Sitarfunk from France: Paikan on Jazzman

Lock it Down has always been a big fan of Sitarfunk, especially if it has the seventies sound to it. Ananda Shankar (nephew to the famous Ravi Shankar) made some incredible recordings in this genre, but nowadays the genre is kept alive from outta France (which isn't that weird, since Serge Gainsbourg already was experimenting with this sound at the end of the sixties). A debut release from a new French talent with an ear for Indian soundtracks and funky grooves. But there’s no wishy washy Bollywood nonsense here, this is the real deal - three slamming pieces of hardcore sitar funk! Toulouse-based sitar maestro Païkan has been on a musical journey ever since he entered the conservatory at the precocious age of 5 to study violin, singing and music theory. Since the end of his formal studies, his experiments and collaborations have touched pretty much every far-reaching corner of the popular music underground. More recently Païkan began to lend his mastery of the Sitar to more a acoustic-led funk and jazz sound, which is where we find him here on his debut release. As you know, our area of speciality is in finding and reissuing the lost and forgotten treasures of yesteryear, so it takes something pretty unique to pique our attentions away from that mission. Put simply: any new material has to stand up to and not feel out of place with the quality of those cherished original, vintage recordings. It should also stand alone as a piece of forward thinking music, not be mere retro-tribute fodder. Those are our guidelines, and we definitely believe that Païkan's three track 12" ticks all those boxes - and then some! Païkan's sound could be described as a four-way meeting of the minds between Shankar, Schifrin, Kuti and Hendrix. Take a listen to the lead track Dancefloor Fight and see for yourself. With the slinky, heavy bottomed Detective Pandit Rey and the sneakily laid back Afro frenzy of Afro On The Rocks making up the rest of the E.P. this is the best Sitarfunk we've heard in a long time..

A1 Dancefloor Fight
B1 Detective Pandit Rey
B2 Afro on the Rocks

Go here for soundsamples~......

New Jazzman Release: Sister Funk 2!

Jazzman Records proudly presents Sister Funk Volume Two. A full five years in the making, the follow up to the hugely popular first volume finally sees the light of day, bearing with it the fruits of compiler Ian Wright’s inexhaustible quest to unearth some of the world’s toughest, most elusive and undeniably funky female 45’s. The spectrum of sounds covered on this album reflects a broad range of styles, from the heavy funk of Keisa Brown’s ‘Dance Man’ to the dancefloor jazz of Barbara Trent’s ‘Heartbreak Hotel’, from the discofied soul of Florence Trapp to the crossover stylings of Barbara Mason. As ever, the selections range from the ridiculously obscure to the frustratingly impossible to find – which isn’t to say this is music to stroke your goatee to - if anyone’s still sitting down after putting this record on we’ll send Big Ella round to sort ‘em out!

Tracklist:

1 RHETTA HUGHES You're Doing it with Her 2.39 Listen
2 HONEY & BEES Love Addict Listen
3 DOLLY GILMORE Sweet Sweet Baby Listen
4 BARBARA KING What I did in the Street Listen
5 COLETTA WOODSON Follow the Wind Listen
6 SANDY GAYE Watch the Dog Listen
7 BIG ELLA The Queen Listen
8 SHEILA WILKERSON Baby You're a Jive Cat Listen
9 RICHI CORBIN TRIO A Woman was made for a Man Listen
10 BARBARA TRENT Heartbreak Hotel Listen
11 ALTHEA SPENCER Take me Baby Listen
12 CHERYL JOHNSON It's not too Late Listen
13 BARBARA HOWARD I Dont Want your Love Listen
14 LEON MITCHISON Whatcha Need Listen
15 CHERYL DORSEY If you Want your Man Listen
16 FABULETTES Muddy Waters Listen
17 KEISA BROWN The Dance Man Listen
18 BARBARA MASON You Better Stop It Listen
19 HARD DRIVERS Since I was a Little Girl Listen
20 FLORENCE TRAPP Love Came into my Life Listen

A CHRISTMAS GOODIE FROM JAZZMAN

It's that time of the year again...Time to unwrap the presents and be happy! And ooh, would we be happy if Santa was to provide us with this gem...

Jazzman Records is offering us a funky holiday season again! Last year they pressed a 1000 copies of seasonal smash "soulfull christmas" by none other then James Brown to lighten up the celebration of Christ, this year it's up to "Santa's Got a Bag of Soul" by Soul Saints Orchestra to do exactly the same. Now, I had never heard of the Soul Saints Orchestra myself, but as it turns out, this combo is better known as german funkateers Poets of Rhythm, whom we all know for putting out great funk 45's and albums. This tune here was originally released as a christmas giveaway for the Hotpie & Candy record company in 1995, and, back then, only 250 copies were released (originally with "Working on the Line" as flipside, now paired with the previously-unissued-on-45 instrumental "Bag of Soul"). Indeed, way too less copies, because this tune is perfect to turn those dreadfull days into a woweeeeee party! .

Check it here

Merry christmas!