Simba O'Donel Levy SKU: MRBLP296 Barcode: 7119691293318 20.00 £20.00 Genre: Soul / Funk Label: Mr Bongo Released Date: 23rd February 2024 Buying Format: 1LP Out of stock Back Order Add to your Wishlist Description Product Info Proudly presenting a new series of Mr Bongo reissues exploring the incredible back catalogue of Sonny Lester’s iconic Groove Merchant record label. Classic 70’s funky soul-jazz goodness by the guitar maestro O’Donel Levy. Produced by Sonny Lester and featuring a who’s who list of 70’s session players. Launching a new series of choice reissues from the iconic Groove Merchant label. First up, the spellbinding funk-fuelled, soul jazz album ‘Simba’, by guitar maestro O’Donel Levy. Baltimore-born, Levy was already well regarded as one of the best up-and-coming jazz guitarists at the time of Simba’s release. Having toured with George Benson and Jimmy McGriff, as well as featuring on McGriff’s Black Pearl album on Blue Note, he went on to sign with Sonny Lester’s Groove Merchant. Produced by Lester himself and recorded over two back- to- back days of sessions in 1973, Simba features a who’s who of ’70s session players. The album features the legendary studio drummer Steve Gadd, Cecil Bridgewater on Flugelhorn, bass by Tony Levin and arrangements by Manny Albam. A masterclass in tight yet effortlessly funk-driven rhythms, the tracks showcase these musicians at their zenith. Album opener ‘Bad, Bad, Simba’ wouldn’t have been out of place on a Lalo Schifrin ’70s car chase soundtrack. Levy’s playing is brilliant, bright and slick, with an infectiously exuberant energy that is complimented perfectly by Gadd’s supreme drumming. ‘Playhouse’ serves up another vibrant offering, Wah Wah guitars, horns and flutes duelling it out in a fast-paced fashion. The cinematic thread continues throughout, yet with the tempo taken down a notch. ‘Sierra Lonely’ and ‘Sad, Sad, Simba’ head into lush ballad territory, with superb arrangements by Albam and beautiful playing by Collins and Bridgewater on Flugelhorn. Here Levy shines without taking any limelight, as the players synergize to a relaxed perfection. ‘Nigerian Knights’ closes the album flawlessly, showcasing once more Levy’s understated yet magnetic flow on the guitar. Every track on ‘Simba’ is a winner. As with CTI Recordings of the same era, the feel and textures of Sonny Lester’s productions have that pre-emptive, hip- hop aesthetic, which later producers would rework and reimagine. This album is expertly balanced, deftly arranged and magically executed, ebbing and flowing with a cool buoyancy that just grooves and grooves. Artist O'Donel Levy Genre Soul / Funk Label Mr Bongo Buying Options 1LP Format 1LP Condition New Country UK Track Listings Bad, Bad, Simba Kilimanjaro Cookout Playhouse Sierra Lonely Sad, Sad, Simba Joni Nigerian Knights Share this On Facebook On Twitter Via Email More from Soul / Funk View Product Quick View Allergies, The Say The Word Soul / Funk | Jalapeno Records | 2LP, Coloured Vinyl Released 17th July 2020 £25.00 Add to basket Reserve View Reservations Allergies, The Say The Word £25.00 Genre: Soul / Funk Label: Jalapeno Records SKU: JAL350V Formats: 2LP, Coloured Vinyl Released Date: 17th July 2020 Reserve View Reservations Read More Add to basket View Product Quick View Various Artists Eddie Piller & Dean Rudland present: Acid Jazz (Not Jazz) Soul / Funk | Acid Jazz | 1LP Released 25th November 2022 £25.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Various Artists Eddie Piller & Dean Rudland present: Acid Jazz (Not Jazz) £25.00 Genre: Soul / Funk Label: Acid Jazz SKU: AJXLP675 Formats: 1LP Released Date: 25th November 2022 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Marvin Gaye The Soulful Moods Of Marvin Gaye Soul / Funk | Back To Black | 180g, 1LP, Includes Download Code Released 7th September 2015 £14.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Marvin Gaye The Soulful Moods Of Marvin Gaye £14.00 Genre: Soul / Funk Label: Back To Black SKU: 5353644 Formats: 180g, 1LP, Includes Download Code Released Date: 7th September 2015 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Alicia Keys The Diary of Alicia Keys Soul / Funk | J Records | 2LP Released 15th November 2019 £37.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Alicia Keys The Diary of Alicia Keys £37.00 Genre: Soul / Funk Label: J Records SKU: AJAY55712 Formats: 2LP Released Date: 15th November 2019 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Fred Wesley & The JBs Damn Right I Am Somebody Soul / Funk | Get On Down | 1LP Released 12th February 2016 £22.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Fred Wesley & The JBs Damn Right I Am Somebody £22.00 Genre: Soul / Funk Label: Get On Down SKU: GET54080LP Formats: 1LP Released Date: 12th February 2016 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Cece Winans Let Them Fall in Love Soul / Funk | Pure Springs Gospel | 1LP Released 10th February 2017 £19.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Cece Winans Let Them Fall in Love £19.00 Genre: Soul / Funk Label: Pure Springs Gospel SKU: PSG001-1 Formats: 1LP Released Date: 10th February 2017 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Raphael Saadiq Jimmy Lee Soul / Funk | Columbia | 2LP Released 20th September 2019 £23.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Raphael Saadiq Jimmy Lee £23.00 Genre: Soul / Funk Label: Columbia SKU: 19075965501 Formats: 2LP Released Date: 20th September 2019 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Marvin Gaye What’s Going On (50th Anniversary) US Version Soul / Funk | Motown | 180g, 2LP, Gatefold Sleeve Released 24th June 2022 £60.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Marvin Gaye What’s Going On (50th Anniversary) US Version £60.00 Genre: Soul / Funk Label: Motown SKU: MTLP58417 Formats: 180g, 2LP, Gatefold Sleeve Released Date: 24th June 2022 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Various Artists Martin Freeman and Eddie Piller Present Soul On The Corner Soul / Funk | Acid Jazz | 2LP Released 3rd May 2019 £19.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Various Artists Martin Freeman and Eddie Piller Present Soul On The Corner £19.00 Genre: Soul / Funk Label: Acid Jazz SKU: AJX2LP469 Formats: 2LP Released Date: 3rd May 2019 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders View Product Quick View Johnnie Taylor Who’s Making Love Soul / Funk | UMC | 180g, 1LP Released 1st November 2019 £24.00 Back Order View Pre/Back Orders Johnnie Taylor Who’s Making Love £24.00 Genre: Soul / Funk Label: UMC SKU: 7209256 Formats: 180g, 1LP Released Date: 1st November 2019 Read More Back Order View Pre/Back Orders See more in Soul / Funk Start again
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