Funky sounds from Croatia – presented here with a sweet 70s groove, and
some very offbeat vocals throughout! Zdenka Kovacicek has a completely
different way of phrasing than most other European singers we've heard –
all these weird twists, turns, and sharp little angles that are a
perfect fit for the quirky styles of the backings – which begin in a
mode that's clearly trying to emulate American soul of the time, but
which also moves into some weirder, more unusual territory too! There's
a few mellower cuts that have some nice Fender Rhodes – and some other
icy keyboards, too – and titles include "Necu Da Znam", "Dragi Mi Je
Lijep K'O Slika", "Mali Crnit Brat", "Kobra", "Elektra", "Muzika", and
"Hello Mr Elton John".
A killer collection of funky soul from the Caribbean – not tracks that
have a typical island sort of sound, with roots in calypso, soca, or
reggae – and instead just he kind of key cuts that match the best
underground work on the New York scene! Keep in mind that lots of
American disco came from musicians who'd moved up north from the
Caribbean – bringing a sunny spirit and driving rhythms in the process,
as well as a post-colonial, diaspora approach to the music – which was
then fused with American soul and funk for the clubs! This set has a
very similar vibe, but just reverses the process – with grooves that
borrow plenty from the hipper club styles of the late 70s and early 80s,
and come across with a freshly non-commercial vibe, given their
Caribbean roots. We'd never heard most tracks here before – hats off to
Waxist for compiling the collection. By Dusty
Back in 2009, DJ Harvey came knockin' at PBRC HQ to deliver a special
project he had in mind. Having a long and healthy relationship with the
dudes at Pacific Beach, Harv essentially produced a couple of edits that
could've well been next in line on his revered Black Cock label.
Eventually released in 2010, the 12" cuts caused a stir as some will
recall. Doc Severinsen is an accomplished American jazz/pop trumpet
player, and as a band leader gained considerable notoriety on The
Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Like most musicians in the 70's, Doc
took his shot at the disco and funk sounds of the time, gathered stellar
musicians, and released impeccably sounding works.
Two of these cuts, 'Be With You' and 'Shine On Me' are featured on this
release. Harvey's unfailing magic touch has yielded two DJ-friendly
edits with a lot of punch and galactic energy, yet with a velvet
undertone. Staying true to the mission, the label took great care
throughout the production process in order to preserve the quality of
the original recordings.Proprietary equipment was created to transfer
the original cuts from the source.
The mastering was conducted at Bernie Grundman in Hollywood, CA, known
for its work on the greatest albums of all time, such as Michael
Jackson's 'Thriller' and Steely Dan's 'Aja'.
The 2015 edition is noticeably different on the exterior. The cover art,
having been designed by Harvey back in 2009 for the original release,
commands attention.
At the time, however, the prevailing design had been already put into
play leaving these amazing creative elements put aside for a later time -
and so here we are.By deejay.de
One of the catchiest Roy Ayers dancefloor tracks ever – a bassy bumping
thumper that wonderfully skirts the line between clubby and funky! The
track's got female vocals singing along with the hook – all in a mode
that's quite similar to the most uptempo work by Ramp – and the tune may
well be best known for it's famous sample use by Tribe Called Quest on
their classic "Description Of A Fool"!
Sweet soul from the Hawaii scene of the 70s – a surprisingly strong
source of well-crafted, warmly-produced grooves – all with a special
sort of sparkle that reminds us a lot of the best Bay Area or LA sounds
of the time! There's a sunny vibe to the music that really belies its
roots – a blend of jazz, soul, funk, and more – all handled with
production that's few notches down from the slicker AOR material of the
period, which still lets all the more soulful currents shine through
nicely – and which keeps all this stuff from ever sounding too
commercial. Given the cultural cross-currents taking place on the
islands at the time, there's a surprising mix of backgrounds to some of
these groups – which results in a unique sound that's nicely colorblind,
and which stands as a bit of a contrast to some of the more defined
scenes on the mainland.
Taste:
Roy & Roe - Just Don't Come Back
Hal Bradbury - Call Me
Marvin Franklin - Kona Winds (With Kimo And The Guys)
Speedball Experience: Obscure Pop Jazz From Early 70’s Italian Music Library, an unofficial LP produced in Europe sometime in the mid-1980s that is available online and also includes “Sweet-Beat” and a number of outstanding tracks from Gianni Mazza, Stelio Subelli, and Amedeo Tommasi among others.
