Both critically-acclaimed albums have long-been sought after by funk lovers and reflect the often-humourous slant that writers Mtume and Lucas brought to their music The group MTUME was formed in 1977 by James Mtume and Reggie Lucas, former members of Miles Davis band and later touring musicians with Roberta Flack; the original line-up included vocalist Tawatha Agee.

As producers, Mtume & Lucas were also responsible for 80s hits for Stephanie Mills and Phyllis Hyman among others; Lucas went on to produce early recordings with Madonna. Other original members of the group MTUME included keyboardist Hubert Eaves III, drummer Howard King and bassist Basil Fearington

Kiss This World Goodbye contains a version of The Closer I Get To You, a 1978 U.S. hit written by Mtume & Lucas for Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway as well as the popular UK soul groove, Love Lock and the deep slow jam, Closer To The End

In Search Of The Rainbow Seekers (which reached No. 30 on the US R&B Album Charts) reflected the group's quirky lyricism and lively onstage performances with such tracks as Dance Around My Navel (Doesn t Have To Make Sense, Just Cents), So You Wanna Be A Star, Anticipatin and the lyrically-pointed Mrs. Sippi. The album contained the group s first U.S. charted single, Give It On Up (If You Want To), a Top 30 R&B hit in 1980

This is the first CD reissue of the two albums outside of Japan. Notes by David Nathan include quotes from his first Mtume interview for Blues & Soul and reflections from a brand new 2010 interview with James Mtume.

Tracks:
Disc One:

1 Theme For The People
2 Just Funnin'
3 Kiss This World Goodbye
4 Insert
5 The Closer I Get To Tou
6 Love Lock
7 Funky Constellation
8 Closer To The End
9 Metal Flake Mind
10 Phase I (40 Seconds Dedicated To All Congo Players)
11 Day Of The Reggin
12 This Is Your World
13 Theme For The People (Exit)

Disc Two:
1 Give It on Up (If You Want To)
2 You Can't Wait For Love
3 She's A Rainbow Dancer
4 We're Gonna Make It This Time
5 Dance Around My Navel (Doesn't Have To Make Sense, Just Cents)
6 So You Wanna Be A Star
7 Spirit Of The Dance
8 Anticipatin'
9 Everything Good To Me
10 Mrs. Sippi

CLICK HERE TO PRE-ORDER NOW!

Fronted by James Mtume, the group bearing his name was formed in 1977 with fellow former Miles Davis band member Reggie Lucas. In 1982, the unit underwent several personnel changes, Lucas leaving to produce early recordings with Madonna. Female vocalist Tawatha remained as one of the original members of the group, long revered by funk and rare groove fans worldwide

MTUME's sixth album for Epic, Theater Of The Mind followed on the heels of the group s two previous best-selling LPs, Juicy Fruit and You, Me & He, reaching No. 23 on the R&B Album charts.

Much like its predecessors including Kiss This World Goodbye and In Search Of The Rainbow Seekers (both released on Soul Music.com Records as a 2-disc set this month) the nine-track set reflected the quirky lyricism and innovative approach that James Mtume brought to his work with the group via tracks such as New Face Deli, a riveting commentary on the mid-'80s beginning of societal obsession with cosmetic surgery.

Theater Of The Mind included three U.S. charted R&B singles, Breathless, P.O.P. Generation and Body and Soul (Take Me) The album has only been available on a limited basis as a Japanese-released CD.

Notes by Soul Music.com founder David Nathan include 2010 reflections by James Mtume

Tracks:
1 Theme For Theater Of The Mind
2 P.O.P. Generation
3 Breathless
4 I Don't Believe You Heard Me (A Tribute To James Brown)
5 Body & Soul (Take Me)
6 New Face Deli
7 I'd Rather Be With You
8 Deep Freeze (Rap-A-Song) (Part 1)
9 Deep Freeze (Tree's Thing) (Part 2)

CLICK HERE TO PRE-ORDER NOW!

This is good news,but how about giving us some fresh remasters of 'Juicy Fruit' and 'You,Me & He',two of their strongest albums? This should be a 2-CD set containing both albums,remasterd with bonus tracks.

I understand they're reissued, but I'm not seeing where it says they're remastered, anywhere. Am I missing it?

Give a girl some '12 inches or something.

Is it me, or do these remasters of R&B albums are getting stingier?

Harlepolis said:

Give a girl some '12 inches or something.

Is it me, or do these remasters of R&B albums are getting stingier?

I haven't seen yet where they're remastered at all. Regarding the 12", you just know there's more material out there than what made the original cut. I'm sort of doubting SoulMusic.com Records had access to much of it.

PDogz said:

Harlepolis said:

Give a girl some '12 inches or something.

Is it me, or do these remasters of R&B albums are getting stingier?

I haven't seen yet where they're remastered at all. Regarding the 12", you just know there's more material out there than what made the original cut. I'm sort of doubting SoulMusic.com Records had access to much of it.

I'm assuming they're remasters, although I learned the hard way not to trust those twofers,,,,so I will wait for the results and hopefully my judgement gets altered positively.

However, I'm tempted to check David Nathan & James Mutme's conversation alone

I just picked up the Japanese version of In Search of the Rainbow Seekers, and I love it! Juicy Fruit is still my fave, but I found another Mtume album to love. Not big on You, Me and He.

I have "In Search of The Rainbow Seekers" on vinyl from back in the day, but honestly don't ever remember listening to it that often (...I desperately need to get a suitable turntable, but that's a whole other story). Though I certainly remember this back cover, lol. Those "Threads" were about as FUNKY as you could get, lol.

By the time "Juicy Fruit" became a hit, I heard that song on the radio like a hundred times a day, and never felt the need to buy that album (just because I seemed to hear it everywhere I went anyway, lol). Though I would definitely invest in a Mtume Anthology set, if it were done with the proper care, and I'd want all the bells & whistles (Digitally Remastered from the master recordings, 12 inch remixes & whatnot).

.

[Edited 9/4/10 9:11am]

still gotta check out these