The folks over at Paris DJs graciously asked us to do another mix for them! This time it features cuts from our latest release, Afro Kelenkye Band along with classic and rare african funk!

Cultures of Soul Mix on Paris DJs

This happened a few weeks ago but we are still excited about it. NPR and Oliver Wang featured our release by the Darling Dears as one of the top all time long lost soul songs. You can check it out here:

http://www.npr.org/2012/04/09/150291830/5-long-lost-soul-songs

We gave these one of a kind autographed reprints out to anyone who pre-ordered the Darling Dears. We’ve still got some left so if you buy the Darling Dears 45 from our store we’ll send you out one for free. While supplies last.

Order Darling Dears!

Cultures of Soul Records is proud to bring to you an anthology of the music of Evans Pyramid.  This album features all of the officially released singles plus four previously unreleased tracks.  Andre Evans was the mastermind behind Evans Pyramid, a seasoned performer and session player in Boston throughout the ’70s.  Full of unique disco and boogie stylings, the LP includes all of the rare singles such as “Never Gonna Leave You,” “Dip Drop,” “No I Won’t” and “I Want Your Body,” as well as a recently discovered 45 that featured two top-notch disco tracks – “Dance A Thon” and “Rubber Band.” The album also includes four unissued tracks taken from the original demo tapes.

The CD version comes out on May 22nd and the LP is out on July 24th. As you may have heard the rumors there was an unreleased Evans Pyramid album that was only pressed up as a test pressing with Andre creating his own hand drawn cover. We have had Andre try and recreate the same hand drawn cover with the test pressings of our release and we have 4 to raffle off! Pre-order either the CD or LP now to be entered into a contest to win your very own copy of this one of a kind album. You can pre-order at our Bigcartel Store.

Tracklisting:

1. Never Gonna Leave You

2. Dip Drop

3. No I Won’t

4. Soul Petrol

5. I Want Your Body

6. Simply Say I Love You

7. Dance-A-Thon

8. Rubber Band

9. Sugar (Previously Unreleased)

10. I’ve Got A Rush For You (Previously Unreleased)

11. Where Love Lives (Previously Unreleased)

12. Party Like It’s 2001 (Previously Unreleased)

Here’s a quick recap of our Record Store day adventures. Underground Hip Hop and Weirdo Records participated in the  events and allowed us put up displays. Thanks to those that picked up our releases and I hope you enjoyed your special test pressing that you picked up for free!

We were behind the ball a little bit for this year’s Record Store Day but we’ve still got some specials at this year’s event. We’ll be represented at two great Boston area records stores, Underground Hip Hop and Weirdo Records. At either location if you buy any Cultures of Soul release you will get a free test pressing of one of our releases! While supplies last!

As you may have heard we have been working with Andre, himself to put together a nice compilation of all of his officially released singles and some great unreleased material.

Here are some excerpts from our liner notes and we will be updating this site soon with pre-order info and a tracklisting. The CD is coming out on May 22nd and the LP is slated for June 19th.

“In 1978 a difficult breakup led to the creation of one of the most monumental songs in Andre’s career. Soon after splitting with his long-term girlfriend, while listening to Marvin Gaye’s music and drinking a few too many glasses of wine, Andre sat down and wrote “Never Gonna Leave You.” Returning to the studio a short while later, the instrumentation turned out to be a masterpiece.

After recording the rhythm section with drums, bass and keyboards and laying down the melodic guitar lines, Andre was able to achieve an undeniably unique sound by overdubbing rhythmic guitar parts while using the technique of muting guitar strings.

A short while later Andre penned the song “Dip Drop,” which was named after the dip you do when “you’re dancing with a lady.” Using a duck whistle to add some color to the track, he achieved the unique guitar instrumentation by using a phaser pedal to modulate the sound while Phil filled the space with a sustain pedal on the Hammond organ.”

With the help of Voodoo Funk’s Frank Gossner we are putting out unreleased material from the Afro Kelenkye Band. Led by Jagger Botchway, the group recorded the legendary rare Ghanaian Funk album, Moving World.  Soon after the group went back into the studio to record more tracks but ran out of money. The recordings were left on the shelves until Miles Cleret from Soundway Records found them some 40 years later and brought them to Frank’s attention.  The track “Jungle Funk” sees the group relax into a mid tempo Afro funk groove. “Mother Africa” is a guitar driven Afro psychedelic instrumental with a fuzzed out guitar solo. “Too Bad Girl” features a dark melody and a laid back trumpet solo. “Munchin’ Session” grooves with trumpet riffs galore. Mastered from the original reel to reel tapes and pressed on 2 x 45s and housed in a thick collectible jacket cover designed by Frank Gossner. Out now! You can buy it here for $14.99. Limited to 1,000 copies.

Jungle Funk

Mother Africa

Munchin Session

Too Bad Girl

Legendary trumpet player and Cultures of Soul recording artist Stanton Davis is performing live on May 6th at the Samba and Sushi Steakhouse in Framingham, MA.  Tickets are $15 in advance and you can purchase them here:  http://stantondavis.eventbrite.com/

Darling Dears Interview (Late 2011) from Galactic Fractures on Vimeo.

Here is an interview PJ Gray did on his Galactic Fractures Radio Show with the Darling Dears and Alvin Lofton.  A special thanks goes out PJ Gray for all of his help with this release.

Below is also a special radio spot that was created Alvin to promote their single on our label.

When DJ Prestige of Flea Market Funk asked us to sponsor and giveaway some prizes for his upcoming vinyl photo contest, we jumped at the chance. Put together by DJ Prestige and Eilon Paz, of the acclaimed vinyl documentary photo site Dust & Grooves for vinyl collectors from all over the world to send in photos of their prized treasure trove of vinyl. The goal is to help preserve vinyl heritage, as well as the artists that make it, just as our contestants do with their collections.  The winners will receive a prize pack of vinyl related goodies including some of our own releases. For more info go to Wax on Film.