lose your consciousness but you also could sit and listen and enjoy the intensity of the music. Amazing for sure. The six and a half minutes title track closes down this gem, of which original copies in good shape, just in case they turn up, fetch 250 USD or more. And this is well deserved. There are no real comparisons that come to my mind but I can say if you love late 70s pop, disco and AOR combined to an unusual but always accessible and memorable sound, this is all you ever wanted. The spacey synthesizer lines and the giant brass arrangements of the title track make it another stand out and there are only five tunes here, all quite long in playing time. Sound, performance, composition, everything flows into another perfectly and the result is an album that would appeal to a widespread mainstream audience, if this ever got to know about THE DISCO SPACE FUNK BAND. Hot groovers, dancefloor sweepers and dreamy middle of the road cruising rock songs, it can all be found here. It could have been one of these cool library music records from the 70s, merging funk and rock to give the moving pictures an exciting mood. But whatever this was meant to be, it is a masterpiece one should know. Oh, I am also a little bit of a liar for there really is a passage in the opening track “A simple song”, the most rock oriented piece here, where a human voice can be heard as it goes “lalalala” with a beautiful melody for maybe three or four seconds. Anyway, this is music that will make you happy and enlighten your day, so grab your copy now.

[engl] Groovy funk, hot R&B and angelic gospel and soul from 1977 by one of the leading figures in the 1960s soul music explosion, who worked as composer and producer with the likes of Chubby Checker and Aretha Franklin for example, but also acted as member of the doo wop act THE RAINBOWS. Don Convay (1938 ” 2015) was a gifted man when it came to music and this shows in his 1977 album “Funky Yo Yo”. It starts with a hot blooded and steamy funk tune, the first part of the title track, that comes with an up tempo beat dragging everybody from his seat to get into a really unleashed dancing. On the ever pulsating rhythms you find some nice guitar and piano harmonies and riffs that push the tune into a rock direction without losing the funk spirit. The vocals and backing vocals often seem to talk to each other and sometimes even are spoken and not sung, even though this was far from the rap music that turned up later. Don Convay and his female backing singers laugh and shout at each other in a state of joy. Great one to heat up the audience. Now the pace gets slowed down and a soulful ballad named “I don’t think I can make it” flows in gently with a three quarter beat, a beautiful organ and heart warming lead vocals that have a similar timbre like Mick Jagger or Van Morrison, who in fact always wanted to sound like black guys. It is not far from Wilson Picket’s “If you need me” in the ROLLING STONES version from 1964. Coincidence’ Probably a case of inspiration that lead to one beautiful song being released in 1977. In opposite to it’s title, “Three time loser” is a real winner. Another R&B tune that recalls the golden days of British and Irish R&B around 1964/65. This was outrageously retro at the time of it’s release, since we already had disco and electronic music hitting the charts, we had synthesizers swirling allover the place and there was rap showing up on the horizon, while in rock the punk and early heavy metal started to take over the reign from all the dinosaur progressive bands. And in between we have this album. A 1964 soundalike R&B, garage rock’n’roll monster par excellance. And you really get this idea when you listen to the next song “An ugly woman (is twice as sweet)”, which could easily have been a real stormer on any early THEM, ANIMALS and ROLLING STONES record. What is going on here’ And even with the explosive funk eruption “Yo Yo Pt. 2” Don Convay goes no further than 1969. The band goes wild and crazy on this tune and they pour even more fuel to the fire. I am floored that a band on the edge of the plastic pop decade called “the Eighties” would come up with such an old fashioned but captivating, engaging and groovy record of the handmade kind. The performance on both “Yo Yo” songs is determined, devoted and vibrant. And before you get lost in the flashing grooves of “Yo Yo Pt. 2” the band slows down to take a breath again and tells you that “Love is sweeter on the other side”, a bluesy ballad with overwhelming vocal delivery. Don Convay sounds like a white man who wants to sound like a black man, still like a cross between Mick Jagger and Van Morrison with some undefinable aspects. Anyway, his voice is just beautiful, rich, strong and charismatic whatever he does. He sings in a soft way and then erupts into shouts that speak of a wounded soul. Awesome ballad. And then comes “You can’t get something for nothing” which is garage rock that sounds more like 1968 or 69 and has a distinct CCR atmosphere. Nothing but a wicked little rocker that demands your attention and then grabs you by the heart. This is still an unexpected move although nothing would surprise the listener anymore. And to close the album what could be better than another 1960s style R&B ballad. So this is what you get. Your THEM, ANIMALS and ROLLING STONES records of 1965 have begged for a little brother for ages, here we go with a record that fell out of time when it was released, but comes shining with a timeless beauty 40 years onward. If you love your 60s music and do not mind that it was only recorded more than 10 years ahead of the golden era, this reissue on EVERLAND MUSIC will thrill you to the furthest corner of your soul.

[engl] Straight out of high school the singer and multi-instrumentalist Donny McCullough was hired as a staff writer for Motown Records. While there, Donny learned from the best as how to write, arrange and produce music. After leaving Motown Donny started his own independent label EMC Records at the young age of twenty four and recorded his very own album From The Heart. This great soulful funk LP was first released in 1981 and features many musicians who later made international fame, such as his schoolmate Dorian Holley, who sang with Michael Jackson for over 30 years. This beautiful re-release comes straight from the source and will deservedly put full attention once again on this rare but classic funky soul LP.