The "Holy Grail" of breaks & beats.

14 MP3 Songs
URBAN/R&B: Soul, URBAN/R&B: Funk



Details:
ManzelâMidnight Theme (Dopebrother Records)

The term âholy grailâ is frequently used in record digging circles when it comes to those elusive slabs of vinyl that have attained legendary status. And at the top of the stack when it comes to these holiest hunks of funk is Manzelâs "Midnight Theme" (recorded in 1975 and originally released by Fraternity Records in 1979), one of the most collectible funk and breakbeat 45s ever. Though "Midnight Themeâs" infectiously laid back synth lines percolate within a seamlessly smooth groove, the songâs claim to fame is its booming opening drum breakâeight bars of crispy snares and hi-hats that have become the stuff of hip hop lore. "Midnight Themeâs" beats have not only graced old school compilations like the pre-Ultimate Breaks & Beats "Octopus" series, but theyâve been immortalized in the digital age as the sampled rhythm behind rap classics by De La Soul, Cypress Hill, and many others.

World-class record collectors and purveyors of quality funk, soul, hip hop and dance grooves, renowned producer/DJ/remixer Kenny "Dope" Gonzales of Masters at Work & Victor "The Undercover Brother" Piagneri recognized that the power of Manzelâs music still resonates some 25 years after its initial release. Tracking down the groupâs bandleader/ keyboardist Manzel Bush, now a Lieutenant-Colonel in the U.S. Army, Kenny & Victor reissued "Midnight Theme"âalong with the groupâs other masterpiece, 1978âs disco-break fueled "Space Funk"âon there Dopebrother imprint in early 2003. During the process of recovering the original masters of Manzelâs holy grail, they discovered the breakbeat equivalent of the Lost Ark of the Covenantâan entire albumâs worth of Manzel material that had been languishing in the vaults for years. Thus, we have a gift from the rare groove gods, Manzelâs Midnight Theme, the album.

More than merely a showcase for Manzelâs elusive original 45 sides (the B-sides for which, the Blackbyrds-esque "Sugar Dreams" and the kinetic, break-heavy "Jump Street" are also included here), Midnight Theme introduces a group that surely would have taken its place amongst the top jazz-funk instrumental combos of its time had its music reached a wider audience. With band-mates Larry Van Dyke on guitar and Steve Garner on drums, Manzel Bushâs knack for timeless keyboard melodies and succinct arrangements are in evidence throughout. Opening with a four-on-the-floor equivalent of "Midnight Themeâs" drum break, "Itâs Over Now" is a disco burner easily compatible with contemporary dance tracks. Similarly, up-tempo gems like "The Party" and "Just For You" fuse the crewâs trademark lush string lines, plaintive Moog melodies, and pumping club rhythms to perfection. A mid-tempo number in the tradition of "Midnight Theme," "Evil, Wicked, Mean & Nasty" rides wicked hip hop-friendly beats before giving way to a grand groove of a bridge. Meanwhile, "Long Way Home" and the original ballad take on "Itâs Over Now" show the band to be just as attuned to the subtleties of more meditative material.

With Kenny Dope & The Undercover Brother on the mix re-tuning Manzelâs masterworks in the form of additional, exclusive 12 Inch remixes of the title cut and "Space Funk," Midnight Theme is nothing short of an event. As is only appropriate for such an important release, the album is packaged in a striking eight-page fold-out CD booklet that lovingly documents the original recording sessions. Brace yourselves, rare groove fanatics. Your Theme music has finally arrived.