[engl] SHORT: Hot and groovy jazzfunk that turns every dancefloor into a simmering witch cauldron on Side A, meeting silky soul pop ballads on Side B. A catchy and memorable affair that will give you goosebumps as long as you are a fan of funk and soul on the threshold from the 1970s to the golden era of pop, the 80s. For fans of Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, The Four Tops, The Temptations, Stanley Clarke, Hot Chocolate and the likes. It’s the first album of the later Blues legend Mel Waiters. DETAILS: Swirling synthesizers drag your mind into space, the slapped bass guitar throbs like a frantic pulse and there are hissing percussions that back up the slick drum sound. Here we go, straight forward into the 1980 album by the MEL PRODUCTION BAND, a private release that reaches high prices if a copy ever appears for sale somewhere and that comes as a product of it’s time. This is club music made for discos, soul pop that has all the great trademarks, as those tunes that would storm the charts only a few years later, it heads into two different directions with two steaming, yet slick power funk songs successing the intro on side A and three soul pop ballads on the flipside. While these B Side tracks invite you to dive into an ocean of lush melodies and complex arrangements that form accessible and especially memorable tunes with overwhelming vocal performances, the three jazzfunk compositions on the A side make you jump up from your seats and dance your soul out. The slapped bass guitar can be found in all three tracks, the vocals are a mix between singing and shouting in a joyful, euphoric way. Mostly simple phrases get repeated over and over again to create something like a disco mantra for everybody who is in for a wild dance. It is all glitter here and and a never ending party. You still find musical greatness in these dance songs, for the performance is just wild and the musicians are up on par with the greatest of their genre, tight and determined, still passionate in their playing and they truly love their music, their funk. So, this is a beast first and then turns into a beauty for side two. Since the original private press simply never ever turns up these days, this new reissue on EVERLAND MUSIC is more than welcome to rediscover this rare gem. Take your time to listen and take your time to dance for this album is a great occasion for both. The sound on this record is clean and slick, but vibrant. The music has the real feeling, everything is handmade and you can hear it. Even the synthesizer carpet sounds like coming from the gifted hands of a real keyboard wizard. A blast to spin on your turntable.

[engl] One more classic of the so called Afro Beat scene is this sole album by Nigerians MIXED GRILL from 1979. Heart warming reggae anthems and steaming hot funk eruptions with an ever flowing rhythmical pulse that puts you in a state of trance embrace each other on this album whose original copies nowadays fetch prices of 250,00 and more Dollars. MIXED GRILL are skilled musicians through and through capable to create and perform songs with a steady flow that come as tight as a band might play and still with a maximum of vividness. Great brass arrangements add much to the gentle atmosphere of inner peace generated by band and album. MIXED GRILL are in fact as good as any of the mainstream funk bands from the early to mid 70s and truth is that they even scored a deal with UK based cult label Decca for a wider release of their album. Well, sometimes people should listen with open ears and hearts. When you hear these cats play you could no longer stay in your armchair or wherever you sit down. Your physical body will constantly move and groove while your spirit will dive into an ocean of colors. Every fan of high class black music between reggae, soul and funk will fall in love with this band and definitely be pleased to hear that there is a killer reissue of “Cry for peace and love” out now.

[engl] Ooouh yeah, this is an easy one. The group comes from Brazil, the album has been originally released in 1978 at a preliminary height of the disco movement, there is a beautiful black woman surrounded by a shiny atmosphere and with a fluffy white afro wig on her head smiling at you from the cover. You can imagine that this is hot blooded, steamy disco funk with slick production, striking, yet gentle lead vocal lines, whipping brass arrangements and a mood of nothing but pure joy. The whole experience is rather polished and aims at a typical disco audience but all participating musicians are top players and they interact so tightly that the result is an irresistible permanent groove that will capture your soul and leaves you breathless on the dancefloor when the record is over. The arrangements are complex and thick with layers shifted upon layers of all kinds of instruments like electric piano, synthesizers, brass instruments, sexy wah wah guitars. The funk influence from the early years is still present when this music was performed and even lived in dirty backstreet clubs in some suspicious parts of the big US cities. This album heats you up with an extra dose of physical energy and a sexualizing swing that originates from the band’s Brazilian pedigree. Even the more moderate ballads will tickle your senses with a highly captivating feeling for simmering grooves and soft arrangements that are like a musical canopy bed with a beautiful nude lady waiting for you. Well, you see, I get utterly sexualized by this sweet soul music and all the hot funk eruptions here despite or maybe even because the lush and slick sound. If you love this aspect of black music from the 70s with an extra Latin touch, this is yours and will stay forever. For fans of Donna Summer, AIR, WAR and THE TEMPTATIONS.

[engl] Mr. O.T. Sykes is often and fondly called ?The Singing Dentist? but it?s far from a joke. Dr. Sykes, who till this day never gave up his day job, chooses to do only top quality music. He will not sell out to an already overcrowded pop-market as this extremely well respected and very soulful LP from 1981 so eloquently proves. Within an international circle of connoisseurs O.T.Sykes ranks among the very best of soul singers. This is true soul music to the max and is written, played and produced by Jeffrey Singleton (The Frat / Frat Band / Autofrat) and Mr. Sykes himself, plus the cream of the rich music scene in Memphis, TN. Original copies are now really hard to come by so this long overdue and most carefully prepared reissue is more than welcome. - Marc Janssen, www.everland-music.com

[engl] After many hours I spent among high society buggers at clean mansion parties lately it is time to go back to the streets and crawl through some nasty gin palaces for the real stuff, the dirty, the hot blooded and unrestrained grooves and striking melodies. And so we end up in some hell hole of a backstreet barroom where half dressed beauties dance around the rods and a mean looking bunch of black guys in shiny outfits lounge around the stage and play some steamy and ever pulsating soul and funk with enough dirt beneath the fingernails to prove their ghetto origins. And when I open my eyes again I am here in my comfort zone, the living room of my apartment and I listen to some vinyl turning on my turntable but still shiver from the experience I made in my dream. What is this all about? Oliver Sain (1932 – 2003) was a bandleader extraordinaire and brought his crew to play at highest levels while still retaining an honest feeling. Most songs on this first album of his group come as instrumentals with the occasional commanding shout by the master himself and you will for sure recognize a few fairly popular melodies and indeed, there are adaptions of classics like “Georgia” and the “Harlem nocturne” played with an enormous dedication which of course goes for all the performances here. Oliver Sain and his band do not just play down their tunes, they live out each note with the fire burning within their hearts. Especially the expressive saxophone playing will leave you as a listener floored. Eruptive lines that could come straight from the vaults of the great late John Coltrane meet a rather relaxed and laid back funk sound, can you dig it? There is steam heat and sheer love pouring from these well executed compositions and adaptions. Prices for originals of this rare vinyl go up to 180 Euros, so we can shiver with anticipation to get our hand on the beautiful Funky Planet reissue quite soon. Black music aficionados with a special fondness for 60s and 70s stuff will feel like a child in a sweets shop. It’s all good and groovy here.

[engl] Cosmic, acid-psych-soul-funk-prog extravaganza from Spain, 1971. Proyecto A was the brainchild of the great Frank Dubé from Barcelona. What can we say about him? A truly fascinating character: a pioneer of rock & roll and twist in Spain during the late 50s and early 60s, an accomplished accordion player, a showman, comedian, a Psychoaesthetics master…But he should also be considered as one of the first psychedelic pioneers in Spain due to his groundbreaking work on the Proyecto A album. Frank started working on Proyecto A in 1969. Impressed by the moon landing, he wanted to create a concept album about the Solar System planets using tone scales and groove music so people could dance to it at clubs. He recruited some of the best studio musicians around and the result was delirious concept album fuelled by fuzz-wah guitars, powerful, crazy vocals, electronic & bizarre effects, Hammond organ, soulish horns, funky drums… Due to the limitations of recording studios in Spain at the time, Frank had to create his own effects and sound effects for the album. He used a primitive Binson Echo unit, he recorded vocals through guitar amps, he used guitar effects on the keyboards, recorded with a portable microphone the sound of the beach, waves and TV sounds… Proyecto A was released in 1971 housed in an amazing gatefold sleeve depicting all the musicians wearing strange & bizarre psychedelic outfits. The project was shrouded in mystery (Frank used pseudonyms for all the musicians involved) and for many years the Proyecto A album has been plagued with many false rumors and stories. We set the record straight with this, the first ever reissue done in cooperation with Frank Dubé. This reissue also includes the previously unreleased Proyecto B recordings from 1974, which were meant to be the second Proyecto A album. Recorded at EMI studios in Barcelona but never released at the time, this features Frank Dubé backed by famous Spanish prog band Iceberg plus sax / flute player Juan Mena (ex-Máquina and Eddie Lee Mattison Band). This will surprise anyone into Latin-Funk-Psych and Library / Cinematic sounds. Lots of killer flute, drumbreaks, Hammond, Fender Rhodes, electric guitar…Including tracks like the cosmic “Missatge espaial d’amor”, conceived by Frank as the soundtrack to the first sexual intercourse in space.

[engl] Who might be Rick Mason that his inner dimension is so utterly interesting people pay about 800 US$ for the sole record he and his band RARE FEELINGS produced in 1977? Well, we will now find out. He turns all of his interior inside out and gets you folks into a state of trance listening and dancing to his raging funk’n’soul music. Organ, bass guitar, rhythm guitar, drums and percussions build a simmering fundament for the eruptive yet sophisticated performance of the brass section and when the jazzy flute sets in you will go crazy. And this is indeed a classic of electric jazz spiced up with the hypnotizing groove of the seventies funk from the darker corners of the city. While this album starts quite smoothly with a steady groove and straight melodies, the second song already shows the true inner dimension of Rick Mason, a constant changing in between twisted jazzy rhythms and wide open soul harmonies that float gently down your spine. The interplay of all instruments with Mason’s mumbling voice singing on top is just magical. We drift further along into soft passages and get irritated by strange, yet beautiful aspects of the compositions for a second. That must be the progressive aspect of everything he keeps within. Well, all these little twists and turns make this an ever growing and ever captivating album. What message might then hide behind a quirky title like “Funk ain’t being funky”? A stretched out trigger finger towards all who just pretend being? Rick Mason and his RARE FEELINGS show ‘em how. The particular tune is a prototypical funk groover with killer electric piano lines and an ear blowing brass section. Once more he mumbles in a quite unique way upon the solid basement the instruments build just for him. And while we listen we realize that even Sly Stone and his band would be proud of these brass lines. Rick Mason has certainly the guts to go for a gentle funk ballad to melt every woman’s heart and still retain the honest and earthy feeling a great funk band should play its music with. Now I can understand why collectors of outstanding underground funk gems spend a month’s salary on such an album and I cry out of joy that this kick ass groove beast got finally reissued. A number like “Metamorphosis funk” with swirling organs, flutes and rhythm guitars raging upon a wall of groove has been even scarce in the 70s when this music was all new and hot. And if you go further and experience the wild and totally unleashed lead guitar spitting out flashes of melodies you will certainly agree with me. And this is just one highlight among others. “The inner dimensions of Rick Mason” might have been a bit too far out for the average mainstream consumer but those enlightened spirits who know how to deal with dark and mysterious progressive funk and lighter tunes that caress your ears and soul will enjoy this album for a helluva life time.

[engl] This is a holy grail of an album not many people actually seem to know about. I heard about 1978 as initial release date but it could be some archive material as well because the music sounds more vintage. Strange drum patterns, cool jazzy melodies and a tenor sax going crazy make the first tune and you could imagine Miles Davis, Pharoah Sanders, John Coltrane and Herbie Hancock jamming. Suddenly this tune, “Royal walk” turns weird. A spoken word part sets in which feels like the guy (Ron Everett?) reading a poem or something. But before you know what happens the original freak jazz part returns to close this sweet tune. What comes next? A gentle 50s style Latin pop effort with a great female singer delivering some hot vocals. Somehow a 70s flair hangs above the songs you just cannot tell why it feels this way. The complex rhythm patterns here move straight into your blood and the sweet melodies pull up the sun at the beach. The whole composition generates an atmosphere of easy leisure and still there is this edgy, free playing from the brass section which reminds us this was a band rooted in the field of progressive jazz. Pop works well with Ron Everett and soon you understand what is going on. This raw yet vivid sound makes the atmosphere of a live performance. But the third number “Tipsy woman” is a typical relaxed funk song of the 70s with just a little free jazz spicing it up. Great electric piano performance here and the laid back and lascivious vocals are the icing on the cake. Utterly cool and sexy. All in all there is quite a bit Latin music thrown in the mix and this band performs it fairly well with passion and an extra share of fire in the heart. The groove infuses this record from the first to the last note. Polyrhythmical webs of beats and percussion sounds held together by a rather relaxed bass guitar spin a musical cocoon around your soul. The performances are all quite impressive and should even catch the attention of a sophisticated jazz fan. The raw and unpolished sound surely adds a lot to the mythical atmosphere of this album even though it might be a bit much for the average pop fan in this genre. Well, this Ron Everett album is a gift for the real lovers of strange but beautiful music.

[engl] Scherrie Payne is the younger sister of well known actress and singer Freda Payne and has been co lead singer with THE SUPREMES from 1973 to 1977. Quite a vita, one might say. But her 1987 solo album “Incredible” sank without a trace, despite the high quality pop music included. 670 US$ is the highest price fetched for this gem that I saw and I thought it must be an amazing piece of music. I can assure you, if you would not have known this masterpiece as a fan of perfectly produced 80s pop with a definite soul influence, you would have dearly missed out one of the most intense collections of pop songs ever released, but thanks to EVERLAND MUSIC we hold this gem in our hands as a reissue and can now witness the truly incredible talent of Ms. Sherrie Payne and her partner in crime, former SWITCH member Philipp Ingram. Sherrie croons on every song here in a breathtaking way with a voice of divine power and angelic brightness. The arrangements are not frugal with little details, of course most coming from electronic sound devices of the day, as usual with most 80s pop music. A few funky guitar licks here and there and probably the bass guitar lines are certainly handmade, the rest is synthesizer pop but of the highest order. The grooves are addictive, the melodies haunt you and won’t leave for a long time after the record has reached the final track. This is 100 % pop music from the 1980s, a product of it’s era but with a vibrant charme and songs that are outstanding. It is hard to compare this to other female fronted pop acts of the day, on the other hand this fits well with fans of YAZOO, Madonna, Sinitta, Whitney Houston and BANANARAMA as it features all the trademarks that this music needs. Catchy tunes with a longer lasting effect, great melodies, a slick and powerful production and a joyful atmosphere. Stylistically there is so much funk to be found in here, that with a more natural sound this album could have easily topped the charts in 1978 during the disco heydays due to these outstanding songs. Everything is a little bit more flashy here, as we have reached the second half oft the 80s. Anyway, this record gives a fan of energetic 80s pop goosebumps for it’s depth in the compositions and great emotional expression. So grab your copy today or at latest tomorrow for you have no excuse to miss this gem again.

[engl] You know how record nerds are. They?ll gladly tell you that a dawdling Moldovian choir of 70 year old grandmothers is the next brick in your psychfunksplosion journey. But Shahram Shabpareh is the real thing. Colorful arrangements of blurting horns, evil bass grooves, cheesy organs & thick strata of overlapping percussion instruments going off like microwave popcorn. As the leader of an Iranian 60s garage band, the Rebels, and later a 70s solo singer, Shabpareh was never happy just tossing a few moves from Abba in front of whatever was on the local charts already. He wrote & recorded hard rock & funky piano riffs that were built bulldozer tough & would?ve stuck out in an American trailer park or a London pub just as easily as they did in Tehran. Not that he wasn?t afraid to put someone elses idea to good use, as he certainly makes superb use of the Kinks? chords from ?You Really Got Me?. Its more that Shahrams rock cojones have caused him to make blistering music again & again over the years, with little regard for where it comes from. Heres a well- deserved compilation of his best tracks, with insert/booklet with liner notes, and 180gr vinyl.

[engl] The group Shake was the brainchild of the elusive soul and funk singer/producer Lenis Guess from Norfolk, Virginia. It is now considered one of the great overlooked funk bands of the late 70s Virginia scene – a tight little combo with a warm style that's just right for the dancefloor! The VA groove of the time was a different take on the styles being used up north in Philly and New York – as the groups were often more traditionally funk-based, especially in their instrumentation – but played in a mode that was upbeat and soaring, perfectly suited for the disco-era dancefloor, yet handled with the sincerity of an indie soul group. Shake communicate a heck of a lot in their music – moving through some great original tunes written by producer Lenis Guess, done with some nicely personal touches that maintain the indie spirit of the set, even though the group's overall sound is tightly professional. Originally released on Guess records, it includes the Kon & Amir favourite 'Lost In Space', but the whole album is just great.

[engl] Detroit? Chicago? Well, no not at all. This 1968 release comes from a German band playing some lush and dynamic soul pop with an emotionally exalted vocal style that reminds a bit of Tom Jones at times. The songs range from powerfully onward grooving booty shakers to striking melodic tunes with great chorus lines that enlighten your spirit. When you take a listen you will realize these folks had a sense for the classic beat music of just a few years prior to this release and they really manage to lay down a steaming performance on this style actually already outdated back then. But since THE SOUL EXPLOSION spice up everything with a dark and brooding back street club atmosphere at the right moment, they could do what they want and always sounded exciting and fresh. I could not have told the difference between these krauts and any popular British or North American act in their genre. There is passion, sheer lust, a wild and animalistic drive and an ongoing groove that will mesmerize you. Technically this is a really solid group that knows to let loose when it is time to but mostly keeps the energy flow under control. I am certain that 60s fanatics who love the soul and early rock fusion of this era will go insane. It might be one of these typical exploito bands that were only studio projects done by the same musicians on several occasions for good money to be sold in the bargain bin to a willing audience. Well, we rather do not think further into that direction since the music that appears on “Soul fire” strikes your deepest inner self and sets your spirit aflame. The melodies are amazing and if you go and check the rhythms you will end up shaking without a chance to escape the everlasting pulse. This should have been enormously big. Think of later day ANIMALS, THE FOUR TOPS and the EQUALS all thrown into a mixer on full throttle, you might get something of a similar quality. Oh, Baby, c’mon shake it with me, yeah!

[engl] Long awaited reissue of one of the rarest Mongolian albums, originally released in 1981. A musical pearl in the vein of Dos-Mukasan, Firyuza, The Bayan Mongol Variety Group and Gunesh. Released by Soviet label Melodia, the vinyl sold out immediately and has never been re-pressed after the falling of the USSR. Now EBALUNGA!!! presents an official reissue on vinyl. Soyol Erdene (Cultural Jewel) was the first Mongolian rock band. The band was established in 1971 and was frequently criticized by political party censorship for the promotion of Western musical style and Western fashion.

[engl] SHORT: STANDING ROOM ONLY’s “Heart and soul” is a masterpiece of 80s soul funk with a pop edge that will excite fans of Chaka Khan, Sade, Luther Vandross, THE TEMPTATIONS or Marvin Gaye with well crafted memorable songs that show a great production and lush arrangements that reveal many quirky only with further spins on the turntable. A holy grail for collectors finally made available again. DETAILS: 1982, funky dance music, disco, pop and soul, sounds like something familiar. But try to score a copy of this beauty and you will splutter getting aware oft he price which lies at 750 USD or even more for a copy in perfect condition. So feel grateful for Everland Music and their brandnew reissue if you are a fan of black 80s soul pop with a funky edge. This is music that was very present in the early 80s and could be heard nearly everywhere in movies such as “Beverly Hills Cop” or similar flicks, which gave us an overplayed insight into the lifestyle of those days, especially in the black community. I can see good ol’ Axel Foley chasing gangsters before my inner eye listening to this record. The production is typical for the release year. In some of the tunes you find synthies allover the place, but still the recordings feel handmade by highly skilled musicians. Flashing horn arrangements dance around your mind, the bass guitar pumps a jittery groove and the beats of the drum pulsate with a very clean sound. You have to dig deeper into the arrangements for more little details and will be surprised how many layers of rhythms and synthesizer lines with little solos added here and there can be traced within the complex, yet not complicated structure of such a song. These were the 80s and despite being up to date with sound and production values, this record offers so much depth. The vocal harmonies and all the melodies on this album point back to the huge mid to late 70s soul pop landmarks. And within all the very modern black pop songs on this album you can still find some of these lush anthems of silky soul that just blow your mind. This is certainly more than just a dance album which lasts with you for the time it rotates on your turntable. This record tells a story, probably not with the actual lyrics but with the music itself. And each song is different and has only one thing in common with the forthcoming song, namely the good vibrations, the expression of utter joy and love for the sunny side of life. The atmosphere here is great and puts the listener in a happy mood. My favorite tune here is the modern pop funk of “Take a chance” with loads of synthesizer lines duelling with the brass section, cool verse and chorus melodies and a steady groove. Now you may jump up from where you sit and swirl around in your place like a tornado, or you do it the other way round and stay there, listen to the music, listen more and more deeply and discover all the details and little quirky ornaments hidden in the thicket of the arrangements. Either way this album will soon become a regular guest on your stereo and those very memorable tunes even play in your head when you’re somewhere out there so that you cannot stop humming and whistling these harmonies. So get hooked on this record and discover one of the holy grails for collectors of 80s funk and soul music, you will realize right away why lovers of this style have laid down half of their salary of a month for a copy of this gem. Finally a new generation of fans gets the chance to listen to and fall in love with STANDING ROOM ONLY’s “Heart and soul”.

[engl] Starchild Jr. named GARRETT SHIDER, is a seriously talented guitarist, much lauded and in demand in the music industry. This might be unsurprising since Garrett was brought up on guitars being the son of legendary PARLIAMENT / FUNKADELIC guitarist, musical director GARRY SHIDER. This Funky album is a tribute from son to father, and an extension of PFunk Allstars (the next generation so to speak). ?Hand me down diapers? is a punchy versatile album with gorgeous guitars and harmony. Featured on it is the Funk maestro himself, GEORGE CLINTON, as well as other bandmembers of today's FUNKADELIC crew. - Rachel Kinoti, www.everland-music.com

[engl] Originally released in 1978, it?s the only known album by this super hot Atlanta, Georgia band. The Chapparrals were known for wild onstage antics, deep funky sounds and for taking no prisoners when they opened for any of the numerous recording acts they had the pleasure of working with back in the ?70s. These guys are a perfect summation of popular funk groove as their album is a blistering blend of bassy rhythms and tight instrumentation. It also includes mighty sweet keyboards that sneak wonderfully alongside the guitar and horns, sometimes with wild moogy touches that are almost P-Funk. They performed with notables like The Commodores, The Isley Brothers, Sly & The Family Stone, Marvin Gaye, Graham Central Station, Kool & The Gang, Parliamant/Funkadelic and many others. This great album is a compilation of hot, stingy tunes with horns, smooth ballads with strings, featuring both fast and slow funky songs with heavy rhythmic passages. A surefire holy grail funk and soul LP!

[engl] Anonymous British funk band Ultrafunk was spearheaded by Blues & Soul magazine proprietor John Abbey, who ran a record shop and label called Contempo during the 1970s; he conceived of the group as the UK counterpart to US studio bands like MFSB. Arranger Gerry Shury, who had worked with Barry White and Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees, drafted guitarist Chris Rae and bassist Frank McDonald (who often composed library music together) and future Rubettes drummer John Richardson. A lack of band photos, suggestive song titles and a predilection for American cover tunes led many to believe the band was US–based. Second LP Meat Heat shows the group at the peak of their powers, with five choice hard funk instrumentals, including a tasteful synth–led adaptation of Stevie Wonders’ "I Wish" (beautifully arranged by session guitarist Gordon Hunte, who had worked with Osibisa and Rebob Kwaku Baa), while their take on Norman Whitefield’s "Sunrise, " from the Carwash soundtrack, is exceptionally rendered. Sadly, Shury’s death in a car crash would soon squash the group, leaving Meat Heat the best reminder of their musical talents.

[engl] „A really wonderful compilation of some of the hardest, most pounding a righteous soul ever recorded, geared to be a sort of unofficial soundtrack to the Black Panther movement of the late 60s and early 70s! It’s a proud mix of both longstanding hard soul and funk favorites and more obscure cuts alike, including “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” by Gil Scott-Heron, “Heritage Of A Black Man” by Sam Dees, “Panther” by the Last Poets, “Right On” by Sons Of Slum, “Be Black” by Grady Tate, “You’re The Man” by Marvin Gaye, “Ghetto Reality” by James Brown, “Ghetto Child” by Curtis Mayfield, “Won’t Bleed Me” by Melvin Van Peebles, “Do You Remember Malcolm” by Miriam Makeeba” and lots more. 19 cuts in all — with a really nice booklet of photos, notes, an essay, biographical details and more, complete in both English and German. A really hard, really tight batch of great songs — and a huge treat to have rounded up on one set!“