{"title":"Oneness Of Juju","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePlunky \u0026amp; Oneness of Juju is a rhythm \u0026amp; blues-African-jazz-funk band hailing from Richmond, Virginia, U.S.A. Founded in San Francisco in 1971 by J. Plunky Branch, the group has undergone various changes in personnel and names over its impressive 30-year career. Originally known as Juju, they later became Oneness of Juju (1975-81), then Plunky \u0026amp; Oneness of Juju (1982-88), and most recently Plunky \u0026amp; Oneness (1988 - present). With their unique blend of genres, this talented ensemble continues to captivate audiences with their infectious rhythms and soulful melodies.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eInspired by a diverse range of musical influences, *Oneness Of Juju* has carved out their own distinctive sound that sets them apart from other artists. Drawing inspiration from acts such as Lafayette Afro Rock Band, Leon Thomas, Weldon Irvine, and Gary Bartz among others; *Oneness Of Juju* infuses elements of African music with jazz, funk, and R\u0026amp;B to create an electrifying fusion that transcends boundaries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith an extensive discography spanning several decades and a reputation for delivering unforgettable live performances,*Oneness Of Juju* remains at the forefront of the music scene. Led by the visionary talent of J. Plunky Branch,*Oneness Of Juju* continues to push creative boundaries while staying true to their roots.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"space-jungle-luv-2","title":"Space Jungle Luv","description":"\u003cp\u003eStrut presents an exclusive reissue of Oneness Of Juju’s classic 1976 album \u003ci\u003eSpace Jungle Luv\u003c\/i\u003e, an essential addition to the Black Fire Records reissue series. When bandleader James “Plunky” Branch created Oneness Of Juju in 1975, he had spent five years working on both the West and East coasts of the U.S. The group’s previous ncarnation, Juju, had become a fixture within New York’s avant-garde jazz scene. Upon moving to Richmond, Virginia, Plunky re-grouped with a new set of musicians, fusing African percussion with funk and R\u0026amp;B. The band recorded two of their most celebrated albums during 1975 and 1976, African Rhythms and Space Jungle Luv.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis change of direction ushered in the most successful era yet for the band. Plunky connected with distributor, publicist and DJ Jimmy “Black Fire” Gray, and African Rhythms scored a huge local success. Plunky recalls, “A year later, with Space Jungle Luv, I moved from R\u0026amp;B into a more mellow, spiritual direction. The music featured a smooth progressive sound that was perfect for our singer Lady Eka-Ete’s mesmerizing, soulfully sweet vocals.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThat album also introduced guitarist Melvin Glover to the group; his songs broadened our repertoire by adding celestial, harp-like tones and textures. ” The pianist from Pharoah Sanders’ band, Joe Bonner, also guested on the sessions. “With Space Jungle Luv, I was making a Pharoah kind of record, ” continues Plunky. “I wanted to deliver a spiritually uplifting message; artists like George Clinton and Sun Ra had explored the theme of space and people were looking towards the future and new technology. We were also describing the album – space music, jungle music, love songs. Among the tracks, ‘River Luvrite’ describes positive people as constituting a flow, a continuous spirit. With ‘Follow Me’, we were just saying,‘come along with us and find new places together.’”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis new reissue of \u003ci\u003eSpace Jungle Luv \u003c\/i\u003efeatures the full original artwork, including the cover painting by Muzi Branch. It is remastered by The Carvery and includes a brand new interview with bandleader James “Plunky” Branch alongside rare photos. The release also includes brand new liner notes by James “Plunky” Branch.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50427107115339,"sku":"2215139","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/Space_Jungle_Luv_a45ea0f0_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726821766"},{"product_id":"african-rhythms","title":"African Rhythms","description":"\u003cp\u003eEvery purchase online or instore gets a free Rough Trade \/ Republic Of Music 2018 CD sampler.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrut present a brand-new edition of Oneness of Juju’s Afro-jazz classic \u003ci\u003eAfrican Rhythms,\u003c\/i\u003e originally released on Black Fire in 1975 and first reissued on Strut in 2002. For bandleader James “Plunky” Branch, \u003ci\u003eAfrican Rhythms\u003c\/i\u003e marked a significant return to his home town of Richmond, Virginia after a politically charged five years based on the East and West coasts. His personal journey had taken him from activism at Columbia University to San Francisco where Zulu musician Ndikho Xaba used theatre to “resurrect” Afro-Americans with a new African identity. The first incarnation of Plunky’s band, Juju, drew attention to the struggle in South Africa under apartheid, layering heavy Afro rhythms under uncompromising avant garde jazz. Back in Richmond, Plunky tapped into the mid-Atlantic preference for Southern R\u0026amp;B and gospel: “Juju had always been blues-based and it was a natural progression to add R\u0026amp;B and dance rhythms. It didn’t change our message.” Produced by Jimmy Gray of Black Fire Records, the new sessions included the title track (“We wanted a song to dance to with a message – ‘you are dancing to African rhythms’”), the positive message of \u003ci\u003eDon’t Give Up \u003c\/i\u003eand political commentary on \u003ci\u003eLiberation Dues. \u003c\/i\u003eOriginally just a regional hit on the East coast and in Washington DC specifically, the album gradually spread, influencing the nascent DC go-go scene. The UK revived the album during the rare groove era of the late ‘80s and the title track has since become a soul-jazz favourite worldwide. Remastered from the original sessions and featuring rare photos and extensive liner notes, this new repress also features Part 1 and Part 2 of the original 45 version of \u003ci\u003eAfrican Rhythms\u003c\/i\u003e and the previously unheard \u003ci\u003eAfrobeat\u003c\/i\u003e, recently unearthed from the original tapes.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":50450432885067,"sku":"1042671","price":5.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/99899b5e-2dcd-4193-8b80-2e087e0d19d2_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727111889"},{"product_id":"made-through-ritual","title":"Made Through Ritual","description":"\u003cp\u003eStrut present the first international release in over 30 years by legendary Afro-jazz group Oneness Of Juju with their new album \u003cem\u003eMade Through Ritual\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1975, the late DJ \/ producer and jazz distributor Jimmy Gray and James “Plunky” Branch joined a musical revolution, founding Black Fire Records and releasing the label’s debut album, the classic African Rhythms by Oneness of Juju. This July, Plunky brings this important musical relationship full circle with \u003cem\u003eMade Through Ritual\u003c\/em\u003e, produced by Plunky’s son Jamiah “Fire” Branch and Jimmy’s son Jamal Gray.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe album takes a novel approach to beat culture. Working from demos created by Jamal using a selection of original jazz samples, Plunky took the tracks, replayed and re-interpreted the arrangements using live musicians. “The album explores the art of deconstruction and reconstruction in music - sampling, sequencing, and live improvisation merge with multi-track recording to craft intricate harmonies and arrangements,” explains Plunky. “The process became a ritualistic expression of creativity and transformation.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe resulting album is a fascinating listen. Opening with the meditative soul chant ‘Share This Love’ voiced by regular Oneness vocalist Charlayne “Chyp” Green, the album opens out into a series of jazz vignettes including the title track, ‘In Due Time’ and ‘Free Spirit’. The powerful album closer, ‘Children Of The Drum’ celebrates black culture and legacy through the poetry of Roscoe Burnem.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReleased on LP and CD with specially commissioned cover artwork by contemporary Ivorian artist Maxime Manga, \u003cem\u003eMade Through Ritual\u003c\/em\u003e represents an important new chapter in the Oneness story. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Strut","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":51707179106635,"sku":"R8658-9237","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"LP - Black","offer_id":51707179139403,"sku":"R8658-8265","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/unnamed_41.jpg?v=1745574334"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/collections\/test_ffe89d60_thumbnail_4096_0a7e8a93-7cab-47ba-8886-00001eb4222d.jpg?v=1726821746","url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/de\/collections\/oneness-of-juju.oembed","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}