Soul-Funk

Mysterious Sydney songstress Justine recorded one album in ’79, which was never officially released. Left Ear have chosen two tracks for a 45 RPM 12” single, which they feel best highlights Justine’s unique vocal talents and songwriting ability. Here the crafty songstress wields melancholic soul and a funky Jazz inspired number with personal and reflective lyrics, both with an intimate and honest approach.Elusive Sydney songstress Justine (Bradley) almost entirely wrote, produced and arranged her sole LP in ’79, an album that was funded by a radio station as the beneficiary for emerging talent. The music was created specifically for radio play without any intention of being manufactured. Luckily however, a friend with ties to a pressing plant known aptly as ‘Midnite Flite’, managed to sneak into said plant one evening and press up a small number for the enjoyment of family, friends & those involved.Left Ear have decided to release what they consider to be the two most significant tracks from this release onto a 12” single, now for the enjoyment of all. The A-Side will feature the haunting ‘Wordless Songs’, a melancholic soulful number which according to Justine explores the “capacity to comprehend a partner’s internal quest for authenticity and connection”. The B-side ‘Mama Didn’t Tell Ya’ is more uplifting in both tempo and arrangements comprising an extended outro, while the lyrics remain just as personal and reflective.

BACK IN STOCK

Z Records continues its commitment to unearthing the obscure and long forgotten tracks from the last 40 years through the ever-popular Under The Influence series. Following on from Red Greg, Paul Phillips, James Glass, Nick The Record, Sean P and Faze Action it’s now the turn of one of the scenes most prolific but yet unknown collectors, Winston.

“Changin’ Times” was released in 1976 on L.A. International and Trio Records and was the only album Ike White released. It was written at Tehachapi State prison where Ike White was an inmate at the time.The sleeve notes at the back of the sleeve were written by Stevie Wonder and confirm he was in jail at that time : “There are many Ike White in this world, let’s give these men a fair chance making not the color of his skin final fate for being behind the bars” – Stevie WonderThe song “Love and Affection”, a real dancefloor burner, has been compiled on many rare groove compilations (included the Ultimate Breaks & Beats series).“Changin’ Times” is an album for life for all soul and funk fans !- 1970’s lost soul / funk Masterpiece !!!- Unique record by Ike White, “Changin’ Times” is a pure gem- Never re-issued since original release in 1976- 180g vinyl pressing- Original artwork- Remastered

Previously released as part of a double LP compilation with her complete output on Selector Sound and the Deep Inside You EP. However, this is the first official reissue of the Deep Inside You EP as it's on stand-alone release.Soul singer Gloria Ann Taylor has no rags to riches tale to tell. Her story is one of personal sacrifice, failed relationships, and missed opportunity. She was leading a hard knock life before being swept-up by the flash and promise of a marriage and business partnership with a successful record producer. She would be nominated for a Grammy, rub shoulders with James Brown and Bootsy Collins, and turn heads from Motown. But in the end she rejected professional singing, the music business, and the lifestyle that came with it. Thankfully for music lovers, before Gloria closed the doors on her singing career, she left us with some amazing soul songs. Deeply shaded by gospel roots, her haunting sound clearly comes from the gut. Gloria did not fake the funk.Gloria was a partial owner of the Selector Sounds label, along with her husband/producer Walter Whisenhunt (previously a right-hand man to James Brown), and her brother Leonard. They released five Gloria Taylor singles between 1971 and 1977. They also released the three-song Deep Inside You EP, under the name Gloria Ann Taylor and Walter Whisenhunt’s Orchestra. In the studio Whisenhunt would work up a unique musical brew that mixed northern soul with exotic percussion and fuzzy psychedelic guitars. He moved Gloria through a range of tempos and stylings from ballads to disco. Her gritty vocal performance was set to orchestral arrangements creating a juxtaposition of grandeur and solace. The pinnacle of their collaborations has to be the jaw-droppingly epic EP version of “Love Is a Hurting Thing”; a chugging, string-laden disco track, that sounds like proto-Theo Parrish.

For Record Store Day 2019 we have a limited edition re-press of an impossible to find album by iconic Jazz Funk legend Roy Ayers from 1983. Unique to this album are “Chicago” (the highly sought after seven minute version), “Keep On Movin’”, “Smiling With Our Eyes”, and “Good Good Music”. The make this release extra special, we have 850 individually numbered copies only and album will be issued on original Uno Melodic label art.