[Collection] – ‘Le Monde du Funk’ (1970-1985)

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(This stream is a 2-hour sampler of the full box set. Full streams and download below.)

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“One nation under a groove”.  This phrase has reverberated through my mind in a time when the nation I live in has been coopted by its worst, most hateful, most ignorant, most racist and xenophobic and misogynistic and homophobic and violent, most fearful white men.  In the light of the tiki torches of white male entitlement, it can feel like we are anything but one nation, and surely not under a groove.  But then I remember that this music was made at a time of similar injustice, when frail white egos were lashing back at progress and the fight for equality with similar rage; when the country was often run by right-wing charlatans happy to fan the flames of hate and enforce their own authoritarian ignorance onto others; when white police circled the wagons and committed acts of violence with impunity.  In those days, this music fought back, with pure joy, with freedom, without timidity, with a brighter vision of the future: with the universal groove.  And in these dark days, the almighty groove remains a beacon.

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The ‘Le Monde du Funk’ mixes explore the myriad kinds of music that funk formed and informed between 1970 and 1985, the mutations too many to name.  But the sound that was founded on James Brown’s elemental distillation of the rhythm in R&B traveled to many places, from the underground to the posh dance floors, from the American South to New York to Brasil to Africa to Japan and formed links between everywhere it went.  It was the raw sensuality of New Orleans funk, and the futurist four-on-the-floor of Italians and Germans cobbling together electronic dreams.  It was the escape of the party, the party in the protest, the politics in the bedroom, and the family affairs of the daily grind.  These ten mixes, including 160 artists and roughly one hour for every year they span at 15 hours, by no means paint an exhaustive or complete picture by a long shot, just beginning to scratch the surface of the music that has been the bedrock of the best music of innumerable genres for half a century.  These mixes happily intermingle the top of the charts with the overlooked and the almost-forgotten, as long as the groove still moves and amazes.  So while it’s just a taste, it is my sincere hope that this collection of music will buoy you and strengthen your resolve to resist the dying spasms of a fading regime of fear, as it has lifted me throughout this last year.

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If you already have the previously issued mixes, there are three brand-new mixes in this collection.  The full tracklist for all ten mixes can be downloaded here and is included with the mp3s.  You can download or stream all the mixes below.  The artist represented include:

 

 

Gyedu-Blay Ambolley · Mulatu Astatke · David Axelrod · Roy Ayers · Azymuth · Afrika Bambaataa · Geoff & Trevor Bastow · Jorge Ben · Brian Bennett · La Bionda · Edwin Birdsong · The Blackbyrds · Black Devil · Blo · Colin Blunstone · Hamilton Bohannon · David Bowie · Breakwater · James Brown · Burning Spear · Can · Cerrone · Change · Chic · Cloud One · Michel Columbier · Con Funk Shun · Cybotron · Cymande · Andre Cymone · D-Train · Betty Davis · Jack DeJohnette · Depeche Mode · William Devaughn · Manu Dibango · Dinosaur · Djavan · Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band · Dr. John · Droids · George Duke · 801 · The Egyptian Lover · Electronic System · Yvonne Elliman · Brian Eno · Coke Escovedo · The Fatback Band · 52nd Street · Roberta Flack · Funkadelic · The Funkees · Peter Gabriel · Serge Gainsbourg · Marvin Gaye · Jacky Giordano · The Glove · Grandmaster Flash · Gwen Guthrie · Hall & Oates · Jan Hammer Group · Herbie Hancock · Harari · Harlem Pop Trotters · Dan Hartman · Kuwana Haruko · Donny Hathaway · The Headhunters · Jimi Hendrix · Haruuomi Hosono · Human Body · Bobbi Humphrey · Imagination · Inner Life · The Isley Brothers · The Jacksons · Rick James · Jean-Michel Jarre · Jonny Jenkins · The Jones Girls · Toshiki Kadomatsu · Kashif · Kuni Kawachi · Krystol · Komiko · Kool & The Gang · Kraftwerk · Leda · Lime · Lipps, Inc. · Loose Ends · Makers · Baris Manco · Mantroniz · Manzel · Mass Production · Pino Massara · Curtis Mayfield · McFadden & Whitehead · Les McCann · The Meters · Ras Michael & The Sons of Negus · Giorgio Moroder · Harry Mosco · MSFB · Mtume · Munich Machine · Milton Nascimento · Newcleus · Niagara · The O’Jays · Ohio Players · Taeko Ohnuki · One Way · Osibisa · Parliament · Ann Peebles · Phantom Band · Phreek · Platypus · Prince · Ramp · Lewis Ramsey · D. J. Rogers · Rufus & Chaka Khan · Run D.M.C. · Patrice Rushen · Scritti Politti · Shalamar · Yasuaki Shimizu · Simone · Sister Sledge · Skull Snaps · Skyy · Sly & The Family Stone · S.O.S. Band · Space · Space Art · Al Stewart · Donna Summer · Sylvester · Syreeta · Talking Heads · This Mortal Coil · The Time · Tirogo · Tones on Tail · Allen Toussaint · 24-Carat Black · The Undisputed Truth · Unlimited Touch · Voyage · The Walker Brothers · Dexter Wansel · Leon Ware · Wee · Bill Withers · Stevie Wonder · Tatsuro Yamashita · Zapp

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This music will free you, but it can’t stay available to all if the price is free, so please purchase all that you can of these musicians’ work, from independent sellers whenever possible.  CDs, tapes, LPs, mp3s–just give the drummer some.  Enjoy, and pass it on!

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Download just the Tracklists & Artwork | Download the ‘Le Monde du Funk ’70 to ’85’ Box Set (1.7GB)

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