Various Artists [Soul Jazz Records] - Soul Jazz Records presents / New Orleans Funk Volume 4 - 2x Vinyl LPs

Soul Jazz Records' latest crate-digging excursion into the Crescent City vaults delves deep into the roots and history of the voodoo world of New Orleans Funk and as ever features a stellar selection of killer rare funk and soul! The album is jam-packed with serious break-heavy, heavyweight funk tunes from classic New Orleans artists including Eddie Bo, Betty Harris, Dave Bartholomew, Johnny Adams and Eldridge Holmes (with the ever-present Allen Toussaint and The Meters as always behind the scenes). There is also a host of rare cuts from a number of lesser-known second line New Orleans artists, whose fame rarely reached past the walls of the city, including Gus 'The Groove' Lewis, James K-Nine, Norma Jean, Bob French, Chuck Colbert, Zilla Mayes and Joe Haywood. In the 1960s the syncopated beat of New Orleans Funk developed out of a gumbo mix of New Orleans local flavours -rhythm and blues, Mardi Gras Indians, the street percussion Second Line of the Jazz Funeral and Marching bands, Caribbean rhumba and mambo rhythms - all of which are in full effect. Even Zydeco, the rhythm and blues offspring of Louisiana Cajun music, had the funk as the King of Zydeco, Clifton Chenier, shows us here. New Orleans music and Voodoo both have their roots in the African-American free black and slave gatherings held at Congo Square from the 18th century onwards. Here Voodoo king Doctor John (the original one!) and Voodoo queen Marie Levaux held court over their followers, and here also could be heard the first sounds of New Orleans jazz music. Soul Jazz Records' latest album describes how these two cultural forms are inextricably inter-related. The album traces the path of funk from the very first glimpses of the style - Dave Bartholomew's super-tight 'The Monkey' (recorded in 1957) and James Waynes' junkie jailbird anthem 'Junco Partner' (1951, later covered by Dr John, Professor Longhair, James Booker, and The Clash) through to the 1970s heavyweight boogie funk of Chocolate Milk

Tracklist
–Eldridge Holmes Pop, Popcorn Children 2:51
–Gus 'The Groove' Lewis Let The Groove Move You 2:53
–Dave Bartholomew The Monkey 2:26
–Chocolate Milk (2) Action Speaks Louder Than Words 3:30
–James K-Nine Live It Up 2:49
–Lou Johnson Frisco Here I Come 2:51
–Norma Jean* No Competition 2:26
–James Waynes Junco Partner (Worthless Man) 2:26
–David Robinson (2) I'm A Carpenter (Part 1) 2:13
–The Barons Ltd.* Making It Better 2:14
–Johnny Adams You Make A New Man Out Of Me 2:53
–Clifton Chenier And His Red Hot Louisiana Band Party Down 4:33
–Eddie Bo Can You Handle It 2:41
–Bob French's Storyville Jazz Band Y'er Comes The Funky Man 2:33
–Joe Haywood Play Me A Cornbread Song 2:36
–Betty Harris I'm Gonna Git Ya 2:16
–Chuck Colbert (3) & Viewpoint Stay 2:43
–Zilla Mayes* All I Want Is You 2:10