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 Minnie Riperton with the brilliant “Adventures in Paradise”.

Known to most for her 1975 single “Lovin You”, she was one of the decades finest vocalists and for me, this is maybe her finest moment – the title track from album “Adventures in Paradise”.

Minnie Riperton – Adventures in Paradise

Her debut single “Les Fleur” is also amazing and was later covered brilliantly by 4 Hero.

Minnie Riperton – Les Fleur

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.

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)

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 into it and want to share it with yourselves.

My first tune of this new feature has always been a personal favourite. Lyn Collins began her career as a 14 year old and in 1972 had her biggest hit with todays tunes. Not only is at an amazing tune, its contains 5 original breaks that have been widely used in both hip hop and drum & bass.

Who can you hear in there? How about Chad Jackson? Tell us some more in the comments!

Lyn Collins – Think (about it)

Caribou brings back his Daphni incarnation for the 3rd time this year for the inaugural release on the new Jiaolong label. With no actual name for the EP its just called 001 and kicks off with an afrobeat remix of the band Cos-Ber-Zam.

We then kick into a more funky soulful groove with “Yes I Know” with this tune maybe proving to be the most popular of the 3 tracks on offer.

Last up the track “Jiao” is dominated by a rapid synth line and shuffling percussion with a bit of a space funk groove.

Available now at rubadub.