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12"
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PINKY 003EP
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Continuing to shine a light on John Rocca & Co.'s pioneering early '80s music, Far Out Recordings presents the first ever 12" release of Freeez's monster brit-funk classic "Mariposa", along with the equally heavy and hard to find 12" mix of "Alone". The limited Mariposa/Alone 12" release follows Far Out's reissues of Freeez's first two 12" single releases Keep In Touch (PINKY 001EP) and Stay/ Hot Footing It (PINKY 002EP), which saw support from Kenny Dope, Greg Wilson, Gilles Peterson, Shuya Okino, and Harvey Sutherland. Slightly more refined, but no less groovy and mysterious, "Mariposa" and "Alone" are the pinnacle of the sound Rocca and Peter Maas began developing in an East London basement in the early '80s. Released on Freeez's debut album Southern Freeez in 1980, "Mariposa" is fearsomely funky, high-tempo, melodic jazz-funk featuring Paul Morgan's lighting drum fills, Peter Maas's slapping and popping, Andy Stennett's top-drawer keys, and John Rocca's percussion and otherworldly Spanish vocals. Pure dancefloor body music, "Mariposa" typified the group's feel-good sound and has torn up club floors throughout the '80s and beyond. With the same core line-up, with the exception of new drummer; Light Of The World's Everton McCalla, "Alone", originally released as the B-side to Freeez's "One to One" single in 1982, is a cool, heady boogie stepper, and this elusive extended 12" mix is a no brainer for any discerning jazz/funk boogie jock. In the mid-80s Rocca would go onto craft underground cult classics like "Melodies of Love" and "India" as Pink Rhythm, before foraying into the world of electro, collaborating with legendary US producer Arthur Baker.
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12"
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PINKY 001EP
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Far Out Recordings present reissues of Brit funk classics. Keep In Touch and Stay (PINKY 002EP) were the first two 12" singles by the iconic Freeez, both self-funded passion projects of its founding member John Rocca, for his own Pink Rhythm imprint. It all started over the counter at Derek's Records on Petticoat Lane, London in the mid-70s. Rocca -- at the time a budding teenage percussionist -- met the prolific guitarist, composer, producer and all round brit funk fixer Jean Paul "Bluey" Maunick (also the father of Far Out producer Daniel Maunick). Best known as the founding member of Light of the World, Incognito, and more recently Str4ta, Bluey's involvement in the origins of Freeez are lesser known, but no less crucial. Bluey invited Rocca to a weekly jam session in an East London basement, where they would develop their craft, form their first band Freeez and develop the idea for "Keep In Touch": "Back in the basement there was this one particular track we were playing that I really loved. It had a groove that I thought I could sell" Rocca reminisces. Going against the advice of all the musicians involved, who thought he was mad and set to lose all his money, John decided to go full DIY, hire out a high-end studio in the West End to record "Keep In Touch" and release it as a private press, birthing his now famed Pink Rhythm label. Featuring Bluey on guitar, Peter Maas on bass, Paul Morgan on drums, Jason Wright on keyboards, and John Rocca on percussion, Keep In Touch was a surprise underground hit selling over 5000 copies and reaching #49 in the UK, leading Freeez into a record deal with Pye / Calibre.
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12"
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PINKY 002EP
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Far Out Recordings present reissues of Brit funk classics. Keep In Touch (PINKY 001EP) and Stay were the first two 12" singles by the iconic Freeez, both self-funded passion projects of its founding member John Rocca, for his own Pink Rhythm imprint. It all started over the counter at Derek's Records on Petticoat Lane, London in the mid-70s. Rocca -- at the time a budding teenage percussionist -- met the prolific guitarist, composer, producer and all round brit funk fixer Jean Paul "Bluey" Maunick (also the father of Far Out producer Daniel Maunick). Best known as the founding member of Light of the World, Incognito, and more recently Str4ta, Bluey's involvement in the origins of Freeez are lesser known, but no less crucial. Bluey invited Rocca to a weekly jam session in an East London basement, where they would develop their craft, form their first band Freeez and develop the idea for "Keep In Touch". Still giddy from the experience of having produced and pressed his first record Keep In Touch at the age of just 19, John set out to do it all again with "Stay" and "Hot Footing", enlisting Bluey & co. once again. This time Rocca attempted to take things to the next level by adding vocals into the mix. Though this new arrangement initially backfired and cost John the deal with Pye / Calibre who weren't feeling the slight change of vibe, original copies of the Stay 12" have become one of the most in demand from the brit funk canon.
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