The Nite-Liters - "Afro-Strut / (We've Got To) Pull Together" (RCA, 1972)

This 45 showcases two distinct sounds from the Nite-Liters. "Afro-Strut" is a killer funky drum and horn driven cut, while "Pull Together" is a more uplifting chant and saxophone vamp. Both sounds are typical of Nite-Liters output and showcase their range as a an outfit.

I've been trying to find Lp's by the Nite-Liters since I've started buying records. I can find their 45's pretty regularly, but their albums NEVER pop up for me. There was one tragic time I dug up a clean copy of the Nite-Liter's fourth album Different Strokes at a local spot...only to walk out empty handed. The shopkeeper told me that if I found anything in the crates of un-priced records, that he'd give me a number at the counter. Admittedly, the whole ordeal sounded a tad sketchy, but I had just started to become a regular patron and felt I had a developed a decent rapport with the shop-keeper. I was super stoked to dive in and after a little over an hour, I pulled a couple dozen pieces, some of which I still haven't seen in the field to this day. I was geeked! After some self-editing, I cautiously took my stack to the register. The store owner flipped through it all at the counter, and shockingly refused to sell or even price the records for me. His logic was that he could get “more than $100 apiece” for the records I selected. I was livid. I walked right out the door and have never returned.

The Nite-Liters were founded in Louisville, KY by Harvey Fuqua and Tony Churchill. Fuqua later went on to hold it down as a producer and songwriter for Motown. Check the liner notes of your favorite records, it's amazing how often Harvey Fuqua's name appears in credits! The Nite-Liter's went on to become New Birth, whose records are a little easier to track down. Even today, when I'm out shopping for records and I come across a New Birth album, I still pause and reflect on the time when I first started digging for funk records, and their music and albums were elusive and acted as a promising gateway to new, exciting, and unfamiliar sonic territory.

Cultures of Soul Presents | Evans Pyramid Lp

I scooped up this record as a lark, hoping it would sound as good as it looked. I had never heard of Evans Pyramid but was sure the sweet illustration on the cover would guide me to something new (at least to me!) while introducing me to a new label. This album was released by Cultures of Soul and is an anthology that compiles all the released (and some unreleased) singles from Boston session man Evans Pyramid. The songs below are a few of my favorites from the album. The original records are pretty scarce and have achieved proper cult status as unheralded examples of home-spun disco, funk, and boogie. Big ups to Cultures of Soul for unearthing and properly releasing this killer gem and be sure to keep an eye out for this and their future releases.

Ebony Rhythm Funk Campaign - Watchin' You, Watchin' Me Lp

The Ebony Rhythm Funk Campaign are a jazz-funk outfit from Indianapolis, Indiana... amazingly, they had a reunion show in 2007, so I'm going to assume they still exist in some form. The band was previously known as the Ebony Rhythm Band in the late 60's and early 70's before changing their name to the Ebony Rhythm Funk Campaign. Now-Again Records resurrected and reissued some of their early lost recordings way back in 2004 on the brilliant compilation Soul Heart Transplant: Lamp Sessions. Their 1976 album Watchin' You, Watchin' Me finds the band in slightly different sonic territory. Released on Chi-Sound Records, the band is a little jazzier and disco-fied, but the funk is still strong with the band's killer horn embellishments and synthy bass licks driving most of the songs. I have posted three of the standout cuts from the record in "Watchin' You, Watchin' Me", "69 cents", and "Jive Du Du" and hope you enjoy. Nap-Town stand up!

Donald Austin - "Crazy Legs / Nan-zee" (Woody, 1972)

This is an awesome instrumental funk 45 from Donald Austin on Woody Records. Donald's guitar playing is top notch! So good, that it's alarming there isn't more information available about him online. Both sides of this 7-inch, "Crazy Legs" and "Nan-Zee", ended up on his Crazy Legs Lp that came out on Eastbound Records in 1973. This 45 is probably what caught the ears of the label! Hopefully, I'll find time to upload the Lp sometime in the future. In the meantime, enjoy this 45.

The Fabulous Counts - "Jan Jan / Girl From Kenya" (Moira, 1968)

When I copped this 45 by The Fabulous Counts it immediately made it's way to my premium crate. I'm always down for solid instrumental funk, and both sides, "Jan Jan" and "Girl From Kenya", more than fit the bill. You'll probably recognize "Jan Jan" as it nearly charted upon release and has since gone on to become part of the instrumental funk canon. The Fabulous Counts were a Detroit based soul/funk group, and after swapping original members, became known as The Counts. The Counts continued to release a handful of records throughout the 1970's and their records seem to be a little easier to track down. I'll be sure to keep my eyes peeled for other Moira releases.