There are so many quality mixes from back in the day doing the rounds. It clear that the latest burst in the internet with Soundcloud and Mixcloud is giving pople the ability to get mixes they had in the archives onto the net and ready for our listening pleasure.

This time we have one straight from the UK’s own DJ Don Greg Wilson. It’s a mix he recorded in 1982 as a best of for Piccadilly Radio in Manchester. Its all about the floor fillers from places like the Wigan Pier and has not only northern soul and funk but also some early hip hop vibes.

Although their time as a group lasted just under 4 years, British funk group Cymande as had an big influence on music as their tunes have been sampled by some of the hip hop greats.

Formed in 1970 the multi instrumentalist group released 4 albums and shared the stage with great such as Al Green and appeared on the famous US show Soul Train. With tunes such as “Bra” and “The Message” now being regularly played by DJ’s, I’ve picked my favourite “Brothers On the Slide” for bring the smooth Saturday funk.

Saturday is funk, soul and disco day here at the Labs and while we’ve mostly been dipping into the past, today we’ve got something new for your lugholes.

It’s a chunky funker from a Glasgow producer who has adopted the Ron Trinidad moniker.

Sampling a well known bassline, chopping it and placing it around a firm kick drum backing and lush keys, it’s a case of it’s not big and it’s not clever but it’s guaranteed to soundtrack some good times (see what I did there…).

Ron Trinidad – Ron 1, On 1

When it comes to funk in Scotland there is one band who stand head and shoulders above the rest. A band that were embraced in the USA in the 70′s with with their heady brew of bass, brass and grooves. I am of course referring to the Average White Band.

Formed in 1972 in and around the Dundee area, their influence in modern music is massive are they are reckoned to be the 15th most sampled act in musical history. Their most famous, and biggest selling track is “Pick Up The Pieces” which is one of the most well known funk tunes ever written.

Rumour has it that they were the first non black act to play the legendary Apollo Theatre in Harlem, NYC. This happened as then promoter loved their music and booked them without realising they were not only white but from Scotland. Needless to say it didn’t take them long to win over the partisan crowd.

Average White Band – Pick Up The Pieces

You can also check them out live at Montreux in 1979.

Every Saturday we take a look at some quality funk, soul and disco here at the Labs. Wether it be old or new, we’re digging it and feel the need to share. This week it’s Gwen McCrae with the brilliant “Rockin’ Chair”.

Motown style percussion, an awesome horn section in action and that vocal all come together to create a mid tempo funk number that sounds as fresh as anything released today despite first seeing a release in 1975.

Clear some space and get the Saturday morning shuffle on the go.

Gwen McCrae – Rockin’ Chair

It’s boxing day and as everyone gets into the turkey sandwiches, we recommend grabbing this 2009 Essential Mix by Greg Wilson to help aid digestion.

Surprisingly this was the first time Mr Tong had Greg on the show and it turned out to be well worth the wait. Wilson never fails and this massive selection of straight up funk and soul classics alongside Madchester anthems and straight up disco weapons hits the mark perfectly.

Get your turkey groove on to this number.

The Originals ‘Down To Love Town’ (Dimitri From Paris Edit) – Motown / CDR
Soul Searchers ‘Blow Your Whistle’ – Sussex
Goody Goody ‘It Looks Like Love’ – Atlantic
Shirley Lites ‘Heat You Up’ (Melt Down Mix) – West End
Metro Area ‘Dance Reaction’ – Environ
Talking Heads ‘Psycho Killer’ (GW Edit) – Disco Deviance / DJ Only
Sugardaddy ‘Love Honey’ (GW Version) – Tirk
Chic ‘I Want Your Love’ (Todd Terje Edit) – Supreme / DJ Only
Q ‘The Voice Of Q’ – Philly World
Nitro Deluxe ‘This Brutal House’ – Cutting
Atlantic Conveyor ‘We Are’ – Untracked
Firefly ‘Love (Is Gonna Be On Your Side)’ – Emergency
Kasso ‘Walkman’ – F1 Team
Rose Royce ‘Do Your Dance’ – Whitfield
Gunchback Boogie Band ‘Funn’ – Prelude
Rufus Feat Chaka Khan ‘Ain’t Nobody’ (Frankie Knuckles Mix) – Warner Brothers
Happy Mondays ‘WFL (Vince Clarke Mix) – Factory
Young Dog Alien ‘Gotta Keep Workin’ It’ (GW Mash-Up) – Reactivate
Stevie Wonder ‘Superstition’ (Todd Terje Edit) – Motown / CDR
Loose Ends ‘Hangin’ On A String’ (Frankie Knuckles Mix) – Ten
Aretha Franklin ‘Rock Steady’ (Danny Krivit Edit) – Rock / DJ Only
Gwen Guthrie ‘Seventh Heaven’ (Larry Levan Mix) – Garage
The Commodores ‘Machine Gun’ (Situation Edit) – Motown / CDR
B.T (Breanda Taylor) ‘You Can’t Have Your Cake And Eat It Too’ (GW Edit) – Tirk
West Phillips ‘(I’m Just A) Sucker For A Pretty Face’ – Quality
Edit The Edit ‘Two Sides Of Sympanthy’ (PTA Mash-Up / GW Edit) – Edit The Edit / DJ Only
Stone Roses ‘Fools Gold’ – Silvertone
Banbarra ‘Shack Up’ – United Artists
War ‘Me And Baby Brother’ – Island
Gino Soccio ‘Try It Out’ – Warner Brothers
Geraldine Hunt ‘ Can’t Fake The Feeling’ – Prism
Brown ‘ I Specialize In Love’ – Profile
Visual ‘The Music Got Me’ – Prelude
Incredible Bongo Band ‘Apache’ – MGM
Tweet ‘Boogie 2nite’ (Fat Camp Mix) – Elektra / DJ Only
Dc La Rue ‘Cathedrals’ (GW Edit) – Disco Deviance / DJ Only
Teenage DJ ‘I Was A Teenage DJ Pt 1’ (GW Edit) – Reactivate
Sir Joe Quarterman ‘(I Got) So Much Trouble In My Mind’ (Barna Soundmachine Edit) – GSF / DJ Only
League Unlimited Orchestra ‘Things That Dreams Are Made Of’ – Virgin
TW Funkmasters ‘Love Money’ – Champagne
Last Rhythm ‘Last Rhythm’ – American
The Clash ‘Casbah Breakdown’ (Joey Negro Edit) – CBS / CDR
808 State ‘Pacific State’ (GW Edit) – ZTT / CDR

And if that’s not good enough for ya we have him on edit duties of this classic tune.

As Saturday is soul, funk and disco day here at the Labs, and it’s Christmas, we’ve left it to the boss to bring the two together.

While you’re frantically searching for last minute gifts, here’s James Brown with “Soulful Christmas” to ease away the stress from his ace Christmas album “Funky Christmas”.

When it come to effortless class in both vocal performance and arrangement, they don’t come much better than Bill Withers. If you don’t think you have ever heard one of his tunes then you have either just been born or living on another planet.

Tunes like “Ain’t No Sunshine”, “Lovely Day” and “Lean On Me” are timeless classics that will ensure his music will live on long after he departs. Its was difficult not to choose one of the bigger tunes but I have to say that the 1973 tune “Kissing My Love” has always been a favourite.

Bill Withers – Kissing My Love

It would be rude though not to enjoy some other tunes while we are here.

We have had a great reaction to our change up for Saturdays. Classic funk, soul and disco seems to be going down a treat with the lugs. I then spotted this doing the rounds on twitter and thought it might add some cool leanings to your Saturday.

In 2009 electro boogie don DāM-FunK recorded a mix for Stones Throw as part of their podcast series. It had to be chopped down in size. Well now we have the full version for your Gospel, boogie, soul pleasure.

Every Saturday we take a look at some quality funk, soul and disco here at the Labs. Wether it be old or new, we’re digging it and feel the need to share.

This week sees us dip our toes into the wondrous back catalogue of the one and only Candi Staton. Known mostly to today’s generation for “You Got The Love”, there’s also a serious amount of funk weaponry in Staton’s armoury and this is one of the finest. That horn section, ooft!

Originally released in 1969.

Candi Staton – I’d Rather Be An Old Man’s Sweetheart (Than A Young Man’s Fool)