Various Artists - Soul Love Now: Black Fire Various Story 1975-1993 (VINYL 2xLP) | NEW

Label: Strut – STRUT238LP, Black Fire – STRUT238LP
Format: 2 x Vinyl, LP, Compilation
Country: Europe
Released: Aug 14, 2020
Genre: Jazz, Funk / Soul
Style: Soul-Jazz, Jazz-Funk

A1    Theatre West–    Children Of Tomorrow's Dreams
Alto Saxophone – Herbert Nelson (3)
Drums – Sam Carter
Electric Bass – Sigmond Dillard
Engineer – Jim Watkins
Producer, Engineer – Jimmy Gray
Trumpet, Piano, Vocals, Music Director – Delbert Taylor
Vibraphone – Ben Wilson (28)
Vocals – Beneda Brown, Bobby Collins (6), Bruce Anthony Davis, Carl Payne
Vocals, Piano, Written-By, Producer – Clarence Young III
4:05
A2    Oneness Of Juju–    Soul Love Now
Drums, Vocals – Babatunde Lea
Electric Bass, Written-By – Muzi Branch*
Engineer – Millard "Jim" Watkins, Robert Dawson
Marimba – Lon Moshe
Piano, Vocals – Al-Hammel Rasul
Producer – Jimmy Gray
Tenor Saxophone, Vocals, Written-By, Producer – PJ. Plunky Branch*
Vocals – Jacqueline "Lady Eka-Ete" Holoman*
4:54
A3    Byard Lancaster–    Drummers From Ibadan
Berimbau – Eric Lewis (14)
Drums [African] – Drummers From Ibadan, Tunde Kuboye
Engineer – Glenn Barrett*, Shannon Walton
Flute, Written-By, Producer – Byard Lancaster
Producer – Jimmy Gray
4:07
B1    Lon Moshe–    Doin' The Carvin For Thabo
Bass – Calvin Craddock
Drums – Reggie Brisbane, Jr.*
Engineer – Nivram*
Guitar – "Ras Mel" Melvin Glover, Jr.*
Percussion, Congas – Ndikho Xaba
Piano – Nathaniel "Nat" Lee*
Producer, Engineer – Jimmy Gray
Trumpet – Marvin Daniels
Vibraphone, Written-By, Arranged By, Producer – Lon Moshe
5:34
B2    JuJu (9)–    Nia (Poem: Complete The Circle)
Bells, Vocals [Spoken Word], Written-By – Ngoma Ya Uhuru
Drums, Percussion – Babatunde Lea
Electric Bass – Phil Branch*
Engineer – Tom Williams (13)
Piano, Percussion – Al-Hammel Rasul
Soprano Saxophone, Flute, Written-By, Producer, Arranged By – Plunky Branch*
Vibraphone – Lon Moshe
8:37
C1    Wayne Davis (2)–    Look At The People
Bass Guitar – James Funches
Drums – Stephen A. Walker
Engineer – Millard "Jim" Watkins, Robert Dawson
Ensemble [Vocals] – Al McCray*, Edward Duncan III, Jerome Bell
Lead Guitar – Leron Young
Lead Vocals, Piano, Synthesizer, Tambourine, Ensemble [Vocals], Written-By, Producer – Wayne Davis (2)
Percussion – Albert Robinson
Producer – Jimmy Gray
Synthesizer – Philip Stancil
5:11
C2    Southern Energy Ensemble–    Third House
Alto Saxophone – Al Clarke
Bass – Michael "Wolf" Pitt*
Congas, Shekere – Adolphus "Peddie" Maples*, Tony "Onginga" Joyner*
Drums, Percussion – William "Spike" Johnson*
Piano, Electric Piano, Synthesizer, Written-By – Nathaniel "Nat" Lee*
Producer – Jimmy Gray
Programmed By [Synthesizer] – Bill "Hoffa" McGhee*
Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Written-By, Producer – Marvin "Dash" Daniels*
7:02
D1    Oneness Of Juju–    African Rhythms (Live In Washington DC, 1975)
Arranged By – Oneness Of Juju
Congas – Simbo
Drums – Ronnie Toler
Electric Bass, Vocals – Muzi Branch*
Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes] – Al-Hammel Rasul
Percussion – John D (6), Ndikho Xaba
Saxophone [Electric Maestro Bi-Phased], Shekere, Vocals, Written-By, Music Director – Plunky Branch*
Vibraphone – Lon Moshe
Vocals – Jacqueline "Lady Eka-Ete" Holoman*
7:41
D2    Experience Unlimited*–    People
Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, Written-By – Donald R. Fields
Bass – Gregory "Sugar Bear" Elliot*
Congas, Percussion, Lead Vocals – Andre “Pops” Lucas*
Drums – Anthony “Block” Easton
Electric Piano – Michael "Prof. Funk" Hughes*
Engineer – Robert Dawson
Lead Vocals – Clarence "Oscar" Smith
Lead Vocals, Vocals – Melva "Lady" Adams
Producer – Experience Unlimited*, Jimmy Gray
Vocals – Bobby Owens, Wayne Davis (2)
6:09

Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Black Fire Records
Copyright © – K7 Music GmbH
Record Company – !K7 Label Group
Licensed From – N.A.M.E. Brand Records
Remastered At – The Carvery
Designed At – Studio Auto
Pressed By – Takt Direct – 0646453
Coordinator [Reissue Coordination] – Hugo Mendez, Quinton Scott
Design – Matt Thame
Liner Notes [May 2020] – James "Plunky" Branch*
Remastered By – Frank Merritt
Track A1 originally released on Theatre West - Bow To The People.
Track A2 originally released on Oneness Of Juju - Space Jungle Luv.
Track A3 originally released on Byard Lancaster - My Pure Joy.
Track B1 originally released on Lon Moshe & Southern Freedom Arkestra - Love Is Where The Spirit Lies.
Track B2 originally released on Juju (9) - Chapter Two: Nia.
Track C1 originally released on Wayne Davis (2) - Wayne Davis.
Track C2 originally released on Southern Energy Ensemble - Southern Energy.
Track D1 previously unreleased.
Track D2 originally released on E.U. - Free Yourself.

Barcode: 4 062548 012927

Double vinyl LP pressing. Strut present the first ever compilation bringing together classics and rarities from the seminal spiritual jazz and conscious soul label Black Fire, covering 1975 to 1993. Formed by DJ and record producer Jimmy Gray in Richmond, Virginia, and following in the footsteps of other influential black-owned independent labels like Strata-East and Tribe, the foundation of Black Fire coincided with saxophonist James "Plunky" Branch returning to the city from New York to form Oneness Of Juju. The band's 'African Rhythms' album in 1975 was the perfect fusion of jazz, deep African polyrhythms and empowering lyrics and bassist Muzi Branch, a trained artist, created the first of many Black Fire handillustrated sleeves for the label's debut release. The album set the tone for a series of landmark releases on the label including Oneness Of Juju's 'Space Jungle Luv' (1976) and debuts from soulman Wayne Davis (1976) and early go-go pioneers Experience Unlimited (1977). Soul Love Now brings together some of the many highlights from the label onto one essential compilation. The release features extended sleeve notes features extended sleeve notes around the history of the label alongside interviews with featured musicians. This vinyl format includes a reprint of one of the three original Black Fire magazines published by Jimmy Gray which predated the launch of the label.

• Condition: NEW
• Format: Vinyl
• Internal ID: 4062548012927
• Format Detail: 2LP
• Genre: FUNK
• Label: Strut / Black Fire
• Catalog Number: STRUT238LP
• Format Type: 2xLP
• Handling Note: **Please allow an additional 72 hours for this item's shipment.**
• Released: 2020-09-18