Black Fire (5 x 180g LP Set)

Format: 5LP set Label: Now Again Year: 2020 Media Condition: New Sleeve/Cover Condition: New Note: this set features the 5 LPs each in complete retail packaging, and comes with a wrap-around slip cover, not a proper box. LP 1 - ONENESS OF JUJU: CHAPTER TWO: NIA TRACKS: A1 Introduction A2 Contradiction (For Thulani) A3 Black Experience A4 Nia (Poem: Complete The Circle) B1 The End Of The Butterfly King (Poem: Things Comin' Along) B2 Black Unity PERSONNEL: Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Flute, Percussion – Plunky Nkabinde Bells, Vocals [Poetry] – Ngoma Ya Uhuru Congas – Simbo Drums, Congas, Whistle – Babatunde Electric Bass – Phil Branch Piano, Shekere, Percussion – Al-Hammel Rasul Vibraphone, Percussion – Lon Moshe LP 2 - ONENESS OF JUJU: AFRICAN RHYTHMS TRACKS: A1 African Rhythms A2 Kazi A3 Funky Wood A4 Tarishi A5 Mashariki B1 Chants B2 Don't Give Up B3 Incognito B4 Poo Too B5 Liberation Dues PERSONNEL: Balafon, Congas, Drums, Percussion, Vocals – Babatunde Bass, Percussion, Vocals – Muzi Nkabinde Clavinet, Electric Piano, Piano, Percussion, Vocals – Al Hammel Rasul Drums – Ronnie Toler Flute, Percussion, Producer, Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Vocals – Plunky Nkabinde Marimba, Vibraphone – Lon Moshe Vocals – Eka-Ete Jackie Lewis LP 3 - ONENESS OF JUJU: SPACE JUNGLE LUV TRACKS: A1 River Luv Rite A2 Follow Me A3 Soul Love Now B1 Space Jungle Funk B2 The Connection B3 Love's Messenger PERSONNEL: Congas – Rafael Solano, Richard "Dick" Watkins Drums – Ronnie Toler Electric Bass, Percussion – Muzi Nkabinde Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar – Melvin "Slyp" Glover Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals – Eka-Ete Percussion – Richard "Dick" Watkins Producer – Jimmy Gray Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Saxophone, Flute, Percussion, Vocals – Plunky Nkabinde Timbales – Alfredo Mojica  LP 4 - EXPERIENCE UNLIMITED: FREE YOURSELF TRACKS: A1 It's All Imagination A2 Functus A3 Peace Gone Away A4 Free Yourself B1 Hey You B2 People B3 Funky Consciousness PERSONNEL: Bass – Gregory "Sugar Bear" Elliott Congas, Lead Vocals, Percussion – Andre "Pops" Lucas Drums – Anthony "Block" Easton Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals – Donald R. Fields Electric Piano, Organ, Clavinet – Michael "Prof. Funk" Hughes Saxophone, Lead Vocals – Clarence "Oscar" Smith Timbales, Percussion, Vocals – David Williams Trombone, Vocals, Percussion – Greylin T. Hunter Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Percussion – Philip Harris Vocals – Bobby Owens Vocals – Wayne Davis Vocals, Lead Vocals – Melva "Lady" Adams Wood Block – Marvin "Nivram" Coward LP 5 - JUJU: LIVE AT THE EAST TRACKS: A1 (Struggle) Home A2 Soledad Brothers B1 At Least We Have A Horizon Now B2 Black Experience PERSONNEL: Bass, Vocals – Ken Shabala Congas, Percussion, Vocals – Babatunde Piano, Shekere, Percussion, Vocals – Al-Hammel Rasul Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute, Percussion, Vocals – Plunky Nkabinde Timbales, Percussion, Vocals – Jalango Vibraphone, Percussion, Vocals – Lon Moshe _______ “Magical, mystical, Afrocentric, progressive” – words that could be used to describe any number of musical compositions by Sun Ra or his cosmic brothers and sisters, from John to Alice Coltrane, early ‘70s projects on record labels like Detroit’s Tribe or New York’s Strata-East. Or, the interests of one Washington DC native named Jimmy Gray that centered under one perfect moniker: Black Fire, the label he founded in 1975. Jimmy Gray spent nearly three decades pushing boundaries as a Black American promoter, distributor and, finally, record label owner. Together with Oneness of Juju’s leader James “Plunky Nkabinde” Branch, Gray oversaw sixteen releases on Black Fire Records between 1975 and 1996. Now-Again is releasing definitive reissues of four of label’s key titles, all were lacquered – most directly from master tape – by legendary Los Angeles mastering engineer Bernie Grundman. With this set, Oneness of Juju and Black Fire’s story burns forth into its fifth decade, its message not tempered, its sound pure. It’s cycle, once again, complete. LP 1 - Oneness Of Juju: Chapter Two: Nia   LP 2 - Oneness Of Juju: African Rhythms   LP 3 - Oneness Of Juju: Space Jungle Luv   LP 4 - Experience Unlimited: Free Yourself   LP 5 - Juju: Live At The East