If you’re looking for something to take up 30 minutes of your time and you’ve already rewatched every episode of The Office on Netflix (including “Diversity Day,” twice) then you should take some time to get into Deep Disco with Egon’s mix, now up at Spotify. It’s a live mix of tracks from our Soul-Cal anthology and related music, some of which hasn’t made it up on to digital distribution services, and some of which we’ve been trying to get sorted out for reissue for some time.
by Eothen “Egon” Alapatt, with additional text edited from an essay by Lance Scott Walker.
Drummer, bandleader and activist William George “Bubbha” Thomas died at his son William’s home on Saturday March 28th, 2020. He was 82 years old. His son said that the cause was heart failure; Thomas had been in failing health for some time and hadn’t played his drums in years. But his mind was sharp until the end, and he was surrounded by music. William said that Bubbha passed on while listening to “All In Love Is Fair” from the fourth album in his classic period, Country Fried Chicken (Spotify), streaming on the internet. Yesterday was a sad day for me, but that moment gave me a feeling of peace: some years prior, Bubbha had called me, deep into our friend-and mentorship and business relationship, and told me that he wasn’t getting younger, and he wanted all of his music available, for all to hear – and fast. I had held off on that commitment for years, as I knew how daunting of a task it was going to be. But I’m glad, on that day, that I said yes. The resulting box set, which I worked with Bubbha to issue as Creative Music: The Complete Works, came out in full last year, and coincided with the wide release of his catalog, which is of the highest echelon of jazz music. MORE
It will come as no surprise that Rappcats will no longer be opening up for Egon’s pop-up record shop on the weekend of March 21-22. We will announce a new date as soon as we can.
That said, we’re making the best of it for those stuck at home: we’ve assembled a limited amount of 3 LP grab bags and we’re offering them for sale online, on a first come first serve basis. Each grab bag comes with three pieces of vinyl from Egon’s collection. All genres.
ON SALE: BLACK FIRE 5LP SET
5 legendary albums of Spiritual Jazz and Deep Funk. Via our web store at Rappcats.
This is the definitive reissue by Now-Again of five classic albums from the Black Fire record label. These 5 records are presented individually and as part of an obi-wrapped set that offers a value priced set of the albums. Limited edition, one time pressing.
Juju’s Live At The East 1973 and Experience Unlimited’s Free Yourself are shipping now. The others are pre-order with ship dates listed below.
Read more about the label: Black Fire – Spiritual Jazz and Black American Empowerment through Music in 1970s
Each album: Lacquered, most directly from master tape, by legendary Los Angeles mastering engineer Bernie Grundman. Packaged in a thick, tip-on sleeve and includes a unique, oversize booklet with extensive notes on each album, the Black Fire collective, and the musical and cultural revolution they created. MORE
Here it is, rumored no more: More Mess On My Thing, the demo Bootsy Collins and his band recorded for James Brown in 1969 that won them the title “The J.B.’s” – and changed the course of popular music.
Top photo: The J.B.’s. Front: Frankie Waddy, Catfish Collins, Bootsy Collins. Back: Robert McCullough, Chicken Gunnels, unknown.
Buy Now» The J.B.’s – More Mess On My Thing
Guaranteed in stock via our web store at Rappcats.
This is the companion piece to Now-Again’s first-ever issue of the lost J.B.’s album These Are The J.B.’s. All tracks mixed by Mario Caldato, directly from the original multi-track masters. Overseen by Egon and Universal Music Group’s in-house Brown expert Harry Weinger. MORE