Blax-Plosion stands as an essential twenty-six-track two-disc archival compilation curated by renowned UK reissue imprint Charly Records. Released in 2001, this hundred-and-five-minute collection captures the cinematic grit, syncopated street rhythms, and urban funk soundtrack culture that defined the Blaxploitation film era and early 1970s African American funk scene. Spanning heavy-hitting funk, breakbeat staples, proto-rap spoken word, and jazz-funk workouts, the compilation draws from the deep catalog vaults of Charly, Curtom, Jewel, Sound Stage 7, and Blue Note. The two-disc program gathers funk royalty and jazz icons, including Curtis Mayfield, Skull Snaps, Pee Wee Ellis, Maceo & All The King's Men, The Meters, Leroy Hutson, Bobby Womack, and The Last Poets. Essential crate-digger highlights include Skull Snaps' legendary breakbeat foundation It's A New Day, Curtis Mayfield's cinematic crime-soul title theme Short Eyes, Lightnin' Rod's (Jalau Nuriddin) proto-rap classic Sport featuring The Last Poets, The Meters' syncopated New Orleans funk staple Chicken Strut, and Buddy Rich's explosive jazz-funk big band interpretation of Herbie Hancock's Chameleon. Sourced from original high-fidelity master transfers digitally remastered at Charly Studios alongside high-bitrate MP3 options, complete with EAC sector logging verification, track cue sheets, full retail artwork scans, and pristine audio clarity, this 2-CD anthology is an indispensable centerpiece for funk purists, hip-hop breakbeat diggers, and cinematic soul archives.

Released in 2003 by BMG, 1972-1974 is a premier retrospective highlighting the formative street-funk era of New York City's legendary Fatback Band. Formed by visionary drummer Bill Curtis to fuse the heavy "fatback" jazz beat of New Orleans with raw NYC street funk and R&B, the ensemble became one of the most prolific and influential funk groups of the 1970s and 1980s. Collecting 18 essential early tracks recorded for Perception and Event Records, this compilation captures their driving rhythm section, gritty horn arrangements, and infectious party grooves across classic cuts like "Street Dance", "Fatbackin'", "Clap Your Hands", and "Njia Walk (Street Walk)".

Released in 2003 on Stones Throw subsidiary Now-Again Records and compiled by Eothen "Egon" Alapatt, The South Dallas Funk Festival '1970 (also known as Live at the South Dallas Pop Festival 1970) is an extraordinary historical document of raw, uncut Texas gutbucket funk. Recorded live direct-to-tape on a rainy night in 1970 and left unreleased for over three decades, this compilation unearths ferocious live performances by heavy-hitting local groups including The Soul Seven, Apollo Commanders, Marchel Ivery Quintet, Black Maffia, and Les Watson & The Panthers. Packed with blistering drum breaks, fierce horns, and raw energy, it stands as an essential holy grail for funk collectors and crate diggers.

Released in 1974 on Prestige Records and reissued in Japan by Universal, Priced To Sell is the fifth and final studio album from Indianapolis jazz-funk outfit Funk, Inc. Founded in 1969 by organist Bobby Watley and tenor saxophonist Eugene Barr, the group delivered a slicker, more expansive sound for this session, featuring an enlarged ensemble with horn sections and gospel-tinged background vocals from legendary session singers like Jim Gilstrap and Edna Wright. Highlights include rare groove dancefloor favorites and soulful funk interpretations of Marvin Gaye's "Where Are We Going," The Beach Boys' "God Only Knows," and the infectious title track "Priced to Sell." Essential listening for collectors of 70s Prestige soul-jazz and deep funk breaks.

Released in 2009 by Light in the Attic Records, Wheedle's Groove is a stellar studio album featuring all-new recordings engineered by the legendary Kearney Barton at Audio Recording in Seattle. Produced by Dynomite D, this project reunites pioneer musicians from the mid-60s through early-70s Seattle soul and funk scene, including members of Black On White Affair, Cookin' Bag, and Cold Bold and Together. Highlights include the heavy Hammond B3 funk opener "Babyback," Ural Thomas's gritty vocal performance on "H.O.E.," a blazing gospel-funk reinvention of Soundgarden's "Jesus Christ Pose" with Patrinell Staten, and a spacey cover of Marc Moulin's "Humpty Dumpty."

Released in 2002 by Shadow Records, What Goes 'Round is a definitive anthology collecting classic tracks from the pioneering Munich deep funk ensemble The Poets Of Rhythm. Led by brothers Jan and Max Weissenfeldt alongside vocalist Boris Geiger, the German group spearheaded the modern raw funk revival of the 1990s, meticulously channeling the horn-heavy, tight-grooving sound of 1960s James Brown and The J.B.'s. The 13-track program compiles the majority of their acclaimed 1993 debut album Practice What You Preach alongside two rare tracks originally released on the 1995 compilation Original Raw Soul, Vol. 1. Driven by crisp drum rimshots, scratching guitar clucks, booming basslines, and punchy brass arrangements, tracks like "Funky Run Through Pt. 1&2," "More Mess On My Thing," and "Choking On A Piece Of Meat" serve as a masterclass in authentic vintage funk.

Released in 2005 by Electrostatic Records, The First Days of Funk, Volume One & Two is an monumental 4-CD collection bringing together 80 ultra-rare 45s, regional funk singles, and deep soul cuts from the genre's formative era in the late 1960s and 1970s. A holy grail for crate-diggers, vinyl collectors, and breakbeat aficionados, this comprehensive anthology unearths raw, syncopated rhythm tracks, hard-hitting horn arrangements, and obscure regional gems from lesser-known funk outfits, soul veterans, and independent labels across the United States. Featuring pristine transfers of obscure cuts by artists like The Olympics, Jerry McCain, Ernie K-Doe, and Ironing Board Sam, it stands as an exhaustive archive of underground funk history.

Released in 2006 by Metro Triples, The Best of Blaxploitation: Cinematic Soul and Badass Funk Classics is a massive 3-CD compilation celebrating the gritty, brass-heavy, and groove-drenched soundscape of 1970s cinematic soul. Collecting 45 tracks across three themed discs, the box set seamlessly bridges iconic Blaxploitation soundtrack anthems with heavy funk floorfillers and conscious street-level soul. Featuring heavyweight icons such as James Brown, Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye, Gil Scott-Heron, Cymande, and The Meters alongside deep-funk gems by Sir Joe Quarterman, The Last Poets, and Pee Wee Ellis, this set serves as the definitive primer for gritty 1970s cinematic soul and badass funk.

Released in 2017 as a self-titled independent release, Backlash is the raucous fifth studio album from Austin-based garage-soul powerhouse Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears. Returning to his full band credit, Lewis delivers a fiery fusion of raw garage punk, heavy blues rock, and sweat-soaked R&B attitude. Channeling the wild spirit of Iggy Pop, Andre Williams, and Screamin' Jay Hawkins, the 11-track collection ranges from the distorted guitar lash of "Flash Eyed" and the heavy riffing of "Shadow People" to the hip-swiveling funk of "Global" and the sprawling, atmospheric closing ballad "Maroon." Unapologetically loud and gritty, Backlash is high-energy garage-soul built for rowdy house parties.

Spanning six essential volumes released between 2000 and 2002 by Electrostatic Records, Funkaphonix Vol. 1-6 is a definitive, holy-grail anthology dedicated to deep, rare, and obscure funk, raw soul, and gritty bayou-to-city grooves recorded between 1968 and 1975. Packing 120 heavily sought-after tracks across six thematic installments, this massive collection unearths ultra-rare 45rpm singles, private press gems, regional hits, and heavy breakbeat classics from forgotten legends and subterranean funk bands. From heavy basslines, wah-wah guitar riffs, and explosive horn sections to hard-hitting drum breaks and raw vocal performances, the series covers every corner of the classic funk spectrum—including deep funk, sister funk, soul jazz, and heavy funk-rock. Featuring tracks by Skullsnaps, Sound Experience, General Crook, The Backyard Heavies, Magic Sam, and dozens of under-the-radar outfits, Funkaphonix stands as an essential treasure trove for crate-diggers, DJs, producers, and classic funk aficionados.

Released in 2007 on the esteemed Spanish reissue and revival label Vampi Soul, Aphrodisiac joins forces between raw, legendary Detroit R&B provocateur Andre "Mr. Rhythm" Williams and Iowa’s premier deep-funk outfit, The Diplomats of Solid Sound. Recorded at Prairie Sun Studios, the album pairs Williams' iconic raspy half-spoken vocals, gritty wit, and streetwise storytelling with the Diplomats' razor-sharp horn arrangements, heavy Hammond B3 grooves, and vintage 1960s soul rhythm section. From the driving opening horn lines of "Hold Up" and the tongue-in-cheek funk of "I Don't Need Mary (Juana)" to the infectious strut of "Chrysler 300" and "Thunder Thighs," Aphrodisiac is a explosive burst of unfiltered, authentic garage-funk and greasy R&B.

As whistle-stop tours of funk go, this is pretty interesting, consisting of 16 cuts mostly drawn from early 1970s records, though a few rather ill-fitting efforts from the early 1980s slip in. Only one of these songs, Curtis Mayfield's "Freddie's Dead," is famous, though other respected gents dot the set, some known more for straight-ahead soul or soul-jazz than for funk: Aaron Neville, Lee Dorsey, Roy Ayers, Jimmy McGriff, the Meters, and Bobby Womack. Filling out the program are names that at this point are mostly known to aficionados, like Ripple, O'Donel Levy, S.O.U.L, and Sir Joe Quarterman & Free Soul. The lack of big stars or a solid thematic center might put some off, but for funk fans seeking some good off-the-beaten-track sides, this is recommended, both for its quality and eclecticism. It covers credible James Brown knockoffs, like Sir Joe Quarterman & Free Soul's "(I Got) So Much Trouble in My Mind," Moody Scott's "I Don't Dig No Phony Part 2," and Eddie Bo's "If It's Good to You (It's Good for You)"; Maceo & All the King's Men's "Got to Get Cha" comes by its James Brown influence honestly, as these fellows (led by saxophonist Maceo Parker) were in Brown's band in the late 1960s. Lee Dorsey's "Yes We Can," from 1971, predates the more famous Pointer Sisters hit cover of the tune. Ripple show a strong Sly Stone influence on "I Don't Know What It Is But It Sure Is Funky," and Aaron Neville, known more for New Orleans soul, seems to be trying to emulate Superfly-era Curtis Mayfield (and quite admirably) on "Hercules." And S.O.U.L.'s "Soul Part 1 & 2" is a real overlooked gem, with its jazz-influenced groove and rockin' lead flute.

On Country Fried Chicken, the legendary Houston activist, master percussionist, and bandleader Bubbha Thomas leads his radical, heavy-grooving ensemble The Lightmen to deliver a towering, historically volcanic, and masterfully panoramic studio document. Originally recorded in 1975 for Judnell Records and beautifully preserved on this pristine digital archive by Japan's premier archival outpost P-Vine Records, this independent jazz-funk milestone stands as a monumental holy grail of deep Texan underground history. Spanning nearly 40 minutes of immaculate high-fidelity spatial design, the 6-track landscape operates with an intense, heavily syncopated, and beautifully balanced kinetic energy. Thomas acts as a brilliant sonic visionary, seamlessly fusing avant-garde modal structures with blistering, street-level funk foundations—tracking magnificent highlights like the blazing, bass-driven Title Anthem, an uninhibited spiritual exploration on Survival Song, and the expansive, 10-minute multi-layered masterpiece Sweet Ray. Driven by Thomas's crisp, driving drum telemetry, a stellar horn frontline featuring a rare early appearance by Ronnie Laws, and swirling electric piano architectures, this archive remains an indispensable cornerstone for serious spiritual jazz purists and global deep funk collectors worldwide.

Crate Diggin Fever - The Cult Of Rarity stands as a spectacularly curated, deep-grooving archive that honors the unsung masterpieces of underground dance-floor history. Released in 2010 by Harmless Records under their highly acclaimed Backbeats division, this essential compilation was masterfully assembled by legendary compiler Dean Rudland (celebrated for his definitive work with Acid Jazz and Ace Records). The project functions as a high-fidelity goldmine for vintage crate-diggers, unearthing rare, expensive, and forgotten gems from iconic label vaults including Brunswick, Hot Wax, Invictus, Hi, and Philadelphia International. Spanning well over an hour of pristine, syncopated rhythm, the 21-track landscape moves fluidly from towering groove anthems like Jean Carn's majestic Don't Let It Go To Your Head and Laura Lee's grit-infused Crumbs Off The Table to the explosive instrumental funk of African Music Machine and the hypnotic soul-jazz styling of Al Green's Love Ritual. Driven by heavy bass loops, punchy horn configurations, and exceptional vocal deliveries, this release remains an indispensable analog time capsule for soul purists and serious vinyl collectors alike.

Chocolate Milk’s self-titled 1976 release stands as one of the finest examples of New Orleans funk from the mid-1970s. Drawing inspiration from groups like Kool & The Gang and The Meters while maintaining their own distinctive sound, the band crafted an album filled with rich grooves, tight horn arrangements, and soulful melodies. The record perfectly captures the vibrant spirit of the New Orleans music scene, blending deep funk rhythms with smooth R&B influences and infectious dance energy. Tracks such as “How About Love,” “Running Away,” and “Never Ever Do Without You” highlight the group’s versatility, balancing emotional soul with powerful funk-driven performances. This expanded 2013 Funkytowngrooves edition also includes several valuable single versions, adding even more classic material to an already strong album. Chocolate Milk combined polished musicianship with street-level funk attitude, creating a timeless recording that remains essential for fans of vintage soul and funk music from the golden era of the 1970s.