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Black Fire - Soul Love Now: The Black Fire Records Story 1975-1993
Strut Records
- Cat No: STRUT238LP
- updated:2026-05-22
Following in the footsteps of key 1970s spiritual jazz labels such as *Tribe* and *Strata East*, *Black Fire*—an independent label rooted in Black culture that championed a return to Africa, the blues, spirituals, freedom, and liberation—a compilation spotlighting the independent label *Black Fire* has been released by *Strut*.
Track List
-
A1. THEATRE WEST - Children Of Tomorrow's Dreams
4:05 -
A2. ONENESS OF JUJU - Soul Love Now
4:54 -
A3. BYARD LANCASTER - Drummers From Ibadan
4:07 -
B1. LON MOSHE - Doin' The Carvin For Thabo
5:34 -
B2. JUJU - Nia (Poem: Complete The Circle)
8:37 -
C1. WAYNE DAVIS - Look At The People
5:11 -
C2. SOUTHERN ENERGY ENSEMBLE - Third House
7:02 -
D1. ONENESS OF JUJU - African Rhythms (Live In Washington DC, 1975)
7:41 -
D2. E.U - People
6:09
Strut present the first ever compilation bringing together classics and rarities from the seminal spiritual jazz and conscious soul label Black Fire, spanning 1975 to 1993.
Formed by DJ and record producer Jimmy Gray in Richmond, Virginia, and following in the footsteps of other influential black-owned independent labels like Strata-East and Tribe, the foundation of Black Fire coincided with saxophonist James “Plunky” Branch returning to Richmond from New York to form Oneness Of Juju.
The band’s ‘African Rhythms’ album in 1975 was the perfect fusion of jazz, deep African polyrhythms and empowering lyrics and bassist Muzi Branch, a trained artist, created the first of many Black Fire hand-illustrated sleeves for this release.
The album set the tone for a series of landmark releases on the label including Oneness Of Juju’s ‘Space Jungle Luv’ (1976) and debuts from soulman Wayne Davis (1976) and early go go pioneers Experience Unlimited (1977).
Gray continued to use his influence and strong A&R instincts to bring in more key artists – great jazz players like Byard Lancaster and Hamiet Bluiett, Ghanaian master percussionist Okyerema Asante and talented collectives including Southern Energy Ensemble and music / drama troupe Theatre West. Due to personal and cashflow issues, many releases had to be canned and only surfaced subsequently on CD releases during the early ‘90s.
‘Soul Love Now’ brings together some of the many highlights
from the label onto one essential compilation. Opening with Theatre West’s powerful soul message ‘Children of Tomorrow’s Dreams’, the tracks include a Byard Lancaster recording with Tunde Kuboye’s Drummers Of Ibadan in Nigeria and Lon Moshe’s driving jazz dance classic ‘Doin’ The Carvin’ For Thabo’. Wayne Davis brings the explosive gospel rare groove ‘Look At The People’ while Plunky’s JuJu and Oneness Of Juju feature with three tracks spanning their career, including a storming previously unreleased version of the classic ‘African Rhythms’ recorded in DC in 1975.
‘Black Fire’ features extended sleeve notes with extended interviews with musicians from the label and includes a reprint of one of the three Black Fire magazines published by Jimmy Gray which predated the launch of the label.
Formed by DJ and record producer Jimmy Gray in Richmond, Virginia, and following in the footsteps of other influential black-owned independent labels like Strata-East and Tribe, the foundation of Black Fire coincided with saxophonist James “Plunky” Branch returning to Richmond from New York to form Oneness Of Juju.
The band’s ‘African Rhythms’ album in 1975 was the perfect fusion of jazz, deep African polyrhythms and empowering lyrics and bassist Muzi Branch, a trained artist, created the first of many Black Fire hand-illustrated sleeves for this release.
The album set the tone for a series of landmark releases on the label including Oneness Of Juju’s ‘Space Jungle Luv’ (1976) and debuts from soulman Wayne Davis (1976) and early go go pioneers Experience Unlimited (1977).
Gray continued to use his influence and strong A&R instincts to bring in more key artists – great jazz players like Byard Lancaster and Hamiet Bluiett, Ghanaian master percussionist Okyerema Asante and talented collectives including Southern Energy Ensemble and music / drama troupe Theatre West. Due to personal and cashflow issues, many releases had to be canned and only surfaced subsequently on CD releases during the early ‘90s.
‘Soul Love Now’ brings together some of the many highlights
from the label onto one essential compilation. Opening with Theatre West’s powerful soul message ‘Children of Tomorrow’s Dreams’, the tracks include a Byard Lancaster recording with Tunde Kuboye’s Drummers Of Ibadan in Nigeria and Lon Moshe’s driving jazz dance classic ‘Doin’ The Carvin’ For Thabo’. Wayne Davis brings the explosive gospel rare groove ‘Look At The People’ while Plunky’s JuJu and Oneness Of Juju feature with three tracks spanning their career, including a storming previously unreleased version of the classic ‘African Rhythms’ recorded in DC in 1975.
‘Black Fire’ features extended sleeve notes with extended interviews with musicians from the label and includes a reprint of one of the three Black Fire magazines published by Jimmy Gray which predated the launch of the label.
A compilation from the label *Black Fire*, founded by DJ and record producer Jimmy Gray, which has released wonderful recordings of spiritual jazz and Shas Soul—genres that mark a return to African roots in the 1970s U.S. It features a series of releases by Oneness Of Juju, as well as Soulman, Wayne Davis, GO-GO pioneers Experience Unlimited, Philadelphia’s Baird Lancaster and Hammett Blueitt, and Ghanaian artist Okyerema Asante. The compilation includes tracks recorded as far back as 1976 but not released until 1993. It opens with the classic “Children Of Tomorrow’s Dreams” by the Ohio theater troupe Theater West, followed by Oneness Of Juju’s [Space Jungle Luv] “Soul Love Now,” a live version of the historic classic “African Rhythm,” and on to material left behind by Philadelphia giant Baird Lancaster—whose reputation continues to grow—on *Black Fire*. The 12-inch booklet features rare photographs and an interview with James “Plunky” Branch. Released by *Strut Records* in 2020. A must-have. (Original Japanese text by Saito)