Jazzman - Funk 45

On this occasion we headed deep into the Carolinas where we’ve uncovered some supreme rarities in the world of deep funk. A little known local band The PC’s Ltd cut this record in the golden period of 1969/70 and the slightest needle drop will tell you it’s a good ‘un.

A disciplined horn section, driving rhythm section and all-round super-tight funky feeling are some of the ingredients you need to make good music for your lip-smackin’ soul food barbecue, but when you get an arrangement designed for all-round soul excitement and the all-important party vibe then you can do no wrong!

The PC’s Ltd cook up a real treat, get your copy today and treat your ears, as well as your dancin’ feet!!

Listen to Fast Man:
Listen to Stickman:

Back in the '60s there was a New Orleans, Louisiana-based band known as Lil Buck and The Top Cats. Aside from jammin’ at all of the joints across the chitlin’ circuit, Buck Sinegal and the boys took it to the bridge by even playing in the marshy stinkin’, mosquito swarmin’ swamps and even once in a decrepit wooden tool shed on the silt of the Mississippi delta.

As their sensational swamp-dog reputation seeped through the hills and down into the valley, they finally stumbled upon the fantastic opportunity of recording a 45 rpm record on the small La Louissianne label, otherwise better known for its country and blues output. The super funky sound of the deep South’s down-home vibe is captured on both sides with the curious yet fabulously titled Monkey in a Sack and Cat Scream, and the wild smoky swamp sound is personified with Lil Buck’s cotton pickin’ guitar licks which are saturated with more grease than a blackened catfish with a cajun po-boy on the side…!

This record captures the very essence of a wild and crazy touring band being corralled into the studio, being given the chance to make their one and only 45 & literally blowing their pork chops right off the picnic table in the process. But, unfortunately, as often is the case in these situations, their rib-tipped dreams didn’t sell like mama’s homemade cornbread and even to this day, this record is extremely scarce, eluding even the most inquisitive of vinyl archaeologists!

And now at last, this is your chance to hear that delicious Southern-fried funky sound for the first time, lovingly restored from dusty master tapes after all these years.

Listen to Monkey in a Sack :
Listen to Cat Scream:

When Tommy McGee was 13 he scraped enough money together to purchase a reel-to-reel tape recorder. In 1963 he used it to record two jazzy instrumentals with his band, and sent the tapes off to a custom record manufacturer. Some time later the 45s arrived with the initials TMG inscribed at the top of the label. The acronym would become the band’s calling card as they cut their chops playing local clubs and events.

By 1967 they had developed into a tight-knit bunch, so they hired some studio time to make a record. What happened during that session was one of the wildest organ funk instrumentals ever recorded - ‘The Hatch’. Tommy played the organ at and recalls, “I had taught the song to the fellas on the same day it was recorded, and we were all excited to record it”. Only a few 45s were pressed, and it was the sole release on his new Soul Shake label. It gathered little, exposure outside of western Michigan; little did they know then that nearly 40 years later it would be one of the rarest and most desirable funk 45s of them all!

McGee would continue to record into the ‘70s, and following a line-up change would release another 45 by the TMG’s entitled the misspelled ‘Agravation’, this time on his TMG label. This song was to be included amongst several others as his first album – and although the album was recorded, it was sadly never released. Never mind though, ‘Agravation’ is included here with ‘The Hatch’, two tough, tough tunes – on one glorious 45!

Listen to The Hatch:
Listen to Agravation:

As much as we’d like to tell you a fascinating tale about the history of the dear Reverend and his colleague Bob, unfortunately, this record is so rare and these artists are so obscure that it was impossible to track down any actual background information on their whereabouts past, present and future.

As far as we know, there is only one known copy of this 45 in existence (that'll be in funk 45 collector Ian Wright's infamous hoard) and from that copy, all we’ve been able to gather is that it came out on the J. & S. NY based label, catalogue # 871910. Even Buddy Resnik, the owner of the original studio mastertape, couldn’t offer up any additional information. Indeed, this one deep funk mystery yet to be solved but in the meantime, we simply could not resist sharing this ridiculously funky record with the funk-o-philes around the globe. This record is literally, out of this world!

“Walking On The Moon (Men Are Starving)” begins with a rough and rugged riff being strummed out on a jangley guitar, followed by a completely wacked out sax solo, spiced up with a syrupy thick bass line. Basically, as soon as the groove comes together, you cannot resist nodding your head along in soulful agreement. Before you know it, Rev Jamel & Bob Johnson are having a comedic talk over about the utter ludicrousness of space research; people spending $20 billion, walking on the moon picking up 168lbs of space rock!!

As the conversation fades out, some lazy horns float in while the rhythm keeps rambling away. Joined by some groovy female back up singers, Jammy and Bob begin singing the instructions on how to do the moonwalk, “Left leg forward, while you’re shaking your hips, and you follow with your right, be careful not to slip, walking on the moon”.

The song ends with a politically aware talk over shouting at the government to spend their 20 billion bucks feeding starving, hungry Americans instead of blowing it taking leisurely walks on the moon. As a lesson in geography, they call for help in 17 different states, naming each off each one (repeating only Michigan) and even making shout outs to the likes of Bed-Sty, Watts and Harlem.

As for the flipside, “Did You See Those Men”, it begins with a 30 second countdown reminiscent of what you would expect to hear on a ghetto sci-fi tv show of the 60’s. Before you can figure out what the heck a “spidal guidance alignment” is and Apollo 14 has successfully lifted off, the drums quickly roll in, followed by a catchy melody practically analogous to the A-side. However, at first it seems that Rev Jamel and Bob must’ve stepped out, only to be conveniently replaced by some fine soul sisters to control the mic along with the help of a fluttery flute solo. At this point, the girls are wailing about the astronauts prancing, dancing, doing a lunar walk and talking a lunar talk.

This side has a much more soulful feel what with the mention of the sea of tranquillity and God creating man and the moon. And just like any good reverend, Jamel comes in at the end to reinforce the importance of man figuring out how to be a brother before blasting off into outerspace. Nuff said!

Listen to Walking on the Moon:

Nestling in the north western Texas wilderness and isolated from the rest of the world, the sleepy town of Lubbuck has given us Buddy Holly, country and western music and little else. Musicians who performed music other than C&W had no choice but to attempt collaboration with a C&W record company in order to get their music released. Most would say No, but one label that said Yes was Telephone Records, they were more sympathetic than the others and welcomed musicians from all walks of life.

So it was there that local guitarist and songwriter Vern Blair cut his only two 45rpm records: Super Funk (1975) was released on Telephone, and Mo Funk (1977) was released on his own Etta label, which he named after his wife. Great as it was having a record label and a 45 out in the marketplace, the innate problem that being on Telephone was that distribution was a problem. After all the music was funk, not country – and couple that with a small press run to be distributed in an rural area far from major cities would mean only a limited amount would reach the public.

30 years on means that’s one RARE record – a record that is so rare it is yet to grace even Ian Wright & Keb Darge’s stupendous collections. Until now, of course, as we reissue both sides for the first time, direct from the original tapes.

Listen to Superfunk:
Listen to Ohh-Ah-Ee:

Heavily inspired by the classic ‘Funky Miracle’, Jimmy Lane and his Incredible 5 band recorded this single in the summer of '69 in upstate New York. The title stems from arriving at the recording studio without any lyrics prepared, and when asked by the producer what he was going to sing he replied ‘Oh, we’ll deal with it later’. Obviously failing to do that, Jimmy Lane did the next best thing and repeated the phrase ‘Deal with it’ for the duration of the track. But don’t be put off by the lyrical efforts of this erstwhile Wordsworth – the band take you on a funky trip that stays very much in the pocket and gives many better known funk artists a run for their money.

Only 500 copies of this single were pressed, and they were all sold at gigs for the princely sum of $1.29. One of the only two known remaining copies was recently sold for £1500, so this is by far the best way to get your hands on such a heavy workout!

Listen to Deal With It:
Listen to What Kind Of Man:

Here's a piece of ultra rare Funk out of San Antonio, Texas. We are VERY proud to be able to offer this double-sided rarity for a measly 4 quid, saving you the best part of a grand... expect a meaty funk groove with sinuous bassline and chicken scratch guitar, topped off with insane cute kid vocals!

Listen to A side
Listen to B side

Enrique Olivarez – along with his Vampiros – crossed the border from Mexico to the USA in the mid ‘60s and settled in the sleepy town of Stockton, California. Gigging around town, they recorded an LP and a 45 before disappearing completely. While the LP was mainly Mexican Corrido music, the 45 (Al’s Place) is an ace of hard hot and heavy funk – recorded as an ode to the local club where they had a residency, and no doubt the soundtrack to many a debauched night on the tequila.

‘Communicate’ is from the LP and runs more into a funky Latin soul instrumental, a true party starter!

Both the 45 and the LP were private pressings with no distribution to speak of and are proper super rare – see more on our forthcoming California Funk album!

Listen to Communicate
Listen to Al's Place

For LPs click HERE

For CDs click HERE

Hailing from the tiny town of Harleyville, The Soul Drifters cut this super heavy self-penned stormer in 1974. Known only from a handful of original copies, ‘Funky Soul Brother’ has been in big demand for many years after an edit of the track appeared on a bootleg a few years ago. Now in all its glory is the deal deal with parts 1 and 2 either side of this raucous, vicious 45!

A mental piece of uptempo funk with wild party breaks, driving bassline and insane wah wah guitar chops that will ignite funky dancefloors into a fever pitch the world over!

Also featured in its full length glory on our Jazzman Records CD and Double LP ‘Carolina Funk – Funk 45s from the Atlantic coast’ out now!

Listen to Funky Soul Brother

For CDs click HERE

For LPs click HERE