Pacific Express
Expressions

Rare funk & Avant-Garde soul from a seven years old kid singer featuring the best of French and Cameroonian musicians diaspora, recorded in Paris in 1977.The album contains two nicely dramatic tracks:“Look Up in the sky (Negro nature)” is a stretched funk groove with psyche synth by Michel Morose, bubbling bassline by the great Victor Edimo, the famous Toto Guillaume on guitar, and a brilliant poetic song by Francis The Great, who at that time studied in Menilmontant (Paris).“Ravissante Baby (Negro Phasing)” is a long hypnotic funky soukous track with a tremendous lead guitar and a long spoken-word and soulful kid vocal about the beauty of nature.Originally produced by his father, a great impresario of African artists in Paris during the 70s, and coordinated by his mother, this album is unique, fresh and out of genre in a way! It’s universal Funk! Hot Casa Records is proud to reissue this holy grail after years of researches! It comes out in a deluxe LP including interview, and officially licensed with Francis Mbarga himself, in Yaounde (Cameroon).

Favorite Recordings proudly presents this new official single reissue of I Believe! by Calvin B. Rhone: A very rare Gospel/Disco masterpiece, originally released at only 1000 private-press copies, and surprisingly unknown and underrated until today.Calvin Bernard Rhone, a native of Los Angeles, has been ministering in word and song for more than 40 years throughout the US and abroad. He acknowledges that he is passionate about music; yet purposed for ministry. Beginning his professional singing career at age eight, he has shared the stage with possibly every major Gospel artist from the 60’s to present.In 1983, he released the album Intimate Friends on his own label, C.B.R. Records. Recently discovered by DJ and collector Charles Maurice, the LP has never received the attention and fame it deserves. It was anyway obvious for the DJ and Favorite Recordings, that some of the tracks it includes would for sure become real classics for all Disco and Funk music lovers and deejays.Officially licensed to Calvin B. Rhone himself, it’s today reissued for the first time, as a 3 tracks vinyl single.

Trad Vibe Records proudly presents a first-time reissue of Caribou, a side-project of Cortex, originally released in 1977. A great and rare double-sider jazz-funk 7inch, now available as a reissue.French avantgarde Jazz-Funk pioneers Cortex released three milestone albums during the seventies including the iconic Troupeau Bleu. Their music has been sampled by Hip Hop artists such as MF Doom, Wiz Khalifa, Lupe Fiasco and Rick Ross and as a consequence is still very much alive today.

Following the success of Eric B & Rakim covers on 45, touching Hip Hop and rare groove fans, Medline explores new horizons. Well known to be free from styles boundaries, the French Chilean multi - instrumentalist unveil a two side Afro Funk killer.Marked with the "universal power" title on the label, third 7 inch on My Bags catalog, this new 45 shows Medline's abilities to produce high quality music in a wide range of styles. The compositions are produced with a brilliant contrast. The uptempo "Run For Cover" is a huge Afro beat runner with a hardcore feeling while "Azul", is a heavy downtempo soul funk anthem, and shines like a massive solar energy boost.Medline brings back the 70's West African sound signature, carried by a hot drum and bass couple, leaded by the Farfisa organ and harmonized with a powerful brass section. The rhythm is wild, mastered by dynamical arrangements when the breaks are hitting loudly around. And yes as always Medline is the ONE playing all.The artistic fate offered beautiful colors and forms to the music. Clément Laurentin's elegant painting "Run For Cover" reminding Bob Marley and Lee Perry's records, baptized the first composition which includes a "Jamaican" surprise. "Azul" (Blue in Spanish) is the main color of Clément's creation which remind the look of the famous azulejos. The link happens without any previous consultation, all was here to be done this way, connecting cultural areas and eras. To end, the acrylic painting on linen canvas is the perfect organic mirror to this new 7 inch.My Bags is happy to offer this "tratra" (Ivorian pancake), designed with all the elements of a ready to dig holy grail, Soul inspired, Afro beat to the core.

The motor hasn’t had time to cool down and the belt drive is feeling the fatigue. But Charles Maurice is the kind of DJ who just can’t let a turntable rest. After steaming up the slipmat with three sexy compilations of French Boogie, Charles Maurice is back with Volume 4.In the late 70s and early 80s, while France was still firmly tuned into variety-show pop, a few enlightened ears and souls picked up the hypnotic beat of funk from across the Atlantic. These first warrior monks spread the good word in discotheques, jumped on newly available frequencies to fill the airwaves and, in some cases, took up instruments themselves to unabashedly build on the U.S. model. In a short decade stretching from the late 70s to the late 80s – just a blip on the scale of music history – they turned out material in abundance. Lush productions with colorful covers, groovy typeface and creative photo shoots…But first and foremost, they made music weaned on, spoon-fed and imbued with funk. Music defined by a groove with a robotic beat (Djeneba) that clearly hears hip-hop banging on the door, where layers of synthesizers, handclaps (Eric Chotteau), horns and African percussion line up and follow the all-powerful lead of the swelling slap bass (Cyrill). Music that tells everyday stories, both humorous and lovelorn (Serge Delisle), and often packed with pheromones just waiting to be released on the dance floor or sofa (Chris O’Hara). Shaped by synthetic textures, these productions are also spiced with Caribbean and Creole arrangements that reflect the West Indies’ critical contribution to French Boogie (Wai Kop, Acayouman).With his immaculate tailoring, slicked back hair and clipped moustache, Charles Maurice has once again transformed himself into a HiFi stylus to explore the groove traced by this specifically French musical style. From 45 to 33 rpm, he has traveled the black spiral to bring us a new selection that proudly features a number of rarely heard pieces and even an unreleased track by Marco Attali. True to form, Monsieur Charles carefully crafted this fourth volume from his personal collection of impeccably restored and mastered vinyl recordings.Charles Maurice, where French elegance meets uncompromising musical taste.

After the release of Brazilian Disco Boogie Sounds (FVR098), Favorite Recordings follows-up, this time focusing on its homeland language.Helped by a close connoisseur friend, DJ and collector Charles Maurice presents a fine selection of what he thinks represent best the amazing energy of this specific movement and period. With 10 rare titles, all produced between 1975 and 1984, he shows a perfect picture of what you could find in French record stores at that time;On one hand, tracks by Overdrive, Marché Noir, Didier Makaga or France-Lise, were produced by underground artists and labels from the French Caribbean and African community and also filled with the raw spirit of this Tropical stamping. On the other hand, tracks by Beckie Bell, Kelly, Le Club, or Bernard Guyvan, were released by major labels such as Trëma, Carrere, Disques Vogue, or Pathé Marconi, thanks to confirmed independent producers, acting not only in France, but also in Canada and the US.Today, Favorite Recordings and Charles Maurice are very proud to shed some light again on these gems, and hopefully offer them a new life on your turntable.