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Freestyle
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FSRLP 148S2
16 Jun 23
Funk
16 Jun 23
Funk
from $1.89
FSRLP 148S1
02 Jun 23
Balearic/Downtempo
02 Jun 23
Balearic/Downtempo
from $1.89
Played by: Juno Recommends Funk
Played by: Juno Recommends Funk
Rick Clarke feat Jill Francis
Played by: Juno Recommends Disco
Review: T.J. Johnson was the artist alias of Thomas Julien Bedeau, who also worked as a session musician under his own name. He had a handful of releases out in the early 80s and here Freestyle reissue his 1982 debut, which originally came out on UK label Switch. 'Pretty Lady' is underpinned by a fat funk bassline, driven along by an infectious, summer-y guitar groove and topped with alternating boogie-style male and female vocals, augmented by horn blasts, while the accompanying 'Come On Let's Do It (Let's Rock') is a piano- and brass-powered affair with more hefty funk bass, and has something of a Patrice Rushen-esque feel.
Review: A must for the boogie lovers here! UK band Chequers formed in Aylesbury in 1973, initially as a reggae band. As the years progressed, they moved first into funk and soul, and then back towards their ska roots during the late 70s Mod revival. Their final release 'Hard Times', however, found them exploring the then-nascent sounds of boogie and electro - to great effect, but sadly little commercial success. Now, with copies of the original 1983 seven-inch selling online for around ?1,000, veteran funk and breaks label Freestyle helpfully bring the world this far more affordable reissue...
Played by: Craig Charles Funk And Soul
Played by: Juno Recommends Funk
Review: Freestyle Records has got a brilliant and rather rare bit of boogie here in the form of Eddie Capone's 'I Wont Give You Up.' This is the first officially licensed reissue of this 1985 gem by the reggae, funk and soul mainstay of that decade. He played with various noted outfits such as Chairmen of the Board, Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come and Edwin Starr and was also in the short-lived band Casablanca. He founded the Treatment band in the early 1980s and played with a rotating cast of musicians. The tunes included on this single are some of them with Diane Jones providing vocals, which is the standout gem.
Played by: Juno Recommends Funk
Played by: Juno Recommends Electro
Played by: Juno Recommends Disco
Played by: Secret Soul Society
Played by: Juno Recommends Disco
La Famille feat Caron Wheeler
Played by: Juno Recommends Disco
Played by: Juno Recommends Funk
Played by: Juno Recommends Funk
Review: If you're thinking, 'Hmm, those are some authentically early 80s-sounding boogie vibes right there!" then you're not wrong, as Freestyle Records reissue a 1981 cut from Rick Clarke, a soul vocalist from North London who would go on to bigger things later in the decade. 'Potion' is served up in simple vocal and instrumental versions so there's not a lot to tell you mix-wise, except to say the instrumental is where some truly sublime geetar really gets to shine through. BTW the track also featured on Z Records' 'Backstreet Brit Funk Vol 2' comp in 2013, and if it's good enough for Dave Lee...
Played by: Juno Recommends Disco
Played by: Juno Recommends Funk
Played by: Craig Charles Funk And Soul
