Do What You Will

San Francisco's Reynolds Records was only around for a few years spanning the 1970s, releasing a catalog of strong Bay Area funk and soul material.  Producer, Songwriter and horn player Steve Marshall's first appearance on the label is on this masterpiece of haunting deep soul.  His subsequent releases on the label head straight into disco territory. After cutting two versions of his hit "Maintain" he released an album length statement Do What You Will in 1978.  The LP is a consistent listen start to finish and leaning toward extended instrumental jamming with clean arrangements.  Disco LPs that are solid beginning to end are a rare breed, combine that fact with the small label pressing of this release and we have a bona fide disco grail on our hands. Here are two of my favorite cuts off the record.

Steve Marhsall - Do What You Will

Steve Marhsall - Maintain (LP version)

I Lose Sleep Over You

 Private Eye was a bay area funk group in the '80s produced by Berkeley native Claytoven Richardson. The group released one LP and a few singles on Fantasy in 1983. "I Lose Sleep Over You" is their hardest funk track and has been on my turntable a lot lately. The talented Richardson had a hand in numerous '80s funk records including the boogie laced Bill Summers LPs Call It What You Want and Seventeen, as well as one of the best Bay Area 80s funk LPs No Better Love by Chas.

 There is a later (and much easier to find) version of "I Lose Sleep Over You" by Street Fare from '87 that is still great, no doubt due to the same producer's touch. 

Private Eye - I Lose Sleep Over You