Dieses brandneue Reissue im Black Fire Records Katalog bei STRUT Records ist gleichzeitig der erste volle internationale Release dieses gesuchten Albums aus dem Jahr 1977. Remastered, CD im Digipack mit ausführlichem Bookklet, LP mit Insert. Für Fans von Roy Ayers, BT Express, Minnie Riperton, Oneness OfJuju, Lonnie Liston Smith, Positive Force, Earth Wind & Fire, Donald Byrd, Brass Construction, Blackbyrds, Pleasure, Phyllis Hyman, Pointer Sisters, Ohio Players.

Strut presents the first full international release for another lost classic fromthe Black Fire Records archives, ‘Southern Energy’, the only albumrecorded by R’n’B and jazz collective Southern Energy Ensemble in 1977. Trumpeter Marvin Daniels had been drafted into the US army in Germanyduring the mid-‘70s, playing in the military touring band 100% Pure Poison.Upon returning to Virginia State College, he met up with an old friend,saxophonist Al Clarke, and they began to form a new band, pullingtogether various students from the University including Nat Lee (keys),William “Spike” Johnson (drums and percussion) and Adolphus “Peddie”Maples (percussion and vocals). “As Southern Energy, we started playingthe chitlin R’n’B circuit and ended up gigging most weekends at clubs,universities and military bases in Virginia and North and South Carolina,”remembers Daniels. After meeting Plunky Branch and Black Fire Records MD and producer,Jimmy Gray at a JuJu gig in Richmond, Virginia, Gray signed the band and they recorded some high energy sessions during 1977. “Southern Energywas tight,” continues Daniels. “We had great musicians and great vocalistsin Judy Spears and Garrie Wayne, both vocal majors from Virginia StateCollege. The album was all about positive messages and celebrating realpeople.” Tracks include the storming dancefloor jazz workout ‘ThirdHouse’, the optimistic ballad ‘Looking Ahead’ and the extended funkanthem ‘F-U-N-K-Y ‘Til The Day I Die’. The band would break up soon after the members left college. Danielsmoved to Philadelphia to work with Evelyn “Champagne” King in 1978 before co-founding Chops horns who would go on to become one of themost in-demand US session units of the ‘80s, working with Sugarhill Gang,The Police, The Rolling Stones and more. Maples would go on to play onsessions for Oneness Of Juju. Canned following the original recording, the Southern Energy Ensemblealbum eventually surfaced on a limited CD and LP on Black Fire in 1993. Now receiving its first full international release, ‘Southern Energy’ has beenremastered from the original tapes by The Carvery. Package featuresunseen photos and brand new sleeve notes by co-bandleader Marvin Daniels.