Soul-Funk

Lee Moses was a huge talent and if he’d had the big hit album he richly deserved, Time And Place would’ve been it. A self-taught multi instrumentalist, Moses cut his teeth in the clubs of Atlanta, the ‘Motown of the South’, where he frequently performed alongside his contemporary Gladys Knight (who reportedly wanted him for the Pips, but couldn’t pin him down).It was, however, in New York in the ‘60s that Moses made his greatest bid to find the solo fame he desired. Moses began working there as a session player, even playing frequently with a pre-fame Jimi Hendrix, but his close relationship with producer and Atlanta native Johnny Brantley eventually saw him getting his own break via a series of 45s in 1967 – most notably with covers of Joe Simon’s "My Adorable One", The Four Tops’ "Reach Out, I’ll Be There" and The Beatles’ "Day Tripper".It was 1971 before Moses’ dream of being at stage front was realized, when he released his Brantley-produced LP Time And Place for Maple Records. Recorded with a band including members of The Ohio Players and Moses’ own backing group The Deciples, it was, nonetheless, Moses himself whose star quality shone through, via his scratchy guitar riffs, his throat-ripping vocals and the stirring mood that permeates the LP’s heady mix of funk, soul and R&B.The LP did no business, and Moses’ dream quickly crumbled. Though details on his life are scarce, it’s believed he fled New York disenchanted with the music industry, feeling he’d been double-crossed by Brantley both in credit and remuneration for the countless records he’d played on. Back in Atlanta, Moses returned to playing the clubs, married twice, and fell into depression and drug dependency. He died in 1997 at the age of 56.Time And Place soon became a much-sought-after item for collectors, and its cult has continued to grow over the years. Here, we re-present it on deluxe vinyl, with brand new liner notes from Sarah Sweeney including interviews with Moses’ sister and his closest collaborator, the singer and guitarist Hermon Hitson. Through them, Moses becomes a little – but just a little – less of an enigma.

Another AOTN outing into Deep Soul Space. You might recognise this track as Mayer Hawthorne's did respectable cover a few year back, as heads (Mayer included) have been on this record for years. The New holidays Massive 'Maybe So Maybe No' is part of a strange club, some records only ever turn up in beat to shit, I would like to think this is because they are good but there seems no good reason collectors can fathom. There are many Notable members of this club, Belita Woods - Magic Corner, Pure Pleasure - By My Side and this record here. Not only is 'Maybe So' a total banger but our minty new pressing from the masters is as good as it will ever sound. Grown up soul.

Limited gatefold 2xLPThe Spacetalk label returns with this fine compilation by French house shotter, Jeremy Underground. We know him, and you surely know him, though his My Love Is Underground label, an imprint that has produced some of the best deep house in the last five years. He's not in house mode today, though, and instead the DJ shows us his soul roots. Ron Rinaldi's opener "Mexican Summer" is a real peach of a song, then there's some Brazilian disco-funk through Leila Pinheiro's "Tudo Em Cima", and the supremely deep and sensual "Superstar" by NCCU. Other favourites include Maureen Bailey's bittersweet anthem "Takin' My Time With You", and June Evans' "Hardly Need To Say", a tune that we could just leave on repeat. A highly recommended comp!

Long Island's AIR only made one album. As solitary statements go, it's exceptional. Divinely elevated by Googie Coppola's beautiful voice, this transcendent masterpiece of soulful jazz-rock fusion has become increasingly tricky to track down. 45 years on from its initial release, Be With Records finally make it available again on vinyl.The highlights are many and memorable. From the irresistible groove of "Mr. Man" to the heavenly piano vocal of "Jail Cell"; from the funk-fuelled brass breaks in "Man Is Free" to the haunting, unforgettable "Sister Bessie", it is easy to understand why this record has been long revered amongst aficionados.Yet the entire record is without weakness and, therefore, selecting standout tracks seems redundant. If ever there was an album to surrender to in full, this is it. A perfect blend of rock and jazz, the record's greatest asset is surely Googie's uniquely expressive voice - the like of which we'll never hear again.Much like the music contained within, the original jacket was a thing of total beauty, presented as a lavish gatefold with a distinctive die-cut logo on the front flap. Accordingly, in keeping with the quality of all Be With reissues, this has been painstakingly recreated, along with the original liner notes. Sonically, Simon Francis' dextrous mastering adds real clarity and muscle throughout and, as ever, it has been pressed at a reassuringly weighty 180g.Treasured by 'selector' luminaries such as Jeremy Underground, MCDE, Floating Points and Hunee, this startling record is beloved by everyone who has heard it. Buying the original - if you can find it - would set you back a small fortune so Be With's latest archival release is one that is already being warmly welcomed from all corners of the global record-buying community.

Lovely overlooked funk/soul LP, originally released on Alwest in 1980 - now reissued.

2nd volume of the now highly sought after Paradise Bangkok 45s series, of vintage luk thung and molam that have been released over the past 2 years, collected here for the 1st time - including 3 exclusive tracks that have never been reissued before! Exclusive insert designed and illustrated by Lewis Heriz: ‘Cosmology of Paradise Bangkok’ showing the musical connections between South and South East Asia, The Middle East and East Africa