Now-Again Records

A TAV Curator's Pick

“Formed in 1971 (and still going strong) Oneness of JuJu was the brainchild of saxophonist J. Plunky Branch. Like many others on the legendary Strata East label, Oneness mixed R&B, free jazz, afro-Brazilian percussion and down-home funk with an upbeat spiritual message, earning them a place in many a DJ'sbig metalbox in the process.

Space Jungle Luv emerged in 1976 (a year after the classic African Rhythms set) and marked a distinct change of direction for Plunky and co. Their feet were still in the ghetto, but this time they were looking at the stars; headed up by the strong, sweet vocal stylings of Jacqueline Holman (aka Lady Eka-Ete) and Branch's often effects drenched saxophones, this is cosmic dancefloor jazz of the first water.

Space Jungle Luv opens with the loose limbed latin drift of "River Luv Rite", and moves through the deep, soulful funk of "Follow Me" to the Pharoah Sanders-esque "Soul Love Now" (pianist Joe Bonner was a member of Oneness for this set, and Branch had appeared on Pharoah's Wisdom of Music album).

"Space Jungle Funk" does what it says on the tin; Branch's heavily processed tenor snakes, squelches and squeals its way through a zero gravity slice of flanged ambient jazz funk. "The Connection" offers more earthbound grooves; here Branch's tenor is electronically ghosted into a bass clarinet and moog synth orchestra over Ronnie Toler's pushy funk drums and guitarist Melvin Glover's muted wah chords. Glover shines on the beautiful "Love's Messenger" with a sweet toned, thoughtful solo, while "Bootsie's Lament" showcases Holman's sublime vocal over rainforest flutes and afro percussion stylings.

The missing link between Kool and the Gang (70s vintage) and the deep jazz of Sanders, Gary Bartz and the like, this is a must for any self respecting collection - Branch out ! – BBC Music

Item description:        

Fans of the exquisite, often never-before-released funk championed by Now Again Records are no stranger to Amnesty. Based in Indianapolis in the early 1970s, the group released only two obscure 45s in their recording career. Birthed from the same scene as the Ebony Rhythm Band, Amnesty had a poltical edge similar to LA Carnival and the hardest brass section since The Kashmere Stage Band.

In 1973 Amnesty recorded five hard, vocal funk numbers alongside some ballads and a handful of demos based around nothing more than guitar accompaniment. Only two songs were ever released; Amnesty’s biting, difficult-to-categorize prog/rock/soul/funk stretched far beyond Indianpolis’s bounds and the band didn’t have a label to take them to the next level. Finally made available thirty three years after they were recorded, these songs are funk arranged with dangerous complexity and performed with precision – arguably the most unique funk to originate from Naptown, and some of the best music of its kind. – Bandcamp

Now-Again Records presents a reissue from the black fire catalog – JuJu live at the legendary Brooklyn Venue in 1973. Essential spiritual Jazz here, comes with a 12 page booklet with extensive notes on the album, the black fire collective and the musical and cultural revolution they created. Sounds of Sun Ra, Alice Coltrane, early projects from Detriot’s Tribe label can be heard here with that strong fire of creativity and improvisation.

Energy Control Center, Thomas's third LP with his Lightmen band is his masterpiece: Deep-set, Maverick Jazz that smolders in the embers of a cultural revolution. This is a highpoint amongst the best of the 1970s and this version of the album contains second with bonus tracks: unreleased alternate takes, including two versions of the Spiritual Jazz classic " All Praises to Allah" and the two singles Thomas produced for poet and activist Thomas Meloncon

Born in Los Angeles, California, November 1938 - He started playing the Accordion, Piano, clarinet, cornet, saxophone, trombone and banjo at a very young age. He became an expert in New Orleans traditional jazz during his high school year and later added blues & swing to his repertoire. During his late teens, he became well versed in modern jazz and got interested in Oriental music. He left America in 1958 with his family and toured the Orient such as Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand, India and finally settled in Teheran, Iran for a year. There he learned more about Iranian music & culture, which left a strong musical impression on him. All of the travels and experiences fed into the making of Oriental Jazz, a combination of the west and the east. Luckily for us, the kind people of Now-again Records are reissuing this 1968 gem for our listening pleasure, we advise you to check it out!