TIME TO SAY GOODBYE

This is probably going to be a rambling post so bear with me.

Today is Funky Frolic's 2nd anniversary. It has been an incredible journey filled with many ups and downs but the time has come for me to say farewell and move on. It's not a decision I've made lightly but many of the things that have happened this year have sucked the fun out blogging. The file sharing issues and subsequent flood of re-requests took away the time and desire I had to create new content and I just couldn't muster the dedication that this place requires.

There are so many people I'd like to thank - from my fellow bloggers to all the wonderful people who left comments that would bring a smile to my face, friends and strangers alike. I've been lucky to have a group of supporters who helped make Funky Frolic what it is and it's been a joy to be part of a community of like-minded music lovers. Thank you all so much.

I feel like I've achieved everything I wanted here. The aim was always to celebrate the music I enjoy and bring it to the widest audience possible. I think that over the course of the last two years I've played my part in fostering the appreciation of certain genres amongst people. Around 7 or 8 terabytes of music have been downloaded through Funky Frolic and it's a thrill to know people have listened to albums I've recommended or mixes that I've created. I couldn't have imagined something I created would receive a million pageviews on the internet, let alone almost two million. It's been a wild ride and one I'll never forget.

I will leave the site up in case I have a change of heart and can't stay away or if I have a new project you might be interested in. I'll lock the comments function in a couple of weeks. You can contact me through my Blogger profile if you wish but please refrain from making music requests. I apologise to those who have outstanding re-up requests, I hope you are able to find what you're looking for somewhere else.

Well, I guess that's it. I've had a lot of fun and I hope you have too. As always, stay funky.

Mr.Craig.

LIBRARY MUSIC MIXES - SEPTEMBER UPDATE

I thought I'd continue on with my work collating library music related mixes from around the web. First up we have Gafieira who is now going by the name "Ray Krebbs". He has put together a nice collection of music sourced from Marsellus Wallace's blog entitled "Soundtracks And Library Music (70's)" which features British, French and Italian library gems. Ray has also created a mix called "Big Beat And Library Mix" that takes a journey through the KPM catalogue, highlighting the tracks that have inspired the current generation of hip hop and big beat artists. Both comps are well worth a listen.

I'm not sure how I missed these guys previously but [astral projects] Records have released a number of awesome library themed podcasts which are packed with legendary names like Hawkshaw, Nilovic, Warner, Mansfield, Gray, Bennett, Giordano and many, may more. You can download them all here and be sure to check out more of their "Library Confessions" comps here ( they appear to be listen-only but if you have a search around you might be able to locate some download links ).

Funky Frolic regular blunderspublik has been busy on Mixcloud putting together what he calls the "Metameric Mix: Centipede Radio". Amongst a diverse range of sounds you'll hear pieces by Teddy Lasry, Bernard Estardy, Johnny Hawksworth and Piero Umiliani. You need to sign up to Mixcloud in order to hear the mix but it's well worth it because there's plenty of great music to be found on the site if you're willing to dig around. Take for instance Kid Sundance's fantastic KPM based set here or "Só Pedrada Musical apresenta: Sound Library" by Sopedradamusical that features an all star cast of heavy hitters from the library music scene.

If you have created or know of any other library mixes/podcasts that are available on the internet then leave me a message and I'll include them in my next update. As always, stay funky!

GET SMARTER - VARIOUS ARTISTS

Download here

Track 1 - Isbergues 2AM / Tony & The Mulestation

Track 2 - Freakout! / Les Merseys

Track 3 - Le Winston / The Nilsmen

Track 4 - Baseline / The Beatstalkers

Track 5 - I Was A Persian Fly / Jerry Allen

Track 6 - Slightly / Slamcreepers

Track 7 - Sleppin' / David

Track 8 - What'd I Say / The V-Rangers

Track 9 - Here Comes The Boot / The Johnny Harris Orchestra

Track 10 - Underworld / The Reg Guest Syndicate 

Track 11 - Black Olives / The Bad Boys

Track 12 - Night Rider / The John Schroeder Orchestra

Track 13 - Arcipelago / The Underground Set

Track 14 - Come On Back / The Wild Ones

Track 15 - Sweet Bacon / Julian Covey & The Machine

Track 16 - Pepsi / The Mohawks

Track 17 - Watermelon Man / Artie Scott Orchestra

Track 18 - Pinball / The Van Doren Hawksworth Collection

Here is a collection of funky 1960's grooves that fits somewhere inbetween "Blow Up: Exclusive Blend Vol.2" and the rambunctious sounds which have emanated from various Northern Soul compilations over the years. There's a healthy amount of go-go grooviness but many of the tracks feature a rock and roll snarl which gives the music a welcome oomph. Unsurprisingly two of my favourite pieces have a library music connection - "Pepsi" by Alan Hawkshaw and his Mohawks along with "Pinball" which was co-compsed by Johnny Hawksworth are both loads of fun.

This compilation is not for the pipe smoking, beard strokers out there. Rather it is a joyous and infectious celebration of sound that wills you towards the dancefloor. Many thanks to the original uploader.

WIZZZ! VOLUME 2 - VARIOUS ARTISTS

Download here

Track 1 - J'aime Ou J'emm / San Antonio

Track 2 - Je t'aime Normal / Jean Et Janet

Track 3 - Maintenant Je Suis Un Voyou / Bruno Leys

Track 4 - Des Arbres De Fer / Guy Skornik

Track 5 - Dans Son / Chorus Reverendus

Track 6 - Je Suis Inadaptee / Brigitte Fontaine

Track 7 - Bonne Nuit Chuck / Philippe Nicaud

Track 8 - Herr Doktor Reich / Zorgones

Track 9 - L'Electocute / Jesus

Track 10 - 4 Cheveux Dans Le Vent / Bianc Didonc

Track 11 - Crazy Girl Crazy World / Alain Boissanger

Track 12 - KKK / Serge Franklin

Track 13 - Amstramgram / Isabelle

Track 14 - Hallucinations / Bruno Leys

Track 15 - Un Soir D'Ete / Nelly Perrier

While it might not be to everyone's taste, there's certainly some interesting stuff going on within this compilation of 1960's French pop and psych rock music. It has a somewhat similar off the wall vibe to the Popshopping advertising comps with sugary sweet vocals being teamed with fuzzy guitar and uptempo drumming to create sub 3 minute pop nuggets. I quite like the more rock 'n' roll orientated tracks such as "Des Arbres De Fer" by Guy Skornik and "Amstramgram" by Isabelle who sounds like she was about 10 years old when the track was recorded. Groovy!

 

THE WHITEFIELD BROTHERS - EARTHOLOGY

 

Download here

Track 1 - Joyful Exaltation

Track 2 - Safari Strut

Track 3 - Reverse

Track 4 - Taisho

Track 5 - Sad Nile

Track 6 - The Gift

Track 7 - Ntu

Track 8 - Pamukkale

Track 9 - Alin

Track 10 - Breakin' Through

Track 11 - Sem Yelesh

Track 12 - Lullaby For Lagos

Track 13 - Chich

I first came into contact with The Whitefield Brothers through a YouTube video for the song "Safari Strut". Clearly this is some kind of lost mystical afro/breakbeat album from the mid 70's I thought to myself. To my amazement however I discovered the record was released just a few short years ago. Once I had listened to the whole set the modern aspects on tracks such as "Reverse" and "The Gift" became apparent but the most striking part of the music is the dedication to authenticity, particularly when it comes to the truly stunning percussion work.

When performers try to mix a number of different genres together the results can sometimes be disconnected and wishy washy but there are no such problems here. The blend of funk, jazz, afro, exotica and Clutchy Hopkins style drumming is sublime and evokes images of taking a roadtrip through the heart of Africa. It's a glorious celebration of sound that I can't recommend highly enough.

The Whitefield Brothers ( aka The Poets Of Rhythm ) have released one other album that I know of, 2002's "In The Raw" which is also outstanding. Thanks to the original uploader. Enjoy!



KING OF WOOLWORTHS - L'ILLUSTRATION MUSICALE

Download here

Track 1 - G-Plan

Track 2 - Montparnasse

Track 3 - Sell Me Back My Soul

Track 4 - Hub 100

Track 5 - Evelsong

Track 6 - 123 (Brillo's Beat)

Track 7 - Delia Derbyshire

Track 8 - Nuada

Track 9 - A12

Track 10 - This Is Radio Theydon 

Any album that references classic library music labels such as Montparnasse and L'Illustration Musicale along with naming a track after Delia Derbyshire is alright with me. The music is a little hard to describe, I could certainly draw parallels between the first two tracks and the work of David Holmes and Air. "Hub 100" drifts more into the realm of ambient hip hop while "123 (Brillo's Beat)" and "Delia Derbyshire" obviously draw their influences from library music. I also really like the piano based "A12" which sounds a touch like the beginning of the wonderful "La Mer" by Nine Inch Nails. The two vocal tracks on the album didn't appeal to me but overall I found it an engaging and enjoyable listen.

Jon Brooks is the man behind King Of Woolworths and he's also released music under the names of D.D. Denham and The Advisory Circle. I'd strongly recommend you check out these recordings because they seem like they'd also appeal to fans of production music.

RARE GROOVE ORCHESTRA - DANCING WITH COWS (LIVE)

Download here

Track 1 - Soul Intro

Track 2 - Joomla

Track 3 - Hipped To The Dip

Track 4 - Batting Zero-Zero

Track 5 - Jazz Intermezzo

Track 6 - The Hipster

Track 7 - The Man With The Dirty Finger (Clint Eastwood Version)

Track 8 - Turtle Walk

Track 9 - Keyed Out

Track 10 - Memphis Boogaloo

Track 11 - The One With Lyrics

Track 12 - Do The Rad Snapper

Track 13 - Soul Outro

I was doing some random internet searches and came up with this cool act from the Netherlands. The Rare Groove Orchestra are deceptively named because the music they play has very little in common with any rare groove I have heard before. Their sound is centered much more around Hammond funk and soul, stylistically they also share some common ground ( and band members ) with The Soul Snatchers.

This live performance showcases their skills with most of the tracks being uptempo jams that exceed the 5 minute mark. You can almost feel the sweet dripping from the band members as they turn out relentlessly funky grooves for over an hour. While I usually like a bit more variety in an album than what's on offer here there is no denying the talent on display, they know what they're good at and they stick to it. Anyone who enjoys modern funk should find plenty of enjoyment within this collection.

I initially saw "Dancing With Cows" at itunes for $16.99, then went to the RGO website to discover they were giving the album away for free. Quite strange and probably quite annoying for those who have already paid for it.

CORPUS OCTO MIX - VARIOUS ARTISTS

 

http://www.mediafire.com/?76q6rc4676smlfm

Last month I posted the excellent "Heavier Load" mix by September 70 aka pixel_face and he has just finished work on another fascinating project...here are some details -

Corpus Octo is an International Collaborative Mix Project. 8 obsessive record collectors, musicians and mix creators who found a common sound and built a small community around it in Mixcloud. The mix winged it's way digitally between 8 cities around the globe and has been added to by each along the way, a musical equivalent of an exquisite corpse.

The contributors in order are-

1. DJ Alfonso (Los Angeles)
2. Anatoly Ice (Moscow)
3. September 70 (Brisbane)
4. Fraserfunk (Manchester)
5. Ebokai (Amsterdam)
6. Dunwich Radio (Malmo)
7. Hackney Marshman (London)
8. Vinyl Miners (Sao Paulo and Cardiff)

From the 15 tracks used in this mix there are a number which will be familiar to Funky Frolic followers ( and lovers of fine music in general ). They include "Silver Thrust" by Peter Reno which can be found on the "Sound Book" compilation, "Microchaos" from the "Distortions" album by Blue Phantom, "Frog In Love" by Piero Montanari which features on "Scoctopus: The In Sound From Octopus Records" and "Black Fire" by Mandingo. The concoction of Italian soundtrack, library music, psych funk and other delights creates an engaging journey that is a testament to the skill and taste exhibited by these talented producers. I'm sure you'll love this!

DUSTY FINGERS VOL.11 - VARIOUS ARTISTS

Download here or here

Track 1 - Confunktion / D.Richmond

Track 2 - Music People / Jack Mayborn

Track 3 - Are You Free? / Larry Robbins Sport Studio Band

Track 4 - Devil's Masquerade / Syrius

Track 5 - Les Dunes D'Ostende / Francois De Roubaix

Track 6 - Southbound / Sound Studio Orchestra

Track 7 - African Honeymoon / Golden Music Orchestra

Track 8 - Type A to E / Hiro Tsunoda

Track 9 - Take Me To The Mardi Gras / The Spotnicks

Track 10 - Flower Dance / Michel Gonet

Track 11 - Brute Pt.1+2 / Louis Clarke

Track 12 - Overtone / Nick Ingman

Track 13 - Allora Il Treno / Bruno Nicolai

Track 14 - Yama Yama (Yamasuki) / Daniel Vangarde

Track 15 - Voyages / Michel Polnareff

Is this the best Dusty Fingers compilation ever? If it isn't then it sure comes close. From the beginning of the thunderous, heavy "Confunktion" the tone is set for a wild ride of rare groove, breakbeats, library music and more. Well known classics such as "Yama Yama" and Michel Gonet's "Flower Dance" are complimented by library gems from Louis Clarke, Nick Ingman and Larry Robbins along with an array of other delights. Every track has something special which makes it stand out, usually it's a particularly tight drum beat nestled within some pleasant orchestration or crime funk. These 15 tracks only run for a total of 38 minutes and if you are like me then you'll be reaching for the "repeat" button so you can experience the exceptional grooves again and again.

ANITEK - INSTRUMENTALS VOL.8

http://www.mirrorcreator.com/files/1EA6OF7V/Anitek.zip_links

Track 1 - Mr. Monster Man

Track 2 - Turkey Neck Sandwich

Track 3 - Suisse Connection

Track 4 - Grandmaster Turtle

Track 5 - Shower Floor

Track 6 - Raining Rome

Track 7 - Panda

Track 8 - Six Head

Track 9 - The Arrival

Track 10 - Lost Hours

Track 11 - Balcony Photography

Track 12 - Authorization

Track 13 - Flight To Geneva

Track 14 - Asleep Again

Track 15 - Ant Invasion

A fantastic selection of tracks by Anitek that combines together many great funk, soul and rare groove samples with mid tempo hip hop beats to creates a groovy and relaxing ambiance. Most of the time the original material is treated with the respect it deserves so hopefully this wont offend too many of the purists out there. It's a likable mix, the kind of thing you might hear playing at a hip bookstore or coffee shop. Good stuff.

THE POLITICIANS - PSYCHA-SOULA-FUNKADELIC

 

Download here

Track 1 - Psycha-Soula-Funkadelic
Track 2 - The World We Live In
Track 3 - Church
Track 4 - Free Your Mind
Track 5 - Everything Good Is Bad
Track 6 - A Song For You
Track 7 - Speak On It
Track 8 - Funky Toes
Track 9 - Politicians Theme
Track 10 - Close Your Big Mouth
Track 11 - Love Machine (Vocal)
Track 12 - Love Machine (Instrumental)

Much in the same vein as "Skull Snaps", The Politicians released one album in the early 1970's and due to the vast amount of great music released during that period it didn't receive the attention it rightly deserved. However, since being sampled by the likes of DJ Shadow, Kenny Dope and The Go! Team there has been renewed interest in this record and rightly so because there are some mind blowing funk bombs, particular on Side A. The songs feature elements of soul, rock, funk and psych all wrapped up in an irresistible pop bundle that will surely have you coming back for repeat listens. The serene "A Song For You" marks a changing point with the following tracks displaying more of a Motown feel, interrupted briefly by another funky gem in the form of the "Politicians Theme". It's a truly outstanding album that is most deserving of my 10 out of 10 Frolics stamp of approval!

TOMMY GUERRERO - A LITTLE BIT OF SOMETHIN'

http://www.4shared.com/zip/uYVre4Ba/Tommy_Guerrero-_A_Little_Bit_O.html

Track 1 - Blue Masses
Track 2 - Four TRK Samba
Track 3 - Tiny
Track 4 - Numb Milleneum
Track 5 - 100 Years
Track 6 - Pescadito
Track 7 - Azucar
Track 8 - Flux And Meter
Track 9 - It's Raining Again
Track 10 - Today Like Everyday
Track 11 - Soul Miner
Track 12 - As The Sea Holds Creatures Vast And True
Track 13 - So Blue It's Black
Track 14 - Little Chin
Track 15 - Exzebache

Here is a review care of AllMusic -

"Tommy Guerrero's A Little Bit of Something sounds like the former skate punk has been listening to a whole lot of mid-period Beastie Boys albums. It's not the in-your-face rhymes or punk-based aggression that's influenced him, but the group's canny mix of samples and new music that blends influences from all kinds of unexpected, offbeat places. (Tracks like the languid, groovy "Four TRK Samba" also suggest that Guerrero has a full complement of Cornelius albums.) These brief instrumentals -- 15 tracks in 39 minutes! -- ignore the drone and ambient schools of electronica and post-rock in favor of a magpie-like interest in variety and novelty. This makes the songs on the aptly titled A Little Bit of Something wonderfully varied and never tiresome. (The sounds even change within songs, such as the way "So Blue It's Black" starts out as a duet for acoustic guitar and vinyl noise but then eases into mellow, '70s-style fusion.) This is an enchanting, fascinating album."

For more Guerrero go and check out "Lord Newborn And The Magic Skulls".

DROPPIN' SCIENCE - BLUE NOTE GREATEST SAMPLES

Download here or here

Track 1 - It's Your Thing / Lou Donaldson

Track 2 - Mystic Brew / Ronnie Foster

Track 3 - Think Twice / Donald Byrd

Track 4 - The Edge / David McCallum

Track 5 - Oblighetto / Brother Jack McDuff

Track 6 - Get Out Of My Life, Woman / Joe Williams

Track 7 - Down Here On The Ground / Grant Green

Track 8 - Spinning Wheel / Lonnie Smith

Track 9 - Howling For Judy / Jeremy Steig

Track 10 - Who's Makin' Love (To Your Old Lady) / Lou Donaldson

Track 11 - Tidal Wave / Ronnie Laws

Track 12 - Little Green Apples / Monk Higgins

Track 13 - Wind Parade / Donald Byrd

The Blue Note label has proven to be an inspirational goldmine for hip hop artists and DJ's for a good 20 plus years now. This collection brings together a number of Blue Note performances that have been sampled by the likes of the Beastie Boys, De La Soul, DJ Krush, A Tribe Called Quest, Gangstarr and even Madonna. As you would expect the grooves are seriously heavy duty and give a fair representation of the brilliance possessed by the likes of Donaldson, Green, Bird et al. Crazy organ lines and breakbeats abound in true Blue Note style, the biggest suprise for me came with Lonnie Smith's "Spinning Wheel". I've long since considered Jimmy McGriff's version to be the height of funkiness but this is a whole different beast! All in all it's an epic collection that does the classic label justice while highlighting the connection between different generations of artists.

Please note - the copy I have is the CD version which only contains the first 10 tracks, I haven't checked the above links to see if they include the extra tracks but the Depositfiles file is quite large and more than likely contains them. If not they can be found easily on the web. Enjoy!

SEPTEMBER 70 - HEAVIER LOAD

http://uploading.com/files/99b482md/Heavy%252BLoad%252B2.zip/

Friend of Funky Frolic and member of September 70 pixel_face sent me an email today regarding a mix he has just finished and posted on MixCloud. The music is a heady blend of funk, soul, rare groove and a little library music in the form of "Swamp Fever" by John Cameron and Alan Parker. It's well worth a listen ( download through the above link ) but if you are keen on hearing a more library heavy mix then might I suggest checking out the excellent "Propheties d'un Avenir Incertain" which features the likes of Piero Umiliani, Ennio Morricone, Lesiman, Remigio Ducros and Egisto Macchi.

For all this and much more I strongly recommend you take a look at September 70's MixCloud page which can be found right here.

CLUTCHY HOPKINS - THE LIFE OF CLUTCHY HOPKINS

http://www.4shared.com/file/i2oqkzYq/clutchy_hopkins_-_the_life_of_.htm?aff=7637829

Track 1 - 3:06

Track 2 - 3:02

Track 3 - 4:08

Track 4 - 3:25

Track 5 - 2:15

Track 6 - 3:11

Track 7 - 2:07

Track 8 - 3:26

Track 9 - 3:34

Track 10 - 3:05

Track 11 - 3:14

Track 12 - 3:24

This is the 2005 debut album by "Clutchy Hopkins" who is widely believed to be an alias for one or more performers, possibly MF Doom, DJ Shadow, Cut Chemist, Money Mark, Madlib or Shawn Lee. More recent Clutchy releases have listed Lee and MF Doom as collaborators. The music is a sweet mix of heavy drumming and jazz with an eastern vibe featuring on a couple of tracks. There's a good variety of down tempo and funkier grooves that should appeal to fans of the aforementioned artists along with those who enjoy jazz, funk and library music. I hope you enjoy this and feel inspired to search out the subsequent releases such as "Fascinating Fingers" and "The Story Teller". Below is a picture of "Clutchy" and a sample from the album...

LESIMAN - THE FUTURE SOUND OF LESIMAN

http://www.mediafire.com/?nicogmnogyz

Track 1 - Bagliori

Track 2 - Play Car

Track 3 - Confronto

Track 4 - Fiaccole Di Pino

Track 5 - Controcorrente

Track 6 - Via Nell'Autunno

Track 7 - Rolling

Track 8 - Moto Centripeto

Track 9 - Messaggio

Track 10 - Padmina

Track 11 - Colloquio

Track 12 - Telescrivente

Track 13 - Le Regole Del Gioco

Track 14 - Schegge

Track 15 - Direzioni

Track 16 - Diversioni

Track 17 - Traffico D'Armi

Track 18 - Contatto Umano

Track 19 - Motivo Ricorrente

Track 20 - Milano 72

Track 21 - Trepido E Ilare Giorno

I'm ashamed to say that I have long ignored this record simply because I didn't like the look of the cover. Therefore I have come to the Lesiman party a little late, but as they say in the classics "better late than never". Lesiman ( real name Paolo Renosto ) released a clutch of library albums in the 1970's on legendary Italian label Vendette and they are the basis for this compilation. Drama, intrigue and suspense abound through these 21 tracks but in typical Italian style there is also a very distinctive dream like quality that draws the listener in. Obviously if you are a fan of soundtrack or library music then you've probably long since discovered the joys of Lesiman but if you are new to the game or have just been a fool like me then get on board!



BARRY 7'S CONNECTORS - VARIOUS ARTISTS

http://rapidshare.com/files/147897041/Barry_7_s_Connectors.zip

Track 1 - Erotica No.2 / Jiri Bezant & Jiri Malasek

Track 2 - Catch That Man / Nino Nardini

Track 3 - Dawn Mist / Stringtronics

Track 4 - Weird Sounds No.1 / Georges Teperino & Roger Roger

Track 5 - Amour, Vacances Et Baroque / Paul Guiot & Paul Piot

Track 6 - Preambule No.36 / Paul Bonneau & Yves Lamand

Track 7 - Solar Flares / Sven Libaek

Track 8 - Forgotten World / Anthony King

Track 9 - Quasars / Sven Libaek

Track 10 - Sacred Trip / Doris Hays

Track 11 - Electronic Rhythm / Eric Peters

Track 12 - Univers Sideral / Paul Bonneau

Track 13 - Coconut Coast / Roger Roger

Track 14 - Electro Sounds No.8 / Cecil Leuter & Georges Teperino

Track 15 - Roger Rhythm No.1 / Roger Roger

Track 16 - Hors Phase / Johanna Group

Track 17 - Maladjusted Moogie / Anthony King

Track 18 - Electro-Exotic 1 / John Mathews & John Baker

Track 19 - Preambule No.37 / Paul Bonneau & Yves Lamand

Track 20 - Mobile / Torrie Zito

Track 21 - Merry Go Sound / Gary Bellington

Bary 7's Connectors takes a look at the weirder side of library music with some unusual nuggets courtesy of Anthony King, Roger Roger, Paul Bonneau and others while classics from Sven Libaek and Stringtronics add more depth to the mix. There isn't much continuity between individual tracks however gems such as "Coconut Coast" and "Univers Sideral" make up for that. This is probably a good companion piece to "Nuggets: Luke Vibert's Selection". I will most likely post Volume 2 tomorrow. Enjoy.

COKE ESCOVEDO - COMIN' AT YA!

http://www.mediafire.com/?nnniwt8bslv

Track 1 - Diamond Dust/Vida

Track 2 - Something So Simple

Track 3 - Stay With Me

Track 4 - Hangin' On

Track 5 - Somebody's Callin'

Track 6 - The Breeze And I

Track 7 - Runaway

Track 8 - I Wouldn't Change A Thing

Track 9 - Backseat

Track 10 - Everything Is Coming Our Way

Track 11 - Fried Neck Bones And Home Fries

Percussionist and one time member of Santana's band, Coke Escovedo released this solo album back in 1976. The music is mainly soulful funk with Latin rhythms and naturally there is some really nice percussion included as well. A few of the tracks wander off into forgettable pop / disco territory but for the most part it's an enjoyable listen. The key piece is "I Wouldn't Change A Thing" which is much loved and much sampled due to the awesome drum break that kicks off the song. That, along with the cool cover art and album title were enough to seal the deal for me. I hope you feel the same way.

DUSTY FINGERS VOL.17 - VARIOUS ARTISTS

Download here

Track 1 - Hit & Run At The Club / Johnny Pate

Track 2 - A Pungi Nudi (Suite) / Bixio Franco

Track 3 - Keep On Using Me / Bill Moss & The Celestials

Track 4 - Stopover / Laurie Johnson

Track 5 - Es Bleibt Die Sonne / Gerd Michealis-Chor

Track 6 - Na Opak / Henryk Debich

Track 7 - Cat And Mouse In Berlin / Roy Budd

Track 8 - Electrosonics N.4 / Cecil Leuter & George Teperino

Track 9 - Hijack Pt.1 / Laurie Johnson

Track 10 - Blackout / Mike Nock

Track 11 - Life / Down Town Boogie Woogie Band

Track 12 - In Man Get / Kollage Klatte

Track 13 - 4 Tet / Sadi

Track 14 - Last Tango In Paris / Julio Gutierrez

Track 15 - Percussion Vol.1 / Bruton

Some of you may remember that I posted volumes 1 through 10 of Dusty Fingers a while back, here is the most recent release in the series and it's another corker! As always there is a large dose of break heavy rare groove and this edition has a particularly strong crime funk vibe which is most pleasing. Superstars such as Roy Budd, Johnny Pate, Laurie Johnson and Cecil Leuter all have wonderful tracks featured along with some lesser known but equally enjoyable performances by Kollage Klatte and Mike Nock. Dusty Fingers comps are renowned for their drum breaks and this is probably one of the better volumes in that regards. Plus there are the usual spelling errors which seem to be a trademark of the series as well. An excellent collection and highly recommended!

CORDARA ORCHESTRA - THE BEST OF

http://rapidshare.com/files/109099126/Cordara.rar

Track 1 - Tipsy

Track 2 - Distensione

Track 3 - Search

Track 4 - Target

Track 5 - Irony

Track 6 - Misly

Track 7 - Battuta D'Arresto

Track 8 - Target (Album Version)

Track 9 - Perfect

Track 10 - Saguia

Track 11 - Jet Society

Track 12 - Chrisalis

Track 13 - Misly (Album Version)

Track 14 - Hypotesis

Track 15 - Gad-Fly

Track 16 - Trip

Track 17 - Contrasi

Track 18 - Riri

The Cordara Orchestra is another member of the Italian rare groove club along with the likes of the Barigozzi Group, I Gres, I Marc 4, Arawak, Freedom Power, Blue Sharks and Pulsar Music Ltd. Ably led by Carlo Cordara, you will find plenty of the prerequisite organ, piano and flute combined with laid back guitar and restrained drumming. Pleasingly there are a number of tracks that fall into the category of crime jazz with the best examples being "Hypotesis" ( a misspelling of hypothesis I presume ) and the two versions of "Target". The occasional moments of funk such as opening number "Tipsy" are most welcome and add another dimension to this very impressive compilation. You can also find several Cordara Orchestra tracks scattered through the Mo'Plen series which can be found in my compilations section.