The Soul Searchers - Blow Your Whistle - Original Old School Breaks & Classic Funk Bombs (Vampisoul - 2007)

The Soul Searchers - Blow Your Whistle

Everything is said in the title about the content of this record. Blow Your Whistle gathers tracks from the two LPs Go-Go music king Chuck Brown's Soul Searchers cut for Sussex in 1972 (We The People) and in 1974 (Salt Of The Earth). This nice Vampisoul release is the cheapest and easiest way to get inalterable heavy funk break classics like Salt Of The Earth or Ashley's Roachclip, largely sampled and used by the hip hop godfathers of the late 80's (Eric B & Rakim, LL Cool J, Run DMC, Public Enemy and co).

Jorge Benjor - The Definitive Collection (Wrasse Records - 2002)

Jorge Benjor - The Definitive Collection

Mainly specialized in African music, British label Wrasse Records released excellent anthologies of Brazilian music. After Gilberto Gil, Elis Regina, Maria Bethânia and Gal Costa, it is the turn of pop genius Jorge Benjor (aka Jorge Ben). The record concentrates on his 60's and 70's career with 19 excellent tunes. All his absolute classics are here, from bossa classic Mas, Que Nada to his samba disco stormer, Taj Mahal, a song so infectious that once you listen to it, the melody of the chorus is still printed in your head one month later. For the story, Taj Mahal was plagiarized by Rod Stewart for his biggest hit to date, Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?. The Scottich singer was sued, condemned and consequently didn't make any money out of it. Jorge Benjor made another version of the song, even better, for his Acustico MTV album released in 2002.

Blue Brazil - Blue Note In A Latin Groove (Blue Note - 2004)

Blue Brazil - Blue Note In A Latin Groove

Blue Brazil gathers seventeen rare Brazilian songs released in the 60's and 70's on EMI-Odeon Brazil. All the songs are in a jazzy/samba/bossa note but some of them are very danceable. This is particularly the case of Homenagem A Mongo, a Cesar Mariano written tribute to Latin percussionist Mongo Santanisuis performed by Som Tres and which starts with a storming breakbeat. This is the only track on this compilation that makes it deserve its title Blue Note In A Latin Groove. Marketing guys at Blue Note probably found it clever to call it that way to appeal to both Brazilian music and Latin music lovers. The last ones will be dispointed but the first ones will get definitely a run for their money. This is always an exquisite pleasure to find Joyce's best song ever, Aldeia De Ogum, among other gems.