A Snapshot of Jazz-Funk Classics and Curios as played on the U.K. Scene, circa 1970-1983
A reflective soundtrack of music and artists featured in Greg Wilson's overview of the British jazz-funk scene, "Wake Up the City." As they were played at the time, U.K. releases are integrated alongside U.S. ones that influenced them. Original label and year of release listed.
Al Hudson and the Soul Partners “Spread Love” (U.S. ABC) 1978
Alton Edwards “I Just Wanna (Spend Some Time With You)” (U.K. Streetwave) 1982
Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers “A Night in Tunisia” (U.S. Blue Note) 1960
Atmosfear “Dancing in Outer Space” (U.K. Elite) 1979
Average White Band “Pick Up the Pieces” (U.K. Atlantic) 1974
Azymuth “Jazz Carnival” (U.S. Milestone) 1979
Azymuth “Dear Limmertz” (U.S. Milestone) 1980
Beggar & Co “(Somebody) Help Me Out” (U.K. Ensign) 1981
Blackbyrds “Rock Creek Park” (U.S. Fantasy) 1974
Brass Construction “Changin’” (U.S. United Artists) 1975
Brass Construction “Movin’” (U.S. United Artists) 1975
Brick “Dazz” (U.S. Bang) 1976
Cameo “It’s Serious” (U.S. Chocolate City) 1977
Central Line “Walking into Sunshine” [Larry Levan Remix] (U.K. Mercury) 1981
Central Line “Wot We Got (It’s Hot)” (U.K. Mercury) 1979
Chequers “Rock On Brother” (U.K. Creole) 1975
Chick Corea “Central Park” (U.S. Polydor) 1978
Cloud “All Night Long” (U.K. Flashback) 1981
Crown Heights Affair “Dreaming a Dream” (U.S. De-Lite) 1975
Crown Heights Affair “Dancin'” (U.S. De-Lite) 1976
Cymande “The Message” (U.S. Janus) 1972
Cymande “Brothers on the Slide” (U.S. Janus) 1974
David Bendeth “Feel the Real” (Canadian Inter Global Music) 1979
David Joseph “You Can’t Hide (Your Love From Me)” [Larry Levan Remix] (U.S. Island) 1983
David Joseph “You Can’t Hide (Your Love From Me)” (U.K. Island) 1983
Donald Byrd “(Fallin’ Like) Dominoes” [Live at the Roxy] (U.S. Blue Note) 1976
Donald Byrd “Dominoes” (U.S. Blue Note) 1975
Earth, Wind & Fire “Getaway” (U.S. Columbia) 1976
Earth, Wind & Fire “Runnin’” (U.S. Columbia) 1977
Eddie Henderson “Say You Will” (U.S. Capitol Records) 1977
Eddie Henderson “Prance On” (U.S. Capitol Records) 1978
Edit Point “Help Yourself” (U.K. Earthshaker Music Co. Ltd.) 1980
Eumir Deodato “Whistle Bump” (U.S. Warner Bros.) 1978
Fatback Band “Spanish Hustle” (U.S. Event) 1975
52nd Street “Twice as Nice” (U.K. Factory) 1983
Freeez “Keep in Touch” (U.K. Calibre) 1980
Freeez “Southern Freeze” (U.K. Beggars Banquet) 1981
Funk Masters “Love Money” (U.K. Tania Music) 1980
Funkadelic “One Nation Under a Groove” (U.S. Warner Bros.) 1978
Funkapolitan “As the Time Goes By” (U.K. London) 1981
George Benson “The World Is a Ghetto” (U.S. Warner Bros.) 1977
George Benson “On Broadway” (U.S. Warner Bros.) 1978
Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson “The Bottle” (U.S. Strata-East) 1974
Grover Washington. Jr. “Knucklehead” (U.S. Kudu) 1975
Grover Washington. Jr. “Little Black Samba” (U.S. Elektra) 1981
Heatwave “Boogie Nights” (U.K. GTO) 1977
Heatwave “The Groove Line” (U.K. GTO) 1978
Herbie Hancock “Chameleon” (U.S. Columbia) 1973
Herbie Hancock “I Thought It Was You” (U.S. Columbia) 1978
Hiroshi Fukumora “Hunt Up Wind” (Japan Inner City) 1980
Hi-Tension “British Hustle” (U.K. Island) 1978
Hi-Tension “Hi-Tension” (U.K. Island) 1978
Hudson People “Trip to Your Mind” [Chris Hill and Robbie Vincent Remix] (U.K. Ensign) 1979
Hudson People “Trip to Your Mind” (U.K. Hithouse) 1979
Idris Muhammed “Could Heaven Ever Be Like This” (U.S. Kudu) 1977
I-Level “Give Me” [John Luongo Remix] (U.S. Epic) 1982
I-Level “Give Me” (U.K. Virgin) 1982
Imagination “Body Talk” (U.K. R&B) 1981
Incognito “Parisienne Girl” (U.K. Ensign) 1980
Incognito “Wake Up the City” (U.K. Ensign) 1981
Inversions “Loco-Moto” (U.K. Groove) 1981
J.A.L.N. Band “Street Dance” (U.K. Magnet) 1975
Jay W. McGee “When We Party (Uptown, Downtown)” (U.K. Ensign) 1982
John Handy “Hard Work” (U.S. ABC Impulse) 1976
Junior “Mama Used to Say” (U.K. Mercury) 1982
Kool and the Gang “Jungle Jazz” (U.S. De-Lite) 1975
Kool and the Gang “Summer Madness” (U.S. De-Lite) 1974
Level 42 “Love Meeting Love” (U.K. Elite) 1980
Light of the World “Midnight Groovin’” (U.K. Ensign) 1979
Light of the World “Swingin’” (U.K. Ensign) 1979
Linda Taylor “You and Me Just Started” (U.K. Groove Productions) 1982
Link “Intuition” (U.K. Chrysalis) 1981
Linx “You’re Lying” (U.K. Chrysalis) 1980
Lonnie Liston Smith “Expansions” (U.S. Flying Dutchman) 1975
Manu Dibango “Big Blow” (France Fiesta) 1976
Manu Dibango “Soul Makossa” (France Fiesta) 1972
Mass Production “Shanté” (U.S. Cotillion) 1980
Mass Production “Welcome to Our World (of Merry Music)” (U.S. Cotillion) 1976
Olympic Runners “Whatever It Takes” (U.S. RCA) 1978
Olympic Runners “Put the Music Where Your Mouth Is” (U.K. London) 1974
Osibisa “Music for Gong Gong” (U.K. MCA) 1971
Patrice Rushen “Haven't You Heard” (U.S. Elektra) 1979
Patrick Booth “Dance All Night” (U.K. Streetwave) 1982
Paz “AC/DC” (U.K. Spotlite) 1982
Perry Haines “What’s Funk?” (France Fetish Funk Rox) 1981
Potion “Catch the Feelin’ (Showstopper)” (U.K. Slapps & Sticks) 1981
Powerline “Journey” b/w “Double Journey” (U.K. Elite) 1981
Proton “We’re Funkin’” (U.K. Ballistic) 1980
Quando Quango “Love Tempo” [Mark Kamins Remix] (U.K. Factory) 1983
Rah Band “The Falcon” (U.K. DJM) 1980
Ray Carless “Tarantula Walk” (U.K. Ensign) 1981
Richard Jon Smith “Don’t Go Walkin’ Out that Door” (U.K. Jive) 1982
Rick Clarke “Potion” (U.K. KR promo) 1981
Rodney Franklin “The Groove” (U.S. Columbia) 1980
Ronnie Laws and Pressure “Always There” (U.S. Blue Note) 1975
Ronnie Laws “Young Child” (U.S. United Artists) 1980
Roy Ayers “Can’t You See Me?” (U.S. Polydor) 1978
Roy Ayers Ubiquity “Running Away” (U.S. Polydor) 1977
Sadao Watanabe “Samba Do Marcos” (Japan Flying Disk) 1979
Savannah “I Can’t Turn Away” (U.K. R&B) 1981
Shakatak “Feels Like the Right Time” (U.K. Polydor) 1980
Side Effect “Always There” (U.S. Fantasy) 1976
Spandau Ballet “Chant No. 1 (I Don’t Need This Pressure On)” (U.K. Reformation) 1981
Spyro Gyra “Shaker Song” (U.S. Crosseyed Bear) 1977
Stop “I Can Feel It” (U.K. Elite) 1980
Style X “No Secret Affair” (U.K. Rygel Records) 1981
Surface Noise “The Scratch” (U.K. WEA) 1980
T.W. Funk Masters “Love Money” (U.K. Champagne) 1981
The Brecker Brothers “Sneakin’ Up Behind You” (U.S. Arista) 1975
The Crusaders “Stomp and Buck Dance” (U.S. ABC Blue Thumb) 1974
The Crusaders “Street Life” (U.S. MCA) 1979
The Equals “Funky Like a Train” (U.K. Mercury) 1976
The Equals “Black Skin Blue Eyed Boys” (U.K. President) 1970
The Funk Masters “It’s Over” (U.K. Master Funk) 1983
The Michael Zager Band “Music Fever” (U.S. Private Stock) 1978
The Rah Band “Falcon” (U.K. DJM) 1980
The Warriors “Destination” (U.K. Ensign) 1982
Tom Browne “Funkin' For Jamaica” (U.S. Arista GRP) 1980
Touch “Keep On” (U.K. Elite) 1982
Touchdown “Ease Your Mind” [Arthur Baker and Cosmo Wyatt Remix] (U.S. Streetwise) 1982
Touchdown “Ease Your Mind” (U.K. Record Shack) 1981
Ultrafunk featuring Mr. Superbad Freddie Mack “Kung Fu Man” (U.K. Contempo) 1974
War “The World Is a Ghetto” (Special All New Instrumental Version) (U.S. MCA) 1979
Willie Bobo “Always There” (U.S. Columbia) 1978
Greg Wilson Jazz Break Selection 1980–’83:
Al Jarreau “Spain (I Can Recall)” (U.S. Warner Bros.) 1980
Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers “A Night in Tunisia” (U.S. Blue Note) 1960
Bobby McFerrin “Dance With Me” (U.S. Elektra Musician) 1982
Chick Corea “Central Park” (U.S. Polydor) 1978
Chuck Rainey “Born Again” (U.S. Hammer N’ Nails) 1981
Dava Valentin “Blackbird” (U.S. Arista GRP) 1979
Dexter Wansel “Life On Mars” (U.S. Philadelphia International) 1976
Eddie Russ “Zaius” (U.S. Monument) 1976
John Klemmer “Brazilia” (U.S. ABC) 1979
Lee Ritenour “Market Place” (U.S. Elektra) 1979
Miroslav Vitous “New York City” (U.S. Warner Brothers) 1976
Mongo Santamaria “Sambita” (U.S. Tappan Zee) 1979
Paz “AC/DC” (U.K. Spotlite) 1982
Richie Cole with Eddie Jefferson “Hi-Fly” (U.S. Muse) 1980
Richie Havens “Going Back to My Roots” (U.S. Elektra) 1980
Roy Haynes “Vistalite” (U.S. Galaxy) 1977
Studio Trieste “Malagueña” (U.S. CTI) 1982
The Jeff Lorber Fusion “The Samba” (U.S. Inner City) 1978
The Judy Roberts Band “Never Was Love” (U.S. Madonna) 1979